Week 103

Mom, 

Well things are going good here. I haven't really thought too much about everything back home but I do feel that I have accomplished a lot since being here. I am looking forward to this last week. It should be fun. We had a good week attended a funeral which was really big. We had like 10 funerals in our area on Saturday. I'll have to explain the craziness of funerals here when I get back but it was crazy. We have some sweet people we are teaching and we are still finding even more. Well family hope you have a great week see you soon.

love Elder Thornhill 

Week 102

Mom, 

We do have some adventures it has been good. I'll be honest I haven't been the best at keeping a journal, but I write down all the cool stuff so I'll do better this last few weeks.We had a good week. It was really fun, I am enjoying my time in Oda. We went to this place called Abenase, it is like a 30 minute drive from Oda and it is really small. We had a movie show in the town and there were like 300 people there, it was pretty awesome. We taught some good lessons there before the movie show too. Love you.

Dad, 

Yeah, my companion is 18, so pretty young. It was a good week. We went to the church at like 6:30 this morning to play basketball, it was pretty fun. I also went to the market and bought some things for when I come home. I got some cool fabric for the girls. 

Thanks dad love you 

Week 101

Mom, 

We had a good week this week. We taught a lot of new people and had some great lessons. We went on an adventure today. We saw a snake it scared me ha but we finally made it to a town that doesn't have any missionaries called Abenase and taught a man there and just gave him a Book of Mormon, it was pretty fun. We have been trying to have these movie shows once a week at the church and we are hoping that the rain doesn't disturb us this week so a lot of people will come. Well sorry don't have much time today love you have a great week. 

Love Elder Thornhill 

Dad, 

They are great, the English level is low but it is so sweet. I love it here definitely different than Accra but so awesome. Thanks dad I love you too 

Elder Thornhill 

Week 99

Mom, 

Hey family I have like no time the internet is not so great but I will try my best. My companion is Elder Obasi from Nigeria he is 18 and a cool guy. Oda is sweet, there are just random pigs that run everywhere. It's a lot different than Accra, the English level is lower so I have to use my twi more. We had a sweet movie show and it was sweet. We made some good contacts and we are going to the temple tomorrow. We played a lot of basketball today the church has a nice hoop and the church compound is one of the nicest I have seen. 

I will call around probably 2 or 3 your time 

I am excited for the time I have in Oda. Love you 

Week 98

Mom ,

We had a great baptism. He was very ready. We had quite the experience to try and have the baptism. We went to our chapel and there was no water. So then we got organized and went with everyone to another chapel nearby and started filling that font but then the water stopped running so then we had to move again to the chapel on the temple complex and there was finally water ha. It was a good memory. Quite the adventure. 

Sounds like the wedding was great. I will have to met this Roxanna lady. I am sure they played some 80's music for Jacob ha.  

Well the big news this week is that I am training a new missionary. I got the call on Tuesday and I was a little surprised. I will just be able to do half. I will also be going to an area called ODA which is in the eastern region of Ghana. It's in the bush but it's a pretty big town. I went there once when I was in the office. I will have a lot on my plate but it's should be great. I am excited. love you mom 

Hey dad how is it going? How is the bishopric? I was talking to my companion yesterday about how mission lets you know about how a ward works and all the different callings and work that goes in to maintaining  a ward. Yep transfers are on Wednesday and I actually will be leaving to go to a faraway place called ODA it's in the bush so it's far from Accra. I will be training a new missionary which is kind of weird and reopening an area so it should be an adventure ha. No rest which is a great thing I got a lot to get done. thanks dad I love you 

Week 97

Mom, 

This Easter was good. We had some activities planned to go with the ward to sing to less active members during the week. The coordination wasn't the best but we were still able to go to see a few less actives with some member on Friday right when we started it began to rain ha it was an experience all the hymn books were getting wet and the members were soaked. It was a good time and one of the less active members came to church on Sunday so that was good. 

We are also looking forward to Vestige's baptism this Saturday. He is so sweet and is so ready he might be the most prepared person I have ever baptized he has a good fellowshipper and we are now trying to work with his wife. She is a little bit hesitant  because she thinks her English isn't good but it really is, so hopefully we can work with her. 

