Week 24

Dear Family,

First off a letter shout out to Dad, Tanisha, and Shan. Thanks for the letters guys. I realized most of my letters are just responding to the letter you guys send so if this is short I'm sorry. This week was another great week. We had a baptism on Saturday. It went well and it was a great experience. At church we had 4 investigators at church which an improvement from last week so I was happy about that. I had a good personal study this week. I have been in the habit of comparing myself to other missionaries and it has not been good to do so. But I was studying from PMG this week and it helped me to know not to compare myself to other missionaries. On page 10 it says don't compare yourself to other missionaries. I know that as long as I am trying my best to fulfill my purpose as a missionary that is all that matters.  

Also this week Elder Thom and I had the privilege of blessing the sacrament. We sung my favorite hymn # 193. It was the most spiritual experience I've had while breaking the bread. I felt the spirit so strongly 

 Its great to hear from you again. WE got to the cafe kind of later today and I was a little annoyed which I shouldn't have been but I'm glad because I got to get the letter from you guys. Oh Kyle I miss that guy. I hope he is doing well. 

1. (What are you doing on p-day?) We wash clean go the market which is pretty crazy. Then we go to the cafe and relax small and then go out at 6. Today we are going to a FHE. It should be fun. 

2. (Will you stay in the area after your companion goes home?) I don't know. He still has one more transfer after this one so I don't know what is going to happen.  

3. (Can you send some pictures?) Well that is kind of hard because I think I left my USB cable in Teshie. So I don't know. I will try and look and maybe next week I can send some.  

4. (Are you really getting fat ? Ha) Kind of I guess. I am eating less here in Mataheko so I'm not as fat as I use to be. Last time I checked I was like 160.

5. (Have you been hit by any cars this week?) No collisions with cars this week. I almost hit a dog though. 

6. (What will you do for Christmas?) We have Christmas conference on the 13th of December and then for Christmas day I will call home and then there is a dinner at a members house for the whole mission. so that should be fun.  

7. (Do you have zone conferences?) Yes we have one tomorrow. 

Dad that is so sweet. (Yesterday, we had a fireside from Bro. Ewudzie, the fourth person to be baptized in Ghana. He said he knew Mitchell from the temple.) That name does look familiar and that is so cool he came to our ward. That is great. He had some sweet purple pants on too. Oh yes I'm sure the English was hard to understand but I'm sure he was awesome.  Good to hear the Aggies are doing well. Carly is going to love it.  

I'm so glad you got to hear from brother Ewduzie. I'm sure it was a great experience. I love the Ghanaian people so much. The church is so true . Sorry it's so short this week but I have to go. Hope everyone has a great week and I love you all.

Love Elder Thornhill 

Week 23

Dear Mom, 
First off HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I know you thought I was going to forget but nope I didn't. I hope your day is great and eat a lot of ice cream for me. Good to hear about the guys. Still the guys I see. Man that is a long time for Daniel to be gone. Send my greetings to both of them. Jeff ah I miss that guy. Thanks for the package. I will try my hardest to wait. Thanks so much for the package.  
1. (How are you getting along with your companion?) We are getting a long good. It's weird just having the two of us in the apartment but its good. Elder Thom is a good missionary and he is such a hard worker.  
2. (Are you on bikes?) Yes we are on bikes. Sometimes we walk though. Funny story. A few days ago we were riding our bikes and this guy pulled out in front of me with his car. He hit me just barely and I had to jump off my bike. Don't worry it wasn't bad at all. But that's not the good part. He tried to blame it on me and then he drove off. But we saw him again just yesterday and talked to him. He asked if I was ok and then we gave him a pamphlet and our number and he said he would call us. It's going to be funny if he actually calls us and we start teaching him. 
3. (Do you go to the mission home much?) No not really. Just for transfers. We have the Christmas conference on Dec 13 so we will be going to the mission home then.  
4. (Do you go on splits and with who?) No I have never been on splits. 
5. (Are you getting a lot of new missionaries?)  I know that next transfer only one elder is leaving but there are 9 elders that are coming. So we are getting new missionaries and I think they are going to have to open and reopen new areas. 
6. (Any baptisms?) We have one on Saturday. Her name is Nadege.  
7. (The best thing you learned this week?) The best thing I learned this week is don't be afraid to talk to anyone., Elder Thom will literally talk to anyone and that is a great quality to have. I also learned of the power of the book of Mormon. During a lesson a gave quite a powerful promise about the book of Mormon and I hope I don't regret it. I hope we get to see the lady this week. Also I learned that I like to read. Who would of thought? ha just kidding but really I read the Book "our search for happiness" by Elder Ballard. It is such a great book. I would recommend it to everyone to read. It gives such a great basic overview about the church and has strengthened my testimony.  
8. (Are you close to the temple?) Yes it's like a 20 minute tro tro ride. The temple and mission home are very close, like walking distance. 
9. (What are you eating?) Well that is a good question mother. Let me see here. Rice, chicken, banku, fufu, oats, bread, pasta, Hot chocolate, FanIce and other things. I am eating well. For once in my life I'm fat. Ok well I'm not that fat but I am a little bigger.  
Thanks mom for writing me each week. It really means a lot. I hope you have a great holiday. I actually saw a turkey this week. Like a live one. This guy were teaching, where he lives there are 2 turkeys. It made me think of thanksgiving. Logan will be sweet and send Kyle my love if you get to see him. Thanks again for everything. 
Love Elder Thornhill

