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