Oh we went to a zoo today. It wasn't too big but it had some cool animals. A crocodile, camel, hyena, a lot of monkeys. We went with the office elders so they could drive us and President and Sister Hill also came so that was pretty cool. It was a good time I'll try to send pictures next week. 

Well things are going good. just keeping on love you have a great week I got the package it was great I already finished most of the candy ha  

Love Elder Thornhill

Dad, 

I enjoyed it very much. I have realized birthdays don't really mean anything ha. It's just another day but we did enjoy with like a gallon of ice cream. We don't get that very much so it was a treat. I was just talking to the guy that runs the internet cafe. He's a good friend and we always have small conversations about the church. He has read the Book of Mormon so that is good but he is not really interested in the church so that is sad but he is a cool guy. thanks dad the jokes are always the best  

love Elder Thornhill

Week 96

Mom, 

Hopefully I can think of something to do for my birthday. Our ward mission leader said he was going to buy like sparkling cider and pour it all over me ha. 

It was actually pretty crazy a church had a big parade on one of the streets they had palm leafs and were singing some songs just walking down the street. We are planning to go to members houses and sing to them on Friday especially less active members. Actually me and some of the other elders started that last night. We studied about Christ riding into the Jerusalem and visiting the temple it was nice.  

Well we had a nice week. Probably the highlight was the baptism we had. The water was not really running so there was only like a foot and a half of water in the font so we just had to work with it. It was nice my companion did a nice job at the baptism, I was surprised everyone was able to be baptized.  It was a good week.  

Elder Thornhill

Dad, 

Thanks we will see how good it works out. Something that I have also realized nothing can take the place of just going out and knocking on doors and contacting people especially here. If you work hard you find cool people and the work is so sweet. I love finding and meeting new people. It just like new possibilities and new people and personalities. It's nice being able to meet and interact with so many people. Thanks dad I love you 

Week 95

Mom, 

I know I can't believe I'm almost 21 either that sounds so good to me but it's really not that old like people here would say I am still a small boy. have only been able to go to the temple like 4 times since being here. 

This week we had an investigator named Vestige come to church. He is the most prepared person I have ever met. He came for the first time on Sunday and it was fast Sunday. So he asked us if he could bear his testimony and of course we said yes and he went up and bore a powerful testimony. It was so great especially because it was his first time the members were a little shocked people thought he had already been baptized. It was so great I love him so much and the funny thing is we really haven't done anything. I can truly say that the Lord has prepared him so well for the restored gospel. Things are going good still trying to help the zone improve and everything but things are going great. Love you mom 

Elder Thornhill

Dad, 

Mission life is pretty great. I am enjoying it and the new activities we are doing to find new people have been great. Street meeting and things like that. We are trying to set something up with a local university to have maybe an open forum or maybe a class or something. We have even considered doing it out school and busting out the soap box and start preaching but we may have to see about that last one. That is cool it's about time in Ivory Coast they have a big mission and they baptize a lot of people. Thanks dad I love you.

Elder Thornhill

Week 94

Mom, 

My companion and I came at the same time so we were at the MTC together. No we have one more transfer so I could still get another companion. 

We met one of the sweetest guys this week. I had an impression to talk to him as we walked past but I kept on walking, but thankfully we only got a few steps away and he came up to us. We were able to sit down with him and he was asking why we have so many churches and how we can know which one is right. We were able to teach him about the Book of Mormon and at the end of the lesson he had a question about the Godhead. I knew he already had his own beliefs and he just wanted to know if we also had similar beliefs so we told him how they are 3 separate beings and you could tell he was so happy that we have that doctrine and he said how so many churches don't believe that, it was so great. We will watch conference in like a month I think well mom I love you 

Dad, 

Thanks dad we had a good week. We met some sweet people and I love our ward a lot. love you dad 

Week 93

Mom, 

Sorry things have been busy. We had a good week. My new companion is Elder Lwanga he is 28 years old, I don't even know how that is possible ha just kidding but he is great. He is pretty chill so that is good. We have been working with some good people. One named junior. He is a blind Muslim man; at first he seemed really interested but I'm not so sure now. Another women was preparing for baptism but her sister just died and it has been really hard for her. So I don't know when she will be baptized. We have this other man named Daniel, he is a young guy and is pretty hilarious. He has some good fellowshippers so that is good. The ward is doing good. I had to give a talk with no notice yesterday, it was kind of bad. I was way scatterbrained and there was no power so it was so hope so everyone was dying ha. Well oh well. Also a few weeks ago I lost my tag. It was really sad just realizing all that has happened in that tag. But I lost it in a huge rain storm trying to get dirty gutter water out of some ones shop so at least it was a good story. Things are going good. Thanks mom love you have a great week 

