Week 79

An 80 degree Christmas...

Dec 23 at 10:19 AM

Hola family!

So, yes, I received said pink package :)  I have already commenced in eliminating said delicious cookies :)  Thanks mom and dad.  Y'all are the best.  I also received a package from Sister Nelson, and Deej+Karolyn...I'm not opening those until Christmas though because I don't know what's in them.  I also got letter 78 and one from grams.  Possibly some other letter from mom last week.  also, a Christmas card from Nana.  Tell her I love her :)  and...I think that's it... needless to say...I feel loved :)

As mentioned in the subject line, the weather here is not Christmas weather.  It doesn't feel like Christmas at all.  At least let it be cold even if we don't get any snow, but to be in the 70s and 80s...so much so that we have to turn our air conditioner back on is sick.  The disgusting type of sick (I would never use such an undignified term as the slang sick as a missionary . . . whom do you take me for :) )

Correct on the 40 minutes to talk with y'all. 

Okay...I really don't know what to say anymore...Time just flies by and trying to differentiate it out is difficult.  Oh, we did have Christmas zone conference last week...that was fun :) 

Elder Bagley and I instructed half of the mission on how to better plan lessons within companionship study.  It went pretty well.  Then for the 2nd half of the conference, we had musical numbers from the 3 zones.  I accompanied another Elder in our zone as he played the Violin.  We played Silent Night, and Sister Bernhisel recorded, so maybe I'll be able to get that too you.  I think it sounded pretty decent...who knows though :)  People tell you what they think you want to hear ;)

The spirit definitely guides us in little ways though.  For example...there is a recent convert in our ward that Elder Mortensen knew but that I had never met.  The sisters were the ones that finished teaching with her, so they were ones that it appeared to me were working with her versus the Elders.  After she was baptized, she got very sick, but then we never saw her at church.  I had never met her . . . . . . until last week.  For the 3 months I have been here, I have never had the impression that we should go visit her, until Thursday night when we were planning for Friday.  We didn't have any direct time in the day, and it was kind of an after thought for planning, so I just wrote her name down the side of the planner on that day as a "just in case we magically have any time" plan.  Then, we also were trying to figure out who we could ask to come on exchange for Friday night to come to a lesson we had planned with a family.  A name came into my head.  Okay . . . Friday comes...we call this individual to see if he can come on exchange with us.  We talk with his wife since he's at work.  She says that he would definitely be able to do that.  He calls us back after he gets off of work to finalize times. Everything is worked out.  He picks us up.  We go to the lesson.  It falls through.  Our back up plan is to visit this other Less Active member when it all clicks.  We need to visit that other individual that is a recent convert and a less active member.  More things begin to make sense...turns out this member that "happened" to pop into my head as the individual we should call for exchange was the primary member fellow-shipper that helped this recent convert along with her conversion.  They were good friends of hers.  Now it gets better...she lives pretty far away from where we were, so he calls her to see if we can come by.  Keep in mind, no one has been able to really see her or get in her house for months.  No one picks up the phone, but we decide that we're going to go anyways.  She calls us back while we're still driving and says that she would love for us to stop by.  We had an amazing lesson where a lot of powerful testimonies were shared and the spirit was definitely felt.  It truly was a miracle, yet how did it come about.  By little thoughts and impressions that at the time, may not have felt ridiculously inspired.  Nevertheless, I am so grateful for the spirit, and the way he guides us as we live our life in harmony with the revealed truths of Jesus Christ's gospel, as we strive to be obedient and to improve, and as we act in faith, not sitting back on our heels, waiting for God to direct our every foot step. 

Oh, there's a family in our ward that I love.  They are a great family and are so diligent in doing missionary work and are committed to our Savior.  A wonderful family indeed.  A humorous side note is that his little brother knows Chris as well as dad, and probably mom ;) . . .why you may ask?? Because he served in your ward!!  Elder Ridge.  Funny story right ?? I thought you'd enjoy it :)  I did.  He said our ward is a good ward.

We had a couple families in church yesterday.  One of them has come a few times and they really enjoy it, but they have difficulty getting up so early. . . they have been making progress though because at least now they are coming some, but they never make it to Sacrament meeting.  However, in 2 weeks, our time will change to church at 1:00pm, so people won't have that excuse of it being too early anymore.  They are a great family though, and I hope they will continue to progress forward.  It may be difficult at times, particularly because they need to get married, but there is nothing that the Lord can't do.  I've definitely learned not to doubt.  :)

Well, look forward to chatting with y'all on Wednesday, albeit it will be weird, but there's nothing we can do about that. 

Again, and always, I love y'all

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 78

By George!

Patrick Thornton

Dec 16 at 10:21 AM

Good morning ladies and gents,

First off, I received a letter from mom last week I believe and...I think that was it...maybe...gees, I can't remember that long ago.  Yet...it feels like yesterday....a paradox we have here :)

Also, for dad.  Yes, we have a couple of baptisms planned for January.  Hopefully, they happen.  Satan's been working really hard on people...pretty much all our investigators are experiencing some sort of crazy opposition...There is 1 investigator we have who wants to baptized, loves the Book of Mormon, is awesome, and wants to get married to her fiance who's a member.  Sounds good so far, right??  Well, let's continue...they go to the courthouse to get a marriage license all on their own and when they get there...they learn that his passport is expired...aka...they can't get a marriage license.  They don't have a lot of money, so now they have to figure out a way to renew his passport.  Who knows when that will be able to happen because sending things to Micronesia takes a long time, and if they choose to use the embassy up in New York, it cost more money.  So frustrating.  I'm glad that y'all are seeing success there in your ward.  That's always good.  :)

Sounds also like y'all have been having real winter...lucky...it's pretty cold here in the mornings...for North Carolina I guess...so that's always fun when we run, but it's supposed to be in the 60s or something this week...that's disgusting. 

Let's see...oh, the temple on Saturday!  Can I just say, amazing??!?!?  It was so great to see them again.  I love them so much.  So we drove up to Holly Springs Saturday morning, just south of Apex where the temple is and we switched Elder Bagley for Elder Moses.  Then Elder Moses and I went to the temple.  We get there about 10 minutes before guests were supposed to arrive...and Elder Moses realizes that he doesn't have his temple recommend.  So we have to high tail it back to Holly Springs in order to only be a little bit late.  We get there again, and are running through the parking lot when we see one of the members of the Morehead City Ward.  He says we're not late ;)  So, we slow down.  Everything was a little behind, so that was good.  We got to see and talk to a few of the members from Morehead City and catch up with them.  It was great.  I'll have to get pictures for you, but Elder Moses has them on his camera...The Sealing was amazing though.  They look so great together.  First sealing ever...good stuff.  After the sealing, everyone went up to congratulate them and I gave Stephen the biggest bear hug in the history of biggest bear hugs...so big it made grizzly bears in Alaska jealous.  And then we got to Courtney and she said in a dismayed tone of voice "I can't hug you :("  So I gave her a mean hand shake :)  It was great to see them again.

Then that night we had the ward Christmas party.  That went pretty well. 

President and Sister Bernhisel came on exchange with us (ie. came to teach a couple lessons with us) last week too.  That went really well.  I love them :)

Okay, do I have a miracle story for y'all.  Please sit back and enjoy the popcorn.  Okay...So We didn't fill up with gas at all when we drove up to Raleigh and back. No big deal.  We made it. 

End of story...

Just kidding, if that was the end of the story that would have been a worthless popcorn opportunity...

