Remember!!

Biggest news from the mission world is that back packs are now forbidden, and we must wear shoulder bags. Elder “M” and I found some good satchels at TJ Maxx. We first went to the mall; we actually had to bike because we were out of miles and the other elders didn't have enough to come down to pick us up.. So we biked to the mall (it's a really nice mall over here), and went all over trying to find good shoulder bags. Well no one had any that were good, and the good ones were all at least $150.. Every time we'd ask an employee if they had shoulder bags for men, they would give us a weird look and then tell us no. Ha. It was kind of funny. We were at the mall for like 2 hours trying to find these flippin’ bags. Finally we asked someone if they knew of a place that would have them. The guy told us that TJ Maxx or Ross should, and that they are just down PGA Blvd. So we left the mall and headed east on PGA. We found the TJ Maxx, started in the purse section (I was so ready to just buy a woman's purse at this point), then we headed to the men's and they had small shoulder bags over there! So we got us some pretty sweet satchels. Elder “T” and Elder “B” got some bigger bags. But I know, I look pretty good.
    The “M's” are doing well. We saw them a couple times this past week, mainly just stop by's and answering questions or dropping something off. We feel like as much contact as possible will help them progress more. Man, they are so cool. They know everything, it's just a matter of them making the choice to be baptized. Sometimes people reach a point where they don't really see the importance of  or how many blessings will come to their lives as they are baptized. They just need to take the step of faith and do it. Actually dad, remember the article you sent me about BYU's athletic director? I gave that to them, I hope it will help. We're pulling out all the stops. We even gave her a copy of "Jesus the Christ"! I mean, come on! How prepared can you be?..

     I've been reflecting a lot this past 8 months, and especially this past couple weeks, on "Remembering". I don't think there's any more caring and repeated counsel throughout the scriptures, especially in the Book of Mormon, than that to "remember". 'Have ye retained in remembrance..?' Alma asks frequently in Alma 5. Helaman counsels his sons to remember, remember in Helaman 5. Nephi remembers who he had trusted and who had delivered him from his enemies in his poetic psalm in 2nd Nephi 4. And King Benjamin, in his "angelically delivered sermon", calls us to 'remember and perish not'. If you don't remember, you forget. Sometimes remembering the good is the only thing you have when times are tough. Sometimes a good memory is an answer to a prayer. When God has given you an answer to a prayer, and we ask again and again, it's kinda like when He talks to Oliver Cowdery, (in essence, of course) "I already told you. You already felt the Spirit confirm to you that it's true. Remember?" If we're not willing to remember the good, and if we just forget how good something is and we let ourselves forget, then we show God that important things don't matter. We let the little unimportant things take up most of our time. Remembering is a vital part of our growth and a huge part of God's plan for each and every one of us. For me, it's remembering everything that I've gained on my mission because of the struggles. It's remembering my sacred experience of having God's love given to me by an angel. Most of the time, that is the thing that gets me through my trials and troubles even to this day. It's been amazing to study these things out and especially apply "remembering" to my life. There's a talk by Elder Marlin K. Jensen that I printed and am going to read later on, I exhort that you all do the same. 
    I wish I had more to report on. Like always, we have some people that we're working with. We're struggling finding but I know it will happen. 
     Welp.. I miss you all like crazy. I can't believe the time is coming up. I love you all so much! Oh, and I told Hailey that I might not get an iPhone. So if you're planning to surprise me with those things (especially that Camaro.. :) haha), don't get the iPhone yet. And maybe not a laptop. I'm having a RC hook me up with some programs like AutoCad and Photoshop (Thank you for South Florida ;)), but it might just be for desktops. I love you guys! Bye!
Elder JR Thorne