Warm Showers in Apaneca!!

HEY Fam!!

Man what a crazy week, haha it has taken a lot out of me! I've been loading up on vitamin C chewables to keep me from getting sick and its been working.  So I am feeling a bit better today now that I have a few things under control. Loved the videos of Jantsen playing ball, looks like they tore it up at Orem! Good to hear, I sure hope its like that this week against Maple!! Nick and brooks, that's okay that your season is over.  The best part about that is that the next time you are playing football, I'll be there to watch! Haha crazy. I can't believe that it's the deer hunt again, that has come so fast! Dad, please put me in as many hunts as you can haha.  Elder Smith, one of the kids that was in the pictures you put on Dropbox, is a big hunter too so we have been talking about it a bit lately.  Hope you find something this week. Also congrats on the new calling Dad! Youll do good there! Mom, it makes me happy to hear how things are going for your calling.  And that I have been a help for you! It is always soo scary to do something new and to take on a big challenge, but it's amazing to see the things that you learn from it and what the Lord is able to do through you.  You will be awesome!!

Alright, it's been a really crazy week and I haven't had any time to write because of packing and getting to know my new area.  So I have left Atiquizaya and am now in a little town called Apaneca, in the zone Ahuachapan.  I'm way up in the mountains! It is really cool up here and its COLD! During the day it's nice and cool, and when 7pm or 8pm hits it gets kinda cold. The area is soo cool and is beautiful.  I literally am on the top of the mountains, and it is overcast and rains all the time.  So I am really happy about that. But the best part is my house.  I moved from the worst house in the mission to the BEST house in the mission! Its small, but really nice.  It has an oven and a fireplace! And the best part is that it has HOT WATER! Haha my first warm shower in 15 months was this morning and I could not have been happier.  The house reminds me of a condo in St George kind of, and also the cabin a little bit with how the area is.  Haha it is so sweet.  My new comp's name is Elder O from Ecuador.  He is a really cool kid and we are getting along great.  He has been missing home and his family a lot lately so it has been awesome to try and help him out because I know exactly how he is feeling.  But he is a lot stronger than I was haha and he is getting better. It's been pretty tough figuring out where to go in the new area, but were getting there and are working hard.  I'm excited to see what these next 6 weeks bring!

Today was friday and I got to be on interchanges with Elder Smith.  He is one of my Zone Leaders and used to be the assistant. I got to know him pretty well back when I was in Rio Zarco.  He is an amazing teacher and I learned so much from him.  We only got lost a few times today... I still am struggling to find my way around this area, but it is getting better. SO Apaneca is about a 30 minute drive up through the mountains from Ahuachapan. I still haven't gotten over how cool it is to have hot water.  It gets real cold in the night so I am thinking of maybe making a fire in the fireplace one of these nights. But I sure do love the area.  It's a branch, not a ward so there aren't many members, but the ones that I have met are really cool! 

Today was Sunday and it was pretty good, I really like the members here and also how the branch is running. I'm super excited to work with it and see how far we can go.  The church is a two story house, and we have sacrament mtg in the garage haha its pretty cool.  A lot different than I've had my entire life.  But I really like it.  it was super foggy when we woke up this morning and was that way for most of the day.  Really, thats how it is everyday. A little miracle happened today, we had some random guy come to church today and he is way positive and wants us to coome to his house and teach him.  He lives 45 min away... but I think he will definitely be baptized so it will be worth the walk.  I lucked out and got a cell phone this change, it is so nice to be able to call investigators or members whenever and wherever we are.  Saves a ton of time.   

Well I love you all so much! Thank you for the love and support and the emails! I put some pictures on Drop Box, one is with an older guy, he is the one that reminds me of Gpa Thorpe! The rest is of my new house haha its sweet.

Talk to ya next week!

Elder Thorpe