April 25, 2011

April 25
(Jayce) Your testimony is going to grow so so much on your mission. One of the things that I am most excited for is to be able to be a member that will help fellowship investigators. It means so so much to a missionary and I can only imagine how much more it means to the investigator to have a friend and feel comfortable and welcome whether they be 3 or 80. We are going to have to be the bash brothers, o sea, the fellowship brothers. It will be way fun. The most happy times of my mission have been times that I have felt the most love for people. It is inevitable. When we serve, we love.(Mom) Francisca is going to be baptized with her son on the 8th of May… The new family,,Dad and Daughter came to church and stayed for 2 hours. Im not sure how they liked it. . . . I love being with Elder Ostergar. We are very similar. We are doing great. The rules are cracking down here in the mission to help us be more effective and powerful. Thankfully, I really believe that. We cant communicate to anyone except for family and president now through email. . I love you so much and am so thankful for you. You are the best family in the world. Have a great week! I’m doing awesome !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!, Love Elder Tilley. Love you Mom more than anything.

April 18, 2011

(Jayce) This week has been a miracle. I have seen my and am sure your prayers answered. I read in Alma 33, right after the chapter about the SEED, that prayer is so so important. I loved how the things in the chapter were so specific. When we ask specifically, we get answered specifically. I was amazed at how one of the Elders in the pension seemed to turn back to me. He wouldn’t talk to me and it seemed that there was some kind of a conflict. I have no clue what. This week, it has been so different. It is amazing that Heavenly Father gave me exactly what I asked, "that He would turn this friend back to me" My testimony of prayer is much stronger. . . . I really do have my own testimony. Even if I was in the middle of nowhere and no one was watching me and no one expected or forced me to go to church to take the Sacrament, have daily conversations with my Heavenly Father, read the words of the prophets, I would still do it because I really want to. . . . I’m so thankful for what I am learning on my mission. It is really hard sometimes, but it is really good for me all the time.
(Rachel) I love the Gospel and love living it. This past week, it dawned on me that I have my own testimony. I really do. I would live it and love it even if no one was watching or expecting me to because it is what I want to do and have seen the blessings and miracles of prayer and scripture study. President Laycock showed us 1 Nephi 15:24 that I really love too. It teaches about the importance of the scriptures. Scratch them down and read them this week. They are really interesting. I’m really excited for you. I can’t wait and can’t even imagine how it would feel to have 3 little friends waiting to be held that I don’t know yet. I’m really excited for you and am praying for your success as a couple. I know the Lord will watch over and provide. "but where is the Lamb? The Lord will provide Isaac...The Lord will provide". Remember that one? Thank you for taking time to write me. It really does help me so much. I am sitting next to one of the Elders I live with. His dad doesn’t even want him here. Can you believe that? I am so blessed. Thank you for everything. I love you and Joe. If you see Vova, Tell him I’m excited to see him and love him. Love you again Rach and Joe and Big Bean. Love Elder Tilley
(Mom) This next week, we have Francisca Martinez with a baptismal date,,, 24th. She needs prayers this week to receive her answer. She is so nice, just a sweet sweet lady. She is 50 or so and lives with two kids and her husband. Her husband doesn’t impede her, but doesn’t want to listen....yet. We are also teaching an awesome family. Mom and Dad and 7 year old daughter. Armando, Maria Inez and Amanda They have accepted to be baptized and love what they are learning. We went to their house, as a reference of a less active, who is their neighbors. They had deaths in the extended family recently and were just looking. They are coming to church next week and we have a family night with them and the Didier family on Friday at 7. I really love being here. This ward has helped me feel very very welcome. It is hard changing wards. I haven’t heard about Chiloe lately. Elder Ostergar and I make sure the zone and companionships are doing well, get everyone excited to complete the goals we have set as a mission, take down and pass numbers to the assistants and I would say more than anything, be examples of love. I have been so busy. I eat an egg this morning, but besides that, it has been two weeks. That’s how busy. We will be calling in the evening. I’m thinking around 7-9 more or less. I’m glad you loved the gift. Mom. Thank you for everything. (Regarding flight plans) November 1st. I feel good about that too. If something crazy goes on let us know if we need to make changes.