Okay, so to continue...what day usually follows Saturday.  Sunday...Who's name is 2nd largest on our name badge...Jesus Christ.  What should we not do anyways, but especially as representatives of Jesus Christ on Sunday...buy Gas.  Well, good, because church isn't very far away...dunh dunh DUNH!!!!!  Guess what, we had forgotten that we have to drive to Lumberton 26 miles away to do an interview...our estimated range left on the car...20 miles...hmmm...uh oh...So, we ask a member if they have any gas that we could use so we don't have to buy gas on Sunday. They have a little.  We put it in...check the range...20 miles...oh boy.  She had asked another member down the street if they had some ...they had a little...we go there, and as he is putting the gas in, we dump it down the side of the car because of the new car safety guard in the gas intake place (I'm not a car person ok?! Give me a break :) I don't know car thing names)  So, we figure out a way to get the rest of what he has in the car.  Now, we are already going to be late to the interview and I don't want to have to go try and figure out what other members have gas for us to use...so, I turn on the car, its says 55 then 60.  I'm like, Elder Bagley, let's go.  We're going for it.  We leave for Lumberton...part way there, I ask Elder Bagley to say a prayer.  He does.  I feel calm and confident that everything we be alright.  I know we didn't plan ahead as well as we should, but we did what we could to try to rectify the situation without breaking the sabbath (not a good idea to do also right before you give an interview where you ask them about keeping the sabbath day holy).  I trust that Heavenly Father will reward the trial of our faith.  We drive about 10 miles or so, with no change in range...I'm slightly afraid it's not registering correctly.  Then, believe it or not...it goes up to 65...what!?!?!? How does that happen.  It starts at 60...then 10 miles later it bumps up to 65.  We drive the 20 miles to Lumberton and it ends at 55 when we get to Lumberton.  Wow...miracle continues.  We drive home and again, it ends on 40 after a 26 mile trip.  We traveled almost 50 miles on the range of 20 miles...how you might ask...God I will respond.  Then, the day's not over yet.  We get a text and we have to go help this lady move...we do...I can't tell you how conservative on acceleration and neutral-using I am at this point.  We help her move and then we have to drive another 20 miles round trip to a lesson that night.  Our thing says 25.  We should be good.  But then we get stuck in traffic...Yep, there goes some more gas...We get to our lesson...and ...

we get home...with less than 5 miles left on the car...and then this morning we made it to the gas station.  This was such an incredible miracle that when we got home, we knelt in prayer to thank our Heavenly Father for watching over us and keeping safe.  I love my Father and His Son, and They love us.

Love,

Elder Thornton

Week 77

Amigos...

Dec 9 at 10:01 AM

Hello family and friends,

 Well another week has gone poof into thin area (or was it thick air?? It depends on the humidity I guess...what does thin air even mean???)  Anyways,  to begin, we had a lot of really good things happen last week...obviously with our fair share of opposition, but what's life without opposition, let alone missionary work :)

I received a letter from Rachel, and I also think I received one from mom and grandma last Monday after I wrote...that was a long time ago, sorry I can't remember for sure :)  oh, and I also did get a party invitation from Angela and Trevor for Grandma's party with some pictures :)  That was nice :) 

Regarding Christmas, I have no idea yet...you see, things seem really far away until before I know it, bam!  They're here.  Kind of like Chris's mission call...among other things.  I'll  try to figure that out soon...we hopefully will be skyping.  We just have to find somewhere to do it. 

I can't believe how much snow y'all are getting!  That's not fair.  Finally down here, at least it's getting cold.  On Friday, it was like 80 degrees!!! Are you kidding me?!?!  That's not December weather at all.  Now we're down in around the high 30s which is better than a sharp poke in the eye even though it rains instead of snows.  :(  

Christmas devotional was definitely Good.  I played the name drop card with Elder Rasband to Elder Bagley.  Yeah, I ate lunch/dinner with him :)  Not a big deal ;)

Oh, have I mentioned that this Saturday, I will be going to the Raleigh Temple to be a part of Stephen's sealing and marriage!!!! Stephen, if you don't remember, was the individual we baptized a year ago October in Morehead City!!!! I am so ridiculously excited :) 

We had some great lessons last week.  A lot of opposition in some areas, but some miracles in others...and it's truly incredible to see the Lord uses opposition to create miracles and growth.  Let me explain.  We have an amazing investigator family that was doing fantastic until she came down with bacterial pneumonia and had to go up to Chapel Hill for treatment. -- opposition-- Well, we found out that some missionaries in  Chapel Hill "happened" to be right  there visiting someone else near this family we're teaching, and the father saw them and asked them to give his wife a blessing, which they did.  I feel the spirit so strongly just typing that story up.  It's truly amazing to see the Lord's hand in everything.  I know that that experience had to have strengthened that family spiritually to know that people over a hundred miles away have the same authority and same power and same spirit as the people she was meeting with in her house.  We had given her a blessing for something else when we first met her that greatly blessed her.  Opposition leads to miracles when influenced by the Lord.

2 more quick stories,

1) We had 1 investigator that had been doing really well, and then he stopped progressing because his friend had invited him to another church. He was still willing to meet with us though, but we really weren't sure where to keep going after a couple of lessons. Last week, when we taught him, before the lesson, I had been slightly frustrated with him; we really didn't know where to go, and my hope and faith were waning with him.  However, Heavenly Father taught me a valuable lesson surrounding Faith, Hope, and Trust in our Father and our Savior. I realize now that I had allowed my Christlike hope and faith to dwindle. In that lesson, we followed up on his fasting to know if the Book of Mormon was true. He said it went well, and when we asked him if he felt like God was answering his prayers, he told us that the Book of Mormon is true, that it's the word of God. We were stunned! We really didn't know what to say right away. He also voluntarily voiced his true concern regarding the 3 kingdoms of Glory, which we were able to address with the scripture in 1st Corinthians.  Following that explanation, he said that that was the only thing doctrinally that we had shared that had been causing him to be hesitant.  Why I didn't act out of Christlike hope, knowing that He can accomplish and do anything, escapes me, but just when we thought we were teaching Josh, Heavenly Father was teaching all of us. 

2) Another couple of investigators that we have teaching for while have started to make some slow progression.  Last week, they came to the 2nd and 3rd hours of church.  We followed up with them on church this past week and their experience there.  We ended up not teaching any of the lesson that we had planned because the spirit led the lesson another way.  Aleisha expressed to us how she felt this urge to share her testimony in Relief Society at the end, and then she described how she had this unexplainable good feeling after church that lasted for 2 days.  She's been to a lot of churches and said that she doesn't feel that way when she goes to other churches.  It was powerful.  She also is in Jacob in reading the Book of Mormon and is loving it.  She shared her belief with us that she believes it to be true.  Not only that, we were witnesses to the fact that through the Book of Mormon, the spirit is teaching her truths.  She is showing so much growth and is becoming spiritually self-sufficient.  She said that before she started reading the Book of Mormon, she didn't understand baptism and never really had the desire to be baptized, but now after reading 1 and 2 Nephi, she understands it so much better and wants to be baptized.  That came from nothing we did.  That was purely because the spirit of the Lord is amazing and powerful.  It leaves impressions and imprints on our soul that man cannot replicate.  I love this work so much.  I know it is the work of the Lord, and despite trials and opposition and difficulties in other areas, there is never a reason to not be happy. 

Thanks for everything, y'all.  I love you so much.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 76

December, eh? Where did you come from ;)

Dec 2 at 10:09 AM

Good morning, dear family and friends.

To begin, I received the most exciting piece of mail today.  My license renewal.  :) Hurrah for Israel!  Last Monday, after emailing, I did also receive the letter that had the wedding pics in it.  Thanks for those.  :) 

I'm glad that the work is going well in your ward.  That's always good.  How could it not go well though with such a fantastic Bishop!?! ;)  We only had 1 Thanksgiving dinner; it was delicious despite being anticlimactic.  It really didn't feel any different than any other dinner.  Holidays...weird stuff on a mission...we did go and play in a turkey bowl that morning with the ward members.  That was fun.  :)  We also taught a lesson on Thanksgiving to some investigators of ours.  Other than that, pretty normal of a day. 

8pm black Friday shopping.  That's the biggest lie I've ever heard...what is wrong with all these people out there...since when was 8 o'clock Thursday, Friday?  Maybe I just don't know what I'm talking about anymore :) 

Yes, I will be here in this area for Christmas...Transfers is New Years Eve. 

