Week 50

Dear mom, 
What crazy. I didn't even know it was a problem. Yes I got the rundown from everyone sounds like a hectic week but I am sure everyone enjoyed it. 
1. (Best of the week?) successful baptism yesterday and we had zone conference on Thursday it was so great. President Judd gave us a lowdown on the new mission and things and it was a great conference. We have Philippine people in our mission. it's crazy. 
2. (Worst of the week?) Not finding enough new investigators and not extending enough baptismal dates. We had a good month for may but we need to work so that we have a good June. 
3. (How is your companion?) He is good. he is Nigerian and loves to cook. in that respect we are completely opposite. he is pretty hilarious though.  
4. (What have you learned from your companion?) How to be patient and to compromise and to be less prideful. I wouldn't say I am prideful but he has taught me to have less pride. 
5. (Tell me something interesting about the area you are serving ?) We have trains and massive gutters. I saw two donkeys this week and they were fighting. 
6. (Are you getting use to the new place? With all your new cockroach  friends? Can I send something to help with that problem?) The new place is good. I'm pretty used to it now. ha my companion hates the bugs so much. no the cabinets are just infested with them so they will just have to come and spray or just redo the own kitchen counter and everything.  
7. (Tell me a little about your companion? how long he has been serving, his family, etc,)He has been serving like 6 moths. his dad is dead but he was a member and his older sister is a member but he has about 5 siblings and his mom is not a member. He was a tailor so he can sew some sweet stuff. A lot of the things he wears he sewed himself. 
8. (Have you found new investigators?) yes but not enough. We got some good referrals this week. 
9. (How is the new ward you are working with?) The ward is good. the bishop is very humble and the leaders are great. it's a nice ward. 
10. (are you still a district leader?) Yes I am still a district leader. It's weird because the zone leaders are in our district but it's cool. it's really not a big deal at all. 
I am doing well mom don't worry too much about me. it is hard but it is the best. alright thanks mom I love you the church is true.
Much love 
Elder Thornhill



P.S. good scriptures this week: 2 Nephi 11:7; D&C 76:116-118, 5-10; Mosiah chapter 5 the whole chapter 


Father, 
Again the jokes are grade a. Ghana is still sweet. This place is so great. Some times I forget how different it is than America. Yes it is really close to Mataheko. It will be in the Accra west mission. The new mission home is actually like 5 minutes from our apartment. It's a pretty nice building so if stay here I will be in the west mission. sounds like such a crazy week. Man that is crazy he leaves this week, He is going to do great. I am excited to get letters from him. Thanks dad you are a great example to me. I am grateful to have a father like you and just know that I love you and look up to you. Thanks for putting up with me all those years ha. Well things are going pretty well here. We had a baptism on Sunday. Emmanuel and Regina. They are both so great and it was a great experience. Thanks dad have a great week. love you 



your son 

Week 49

Dear Mother, 

Well I got transferred to Alajo. It's really city. My companion is Elder Ikoro from Nigeria. I was kind of sad to leave and this past week has been somewhat difficult but I know the Lord has a lot for me to learn here so now I just have to figure out what that is and do all that I can. There are massive gutters in our area. Like a bridge goes over them and it's like 40 feet above the water. We also have trains. There are a lot of Muslims but it has been good. We should have a baptism on Saturday. I did a baptismal interview and it was a humbling experience. It was good though. I must admit I need to improve at writing in my journal so I am going to try and write in it every day. The apartment is interesting. Not as nice as my old one. I realized that sometimes I need to be less OCD ha. I am on the top bunk so that is fun. We have a lot of pet roaches so that is good too. But the water is really nice and we have a nice shower if you cared. My companion loves writing super fast on bikes so that is good. We need to find a lot of new investigators so that should be good. It was hot and we had no power last night so I slept outside for a little. I also am reading a 1998 Ensign Conference edition. I read 2 Nephi chapter 9 and I feel that I was taught a lot by the Spirit. It was exactly what I needed.   

1. (Best thing that happened this week.) We have two good people we are preparing for baptism. 

2. (Worst thing that happened this week.) Just need to do more finding is all. I get sad when I don't go finding. That is something that  I have realized this week. So this week I'm finding and finding the Lord's elect. 

3. (Best contact?) Saturday night at like 8 we met a man named Bossman. He seems cool and we are going back tonight so hopefully he is there.   

4. (Why do you like where you are serving?) I don't know but this area seems good. There are some good residential areas.   

I cant think of anyhting else but ask me questions next week so I remember the new things about my area. the church is true. Love you

Elder Thornhill

Dear Father,  

Thanks dad for everything. I can tell I am going to learn a lot this transfer and it is definitely going to push me so I am excited for the experiences and challenges that await me. i love you dad 

Elder Thornhill

Week 48

Mom, 

It was great to talk to you as well. Sounds like everyone is doing great. 

1. (Best of the week?) We met that family. I think I told dad about it. They are so great. 

2. (Worst of the week?) We were planning for 2 baptisms but they both fell through. 

3. (Best lesson ?) Probably the one yesterday. The wife asked about Melchizdek and the husband asked us about our conversion stories so that was really great. 

4. (Best talk at church?) It was fast and testimony meeting so I can't remember my favorite. 

Thanks for everything I love you all. 

Elder Thornhill

Dear Father, 

First off I hear you have long hair is that true? Thanks dad have a great week. I hope your calling is going well. 

Love you 

Week 47

Dear Mother,    

1. (How is your companion?  Are things better?) He is good. We are doing well. He is a great man and I love being his companion.  

