Hola todos,
I
hope that Mother's Day went well for everyone. To all of the Mothers
that I did not get to talk to Happy Mothers Day! I love you all very
much! Yesterday I was able to speak to my mom on the phone and it was so
nice to hear her voice and yet still a bit weird when she said "Hi
Heidi!". I told her that right now my name is Hermana Thorne and she
said "Hi Hermana Thorne!" which was honestly even more weird for me. Its
a bit crazy to have my two worlds mix, my home life and my mission
life.
What
to say about this last week...well we now have two new investigators
with baptismal dates. One of them is a girl that was being taught by
some sisters who work with us in the VC but their investigator who
alredy had a baptismal date with them moved into our area. I actually
feel really bad about this because these sisters have worked hard
teaching this girl and then out of the blue she moved into our area.
Well she really is ready to be baptized so that will happen on June 1.
We also had this other girl named Tara call the VC and I talked to her
on the phone. She asked where the LDS church in Kansas City was and I
asked her where she lived and she just happened to live in our area! We
went over that same day and taught her and actually set a baptismal date
for June 2. During our first meeting with Tara we were having our
lesson out on her front porch and in the middle of me testifying she
just screamed bloody murder. I about peed my pants(well, skirt...). She
then said oh I thought that cat was going to get ran over by that car.
Wow. Then we saw this other cat walking over carrying a snake in its
mouth so we all were distracted again and I was mortified that this cat
was going to murder this snake and so I walked over to the cat and it
dropped the snake. I then proceeded to assess that damage done to the
snake by the cat and came to the conclusion that the injuries that the
snake had sustained were only minor but it was acting as if it was dead.
The whole time my companion is completely discusted(she hates animals
and especially snakes) and Tara cannot stop laughing. Well a moment
later I realize that the snake was just playing dead because it began to
wiggle like crazy to escape the hands of its hero, so I set the poor
soul free into the tall grass. Wonderful experience.
This
last week I was also incredibly blessed to get to go on a trip with
some of the other sisters from the VC to Liberty Jail, Farwest, and
Adam-ondi-Ahman. I had previously been to Liberty Jail but not to the
other two locations. For some reason Liberty Jail was far more
meaningful to me this time. I felt an INCREDIBLE spirit there and I felt
my testimony of the Prophet Joseph magnify even further. Then getting
to travel to Farwest and to hear the stories of the saints there and the
way that they devoted themselves to God, yet were driven from the land
that they had purchased by force was such an emotional experience. I
would urge you all to visit these sites if you have not done so and at
the very least read up on them in church history and the Doctrine and
Covenants. There are so many beautiful lessons to be learned from the
early saints. They suffered afflictions, some because of their own poor
choices and some because of the choices of others, but through it all
the majority stayed true to the faith and now we ourselves are the
fruits of the early saints labors. Beautiful. My favorite place was our
last historic stop, Adam-ondi-Ahman. Wow. I felt so very blessed to be
standing on that holy ground. I was able to take a minute by myself and
ponder on the significance of the place where I was. I was looking down
into the valley where we are told there will be a gathering when the
Savior comes again. You know what? I know with my whole heart and soul
that this will come to pass. I felt the truth of it ring within me, and
if we are prepared we shall not fear, we can look to the second coming
as a day of joy, the wonderful fulfilling of prophesy.
Next
week are transfers and I have a feeling that it is my time to be
transfered out of the Riverview ward. If I am completely honest with
myself this is one of the hardest things that I could ever think of
experiencing. My heart is here. I love these people SO much. My trainer
Hermana Dent said that you never will really know heartbreak until you
have to leave your first area on your mission. At the time that she said
it I thought that I am sure I will be fine when the time comes, and I
totally will be. But it is going to be hard. And that's okay. I have
learned so much that it does not matter who your companion is or who the
members of the ward are. They are all children of God, and He loves
them very much. I firmly believe that when we lose ourselves in the
service of others and give our whole hearts to the service of God, it is
much easier to turn to Him very first in our moments of sorrow and
affliction. Every day is a new day to grow closer to the Savior. Do not
be afraid to love with all that you are because that is the way that the
Savior would have us love. Don't allow the fear of rejection to keep
you from giving the love of God to others. Whether someone chooses to
accept the love that you give them or not is not up to you and it will
not effect the love that you have. Love with all that you are.
I
love you all so much! This gospel is true. Share it with those around
you and I can promise that you will feel a joy that you never knew that
you could experience.
:D hasa luego
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