July 15th, 2013

As I Have Loved You Love One Another

This past week I have learned quite a bit about the importance of not looking at people as they are now but as they may become. This has been something hard for me to learn. Especially because of the circumstances of the area I am in. I know that the ward that I am in has potential to change. Its going to take alot of work but its possible.
I have been trying to pay more attention to the promptings of the spirit as well. This week I felt like I have been listening to a little bit of Heaven as I have tried to pay more attention to the Spirit. I love reading the scriptures and listening to the what I am about to be taught.

This past week we have also been watching some Mormon messages as well. It's incredible how much the church is using technology. I actually really love that they are using it this much. My favorite video I saw was called Origin. Its about a girl who is seeking the truth. She quotes a lot of JS history, and its really cool. I feel a lot of people are confused today just as Joseph Smith was. With all these religions which one is right. Just like him we need to pray to know of the truthfullness.

I know this Church is true. I know this work is right. And I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ.

Elder Thorpe

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

July 1st,2013

So we met our new Mission President yesterday. He is super awesome, & smart. He and his wife studied Math in college, and when I say math I mean like deep crazy I don't want to go near it Math. So yeah they are both super smart. They said that they are going to visit our houses. Not sure how often but they are. The President said the Work of Salvation is on. What we are going to do with our converts is the missionaries are going to watch over them and keep visiting them until they go to the temple, and if they are our convert the President will send us to go see them go through the temple. Before October this mission will have 100 new missionaries. With all the new technology use in the missionary work our mission is going to be getting smart phones. One thing the Latins were not very stoked about is that all of them have to learn English. He said it isn't an option. The President wants to get to know our families. So he says he will be emailing you. He seems like a really loving president.

So haha crazy news for you so don't freak out. I was in the Hospital last tuesday. I got sick and was throwing up a ton. So they took me to the Hospital and gave me suedo to rehydrate my body. Elder King said I looked like I was dead when I was sleeping, haha. But I am SUPER BIEN!!! Y Yo sentio mucho mejor!

The weather here just gets hotter and hotter. Its sometimes ridiculous. We have a few new investigators who seem good but we will see. I'm not gonna lie I feel like I'm ready for a change of some sort. Either send me to a new area or something. But all is well and change will happen in time.

Hope all is well back at home.

LOVE,

ELDER THORPE

ps. I was reading in the Bible today and I thought it was funny imagining Jesus when he was flipping over the tables in the Temple.

June 24,2013

Hold the phone missionary work is going VIRTUAL. The announcements were crazy. I honestly cannot believe that soon almost all of the missionaries in the world will be preaching the gospel by Facebook, Blogs, & Email. I really liked how they all talked about how every member a missionary. It is so true as missionaries it is super hard to just knock on someones door who is a reference or someone random. If you think about it would you just invite a stranger into your home. Working with members is extremely   important. We need to be a BEACON and a LIGHT to all the world. When we are on the Lords errand we are entitled to his help. I really liked the scripture reference they used, (Alma 26:7) "They are in the hands of the Lord's harvest, & they are his." They also spoke a lot on the importance of acting in/on faith. If we are anchored in the gospel, our homes will be stronger.

I also really liked what the said about how "good missionaries act on love."It's also  extremely   important for members of the church to learn to love the investigators as well, so they feel wanted. This is a huge problem in the area that I am currently serving in. The Bishop is not animated and the leaders are struggling. No one does their home teaching/visiting teaching. The ward is extremely disfunctional, there isn't a lot of unity, and super hard to work with. Sometimes we are almost afraid of bringing our investigators to church because we don't want to lose them (part of the reason why we left Antonio) The other night Elder King said, they might as well call us the Home Teachers of the ward. At times we feel like we are walking in circles - Talk by Pres. Uchtdorf (June ensign/liahona). But as President Monson said in his address to us. If we live the gospel and ACT IN FAITH, the Lord will help strengthen the area that we serve in. We need to act in Faith.

Compared to God we are nothing, But to God we are everything!

I know that this work is true and it could not be done without the help of the Lord in my life. I know that this is where I am needed and that my action will be as a pebble dropped into a pond they will ripple and spread through out the years. I am a servant in the Lords vineyard. I plant, I nurture, I harvest.

