It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

So this last week has been really good. We were able to find quite a bit and teach some really good lessons. had some spontaneous exchanges and met with amazing members. 

We were teaching this guy named Jack. He is from England and has been in and out of trouble his entire life. we were going to Glasgow for a surprise exchange so we were going to miss our appointment with Jack. Out of the blue we saw him about an hour before we were suppose to go so we pulled him into the library :] we taught him about the Holy Ghost and the restoration. We invited him to baptism and he excepted. I have to say that this lesson was one of the smoothest lessons I have ever taught. It just felt so good. The spirit was definitely leading that discussion. 

     we met with him again on Sunday and we asked him about his reading. He started telling us about how he felt like he was Lehi going out to pray and asking what he needs to do with his life. It was pretty cool. We asked him if he prayed and he said he did. We then asked him how he felt. He said, "It felt weird. Interesting to say the least. It felt like something was trying to get inside of me." I asked him if it was a bad feeling. He said, "No not at all. It was really good. It felt as if this thing was saying let me in. Keep reading. You know what you are suppose to do Jack, please let me in." When he told us that I just looked at him for several seconds to see if he was being sincere about it. He was. He said he felt the spirit and he needs to change his life. I am so excited for him. I am so excited to see where this goes. We are seeing him again today, so we will see how it goes :]

I don't have much time this week. I am just happy to be here. I am seeing a lot of miracles in my mission and in my life. It is like a christmas present from God. It really is beginning to look a lot like christmas. Love you all. Hope you have a good one.

Elder Thayne

Strike three... you're still in!

So I am still in Motherwell. This will be my 4th transfer. I will probably finish off my mission here. I love it though. I have something more to do here I can just feel it. I am pretty sure it has something to do with Member missionary work. I will let you know though. I will be staying with Elder Furko for Christmas.

This week I don't have any time again haha. Sorry I am boring. But it was pretty good. We are working hard and seeing miracles. Love you all so much. Remember to be nice to people.

Elder Thayne

Found some william wallace beer haha

21!

So this last week was really good. We were able to find some new investigators and have some really good lessons. There was this one guys who was walking away after he said our religion was way to hard to believe and I said, "oh yeah? evolution is way harder to believe." It was one of my great 7th grader come backs. This guy came back and we started discussing it haha (bashing). He turned out to be such a cool guy and he said he wanted a book of Mormon. We met with him the next day and had a great lesson. He prayed and said that it felt really good. He came back where we were GQing an hour later. He pulled an old bible out of his pocket and gave it to me. This bible is from 1884, so super old. He said, "Merry Christmas! thanks for the book of Mormon." it was a great Christmas Present. We look forward to meeting with him again.

Last P-day we had planned to go out to this small town named Carluke to teach a women named Wilma. We found out we wrote down the number wrong so we couldn't get a hold of her to confirm the appointment. We decided to go anyway. We got there and she let us in! we taught her a good lesson then her husband came in the room at the end. We talked to him about his work and found out that he knows our ward mission leader. They work together often. So that was cool. We automatically have some good fellow-shippers.

Sunday rolled around (happens to be my birthday!!!!!!) and I woke up with swollen eyes and a stuffed nose...the dreaded cold. We got to church and saw our less active part member family there. We were so excited! He got up and bore a great testimony about how they were planning on going to church but that morning everyone woke up on the wrong side of the bed. They decided not to go. He went to the bathroom and saw on his window a mirror, some razors and makeup that looked like it spelled the word LOVE. The spirit touched him and he remembered one of his friends from church that passed away this week. His friend would always show so much love to him inviting him back. This friend would say, "I am never giving up on you." So when he saw this on his window he knew that his friend, even though on the other side of the veil, was not giving up on him. It was a powerful testimony.

I was in the foyer when I saw some people I recognized coming up to the building. It was the Oaks's from back home. They were in Scotland and just decided to come see me in the Motherwell ward. It was so much fun to catch up with them. they are such great friends.

