July 29, 2013

July 29, 2013

Yes I tried to take out about $90 the other day, but the ATM said that my bank would not allow it, so I did not get the money. Yes please (ask the bank)... that would be great! Maybe you could just tell the bank to leave my card open (meaning let me take it out of the ATM's here) then if it gets stolen then I will just tell the Merrills to email you and then you guys can lock it from there or something

1.) Yes, our visas only last a year, but my visa was already renewed awhile ago... so I am all good! :) We heard that all visas were cleared, but then I just heard that they might not be cleared, so we are still hoping and praying that the new missionaries will be able to come in.

2.) Zani actually lived in the other Elders area and then she moved to Cassequele, so I am not sure exactly what is going on with her.

3.) Just the little article that you sent me... (Ensign article about Angola (Aug 2013 p18). We only get the Conference issue of the Liahona... we do not get the monthly additions.

4.)Honestly not a whole lot of info to tell. Monday we normally get up clean the house and then go play soccer with the other missionaries, then go eat pizza and then go and do emails then go shopping and go home, chill for a little bit then go out proselyting for the rest of the night. Tuesday-Saturday. Wake up, get ready, study, leave the house, go eat lunch, come back for lunch or go to a member’s house for lunch, then teach for the rest of the day and come home, plan, eat dinner and then go to bed. Sunday is a similar thing just with Church in the Morning :) 

yeah if you could copy my emails that would be great! But only if you have time!!DONT do it while you are on Vacation!!!!

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

Love Elder Tilley

(Dad)

Hey thanks for the update! That sounds way cool snorkeling and going to Hawaii!!! I am glad that you over came your fears though!! :) You said that you felt the spirit when the guy from Fiji spoke, but you said that it was in a different way... what did you mean that it was in a different way?

How are things going with work? Are you going to be able to open up the beginning of next month? 

Thanks for everything Pops!!?

Love you!

Elder Tilley

Preston

Hey Bro!

how are things going? What have you been up to during the summer? Are you balling it up or what? I hope that you are doing well!! 

I just want you to know that you better be practicing your bball skills because I am going to wreck you in 21 when I get back!

Love you so much man!!!!

I love you so much!!

Elder Tilley 

Yeah Bec! ~

Sorry I was not able to write you, I got distracted and I forgot to respond and then my time ran out! When I was in the taxi going home last week I remembered that I did not write you and I said out loud "crap!" the missionary said "what is the matter?" I said "I forgot to write my little sister!" That is cool that you got to go to a Catholic Mass. Being a Missionary I have learned a lot about other Religions and a lot of other religions have some weird Doctrine! And I thought the same thing..."If people think we are weird they should check out these other churches!"

How did the Nike tournament go? Did you play well? 

So maybe this week we can move on to another topic... how about "Faith" This time we can both study some more scriptures and then we can share some of the scriptures that we found as well... sound good?

I hope that you have a fantastic spiritually filled week!!

Love you tons!!

SPARLEY BUNS POWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder Tilley

July 22, 2013

A few missionaries eating pizza together after playing soccor! Sorry I am not in it I am taking the pic! 

Elder Fountain, Elder McCune, Elder Chatwin, Elder wilson, Elder Hannay, Elder Hyde. None of them are in my zone except Wilson (My companion).

1) No I haven’t gotten (the packages) yet. Maybe this week. No I am not desperate for the belt.

2.) It has been about the same with I. He has been with his parents in Viana so he was not able to come to church.

3.) (L and V) finally left for the provinces Sunday Morning and they should get married on Friday and then will be baptized on the 3rd of August if everything works out well. I was getting really worried that they would not leave and they would keep pushing back the marriage because there plan was to leave on a Wednesday then it went to Thursday then Friday then Saturday and then it got changed to the following Tuesday then Thursday then Friday Then Saturday Morning then Saturday Night and then Finally they left on Sunday! It was Miracle. Basically I called every single one of these days to see if they actually left or not, my heart just dropped over and over and over as they kept pushing it back day over and over again, but they finally left Sunday Morning so that was a blessing This pray for them because they still have to wait until Friday to get married so I am praying that nothing else happens!|

4.) I don’t think I have told you about Sergio. He is a reference from a member that was baptized in Cassequele. He was going to the Seventh Day of Venice church, but after a while he stopped going. The first time we met with him the only thing he wanted to know about this Book of Mormon. He would also ask us some "deep doctrine kind of stuff" like what the number 7 means and things like that, but we started teaching him and we taught about the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation and he always says, "this is really profound!" or "This is really dangerous" in a good way. He accepted to be baptized, but he has to get married first. We are also going to try and teach his wife as well. Unfortunately he has not been able to come to church yet. It was sad though because this morning when I woke up I got a message from him that said some one had broken into his home and stolen some things and broke his motorcycle and things like that. He said that no one was at home so no one was hurt, which was a good thing! But if you could keep him in your prayers as well that would be great!

