April 14, 2014

Hey Thorne Fam!

I feel like I've lived a lifetime in this past week. This week has gone fast, just like weeks past, but it has also contained so much information and ups and downs, I thought I would soon get a headache if things continued. But hopefully things are leveling out. Haha. Like they ever would in missionary work! XD So this week I'm going to start something a little different. To really get everything in about all the miracles that happened, I want to do a little synopsis day by day of what occurred.

Monday: We had an active member lesson with the Storm's. (Adorable family!) and then were supposed to teach Gail, but she canceled. So instead we went and helped another member with some sanity. :) The night ended by me having a little breakdown because one of our very few new investigators called us and explained that she no longer wanted to meet with us due to family issues. "Now just isn't the time to learn about your church." I was very very frustrated and wondering why the Lord would let this happen to her family when she was our only solid new investigator. I called the STL's and got some sanity myself.

Tuesday: Sister Smith's knee got really really bad. We went out tracting for 2 hours in the morning and when we got in for lunch, she couldn't walk. So we stayed inside for most of the rest of the day while she rested. That night we had dinner with a member, but when we got home, it was Sister Smith's turn for a breakdown. We were both very worried about her health and unsure of what we could do to continue to be effective until her Dr's appointment April 21. We also had several other things fall through and it was basically just a huge mess. So we called Sister Woodbury and Sister Smith talked to her for a while and then we called our District Leader to get a blessing.

Wednesday: We got a blessing from Elder Moon and Elder Forrest and something very peculiar happened. As we sat talking afterward, Elder Moon (our DL) looked us both in the eye and said, "I feel the spirit telling me very strongly right now that there is someone Sister Smith and Sister Thorne will find who WILL enter the waters of baptism. It will be you two." We sat there not sure what to think. We left and went to our appointment with Chris. He's a guy in his 20's we met last week who ran up to us and asked us if he could go to church with us. We were kind of on the fence with him because we weren't sure if it's because he felt the spirit or we were two cute girls. But we followed through with the appointment we set. Here's where the miracle happened. We had the most powerful Restoration lesson I've had in months and at the end set a baptismal date with Chris for May 10th, committed him to come to church and a return appointment for Saturday. AAAHHH!!!!! We called Elder Moon right afterward and basically just squealed. Less than an hour after our blessing, the Lord was fulfilling His promise. We ended the day with an awesome Gospel of JC lesson with our RC Rachel and Sister Brooksher and a great lesson with the Azondoga's.

Thursday: We got to finally meet Bro Pentinga (a super LA coming back) and he talked to us about what our game plan was to get his wife baptized because he so wants to be sealed to her. AWESOME! Then we had the RS bday party with all our wonderful ward women.

Friday: We volunteered at the Forum (a nursing home) for the first time and it was awesome! We really got the name of the church out to family members visiting their elders and we are already making some amazing new friends. :) We also found 2 really awesome potentials, Buren and Whitney. A couple with 3 kids who would like to learn more about the Plan of Salvation but can't meet until after Easter so we're calling them then!

Saturday: Had another awesome lesson with Chris! Sister Sparke came with us and we talked about the different parts of church and why all 3 hours are essential. We prepared him to listen for the spirit during sacrament and then arranged so Sister Sparke gave him a ride! Then... *drumroll please* we got to see Thunder over Louisville!!!!!!! It was so amazing! It's said to be the 2nd biggest fireworks show in the world and after watching it, I have no doubt! They had a finale for their finale and the finale finale was so loud, you could feel the thunder shake through your body. Wow! I will definitely be sending pictures. I also took some videos, but you'll have to see them when I send home the USB because their too big to email. They said there were about 800,000 people there and boy was it crazy! The Elders surrounded us 4 sisters and took extra care of us because it's really really dangerous to be in downtown Louisville, especially in such a big crowd. They are such awesome Elders! We then got stuck in traffic trying to get out and didn't get home until midnight. (The fireworks show was from 9:30 to 10 and then we got back to our car at about 10:30). We then woke up at 6:30 as per missionary schedule and GUESS WHAT?! Well... I guess that's Sunday. I'll tell you in the next paragraph.

Sunday: So I woke up and guess what?!?!?! I felt something crawling ON MY FACE!!!!! I completely flipped and flung a disgusting stink bug off my bed and into the wall. GROSS! I almost died! Needless to say, it wasn't a great morning. Both Sister Smith and I were so exhausted but Chris came to church and afterward told both the Elders and us that he already knows Joseph Smith was a prophet and that he is excited to come back. Say what?!?! AWESOME! We then had an amazing lesson with the Azondoga's where we were very bold about them about coming to church. We explained how essential it was. Sis Azondoga hasn't been coming because she works Saturday night 8pm to 8am as a nurse. Then church starts at 9am. But she's interviewing for a new position today that only works her Monday through Friday and she said if she gets it, she would start coming to church! We also had dinner with some investigators that seemed to be becoming internigators but then we taught L1 and gave them a Book of Mormon and the super Christian father said he would pray about reading it and when we left he was already looking at the title page. Curiosity saved the cats soul! :D

So that was our amazing week!

As for your email:

1) I'll try and get a letter to grandparents. Thanks Mom! :)

2) I don't have my picture for your wall this week because I talked to Kassi Clifford and she said that she would take the picture for me! And she's a professional photographer so she looked and all of the family's pictures and we are going to the park and she's going to take it so that the picture fits in with everyone else's! She also helped me with my outfit so it's going to be awesome! She just couldn't do it this weekend so we are taking them this week and then either she or I will get them to you.

3) Christina Albiston is getting married in the temple?!?! AH! I just got the invite this past week! Please tell her congratulations for me!

4) HAPPY BDAY JOSH AND BRANDON! I am so proud of my two amazing boys! You are both so incredible and I love you more than I could ever say. I miss you so much but guess what??? I'll be there with you for your next birthday!!! :D I can't wait! Love you! Hope you both enjoy your day!

I love your thought on the Savior mom. We are actually having an exchange with the STL's tomorrow and we will be focusing on Christlike attributes and how to be a more Christlike missionary. We did a little quiz to see which attribute we need to work on and my #1 (be far) is patience. Surprise surprise. :P I can't wait to be able to focus on this and becoming more Christlike in my teaching this week and your thought goes hand in hand with that! Thanks!!!

The church is true! The Book is Blue! And Moroni is on the ball!

Love eternally,

Sister Thorne