Elder Tyler's letter 6/29/15

Dear parents,

Gosh I just love reading your emails!!  They are so edifying!! 

My time was well spent listening to Dallin and lyndsie's talks, so it'll be a little short this week!

I'll just cut right to the chase, this week has thankfully been maybe the hardest week of my mission! I don't want to bore you with details, but my companion has severe depression, and that takes a tole on me. I have had no problem helping him with his problems and being patient with him, because I frankly don't understand what he's going through, but I am filled with this enthusiastic urge to help him in any way that I can! But it got really lonely and overly stressful when I was having a hard time with no where to turn and no one to help. I testify that I couldn't have made it through without the Savior. He was waiting in the depths of humility with an empty spot on his yoke for me when I was ready to put down my personal yoke I had put on myself. I am so glad he brought me down to His level and showed me what a happy place the depths of humility really are! I know I always have someone temporally or spiritually to turn to because of Him and His watchful care over me. This really hit me when I read in Alma 26 about Ammon boasting in the Lord and He says, 

12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.

Also, 

16 Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel.

All his rejoicings were in the Lord, and I can add my witness that I know that that's where true happiness lies. In the Glory of the Son of God, now ascended to heaven dwelling at the right hand of God in all power and perfection. The first emotion I'm filled with when I read these words is gratitude. So much gratitude. I love you family! Thank you for your support and prayers! They were probably the only way I made it through these past few days! 

Love,

Elder Judy

Elder Tanner Judy 6/27/15

Elder Tanner Judy  Texas, Fort Worth mission

Good morning afternoon or evening! whenever you read this hahah. 

This week has been pretty crazy and fun!  Lots going on! 

Monday we had dinner with members who did residency in the University of Iowa and they we within walking distance of the Coralville mall!!!  WHAT!?  That's right where my dad was when he was in Iowa!!  We talked about things down there and had a ton " remember this?"  "Oh yeah!!"  Remember this?  Oh yeah! Hahah so that was super fun! 

Tuesday we went to zone conference in a different city and helped the fleet coordinator  inspect all the vehicles in that zone and that was fun!  Also, Tuesday we were going to have a meeting with Deliah, the lady who was supposed to be baptized TODAY and she was offended by something's that were said at church and she felt uncomfortable about it all so she said "I didn't want to be baptized" ..... What...... Luckily later she called and explained and said she still knows the church is true but just needs some space.  PHEW  so we are kind of waiting on her.  Hopefully she will be at church!!  That experience taught us about true success.  From PMG: True success is found not in achieving goals alone but in the service you render and in the progress of others.

Wednesday we had another zone conference to inspect the cars. Then later in the evening we went to a the family history consultants house and asked him to teach us about family history because we were sitting in pep boys and got to talking to some guy and family history got brought up.  We pulled up family search on our iPads and I was like.... Uuhh... Idk what I'm doing.... Haha #embarassing so we've got to learn that so it doesn't happen again. 

Thursday was really cool.  So in my personal study I read a scripture I had no idea it even existed.  It was in Doctrine and Covenants 131 and it says 

7 There is no such thing as immaterial matter. All spirit is matter, but it is more fine or pure, and can only be discerned by purer eyes;

8 We cannot see it; but when our bodies are purified we shall see that it is all matter.

And we met an Atheist as we were tracting and I felt impressed to share that.  We have an appointment to meet with him again about what that actually means and how he can feel it.  Elder Wallace brought up hope and I felt impressed to go to Moroni 7:41 and I didn't know what it even said and I went to it and it says 

41 And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.

So that was just a spiritual experience. Plain and simple. It was amazing.

And then last night we vacuumed 30 live wasps with our vacuum. Long story. All I gotta say is Texas is rubbin off. Hahaha

Well I love you all and I know that the Lord loves all his children. I hope that you all may each chose to feel that love because it is there and will always be there. Have the greatest week ever!

