November 26, 2012

Hey mom I am on.

So Bec has been asking me about any advice I could give her about going on a Mission. I had an experience in the MTC where I just had a little impression that she would serve a mission. Do you think I should share that with her or will that stress her out and put too much pressure on her?

Love you!

Pic of me at a store right after playing soccer at President`s house!

It was an impressive Christmas tree especially for Africa!

Something really funny I found out last week is that everybody here thinks Satan Clause is Black!! Ha ha pretty funny! I guess it makes sense I have just never thought about it!! :)

1.) Elder Hansen is a great Missionary! He is a very hard worker and I think this transfer is the hardest that either of us have worked! He also has a very positive attitude and really just wants to help everyone! He is a very good Missionary and a very good companion! Elder Montgomery was a very hard worker as well and never complained which was really impressive especially with the house we lived in …

2.) The specific songs that I wanted were the CDS Nashville Tribute to the Prophet, to the Trek, and to the Missionaries. Also the reflections of Christ CDs. and all the EFY music that you can find…

Would you be able to send that Oil formula for Parasites? I do not think I have parasites, but I think it would be good to take to just clear my body.

3.) I do not think I need any clothes for right now everything is holding up pretty well. Actually would you be able to send more insoles for my shoes. Nothing to expensive or anything just to switch out the ones I have. I do not need them right away but here in a couple of months I will need them. My normal shoes size is 10, but the shoes I have are 9 and 1/2 I think just because of the brand.

4.) HAHA! (about transfers) Always a chance of somebody leaving! I am not sure apparently President Thompson said that the brethren said that it would be good to keep missionaries in one area for 6-8 months. So it looks like we will both stay for at least one more transfer, but we have no idea! This is Elder Hansen’s third transfer

5.) We have one baptism! Gaspar he is awesome and has an incredible testimony!! He is getting baptized this Saturday so we are really excited!

6.) (weather?) Really Hot and VERY Humid. Yes they celebrate Christmas

Love you!!!!!!

Elder Tilley

Pictures we found on the Mission Blog
Elder Tilley is the 4th one back

Hey Bec!!

So I just wanted to let you know that this past Saturday was probably one of the hardest that I have had on my mission!! I started the day off already feeling sick!! But I was well enough to go out and work, but I just felt like I had no energy! Anyways so we had 6 lessons planned for the day and all of them fell through except for one! So we had one lesson and the rest of the day we just walked and walked and walked talking with people in the street! At one point we came back to the house because I need to go to the bathroom (Remember I was not feeling very well!:) Anyways so I was … not motivated at all to leave the house and all I wanted to do was stay in the house and rest! As I was thinking about that the thought came into my mind "Come on Superstar!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" "You think that you’re are a good missionary or something!" As those thoughts came into my mind I got really pumped up and helped me to get out of the house and continue to work!!!

Missionary advice

So I remember when I was in the MTC I had this impression come to me that you would serve a Mission! I cannot remember why that came or what I was thinking about when that little thought came, but I thought it was very interesting! I am not saying that that is what is going to happen and that is what you should do because I cant receive revelation for you, but it really just was a thought that entered my mind. Also if you served a mission it would be the best experience of your life and you would change so much for the better more than words can describe! I am not saying that it will be easy, but it is soooo worth it!!! I have gone through some hard times, but the few moments that I have seen or the people I have seen change their lives and turn to the Lord has brought more happiness and Joy into my life that I could ever imagine! And going though those hard times were so worth those few moments of pure happiness and Joy that I felt!!

I am not sure if that is inspiration, but just some thoughts that I had!

Love you Bec keep up the geat work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Way to be a steller Missionary already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Elder Tilley

9:28

Mom-I was not able to watch the video (of Bec’s shot, maybe if you used windows media player I would be able to watch it.

I just heard today that a Gilberto will be baptized in Lubango and when I heard that I thought it must have been another Gilberto!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I really cannot believe that he is being baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! He really has changed his life around!!!!!!!

Thanks for telling me! I did not know that it was the Gilberto that I taught!

Love you logging off!           Elder Tilley

November 19, 2013

Yeah I am pretty sure that (my music USB) has to be MP3, but I am not sure whether it can be Windows Media Player or Realplayer, all I know is that it has to be MP3 and I am pretty sure ITunes will not work.

2.) We can still skype or do the facetime on Ipads and we can only talk for 30 to 40 minutes... so so yeah!

