Letter Home 2-22-2015

Hello family and friends!

This week flew by fast, we were able to continue on in another week of working. Tomorrow which is Tuesday here, we will have a latter day Apostle of the Lord coming to visit us. David A. Bednar will coming tomorrow!!! We will be seeing him as a whole mission and also with a little twist with that, the Hamilton mission elders and sisters will be joining us in this conference. Just last week we had one of the seventy come a visit us and now we have an Apostle coming down to see all of us...everyone is getting excited. Elder Bednar gave us all some assignments to do before his visit. He has an understanding of the spirit that I never heard of. He understands the role of spirit in the Lords work, in ourselves and how it is the key in everything we do. He is the reason why I have been having this urge, wanting to understand the spirit a lot and how we as missionaries can better teach and describe the spirit in a way that it is not our words but the words of Heavenly Father reaching out to his children. We are all very excited about tomorrow and what is to come!!! 

For P-day we were able to get together as a district to meet up and play some basketball. Loving the Panmure area that my companion and I are able to work in. All the kids in the neighborhood are getting to know who we are and what church we are representing. We were able to get a line of teenage kids from one end of the street to the other all lined up to have a race from one bus stop to another which would be a 100 meter dash. It felt like we were in the Olympics, well for me it did, my companion was on the side counting down and telling us when we can go, he did a great of shouting the word "GO!". It was a great way of connecting with the kids and to see that the rest of the neighborhoods kids sitting and watching as well, laughing with us, not at us...I hope. We were able to have a great week because we got my companions bike working. We are back in action on the bikes again. We were beyond ready, our hearts were beating hard because of the hills and the nice sun shining on us, we knew it was a going to be a beautiful day to be able to go out and serve others. 

This week was a lesson the come from two scriptures, Ether 12:27 "weaknesses" and Helaman 14:30-31 "good restored back into us". These two scriptures were the highlight of our companionship this week. Elder Fitzsimmons and I were able to rethink about the week and how it was a eye opener for both of us. Even though we both thought that we were all good, not needing anything else, boy were we wrong, the Lord was able show both of us our weaknesses. Just as the scripture in Ether says, as long as we are humble enough, we can let the spirit inside of us to work in making those little adjustments. We saw a big difference when we were both humble enough from learning from our mistakes, thats the reason why we all have weaknesses. It is something not to be ashamed of but to look at it as an opportunity to improve and that was something we caught onto. We were able to see the miracles that happened. It comes from understanding the spirit and that we are literally sons and daughter of a loving Heavenly Father. We are all his spirit children, he has a mission for all of us to return back to him. On Sunday, Elder Fitzsimmons and I felt the spirit work in both of us as we were "seeking" the spirit by faith. We didn't wait for the spirit to show us the miracles but we went out seeking for those spiritual moments that would help our testimonies of the gospel grow. We were lead to one of our part member families and caught up with the whole family. The mom is a member but hasn't been to church in years but we were able to teach her 22 year old son named Con. He used to take lessons from past missionaries but back then didn't have a desire to give up some of the things that were holding him back. Just listening to Con to see where his understanding of the gospel was, the spirit directed us into teaching him how to recognize the spirit for himself. We able to use the wind as an analogy, we can't see the wind but we can feel it so that is similar with the spirit. When we do things according to the Lord, we have the spirit manifest to us the truth. When we are not trying and are doing things against Heavenly Fathers direction then we tend to loose the influence in our life. We did a pro and con list with Con on why he should continue what he is doing and why he shouldn't continue what is doing. He was able to see the big picture from the list and saw there were more con's than pro's. That got him to really think and ponder about what he has been doing. We left him with a commitment to continue to test the gospel principles we teach and to apply it in his life. He gladly accepted us to keep coming over. 

After leaving Con's house we road our bikes down the neighborhood and felt the impression to go down the street that we did-not have in our plans to go down. It was an experience like Nephi had when he had no clue why he was to go where he was to go to find Laban but he trusted in the spirit to direct him where to go. Then he found Laban laying down on the ground. That experience was just what happened to my companion and I, we had no idea why we needed to go down this street but we followed the impression and went down. We applied our brakes softly, and noticed a man leaning against his car. We went up, introduced ourselves, and found out that he was related to some people that are members of the church and would see missionaries in Tonga as well. FuFu is his name. He has five boys, no girls besides his partner. FuFu expressed that he had a weakness and that he just couldn't overcome. Something that would always pop up in his head and continually come and go. We shared with him that when we build our house on the foundation of Jesus Christ then we can see our families unified more. He also didn't understand the spirit but being able to study about the spirit my companion and I were able to teach him by the spirit. He didn't realize some of the things until we explained it to him. He also happily accepted our invitation to learn more about the gospel of Jesus Christ and to try it out with his family. 

This week was all about understanding the spirit and how it is a big part of conversion. It was a fun week, interesting, life changing and always full of joy! We were able to have some great family nights with some of the members, playing games as well as doing service. The members are loving us and trust us more and more as we go and see them! Love this area and the people. Hope you all have a very uplifting week! Words of advice, just follow and trust in those promptings. They are there for a reason.