We had a really powerful lesson with the Berry's last night, our recent convert/returning less active family about putting God first in our lives and trusting in Him, particularly in reference to doing family scripture study and going to church as a family.  It was really good.  Nothing really that we had planned, but that's okay.  Here's what I've found and know to be true.  If you go into a lesson or a talk without plan, planning on just "winging it by the spirit," you will fail.  If you had the time to prepare and you didn't, you won't be guided by the spirit.  The Lord doesn't reward stupidity.  If, however, you prayerfully plan a lesson or a talk, and then in the moment, feel that you need to go a different direction or discuss a different subject, you can have complete confidence that the spirit is guiding you and the lesson.  Why?  Again, the Lord doesn't reward stupidity or laziness.  If we do everything we can, the Lord will always fill in the rest as well as supercharge that which we have done on our own.

We had a leadership council meeting on Friday.  Good stuff.  Lots of good direction.  Something I'm really working on is the application part of the activity.  Oftentimes, we all hear great council or we have great ideas; however, usually, the fire dies off either within a couple of days or weeks or it dies before we even leave the meeting.  Take general conference for instance and the quote from Elder Hales, " we gather to hear the words of the Lord, and we return to our homes to live them"

So crucial...without that, we don't grow.  We don't become.  We waste what we had just been given.

I don't really have much else to say.  I'm trying to be the best Zone Leader I can be.  Sometimes, I wish things were more spelled out...like by an angel or something . . . that would probably make things easier.  :)

Not much else to say, oh, we're trying to teach a Mongolian speaking girl in the Netherlands via facebook utilizing a translator out of Utah :)  Good stuff.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 75

Do I have a funny for you

Nov 25 at 10:08 AM

Alright, y'all, my new companion and I made up a funny.

What do you call an ocean of prophet-killing noodles???

I'll tell you later :)

Anyways, wow, how is it another Monday, I feel like I was just telling you who my new companion was yesterday.  Weird stuff.  Anyways, my new companion's name is Elder Benson Bagley.  He is from Rexburg, ID.  He has been out 1 transfer less than me.  He's a really good missionary, but alas, I am destined to never be with those older-than-me missionaries that I always look up too.  For some reason, I thought that if I ever became a Zone Leader, I would be able to be with missionaries that we were older than me and thus would teach me tons and tons of yummy stuff, but turns out, I was only with a Zone Leader that was older than me for 1 transfer, and he was only 6 weeks older.  Hence, alas.  But things are still going well.  I know I am where the Lord needs me to be, and I am with whom the Lord needs me to be.  A lot of really good things are going on. 

I received a letter from Grandma this past week.  

What else?  We are teaching this fantastic family, the Penn family, and it is so exciting!!!  Really, I'm not kidding.  This family is definition of member missionary work.  A member in our ward had been talking to her about the church and stuff and then extended the invitation to meet with us and hear the message of the Restoration.  They delightfully accepted, and last week, we taught one of the most spiritually powerful Restoration lessons.  The spirit was so strong, and when the mom prayed at the end, she mentioned, I think it was gratitude or something, for the spirit that she felt.  When Elder Bagley shared with them the account of Joseph Smith's experience in the woods, she shivered a little bit.  It was amazing.  They all, the two parents and their 2 kids, came to church yesterday and enjoyed it.  It's great.  This is what missionary work is all about, and amazing, we don't have to try and create and forge friendships among ward members since they already has a really solid friend in the church who is there to answer their questions when we aren't around, who is there to read the scriptures with them, who is there to support and strengthen them, and address concerns that they aren't comfortable bringing up with us.  Simply stated, they have a lifeline to the church.  That is so important.  That's something that I think most people don't understand.  When President Hinckley discussed the 3 things converts (and prospective converts) need, he highlighted the need for a friend.  Sadly, I don't think most people take these 3 things seriously enough.  For example, I have seen new converts receive a calling and then it feels like the ward almost checks that box on the 3 things list, forgetting the fact that they need constant check-up, training, help, encouragement, love, support, and stepping stones.  Sometimes, they just assign them a job.  Now, for the friend, a friend is more than someone that, when he/she sees the investigator on Sunday they say hi.  A friend is more than someone that comes on exchange with the missionaries only after the missionaries set everything up and request it.  A friend is involved with said individual outside of church.  A friend personally invites said individual over for FHE, dinner, a lesson etc without any provocation from the missionaries.  A friend calls when the person isn't at church.  A friend calls just to show true love for them as a brother or sister.  A friend reaches out and goes out of their way to support them along this significant, yet difficult and perilous path.  A friend doesn't wait to be asked to be like Christ.

Just one of the many things I have learned as a missionary, as a representative of Jesus Christ, my Master. 

Happy birthday Grandma!  I love you so much.  And I really do thank you for all the letters you write me.  :) 

Also, Happy 37th birthday mother! :)  on this Saturday.  You're the best mom I could have ever asked for.  I love you so much.  Don't ever forget that.  Family is the best.  That's what it's all about.

Love,

Elder patty

ps.  The answer is APOSTASY!!! hehe

Week 74

Top of the Morning to y'all (Like the mix of dialect, eh?)

Nov 18 at 9:52 AM

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let's see, what to say,...

I got letters 72 and one from grams. 

Hard to believe another transfer has come and gone. 

I have a feeling this email is going to be boring, make sure you're sitting down because if you fall asleep while you're standing up, you might get hurt, Thank you, The Management.

It's like 70 degrees here.  Weird.

Sometimes I feel like I'm pulling teeth.

We taught a lesson on missionary work using Elder Ballard's address in Elders Quorum yesterday.  I'll tell you...I like working with missionaries a lot better than Elders Quorums.  I can hold missionaries to a lot higher standard, and most of them want to be there.  I can't say the same for Elder's Quorum. 

My companion is being transferred to be a district leader in a struggling area.  So, I'll be getting a new companion . . . I have no idea whom though.    

Out of the 12 Zone Leaders though, 4 are going home this transfer and my companion is becoming a district leader, so there will be at least 5 brand new zone leaders this transfer.  Crazy stuff.  Elder Mortensen is going to Tabor City.  He'll actually be in South Carolina.  Our investigators are doing pretty decent for the most part, but we have a few that we might have to discontinue actively teaching.  It's no good when we are doing all the work and they aren't putting in any active effort. :( 

We also started teaching this amazing family, the Penn's.  They are amazing and are the product of phenomenal member missionary work.  If only everyone did it, that's what hastening the work is -- it's not speeding up the cars, it's adding more lanes to the road :)

Love you all so much,

Elder Patty

Week 73

Here's a quicky

Nov 11 at 10:05 AM

Okay family, 

We're emailing from the clerk’s office this week, aka, 1 computer, aka, we don't want to spend eternity here, so it's going to be a quick email.  I got letter 71, the one with the story and family history stuff in it.  I haven't read it all yet, but thanks so much, Mom.  I also got 1 from Grandma. 

Yes, I'm still doing audio journals. Good stuff. Those will be fun to listen to years down the road.  Yes, Dad, I did get the pic.  

 Lucky you on Elder Ballard coming and you getting to eat dinner with him. No fair.  But that's okay.  I hope y'all get some delicious counsel from him, which I know you will. 

So, things are going well down here.   Still staying ridiculously busy.  Lots of good things happening though.  As a Zone, we're seeing a lot of growth.  We should have several baptisms as a zone this month, which is great.  We also learned that Elder Mortensen will be transferred next week, and that I will be the Senior Zone Leader here, most likely training a new zone leader.  Crazy stuff.  Elder Mortensen has been a good companion, so I'm going to miss him.  Hard to believe I've only known him for 6 weeks...feels like we've known each other longer when you're with each other 24 hours a day and when you working in unity to accomplish the work of the Lord.  

