Isaac

Alright.Hello family and friends.

Welp, other than the hurricane (tropical storm), things are same old here in Plantation. Gian Carlos decided to peace out and move back to Ohio. So no baptism :( but we do have a lady named Dawn. We blessed her home like 3 weeks ago. She has seen so many blessings since we have met her and she pretty much committed herself for the 2nd of September! We've really seen a huge change in her. When we first met her, she was sad and angry and now she's happier than ever! I love the gospel and how it changes people. It's been awesome to see that change. She has come to church the past 2 Sundays. Everything should be good for her. 

The storm was pretty crazy. Where we're at it wasn't horrible, just another storm, but other places it was bad. After church on Sunday, we had to go straight home. So from about 1 pm on Sunday til 5 pm on Monday, we SAT at home. With nothing to do. We watched a few church videos but other than that, we just slept and ate. Which is the only thing we do at the apt anyway, but this time it was for 2 days. I was so bored. 

We're still knocking lots of doors.. We have great experiences blessing them but they never feel it a priority to meet with us, even though we invite them all to be baptized. So that's been pretty rough. Last Wednesday, an old couple from Boca Raton came down and took Elder Larsen and I to dinner. They're not members but have a really good relationship with Elder Larsen cuz he served there. I saw some big news about the Ohio State QB or something. It's bad for me to go to restaurants with TV's cuz it makes me miss ESPN a lot haha. But I can handle it for another year. Today is my 11 month mark... CRAZY! It's flown by pretty quick. Oh and guess what?! I can finally drive!! The office is in our area so we drop by at least once a week and I talk to the vehicle coordinator and he gave me everything I needed right there. So now I'm the big boy at the wheel. At first it was so weird! But now I feel back to normal driving. Anyway.. That's about it. We always work hard. Just this area is hard. I love and miss you all!

Keep pushing

Well.. There's not much to update on. But first off I want to give a big shout out to T going into the MTC this week! I love you man. You'll be amazing. 

Yeah like I said, not a whole lot going on in Plantation. 'twill be another short one today. We blessed a lot of cool peoples' homes, it's just that their never there when we come back. It's been difficult. "J" is getting hard to get in contact with. She has 2 kids, "W" 10 and "D" 8, so she's been busy getting them ready for school and all that. And I think I told you about "C". The guy who came to church with his aunt. He was going to be baptized yesterday, but he went out of town. But if all goes well, it'll happen next Sunday. We're pretty much just out here knocking doors all day every day. Which isn't great.  And it's not even the hottest months yet. I heard September is the worst. Oh well, your wife gets more attractive each door you knock in the scorching heat :) haha. 

I'm doing good. I'm getting pretty discouraged because everything's just been falling through. Elder "L" and the other guys in the apt, "H" and "P", are good and kinda help me wind down. Oh well, you just gotta keep pushing. Which we will. I'm sure someone's out there waiting for us. Yeah so I don't even know what to talk about. All of our investigators are pretty lame. I'm really liking Plantation, it's just a hard area. Thanks for everything guys. I love you.

Great Ward

Hey hey hey.

This week has been pretty good. Better than the past couple at least. I'm glad that I'm staying here in Plantation. Even though there's no hood and no cool black people and no receptive people, it's still pretty fun. The ward is cool and people are really funny and nice here. So there's not much to write about. I got the package. We finally got in contact with "J" and taught her on Friday. Except she had a couple of stupid friends there who were being way annoying. But we're going back tonight so hopefully it will be way better. 

Youth conference and the reunion sounds like a ton of fun. I miss doing stuff like that. The mission kinda has you going crazy because you do the same exact thing Every single day. P-days are definitely a must. Sawgrass Mall was pretty cool. I got a couple hats. I'm going to get one for each one of my areas. I have three. I'll get another once I leave here. I got a black U hat, an old school marlins hat, and a SICK heat hat. I took some pics of them. I sent the sim card last monday..... I hope it gets there. Man idk what else to say. We've met a couple sweet people but we need to go back and teach them and solidify their baptisms. Did I tell you that when we harvest, right after we bless peoples' homes, we invite them to be baptized? It's because the spirit is so strong there so why wait? It's actually been really successful. Well... idk there's not a whole lot to report on. Nothing reall cool happening. Oh wait.. So yesterday we were expecting 4 people at church, no one showed... But two less active girls came and brought their nephew (Non member) and we went over yesterday night and taught him. He said he'd be baptized next Sunday if he feels ready. But he's praying about it so he definitely will. His name is "C." 

