WOW IT IS HOT! - Monday, June 29,2015

Cheerio mum, dad, and family, 

I loved all the pictures! I think you are partyin' a lot! haha...well I guess just having fun! Wow if there is one thing I miss that is going camping with the scouts, I really love the scouts. I think it was one of the greatest preparations for a mission as well as life. I definitely learned so much through scouting. I wish I would have put in a greater effort to learn more. Keep all the boys involved in scouting, it really is one of the greatest mission preps. I felt the spirit sometimes the strongest when I was up on the mountain. I loved it. I think Kynsie and Kendra should take me to Florida when I get back!!! :) Yeah that is a good idea! Did you guys like the rodeo? It seemed like it was really fun. Thank you so much for your doctrinal dissertation. You know I really love getting them. It helps me and helps me learn so much more about the gospel and how I can improve. 

Lets see for the week. First off, Elder Smith did leave. He went to a place called Louth. It is a very small village. I am still here in little old Brid! At the end of the transfer I will have been here about 7 1/2 months! What a long time right? Elder Pryor is my new companion. He actually has been on the mission the same amount of time as I have been. He is from Layton, Utah, and he is a really good guy. Kinda shy and quiet (different from me haha) but a good missionary. We also got two missionaries who white washed in. One of them Elder Green has been on the mission for a little over a year and the other is a greenie. He is a good missionary, another quiet one, but I think it is just because it is something new. 

We have seen a lot of things happen this week. You guys know that we have been working with Jodie and Sinead. Well last week we asked them to pray about baptism. They said that they did and they told us that they know that it is the right thing to do. They are really intent about this and want to learn more. The only problem now is they think the 10th of July is too soon, so we are going to now try and help them understand the blessings which come from being baptized and we have asked them to pray about it. They love coming to church and spending time with the youth. They really like reading the Book of Mormon, they say they feel good every single time. They have gotten to the point where they want to read it during class. We know that Heavenly Father knows what he is doing and if the 10th of July is the right date and if this is the right thing to do I have no doubt that they will be baptized on the 10th. 

We have now also started working with some "Chavs". So normally "chavs" don't care about anything, they make fun of "bible bashers" But these "chavs" are probably the coolest people we have met. They love God and love Jesus Christ. We met them because we stopped to help them move and they told us we could come to their new house. They can't believe that 2 young lads would leave their homes to do what we do but they say that they think that if we have that much commitment and confidence in what we believe something about it has to be true. We are trying to work with them and help them quit smoking and understand the importance of what the message is that we have to share with them but I know that if they find out this is true they will be baptized. All in the hands of Heavenly Father. 

This week has been probably the hottest week in England known to man!! We have had the great opportunity to find LOADS this week...in the blistering sun! Unfortunately we haven't been able to find many people but I have had the great opportunity to bear my testimony to many people and to be honest I know that my testimony has been strengthened because of it. We bear testimony so much but this past week I feel like I have really born my testimony and it has helped me realize how much I actually know, and the feelings that I have received. If you know you have a testimony...bear it all the time, in word and in deed. If you don't think you have a testimony, bear it anyway and I know that you will receive a testimony. Luke 19:15-26. Bear your testimony frequently and I promise that it will grow. 

I know that this is all true. I love it. I make mistakes daily but I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is there to cover for me. I know that Joseph Smith is a Prophet of God and he did translate the Book of Mormon. The fullness of the Gospel IS on the earth today. 

God be with you till we meet again. On our way. #10sof1000s. HE LIVES

Love, Elder Tyler Rife

"They have two doors... BUT WHAT IS THE USE OF PUTTING THE DOOR BELL ON THE INSIDE!!!!"

"Hey man the church is true.  (We were teaching Jodie and Sinead and they had these cool glasses!)

Well I am still here haha

Dear Mum, Dad, and family,

Surprise...it was transfers again! And well...I am still here haha. I have been here for now 6 months. I am excited for it though. I am serving with Elder Pryor. He has lived in the same flat as me for the past 6 weeks. So everyone can start sending me letters again!!! :) Mum, you should do me a favour!! :) Could you put a few more deodorant sticks in the parcel you are sending? That would be great!

I'm adding a little section of our email to Tyler from June 14th...

Tyler said in his email last week that he would let us know his thoughts this week. 