Elder Thornhill

Week 92

Mom, 

Sorry like no time today. We had a good baptism on Saturday. My companion is getting transferred so I am getting a new companion on Wednesday; Elder Lwanga from Uganda. Everything is going great sorry no time today. We played volleyball today got sunburned. Well thanks have a great week love you 

Elder Thornhilll

Week 91

Mom, 

I am sure she is very excited. She already basically knows spanish. She and dad will be able to speak together. Thanks mom it's an exciting time in the family for sure. She will do great there and I am excited for her.  

This week was good we had an open venue in our area. Like a street meeting. Had some posters up just contacting people as they passed by. It was great, President was there and we met some pretty cool people. Thursday we had MLC so that was great. A lot of my friends are going home like next week so that is kind of sad. 

We had a baptism planned but they man had work so we had to cancel it. It was kind of stressful; no water and some other problems but it's ok he came early to church yesterday so that was good. Things are going great here. love you have a good week. 

Love Elder Thornhill

Dad, 

Wow that is good weather for Logan at this time. That is sweet about Carly, you can speak spanish with her now. It's going well still trying to work with members and really spend our timely wisely. Teaching and finding new people. We had a good MLC and President kind of talked about what he has planned for the future and things we need to do to prepare for things that will happen a few months from now. Thanks dad, I love you, thanks for your example. 

Your Son

Week 90

Mom,

My eye is doing great. It wasn't really in eye infection but just an infection above my eye. It is doing great. We played volleyball a lot today it was a lot of fun. We had a zone activity today which was fun. We had a good week. We had some great people come to church and a less active lady also come which was great. she has been less active for a long time so it was good to see her at church.  

Sound like the youth conference went great. Everyone is getting old. Sorry I forgot to bring my camera, but don't worry mom my eye is perfectly fine. We had a open venue in Northridge which was interesting. It wasn't the best location so it was kind of hard but we were just visiting the district to help them. We were able to talk to some cool people. We had a good week and fast and testimony meeting was great on Sunday. I am excited about the people that we are working with. Things are going good started march madness reading the Book of Mormon in a month not really to hard but still great. Love you family have a great week. 

Going Gangbusters in Ghana 

Elder Thornhill

new address update 

Elder Thornhill

Ghana Accra West Mission 

PMB  CT  209  

Cantonments 

Accra Ghana 

West Africa

Dear Dad, 

That's funny that sisters are in the ward. I am sure they will do a great job. do they still cover both Our ward and Grandview? Thanks dad things are going good. We are having fun and teaching some great people. Something about serving just makes me so happy and also just random gospel conversations with people. There was this young lady just sitting outside in our compound. I went out to throw something away and just asked her how Sunday was. She said she learned about the communion and things. My companion was busy doing numbers so I just got another elder and we were just able to teach a informal lesson one it was great. Good times. Love you dad have a great week. 

Week 89

Mom,

Things are going great. We had a great investigator at church yesterday and we played basketball and volleyball today with some of the zone members. I am studying the Book of Mormon and it has been going great. We got some new elders in our apartment. One is from Australia so he kind of reminds me of Elder Thom ha. We had a film show with an investigator at a members house it went pretty well, the small kids kind of disturbed small but it was good.  

We have a new mission address again here it is: so if you want to send anything send it to this address. 

Ghana Accra West Mission 

PMBCT 209 

Accra 

Ghana 

West Africa   

Things are going good we are meeting some good people and I love my companion. This gospel is true and I love being able to share it in a casual and comfortable way. Love you 

P.S. I have just a small eye infection ha don't worry, it's ok. Seriously mom don't worry, I was able to see the mission doctor yesterday everything is under control. Sister Hill knows about it and I am doing fine. I can see perfectly it's just swollen small.

