Christmas Week!

Hello everyone,

This week was filled with lots of “excitingness”!  Joe came to church.  So that was good.  On Christmas eve we went around delivering Christmas goodies to our investigators and it think it softened hearts as well we have this one investigator who is kind of weird... I don't know, you would have to meet him, but I think when he got these cookies he felt that we were genuine.  So I think some good things happened with him.  We also visited this couple and gave them cookies and they were like, come back tomorrow and we will give you some BBQ.  So we came back on Christmas day and had some BBQ and were able to talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and a little bit about what we do. 

I was able to talk to my family briefly and they are doing well and happy.  They got some snow as you may know. 

Just yesterday we had a lesson over at Bishop Black’s House with Joe about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He had some questions which I think is awesome.  When your investigators have questions, you know that they really want to learn and they trust you.

Today right before we emailed we went up Kennesaw  Mountain [Battlefield National Park] and that was cool. See attached pictures. 

How was everyone’s Christmas this year!?!  Thank you family for Skyping me.  That was fun!  Oh, there’s a sweet cannon pic as well.  The family that took us was the Hunt family.  Super awesome family!  [They] love the missionaries!! They are one of like 5 families that are like "hey if you don’t have a dinner come on over."  So they are pretty cool like that.

Flea Market?

Missionary House - "The Burnt Hickory Country Club"

  

More Investigators at Church and Investigator in Calhoun Baptized

So we had some awesome miracles.  We had three investigators come to church yesterday which was awesome!  Two were from a part member family and so we had the whole family there.  Also, Joe came [to church].

I would have put some pictures of the “Burnt Hickory Country Club” (our house we live in) but I forgot my camera so I can’t show [you] this week, maybe next week.

This week we did a lot of contacting and it’s kind of hard to make appointments because everyone is like, “oh, I have plans this week” or “i'm busy.”  So we just give out the "He Is the Gift" cards all day long and meet with members.   We had a mission wide/half the mission Christmas party so I wast able to talk to all my friends that are missionaries.

A side note!  I wasn't able to go but one of my investigators that I worked with in Calhoun was baptized!!!!  His name is Chase.  That was awesome.  Good on Elder Harding on that baptism.

Anyway.  Short one today.  But all ya'all have a Merry Christmas this year!!!  Thank you all for your prayers and support!

Christmas Is Coming!

Ok.  I don’t have a lot of time but that’s ok.  I kind of know the area a bit, so that’s good.  We have some [investigators] pretty close to baptism.  We just have to ask them when they want to be baptized.  It’s been a lot of fun this week.  We had 4 investigators come to church on Sunday which was exciting!

Christmas is coming soon!  Have some fun in the snow while I enjoy this short sleeve shirt weather.  Ha! Ha!  Merry Christmas!

Thank you for the prayers and support.  Love you all!

Elder Compton Transfers to Dallas, GA

My transfer goals are pretty exciting!  We want to baptize 2 people this transfer, mostly focusing on a part member family.

This week we had transfers and so I have a new area and a new companion.  I love elder Smith.  He is a great teacher and missionary over all.   Honestly, I should not be his companion [because] he should be training.  He's that good of a teacher.  But I am excited to work with him.  Oh, and he is very effective with time and what he does.

I am in the Burnt Hickory Ward.  I love this ward.  The people here are nice and [they] like the missionaries.  They are feeding us as well!  We have a few investigators who aren't progressing yet but will be and so I know we will baptize this transfer.    The main [prospects] that I am seeing are Allen, the part member family, and Chris.  So I am really looking forward to that.

There are a lot of squirrels here around our house so it’s crazy awesome.   We went to The Varsity before coming home from transfers.  I got some pics of the big city of Atlanta.

Elder Compton’s new Address:

Elder Tyler Compton
412 Oak Hills Dr.
Dallas, GA 30132

CYA Powder Springs!

Hello friends and family,
 
Wow!  We are a month away from Christmas.  haha!  so I get to Skype [my family] soon.  That will be fun.

