Hi Family!!
So.. I'm sure all of you are DYING to know what's happening up here... So here's the truth. I am being transferred. But where?
STAR VALLEY WYOMING!
So.. I'm sure all of you are DYING to know what's happening up here... So here's the truth. I am being transferred. But where?
STAR VALLEY WYOMING!
Yes, really! Funny story actually. The work here this past transfer has been rather frustrating and a LOT of foundational work. Trying to rebuild our investigator pool, get people to church, getting referrals, and helping the ward mission leaders 'catch the vision' of the work. Some wards have been doing extremely well, and others have just kinda flopped. Our mission president told us to ignore the other wards and get to work in the ones that will. So that's been our mentality this past week. We've also been extra-diligent at our studies, waking up on time, exercising, and getting out the door as soon as we can. As a result, we've been able to set up a LOT of appointments and meet a lot of new awesome people. Sadly, our last 15 appointments have cancelled. Yes, fifteen. So while I've learned a lot in this area and have grown to understand the vision of missionary work while I'm here, I'm ready for a change.
So Monday night came around, and that's when leadership calls are made. As in our mission president individually calls missionaries who are either going to train, be District Leader, or Zone leader. Elder Hall had been getting the feeling that he was going to be getting some kind of call, and I have been getting the very distinct impression that I'm leaving Tremonton. So we got home, and kinda just waited for that call to come. It didn't. 9:30 still nothing. 10:00 still nothing. 10:30 still nothing. So we decided we were going to be stuck here another transfer, and all of a sudden at 10:45 (we were already in bed trying to sleep...) the phone rings. Elder Hall has been called to train! And that meant I was leaving! So I spent all night wondering WHERE I would be going.
And this morning I found out :). It is the FURTHEST north and FURTHEST east area in our mission. I'm SO excited!! Sure, it might be cold. But apparently they've recently split the area because there is a LOT of work there and everyone is getting hyped about the new temple! So by this time tomorrow, I will be in Star Valley, Wyoming! Yay! :))
SO to recap this past week:
Right after I finished emailing you guys last week, we had one of the craziest days of my mission so far. We had 3 lessons that night, and every single one of them went through! Which is a pleasant change of pace from the rest of the transfer. Anyway - we took this kid named Dylan with us. He's 17 years old and is a convert of about a year ago. So we took him out on splits with us to try and give him a boost. So after our last lesson of the evening, we were wayyyy out in Bothwell. Basically, it's about 20 minutes from our home, and all it is is fields and houses that are way spread apart. It's basically Iowa with no streetlights, powerlines, or anything. BUT we parked in the investigator's driveway, and come to find out it had been raining while we were inside. And our car got stuck. In the mud. We didn't get UNstuck until about 9:45 that night. After an hour of pushing, slipping in mud, and ruining my suit pants and white shirt, we FINALLY got free, and Dylan got home a LITTLE bit late. But overall it was an extremely fun day.
Sister White sent you a picture of me as an angel!? Yay! Anyway - I don't remember if I told you about this a few weeks ago, but for district meeting they put together a life size Lehi's Dream that took up an entire gym. Well a few weeks ago, they didn't get to put everything together that they wanted. So yesterday, we had a 2-Zone district meeting (40 missionaries...) epic Lehi's Dream! It was basically the Disneyland of district meetings.. And they picked me to be the angel, which consisted of me putting glitter in my hair and donning a women's baptismal dress, and sitting up on the basketball hoop to seem like I'm floating. To complete the vision, we included a giant great and spacious building, a huge tree of life, iron rods, the Inception soundtrack for epic music, and 3 fog machines. Yes. Three fog machines. It was awesome. I have taken about 100 pictures in the past week, so when I send you more pictures I'm sure you'll be thrilled. :)
Evan! I was SO happy to get your letter dude! That's awesome that you had a sweet Christmas! And I KNEW that you'd like that orange tie. I picked it out especially for you, bud! And I'm also crazy eager to hear Ryan's rendition of "All of Me.." because that song is incredibly intense.
Dad - I had EVERY intention of sending you a spiritual thought this week, but I'm kind of running on excitement right now because I can't believe I'm going to Star Valley Wyoming. GAH! It's so crazy! I suppose I can send you one dealing with President Uchtdorf's talk "You Matter to Him." Basically the gist of the talk is that as humans in this enormous universe, we are almost insignificant. We are nothing compared to God, but we mean everything to God. What kind of paradox is that? Anyway - when I think of all the miracles that have been happening to us lately in Tremonton, I can see how easy it would be to think that we are being superstar missionaries and WE are the reason that there are so many successes in the area. But it is important to realize that we are doing the Lord's work, and we are instruments in his hands. Think of Alma 26:12. Ammon is basically jumping for joy because they have gone in and baptized half of the Lamanite kingdom. And Aaron stops him and says "Whoa, Ammon. You're getting carried away and are being prideful." Ammon's response is what amazes me. Verses 11-12: "But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. 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 strengt I can do all things; yea behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will raise his name forever." Just an awesome thought for the day :).
