Mission Week 46: Terrassa

Hi Everyone-

 

This week we had stake conference, it was great we got to take our investigators and president was able to meet them!!! And it was very nice to see that EVEN IN SPAIN THE CHURCH IS THE SAME. Ultimately, the Spirit. It's incredible to me that no matter where I am in the world, the Spirit I feel is the same. Even when I am dying of heat because someone felt chilly and turned off the air (yes, that happens in Spain as well) I can know that the church is true, that Christ loves all of his children everywhere and is not going to share a secret with one part of the world and not to the other.

What another fantastic week! We had a great time and saw so many miracles. Elder Miller and I have been trying to focus more on teaching families and this week we saw miracles because of our desires.

We had a goal at the beginning of the week to find 11 new investigators, but as we began the week, we really focused on talking to families and not just individuals. It was incredible. We reached Friday with 15 new investigators! But we knew we could still get more, so we raised our goal to 20! We worked so hard the last two days and ended up with a grand total of 20 new investigators!!!! It felt to rewarding to know that 20 people got hear the Gospel this week and have accepted! What a miracle!

Currently we are teaching J. and V. who have a baptismal date for the fourth of June. They are getting so excited for their baptism. After they made the decision to get baptized we have seen a mighty change in them. They are more open to us and are recognizing the Spirit more. They have been reading the Book of Mormon, and they have accepted all of the commandments! We are so excited for them to be baptized and one day be sealed as a family forever. 

 

I have been exhausted at the end of each day.... Hitting the bed and then being surprised at the alarm!!!! It has been so great.... I love feeling wiped out at the end of a day!!!!!

Today for preparation day we hiked to a huge plateau. It was very pretty could see so much... I will post the video!!!

 

 

 

Also this week I get to do my first baptismal interview for some elders in my district!!!! So excited!!!!

I had some bomb shrimp this week!!!!! You would've liked it for sure!!!!

All in all, great week.... We have a huge mission conference this week!!!! Can't wait!!!!

Elder Tyson

 

 

Mission Week 45: Terrassa

Dear family,

Things have been so great this week, Elder Miller and I have worked so hard and we have seen many miracles.

It rained a ton this week. We were so wet, ruined one of my shirts because we just wore short sleeve shirts on accident and the strap of my bag stained my shirt..... Bad news there....but hey we survived.

Our district meeting this week was super fun, we talked all about the Book of Mormon and in the end we played a scripture chase type game with those cards you gave me!!!! It was a lot of fun, and the district seemed to love it!!! Game time is my favorite time of district meeting!!! This week we are going to play the sock throw into the basket for a district goal I am brewing!!!! Hahaha.... It has been so great!!!!,

Right now we are working with J. and V., a family in our area who have a fecha for the fourth of June. We had such a sweet experience with them as we asked them how the Book of Mormon reading was going. They said they had been reading and praying, and that they had received an answer that it was true. The Spirit filled the room as I could see their doubts melting into faith. V. was sick this week so she could not attend church, but J. and his daughter were able to attend and they both enjoyed it very much.  They are progressing so much and we are so excited for them.

Elder Miller is fantastic. He is a great worker and exactly obedient. He also puts forth a big effort to make sure our companionship is in the best condition possible, he is always finding little ways to serve me helping me in all that I do. I am so grateful for him and his efforts here in Terrassa.

The ward here is thriving and is so centered on missionary work. We receive help daily and even did a member split the entire afternoon during the week.

Hey so I was wondering if I could get some new deodorant from home, I am down to my last stick, and I do not want to buy Spain stuff. Also, more of that BOMB PANCAKE MIX!!!!!!!! That stuff was so good, I would love some more.

Lastly, if you happen to have a chocolate chip cookie recipe, I would love that!!!

Sorry I am still chubby!!!! Hahahahah 

Love you,

Elder Tyson

Elder Tyson in front of  the Masia Freixa

District in Terrassa (photo from Elder Allen's blog)

Mission Week 44-Mother's Day in Terrassa!

Editor's note:

It was amazing to get to Skype with Elder Tyson on Mother's Day! He is doing great! He loves his mission and his companion and is loving the Ward in Terrassa. We feel so blessed to have him serving the Lord. Mother's Day was awesome! We are already looking forward to Christmas!

Here is his letter the day after Mother's Day:

This week was just solid. I got the opportunity to do my first intercambio outside of my area with Elder Woodmansee in my district!!!! He is such a great elder. I learned a lot from him and their area is on fire!!!!! It was fun to get to know him. He is just out of training and a great missionary. An amazing asset to that area for sure!!!!

