I've Heard it Both Ways

So this week...It has been a week of missionary work that is for sure. Elder Flynn and I have been working extremely hard. It has been really fun just learning how to do things better and finding new ways to help people understand what we are all about. We have had 20 appointments set up with potentially new investigators and they all fell through except for 1. haha yeah it has been another one of those weeks. I feel bad because I am only ever telling you about how hard it is. While it is really hard. In all honestly I love it. I have never been more happy. I can't believe it sometimes. It just doesn't make sense how happy we are when everything, everything, everything goes wrong. I want to let you know that it is because of this gospel and because of the strength that it gives us. I have seen it sustain me when I feel like I am running as fast as I can. Sometimes I feel like I can't go any farther but the Lord will give me just enough endurance to go a little more, then a little more, then a little more. It is funny. It is funny because I trained on Patience in trial during district meeting this week. I am not going to shrink in my efforts here. This is probably my last transfer so I am going to sprint to the finnish.

This is one of the conversations we had with someone while GQing (street contacting)

Us : have you heard about Pluto?                                

Girl: What?....the planet?

Us: It's messed up right?

Moral of the Story. We can get potential if we are funny and personable, especially when you use a Gus line from psych. It was so funny. She thought it was pretty cool too. Finding can actually be really fun :]

The good news is we had 5 dinner appointments this week. I love the members of Dunfermline. It is so much fun to get to know and to work with them. We with the Lynch's on Tuesday. They are an awesome Family. Paul Lynch, the dad, use to be the bishop. Their oldest son, Jared, has cerebral palsy and so they always have to be with him. Jared is 25. They have 2 younger boys who are moved out now, but they have let one of their son's friends move in with them. They are such a christlike family-they do things the way that Jesus would do it if he were in their position.

On Wednesday we had Pizza with the ward mission leader before coordination. Brother Mlotkevich is a really sought after Chemist. He has developed a scent that africans will paint on their trees around their villages to keep Lions out. He is so smart and he plays the Bag Pipes! He takes care of his wife who has type 2 diabetes. 

Thursday we went over to Evelyn Brand who was baptized last year. She will be going to the temple this coming weekend, so she is really excited. Kaitlyn will be going down with her and she will be doing baptisms for the dead. I am so excited to see what she thinks about it :]

Friday we went over to the Marr's home. Charlie (the dad) married a canadian, Tasha. They had 3 kids. the 2 boys are twins, Charles and Alex. Georgia is their 8 year old daughter. I love this family so much. It was so fun to get to know them. They are the biggest foot ball (soccer) fans ever. They ask themselves a question before everything they do, "does this make me a better football player?" It is pretty funny. 

We then went to the Mlotkevich's again for saturday dinner and the sisters were there. We found out that Sister Hinck was just diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. We all felt pretty bad ,but she was super positive about it. 

We are trying to work really close with the members here. This last week has been a really good week with building the members trust in us. I am positive that the way that we are going to see more success here in Dunfermline and throughout the world is through member missionary work. I would like to strongly encourage you to look for missionary moments and write them down. as missionaries we give investigators baptismal calendars. It is a measuring stick and a goal. It gives them a time bound focus to accomplish something. I would like to ask you to have a missionary calendar and create your own goals that are time bound. Then covenant with the Lord to do you part. 

 I know that this church is true. I love Scotland. I am a Scot and no one can convince me I'm not. See you all later. :]

Elder Thayne

P Day at the Abbey, where Robert the Bruce is buried

District: Sister Pennock, Elder Brower, Sister Hinck, Elder Flynn, Elder Reeder, Elder Thayne

  

Another Snake

The High Street in Dunfermline

Golden Questions

So this last week has been pretty crazy. I was in a trio for the first half. I stayed with Elder Reeder and Elder Brower in Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy. Tuesday we were able to go over to a born again couples house and they let us teach them. As we taught we told them about how they would know if what we are saying is true if they feel the spirit tell them it is true. We told them how we felt the spirit and asked them to pay attention to how they feel. As we shared the story of the first vision the spirit came really strong and we asked them how they feel and the wife said she felt a warmth in her chest and the husband said he felt a calm sensation. It was a great lesson. When we walked away from that we were doing heel clicks. 

That Wednesday was our P-day so we went and played squash. I didn't have any shoes so I did it barefoot. I still beat Elder Brower haha he was pretty mad. Later that night we traveled to Kirkcaldy to pick up my new companion Elder Flynn. 

Elder Flynn is Hilarious and he is a super hard worker. He was in his first area for almost 9 months. So this is a big change but he is happy to be here. (He's from California, oldest child, parents both born in the church.) The members are super good and we already have 5 dinner appointments this next week. 