Life is good on the mission. I love this gospel. I hope you are all so excited for Christmas. It is the best time of the year.

Elder Thayne

The Baptism of John

So this last week was really interesting, hard, fulfilling and insightful. It started out with all of our investigators dropping us. about 10 dropped us so we are down to one haha. I am laughing because it is funny. seriously what can be more funny than to look at yourself swinging away and nothing is happening. I think Humor is key to enduring to the end. I think we have all had these kind of weeks. I think that Winnie the pooh's friend, Eeyore, said it best, "It can only get worse." haha I am just messing. It will all pay off.

Elder Furko and I seemed to be running a lot of errands this week that we wont see the harvest of. (Which is fine, because I have seen the harvest of someone else's planting at times in my mission). We were going to a super old and beautiful town named New Lanark, to hunt down a referral. Sadly the guy wasn't interested, but he did take a Book of Mormon on CD because he is blind. We were helping some Romanions who were kicked out of their flat. We had to go to these social service agencies for them and kind of be their advocates. Haha they are good now though. 

Friday night came around after a long day and we got a phone call from the sisters in East Kilbride. Telling us that the guy that was going to be baptizing John, Through out his back and was unable to baptize him. John then asked if I could do the baptism! I was so excited. It is fun because I found him after he had stopped investigating the church several years ago and started teaching him. The sisters finished teaching him and I was able to Baptize him. It was a very special day. It seems like those downer weeks always lead up to something great.

I have been thinking a lot about mediocrity and Excellence. I don't hate too many things but I hate mediocrity in myself. I hate it because it is that vice that nobody will call you to repentance for. It is so subtle! It always says to you, "You have met the requirement, you don't need to do anything more." It is the worst. Mediocrity is just going through the motions to satisfy. It is just to survive - not to achieve. God has planned our potential long before we were even here on earth. We are eternal beings. We can someday become as like God. "Mediocrity is the enemy of excellence. God is Excellent," Therefore Mediocrity is the Enemy to God and to us. Mediocrity's highest aspirations is to have approval from man. The worldly standard is easy that is why we settle for it. But if we put off the natural man, dig down deep and look for what God has planned for us we can achieve Greatness.

 Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, "This was their finest hour."                                                         - Winston Churchill

Ether 12:27 and if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto man weakness that he may be humble and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me, for if they humble themselves before me and have faith in me I will make weak things become strong unto them.

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen. 

Elder Thayne

From Ukraine to Hungary

So we had moves call this week. I am getting a new companion, Elder Furko! He is from Hungary and he has been out on the mission for a year. We will have fun time together :]

Elder Agafonov is leaving to the northern most point of the main land of Scotland, Thurso. It will be so cold up there and he is so scared of the cold so it is kind of funny :] He is a great missionary and he has taught me so much. I will miss him for sure :]

Halloween was fun. We were able to cook a full chicken with home made stuffing and potatoes :] We were all alone which was sad but that is ok :]

We have been working hard this week. a lot of appointments falling through which is sad, but that is ok because this week will be better. We some investigators we would like you to pray for. They are living together and thy have little baby girl named Maddison. Calum is taking care of Maddison while Chloe is in the hospital. There were some complications during the delivery. Calum also had his wallet stolen. They are having a hard time. Satan is really trying to keep them away from seeing us. Pray for them.

We had a great meeting with the Glasgow and the Paisley zones. President Donaldson came and spoke to us. It was an amazing spiritual experience. I swear that I have the best mission president in the World.

I love you all. Have a great one. Pray that we can find good people. Life is good, remember that. Life is good.

Elder Thayne

Some Portadown Missionaries: Me, Elder William, Elder Harker, and Elder Able

Chicken Dinner on Halloween Night

Our library at night.