This was such a spiritual one. I learned a lot in helping bringing the gospel to others. I am so grateful for the book of mormon and the role it plays in our conversion. Right now we are teaching J. and V. They are s wonderful couple and they have been a miracle. They have been really open to the gospel, and they have lots of questions which shows they want to know more!!!! We are teaching them tonight so that we can help them set a baptismal date. Also, in the beginning of the week, they made us food after the lesson, and they said that tonight is our turn..... so, here comes the brownies!!!!!!!! We have the stuff, and we will do it tonight!!!!!

So, that's the week in a nutshell.... busy, busy, busy..... rainy, rainy, rainy. rainy..... we also have a boy in our ward who helps us all the time, and he loves high school musical hahaha.... he loves singing the songs!!!! It has been a blast, he is so full of energy the people love him!!!!!

For preparation day we just watched church movies in piso..... it has been very rainy, and I took some pants in to get skinnied a little bit.... I have just lost a lot of weight!!!!!

 

Skyping was so great!!!! So good to be with you!!!!! I have learned so much!!!! How was my Spanish, better????? Did you understand it with the lisp!!!!!

 

So for district leader, I have to hold a district meeting and teach what the assistants assign us to teach, I can set goals and things for the district. I receive all of the numbers for the district and report them to the zone leaders every Sunday, as well I call all of the district and ask them how the week went. I do an intercambio with all of the elders in the district and help in their areas.... Pretty easy, but super stressful!!!

 

The district is great... Every companionship has lots to teach and we all bettered this week!!!

 

We teach English every other week with the hermanas for our service.

 

Well, I have to go!!!!! love you lots!!! you are great!!! it was so great to see your smiling faces yesterday!!!!!!

 

Elder Tyson and his friend "Austin"

 

 

Mission Week 43: Terrassa

To begin, This week was a busy one. This area is very different than my last two areas. The Ward is amazing. They are super focused on missionary work and helping all of their friends come unto Christ. The ward is big and are so willing to help us in the work. There are roughly 120 members in our ward. Our area is huge. We not only have most of Terrassa but we also have Rubi which is like the promised land. We actually spend more time there than in Terrassa.

The week was super busy. No down time, which is great. We did two whole moves, and with all the members wanting to meet the nephew of Mike Tyson, you can imagine it was busy. I just tell them I am adopted, but that we don't invite him to family parties anymore.... They get a kick out of that!

I felt very inadequate this week with my new assignment as District leader. Student Body President was nothing compared to this. Luckily, the Spirit brought to my memory how to conduct meetings and things and our first district meeting went very well, I thought. It's a completely different task trying to inspire a group of missionaries to fulfill their calling of servants of the Lord Jesus Christ then just inspiring a group of high school kids to have school Spirit. I know I have a lot to learn, a lot of repenting to do, a lot of changing to do, but I know the Lord will help me through it all. #PPIWithTheSavior. We have a great district full of very obedient missionaries.

We also had a baptism this week!!!!! X. was baptized. She is from Ecuador. It was a little interesting for me not knowing her super well but she was very prepared for the Gospel and we are so excited to see her journey. I also gained the respect of the members by making those delicious brownies!!!!!!!!! They want more and more baptism just for the brownies they said.

 

 

There are many members who served missions here which is really great. Also, there are a lot of people from Argentina who love Mate. That was another building point.

Elder Miller is great. Reminds me exactly of Elder Allen. I can't wait for the experiences we are going to have together seeing many miracles here!!!!!

I love you lots.... Can't wait to talk to you on Mother's Day!!!!!

Elder Tyson

Mission Week 42: TERRASSA!!-April 25, 2016

Big big big week folks...

As you may have heard, I have left the comfort of the tiny city of Manacor and have arrived in the beautiful city of TERRASSA. Boom!!!!!!! I a so excited to be here.... I was pretty nervous to go but I am feeling better and better by the minute!!!!! My new companion is Elder MILLER!!!!! He is such a good missionary.

So apparently his dad served in your same mission... Around the same time.... Just wondering... His name is elder Miller as well....

Okay so my last week in Manacor was a wild one!!!!!

So the biggest thing was the baptism of K!!!!!!!!

We were so excited for him!!!! He is such a great kid!!!! The service was great, he was great, the members were great. It was so good. While we had the interview at his house I had to leave the room so I played with his little nephews. We think their whole family will accept the gospel!!!!

Sunday we went out to a beautiful place with C. and her family..... While there, a man told us he would draw us for free.... We gladly accepted, and now I have an alien version of my face!!!!

