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.

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!

Prime the Pump

So just to begin Elder Plewe is a total stud. I love serving with him. He has already taught me so much. Me and him also get along really well especially when it comes to Napoleon Dynamite quotes. Elder Plewe and I have been working really hard and we have seen a lot of great things happening.

The other day when we were on exchanges we chapped (tracted) into this Portuguese man and his wife. we had a great lesson about the book of mormon and they were super excited to read it. We went beck the next day and the wife, Rosa, let us in. Carlos, the husband, was drinking so we focused on Rosa. we found that she had a strong faith before but after a while it had withered. She use to be a nun and a opera singer. She knows Portuguese, Latin, Italian, and a little english. She said that 3 or so weeks ago she made up her mind that there is no god. When we came by something she felt the spirit and she felt like she was having her faith grow again. We have met with Rosa 4 times this last week. The last time we were over there the spirit was so apparent. We asked her if she would be baptized. Rosa said she would but she wanted to know more before she set a date. I know that she will be baptized because she is so amazing. She wants to be baptized and she is always talking about the spirit that is there whenever we come and she says that she wants what we have. Satan isn't going to let her get it easy though. He is working so hard on her. Right when we started coming over her Job wants her to start working on sundays. But I have faith that she will do what is right.

We were also able to see Lena twice this last week. During the lesson I got the impression to bring up the word of wisdom I thought it was weird, but I followed. For some reason when we were talking about the word of wisdom the spirit was there. We didn't say anything that was really profound but the spirit was there. We then asked her if she will be Baptized on the 19th of September...and she said yes!

The Lords is blessing the Scotland Ireland mission so much. this is a Baptizing mission. my biggest pet peeve is when people say that nobody accepts the gospel over here but that is a load of rubbish. The field is white, already to harvest. It isn't brown ready for us to plant seeds. planting seeds will happen as a byproduct of us harvesting. Our district is having great things happening and I think it is all because of the faith of the elders.

I love you all. I am always praying for you. I hope that you all have faith in our Savior because in Him we can do all things.

Elder Thayne

We lost the car so this is our new ride.....just wish we had pegs!

Edinburgh

So this last week has been great :] Elder Blosil, Elder Stanley and I flew out to Edinburgh  Scotland to pick up our new companions. So now our entire district is training.

 When we got to Edinburgh we were told how great of a responsibility we have now that we are training. they told us that we need to set the tone and the pace for these missionaries that are coming in. I got really scared haha. I don't know why the Lord called me to do this but he did. I know that I would never be able to do this. I wouldn't be able to train a new missionary even if I was at the end of my mission. The only way that I will ever be able to help this new missionary out is if I get the Lords help. Before we were assigned our companion I read Ether 12:27 my favorite scripture, "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they 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, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." I know that I would never be able to do this task on my own but I have faith that the Lord can. We were all sitting in the chapel when they called the companionship's. I was so stoked, I got called to be Elder Plewe's Companion. He is an incredible guy. I am so glad I am serving with him He is going to be a brilliant missionary. He is from Spanish Fork and he turned 18 in July. He is fresh out of high school and ready to work.

So we have only been in our area for Saturday and Sunday last week. I also had to stay in Edinburgh for new leadership training. But Sunday was awesome. Elder Plewe's very first sunday in the mission he was able to help fill up the Baptismal font for Mathew Keery. We told Elder Plewe that he will have to get use to this because he will be Baptizing a lot. We then did some missionary work after the service then had a dinner appointment with Pedro and his family...Man I love the Portadown ward, I am so glad I am staying for another 3 months. I think our area is really ready for growth. there is so much potential I think we will be having 2 more Baptisms by November!

