Buenas tardes familia,

Well, I've two weeks left! I don't really know what to think at this point, all I know is that the mission has been the best experience ever and I feel sad knowing that I'm leaving this phase of my life behind. 

My companion and I have been working really hard lately and we were actually able to get one of our investigators, Abraham to church yesterday! We've been teaching him for about the past three weeks and he and his wife (less-active) were able to come to church! He and his wife are both doctors, pretty successful, and very intelligent, and are definitely not like the normal type of people we teach in that sense. We had a family home evening on Thursday with them and we brought the recently-released stake president with us and had an AWESOME lesson. It was his first time at church and I seriously love these guys. We were practicing a musical number that we were going to sing before sacrament meeting and then all of the sudden I saw them walk in and it just made me super happy. Every Sunday is like Christmas all over again, we just wait and see which presents (investigators) show up and then celebrate like crazy the entire day haha.
Scripture for the week is Jacob 6:12

12. O be wise; what can I say more?

Alright, I know, I know, it's a pretty basic and somewhat silly scripture right here but it actually applies quite a bit to our lives. Being wise is probably one of the most important qualities that a person could have. There is a huge difference between someone who is smart and someone who is wise. Smart people are intelligent but wise people make intelligent choices. Being wise can help guide us in life and help us to avoid foolish decisions that bring pain and doubt. I know that as we trust in the Lord and in His Atonement, making wise decisions according to our personal convictions, we can stay on the correct, narrow path that leads us safely back into our Heavenly Father's presence. So be wise and think deeply and pray with faith about every decision that you make.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity and blessing that God has given me to be able to serve this mission and I now know that it was a wise decision to come out here. The changes that I've been able to see in others and in myself have been incredible and they are things and testimonies to me of the plan that God has for each of us. The Spirit that I've felt has been undeniable and are things that will hold me close to His Gospel.
I can't wait to go home and continue on with the plan that God has for me and continue to serve the Lord in other aspects in my life. I can't wait to see all of your faces again and just be with you all. I love you all and am probably just as excited as you are to meet up again haha.

Have a great week...only 15 more days!!
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Con amor, Elder Thayne

Buenas tardes familia,

My companion and I had a pretty good week this past week; we were able to visit quite a lot of people and had some good lessons as well. We've also been knocking on lots of doors and trying to find new investigators, and we've also had a bit of success in doing that as well. The people that we've been teaching have been having a hard time showing up to church on Sunday but we've been having lots of great lessons with them and are hoping that they can go soon.

We had a special zone conference with Presidente Robinson and the assistants on Thursday and had a really spiritual conference. We all learned a lot of new things and it really gave us some motivation to keep working in the hot sun down here haha.
It's been really hot lately and the sun is just always out but we just keep working and working and working. It's actually pretty hard but there's really no other choice at this point haha.

The church has started a new program called ¨My Plan¨ that is made for missionaries who are preparing themselves to go home. It's an online slideshow/questionarre that I'm doing right now that helps missionaries to plan for their life when they get back home. I already started it and it's really cool so hopefully that will help me out somehow.
I heard about the Cavs winning the Finals, that was crazy how they came back from 3-1 and I'm glad that LeBron took home another championship.

Well, I'm down to 3 weeks left, I still feel like I'm not getting that trunky but I definitely do think more about home than I used to haha.
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Scripture of the week: 2 Nephi 9: 28-29

28 O that cunning plan of the evil one! O the vainness, and the frailties, and the foolishness of men! When they are learned they think they are wise, and they hearken not unto the counsel of God, for they set it aside, supposing they know of themselves, wherefore, their wisdom is foolishness and it profiteth them not. And they shall perish.

29 But to be learned is good if they hearken unto the counsels of God.


I've been studying 2 Nephi this past week and honestly all of chapter 9 really stood out to me. The prophet Jacob here explains how men have the tendency to lean on their own understanding and not trust in the counsels of God or of his prophets. I think that the best way that we can keep a strong testimony and remembrance of the commandments and counsels of God is to always read our scriptures, even when it's hard or when there's not time. People can say lots of things against the Church or even within the Church there are many who complain about the leaders or the way it's administrated, but only those who trust in God and in counsels are the ones who 'will not perish.' Over the past two years I have come to the conclusion that the only real, true, and happy way to live and obey the gospel is the Lord's way and none other. Every other way just simply cannot bring the same blessings or happiness to ourselves unless it's the Lord's. It also brings to mind how many times the Book of Mormon brings up the phrase ¨the wicked traditions of their fathers.¨ Many of the Lamanites and Nephites were stuck and couldn't progress spiritually because they were so stuck to the way that everyone else around them was living. For that reason it is so important that we read the scriptures and see what they teach us, and if their way is different than those around us or even ours, look for a way to change that and obey the commandments. I know that all of this is true because I've lived it and the Spirit has taught me that it is true.

Thanks for all of the emails, I love you guys so much and can't wait to be home so soon! It's so crazy that in just a few weeks I'll be back at the house and will be able to hang out with you all again! Take care, hasta luego.
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Con amor, Elder Thayne

Buenas tardes familia,

My comp and I had a pretty good week this past week...We were able to reach a lot of the goals that we set and honestly were able to see quite a bit of success.
 