Dad,

Things are going good. We played some volleyball today and I was telling some of the Elders about Coach Dunn ha. I miss that man. It was fun, the islanders know how to play pretty well. That sounds like a sweet activity. Old people always have the best stories. It was a good week, We taught primary for a little on Sunday and that was an experience. It was fun and the ward is great we are working to improve the relationship with the ward. It was a good week love you dad

"Me, Elder Rane, Elder Christensen they are going home soon so we had to get one last picture "

Week 88

Things are great in the new area and I love Elder Davuke. We has a zone meeting this week and it went well. The zone is kind of small only like 20 but it was a good meeting. We had some good lessons this week especially when I went on exchanges with the Alajo elders. We used like a puzzle to teach about the apostasy and it went really well. We had a few investigators at church and that was great. We are also working with this family and hopefully we can help them progress the wife has so many questions but I really hope that we can help them. Thanks for the package I will definitely enjoy it. I really love our Bishop he speaks French so that is cool and his accent is great. We have a mission tour tomorrow which should be great. I am excited for that. Love you mom thanks 

                        

Dear Dad, 

It has been a good week. We had a nice zone meeting and we had some good exchanges and it was nice. It sounds like the trip was nice I remember the place where you took that picture. Seriously they are getting so old. Thanks dad. We have a mission Tour with Elder Dube tomorrow and it should be great. We are getting some new elders in the apartment this week so that is good and it is very clean for when they come. love you dad thanks for the example. 

Living the dream 

Elder Thornhill 

"last night in Odorkor"

"crazy fruit last night in Odorkor"

"baptism first Saturday in New town"

Week 87

Dear Mom, 

Yep still a zone leader. I love my companion he is sweet. We have like 18 elders and 4 sisters. I have never really served around sisters so that is a change. Our area is good. The apartment is really nice and we spent like 3 hours cleaning today. It looks so nice now. it was great to see all the elders and I have made some good friends here. I am also reading the Book of Mormon it has been so great I am in Mosiah as well. Our bishop is from the ivory coast but he is sweet, Super dedicated to missionary work so that is good. We are working with one man he has a chastity problem but we are trying to help him. We are also working with another man who knows Joseph Smith is a prophet but doesn't want to join the church. We are really going to try and teach the Great Apostasy really well and help him to see the need for him to be baptized again. We had a baptism on Saturday and it went well the lady has been coming to church for a long time. It has been good I will try and send some pictures next week love you 

Dad,

Newtown has probably the most concentrated Muslim population in all of Accra it is pretty crazy but it is great I love it here. Elder Davuke is good he is from Fiji and he was trained by Elder Bradley so that is pretty sweet. Thanks dad I am feeling good I know how to do everything no its just going out and accomplishing it. Love you dad

Week 86

We were able to meet with Elder Bednar and that was amazing. It is so amazing the strength of their testimonies. He shared some great experiences. I have also been reading the Book of Mormon and my knowledge is increasing and my testimony as well. That is the keystone of my testimony. Well I am being transferred surprise I dint think I was leaving. I am going to New Town it is actually pretty close to Alajo. I am excited but I really didn't think I was leaving. My companion is Elder Davuke from Fiji. He is sweet he was trained by Elder Bradley. No they are just dusty but I shine them every day so they will last me. I don't have much to say I'll have more next week we have MLC on Thursday. Love you

Dad, 

Ghana is treating me fine. We have a high school next to our house so we were able to play some basketball with some of the high school kids. They were actually pretty good. It was fun. we were able to see Elder Bednar and that was great and I saw Elder Nelson he is doing great. I am going to New town so that should be fun. Love you dad 

Elder Thornhill

"Elder Nelson and the missionary he is training."

