Hey Gang!
This week on #whatsmysnack we literally have an English muffin with butta and jam! Nuff said.
This is the last week of my 12 week training woot woot!! Pretty crazy how fast this transfer has gone by, we get transfer calls on Saturday! Elder Ruiz will be going home, which is sad, I love that guy! He is an awesome missionary and an even better person! I'm praying that Elders Einboden, Butler, Aguirre, Yount, Kish and I all stay here in Joliet for at least one more transfer! We've all grown pretty close! But we will find out Saturday if we all get to stay or who is going where!
The first part of the week was really solid, we had an awesome lesson with Louie and Carol! We taught the restoration again for Carol and after we testified of the Book of Mormon Louie asked, "Have you both prayed to know if it's true and gotten an answer?" We both said yes, then he says, "well, ok let's give it a try." So he just starts praying while holding the Book of Mormon and he asks Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon is true and if he should take it seriously. After he said amen, he paused and we sat there for a bit, then he said, "ok, I have my answer, its true!" Haha it was pretty cool, so we invited them both to be baptized on December 9th and they both accepted!! Louie asked if the Bishop does the baptism and we told him that it was entirely up to him and he could choose a worthy priesthood holder to do it. After we told him that he said, "oh ok good, because I have someone in mind. Thorpe I want you to do it since you're the one who first talked to me outside of my house and you've been there every step of the way!" I almost started crying haha it was so awesome!
On Wednesday and Thursday we had exchanges with the zone leaders. Elder Champneys and I were out tracting and we walked past a house and we both stopped and looked at it and decided, yeah it doesn't look like anyone is home, but let's knock anyway. A lady answered the door and Elder Champneys told her that we are missionaries and we do bible studies, which is something we never really say for door approaches. She said, "oh we are just starting bible study right now, come on in!" It was pretty cool, they gave us chicken noodle soup and we studied with her and her husband and their friend! Thursday evening we did lots of service, raking leaves and we also finished helping the Hollingshaus move.
Something I learned this week was that Heavenly Father, most of the time, answers our prayers in ways that we don't expect. Even though they aren't answered the way we expected, they still are answered and it's what is best for us. For example in 2 Nephi 5, Nephi prays to Heavenly Father because his brothers are really mad at him. He prays for them to soften their hearts, but instead his brothers anger increases and they seek to take away his life! It seems as though Heavenly Father didn't answer his prayer, but in reality he did answer his prayer, just not in the way he expected! God's plan was for Nephi and his people to separate from the Lamanites, and that wouldn't have happened if Nephis brothers hearts were softened. Learning this has made me think about my own life, that those times that didn't go the way i planned or wanted them to, was God leading me to where I am today. I truly feel that right now I am where I need to be, doing what I need to be doing! I know that the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth in these latter days. I know that Jesus Christ is the savior and redeemer of the world and that it is only through him that we can return to live with our father in heaven. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of this gospel and for the opportunity I have to bring this knowledge and joy to the people here in Illinois!!
This week on #whatsmysnack we literally have an English muffin with butta and jam! Nuff said.
This is the last week of my 12 week training woot woot!! Pretty crazy how fast this transfer has gone by, we get transfer calls on Saturday! Elder Ruiz will be going home, which is sad, I love that guy! He is an awesome missionary and an even better person! I'm praying that Elders Einboden, Butler, Aguirre, Yount, Kish and I all stay here in Joliet for at least one more transfer! We've all grown pretty close! But we will find out Saturday if we all get to stay or who is going where!
The first part of the week was really solid, we had an awesome lesson with Louie and Carol! We taught the restoration again for Carol and after we testified of the Book of Mormon Louie asked, "Have you both prayed to know if it's true and gotten an answer?" We both said yes, then he says, "well, ok let's give it a try." So he just starts praying while holding the Book of Mormon and he asks Heavenly Father if the Book of Mormon is true and if he should take it seriously. After he said amen, he paused and we sat there for a bit, then he said, "ok, I have my answer, its true!" Haha it was pretty cool, so we invited them both to be baptized on December 9th and they both accepted!! Louie asked if the Bishop does the baptism and we told him that it was entirely up to him and he could choose a worthy priesthood holder to do it. After we told him that he said, "oh ok good, because I have someone in mind. Thorpe I want you to do it since you're the one who first talked to me outside of my house and you've been there every step of the way!" I almost started crying haha it was so awesome!
On Wednesday and Thursday we had exchanges with the zone leaders. Elder Champneys and I were out tracting and we walked past a house and we both stopped and looked at it and decided, yeah it doesn't look like anyone is home, but let's knock anyway. A lady answered the door and Elder Champneys told her that we are missionaries and we do bible studies, which is something we never really say for door approaches. She said, "oh we are just starting bible study right now, come on in!" It was pretty cool, they gave us chicken noodle soup and we studied with her and her husband and their friend! Thursday evening we did lots of service, raking leaves and we also finished helping the Hollingshaus move.
Something I learned this week was that Heavenly Father, most of the time, answers our prayers in ways that we don't expect. Even though they aren't answered the way we expected, they still are answered and it's what is best for us. For example in 2 Nephi 5, Nephi prays to Heavenly Father because his brothers are really mad at him. He prays for them to soften their hearts, but instead his brothers anger increases and they seek to take away his life! It seems as though Heavenly Father didn't answer his prayer, but in reality he did answer his prayer, just not in the way he expected! God's plan was for Nephi and his people to separate from the Lamanites, and that wouldn't have happened if Nephis brothers hearts were softened. Learning this has made me think about my own life, that those times that didn't go the way i planned or wanted them to, was God leading me to where I am today. I truly feel that right now I am where I need to be, doing what I need to be doing! I know that the fulness of the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored to the Earth in these latter days. I know that Jesus Christ is the savior and redeemer of the world and that it is only through him that we can return to live with our father in heaven. I am so grateful for the knowledge I have of this gospel and for the opportunity I have to bring this knowledge and joy to the people here in Illinois!!
Elder Thorpe
English Muffin...yum
Zone leaders exchange round 2
J1crew in our matching sweaters
