June 11, 2011

Hey family,
Its great to hear everything that´s going on at home and its great to hear about what everyone is doing. Glad to hear about Alex´s heroics in soccer. I think its way cool that you had the opportunity to play goalie. And its cool that you were involved in the penalty kicks. I´m gonna have to say, I don´t like being goalie. I´m kind of afraid of the ball. Sounds like everything is still busy, which is always a good thing.
Before I go into the craziness of the week Im gonna talk about the less spiritual things, I like finishing spiritual. First things first, Good News. I am winning the elevator game 35 - 20. Basically I am creaming Elder Noriega. Don´t worry, Im humble about it. Other good news. We get along great. Other interesting news. Ollanta won the national elections for Perú. I know that means almost nothing to you, but its interesting. We also forgot to pay our light bill so we were without lights for a day. Pretty cool huh? And finally I learned a Liter of Chocolate Milk and 100 grams of Peanuts is not a good dinner. Neither is over-eating anticucho.
Now onto the spiritual.
This week has been really busy for us. We have been taking things to different parts of the mission that missionaries needed, and we have been trying to do everything that we can to get out and teach in our sector. Its been really great because we have focused on planning and preparing to go and teach, we just haven´t had hardly any time. In our mission President Tyler has focused on the process of faith that both missionaries and investigators have to go through in this life the baptize and to retain members of the church. It consists of five steps that we have to pass through. I have seen this process this week in my mission.
1. The hope. We have had a lot of hope this last week. Part of this hope was praying and setting a goal of 2 baptisms this month in a sector where we currently have 1 investigator and there hasn´t been a baptism in 7 or 8 months. (Speaking of the office elders, not the ward) We have the hope that we can have success here and still be effective in the office. Elder Noriega has a great attitude and we have focused a lot this week.
2. The hope brings faith. Faith is believing in things which are hoped for and not seen. This means we have to believe in the miracles we have yet to see. We know it is possible to see these miracles.
3. We must act. Faith without works is dead. We know this line of scripture that comes from James. But what does it really mean? Does it mean that I have to show my faith that I find someone to teach by knocking on 2 doors? 5 doors? 10 doors? I would say that none of these are the answer. I believe that the action is a never ending process. It means that I am doing everything in my power to make the miracle happen. I very much agree with a statement I once heard, and Im not even sure where. To be successful we have to work as if everything depends in us and have faith in the Lord as if everything depended in him. Because both are true. This scripture in James 2:17-18 tells us that. We must show our faith through our works. We must give it our all, and at the same time get on our knees and pour out our souls to Him who created all things. This is something that has happened for us this week. We have worked hard. Working quickly, but we were almost never able to leave and work in our sector. So what did we have to do? Elder Noriega and I made a goal to talk to everyone we could. We talked to ever taxi driver and Elder Noriega took it to heart and talked to everyone: The lady who cut our hair... The lady who bound some small books for us... the security guards in the building... Everybody. He is a great example for me. You think that´s tough? Having to do everything in your power? It´s tiring yes, however next is the hardest part.
4. The trial of the faith. We have seen these. From taxi drivers who don´t really want to talk to us, to never being able to leave because we were super busy, to getting a little sick. The trials come. Dad sent me a video with parts of talks from Henry B. Eyring and Jeffrey R. Holland. Jeffrey R. Holland talked about this. Its not always going to be easy. If dad still has that video, its definitely worth watching for everybody. Missionaries and non-missionaries (and future missionaries) :). We it gets tough for Henry B. Eyring he gives himself this rallying cry.. "Remember Him!" Jesus Christ suffered all for us. Jeffrey R. Holland talks about Salvation never being easy. It wasn´t easy for Jesus Christ so we should even begin to think that it would be easy for us to do the work. We may have to suffer a little bit. It hasn´t been easy for us. However we can always "Remember Him" our Savior and Redeemer Jesus Christ. The last part is the greatest part. Its the part we love to see.
5. The miracle. When our faith and our prayers are answered. We have had miracles. One example. Today, we went in two taxis. Both taxis were men who lived inside our sector. That had never happened even once before. But this time we ran into two men that lived in the same small area of Lima. One of them wasn´t very interested (Elder Bate had actually taught him in his taxi about 2 weeks before), the other gave us his phone number. The other example came in an interesting way. If I haven´t said it before, Ill say it now. President Tyler is an incredible man. He may have noticed we were a little stressed or overworked or he may have been guided by the spirit, but today for P_Day he took us to lunch and bowling. I´ll explain how this was a blessing. 4 stressed Elders were able to forget about the mountains of things we need to do. We were able to relax and have a good time. President is always like that. He notices how we are doing all the time.


