August 27, 2012

Braden, I have been shaken this week Bro!! But I am ready to get out there and do the one two combo and chop some arms off and save the Lords sheep of Angola!

Answers:

1.) Yes all 4 Elders email at the same time and same place

2.) Yep I got the pictures of the new horses, yep you can send them!

3.) D and C 121: 7-8 is the scripture to put on plaque

So you want to know how I am doing!? Hmm well as long as you don’t freak out!!! This week I got Malaria! It was actually just the beginning stages called and its called Paludismo, basically the first few steps of Malaria. (I am doing a lot better now and should be out working tomorrow). So it started Tuesday night and I started to get a headache, but I thought it would just pass. But I got home that night and it started hurting worse so I took some advil and went to bed. The next morning had to take some more advil, but my headache just kept getting worse and worse. My companion called the Violins and they told me to go to the Clinic here. So I went to him and he took a couple of tests and it turned out that I got Poludismo. We had to wait for about an hour to see the test results and my head just started to throb. But we took the test results back up to the Doctor and he saw that I was in a lot of pain so he said that they have something will take away my headache, but it is a little painful.  I did not know what he meant by painful, but he decided to give it to me. (I still did not know what this thing was that they were going to give me to get rid of my headache). Turns out that it was a shot, so I saw it and thought no big deal I will take a shot if it gets rid of my headache. So I go into the room with another Doctor and I ask him if I can lie down while he was getting the shot ready he said yes. So I laid down, and then he comes over and tells me to lay on the other side, so I get up and start putting my head on the other side of the bed and he said no the other way. At this point I kind of got mad at him because my head was killing me and he was making me move around and making it worse! But finally he was clear and told me that I needed to lie on my stomach. As soon as the words came out of his mouth I figured out why this shot was going to hurt more then normal, but I was still hoping that I was wrong. My thoughts were confirmed when he told me to be calm, and then he gave me the shot right in the rear end!!! Talk about a dead bum cheek afterwards!! I hope you are laughing because I was and my companion was especially when I had to limp out of the Doctors office! Also the Branch President was there with us and he was making funny of me saying that they stabbed me in the rear end so that I would stop thinking about my head!! It was actually a really funny experience!! So I stayed in bed for two days (Wednesday and Thursday) and then I had to stay in side for the most part Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but I was feeling a lot better. I am feeling a lot better now, I get really tired a lot faster, but  I am aloud to go out and do Missionary stuff this week.

High points of the experience, though were that I got to talk a lot with Elder Montgomery because we did some exchanges so that my companion did not go crazy just staying in the house for several days.

Also President Kretly and Mission President of Mozambique called me and talked with me for a while about how I was doing and how Lubango is going, he is actually coming here to Angola this week and will come to Lubango next week. So the whole Mission President situation is kind of weird, because President Walton (since he was a Mission President of Portugal) he had the keys to be a Mission President so when he was hear we pretty much ran separately from Mozambique, but now since President Thompson technically does not have keys, President Kretly is technically our President. I am not sure how connected he will be to Mozambique when President Thompson actually gets here, but that is the reason he called me. I think President Thompson is the one is doing transfers though so he will be the acting President of Angola. 

So that was my week how was yours!! :)

(Dad)

That is pretty crazy about the house that would be soo cool! I am doing a lot better now. I try and keep the spirit with me as much as possible. Missionary work does not go very well without the spirit. I am really trying to channel my thoughts sometimes it is difficult, no surprise there; :) But in my scripture study I have been studying more about Patience and trying to apply it to my life. I find it very interesting though because any time I start studying a Christ Like attribute that I want to work on I realize that it starts with my thoughts! If I want to be more Patient it starts with my thoughts if I want more charity towards others it starts with my thoughts! Thanks for teaching me the importance of keeping my thoughts clean since a very young age! It has really helped me out here in The Mission Field! Thanks so much Pops! Love you!! Elder Tilley

(Mom)

So yep I am adjusting well. Pretty much everything is normal now! Bucket showers, no energy, no water...etc pretty much normal now! When I wake up it just depends on the day! I never dread it, but someday are a lot more exciting then others! Probably the times that I feel the most Joy are during Scripture study and during lessons that the Spirit is definitely present. Also when people do what you ask them to, brings so much joy because I know how much it will bless their lives, so when I see them living the Gospel I get so happy and filled with Joy!

I am doing pretty well except the whole sickness thing that happed! Definitely do not worry about me though I am doing well!

(Oh I hope that you guys have fun on the Labor Day camp out!!!) I bet you guys thought I forgot and you were not going to tell me that you were going this week! Ha can’t get by Elder Tilley that easily!!! Ha ha I hope you guys have a blast there, (Hopefully Chelsy does well) Don’t worry about me while you are there, Africa is way cooler then the woods!!! Elder Tilley

Braden, I have been shaken this week Bro!! But I am ready to get out there and do the one two combo and chop some arms off and save the Lords sheep of Angola!

