How He Tests Us

Mozambique is doing well.   I'm still alive and excited for the work. Lately I've been doing a lot of studying in Nefi and Jacob and I was struck by how much those books talk about obeying the commandments. It's incredible. Then I started to think more about the mission rules and exact obedience with the stripling warriors. I've been trying to practice exactness in my obedience and testing to see how the Lord blesses us.

This week two of the nieces of one of my recent converts, Emanuel, were baptized. Being the new district leader I got to interview and even had the opportunity to baptize them. It was a super amazing experience, and I was so grateful for the opportunity to teach them and still be able to be a part of their baptism. Their names are Ines and Irene. There are also 3 other people that me and Elder Stevens were teaching that will be baptised on the 22 so I am looking forward to that as well.

This week we taught a lot of lessons, and with Elder Sitati's visit, we were really trying to focus on the importance of hearing and responding to our peoples problems. As we did this we started talking about the restoration with a brother named Abilio. He started to talk about the guilt he felt by not being married to his wife legally. We ended up being able to talk about God's love for families, still teach the restoration but talk about how God wants him to have an eternal family. He said he wants to get married and baptized so we will see how that goes!

We marked a lot of people for baptism this week and we were super optimistic about the future, then Saturday night it started to rain HARD and I started to fear that our people with dates wouldn't make it to church, so I kneeled and started praying to God that the rain would stop so that they could all make it to church without a problem. That was when a blast of lightning struck and it scared the crap out of me, I was sitting there thinking when a feeling came to me that God wasn't going to stop the rain, and the words came to my mind, "Provarei a fe de meu povo".  (I will prove the faith of my people)

Then on Sunday almost none of the people came. The attendance was low and I realized that we needed to teach the importance of the church better. I know the church is true and that God will continue to test the faith of his people. Hope you all have a great week!

-Elder Thornton

P.S. Also in one of the photos you can see Wilton who is one of my favorite people i've met on the mission, HE RECEIVED THE PRIESTHOOD THIS WEEK YEAHHHHHHHH also one of the people that I was teaching thats going to be baptized was a reference from him. He's the coolest.
Oh mentira ele nao saiu na foto, kkk desculpa. mas ainda e bue fixe. (Oh, he is not in the picture, I'm sorry. but still it's cool.)

Elder Stevens, Jonny, Ines, Irene, brother and Elder Mere

 Baptismal support

 Ines, Irene and Jonny

 Maputo