THE news!

I am TRAINING!!!!!!!!!!

COOL HUH?!?! Haha I am really excited to get to do this. Now where will SIster Thornley be training at I wonder????......

宜蘭!!!!!!!

cant read that?? No worries YILAN! HAHA I am staying here for another 2 transfers at least! :) hehe its okay though I am happy and okay with it!

So what happened this week? Miracles. This week we saw our precious Margie get baptized! It was so awesome. This is the third baptism I have had while on island and this was the best one ever because I was at peace and relaxed about it all. Such a blessing. She is phillapean so the service was a bit stressful as we had to be either translating for Margie or translating for the branch but it was fun They all are very supportive of
her.

Hmm... I had other things I wanted to write to you all but I kind of forgot them.. I appologize I have kind of gotten a bit off in knowing what to write about and stuff. I know you all want to hear stories... oh i know!! Okay last night we took a train and went down to the south part of our area. Its called Suao. anyway we went down there to find one of our less actives who was just baptized in August so she shouldnt be less active. we had been trying for weeks to get a hold of her and set up but she was ignoring our calls so we decided we would go pay her a surprise visit. Well... except that I had only been there twice and she had always driven us. Well we got lost. I prayed so hard that Heavenly Father would open my mind and be able to lead me where to go. Well I remembered.. We were going the wrong way so we turned around and then I saw a big bridge to get on the freeway.. yep that was the way she took us so up we biked as fast as our little legs on gear 1 and 1 would let us. Okay so we are up over the bridge and onto the main road.. Great now I cant remember anymore than just that yes this is right. I pray again. Rather than having a clear memory like I have had before when I am lost I saw a police officer. We pull over and ask him where to go. Turns out he was wrong but heres whats cool. This man has no religion he looks at me and says what are you? A misisonary? I tell him yes I am a representative of Jesus Christ! He looks at me and says... Like Zhang Shen Mao? I blink- okay. So heres whats awesome. That is a name. Not just any name. That is the name of a member of our church who I love dearly. I say yes do you know him?! He is his next door neighbor and we are invited to come visit him and his wife next time we go out to WuJie.

The Lord will lead us to those who are prepared. I know this is true. I have seen it so many times. Now I encourage you all again. Pray and then go do and invite others to come unto Christ. I love you all have a wonderful week!!!!

-Sister THornley 

THE WEEK

Well this week was not too awesome to chat about. It was good we learned a lot about being willing to submit to the will of the Lord and I learned how to ride a bike in a long skirt. The weather is getting hot here so my companion is convincing me and helping me know what clothes to buy well one of them was a long skirt so I wouldnt have to wear shorts under when we are biking. Well the first 5 minutes with it was fine then it caught in my brakes and my chain and ugh what a mess but dont worry She taught me the tricks and it wont happen again! This week we found FOUR new investigators! Which was really awesome but sad two of them ( a family) are not in our area and will be given to the elders here. It really is interesting sometimes being a missioanry. We are here to teach the Gospel but there are a lot of times when we cant. FOr instance the other day we were out knocking doors. A Christian man answered and as we talked he welcomed us in. Except there were no other girls inside and we are not able to go in if its just a man. It really stunk because if we had had a member with us we could have taught him but when we explained why we couldnt come in and asked to come back tomorrow he was busy and then it was too stressful for him and he turned us away. Actually this happened to us three times this week. Talk, about a slap to the face of needed the members to come with us! Please family. Do not let this happen to the missionaries there go with them. They really do need you. THis week we went up to Taipei for a training and PResident Day was there. He trained us on the importance of members and showed us this cool statistic. It takes missionaries talking to about 50 people to get one new investigator. THen 20 investigators to get 1 baptism. LOok fellas this is not how we hasten the work. That is way to slow. AND WE KNOW A BETTER WAY!!!!! I am going to ask you all what is it?? What is the better way that the Prophets have taught us? Now please do it. You know the people who dont know the gospel. Dont be scared invite them over to dinner and bring the missionaries trust them. They will do a good job! Besides what if you told that one person up in heaven dont you worry bud I will help you. I will find you and I will help you come to know the truth. Maybe. Dont miss the chance. I want to hear about how you all did next week okay?! I love you all so much I know you will do great at opening your mouths and inviting. I will be praying for you! Now go and Jia the you! (Add the oil) which is the way of saying go do it! :) I love you to death be safe!

