Monday, July 29, 2013

July 22nd/29th, 2013

We have been having problems getting emails sent so this is for the past two weeks.

Dear other side of the fence,
It's been really hot in Juarez. Our area really is starting to improve which is awesome. I've been participating a lot more and teaching almost half the lesson in well Spanish obviously. We have 3 new investigators who are flippin sweet. One is going to be baptized this next Sunday and the other is a new family who we are going to put a date with on Tuesday. Elder King and I are pretty positive that they will be baptized soon as well. It's been a mixture of a lot of rain and a lot of heat. So its been pretty humid here which stinks because all of the mosquitos are coming out. I have quite a bunch of bites on almost every limb. Thats ok though because we got some insence raid thing that keeps them out of our house at night when we sleep. One thing that's pretty sweet is we caught a scorpion that died two hours later ha ha, I'll send a pic. Elder King got sick and I had to give him a blessing. Later a member family brought us a red velvet cake so the Lord must have known that cake would help ha ha.
One thing I really have not liked is we go on divisions almost every week. It's almost ridiculous. I feel like I have 4 different companions.
Anyways Ive been reading a lot of past GC talks. Especially by Holland and Bednar. I think I like those two the best. I was reading a talk by Elder Bednar about revelation and I think it's interesting how he compares revelation to light. The first example is turning a light on in a room immediately illuminating the once dark room, it's like receiving an answer right then and there and the other was like the sun rising over the horizon. It's slow and gradual. It's like receiving revelation over time. Sometimes in life I feel like the sun is taking forever. But it's not on our time its on Gods. One thing I learned in the MTC that I really like is if you want to talk to God get on your knees, If you want God to talk to you open your scriptures. Not all our answers can be answered from the scriptures but it helps answer a lot of questions we have. Like Elder Bednar said in a talk in the MTC if you read the Book of Mormon seeking an answer to a question. By the time you finish the book your question will be answered. Thats why I love the Book of Mormon so much because it answers questions. It was written for us in our days not for anyone else.

Two years seriously seems like a long time! But it will all be worth it!
Elder Thorpe
Les extrano

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

July 15th, 2013

As I Have Loved You Love One Another

This past week I have learned quite a bit about the importance of not looking at people as they are now but as they may become. This has been something hard for me to learn. Especially because of the circumstances of the area I am in. I know that the ward that I am in has potential to change. Its going to take alot of work but its possible.
I have been trying to pay more attention to the promptings of the spirit as well. This week I felt like I have been listening to a little bit of Heaven as I have tried to pay more attention to the Spirit. I love reading the scriptures and listening to the what I am about to be taught.
This past week we have also been watching some Mormon messages as well. It's incredible how much the church is using technology. I actually really love that they are using it this much. My favorite video I saw was called Origin. Its about a girl who is seeking the truth. She quotes a lot of JS history, and its really cool. I feel a lot of people are confused today just as Joseph Smith was. With all these religions which one is right. Just like him we need to pray to know of the truthfullness.
I know this Church is true. I know this work is right. And I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.
Elder Thorpe

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

July 8th, 2013

So far this past week has been pretty awesome. We taught two less active families, and one of them says that they want to get sealed in the temple! Both families came to church and it sounds like they are going to keep coming to church. For the 4th of July we got burgers from a friend of ours and headed up to the roof of our house. We could barely see over all the lights but in the distance (since we live close to the border) we could see fireworks in El Paso. Sitting there watching the fireworks made me so proud to be a citizen of a free country. I thought back on the scripture in 2nd Nephi where the Lord promised Lehi that this land would be blessed and that those who lived in righteousness would prosper and live free to worship. And then I also thought of one of my scripture heros! Captain Maroni! I love reading in Alma about him and Lehi and Teancum. They had such a desire to live and worship freely. Like the title of Liberty says we will fight for our homes or wives and our children and our religion. I was a proud American watching fireworks in Mexico haha. So on Sunday the ward had a party because one of the sisters was having her birthday. One of our investigators even went to the party which was awesome because our ward members need to get to know the investigators we have. Most of the time though the jovens (returned missionaries/future sister missionaries) were just talking to me and trying to say things in English but I was mainly talking to them in Spanish which was pretty crazy!
I can definitely see the Lords hand in my everyday life! He is helping me to be strong and work hard. He is helping me with my Spanish and he is helping me learn.
Love,
Elder Thorpe

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

July 1st,2013

So we met our new Mission President yesterday. He is super awesome, & smart. He and his wife studied Math in college, and when I say math I mean like deep crazy I don't want to go near it Math. So yeah they are both super smart. They said that they are going to visit our houses. Not sure how often but they are. The President said the Work of Salvation is on. What we are going to do with our converts is the missionaries are going to watch over them and keep visiting them until they go to the temple, and if they are our convert the President will send us to go see them go through the temple. Before October this mission will have 100 new missionaries. With all the new technology use in the missionary work our mission is going to be getting smart phones. One thing the Latins were not very stoked about is that all of them have to learn English. He said it isn't an option. The President wants to get to know our families. So he says he will be emailing you. He seems like a really loving president.

So haha crazy news for you so don't freak out. I was in the Hospital last tuesday. I got sick and was throwing up a ton. So they took me to the Hospital and gave me suedo to rehydrate my body. Elder King said I looked like I was dead when I was sleeping, haha. But I am SUPER BIEN!!! Y Yo sentio mucho mejor!

The weather here just gets hotter and hotter. Its sometimes ridiculous. We have a few new investigators who seem good but we will see. I'm not gonna lie I feel like I'm ready for a change of some sort. Either send me to a new area or something. But all is well and change will happen in time.

Hope all is well back at home.

LOVE,
ELDER THORPE

ps. I was reading in the Bible today and I thought it was funny imagining Jesus when he was flipping over the tables in the Temple.