"me and Elder Hansen and Elder Chatterly"

"An old district we were in minus one because he went home. "

Week 85

Mom, 

It was a good week,  we went on exchanges this week which was really good. We were able to do baptismal interviews a lot this week so that was also great. Nothing too exciting. He is coming on Thursday I am so excited to see Elder Nelson. We have transfers next week. The gospel is so true and for everyone I just wish people knew the same thing. Thanks mom I love you I hope you like the pictures 

Love Your Son

I have been there are few times it's a nice place but I never got to see the new chapel. I hear its really nice.They never whitewash areas here I don't know why maybe because there are always people the missionaries are teaching. That is sweet.Thanks dad I love you. Thanks for the example and I know you are doing great in the bishopric 

Love Your Son

Week 84

Dear mom, 

It was a good Sunday. We had two confirmations which was nice and a good Sunday meeting. We were able to do some contacting and we visited a less active member who I think was drunk so that wasn't very good. We have a man is our compound names Shaegoo. He is really rich and likes to drink and all of that stuff. I have been talking to him and we're pretty good friends. Missionaries have lived in his compound for like 7 years and he has never been to church so hopefully I'll be able to get him to go. We went on exchanges and that was cool. McCarthy was a sweet area and I went with Elder Forrest. He knows the Cowley's so that was cool. Elder Bednar is coming to the mission and I am so excited and it is combined with the other mission so I will get to see Elder Nelson and all those guys. I can't wait. We met a less active man and were able to give him a blessing because he is sick. It's always nice being able to give blessings. I always remember how dad gave blessings and  try to always be guided by the Spirit in what I say. Sorry the net is down so I don't have much time. Love you mom have a great week. 

Dad,

The mission is good. It's really hot here now but that's ok. The zone is still big but its good we went on exchanges so that was fun. My companion is doing well. Transfers are in like two weeks on the 4 I think. Thanks dad it was a good week had a baptism so that was great. We get to meet Elder Bednar and I am really excited for that. Thanks dad for the example. I love you. 

Week 83

Thanks mom your letters are always so inspirational. I just wrote President a long letter so I am all written out ha. I love the temple and hope I can make it a goal to visit often. We have been working with a less active family I sent you the picture and one of the daughters was able to come to church so that was nice. We also had a family come to church so that was great. Oh I gave a talk in sacrament. I thought it went ok. It was about home teaching and I made them laugh a few times ha. That is something that I am more used to being in front of the ward but it still is a little nervous when you are the planned speaker. Testimony meeting is the best because you just let the spirit direct your thoughts. I am reading the Book of Mormon and the conference talks which have been great. I am enjoying it a lot. I can't think of much else that happened. We had a few nice FMs this week. We went to McCarthy on exchanges and I was able to do an interview for them  so that was great. I heard that a man that me and Elder Scanlan contacted is doing well and comes to church every week and is a strong member so that was good to here. He is someone I will never forget. Henry Vanderpool is his name and he has to be at least 400 pounds. He is a sweet man and he always seemed good which was nice. Well mom I love you and I am grateful for the example you are in truly living the gospel everyday and finding ways to improve, I love that about you love you mom have a great week.

Dear dad, 

That is sweet Burkina foso is just above Ghana I believe it is kind of a Islam dominated country. That is great about the temple I think they will both really enjoy it and it will help them understand more about the church. I just found out Elder Bednar is coming to the mission and we will be able to meet him so that should be great. I am excited and happy to be where I am and hope I can help the Lords work to progress. Thanks for writing every week dad it means a lot and also the Dear Elders thanks so much I love you dad. 

Week 82

In Ghana for NYE, there's just a lot of drinking fireworks and burning tires ha so pretty standard. We had some sparkling juice which had corks so we were able to pop those open which were fun. No I didn't stay up that is too late for me. We found this less active family that lives in a place called Manhean. It is so far away and we have this sweet member that stays there. His name is Emmanuel and he has very humble circumstances. He I still trying to get an education and his English isn't the best but he is so ready to do missionary work. I asked him to go and visit a less active family and he was so happy and he even wanted a message to share with them. So we met this family and the father is very sick. He has an ulcer and he can't even walk any more. it was so sad but I still had some of those pictures of Christ so I told him to pick one and he picked the one of Christ raising Jarius' daughter from the dead. It was so sweet but it was definitely another slap in the face moments that I have had here just realizing how blessed I am and how I need to help everyone to know about Christ and His redemptive power. As for goals I haven't really thought of too many but I have been writing down things for home so. Well we have a nice family home evening planned so it should be great. love you mom

Dad,

The weeks do fly by pretty fast. Sometimes days feel like weeks and then weeks feel like days. Good to hear the Aggies are doing well. We had MLC which was great and we talked about a lot of great things. I love President Hill he is so great. well dad I love you