Man vs. Food

So this week I have had some good food! Members here are awesome. Monday, chicken and tatties; Tuesday, 8 Hamburgers in 15 minutes; Saturday, spaghetti baloneys; Sunday, Café Rio sweet pork burritos!!! Some Americans made it for us :]

Tuesday night was great. Bishop was driving like fast and furious to get us to the train on time. We pulled in and saw the train pull away so he took us home haha. On the way though he received revelation about how he can increase the accountability of the ward and their missionary work. He said he would love to push it through the quorums so that way it wont seem self serving if we push it. Elder Agafonov and I were totally fine with that haha.

We had a great Lesson With Mark this week. We met him and the library and taught him the restoration. It was amazing because he felt the spirit so strongly. We had him read the Joseph Smith History about the first vision. Most of the time you just read it out of the pamphlet to leave out the part of Satan attacking Joseph, but for some reason we felt like he needed to read that part as well. As he read it he felt the spirit so strongly. He asked if he could have a picture of Joseph smith to put up in his house. He says, "If anyone comes in my house they always ask about my pictures. So when they ask about this picture I will be able to tell them the Joseph Smith Story." It was Powerfull.

Elder Agafonov was dressed up like the Brother of Jared because he was helping out with the primary book of Mormon hero that week. So he came in and told them about his story. He was totally going for it haha. He was super theatrical and excited. He got to the part where he was talking about the barges and the said, "They were shaped like unto a jar, and they were rounded like unto a jar and they were tight like unto a jar." All of the kids started laughing. I guess a jar and a dish are the same word in Russian. Oh man I love having a foreign companion it is so funny.

I love my life. I am so happy. I love my mission and I want to soak it all in. Please go share the gospel. You will feel so happy if you do.

Elder Thayne

(No pics.  Got a new camera but forgot the disc reader. :( )

Promise

This week was absolutely amazing. It started out with me last Monday going to the top of this tower. I felt the spirit really strongly. I was looking over Motherwell in the East and Hamilton in the West. I could even see to Craignuek in the south and Bellshill in the North. I felt, really strongly, that I needed to pray. I felt so good as I prayed. I know that God answers prayers. I had a renewed zeal about my work. I was ready to hit this week hard.

Tuesday we had several appointments made. Every appointment held! it was amazing. We got 3 new investigators just that day. They are solid. We went over to a members home thinking the husband was just less active but it turns out he is a nonmember. I will call them the Jefferson's to protect their identity. The Jefferson's remind me of an investigator I taught in Portadown, Chris Stevenson. He is an amazing man. He is a Scotsman who is into blacksmithing and he has a ponytail and a beard. This week Chris was Baptized in Portadown. I am so happy for him. I have been blessed to find out that 3 of the people that I had taught in Portadown have been Baptized: Chris Stevenson, Zach McTammy and Tatianna. 

anyway so that was great. Wednesday was amazing as well. All of our appointments fell through though. As we were finding we taught someone on the spot and taught a couple other lessons. That night we only had like 30 minutes after getting home from a members and we were looking at the street we had planned to chap (tract). It looked too far away. We decided to go to it because we had already planned for it. We saw a guy holding a hawk so I went up and started to talk to him about Falconry. I told him that my next door neighbor back home, Zach Fossum, was a falconer. He was pretty excited and we walked him home. He invited us in and we taught a lesson. The spirit was strong. I think his hawk even felt it.

Thursday was all Scotland and that was awesome. I got to see a lot of friends that I haven't seen in a long time. The rest of the week was full of miracles. There were so many I won't tell you them all. I am just so happy though. 

Just happy to be on the Lords Errand. "Shall we not go on in so great a cause?" I love you all. Sorry there are no pictures this week. Keep it real

Elder Thayne

Miracle/Spiritual Thought

This one will be short because I don't have too much time.

Miracle:

So this week has been pretty good. So as you know we have been focusing on member missionary work. We have been doing quick drop in's with people that are in the area that we are working in. We were in one particular members house this week when we got an impression that we needed to go visit a LA. We had never seen her in the 8 weeks that we had been in Motherwell. We looked her up on the map and found out she lived just around the corner. We went to her house but no one was home. We left a note and walked away. We started GQing and got some cool people that we are going to be meeting up with. Then the Less active that we went by was driving and she saw us in her car. She pulled over and we started talking. She said that she has 2 sons that she wants us to start teaching the lessons. We were so excited. We will be meeting up with them this week. if you could pray for the Ritchie family I would really appreciate it.

