Put Where You're Needed

I did not get transferred and am still staying with Elder Fa' Amuli and that is great! Im not sure what else to add for now.

I can't seem to stop thinking about those I am teaching and how much I would enjoy them starting the path towards eternal life.

That story you shared about the asthma attack, was great to read and strengthens my testimony that the Lord does present situations in which we all can learn greatly from. I know that God made us all, and gave us all individual strengths and weaknesses, talents and abilities, and expects us each to help all his creations in this life and the life to come.

I'm sorry I don't quite know what to write this week but I do know that all is well here in Arizona and that I love my mission and I love you guys.

-Elder Throckmorton

Transfer Calls

Transfer calls were this morning and I found out that I get to stay in the Morning Sun Ward with Elder Fa' Amuli for at least another transfer. It is Presidents Day, the places we email at are closed so we have to email at a members. I am on an iPad, so I can't say much (took me half an hour to get this much written).

Love you all

-Elder Throckmorton

11 weeks

To carefully note, I am not counting up nor down from days left or days on. The 11th week is significant in the Gilbert mission because it is the week that the trainee (me) becomes the senior companion for 7 whole days,  I am currently on day 5. I have had an amazing 5 days as senior companion and anticipate an equally amazing experience with the next two days.

This has been the fastest week of my mission and I don't really know why. We are keeping very busy with all the wonderful families that we are currently teaching and have amazing members within the ward who are willing to do whatever it takes for those families to feel comfortable. The one family was so much fun to teach as we went over the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Taking the lead in discussions was quite fun and I can tell that by the power of the Holy Ghost I was able to recognize what I should go, do, and say. That has been the funnest thing about my mission so far, just being able to sense the spirit so strong and actually knowing what to do and say is a great feeling.

In 'Preach My Gospel' President James E Faust teaches: "Hope is the anchor of our souls." ... “Hope is trust in God’s promises, faith that if we act now, the desired blessings will be fulfilled in the future. …
“The unfailing source of our hope is that we are sons and daughters of God and that His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, saved us from death.”

I never really understood the significance of Jesus Christ, I always knew he was necessary to the plan presented to us from before the foundation of the world but never thought about the valiant call to teach others about Him and what can be found through him. Hope, peace, and joy are all things that I have found through faith in Christ, but took for granted that I had those feeling through Him. I love having this opportunity to serve the Lord and know that great things are in store for those I am teaching.

I finally got the awesome poster the ward made for me, some guy gave us the box this morning because it was sent to 185 w brangus instead of 195 w brangus. If you could thank the ward for me that would be ideal obviously because I can't thank everyone individually.

We have been fed so well here that I haven't bought any groceries for the last 2 1/2 weeks. We had Borro's pizza (really expensive) paid for us by a potential investigator after helping her move some of the heaviest furniture I have ever moved, more than a piano I'm sure. So don't you worry about the amount of food that is available to Gilbert AZ missionaries. The Broscharts (members), I am pretty sure you know the mom, bought us a lot of groceries towards the end of last month because we were low on money, super super nice.

I love you all so very much and pray for you all the time.

Love,
-Elder Throckmorton

Poem #4 and Rain, rain, rain

First I would like to share one of my new favorite poems that I've written,  I'm  having trouble finding an appropriate title for it.

Do you think there's an answer
to all of life's questions?
Do you think if yes,
then how would I find them?
If life goes on way past the grave
then how will I know
if I've truly been saved?
Do I wonder and ponder
and pray with all might
that an angelic answer
will come through the night?
What peace would this bring,
what joy would it give
If I knew of my standing
with God on His landing?
What if I feel so unworthy
that I give up the fight,
give into temptation
and lose with no sight?
How sad would I be
to know all that was needed
is help from the Savior
who bled and who died
for all of us people --
those wanderers, those believers
those seekers, those weepers
those beggars and choosers?
What joy would it bring
to know the Savior did come?
What hopes would increase
by the words from his tongue?
I know of the savior
in the world He did come
and by way of His mouth
He imparted to young
a Gospel so firm
so strong in it's brace
we need not have fear
of His redeeming Grace
Study, pray, and believe
though hard it may be
belief is what's asked
belief is what starts
hearts to start changing
To believe in His hope
His hope He brings with Him
I know that He lives
and through Him I know
We are all subjects to
His great Holy glow
by our thoughts
by our deeds
and by our desires
desire to do what is asked
to be with my Father