Elder Judy 

I sent him pictures of us boating....

NICCEE!!!! I love those pictures!! Literally yesterday I rode on the
place between the trailer and truck while holding onto the trailer and
quoted Pirates of the Caribbean, "Alas my children, this is the day
to remember as the day that you almost caught.. Captain Jack
Sparrow!! And I totally thought of boating how me and Britney and
Tyler would say that! Haha

Elder Judy

Elder Tyler Judy's letter 6/22/15

Elder Tyler's letter 6/22/15 Arizona Tucson mission

OH MY GOSH!!! Dallin's home!! hahaha That makes my mission seem to shrink sooo much!!! I thought missions never ended!! haha... geez! I don't like this feeling!! Anyways,

That's so great to hear about scripture study!!  I can just picture it all happening in our living room! :)

Things with our "news" are going pretty well! They're all pretty difficult to get in with because they're college kids with jobs, but it just makes each lesson opportunity more and more vital to have the spirit as strong as we can make invite it, which has caused for a LOT of going back to basics!!  God is our Loving Heavenly Father and what that means to me, Faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement and how it has blessed my life, Repentance, the message of the Restoration!  It is such a powerful message if you think about it!  As I was praying, I kinda came to the realization that our message is simply that God has called another prophet to lead his children!!  Just like Moses leading the children of Israel through the Red Sea on dry ground, or Noah and his family to build a ship so they would drink too much water, like everyone else, we have a prophet alive today that can lead us through this life, if we are willing, with all of it's difficulties, trials and forbidden paths on dry ground, or safely on the ship's deck with the greatest happiness! But first, we NEED to know if that really has happened!  We need to know if Joseph Smith really was a prophet, and if we have a modern- day prophet!  We need to have that firm conviction, otherwise, we won't have that hope that He will lead us through our personal red seas, or give us a boat pass.  We also won't know what is coming next if we don't heed His counsel! So simple.  So powerful!  To be known the truth must be stated.  This week I am going to focus on teaching as one who has authority given from God!

Our upcoming baptisms are still on, and are doing really well!  One of our investigators invited 2 of his friends to church!!  This is the second investigator I've seen engaged in missionary work one week into the lessons!!  If that doesn't testify of the hastening of the work, the preparedness of the hearts of this people, and the work the Lord is putting into helping his brothers and sisters return, nothing else will!  Except for prophets and apostles stating it and re-stating it... but that makes me want to double my efforts in preaching the word!! Jesus Christ is laboring all the time in His work! He's paving the way for us!  That has been soo obvious lately as we have worked hard and had much success!

Things on a zone leader level have been progressing for sure... still learning, and still a lot of growing room! but confident the Lord will help me :)  If nothing else, being called to leadership has been the biggest call to repentance I've ever experienced!  The spirit is magnified soo much more powerfully highlighting all my weaknesses, and puts them on display for the whole world to see.  hahah  I am soo grateful though, because I feel like my ability to recognize the spirit is increasing a lot on both spectrums!  times and things that the spirit leaves, and also when the spirit is there!  That, honestly is probably one of the most valuable things I feel like I am learning on my mission.  Working with the Spirit, and learning His will to not need the bumpers put up to roll down the straight and narrow path ;) (dang i'm good with analogies) hahah just kidding.

Ok!  Gotta run!  I love you all family!!  You have a package coming your way with something for almost everyone!  Dad for Father's day, Lyndsie for her birthday, Kayl for her... late mother's day present ;) haha you all are such wonderful people!!

Love,

Elder Judy

On Mon, Jun 22, 2015 at 12:00 AM, claine Judy <judycoldsteel@hotmail.com> wrote:

Dear Elder Tyler,

This week has been a joyous and fun week!!!  ...and busy!!  Dallin arrived home Wednesday!!  It was so much fun to see him and hug him.  We have had fun showing him off to everyone here.  

