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. :)