 

-SIster Thornley

It's raining in Utah?

You all keep mentioning the rain in Utah I cant help but giggle a little every time. You all need rain? I'll talk to the clouds here for ya ;) Isnt fasting so great? That leads into my miracle for the week here.

Our Mission President has invited us all to work so that we can have a baptismal interview every week among our districts. This means we sisters need to have someone ready every three weeks. Its really big. Anyways our district has been struggling a little to get this. We have so many amazing people but they are facing jsut a few rough trials they are struggling to overcome and so we havent had the interviews yet. So our District of 6 little white people from America began a fast for them. Miracles did happen. In a very different way than we thought. First, the Elders from Luo Dongs investigators- an 8 year old boy William and his less active grandma (who I origionally started teaching) he CAME TO CHURCH! the YiLan elders two of their girls (Rei Jia and her friend who I also started teaching) commited to a new date and are willing to live the law of tithing! And ours... two of our investigators let us know they dropped. BUT our one Margie (a phillapino I wrote about before) IS SO SOLID!!!!!!! She will be baptized this month! then the unexpected blessings. Because us sisters have been having little time with solid investigators we have been spending a lot of time trying to contact our less actives and strengthen thier faith. It has not been an easy process... especially cause now I am good enough In chinese that I can understand every mean word they are saying to us. But after calling and calling and praying and praying we had such a miracle! We called one her name is Yan jie mei, she wasnt in town. We thought a dead end but then SHE CALLED US BACK! She called us and told us "hey I just got back into YiLan where are you girls?" We set up and visited her that night. The next day after months of not coming she CAME TO CHURCH! Next, I have been trying to get a hold of a less active sister geng that lives nearby but each time its a no answer. We even climbed up 12 flights of stairs to try to see her she didnt answer. But we kept trying. And yesterday SHE CASME TO CHURCH! Family, I wish you could feel the joy I felt as I saw those precious sisters sitting with us. It was wonderful. I am so thankful for the strength of fasting. it truly will bring miracles. Continue to fast. Continue to pray. They will be answered.

And now for the funny awkward moments of the adventures of Sister O'Brien and Sister Thornley-

We often get to have time for knocking... which means we get to stand at the bottom of a HUGE building and ring the doorbells and talk to them from a speaker to try to help them feel the spirit enough to let us in. Well... yesterday we were ringing and one man let us up without even hearing us... needless to say he was having a party that night and thought we were just his friends (haha!!!!) Well then normally we would go back down and start ringing again. This time though Sister O'brien had us just go the next floor down and ring right at their door step (yes this is indeed a little rude) But we did. WHen no one answered the door I thought we were off safe. Op, spoke to soon a woman answered then and then most awkward thing ever- after introducing ourselves and asking a little about her she turns us down then says, "Hey by the way how did you get in here anyways?" HAHAHAHA AHH MAN so awkward! :) hehe anyway we learned our lesson. Just go back down and start over again. :) WEll everyone I love ya all hope you are all safe and happy!@

-Sister Thornley

The miracle of February

Yep I met Elder Holland. Thats it have a great week love ya all!

-Sister Thornley

Haha I am just kidding I will write more than that! :) hehe!

The lead up to the miracle of Elder Holland- 

We were able to get 4 new investigators this week!!! YEAH!!! my favorite one was when every single lesson we had set up had fanged our gedzi. Yeah I am not sure how to write that for real in pinyin... sorry. It means stood us up. And So we had to rely on our backup plans. well we found ourselves with 20 minutes to contact until we needed to get to our train. I turned to my companion and said alright well 20 minutes of effective contacting. Which is kind of an ongoing joke. We started off and I saw a girl wearing a shirt with an american flag so like always I say hey I like your shirt do you like America? Which they are always a little surprized then say yes. then I always say back Cool I am American! Which makes them laugh. I thought nothing of it. I offered her an english tract to come learn english. then she looked at me and said. I dont want to learn english. I want to learn about your church. SHEN ME DONG XI!?!?!?! I was flabbergasted. I grabed out our gospel tract and handed it to her. Started telling her of our message and she said yeah I know your Christian. I have been wanting to go to a Christian church for a while but wasnt sure how to do it. WOWOWOWOW Miracle I think yes! I am so grateful for the Lord putting prepared people in our paths always. This work would be impossible if it werent true. 

