February 16th, 2015

Dear Family,

I can't believe that I have hit 7 months! Wow time really does go by fast while serving the Lord. So I was thinking last night that whenever I send out letters, I feel like they are never interesting and so I wanted to try to make them sound more interesting and well, just better. So this is my attempt to do that..

 

So as you know, I am training and I couldn't be happier! I am so happy that I am still here in Chao and that I am able to have a ¨Son¨ here in Chao with me! haha. This first week with Elder Campos has been pretty good. The start of the week was a little slow because Elder Campos has been trying to adapt to missionary life, but we were able to have a few great lessons with a few investigators and less actives. This first week I have been trying to help Elder Campos adapt to missionary life and just a few other minor things from the mission, which he seems to be adapting really well. He is super quiet and doesn't always like to open up and talk a whole lot, but toward the end of the week he started opening up to me a little more and started to open up more as well with the investigators in sharing his thoughts of the gospel. We have started practices every morning, especially with the lessons because he isn't completely familiar with the lessons and all of the main points of the lessons, which I didn't expect him to be, but the practices have been going really well and have affected the way that we teach together.The first few lessons were a little scattered and we weren't completely united, but I had a talk with him on unity and the importance of having the same vision, which I believe has helped us a lot.
This week was a great start for him as well because we were able to have a baptism and an Alma rescatada, which he was super excited about. I am glad that all of that was able to work out this week and that he could come into the mission with a great week of missionary work. The work in Chao is growing each and every week. Our consejo has grown so much in the last month and I feel like our branch is more unified than it has ever been. We missed a couple of key families at church this last week and I think if they were there we would have reached the high 90's in assitance again, but all and all this last week was a great week for us. 

 

So as I mentioned, we had a baptism this last week! His name is Frederico and I am super excited for him. He is one of the investigators that I had that right when I met him, I knew he would get baptized! I am super excited to continue teaching him and hopefully in a year enter into the temple with him! We are hoping that this next week we can help his receive the Priesthood and maybe even a calling! Who knows? Also we have a less active in our branch that we have been working with that has become more active and is working to go to the temple, so we are super excited for her. 

 

Luckily this week I was feeling way better and that I was able to get back out working. At times I miss Elder Farnsworth because we were so unified and could teach any lesson, knowing exactly what the other would say, and so this first week of teaching was a little rougher. Elder Campos is way quiet and a bit shy and so the lessons have been mostly me talking, and when he normally talks he testifies about the gospel of Christ, which is great, but not always what we are talking about. That is alright though because he is in training and learning. I feel so blessed to have such great people in my life like all of you that raised me so great in the gospel and of the knowledge that I have because of that. I look forward to this next week of teaching a practicing with Elder Campos and I hope I can be the example that he needs to become a great missionary.

 

I LOVE this gospel so much and the blessings that come from it. I testify of the truthfulness of the gospel that it truly does bring true happiness. I testify that Jesus is the Christ and that he loves us so much. It is through him and his mercy that we are able to progress and be saved. I love the Book of Mormon so much and I see the truthfulness of it as I read and apply the doctrine into my life and my teaching. I hope you know that I love you all so much and that I know that I am here on my mission as a representative of our savior Jesus Christ, doing his work.

Love,

Elder Thorpe