Another Transfer

So it was a pretty interesting week. On like Wednesday, we were harvesting and we knocked this door, and like 4 annoying little dogs started freaking out on the inside. So we were just like ugh, because that's never a good thing. Someone came up to the door and quickly just stepped outside on the porch, and it was an old man. Which is another bad sign (old people aren't receptive... at all). Well we introduce ourselves and say we're representatives of Jesus Christ and ask if we can pray with him. He goes, "Where did you guys come from?" Kind of an odd question, we just said the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. And he's just like, ok let's pray. So we said a prayer with him right there. After, we asked how he felt and said we want to come back and share a message about Jesus Christ and he agreed. Then he goes, "Are you guys angels?" and he started to cry. We were shocked but testified that we were sent from God. He was choked up so he couldn't talk so he just went inside. Awesome right? Well we went back to our appointment like the next day and he was super Baptist and born again and lame. I was so mad. But the harvesting experience was awesome..

“S” is getting baptized on Saturday. That should be a good experience.

K on Saturday morning, we helped a family move out.Yeah. I'm getting transferred... Ugh. I'll miss this place a ton. I've grown to love it here. I'm pretty bummed about it. So can you make sure there's plenty of money on my card? I'm going to have to send some stuff home because I've accumulated a lot of stuff..I'll let you know next week about everything. Love you guys.

Spectacular lightning show

Dear Thorne family.. and others. This was an ok week.. We had an Amazing lesson with "S" last Monday here at the church (she was coming here anyway for the YSA FHE) Our appt. was scheduled at 6 but she called and said she'd be a little bit late, which was fine because  we had nothing else going on. She got there at 6:30 and that's when "B" (RM of about 2 1/2 yrs, Las Vegas) pulled in to set up for the FHE so he sat in which was really awesome. We were going to teach the Plan of Salvation, but after talking to her a bit we both felt impressed to teach the Gospel. We asked how her reading has been and how she has felt as she's read. She goes, "I'm starting to feel It now"... Elder "B" and my jaws just dropped. We were both just shocked, because that like never happens. It was so cool! So we kept teaching and invited her to be baptized. She was nervous and had some concerns because she felt like you needed to be perfect, but we read some scriptures with her and she felt better. Elder "B" invited her to be baptized on Sunday (yesterday) and I was a little stand offish because it seemed so soon.. But she accepted and we were super excited. Well she was very nervous and shaky about it so her friend who referred her called us on Thursday and said that they were talking and "S" felt like she wasn't ready so we thought an interview would help. It was really good but she was still not set.. So it didn't happen. But that's ok. She'll get baptized soon. I hope I stay for it. Oh yeah, transfers are next Wednesday! Crazy fast. So if you send something after like Wednesday, send it to the office just in case. "R" has been hard to meet with.. He works a ton and he's on call all the time so we haven't seen him since that first time. But idk if I've mentioned them before but there's an inactive lady, who we've worked with for a little while. But the last couple of weeks we've really pushed to help her and her family. Her and her husband (nonmember) have three kids, just one who's baptismal aged. They're super cool and she was baptized like 15 years ago and has been inactive for like 12.. but Bro. "R" (3 kids, all around the same age) came to see them with us once and him and the husband totally hit it off. Talking about tv's and grinders and other man stuff. And they were gonna come to church but apparently something came up... Which scared us a little, but the "R's" invited them to an FHE at their home and they said yes! So we're going over too which will be a ton of fun. Bro. "R" is like the coolest guy. I love when he comes out with us cuz he's way funny and awesome. Him and his wife got sealed just like 4 years ago because she wasn't a member and he went less active. But they are SO awesome.  Oh on Tuesday and Wednesday night, there was CRAZY lightning going on. It was so awesome. Like every 3 seconds there'd be a huge one. And super loud thunder. Way Way sweet.  That's been the highlights of the week. Not much happened. Same old same old.. I love you guys a ton. Thanks for everything. I miss you. Love  Elder Jaren Thorne  Oh remember the first time i shined my shoes and i was such a noob? well I've become quite the shoe shine whiz. I'm looking good now. oh, which reminds me, we talked to this old lady yesterday (Jehovah's Witness) and she was actually super nice. she complimented my grey eyes and said I had eyebrows that a woman would kill for. so thanks mom and dad. love you guys. and Hailey and Heather... and V...love you too. bye!

