Elder Thorpe,Elder Salinas (Area Seventy), Elder Hernandez

Flooded street after a rainstorm

Flooded park.

September 30, 2013

Well this week was super awesome! We have been continuing to teach Antonio more and more and he keeps progressing as a new member of the church. We taught him about the Priesthood and how it is such an important power that we receive as men of the church. We also explained about the importance of the Temples and our family history. In this mission we are starting folletos (can't remember the word in English) that are all about family search and our genologia (as well I cant remember how to spell in English). These folletos are going to be the first in all the church, and we have the great opportunity to start this awesome work. On October 15 we are going to send the folletos to Church Headquarters and they are going to see if they were successful. If they were all of the world is going to have these folletos. How cool is that. I'm starting to fill mine out but I still have things missing.

Dad: I need your birthday/place and the day you and mom were married/the place as well. I also need the birthdays of Grandma and grandpa and the day and place they were married as well as for both great grandparents. I dont know the names of grandpas parents, if you can find that out and send it to me that would be awesome. (by next week)

Mom: same for you I need info of your side of the family.

As well I need a brief story of each person that I can write beneath their name. Dad if you can translate them in espanol that would help me a ton. If not no worries I can speak spanish and translate just fine. I think. haha

This is such an awesome opportunity that we have in the mission and I am super happy to be serving.

We also had our primary program and as I sat their and listened to these sweet children sing and bear testimony that Jesus is the Christ, I couldn't hold back my tears. As I was sitting there I remembered the scripture of the Savior when he said:And they arose from the earth, and he said unto them: Blessed are ye because of your faith. And ^anow behold, my joy is full. And when he had said these words, he ^awept, and the multitude bare record of it, and he took their little children, one by one, and ^bblessed them, and prayed unto the Father for them. And when he had done this he wept again; And he spake unto the multitude, and said unto them: Behold your little ones. And as they looked to behold they cast their eyes towards heaven, and they saw the heavens open, and they saw angels descending out of heaven as it were in the midst of fire; and they came down and ^aencircled those little ones about, and they were encircled about with fire; and the angels did minister unto them.

I love to listen to the Primary. The children truely have a sweet spirit.

I love all of you and hope all is well.

Love,

Elder Thorpe

Elder Thorpe hits the 6 month mark.

Elder Thorpe, Antonio and Elder Hernandez

September 23rd, 2013

Well this week was just awesome. I really felt something pushing me along as I strived to work hard to serve the Lord. I know it was the Spirit. I don't know this week I just felt it really strong. This past week we really strived to help Antonio to quit smoking. We visited him everyday and every day we shared some scriptures and some encouragement, and it really did help. Antonio was baptized on September 21, 2013. He went from smoking a whole pack of cigaretts plus a day to being clean and ready for baptism in 3 months. I was super happy for him that he made this step in his life. I honestly can see what my purpose is here in the mission. I'm not here to baptize, I'm here to change lives. I know that this is the purpose of all of us in this awesome work. We have such an awesome opportunity to bring others to our Heavenly Father.

Wherefore, you are called to ^acry repentance unto this people.And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one ^asoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!
D&C 18:14-15

I am so glad to be serving a mission. I have dreamed about these days all my life, and now I am finally here.

I love all of you so much and pray for each and every one of you individually. You are one of the many reasons that keeps me going.

Love,
Elder Thorpe

 New companion Elder Hernandez

Sept.16th. 2013

Well this week was a really wet week. It rained here for about three days straight. It was kind of crazy considering most of the North part of Juarez was completely flooded. Even parts of our area had many streets flooded. But we were all safe and protected. Our house was in perfect condition and nothing was ruined. We also had kind of a difficult week as well, our investigators Luis and Haydee will not be able to listen to us in the night because Luis now is working two jobs. So this is kind of a problem. Were working a lot with our Ward Mission Leader to see if there is any thing that we can do. But we also had some good news Antonio has the baptismal date for the 31 of Sept. and is looking like his baptism will happen. Something that has been really hard for me is being in the house....why.....well because we have to speak english in the house and my comp. doesn't understand english. so its been kind of a struggle trying to teach him english.

This week for some reason I've been on a hunt or a search to learn more about the Atonement. I don't know why but I love learning about the Atonement. Ive been studying it out really hard searching scriptures and Jesus the Christ, listening to talks. I found something really interesting that I would like to share.