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of interviewing 3 individuals for baptism.  Afterwards, I felt drained.  I interviewed a 9 year old, 11 year old, and father.  The only thing was this family is Burmese.  There is a large Burmese refugee population in a place called Lumberton.  The children know some English, the parents really don't know.  And the missionaries don't know their language.  Neither do I. Thus the 11 year old was alright, but the 9 year was really shy, and the Father had to be complete translation.  My translator was a 12 year old boy.  You might be able to imagine how difficult it is to try and determine whether someone is ready to take upon them the covenants of baptism in such a situation.  I was pretty torn on what to do, pass them or not because they are pretty childlike in the understanding of the Gospel.  It was hard, but ultimately, I knew that the spirit knows the truth of all things, so I sought my Father's counsel and guidance as to what I should do.  As a loving Father does, He comforted me and I know that He and our Savior will accept them into His kingdom on earth.  But like I said, afterwards, I felt drained.  I would ask a question sometimes and the translator and the interviewee would have a conversation in their language and then the translator would say, "He said yes".  I was like, um, ok, I thought there was a lot more to that conversation.  Hence, I definitely had to rely on the spirit.  It was a learning experience for sure, but I know that the Lord helped me and blessed me.  

Alright, I'm going to end it here, so I hope you're satisfied.  Tomorrow we have a mission tour where a general authority will instruct us.  

I love you all so much and am so grateful for you.  Keep being strong, and never be satisfied or comfortable ;)  This life is the time to grow :)

Love,

Elder Patty 

Week 72

G-2

Patrick Thornton

To Me

Today at 9:54 AM

Family, so first off, I want to alleviate the undo pressure I have placed you, mother, under.  I forgot to mention last week.  I did get the ballot, actually 2 Mondays ago I got it after I had emailed and sent it off the next day or so.  I also received 69-71, the double letter from grams, and I received grandma's for this week, but will probably receive yours mom, today after emailing. 

Super exciting about Chris being able to go to the temple.  But weird, all at the same time.  Let's see, I really don't have much to say today.  We have been crazy busy though.  And when I say crazy busy I mean crazy busy.  Not enough time to even think.  I think I may be busting the run faster than you have strength rule sometimes, but the Lord sustains me, and I live to labor another day.  Hopefully, things will settle down some this week.  We are teaching a lot of people and finding more.  It's really exciting.  The ward is also progressing in terms of doing missionary work; it's definitely wonderful to see and experience.  We are teaching this individual named Josh.  He is absolutely fantastic.  In about 2 weeks, he is in Alma in the Book of Mormon.  His retention is amazing.  Yesterday, I told him I was fasting and then, not sure whether I just confused him, I asked if he knew what fasting was.  He said you did it to prepare for something.  I was impressed.  He then went on to reference how when Alma was unconscious for 3 days the people fasted and prayed for him!!  I think that is in like 1 verse in the Book of Mormon, but he remembered it and remembered it was with Alma.  He's come to church twice.  We found him at the Library :)  That in and of itself is a testimony that there are people everywhere prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Just imagine the hastening of the work that would occur if we had hundreds and hundreds of people in every city actively seeking out those opportunities to find people in unplanned ways.  That is the Lord's vision that will be accomplished on an individual level.

Another instance this week, we were returning home from an appointment with our exchange and there was this pick up truck that had its flashers on and was sticking out in the road a little bit on a nasty curve.  We swung around and hopped out and helped her push it out of the road.  We then proceeded to ask her what the problem was and she explained that she ran out of gas.  Our exchange happily volunteered to go get her some, so we ran to his home, grabbed some gas, and then returned, and while he was filling it up, Elder Mortensen and I talked with her about the church and the message we share.  We set up an appointment with her for yesterday.  Yesterday, we went and had a really good lesson, and they are excited to come to church, her and her 13 year old son.  The Lord truly blesses us when we are willing to act out of compassion and love.  Part of the problem, I feel, in the society we live in today, even within the church, is that everyone is so "busy."  As a missionary, I can promise you that it is not difficult to be busy.  Being busy is easy, but being productive and accomplishing the Lord's will??? That's a different question.  Think about Christ when He was visiting the Americas and the people here after His resurrection as recorded in the Book of Mormon.  After ministering to them for a time, He explained to them that He had to go; the Father had other things for Him to accomplish, yet when He saw the peoples' countenances, He acted out of compassion as we witness a divine changing of mind.  He delayed his subsequent engagements in order to follow the spirit in the moment and act out of a full and pure love.  Should we not follow that example as best we can??  especially due to the fact that we would be hard pressed to submit that our engagements are of more worth or of greater consequence than the Savior's. :)

Also, this past week, we had our Halloween party...I miss not having a stake center to be my building.  There were so many people there; it was crazy packed.  There were so many tables in the gym and in many other rooms, there was hardly enough room to walk.  Trust me, there weren't any activities in the gym; that would have been impossible.  :)  and the party was over in the blink of an eye.  I barely squeezed in a couple of bowls of chili.  Our entire time consisted of tracking down people that we had invited who were there, fellowshipping with less actives and trying to catch the friends that members had brought...definitely not a party for missionaries :)  but it was fantastic in terms of missionary work, which is 100% of my focus for 2 years right??  Who needs parties as a missionary?  Holidays might as well not exist on a mission :)

I guess I ended up having more to say than I thought. ;)  (that usually happens, I talk a lot ;) )

Thanks for all your support.  I love my Lord.  I love His forgiveness.  I love His peace, the peace that only He can bring.  I love who I am becoming.  I love learning.  I love life.  And I love and am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to not only represent Him as His authorized representative, but to become more like Him.

I love y'all so much.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 71

Great week!

Patrick Thornton

Oct 28 at 12:00 PM

Alrighty then,

To start off this letter about a fantastic week, I figured I should start off with a fantastic accidental pun I said on the phone with someone.  Okay, here goes.

We were asking this girl if she would be the chorister for the baptism, and she had to check some things and then get back to us.  So, she called back, and she said that she was good to do it as long as her sister didn't have her baby.  So in summary and confirmation, I so wittingly said, "Okay, we'll plan on you to be the chorister, but if push comes to shove and your sister has her baby, we'll have a back up" hahahahaha! :)  Push comes to shove...have a baby?!?!?! I'm so funny :)

anyways, back to business,

Dad, I'm glad Bishop-ing is going well for you.  You're so compassionate that everyone probably loves you.  They'll want you to be bishop forever!!!!!  ;) tee hee

Y'all should enjoy your party on Wednesday.  That's when we are having ours too.  Hard to believe Chris is so close to his mission.  Who would have thought?  I’m rooting for some snow this year.  I have a better chance here than I did on the coast, so we'll see ;)  Dad, don't get sick on chili again this year ;)  (wow, I'm not sure this letter could be more random, truly, I have forgotten how to write a thesis statement ;) )

Bubba can't be getting baptized...he's still a baby, right?  Man, I missed something.  Oh, mom, I want your conversion story, written up, have you ever done that?? If not, you should.  If you have, can I have a copy??  I have no earthly idea why I never appreciated it before.  You're amazing.  2) where in Italy do we trace our heritage.  I feel dumb not knowing these things.  Family History and Me didn't have that tight of a relationship prior to my mission, but oh, how things have changed :)  Did we ever have any Thornton's near North Carolina? There were a ton up in Raleigh; there even was a Thornton Rd!!  (I'm famous!!!)

I'm not looking forward to turning the clocks back.  That just means that it gets dark at an insanely early hour.  Stinks for missionary work.  Everyone gets scared and thinks you're rude if you knock on their door at night (regardless of the fact that 2 months ago, they were still mowing their lawn at that time).  Well, we'll just make sure that we have plenty of appointments in the night time, so we can use that time productively. 

In other news, I will officially be going to my first sealing on December 14!!!  Stephen, who Elder Moses and I baptized last October, is getting married in the Raleigh Temple to his member fellowshipper/girlfriend!!! They're the best, and I'm super excited!!!!! :)  If I blink 4 times, I think It'll be here...that's how fast time seems to be going these days.  Half way through this transfer already, wow. 

Okay, I received letters this week from Rachel, Grandma (and thanks for the gift card :)  you're the best!), Kayla Nelson.  It was exciting to check the mail today. 