We also have found two less actives who are so in love with the gospel they are dying to come back but their husbands oppose. Stink. Good smell is that they both have 3 children who are old enough to be baptized and have asked us to start teaching them! I am asking that you will start to pray that their husbands hearts will be softened. We need your help. I love love love being a missionary.

So for Elder Holland. It was amazing. Our Mission President asked us all to memorize hymn 124 Hark all ye nations so we could sing it memorized as they walked in. We were all lined up for a giant picture and stood for an hour in preparation for them to walk in. We began to sing and it was so AWESOME. The last verse says, "chosen by God to serve him below to every land and people we'll go. Standing for truth with fervent accord teaching his holy word! OH how Glorious from the Throne above shines the Gospel light of truth and love bright as the sun this heavenly ray lights every land today!" 

As we were singing this verse they walked in. Such a testimony that this is true. This is God's work. I was so happy to be able to shake Elder Hollands hand and have the eye soul searching interview with him. I wanted him to know I was truly happy I love this work and I am doing all I can to serve the Lord the very best I can! His talk was amazing. Very Inspiring to work even harder and I really liked what he kind of shouted at us. THat it is not too much of the First Presidency to ask of us missionaries to have at least one convert that convert needs to be us! All the others is icing on the cake and they want LOTS of icing on the cake. It reminded me how much I still need to do to be better and become converted myself. He then reminded us of you all. OUr family and friends who have us on a pedistool. Of my nieces and nephews who think we are perfect in everyway and who pray for us everynight. I thank you. THank you for holding me to a standard to achieve. I love you all so much. I really am doing what I can to obtain my one convert. I want the same for you all. I love you be strong have another wonderful week!

-Sister Thornley

Last P-day we went to Su'ao beach! 

 doesn't it look like what peter pan's place would look like?

 The cute little dog there eating shrimp on the rock from the tide last night.

 CRABS!!!

 PEACE :)

A Letter From My Mission President This Week

 Is there any question in anyone’s mind that having an apostle of the Lord visit our mission is one of the Miracles of February?

Elder Holland shared with me that he was very impressed with each of you.  Your singing of “Hark, All Ye Nations” as Elder and Sister Holland, Elder and Sister Wilson, and Elder and Sister Hallstrom entered the Cultural Hall where you were assembled touched each of them deeply.  You heard how Elder Wilson mentioned your singing brought tears to his eyes.  You were an impressive sight.

Many thanks to each of you who arrived on time, waited patiently to sing and then have your picture taken.  Everything went off without a hitch, and Elder Holland commended each of you for how you acted and performed.

I know that each of you felt their Spirit as you shook the hands of these General Authorities and their wives. They commented on how appropriately you conducted yourselves and the mighty spirit they felt from you.

It was impressive to see all you rise as these great men and their wives entered the chapel and took their seats on the stand.

The Mission Conference started a little later due to no fault of ours, and originally, Elder Holland intended to finish the meeting at 8:00 p.m. as originally planned.  I sent him a note in the middle of the meeting asking him to stay as long as the Spirit directed because I knew that each of our missionaries wanted to be fed by him.  I know that he could feel  your desires as I plead on your behalf, and as he handed the note to  his wife, I saw some tears come to his eyes.  As you know, he stayed to 8:30 to feed you.

And I know you were not disappointed.

I know that you will never forget the testimonies of Elder and Sister Wilson and Elder and Sister Hallstrom as they testified about the nature of Elder Holland’s apostolic calling.

I know that you will always remember the sweet testimony of Sister Holland and her declaration to you that “you are the greatest miracle” even “greater than the parting of the Red Sea.”