Another week gone by

Ok well hello fam.

This week was a little bit slow here in Florida.. We met some pretty cool people but we still have to work on helping them to progress in the gospel and commit to be baptized. There's one girl, "S", is Hatian and 18 and way cool. She came to church last Sunday with her friend "LD." She liked it and we went and talked to her and set up an appt for Monday (last P-day). She lives in Lake Worth. Actually north of our area. So SUPER far up there. Ugh that wasn't fun.. (We got permission to teach her since she has fellowship in the ward) Anyway, she's really cool and pretty much understands everything. That first lesson we just taught about the BoM and headed of because it was pretty late. We went back on Thursday and taught the rest of the Restoration. She went to the YSA activity on Saturday then came to church yesterday and is going to the YSA FHE tonight! The YSA has been awesome in bringing her in and being friendly.
We also taught another guy, "R" The sisters passed him to us a couple weeks ago and he was excited to meet with us, but he works a lot. We stopped by his apt on Friday but he wasn't home, only his wife and kids. So we decided to just teach them. The mom was pretty against the BofM, saying that she just needs the Bible. We were like, "Bible. Book of Mormon. Go together. Make sense?" and the kid was just like, "Yes.." because the mom just couldn't get that we believe in both. So that was kind of a rough lesson. Anyway, we went back on Saturday and met with "R" and that was like totally opposite. He was open and willing to listen. He said something like, 'my wife told me that you came over and taught her and gave her this book. When I saw it, I was so jealous.' haha. So we just explained it and read the first part of 3rd Nephi 11 with him and he loved it. That was a powerful lesson.

Those are 2 cool people we're working with. They should get baptized soon. Transfers are 2 weeks away!! Crazy right? It's been a good one. Oh yeah, we helped a family move in this week! I love it here. It is stressful and hard and tough and annoying and just wears you down to the very core. But I couldn't be happier. I love you guys.

An awesome week

Awe man. Awesome week here in South Florida. E got baptized!! We have been teaching her for a couple months now and she is super awesome. She always had a lot of great gospel questions and just took everything in. A couple weeks ago, we committed her to be baptized on May 27, but as it approached, she felt like she wasn't ready at that time. So we saw her last week and set up an interview with Elder Beard (DL) for Thursday. After the interview, Elder Beard came out smiling, he always smiles so we had no idea if it was good or what. Apparently it was one of his best interviews and after that, she was ready and way excited!! She said she wanted to do it on Saturday and so we set everything up and had one of the best baptisms I've ever been a part of. Whew it was so awesome.  And there's literally a BILLION gnats flying around. And we have to bike through them. So here's a pic of my face actually right before E's baptism. Crazy. That was awesome. Other than that.. We're kinda just starting on square one. We left a lot of blessings in peoples' homes, and even set up return appointments, but they keep falling through or whatever. So we don't have a whole lot to work with now. 

There's a really amazing talk on the Atonement by I think Cleon Skousen. I read it in Flagler and really wish I would have made a copy, but could you try to track it down and send it? Thanks. And thanks for sending all of that stuff. I'm excited to get it. I got the iPod (I don't think I answered you yet) And I have plenty of diabetes supplies. Oh, and one more thing you could send, some slim jims. 

I think that's good, dad, that you are making a mormon.org prof. I also would encourage all of you to make one. It's an amazing tool that the Church has to share/spread the gospel. It's really fun to go on there and see other people and their stories. 

So this past couple of weeks, I've been studying the BoM. Like really studying it, not just reading. And it's been one of the best experiences ever. I've really gotten deep into it and I've learned a ton and have just loved it. I'm only on 2Nephi now but I've learned a lot more than I ever had before. My love for the Book of Mormon has just sky rocketed. I can't believe that anyone wouldn't want to read it themselves. It just befuddles me. 

Well, other than that, things with Elder Bloom are still sweet. We're having a good time. I love it out here. I miss you all a ton but there's no place I'd rather be. I love you.