Monday, September 28, 2015

One More Run in Portadown

So we got the moves call last night while we were over at Brother Bridgewater's house and I was informed I am staying! I am so happy I am because I feel like my work isn't done here yet. by the time I leave next transfer I will have been in my first area for 7 and 1/2 months. I am so happy to because I have learned so much and I can see things starting to pick up.

This last week was pretty great! we were able to go over to Lena's house and have a lesson. It was kind of sad because when we started to talk about her baptism she told us that she is worried about it because none of her kids want her to do it. Her kids are telling her that it is unfair of her to baptize her into the catholic church and then change when they have spent there entire lives going to another church. I know that this is just a trial of her faith to see if she will be strong though. I believe that she will still be baptized because she has read the book of Mormon and she has prayed about it. She knows it is true. She knows Joseph Smith is a Prophet, She knows this is the only church with authority and she agrees and wants to live all of the commandments especially the word of wisdom. The Lord has given her the answer and now it is up to her to decide what she will do with it.

The Lisburn Elders in the district where having a pretty hard time finding new investigators cause they have no one. It is kind of sad because just 2 months ago they were baptizing and they were teaching all the time. So the District went to Lisburn on Friday to blitz the area and try to get some things happening. We went and white boarded and talked to a ton of people. I think it helped out a lot cause now they have 7 people to start teaching :]


It goes Elders Stanley, Plewe, Thayne, Blosil, Mickleson, Parkinson and 
some guy Elder Mickleson was talking to.  


This last Sunday was great because it was the primary presentation. A lot of people came that haven't come for months. there was 5 less actives there. It was so great, cause the spirit was so strong. I think it stirred a lot of peoples hearts. 

Ana, the less active from Columbia, came to church yesterday. we went over earlier in the week and brought her a Spanish Book of Mormon and I have never seen anyone hold onto a book as tight as she did. She thanked us over and over :] Sunday was the first time she has come to church since she was 14. so about 30 years. She brought her son's Christian and Keylin. They all had a great time. the entire time she kept saying, "oh yeah I remember this" the spirit hit her strong and she made so many friends :] I am so happy and I am sure her family is so happy that she has decided to come back to church. Her Son Christian is also going to start coming to young mens! The new young mens leader, Brother Bridgewater, said he had an impression that he needed to pick a new young man up for Sunday but he didn't know who it was until we asked him to give Ana's family a lift.

Miracles are happening here :] i LOVE my district. Sadly Elder Blosil will be leaving us. I was able to serve around him for 6 months and he is an incredible missionary and a great friend.

Hey I Love you all and Hope you can see the Lords hand in your own life :]

Elder Thayne

P.S. by the way, Ana is the same lady who got offended and never came back to church when that girl asked her why she always wore the same dress. and now she is back. The Lord has a plan for everyone :]


The cereal is a rip off because it is less than half the size of the box.


I (Mom) told him to send me a stinkin' selfie if nothing else!



Sunday, September 27, 2015

Making Time Count

This last week has been a pretty good week. we have done a ton of finding. On Saturday Portadown had a "country comes to town" fair and we went to it and started GQing (street contacting) people. Mostly everyone wanted to move on to the rides cause those are more interesting. So we went to the church and got a white board and wrote, "what makes you happy?" and we just had as many people as we could come write on it. we were able to talk to a ton of people and have really good conversations. Sometimes it is fun to change up the way we do finding :]

This last District meeting we were asked to discuss Family history and how it is so important. When I heard I was suppose to do training on that I was kind of nervous. To be honest I didn't really know anything about family history and I didn't know how to get people excited. Luckily the senior couple, Elder and Sister Lorimer, was there. They told us amazing stories about how Family history can really help in missionary work. We kind of threw away the lesson plan and I was fine with that because it went in a way better direction than I thought it would. They got everyone so pumped to help people do family history our district is doing a blitz in Lisburn. We are going to really stir up that area with the spirit of Elijah. I am really excited about this because it should be BRILLIANT.