3.) Yeah it is more of a once in a life time thing! (members going to the temple). Normally they either fly to South Africa or fly to Spain and go to one of the two.

4.) I have no idea (what we are doing for Thanksgiving), I actually did not even know Thanksgiving was this week until yesterday.

Hey Mom,

I love you and hope you have a fantastic day and week!

Yes I know that you are praying for me and I want you to know that I am praying for you and the family as well.

Elder Tilley

Preston!

Hey Pres! Dude! that is so totally sick that you scored that touch down the way you did! I wish you the best of Luck at tryouts! Remember that if you make the team you should thank Heavenly Father and if you do not make the team you should thank Heavenly Father! Why? Because He knows so much more then us and His way is so much better then our way! I love you Pres! I will be praying for you and I hope everything goes well!  No matter what happens keep the confidence up!! Confidence is key and even if you do not make the team you know that you should have!!

Love You

Elder Tilley

Bec!

I do not have alot of time to write, so I will think this week (about you serving a mission) and I will let you know any inspiration that comes my way! :) The better person to probably talk to is Rachel and maybe even Laurel because they were in you situation! But I will think and pray for you and I will write you next week!

Love you!

Elder Tilley

Love you Mom so with the Music again I am pretty sure it needs to be MP3 but that is all I know!

I love you so much

Logging Off

November 12, 2012

(What a blessing: Elder & Sister Hartman (missionaries visiting from South Africa) sent this to us this week...

6:57am

hey mom I am on! What is the ratio for water and rice?

(What are you cookin’?)  haha just rice and beans

(Josh)

Thanks man for the update. It sounds like things are going pretty well there!!  So I saw that this letter was sent from your iphone! What is this getting all rich and stuff!...Thanks Bro! Love you!

Elder Tilley

Pops!

I am so glad that you asked because I have really thought a lot about that very question. I remember asking the question to several people including a general authority "what can I do to best prepare for my mission" I received many answers of what I should do. Unfortunately I did not really figure it out until my mission. (I will give you the abbreviated version and next week I will send a picture of a Journal entry with more detail about why and stuff). The thing that has impacted me the most and helped me to be the most prepared was doing the small and simple things! The Basics! Personal Prayer and Scripture study! Church and Temple attendance. FAMILY PRAYER AND SCRIPTURE STUDY. Family night!  The things that helped me the most were the basics because that is what I am preaching to the people in Africa right now is to do those things! And how I am I suppose to preach, teach and TESTIFY about those things and invite and commit people to do those things if when I was in their (the people I am teaching) position,  I did not do those things!  You Cant!! That is the short version and I do not have a lot of time, but I will email a journal entry next week!

This week has been alright. I have been really bothered recently because for some reason a lot of people here have not been able to really understand me when I speak Portuguese to them and sometimes they turn to my companion, who has been out the same amount of time, to figure out what I said. It has really been bothering me because that has never happened before and it really has been hurting on my confidence with my languages skills. Beside that the week has been going really well!

Love you Pops!! Go Red Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Is it a red trait to want to be red and be proud of it!!) :)

Elder Tilley

Answers:

1.     They (The people that took the video of me) are a senior couple that are serving a mission in South Africa that are over health of all the missionaries in Africa. I think they travel around and do different presentations. He is actually a psychologist I think. He has written a couple of books on things like the color personality and things like that.  This was their presentation before they went home from their missions though.

2.    Yes we came at the same time with the couple from South Africa so they did a training and then he (P. Kretly) did one afterwards. So one of the big things that president Kretly has been pushing is that we do 35 qualified contacts a week. A qualified contact is a man who is married or has a spouse (and is not married) and wants to get married and wants to know more about the gospel. So 35 contacts is really hard to do. The first time that I have gotten 35 was this past week with Elder Hansen, which this is his first time too. Anyways so his training was just a little bit more on how the best way is to do these qualified contacts.

3.    Yeah you could probably put a movie on a USB…I should be able to watch it.

Mom,

So this week has been pretty good! We have been doing a lot of work and are really trying to find families and the elect here. It was really sad though this week because a lady in the ward gave birth, but her baby did not live. It was very sad and that is the second lady that that has happened to in the past few months. Also an older lady 85 years old passed away a week and a half ago. It was really sad to see her family members that were not of the church cry/yell hours on end. Because of that experience I have thought a lot about Grandma Tilley and about the Plan of Salvation and I am so grateful for the knowledge that we have about the plan of salvation!