K I hope that I'll have way more to write about next week. I miss you guys. I love you a lot! Bye!

Staying Put!

Whoa guess where I am? I'm at the "P's" house. Guess what I'm using? Their iPad. I feel at home :) haha. Anyway.. Hiii everyone! How's it going? It's all good here in Plantation. I'm staying here with elder "L"! I'm glad because I hate one transfer areas. Plus Elder "L" has been my fave comp so far. We have a lot of fun together, while still working hard of course. He's from bountiful and this is his second to last transfer! He's got three months left. 
Ooh. This morning all four of us went on a sunrise. We woke up at 5:30 (ugh) and went to the beach and saw the sun come up. It was way sweet. Oh guess what beach? Fort Lauderdale Beach! Remember the weird swinging tables and Bubba Gump and the swim Hall of Fame and that cool walkway? Well I was right there!!! I have some pics that I'll try to send home today, but it was so cool. We're also going to Sawgrass Mall today. Apparently it's like the 7th largest in America.. And a big tourist attraction. Oh which reminds me... Can I have some money to buy stuff? I'm getting something from each of the areas I serve. And I only have something frm Boynton.. So I need Flagler and Wellington and here. Thanksss.
So gator wise.. We met a way solid lady last Sunday, we knocked and she said come back Tuesday, so I thought it w no big deal. Anyway, we went back Tuesday and had a good lesson with her. She accepted to be baptized. Her kids are teenage/early 20's and I guess there like anti religion and think their mom is crazy.. But "J" was totally on board. She had us over on Thursday for dinner. So we were there with her and her 21 yo daughter. The 14 yo son was in the room and wouldn't come out at all. Even on Tuesday, he just stayed in there blasting metal. We've never seen him. On Thursday, "J" kept knocking on the door saying get some food. He just wouldn't come out because he hates religion so bad and he sees us as just religion. Anyway, I guess the next day the kid was talking to his psychologist and said that his mom was neglecting home and starving him because she was meeting with missionaries and just a bunch of crap like that, even though she was telling him to come get food the whole time.  So she called us and told us that things needed to be put on hold til she can resolve things with her son. stupid. (The other) "J" is still cool. After her trip she got really sick so we still haven't been able to see her. Everyone else is still kinda lame. Oh well. I'm happier this week. 
On Friday I went on 24 hr exchange with elder "S" haha remember him? It was kinda cool. Other than that, not much else is happening here. I love this iPad. That's probably why this email is so long. Or maybe it just seems long... Anyway. I love you guys a lot! Pics should come this week! Love you!

Everything is good here in Planation

Hello Thorne family

All is doing good here in Plantation. Remember back in March when we baptized 106 people? Well 100 has always been a mission goal. In the month of July, we baptized 141!! Isn't that way sick? Of course, Elder Larsen and I didn't contribute... But, it's still way awesome. We have 6 dates so far for August. So we'll definitely get some people dunked next month. "J" and her family are still way sweet. They were out of town this last weekend so she wasn't able to come to church, but we send her a scripture every morning and she really likes that. We had a way good lesson with her at a members' house who lives in the same apt complex. The kids were with their dad so it was just her, us, Sister "Y" and her two daughters, and the ward mission leader. So at first she was a little shy, but by the end she was good. It was the best lesson like ever. We just taught the Gospel and she understood it well, she's Catholic so she's heard it before.., but you could tell that the Spirit was there. It was so cool. 

We also have a guy named "J" that was a media referral. We just stopped by his house because we were right by it. He was excited to see us. He's like 30(?) and he told us all about his past and drug addiction and he's been clean and sober for 2 weeks and he wants to come closer to Jesus Christ. So we committed him to be baptized right there. We're seeing him again tonight.

Other than that, not a whole lot is going on. We're working hard and having fun. The mission is kinda going slow right now. Idk I've kinda been discouraged even though we're having more success and fun. But I hear that it happens to pretty much everyone at this point in their mission. So I'm sure it'll pass soon.

K so guess what? I haven't bought soda for like 3 months now. I used to buy some every week. But now I buy Clear American. Isn't that what you used to drink dad? I buy like 6 of the one liter's. And that's what I drink at home. K some spanish member here said that J. Marriott pays 90% tithing... There's no way that's true. Dad? haha. So remember how my areas just got more and more ghetto? Well this is definitely the nicest, but at the same time, I've never heard so much sirens in my life ha. At least twice a day we hear some sirens. It's kinda funny. We haven't made it downtown or to the mall yet. We don't have the miles.. So next P-day hopefully. I got the package. Thanks. Can you send me some food? Like chips and snacks.. I didn't have a lot of money on my msf so I couldn't get a lot of food today. So that would make me happy :) Look at mormon channel and watch the Alex Boye music video for "Have I Done Any Good in the World Today". And the "Stay Within the Lines" video. B Lomu is in it. Haha. K I love you guys! I gotta go play some bball. Love you!

