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