Miracle Experience!

So the last week we had lost contact with Garcia and we were really busy so we were not able to pass by his house. So I went on a division with Elder Montgomery, in my area and we were trying to get a taxi but the taxi we needed was not there, So I decided to cross the road and try at another part of the road, while walking we met Garcia on the road and his arm was in a sling! I was not sure completely why but his hand was swollen. So that was on a Friday. Saturday we passed by and his arm was still in a sling, but he told us that he was sad that we had lost contact and so on Friday morning he prayed that we would be in contact. That very day was when we ran into him in the street!  Then on Sunday his arm was still in a sling and after church he said that it was really hurting him and so he had to go home right after church! I asked him if he wanted a blessing, he said yes! So Elder Wilson acted as voice and gave him a simple blessing. Then on Tuesday we saw him in the street and he gave me a big handshake with the arm that was bad and he said that once he left the church after the blessing his arm got better and he did not have any more problems with his arm! It was truly a Miracle!!

Love you Mom

Have  A GREAT WEEK!!

Love, Elder Tilley

July 15, 2013

In the computer lab that I am in we are not allowed to do downloads, so I cant watch the videos.

Wilson is the one closest to me. Guilierme (Guiliermy) is the one who baptized him. Guilierme also just turned in his mission papers and so he will receive his cal here in a Month or two!

1.) No I haven’t got (the packages) yet!

2.) It doesn’t get cold, but it is about as cold as it is going to get, but the weather is beautiful and perfect!! It is usually a little overcast 70-80 degrees and a nice breeze! It is really nice!! It was funny because when we went to play soccer the other day and President and Sister Merrill were there, and there was a little bit of a breeze and Sister Merrill is over their just shaking in her shoes saying it is soo cold!  But it felt really nice! It reminded me of you! :)

4.) I is actually doing really well. We talked about how smoking is not only affecting him, but affecting other people around him as well as his future kids and family! When we talked about that he realized how serious the situation was and he has been doing really well since!

L & V are doing pretty well! Their marriage was planned for this Friday, but (he) still was not done fixing his car for the trip to the provinces (where he is going to get married) so they had to move it back a week. But we are praying that everything will go well! Everything is pretty normal with our other investigators!

This Wednesday Elder Wilson and I are having our Zone Meeting, which is about 2-3 hours long. We are giving the training on the Restoration and what faith has to do with the restoration so we are praying the Spirit will be with us! 

Yes…Wilson did get baptized Saturday?

I really do like (pictures from home)…they don’t make me homesick! Please send them!

So I saw that you guys went to Gambling Hill! So I leave for a little over a year and my family goes off the deep end!!:) Gambling huh!:) haha JK :)

Sorry I meant Gambling Hall. It is in the second pic you sent me. It is on the sign right about Chelsy’s head!

Hey Gramps!

So we are teaching this boy named I, and he has smoked Marijuana for a long part of his life and he is having a hard time dropping it. This past week he has been doing pretty well and has gone for 4-5 days without smoking now, so he is doing well, but I was just wandering if you had any advice for me on how I can help him drop smoking completely!?

Thanks 

I hope that your week has been going well so far! Grandma told me that you guys went to the cabin and had some good alone time, I hope that was fun for you guys!

Love you tons Gramps!!

Elder Tilley

Wow Mom that sound a little dark for you! Punching someone in the nose:) haha!  I know you would not do such a thing! She probably didn’t realize what she was doing or what you were doing for her. I am sure if she knew she probably would not have done it... (ok well maybe she still would have... but I am suppose to give words of comfort right? Not make things worse! :) )

Well I am glad I am not the only one that has a Natural Man coming out every once and a while!

Love you too!!

Here is the letter I sent to bec

Bec!

Yep I am doing well! I hope that you are doing well!

This past week I watched a film called "Special Witnesses" And it is a film of the 12 Apostles and the First Presidency giving their testimonies and their Special Witnesses of Jesus Christ! The film was so powerful and the Spirit was very strong! You should study a little bit about what Special Witness means and then watch this film! Mind blowing and Spiritually Powerful!!! I love it!

Love you so much Bec!!!!!!!!!!!! I hope that you have a spiritually filled week!!

Love you Tons!

