September 9th, 2013

First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! I hope you had a great birthday. I was definitely thinking about you that day.

Now for my first week as a trainer. Let me tell you it was exhausting. It's a lot different having a native companion. One he can't speak English. That's super hard because at the same time it's a rule that we can only speak in English in our house. So that's been pretty hard. The other hard part is he speaks really really fast. So sometimes its a bit hard to understand. The good is that he speaks Spanish, ha-ha, because it is helping my Spanish a ton. Also he is able to help a lot in the lessons with investigators. He's actually a really cool companion, and we have a lot of things in common. I'll send a picture.

Domingo, we had a meeting with Elder Salines, of the Seventy, in the Area presidency of Mexico. We had a training with our Lider Misional & counselor of the Bishopbric (really it should have been the Bishop). But we had a really good training on the Work of Salvation. We talked about how missionary work is more the responsibility of the members of the Church. That's really interesting, but it makes sense the members are the ones who will be in the Ward always. Also there is a new rule after the missionaries first baptism they don't baptize again, the members baptize. But it was a really good training and I learned quite a bit.

It's still hot here and I hope it starts to get cooler.

This week was also a bit hard for me because for some reason I really missed my family. I'm not sure why, but one day it just hit me. So I started to pray for help so that I could continue to work hard and stay focused. As we went out to work after I had finished praying, the impression came into my mind "Sing Families can be Together Forever" so I began to sing/hum. As I pondered on the words I started to feel much much better.

I have a family here on earth.
They are so good to me.

I want to share my life with them through all eternity
Families can be together forever
Through Heav'nly Father's plan.
I always want to be with my own family,
And the Lord has shown me how I can.
The Lord has shown me how I can.

That's awesome about BYU. Hopefully they actually have a good season this year.

I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Thorpe