Monday, December 30, 2013

December 30, 2013

No letter last week, just our Skype call on Christmas day. (Which was awesome!)

Hey Thorne Fam!

Holy Moly! This week was so awesome and I learned so much! I had a really cool personal realization that is really helping me learn patience. So I am feeling very ready for whatever may come with this week (particularly transfer calls this Saturday) and I am super excited for this week! We also don't have much time to email as we have 4 appointments today so this will be fast.

As for investigators: we have 4 progressing, Jenny & Adam and Tiffany & Kimberly.

Jenny and Adam are so awesome! We had a great lesson with them last night on Judgement, Resurrection and the Kingdoms of Glory. We gave them some studying materials for next time and some more to ponder about. They really enjoyed it and said that they will come to church this next week!

Tiffany and Kimberly we had our first lesson with on Saturday. We taught the restoration and it was so powerful! We invited them to be baptized when they come to know that this is true and they said yes. So no date, but progress! And then they came to church yesterday! And they really enjoyed it! Tiffany's two older sisters happen to be LA members back at home so she already had a bit of a background and understanding. So cool!

Sandy (for everyone who doesn't know) did not get baptized. He ended up relapsing the Wednesday before his baptism and has since relapsed again. It was really heartbreaking for all involved but I know that everything definitley happens for a reason, especially when we don't understand it. We have decided to hand him off to the the Pioneer Sisters since he lives in their area in Lexington more time than he does here in Morehead. I really feel good about this move no matter how hard it is for me personally. This is for Sandy.

Yoyo is still doing good. She should be back in town either late this week or earlier the next.

As for your email:
1) Yes, those were my black tights. Thank you so much! I am very toasty warm! The watch is gorgeous! And fits perfectly. :) I'll send a pic of my gifts and explain them all shortly.
2) Elder Johnson?... I think I have heard the name but haven't met him. I may be getting transferred so if so, I'll see him at transfer meeting! I will keep an eye out for him.
3) Brit: Keep at that chin! Haha you're now just like Britnay the chippette! :D I'm proud of ya. :) LOVES! I miss your gorgeous face sisser!
4) Mandy: Whoa! There goes my talented chica! You sounded so very beautiful on the violin and Erin and Sister LeFevre even commented on it from the next room over! You are so amazing!
5) Caleb: Yes, you are now awesome enough that you have your own bullet point. :) Haha I've pretty much officially accepted you into our family. I just wanted to take a second and really truly thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking care of my little sister. She is an amazing princess and deserves someone that truly treats her as such. I have been so impressed with you and and very grateful that she has had you as her protector while I've had to be gone. Thanks Caleb. So much. :)
6) Josh and Brandon: Looks like you had an awesome Christmas morning! Brandon you are growing up so quick! I almost didn't recognize you in the pictures! Josh, do you know when you might get your braces off? Love you so much dudie! Stay good! :D
7) If I don't get an email or something from Andrew and/or Trent now that Andrew is home, just let them know that they will receive a pretty good glare when I get home. Just so they know.
8) Flower: GO BRO!!!! AAAAHHH!!! I can't believe you are leaving! I am so proud of you for making these life changes! You are so incredible and I admire you a lot. Never forget your big sis who is praying for you every day. Love you!!!
9) That sounds like some really good goals for this year mom! I will have to think on my own for this week and get back to you on them next Monday. :)

As for my thought from this week: as I said above, I have been studying patience. The main example I really looked at comes from Mosiah 24. I would invite everyone to really study this chapter and the chapters before because as you understand the context, this story becomes so much more. This is the story of the people of Alma the Older when they were captives of the Lamanites, particularly of Amulon who used to be one of them. Amulon is putting some really awful torments on this people and is even threatening to kill them if they pray. So they beg in their hearts for deliverance and instead of deliverance, the Lord strengthens their back as the loads are placed upon them. All of these people of Alma are recent converts, their testimonies hadn't really been tested yet so the Lord allowed the enslavement to continue so that they could test their faith and patience. But as they remain strong and their faith, hope and patience are cemented, they are finally delivered from their enemies. As I was reading this I thought, "Sometimes the Lord calms the storm and sometimes He lets the storm rage and calms the child." There truly is a reason for everything. If we will just pray for strength (not necessarily deliverance) and continue in faith an patience, we will be able to be of good cheer and comfort and we will eventually be delivered. That's a promise. I would invite everyone to study the attribute of faith and discover how you personally can gain a greater testimony of it. I know that it has truly changed my own perspective.

I love you all eternally! 
Sister Thorne
 Sister LeFevre and I. We did an awesome scarf exchange and this was our scarves!
 Sister LeFevre and I reading Luke 2 on Christmas Eve. It's tradition. :) If you notice, my shirt says 'I Love Math' in math symbols. I got it out here. It's pretty much fantastic!
 Our beautiful Christmas tree!
I am so blessed to have so many people who care about me. Thank you all for your support. :) 
On exchange with Sister Roberts! I love this girl! So... one of our appointments fell through on our exchange and we had nothing to do. So naturally we decided to go up on to campus and preach the Restoration standing on top of this block at the bell tower. There was some yelling and fist pumping involved... we were trying to be like the great missionary, Dan Jones. It's called "Danjonessin it". Luckily, none of the campus kids were actually there. :P We were up there for a good 40 min!

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