-Influenced by Alma 34 and more specifically verse 5

Thank you for the pictures and tell Dave and Heidi that I am praying for them and Clara. It's funny that while reading about all that has happened I still remembered all the terms like NICU and Cpap from Medical Anatomy class.
Dave and Heidi welcomed a new little lady into their family this week, her name is Clara Lucille St. Julien, she was born perfect at 7lbs 9oz, but has had a little health hiccup, she doesn't seem to enjoy breathing.  She has been in the NICU for a few days, but she seems to be getting better and stronger all the time and I'm very confident that she will be home soon. 

I know that the dentist is a fun place for Jack haha. And I can see Addy loving it.  And of course Hallie is loving it as an excuse to get out of school.  It is nice to see that they are all the same as when I left.
I always seem to tell Trenton what's going on in our week no matter how mundane it seems.

This last week we were actually pushed to tract, we saw a lot of success in that, we have found 2 additional investigators. It rained pretty hard for 3 days straight and we got soaked, but I had a blast tracting in the rain pretending to be a missionary from a different part of the world where it rains a lot. The zone leaders got their car stuck in the mud that was produced by the rain and a member with a tractor came to pull them out, it was pretty memorable for them but sadly me and Elder Fa' Amuli weren't there to witness it. Members all around seem like they want to feed the missionaries, so as it happens I have only ate at the same members house once so far. I don't want to say I have a favorite family but I do, for food and working closely with their neighbors it would have to be the Messanias, They fed us on Thanksgiving and sent a picture to you. Elder Fa' Amuli says he absolutely hates being a district leader because there are some Elders who don't like leadership, so he feels like he lost some friends. I told him that he hasn't lost any friends, that there are just going to be some people that don't enjoy leadership for one reason or another. It did encourage him to keep strong and serve the Lord in the capacity that the Lord wants and needs him to serve in.

Stay strong in the Lord and have faith that all will be well.

Love, Elder Throckmorton

*Italic is added by me

A Letter to Mom

Another week down. Time is funny that way, in some ways I can't believe that 2 months have already flown by, but on the other hand it seems like FOREVER!

I'm happy to hear 2 months didn't change the little ones that much and they are the same way I left them; with Jack loving video games and Addy hanging out with Tatum all the time.

I know how much you love a clean house, I am sorry for not keeping it as clean as I should have. I say that because I have noticed how I feel when the house that the Lord has provided for us to live in is clean and tidy. When that happens we find a lot more success in the work and see some very significant blessings come from it.

Hallie has told me about Common Scents and she sounds like she has the same attitude about work that I did, hearing that is kind of irritating. One thing I regret most is not asking for more time off for personal things (not that I used a whole lot of that in school) but she has a ton of friends and is an overwhelmingly social person.

I can see Dad being "sooo funny" and I will admit that it does make me laugh hearing that.
*I wrote and told Trenton about how Hal thought he was so funny in his letter this week to Trenton, Hal stated that I sat there and wouldn't let Hal come to bed until I could see that he had written a proper letter.  That is a LIE! :)

I am finished with Dr. appointments finally, YAY! I don't have Reynauds, which I didn't think I had anyway.  I'm glad to not have to worry about all that stuff anymore.

This previous week has been the most productive, busy, and inspiring week of my mission so far. We have 4 new investigators; all from this last week (I haven't had someone new to teach this whole time).  We are teaching a man named Maurice, he is set to be baptized on Valentines day, fun! Maurice is amazing,  he is autistic and super funny with what he will say, but also very spiritual.