In 1 Nephi 8:10 it says
"And it came to pass that I beheld a ^atree, whose ^bfruit was desirable to make one^chappy."

now what is the tree, the tree is the love of God.

And we read in John 3:16-17
"For ^aGod so ^bloved the ^cworld, that he^dgave his ^eonly begotten ^fSon, that whosoever ^gbelieveth in him should not perish, but have ^heverlasting ⁱlife.
For God ^asent not his Son into the world to ^bcondemn the world; but that the world through him might be ^csaved."

THE ATONEMENT.

haha

I love studying the scriptures and learning more and more.

I love you all and miss you all.

God be with you till we meet again.

Elder Thorpe

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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

September 2,2013

So this week was pretty cool. Bueno with our  investigators they are going to wait a few more weeks for baptism which is all good. In reality they really do need time to prepare. A couple that we are teaching right now Luis y Haydee told Elder King and I that they want us to be here for their sealing in the Temple. They even said that they want us to be the witnesses of their sealing! So thats pretty cool, we will probably baptize them in a few weeks because its a new rule here in Mexico that all our investigators need to attend the church 5 times before baptism.

Elder King goes home in a few days and its kind of sad to think my trainer is leaving! But I know we will continue to talk and be friends after the mission. So that means Im getting a new companion. But who will it be? Well actually I know who it is. His name is Elder Hernandez he is from Veracruz and he just arrived here in Mexico! So that means that I am a trainer. Its kind of hard to believe considering that I only have 5 months! But I know that the Lord has something big in store for me. I know that with hard work, faith and a lot of prayer I will have the help I need. Because of what the Lord has promised us in the scriptures.

In fact speaking of the scriptures I have been reading about the dream of Lehi a lot during my studies and I have learned a lot about the Atonement and the Gospel. Ive learned the importance of Holding Fast to the Rod of Iron. I know that when we learn to take the scriptures and really strive to learn from them and apply what we learn in our every day lives, that is when we are Holding Fast to the Rod of Iron.

I hope everyone is as excited as I am for General Conference!

Elder Thorpe

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August 26th, 2013

Que dice! well this was an interesting week I was asked to speak in Church! I was asked oh about 5 min. before church started. So I had about 25 to 30 min. to prepare a talk. Now that really isn't a lot of time to prepare a 10-15 min talk (especially when you don't speak spanish very well). But I humbly accepted and went back to my seat and began to listen. I wasn't listening to the meeting, in fact I really wasn't listening at all. Instead I was praying and pleading with my Heavenly Father for HELP!!! As I prayed I listened, I listened hard. I needed help and I needed it right then and there. As I thought of what I should talk about, the impression came to me to read in Helaman 5. I read Helaman 5:12.
"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

I felt inspired to talk on our savior Jesus Christ. I read about how Jesus was born of a virgin mother, and how he lived a perfect life and atoned for all of our sins. I spoke that we must build our foundation on the perfect teacher, and how we can follow him by repenting, being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the end. I spoke how we can return to live with him and our Father in Heaven thanks to the Atonement. I then finished with my testimony of the Savior. I felt I had done a decent job when I had finished. Everyone afterwards kept coming up to me and telling me how good a job I did. But I almost feel like they are only saying that because my spanish is ehhh. But then I thought to my self that the Spirit is who testifies of the truth. I know I felt the Spirit when I testified of our Savior. I know that they all felt the spirit.

Afterwards also I asked Elder King how I did and he said I did good. He said that I said something funny. He said that I said that the Devil throws his taxes at us. haha.

But it's all good

I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that he appeared before Joseph Smith and through Joseph Smith he restored his Gospel once again on the Earth. I know that he lives and that he loves each and everyone of us individualy. I know that through him all mankind might be saved.

I almost forgot. I also have been sharing a story of my biggest Hero in my life. It's interesting how we have ficticious heros like Iron man, or Batman. But the biggest heros in our lives should be the people who we know and Love. One of the biggest Heros in my life apart from my mom, is my Dad. He is truely a Nephi in these later days. I say this because of Nephi 16. Nephi and his family were doing everything right living the gospel responding to the Liahona. When a trial comes up. Nephi breaks his bow. His family starts to murmur but not Nephi. Nephi acts on this trial and makes a bow of wood. This is like my biggest Hero with his MS. My dad got this disease unexpectedly. But what he did is what amazes me. He acted on this trial. And he continues to act. He is my inspiration and I want to grow up to be like him.

Elder Thorpe