It has been pretty hard to teach people lately because everyone has been gone on holiday but that is ok because now everyone is back. We have a pretty solid teaching pool and we are optimistic with several of our investigators. :] 

In my studies this last week I have thought a lot about the enabling power of the Atonement. It is so real and it is so powerful. My mission scripture is the best scripture to describe this power, Ether 12:27.  I have also thought about David when he went against Goliath. He had nothing going for him from the worlds point of view but he walked up to Goliath and said, "Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, The God of the Armies of Israel, Whom thou hast defied." Man, so cool. God is with us and he will strengthen us so that we can defeat every Giant in our lives. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week. Thank you for your prayers.

Elder Thayne



These photos were sent to us on Face Book by Sis. Julie MacNally from their Single Adult Family Home Evening Group

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Belfast Blitz

Don't have much time this week. But just want to tell you about how we did a blitz with our entire zone in Belfast. It was awesome! we had groups chalking the plan of salvation and groups writing questions on a white board for people to answer and another group singing hymns. It was a busy day and I didn't sit down for 6 hours but that is ok because we had a blast. I was at the whiteboards and we stopped a ton of people as they were walking by. In all we got over 50 solid referrals for the 3 sets of Elders in Belfast! They wont be able to go finding for a couple weeks haha. 

Back in our area though it has been a little slow. But that is ok because we know that this next week will be awesome. Toze (recent convert) just got back from holiday so we will be able to take him to lessons, because he speaks Portuguese. The work will pick up again this week.

Just want you to know this church is true. It makes sense especially when the spirit tells you. I love being here in Northern Ireland.

Elder Thayne

 P.S. Happy Birthday Grayson, He is 17!!




I saw this sign and I had to take it so Afton can see she is in Ireland too. 
I guess you are suppose to serve your mission here :]



Oh yea one more thing: for the last 3 weeks I have been Pranking Elder Plewe telling him that we couldn't use any light bulbs because of this survey thing, so we have been using candles for three weeks haha :]

Oh yeah, I put light bulbs back in the flat today.



Monday, September 7, 2015

Give us one of your REVELATIONS

So this last week we had an all Ireland (training). It was awesome I always love hearing President Donaldson speak. He is amazing and I know that he is called of God to be our mission President. I love it. He gets me so pumped. 

This last week has been pretty slow. Most of the people we talk to don't want to talk to us and if they do talk to us it is because we are american. I have faith that this next week will be really good though so I am excited. 

As I have been reading the book of Mormon lately I have been receiving a witness from the Holy Ghost on really specific principle. I have also been growing in my testimony of the Whole Book itself. I was reading Alma 42 the other day and Justice and Mercy just seemed to make sense. I feel like as I have been using my study journal as I am reading and thinking about things the Holy Ghost is giving me revelation more frequently. I have noticed that as I have had that revelation those subjects have been coming up whenever I am talking to someone. It just shows me that the Lord has everything in mind and when you receive something from him it is for a purpose so you should find our what that purpose is. I just realized it right now but I am training on revelation in district meeting tomorrow and I think that is why the Lord has been giving me all of these experiences. haha funny how that works.

BEST WARD
in our ward councils we have brought up how we want to work more closely with the ward. The ward mission leader and the bishop are so cool they are encouraging everyone in ward council to have us over before September is over. When we go into their homes we will be helping them create their own mission plan as a family. This is an Idea that My older brother gave me (that Mom shared from the Lehi North Stake Serve From Home Missionary Couple). So far as we have helped created a plan for 2 families and their enthusiasm is so great! I think that the Portadown Area is like a bomb. Right now the fuse is being lit but soon the work here is going to explode. I am just glad I get to share it with Elder Plewe.

I love you all, I really do. All of you have been incredible influences in my life. I know that this church is true and I am so glad to be out here on the mission. I will give it my all.

Elder Thayne

PS my address is if you want to be Christlike and write me ;]

Elder Talmage Platt Thayne
12 north street, Portadown
BT62 4BR
United Kingdom


Me and my MTC companion, he's such a stud!


Picture of my tag


A picture with the Pintos.  They are so funny, ha ha!



The Helmet of Salvation



These last two were sent to Mom by Julie McNally, the beloved Primary President who secretly snapped these before church started and during Ward Council!  Love her!