Week 32

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 at 9:31 AM

hola amigos. Como estan? beans

Gooooooooooooooooooooooooood Moorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrning Colorado Family and all others who read these fantastic letters of the, yes The, Elder Patrick Thornton of the NCRM :)

Sounds like y'all had a pretty good week.  Ours could have gone better...we taught only 5 lessons to investigators.....after having like a bajillion scheduled.  Log of appointments falling through:: Let's see 3 fell through on Tuesday, 1 Wednesday, 1 Thursday, I think 1 Friday, and 3 Saturday.  Good stuff.  I think it's the Lord testing our back up plans...which could use some help ;)  So we had 1 investigator at church on Sunday and we think she had a really good time.  

We are teaching a lot of Part Member families right now.  Most of our teaching pool is 18 years and younger.  I'm super glad you all forgot something at Christmas.  Whew!! Wouldn't have been Christmas without it ;)  and that's crazy about the earthquake... perilous times are surely coming (or we have zombies trying to resurface from deep within the earth...that could be...but I guess that would probably fall under perilous times :)  And that's crazy about Tyler Brennan!!!!!  Way weird!!! How many years of his life did he live in Grand Junction.  Super intense.  I wonder where he tells people he's from when they ask?? haha

Last week, I received much love from those abroad in the world, namely I received a letter from Nelson Rock, Christian Rock, DJ, mom 32, Nana and Grandma (cards), and Stephanie H.  Good stuff.  Thanks much everyone. 

So besides many things falling through last week, it wasn't too bad :)  The Lord is definitely trying to teach me many things.  Sometimes, I am a little hard headed/prideful, but it's a good thing the Lord is patient with us.  This Branch is still amazing.  I love them.  I truly feel like the Lord has blessed me with an increase in charity and love on my mission (don't get me wrong, it's far from perfect...far...) for the people.  For instance, the other night, we went to visit a less active member of the branch.  He was super nice, but basically told us that he won't come back to church. So sad to see.  I stand there, wishing I could just MAKE people understand, but alas, that would destroy the magnificent gift of agency we have been given by our Loving Heavenly Father.  If it breaks my heart to see these people make choices like that, just imagine how much it breaks Heavenly Father's heart when we all make poor choices.  I don't even know that man, and it hurts. Heavenly Father knows him perfectly...*sigh* you never know...someday maybe.  He has children who served missions and are active in the church, and they probably wish more than life that he'd return to the fold of Christ, the Good Shepherd.  Nevertheless, we can only do so much.  

Yes, I also ran out of time last week which was why the email was cut off mid sentence   You're lucky I even got it sent off.  I looked down at the log off timer when it said 3 seconds, and I was like "Oh shoot" and shot my mouse up to the send button with milliseconds to spare.  Complete stud, if I do say so myself :)

Anyways, thanks for all the love and support.  Most likely I won't be transferred, so I wouldn't think too hard about it... :)

Enjoy the beginning of February, and I'll talk with y'all next Monday :)

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 31

Tues January 22, 2013 at 12:03 PM

Hey family,

Hope life is treating y'all splendidly well.  Well, you'll all be happy to know that I had a very nice birthday.  Sis. Bernhisel, the Mission President's wife, called me up and sang happy birthday to me, and I had a wonderful package from some folks back home that love me or something.  Before I mention anything more about that, I'm kind of confused on why Tyler Brennan is serving a mission in the 5th ward...I thought he was at school...anyways...confused. 

So I received letters this past week from Kati Kamas, Rachel, mom 31 I think, grandma, Uncle Dan and Aunt Zuleica, and also a suprise that I received at zone conference.  There were two things that got shipped to Morehead after I had left.  1 small yellow envelope from mom with 27 in it and an intense grow Christmas tree and another from Grandma from the beginning of December.  Good stuff. 

So, I just want to thank you family though for the package :)  It was the best.  THAT TIE IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST TIE THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN IN A BAJILLION YEARS!!!!  Couple questions, how did you know that I liked Paisley's so much now and how did you know that a Tie was a great gift.  Either way, I was so super excited when I opened that it.  Stinking gorgeous. 

