March 31st, 2014

Hey fam!!!

So Cambios were this week and today I'm waiting in Juarez until tomorrow and then I go back to my area Laguna. I still have not met my new companion because he still hasn't arrived in Juarez yet. Yep, I'm training again! All I know is he's another Mexican companion and I am super happy for the opportunity to be training again. I'm starting to get better at giving my classes in District meeting. Last week I taught about the importance of revelation through the Book of Mormon. As we searched through the Book of Mormon we all couldn't help but feel the spirit as we remembered the importance of the Book of Mormon in the conversion of everyone. At the end we all shared our testimony of the Book of Mormon, and why we went on our mission (thanks Grandma Gillette). It was such an awesome/spiritual experience.

I was really sad that my companion Elder Imlay got changed, He was probably one of my favorite companions during the mission. But I know we´ll see each other again during the mission, and after. But I have been enjoying my mission so much. I can't wait for Austin to see how great the mission is.

I can't believe that this weekend is General Conference! I am so excited to see what the leaders of the church have in store for us this April. I love hearing from the Prophet and all the Apostles. This will be my third General Confrence during the mission. I'm super excited, I was even thinking about it how much I love General Conference now.

Our investigator Alexis is super awesome, he told the Relief Society President that he wants to get baptized and that he wants all his family to get baptized. He loves going to church and he loved the lesson that we gave about baptism. He is super awesome and has a baptism date for the 26th.

Well love you all!

Elder Thorpe

March 24th, 2014

Hey so this week was super awesome. WE HAVE A NEW GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR! He is so cool his name is Alexis we have only taught him twice but he'2s been to church 3 times. He has a baptism date for the 26th of April.  He has been reading quite a bit of the Book of Mormon and he says he wants to put everything we teach into practice. He is super awesome.

We also did play a basketball game against the super star basketball youth of the Dublan Stake. It was super fun and I had a huge block on a kid and all our team went crazy haha. It was super fun at the end they were all chanting ELDERS ELDERS ELDERS. It was awesome.

Also this week we went to the temple. I have now seen the smallest temple in the world. It is so pretty! I think it's one of my favorites. We did about 647 ordinances in total. (and those are family names) It was so great to see the members come with family names and do the work for them.

Oh and we actually did go to the Indian site. Its called Paquime. It was very interesting and fun to see the history of some of the people that lived here before. I absolutely love my zone.

My Comp. came back as well. I was super excited to be reunited with him. We just work really well together. It's not the same with Elder Bennett.

But I love you all and hope you have a great week.

Love Elder Thorpe

March 17th, 2014

HELLO!!!

Wow its honestly crazy to think that I have reached my 1 year mark. It's gone by  so fast it's almost unbelievable. I had kind of an interesting week. So they sent my companion to Juarez for a week to get better so I could get some work done in the area. So guess who they sent me....they sent Elder Bennett to work with me. How funny is that. We start the mission together and we complete a year together. This isn't a permament change it's  only for a week but yeah. I hope Elder Imlay gets better, he's one of my favorite companions.

So much has gone on this past year. It's also kind of sad to hear about all the kids from school that left for their missions and returned home already. But some of us are continuing on strong. A kid from my school just got called to be AP in his mission. I thought that was awesome. But to be honest I have really enjoyed this last year of my mission. It has been incredible and I have learned so much that I will be forever grateful for.

My District is awesome. One thing that I want them to understand is yes its great to put high goals for our key indicators but at the same time we need to be realistic. It's one thing to have faith and it's another thing to be a bit over yourself. But they are a great bunch of Elders who work hard. They haven't had too many problems (none to be exact).

Oh funny story so I did what everyone asked and the first American that I talked to in Casas Grandes just happened to be the mom of Shelly´s best friend. She said to say that Janice says Hi! Haha I thought that was awesome for that to happen. It is honestly weird to talk to Americans for me. I don't know are we really that bubbly or that nice its almost scary.