Monday we played basketball and Tuesday we had an awesome district meeting.   A highlight of [the meeting] was when started to talk about our investigators.  Someone asked how do we help our investigators get an answer as to whether or not to be baptized.  One of the [senior] missionaries said let’s go to Moroni 10:3-5 and read what Moroni says.  Wow, how awesome it was!  Basically search, ponder, and pray.  So search is when we read the Book of Mormon.  Then we ponder about it and see if it would be of God and of Jesus Christ.  Finally we pray to the Father if it be true and with real intent, and the Holy Ghost will tell in [you in] your heart.  You can come to know it to be true.

Wednesday nothing really happened and it was a long day because we tracted [the entire day].  For Thanksgiving we worked in the [Stake] Family History Center and later we ate at the Binghams’ home.  They would not have had anyone for Thanksgiving so we changed that yeah for them.

But guess what!  I am transferring out [of Powder Springs].  Wahoooo!  Don’t send me anything here in Powder Springs because I won’t be here anymore.  It was kind of weird.  They “white washed” us in and now they are “white washing” and closing the area.  I don’t know yet where I am going.  I will let you know as soon as I know .  I am 4 1/2 months out and getting my fourth companion and third area.

Oh for ya'all that are cold back at home, it’s about 70 degrees today and nice and warm day for ya'll here.  So.... stay warm!  Love you all.  Thank you for the support you send me and prayers.

D&C138:56

Tyler Shares a Testimony

This week was really cold and so we tried to stay inside as much as possible.  I got to go to the Sports Academy.  One of the sets of elders were trying to hand off a referral to us and the referral’s name is Martey.  Martey likes guns and hunting so it works out perfectly for me.  Thanksgiving is coming and the Binghams are feeding us.  Thursday we had elder Kopischke [1st Quorum of the Seventy.  Click Here for more info] come talked to us all day [at a zone conference].  It was awesome!! I learned so much.  He told us to stop worrying about numbers and to worry more about what the people need.  I went on exchanges with elder Reni who is my district leader.  He's a lot of fun.   We actually got to teach a lesson too!!!  It’s been a while since I have [taught a lesson].  We got to go eat at a Johnny’s BBQ the other day!  mmmmmhhh so good!  Ya'all should be jealous, ya’ hear!!  

Transfers are in a week in a half.  30 missionaries are going home and so some big changes coming here soon.  Anyway, I love you all!!  Love hearing about everything going on at home.

Missionaries to be, I testify that you need to get ready now!   When you get out here you will not have your friends to back you up on your beliefs.  You come out here with just your companion and people telling you that you’re wrong and that you’re part of a cult.  [Your testimony is] like your muscles.  You have to work your muscles to be strong.  It is the same with your spiritual muscles.  Don't come out here “thinking” is the gospel true?  I testify if you come to “know” that you will have peace of mind and your mission will be a lot easier from the beginning.  Love you all.  Keep up the good work. 

I just want to share my testimony of everything.   I know that the Savior lives and he truly does love each one of us and he has a plan each one of us to make us better.  A good video to watch is the new Mormon Messages (the one that just came out) [I think that the latest one is this one].  This missionary work is truly amazing to see.  We have 88,000 20 years old serving missions...  think about it,  if this wasn’t true, why would 88,000 thousand selfish 20 year olds go on a mission and live strict rules and schedules.  There must be something good about the gospel of Jesus Christ.  But I can testify it is the way our Savior wants us to live and that he wants us to [serve] because it will make us happy and one day [help us to ] become like him.  The Book of Mormon is truly inspired.  Satan tries to keep us from reading it because he knows he will lose all power when we read it.  If you feel like you are stuck and can’t get out of Satan’s grasp, then read the Book of Mormon more and you will be freed by it.  I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Recent Rain Storm

Recent Rain Storm

Picture at Fort Mountain, GA

Tyler's former companion, Elder Harding sent this to his family and his mom forwarded to Tammy.

Fort Mountain - Elder Compton and Elder Harding

Missionaries in the Bible Belt

Hey everyone!  How’s the snow!?!

This week we were able to teach a few lessons with our investigators.  Two with Vinson and we were blessed with Allen Robinson who was a former investigator.   Allen said he is waiting for an answer about whether he should be baptized or not.  He just needs to take step of faith.

That’s all that was too exciting last week.  The rest of the week was mostly was tracting.  On cool thing is that I saw the Provostgaards  [from Salem] at a baptism that the YSA elders had [on Saturday].  That was awesome!!  We talked for a while.  [The Provostgaards texted the pictures to Tammy that were recently posted on Tyler’s blog.]