Spiritual Thought:

I have been thinking about prayer lately as well. I have been reading 3 Nephi 19. I was wondering why we pray in the name of Christ. In the bible dictionary it says when we pray in his name our desires are his desires, our wishes are his wishes and his word is in us. I want to refer to prayer like you are sending a letter. We all know who we are sending this letter too so at the top it says, "Dear Heavenly Father." The Holy Ghost is the Mail Man who gives you Gods letters and takes your letters to God. In 3 Nephi 19:24 it talks about how we know what to pray for through the Holy Ghost. This Knowledge will give us righteous desires. When we end our letter we write Jesus Christ's name instead of ours. In 3 Nephi 19:23 Jesus prays unto the Father for us. When our desire and wishes are his desire and wishes it is as if he is sending the letter himself. When we pray Like this: To the Father in the name of Christ and by the power of the Holy Ghost our prayers will always be answered. We will receive our desires. The Post man came to us and told us what God's will. We begin to write a letter back to God. Before you give it to the post man to send off you pass it off with your mediator. He looks over it with a careful eye. When he knows that you letter expresses his will, he will sign his own name at the bottom. He says in affect, "Father I have read over this request. This is my desire as well. Please grant unto them their desires." I know that when a totally pure son who has never done wrong in his life, who has always done his fathers will, asks something of his father, he will be answered. Our prayers are always answered when in Christ name. 

Love you all. I am so happy to be hear. Sorry there wasn't too much today.

Elder Thayne

Now is the time...to unite!

This last week was great. We handed everything about East Kilbride off to the new sisters there and left. wow it is nice that we don't have to worry so much about 2 wards any more. I am proud of the sisters, they are really working hard and they are not getting down when discouraging things happen. One of the greatest things about them though is that they ask for help when they need it. It is great because that is how we can unite as a district.

This last week has been a lot work. We have been trying to visit as many members as we can if we are working in their area. We got a map and the ward directory and marked where everyones house was. We would call by if we were near them and share a wee thought, ask for referrals and leave them with a commitment. We did the Family Mission Plan with the Tailors, our gospel principle's teachers. We are just trying to help people catch the fire. 

There is a analogy that Karl Monson-Elvic told us last week. Tigers are known to be shy when there are humans around. If they can somehow get a taste of man though, then suddenly they become more bold and they want more so they will wonder into villages looking for some more. If we can get the members to taste missionary work then they will catch the vision. They will become more Bold and they will seek out opportunities to share this glorious message. We want members to be man eating TIGERS!

Wasn't this last conference inspiring? Elder Oak's and Elder Anderson's talks weer great. All about member missionary work. Some of the things they said were almost exactly what Elder Agafonov and I would talk about. I loved it so much. It really confirmed my feelings and our actions about the work in this area and this district. We are really going to be working member missionary work whenever we can. I know that we have been led in this direction for a purpose and I am so thrilled that I am finding it out a little bit at a time. 

I love the mission. The message we teach is one of forgiveness and healing. It will improve a life that seems perfect anyway and turn it into something better. The atonement is real. I know that it can help the entire human family. Would you all do me a favour? would you look for  a missionary oppurtunity this week and report it to a friend or a parent? I promise that the spirit will be in your life more. Go in faith and you will see. Go get'm TIGER.

Elder Thayne

Called to Swerve

Fountain of Living Water

Less is More

So this week has been an amazing one. We have been tested and we have seen the hand of the Lord. It started with an incerdibly spiritual district meeting where 2 districts joined together. Elder Lindsey and Elder Horneburger, 2 of my really good friends, gave their last testimonies to us before they went home. The spirit was there and it told everyone individually something they needed to hear.