Tell we meet again. Elder Thorpe

Letter home 2-16-2015

Hello Family and Friends!

Sorry about the late weekly letter. Monday we had a meeting with one of the quorum of the seventy who looks after the New Zealand mission. His name is Elder Nielsen. While shaking his hand I was about half way to his stomach. He is very, very, VERY TALL and for some of you that don't know me yet I'm pretty short. Today is our P-day instead and it is really weird to have one on Tuesday which is something new but fun and I am being obedient not trying to break any rules promise. This week was an eye opener weak for my companion and I. 

We were able to ride our bikes through the streets and meet people here and there making sure that we didn't miss someone we didn't talk to. Gotta love the Islanders down here because they all have really inspiring stories. My companion and I had a week of just following the spirit and letting it do the work instead of us. We were at one of our members house teaching one of their daughters who is a member but not active in the church. We ended up getting to know her and what she has been doing. Her partner that she is with is a member as well but is also not active and they have a small son. She expressed that even though she grew up as a member she never knew "what her purpose was". That caught our attention, we both sat there and listened to her reason and were able to focus on her rather than to focus on what to say. We showed her a video on Mormon message about a brief description of the plan of salvation and then gave her an invitation to read the plan of salvation pamphlet. She happily accepted the invitation! What a special miracle to be able to follow the promptings of the spirit to go to that house to be able to see her at the right place at the right time. Later on we were able to tell some jokes with her and gain that trust from her that we were there to help her and her family. After we got done, her brother who is a returned missionary from a long time ago showed up to the house with his wife who is a non member. His name is Noah and his wife and him were happy to see us at their place. We have been able to teach Noah's wife about the truth. We had a lesson with him and her a couple of weeks ago and they both left with something new to learn. We were able to catch up with them both, Noah has never been open to the missionaries before but is now openly engaged with us. For example he thought he still was the young missionary that he once was and asked if he could ride one our bikes. While trying to do some tricks that he once was able to do, Noah while on my companions bike heard something crack!...all of the sudden it went from laughing to "oh snap!". My companion being the great Elder that he is shook it off and smiled and said everything is okay. Noah accidentally broke the chain of his bike, but we all still laughed it out!. The thing is, we were blessed to have the opportunity to take Noah out with us for the rest of the night to visit some investigators. This was the first time in ages that he has been out with the missionaries, so having the moment to go out with him sure did bring great memories back to him. At the end of the night all that mattered was that the Lord put us in the right place at the right time and that we didn't panic. We trusted in the Lord and went with what he planned out. Even though one of us is without a bike we were able to still move on and work hard. 

Monday rolled around and we had one of the Seventy show up to our mission to have a big meeting with us and four other zones in the mission. Elder Nielsen was able to come out to teach us about the principle of working in unity, loving others and their differences, loosing ourselves, trusting in the Lord, understanding the spirit and much more. Our mission president told us a story that stood out and something that we could all apply. He told it like this. "there was this man rock climbing and found himself hanging onto a branch for dear life. The man then suddenly heard a small voice and this voice was a gentle voice. It went like this,

the Voice: "do you believe that I created this mountain?" 

the man: "yes'

the voice: "do you believe I can make these rocks fall?"

the man: "yes"

the voice:" do you believe that I can make a strong enough wind that will blow you back onto of this mountain?"

the man: "yes"

Then there was this long pause...and the still voice then said these three powerful words "then let go". This story can be applied in all our lives, we need to trust in the Lord and let go of the past and move forward hoping that our future will be better than our past. There are times where Heavenly Father is going to tell us those exact words that the man heard "then let go". We need to let ourselves go and go to work, loosing ourselves and being more selfless. Not letting our natural selves interfere with the spirit that hinders the work. Doing His will is more satisfying than doing our own. Follow the spiritual promptings that we get having that full faith that Heavenly Father has a plan. We have to find our connecting points with others, get to know them, and then when they say a concern or problem turn fully and let the spirit direct us in "what to say and what to do". We used the spirit as an example of the wind, we can't see the wind but we can feel it, just like the spirit we can't see the spirit but we can feel its influence on us when we start doing what is right. A missionary once told me this "by small and simple things, great things are brought to pass. When we understand who we are then those basic principles of the gospel are what will help more in feeling the influence of the spirit. There's nothing more satisfying than work!!! We were also taught about marriage and how being with a companion teaches us to love our differences, accept each other and to be able to work things out just like we would when the time is right to get married. The mission is preparing us to become better sons, daughters, fathers, mothers, and grandparents. That is why is is important to work in unity!

