March 30th, 2015

Dear Family,

Words can't describe the love that I have for the people here in Chao. I feel like every week I grow closer to them and and I enjoy working along side each and everyone of them. This last week serving has been so great, just as every week is. This last week Elder Campos and I worked really hard in teaching a lot of the new investigators that we had obtained the last few weeks. I think the last change we had 40 or so new investigators, and so we made it a goal to truly find the ones that our Father in Heaven has prepared for us to teach. There are many people in the world and I know that everyone needs to have the chance to accept the gospel in their lives, but they must be prepared to accept it. If they aren't, they will have a really hard time listening to the missionaries and accepting Jesus Christ and his Gospel in their lives. I think that is something that I have learned these last 9 months or so. I want to teach and find and help, but I have to do it as Heavenly Father would have me do it. 

That is something that I have wanted to focus on my entire mission, is really doing the will of the Father, and I know that I am only able to do that as I am living the commandments and as I try to become better each and every day. It is only through revelation that we are able to know the will of the Father, and we receive revelation as we live worthily to receive it.

I look forward to continuing on this great path in such a great place.

I love you all so much. I am so happy to be here in Peru serving such great people. Every day I grow so much as a person. I feel like I am turning into the Man that my Father in Heaven needs me to be. I love this gospel with all my heart. I know it to be true and I know that it is only through Christ our Savior that we can have true joy and happiness. This morning I read in John chapter 6. My love for my Savior grew even more as I read the he is the bread of life, and that no man cometh unto the father unless they partake of his body and blood (sacrament) I love my Savior. He is my Master and I will serve him forever. 

Love, 

Elder Thorpe

Baptism pictures

March 23, 2015

Dear Family,

This last Sunday was change night and..... I am still training! haha What a suprise right? 

This last week in Chao has been a really good week for us. To start off, we had a baptism this last Saturday which was really good. Hermano Manuel has been preparing to be baptized for a good while now, and he made the decision to be baptized this last Saturday. The baptism went really well and was really spiritual. This last week  we were also able to encounter two new families which was really good, because we have been searching and praying to find a family that is prepared to accept the gospel and I feel like this last week we were able to be lead by the spirit to these two new families that we found. Both families have such great potential and we look forward to working with both of them this next change. 

Every day Elder Campos and I look to become better missionaries and better servants. We take the advice of President Hinckley, which is try to be a little better the next day. We are super excited to work in Chao this next change and helping this branch grow to become a ward. We have big plans for this next change and look forward to working really hard so that we are able to reach some of the goals that we have set as a companionship.

Other than that nothing else happened. Just a lot of studying, walking, teaching, serving, and loving!!

I continue to grow in my love of this great work, which at times I feel is impossible, but I can't put into words how much this work means to me and the love that I have for it!

I love you all so much and hope you all have fantastic weeks!

Love,

Elder Thorpe

March 16th, 2015

Dear Family,

This last week has been really good here in Chao. I feel like I say that every week and I think that is because the work of the Lord is amazing. This last week Elder Campos and I were able to visit a lot of the new investigators that we had found the week before. A few of these new investigators are showing signs of progression and we are excited to work with each of them. One of our main goals however, has been to find a full family that we can help come unto Christ. We haven't quite found that family yet, but we continue to search every week whether it be through referals, contacts, or any other type of way.  We continue to search in hopes that we find them. I know that we will be able to find this family and many other families if we put our trust in God and allow him to guide us to where he wants us to go. 

I think I have come to understand a little more about what it means to be a consecrated missionary. To truly yield up our agency unto God and do as he would have us do. We must forget ourselves in this work, and while we do that, we will be blessed with what we need to do, the will of the Father. This is something that Elder Campos and I talk about on a daily basis, of how we can become the type of missionary that Heavenly Father needs. We know that there are many average missionaries, but these aren't the missionaries that Heavenly Father needs. He needs consecrated missionaries that are here to do his will and not the will of man. I have come to realize that at times it might seem hard, but just as always, our Father in Heaven has given us something to help us to be able to do that, that being our Saviors Atonement. I know that I can become this missionary as I put my confidence in the Lord and lose myself in his work. 

This next Saturday we are going to have a baptism, so we are super excited for him. His name is Cristian and is so ready to take on this decision in his life right now! We are super excited for him and the direction his life is going! Now I am sure you want to hear about what happened last week. Well pretty much my district had a meeting with the AP's so I was not called to be the AP haha. That is ok though because I couldn't be happier training right now! I continue to learn and grow every day and I look forward to serving more and more every day.

I love you all so much and hope that you have an amazing week!

Love,

Elder Thorpe

March 9th, 2015

Dear Family,

You are probably wondering why I entitled this email the next AP... Last night my district leader called me up and said that our distirct needs to be up`in the mission office today because President Marler needs us up there. My zone leaders said the reason was because I was getting called to be the next AP as well as my district leader, however... I don't think I will be the next AP for a few reasons. Normally they call a zone leader, I am in the middle of training, and normally the President will call the next AP personally over the phone. Who knows, we will have to see later today, but I am almost 100% positive that I won't be the next AP. haha

This last week here in Chao was super good. Elder Campos and I encountered a lot of new investigators to teach and so we are super excited to visit them this next week. Also we had a really good lesson with an investigator that is the spouse of one of the members here. This last week he committed to baptism for the 21st of March. He gave us an answer that went like this, "There is no other date that is right for me. I will get baptized on that day and the rest of my life will be changed" We are super excited for him and his decision of being baptized on this day. 

Every day Elder Campos and I grow in our unity and teaching. I am amazed how much he has grown over the last 4 weeks and I look forward to see how much he will grow in the next weeks to come as a missionary. We have often talked about what it means to be a consecrated missionary and actions that we can take to become more and more consecrated every day, and I feel as the weeks have gone on we have both grown a lot and have become more of the type of missionaries that our Father in Heaven needs.

I love you all so much and I am so happy to be here on my mission. I know I say that every week, but I can't say it enough. I love the work and will serve with all of my mind, might, heart, and strength.

Love,

Elder Thorpe

March 2nd, 2015

Dear Family,

I want to start off this letter by saying that Chao has been growing so much. This last week we had 84 people attend church which was really good. I have seen how much Chao has grown, not only in numbers, but as well as unity and spirituality. It amazes me every week to hear how much our members are growing and getting excited for upcoming events such as the dedication of the Temple.

Wow I can't believe that it is March! I think I say that every month.. haha 

This last week went by so fast! Elder Campos and I grew so much and it is like we have been companions for a good 2 or 3 changes now. We have grown so close together and I feel like our teaching and our area has grown so much because of that. It has been so great training. I learn so much every week and I look forward to growing and learning more each week.

This last week, Elder Campos and I were super busy and had a lot of really great and spiritual lessons. We grew more than I think we have this last week and I think the reason is because of how well we have been guided by the spirit this last week. For example, this last district meeting that we had, we felt that we were lacking a little bit in references and we had the plans to do a training this last Sunday for our branch so that we would be able to help our members know the importance of them in the work of the Lord. As we had this training, many members raised their hands asking for more tarjetas de referencia so that they would be able to give us more references. The spirit was extremely powerful and I believe that many hearts were touched. Also as we walked down the streets there were many members that came up to us telling us about names that they have and that they were going to pray about the names that night. 

Last Monday we played a game called Carnival which basically means you get a bucket of water paint and throw it at each other. That is what the picture is from. 

These last few days and this last week we saw many tender mercies of our Father in Heaven here in our area. Chao is growing so much and is being blessed by our Father in Heaven.

Love,

Elder Thorpe

D&C 123:12-13