It was really cool because this older lady that passed away had already been to the temple and had done several family names. The last time she went was this past June or July I think and for some reason she decided to buy Temple clothes for herself instead of just renting every time. So when she passed away she was able to be dressed in her temple clothes! So that was really cool.

We have two baptisms that are coming up. Both are on December 1. One of the guys names is Gaspar, the other mans name is Osvaldo. they are both doing really well and are progressing really well also.

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

Elder Tilley

Bec!

Haha!!! I knew I was inspired to say those words!! :)  Just want you to know that the reason I said those words was partly because I wanted to be a super star, but I knew I wasn’t and I knew you were. So there was a little bit of Jealousy coming out of me! The other part of me just wanted you to be the best that you could and it sounds like you are doing that!! Keep up the great work bec! Especially with the missionary work!!  You are way better then I was!

The weirdest thing for food here is Funge! It looks like mashed potatoes but they arent and they were really gross when I got here, but I am starting to kind of like them now!

Love you Bec!!!!

Parkly Spuns Power!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (Is that what it is !!:)

Elder Tilley

Thanks Love you mom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

logging off

Elder Tilley

(no pictures, but we got a movie from the Hartmans)

November 5, 2012

Me with Elder Domingos who went to Mozambique this last week and I heard that Elder Fitztgerald (who was my companion in the MTC) is training him!

Elder Hansen and I

Elder Hansen and I pointing at our area

Could you send this to Sister Levi and tell her
thank you so much for the letter!!!! I really enjoyed it!

7:40 Mom!

(Answers)

1. Unfortunately I did not (get to see General Conference) because in Luanda they watched it while I was in Lubango and then they watched it in Lubango the Saturday after I left. I was really sad, but I am grateful I got to watch a couple of talks in Lubango.
2. Yes I was able to watch it (Primary Sacrament Meeting program), but I was not able to get a picture with them. I think sister Violin has a picture of her with the kids if you want.
3. Yeah we actually get more (news) than people think. Something that I never really knew, but apparently the entire World watches the US elections. 
4. What I heard was that President Thompson does them (transfers) and then Pres. Kretly approves them and has the final say in the manner. President Kretly is coming here this week so we should have some great trainings.
5. We are living with two other Elders. Elder Mariquele who is from Mozambique (I lived with him for a while in Lubango) and a brand new Greeny!!! Straight out of the MTC! His name is Elder Whitaker and he is from Florida. It is pretty funny because Elder Mariquele cant even say his name correctly so it is pretty funny!
6. He (Elder Domingos) lived in Luanda, but in a neighboring branch. It was really weird because before we left we got permission to go to his families house, so their was a little good bye party their for about 30 minutes. It was really weird \sad\ bringing back a lot of memories!  I learned a lot of Portuguese and he reminded us of a lot of little techniques that he had learned from the MTC.
7. I am near the end of Mosiah. I should be in Alma here soon. What about you?
8. Are you saving the pictures that I send you and that you get from the Thompsons?
9. Also I was able to watch the video! That was awesome!! :) Honestly the person that was closest to real live African dancing was probably Jailey!!! :)

Josh!

Hey Bro how is it going!! Congrats on the new baby! I feel very honored that you keep naming your babies after me!!! haha (Just kidding) Hope that you are doing well man! …

Thanks Bro! Love you tons!!!

Elder Tilley

(Mom) Are you going to be over weight on the package? The zone leaders told me to tell my parents to send all packages through express no matter what the weight because it is really difficult to get the package and it takes a lot of time to do if it is not sent through express. They said it might cost more, but if you could that would be great. The best way is to just send one under I think 2 lbs.I do need a scripture case for my Book of Mormon and Bible. The sizes of them are bigger then the normal English ones. I think Braden has scriptures the same size (Spanish ones). So if I could get one for my bible and one for the Book of Mormon that would be great. Nothing really big, honestly something just to cover them to protect them.Thanks!

(Dad)

Hola e Bom Dia! Como Esta? Espero que tudo esteja bom contigo!

Te amo muito!!!

Tens uma Boa Semana!!

Te Amo!

Elder Tilley

GoogleTranslation: Hola and Good Day! Like this? Hope all is well with you!

Love you too!!

Got a Good Week!

Te Amo!

Elder Tilley

Logging of