August 20, 2012

Answers to mom’s questions:

1.     Yeah … we all get along. We don’t do missionary work really together but everything else yes...

2.     I think people are receiving packages ok. And I think people are getting letters well too. I don’t really know because I am in Lubango. I got a letter from Sister Heilman though (I am not sure how she got the address) and Elder Borden has a package waiting for him in Luanda, so I imagine so, but I do not really know. Umm … maybe try a letter or something...

3.     We really just dropped a lot of investigators that really were not really interested they just let us come by because they were nice people. So we are doing a lot of contacts in the road, which is not always very affective, but it needs to be done sometimes. The problem is people here would rather lie to your face then tell you that they are not interested. So we get people’s phone numbers, we call them up, set a time and place where we can meet because no body has address here, so then we go to that place at that time and call the person and there phone is turned off! Can be very frustrating sometimes, but it is just sifting through people until we find the elect here in Lubango.

4.     Yep I know you are praying for me! Thanks!

Hey Bec how is it going?

So first story (not real I made it up) I got attacked by a lion!

Second story (not real I made it up) I got attacked by a Monkey!

Third Story (this one is real) we were walking down that street and sometimes you have to walk on the road itself, because there is no real path on the side of the road. So I was walking and there was a car parked on the side of the road and so I walked on the side of it and there was a guy on a motorcycle that was a little bit a ways, but he was right in front of me and coming toward me. He was getting closer but I was not worried, then a random car tire rolled out in the middle of the street (some kids were playing with it and they rolled it out on accident). So this tire rolled out in the street and luckily the guy on the motorcycle saw it and kicked it as it rolled and hit his leg just as he was passing it. So fortunately nothing happened, but if the kids would have rolled the tire one or two seconds earlier, the guy would have crashed and probably hit me. When it happened I was not scarred at all, but looking back I realized it could have been really bad and I am very grateful for the protection of the Lord!

Love you Bec keep up the great work! (By the way that was 3 stories so now I am beating him (Dallon Ray) by one :) )

Elder Tilley

Mom-So in my scripture study I read Mosiah 7:27 and it says that we are made in the image of God, which I have always thought God as Heavenly Father, but according to this scripture God is Jesus Christ. I am not really sure what that means, but just something that I found was interesting.

Love you Mom!! I hope that you have a great week!

Sorry I did not send pictures... the Internet is not working very well.

Elder Tilley

August 13, 2012

Thanks mom for the update. Sorry if I seem a little board. Sometimes I just get stressed when I email because we do not have a lot of time to email so it gets a little stressful. I forgot to comment on Jeffs little story last week!!! That was sooo funny!!  Ha Preston making fun of my dance moves!! nice!!  When I get back I will have to show him how to dance like an African!!!!

Elder Montgomery got here on Saturday and it was really a miracle that he got here, because the plane had a little layover in Namibe, another city, but no body knew about it, but he got here alright! Oh I got the package by the way thanks so much for the Ipod and everything. Everything works great with what you gave me except the camera cord does not fit my camera, but don’t worry about it because there was a random camera cord laying around at our house here in Lubango that fits my camera! So that worked out nicely! But everything else works great thanks so much!!

Things are going really well though. My Portuguese is coming along. I can pretty much communicate and say what I want to, but sometimes it is hard to really express what I want to say and my feelings. Also it is still hard to understands people sometimes. I still make a lot of mistakes when I speak, but I am pretty confident.

So on Saturday afternoon The Branch President called us and asked us to give talks because the people he had chosen had left to Luanda. So we did not have alot of time to prepare, but I gave about a 10 minute talk on the blessings we receive from forgiveness as well as how we need to forgive others. I know this is definitely something I need to work on and I think that is why I gave a talk on it. Also I taught Gospel Principles and I taught about Fasting, and one of the members started to teach some false doctrine so it was a little bit weird but it turned out alright! This is my companion by the way!

2:52-No you did not tell me that... haha thanks! Yeah language is still hard but going well. Just (pray for my) spiritual strength really and I still need the gift of tongues and understanding like always! But I am doing pretty well.

With the Lords help we are really starting to turn Lubango around.

2:59-Hey bec how is it going!? I am doing pretty well! Nice those are some pretty good teachers! Anderson is a way cool guy! and stone is a really good teacher! Carazosa is he a Spanish teacher? Interesting guy but does not give a lot of homework so that is nice!

I heard you got your ears pierced!! What is up with that!!?  Haha just kidding!! Mom sent me a picture and they look good!!! Pretty much the worst thing here that I have eaten is funge which is that stuff I told you about on Mothers day! That is the only cool story I got for right now. Its blue by the way! Hope you are doing well with school and everything! Keep up the great work and remember to stay with a good group of friends. It is crazy how much friends really affect the way we think and act! Love you so much!! Keep it up!