On Tuesday we were going to contact some old past investigators and this man starts talking to us.  By the way he was talking he probably thought we were Jehovah Witnesses.  But we left him a card and we got his address.   He was willing for us to come and talk with him.  That’s what’s awesome here in the South... everyone is hot on the topic of religion.  Even high school kids are talking about it here.   Talking about religion with my friends was not something that I did a lot.  It’s kinda cool down here.  In schools they have a moment of silence every morning here in all the schools so that you can pray.  How awesome s that?!?!  Anyway, it’s awesome down here.  I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else but here.

I love the prayers that ya'll give the missionaries out here.  I testify that we need more!  Satan has been [working] harder.  I have heard of missionaries going home.   Pray for us!!   Lots!!

Love you all!   Keep on keepin’ on and never stop!

Tyler Sees the Provostgaards from Salem

Southern BBQ and Some Pictures

This week we ate at a member’s house who received an award winning of the South BBQ.  Dang it was good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Baked beans and [everything was] oh so good.

We found a guy by the name of Joe right in our neighborhood.  He loves the Savior so he loves us and we are teaching him this week some time.  I am excited because this will be our first solid appointment this transfer.  I hope so that’s that.

I went on an exchange with a missionary who has been out for 2 weeks and so two greenies rockin’ the Powder Springs area.

That is about all.  One more thing, we had zone meeting this [past] Friday and went to the temple so that was great.  Anyway, check out the pictures.  I enjoy getting your letters from you all!!!  Love ya'all at home and miss ya!  Bye!

Elder Bowcutt with Elder Compton

Compton Elementary

Elder Compton has a playhouse in his back yard in Powder Springs!

Classic Vinyls!  Contacting in the record store.

Classic Vinyls! Contacting in the record store.

Elder Compton's "apartment"

Where's Waldo (Elder Compton)

Where's Waldo (Elder Compton)

Where's Waldo (Elder Compton)

Where's Waldo (Elder Compton)

Lots of "Tracting"

This week was great!  We got to do what every missionary wants to do.... go tracting every day, all day.  The last elders were a little bit lazy and had zero new investigators.  They taught 5 total lessons for the week.   They were doing very little.   So we are tracting every day until we have a teaching pool.  The previous elders did not make friends with members and so when we go to church no one talks to us.  It’s hard right now.  But hey, we are going to baptize!!!  Because we're missionaries!!!

Saturday was a cold one for us but we tracted anyway.

Hope all are having a great day back at home.  I love the letters that I get from ya'all.  Don't stop sending me letters.  It would make Tyler happy if you sent me some!  Love ya'all.  Keep up the missionary work!

Transferred to Powder Springs

We have been tracking for a long few days and I can see now that I was very blessed in Calhoun!  We found an investigator who calls herself "a wanna be Mormon."  Basically her husband will not allow it, so we need to baptizes him!  We are going to start working with her.  We also have this other couple who are open to us teaching but aren't open to change, so we are going to work with them.

Elder Bowcutt [new companion] is a good companion.  He is nothing like me but that is good because we have the gospel in common.  We will work hard.  

I am in Powder springs serving in the Lost Mountain Ward.  Wow!  What a change.  We have the most active ward in the mission with 300 members at church.  My new address is

Elder Compton the Monster
3268 Lancer Drive.
Powder Springs, GA 30127

You can look it up on Google maps [Click Here] and see that I am living in a house,  Yep, 4 bedroom house with a gas stove...and no food when we got here whatsoever.  It has a play house out back, a yard, and a garage.  But when we wake up in the mornings the house is cold!

Thank you all for the blessed letters.  Keep on writing me.  I will write you if you write me.  Have a blessed day!

Missionary House in Powder Springs, GA

New Address for Elder Compton

New Address is posted on the side and below.

Elder Tyler Compton
3268 Lance Dr
Powder Springs, GA 30127

Elder Compton Is Getting Transferred

I received the news that I am being transferred.  I will be leaving Calhoun by Wednesday.  I am sad to leave "da' Houn".