On Monday, I said goodbye to Manacor, and as we were walking, our recent convert C. came and told me she was working on a picture for me!!!!! I was so happy she found us!!!! Tender mercies!!!!

I was super sad to say goodbye to Elder Cook, but the new adventure has begun!!!! He was a great companion!!!

Elder Miller is from Upland California. He lived in the Upland 2nd Ward. He has been serving almost seven months... He is a great guy... His mom's name is Lorelle...

Elder Cook is now with the British Elder Parker from my group...

There are six of us in the district. Two sisters and four elders... I am in the Barcelona zone....

Apparently there is a baptism this week!!!!!! I am so excited.... A great way to start off the area!!!!!!

On Friday we also taught seminary... It was super fun... We walked about how prophets are a watchtower so we made towers out of gumdrops and toothpicks.... They didn't have little marshmallows.... It was a blast!

Love you so much!!!!

Elder Tyson

Mission Weeks 40 & 41 April 11 & April 18: Manacor

I have fallen a bit behind on updating Elder Tyson's blog. Here are the last two weeks.

April 11, 2016

Just another fantastic week in the life of the Elders of Manacor. We had a week full of amazing opportunities and miracles, allow me to just share a few.

First is our investigator K. His fecha for baptism is on the 23rd of this month. We picked him up and brought him to church and he loved it. We were praying to find a way to help him get to Palma for our District Conference next week, and as we were talking with some members he knew, they said they would gladly drive him, and he accepted. It was a miracle and a great answer to our prayers.

Next was our miracle with F. We got a call from one of our members asking if we could meet her at the church the next day, she had a friend she wanted us to meet. We went and met F. She has been searching for the true church for years and it was amazing to see the Spirit touch her heart. Elder Cook and I taught with great unity and the lesson really seemed to flow. We extended a fecha, but she said she wanted to read a little bit from the Book of Mormon before she decides. It was so amazing. Our members are really starting to catch the fire of missionary work.

Our members have been great with the transition of C. from investigator to new member, they already assigned visiting teachers and want to help her be a part of our culture. It has been wonderful.

Elder Cook is great. He is such a blessing to have as a companion. His testimony brings so much power. he is great at following the promptings of the Spirit and promising blessing when we extend commitments. I el so grateful to the Lord that he allowed me to be with such an amazing companion. He teaches me everyday.

So, Elder Cook really likes to hide in our piso. Whenever I leave the room and come back, he is gone. It even happens in the street. It is very funny but this week was the last straw. Because not only does he hide, But he likes to scare me, and as you all know, I am a pretty jumpy guy. This week when he scared me, I freaked out, and basically had an anxiety attack. I had a shiver down my spine the rest of the night and it took me a while to fall asleep. But all is well, we made a truce that he can only scare me one more time, as long as he is documenting it on camera for future generations.

Today for preparation day we went out with Inca to see this castle in their area. It was pretty cool.

 

I got the priesthood line of authority.... It is great.... Thank you!!!!

 

 

Love you so much....

Elder Tyson

 

April 18, 2016-The Wet One

 

 To begin my epistle may I describe an experience that happened to
Elder Cook and me that has made me realize that although the man was
wise for building his house upon the rock, he was also extremely
foolish because he didn't buy the flood insurance and when the floods
came, his house was fine, but his belongings were not so lucky. The
foolish man's house may have washed away, but the wise man's house
still flooded.

It started just like any other day. Wake up, bathroom, shower,
breakfast, studies, streets. We went to our weekly visit that we have
with a member and we were on our way to grab an ice cream cone at
Burger King when our phone rang. It was the owner of our apartment
saying that there was water running out of our apartment. We hurried
back in a flurry and didn't see much walking up to the building. Then
the fun began.  We stepped into the building and water was flowing
down the stairs and pooling in the entry way, but the worst was yet to
come. As we opened the door of our apartment I thought I had just
stepped into a reflecting pool.

Apparently step 2 of my morning routine didn't go down as planned (Pun
intended). I had clogged the toilet and the apartment was paying the
price. Luckily, We didn't  have too many things on the floor, so
nothing was ruined. Just the copy of Jesus the Christ that I use for
my bathroom studies. It filled up my bathroom, our study room, the
kitchen, Elder Cook's bathroom, the hallway, and out the door and down
the stairs.

We quickly got our three towels together and began the long process of
drying the floor. Thankfully some members saved the day by sacrificing
some of their towels to help the cause. After a couple hours we had it
all dried up and we were on our way. We definitely weren't "WET"ty for
that one. It's just one of those stories you will be telling you
grandchildren about.

