August 14th, 2014

This week went by so fast. It feels like just yesterday was P-day, but I'm glad that I have the opportunity to write today! I want to thank all of you for your prayers and love that you send my way! I can feel of your love and prayers every day and I appreciate all of you and the love that you have!

 

This week has been so great. I have learned so much in Spanish and from the Book of Mormon! The Book of Alma is so great and I just love reading in it because it's all about missionary work! Well there is a ton of things in the book but I love reading about the missionary work in it.

 

Anyways, to start off my week, I had the opportunity to go out and proselyte for the second time! Last time I went to Lima central and this time I went to Lima North. Both places are high in poverty, but Lima North is more of a poor area. My companion was Elder Jesus, and he is so great! Together we got assigned to teach less active families and the area that we were assigned was on top of the mountain! We taught this one family and I was able to bear testimony to them with my broken Spanish but it was all good. We also committed them to go to church on Sunday. The next visit we had was with a 17 year old boy. We taught about the Savior and the importance of the sacrament. When my companion closed I told him that I wanted to say something to the boy. As I looked this 17 year old in the eyes I could tell that he was lost and needed help.  I looked at him straight in the eye and said..

-I don't know a whole lot of Spanish, but what I do know is that you have a Heavenly Father that loves you and cares about you. He wants you to progress and return to him one day and you can do that through Jesus Christ, and Partaking of the sacrament. I know that my Savior lives, and through him and his atonement, I can become like him, and I know that you can too!

The entire lesson he never looked up at us, but when I testified I saw light in his eyes. We committed him to go to church on Sunday and I have a feeling that he is no longer going to be a less active member.

 

That experience was so great for me and I'm so glad that I had the opportunity to be in the area that I was in. Before heading down the mountain my companion and I stood, looking out to the valley and I imagined us as Alma and the sons of Mosiah looking out to the land of the Lamanites ready to teach. One of the maestros came with us and took our picture, so I'm hoping to get that and send it home!

 

The rest of this week was pretty good. I learned a lot in the scriptures and applied the doctrine to my life. I also feel like I had a mini revalation while reading in Alma 25, which was super exciting. I feel like Alma 25 has a deeper doctrine then what it seems to say in the scriptures..

Anyways, I'm having such a great time here and I love this gospel! As Elder Holland says, The gospel means everything to me! I want all of you to know that I love you so much, and you all are so great! I pray for all of you every night, and I hope you know how much I care about you! Once again, I love you and I hope that you all have fantastic weeks and I look forward to writing you next week!

 

Love,

Elder Thorpe