Tyler in the Haywood Valley of Georgia

Fishing and More Success With Less Active Families

This last week on p-day we went fishing at this little pond and caught nothing!!!   Just so you know I had one on and the fish almost [broke my pole] so I cut the line, so there were some big ones in there.  We had to be careful because there were snapping turtles, copperheads (which are like rattles snakes) and water moccasins.  When we got home I had some chiggers on my legs but I’m ok now because they are gone.

Last Wednesday we had zone conference.  We had to get up at 3:30 to get there in time.   We also got to go to the temple.    We got to watch Meet the Mormons.  Pretty awesome!

Today we got to go to Front Mountain.  It’s about 2,823 feet high, so that was cool.  There’s a legend about it because on one side of the mountain there is a wall of rocks.  Cherokee legend has it that there were people with blonde hair and blue eyes who use to be there until the Cherokees killed them off.  So a lot of the members here believe that to be the last battle place of the Nephi nation.  So you can Google and figure out more.

This week we had more luck with the less active.  We would have appointment after appointment fall through and so we would go to a less active family and we would get in and talk to them.   We also got this less active member and his family to come to church.  I don't think he wanted to be there... BUT HE WAS THERE AND SO WAS HIS WIFE!  It was great!

Oh and awesome miracles this week!  We are being feed every single night so it is good, yeah!  I think the ward likes us.

Last week we had exchanges.  I went with my district leader and I learned a lot on how to do store contacting.  He showed me in a way that made perfect sense, so I'm excited to try it out more.  We also noticed this one thing that is happening in all the less actives.  They are not reading the Bok of Mormon and beginning to doubt Joseph Smith.  I testify that we need to read the Book or Mormon, as well as the Bible.  The Bible is the “what” and the Book of Mormon is the “why”.  Remember that.

I love you all at home.  Take care.   Thank you for all the prayers that you give for me.  Thank you so much for the letters you send.  It is a great blessing in a missionary’s life to get one.  Have an Awesome day!  

Picture of Tyler at the Carterville Zone Conference in October 2014

L to R Elder Jake Harding, Elder Tyler Compton

Conference Weekend Update

Hey!  This one will be short because we are using a member’s computer.  This week was awesome.  I think it was awesome that Elder Dallin H. Oaks [click link to hear the talk] and I are on the same page.

I have pics but since I am in a hurry you can see them in the future.  Great conference this weekend.  Follow the prophet!  It’ going to get rough soon.

We had a training meeting for those who are still new [Guess Tyler is still “new”].  So that was awesome.  But no one let us know until 10 minutes before [the training started].  If you don’t understand how far it was for us to drive, it would be like driving from Salem to Brigham City and back, so a total of about 200 miles that day.  Once again we will be riding bikes a lot.

[We are] going fishing right after this.  Next week I will have some awesome pics.

Met with a lot of less actives this week so that was good.  Anyway, thank you for all the letters and b-day wishes!  Have an awesome day!!!

Older Picture from 9-10-14 Tyler Sent this week to his mom

Miracle in WalMart

We didn't have much new happen this week.  We met with all our investigators and we found like 6 more.  We are filling up our schedule most of the time.  Oh, I guess here is something cool but ya'all  know it is coming.  We are probably getting iPads this January.  

This week we found some members who haven’t been to church and are not on the records here in Calhoun.  So it’s kinda crazy and awesome.  We are starting to pick up the dice with Dale and Carolina who Elder Alade and I found before transfers.  They love us and it’s awesome.  Also, we started teaching some teenagers so we will see where that goes.

So it sounds like Utah is getting a lot of rain.  Well, I think since last month it has rained here three times very lightly.  It is kind of weird.  We had a miracle the other day I would like to share.  We were at Walmart getting some cleaning supplies and we had this lady walk to us as we were checking out and say hey are you [living] in such and such neighborhood and we were like yeah and she was like come back Tuesday and teach us.  We were like ok and then she walked off.  YEAH!!!!!!!   So that was way awesome.

We went and ate over at a member’s home.  I wish that I had pics but this was in the country and they have a pond.  We are going to go catch some catfish next p-day so I will send pics when we do!

Love ya'all!  Love getting letters from everyone.  Letters make my mission easier hearing from you.  Thank you and have an awesome day! 

