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. :)