The Quest of a Lifetime: September 16, 2013

Hello Thorne Fam!

We had such an awesome week! We went into the week knowing that we both wanted to work harder than we ever had before. We wanted to spend as much time as possible outside talking to people. Contacting and tracting and finding as much as we could. We just wanted to really look for those people who have been prepared. To put in our part. So that's what we did! And it has really paid off! This has been the most successful week of my time here in Morehead! It was so much fun and we already have 6 member present lessons planned for next week. Morehead is finally starting to pick up and the work is going forth!

As for me: I am doing wonderfully. I feel exhausted at the end of each day. I sleep well every night. I wake up in the morning refreshed and ready to go. I love working hard during exercise and I am learning how to more effectively talk to everyone. It's been a trial and error process but I have learned a lot from this week. I am trusting in my Savior and His atonement and I am truly being strengthened every single day. There is a lot still to happen this transfer!

As for investigators: we have 3 progressing. Kat, Erin and Abdullah.

Kat wasn't able to go to church because she was at home talking to her pastor about her decision to be baptized LDS. That was her parents last request before they would allow her to get baptized. Well, that and investigating for a year. We haven't yet heard how that meeting went, but we should know within the next couple of days. She got a priesthood blessing before she left so I have full confidence the Lord took care of her.

Erin came to church! We were worried because on Friday it seemed as if she was trying to drop us. We weren't really sure what to do. But we kept praying and held the faith and then on Sunday we called before church and she said she would like to come! Then during sacrament meeting, she told me that she was looking into another church too, but she is going to come to our every other week. She will read her BofM and will continue to pray and think about baptism. That is huge progress! And I fully believe that as she comes every other week, she will notice the differences in her weeks when she doesn't come. :)

Abdullah is... full of questions. We met with him twice this week. We first watched the Finding Faith in Christ DVD and then the next lesson (last night) was all about questions that he had about Jesus Christ, Repentance, the Priesthood, the Atonement, etc. It was really really difficult to explain things in a way that he would be able to understand. It wasn't a very good lesson. We were very scattered. The spirit wasn't felt. So this week I am going to go back and study Alma 17 and 22 and look more into teaching simply. We are teaching him again on Tuesday and Thursday, both with different members.

Tung canceled our appointment so there isn't much new to report on him.

We haven't had any contact with Amy this week either. She has had a big pain in her neck and has been to multiple doctors appointments this week to try and find out what is going on.

With Less Active's... *drum roll* Brother Hamm came to church AGAIN!!! Woot!!! Brother Smedley gave him a ride and it seemed like he really enjoyed it. :D Also.... Krista came to church! We met with her Thursday and she said she wasn't coming to church because of some things that have been said by members in the past so instead we gave her an assignment to read 1 chapter in the Book or Mormon and then, miracle of all miracles, she just showed up at church!!! We were so excited for her! We will be meeting with her again this Friday. :D

As for your email:

1) I got your package this morning! Thanks for the USB drive back! I also LOVED the life saver. Mmm... :) And your cute note as well. :) Speaking of notes, I got one letter this week from Theron Johnson. He's a sweetheart. :)

2) JEFF HANSEN IS MARRIED?!?! Say what?!?! Whoa whoa whoa... you should probably start from the beginning on this one. Are there any other marriages/engages I should know about?

3) Question: Why is Marsh getting so much rain but Utah has been in a drought all summer? How does that work?

4) I love the pics of Brit and Caleb! They are so stinking adorable together! Britney: Date him!!! Oh wait... you are. :P haha love you sisser! I am so glad that you have found someone who treats you like the princess you deserve and who gets along with our family so well. I am so proud of you and I hope you never ever forget that. I hope school is going well!

5) Next time you see Kei, please tell her I love her from me. I miss her SO stinkin much! Congrats on Jarron though! He is going to be such an amazing missionary.

6) I thought of you and Dad all day yesterday. I prayed extra hard for you to have a good day. I love both of you so much and am so grateful that you cherish your marriage enough and love each other enough to make it 24 years. I see a lot of relationships out here that help me to realize how special my Mum and Daddy's friendship is. I love you both!!!

My spiritual thought for the week is this: D&C 10:5. "Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work." That is my motto for this transfer. So for the next 4 weeks I am going to be focusing on making my prayers more specific, thoughtful and sincere. I would invite and challenge all of you to do the same. I know that when we truly make our prayers a discussion with our Heavenly Father and that we truly pray ALWAYS that we will defeat Satan in every trial of our everyday lives. As we pray always, we will be blessed with the strength and understanding to withstand every whirlwind (Helaman 5:12) that God allows Satan to throw at us. I am thankful for that truth.

I love you all so much and I will talk to you next week!

Sister Thorne

THIS IS THE COOLEST CARD EVER!!!!!!! Sis Sperry's family got it for her! It was drawn by a Disney animator. The front blond one is Sis Sperry and the back brunette one is me! That's what I would look like if I were a Disney Missionary Princess. My hair is even getting long! It's to the middle of my back! Ah!