Wow!!!!  I was so excited to hear about your new assignment.  I know you mentioned immodesty, and I thought about that too.  Bro. McKay in our ward served in a YSA on campus in Texas and came across the same challenge.  It is a sad thing for sure.   

I am grateful you love your new companion.  I hope things continue to go well.  

How are your "news" and upcoming baptisms?  We are praying for you all the time and know the Lord is blessing you in his work.  

Tonight was really special.  Dallin lead us in scriptures.  I asked him what the last lesson he taught was.  He share Alma 34:17-28.  He did what he did with the people he shared this message with.  We each read a scripture and then said how it applied to us and added upon any other scripture that had already been shared.  The spirit was strong and it was a perfect message for us.  I loved what everyone shared.   We were reminded that we need to remember to demonstrate our faith by praying for the things that we need.  Then, in verse 22, Kaylee pointed out that it almost shifts gears and tells us to pray for other, namely our enemies, and Abe talked about that when we are tempted to do small things or to become distracted from doing things that it's the devil and we need to recognize that it is his influence.  We need to guard against it.  Dad talked about not forgetting the Lord in all we do and praying many times daily.  Dallin pointed out that the people who were being taught were poor already, but they were commanded to care for the poor and needy and that we are not to turn away the poor and needy.  Dallin then testified of the spirit and of the Book of Mormon.  He taught that as we read and study the book, impressions and feelings come to our mind that aren't necessarily written on the page but that are answers to our prayers.  He taught that learning and living the precepts taught in it will bring us closer to Christ.

I just loved it.

Tomorrow, we are off to Kaylee and Abe's new place to help them unpack and organize.  Abe needs to look for a job and so does Dallin.  I am grateful for this small time we have to regroup, get organized and to hang out together before things get crazy again.  

We are so blessed and so grateful for our blessings.  We are remembered and loved by the Lord and he will guide us as we do our part to ask for guidance.

We pray for you and for your safety and protection from harm and from satan's influences.  I know that as you stay safe and keep the rules, you will be blessed.  

Love- momma

Elder Tanner Judy (Texas Fort Worth) 6/6/15

Elder Tanner Judy's email (6/5/15)

Dear family and friends
Wow I just realized I have been out for 10 months today! Thaats... Crazy.
Well I am terribly sorry I didn't get to sending an email last week!
It got pretty wild there towards the weekend. The biggest thing that
was happening was our mission got iPads!! On the 27th of May the head
of the missionary department from salt lake and a companion gave us a
spectacular training about the use of iPads being "tools for hastening
the work". Was fantastic and I felt the spirit soooo strongly to quote
the song the spirit of God- " the Lord is expanding, the saints
understanding" and "the knowledge and power of God are expanding"...it
was a very cool meeting.

The next day Elder Wallace and I got our iPads (5 days before everyone
else) and president wanted us to have some experiences with them
before we gave them to everyone else.  After that, the following Tuesday
and Wednesday Elder Wallace and I as well as 4 zone leaders and the
assistants broke up into teams and distributed all the iPads to
individual districts and trained them how to use them and share our
vision with them. It was a pretty big responsibility. I remember what
President Ames said " I trust you ( the 4 teams) to set the tone for
iPads in the mission. I trust your vision for them. as you share with
the other missionaries, your vision will become theirs." And every
time missionaries opened iPads it was a spiritual experience. I want
to tell you an impression I had and that I shared with everyone we
gave iPads to. I'll share the condensed version.  One night my thoughts
went to the war in heaven, and how it was fought with testimonies and
influence. I think there is a parallel in our day, that the devil has
an eternal influence for evil on the Internet. I know that giving
missionaries iPads is the Lord making his move to rally the forces of
Him together and establish Zion in every nation kindred tongue and
people.

In Doctrine and Covenants 29:34 it says "...all things unto me are
spiritual and not at any time did I give unto man a law which was
temporal.." I know that the advances in technology are all for the
sole purpose of gathering and establishing Israel. I feel so blessed
to be a part of that, because over here we have tons of gated
communities and things like that. How do we get into those places to
teach them?  The Internet.

