Week 8

Alrighty folks!!!!!!!!! So I am sending a little package home today that will have my address on it so you can have it.... It's kind of complicated to put in type form. I am serving in the Hospitalet 1 ward. They meet at 3. There was a lot less teaching this week.. We walking and contacted for days.. It was great. I wish you could see me. I look, I feel, I speak, I listen, I act so differently. I am truly a representative of Jesus Christ. So many people don't want to listen, but I love them so much. I am learning the power of simple speech... All I really know how to do is testify, so I do it all of the time.. I am eating my entire plate, whatever it is.... Today I scrubbed our bathroom, kitchen, and office for my companion and the other elders so they could have a clean place to live.. I don't say that to brag, I just want you to know that in the two months I have been here, I have converted to Jesus Christ. I finished the Book of Mormon on Sunday and am now reading the New Testament. The scriptures have so much power.

I am so excited to hear about all the awesome things going on. How are you handling it all? I feel like we never focused on you felt when we were home. I am so grateful that you taught me how to iron, how to do dishes, how to scrub toilets, the inside and outside, how to cook, peanut butter and jelly have become my closest allies. I even cut them into fourths.... They remind me of mom.... I feel my savior all the time... We have four baptism dates... So cross your fingers... Our investigator Antonio has been tough... He is struggling to commit. We were singing in church with him and I saw him struggling to read the song book. After the meeting I asked if he would like us to teach him how to sing and use it... He said he would love that... So I am downloading tons of songs for him and we are going to practice.... If he gets baptized I want to give him his own song book.

I love you so much... Look for to talking with you.
Elder Tyson

 

 We live with the zone leaders, Elder Jonson from Lehi and Elder Dunn from California ..... I do have an iPad. That's how I am emailing now... We come to the church to email.... The weather is like that night in DC.... Todos Los Dias .... But I am getting used to it

 

I am indifferent to the iPad... I prefer my paper scriptures, but it's so much lighter... They did give us a shoulder bag... But my companions was thrashed so I gave mine to him, and I use my bag... He really needed it.

 

 Ha so we wake up at 7:30 and go to sleep at 11:30 the members feed us all the time. It's usually great I do have a picture of a delicious hamburger that I will send. It was awesome!

 

 This place is seriously the best! Dad, take my advice. Don't play softball. You will want to wear shorts. You will try to get the double, on a very clear single... Slide... Cut your leg... And have a scar... Just back down... Practice FIFA (video game)

They have McDonald's ... Not the same... They don't really have restaurants... More cafés where you sit outside... Delicious.

 

 I love playing soccer! I just chill in the back, then one of the elders shouts... Elder Tyson, go.... And I come blowing in full speed... People just get out of my way... I score almost every time... It's super scary for the little Latinos... But super fun!

 

 We have zone conference on the 22nd I haven't seen president since I left the mission home.

 

 The sister missionaries in our ward with us are planning a food night. Where everyone in the ward brings a food from their country. Super excited!

 

 Our piso is in our area. We take the subway to church. But other than that... All feet... All day!

 

 Well, I have to go.... Keep doing good.... I love you so much.... God be with you until we meet again!!!!

 

 

Hola from BARCELONA!!-Week 7

Alright folks... The moment you have all been waiting for... I got to the mission home and my first night I stayed in Badalona, a suburb in Barcelona, and by suburb I mean, all apartments and hills and really run down streets, it was so awesome! I proselytised with Elder Lattieier and I taught the Ten Commandments in English to Rita and I met some menos activos in the ward!!! We taught them some scriptures. I got back to the piso and realized that that was where I wanted to serve, in Barcelona in a place where the roads confuse you and the hills are daunting. I had already begun to love the people. So I had been praying to stay in the area. I was chosen to serve in Hospitalet, Collblanc area!!!!! It's the Hospitalet first ward and its on the exact opposite side of Barcelona than Badalona!!!!!!!!! My prayers were answered. Then I found out that my companion was Elder Caetano... An Angolan who speaks as much English as I speak Spanish. I was excited and afraid. The first night was an interesting experience.... This brings me to the food...

Spain is a melting pot of people, everyday I meet Ecuadoreans, Bolivianos, Chileans, Peruvians, Nigerians, and all other kinds of great people.... And they all have a different cuisine... My first night I had some fried fish with rice and beans. I have had oyster, squid, vegetables, and other unknown items. I know the lord has a sense of humor. I can just see him laughing and saying, "you asked for it, elder"  But I have had some delicious food too. They have the most delicious pastries in the world. My favorite is a nepoliano. It's like a croissant filled with chocolate and covered with powdered sugar... I am addicted now!!!!! They also have kebab.... They stack meet into a cylinder and put it on a spear.... Then it spins and cooks on a heater.... They shave off tons of it and put it into a tortilla.... Boom.... Delicious!!!!!!