Elder Thorpe

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June 17th, 2013

I'm in Chihuahua right now for something to do with my Visa, no se. The trip here was long and hard becuase they play movies on the tvs and we aren't allowed to watch them. So what did I do, I just took a really long nap. It's my companions B-day this week so we are probably going to celebrate in some way. I'm probably going to be getting my package as well while I'm down here, pero quien sabe.

Our investigator Antonio says that he wants to get baptized on the 4th of July because it's a special day for him. But were not really sure if he is going to get baptized now. He still smokes quite a bit and he owes a lot of debt, so he thinks he's going to have to open up his store again on Sunday. But you know if it doesn't happen with him he has the seed planted. I know he will get baptized eventually.

I have found that just talking to people in spanish is a great way to learn spanish. Its still really hard. Everything is great in my area though. We have been working a lot with the members teaching them the Doctrine of Christ. Our best option right now is going with the member trying to strengthen them.

I think what's going to happen with me is I am going to stay in my area and when the new generation comes Elder King will get transfered and I will start to train. If that does happen I hope I train a Mexican so I can start to get better at my spanish.

I love you all and miss you all so much.

Elder Thorpe

Oh PS for my plaque I am in Juarez and my scripture I want it to be Alma 17:11

Day after a rain storm.

Buzz cut.

June 10th, 2013

Whats up Fam. This past week was probably my hardest week here. The temp. is reaching triple digits and continues to get hotter. I buzzed my head so hopefully that helps. The spanish just continues to be a struggle and frustrates me sometimes. But I know that it can be achieved. Our investigator Antonio continues to improve and will hopefully be baptized this Saturday. He has improved alot with him not smoking as much anymore. We gave him some mints and told him to take them whenever he feels like smoking and to say a prayer when he does that. He told us Sunday that he had been using them and he hadn't been smoking. He's gone 3 days without smoking. So that's awesome. We had 6 investigators at Church this Sunday which was awesome. We are hoping to place 4 fechas this week and baptize a family in the next couple weeks before the President leaves.

The new Elders arrive today, and I believe I survived another transfer which is nice. I really like the area I'm in. The Ward members are really nice and I have enjoyed helping them become more converted.

This past week I have been reading alot in the New Testament. Sometimes I am super confused about what Jesus is trying to teach. Im sure its awesome. I never realized how much I could learn to love reading the scriptures.

One thing we have been teaching alot of is the Doctrine of Christ. Its really important and I think you should read it. Its 2 Nephi 31. Its super awesome and reminds us what our goal is in life.
I hope you are all having an awesome time in Utah.

Love, Elder Thorpe

Streets of Juarez

Train tracks I walk along every day.

Not your typical Mexican food.

June 3, 2013

So I have some super awesome news! We have a new investigator his name is Antonio and he is AWESOME! He went to the Sunday meeting with Elder Christopherson and when we went to talk to him he said he felt the spirit really strong. His exact words were, "Did you feel what I felt." We gave him a Book of Mormon and he read to 2 Nephi 20 in 2 days. We also gave him the restoration folleto and he read it 3 times and understood it very well. He really likes history and there is a story about a man in white clothes that came down and taught the people here in Mexico. So he really likes reading in 3 Nephi about Jesus Christ visiting the Americas. His only problem he has is he smokes a lot. But we taught him about the word of wisdom and gave him a blessing. He says he's going to try to live it. We have his baptismal date set up for the 15th of June. So the work is getting better, just like Elder Christopherson promised. I can't believe I already have a month here in Mexico. It's so crazy. I survived the first transfer and still have my comp. Thank goodness. I bore my testimony in church yesterday, It was short simple and sweet. But the spirit that was in the room during that testimony meeting was amazing. Im so happy that Antonio was there to feel it. Spanish is getting better each day. I try to memorize at least 6 words a day but I sometimes can only get like 4.

I have something that I would like to say to all of the youth back home. Read the Book of Mormon every day! Pray to your Heavenly Father Every day with a sincere heart, and Live What you learn in this gospel. Become converted and stay converted. Don't be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Always remember when you are feeling down or hurt, or even if you are going through a tough trial. There is only one person who knows that feeling and only one who can help you. He is your older Brother and Savior Jesus Christ. I love this gospel so much. It has blessed my live as I have learned it and live it. And I know It will bless yours.