Quick update on our investigators!
Delia- she is so solid for her baptismal date of June 27th it is
awesome! We taught her again last night and it was really spiritual.
We had a member there to answer some of her questions and I could feel
their bond growing and it just excited me to no end!
Franco- his mom kind of blew up on us and said she didn't want us to
come over any more,then I remembered what president said " when you
ask people to hear the gospel the correct answer is NEVER no" and
shortly after that he said "when our investigators "drop" us we RUN to
them." So I called her 4 times and she didn't answer... finally we
called her again and she answered!! Long story short we are going over
there with a member today

We've had some pretty crazy storms lately! When It rains it POURS and
I mean POURS it was literally scaring me for a bit haha lightning
would CRACK right over us and I usually get excited when I hear
thunder, but this time it made me want to run and hide under my bed
covers! I'll send some pictures. But we're ok  no problems. But
other people's houses actually burned to the ground being hit by
lightning! And being on the second floor gave us great reason to fret.
But all is well.

It's hard to pile two weeks into one email in the short time we have
but I have grown sooo much in my testimony for the Savior and of this
work in which we are all anxiously engaged! I wondered why I am out
here on occasion knowing full well it was the adversary, but it has
strengthened my testimony knowing that we are out establishing peace
and bringing others to a "unity of the faith" which reminds me!!!
We got to go on an exchange with President Ames!! It was absolutely
amazing.... The way he instantly connected with them and desired for
them to understand and taught from the scriptures.. It was so
inspiring to see him in action. He is truly a man of God.

Kind of a long one today or at least it feels like it haha but I love
you all and all is well! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!!
Elder Judy
Sent from my iPad

Elder Tanner Judy's email (6/5/15)

Dear Momma 

I am so sorry I wasn't able to send you an email last week it was crazy we had to drive to Killeen again to help with bed bug problem and give them sheets and spray. 

I don't have too much time cuz I did that huge mass email now my iPad is going to die cuz. I didn't charge it all the way I guess last night. 

But thank you so much for the package! I got it and was sooo relieved when I was able to charge my camera after 12 weeks of not having it!  

That is really awesome about all the happenings back at home. 

I want to let you know how grateful I am for your spiritual insights for me it really is great to hear of the spiritual golden nuggets because it gives me something to think about as wel as fills me with joy to know that you are reading your scriptures deeply and trying to apply and understand them. I think it's great it goes with the principle that I learned just this past Friday about doing things because we love God. 

Thank you for the update and for your love and care and support I can't believe that I've been out for 10 months and I totally can because I miss you! 

 It's so exciting to hear that Dallin is coming home I'm sure you're just vibrating waiting for him to to walk off the airplane come home not to make you miss him more than you do just remember to send pictures!

Elder Judy

Letters from all three April 13, 2015

Elder Dallin's letter (Fresno, CA)

His release date is June 17!!!!!!!  I can't tell you how much we appreciate your support and love and prayers.  My heart is full of gratitude to each of you!

Love ya, Deanna

Dear Family,

 

      Wow our family is just awesome!! You guys are always working hard and staying busy and anxiously engaged in a good cause!! I think of the 2 Nephi 2 in verse 27 footnote how is says "initiative."  Our family has plenty of that!!! Thank you all for being so caring in writing me a letter and telling me how everything is going!! I truly appreciate it more than you might think!! thanks SO much!! :)

  This week was pretty cool! I had to go on an exchange with the zone leaders and it was VERY helpful! I was with a Tongan!  Elder Taufa!  And he was really excited to be in a YSA ward, so I helped him have the full experience by going to the nearest college and talk to people!  We split up, but stay sight and sound (because it's pretty scary for a YSA to have two people in shirts and ties come up to them), and teach!!  It's pretty scary sometimes to walk up to people your age and try to teach them, but you just kinda get the hang of it.  Him and I together taught 7 lessons!!!  I was SO relieved!!  When you're not teaching as a missionary, it feels like you're just constantly holding in a sneeze. Hahaha!! :) 