Elder Flynn and I have been in the middle of the city talking to as many people as we can every day because we are really looking for new investigators. The missionaries don't have the best reputation here. We are determined to help people see who we really are though. When we go up to people in the street I try to make them smile and laugh before I start talking to them about the gospel. I found that it is working really well because if the gospel is brought up while they are in a good mood they will more likely listen to us. If you have ever seen the TV show Psych then you would know that they give each other some pretty funny nicknames while introducing themselves to people. Elder Flynn ad I have been introducing ourselves with funny nicknames like "lavender Goons, or Methuselah Honeysuckle." After they laugh we start telling them about the best thing they ever heard.

Life is good. I can't complain. I am so happy to be a disciple of christ. I can't imagine my life without my mission. It feels like this has always been part of it and it feels like it is my DESTINY to be here. haha I know it probably sounds cheesy but it is true. I am suppose to be here :] I love this gospel. I love my life. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my savior and I love my heavenly father :] Keep it real everyone.

Elder Thayne

Elder Reeder and me

Elder Brower

This is looking out from my bus station

Elder Flynn and me

Ha ha, No Time Again

He did send a voice note, but not sure how to attach that.  After his companion went home, he was in a threesome for a week, and now he is with this Irish Elder who has been waiting on a visa for 8 months, but is ready to go to the Salt Lake Mission.  He is getting another companion in the next little bit, maybe today?  He has been in his first area for 9 months, so the change will be good for this elder.

Sorry I have no time....again. I am a chicken running around with his head cut off. Sorry not much but it will tell you what is going on . :]

This is me with My new Irish companion that I had for a week.

Yes mom I am eating Healthy.

Love you all. The church is true.

Emergency Moves

So sorry I have no time. Just wanted to tell you that my son Elder Hoggan has gone home. It is a really bad decision but he made up his mind. I don't have any time today. I literally only have 5 minutes but I hope you all have a great week. Make sure you are all reading your scriptures everyday. Love you and see you later.

Elder Thayne

I'm an Optimist

So this week has been really interesting. Everything has gone wrong this week. We had our last investigator drop us, we have had 10 appointments fall through and we have been soaked to our bones. I feel bad because I was really hoping to bring Elder Hoggan into a place that is thriving with a lot of work, but it looks like the Lord has something else in mind at least for the moment. I have to admit that I was pretty disappointed at certain moments in the week. Looking at it now though I don't feel bad at all. It is so weird how everything can be going wrong and you can still be happy. In Priesthood yesterday we were looking at some of the teachings of Howard W. Hunter. The lesson was on adversity.I thought I was teaching the class so I made a lesson plan. It turns out the the bishopric was teaching it. I was prepared to learn more because I had read ahead. But I found it so fascinating how the Lord will give us adversity and then help us overcome them. Perspective and attitude is everything while going through a trial.

President Hunter Says, "There have always been some difficulties in mortal life, and there always will be. But knowing what we know, and living as we are supposed to live, there really is no place, no excuse, for pessimism and despair. " He goes on to say that he has been through 4 wars, 2 of them were world wars. He has gone through the great depression. he has raised a young family while going through law school. He has suffered through many physical ailments. He has gone through a lot of hard things so he know what he is talking about. He councils us that things will always get better especially if you live the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. "Contrary to what some might say, you have every reason in this world to be happy and to be optimistic and to be confident."

Man I love that. He knows the plan so there is always reason to be happy. Winston Churchill once said. "I am an optimist. there doesn't seem much use being anything else." Wow isn't that so true. I am planning to be happy no matter how this next week goes. You can hold me to that, ok?

Well, enough of that sermon. This last week has been fun getting to know Elder Hoggan. He is awesome. He is really big into lifting and he holds the state record for the power cling. He is a big guy. He is planning on going into the air force when he gets home. I am really excited to work with him and see how we both learn from each other. Elder Hoggan actually has ancestors from Dunfermline. So we are going to try to do some family history work to see if we can find some of his relatives. 

We actually went to a less active who's name is hoggan. She wasn't there so we started chapping (tracting) around and we got let in. Nothing came from it but it was a good first teaching experience for Elder Hoggan. 

On Saturday the sisters asked us if we could give a blessing to one of their investigators who needed help to quit smoking. That night we took Brother Watson with us to help give the blessing. When we got in there she looked pretty nervous. She said that she was having a panic attack before we came over but right when we got there she felt a sense of peace (Satan doesn't want her to have blessing). we asked her questions about herself and why she wanted to give up smoking. Brother Watson then asked her if she had faith in Jesus Christ, then to tell us how she feels about. She started to share her testimony and it was so sweet. the spirit filled the room so we looked at each other then proceeded to give a blessing. It was a great experience to see her faith and to participate in helping her.

