June 24, 2013

Hey Thorne Fam! 

This week has been super crazy! So much has gone on every single day we have just been so busy! But I have a feeling that this next week will be mostly finding. I guess we'll see and trust in the Lord.

Training is going great. Sister Pack has already committed 3 people to baptism. She is sweetly bold in all she does and very courageous. She is a natural leader as I've said before and I already know she is going to go on to do great things. We covered How to Begin Teaching this week and we did the role play that you did with us at Zone Conference. We timed ourselves to see how quickly we could get through all 10 bullet points and then did that about 5 times. We got down to a minute five seconds! And we have started implementing How to Begin Teaching in all that we do and it has worked wonders. No wonder it is so important!

As for our investigators: We have 4 progressing. That would be Emma, Joanna, Kent and Gene. Emma prayed about her baptismal date and got her sure answer that she needs to be baptized. It was a difficult lesson because Joanna was in a bad mood and the spirit of contention drove the Holy Spirit out of the room. But we were able to confirm Emma's answer and she is very excited to move forward on this path.

Kent is doing amazingly! We had a lesson with him in which he responded, "I really felt something. It's amazing when you meet people who really care about you and your eternal potential." True charity works! I love that they talked about that in the broadcast. When we truly love them, an invitation to church will never ruin friendships. I believe it was Elder Nielson who said that. Awesome.

Then we met Gene this week. He is praying about a baptismal date of July 27th or August 10th. We taught the restoration (with how to begin teaching!) and it was incredible. The spirit was very powerful and he started crying. He already wants to get baptized and is coming to church this Sunday. 

Tammy dropped us yesterday after the broadcast. She had her neighbor call us and ask us to "stop bugging everyone". We called Tammy and she said, "didn't you get my neighbors call?" We said that we had but we wanted to make sure everything was okay and make sure she knows that we love her. She said she did but she didn't want to see us around anymore. It's amazing to me that as soon as we have spiritual powerhouse experiences (like the broadcast last night) Satan will come in and hit us at our weakest spot in our armor (that's for you Mandy!). It was completely heartbreaking and I prayed very fervently last night that there was nothing more I could have done as the Lord's servant. I started crying when a line from Elder Woodard's letter that he wrote me came flashing into my mind. "You have NOT failed." The Lord uses each of us to answer His children's prayers. We are each angels in His hands. It will all be okay.

This week has been awesome! Btw, WE LOVE SISTER HUGHLETT!!!!!!!! We would be no where without her. She has done so much for us and continues to do so every day. She is our light and our strength in Jasper and her and Breanna are truly angels. We love them with all of our hearts. 

The broadcast was amazing and I thought of home the entire time. I cried during the Missionary Medley with the kids and I think I actually saw Cam in the missionary crowd! Cool right?! It definitely bolstered my spirits and I'm ready to dive back into the work.

In response to your letter: Kent is early 30's I think. Gene is probably the same. We met each of them contacting. Proving yet again, as they said at the broadcast, that tracting is completely ineffective. It just is. Kent is a single man but Gene has two daughters, Macey and Olivia (12 and 11) who are interested.

The neighborhood of the new apartment is so beautiful and safe. It truly feels like home. Everyone is so nice. We are down stairs. I don't have any pics this week. Sorry! But I will make sure to get that done by next week. I also finished my Father's Day tape and put pics on the USB so I will be sending that today.

We went to the post office and changed our address so it should get forwarded to the new one. I got a letter from Grandma-Great this week. Is that the one you're talking about? I did get that. It was perfect. Thank her for me.

70,204 missionaries to be exact. We are indeed becoming the true Army of Helaman. :D And I am a part of it. :D

I think that's pretty much all this week. Sorry the email is shorter! There is much to do today and still many letters to write! I hope you all have fun in Park City and I can't wait for pics of the basement, pics of the fam and pics of Tifenn!!!! I miss her so much!

Oh! Also, I don't count my MTC time in my mission time so I haven't yet been out for 100 days. I don't do that because it isn't actually included in my 18 months. My mission will actually be 18 1/2 months long. I'm getting home September 17, 2014. Did you know that? It's on my ministerial certificate. Which is pretty awesome. :) So I believe today is day 98. :D

I love you all so much! Have fun at Heritage Days! Be good! Make good choices! 

Love eternally,

Sister Thorne