A Missionary Christmas

I skipped the sales after Thanksgiving. The thrill just wasn't there.

No pictures taken with Santa Claus, My decorating has no flair.

His presents are shoes, shirts, and ties, two suits and socks...no fun.

I've bought him all white clothes because...

This year I'm giving Christ my son.

I've spent more time in the temple, my testimony stirred.

I've reread November's Ensign, Felt strength come from His words.

Our family prays more frequently. My tears are quick to run.

Abraham seems closer because,

This year I'm giving Christ my son.

I wonder how those Lamanite mothers, gave their sons to war?

Or how the pioneers chose Zion, their sacrifice was so much more.

My loss will be his presence, I'll miss his smile a ton

For two years we will pray for him,

I'm giving Christ my son.

I stare at his face when he's not looking. I memorize his eyes, their

shine. He's always hungered for the part of him, that makes his soul

divine.

The stories and lessons he always heard, His choice and mine are one.

I'll put my faith in God's hand, This year,

I'm giving Him my son.

Past gifts have lost their glitter; I think I finally understand

Christ's birth should be celebrated by giving Him a hand.

It's because I know Christ lives and reigns that all his packing's done.

My gift has taken years to make, This year...

I'm giving Christ my son.

I know there's One who understands, the sacrifice I'm making.

Who knows the gift I willingly give, The toll it will be taking.

For He has done it all before Greater love - there could be none.

For years ago God gave to me,

His only begotten son.

The hands I washed, the hands I held, The hands I taught to pray;

Now knock on doors to find the ones Who will listen to what he'll say.

Because I know Christ needs him, Until all the gathering's done,

My gift has taken years to make.

This year...I'm giving Christ my son.



Hey guys...ya sorry last week was really busy and I didn't have a ton of time to write you guys about everything, but nothing really crazy has been happening lately just the same old stuff. Elder Perry got sick last week and had to sleep for part of the day. Also there was an incident in Pueblo Nuevo with the missionaries and one of the members that is mentally handicapped, and a little crazy, so they are moving the missionaries to Chepen which is a better area anyway, because they haven't had a baptism in Pueblo Nuevo for 9 months. Elder Perry and I have been looking for a room and a pensionista for them a lot this week. It has been hard to find one. I got your yellow packet package but I haven't gotten the two white boxes yet. I'll let you know when I get them. Today I'm going to go buy a usb port so I can save pictures on it, because the one you gave me doesn't work. It is just a card reader that is for a different type of sim card. I'm not sure how the calling thing really works yet. I think we get to pick more or less when we want to call but we have 45 minutes I think and I'll be sure to think of things to ask you guys too.

Were in the outskirts of the mission pretty much so we never really hear anything from anyone. Yes, for Christmas we are going to Trujillo on the 19th to have a pageant and to sing carols in the nightime. Last year they did something for Christmas besides proselyting but I'm not sure how its going to be with President Turk.

We have been struggling the last 2-3 weeks with having progressing investigators and new people to teach. I can't remember if I already told you but we had one baptism for a 22 year old girl named Anita Ruiz a few weeks back. It was a really special baptism and there were about 30 members there which is a lot for here. We have one 11 year old boy that wants to be baptized but his parents don't want him to, so we can't. We had another investigator with a date but he doesn't have a testimony yet and he had a problem with the palabra de sabiduria (Word of Wisdom).

 The other day I read the story of the strippling warriors. I know every missionary that's ever been has related this story to themselves, but I liked that I could apply it to our famiy right now. You guys have taught me everything about the gospel like they were taught. The strippling warriors cared more about the happiness and safety of their families than themselves and I feel like that all the time because all I worry about from home is you guys and that you're happy and safe. I know you are receiving blessings from the Lord, because I can tell just from your letters.  I pray everyday that if I do receive any blessings from this work that I want you guys to receive them. Also, in the story the men had never been to battle before or experienced those things in their life, but they were strengthened by the Lord. I know now that I've never explained the gospel to anyone or had any experience teaching but I know the lord will help me overcome it. Also in the story it explains that the warriors were able to be great in the war because they learned from their mothers to obey with exactness in all things. I have definitely learned the importance of being responsible and working hard from my parents and I know that to be an successful missionary or successful in anything, it is through obeying laws and commandments with exactness. I know that when we obey we are blessed, and that we can't receive all the blessings we need unless we obey with exactness.