Well our investigators the family Villegas continue to progress and will soon be baptized the 30 of March. We keep finding new investigators to teach and I finally feel like progress has started to pick up. I love the work we do and I see the hand of the Lord helping everyday. I love the Savior and I want all to receive all of the blessings our Heavenly Father has prepared for us. This is the happiest I think I have ever been in my entire life.

Well love ya´ll.

Elder Thorpe

Elder Stewarts birthday party.

Elder Stewarts party.

Injury sustained from helping someone move.

March 10th, 2014

Hola!

Well not that much happened this week my companion got a really bad skin infection and we were basically in the house everyday. But on the bright side I did get to go on divisions with the ZL´s this week. We have been searching for another house in our area because president wants us to split the area. Its actually a really big area and it will make it easier to make visits with the area divided. We did set 3 baptism dates for the 30th of March. I'm super excited for them and the best part is they just came out and told us they wanted to be baptized. The mom is a member but her kids and brother living with them are not. We had never taught the uncle before and in the first lesson with him I commited him to baptism. Their name is the Vallegas family.

This week I was super excited because our ward started to progress in assistance. Some of the less actives that we have been teaching started coming back to church.I have realized now that it isn't how many baptisms I am able to have but that I do my best every day and the Lord will be pleased with my work. And now with the whole Work of Salvation we need to make sure that we are working in all of the areas. The way I judge my mission is by how it says in PMG, If you are obedient and are working hard and you can feel the spirt, the Lord is happy with the work you are doing.

Well my first week as DL went really good. I was really nervous to give the District meeting training but the ZL that sat in told me I did a good job. He said it gets better the more times you do it. My district is super awesome and almost all of them speak english (we have two Mexican elders one can speak fluent) But yeah my district is cool.

Also I love the central of Casas Grandes. It is so cool here and green. One of my favorite things about here is the Tortas, they are soooo good. I don't see too many Americans I see a bunch of menonites but thats really it. All the Americans are in the areas Las Colonias or Dublan. Ask Shelly what part shes from. I'm in more of a poor area of Casas Grandes.

Well love you all!

Elder Thorpe

Trying to stay fit.

Found some raspberries at the store.  I wonder if these are the same ones my family is getting at Costco that are from Mexico.

March 3rd, 2014

Well this week was super eventful for me. We had a ton of lessons that we taught we actually had an average  of almost 10 lessons taught per day. It was super fun getting to know my new area as my companion taught me. There are quite a bunch of families that I have met here that I absolutely love! Oh I also have a crazy story about what happend when I first got here. So I got to the Zone leaders house and we were all talking and I was getting to know my new companion. Then they asked me an interesting question, they said do you know who your district leader is? I said no that no one told me. That's when they said, no one told you did they, your District Leader! At first I thought it was a joke and I started laughing but then they told me it was real. So yep I'm now District Leader. So dad if you have any advice for me it would be much appreciated.

I did happen to get the package from Grandma and Grandpa this week and I absolutely loved it especially because it had my favorite chips in them. It was hard because I got the package right after I had started my fast so I had to wait. But I have been enjoying it a lot. Yeah we don't get the packages as fast here in Casas Grandes because one President waits for forever to go across the border to get them (which is a bad idea because he looks like he's smuggling) and two president doesn't come down that often.

It has now started to heat up and I didn't think it would get that hot this past week but I burnt my nose. I also realized I don't like riding bikes in the mission I would rather walk around. We got a new family that we are teaching and they are super awesome. They are those type of Catholics that say they are Catholic but they don't read the Bible or go to church. So its kinda nice the fact they know nothing, because we get to help them from the start. They are super awesome and interested. I'm pretty sure they will get baptized in March or April. We are also teaching these two kids and their uncle. We barely met the uncle this week and he said he wanted to be baptized. So they are awesome as well the only problem is they don't ever show up to church. I think that is the most frustrating.

But all in all I am really starting to love Casas Grandes. I'm going to look for something to send Austin before he leaves for his mission. I love all of you and hope you have an awesome week!

Love,

Elder (Braiden) Thorpe

Mexico Jungle Gym

Elder Imlay and Elder Thorpe