   This week was also interesting because we had a mini missionary with us for a few days!!  It was a fun experience because it feels like training again, and Elder Berry said he felt like he learned a lot about how to be a better trainer if he was ever asked to train.  But it was really sad because we have NO investigators.  Not even one.  I haven't found one in over 12 weeks in this area, despite all the work we have done.  We have an updated, detailed record of all the members we teach and commitments that we leave with them.  I love being a missionary more than anything guys.  I just love to ponder principles and think about the truths of the Gospel.  Sometimes Elder Berry thinks I'm mad at him because I'm always thinking hahah!!  But I'm out of time!!!  I have such a profound love for my Savior and for His teachings!!

​Thank you guys so much for your awesome examples!!!! I love you guys SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have a great week!!!! :)

-Elder Judy

Ps I will try to figure out the college thing today. Thanks so much mom!!! :)

Elder Tyler's letter  April 13. 2015 (Safford, AZ)

Dear Family,

Yes mom, I finally got the Easter package!!  It was so fabulous!!  That Easter basket was such a nifty idea!  I loved it, even if I'm probably not going to eat all of it!  Partly because of my running, but mostly because I DO NOT wanna go to the dentist again!   The most recent time I went, he numbed literally my whole jaw.  He worked on both sides, and on the right side, he hit a vein, so my eye was numb, my whole cheek was numb, my ear was numb... yeah.  Nothing on him or anything!  He's just doing his job the best he can, but I of myself.. am good.  I don't wanna go back.  Like ever.  hahah but my companion, and the District sure appreciate it! :)  As far as the music goes, really the same type of stuff that was on there before is great!  I just really love hymns. especially motab, and other arrangements of hymns!  I've been doing my best at making my own arrangements while reading the hymns through the clear curtain of our shower, but It's difficult to read and sing while shampoo is in danger of running into my eyes and mouth haha so yeah!  Temporal things :) I just need to be careful to not listen to music that "merely entertains" as is the commandment!

Dad, thank you for the compliment!   I loved that experience you shared!!  It helps me so much when you share those types of experiences, because I feel those so often on my mission, and occasionally I worry that they will end with my service! but you reaffirm to me that a mission is a spring-board, not a highlight to your spiritual life!  I had a similar experience that was very sweet!   Elder Houston is a great elder.  Just great.  But there were a few things that really bother me about his service!  This week, I was finding it really difficult to love him because of those things!  I was trying super hard to look past them, but it  seemed like everything he would do would be a pet-peeve, or turn into one!  haha that sounds messed up.  But anyways, as I was praying fervently for a greater love for him, I had the strong impression to serve him!  So I got off my knees, grabbed his shoes (this is 10:25 and he's already asleep) and shined them the best that I knew how to.  They had become gray with wear, and were in dire need of a polish!  The result has been incredible!  I have come to have much greater ability to look past those things and say "You know what, I love him anyways."  It seems as though he has stopped doing all those things that bothered me!  He seems happier as the day goes on, and more willing to work, and more proactive in the service!  As we keep serving each other, contention has no place in us, as we are more contrite, or yielding to each other's perspectives and opinions, and we are becoming knit together in love and unity!  It was so great! :)  I have a testimony that when we follow the example of Jesus Christ and serve those around us selflessly, love flows unrestrained into our hearts, and we become more at peace in our lives.