Last experience we had, was right after the meeting we went back to our area around six o'clock.  We were walking down the street on a hill and noticed that one of our investigators named Phil was sitting on his front porch. Phil expressed to us that he was concerned about his family, he was one day at this party and saw and man get beaten to death and was one of the witnesses. He went to the police to see those six guys that beat that man to death, he said that ever since that experience he has been very uneasy and scared if one of them would shows up to his place. Now they are all getting out of jail. Our brother was looking for a way out, to find the peace and comfort that he needs. We shared the importance of becoming closer to God. We were instruments in the hands of the Lord seeing him change from scared to being comforted by the spirit, he said he didn't believe something that wasn't there. We told him to read read Alma 32:27 which says "let this desire work in you" meaning let the spirit of the Lord in your heart that he will be able to help. He changed after that and told us he didn't know how to really pray so we directed by the spirit to go into helping him become acquainted with his Heavenly Father. 

What just happened this week, I have no idea just doing Heavenly Fathers will. A week of lessons, insights, and uplifting moments. It is time to let things go and get to work! Thank you all for all you have helped with! hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Thorpe a.k.a Islander boy with a smile :)

Birthday celebrations and a hospital visit

Hello family and friends back at home in good old USA! It's a new month and I can't believe it's that time of month again. My companion, Elder Fitzsimmons birthday was last week and we got to celebrate it with the other elders by meeting up at one of our flats. There were eight of us total at one of the flats. We got up to playing some intense board games and afterwards we sang him a birthday song. Some of us went outside and played some good old American football tossing the pig skin around just like old times. My companion and I also got onesie PJ's from the warehouse just for ten dollars. Yes it was what he wished for and I had no way to get out of it so we went and bought some and I might say they don't look bad. The other Elders were just in shock when we showed up at their flats wearing onesie's. We wore them proudly around everywhere we went, we got some weird looks here and there but missionary work has helped us out, not being afraid to be ourselves.

Throughout the week we were able to see some miracles happen while being out riding our bikes. We were running out of time, about time for us to go back into our flats. As we were going around the corner of a street at night time, we noticed a guy sitting on his steps of his house in his front yard. Taking no thought about time and not worrying a out what to say to him we turned around, parked our nice looking bikes and went up to him. While introducing ourselves to him, he asked where we were from we told him we were from the United States. From there we started talking about our religion and why we were out here in New Zealand. Thank goodness for the spirit with us because we were able to come down to earth with him and talk to him showing that we were normal. We told him "As missionaries we are out here for two years without our families to invite others to hear the message that we share. We don't force people to hear the message, we don't want to increase the number of our church, but rather we want to let others known that they can find inner peace through the message we share about Jesus Christ and how because of Him we can be forgiven. Many of us have trails and situations in our lives that we feel we are not good enough but because we have a loving Heavenly Father, we can have that peace for ourselves and in our families". The man was able to open up to us and see that we were just there to help him and invite him for himself to find out about the wonderful message we share. We got a return appointment with him, his name is James, 21 years old and doesn't know much about God but wants to find out for himself. During the week we went back to his house, went inside and talked to him for a good hour and a half about what he wants. At the end we invited him to let us continue to come by and share more, we left him with a picture of Jesus. His sister and her little boy were also in the home so we were able to talk to them as well, not about the gospel but just about life. It was a miracle to find James, he is quiet but takes everything in and is humble, very humble. 

Throughout the week we were able to teach part-member families. On Sunday we also met another person, her name was Tina, 32 year old woman who is in another religion but we were able to just stop on our bikes and talk to her. Found out she is half Fijian and half Samoan. She is the middle child in her family, doesn't have a family of her own but just studying school. She told us her story that she used to smoke and do drugs when she was in her teens but came to find God for herself and gave all that up, drinks here and there but not as bad. We were able to just talk to her for a long time. She asked us about Joseph Smith and how hard it is for her to believe that, she said she just believes in the bible. We were able to explain to her the importance of the Book of Mormon, and that it is another testament of Jesus Christ, meaning it testifies of Him and His work. We told her the Book of Mormon is the key stone to our religion and without us missionaries wouldn't be out here. She took the invitation to read, ponder and pray about the Book of Mormon. 

In all this week was amazing! Full of life changes and the chance to see people here and there. To be able to listen to their stories in life and how they have become who they are today. This is the work of our loving Heavenly Father, putting us in places where we need to be at the right time and at the right moment were someone just needs to see us or hear words of comfort. It is that hope of not having a perfect knowledge of things but knowing that it will happen that brings those miracles everyday. We use the word hope a lot but do we really understand what it means?...Hope is that anchor to our souls that helps us feel that comfort about the future knowing that if we put our trust in Heavenly Father everything will be alright. That is something I have been studying this whole week, trying to make my hope better and stronger, understanding Gods will more than my own. 

Thank you all for your prayers of comfort and your love, it has been a big help on my mission. I have been through some trials here and there but I know that I can turn to friends and family for help. This week I went to the hospital because I had an asthma attack, but everything is okay now and I have an inhaler. All is well for me, still smiling and working hard, nothing brings more happiness than work, work, work!! Have a fantastic week! 

Elder Thorpe