For Preparation day, We are staying around here and getting ready for
the week. Elder Cook cut his hair,  other than that, pretty calm week. 

We had interviews with President which were good, and we are just loving the life!!!

Love you all,

Elder (always causing some sort of crazy unnecessary problem) Tyson

 

Mission Week 39: BAPTISM!!!

ARE YOU READY FOLKS???? THIS WEEK WAS A WILD ONE!!!!!!

First, lets start with the tennis ball that is now my head. I don't know if you saw the photos but my hair got pretty short, pretty fast. Here is the scoop... So last time I got my haircut I felt like I had left it a little too long. It felt super European and not so missionary. It started to wolf so I decided that it needed a cut. So, as Elder Cook and I went, I knew that I wanted a 2 on the sides but didn't know for the top. I thought about a 4 and said that was like an inch long. So, Go for Gold! The guy was about to cut and said that it would be short, as short as his sides, but this guy had curly hair, so I was like... Let's go. Now, if you ever go shoot pool, make sure you hit my head before any of the other balls. #CueBall

Today for Preparation day we went out with our district and basically did the Tour de France. We went to a little town and rode bikes up this ginormous hill, down the other side, took some pictures, and rode all the way back. No worries, only one delay... a flat for Elder Cook that delayed us an hour. But we all made it alive. We actually did well for six out of shape guys. We passed a lot of the roadsters, and now I can't walk. Those goofy glasses you see... ya an elder gave those to me... come on... I couldn't turn those down!!!!!

General Conference was so powerful! It made me feel close to the fam, minus the bran muffins of course! It was so enriching! I loved how most of the talks spoke of our eternal identity, and how important it is to remember who we are, and live up to it. I was hoping for the Eagle Mountain temple, but hey, life cant always be perfect! hahaha

And now, the main event, the best part of the week,  and if I may be so bold, my whole mission thus far...

BAPTISM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

One April fool's day (very fitting we thought for us) Our best friend C. was baptized!! It was so special! Satan had been fighting her the whole week. From the interview, to almost crashing her car, the adversary knew she was making an amazing choice. Luckily, so did we! Thor'sday night we went over to her home and she was not feeling great, but as we spoke to her and testified to her, the Spirit filled the room, and when we left, she had no doubts. I told her that she had to fight Satan one more day, and she promised she would!

On Friday, it poured rain. Of course it didn't ruin my hair, because I didn't have any, but I was a little worried. What a blessing it was when  C. arrived later so content. She said, "Manacor is getting baptized with me." Miracles folks, Miracles.

When we arrived at the church, I think mom, Kalee, Grandma, and all other important women came out of my personality. I wanted everything to be perfect. Even if no one noticed, we would, and God would. From table cloths, to center pieces on the tables, to baptism prelude music, to sweeping every ten seconds, to wiping off our big blow up font so that it looked blue, not brown, to almost losing my mind when Elder Cook drew on the foggy window, to making the brownies, and putting them on a platter. I had to search for the table clothes, but I ended up finding them hidden in a closet!!!!! The brownies were so good!!!!! We almost didn't want to share them!!! The extra batter was licked clean for sure!!!! Everything had to be just right! You only get baptized once, right??

The service was amazing! All of our members showed up to offer support. C. was great! She brought her own dress and desserts and many, many changes of clothes... haha. She also brought some stones she brought from the Jordan River that she picked up out of the river 40 years ago. She said she wanted Jesus to be with her. She is giving them to us on Tuesday!!!!! The Spirit was so strong.  You know my sensitive heart could barely hold back the tears.

She bore her testimony at the end of the service, and I have never felt more proud or happy for someone in my life! She thanked us for our patience, and for helping her to that point. I couldn't stop smiling! All of the stress, prayers, fasting, miracles, frustrations, visits, old folks runs, and lots of love led up to this wonderful day! As she spoke I thought back to her incredible journey to baptism. It was hard, but worth it. Heavenly Father let me feel his love for her. I saw her as he did. I can't explain it in words. Imagine it's what parenthood is like...

I am so grateful for the chance I had to watch her progression in the Gospel. The Spirit has truly changed her heart. I feel as though the promise in Doctrine and Covenants just became real. "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me!"

The Brem's are good folks!!! We bought them a welcome gift last week. Salt shakers in the form of people hugging. They came out to the baptism. They helped with the programs!!!! It was so great!!!!

So that's a mouthful,  but that's the life!!!!!

Elder Tyson