April 11, 2011

April 11 Elder Ostergar is so great. I think of the Andersons a lot when I’m with him. I can’t put my finger on it. Last night he started quoting George Baily from Its a Wonderful Life. That was really funny. Yea, all the zone leaders are together. … Elder Ostergar has been out for 3 months more than me. He goes home in July I think. He is from California. He is the oldest of 5 kids. He is such a good missionary because he does what is in Preach My Gospel. I have been impressed with how humble he is. He doesn’t judge, he just loves and helps. I’ll let you know about the investigators from Chiloe. I don’t know much about them right now though. Thank you for all the prayers of faith. Prayer is work and I’m so glad that you sacrificed to help those people. I think the Venegas family is going to write you about the baptism. They called me to invite me, but we aren’t generally given permission to go.
(Jayce) I love you tons Jayce. You are so awesome. You are going to be such a great missionary because you do what is right. I wish I could zip into the future and see you as a zone leader so I could get some pointers. I’m not joking at all. This has been a rough week; more emotionally than anything. I have a really hard time with disobedience, like I always have. …There are those good times that are really good and there are hard times that are.....even better because of what you learn. … I am doing so well and am learning so much from my companion. Mostly about how to lovingly talk to missionaries.. This last week, I learned that nothing takes the place of the sacred time that we have with our loving Heavenly Father. I thought, "maybe because I’m so busy organizing, talking, thinking....that Heavenly Father would understand if my prayers weren’t as thought out or meaningful". I am grateful to know now, that nothing can take the place for the blessings that come through meaningful prayer. …Its not all fun and games, its straight up work, emotional, physical, spiritual, but neither were Gethsemane or Calvary, like Elder Holland said. I’ll do it for My Savior. I love you Jayce. Have a great week. Love Elder Tilley

April 4, 2011

(Bec) I loved the pictures that Mom sent to me. I can’t wait to see you play. Keep up the good work. Keep up the good work in school too. You’re coming to an end. Go hard. I have realized on my mission that it is hard to study things that I don’t have as much interest in. I have learned that I have to apply what I am learning to be able to understand and apply it again when it comes to a test. Just like BBall. After you learn how to shoot, you have to go apply it in practice so that you can do it when the test comes. Make homework applications fun. Im still not sure how to exactly do it, but start on it now so we can work it to perfection later. Love you tons Becs. Have a great week. Freckle Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Love Elder Tilley
(Mom) Well, for transfers, we get a phone call on Sunday night from the assistants. They will either say, "you stay" or "you go" calling each one by name. Once you find out, you either get ready for bed or start packing. The next morning, we get up and get our bags to whichever chapel in the mission that they say… changes are announced over the pulpit by the assistants.... Both of us got changed and Elder Hasler stayed in Chiloe and took over all of our investigators…Elder Ostergar, the zone leader of the stake Javiera Carrera was called to stand up and his new companion....Elder Tilley. I was taken a little by surprise, but extremely excited. I just had one of the best companions in the mission and now I get another one. Wow! He is going to be teaching me to help me learn the responsibilities of my assignment. I loved conference. It was absolutely marvelous. We have been saying for the last month that Christmas is coming again. It is honestly the best weekend of the whole half of the year. … I really really really loved Elder Oaks talk. I think that has to be my favorite subject, choosing who you want to be.
Luis did get baptized…Sunday morning before the first sesstion of conference. …. It was a miracle. Our ward mission leader baptized him. … It has been incredible to see Luis grow. It has been very apparent to Elder Bourgeous and I that hidden treasures are given to those who keep the word of wisdom. He is and his ability to think and respond… He said he feels "more capable" of doing things. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is incredible. It has Spiritually, Mentally, emotionally and Physically changed his being. I have seen evidences of each one. …Our ward brought us lunch in the chapel in between the sessions, so we had a beautiful time together. It felt like Thanksgiving. We did the dishes after. Marlene went to get a date for the marriage because Thilo is working so much, but they gave them a bunch of papers that they had to do concerning their kids (each has one). …We are not sure how Hernan is. …He seemed happy and said he would call us later. I hope he reads the Book of Mormon. The day that he wanted us to give him money for transportation, we called the zone leaders and asked them if we could give him money. (It was to be able to go to the center of town for a job interview) They didn’t feel good about it, but we did go home and I got my razor, shaving cream, and some toilet paper put it in a bag. We took it back to him that night. He was pleased that we had helped him but still very sad. He still has that razor. Our teaching pool changed up a bit because we have really been trying to weed out those that are going to progress. We had 5 baptismal dates for the 24th of April, some more sure than others. … I sure learned so much in my last three changes there. I almost lost it a couple of times thinking that I was going to be changes. I may never be able to walk around such a dangerous place with no fear, because I am a Servant of the Living God. Elder Ostergar is from California. … He is famous here for how well he can draw. I’m going to be taking some lessons. He has been accepted into the BYU animation production, which is very difficult and wants to start doing movies with Pixar. He is also a Surfer. Stick those together…Jessica Diaz said that she loves it when you write her. She pleaded that I asked you to continue. They came to conference and were able to talk to them for a bit. They are a great family. Love you tons, have a great week.