The Quest of a Lifetime: September 30, 2013

Hey Thorne Fam!

What a wonderful week we had here in Morehead! So much is happening and the work is going forth in leaps and bounds I never before imagined. :) It has been so wonderful to see how this area has changed over the course of the past 10 weeks. :) I am doing absolutely fantastic! This week has been so productive and we have truly seen miracles as we have worked hard and just keep working harder. I have a feeling that this weekend is going to be really amazing. We invite everyone we meet to conference and we already have some really cool experiences planned out for our investigators. I feel that it may be a hard weekend for me as I will see my Daddy and I miss him more than words can express, but staying busy will help me a lot. :)

As for investigators: we have 5 progressing! That would be Kat, Jeannie, Abdullah, Tung and Bill.

Kat has a bap date!!!!! She is pretty much sure with it. Eric will be coming home from BYU to baptize her and her parents sound okay with it over text. She will be meeting with them sometime in the next 2 weeks to make sure that all will be well on that front. She is looking at November 29th or 30th. Thanksgiving weekend. :D Also, Brother Curry and Brother Monnett will be meeting with her to give her the lessons all over again. The ward is completely taking over and I LOVE IT!!! The work of Salvation!! Woot!

We met with Jeannie last night. She had a really cool experience this week with Brother Curry. She started asking him questions about the church and they ended up having a 2 hour conversation about the church wherein Brother Curry says he basically covered all of the discussions. Then we met with her last night. We decided to put into action what we had learned from the AP training during interviews. So we made a lesson plan where we taught L3 and in every point of the lesson, we inserted the idea and benefits of baptism in some way. At the end of the lesson we invited her and she said that eventually yes. She likes what she has heard but she wants to learn much much more before she makes that commitment. So no date, but that is such huge progress!!! :D

Next is Abdullah. He is still reading in his Book of Mormon and praying, but we weren't able to meet with him this week because of midterms on campus. So I will have more to report on him next Monday. Hopefully he will be able to watch conference.

Tung is actually progressing! We met with him Saturday and he has been reading his Vietnamese Book of Mormon and he is planning to come to the Saturday morning session of conference. He is really excited to hear the prophet speak. After the session, we will be talking to him about the Doctrine of Christ. So Saturday we talked to him about the Atonement. We didn't have much time but we were able to discuss what it was and the first gift of the atonement or immortality.

Finally, Bill. Oh how I love Bill! Bill has officially finished the Book of Mormon and read all of the Pearl of Great Price and is working on D&C and the Book of Mormon again. He now knows where to find the BYUTV channel and will be watching it periodically and is planning on coming to the Saturday afternoon session of conference. He will be sitting with Brother Williamson. He is going to watch the other sessions from home. After the Saturday afternoon session, Elder Allen will be giving Bill a blessing of healing. Bill has been really struggling with several physical (and maybe mental?) diseases and we talked to him about the priesthood and he actually requested a blessing of healing. So we prayed about it and really felt that Elder Allen should give it. So we talked to him and he will be fasting Saturday to prepare for it. :) We are really really excited for that.

As for your email:

1) What a busy busy week you have had! Brit: lookin like you're having a blast! Keep it up! Memories last a lifetime. :) Mandy: don't be confused all the time silly! You're too smart for that! :P But seriously, you are growing up so quickly! You are more and more beautiful each Monday I get to see you. :) I love you. *secret handshake* :') Josh: YOU GO DUDE!!!! I am so proud of you! You should look into the Ensign for this month. There is a really cool story about scouting in there that I think you would really like. As I read it, I kept thinking about you. :) Brandon: Keep being a stinkpot! Mom: It does sound like you're busy! But I know you are changing student's lives because you have change mine. You're giant capacity for love has shown me how to love all the people I meet how here, no matter how they treat me. Thanks for being my example on Charity! Daddy: I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ON SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2) The RS sisters are always willing to go out with us. We have a very missionary centered ward here and especially in Morehead. I am so very grateful for that. It is a huge blessing. Go Owingsville ward!!! :D

3) No, we actually will lose the QS challenge.... :( Turns out the Owingsville Elders got 34 quilt squares and we only got 21... The challenge ends today and we don't have the miles or time to try and go out and find more. But Elder Gaither and Allen (who won) said they are asking Brother Curry if we can all feast because it's no fun to eat if you don't have your friends there. :) We have such amazing Elder here! :D

4) Yes, I did get to watch the RS broadcast and yes, I did cry as I watched the Sister Missionary choir and I thought of you. :P I too learned a lot from the broadcast. I think most of all it reinforced the important work I am doing right now. I am inviting people to make their first covenant with God. As each person talked about those covenants, I realized the amazing responsibility that I have been given and how grateful that I have the spirit as my companion to allow me to accomplish it. :)

5) Oh Kristie! I am so sorry about your calling! I know how much you loved working with those Young Women. But how amazing of a blessing you were able to find your answer of peace at the temple. I know the Lord has many lives for you yet to change. You are an instrument in His hands and you are serving many many of his children. I love you!!!

My thought for this week comes from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf. "There are messages in each general conference given as a gift and a blessing from heaven specifically for our personal life situations." He then goes on to give three concepts that will help us better receive, remember and apply the words spoken during conference. "1) Members of the church are entitled to personal revelation as they listen to and study the inspired words spoken at General Conference. 2) Don't discount a message simply because it sounds familiar. 3) The words spoken at General Conference should be a compass that points the way for us in the coming months." I know that as we spiritually prepare for conference we will be able to spiritually feast (2 Nephi 32:3). My challenge for everyone this week would be to ponder in your heart and pray about 3 question that you have for the Lord. Second, expect that the Lord will answer them during conference. And finally, listen for when the spirit speaks to your heart that your answer is being given, whether it is the answer you would like or not. I know that God WILL be there. Always. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love always,

Sister Thorne