Service Project and a Trip to the Animal Park

Hi family, This past week for me was pretty good. We met a way sick lady in a complex that a member lives in. We knocked on her door and said a prayer with her and her 2 kids ("W" 10 and "D" 8). We invited her to be baptized and she was a little not sure since she was Catholic, but we testified and she said sure.. But, we went back on Wednesday or something and had a sweet lesson with them and her roommate, "G" 19. We basically just talked about the Atonement and "J" said that she really wanted to come closer to Jesus Christ and God. "G" has never been baptized so we committed them all for the 29th. "J" came to church yesterday too! The kids or "G" weren't there because they were with their dad, but she brought her mom. It was way sweet. She's way solid. Oh, and on Saturday I think, we took her over to Sister "Y's" and had like the best member present lesson ever. Brother "W" was there and we set up a couple object lessons for the kids, which they weren't there either.. But it still was super sweet. She's going to be out of town this weekend :( but it's looking good for 4 baptisms on August 5! I'm super excited.  On Saturday, there was a stake day of service here. We went to a 'scout camp', it was just a big field. It was right by the temple, so we got to see the progress. Not too bad. For the service, our job was to move picnic tables then we got to burn stuff for a while. That was fun.  We're actually getting fed pretty well. We had 3 or 4 last week and already have like 2 for this week.  I forgot my planner at home, which has all of the stuff that I want to write to you... Cuz I can't remember anything. Sorry. But here's some sweet pics.  I love you guys! Oh, mom, I have plenty of supplies. I'll let you know exactly how many next week. K i miss you all like crazy! But I love you so much more! Oh, and all of you should go to the temple as much as you can. I can't go til I leave! The day before we go home we go to Orlando. SO far away. So be grateful that you can go anytime you want! K Love you!

Stay Strong!

Heyy.
Sorry I'm late today. We went to a place called Native Village today and saw some gators! Ha. It was way cool. I have pics but no cord to upload them :( and no envelope to send the sim card home. But it was super cool. I was talking to the zl's and I guess you can take vids. So there are some sweet videos too. Oh, and I got to hold/kiss an alligator. It was SICK!! 
Anyway. It was a pretty good week. "L" has been avoiding us... Probably ran into some anti. We'll try to keep going with her but it's been almost a week since we last saw her. We also knocked President's street yesterday. It's a super rich street so the AP's never knocked there because they didn't have the faith. But Elder Larsen and I did, and first of all, left 3 blessings, and found a way sick family of 7! We think it's just the mom and kids, but it was way awesome to have that much success on such a street. I'm glad my pic is finally on the blog. The "P's" are way cool. I barely got to see Fort Laud. We just drove by on the way home. Next week we're going to the mall. Sawgrass mall, apparently it's like the 15th biggest in the world. Then maybe the next p day, we can go see Fort Laud. I really want to. It's starting to get way hot. The humidity is way bad. It's so thick and makes you sweat a lot. There wasn't rain here for like 2-3 weeks but last week it rained a couple times. There's way awesome lightning/thunder here. Huge bright flashes and crazy thunder. I love it. 
Man, I wish I could be there for "T's" endowment. Tell him congrats and I love him!
Gator wise (investigator), we have a date with this Haitian girl that we blessed. She's at least 16 (we're not sure yet..), and she's pretty cool. We're still in the early stages, but we'll see how it goes. Also, a girl named "T" She really wants to be baptized, her fam might hold her back though... So we're trying to work through that. We gave her a BoM and she seems excited to learn. Umm.. Idk no one else like way cool. We've gone around and visited with a lot of members. The ward here is way awesome. Especially the ward mission leader. Bro. "W", he's way sweet. There's a way funny Chinese couple in the ward.  
I'm glad that my pants are finished, those were my fave. It's been a while since I've been able to wear them. Dad, those ties I sent home, you can wear them until I get back. Those are my nice ones so I like never wear them. But I want them back..
Ok, well.. Still not a lot going on in my life. Just same old same old. Working hard. Having a good time. I love it here. It's lots of fun. I miss you all. And love you guys like crazy. Stay strong.