The people and members are so kind to us... The are with us for most of our lessons and we try to teach a family everyday. My companion knows tons of games, and the language, so we can teach and have fun.

We are finding new investigadores cada dia and so many people are interested in out message. We are really excited for Antonio, he is from El Salvador and his baptism date is this week. But we are having a problem.... He is afraid... He knows it's right and knows it's true... He comes to church and talks with the members, but is still nervous. I pray every day that he can feel the light of Christ.

On Saturday the hermanas had two baptisms. One didn't speak any Spanish so they asked me to speak on baptism in English . It was funny because no one understood me but him!!! 

Sunday was the craziest day of al!!!!!!! I showed up praying to see Antonio, and didn't.... But I walked in to see the entire BYU basketball team and staff sitting in the congregation.... I lost it... We sat right next to the Dave Rose (the coach right?) and it was like sitting next to royalty!!!!! Then to make me more nervous.. I was asked to confirm James.... The new convert that didn't know Spanish.... It went well..... After the meeting we went to classes and I tried translating the lessons for James.... I have never learned so much Spanish, so fast.... It was great and scary... Of course there was a little improvisation but the spirit was great!!!!!

Elder Tyson at church with the BYU Basketball Team in Barcelona

So all in all... I love it here... It's so great!!!! We ate with a member from New Hampshire and it was so refreshing to speak English!!! 

I am so happy and have lost fifteen pounds in total!!!! Can't wait to hear from you!!!!!

Elder Tyson

FROM KRISTY:

Oh My goodness Kade--- I am sooooo excited to hear from you!  Yep,  my heart is racing and I want to burst!  I am so happy to hear from you and I feel your spirit so strong reading this!  This is AMAZING! What an awesomewesome part of the Lord's Vineyard!

So, I have lots of questions;;;  Are you able to talk with your companion in spanish? 

How is your president and his wife?

Did any of your district get north american companions?

FROM ELDER TYSON

 So president is great and his wife is wonderful!!! They are great missionaries!!!! My companion speaks a little English, but I can communicate fine I guess!!!!
All of my group got North Americans except me and another elder who went to Andorra!!! Inspired!!!!

Hey!!! Just finished bowling... It was fun we went with our district and some members of the zone.

Last email from Elder Tyson in the Madrid MTC!!!-Week 6 continued

We received this email from Elder Tyson on Monday, August 17 at 9:30 a.m. (5:30 p.m. in Madrid)

Hey folks, I only have a few minutes to tell you that I am great. I leave at 6:45 a.m. tomorrow for the mission!!!!! It is so awesome, I have grown so much!!! I met so many amazing people and taught some great friends... on Saturday at the park, we met Alex, who is from Portugal. He said he was looking for purpose in his life and we were able to share the first lesson with him!!! I was able to recite the first vision in Spanish and we identified the spirit he was feeling. He took a Book of Mormon, we gave him our number and we got his. The Spirirt was so strong!!!! We almost missed the group heading back for the MTC!!!! I know this work is true and I am so excited to hit the field!!!!

Elder Tyson, his district and the MTC President.

Elder Tyson, his district and their teachers at the MTC

Week 6-Last week in Madrid MTC

Note: Kade started to email at 6:00 a.m. on Thursday, August 13. (Spain is 8 hours ahead, so it was 2 pm in Madrid)

From ELDER TYSON:
Howdy family!!!! This week has been so great and so fast!!!!! Our lesson that night was so guided by the Spirit. We had our district sing Families Can Be Together Forever with our investigator!!!! It was so powerful, she started to cry. Everyone is getting excited for the field, just a few more days!!! I'm super excited!!!! Sorry, I don't have much to say, this week has been so great. I can feel the Lord so much!!!!

Folks, I know its early, but its time to wake up, haha,  just kidding, I think I am going to be able to write on Monday, so be looking for me then. We leave for Barcelona at six am on Tuesday!!! super crazy.

From KRISTY:
hehehehehe We have been up all night goof ball... our alarms go off every 15 minutes in case we doze off...lol

How do you feel about the language?

What scriptures are you liking in your discussions?

do you lava sus manos often? 

From ELDER TYSON:

I lava mis mano todas las dias. Mi idioma es mas o menos. Nuestros maestros eneñan rapidamente. Yo espero que I can pick it up!!!!! I share so many scriptures its hard to decide. We had a lady tell us that the bible says nothing about the Book of Mormon and vice versa, So, I shared a scripture from 2 Nephi 29 and it was so cool, I could see the testimony building in that very moment!!!

