The Quest of a Lifetime: November 4, 2013

Hey Thorne Fam!

Another week has flown by and what a week it has been! It is so weird how different weeks can go. This week I have truly gained a testimony of Ether 12:6. We receive no witness until after the trial of our faith. Last Sunday was certainly a trial, but this Sunday we were able to witness many miracles. :)

As for investigators: 7 are progressing: Kat, Bill, Jeannie, Tung, Sandy, Nancy and Deandra.

Kat is still doing amazing. Planning her baptism.

Bill is back! He came to church this past Sunday and he said he still misses the preaching but he felt the spirit a lot more and liked Elders Quorum a lot better than High Priests. And he has almost finished reading through the D&C. We watched the full Restoration movie with him this past week and he really felt the spirit and I think his testimony of Joseph Smith is growing.

Jeannie has come to a head. We talked to her this past week about baptism and she said that she has thought about it a lot. She said she loves everything about the church except for how the women don't get the priesthood or leadership positions. She said it feels like "separate but equal" and she's fought against that her whole life and couldn't join a church that sponsors that. And we don't really know how to respond to that concern. But she still is reading in the Book of Mormon!

Tung is coming back as well! At our meeting last Monday, we talked about what a testimony is, how we gain one and why it is important. He commited to read and pray about the truth of the Book of Mormon every day. And if he didn't get an answer, keeping trying because God will answer him eventually. It was a cool lesson. :)

Sandy is back from rehab! He got back Saturday night and was at church Sunday. He also came to Gospel Principles and Sacrament Meeting. 2 hours versus only going to Sacrament as usual! Progress! He seems like he has really started that mighty change of heart process and is much more serious about God and religion. We just have to make sure he stays sober now and keeps the fire burning.

Nancy we weren't able to meet with, but we will be meeting with her this coming week. We have called her and she is still reading in the Book of Mormon, but not much to report other than that.

Deandra is amazing! We've met with her and her husband Gustavo. She had her baby last Wednesday and 4 families in the ward have volunteered to take her dinners with us. So Sister Watson met her this past week and Sister Bowman, Sister Kappes and Sister Curry will meet her this coming week. Deandra has been reading in the Book of Mormon everyday and both her and Gustavo have a real desire to know if it is true. We will be teaching the Restoration to them both this coming Sunday with Brother Alvarez since Gustavo doesn't speak much english and we don't speak much spanish!

As for your email:

1) Wow! Sounds like everyone had a pretty fun and crazy week! So many adventures! I hope they are all being written in journals. ;)

2) EMMA IS PLANNING ON A MISSION?!?!?!? AAAAAHHHHH!!!!! Oh my goodness! I am so stinkin proud of my amazing girls! You go Brit and Em! Take the world by force! WOOT!!!

3) Mom, your shirt nearly made me cry. Thank you so much! I am so honored to have this opportunity to be a missionary. Thank you. :')

4) I still have Steve and Nat's address, I will do my best to get a letter written out to them today. Also, please thank them for me. I hope they are receiving all the blessings in the world because they have no idea how much that means to me. :) I love them so very dearly. :)

5) Everyone looked adorable in their costumes! Mandy and Maddie: stinkin cute idea! And Mandy, may I mention yet again how utterly gorgeous you're getting. You've got to stop! :P Josh and Brandon: loving the ninjas! You two look very dangerously spiffy. Mom: Not having the time to make costumes anymore? ;) haha You all look super cute! It was also so good to get to see Grandpa and Grandma Thorne. :)

6) BELLE IS ADORABLE!!!! That is all. :)

7) So for our Halloween. That picture was taken the night before Halloween. That Wednesday, the ward had a trunk or treat. So the p-day before, I made some cat ears out of construction paper and then modified SIster Sperry's very large witch hat so it wasn't big and obnoxious. We have been planning our costumes for about 3 weeks now. It was really fun to get all dressed up. :) Then for the actual Halloween night, we proselyted up until 6pm then there was no more proselyting allowed so we went to Krista Smedley's and hung out all night. :D They basically are my family out here. Krista is even talking about coming to Utah for my homecoming! And her son Ayden is basically my nephew. I love them with all of my heart. So at Krista's, we made carament apples Rocky Mountain Chocolate Store style. We put caramel, white chocolate and crushed up Butterfinger. They were seriously good. Then we ate those while we watched the Emma Smith movie. Such a fun night! Plus! I got to wear sweats. Ah.... :) So that was our Halloween. :)

8) I got your package on Saturday and everything is indeed safe and sound. We've been listening to Jessie pretty much non stop since it came. Oh how I've missed her songs! I cried the first time we listend to I'll be Worthy to Stand. I thought of you Mom. :) And thanks for the candy! Super fun and yummy! Bill, Sister Gibbs and Rachel said to Thank You for the MoTab CD's. They really love them. :)

My spiritual thought for the week comes from Ether 12:6 as mentioned above. My favorite part of this verse is "ye receive no witness until after the trial of your faith". I have really gained a testimony of this phrase this past week. A testimony or a witness is a very precious thing to gain. It is truly one of the greatest gifts of God. And just like all gifts, we must be worthy of and work for a testimony or a witness. That is why trials come, why doubts enter our heart, why God allows hurt into this world. Because it is through those hurts and trials of faith that we gain our witness or knowledge. So my inviation this week is to change your perspective and to keep on keepin on. Things will get hard, they are hard. But I know with all the intensity of my heart that light is always waiting at the end of the tunnel. There is always reason to hope and to press forward for we have a Savior who understands our every pain. "You have reason to stand tall and be grateful that the Living Son of the Living God knows all about your sorrows and afflictions," said Elder Holland. So keep going. Don't give up. And thank God for your trials. Because every trial will make us stronger.

Love you all eternally! Talk to you next week!

Sister Thorne

The mountains turned all colors. It was so beautiful! Now they are starting to fall.

Our goofy Owinsville ward missionaries. You've got The Wicked Witch (Sister Sperry), the Sassy Cat (Sister Thorne), Arrrrrthur (Elder Lowe), and Gunter (Elder Green).