Tuesday, March 31, 2015

Interviews with the President

Hello everyone,

Once again I have made it another week here in Georgia.  This week we had interviews with our mission president and we talked about how we can use members more in our missionary work.  We were also rebuked for not getting 20 member present lessons, but we learned a lot and so things are looking good.

We were able to meet with Monica for lunch and talked about Joseph Smith and how the gospel blesses people’s lives.  On Saturday our ward/elders quorum had what they call the Shoot Out Activate.  [They all bring] their guns out and go shoot.  They shot .22's 9mm, .45's, shotguns, and .357.  That was pretty cool and no I did not shoot any of them,  but the ward [members] were sure tempting me...

We had the zone leaders stay the night last night which was cool.  I mean, we have a house and space to share!!!

Keep the Faith everyone.  Love Ya.  Thank you all!!!!

Monday, March 23, 2015

Investigators and Not Feeling Well

Hello everyone,

Joseph and Mary did come to church on Sunday, which was exciting!  On Tuesday we had a very good district meeting.  It was on the Christ like attributes.  It always bring in the spirit when we talk about how to become more like our savior.  

We were able to meet with Monica this week and talk to her about the Book of Mormon and how it ties into the restoration.  She has been reading it pretty regularly, so she’s doing good.  I wanted to put her on date but she didn't feel ready for a date yet.

The whole weekend either I was sick or my companion elder Thurgood was sick so we were pretty busy trying to get healthy again.

Compare Alma 31:12-18 to Matthew 6: 5-6.  Satan would want us to stand before men and have us be praised by men for worshiping god but we see that Christ would rather have us do it in secret and have us praise him rather than us get praise from man and he will reward us openly.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Blessed for Obedience!

Hello everyone!

This week we saw a lot of miracles happen!  Must have been for obedience!

Last p-day after I e-mailed you all, Joseph (one of the ward members) took Elder Thurgood and I mountain biking, and it was legit!!!  So much fun.  It’s not like mountain biking in Utah where you start at the top of the mountain and ride down [guess we didn’t make Tyler ride uphill enough].  Here in Georgia we have hills so you ride up one side and ride down the other side.  There are very few rocks.  Instead there are lots of roots.  It was a lot of fun.  We had like prefect weather as well.

That night we taught Fallon, who comes from a part member family.  Her dad refuses to let her be baptizes but  her mom wants her to be baptized.  So we are teaching Fallon so she knows the gospel.  One day when she is older maybe she will choose to be baptized and already know what she needs.  

Tuesday we had district meeting.  In our district we have the sister training leaders as well as the zone leaders and us so we have a pretty stacked district.  But the zone leaders were at another district in the zone so it was just the two sets.  That was kinda weird and small, but it was good none the less!

Thursday we had an awesome miracle happen.   We were just finishing weekly planning and driving to the church to make some copies and we got a call from a number we didn't know... it was John!!!  John was one of our top investigators about 5 weeks ago but he called us one day and said never come back and never call.  But he called us back and said he wanted to know the truth!  So we told him if he reads and prays and comes to church regularly that he will know truth and we were able to put him on date for baptism later in April.  So that was awesome!!!! yeah!!!!

Saturday morning we had a lesson with Noah.  Previously, we were out looking for potentials in the area book and this one house stood out to me and I couldn't stop looking at it, so I had to knock on it.  We told Noah that we felt impressed to knock on his door that day.  He was very open and willing to have us over again.  So Saturday we went and taught him the whole first lesson and wow he was so prepared.  A lot of his beliefs lined up with ours and we gave him the Book of Mormon, and before we could even ask him he told us he would read it and prayer about it and that he would know by the Holy Ghost if it is true.  It was absolutely awesome to see how prepared and ready he was to receive the gospel.  They are out there!