The focus for our district this Transfer is member missionary work. I want to make sure that I work the members as best as I can. I have gotten a lot of advice from my older Brother Elder Mitchell Ryan Thayne about how to get the members pumped about missionary work. I think I will try to get everyone in the District to take some of his advice to heart and try it out in the wards they are serving in. I know that member missionary work is so important because both of the Baptisms that have happened since I have been here are because of member missionary work. Pedro is the best Member missionary I have ever seen. He is amazing, cause he is always bringing up the gospel in his daily life. he lives his religion and he is constantly inviting people to hear the great message of the restoration. He is the model member missionary. The Portadown ward is so lucky he moved here a year ago.

Something that would be great for you all to do is to bring up the gospel in conversation as much as you can. When people see how you are talking about it and see your excitement for it they will want to know more. You will help out the missionaries in your ward so much and they will love you. So try this out and see how it helps you and those who are in your life.

I love you all and I know that this church is true. I am so happy to be serving in my dream mission. much like McDonald's....I'm loving it!

Elder Thayne

Elders Talmage Thayne and Taylor Plewe of Spanish Fork, UT

Another 12 weeks in beautiful Northern Ireland!

Thought They Got Rid of Me

So this week is moves week. I am staying in Portadown for my 4 transfer, but I am totally ok with that because I love Portadown. Elder Fassold is leaving and I am getting a great companion. I forgot his name so I will just have to tell you next time.

This last week we have done a lot of finding. we have also done a lot of teaching but whenever we were teaching it seemed like none of the members could come with us so when we were teaching a Sister then we would have to teach them out in there front Garden. We were able to teach Lena again. Pedro came with us but he brought his Baby Girl, Petra. She is the cutest little baby but she was crying the whole time so we weren't really able to have the same caliber of lesson that we had the time before.

This last Saturday we had a Ward BBQ and Pedro had 6 of his non member friends there. Seriously Pedro is a brilliant member missionary. When Elder Fassold and I got there all of the nonmembers looked pretty stiff and uncomfortable because they didn't speak English so they couldn't talk to anyone. So I went up to them with a soccer ball and taught them the game of Kill. That is where you have to juggle the soccer ball in a big group of people till you have juggled it 5 times then you have to grab it and throw it at someone. These Portuguese guys loved. they started to feel more comfortable and we all just started talking. 3 of them are going to be coming to church this next Sunday so that is going to be cool.

On moves call day I was surprisingly not that nervous. I had a feeling I was going to be staying in Portadown. I got the call from Elder Neidich (AP) and he told me I will be staying. Elder Fassold is now going to Omagh and that is probably going to be his last area. One bummer about this call is they are taking away our car and giving it to someone else, who honestly don't need it, but it doesn't matter. We have investigators that are pretty far away but the Lord will provide. I have faith that this was suppose to happen and it will be really beneficial.

Our new Mission President has turned this mission upside down. He is changing everything with 16 area's getting white washed. Its sounds crazy but I know that he is inspired. He has a great vision for our mission. I love President Donaldson because he is passionate and bold and he will pump up even the trunkiest missionary.

Anyway, I love you all. I know that this church is true. I have found so much peace in reading the scriptures especially the book of Mormon every day. This is the greatest time of my life.

Elder Thayne

I went to New Castle for P-day with Bishop Phillip Moss and his wife Christine. it is beautiful. We went sight seeing and got the most amazing home made ice cream. 

The Lake, Lough Brikland, is where the first baptism in all of Ireland took place. 

Pretty cool.

Knocking on a cinderblock door.  This was a very dodgy area.

Field is White

I don't have much time but I do want to tell you all about an experience that I had.  Elder Fassold and I were out in Dunganon and started chapping (tracting) Black Lane. We ran into the Portuguese women named Lena. She was super nice and she accepted the Book of Mormon in Portuguese. We went back on Sunday and she said pleas come in. We brought Pedro for an interpreter and we started teaching about the Restoration. we really emphasized the Book of Mormon. She said she had a Baptist Preacher over and when he looked at the Book of Mormon he said that it was a good Book. We started to testify and before Pedro could even translate what we were saying she started crying. She said that she understood what we said and She couldn't stop crying for 5 minutes. It was amazing. The spirit was so strong I bet if we opened a window the passer by's would be able to feel the spirit. I am so excited to work with Lena, she is amazing and the Lord has been preparing her.

