Victor's Baptism in Aberdeen

So we had a baptism!! so excited. I am sorry there is no time to email today. I will fill you in next week. But here is the picture of the baptism for Victor :] haha I know you probably are so mad. But I love you all. the church is true. see ya'll later. :]

(A little more info from a personal letter and Mom's questions:)

Holy shnikes you are so busy. that is nuts haha slow down. But I guess it is good to be busy. My week was like that as well.

Answers:

1. There are three teams of missionaries in my district. I have been a district leader for 7 transfers. I have only had 10 transfers haha. so I am finaly starting to figure out how to be a district leader...finally :]

2. Yeah I am district leader.

3. I have 2 bottles of Q left. If you are sending more anytime soon I would like a disc craft ultimate frisbee. They don't have those over here.

4. Yeah we can Skype with the Williamsons. I can do it before four or after 6 in my time. So email back soon so I can figure it out.

5. Pray that I will be the best district leader I can be. I am learning orginization.

I have always wanted to serve in a city!

Ok so I am in Aberdeen now. I have really liked it so far. My new companion is from Australia. He is 25, so he is an older missionary. He was a concept artist before he came out on the mission so he is really good at drawing. If you's want to look at his portfolio it is benqportfolio.com. he is a goof ball but he is really fun. I like serving with him. Oh yeah he met President Lew when he was the mission president in Australia.  

We are working with a lot of people right now. we are right next to the University so we teach a lot of students which is so much fun. We are teaching this guy named Victor and he is from Ukraine. He is the most humble and lovable guys I have ever met. He is getting Baptized this Saturday. 

We are also teaching a man named Richard and he is an older man. he works in oil and gas and he is really smart. He has studied the gospel and loves the church. He will be getting baptized in Saturday as well.

Philip is an African guy we are teaching. He is big into lifting weights. He has been investigating the gospel since September and he wants to be baptized now so he will be getting Baptized on the 7th of May.

Those are just some of the people that we are working with right now. I love how the gospel is for everyone. Everyone we teach is different but whoever it is the gospel can heal and improve everyone's lives. 

I haven't met much of the ward yet because this last week was stake conference. I have been able to have  2 dinner appointments though. I have met the Leonard's who are a young couple who both served missions. I also met the Williamson whose kids have all flown the coop. I am excited to meet everyone next week though :]

I have always wanted to serve in a city. Especially one with a University. I am so excited to work here. May the force be with me :] Love you all. keep it real

Elder Thayne

So this is the Waddells in Dunfermline. Charles, Alex, Bowman, Rosie,
Elder Flynn, Me, Robert.

My Flat

Elder Quinton

Aberdeen

So I am getting Transferred out of Dunfermline. I am going up North for the summer. I am super excited because I hear that it is the best place for GQing in the mission. I am ready for this new challenge. My new companion is named Elder Quinton. He is 26 and he is from Australia.  I will tell you more about him when I meet him. I am really excited though. 

So this last week has been pretty fun. We were able to play badminton with the sisters and with Kaitlyn on monday. 

Funny Story: On Wednesday Elder Flynn and I were chapping and I realized that there was a huge hole in his trousers and I told him it was pretty noticeable. We knocked on some of these doors and no one was home so we moved on. When we were 3 or four houses down I noticed a lady in the house we knocked on and she was using a sewing machine. We were like "...no way...will it work?" I went over and knocked on her window and gave her a fright haha. She came to the door and we explained our dilemma and it was super awkward haha. Bless her heart, She wouldn't sew up his trousers but she gave us needle and thread. We then started telling her about the gospel and she was interested. We met her at the church the next day and we taught her. It was awesome. Moral of the story: by small and simple things (Big hole in trousers) are great things brought to pass (new investigator).

We were able to go on a blitz with the Zone leaders. We GQd (street contacted) for 8 hours haha. it was a crazy day. Because we are always finding this transfer is the first transfer I have filled out every space for a potential to be. haha it was pretty satisfying. 