And I know that the words of Elder Holland, spoken directly to you, individually and collectively, will be forever engraved upon your hearts.  Many of you were taught by his words, but as I watched your faces and the tears streaming from your eyes, I know that many of you were taught even more by the Spirit that he brought and what you felt.

Here are a few things I wrote in my notes concerning Elder Holland’s remarks. I know that many of you have much, much more:

·         “We only send the world’s best to Taiwan.”

·         “We didn’t get up this morning and decide to come here and share a fairy tale.”

·         In 24 months of his mission, everything was “turned upside down—or right side up” and he said, “I want that for you.”

·         “Don’t you ever leave anything to carry off the field.”

·         “Don’t go home with any regrets.”

·         “I want you for the rest of your life to feel like I did about my mission.”

·         “This is real life.  You will never come closer to real life than right here.”

·         “You are on an ascending curve.”

·         “Everything you want for your investigators, He wants for you.”

·         “You’ve got to be a little more persistent” and “not obnoxious but bold.”

·         “A ‘Preach My Gospel’ missionary is so in tune with the Spirit they can teach what they need to teach…”

·         “’Preach My Gospel’ says missionaries are to go to the people. We are going to find them where they are and take them from the Sacred Grove to the Garden of Gethsemane.”

·         “When we shake your hands we interview you.”

·         “I think this [Taiwan Taipei] mission is poised for the hastening of the work.”

·         “Why is this so hard?….Because salvation is not a cheap experience.”

·         “God never intended a mission to be easy.” 

·         “It cannot be easy for you because it was never easy for Him.”

·         “A little bit of your mission must be spent lugging a cross.”

·         “The road to salvation goes through the Garden of Gethsemane.”

·         “Don’t think you’re going to have a picnic in Taiwan.”

·         “You have to sign on for the whole experience.”

·         “Don’t spend time wondering why your mission is hard.”

·         “You are being shaped and molded into disciples of Christ.”

·         “Difficulties will make you more like the Son of God.”

·         “Your family has you on a pedestal.”

·         Next to possibly General Authorities, “you are the most prayed over group in the Church”

·         “Everyone wants their children to grow up and be just like you.”

·         “We’ll absolutely change the world.”

Take these words and ponder them.

And let’s absolutely change the world.

It's Happened

So when I first got here to yilan I had all of the missionaries telling me oh man you are going to go to the hospital soon every missionary who serves here gets super sick we all have to go. Its coming. And I was like yeah right ya weirdo's I will NEVER go to the hospital EVER!!!!!

SO this week was really good thankyou all for asking me about my area and how its going. It is going really good. i love it. I love this work so much. Its a lot of knocking and interesting change in how I have to view sucess. Before we could easily contact over 50 people in like a good 40 minutes. And then of them get new investigators galor. Not so anymore. Now we plan our days around where our less actives live because we need to plan trains and biking time to get out there and then do the searching there. It is a very different way for me. now because its so rural of a place we spend the 40 minutes biking to the less active and do not see one person on the street to contact the entire time! So we have made a new goal that as we go to find them we have to stop every 15 minutes and knock 5 doors along the way so we are still searching the entire way for who the Lord has prepared. This past week we found ourselves in a county called zhuang wei for our first time. IT was straight houses inbetween water filled rice filds for miles to see. And as we were biking out we realized... oh snap this address is going to be very hard to find because I think a cat must have done the road addresses here and just went whereever a little red light was because there is no structure to it at all so we got a little lost and knocked doors asking and teaching as we went and WE FOUND AN AMAZING BOY THAT WE ARE CALLING AGAIN TODAY PLEASE PLEASE PRAY FOR HIM TO LET US COME BACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THen next thing ya know its freezing and grumpy and then wham! We are on the beach side!! haha Taiwan roads are so fun we see lots neat things we had no Idea we would see!