We had a really good day planned for Thursday in Motherwell. We were on the bus going to find when we got the impression that we didn't need to be there. We got off the buss and crossed the street and jumped on another. We felt like we needed to go to East kilbride. We got there and started finding. It is a hard place to find because there isn't really any place where lots of people are, but through the grace of God we were able to set up 5 appointments for the next day. We found this guy named John and pulled him into the library and taught him. Turns out he was taught by missionaries years ago and he loves the mormons.. The spirit was there and we met with him the next day. He brought all of the family history that he has done. He even had his parents, grandparents and great grandparents on temple cards and all of their ordinances were done. Now all he needs to do is help himself so we set him with a date to be Baptized. It was quite a miracle.

MORNING WORKOUT: Elder Agafonov and I wrestled for Morning exercise. Have you ever wrestled a russian? it is like wrestling a bear. Afterwards we had to put the beds and couches back in place.

Sunday came around and we got our  moves call. We are staying together in Motherwell. Sisters will be moving to East kilbride, which is good because the East kilbride flat is way too girly. I will be the district leader. It will be sad to not be teaching any of our people in East Kilbride anymore but that is ok. We were preparing it for the sisters. The good news is now we don't have to cover 2 wards so we can focus more on Motherwell, but now I am district leader so I guess I have more responsibility. Hence LESS is MORE.

Well I want you to know that this church is true. I know that it is the little things that we do that determines whether we have light in our lives. It is the littles choices that prove whether we will be intune enough to hear and listen to the spirit. I want you to know that the greatest feeling you can have is to listen to the spirit and do what it tells you to do. You know without a doubt you are doing the Lords work. His approval trumps every taunt or mock that the pride of the world can throw at us. I Love the Restored gospel. I know that Jesus is my personal redeemer. I love you all. 

Elder Thayne

Lead Hills

So this week has been pretty interesting. It has had really high points and really low points. It has had a lot of funny points also. The problem is whenever I try to think of the funny points so I can tell yous I can never remember them. Lots of them you would just have to be there. 

Elder Agafonov and I were on the train back from Glasgow when we got a call from a random guy named James asking for a Book of Mormon. It was awesome. We went to his place and while we were teaching him he said. "I am christian and everything but I think that I need to be Baptized. Do Mormons do Baptisms?" haha Yeah we do. So everything was going really well, sadly he wasn't able to make it to Church but we will continue to help him. pray for him.

Sadly William, the miracle from last week dropped us like a bag of rocks. Turns out he was in a mental hospital and when we tried to go there they kicked us out because they thought we were more mental than the people in there. 

Our guy, Paul, who was progressing really well also dropped us. So we have had some discouragement this week but that is ok because we aren't discouraged. If we fail to get a baptism for a month or 2 why should I worry? Let Satan worry, he is the guy who is going to be paying for it later on. As long as we are faithful we will never fail. I know that for a fact. 

We had a couple connections this week that linked back to my time in Dunfermline. We visited Jean Black in East Kilbride and it turns out that her sons family is the only family in Glenrothes that I know because I ate at their house while on exchanges while I was the District Leader there. This Sunday the McDonalds came from Dunfermline and I just saw them in church. They came a brought me a big bag of food. I love those guys. They are great members and awesome missionaries.

Shout out to Afton who turned 15. She will be getting her Permit soon. Grayson turned 18 last week as well. It is  crazy how grown up they are. Hope you guys had great Birthdays. I love you both.

We were able to hang out a bit this week with Alex Jacksons family. We went to the Lead Hills on Monday for P-day and we did some Garden work on Saturday. I think we are becoming good friends. They are an awesome family and want what is best for Alex. I think they like the Mormons now, when before they didn't know much about us except what they heard from neighbors. 

Sorry this email is messy and it doesn't have much format. But I want you all to know that I love this work. I love sharing the gospel. I seek for the times when I can boldly declare my testimony even when people take me to be a thing of naught. I am so chuffed (proud) of the gospel I declare. I love the restoration and what it has done for the world. I know Joseph Smith is a prophet of God. I know that Jesus Christ suffered for my sins and he rose from the grave so that someday I can as well. I love you all. I hope you have a great week. Keep it real.

