August 30, 2010

Josh, I don´t know exactly what your seminary kids would like to here, but I’m so glad I lived like I did. I honestly don´t have to worry about the big temptations that many missionaries have, because I forced myself to be chaste in my mind and actions. Please just tell them to live what is in the Strength of Youth pamphlet. It´s too bad we can´t see the blessings that come from our righteous efforts right away, but it is worth everything...it is worth everything. They can´t see it now and I couldn´t see it then either, but I promise its worth it. It´s worth every time someone made fun of me or called me goody goody etc...It felt sometimes like I was on bottom, but I didn´t realize that I was flying on top. So many blessings come from living the gospel. Many times, we don´t see it till its done, but it matters because I fight for the Savior. Elder Tilley

Mom, Sandra Ibocache didn´t come to church, but we set a date for the 12th for her and her son. The Colonia´s came yesterday, but their dad is in Peru for 3 more weeks. We gave Juan a blessing because he has been really sick.

Rach! How did that feel to get home? I don´t know if there are many sweeter feeling than on the face of the earth:) I’m glad your home and getting settled down and all. That is so cool that you get to stay at the house. Our home is a little heaven on earth. We are so blessed. Thank you so much for praying for our investigators. I need to do a better job telling what each one needs so that you can pray more specifically. I love you so much and can´t wait to hang out again. Tell Joe he is awesome and am glad you got him. love you Sis. Chow,,,Elder Tilley

mom-I wanted to send this journal entry first. It talks about when Venessa bore her testimony to Pedro and also the next lesson that we and with Pedro. This was the fastest week I think. Yesterday, it was a wild experience. Pablo Sanchez was baptized. It was a beautiful service. The Stake President was able to baptize him and it was done at the Stake Center because Pablo helped build the font. Cool huh.

August 30, 2010 (Jayce) It feels good to share you testimony huh. My zone leader, who is leaving next Monday told me that only bearing your testimony (specifically of the Savior) is the most powerful rejuvenating tool that we have. When you are down in the mission, he said, just go bear your testimony to someone about the Savior. I thought that was pretty cool. It feels really good to share testimony. With all the bad that is in the world, it is just a powerful experience to share pure truth to these people that are just swimming in all kinds of......... It is good being a missionary brother. I’m really excited for you. There is just nothing like this. It is really cool to see people change their lives and be so involved and just hope and pray that they will grasp the message and take it to their hearts. Our job is to get the spirit there and teach with clarity. Like mom always says, they have to let it in. I’m starting to see though, that I think we can make it easier for them to open their hearts. Do you remember the parable of the sower? The Savior talks about 4 kinds of ground I believe. Previously, I always thought that it was just to show that some people are ready and some aren’t (I believe that too though). I’m learning that maybe the Savior taught this parable to teach the sowers that they need to fix their ground. Either take out the rocks and weeds, or add more dirt.etc...Of course, we can´t open the heart, but maybe we can make it more easy for them to do so. I thought about this parable thinking about the experience that I was able to enjoy in the letter I’ll send with the pictures.

Please pray for our Investigators

The Astudillo family is coming slowly but surely. We found them about a month ago. They come from a rough family and have some rough backgrounds. There are 3 that are preparing for baptism the 5th of september. Sandra, Daniela and Pedro are working. Pedro went with us last night to a YSA (JAS) fireside with Elder Scott. When we got there, there was an announcement that He couldn´t come, so we heard from Elder Corbridge and Costa and their wives. One thing that Elder Costa said that really stuck out was that "I don´t have faith, I have a perfect knowledge, that Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus Christ in the Sacred Grove". Interesting huh? After the fireside, Venessa Venegas came up to greet us, which was really cool seeing her and I asked her to share her story with him. That was a wonderful experience, to see someone I taught, teach the gospel to someone that we are currently teaching. Pray for the Astudillos to be able to have the strength to keep the commandments ( W of W, Law of Chastity etc...) The Colonia Adrian family didn´t come to church yesterday. The husband had to leave for 4 weeks; she is working from 8 to 8 and has 3 kids. She will need some help and you´ll know how that feels more than me. They are the main ones we also have Pablo Sanchez with a date for next week. We going to have to work out some kinks with that one. Those are our closest and progressing investigators. Please pray for them,,,Astudillos, Ibocaches, Colonias, Pablo Sanchez. I love being with Elder Whitney. We get along great. Of course I’m learning a lot and known as the Goody Goody in the pension, but hey,,, what’s wrong with being good. ("). I love you family. Time is flying. I’m loving it and enjoying the work. I wouldn´t rather be anywhere than Chile Santiago Este in my life right now. I love being a missionary. Chow family and thank you so much for your prayers. They help so much. Keep them up and with faith. Love Elder Tilley

Investigators Sandra, Ignacio and Franchesca Ibocache

Ill start with Sandra, Ignacio, and Franchesca Ibocache. They were investigators of Elder Whitney and are closest to baptism. Sandra is the mom and the two others are the kids. We took them on a temple tour and she really loved it. She struggles with stress and depression, recently being separated, without a job and two kids. Her fall back, is cigarettes. She knows that she can´t smoke to be baptized, but we still haven´t taught her that yet. We have a Family Night (Night at Home) tonight with a member in our ward. In the pictures, she is the blonde one with the little girl.