Later we went on a “time up” with brother Hunt.  He such a cool guy.  He sells medical equipment.  He had sitting in his truck a $2 thousand dollar screw.  Kinda cool.  After that we saw this lady named Heather and taught a little bit on her door step.  That night we went to a ward activity, Siamese basketball... so couples in the ward would wear the same shirt and have two teams of this and would play basketball.  Funniest thing that I have seen in a while.  Sunday we got to teach the deacons about “how do I invite my friends to church?”  Lots of fun.

Last miracle.  So this morning we get a call from Heather one of our new converts saying, “Hey meet me at Kroger, I am buying you food.”  This is a blessing because elder Compton was not wise with his money this month and has about $1.75 on his mission card.  So I was blessed anyway.

Thank you everyone.  Love you all!

Monday, March 9, 2015

Baptism Date Set

Hello Everyone,

This week we had a lot going on in the way of meetings, but we had a great week and we were able to put Joseph and Mary on date [for baptism] for later in April.  We also had zone training and as you can see in the picture, I found someone from Salem.  Yeah, Aaron Nelson is in my mission so I was able to talk with him for a bit.  He's doing good.

We also had Stake conferences this week so I was able to see everyone [from] Calhoun again.  I saw Abraham and Chase who were two I worked closely with.  Both are doing good and are active.  Joe was also there [at stake conference].  It was really exciting to see him there, partly because we didn't know he was coming.  He went up and talked to President Harding for a minute which was awesome because president is a very powerful man and so I hope that it did some good because we are not progressing with him [Joe] right now.

Thank you for the love and support from you all!!  Keep the faith!

Tyler and Companion

Tyler and Aaron Nelson from Salem

Monday, March 2, 2015

Elder Frosty

Hello everyone!

This [week] was a lot of finding and talking with people and meeting all of the other elders’ people that they were working with.  But we were able to move into their room because it was bigger and had enough room for all of our stuff to go into the closets.  So Tuesday through Thursday it snowed and on Wednesday from about 2pm until the next morning, we had to stay in our apartments because of the snow and bad drivers, mostly bad drivers because it was like an inch of snow, but whatever.

We called a lot of people, like 60 calls or something.  Then I got really bored when we ran out of people to call.  We decided to make a snow man and so for the next hour we made a snow man.  His name was Elder Frosty, so we were in a three some for a day.  Then like a snowman, he melted away.  :-)

Friday was a weird day.... we talked to one of the less actives in the trailer park and asked her how she liked church and she started telling about how she went to this waterfall and they were taking these really good picture by it and how she could see through the snow and see rocks and stuff.  As we walked away me and my companion were like, "what happened!?"  Then we went to Publix and saw this family that was looking for work and such so went over to say a prayer with them.  They were from India and talked with an accent.  We started to say a prayer and they all begin praying, all of them at once.   I was so shocked I stopped and just stood there while my companion laughed at me.  I never had that happen [before].  Anyway, I was kinda weirded out by that just because it had never happened before or something.

Then we went and taught an investigator and we were talking about belief and what they believe and the wife was telling us how she didn’t believe that you need to do anything.  You just need to be a good person and that is what God wants you to do.  She didn’t believe she needed to read the Bible let alone the Book of Mormon and didn’t need to go to any church.  So I asked her how she communicated with God and she said she can just feel him and that’s how she communicates with him.   I was so frustrated....  

Then on Sunday we were blessed to have Mary and Joseph come to church and since it was fast and testimony week and since it was ward temple week everyone talked about the temple and everyone talked about how families can be together forever.  My companion and I were like well this could go really good or really bad.  But we have faith that that was what they needed to hear and so we hope they enjoyed it.

We were able to meet with [Joe] last night and read from 2 nephi 31 and talk about the gospel.  It was really a laid back lesson.  Really he’s not super interested in baptism right now.  Sports and school are keeping him busy so we are kinda sad about that.  But he is going to be baptized at one point soon in his life.

Thank you all for the prayers and support you send our way.  Love you all take care!  Keep the Faith!