Elder Thayne

As you wish stunt (from Princess Bride Movie)

So these are pictures from last P-day. We went to the Lead Hills. 

Fresh water stream. it is so clean you can just drink it.

There is a ancient sheep hold. 

Arm of flesh...or arm of GOD?

So this last week has been awesome. I have loved it. It has had ups and downs. We have been working are and trying to go on splits so we can get more done in a week. I think Sunday will put the cherry on top for this story.

Yesterday we were on splits and I was with Alex Jackson, a recent convert of five months. We had just come from the Eastkilbride ward and got dropped off in Hamilton. We were walking up to Hamilton town center. I was telling him how we aren't allowed to watch movies as missionaries. Apparently someone over heard us and started to follow us for 15 minutes until we came to the place where our appointments was being held. after waiting for our potential for five or so minutes, this person that was following us got up the courage and came from around the corner to talk to us. I thought he wanted to bash at first but he was full of sincerity. He told us how he over heard us talking about how missionaries don't watch movies and for some reason that inspired him. His name is William. He was on his way to buy a bible when he over heard us. We asked William if we could sit down. We talked to him and he shared about his history. The Lady we were waiting for never showed, but we were able to set William with a baptismal date for the 30th of September. He now has a Book of Mormon. He is looking forward to us meeting with him on Wednesday. As he was walking away he said, "You will be there, right? I am going to hold you to that." I have always dreamed of someone I could teach that would hold me to my commitments. 

Please pray for him he is such a good guy. 

Sorry no time today. Pray for Paul as well. Pray for the Eastkilbride and Motherwell Wards. I love this work.

Elder Thayne

So this is a park.

Me Ethan, Nathan, Braden and Bishop smith. (Motherwell Bishop) 

Sweet sunrise this morning. (no filter on the camera)

2 Area's 2 phones 2 miracles

So this week I said that we had 2 miracles. The truth is we have way more than 2 miracles but these ones are special. Elder Agafonov and I have to work in 2 different wards, Eastkilbrid and Motherwell. We have 2 phones so that is nice for the work. 

The start of the week was really good. We had zone interview training and that was really good. I gave training on 12 week (extra hour for comp study for new missionaries). haha it was funny because me and my trainee right when we got together agreed that 12 week was a waste of time so we just worked through that time. After studying for my training and talking to my leaders about it I have repented haha. It really is a great program to help missionaries get prepared. Abraham Lincoln said if he had 7 hours to chop down a tree, he would sharpen the ax for 4 hours and chop it down for the rest. We need to be in tune with the spirit and know how to lead a lesson if our work is going to make a difference in people's lives.

Ever since I have been in the Motherwell area I have really wanted to work hard with the members. I think that this ward has crazy crazy potential. It just takes them seeing their capacity and working for this growth. I think that this week was a lot of groundwork in member missionary work. I am excited to see many doors open for the missionary work here.

Miracle 1

Friday we went to Eastkilbride. It was our first  time there since Elder Agafonov and I have been together. It was really good. We were able to teach a referral from the Zone Leaders. His name is Scot and he is 28. He came from a really rough part of Glasgow. While he was growing up it was the city with the highest murder rates in the world. He has some scars and some bad habits but he wants a new life. He wants something better than what he has got. When we met with him it was a good lesson lead by Elder Agafonov. He has accepted a date to be baptized on the 18th of September. If you could all pray for him that would be great. Eastkilbride is also ready to explode. Because of other missionaries work we have 2 people with a date there and we have only been there twice.