We're teaching a couple really cool people right now who have potential to get baptized this transfer but we're just working so hard trying to get them to come to church again. This one guy that we've been teaching is named Gerardo and he is one of the coolest investigators ever. He's been to church in the past and just understands the message so well. He's very well-educated and has been praying and reading to receive an answer from God. I have a lot of faith in that God can help him receive an answer and hope that he receives it soon. 

I did splits with Elder Christensen on Wednesday and had a really good time. It was a nice change of pace and I really enjoyed it. We also had the Mission Leadership Council on Tuesday and was able to learn a lot from Presidente Robinson and the assistants. 
Today we went to a member's house (they're Americans) and hung out and got to play a TON of pool for P-day. I had a lot of fun and it just felt nice to be around the American culture a little bit.

I'm trying my hardest to stay working hard, even though it's like a million degrees down here and I hope to end the mission well.

Thanks for all of the emails, I love you guys and appreciate all the emails! Less than a month left and I'll be seeing all of you again!
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Con amor, Elder Thayne

Buenas tardes familia,
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¿Como están? Perdon pero al principio les voy a escribir en español para que todos no me entiendan jaja. Esta semana me fue mas o menos la verdad. Lo que hicimos era visitar a muchos miembros del barrio y también a los investigadores con el mas potencial. El barrio aquí está bien suave!! Me habían contado que este barrio (el barrio tres) era uno de los barrios mas ricos de toda la misión y la verdad me lo creo jaja. Casi todos viven en casas bien grandes y bonitas y la comida con los miembros ha sido MUCHA y riquísima. Acaban de cerrar un área aquí en el barrio, así que antes habían seis misioneros pero ahora solo somos cuatro. Y pues por eso nuestro área está gigante. Casi todo el área está llena de cerradas y colonias muy separadas y lejanas y a veces tenemos que tomar autobus para llegar a las citas (casi dos por día). Según muchos misioneros el área nuestra es la mas difícil de toda la misión también por lo mismo, hay mucho dinero y la mayoría de la gente no nos hace caso. Mi compañero y yo tocamos a muchas puertas en está semana pero solo tuvimos cuatro nuevos investigadores haciendo eso en toda la semana. Es muy difícil contactar personas aquí. Pero aun así pudimos tener algunas lecciones y encontrar algunas personas muy buenas. No había caminado yo por mas de ocho meses en la misión así que al caminar tanto, me dio ampollas a los pies. Tuve que comprar cinta especial de la farmacia para envolverlos. Seguía trabajando pero la verdad sí me dolió bien feo. Ahoríta sí me siento mucho mejor pero espero que se me pase otra vez.

In case you didn't understand that, everything is going GREAT!!! Haha. We spent a ton of time knocking on doors in our new area. It was somewhat miserable because it got super hot this week, especially Friday and Saturday. On Saturday we went knocking on doors from 3 to 6 and apparently it had been reaching 120 degrees during that time of the day. I'm pretty sure we were both out there suffering and just hoping that ANYONE would let us into their house. It's definitely moments like that when your faith is tested and built. I've got quite the tan-line on my neck and arms so that will look pretty cool by the time I go home. It'll be like my version of battle scars basically haha.

Hermosillo is really cool, it's my second time being here and also my second time being here during the summer haha. It's a nice area and we have a ton of places to visit and stuff to do, but the heat is such a drag. The ward is super nice. There are like three super strong American families in the ward as well that all work in the consolate down here. Church was as 3 o'clock (super late) because our normal chapel is being remodeled right now and we have to go to another church. The area is giant so we have to take A TON of buses and also we've being having to buy electrolyte-water and water like two or three times a day to prevent dehydration . If we didn't take buses we would be walking over an hour to get to each appointment, it's crazy. I've been drinking as much water and electrolyte water as possible and it helps me feel so much better. I still feel tired all the time from all of the work and am looking forward to a nice long rest when I get back home.

It still feels weird to me that the mission is ending in only five weeks. I miss you guys like crazy and I have no idea what the transition is going to be like. I feel like a completely different person from who I was back at home and I know that mission has helped me so much. Now it's just time for me to finish these last five weeks out strong and come home feeling great. 
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Scripture of the week:

40 And again, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you concerning hope. How is it that ye can attain unto faith, save ye shall have hope? 
41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. 
42 Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope. 
43 And again, behold I say unto you that he cannot have faith and hope, save he shall be meek, and lowly of heart. 
44 If so, his faith and hope is vain, for none is acceptable before God, save the meek and lowly in heart; and if a man be meek and lowly in heart, and confesses by the power of the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Christ, he must needs have charity; for if he have not charity he is nothing; wherefore he must needs have charity. 
45 And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.


I love verses 41 and 45 and have thought about them a lot over these past few weeks. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that only people chosen by our Heavenly Father could have written it. Whenever we have doubts or lack faith, the Book of Mormon is always a great reminder and anchor of our past conversion to the gospel. 
I love all you guys and can't wait to see you all so soon! Que tengan buen día!!!

Con amor, Elder Thayne