So Monday night came around, and that's when leadership calls are made. As in our mission president individually calls missionaries who are either going to train, be District Leader, or Zone leader. Elder Hall had been getting the feeling that he was going to be getting some kind of call, and I have been getting the very distinct impression that I'm leaving Tremonton. So we got home, and kinda just waited for that call to come. It didn't. 9:30 still nothing. 10:00 still nothing. 10:30 still nothing. So we decided we were going to be stuck here another transfer, and all of a sudden at 10:45 (we were already in bed trying to sleep...) the phone rings. Elder Hall has been called to train! And that meant I was leaving! So I spent all night wondering WHERE I would be going.
And this morning I found out :). It is the FURTHEST north and FURTHEST east area in our mission. I'm SO excited!! Sure, it might be cold. But apparently they've recently split the area because there is a LOT of work there and everyone is getting hyped about the new temple! So by this time tomorrow, I will be in Star Valley, Wyoming! Yay! :))
SO to recap this past week:
Right after I finished emailing you guys last week, we had one of the craziest days of my mission so far. We had 3 lessons that night, and every single one of them went through! Which is a pleasant change of pace from the rest of the transfer. Anyway - we took this kid named Dylan with us. He's 17 years old and is a convert of about a year ago. So we took him out on splits with us to try and give him a boost. So after our last lesson of the evening, we were wayyyy out in Bothwell. Basically, it's about 20 minutes from our home, and all it is is fields and houses that are way spread apart. It's basically Iowa with no streetlights, powerlines, or anything. BUT we parked in the investigator's driveway, and come to find out it had been raining while we were inside. And our car got stuck. In the mud. We didn't get UNstuck until about 9:45 that night. After an hour of pushing, slipping in mud, and ruining my suit pants and white shirt, we FINALLY got free, and Dylan got home a LITTLE bit late. But overall it was an extremely fun day.
Sister White sent you a picture of me as an angel!? Yay! Anyway - I don't remember if I told you about this a few weeks ago, but for district meeting they put together a life size Lehi's Dream that took up an entire gym. Well a few weeks ago, they didn't get to put everything together that they wanted. So yesterday, we had a 2-Zone district meeting (40 missionaries...) epic Lehi's Dream! It was basically the Disneyland of district meetings.. And they picked me to be the angel, which consisted of me putting glitter in my hair and donning a women's baptismal dress, and sitting up on the basketball hoop to seem like I'm floating. To complete the vision, we included a giant great and spacious building, a huge tree of life, iron rods, the Inception soundtrack for epic music, and 3 fog machines. Yes. Three fog machines. It was awesome. I have taken about 100 pictures in the past week, so when I send you more pictures I'm sure you'll be thrilled. :)
Evan! I was SO happy to get your letter dude! That's awesome that you had a sweet Christmas! And I KNEW that you'd like that orange tie. I picked it out especially for you, bud! And I'm also crazy eager to hear Ryan's rendition of "All of Me.." because that song is incredibly intense.
Dad - I had EVERY intention of sending you a spiritual thought this week, but I'm kind of running on excitement right now because I can't believe I'm going to Star Valley Wyoming. GAH! It's so crazy! I suppose I can send you one dealing with President Uchtdorf's talk "You Matter to Him." Basically the gist of the talk is that as humans in this enormous universe, we are almost insignificant. We are nothing compared to God, but we mean everything to God. What kind of paradox is that? Anyway - when I think of all the miracles that have been happening to us lately in Tremonton, I can see how easy it would be to think that we are being superstar missionaries and WE are the reason that there are so many successes in the area. But it is important to realize that we are doing the Lord's work, and we are instruments in his hands. Think of Alma 26:12. Ammon is basically jumping for joy because they have gone in and baptized half of the Lamanite kingdom. And Aaron stops him and says "Whoa, Ammon. You're getting carried away and are being prideful." Ammon's response is what amazes me. Verses 11-12: "But Ammon said unto him: I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. 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 strengt I can do all things; yea behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will raise his name forever." Just an awesome thought for the day :).
I love all of you. I have loved serving in Tremonton and have been blessed to serve among such awesome people. But I'm extremely excited for this opportunity to go check out Star Valley for a while. :)
Love you!
- Elder Tyler Grant (:
P.S. Look up the talk "Life is a Football Game" by Troy Dunn. Don't read it - get an audio recording. It's well worth an hour of your time.
Love you!
- Elder Tyler Grant (:
P.S. Look up the talk "Life is a Football Game" by Troy Dunn. Don't read it - get an audio recording. It's well worth an hour of your time.
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