So we were visiting this one less-active in the Branch, and it turns out that he was big into track, soccer, cross country, and things like that!  So I was like, yes!  This guy is for me!  We began to talk about getting in shape for sports, and how it doesn't happen over night, and despite how hard and painful it is, we eventually do get in shape, and the work-outs don't become shorter, but we become stronger, thus they become easier.  It was really cool to relate your spiritual health to sports in a way that he could understand!  Spiritual shape doesn't come over night.  We can have moments that increase our desire to come to church, live a Christ-like life, and be perfect (moments like general conference) This doesn't get us in shape, this is like the music that motivates us through a work-out.  The hard work is yet to come, and it is through diligence in little things that we "get in shape."  It was awesome!

Also, we were on exchanges, and this lady had a Mormon background, but fell away and became Christian (ironic, I know) but she had an LDS background, so she had some really well researched arguments and tough, tough questions! As we were coming to an end of another tangent, we began to talk about the Savior, and how she had an amazing experience in finding Jesus (when she left the church...ugh..).  Well, I was turning to a scripture in Alma that was supposed to talk about how Alma received a witness, not of himself that these things were true, but only by the power of the Holy Ghost, but I turned to the story of Korihor, and began to explain this story (little did she know, SHE was korihor against the church, not Christ)  Anyways, Korihor began to contend heavily with Alma about how man cannot know such things as there being a Christ that is to come.  Then I, without thinking, turned to her and asked, "Based on your experience, what would you say to him?" and she bore a sweet testimony of Christ.   I asked, "How did you come to this knowledge?"  She said it was because she experienced Him!  That opened the door for me to bear my testimony that by that same power and process, you can come to know of the truthfulness of our message.  She was silent!!!!  Holy cow, what a relief!! hahaha  Things became soo much easier when I yielded to the spirit, and allowed HIM to teach, not me.

I love this work  I'm involved in!!  We have been so blessed with our success, and with our experiences, and I am filled with gratitude that the Lord has decided, so mercifully, to involve me in His work and glory.  I love you family!!  I love hearing your insights into the scriptures, life, or anything!   Learning from you so far hasn't stopped from childhood, and I hope it never stops!

Love,

Elder Judy

Elder Tanner's letter 4/13/15 (Killeen Texas)

Dearly beloved,

This week was wonderful! I need to tell you about two experiences. 

But first a little update on our investigators. 
Dubois:  moved. there outta here and didn't say goodbye. sad. 
James:  hasn't texted back or gotten back with us. We stopped by twice this week with no answer. We hope to get in contact with him soon, I was so excited to apply principles we learned from zone conference about persuasion and the sword of the spirit and we also had a member with us. 
Rondre:  so this was a cool thing that happened this week.  His wife is a less active member and she is super pregnant and she had to go to the hospital for an emergency with the baby and her parents decided to fly in and needed a ride from the airport to the hospital so the first thing she did was call us to take care of it because Rondre was at work.  We called our relief society president and she had some one over there and took care of it and it was all good!  This sunday the sister who picked the parents up and our relief society pres. went over to their house to see how they were doing this Sunday and we're waiting to hear how it went! 
That was really cool and we found a new investigator who wanted to come to church but wasn't able to make it his name is Charles and we have some high hopes for him!  He recently has a brain tumor that is benign and impossible to remove and is not to dangerous yet but its still stressful with school and everything. 

So a pretty good week with investigators!! 

So we had one funny/cool experience so as we were biking we saw a recent convert on the street and talked with her for a while and had a good time.  She wanted to give us water, and when she came back from the house she had poured some cereal into baggies for us, bless her heart, it was pretty random but we accepted graciously.  Then just 5 mins later we were biking home and I noticed a man sitting pooped out on the curb.  I asked how he was doing and he said really tired and asked me for water (I gave him the water I had just got).  Upon further conversation I found out he was from Houston and hadn't had breakfast or lunch so I gave him the cereal I had just gotten.  Pretty cool. 

