Hola me familia!
I pray with all of my heart that this email finds you all well and happy. Can you even believe it? I am in Missouri!!! Where shall I even start?!!! So much has happened!
Okay well this last Wednesday I said goodbye to my dear MTC(I LOVE it there!) at 6:30AM, and drove to the Salt Lake City International Airport on a bus with my other Independence amigas y amigos. We left SLC at 10:00AM for Missouri. My mission president, President Keyes (pronounced differently than it looks. It is like k-eye(like eyeball)-s, not like car keys) and his wife were at the airport to pick us up right as we walked off of the plane. We (all 19 of us new missionaries, 7 Sisters and 12 Elders) then rode with the Assistant's to the President and the Keyes to the new Kansas City temple that is almost done being built. It is BEAUTIFUL! We then went to a new site, the memorial of the eight witnesses. It was just dedicated three weeks ago. We were the first missionaries to see it! After that we headed over to Liberty Jail. Yes LIBERTY JAIL! This was awesome! I love it there and I cannot wait to get to serve there! After Liberty Jail we went over to the Independence Visitors' Center. Finally we headed over to the mission home and were trained on a few things and ate an awesome home cooked meal. The remainder of the evening was spent having our interviews with President Keyes. I have to say that he is a WONDERFUL man. He has the most incredible spirit about him, and he just loves the people around him. My interview went so well! I have some pretty big news, but I will save it until things are more solid here :D President told me that I will be serving in the VC(Visitors' Center) to start off with, and living just a few blocks away from it. I was thrilled to hear this, although my best friends fromt the MTC were sent to Liberty Jail to serve there first. It mattereth not though, because I have made a TON of other friends and I continue to do so on a dailty basis.
Okay so now lets talk about my companion. Her name is Sister Amy Dent and she is from a small town just outside of Park City Utah. How do I like her you ask? Well I don't...I LOVE her! She has taught and is teaching me how to be a hard working missionary, devoted to God and His children. She is quiet so that is the biggest difference between the two of us, but she does love to smile and laugh (although it is quiet when she does so...this is a bit different for me ha ha! ) We get along well, and are learning to teach well together. The ward that we are serving in is in Kansas City...this ward is the coolest ward that I have EVER been to. There is a TON of diversity. About half of the ward only speaks Spanish so the ward sings in Spanish and English and there is a translator to help with the talks and classes. We have been working very hard with inactive members and to find new investigators. Sister Dent and her old companion taught this couple. There names are Damarius and Juan Pablo. They are from Cuba and have only been here in the US for 10 months. So cool right? Want to know something even more cool?! They are getting baptized this upcoming Saturday at 2PM!!!! My first baptism in the field! I am so excited that I can hardly contain myself! I look forward with much enthusiasm and hope to the large amount teaching opportunities we will have in this ward. I love them so much already! Oh and funny story, Sister Dent and I walked into Sacrament Meeting and I saw the cutest little african american boy(he is probably about 2 years old) and I went over to give him five and he threw himself at me and grabbed me around the legs, begging for me to pick him up. I panicked for a second because we cannot hold or touch children except hand shakes or high fives. I bet my face looked so funny! Thankfully his grandma was close by to tell him that "No the missionary cannot hold you sugar." Ha ha! Oh I wish I could have held him! He is such a CUTIE!!!!
In the VC we serve with one Senior Couple for each shift that we work. Well let me clear this up to, our shifts. For six hours a day we are in the VC and for the other six hours we get to work in the field. Sometimes I wish that we had more time to work with our ward and the many, many, MANY people who need our time, but God helps us to make the time that we do have be enough. Anyway, I just LOVE the senior couples. When I got here they said that the sisters are like family to them, because none of us have our families out here, so we are all adopted. There is so much love in the VC. I thank the Lord each day that I am so priviledged to get to serve there. I also did my first solo tour yesterday with a big young mens/young womens group. I took them throught the exhibit called God's Plan for His Family. I hope that all of you have a chance to see this sometime. It is in most Visitors' Centers. Anyway, the teenagers were not super receptive, but the Spirit was there in abundance so I felt good about it afterwards. The other sisters were amazed that after I have been here such a short period of time I would already do a tour by myself, but why wait? I know the Spirit will guide me, and He did.
I live in a house a few blocks from the VC called the Willis house. It is very nice and thankfully warm. I know that you all think that you know what cold is back there in Utah and Idaho...but let me tell you...you DONT! ha ha! It is freezing here. Coats do not work! Because of the humidity the cold eats right through your clothes and it takes a bit to warm up once you are back inside. I know what they mean on a Muppet Christmas carol when they are singing about Ebeneser(spelling?) Scrooge and they say "it chills you to the bone!"...but this time in reference to the Missouri winter...oh man I hope someone knows what I am talking about...ha ha! You all know me though so oh well. Please at least smile at that. Even if you don't I will at least picture you doing so. :D
Missionary life it beautiful. Tiring, but the best thing that I have ever done in my entire life. Please remember especially during this Christmas season that this message that we have to give about Jesus Christ is the BEST gift that we could ever give. Material things will NOT last, but the love of God is eternal. Please think of someone to share a short gospel message with, you never know how much it may help one of our brothers or sisters.
I have not had the chance to write letters since I got here...I am only able to write on P-day which is Monday for me. I will be writing you all today and sending pictures.
Grandma and Grandpa Thorne, can you please print this off and give it to Dad? Thank you so much! I hope that you both are doing well!!! I love you!!
Aunt Loni, Thank you for your letter, it came at a much needed time. Tell you boys that I love them, and I love you all.
Ryan, I hope school is going well and that you have enough funds to take care of your needs. I pray for you everyday and I love you SOOOO much!!!
Doug, I was hoping to talk to you while I was at the airport but you were at work. CONGRATS on the call to the bishopric! I wish I could talk to you about it. I will on Christmas day:D
Mom it was so great to talk to you at the airport! Thank you for the MANY, MANY, MANY things that you have done for me and continue to do. I love you with my whole heart.
You can all reply to this email and I can read it next P-day. I pray for all of you everyday and I know that the Lord will bless you while I am gone.
Love,
Sister Thorne
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