Sparkley Buns Power

Elder Tilley

Love you Mom!! have a great week!^

Com Amor

Elder Tilley

July 8, 2013

Elder Tilley bottom row...4th from left
New Mission President Danny L. Merrill and Sister Pennie Merrill.
First Mission Conference of the Angola, Africa Mission

Yeah I saw it that was sweet!!!! (fireworks video)

Ivandro is still having a hard time, it seems like every time we go over he just feels really bad, because he has not been able to stop the things that he has done in the past and so we give him some counsel guided by the Spirit and it seems tell help him in the moment and then we go back and we have to start the process over again. We are really praying for him. I still feel like he is lacking something, but I am not sure what it is. I hope that he just continues trying, he has done a lot better since we have found him, but he still has a way to go. I hope and pray he just does not give up!  Thank you so much for the prayers, I can definitely feel them.

Irma means Sister in Portugues and so I was just saying Sister Fina, so it is the same person. They are doing pretty good. Irma fina goes to the Jehova Witness church, but she is starting to warm up to us and the church and so we will see. We were not able to sit with them this week because of meetings we had and Garcia was also really busy, but we will try and sit with them tonight.

We are sitting with Lourenço and Veronica. They are a couple that are really strong they just have to get married, but they have everything figured out and they should be traveling this week to go get married in the provinces and then them two and two of their kids,

Gideao and Tavares will be baptized on the 27th of July. Also We have Paulo and Helga who are another couple that are working on getting married. We also have Wilson who will be baptized this Saturday. He said that he has gone to many churches, but since he has come to ours his life just started changing. It is kind of funny every time we invite him to do something like pay tithing or live the law of Chastity he looks at us and pretty much says "Duh! Yes I will!"

Yep we did! It was really good. We got the gift, but she only had a few with her because the rest are on one of those pods all the mission presidents get and they have not arrived yet. But I saw them they were really cool. She said that one of my aunts helped make them. I thought it was Laurel, but she said (no). Was it heather? It was kind of get to know you Conference and so there was not a huge bit training from President. But we had a workshop that we did and we had three workshops that we rotated. The Assistants gave one of the workshops and then the zone leaders of the other zone gave a workshop and then Elder Wilson and I gave a workshop. We gave the workshop on how to help people get married here because it is just a nightmare! So Elder Wilson and I went to a few government buildings and talked with a few people who were getting married or already got married and got all the information and what is necessary for the people to get married. So we gave the training about that. I think it went pretty well. After the training President wanted all of us to go play soccer! So we went and played together, but the court we went to their were some pretty good Angolans that were playing... so the white guys played against the black guys! I might have got a little bit too competitive, but we won 3-2 :) It felt really good to play really hard.

So that was on Thursday and on Friday we had a testimony meeting! Which was really good and at the end of it President Merrill gave a promise\blessing using the keys he holds and said that If we were obedient to the commandments as well as our covenants and the mission rules we would be protected both Physically and Spiritually! Then later I had a quick interview with President Merrill which was really good!

I like President Merrill a lot! I can definitely see why he was called here to serve. He asked if there was anything he could do for me and I told him that he is already doing a great Job at this, but just please Love all the Missionaries because we have been neglected a lot and not felt loved and he said he knew that because of some circumstances we had been torn, but he said after being with you guys it is really esay to love you guys. So that was really good. I think we all like him alot! Did you get the letter I sent to President last week and I made a U of A, ASU comment to him? This was his response! I thought that it was pretty funny!  I am glad he has a sense of humor! “Elder Tilley, my two favorite teams are the U of A and whoever is playing ASU:). J/K. 

Thanks for the warm welcome. We love it here already. Thank you for sharing that miracle. We are privileged to be living here during a great miracle, the spiritual awakening of this great continent and especially in Angola. History is being made and you get to help make it! Thanks for all you're doing. President Merrill”

I think sister Merrill is pretty funny! I don’t know her very well yet, but I like her and I think she will really take care of us.

*From Mom-You said, "we have been neglected a lot and not felt loved and he said he knew that because of some circumstances we had been torn,

What was torn supposed to say?

Answer: Hmm long complicated story, that might be a good story for when I get home. Maybe you can write it on your IPhone and have it beep you for the date when I get home and I will tell you about it :) Torn like ripped, torn apart... does that not make sense!?

Family!

I am so grateful that you guys are all safe!! I continue to pray for each one of you! I know that this is short, but I just wanted you guys to know that I believe and know that these things are true! I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that The Church of Jesus Christ is true and that Jesus Christ really was the savior of the world and I know these things because I have felt them in my heart! I love you guys so much keep up the great work and thank you for your prayers!!

Picture from the Merrills. All the "city" Elders in Luanda, Angola, Africa

Elder Tilley

I just sent this to President Thompson! 

Love you Mom Logging off

Tell dad sorry I could not write him

(President Thompson was a counselor in the MIssion Presidency assigned to watch over the Elders in Angola).

Hey President Thompson!

How are you doing? I hope that you and Sister Thompson are doing well! I just wanted to write you a quick email and tell you how much I love you guys! I really have felt that the Lord has sent Angels to lift me up and help me and I feel like you and Sister Thompson were some of those Angels! Thank you so much! 