From RYAN:
Your experience with the Book of Mormon and the lady and the bible sound awesome! Where were you when you were talking to her?

From ELDER TYSON:
It was a one of our practices, but everything feels real here!!!!!
I take a 3 hour high speed train to the mission... we stay the night at the mission home!!!

Sunday we are giving everyone in the district a blessing... should be great... the teachers are fantastic... they know a ton about everything!!!!!

From KRISTY:
Has anyone in your district had to give talks in sacrament meeting?  How are those there in the MTC?

From ELDER TYSON:
Most everyone has spoken, but not me, knock on wood. The talks are so awesome. We spend good time on them!!! We went to the mall today and I got a usb drive, some Twix bars, and some highlighters!!!! So, yep all ready to go!!!!!

Zach looks like such a cute Boliviano!!! How is he adjusting? Has he used his first name yet??? We have a joke that when we entered the MTC we gave our first name to the Lord.

 Where is Allie at in the Book of Mormon? I am in Alma 18... this book is so awesome!!!

From KRISTY:
She is at the end of Mosiah. I'm  glad your Sunday meetings are going well.

The church released a push to make the Sabbath Day a Delight... It is a good reminder..

 

From ELDER TYSON:

Tell her that she is about to hit the good stuff. The story of Zeezrom is so inspiring. Have her email me when she reads it, and tell what she thinks!!!

 

From KRISTY:

Whatcha doin today?

 

From ELDER TYSON:

Going to the  temple for the last time for dos años.... super sad!!!! Well, I have to go. Thanks for writing!!! It means the world!!!! Hold fast to the rod!!!!

 

Elder Tyson also sent some pictures from their trip to the museum last P-Day:

 

From ELDER TYSON:

These are from the museum. The money sword brings good luck!!!! Those slabs are all tiny pieces of glass cemented during roman times!!!!

 

 

MTC-Week 5

From ELDER TYSON:
yoyoyoyoyo!!!!!!!!! I am so glad to hear from you!!!! Mom, I got your letter yesterday which gave me a big pick me up!!!!! I was so excited!!!! Things are going great here. I started reading the Book of Mormon cover to cover on august 2, and I am almost to Jacob!!!! This book is so true. In our  lesson I try to use it only, because it truly is the one true evidence we have that our message is true!!!! I love playing soccer here. My district loves to play with me because I always volunteer to be goalie. It's fun to just hang back and block all of the  shots by the sisters, haha. I have realized that you don't always have to be in the front to have a good  time... just chillin and helping others succeed is much more  satisfying. Spanish is  getting easier. Next week is all Spanish for us!!!! I cant believe I only have like a week and  a  half. It's flying by. I'm glad to hear Allie is safe at the Creek. She already is one of the  best counselors I have seen there. About the whole package thing... moms  have been Amazoning packages to their sons while they have been out, but I don't want you to. I have finally had my heart changed. This is not my mission. I am not teaching these people. I am not  giving my time  to the Lord, it's all his, its HIS mission, HE is teaching these wonderful people, the time has always been HIS. Nephi is the best example of this... he says,"O Lord, I have  trusted in thee, and  i will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of the flesh;" I love you all so much.... i know that i couldn't do this without you.... please help the  missionaries in our area!!!! love you!!!!

These pictures were taken by some of our teachers at the MTC.

We got Italian missionaries yesterday!!!! We get to go to an archeological museum today right after you guys go to sleep for the night!!! I am so ready to hit the field its insane... Spanish or no Spanish!!! This gospel is so much more than just church. I hope I can help them to see that!!!

The subway is bomb.com!!! Almost as nice a D.C. , its huge and is more Boston like!!!

From KRISTY:
I LOVE these pictures!

You look great!  The park looks beautiful! Are these real people or people set at the park for you to mingle with?

From ELDER TYSON:

These are real live people...  we get thrown to the wolves!!!  :)

I have stopped worrying about the language. I still study, but I know that it will come. I need to learn how to teach. If only I could talk to the mission prep class, there are some words of wisdom that I could share for sure!!!

From RYAN:
What did you eat for breakfast today? Do you get to go to the temple?

 From ELDER TYSON:
We had croissants, very delicious the food is getting better. We go to the temple at 4!!!
Got to go... miss you and love you.

A picture from Madrid!

Thanks again to Elder Caleb Barton's family for posting this picture. I love the caption:

This is our district this morning plus a little girl who both understands and speaks Spanish better than us. She was mocking us I´m pretty sure.
— with Kade Tyson and Landon Hamren.