Ok. So last week at the zone conference.  SOOOOOO GOOOOOOOOD!! Elder Paul Piper taught us, and it was fantastic.  I learned so much.  He's a funny guy, but so spiritual and wise.  I learned a ton.  The trick is to now apply everything I learned to myself and to the mission to BECOME someone better.  Knowing will never be enough...for anything :)  Overall, great meeting.  I had a fun experience talking with him a little ONE ON ONE!!!  So Elder Kilbourne was in the bathroom and I was waiting for him in the hall singing a little hymn when lo and behold, from the other bathroom emerges Elder Piper.  He came over and we talked for about a minute.  He asked me how I was doing and about where I was serving.  Great man, overall.  Definitely a special witness of Jesus Christ.  He taught me one thing that I will truly treasure for the rest of my life.  Maybe it can help you too.  Before the meeting started, all the missionaries were talking and hugging and catching up etc and Elder Piper got up to the pulpit and lovingly chastised us and then when he began his remarks, he really taught the principles behind it.  If we want to learn what we need to learn from ANYTHING!!!! we have to prepare our minds and our hearts so that the spirit WILL be present and we will learn what we need to learn.  It was great...the whole thing :) 

Overall, we are doing well.  The work is progressing and we are seeing many blessings.  The weather is still pretty warm; it has cooled down a little bit...today it's only 50 something instead of 70.  Not January weather in any sense of the word, January.  We had 1 investigator at church on Sunday, but some of the others had legitimate reasons.

It's crazy to think that I'm 20 years old now.  That sounds old, but I don't feel any older.  :)  Not a lot else to tell.  Things keep chugging along...at a pretty fast pace most of the time.  Thanks for all the love, support, and prayers.  What would we do without prayer.  I'm so grateful that families can be eternal.  The knowledge that we have because of the restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is amazing.  I'm so grateful to know how important families are to God's eternal plan.  I'm so grateful that we have President Monson to lead and guide us in these days.

Week 30

Mon, Jan 14, 2013 at 9:32 AM

Hey family, sounds like things are going pretty well.  That's good.  Not gonna lie, I'm a bit jealous on the snow part of the activity.  On Saturday, it was upwards near 70, which is not January weather in any sense of the word, and it definitely kills because we have to still wear suits...aka...super hot and sweaty...in the middle of January. ;)  Also, everyone and their pet fido is sick here as well.  It's crazy.  I guess it's been a widespread thing across the country.  Luckily, the Lord has blessed Elder Kilbourne and me so far and helping us stay healthy (I bet it also has to do with all your prayers as well :)  Thanks! )

Next Monday, since it is MLK day (and my birthday) emails will be down at the Library and so we'll probably email Tuesday.  Just fyi.  Ok.  Last week, I got a postcard from dad and letter 30 from mom.  Also, I got Kayla's package about a week ago, I forgot to mention it.  It was slightly held up at the mission office I think because the office can't forward ups stuff.  I also received a letter from Nelson a week or 2 ago. 

To answer Dad's inquiries, we actually have a pretty large teaching pool right now, which is good.  The work is going pretty well, and we have high hopes for the future.  We are teaching somewhere around 10 or so lessons a week to investigators/those not of our faith and a few lessons to recent converts and less active members.  Elder Kilbourne is doing pretty good.  I'm teaching him, mostly through example, how to work hard all the time, which he sees as something I do well, so hopefully it will stick at least slightly with him when we part.  The Lord definitely has many things for me to learn in every part of my mission, Southport being included.  Now it's up to me and my agency to learn them...for life :)  

This next week should be pretty good.  On Thursday we are going up to Kinston for our zone conference.  It should be really good.  Down side is that we have to burn 120 miles of our monthly allotment for the trip...aka...the last week of this month is going to be painful.  Miles are one of the biggest challenges here in Southport.  In MHC, it was a much larger ward, so we had more help in terms of exchanges etc and many of the ward members either were retired or they ran their own businesses and thus had time to help us out.  It is not as much the case here in Southport.  So, we're working on it, but the Lord gives us no commandments that we can't accomplish.  We just have to trust Him.  

This transfer, which is a 7 week transfer, is going by pretty quickly though.  We’re starting week 5 this week and before we know it, transfers will be here the first week of February.  

Here's a slightly humorous story...prepare for a couple of giggles...we were talking to this lady the other day and she was going off about a lot of different things.  Here are 2.  

1) In answer to her own question of why did God make man? she answered "To name the animals!!"  Talk about a worthwhile existence.  Not only that, but Adam lived too dang long and did it all before we were even born :(   no fair ;)

2) She told us that "God hates in-breeding animals.  The Platypus, Okapi??? Who knows how they slipped past Noah!!"  All and all, good stuff.