Thought whoever reads his blog might be interested in knowing the whole thing. :)

Well, that’s our week!  Now for some thoughts:

• If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.               (J. K. Rowling)
• If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at why he thinks he has inferiors.               (C. F. Fears)
• Life must be lived forward, but it can only be understood backward.               (Søren Kierkegaard
• Get your sails ready and by and by God will send the wind.               (Author unknown)
• The wise man doesn't give the right answers, he poses the right questions.               (Claude Levi-Strauss)
• When you are chided for your naiveté—and you will be—remind your critics that an amateur built the ark and experts built the Titanic.               (Peyton Manning, 2014 commencement speech at the University of Virginia)
• Remind yourself every morning when you wake up that each day is a gift and you’re bound to make the most of the blessing you’ve been given. The moment you start acting like life is a blessing is the moment it will start acting like one. After all, a great day begins with a great mindset.  Travis Bradberry

Well son, go build your ark and pray for some wind.  Seek to do the will of your Father in Heaven with full purpose of heart and blessings will flow.  You are about a great work…. Always seek to find the good in every one of your experiences.  By the way…. Are you praying for the gift of discernment???? Heavenly Father can help you to understand the reservations of your investigators…. He can put words in your mouths and thoughts into your minds to help your investigators to progress.  We understand that your investigators need to do their part in order for them to progress and obtain a witness of the Spirit…. Another question:  Are you giving up on them too quickly?  The line between success and failure is thin (sometimes we can be discouraged by the adversary) remember every soul is worth battling for.  Go and fight the good fight… sometimes we will experience success through second attempts.  Don’t know why I am writing this other than I feel inspired.  Let us know why we are sharing these feelings (you surely must know). 

Now Tyler responds and shares his thoughts... this week!

So for the question you asked me last week. I have been thinking about it for quite a while now. I was thinking am I giving up on all the people we are teaching. I was thinking ya know we are trying as hard as we can to help them and they still aren't doing anything. But to be honest I think the reason why you felt like sending that to me was not because of the investigators that we are teaching but because of me. I don't mean to sound like I was giving up on myself but it kind of put things in perspective for me. I was getting down because all we were doing was starting over and over again and it seemed like nothing was going anywhere so I was getting a bit discouraged about it. I was thinking why do we keep going. I was "giving up", so to say, on myself because I wasn't having a good attitude about everything. Don't get me wrong I love being here and I wouldn't trade it for the world but I was holding myself back from doing and being the best I can be, because I was letting myself think that we weren't doing good. I think that is what it is. I am grateful that you sent that to me, you always know what to say! We just gotta keep truckin'! :)

As for the week honestly so many things have happened. First off, I can't remember if I told you this last week but last week Elder Smith and I were street contacting, and this guy was walking by with a guitar so I decided to ask him if I could play a song. So I did. He gave it to me and I played the only song I remember...that was "the lion sleeps tonight" and I sang really quietly. haha. Well turned out he wasn't too bothered about the gospel. We were walking later that day past a park and this group of girls stopped us and they told us that they saw me playing the guitar. They said they wanted to know who we were. Well we told them and then they started asking us questions about what we believed. So we basically taught them the plan of salvation and the restoration. Well they told us they wanted to know more because they really liked it. We told them they had to get notes from their parents. Well we are now teaching two of them and they are really interested. They have a baptismal date for the10th of July. They came to church this past week and really enjoyed it. They are also getting involved with the Young women so we are really excited for them.

The other thing is we are starting to work with a guy by the name of Rhys. He is pretty cool. He told us that he wanted to know if this was true but didn't want to be pushed. Well he also came to church and we are going to start working with him more now!

We have also been working with Mike and Wilma, Caroline's parents, they normally meet us at Caroline's house and we teach them there but one day we decided to try by their house. Normally they don't answer. So Elder Smith and I knocked on their door...we knocked again...and again and finally they answered. Wilma said that they were about to go to bed because they had an early morning the next day and Mike was walking by and said "oh let them in for a while" Well they haven't had missionaries in their house for 10 years. The Lord definitely works in mysterious ways!

I guess something I learned this week is that no matter what Heavenly Father always provides a way! Nothing will come between him accomplishing his work! I love my Heavenly Father and Saviour Jesus Christ. There are so many things that I wish I could say but don't know how. All I know is that I know that this is true, everything about it. Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, this church, the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith. Everything is 100% true and I cannot deny that. I love it. I hope you are all well.

God be with you till we meet again. On our way. #10sof1000s. HE LIVES.

