Elder Chance Thornton

   We had a BAPTISM!!!

      Hey everyone! The past couple weeks have been awesome. We baptised our friend Amani and I got to confirm her! This last Saturday we got to go to the Manhattan temple with Amani and the ward I'm currently serving in. It was an amazing experience. Most likely will be the only time I will get to go to the Manhattan temple during my mission, since they are closing it sometime in the beginning of 2024. Unless I can get another person baptized before then lol.

         

         The Manhattan temple is super interesting, I guess it has a gym inside it like other chapel buildings do, and also serves as a stake center. I thought that was really cool. I went on an exchange with a Spanish speaking elder (Elder Logan) to his area a few weeks ago and that was interesting since I can only speak a little bit of Spanish. He would ask people if they wanted to come to church with us and have a whole conversation with them, just from that one question. I thought that was awesome. The people that we would meet would ask if I speak Spanish and I would say "poquito" haha. I spent a whole day with Elder Logan observing, but I could still feel the spirit when we (meaning Elder Logan) would talk to people. 

         We met a guy on the street named Guiermo, and he talked a lot with Elder Logan. I understood a couple of words, and he said he was a singer/artist, which is really cool. I was just happy to see that just by Elder Logan asking him "Hey, do you want to come to church with us," that we got him to talk with us for 30 mins. He would smile and laugh and it made me so happy to see that, even though I couldn't understand anything. It was a neat reminder of why I chose to serve a mission, which is to bring joy into other people's lives.

         Which reminds me, it's Christmas time! I invite everyone to look for opportunities to serve others or even just smile at someone. You never know how much they could have needed that smile. With that being said, yesterday I was reading in Mosiah chapter 2 and king Benjamin said "...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." He goes on saying that we are indebted to God, forever and ever. We should serve God with all our might, mind and strength. 

          

         A couple ways that we show thanks is by keeping His commandments and serving others. I would like to end by encouraging you to read Mosiah 2, to find out what you understand of it for yourself. Think about how you can go about this Christmas season and spread His light! I love you all and please don't judge my grammar. English class was not my strong suit haha, plus I didn't proofread this email to see if it makes sense, oops. Also, feel free to email me! Only if you want to though haha.

                      

                                            Love you all, Elder Thornton🫡

Pictures: #1- My companion and grinding out calls, #2- George Washington Bridge, just thought it looked cool lol, #3- District P-Day with other missionaries, #4- "#401becauseoftheson", the New Jersey mission baptism goal for 2023. Everytime you see 401 you have to take a picture with your companion and send it to the mission group chat