It´s good to hear that you are staying busy with the work. I can´t wait to be able to enter that Temple with you and mom and the rest of the family. … I had an interesting realization talking to a less active lady about our lunch this Tuesday over the phone. We now can´t enter the houses and be alone with Sisters of the church or any other female. We have to have a responsible adult with us. I listened as she explained how stupid that rule was. It hit me, no wonder this sister is less active. Maybe it is a hard rule and it may offend some sisters, but it is given from the leaders of the Church. She obviously can´t see all the good that is coming from this new rule and don´t blame her but just thought it interesting. When the prophet tells us to pay off our house or get a food storage or pack an emergency pack, we have two options,,,,do it or not. I like the saying the way we do anything is the way we do everything. This was just a little observation I made and felt like you when I made it. I just wanted to share with you what I’m learning. I really enjoy being a missionary and especially teaching the Gospel with the Spirit. There is nothing that helps me feel more peaceful and filled than teaching the Gospel to these wonderful Chileans. I wish I could have been there for the Book of Mormon class. I’m going to need an overview in some future day. I´ll be praying for Bec. That is pretty cool that she has two 5A schools fighting for her (smile). In my dreams! Thank you for writing me. I sure love reading your letters. Did you ever get to talk to Sam about working? He sent me an email last week, but didn´t say anything about work. I love you Dad and will be praying for you. Please keep us and our investigators in your prayers. Elder Whitney and I have been here for a few months a piece, but with our other companions. Now they put us together and also all the people that we both have and have half the time to do it all. We need a blessing of the Spirit to be with us in our teaching and with the investigators. We have a few that are preparing for baptism here soon, but need a confirmation that what we are teaching is true.
Oh, Bishop Gonzalez asked me to speak in church next week. This will be my first talk in Spanish. It is 15 minutes and on whatever I choose from Predicad Mi Evengelio. I have thought that I would give it on "Receiving Revelation through prayer, scriptures and church attendance" Pray for me. I still struggle with the language to share stories and experiences. I love you Dad and will be praying for you. Love you son, Elder Tilley

August 16, 2010

We talked to this one lady outside her door and she started to tell us about all her problems and how difficult life is. She was a little closed, we could tell. We listened to her and tried to understand her. Then we promised her that she can have help to solve her problems because God has restored his gospel to the earth through a living day prophet. As we bore sincere testimony, I could almost see her wall breaking away and the spirit just surrounding her heart. She told us she had lots of questions and wanted us to come back. It was fun being excited with the missionaries from the MTC. It was just us three. I felt like an Older Brother. It was really fun. We felt the spirit strong and also were able to watch The Book of Mormon bash the walls of skepticism that surrounded the heart of the one other lady. She said she had talked to missionaries before, but none of them were able to "convince" her that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the only true and living church on the earth. There is a saying here that "todos caminos llegan a Dios". The truth of the matter is that (All caminos DO NOT arrive at God). Heavenly Father gave the plan, and the Savior set the example. 2 Nefi 31 The road is straight and narrow and few are they who enter there in. I opened to Alma 7:11-12 and read these verses to this lady and her daughter. Their hearts were softened hearing about the sacrifice that the Savior made for them. The lady said that she believed that The Book of Mormon is true. She still didn´t understand what that meant though. We turned to the introduction of the Book of Mormon and read the last paragraph. (If The Book Of Mormon is true, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the Kingdom of God on the earth in preparation for the Second Coming of the Messiah. Wow! Powerful. My testimony of the Book of Mormon is growing so much. It is growing because we are trying to learn it ourselves and apply it to us and our investigators. I know that it is true because I have had life changing experiences with some of my "gem" scriptures. Ether 12:27 Senior year during basketball. Mosiah 4:11-12 in the MTC and a few others. The scriptures are just full of lessons that can dramatically change our lives. My testimony is strong because I knew that I had a problem, I know that I tried to apply the teaching, and I know I got over it. It really works.