Love, Elder Tyler Rife

"The Book of Mormon is the key to Heaven"

When can I be baptized? - Monday, June 15, 2015

Mum, dad, and Family,

 

Wow the shed looks absolutely amazing! I am very impressed! I am going to take credit for it! :) HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATELIN, KYLEE, AND MUM! I am sending letters to you right now! It is just taking a bit of time! Kylee you did so good at swimming! I wish I was there to see you do it! I am so proud of you! Congrats on your PR's (PR for Personal record as well as Piano recital) haha did you see what I did there!! You all should really get more rest! Shame on you haha ;)

 

This week has been so amazing. It started out slow with people flogging us and not reading the Book of Mormon, and much much more. But one day we were walking towards a less active's house who ended up not being in, we  then decided to walk towards an investigators house to see if they were in. As we were walking this group of teenagers called to us and yelled "are you the ones that played the music" We were really confused....now rewind time to about 2 o'clock in the afternoon! Elder Smith and I were walking towards Scott and Adam's house and this guy was walking past with his guitar so I asked him if I could play him a song...he gave me his guitar and I played the lion sleeps tonight...the only song I know how to play on the guitar (don't worry I sang really quietly) Well it was us they were talking about and then they found out that we were American and started talking to us. Well we weren't really in the mood to have young kids taking the mick out of us...so we told them we had to keep walking unless they wanted to learn about what we believed. Well they said they did and so we started talking to them about what we believed. We basically taught them the Plan of Salvation and the Restoration. We asked them if they wanted to learn more and they said they actually did want to learn because it sounds so good. So we set up a return appointment with them and taught them again. We then invited them to church. Sunday rolled around and they didn't show up. They texted us and told us that they couldn't make it right when church was starting. It was a bit disappointing but we are teaching them tonight. So keep your fingers crossed.

 

We knocked by Scott and Adam's and they ended up being in. They aren't too interested I don't think anymore but we started talking to their friend Sam and she told us to come around. We went around and were talking and then out of the blue she was like "When can I be baptized" haha ummm well we have to teach you and you have to come to church and live the Word of Wisdom and Law of Chastity after that you can be baptized. Well she said she would do it. So we are now teaching her and she really really wants to do this. She started reading the Book of Mormon and said she hasn't got an answer yet but still is trying. She then said that her friend wanted to know about us as well. So the next day we went back and her friend Emily was there. We were talking about baptism again and stuff and she said she also wanted to be baptized and she wants her daughter baptized as well. WOW what a miracle! We are now starting to teach them and hopefully they are working towards baptism on the 11th of July. Unfortunately they didn't come to church yesterday either because they both got really ill.

 

The other good thing is we got Ipads now!!! It is pretty cool we have been able to show Mormon messages at lessons. We can't use them for much else other than gospel library yet but they said soon we will be able to use them for much more. I am a bit apprehensive about them but I think they will be good and if used in the right way they will be such a good tool for missionaries. This week has been quite good and I hope your week was really good as well. I love you all and miss you. If you need anything let me know!

 

God be with you till we meet again. On our way. #10sof1000s. HE LIVES!

 

Love, Elder Tyler Rife 

 

Ps. I will let you know my thoughts in the next email...just remind me about it.

 

I will also send pictures next week.

Here we go, here we go again! - Monday, June 8, 2015

Hiya Mum, Dad, and family, 

I love you all! :) Just thought I would let you know. It sounds like you guys are having a very busy but eventful summer! Dad you did a good job with mum! Now I know where I get my good charm! :) hahaha. Happy anniversary to you both. I wish I could have been there, but just know I am so grateful that mum after 7 times of asking and asking you finally said yes! haha (that was a Tangled reference if you didn't catch it) You both are wonderful examples to me. I hope that I can be anywhere near you both one day. Happy Birthday Katelin, sorry you were sick! that isn't good. I am sending Happy Birthday letters...just so you know, it is just taking a while. Kylee seems like she is really really busy but I think it is good. Tell her to keep doing fun things but also to keep up on the school work. Because school is the most important and then fun. But you can do both at the same time! Tanner you always some how sneak a way to hang out don't ya! ;) That's my boy! haha. But always listen to Mum and Dad as well....they do know best. How are Kendra and Kynsie liking their new flat? 

For my week now! Well we have started over again. Haha it seems like it is always happening. We get investigators and it goes so well and then it stops because they don't want to put in an effort. But what they don't understand is they have to put in an effort to read and pray or they WILL NOT find out if what we are saying is true or not. So we are always just bearing firm testimony of the Book of Mormon and prayer. Hopefully we planted seeds in all of their hearts and one day they will have a desire to find out! 