Piggly Wiggly and the Fair

Wow!  What a week of hard stuff.   So after I wrote my email last week we cleaned the apartment.  Oh, btw, the three elders that were here last time were like well we aren’t going to be here so let’s blow the miles on this car...not our problem.  So we don’t have a lot of miles for the month, so the struggle is real.

Then [after cleaning the apartment] we went to the fair where we had a booth [for the church].  A few of the members were there and they were like, “hey, go walk around and let people see you.  So we did.”  We had a Baptist preacher walk up to us and start talking to us.  He didn’t tell us he was [a preacher] until later on.  But anyway he started off acting like he wanted to know more about the church and then he switched the switch.  Elder Harding and he went at it for a while.  I testify that if anyone comes down on a mission and feels that a person is going to try and [Bible] bash, you testify and then walk off.  They’re so hard headed that they are not trying to feel the spirit they just want to prove they are right and you are wrong.

So that was Monday.  We taught a few investigators on Tuesday and Wednesday then we got sick for two days, so we were out for a while.  Then on Saturday we found like 9 new investigators.  Awesome!  Baptisms!!!!!!!  Families Forever!!!

We have a store here called Piggly Wiggly.  It’s a... yeah... something you have to see for yourself....

Thank you for the letters that you send.  I enjoy hearing about home and hearing about you.  And remember, baptisms, families, Gospel of Jesus Christ, eternal life!!!!  Enduring to the end!!!  Enjoy your day!

Canning at the fair

Carterville Zone Conference Pictures

There are a few pictures on Facebook of Tyler from a recent zone conference.  He is tagged so they should be easy to find.  A couple of them are below.

New Companion From Spanish Fork!

So this week we had transfers.   I got a new companion and I am still in “Da Houn”.  His name is Elder Harding and the first few minutes we found out that this companionship was going to be awesome!  Basically think of what I like to do and then make me two inches taller and you have my companion.  Elder Harding’s first name is Jake.

So some of you may know Jake from The Utah Valley Children's Choir.  He also was involved in Venturing and Timberline.   In fact, Jeff was his troop guide when he was going to Timberline, which is awesome.  While we were driving back to Calhoun we asked each other who we knew and we have about 25 people that we know in common.  So that’s cool!

Now we are taking off [the work?].  We have three investigators that are really close to baptism.   So we will probably have them in the next month or so.  It’s starting to cool off here in the Houn, so now I’m starting to like Georgia!  Yeah!  So my companion likes what I like to do sooooooo..... you know what that means....    means we’re going to go fishing one of these p-days!!!!!!!!  Yeah, I don’t care if we catch mud cat right now, I am just so happy we are companions.  Also, the Spanish missionaries left Calhoun and so there is just us.  So that’s fun.

Not a lot happened this week.  Transfers were crazy.  We had to drive down the day before [for transfers] and for Elder Skouson because he received his visa and then we stayed the night at the office Elders’ apartment.  I got my bike, btw mom, and it’s beautiful.  Fun stuff!

I got some letters from ya all! Thank you so much I love it when I get letters.  It makes me smile when I get one.   It’s getting cold soon so don’t freeze over there.  I’m going to enjoy this mild winter.  Ha! Ha!  But no snow…bummer.   Oh well, doesn’t matter because we can’t draft in the Lord’s car....  ha! Ha!

Thank you for all the prayers and thoughts and stuff.  Love you all and enjoy your day.

New Companion - Elder Jake Harding

Transfers This Week and a Very Short Note

Last p-day we played basketball with the zone and that was fun.  I dunked a few times [short basket?] so that was pretty cool.  Transfers are this Wednesday.   We know that one of us is going but not sure which one of us.

The mission president is pulling the Spanish speaking missionaries out of Calhoun.  That’s going to make the branch sad [I think that they were waiting for visas to other missions].   We cleaned the branch building and I vacuumed the chapel, so that was two hours of singing.

Keep on writing me.  Love ya’ all.  Thank you for your prayers and thoughts.

Racking Up the Miles

So this week went by really fast.  On Monday we went home  teaching and I met an older guy who was from the San Luis Valley and lived in [Manassa].  He looked like he was from the San Luis Valley so that was [a little] of home [hmmm, I wonder if I should be insulted here].   Then we ate at Zaxby's  [http://www.zaxbys.com/home.aspx].