Okay, so for the baptism.  It went great!!!  We had a little shuffle of suits as we tried to make sure everyone had a suit that fit them.  Eventually, it all worked.  Elder Mortensen baptized the older 3 and I baptized the younger 3.  I love that family so much.  They are great!  They are going to leave a legacy in the church for sure.  The grandfather in the family that passed away a couple of months ago was one of the first branch presidents in Micronesia.  Pioneer family :)  We also had some investigators come to the baptism which was great.  I felt like I was hogging all the time at the beginning and like I was a one man show.  So, there wasn't anyone else that could play the piano so I did.  Then the person we originally wanted to give the talk couldn't do it, so the family asked me if I could.  I did.  And then we went and baptized them.  So I got up from my seat, went to the piano, went to the front, and then went to the font, with no else participating :)  but the spirit truly helped me prepare my remarks.  I wanted to make it good, and it turned out well.  I used an analogy that I created of the Doctrine of Christ being like climbing Mount Everest.  I wish you could have heard it or that I could type it all but it would take too much time, and I've already typed a lot :)  So, you'll just have to wait until I use it again someday :) 

6 confirmations on Sunday on top of a primary program led to an extra long meeting, but a really good meeting.  My love for my Savior and His Atonement continues to grow.  He offers so much peace, and I was able to experience a great amount of that peace on Sunday.  I love Him so much.  What a hopeless existence we would all suffer through without Christ to make everything possible and worth it :)

The place was packed on Sunday too.  Overall, the Lord is truly blessing us.  There is so much work to do in this area, and just not enough time to do it.  That is why we must always focus our efforts and do our Master's will because it's not difficult to be busy, but we only have so much time either on a mission or in life to accomplish the most important tasks.  That is the trick.  There are a lot of people that have the potential of being taught soon, so we'll see where it all goes. 

I'm not sure what else to say, . . . hard to believe it's almost November.  Ps. Did Nana ever read that chapter ?? ;) :) 

I guess in closing to my random, haphazardly-put-together email, I want to testify that truly, in the ordinances thereof, the power of godliness is manifest.
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84.20?lang=eng#19

I love you all so much.  Keep being strong, and never be afraid to tell people what you love and know, worst it can do is nothing, best it can do is save a life, sometimes many. 

Love,

Elder Patty  

Week 70

Today at 9:46 AM

Hey family and friends,

1st off, no, there is not a number to the apartment.  I live in a sort of 4 plex thing.  Let's see...what else...Oh, I think the mail system here blew up or something.  We just had some switcheroos in the office which made have led to some complications, but I know of at least 1 letter that got sent to Wake Forest after I left.  One from Rachel.  Then, this week, I got letter 69 from mom.  I'm not sure if the office is eating mail...perhaps...they get hungry sometimes, but either way...it should all work out in the wash eventually :)

Hmmm...This past week has been really good.  First off, we have a baptism this coming Saturday, which is really exciting.  It's for 6 related kids ranging from 9-15 years old.  Some are siblings, but they're all at least cousins.  The one side of the parents is from Micronesia, and they're all fantastic.  We love them to death!  They're the best!  So that's going to be an exciting day.  Not to mention the fact that this coming Saturday, we are also having a Mission Conference, where the whole mission gets together, as 2 Seventy Members will be speaking to us.  Then in 3 weeks, we are having another Seventy Member come for the official mission tour.  This one this Saturday is just out of the blue because they happen to be here to train Ward Councils. 

We are also teaching some other absolutely wonderful people!  We had a really powerful lesson yesterday with 2 of our investigators.  We taught them the Restoration and it went really well, and the spirit was definitely present, and as it says in Doctrine and Covenants 50, we were all edified and rejoiced together.  At the end of the lesson, I testified to them and something really clicked in me; I told them that the only reason we come out here for 2 years is so that everyone can have the joy, the anchor of eternal truth in their lives, the peace of mind that comes from the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.  That's all I want for them.  I just want them to have this and to allow it to affect their lives in the most miraculous and amazing way imaginable.  What I realized was just how much I want that for them.  I want it SOOOOOOOOO bad.  Seriously.  There is absolutely no reason anyone should not accept this into their life.  I even got choked up as I told them that.  That's all I want.  That's why I'm here...

The Lord is blessing us in many other ways here.  Just in the first few weeks, I've realized just how much I love working with the Stake Leaders.  We have an amazing Stake President here and an amazing High Councilor over Missionary work.  They are both soooo missionary minded.  They're incredible.  Every week we have a conference call with them.  It's the best. 

Last night, we had a cottage meeting at Bro. Catlett's home, the High Councilor over missionary work.  It went great.  To define cottage meeting for all y'all, basically we had missionaries, investigators, recent converts, Less Active, and returned less active there.  We introduced ourselves, as I played, the rest of the missionaries sang to the group, I am a Child of God, then we watched a Mormon message about the Jamaican Bishop in London.  So good.  Following which, Elder Mortensen and I shared about a 7 minute thought on the enabling power of the Atonement, after which a Recent convert and recently returned less active from our ward shared their experience.  We then ended and had refreshments which was a beautiful opportunity for everyone to intermingle and kindle friendships and love amongst each other.  It was great :)  We had several people from our ward come including a family that we are going to begin teaching their 9 and 16 year old sons.  We're excited.  Really, we are :)  The Lord is wonderful.

We also had Zone Conference this past week.  That went really well.  :)  I love President Bernhisel and Sister Bernhisel.  They're the best.  Elder Mortensen and I taught for about 30 minutes, including a role play, on following the spirit in order to use our finding "nets" more effectively with a focus on members.  It went really well.   We highlighted the fact that in an district that has 30,000+ people or even 100,000+ people, having 8-10 people out there finding the elect, gathering Israel, is pretty dang difficult.  Having an extra 300 would help tremendously :)  But where do they come from...hmmmm...*wink,wink*

I also went on exchange with my old Zone Leader; we switched positions at transfers :) haha...it was good.  He's Spanish speaking, and we taught a lesson in Spanish, and I followed decently, and I even shared a scripture in Spanish on my own :)  Ah yeah, Chris, you're going to love it.

Oh, side note, the Jetta has sport mode and also a turbo button on the pedal.  Good stuff :) 

Oh, also, I have way too much stuff, and I'm not sure where it all came from...moving was ridiculous, we barely, and I mean barely, fit it all in the car when we came down from Wake Forest for transfers, thus, I am sending home a large flat rate with a bunch of stuff that I won't need on my mission.  I am also going to be sending the flash drive with some stuff on it.  You can take that and enjoy.  It will be inside the argyle sweater (we can't wear light colored sweaters). 

Oh, and about Elder Johnson, yes, I'm his Zone Leader; He's also my brother in that Elder Jensen trained him.  Additionally, he's from Durango and knows Sis Nelson :)  Good stuff. 

Economy? Who knows.  Hope Mills, suburban, but not far from Fayetteville which is pretty big.  life is good

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 69

The Magnificence of our Master

Oct 14 at 9:44 AM

Good morning family and friends,

Well, today I am writing you from the library in Hope Mills, North Carolina.  That is where I am serving...in the Hope Mills 1st ward.  This area is absolutely great! I love it already.  The Ward seems to be awesome, and the Lord has many prepared people ready for the Restored Gospel.  We've found some of them already.  :)  There are a lot of Less Active people in this ward...I mean a lot.  Hope Mills isn't far from Fort Bragg which is a very large Army Base, so we don't have it as bad as some of the closer wards, but a lot of the people on the records probably don't even live here anymore because of the transient nature of the military. 

My companion is Elder Mortensen.  He is from Lehi, UT.  He's been out 1 transfer more than I have.  We are getting along very well, but I pretty much get along with most anyone.  He has been a Zone Leader for 2 transfers.  He's a really great missionary, and we're going to see a lot of miracles together.  :)  My new calling as a Zone Leader is going well so far.  Slowly but surely, the Lord is helping me to improve in the correcting category of leadership.  I stink at correcting people, mostly because I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings and I don't want to impose what may be personal views and practices on someone else, but as a Zone Leader and personally, I am committed to the fact that Exact Obedience is an Expectation.  President Bernhisel wants us to be nit-picky, so thus it shall be. 