2. (Best of the week.) We got to watch conference yesterday. It was great. I can't wait to read the Ensign. 

3. (Worst of the week.) We didn't have as many people as we would have liked at sacrament. We just need to teach more powerfully and by the spirit so that our investigators will want to come to church,. 

4. (Most important thing you learned this week?) Being considerate. I think that is something I need to work on. Sometimes I just go off in my own world and forget about other people. So I learned that I need to be more considerate. 

5. (What did you do today?) Oh we made a cake. And we don't have an oven so that was pretty great. It tasted so good. It was funfetti and we even had the frosting.  

Thanks so much. no problem. No I think that is all. No shirts at least not yet. well I guess I'll talk to you on Sunday. Have a great week I love you 

Your favorite son 

Dear father,

 Ghana is pretty sweet. We are doing a lot of finding. We haven't had too much success but I know that people are prepared to hear the gospel so we are going to continue in the work of the Lord. That is great. Thanks dad for the advice I love you. Have a great week. The jokes are still grade A. 

Elder Thornhill

Week 46

Dear Mother, 

I am still in Mataheko. Thank you . I hope President Clegg enjoyed his trip.  

Well this week we went to a BYU Idaho concert thing at the temple site with one of our investigators. It was a good experience for her. She is a tough girl to read so it had been difficult to prepare her for baptism. I also conducted my first baptismal interview this week. It was a great experience and he was so ready. But alas he didn't show on Sunday and the other Elders couldn't get a hold of him. It was sad but hopefully he will be baptized next month. We have this complex in our area called the SSNIT flats and it has like 19 big apartment buildings. We have been doing a lot of finding up there but haven't had too much success. It has been good. We have knocked on a lot of doors. That is what I have found to be most effective here. Street contacting is hard because its hard to find out where they live. I was a little angry at my companion and I had to repent for that. It is so nice to be happy all the time. I hated having that feeling of anger in me. 3 Nephi 11:29. I read the parable of the lost sheep and related in to missionary work. And I asked myself if I am a shepherd or a sheep herder. I have really enjoyed my studies this week. the church is true. I love you mom have a great week. Well have a great week. Love you 

Elder Thornhill

Dear dad, 

Thanks dad for writing me ever week it really means a lot. I hope you have a great week. I hope everything at work is ok. The jokes are grade A. Love you dad 

Elder Thornhill

Week 45

Dear Mother

That is sad to hear about the Marathon. It's crazy how little news we get from the US. It's kind of nice honestly. We had a good week this week. We taught a lot of lessons and met some good people. I was kind of frustrated on Sunday because we worked hard this week and we only got one at church. But then I realized that 1. People have their agency and I can't change that and 2. and more important that there is always more that I can be doing as a missionary to help this people come unto Christ. So I realized that I can do more and push myself to really be the missionary that My Heavenly Father wants me to be. So I guess that was worst and best about this week I guess. We got denied pretty bad at an apartment complex this week but we also got a few lessons so that was good. We had white people in our ward this week. It was weird. One thing that I learned this week was to have a positive attitude and realize that this message is for everyone. We knocked on some massive houses this week and it was so comforting to know that I know that I have something that can bless this person's life more than anything. I am so glad for my testimony. We taught an investigator too much this week. It was our first visit and I was excited and so we taught him way too much. Like lesson 1 lesson 3 including baptisms for the dead and also Book of Mormon. Afterwards we realized that we taught him way too much. but hopefully we didn't scare him off. He seems really cool so I am not worried. Well I think that is all for this week. Have a great week.

Love Elder Thornhill

Dear Father,

My companion is from South Hampton. Ha yes I love his English accent. It's really cool. Its true there are a lot of different ways to speak English I have learned that for sure. Thanks dad. This week we worked hard and taught a lot of lessons but we didn't have many at church. its hard but I definitely learned that there is always more I can be doing.

Love Your Son

Week 44

Dear Mother,
Thanks mom. I had the lucky charms today so thank you for those. We don't have an oven so I don't know if that will be possible. Sorry about the short letter last week. I didn't have too much time. My companion is 26 and has been out about 6 months. He has been a member for like 2 years. Yes I have a camera I will send some pictures today hopefully. We use the introduction a lot and usually have them read specific passages. That is a good way to share it talking about the new and old world and helping people to understand its scripture from a different part of the world than the Bible.
2. (How many investigators do you have now?) Not enough. We have been doing so much finding but we haven't found enough serious people but we are definitely working on it. We met some good people this week.
3. (Best contact for the week?) Edna. She is older and has a family. She said she really felt the spirit the first time we taught here so that was good and if think she will really progress.
4. (Best lesson for the week?) Jaures. He is from Ivory Coast and he has been reading the Book of Mormon a lot. But he really likes his church and so hopefully he can have the faith to leave that church.
5. (Best thing you ate this week?) Jollof rice with bananas. So good. We had dinner at a members house. They are Nigerian. So much food. I haven't eaten that much food ever.
The week was good. A lot of finding. We got rejected but it's ok because there are always more people that want to listen to us. But my companion is great. Things are good. have a great week.
Love Elder Thornhill

P.S. oh I almost forgot to say that our house flooded. It was light off and someone left the faucet on in the kitchen so in the middle of the night the power came on and the water started to run. and our drain is spoiled so the water just went on to the apartment floor. So we woke up with about an inch and a half of water in our room at 3 in the morning. We had to sweep it all out of the house and it took about 2 hours. It was a pretty funny experience.

Mitchell with his companion, Elder Scanlan

 

With his old companion