The next day we had interviews so we had to drive to Carterville.  I thought that was cool.  Then on Friday we went to training in Peachtree in the Redwine Church building.  It started at 8 so we had to leave the apartment at 6 to get there so that was long plus we got a ride from a member who didn’t know how to drive stick so it was rough and fun.

We have two investigators who are really close to baptism so that’s good.  One of them cycles so that is even cooler.  Yeah go bikes!  Oh mom, btw, my bike I’m not sure where it is and I don’t think the mission home is really sure where it is either so I have not seen it [that is getting straightened out].

So yesterday, we went for a ride in the country side of Calhoun looking for people that the ward needed to contact.  Unfortunately, I did not have my camera; didn’t think we would be in the country.  We burned about a hundred miles [on the mission car] in one day and we are only supposed to use like 30 a day so.... yolo [You Only Live Once]!

I love it when it rains here, especially when it’s all day because it cools it off here.   This week the weather has been about 100 degrees with high humidity.   I think there are a least 200 different church buildings here in Calhoun.  There’s your traditional church building and then you have some churches in like a store building with a Burger King next door.  I will get a pics next time and send.   Thank you for all the letters that you send!  I appreciate when you send them.   Have a great day!  Oh, also transfers are on the tenth so we shall see what happens.

New Church Public Information Effort

Hello!  So this week was pretty awesome partly because I was so tried from the week last night that I lay down on the couch and next thing I know, it’s Monday morning.  Kinda crazy!  Last Monday I went and got a ukulele.  I have been learning some hymns with the ukulele.  

Right now we have some investigators that are a month out from being baptized.  We taught a lot of lessons today.  One of the young men got his call and he is going to France, about a three hour drive for Elder Alade [Tyler’s companion from the Netherlands] to see him when he goes home.  Kind of cool.  He is the one that helped [teach] Abraham when he was baptized [last week], so that was cool.  This past Sunday Abraham was confirmed a member and received the Holy Ghost.

This past Sunday we heard of a change, at least in the South area.  They are doing some more public stuff and have made these cards to show where the church buildings are for the LDS meeting houses because there are a lot of [different] churches here.  They also tell you what to expect in our church.

Another thing is a web site that explains how to become a member and a bunch of stuff like that.  People down here are looking for a good church to go to and so they go to a friend’s or even go online to see what churches are in the area.  So THE CHURCH OFJESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS has been trying to be at the top of Google searches for people to look at instead of all the anti-Mormon stuff being there.  There is lots of good stuff like that that will really move the work along.  So they will be launching that here in our stake first and then see how it goes.

Love you all thank you for all the prayers and thoughts.  Keep writing me and letting me know what’s going on!

Just Another Day in the ‘Houn [Calhoun]

We were “tracting” and contacting when I saw two raccoons in someone’s front yard.  Sorry my camera didn't like the lighting so it was a little blurred.  I thought that was pretty cool.

The next day we were on a call and I saw something small run across the room.   It was a lizard that ran across our apartment.  So that was something exciting for the day!

Later that day my companion took a nap during lunch so I gave him some cards.  :-)

We found this family near brother Nelson’s apartment.  So far we have taught the Restoration and Plan of Happiness.  They are progressing!   The other highlights are we got to go to a football game.  Football is a pretty big thing here in Calhoun.  Kinda weird going [to a game] in church clothes.

I was able to participate in his first baptism.  His name is Abraham and he is 16 years old.  You can refer to the picture that [includes] Tyler with “unhealthy” short hair.  We were talking to sister Landrys  about Abraham’s baptism and then we walked over to another member who we thought might have some referrals for us.  She gave us a few referrals for her neighbors.

Abraham

Miracles are happening everywhere around us!

Oh!  Interesting story told in church yesterday.  There was a man giving a talk about Haywood Valley and then he talked about how they [early converts] moved to the San Luis Valley!  I justed wanted to yell HEY THAT’S MY PEEPS YOU TALKIN' ABOUT!!! YEAH!!! THAT’S MY FAM THERE!  But I didn’t.  I just sat quietly keeping it in.  But it was pretty cool.  I think next p-day I'm going to get my companion to allow us to go [to Haywood Valley].   It’s raining today, so not really a good day to go.  Anyway, the lord loves us and he has saved us to for the end.  D&C 138:56.