I definitely have been able to experience the enabling power of the Atonement even in just 1 week of being a Zone Leader.  I remember when I was district leader, wondering how the Zone Leaders always had such valuable insight and such powerful counsel.  And now that I'm a Zone Leader, I can understand...it's because the Lord, through His grace, is enabling me to be and do more than I am and can do alone.  Just in discussing what we needed to teach the District Leaders in our conference call as well as discussing what we will teach at Zone Conference on Wednesday has allowed me to experience that powerful element of Grace.  Ideas and thoughts infuse our minds, coming from a source that can only be the spirit of the Lord.  And to end it all, it just feels right.  That confirming feeling that only the spirit can bring bears witness that what we have counseled together about is pleasing to the Lord and will help his children whom we are called to serve.  It's exciting. 

Speaking of exciting, we are teaching a couple of part member Micronesian families.  They are great, and I love them.  On the 26 of this month, 6 of the children will be baptized!  Truly, a miracle.  They ask such good questions and are such good kids, ranging from 9-15.  Then, we have a few other families that we are teaching that have a lot of strong potential.  The Lord is truly blessing us, and through us, our brothers and sisters. 

Last week, I didn't receive any mail.  My new address is

577 Countrytown Drive

Hope Mills, NC 28348

That should last you a while.  Something else we are doing as a companionship is we're not checking mail, except on Mondays.  It's intense, but I think the Lord is and will bless us for our willingness to consecrate even more.  :) 

Let's see...what else...for mom's sake...I'm living in the nicest apartment in the zone.  We each have our own bathroom and shower.  Good stuff.  We are also driving a 2013 VW Jetta, which is super nice.  I like it, especially over the fusion or the corolla.  Those Germans make stuff good. ;)

I'm not sure what else to say.

Mom, keep up the good work on the Family History.  I'll tell you what, you being from Rochester gets brought up in a lot of conversations because a lot of people out here are Yankees too :)  2nd, being on a mission is like a dream, a time warp, spiritually, I'm moving at a million miles an hour, but temporarily, I'm stopped.  However, the world feels like it's more the other direction, moving temporarily a million miles an hour, but spiritually is slower than that, (not stopped, but not mission speed).  I don't feel like 15 months has gone by.  It's crazy to realize that Holly goes home in 2 months, that Chris and people of that youngins group are going on missions, that . . . pretty much everything has shot forward while I've remained still.  I'm still 2 semesters into my college experience.  It's weird to say the least. 

Thanks Dad for being such an amazing example to me.  Seriously, I still don't think I fully appreciate it.  You've done so much for me in being a faithful priesthood holder that it will affect generations.  Being faithful in my calling is and never will be a question thanks to you.  I love you all so much.  Thanks for being my family.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 68

Mon, Oct 7, 2013 at 10:12 AM

Well family and friends, Good morning to y'all,

Glad to be here today.  what to say, what to say,

...I loved conference!!!!!!!  Hurrah for Israel to say the least.

Where to begin, let's see, my favorite apostle...Elder Bednar...didn't mess around as usual.  I've decided I'm just going to let him teach all the hefty commandments lessons to investigators from now on.  We've got chastity and tithing down, now all we need is word of wisdom and we're set.  

I had an inspirational thought come to me during one of the talks at the end.  I don't think he said this exactly but I think this could be a quote that becomes famous so if you use it, cite me and I'll cite the spirit :) I feel like it was a core theme of conference.

You can't legalize sin.

That's good, eh.  I'm going to become a quote author, I think.

What else, well...it's safe to say you can never guess what angle Elder Holland is going to strike at.  They hands down told us "Woman, you are fantastic, incredible, irreplaceable, divine, magnificent, . . . (a million other positive adjectives) . . . but you're not MEN, so stop trying to be one.  We need women fulfilling the divine and empowering role of women and we need men fulfilling their own separate, yet equally important role.  Not a mix and match mentality."  That's definitely not a direct quote, shoot, it's not even an indirect quote, but it's the gist of like half of the messages. :)   SOOO good though.  It's exactly what our world needs, and the church. 

 Wo unto them that are at ease in Zion.

So, what else...oh, yes I got letters from grams, mom number something between 1 and 500 and the package of the Book of Mormon book.  Mom, you're the best.  Thanks so much :)  I'm glad I received it before I transferred.  I hope it really helps this recent convert family to start making reading the Book of Mormon with their kids a daily habit.  Seriously, out of a lot of things, I have a ridiculously strong testimony and personal witness of the importance of and imperative nature behind reading the scriptures and praying daily as a family, and doing weekly family home evening, alongside personal reading and praying.  I still wonder how you all did it, mom and dad.  Seriously . . . it's not something that happens even in families that one would consider solid and active.  

So, we watched conference for all the sessions except the priesthood session at the church.  The Priesthood session we watched at a member’s home.  One of our investigators watched all 10 hours of conference!!!  It was great :)  like...ridiculously so.  After President Uchtdorf's Saturday morning talk, he jokingly asked us if Pres Uchtdorf had been talking to him!  :) :) :)  So good.  We're excited for him.  

So, I've got mixed feelings as usual in regards to being transferred.  I'm excited for the new experience, where I can put my faults and mistakes behind me and begin anew, but I'm going to miss the members here a lot.  They are so good.  This ward is ridiculously strong.  It's great.  Also, as the time ticks to a close in Wake Forest, I semi-scramble because I'm worried I wasn't able to accomplish all that the Lord needed me accomplish, that I didn't invite everyone I needed to invite.  

Overall, things are going pretty well.  

I love this gospel.  I know it's true.  I know that this church is truly the only true and LIVING church on the earth today.  I absolutely love the fact that it gives us so many opportunities to serve.  I love how perfect it is.  I love that I can have absolute trust and faith in my Father.  I love that we can cast out all fear.  I wish that everyone would just embrace this Gospel, the full Gospel of our Master Jesus Christ.  It's the best thing they would ever do. And I guarantee that no one would ever regret it.  Ever.  Thanks for being so strong family.  Y'all are the best.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 67

Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 9:52 AM

Life...is like a gravity-defeating river  

Hey family and all,  

Well, life is going quite swell down here.  Let's see...so last week, I got a letter from Jess Lyman, Grandma, I think mom maybe, and DJ and Karolyn.  

Congratulations on your baptism 34 years ago :) Do you still remember the missionaries that taught you??  I'm not okay with them broadcasting the priesthood session on tv etc this Saturday btw.  

So, let's see...what else to say, what else to say.  Hey, tell Miss T to write me up a letter or email or something sometime.  Let her know that there are 12 months in a year and 15 does not equal 12 (she has a tough time with math sometimes ;) )

So my district has been doing great things these past few weeks.  We have seen a lot of growth and progress.  Soon, we should see some children of our Heavenly Father enter the gate that will allow them to return to Him.  :)  We're excited.

Speaking of which, I received a call from President Bernhisel yesterday informing me that I would be being transferred to a place called Hope Mills in the Fayetteville zone/stake Oct 8.  I think that may give me ample opportunity to use my jacket that I love so dearly.  Thus, Wednesday is your last day this week to send things to my personal address, you may always continue to send to the mission office because that will get forwarded to wherever I am.  I'll get you my new address in 2 weeks.  

Alright, who's excited for conference!!!!!???? I AM!!!!!!!!!!! Oh my goodness, conference is the best.  Seriously, it's better than Christmas on a mission.  Anyone who reads this, don't ever take for granted the fact that we have living prophets and apostles on the earth today! And for anyone who reads this that isn't quite sure if there really are prophets and apostles on the earth, pray about it, listen to them speak, and then ask God if they are called of Him to be his special representatives.  I guarantee that He will answer with a definite affirmative.  

Oh, by the way, I'm also becoming a Zone Leader in the Fayetteville Zone, just as a side note ;)

So, I don't know if I told anyone that Wake Forest 1st ward is getting sisters next transfer.  So, we've been working on moving stuff in and splitting the area, and organizing how meals will go, etc.  It's pretty hectic.  This week, we have to separate the area book out for our separate proselyting areas...that's going to eat up time like nobody's business.  

