Minor(?) concussion

Hey family
This week was ok... So.. Last Monday, after emailing, we were playing some basketball with the sisters.. And.. Sister Chavous and I both went for the ball.... And her elbow went straight into my head. Like right under the chin, where you try to hit someone while boxing to knock them out. I didn't get knocked out, but I got a minor concussion :) From Monday to Thursday I was down and out. Ha. I'm fine now. Everything's all good. It just made for a boring week ha. But here's a crazy story. “D” was all set to be baptized Sunday. We had a super good FHE on Friday with a member family at their home. And she was all set to be baptized after church. Saturday at about 6, we went over to review the interview questions. Right when she answers the door, after greeting she goes, 'I was thinking we should push the baptism to next Sunday. I have finals this week and I need to study and being at church for 5 hours will mess that up.' So I go into Jaren mode (I'm super good at being under control during intense emergencies) So I'm like, no. You'll do tons better on your finals with the Holy Ghost. We'll do the baptism right after sacrament meeting. You'll be home before 11. She said ok. But: problem. Now I have to coordinate that with Bishop and WML. I call Brother “A” and tell him what's up. He said he'll coordinate it with the ward, and I said I'll do the mission stuff. I called the AP's and told them the situation and asked if they could do the interview that night at 8 (we were going to do it during church Sunday). They said probably and that I needed to talk to President. People have to come to church at least 2 times before they can get baptized in this mission. She'd only been once. So I called him. He didn't answer so I left a message. Bro “A” and I are texting back and forth trying to figure out how we'll get the room because the nursery is the baptism room. “D” had told us that she wanted someone of 'high rank' to baptize her, so we had Bro “A” ask him as well. President calls back and I explain the situation and he gives the ok. Then I had to call the RS president and other members to invite them. Then I had to call the senior couple, the “S's” if they could go get “D” at 7:30 instead of 8:30. Then we had to ride our bikes to “D's.” And she lives CLEAR in the heck out there. (We had gotten a ride from Creole earlier). We met the AP's there at 8 and they were still trying to figure out rides and getting people to church for their own area. Elder “G” stayed with Elder “B” at the interview and I went with Elder “S” to do an interview for them. We left and drove out to their area and the guy wasn't home, so we stopped by a couple people. By the time we left there, it was 9, so the other 2 AP's (there's 4) had to go get Elders “G” and “B.” Elder “S” and I got to our apt at about 9:15. Then we waited there until 9:45 for the other elders to get back! They get there and I give Elder “G” a hug and he goes, "She needs a little bit more time. Call me if you have any question."  ....................................... What. Freak. So I had to call Everyone back and tell them it was cancelled. Ugh. Dang. Oh well. Next week :)
LOVE YOU!

Really good week

Hey family!
Once again.. Not a whole lot of time today. This week was actually really good. I don't think I mentioned her before, but we have a sick investigator named “D.” The Spanish sisters, Sister “C” and Sister “S,” found her and passed her to us. She lives clear on Oakland Park and Dixie Highway, but she's totally worth it. Well, we've taught her twice and both times we've been on exchange, so I actually haven't taught her yet haha. But.. She came to church yesterday and absolutely loved it! She has the cutest little 4 year old daughter named “K.” She's preparing to be baptized this Sunday, “D” of course. We're super excited. Our other investigator's all fell through on Sunday morning :( On Saturday night they were all set, and we even had rides set up for those who needed them, but they all bailed! :( There is one guy, “S,” who is SO cool. He wanted to come, and he was so set. We taught him on Saturday night at like 8, and he's like 'I gotta go pick up my kids in the morning at 9:30, then come to service. What time does it start again?' "9" 'Oh, well then I'll go get my kids at 7:30. No problem'. But then he didn't show up :( We called him in the morning but no answer.. Idk. We're going over today. 
Other than that, not a whole lot. Well, that's kinda a lot haha. but nothing personal. I'm excited for the clothes and toiletries.
 I love you all!!
Elder J Thorne

An "okay" week

How is everyone doing? I'm doing pretty well. This week was ok. Like, I feel like we worked super hard and were very diligent. Our numbers just didn't show it.. It's way annoying. But whatever. I know we can't control what people do. Man.

Anyway. We met a few good people this week. A couple people who straightway said yes to baptism and were pretty solid. One guy who works at the draw bridge right by the church. We also met a way awesome young woman who apparently is super solid. I went on exchanges both Friday and Saturday into the other missionaries’ area, so I didn't get to teach her. But she seems pretty sweet. This week we're going to try super hard to get “K” baptized. No more putting it aside and delaying it. It's got to happen now. And if she doesn't see or realize that, then we're going to have to wait until she's ready. 

Me and Elder “B” are doing well. We mesh well together. He's progressing really well. He's grown a lot.

I love you guys alot. Sorry for such a short email. Not much new around here. We've always got lots of potential, we’ve just got to get it done. I miss you all, but love you a ton more!

"The exciting mission!"

Hey fam!