 I love you guys and pray that you will have the strength and help from the Lord to follow the commandments and be happy. I'll talk to you again next week and have a lot more to say I promise.

PS... this week we are going to the Virgen and to the Fair of Guadalupe so I'll be sure to take pictures. And for Grandma weve only had one baptism this change so far, so we aren't avaaraguing as much but it will get better soon.

Any candy is great compared to what they have here and I'm so so so sorry its cold! If I could send a package of heat from Peru to you I would.

Con amor,

Elder Ty

Ten Things To Be Thankful For...

Email Mondays

President Turk's Blog

Pensionistas

Prayer

Super Companions

Dog Dazer II

Mosquito Repellent

US Postal Service

Christmas Phone Calls

The World's Best Missionary!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

It's been 4 months!!

Wow I can't believe it's already been 4 months. It doesn't seem that long. I only have like 5 minutes to write today mom, so I'm sorry. I got the Christmas package last week so don't worry about it. I also got the package from Grandma Tuttle so tell her I got it. That's crazy that Gabe is already leaving. I don't have much to say to him except that you have to have faith that the Lord will strengthen you in the things you don't do well. Tell him to never get discouraged with himself and never compare. Don't try and prepare for things in general, or for things in the future, just work as hard as you can for today and what you have planned for tomorrow.

Don't worry I'd rather have snow now and you would too. The mosquitos aren't too bad yet and the heat either, but it is getting pretty hot and pretty soon I'll be sweating all day every day.

 I'm going to try and copy pictures today to send them and I'll write you about my stories and converts.

 I'm sorry for the short letter and I love you guys. I know this work is true and we receive blessings for every little thing that we do.

Love TY

Casa Grande Zone Conference

President Turk did interviews while the Elders

played paper, rock, scissors...

...then they practiced for their Christmas program, and

auditioned for narrator parts...

...they had a 'Preach My Gospel' Speed Search

like a scripture chase,

for Cereal Prizes.
These are precious to them.

Captain Crunch went first then Frosted Flakes believe it or not...

...missionaries love 'Preach My Gospel'...

They love cereal too!!

Hey guys, ya we had a Zone Conference last week and it went really good. A little more than half the missionaries were there from our mission. It was a 2 and a half hour bus ride to Trujillo but it was good for studying. We listened to President Turk and Hermana Turk talk. Watched some videos of the district, practiced teaching skills with our separate zones and then we all read and compared the vision of Lehi in 1st  Nephi 1 to the first vision. It was really good and really motivating. 2 weeks ago we only had 8 baptisms in the entire mission so Pres was really worried. He gave us a lot of advice that will help us to improve.

I'm either going to save the pictures to a cd or to the usb drive that I have if it works when I can. Trust me I have already thought about it, it's just harder to get it done than it seems here. I'm taking pictures but I don't have a ton yet. We're only allowed to take pictures on p day and our area doesn't really have anything interesting in it. I've attempted to take pictures of the landscape and houses for you but the landscape is really weird. I could send one picture that looks like I'm in the middle of the dessert and then I could turn around and take a picture that looks like I'm in the jungle. Some places are really fancy and then other places look like a bomb went off somewhere. I try to write about as much as I can so just keep telling me what you want to know about. I don't have much time to write. I don't really describe my day because it's just a normal routine for us. We get up at 6:30, breakfast at 7:30, study from 8:00-11:00 and then teach. Lunch is at 1:00 and then we teach til 6:00, then we have dinner and then we teach again. We go to sleep at 10:30 and then start again. Once a week we have a district meeting and also once a week we have a ward mission leader meeting. Right now we are teaching lots of families but only a few 5 or 6 are progressing. The problem for 3 or 4 of them is that they are not married. That is probably the most common and hardest obstacle for us here. It costs too much to get married and they can't get work off either. We are teaching 3 of our recent convert's friends in his house and they all say they want to get baptized. The next hardest obstacle is the procrastination. Peruvians forget everything and you constantly have to remind them of things. When you ask them to do something they forget or put it off until the last minute. They are very teachable though, and accept what you say almost all of the time.

 I got the next package from you with the Halloween candy last week and Hermana Turk said something about a Christmas package from you, but I don't know if it's mine or if you sent her something... I didn't understand.

 Oh ya and after the conference Pres Turk took us all to Rockys and it was good!!!!!! I sat like 2-3 people away from Hermana and President.

