May 15, 2011

Hey family,
Well it was great to talk to you this last week, and hear all of the changes that are happening, and all the things that hardly change. Its been really interesting to see the differences that come with more maturity and more responsibility for me and for everyone in the family. Im also glad to hear that I no longer hold the record for the most time at an intersection trying to get the car to start moving in first gear. (Thanks Trevor) Glad to hear that you and Megan are both learning to drive manual cars. Ive found the manual cars are a lot more fun to drive. You´ll learn to like it, I promise. Glad to hear that everyone is staying busy. Its weird for me to think that my little sister is going to college in a few months and that number 3 has started driving. I would just like to remind mom and dad that you should start feeling old right now. :) Although, out of all the Elders here in the mission, I don´t think I´ve heard of an Elder yet with younger parents, so I guess you´re still doing pretty good.
This last week has been filled with work... again... I was hoping that about the 3rd or 4th week of the transfer, things would start slowing down a little so that we could go out into our sector and work some more, but I was wrong. This week we have been doing lots of things, although we have had the opportunity to get started with a few plans to work with the members. We are planning ward activities with the ward and planning ways to bring more investigators to church. We have had to buy things, take things to the areas of missionaries, pay legal payments, and do a multitude of other things. I have learned here how the Lord helps us when we do what He requires of us. Sometimes I don´t feel much like a missionary in the office, and we don´t have a lot of time to teach people, but the Lord is blessings us with good people to teach. We are teaching Lourdes, well kind of. We have only had one lesson with her so far because she can only meet with us on Sunday and last Sunday was Mother´s Day so she was with her mother, but we called her during the week and she told us that she had read the whole chapter that we assigned her. I think it was the third time that someone has told me that my whole mission, so we are excited for her and we are going to meet with her this Sunday and hopefully we can invite her to be baptized. She is awesome. Monday we also found a woman named Gloria to teach. She is awesome. She has 2 little daughters, one who is 9 and the other who is 4 and she is really humble and really wants to listen. We are hoping to have a lot of success with these two sisters. I learn new things here every week. We also have had the opportunity to help with a few of the investigators of the sister missionaries that we share the ward with. We gave a blessing to a little boy and his mom. (his mom is getting baptized later in the month) and they were a great family to talk to. The mom´s mom and sister are members and the family is really great. We also have had the opportunity to help the assistants out with their investigators a few times when they were prepping for conferences.
I have learned the truth of the work here. I have learned a few things about myself and what are the important things in this life. I have learned the way that I need to go with my life, and how I can have success in my life. My patriarchal blessing says somethings about me having success in my life, and before, I didn´t feel like I could. The school wasn´t easy, I didn´t do well in college and I didn´t have a direction. My friends definitely helped me and definitely, you my family helped me, but to be honest, I was a little bit lost. I have learned about the importance of families. I have learned about the love that people who have almost nothing have for each other. I realized yesterday when I was thinking for a little bit, that I know why I came to Perú. I know that part of it was so that I could teach the people here. There is at least one person here that I can help in a way that no one else can, however, I believe that God sent me here for me as well. To teach me these lessons. To help me realize what was really important. I know I´ve changed. I´m not exactly sure how, because it has been a slow and steady process, but I have changed, and I believe it has been for the better. I know that Jesus Christ lives and loves us. I know that the most success that we can have in this earth is inside our families, and then outside our families the most important thing is not how much money we make, what our business card says, or even if we have a business card. The most important thing for us is to show our love for other people to love the people around us as Christ loves us, and to have a positive effect on peoples lives. I read a story called "Pato o águila, tu decides" which is the story of a taxi driver who makes a change in his life from the life style of the Duck (Pato) that just makes noise to the eagle (águila) who soars above. I think we should all strive to be a little better or as I think President Hinckley said. "Try a little harder to be a little better." It may have been President Monson. I´m not sure. This story taught me that the effect I can have on people can be great and my attitude in whatever situation Im in is essential. I love you all and hope everything continues to go well. I know the church is true and it blesses the lives of everyone. Good luck this week and remember that smiling is the best medicine.

Tyler

PS
PICTURES!
1. This is what happens when two Elders try to cook hamburgers in a frying pan. My companion is doing his best to cook without getting burnt by popping oil.
2. The little boy we blessed. He is awesome.
3. The time we have to study. When we are waiting for someone, or in a brief break for five minutes.