Okay, back to business.  I'm still loving the Book of Mormon more and more.  Preach My Gospel is the BEST!!!!!  Love it :)  New Testament, never appreciated it enough :)  Words of the modern prophet, SO CRUCIAL!!!!!  Joseph Smith, amazing man who deserves a lot of thanks...I mean a lot. 

Well, overall, life's been going well.  We are working hard, and I'm constantly learning/ being taught.  There are so many things to improve. It's kind of overwhelming at times, but I just try to take it one step at a time.  I'm so grateful for our Father in Heaven and for my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ and His restored Gospel.  I wouldn't trade my testimony for the world. 

Thanks for being my family.  I love y'all so much.  I wouldn't trade you for the world either.  True joy can only be found in the teachings of Christ and in obedience to his Gospel.  Love it so much.

Have a great week.  Enjoy everything...or at least mostly everything.  Remember what matters most and what our purpose in even living is or at least should be. 

Love always and forever,

your son/brother/favorite missionary, ;)

Elder Patty Thornton

ps.  Have any of y'all heard about that new movie, Safehaven?  Well, it's filmed right here in Southport and Southport actually plays itself in the movie, aka, the characters are also living in Southport.  Did that make sense?  ie. I'm famous ;)

pps.  I could use some snow/cold weather :)

ppps.  <-- (is that even legal?) At the end of this transfer, I will be where Elder Jensen was when he picked me up as his new greenie!!

Week 29

Mon, Jan 7, 2013 at 9:39 AM

So family,

How are y'all doing? Fantabulistic, I hope.  Things are going pretty well.  We are seeing a lot of growth and success here in Southport.  The future definitely looks good for this area.  Let's see, what has happened worth mentioning this past week.  Oh, well I can include a spiritual thing for you :) here goes,

Alma 26, (at least I think that was what the chapter was), the one where Alma and Mosiah pass the sinners back and forth, okay, this chapter, when you take a step back, highlights some extremely important and powerful messages that we should all take a look at.  Let's begin with a few questions: Alma was super troubled when he was going to have to judge a huge group of sinners, and in confidence, turned to one of his best friends, King Mosiah, for aid.  Mosiah straight up turned Alma's request down, no hesitation.  So, why didn't Mosiah help out his friend?? Did he not love Alma? Did he not want to serve him??  So looking at those questions, we may wonder if what Mosiah did was good.  However, then we take a look at what it caused Alma to do and learn.  I personally think that this experience in Alma's life was pivotal for his eternal progression.  Looking at what happened with Alma in hindsight emphasizes the importance of this experience.  It was through this experience that Alma's reliance upon the Lord grew tremendously.  It taught Alma to ALWAYS rely on the Lord as our first source of counsel, advice, help, aid, etc, and Alma received many blessings through this experience including, but not limited, a guarantee of ETERNAL LIFE!!!!!  So what would have happened if Mosiah would have just done that one favor for Alma and judged those sinners?  It probably would have been easy for Mosiah to have judged those people 1) He was king and 2) He probably had to judge people and hand out punishments all the time.  But if he had done this, he would have quenched Alma's thirst for the moment, but it wouldn't have created a long term solution and Alma's growth would have been hindered.  I think that if we all really study and ponder this experience, we can find ample application for our own lives as we constantly interact with those around us.  

Okay, I hope you liked the spiritual message.  I studied that a lot this morning.  Good stuff :)

Things are going well overall.  The Lord is definitely teaching me, or trying to teach me, many things through my experiences here in Southport.  I think it will be intense for me to see all of you see me in two years (ok that was confusing) because I am definitely maturing/changing/growing/becoming hopefully more like our Savior.  And I still have 3/4 of my mission left :)  

I absolutely love this branch, and all those in it.  It's definitely a different experience working in a branch because there aren't as many members to help us teach and to come on exchange with us.  In Morehead, we had a lot more people, and we also had a lot more people that either were retired or had pretty lax schedules either because they worked different hours or they owned their own business; thus, we had an easier time finding people for exchange.  Last night, my stomach hated me a little bit, but this morning I feel a lot better, which is good.  The Lord definitely sustained me for the times that I needed sustaining.  

