August 10th, 2015

Dear Family,

This week has been so crazy! I don't think I have had a more busy week in my mission! Most of this week has been a lot of planning and training, but probably one of my most favorite weeks of the mission so far. I have come to realize that I absolutely love zone trainings! I love giving a training out and setting a vision with my zone! It makes me so happy to think about all of the missionaries in my zone and to think of ways that I am able to help them with their needs. I have really come to love studying and focusing on other people rather than my own desires. When it comes to my zone, I think of them just as I think of all my investigators, with love. I really hope that they are able to see that and I hope that I am able to transmit how much I care for them through my actions. 

So this last week has been a lot of planning for the big zone training that we have every month. Our vision with our zone training was to help us better invite the spirit into our lessons and allow it to be the actual teacher instead of us. I learned so much giving this zone training. The spirit was so incredibly strong and truly was the teacher in our zone training. There has been a scripture that has been on my mind for a while now which we shared at our zone training, and that scripture is D&C 50:17-22. This scripture has become so clear to me these last couple of weeks. It doesn't matter what we are teaching or what we are saying as long as we are doing it all by the spirit. On the other hand, if we are teaching doctrines without the spirit -being true doctrines- sometimes that isn't the Lord's way. I have thought about this scripture over and over and I have come to understand that we can teach correct doctrines and still not be teaching in the way of the Lord. That is why it is so important to be ready to change and adapt according to the spirit, so that we may do all things in the way of the Lord. It is his doctrine and his gospel. If it isn't by his spirit we aren't teaching how he taught and how he wants us to teach. I have noticed that the times when things don't make sense or the times that investigators aren't able to progress are the times when missionaries try to teach it their way, and their way might not be bad, but it is not the Lord's way. I myself fall victm to this very topic. I catch myself doing the very thing and for this I try to do better each and every  day and pray to my Father for guidance that I may teach by his spirit.

We have such huge plans for our zone this next month. On the 21st of August we have a massive marraige planned and on the 22nd a huge baptismal service planned. We have been working with these two goals for the last 4 weeks and they now are all falling into place. We plan on marrying about 13 couples and having around 15 baptisms! We are still searching and praying for miracles, but I feel super good about the work that we have done here in my zone and for all of the blessings and miracles that I have seen this last month. 

On Sunday my companion and I were able to give talks in Church, which they went super good! I talked about the importance of missionary work as well as the power and blessings of missionary work. My companion then talked about the importance of members in missionary work. It was such a great meeting and we had so many people come up to us at the end and thank us for our talks.

All in all this week has been really good! My companion and I even got a special phone call from our dear friend Elder Meaker (Old companion) who is now an assistant and we were invited to go down and see a baptism in Chao! My old pensionista that I had been working with in Chao finally got baptized, so it was really good seeing her and seeing all of the members in Chao! I love that place so much and am so happy that I was able to serve there! 

I hope you all know how much I love this gospel and how much I love my Savior. I know he lives and loves us and that through him and his gospel, we are able to be saved and experience everlasting joy and happiness!

I love you all and hope you have amazing weeks!

Love,
Elder Thorpe