The second experience was more sacred.  So this is on a Wednesday and we had planned to see James who is 15 mins directly north from our apartment at 3:30. So we were trying to figure out something to do from 1 till then... when I looked at our map there was an area that just kinda caught my eye the way the spirit prompts something to catch your eye.   I had just given a training about finding by the spirit the day before so it was a fresh principle on my mind, but this area was 30 to 45 mins directly west from us.  So I thought well if the Lord needs us to seek out save it be one soul over there, for that's all we had time for, it shall be done.  Long story short after 3 houses this lady opens the door and doesn't seem interested.  Then, I feel like I needed to ask "Have you been searching for more fulfillment in your relationship to God?"  She stopped and said yes.  She had been praying for months while in Iraq for guidance from God.  She had gotten back from Iraq the day before.  We read to her a few beautiful scriptures and she started crying and said "This is so amazing I can't believe this.  You guys just don't understand".   To which we could bear sweet testimony about how yes, we didn't understand but we understood when God tells us to go somewhere to talk to someone and he hears your prayers, so he sent us.  It was pretty amazing.

Way cool week this week!!  We had another experience the next day where we were out with this one member and our 3 appointments punched...  Then I opened up my planner to the potentials page and one name just stuck out in the same way yet, 20 mins away...  We went over there and he said all about how he felt like his church was just empty and he is yearning for "something more" and we gave him a BOM and said, "This is something more from God"  Ok, not exactly that but you know how it goes when your feeling the spirit you don't know exactly what you say but your pretty sure it's right lol.

 
I love you all and I hope I didn't bore you do death with 3 experiences haha but they were pretty sacred to me so I had to share all of them this week.  I love you.  Remember spiritual CPR, church, pray, and read!

Hurrah For Israel!!
Elder Judy

Elder Dallin's letter 2/15/15

Elder Dallin's letter 2/15/15

Dearest family, 

     Wow. What a crazy week!! Being in a YSA is so different! I think I forgot to tell you guys that's what I am in now. There's 4 YSA's here in Fresno, and I'm in one of them!! But I want to tell you guys more about Elder Berry! He's been out about 6 months, so I'm not actually training him ( I think that I was unclear on that with my last email) and he's from Ogden!! He can't see further than about 20 yards, he has an Ipad to read things with, and he's constantly adjusting his glasses so he can see what he can out of them. And his jaw was broken when he was shaken as a baby, and it healed incorrectly, so he is always in pain. And he has tendinitis in his left ankle, and his eyes are always hurting. Can't lie, I wish I could take back every time that I have ever complained about something. And he gets mad when I start feeling bad for him because "there's plenty of people that have it worse than him." And he's got a skin condition that makes it so that his skin scabs if he's in the sun too long. And he's has yet to complain about one thing. I love him so much and he looks up to me like I'm a super model because he's had 2 of my new missionaries as companions, so they talked me up like crazy hahah! Chums!! He says that he loves to be with me and gets along so well with me!! He's seriously the best. 

  As far as the new area goes, We're actually covering a whole zone because I'm in the YSA, so we have a car, and we are in it driving all day. It's quite the adjustment from being on a bike, but I'm loving it! It's quite different being in a sacrament meeting that is completely silent and teaching people that have drama issues in church! Hahah! But as of right now, we have about 2 investigators, and we haven't seen any of them because they are avoiding us. So we have been teaching members day in and day out and asking for referrals. But we're going to be trying out finding at a nearby college also. It'll be different for sure! Haha!

   This week I called all the sisters in my district and we had a district lunch!! It was really fun and we got to know each other better! One of them is in training, so I'm going to do my best to help her feel welcome and stuff.

 

    But I just heard from Jesse, and he's thinkin about going to BYU-I also!! I tried to convince him because he's thinking about going to Utah State too. But it would be so fun to be roommates with him! 