I don't have any pics for you this week.  I received letters from mom #29 and DJ (finally) ;)  Time is still going by pretty quickly.  Okay.  Here's something that will blow your mind slightly......I'll be home next year..... Weird to think about right?? The missionaries going out now won't be home until 2015.  Crazy stuff.  I'm not sure what else to tell you...honestly, I've just been doing missionary work...nothing too exciting has occurred beyond the normal; however, I just thought of something.  So, I don't know if I just never noticed back home but there are a TON of vultures/turkey buzzard birdies here!!!! It's intense :)  I love it.  They circle in like swarms of 50 and sometimes they are pretty low over our apartment.  Okay, but now for the 2nd half of that amazing adventure ;)  We were biking along this road one December afternoon and saw a bunch of them amazing birds...oh yeah...here it comes....We found a roosting spot in a bunch of pine trees on the side of this road.  You thought The Birds was scary...take that and make the crows turkey vultures.  Now, that's intense.  As you look in the pine trees you see a few, and then your eyes adjust and you realize what you're looking for and you realize there are like 30 in these trees.  So intense :)  I love it.  

Well, not much else to say.

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 28 - Happy New Year

Mon, Dec 31, 2012 at 9:29 AM

Alrighty family,

Well, here I am in the Southport public library writing you an email.  Almost 2013.  Pretty crazy stuff.  So, life has been going pretty good here.  I love the branch here already.  Our branch president is fantastic!!! I love him and his family.  He's from Brazil and works as a Nuclear Engineer person.  Pretty intense.  There's a nuclear power plant here that is 1 of the 3 main occupations.  When I found that out I was like, "intense", that's one of the areas I'm looking at going in engineering.  Good stuff.  Nuclear power plants produce a ridiculous amount of energy too.  I don't know the exact numbers.  Let's see, I got a package from Bernice and Tom and letters from Grams and Mom.  Think that was it though for reporting.  

Overall, I am loving it here in Southport.  I'm starting to get the hang of where things are, and there is a lot of work to be done. . . a lot of potential.  The Lord always knows what He's doing.  Transfers are a divinely inspired concept.  I am able to take what I learned in Morehead and apply it here in Southport and we are already seeing miracles.  As you well know, I'm not the type to just fool around or dilly-dally, I'm a come in with a job to do and get it done.  The Lord has called me to labor with all my heart, might, mind, and strength in Southport and that's what I plan on doing.  It's definitely helping Elder Kilbourne to see my desire to work work work.  Elder Kilbourne is a good elder though with lots of potential.  He has great desires to improve and better himself.  As his follow-up trainer, I hope to be able to fully prepare him to train, filling in the gaps that may have occurred throughout his training.  

There is a recent convert here who is 17 years old and she is the most solid recent convert that I probably will ever see.  It is absolutely ridiculous how solid she is and just shows how our job as missionaries and as members isn't to force people to accept the gospel, it's to find those that will receive us and receive Christ and then lead them to Him.  She studies the scriptures and Preach My Gospel all the time and already knows she is going to serve a mission.  

We have SOOOOOOOOOOO many sweets in our apartment it's crazy.  Ok. Back to the real story.  I'm having to also adjust to being a branch instead of a ward, especially in the sense that there aren't as many people to call on to help us in teaching appointments as in MHC, which makes me have to adjust slightly.  But this is just one of those mini refiner's fires within the big refiner's fire of my mission to help me become the person that God wants me to become and that He knows I can become.  Anyways, so we saw a ton of miracles last week.  It's definitely nice to have a full sized kitchen though as well.  Yesterday, I was going to make Alfredo and I was getting everything ready when I realized that the one thing I didn't have because it was refrigerated and I had to leave it in Moreehad was cheese...aka...I didn't end up making Alfredo...yet.  Soon, I can :)  Exciting stuff.  I don't know what else to tell you.  It was great being able to talk with y'all on the phone.  I enjoyed it, and it felt pretty natural once we started talking which was good.  Nothing like a phone call to get your adrenaline pumping ;)  Sounds like y'all are doing well, and DJ's turned into a social stud and Chris is refining his deep voiced spiritual stud...aka...brothers=studs + parents=fantastic === family=fantastic studs!!!!  Alright. Well...I want to include some pics so I'm gonna cut if off here.  

Love,

Elder Patty

Week 27 Christmas Week

Patrick did not send an email Christmas week, but he did call home and it was great to hear his voice and he sounded great.  He is have an amazing time serving Heavenly Father as a missionary in North Carolina.

Patrick has been transferred to Southport, NC, his second area will a new companion, Elder Kilbourne who has been the Southport area for the past 12 weeks.  Patrick is working hard in his new area with his new companion.

Thanks for following this blog and I will be updating the blog each week with news from him.

Hope you all had a Merry Christmas!