(Dad) Thanks dad for the update! I will try and send more pictures and stuff! But it is hard because we are not suppose to take pictures while we are proselyting, but I will see what I can do! Love you pops!!! Mom is telling me about all the hard work that you are doing! Thanks for all the physical and spiritual uplifting that you give our family and me!

Love you!

Hey mom I am not sure how I missed this one, but are Josh and Jalin having a boy or a girl?

Mom, So I never asked. How do you like Chelsey now that you have gotten to know her better? (Maybe this one is personal and should not put on the blog :) Just out of curiosity did you get the address for Luanda to send packages and stuff from the Waltons? Oh and I got sister Heilmans letter tell her thanks!!

Love you so much! Tell everyone that I love them!!!!

Elder Tilley

August 13 journal

August 6

FYI-Elder Montgomery (the one he mentions) is the missionary Dad, Braden and I met in the temple the day before he left for the MTC and Jayce left for Africa. (He went to Highland High and they have several mutual friends).  He has been in New Jersey waiting for his visa. His mom called this morning and said the consulate office of Angola called this morning and said the visas are in. She called the mission home in New Jersey and they said they didn't get that message, but would send them right over to pick them up. So hopefully the President and 2 missionaries will be arriving in Africa soon! (Those boys are in New Jersey so they are close to the consulate office and don't have to wait for the visas to be shipped anywhere). Here's the letter...

August 6, 2012

Hey mom Internet went out last time, so I could not write. We are having problems today too so I hope this and my other letters will go through!

His name is Seba. we went to the hospital this week to visit him because he had to go back again, and hospital was very interesting. There were about 5 other people in the room with him and they do not feed them a lot and it is not very clean. He is doing a little bit better though.

We went and visited (Moses) the day we fasted for him and he was still kind of the same and he did not really want to sit with us. Than on Tuesday we got a call from him and he asked us to come over. He said that he had been struggling, but he is ready to change and he said he wanted to have the same desires that he had after his baptism... to do what is right. He told us that he knew that he was the one that needed to change and that we could not do it for him, but we would be there it help him. Also he said that he was thinking about serving a mission too! Wow!! What a change of heart!! I am really starting to see the power of prayer and fasting as well as the powere of the Lord to help change people!

We were not able to sit with (Antonia) this week so that was a bummer and she did not come to church.

Paula is about the same still looking for an answer. Addilson’s story is complicated but his dad is always out of town and his mom is always gone, but his dad came back for a day or two so we talked with him and he said that he wanted to sit down with his wife and Addilson and talk about it (that is what he said last time) But he said that they would all be home this Saturday and they would talk about it. So we are praying that they for one will sit down and talk about it and two that their hearts will be soften to allow him to get baptized.

Nelsa we continue to teach her, her husband is not around a lot so it is hard to talk with him. So things are kind of on hold with her, but we continue to teach her.

(Bella’s) husband is building their house right now and he said that wanted to wait to get married until their house was done. So that may take another few months, so we just continue to teach her and try to help her build her faith.

We do have some others but I am not sure how serious they really are we keep going to their house but they are always busy or are not their, so we are not really sure.

One though her name is Bete and she lives really far away and she accepts the message for the most part, but it is really far so it is really hard for her to come to church because of the money to get their. So that is the issue we are having there.

(Talk on Tithing) It is coming along I just have been a lot of thoughts about it, but I have not sat down and really thought about what I am going to talk about. Yes I remember J.

Yes I was able to see it! (Movie of Jailey and Jacey) But we cannot get sound here so I could not hear anything

My companion is pretty good. Definitely a little bit different, but good. Yep it’s been 6 weeks already. So honestly I do not know a lot about my companion because there are normally 4 missionaries down here in Lubango and my companion and another missionary got transferred. So my companion got here, but guess where the other Missionary’s companion is? Yep his companion is Elder Montgomery!!! (when he gets here). So right now we are walking in a three some and we have to cover two areas instead of just one until Elder Montgomery gets here. It has been very stressful trying to combine the two areas and deciding when to work in one and when to work in the other! It has been a very stressful week! Also my companion and the other Elder are really good friends so... yeah I do not really know my companion yet. But his name is Elder Borden and Elder Montgomery's companion’s name is Elder Kelsey. Haha yeah . . . every companion is marriage prep!

I still didn’t make gravy . . . not yet... right now I am just kind of in survival mode. (Not really worried about making good food, just what fills me up)

President emails and responds to emails pretty much every week. His wife has her visa, but he still does not have his... so yeah.

I do not think they have the perpetual education fund here, but I am not really sure. Yes they have seminary and institute, but just one day a week.

I am trying to upload pictures but it is not working for some reason!!

Love you Mom!!

I hope you are doing well!!

Love Elder Tilley

…Hey mom sorry I tried to send some pictures, but they would not upload! I will try it next time!