I hope you all have a great day that is filled with the spirit. We are entitled to it. Just live worthily and you will see it in your life all the time. They spirit can do so much for you. in John 14:26 it talks about how it will bring all things to your remembrance and how it will testify of truth. The next verse, 27, talks about how it will bring you peace. I know that the Lord has been blessing me with this spirit and I know that he will bless you with this spirit if you will seek for it. 

I hope y'all have a great day. live it to the fullest.

Elder Thayne

rain and miracles STORM‏

So this last week if you were to look at the numbers, we didn't do so well but if you were to have seen us you would say, "Wow the Lord is helping them out."

Most of our appointments fell through this week. But that made us work even harder on finding. We had so many experiences this week of the Lord leading us to where we can help someone. Quick story: One of our appointments fell through so we went finding. President Donaldson told everyone in the last Zone conference that we shouldn't always go to the same area's to find so me and my companion went to Dunganon to seek out Gods children. We both felt good about this one street so we started chapping (tracting). We ran into this Portuguese woman named Fernandez who is in her early 40's. She had Immigrated to Ireland 15 years ago, but while she was in Portugal 2 missionaries found her and gave her a book of Mormon. She started reading it and she couldn't stop. She love it so much but the missionaries never got to teach her because She immigrated over here. She says that  she loves the book of Mormon but she didn't think that there were missionaries over here. haha It was amazing so we are teaching her on Wednesday and I am pretty sure she has enough faith to follow Jesus Christ and be Baptized. 
Just yesterday we went chapping (tracting) and when we pulled into this street there was this lady up in the window to our right just staring at us. Elder fassold said, "That is awkward...lets chap the right side of the street." He looked back up and she motioned to him that she is coming down. Anna opened the door and told us that her brother was Mormon and he served a mission in Peru. Anna said, "I didn't think there were missionaries in Ireland, Do you have a church close by?" we talked to her for a while and she said she would come to church. Her 12 year old son, Christian, will probably come to because he is a champion. He reads the bible every night and he cleans the house without his mom asking! ha this guy is so cool. I wish I was more like this kid; helping my mom out around the house.
Just yesterday was Fast Sunday. It was one of the best Fast and testimony meetings I have ever been it. Toze (recent convert) stood up and bore his 1st testimony. He doesn't speak much English but it was powerful. He told us how he use to be addicted to Gambling but then he started investigating the church and he stopped. He said he now has more money  for his family and he know it is because he is living Gods commandments. He said that if he said this church wasn't true he would be lying because when he made baptismal covenants the spirit told him it was true. Wow I got to tell you it was powerful, Then Brother Donnelly Stood up and led Joyce by the hand to the stand to bear her testimony. I know this isn't manly to say, but this was probably the cutest thing I have ever seen. A 420 pound white man leading the cutest 4 year old black girl you've ever seen up to the stand. If Jesus was there that is what he would have done. 
This week was a week of Miracles and a week that just confirmed to me that the Lords hands are in the work. Just a wee thought before I end this Email.
Before we left Anna's house we asked her if she was ever baptized. She said she was Baptized when she was 10. She was a super good primary girl and she always participated. She then got sent into young womens when she turned 12. Her family was poor and they didn't have enough money so she only had one outfit that she could wear to church. One day this girl at church commented that she always wore the same clothes every Sunday. Just being a 12 year old girl she was embarrassed, She went home and told herself she is never going back to that church again. And so far she has kept that Promise. I would just like to encourage you all to watch what you say, especially to children. Elder Holland gave a great General Conference talk on this (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2007/04/the-tongue-of-angels?lang=eng). Just remember James said, "In many ways we offend all,(but) if any man offend not it word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body."
I love you all and wish the best for you. Have a great day.
Elder Thayne