I got my moves call on sunday when I was leaving the Macdonalds house. We were walking to Kaitlyn's to see her one last time. When I was told I was leaving my heart sunk. I saw it coming and I know I need to move on some time but it was so sad. When I got to Kaitlyn she had brownies for us and a cake for sister Pennock. We talked a bit and I talked to her Mom. Her mom said it will be weird not to have me coming over any more. once her mom left we were all just talking about all of the times that are about to become the good old times. I felt so sad. I have developed such a love for her. It is nothing romantic. I truly do love her though. She has become a great friend and I look up to her so much. It was a sad moment but it was good. 

This work is amazing. I love this gospel. I have made so many friends through it. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve and to help others come to this gospel. "shall we not go on in so great a work." Pray for me when I go to Aberdeen.

Elder Thayne

P.S. I did service at the fishery and he said we can fish for 15 minutes during our lunch break. :]

Me playing Brother Lynch in Table tennis.

I found Afton's street. I think you are suppose to serve here :]

This is the Blitz we did the the Zone Leaders.
We all got Ben and Jerry's. it was half price.

This is Brian Hall. He looks kind of scary, but he is the sweetest old man ever! 

The Watsons: Monic, Daryl, me Megan and Kristy.

The Macdonalds: Elder Flynn, Emily, Darryn, Me,
cool girl, Samuel, Jacob, Sister Macdonald.

Nothing Really!

I have nothing to say to you. It is not because I am giving you the silent treatment, it is just because this last week has been pretty uneventful. have never felt so strained or spread thin. It is crazy. I am so tired. I don't know if I have said this before but in WWZ he says that "movement is life." that is so true on the mission. If you are not working or if you are not moving you lose motivation. I have seen a lot of people lose motivation that way. That includes normal people. I have been keeping myself busy busy busy. We are working hard. Sometimes it is tiring but then another boost of energy comes along. General Conference was one of those.  General conference is amazing. 

So I am racking my brain trying to think of a cool story to tell yall but nothing is coming. hahaa it is crazy if this was my life and the spirit wasn't part of it I would be so sad but I have never been happier in my life. This gospel has to be true because every promise that is in it always happens. Why am I happy? it doesn't make sense. Why is it that when I am rejected all day everyday I don't lose energy but I become more bold and I find my testimony strengthened with every insult thrown at me. I love the people of Scotland. They are just some of the coolest people ever. 

I am proud to be a missionary. I love this gospel with all of my hear. Nothing else could get me through the hard times. I would not survive as a missionary if I didn't apply the gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. I am glad I am not perfect because if I was I wouldn't have to repent. and If I didn't have anything to repent for I would feel pretty sad haha. I know that My savior lives and he loves us. God has a very personal and individual plan for us.

Elder Thayne

Just a funny picture of Elder Flynn. Now we can see what his diet does to him.

Me, Elder Flynn, Kaitlyn, Sister Petch, and Sister Pennock.

Kaitlyn and Me

Elder Flynn took a picture of me when I fell asleep on the bus.

Time

So to be honest I just wrote a long inspirational speech that I was going to have you all read to Hans Zimmer's song, Time...then I read it without the music and it was the cheesiest thing you've ever heard haha. I am no King Theoden, or Brave heart, Lincoln, Aragorn, Saul Paul, or Jeffery R Holland. But I will share with you a good Winston Churchill Quote, "Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that...for a thousand years, men will still say, 'this was their finest hour'" He is a pretty cool guy.

Well not much has happened this week. We were able to have a Joint teach where the spirit definitely directed the lesson. It turned out that for some reason we did sound inspirational just like those great men I mentioned above. I can tell you that it was inspirational because it was inspiration. We were following the spirit and we just said when he told us to say. It is probably the best feeling to know that you just did what the Lord wants you to do. 

