December 30th, 2013

Hey everyone I was so excited to be able to skype on Christmas Eve. I will honestly never forget what was said. The part that I hope to never forget is when Chase said I love you Braiden. That honestly brought tears to my eyes. We had an interesting "Feliz Navidad!" We are now in a trio for about a week until the new Elder gets his companion. So we are working in both areas which is kinda hard becase its really big and we don't know the other area. But its been fun learning and working together. I have been eating plenty of tamales, and the majority of them come from Veracruz. I really like the tamales made with banana plant leaf. There is quite a big difference here in how Christmas is celebrated. Here they just have huge parties, and set off illegal fireworks. It's cool and all but not quite my thing for Christmas. We still have yet to see snow but it's still really cold. The weird thing is that I know its colder in Utah. This past week we had some good lessons that we taught. We have been using a lot of the story of Christs birth in Luke. I love reading it and sharing the message of our Savior's birth. This week was also a bit of a struggle having everyone go away for vacations. That's the hard part is finding people in their homes.

This week we are probably going to have the chance to go to the Temple again. We have a mission goal to have more baptisms for the dead than the SLC temple. Right now we are in second, which is pretty cool. So this week we are going to be working with some of the recent converts to do their family history work

                    

Well all is well with me and I hope that all are having a feliz Diciembre!

Love, Elder Thorpe

December 23rd, 2013

Hola y Feliz Navidad!!!

I hope all back at home is having a super Feliz Navidad! I was so happy to receive my packages this week. I was also so happy to see inside them so many letters from all of my family! This last week we didn't do too much. But we did have our mission dinner which was super fun and awesome. We also sang in all the 4 stakes in Juarez. It was such a wonderful experience and the spirit was so strong.

During this letter I'm just going to answer some of the questions that I was asked in the letters.

Have you baptized anyone? X5

Yes, I have been able to have three amazing baptisms. They are such amazing people and I was so fortunate to be able to help them change their lives.

Are you fed?

I eat every day with the members and the food here is AWESOME!!!

Do you like your companion?

I haven't had a companion that I haven't liked. Each one of my companions is a servant of the Lord as well as I am. One thing I have learned during my mission is to have charity for all. I love all of my companions, and all the people of Juarez.

Do you use a bike or a car?

I walk every day and it is awesome. I walk about 8 miles every day. It gives me a bunch of time to think and reflect on my life and my purpose. I also love to sing hymns as I walk.

I know this church is true! I love this time of year and the chance we all have to remember the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ!

8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the ^aglory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you ^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.

 11 For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.

 12 And this shall be a ^asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

 14 ^aGlory to God in the highest, and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:8-14

I love you all and hope you all have a merry Christmas!

Love,

Elder Thorpe

December 16th, 2013

Hola Familia,

I have been having such a great December here in Mexico. I have been enjoying the cold, strange as that sounds. But its actually been pretty nice. I have been super excited as we have been preparing to sing in all of the stakes in Juarez. We are somewhat starting to adjust to our area and we are starting to actually have a lot of success in our area. A recent convert in our area had a huge party at her house and we stopped by to visit. Her son returned home from being in a rehabilitation center for drugs and alcohol. His sister has a bapstim date for this saturday but we will see if that happens. We were also visiting her brother and he seems pretty cool. We are going to try and put a fecha. I have the goal for about 5 baptisms between December and January.

We have been struggling a bit with the Work of Salvation in our ward. I think the problem is that the members really don't understand how it works or the leaders don't quite understand.

I'm super excited for next week because one its Christmas, and two I GET TO TALK WITH MY FAMILY BY SKYPE ON THE 24th!!!! I love this time of year, I really do. One thing that I really like about this time of year is to sing the Christmas hymns. I, like dad, Love the hymn Silent Night. I love to sing it and I truely feel my Saviors love as I listen/sing.

I hope all is going well in Utah and all is well with everyone who reads this. I love you all and hope you all have a Super Merry Christmas!

For unto us a ^achild is born, unto us a son is given; and the ^bgovernment shall be upon his shoulder; and his name shall be called, Wonderful, Counselor, The ^cMighty God, The ^dEverlasting Father, The Prince of ^ePeace.

2 Nephi 19:6

Love Elder Thorpe

December 9th, 2013

Hello and Feliz Cumpleaños a mi hermanita Brooklyn! 14 años que suave. Espero que tengas un muy feliz cumpleaños!!!

Well this week was somewhat better than my last week we had more success! We actually received like 7 new investigators and the work is improving quite a bit. It's been really a bipolar week in respect of the weather. It's changed from cold to hot almost every other day.

I was super excited to be able to see the Christmas Devotional. I really loved the talk by Elder Nelson as well. I loved the part when his grandchildren were singing "Im trying to be like Jesus." I absolutely love that hymn. It really made my day.

But what I loved most was when we all sang Silent Night. I couldn't help but have tears. I felt the spirit so strong and I felt my Saviors love for me. I know that Heavenly Father loves all his children because he sent his only begotten son into this world. I know through the Atonement of Christ we can be saved. I love this time of year when we are reminded of our Savior. As missionaries we are going to have the opportunity to share the spirit of Christmas with all. We are going to be singing in all the stakes of Juarez and then later we will be singing in some public places.

I know that my Savior lives.

 Elder Thorpe and new companion

Love Elder Thorpe!

December 2, 2013

Well as all of you are probably assuming I got transferred, that would be true. I am actually not that far from my old area. We are actually neighbors. We share the same building so I get to see all of my old friends from Oasis. All of the JAS were asking for my Facebook so I'm sure it will be fun to continue to talk to them after the mission as well. The coolest part that happened before I got transfered is we had a baptism. It was actually really fast. In the morning during our personal study, her daughter called us and said, "My mom wants to get baptized this Saturday." Ha ha so that was cool. We taught her everything in about two days and baptized her the next. It was super awesome.

 

I am a little sad that I did get changed from my last area. But all for the better. Now I'm in the East stake. I'm in a Ward called Aeropuerto, which translates to airport. It's been quite a hard week actually because I'm opening a new area with a new comp. Its been kind of hard to go and search out all of the investigators and members in the area but we are surviving. I'm pretty bummed because we went from a super awesome house to a really crappy house that has nothing and its super cold at night. In the morning, because we still dont have gas, we shower with freezing cold water. But all is well and it will get better.

 

We went to the temple again. So that was super awesome. I was super busy confirming about 150 youth so that was super cool. There were about 500 people who went to the temple with us so that was such an awesome experience.

 

Elder Salines returned once again to Juarez because the leaders here just don't get it. The Lord truely is hastening his work but his servants are lazy. Last night to all of the Ward councils of Juarez and to President Derbez, he promised that the missionaries will in the mission will have 1,000 new investigators by January. That was super awesome. He is such and awesome General Authority.

I'm soooo looking forward to talking to you on the phone this Christmas I hope all will have a super awesome Christmas.

 

 

With much Love,

Elder Thorpe

 

 

71 And the Lord of the vineyard said unto them: Go to, and ^alabor in the vineyard, with your might. For behold, this is the ^blast time that I shall ^cnourish my vineyard; for the end is nigh at hand, and the season speedily cometh; and if ye labor with your might with me ye shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come.