August 31st, 2015

Well the craziness of my weeks has come to an end. After getting everyone sent off to their new areas and receiving new missionaries we have come to a hault of all the craziness, which is great because we have been able to have more time to teach the people in our area. This last week was a really good start to this next change and being able to see all the new missionaries in the zone was really good for Elder Nielsen and I. The first day that Elder Nielsen was here we both sat down and put together a vision for our zone and area. We went over to the bishops house to talk to him about the plans for the ward and as we were there we had such a great experience. I have always wanted to be able to sit down with each bishop that I have served with so that we could create a vision for the ward and area and I have been blessed to serve with such great bishops that have had the desires to do so as well, and so as we were meeting with the bishop, we were able to share a little bit more about missionary work. The bishop in Moche is so excited to work with missionaries and allowed Elder Nielsen and I to present a plan to our Ward Council so that all of them could be more involved in this great work. I love seeing the desires of members that want to help the Lord in his work. It gives me such great joy to see their desires and willingness to serve the Lord. 

This week we had a ton of success teaching the families that are progressing and each and every one of them committed to work on being baptized and on going to the temple a year after their baptisms. There is nothing more special and more important for me than to see such great desires such as these. I truly believe that every family that we are working with will reach their goals in becoming eternal families, and I feel blessed to be a part of their conversion to the gospel. Being on my mission has increased my desires immensely in having an eternal family. I know that I can have one and I know that I will have one. Our Savior has testified of this time and time again and I know that if we are working toward it and have the faith that we can reach it, then the Lord will bless us with it. Just as he says in 2 Nephi 31:20, if we push forward with faith in the Lord putting all of our confidence in him, we will receive eternal life. 

I love the gospel so much. I know that my Savior taught his gospel, died for us, and lives. He is our perfect example and we should always try our hardest to be just as he is. I know that as we do so and as our hearts our focused on him, we will be blessed and understand everything that we should do. I know that this is the work of the Lord and that he wants all of us to return to him as eternal families. It is through the sacred bond and covenant of marriage that we are able to return to him and receive all that he has. I know this to be true because I have witnessed it and felt it in my life. 

I love you all and hope you have an incredible week!

Love,

Elder Thorpe