November 18th, 2013

Well this was the best week of my mission so far! It was incredible to see the Lords hand in our work that we did and in my life. Everyone here is getting all excited for Christmas and its been super awesome. This week we were teaching a family who are less active and their son isn't a member of the Church (he's 10). But they are such a super awesome family and they are progressing so much. We taught them about the Doctrine of Christ found in 2 Nephi 31. It was awesome to see their understanding of the gospel expand in their minds. I wasn't completely sure but I kept getting strong promptings from the Holy Ghost to commit Gael (the 10 year old) to baptism. After that he said yes and that he would pray to know if this is the true church. Then we felt prompted to commit his dad to prepare to baptize his son if it was him who his son chooses for his baptism, and he said yes as well. That was such a huge blessing for us this week. We want to have him baptized on December 22.

Also this week we decided to look for many new investigators through the area book. If you don't know what it is, it's a book with all of the names and addresses of people that we have taught or contacted. And let me tell you there are a ton of names. But we decided to contact about 8 families. Out of the 8 we recieved 4 new investigators this week and that has been our goal as a zone to receive 4 new investigators every week. That was such a blessing for us this week.

Also this week we had the opportunity to work a lot with FamilySearch and look for names for the members in the work to bring to the temple to do baptisms. It was super awesome seeing the members get excited over their own family history work. On Saturday we got to go to the temple, we were originally told that we would be baptizing members. But the temple president told us that they already had someone and didn't need our help. Then we were told that they needed help with witnesses in the sealings. But they didn't need help with that either. So all of us 8 Elders were standing in the dressing room trying to think of what to do....Then the Temple president came to us and said there was only one person in the next session and they needed help in the session. Now our Mission President was very strict about us not entering into a session. But the Temple President said he would call and ask if we could. Later on we were told that we could enter into a session and we all got super excited.

It was my first time in Spanish I really wasn't that nervous at all because I can understand/speak spanish just fine now. But as I sat there and learned more about Gods plan for us, I couldn't help but have tears. I know that God loves me and that he made this beautiful incredible world for us. I know that He loves each and everyone of his children and so he sent his Son to suffer and die for us, so that we can once again return to live in his presence. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and Redeemer. I know that this is the true church and that in this church is where the Priesthood of God is found.

I love you all and miss you all!!!

Love,

Elder (Braiden) Thorpe