Miracle 2

Elder Agafonov was getting his Endowment in July when he ran into a temple worker who served in Scotland 55 years earlier. They talked about the mission and before he left the temple worker called him back and wrote on a sticky note a name and a place. He said, "If by chance you are ever here you should look these people up." Last week he was looking in his Journal and this note was in there. I looked at it and it said HAMILTON. No way! I told him that it is in our area. We found out they were members and so we called them right away and set a time to meet them on Saturday. President Donaldson had revelation to send Elder Agafonov here for his first area and I know there is always a purpose behind revelation. We got there and told them the story. It ended up being the people that this temple worker Baptized while he was here. we were so excited. When we kept talking we found out that they have a friend that has shown interest in the gospel who is from the same city Elder Agafonov is from in Ukraine. We knew what we had to do. So we are getting a Russian Book of Mormon and having him write his testimony in it and having them give it to this friend of theirs. I love this. What a miracle.

We were in Eastkilbride for Sunday this week. All the members there were so excited to have us. We hope we can help them out. They have had a hard time in attendance these last several years so we are hoping to get stuff going. This will only happen if missionaries and members work together. I hope that all of you can have a missionary experience this week. If you don't run into one then go find one. The missionaries need you members and the Lord needs you even more. I love you all. See you later.

Elder Thayne

Not to pick favorites but I like ours a lot better. I have been in both and while the architecture is cool in the one, it is missing something. I love the church. This is the Eastkilbride building.

You Have a Wonderful Face!

I was Role Playing with my Ukrainian companion today and whenever he says Faith it sounds like he is saying face.  So he was pretending I was an investigator and he said, "You have a great Face, a wonderful face and someday your face will grow." haha it was so funny I couldn't keep a straight face.

So this last week has been crazy. so crazy!!! oh man let me tell you what happened. On Monday we had a great family home evening with the Dunconsons. They are a Family that was less active about 5 years ago but now they are the most solid people in the world. Their family is so Mormon I love it. We played Blind mans buff so that was fun.

Tuesday: we had an exchange with our District leader, Elder Parsons. He is probably the best District leader I have seen. I was with his trainee Elder Kroes. He is from Germany. We Basically found for 7 hours. It was so much fun though because we would dare each other to stop people by saying funny things. 

Wednesday: we were able to teach our Jehovah witness friend, Denver. He is a good guy but he lacks commitment. if you could pray for him that would be brilliant. The rest of the day was just runing around and finding.

Thursday: We had a Book of Mormon study class where we read my favorite chapter in the Book of Mormon, Ether 12. It was a spiritual meeting. Early that day we went into a hospital to put our name on a clergy list for people in who want to talk to us.  We started talking to a catholic Chaplin and he took a Book of Mormon and is having us back next week to talk about his reading, that will be fun.

Saturday: was my favorite day. We taught William, an investigator who has known the church is true for 5 years but can't be baptized because his wife wont sign the paper. If you could pray that her heart will be softened. We also taught Chris a recent convert who is having a hard time. The lesson with him was so spiritual. He felt Gods love for sure and said he needs to start coming back to church. The end of the day we taught the Mitchell's. They are a less active family who want to come back. Their daughter Elle isn't Baptized and the father wants to get active and ready so he can Baptize her.

Sunday was great. I gave a talk on scripture power and we had a dinner appointment with a less active.

Life is good. I love this church. I love this gospel. Keep it real my friends. 

Elder Thayne

this is me and Elder Ahafonov

 

Strawberry milk, chocolate milk and banana milk.

Ha, No Time

So I love Motherwell. I think that he member missionary work is going to take off here. My trainee is named Elder Ahafonov. He is the first Ukrainian missionary to ever serve in either Scotland or Ireland. He is energetic and wants to work hard, which is great. 

This area is huge and it is weird to Whitewash because there was so much that the missionaries before me (elder Plewe and Elder Davis) were doing so it is hard to juggle all of their activities without knowing anything. I have faith that if I work hard the Lord will help me out. The ward is awesome. I think that the work will explode here.

Lots of great things happening. Love you all. 

Elder Thayne

On our way to Glasgow with a sunset

My street 

Elder Thayne and Elder Ahafonov

My Library