Claudia has dropped us and apparently Tung has changed his number and we have no way to get a hold of him! I know that there is something we are meant to do here in Morehead right now, we just have to figure out what it is. I think we are going to start working more with Less Active's. I think I say that every week. :P But seriously. Oh! Also, we attended ward council this week and LOVED IT! It's amazing to see the goings on of the behind the scenes. It's very fun to continue to get more involved.
As for investigators: currently progressing are Kat, Sandy and
Tung. We weren't able to get anyone to church. So many crazy things came up
this weekend and there were a lot of people who were either out of town (to get
last minute vacation in before school starts) or were really busy (getting ready
for school to start). We were able to meet with Kat briefly yesterday and gave
her some cookies to try and start off the year right. She is still solidly set
on getting baptized this October. We are so excited for her. :) Sandy wasn't
able to come to church because it started pouring and his car doesn't have
working windshield wipers. But when we called him that morning, he was up and
getting ready to go. And he was going to come to the last 2 hours, instead of
just the last. We are getting through to him, baby step by baby step. Finally,
we haven't seen Tung at all since last Tuesday. We have an appointment to meet
with him on Saturday but we can't confirm because his number has suddenly
become disconnected. He didn't come to church this past week because he was
going to another church with his friend and he's been busy taking care of the
Vietnamese Freshman. So we will be praying for him.
As for Jeannie, we haven't been able to meet with her: school.
Dennis canceled our appointment and hasn't been answering our calls.
Michael and Becca: still haven't been able to find their address.
But we've talked to Michael outside of the comic book store and he is still
super excited and wants us to come over some time.
Ryan: is very iffy. He's super baptist and loves to party. We're
meeting with him this week (he canceled last time) and we'll see how that goes.
As for your email:
Yes, we have been trying to meet with every member in our area of
the ward. The only problem is that that includes 121 different families all
over Rowan County and we don't have the miles to visit any of them and we can't
exactly bike 12 miles out to where they are. :P But we have been trying our
best. Those that we have met have all reacted well. It seems that everyone has
been expecting us for quite some time and it is a great blessing to be here. :)
We haven't had any problems because of the Elders. Those Elders were here last
November and we have had AMAZING Elders since then that have completely turned
the reputation around. Elder Carly, Denton, Arnold and Gaither. Amazing, hard
working missionaries who have set an incredible foundation for us to continue
to build.
I used to coupons for the make up (I was almost out!
Thanks!), the deodorant and the cereal. I felt so awesome. haha :)
That is so cool that our ward is doing that! I actually got some
adorable pics from the Primary this week. :D And they assigned me a Visiting
Teacher? Wow! We are completely spoiled! I'm excited to meet Sister Anderton.
We are absolutely loving our bikes! I've ridden a total of 30
miles so far! It's pretty exausting but I sleep well! haha :)
I'm glad Brit is finally all moved in. I've been thinking of her
all week. All the Freshman moved in to Morehead last Friday, the 15th. We also
got a new neighbor! Her name is Erin and she's adorable. :) So Brit has been
very prominent in my mind.
I'm so proud of Josh and Mandy! Manda-loo, congrats on the
recital! You look absolutely stunning. You seem to grow up every picture I get
of you. Stop it silly! You're making me feel old! I love you so much and am so
proud of the Young Woman you are. Josh: Woot woot! That's my mather! 100%?!?!
That's absolutely amazing! Keep it up bro. :) You're awesome.
I did indeed get Brandon's letter. It was a bit hard to read, but
I got it interpreted by the power of the spirit. ;) Thanks so much buddy! I
loved it and I loved hearing from you. It made me so happy to open the mailbox
and see your handwriting on the envelope. Good job!
I also got letters from Kendall Spackman, Becky Mugleston, Brit and the Duffins. I feel completely spoiled! It was really nice to get to hear from everyone. :)
The work is moving onward and upward! I have learned so much this
week and I continue to learn more every single day. I think today I am going to
end with a quote from Elder Holland. Well, probably 2. :P These have become my
2 favorites out here.
"Anyone who does any kind of
missionary work will have occasion to ask, Why is this so hard? Why doesn’t it
go better? Why can’t our success be more rapid? Why aren’t there more people
joining the Church? It is the truth. We believe in angels. We trust in miracles.
Why don’t people just flock to the font? Why isn’t the only risk in missionary
work that of pneumonia from being soaking wet all day and all night in the
baptismal font?
I am convinced that missionary
work is not easy because salvation is not a cheap experience. How could
we believe it would be easy for us when it was never, ever easy for Him? I
believe that missionaries and investigators, to come to the truth, to come to
salvation, to know something of this price that has been paid, will have to pay
a token of that same price.If you wonder if there isn’t an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way.
The Atonement will carry the missionaries perhaps even more importantly than it will carry the investigators. When you struggle, when you are rejected, when you are spit upon and cast out and made a hiss and a byword, you are standing with the best life this world has ever known, the only pure and perfect life ever lived. You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions."
"Brothers and sisters, one of the great consolations of this Easter season is that because Jesus walked such a long, lonely path utterly alone, we do not have to do so."
I just love Elder Holland so much. Thank you all for everything you have done to support me out here. There have been so many sacrifices made to bring me to this point in my life. I love you all very much. Keep on keepin on!
Love eternally,
Sister Thorne
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