We are still having beautiful weather although it is getting slightly chillier in the mornings.  If everyone lived with the sense of urgency that comes from the fact that you live by transfers, a whole lot more would get done in the world and in the church.  Most the time for people it's like "Oh....I've got 25 years to invite my neighbor to church...I'll do it eventually."  ;)  

This is another sporadic letter from your favorite Elder Thornton

The months fly by...

So this past week, I finished Matthew in the New Testament.  Christ's final days don't really have a lot of detail attached to them, but I could feel the power when I read those chapters.  It really made me "feel for" Jesus.  I hate injustice.  And what they did to him was straight up unjust.  They just bring all these false witnesses in that tell these dumb lies about him, and then pretend that they all just heard the most believable story in the entire world.  I'm not sure how Jesus kept quiet and still...I guess it's because he knew his purpose.  I would have been revolting.  You all know me when it comes to lies and arguments...especially lies within arguments.  I explode sometimes...less now that before, but still, I'm passionate about weird things ;)  Then all his disciples just up and left him alone... the people that he was closest to on earth besides his mother.  He's bearing the pains, sins, and burdens of the entire human civilization and his disciples fall asleep on him.  (problem is sometimes, I feel we probably metaphorically do the same thing :( )  The words they use in the scriptures to describe what they physically did to him can't translate into what really happened.

....and He did it all for us...because He loves us.  And How do we repay Him??  The best thing we can do to repay him is make what he did effective and worth it in our lives.  That's true grace.  If you haven't, read that talk "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox.  Life-altering.  

I love you all so much.  Thanks for all the love and support.  It makes a difference...it really does.

Love,

Elder Patty

ps. We're teaching someone who wrestled at UNC. :)

Week 66

Mon, Sep 23, 2013 at 10:44 AM

Hola family, 

Sounds like y'all are enjoying the rain.  We have had absolutely gorgeous weather here this past week.  Oh my goodness, no joke.  It's been lovely :)  Sounds like your ward is grand sized.  When do they split wards...is that why Elder Ballard is coming in November? (which is lucky too, by the way; however, he came to my stake conference once already, so ha! )  

This week we have definitely seen some mighty miracles occur.  We found 6 new investigators this past week.  The work we are doing with members has grown tremendously.  I'm definitely growing in this area.  The Lord gives us certain obstacles or challenges that, if we let them, create growth.  On a mission, I know that He puts us in certain areas with certain companions to serve certain individuals both for their and our benefit.  I'm definitely learned a lot about working with the fantastic members of the ward here in Wake Forest.  Lots of good things are happening.  We're still working on helping our investigators take the step of committing to being baptized, but it's a work in progress.  I know that I've grown a lot over the course of my mission, and I know that I do well in various areas of missionary work, but I still see all my flaws and failures, and it kind of stinks.  I wish I could be more bold at times when I'm not.  I wish I could set better expectations with those we teach...I wish I knew that fine balance that seems to be ridiculously elusive in all areas.  I know the doctrine...that's not a problem, but I wish I could be a better teacher, asking better questions, listening better...sometimes I feel like I'll never get there...nevertheless, I press forward.

I got a letter from Ricky last week, and mom 66 and grandma.  Ricky's letter was very timely because we actually changed, as directed by the spirit, our lesson that night to one that revolved around that letter.  It was very good and very powerful.  Something I don't like as a missionary is how much I take for granted the spirit.  I try to recognize and appreciate the spirit, but a lot of times I don't even realize how powerfully present the spirit is in a lesson for instance.  Others, particularly our members do, but we'll come out of a lesson, slightly disappointed or frustrated sometimes and our members will comment on how powerful and spiritual of a lesson that was...

I really wish everyone knew what I know.  I really wish everyone cherished the truths that we have.  

Last week, we helped a young man with his eagle project.  That was good.  We helped him dig some post holes manually, and then we put together some picnic tables.  I'm realizing more and more how right Engineering is for me.  Just as a side note. :)  This coming week, I will be on exchange 3 days this week.  2 of them I'll be here with another missionary, and then the last one I'll be somewhere else.  This week is going to blow by.  as they usually do, but faster.  I honestly have no idea if I'll be transferred or not.  It's Oct. 8 by the way; they might leave us together for 3 transfers, especially because we'll be dealing with setting up the additional sisters, which is something they might want a little more experience for, or I could leave if there's something the Lord needs me to do elsewhere.  Who knows but Him?  Probably president, but besides that :)  It'll be interesting if I stay 6 months in 3 areas...my first boy turned 1 year the other day...weird.  Everyone I know is going home too...everyone is so new...

I don't really know what else to say...

Missionary work is a roller coaster...

I have truly come to love the New Testament on my mission.  The teachings in there are so wonderful, and the insight I gain is tremendous.  It truly is a special testament of Christ.  However, I also have come to realize that people in general, but a lot of people who claim to be Christian, really don't know the bible.  There are some ridiculously plain and simple truths outlined in the New Testament that seem to just get by-passed.  I've realized that a common plague in our society today that has just been passed down and magnified over the generations is that a lot of people simply don't look for truth anymore.  They just look to be satisfied.  A mindset that I really like that I semi learned from one of the members of our ward is what every Christian should have.  You should never be satisfied until you feel with everything you've got that you've found the true church of Jesus Christ.  Every Christian is morally obligated to seek and search it out with every drop of energy they can muster.  But the problem in our society is that people settle.  As long as they can sleep good that night and their church doesn't preach Satanic doctrine, they're good with it.  It's a sad state of society we live, where instead of we, as divine sons and daughters of God, conforming our lives to His will, we confirm His will to our lives.  and I fear that it will only worsen.  My hope is that we can all, as members of this church, fulfill our moral responsibility to help and succor our brothers and sisters, discovering the ones that still hold divine truth close to their hearts.

That's all I've got today.  I love you all though.  

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 65

Best Sacrament Meeting EVER!!!

Mon, Sep 16, 2013 at 9:53 AM

Hola family,

Nice to hear from you again.  To start off...yes, mom, I've been receiving your letters.  Sorry I fail and always forget to mention that in the email.  I think we're at something like 63.  And the last one only took 2 days to get here thanks to the lack of forwarding :)

I'm glad that your leg is healing up to.  That's good.  So, the temple was amazing.  So funny story about the temple though.  We went in, 6 of us Elders, and there was this lady in the waiting room.  She came up to us and welcomed us, asking where we were all serving.  When it got to me, I told her I was serving in Wake Forest 1st ward.  She promptly straightened my name tag and then proceeded to say that she had just had lunch with my brother and sister-in-law on their honeymoon.  What?!  Where did that come from?  Apparently, they were on the same cruise and they saw DJ and Karolyn and thought they looked mighty LDS, so they went over and started talking with them. A week later we happen to meet at the temple.  She doesn't even live in my stake!  Anyways, she told me to tell you I met Sister Henderson .  

Way to have lots of food.  

For padre, we have about 200 or so in attendance at sacrament meeting every week.  We go into the overflow every week too, but we're not a stake center.  I love this ward though.  Absolutely love it.  The people are amazing.  There are 3 individuals who are leaving or have left on missions soon/recently, and for 2 of them, I feel like I'm losing brothers even though I've only been here 4 months.  It's crazy.  

We have been going on exchange with them and some of the other 18 year old young men, but not as much with the rising priest quorum.  We're working on it, but they are all back in school now, so it makes it slightly more difficult than in the summer.  Crazy story...our ward is getting sister missionaries in 3 weeks.  And about 20 minutes ago, I learned that I have to draw the lines (with assistance) for the split on proselyting areas.  Ummmm...dang.  I have no idea how to do that because we have like 1 monster pod of members and then everyone else is spread out.  I don't know.  We'll see what happens.  