I still very much enjoy riding my bike, but to be fair it has not been past 90 degrees yet, although one day the thermometer said 101, it was hot for 20 minutes and cooled off to 88 within 2 hours.

I don't have any pictures right now, sorry I know you want pictures, I will try a lot harder this week to get you some.

Thank you for the questions because so much happens I don't really know what to write to you about. Thank you again for supporting me in every way while I am out here serving the Lord, I want to do my best out here so that support won't be in vain. I love you a ton and if you could mention that to the rest of the family that would be nice .

Love,
-Elder Throckmorton

4 Investigators Later

The work is going very well and we are actively teaching 2 of the 4 investigators we have. We've been trying to come up with new ideas to find those the Lord has prepared for us to teach, so far we have only come up empty-handed, but I know that through our dedication that the Lord will provide us ways to see and meet those whose hearts have been softened. I know this because while we were out tracting this week we ended up talking to 3 people who are now investigators for 3 other sets of missionaries, it is really exciting to see the work progressing this way.
We attended a ward council and discussed the needs of each investigator and what the ward was willing to do to help them live the gospel in any way they can. I haven't helped the ward much since I have been here, but they are a great help to us. I want to give back as much as I can I just don't know exactly how.

All the missionaries who cover a ward in the stake had dinner at the stake presidents house and President Nattress even came.  He embarrassingly brought up how I looked better in proselyting clothing than in hospital attire,

I feel good emotionally and understand that natural stress and doubts enter your mind.  Satan has put so much doubt into my mind, it is almost abysmal how much. I also know that if we take our doubts to the Lord we will receive reassurance that what we know, what we think, and what we are doing is right; He will help you doubt your doubts.  I love this aspect of being a missionary! While you are a missionary you are forced to deal with some situations that you wouldn't have thought could bother you so much,  I know that the Lord is there to help me through it all.  The work is growing and I know that as my desires to do missionary work grow more that He will bless us with work to do. If you want to know the truth it is that Elder Fa' Amuli is Samoan and competitive, if you know anything about that, well, that it is all I have to say. He is a very amusing person, sensitive to more than just the spirit and I know why I am companions with him.  I  have prayed a lot on wondering how to encourage and uplift him. I just don't know how yet, but I will.

I am just trying to understand what the Lord will have me do next. I love you all for the support and prayers and know that it is because of you that I have built my testimony strong enough to be able to embark on a mission. Thank You!

Love, Elder Throckmorton

Transfers were last week on Wednesday. Elder Fa' Amuli and I still cover the Morning Sun ward. Elder Fa' Amuli became District leader, it's his second position in leadership alongside training me.  He is pretty funny about it because the whole first transfer he kept saying how much he would hate being a leader of any kind, and now look at him, I believe it will be great for him.

I followed up with a neurologist this week, no new answers. I had a lot more blood tests come from that visit, the results should come in about a week from now. No other pressing symptoms that I would tell them about have been seen. The mission nurse still calls everyday to check up and President Nattress calls ever other day, so in short I am still embarrassed. I know that it will be dropped and not talked about again I just don't know exactly when.

It is amazing to see the hand of the Lord work through others because it is always easier to see others blessings (and weaknesses). It is hard to think about how the Lord utilizes us personally because we are either too prideful or afraid we may become that way by recognizing our talents. I can tell you that you must find your talents and know how they can be used to help others feel of God's presence and authority because it is what we are asked to do, also to know your personal weaknesses and not be afraid to ask God for help in strengthening them.

If I find some time to hand write a letter today I will send a letter to you to give to Michaella, I don't know why but my personality is abundantly shy and I feel like I didn't get to know anyone in the ward as well as I know I should have. I will try my best and write according to the spirit. I will keep her in my prayers and hope that she gets feeling better sooner, rather than later.


I love you all so much and I really can feel the prayers that are offered to help the missionaries.

-Elder Throckmorton