That was my process of the faith this week. We will have to keep going with it, but I know we can have success, I have seen a little of that success this week and I am certain I will see more next week.... Hopefully things can slow down a little bit too. :) I haven´t had time to even write in my journal or study much. But thats what our planning is for. We continue praying and working. I hope the work is still moving along there, and that Trevor isn´t going to ruin the dating world. (Yes buddy, I did realized you are 16 now. The world had better watch out. jk) Just remember that respect is the most important in dating and that you don´t need to spend a ton of money. (And if dad pays for gas, it is possible for free) I love you all,

Tyler

May 21, 2011

Hey family,


Glad to hear that everything is going well at home and that you are all doing well to finish up the school year. Congratulations to megan for graduation high school in a few weeks. That´s way cool. Im glad to hear about all of the experiences you are having at home and that you are a ll trying to do your best in school, and sports, and with you friends. It was great to talk to you all last week and get to hear how everything is going. And before I forget.
Happy Birthday Dad. for 2 days ago, and Happy Birthday Trevor for tuesday. Its crazy for me to think that Trevor is going to be 16 this next week.

This last week has been pretty tough here in the office. We have had a lot to do. The crazy thing is that we are 1 and a half weeks from the next transfer, and I don´t feel like Ive even been in the office 2 weeks. Its been going so fast because Ive been so busy. Elder Olivera and I have been running all over the place, and trying to help wherever we could. Lately I have been feeling a little down, but I am hoping to start feeling better soon. I think my solution is to just get out and find someone to teach. It is also interesting to see all of the things that have been going on in the office, and I have had the opportunity to get to know a few more people. I hope that everything continues to go well for you, and that the last few weeks of school will be good.

Sorry this is short, but I don´t have a whole lot to report. I love you all.


Tyler

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.

May 8, 2011

Hey family,
Glad to hear that everything is going well, and that the kids are all staying involved in things. And about the shoes, don´t worry about it. I came with 2 pairs of shoes and I have only really worn one of the two. I won´t need shoes at all for my mission, and being in the office I have learned that it is a pain to get packages in the mission. The office has to go to the post office and it takes like 2 hours to get a package from outside the united states.
This week was pretty good. We had a multi-zone conference during the week, and it was pretty sweet to hear. I had the opportunity to watch Elder Bate and Elder Asqui plan for their training, and it was really good. My favorite part about it was what President Tyler said. He spoke about the importance of prayer in the work. He said that we are working in a world of repetitive padre nuestros (The Lord´s Prayer), dad can explain what it is. He talked about the importance of really praying and helping our investigators understand the importance of really praying. He pointed out that prayers are the way we can communicate with a supreme being. People want to talk to the famous people... Sports players, celebrities, presidents... but we fail to recognize sometimes that the most powerful being of our universe is just one prayer away and he wants to hear our prayers.
We also had the opportunity to start teaching two more investigators. Lourdes who is 20 and Jasmine who is 12. They both are interested. We actually thought Jasmine was a member, but it turns out that her mom, who is a member, won´t let her get baptized because of what her ex-husband, who was also a member, did. I think she blames the church. Lourdes is awesome and we hope to get a baptismal date with her soon. We are also still working with a teenager named Wilson and a man named Rafael.
The office is still tough, but it is really interesting to do something different. And I know I am serving the Lord in the office by trying to help the missionaries in the mission. I love you all and would like to wish a happy birthday (late I know) to Trent and a Happy Mother´s Day to mom.


Tyler

April 29, 2011
Hey family,
Well, this week went really fast. We have had a whole lot to do. I have been all over Lima a few times and I have had to pay a bunch of legal documents and things like that. Elder Olivera and I have had a lot of things we have had to do because of the recent changes. Changes for rooms, sending letters to families of missionaries. Sending letters to the future missionaries of the mission, but it has been a good experience so far.
One of the many things I have noticed since I got here were the huge difference in the areas. It is only 20 minutes but I went from run down rooms that didn´t have their own water to apartment buildings and houses with water heaters. I went from only knowing 3 people with cars, all old and beat up to seeing a Ferrari in the street one night. (It was a sweet Ferrari). It was interesting to see the difference between wards. I love it here in Lince. I miss being able to teach more people, but I still hope to teach a bunch of people.
To start the week of, we went looking for a reference which we were given on Monday and then we knocked some doors. To make a long story really short. A lot of doors got slammed in our face. Actually to be honest no doors got slammed in our face. They just all turned us down from their 2nd floor windows and their intercoms.
Tuesday we didn´t have any lessons. We happened to be in the office or doing things for the office all day. We had three missionaries come in during the week. 2 who finally received their visas to come to Peru from the United States. (looks like I got here at a good time.) Because of that, we were really busy.
Wednesday was pretty cool. I had a cool experience. Elder Bate (assistant) and I went out to help some Elders look for a new room. Its kind of hard to find rooms that follow the rules the church wants to keep the spirit with us and keep us save. (Things like a bathroom inside our room, avoiding living in the same house as young women and mostly just keeping us in a place where we can feel the spirit.) We didn´t find a room for them, but in the search we stumbled across an 82 year old lady who had assisted the church in Miami for a year and a half. We taught her again, and she invited us to come back. We won´t be going back personally, but we both felt like she was ready to be baptized. She was awesome.
Thursday, Elder Olivera and I had the opportunity to drive to El Augustino (one part of the mission) to San Martin (other part, other side of the mission) to take things to missionaries. During this time we were using a small truck, and we were able to teach Caileb a little bit. Caileb is basically our mover guy. (I will later be sending a picture of his truck. Its pretty awesome) Caileb has been moving things for missionaries for 4 or 5 years and has never really been invited to come to church. Caileb is awesome and we hope he will progress to the point that he gets baptized with his family. We also met with an inactive family and it was a great experience. We had a great lesson with the children of the family. They are interested in coming to church again, and I really felt like they felt the spirit.
Friday was by far the best day as far as proselyting goes. As I mentioned before (i think). As part of my responsibilities in the office President Tyler also asked me to be a District Leader in the mission, which means I will have the opportunity to do baptismal interviews. Yesterday I had my first one. It was a young man named Fernando. He was awesome, and he was really prepared to be baptized. He has made mistakes in the past, but really understood the meaning of Repentance. I loved the opportunity. While I was doing that, my companion went with one of the other two missionaries there to a lesson in my sector. He found an inactive woman who´s husband isn´t a member of the church. He challenged them both to come to church Sunday and they both said they would.
I have learned this week of how the Lord blesses us when we strive to do his will and we accept the responsibilities he has given us. I know that this work is important and I want you all to know that same thing. I love you all,

