Week 75

Do I have a funny for you

Nov 25 at 10:08 AM

Alright, y'all, my new companion and I made up a funny.

What do you call an ocean of prophet-killing noodles???

I'll tell you later :)

Anyways, wow, how is it another Monday, I feel like I was just telling you who my new companion was yesterday.  Weird stuff.  Anyways, my new companion's name is Elder Benson Bagley.  He is from Rexburg, ID.  He has been out 1 transfer less than me.  He's a really good missionary, but alas, I am destined to never be with those older-than-me missionaries that I always look up too.  For some reason, I thought that if I ever became a Zone Leader, I would be able to be with missionaries that we were older than me and thus would teach me tons and tons of yummy stuff, but turns out, I was only with a Zone Leader that was older than me for 1 transfer, and he was only 6 weeks older.  Hence, alas.  But things are still going well.  I know I am where the Lord needs me to be, and I am with whom the Lord needs me to be.  A lot of really good things are going on. 

I received a letter from Grandma this past week.  

What else?  We are teaching this fantastic family, the Penn family, and it is so exciting!!!  Really, I'm not kidding.  This family is definition of member missionary work.  A member in our ward had been talking to her about the church and stuff and then extended the invitation to meet with us and hear the message of the Restoration.  They delightfully accepted, and last week, we taught one of the most spiritually powerful Restoration lessons.  The spirit was so strong, and when the mom prayed at the end, she mentioned, I think it was gratitude or something, for the spirit that she felt.  When Elder Bagley shared with them the account of Joseph Smith's experience in the woods, she shivered a little bit.  It was amazing.  They all, the two parents and their 2 kids, came to church yesterday and enjoyed it.  It's great.  This is what missionary work is all about, and amazing, we don't have to try and create and forge friendships among ward members since they already has a really solid friend in the church who is there to answer their questions when we aren't around, who is there to read the scriptures with them, who is there to support and strengthen them, and address concerns that they aren't comfortable bringing up with us.  Simply stated, they have a lifeline to the church.  That is so important.  That's something that I think most people don't understand.  When President Hinckley discussed the 3 things converts (and prospective converts) need, he highlighted the need for a friend.  Sadly, I don't think most people take these 3 things seriously enough.  For example, I have seen new converts receive a calling and then it feels like the ward almost checks that box on the 3 things list, forgetting the fact that they need constant check-up, training, help, encouragement, love, support, and stepping stones.  Sometimes, they just assign them a job.  Now, for the friend, a friend is more than someone that, when he/she sees the investigator on Sunday they say hi.  A friend is more than someone that comes on exchange with the missionaries only after the missionaries set everything up and request it.  A friend is involved with said individual outside of church.  A friend personally invites said individual over for FHE, dinner, a lesson etc without any provocation from the missionaries.  A friend calls when the person isn't at church.  A friend calls just to show true love for them as a brother or sister.  A friend reaches out and goes out of their way to support them along this significant, yet difficult and perilous path.  A friend doesn't wait to be asked to be like Christ.

Just one of the many things I have learned as a missionary, as a representative of Jesus Christ, my Master. 

Happy birthday Grandma!  I love you so much.  And I really do thank you for all the letters you write me.  :) 

Also, Happy 37th birthday mother! :)  on this Saturday.  You're the best mom I could have ever asked for.  I love you so much.  Don't ever forget that.  Family is the best.  That's what it's all about.

Love,

Elder patty

ps.  The answer is APOSTASY!!! hehe

Week 74

Top of the Morning to y'all (Like the mix of dialect, eh?)

Nov 18 at 9:52 AM

Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Let's see, what to say,...

I got letters 72 and one from grams. 

Hard to believe another transfer has come and gone. 

I have a feeling this email is going to be boring, make sure you're sitting down because if you fall asleep while you're standing up, you might get hurt, Thank you, The Management.

It's like 70 degrees here.  Weird.

Sometimes I feel like I'm pulling teeth.