Good-bye to Elder Maxfield

Wow, my world has been flipped upside down. Well, our teaching pool just got a lot bigger. (Are you just jumping up and down). The Colonia Adrian family is going to get a marriage date here soon and will have a baptismal date after. We found out that Juan, the dad is leaving to Peru for a couple weeks. We are not sure that is going to play into the picture, but pray it will be for the best. He was going to leave today, but changed and is planning on leaving Friday. The family Astudillo is progressing. We have set a date with one of the daughters, Daniela (22) for the 22nd of this month. She expressed how she just wants to change her life. She wants to start over and be clean. We talked to Sandra (35) and Pedro (21) yesterday outside their house and really bonded well with them. We have mentioned baptism to them, but will get further down to business this next week. We had a miracle happen on the day that we really set a goal to focus on our purpose and do everything … everything … for that purpose. This purpose is to baptize and confirm for the remission of sins and to receive the Holy Ghost that will guide them to Eternal Life. As we walked down a passage way, a less active lady in the ward stopped us and said that her husband wanted to talk to us because he wants to be baptized. Wow. We are excited, but unsure about that one too, because there has been previous marriages and relationship this and that and wooooo. Pray for them...Pablo and Miledy.
(Preston)-Thank you for praying for me. This last week has been my best week in a long long time. Thank you brother. I love you and will be praying for you too.
(Dad) Though this past two changes and a half have been super super difficult, I’m honestly going to miss them. There isn´t a price I can stick on the lessons learned. ...I just pray that Heavenly Father will help me to apply what I have been able to become. I don´t want to ever loose what I have experienced in the last few months. ..."It’s better to be united on a lower level then to be divided on a higher plane". I´ve thought about that a lot. As we were walking to our pension, Elder Maxfield told me that I was put with him specifically because of all the hard things that he has been going through personally. He said if Heavenly Father wouldn´t have given me someone strong than it would have been bad. I’m thankful for him and all that we have learned together. I’m happy that he was able to leave the sector, for his sake. He has been here for a long time and just needed a change. ...Keep Elder Maxfield in your prayers. I know he is excited, but still is having a rough time. I love you and pray for you. Thank you for caring about me so much to help me overcome my challenges. I am so grateful for how small they really are.
1:38-(Jayce) ...This last week has been great with my companion. It was the best one, numbers wise that I have had on my mission and really bonded well this last week with my companion. Mom told me that usually the rule seems to be that you will be there until you learn to love it, then when you do…it’s gone. Interesting huh? My companion, Elder Whitney thought that you were me in those pictures. ...I wish I could have been at the encampment with you. I sure loved the Camp Helaman trip. Tell some cool things that you did and learned. Thank you so much for your payers. They really meant the world. I love you brother. Keep up the Good. Work, Hang On…Your almost here. Love Elder Tilley

Jessica and Kay haven´t gotten baptized yet. It hurts to think of them because there is not much support in the family. We have to call and go get Constanza so that she comes to things. It has been hard to have contact with them too because the rule that we can´t be in a house without a another man was just put back in place in our mission. They don´t have a man in the house and its difficult to get one there. Kevin and his mom told us they didn´t want us to come anymore as well as Claudia and her kids. Gladys and Feliciata both have hard times with their cigarettes. They aren´t willing to act and I don´t know what to do if not drop them. We have 9 pretty solid progressing investigators. We are teaching a few more, but these are the ones that are really making efforts to know if the Gospel has been restored and acting on the message. (Like I said, we got to step it up. The Colonia Adrians are doing awesome. Juan and Yesena are the mom and dad of that family. We are not sure what is going to happen here soon, because he told us he is leaving for three weeks to work on a house. If that really happens, it will push off their marriage date and baptismal and confirmation date back. We are not sure. Yesena said she will be going soon to set up a wedding day. They are so awesome. Though. They just gobble everything up and their kids are angles. They remind me of us... kind of. They all love each other and are happy. Elder Jacobs is the new missionary. He is from Kanab and I really like him. We don´t live with them though. We live with Elders from a different stake.

Elder Valverde finished his mission and went home to Ecquador

(Note from Braden's mom: We emailed Elder Valverde, he replied on his 3rd day home and said his favorite part of his mission was the end because of Elder Tilley and the Diaz family they baptized. Elder ValVerde is helping Braden's dad find an one of his missionary companion that lives in the same city...he was so excited to hear form us).
(Jayce) There were 8 investigators in the chapel yesterday. They are a mix of two different families. The Colonia Adrian and the Astudillo family. I really enjoyed sacrament meeting though. The Spirit was strong. I know that Heavenly Father chastens those who He loves. I know He knows what is best for me and I will grow the most as I obey with happiness. I don´t think accepting the will of the Lord means to just go through it, but to go through it and make the absolute best of it that we can. I know the Power of the Atonement is real. It is interesting that Alma and Nephi broke the bands they were in by the power of the Atonement, (Elder Bednar says). Actually power is available through the Atonement. I know that Heavenly Father has blessed me much these past few changes. I don´t know what could have happened without the tender mercies and change of heart He has been helping me to gain. I love the Lord and the Gospel. I hate sin. It is so sickening. Our purpose on the earth is to prepare to stand before God by receiving a remission of our sins so that we will stand before him without spot. Everything we teach is to this end, that we may be clean to live with God again. Sometimes I forget this and the importance of it. It is a hard fight sometimes to not fall into the motions. Sometimes everything seems good and its easy to pray fervently and work with all we have. Other times Jayce, its harder. I pray that Heavenly Father will apply the Atoning Sacrifice of His son Jesus Christ in me, so I can be clean to stand before him with a perfect hope in Christ, clean from my spots. I have been praying for you on the job this past week and hope it all went well. Keep being awesome and listening to mom about the council she is giving you because of the massive muscles that protrude out of your body :) Learning to deny the natural man now will help you so much on your mission because their is a lot of natural man all around, worse than ever. Have a good start to school... next week I think. I’m praying for you brother. Que tengas un buen dia. Te amo hermano.
Elder Tilley