Tyler

April 22, 2011

Hey family,

Well this is going to be another short one.

This week has been pretty much the most hectic week of my life. I have had so many responsibilities here in the office. I am hoping things will slow down a little bit next week so we can go out and proselyte. I have been helping missionaries with medical things, I took two elders to the airport who have finished their missions and are going home, I have been to Callao and back 2 (40 minutes each way), Condevilla and back (45 minutes each way), San Luis (30 minutes each way), and all over San Isidro. Basically, I do all sorts of things.

I am curious. Did you ever receive a letter from the mission that had a picture of me with President and Sister Tyler in it? We send one to the parents of all new missionaries, but I haven´t heard of many elders whose parents actually receive the letters.

About the office.
There are 6 missionaries in the office. 2 of them are the Webbs... The Webbs are from Arizona and don´t speak very much Spanish. Sister Webb speaks almost none. Which is hard, because I do some translating.

The next two are the assistants... Elder Asqui and Elder Bate. Elder Asqui is from Ecuador, and he has been an assistant way too long. He is starting his 6th change in the office. To give you a reference, I was in my first sector 5 changes. He will be in the office up until about 8 and a half months. A long time.
Elder Bate is from Springville, Utah. He is really cool. He is really humble and he has helped me a lot since I got here.

Next is us.
Elder Olivera is my companion. He is from Jaén, Perú. If you want to know where that is, It is about 2 hours south of the border with Ecuador. So go to where Perú meets Ecuador in Google Maps, and then go south. Its part of the Department of Cajamarca. So if you can find the city of Cajamarca, go north and you will find Jaén. He is awesome. He is way humble, and he wants to work hard. Its really cool. We get along great. He takes care of packages for Elders and things like that.
Then there is me. I am the President´s Personal Secretary, which basically means that I do anything and everything they ask me too.

Lately we haven´t had a lot of lessons, but we have had a few good lessons with Taxi Drivers. This is a new learning experience for me. Its hard. But I can do it. Im excited and hope that everything continues to go well.

I hope that everything is going well at home. I know the gospel is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet and he leads us and guides us through revelation from Jesus Christ. I know the Book of Mormon is true. In the 9 months I have been on my mission, I have found the truthfulness of it more every day. I love this gospel. And I love you all.

Tyler

April 16, 2011

Hey family,

I would like to start with a question. The family is going to Florida? And if yes... Why are all the cool trips to places like Kirtland, Ohio, part of new york and Florida all happening after I´ve left?.. Being the oldest stinks.

Well now that Im done whining.

Quick update... I got a change!!! I´ll explain that a little later...

Ok, its a little later...

If you can´t tell by the fact that Im separating a lot of my sentences, I don´t have much to say about this week.

Monday...
I don´t remember. But my agenda tells me that we that we had a lesson and we challenge Naomi and Maria to baptism. And they accepted! Yes!

Tuesday...
A normal day as a missionary... We visited a few people and we did our thing.

Wednesday...
Now about the change.
Wednesday morning at about 7:00 I got a call from President Tyler... But I was in the shower so I had to call him back... When I called him he asked me to be his Personal Secretary in the office for the next few changes. Wednesday I started in my new sector. Elder Linares has been working in the sector with a member for the last few days.

Thursday.
So here I am.

So Saturdays will now be my P-Day. always.

I have to go do responsibilities now.

Sorry about the short letter. Ill write more next week.

Tyler