We taught a lesson on missionary work using Elder Ballard's address in Elders Quorum yesterday.  I'll tell you...I like working with missionaries a lot better than Elders Quorums.  I can hold missionaries to a lot higher standard, and most of them want to be there.  I can't say the same for Elder's Quorum. 

My companion is being transferred to be a district leader in a struggling area.  So, I'll be getting a new companion . . . I have no idea whom though.    

Out of the 12 Zone Leaders though, 4 are going home this transfer and my companion is becoming a district leader, so there will be at least 5 brand new zone leaders this transfer.  Crazy stuff.  Elder Mortensen is going to Tabor City.  He'll actually be in South Carolina.  Our investigators are doing pretty decent for the most part, but we have a few that we might have to discontinue actively teaching.  It's no good when we are doing all the work and they aren't putting in any active effort. :( 

We also started teaching this amazing family, the Penn's.  They are amazing and are the product of phenomenal member missionary work.  If only everyone did it, that's what hastening the work is -- it's not speeding up the cars, it's adding more lanes to the road :)

Love you all so much,

Elder Patty

Week 73

Here's a quicky

Nov 11 at 10:05 AM

Okay family, 

We're emailing from the clerk’s office this week, aka, 1 computer, aka, we don't want to spend eternity here, so it's going to be a quick email.  I got letter 71, the one with the story and family history stuff in it.  I haven't read it all yet, but thanks so much, Mom.  I also got 1 from Grandma. 

Yes, I'm still doing audio journals. Good stuff. Those will be fun to listen to years down the road.  Yes, Dad, I did get the pic.  

 Lucky you on Elder Ballard coming and you getting to eat dinner with him. No fair.  But that's okay.  I hope y'all get some delicious counsel from him, which I know you will. 

So, things are going well down here.   Still staying ridiculously busy.  Lots of good things happening though.  As a Zone, we're seeing a lot of growth.  We should have several baptisms as a zone this month, which is great.  We also learned that Elder Mortensen will be transferred next week, and that I will be the Senior Zone Leader here, most likely training a new zone leader.  Crazy stuff.  Elder Mortensen has been a good companion, so I'm going to miss him.  Hard to believe I've only known him for 6 weeks...feels like we've known each other longer when you're with each other 24 hours a day and when you working in unity to accomplish the work of the Lord.  

Yesterday, I had the opportunity of interviewing 3 individuals for baptism.  Afterwards, I felt drained.  I interviewed a 9 year old, 11 year old, and father.  The only thing was this family is Burmese.  There is a large Burmese refugee population in a place called Lumberton.  The children know some English, the parents really don't know.  And the missionaries don't know their language.  Neither do I. Thus the 11 year old was alright, but the 9 year was really shy, and the Father had to be complete translation.  My translator was a 12 year old boy.  You might be able to imagine how difficult it is to try and determine whether someone is ready to take upon them the covenants of baptism in such a situation.  I was pretty torn on what to do, pass them or not because they are pretty childlike in the understanding of the Gospel.  It was hard, but ultimately, I knew that the spirit knows the truth of all things, so I sought my Father's counsel and guidance as to what I should do.  As a loving Father does, He comforted me and I know that He and our Savior will accept them into His kingdom on earth.  But like I said, afterwards, I felt drained.  I would ask a question sometimes and the translator and the interviewee would have a conversation in their language and then the translator would say, "He said yes".  I was like, um, ok, I thought there was a lot more to that conversation.  Hence, I definitely had to rely on the spirit.  It was a learning experience for sure, but I know that the Lord helped me and blessed me.  

Alright, I'm going to end it here, so I hope you're satisfied.  Tomorrow we have a mission tour where a general authority will instruct us.  

I love you all so much and am so grateful for you.  Keep being strong, and never be satisfied or comfortable ;)  This life is the time to grow :)

Love,

Elder Patty 

Week 72

G-2

Patrick Thornton

To Me

Today at 9:54 AM

Family, so first off, I want to alleviate the undo pressure I have placed you, mother, under.  I forgot to mention last week.  I did get the ballot, actually 2 Mondays ago I got it after I had emailed and sent it off the next day or so.  I also received 69-71, the double letter from grams, and I received grandma's for this week, but will probably receive yours mom, today after emailing. 