Week 22

Dear Family, 
First off who put the sound of music song on my mp3 player? ha I was listening to it today and that song came on. It was pretty funny. Good to see that Marshall is doing well. Send my regards to him.  
1. (Was it hard packing all your stuff up trying to get it back in your suitcases?) It wasn't too bad. Both bags were pretty full but everything fit in with little effort. Also all that sunscreen and bug spray is taking up a lot of room in my suitcase. I have so much of it. I haven't really used the sunscreen but I had to use the aloe haha.
2. (How do transfers work? Does everyone go to the mission home?) Yes everyone just goes to the mission home and picks up there new companion. If you live in the bush far from the mission home the senior couples drive you in and then take you back.  
3. (Where is your new companion from?) My new companion is Elder Thom from Australia. He is a convert to the church and is 25.  
4. (What do you like best about him?) Elder Thom is such a hard worker and is very obedient. He is so focused on the work. He is a great example to me. We definitely are very different and he has an interesting personality but he really is such a great guy.  
5. (Is your new apartment better or worse than the last one?) The new apartment is better than the last one. It's less dusty and its a lot bigger. There are usually suppose to be 4 missionaries in our apartment but there is only 2 because an area got closed. So it's just me and Elder Thom in our apartment. Our area is called Mataheko and we are very close to the mission home. Closer than Teshie was. We are probably only like 20 minutes from the mission home.  
6. (Does it come with a bike? ha) Yes it comes with a bike. Our area is very big and there use to be 4 elders for our area but now there are just two. Mataheko is more city than Teshie was. It is a lot nicer and there are a lot of nice buildings and there are big roads here too. And the cafe we are at right now is so nice. It even has air conditioning. I am definitely going to enjoy that. 
7. (Do you have investigators you are working with?) Yes we have some investigators we are working with. One named Nadege. She is a French speaking woman and lives with a member of our ward. We have to teach here through the member but it is going well and she will hopefully be baptized this month. 
8. (Has your companion been out longer than you?) Yes Elder Thom goes home in January. He is going home soon but he is still working so hard. He is definitely setting a good example for me in how to finish your mission strong.  
9. (Was the ward different than your last ward?) Yes the ward is a little different. I feel that it is a little bit smaller and not as strong as my last ward. I know we have some work to do but I know that we can do it and if we rely on the Holy Ghost I know good things are going to happen here. 
10. (Do you meet in a actual church building?) Yes we meet at a stake center. It is so big compared to the last building I met in. It is so big. There is like a big grass field and a huge parking lot. It's a very nice building.  
I had some good experiences this week. I was reading in Alma 8 and it was just such a great chapter and what I needed right then. It's a great missionary chapter and you should all read it. Also Elder Thom and I blessed the sacrament. The bishop told us to so we did. It had been a long time so it felt good to bless the sacrament.  
Dad- I know mom did a great job on here talk. She always does. Mom's pretty sweet. Elder Thom really is a great guy. I know that I will come to love him as much as I did elder Bradley. oh and I got to go to the airport on Wednesday with the office elders. We went on splits with them for a few hours and we had to drop of an Elder who was going home. It was weird being at the airport. I got there and just broke down and started crying. Ha just kidding. But I weighed myself and I am still fat. I think I've gained 15 pounds or something. I did some pushups today and now my arms are sore.  
Well family I think that is it for now. It is weird being in a new area. But I know I can grow and learn a lot from my companion and this area. I know that good things are ahead for Matatheko and I truly love this gospel. Everyday I am reminded of how true it really is. It makes so much sense. The Book of Mormon is so true and I know that I need to be nourished by it every day. Hope everyone has a good week! 

Love Elder Thornhill

Week 21

Dear Family, 
Wow that is pretty crazy about Russia. Those people sound pretty misinformed and hopefully it will just blow over and the missionaries can continue to spread the gospel. Yes for the 10 of this month. I am sad though because transfers are on Wednesday and I know that I am being transferred. Elder Bradley found out on Tuesday that he was training so we have known since then that I am being transferred. It has been kind of a sad week and It will be sad to leave Teshie and my amazing companion Elder Bradley. But I know where ever I go it is where the Lord needs me and where I can best fulfill my purpose as a missionary.  
Yes that is kind of a bummer but I know I need to follow the rules set forth by my mission president. Oh sweet I hope he liked it. I will try and get one to Marshall but it will be kind of hard. Tell Skyler hi for me and tell me good job at wearing the bowtie at church. Tell him I hope he enjoys it. 
I promise I won't open the package until Christmas.    

Thanks girls for writing remember to always read your scriptures and to pray. One thing that I have noticed is the importance of praying in the morning. So I would invite all of you my dear sisters to pray in the morning and at night. I know you will feel the Lord more in your life and everything will go better for you. 

 
Dad I am glad Skyler wore the bow tie, I hope he likes it. mission life is good, full of change to come later in this week and I will have a new area and a new companion to tell you about next week. Very true dad I know that I will be blessed for following this rule and all the rules. I actually had the opportunity to give some instruction during district council meeting about obedience. It went really well and I felt the spirit very strongly. It made me realize that as I am more obedient my power as a missionary increases. So it's really not a huge deal. I know that the blessings that come from obedience are essential for missionary work and that in order to fulfill my purpose as a missionary I must be obedient. So it's really ok and writing letter is pretty cool. Even people here have been asking us about the election and Mitt Romney and everything. Thanks dad I hope everything is going well will work and in the bishopric. I know you are doing great. thanks for the example. love you dad

Mom you are slacking this week. No questions? But I do have a few things I need. A journal. Like a nice missionary one to write all my deepest feelings in. so if you could send that is would be nice. And also deodorant just like the degree stuff. You can't find it out here so that would be great too. Thanks mom and remember to send them in the flat rate mailing envelopes.  

Well family I think that is it for this week. I will have a lot to say next letter and this will be an eventful week for sure. So thank you and I hope everyone has a great week, I love and miss you all 
Love Elder Thornhill