I love this gospel. I know that we are guided and we can receive his help in the good times and the bad times. Because of what Christ did for us 2000 years ago we can have that divine help. Providence is divine intervention. According to that definition I've seen providence in this work. I know that he wants to help all of his children. He has a plan for everyone of us and all we need to do is trust in his path and we will see when he intervenes in our lives. The greatest intervention of them all was the Atonement of Jesus Christ. He overcame the effects of the fall. He interrupted our path downwards, caught us and has lifted us up and will continue to lift us if we trust him. I know he is our savior. I am proud to be called a disciple of him. Love you all.

Elder Thayne

PS Happy easter :]

We did some service for the Lynch's building a net covering for their garden because
they have 6 inch slugs that are eating their vegetables. 

We went to the last part of Handel's Messiah with Kaitlyn. we were tuckered out. that music was slow at times.

A Scout is Helpful‏

Andrew Carnegie Statue

So this last week has been better! especially on monday and let me tell you about it. So Monday we decided to run to the church and play ping pong for morning exercise. Then we studied and we emailed. We were going to be hanging out with the Kirkcaldy Elders and do squash for P-day but things got really busy so we didn't go. Then we just played more ping pong and I didn't lose once. Elder Flynn is getting pretty mad at me because he hasn't won a game yet. that night we went to one of our appointments and while we were going there we got lost. We stopped this guy in the street and it turns out he is a scout. He told us where to go and we were on our way again. As we walked we talked about memories of scouts. we got to our appointment and taught about the plan of salvation. It went pretty well and he told us to come back. We went on our way to the next lesson. While we were going we walked passed a the Deacons home. Susan Deacon is one of the sisters investigators and she is getting baptized on saturday. Before we got to our appointment Elder Flynn said, "if it comes down to it we could call the deacons to give us a lift home." We went to our lesson and we were about to end on time but for some reason we felt we needed to talk to her a little longer, so we did. After the lesson we ran to the bus stop and found that we missed the bus by 2 minutes and the next one wouldn't come for another hour. So we called The deacons and asked if we could get a lift home. We walked to their house and he came out to take us home. When we were in the car we asked him what he was up to today and he said his niece and her new husband from Fresno California were visiting. Elder Flynn said, "I am from Fresno!!" Brother Deacon put the car in drive and pulled back into the driveway. We walked in and in the Kitchen was Elder Flynn's scout master! We were all blown away! haha it was awesome. They were able to talk and to catch up.

Everything that day had to work out perfectly for us to be at that house at that time. His scout master arrived just 2 hours before and was leaving in the Morning. We literally never call the Deacons for anything and for some reason we thought of him when we needed help. If any of the appointments fell through we would not have gone to the deacons home. We met a scout who told us where we needed to go so we can be there on time. apparently the deacons were talking about scouts right before we walked into the house. haha it is awesome literally everything had to work perfectly. 

I know it doesn't sound like that great of a miracle. But I know that it was God giving us a little love note. We have had a hard time with the work lately. We are working as hard as we can and we feel like we are being more faithful than ever on our mission, but sometime things don't happen. This gift that God gave us was just a confirmation to our faith. He is telling us we are doing good and we need to keep it up. It was a great day. Diligence is so hard but it pays off.

The rest of the week went well. Sister Hinck was Diagnosed with Diabetes and she is going home  so sister Pennock will be getting a new companion. We had a couple dinner appointments with members.

I was able to do the Baptismal Interview for Susan Deacon. We started with a prayer and spirit came in immediately. we went through the questions and talked about her experience. I love interviewing people because I get to here their testimony for the beginning to the end. Susan is so ready for Baptism. I am really excited for her.

I love this Gospel. It is the greatest. It is the only thing that will bring lasting happiness. keep being awesome everyone! and remember that God loves you. He doesn't expect perfection from you he just expects a broken heart and a contrite spirit. His mercy and his grace is over all of us. There is nothing to hard for us if we are yoked with the savior. 

Sorry if this email was all over the place but I love you all. :] hope you have a great week.

Elder Thayne

Elder Flynn's Scout master, his wife, Elder Flynn, me, Susan Deacon, Jared Deacon.

We saw a peacock in the park.

After I slammed a winning shot against Elder Flynn

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