Super exciting about Chris being able to go to the temple.  But weird, all at the same time.  Let's see, I really don't have much to say today.  We have been crazy busy though.  And when I say crazy busy I mean crazy busy.  Not enough time to even think.  I think I may be busting the run faster than you have strength rule sometimes, but the Lord sustains me, and I live to labor another day.  Hopefully, things will settle down some this week.  We are teaching a lot of people and finding more.  It's really exciting.  The ward is also progressing in terms of doing missionary work; it's definitely wonderful to see and experience.  We are teaching this individual named Josh.  He is absolutely fantastic.  In about 2 weeks, he is in Alma in the Book of Mormon.  His retention is amazing.  Yesterday, I told him I was fasting and then, not sure whether I just confused him, I asked if he knew what fasting was.  He said you did it to prepare for something.  I was impressed.  He then went on to reference how when Alma was unconscious for 3 days the people fasted and prayed for him!!  I think that is in like 1 verse in the Book of Mormon, but he remembered it and remembered it was with Alma.  He's come to church twice.  We found him at the Library :)  That in and of itself is a testimony that there are people everywhere prepared to hear the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  Just imagine the hastening of the work that would occur if we had hundreds and hundreds of people in every city actively seeking out those opportunities to find people in unplanned ways.  That is the Lord's vision that will be accomplished on an individual level.

Another instance this week, we were returning home from an appointment with our exchange and there was this pick up truck that had its flashers on and was sticking out in the road a little bit on a nasty curve.  We swung around and hopped out and helped her push it out of the road.  We then proceeded to ask her what the problem was and she explained that she ran out of gas.  Our exchange happily volunteered to go get her some, so we ran to his home, grabbed some gas, and then returned, and while he was filling it up, Elder Mortensen and I talked with her about the church and the message we share.  We set up an appointment with her for yesterday.  Yesterday, we went and had a really good lesson, and they are excited to come to church, her and her 13 year old son.  The Lord truly blesses us when we are willing to act out of compassion and love.  Part of the problem, I feel, in the society we live in today, even within the church, is that everyone is so "busy."  As a missionary, I can promise you that it is not difficult to be busy.  Being busy is easy, but being productive and accomplishing the Lord's will??? That's a different question.  Think about Christ when He was visiting the Americas and the people here after His resurrection as recorded in the Book of Mormon.  After ministering to them for a time, He explained to them that He had to go; the Father had other things for Him to accomplish, yet when He saw the peoples' countenances, He acted out of compassion as we witness a divine changing of mind.  He delayed his subsequent engagements in order to follow the spirit in the moment and act out of a full and pure love.  Should we not follow that example as best we can??  especially due to the fact that we would be hard pressed to submit that our engagements are of more worth or of greater consequence than the Savior's. :)

Also, this past week, we had our Halloween party...I miss not having a stake center to be my building.  There were so many people there; it was crazy packed.  There were so many tables in the gym and in many other rooms, there was hardly enough room to walk.  Trust me, there weren't any activities in the gym; that would have been impossible.  :)  and the party was over in the blink of an eye.  I barely squeezed in a couple of bowls of chili.  Our entire time consisted of tracking down people that we had invited who were there, fellowshipping with less actives and trying to catch the friends that members had brought...definitely not a party for missionaries :)  but it was fantastic in terms of missionary work, which is 100% of my focus for 2 years right??  Who needs parties as a missionary?  Holidays might as well not exist on a mission :)

I guess I ended up having more to say than I thought. ;)  (that usually happens, I talk a lot ;) )

Thanks for all your support.  I love my Lord.  I love His forgiveness.  I love His peace, the peace that only He can bring.  I love who I am becoming.  I love learning.  I love life.  And I love and am so grateful for this opportunity that I have to not only represent Him as His authorized representative, but to become more like Him.

I love y'all so much.

Love,

Elder Patty