  I'm so happy that the girls are so excited about dancing!! That's so fun, and I can't wait to see them and see how far they've come!! But holy cow mom!! I had no idea that you wanted to go back to school!! That would be so awesome to do!! I didn't know you liked school that much!! OH!! I have a question! Everyone asks when you guys were born for some reason, and I don't know what to tell them, so could you guys tell me when you and Dad were born? Thanks, oh! Also could you tell me how old Britney, Lyndsie, Emrie, and Kaylee are? Being out here so long has made it so I have totally forgotten. Embarrassing, I know. 

   But I love you guys so much, you have no idea. You are just the best family that I could ever ask for. Your testimonies that you share with me are truly inspirational and it gives me a desire to have one as strong as you guys. Thank you for all the private sacrifices that you have done for me and for Tanner and Tyler. Thank you so MUCH!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

-Elder Judy 

Elder Tyler's email 2/9/15

Dear Dad,

If you could be so kind as to share some insights about the lesson you taught about Agency that would be so awesome!! I've been studying a lot about that and trying super hard to grow in my testimony and conversion to the value of allowing other people their agency, and how it's an eternal principle or a celestial principle! That is really cool about the insights about quickening! I can literally see that here on the mission with the other missionaries! I'm trying my best not to judge, but it's pretty apparent by their actions.

I love that! We either serve the Lord or the sin. It makes me re-define my definition of sin almost. This week, it has become apparent to me that ANYTHING that even takes us away from God is a sin. Example. I am approached by other missionaries asking about how I was feeling after working out (I have been slightly sick these passed few days) and I say I'm doing fine. They ask about me some more, and I reply with satisfactory answers. They leave. I didn't do anything to WRONG them, but I did less good than I could have done. I could have shown more charity by looking outside of my discomforts and asked about how they were doing, and asked about them in general.

I'm working on charity a lot this week, and it's been so motivating because as I pray every night for charity, I see evidence of my ability to love grow!! It goes perfectly with your advice about being a trainer!!

So a little about this week and me,

First of all, Elder Blaser has a slight case of diarrhea of the mouth, but I have come to love it, because it's such a change from last transfer! I don't even need music in the car anymore! ;)

He's a super enthusiastic Elder that is going to be such a great missionary! He has a burning testimony about living the gospel and preaching by example much more than teaching! He played football and basketball in high school, but suffers from asthma problems. His favorite thing about the gospel is families. He always relates everything to families and teaches how the gospel blesses families very powerfully! He was in  an 80s rock band that he organized back home, and he's always talking about it, and singing songs like Faithfully, Jump, and soo many more of the 80s classics! It's fun to listen to, but I try to encourage mission-appropriate songs, and don't sing along. His plans after the mission are to open a multi-genre recording studio and live the dream of the band :) He's from the Mesa area, and he's here for 2 transfers waiting for his visa to the Philippines! He's so awesome! I love him!!

One night, we had a rifle pulled on us!! One of our investigators wasn't used to night time visitors, but we got the feeling to visit him and encourage him in between our visits, when we knocked, he went out the back door, and came around the corner where we were with a rifle pointed at us!! hahaha I know this man pretty well, and he has a heart of gold, so I was only slightly concerned, and more confused why he had a freakin gun in his hands! hahah turns out he'd been ignorantly housing a wanted fugitive, and the Sherriff knocked on his door the night before wanting to know where the dude was, and Frank told him that he kicked this guy out the day before, so he was just being "careful" with bringing a gun with him. hahaha Elder Blaser was literally shaking and going hysterical when we got in our car! hahaha It was the funniest thing to just listen to him go on and on for a good 12 minutes about how "HE HAD A FREAKIN GUN"!  To to make matters better, we got the strong feeling to go visit this really sweet inactive lady.  When we got there, her meth-addict daughter had "finally come home" to a lengthy lawsuit dealing with custody issues.  She was all twitchy and scratching herself all over. She was really intense, and twitched her head as she talked hahah  It was such a great night!! One to remember for sure! :)

I'm short on time, so I'll share my insights from the scriptures next week! I love you too! Have the best week of your life this week! (it's your choice after all!)

Love,

Elder Judy