Week 33

Mon, Feb 4, 2013 at 9:53 AM

Hey family and friends,

It sounds like life is going splendidly well for all of you :)  Church yesterday was good.  We had 4 investigators there which was really good.  One of them, a 10-11 year old kid, bore his testimony in Sacrament meeting.  

Missionary work is a lot of brain work.  You are constantly thinking about people, thinking about ways to help, why they didn't come to church, if they are struggling, if they need something, who's going to come to an appointment, why NO ONE calls you back etc etc.  It's crazy sometimes...

So yesterday, after church, I made Alfredo for my companion and myself (since I was going to make some for him before he left...aka...he's being transferred).  It actually turned out pretty good.  It's not Mom-Qual in any sense of the phrase, but it was pretty good...especially after I put the cheese in :) hahahaha.  That's right.  I put everything together and was like "Oh snap, I did something wrong...Alfredo soup...that's new"  and then I tasted it and was like "well it's pretty bland" and ding ding ding, the bell went off I remembered that I forgot to put the cheese in it.  Oops.  That helps ;)

Oh, to comment on the sister missionary part of the activity...we have 12 in the mission right now... this transfer we are getting 8...and we will probably get even more next transfer which means sisters will be training after 1 transfer most likely.  President Bernhisel said it is a fun challenge to deal with. :)  I'm glad Chris and Dad were able to go skiing at Telluride.  Sounds like a ton of fun.  I miss the snow :(  and the mountains...(what people call mountains out here are lower than the VALLEY I grew up in! hahaha ;)

So, the more and more I experience on my mission, the more and more I realize that there are no such things as coincidences...except for getting 2 tails in a row or whatever.)  So anyways, oh, you may need to know this fact before I tell the rest of the miracle story...I'm training again this next transfer.  Sooooo, the miracle story was that we need a ride up to Raleigh on Tuesday and we have a small branch, and we have very limited resources and we had only a couple people left that were possibilities that could take us and a bike.  Well we called one and he said that he'd be happy to take us but he has a Dodge Magnum which can't fit a bike in it, so if we could find someone who had a bike rack built for something like a minivan, he could take us.  So, I decide to call our Branch President to see if he knows of any avid bikers or anything who might have one.  He says he doesn't and checks with his wife and then he remembers that he used to have some sort of bike rack that he picked up from a friend who was throwing it out, but he himself may have already thrown it out since he never used it really.  Well, lo and behold, he found it super fast in his storage place and then we went up together to the guy who said he could take us and it worked!!!!!  Total coincidence, right?? NOT!! It's amazing what happens when we first trust in the Lord, and then do everything we can to accomplish it.  Reflects the cliche well, "Pray like it all depends on the Lord, and work like everything depends on you."  Faith--it works miracles ;)

Anyways, so yeah, I'm training again.  Pretty exciting, eh??  It's a huge responsibility that the Lord has given me again, but since He knows I can do it, I know I can do it.  I hope I can help him learn how to be obedient from the start and how to always work hard hard hard and smart smart smart ;)  Good stuff.  So we're leaving dark and early for Raleigh Tuesday morning.  Should be exciting!!!

Anyways, have a great week.  I'll be sending something home that you should enjoy, shortly.  Love God with all your might and ALWAYS TRUST in Him.  He is the Gardener here.  Cherish the message of the Restoration; share it with anyone and everyone.  It blesses all :)

Love, 

Elder Thornton

ps.  I got a package from the Hawks family, and letters from Fawn Brady, Garred Whiting (who is on a mission by the way!!!!!) Mom 33, Dad, and Grams.

pps. and Dad, the sunrises and sunsets here on stinking beautiful sometimes, but no, we really don't get that much winter weather.  Occasionally, we get a day that's cold, but that's it.  I think one night it got in the 20s...maybe ;)