Lots of good things are happening though in our area and in our district.  Shoot, for that matter in our zone.  We've seen a ton of growth these past few weeks, which is really good because we were in a lull for several weeks there as a zone.  (are you waiting with bated breath for when I explain the subject line?!?! keep waiting :) )

We're starting to see our members trust us more than ever.  We are definitely building that super trust relationship.  It's amazing to see because lots of members talk about the church with friends and such and some even invite (which is a million times better), but what we're seeing now is that members have a desire to involve us in their missionary work instead of letting it be 2 disjoint things.  Part of what made yesterday so incredibly amazing was that we had a family invite 2 friends to church, and that family and other members made it a point to inform us of that fact and also, the one daughter who invited her friend made it a point to introduce her to us.  That's what I'm talking about :)  When members and missionaries work in harmony and unity, that's when the work of the Lord will become part of our natures, that's when we'll see miracles occur.  

Okay, I guess I'll tell you about the subject line.  Here it goes.  Okay, so yesterday, I'm not even joking, was the absolute best Sacrament meeting I've ever been to...my entire life.  That's the kind of sacrament meetings we should have every week.  I think Elder Holland talked about how our sacrament meetings should be of the spiritual caliber that people are "clambering" to come back next week.  First off, we started the service with the hymn "I believe in Christ" and ended with "I know that my Redeemer lives." Need I say more?? No, but I will.  We had an incredible duet sung by 2 sisters in the ward "I need thee every hour."  But there's more.  We had a short, yet powerful talk given by a 14 year old young man who recently started coming back to church and just received the Aaronic priesthood.  He testified that it was because of how he felt at church that he kept wanting to come back as well as the good example of his friends at church.  Then we had a phenomenal talk about what it truly means to be a Christian.  So good.  No joke.  And then to seal the deal, we had Brennan, a young man about 9 days younger than Christopher, who leaves on Tuesday for the Sao Paulo MTC, give his farewell address.  So good.  He GETS it.  Truly gets it.  He is going to be such a magnificent missionary...I'm thinking Ammon status perhaps.  He explained what a mission is without confusing the heck out of every nonmember there (of which there were a lot) with the Mormon culture and lingo.  Then he based his remarks around 2 Nephi 31:20-21 and broke those down.  He bore such a remarkably powerful testimony at the end, it was liked he punched the congregation with the spirit.  2 Nephi 33:1-2 status for sure.  His final words were, as he paused because he was getting choked up, something like this "The Gospel is back on the earth today. in the name of Jesus Christ amen"  That quote there doesn't do it justice, but it was so powerful.  You know he's not faking it.  Now, you thought that was it?, but there's even more! We had 2 of our investigators come to church as well for the first time and this was the perfect Sacrament for them to be in.  Both have Christian backgrounds, and the entire sacrament meeting was all about what it really means to be a Christian with the underlying theme of the Restored Gospel making true Christianity available and possible once more.  So good!!!!  One of the couples we had on exchange with us for 1 of the lessons that are also ward missionaries invited them to sit with them.  And the wife of the member couple totally friend-shipped the fiance so well and helped explain things when she had questions during Sacrament meeting.  So good times 2. AND they live in the same neighborhood!!! Can this get better???  You'd better believe it.  The scriptures that Brennan centered his talk around were from the same chapter we had read with our investigators just 3 days prior!!!  And they totally brought the paperback Book of Mormon and his King James Bible with them, looking up references when they were used in the talks and they double totally looked like Mormons!! They were like naturals :)  I think there may be even more! but I can't remember it right now, but overall, there is no way that they didn't feel the spirit.  Guaranteed.  We're really excited, to say the least :)  

Now if you aren't spiritually lifted after that story... :)

y'all are the best :)

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 64

Mon, Sep 9, 2013 at 9:34 AM

So, since when was last week the week that Chris got his mission call.  First it blew my mind that he was already submitting his papers.  Then, when he said he was submitting them, I still thought it was weeks away before he gets it.  That's crazy stuff.  But ridiculously exciting.  Minus the fact that now both my brothers will be able to speak Spanish ;) ;) haha  But Hot ol' Texas.  Who would have thought.  Is that a new mission? 

Time continues to fly by.  This Friday, we get to go to the temple, so that is fantastic.  I can't wait.  I love the temple.  I love the peace and direction I gain through worshiping my Savior and my Father within its sacred walls. 

I'll tell you one thing...there are not enough hours in the day.  There is never enough time to get everything done.  Not kidding.  That's crazy about whatever your super youth music/drama shabang is.  Y'all should send me a picture of the plaque cabinet.  That would be intense.  That's double awesome about getting intense visits from seventy members.  I like the role play he did.  Members are so important.  That's one of the things I love most about being a missionary.  I love interacting with all the members and building relationships of trust with them and working side by side to accomplish the work of the Lord (a definite dearth of commas right there :) ).  But seriously, it's amazing. 

Last week we found this new investigator which was truly amazing.  We have high hopes for her, and it's really exciting.  She was supposed to be at church yesterday, but she got a concussion.  Our other investigator who was at church last week was out of town this weekend.  They should both be there at church next week.  There are a lot of good things going on in Wake Forest :)  I love it. 

On a spiritual note, on Saturday we did have a baptismal service.  It was the 8 year old one for the ward.  A returned-less active's daughter got baptized.  We have been working with them pretty heavily, so even though technically she's not a convert baptism, it still meant the same to us.  Her dad baptized her, and they asked me to confirm her a member of the church and bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It was an honor.  I should be sending a picture.  It truly is amazing to see people follow Jesus Christ.  Nothing of this world could ever instill so much joy and happiness in someone as that does.  There is absolutely no doubt that this is all real -- that our Savior lives and loves us, that the Holy Spirit testifies of truth, that our Heavenly Father has a wonderful and perfect that we can take advantage of if we so choose, so that we can return to live with him eternally with our families.  I know that we have a prophet of God on the earth today, a mouthpiece of our God to bless, guide, and protect His children.  I know that if we follow his counsel we will never be led astray.  I just wish that everyone would embrace this fundamental truth, that everyone would allow Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ to take an active and powerful role in their lives.  So many people water it down or try to do it alone.   Why?  Why not make this life worth it?  What else is the point?  There are so many little miracles that I witness on a daily basis, I'm afraid that I won't remember them all or recognize them.  I hope I'm not taking it for granted.  As a final thought, I've talked to multiple individuals that have told me there won't be families in heaven.  We'll recognize people, but we won't have families.  I wonder incredulously, "really??"  I feel so bad for people like that.  Their view of heaven is that we will endlessly praise God and float around as angels for the rest of eternity.  They believe that is the end of our creation, that is the reason we were born.  Christ overcame sin and death for that??  It almost seems like a waste.  I know that families can be eternal.  I know families are supposed to be eternal, forever.  That's what our literal Father in Heaven wants for us.  That was one of the pivotal reasons we came here.  Without that fundamental truth, what, honestly, is even the point of families.  Are we nothing more than creations that happened to be born in the same litter?  No...it's divinely mandated.  I know it is.

I hope your week goes well.  Know I pray for you.  I love you all so much.  Always remember the eternal perspective.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 63

Mon, Sep 2, 2013 at 12:24 PM

Here's a really small email.  We're here at the church emailing one at a time on the clerk computer.  Life's going well.  We've started to teach a couple more people which is really good.  Exciting news of the week is that yesterday, we had an investigator at church.  It was ridiculously exciting.  She had so many fellowshippers; it was amazing.  She could only stay for sacrament meeting, but it was an incredible experience.  The spirit was super strong, and she sat with us really close to the sacrament table to help her have a great experience.  We hope she really enjoyed it, but more importantly, we hope that she felt the difference...the spirit.  I love this gospel...the restored and full Gospel of Jesus Christ--the way to true and eternal happiness.

Got a letter from mom I think.

Okay, so if you haven't already noticed...some things are going down on my facebook page...that's right, we have recently become one of several online-proselyting missions.  We, as the leaders in the mission, will be piloting it first for a few weeks before it goes to the entire mission.  We will be using facebook to do missionary work.  It's pretty exciting, but ridiculously weird all at the same time.  We have to go through this many step process to missionary-proof our facebook pageI don't know all the details yet of how it'll work, so you'll get updates as I go, but know that life is changing...the work is hastening. ;)

Love,

Elder Patty