I think it is great that people need faith in Jesus Christ in order to be healed from ailment, addiction or any other affliction. It is his power. and since we are representatives of Jesus Christ we are called to do what he would do in that situation. We all know what he would have done. He would have asked them if they have faith in him and according to their faith they would be healed. I absolutely love this gospel because it is so perfect. I know it is true. I am so happy to be a missionary. I hope you all have a great week. and remember to keep your chin up because you have every reason in the world to be happy, optimistic and confident. 

Elder Thayne

 We were able to find Elder Hoggan's Street.

Me with a Royal Python at our Ward mission leader's home.

New Friends, New Jokes

One cool thing about getting a new companion is you start over with your relationship. You make new inside jokes together. You  make new memories. This is my 6th companion and it is such an adventure to me because you get to know someone new. The best part about this situation though is I get to train. I loved training the first time and I know I will love this training. Elder Hoggan is such a good guy and he is really humble. He is really excited to do missionary work and talk to as many people as he can. He doesn't like the paper work, but who does. I can tell that this companionship is going to be awesome. We are going to make a lot of jokes, work really hard and make tons of memories.

So Elder Hoggan and I have been together for 4 days now and since then we have been finding a lot. We are trying to get this area up to speed. Say a prayer for us to find new people to teach. We can feel some good things coming because there is just so much change in the mission that is all I can expect. 

Just so you know, Kaitlyn is doing great. She got accepted to University and she wants to transfer to BYU after a year. Then she says she wants to go on a mission!! SO COOL. She will be going and doing Baptisms for the dead in a couple months so that will be really good for her to have a testimony about the temple.

I know this church is true. I love it. I have founds so much happiness from it. I just want everyone I talk to to just get it. To just see it from my eyes for a few minutes. This is the stone cut out of the mountain without hands. Nothing is going to stop it so we might as well be apart of it. I love you all. I hope you study this gospel every day. It answers so many questions.

Elder Thayne

Talmage and Elder Hoggan

I've Got a Green Horn

So this last week has been great. there has been so much I don't know where to start. I will first start with the District meeting we had. It was great because we have 2 Missionaries that are going home this transfer so this was there last District meeting. When Missionaries are about to go home we refer to them as if they were dying, so it was only appropriate to have a funeral for them. We had a the normal training and we talked about being happy while doing this work.

Then we had the two missionaries that were dying, Elder Beckstrand and Sister Stewart, give us their last words of advice. It was really powerful. They both talked about the lessons that they learned while on the mission. The 3 things that I got out of it was:

1) BE HAPPY, we are here to have joy. We are suppose to be happy. We are suppose to show how this gospel has made us happy. Even if you have to fake it till you make it, do it.

2) BE GENUINE, the Lord has called you to where you need to be. People can tell if you are fake so just be yourself.

3) BE LOVING, this is the greatest quality that we can develop while in this life. If we have everything going for us but we don't have charity than we are nothing. As we love it will improve every part of our life. 

After their words we had a Eulogy and we had a district lunch. it was a great meeting.

I was able to go on a couple exchanges outside of my area this week. I first went to Kirkcaldy with Elder Van Buyten for a day. I was able to meet one of the people that he was working with. This guy he is working with is like no one you would have ever met. It is funny how the gospel is for everyone and every kind of personality.

The next day I went to Dundee with the Zone leaders. I went with Elder Salinas who is from Mexico...WOW he is so amazing. He has so much trust in the power and authority of his calling. He is so Bold with people they will just stop and listen to this 5 foot 4 Mexican tell them how to come closer to God. There are a lot of lessons to be learned from your leaders :]

This week was the week before moves call so Elder Powell and I were determined to make this a great week because we both suspected he would be leaving after 6 months here. We worked as hard as we could and we did not let up. It was so exhausting but we knew we would be blessed from it. On Sunday night we had been Chapping in the Rain for 6 hours when we got the call from the Assistants to the president. They told Elder Powell he will be going to Paisley and I will be staying to Train a new Elder. I am honestly not that great at training. don't give great instruction. I was pretty nervous but I am so Excited. I loved training the first time so I am going to make sure I love it the second time. I am just praying that the Lord will help both of us. The Dunfermline Area has just got rid of a greeny and now it is getting another. I don't mind though. I love the new guys.

Well I will talk to yous next week. Go out and serve your fellow man. Love ya.

Elder Thayne