Well... oh yeah about the hospital. Yesterday after church I was washing dishes and slipped on the knife that I showed you all a few weeks ago... I was bleeding and stuff then I realized I needed to close the wound together so I would stop bleeding so much. I am so grateful for Sister O'Brien who got me a chair and then was so good to me as I passed out and went a little odd with  my body p.s. You have the funniest dreams when you pass out. But then An amazing member of our ward came right over to help and got me to the hospital which is luckily only a 10 minute walk away from our house and was such a big help in translating and talking for me. I was stitched up just fine and given everything I need to heal up quick and neat and I am doing so great right now! My finger is in a white gauze bandage and I am doing great!!! Its a little sore and I need to be really careful here cause it cant get wet and it rains all the time here and we need to use our bikes but I know the Lord will help me and maybe it will be a week of sunshine here!

I am so grateful for the Lords love. This week has been great for me to really feel of the Lords love and know he is watching for me. I really know Heavenly Father lives. He loves his children and by doing this work we are able to bring them back to the knowledge of thier father! I love you all be safe and happy!!!

-Sister Thornley

Plum Blossom Lake 

 My favorite Asian convert ever

 The streets of Taiwan 

 The day we found ourselves on the beach on accident like really it really was an accident

 A dead pufferfish

 A crab

 Writing in the sand

 The supplies taken in black and white so they look creepier

My finger :) HEHE first stitches EVER

Adventure is Out There!!!

Dear Everybody who reads my letters,

 

This week was real great! With our new area Sister O'Brien and I found many opportunities to go contacting and that now means knocking doors. Yes, the old fashioned missionary work STILL EXSISTS! Facebook and other technolodgies can not beat this! (Okay actually I dont know I'm not sure what success Fb is having) But here in Taiwan the old way is still thriving! And man I now have a whole new respect for the missionaries before us. I have recently read the scripture in Doctrine and Covenants 58... uh.. yes go read that chapter and find what verse it is that tells us it is a lazy and slothfull servent to be directed in all things. So I decided that I would apply that and go about doing good wherever I am! Well wherever I was this week was in TouCheng (the upper part of my area) and my companion turns to me and says, "Well Sister Thornley, where do you think we should go?" At that moment all my spunk drained and I was terrified to be in a new place and have to fully listen to the spirit telling us where to go. So I took my new scripture and decided that if I just started going and knocking it would be doing good and I wouldnt be lazy. Friends, this is wrong. I know for sure there is a better way to do this! MAN! Learning is great! Its not to say that we saw no success on the contrary we found lots of great people but I know that the Lord does not intened for us to go blind. He will guide us. And we do need to ask.

  Last night we were searching for less actives to go visit (oh yes missionaries do go visit them and play search and rescue as we strive to bring them back) and anyways we got to one house. We decided to call before going in, good thing too the woman was pretty blunt in telling us that she wanted nothing to do with our church anymore. So we needed to go somewhere else. This is why I know the Lord will direct us. I had set a backup plan the night before in our plannin session that if she told us to scoot we would go visit my "grandma" Dong jie Mei and talk to her about a woman she has been trying to share the gospel with. As my companion and I set off I prayed in my heart if it was right and to allow me to feel the spirit to know what to do. As we were biking we passed a woman in the park with her dog. She was especially surprised as we cheerfully called hello as we rode past. Then we felt we needed to stop. We went and talked with her. Her name is Margie and she is from the Phillipeans here alone for work caring for two old people. She is a Christian and has such a love for Christ I was so touched. We taught her of the Book of Mormon and prayed with her. She is a miracle. She set up for us to come again and give her the Book in her own tongue. yes. Miracle. Oh and then cooler yet as we were teaching her Dong JieMei called to invite us over to come discuss her friend. because of the guidance of the Spirit we found two miracles in one night. I know the Lord answers our prayers.

   I love being a missionary I love this area and I love sharing the gospel!!! You will all love it too go try it!!! Oh and Bryan, your friend Rilee Skinner is serving with my friend from college Christian McKinnon. :) Small world! :)

Have a great week!!!

-Sister Thornley

 I was boiling eggs in personal study and kinda forgot until we heard them blow up...

 Vietnamese rolls

 Sister O'brien and a member named Venus :)

 petting a baby puppy

 the crab I ate....

a sting ray we found knocking doors. Yes. They had like 15 tanks full of them. COOL