But we have started again finding people to teach and at first the week went really slow. Loads and loads of finding. We got flogged so we were walking back to the flat to eat Dinner and these teenagers walked up to us. To be honest what went through my head at first was "Oh no here it goes...more mouthing off, just be ready and don't get angry" But the first thing they said was "ya know we really respect you guys" wait what did they say!? haha it really surprised me! We started talking and they wanted to find out more about God and really if he even was there, so we got a return appointment and everything. We went by two days later and the lesson went so well. Probably one of the best lessons I have ever had. The spirit was there teaching them and we were bearing testimony. It was amazing. They accepted our invitation to read the Book of Mormon and Pray, to keep meeting with us and to if they find out if it is true...to be baptized. They were really excited and loved hearing about Joseph Smith, they said it just sounds right. It was amazing! They have a baptismal date for June 27, 2015. So hopefully they will read and they will find out that it is true. 

It is so simple but yet we make things so hard. All Heavenly Father asks us to do is to read the Book of Mormon and Pray about it. He promises us that if we do that, he will give us the truth to all things. What an amazing promise! The truth to all things! If you really want to find out what is right or wrong, if you have a sincere heart and real intent, Heavenly Father is bound to give us an answer if it is his will. Experiment with it. I promise that you will recieve an answer to your prayers, it may not be immediately but it will come. I know that this is true. I love you all and hope you are well. If you need anything let me know. 

God be with you till we meet again. On our way. #10sof1000s. HE LIVES

Love, Elder Tyler Rife

What time is it...summer time! - Monday, June 1, 2015

Hiya mum, dad, and family,

 

I always loved the end of school, when summer started and we had no more to worry about until the school year again. The weather got better and we got to have so much fun! Here in England the weather is about the same...on and off rain haha! But I still get to have so much fun. I am glad to hear you guys had a good conversation with Austin. He didn't email me this week so say hi for me. Sometimes he gets really busy with work. Elder  Blonquist! I am excited to meet him!! Somethings not to bring....hmmm I would say a coat, buy a coat here! The other is I would only take one suit. He is probably going to want to buy an English suit. They are pretty nice and not that expensive. I will have to come up with a list of things to bring and not to bring. Tell him if he has any questions to email me or something.

 

My week has been actually really good. We have had a lot going on. The only challenge we have now is moving all the people we are teaching from lesson one to coming to church. We are teaching quite a few people it is just now we have to get them to put in an effort, or they will not gain a personal testimony of this gospel.

 

We have been working really hard to find someone to baptize on the 20th of June, so we have been finding so much. Well we were praying for somebody and we found them hopefully. Her name is Ceri, she came to a family history class, and we were able to get her information. We set up an appointment and as we were walking to her house, we met her half way. We asked her if we were still meeting with her and she said that her partner isn't really in the best of mood right now. Well what went through our mind was oh well when can we meet you next. I was about to ask and she then said, can we go to the church and you can teach me there. We were a bit speechless but then said well of course and we went to the church and taught her the Plan of Salvation. She believes quite a bit of what we believe and likes it. She also told us that she doesn't drink or smoke!!!!! :) We were so surprised because everyone drinks or smokes here in England haha! Well we invited her to church and she said she would try to make it! Sunday came and all of a sudden she showed up! She really liked it and we are meeting with her Tuesday!

WOW what a miracle. Prayers really are answered. She is prepared other than she needs to sort things out with her partner. But Heavenly Father was really looking out for us! 

We also met with Scott and Adam again. They are kind of in the in between stages of not to bothered but interested. We are just trying to help them get a desire to read the Book of Mormon and come to church to find out if what we are saying is true.

 

Tom isn't going to far. We haven't been able to meet with him and he told us that he wasn't going to do anything about finding out. So we are seeing him one more time to try and help him re-ignite the desire to find out if what we are saying is true.

 

So many good things are happening, along with challenging things but I know that as we are diligent and obedient our prayers will be answered. Heavenly Father loves us and wants us to be happy so he will answer our prayers but he wants us to put in an effort, to show our willingness to submit to his will. Ether 12:27 I love you all and hope you are well. If you need anything let me know. Sorry no pictures again. I forgot I took out my SD card and left it at the flat. haha oops

 

God be with you till we meet again. On our way. #10sof1000s. HE LIVES!