Man, General Conference was SO so good. I loved it a lot. At the end while we were all talking (there were 14 missionaries there!), I realized that it’s my last one in the mission! Wow. It's so crazy now fast time has flown. Saturday was really really good. I loved President Uchtdorf's talk in Priesthood, probably my favorite. And both the Saturday sessions before that we're really inspiring and revelatory. Sunday was really good too, a little bit harder to focus, but for what I got out of it, 'twas really good. 

Being a district leader is alright.. I'm just so busy all the time haha. Like usually from 9:30-10:30 I can just relax and write in my journal or go hang out with the sisters in our complex, or just chill, but now I have to call people or the zone leaders are calling me. It's crazy. So I'm way behind on my journal now :( I'm thinking I can just use the recorder as a voice journal. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear haha but I can't think of anything else haha. I told sister “B” that she has to write in it from now on, and I've only gotten a couple weird random notes out of that haha. So to record my mission it will now be with my thoughts and voice. But yeah being a dl is cool.

Being a dl and all, I now go on exchanges with all the elders in the district. On Friday, I was with elder “A” (he knows the “M's” too) and we went to go see this lady that me and Elder “B” blessed a few days before. Herr name is “S.” When we got there, she wanted us to come in but her husband wasn't home, so I was thinking, "bro “B” lives just up the street". So I told “S” that we'd be right back haha. We hurried and called bro “B” and he said he'll hurry and throw on a shirt and tie and he'll be ready. We went and picked him up and headed on back. Our lesson with “S” was one of, if not the, best lesson ever. The spirit was so strong from the beginning and she is so prepared and so willing. When we blessed her home and invited her to be baptized, she told us about how in the past couple of months, random people would come up to her and tell her that she needed to accept Jesus and that she should get saved. So she told us that this must've been a sign from God. So I told her that He did send us there so that you can follow Jesus Christ and get baptized. During the lesson we kept testifying and she had a lot of good questions. She accepted everything we said. She really wanted to come to conference but she had to work. She is a general manager at burger king so she said she can just change her schedule for next week. She's now preparing to be baptized on the 21st. It was awesome. And thanks to bro “B” and God, we were able to see her and help her prepare.

Bad news time.. We're probably gonna lose the car.. I had a feeling we would. Since it was just an extra this transfer because of an area shutting down, I figured at transfers when everything got sorted out, they'd give it to someone else :( well it was good while it lasted... We don't know for sure, but I'm guessing it.

That meeting with President Anderson was one of the best trainings/meetings I've ever had. I learned a ton and am a better missionary because of it. It was so cool.

Aright I love you guys! Thanks for everything, I miss you all. We get to talk soon! Love you!

 As an additional note, Elder Thorne shared the following from the weekly President’s email, “A returned missionary last week wrote me about her father introducing her to Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve:“When my dad introduced me to Elder Christofferson, he mentioned that I had just returned from serving a mission. Elder Christofferson asked which one and when I responded that I served in Ft. Lauderdale he said, ‘Oh, the exciting one!’ Isn't that awesome?! I knew our mission was amazing, but a member of the Twelve Apostles thinks so, too!  I had never been so proud to be a part of the FFLM!”

 

 

Another successful month in the FT Lauderdale Mission!

Yeah I'm the district leader.. Of the biggest district in the mission! 11 people! Can you believe that? That's unheard of over here. The most I've had was 8, which was once. So it's been way crazy. Especially with 5 sisters. All living together... haha. but I really liked it. So they gave me the calling last Monday, just throughout the day, then later on when P-day was over, I had to do my first interview! haha. It was just an 8 yo kid luckily, super easy. But then I did a couple for the AP's at church. Which went well. I liked them a lot. Have I told you that we're in the same ward as the AP's? There's 9 missionaries in the ward. It's pretty sweet. 

Man, so remember “J”and “K?” “K” could get baptized! “J2” has 2 jobs, so it'll be super hard to get her to church. But “K” is down. We were SO close yesterday. She was actually all set. We went over on Wednesday night and had a super powerful lesson. Committed her to be baptized on Sunday. Had the interview on Saturday. But then on Sunday, she just got cold feet.. But she said this weekend should be good. She's like our most solid investigator, everyone else is kind of dwindling..

I'm so excited for Conference! I love conference. It's my last one... Crazy..
The specialized training on Friday was a ton of fun. It was so so good. Mainly about humility and diligence, thankfulness, teaching the Restoration early, and helping investigators pray. Super inspired.

It's pretty rough trying to get our area going with so many DL responsibilities haha, but I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. We should really start coming along soon.

From President Anderson’s email this week, “Missionaries, we have not only achieved our goal of 155 baptisms in March, but we have destroyed it with 168. How happy the Lord must be this Easter week to know that we worked so hard to bring these precious souls to Him. I am so proud of you, the Lord is so proud of you. We have another great week ahead of us as we Prepare for the Prophets and get ready to have an amazing revelatory experience at General Conference. Let us prepare ourselves and our investigators for this tremendously inspired teachings.”

I miss you guys a lot. Thanks for everything! I LOVE YOU!!

 

Elder J Thorne