A couple of weeks ago we were teaching this 20 year old boy and we have been trying to help him over come some of the addictions that he has, but one day when we were teaching him he started to talk and he said that he felt so bad for some of the things that he was done in his life and he feels so bad that he has not been able to get over these addictions! He went off speaking like this for probably 5-10 minutes. While he was speaking some words came to my mind that I felt like I should share with him. Can you guess what they were? They were "You should not be so hard on yourself" That sounds familiar doesn’t it? :) Thank you so much for all that you and Sister have done for me!

I know that your mission here in Anogla was probaly even harder then mine! I have told several missionaries that President Thompson was like Levi Savage (off of 17 Miralces)!! Torn and  ridiculed, but he only wanted the best for those he was helping!!

Thank you so much President! You will always be a Hero in my eyes! I hope that one day I can be a Man and a Priesthood Leader such as you!!!

I love you and Sister So Much!!

Thank you!

Com Amor

Elder Tilley

July 1, 2013

Answers to questions:
1.) I can’t think of anything else (I need sent) for right now!

2.) Yeah I am still taking my vitamins . .

3.)Yep I am getting the pictures you send thank you so much! Please keep sending them! Sorry I have not sent a lot of pictures it just has been difficult lately!

Have you saved all the pictures and videos I have sent home? (The pump up videos I sent for Bec for her basketball tournament?)

Did you get to talk with Grandpa? What did he say?

Tell Sherilyn and everyone else there I said Hi!! And that I love them!!!

So what is up with Bec? She didn’t respond to my letter this week … do you think that she wants or will go to BYU or no?

4.) We have videos we watched called the district, but if they are new videos then no I have not seen them yet. The only internet time we get is on Monday when I write you guys and spend it all reading and writing.

5.) So we have had several Miracle experiences the past week or two. We are teaching this 20 year old named Ivandro. He has been doing really but has had a problem with the word of wisdom, he said that he felt like he needed some extra help from God, so we first gave him some tips about how to do better and then we said we could give him a blessing. So we gave him one and the spirit was very strong and afterwards he said " I feel so good right now" and he tried to describe how he was feeling, but he couldn’t. And then he said that he was shown what he needed to do to be able to stop! The spirit was very strong!

Then the other day we went to his house and we were planning on going to a family night, but he was babysitting so he could not go so we just taught him in his house. So we came up with something really quick and so we decided to read 3 Nephi 11 with him and we read about how everyone one by one came and felt the marks in his hands. When we talked about that I felt we should do an activity that Sister Brinkerhoff did with us in Seminary... So I told him to close his eyes and I told him to imagine if he were in the crowd and he had the opportunity to walk up and touch the savior and feel the prints in his hands and his feet. I told him to imagine what it would feel like and then I told him to imagine if he had just a little bit to talk with him personally. What would He say? What things would He tell you to do better? Then right before you left and He grabs you and gives you a hug and says "I love you!" When we did this activity the spirit was sooo strong! And we just sat their for a while thinking for awhile! The spirit was really really strong!! It was incredible!! Afterwards he gave the closing prayer and he really just poured his soul out to God and asked to be forgiven for the things he has done! The spirit once again was really strong! It was a really good spirit filled lesson.

I cannot tell you how similar Ivandro is to me! Very similar strengths, very similar weaknesses! I have had almost the exact same concerns or doubts or questions that he has! Every time we pass by he reminds me more and more of myself, which has been good because I have been able to give him a lot of advice and examples of things I have done in my life and I feel like it has helped him a lot! He is still having a little bit of trouble overcoming smoking so please keep him in your prayers!

Love you Mom!

Love your son!

Elder Tilley

(This is a letter written to President Merrill I thought you would like to read)

President Merrill,

            We are very excited that you and Sister Merrill have arrived here safely! I hope that everything goes well with your luggage though and that you are able to get it here!!

This past week we had a Miracle experience where we were in a taxi and their was a lot of traffic so we ended up getting out a little bit early and just started to walk instead and then we ended up crossing the street. As we were walking, this lady on the other side of the street called to us and so we walked over and she said "voces sao Mormons" we responded that we were and when we did she put her hands to her face and started to cry! She told us that she was baptized in Texas 4 years ago, but then came back to Angola and could not find the church for 2 years!! She came to church on Sunday and she was so happy it was a great Miracle experience that we had!!

Well I hope that your first week here is going well and we are excited for the Mission conference this week!!

P.S. I hear that you are a U of A fan! I feel that we might have some future conflicts because of this! 

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! Sun Devils!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Mom)

Ask Dad…Does a Ferrari come with his offer to work with him? :)

haha jk!!

Love you guys

logging off!!