 I can't believe that happened to Isaac that's too bad. I taught lessons to him a few times in the CCM. He was fine then so I hope he gets better. Do you know what virus it is? Everyone in Guadalupe talks about something called peste bubonica. I'm taking care of myself though so don't worry.

 I don't have time to write much more so ask me about Christmas again next time and I'll tell you. Right now we are teaching the Familia Valderama. The mom has come to church lots of times and her son too. They both want to get baptized and the little kid Martin is 9 and already knows more about the scriptures than I did when I was 14. The father believes what we teach but doesn't really want to commit himself yet. They say they are going to get married in Jan. We have a baptism this Saturday for a girl named Ana. I'll tell you all about it next week.

Take it easy and I'll tty next week. 

Ana Maria Ruiz on the day of her baptism!!
Elder Wilkinson and Elder Perry

Multi-Zone Conference

November 10, 2010

mmm.....chicken and fries!

(he is in both pictures on top)

Getting some love from the President!

(top right hand corner)

Where's Tyler...can you find him?

Still in Guadalupe!

Hey guys, just another week here in Guadalupe!!! Ya Elder Perry and I both stayed in Guadalupe and we are happy. He has 71/2 months here in Guadalupe so it's like the home for him. The people here are a lot nicer and different he says and I think he's right because Pacasmayo and Pueblo Nuevo were a lot different when we went there. That's crazy that we had a shooting again in Clinton... really everything exciting and interesting is happening while I'm gone. I haven't gotten your package yet, the one after the Skittles one, but I'll let you know when I do and I'll be sure not to open the white ones. Dad's lucky that he got to go pheasant hunting!!! I was bored today for p day so I looked up all the hunting words in the dictionary, but I didn't bring my paper with me so I don't remember all of them just that deer is venado, buck is gamo, pheasant is something like faisón and I can't remember the rest. Elder Hannemann went to Viru and I have heard from him once and yes we are teaching lots of people but Elder Perry is doing most the teaching. Thanks for your advice it made complete sense and I really needed it. It's harder for me to teach than it is to speak spanish and I get really frustrated. They do have Facebook but I'm not sure who does and the internet is surprisingly fast. Love you guys and tty later. TY

Pictures from the beach!

These are pictures from the beach in Lima,

 taken on their tour while in the CCM.



Halloween!

Hi guys. I don't know yet if I'm getting transfered because they haven't called yet. I should know by the end of today. We don't do a whole bunch on pday though. We usually go to one of the towns in our district and either watch a Disney movie, or play soccer, or go to a cool historic site, or lake, or mountain or something but we don't have any of those in our district really. We went to the beach a couple times but now that it's summer were not allowed to. Halloween was pretty much the same as every other day here because today is their Dia del Muertos or The Day of the Dead. It's a holiday and all they do is go visit their dead ancestors and some pray to them. Last night though some of the kids dressed up in masks all over Guadalupe and they go to all the stores and try to ask for candy. They usually don't get any though. We took some of our candy though and when they passed by our building we would say quiere dulces? Want some candy and then they

would all shout Halloween Halloween! Because they don't know trick or treat so we would throw them down candy from the third story. Also for pdays we all have to gather together to do internet and we have to be in church clothes. Yes we eat all our meals at the pensionista's house and it is usually at 7:30, 1:00 and 6:00 that we eat but we just come whenever we can. All we really eat is soup, rice, chicken and bread with

different flavors and variations and I don't really know the names of them yet but they are all good. I like ceviche de pota but were not allowed to eat ceviche de pescado because it is raw fish but pota is cooked . It's some sort of fish with onions and lime juice and some other things in it. I got your package with Starburst and Skittles and pictures of you in an airballoon if that's the one that you are talking about. That looked like it was fun. All the natives kept asking me for the picture of Sadie. They think that it's funny to ask about your

sister and for pictures of them. It only rains here like 5 times a year so I'd rather be in your situation. ha I'll let you know about the change and when I get my Christmas present haha. I can't believe that everyone is getting married now. It's going to be so weird when I get back. This week Elder Perry went to a training in Trujillo and I went to Pacasmayo from Monday until Wednesday night. I was with Elder Rojas and Elder Herrera they are both from Lima. The language is still really hard for me and I've been trying really hard not to be frustrated this week. It's been really hard for me too this week with teaching. They know so little about almost everything that it's hard to know what to say. Anyways stay safe and happy and I'll tty later TY