Elder Tilley Arrives in New Jersey

Whats Up?!
I'm finally in the mission field!!! So, for those of you who don't know, our flight out to New Jersey was set for 10:00 Tuesday morning. However, while we were in class on Monday a voice came on over the intercom asking us to go down to the travel office, and that we needed to leave at 4:00 pm that very day. Seeing as it was like 3:20 we thought there was some kind of mix up, especially since we knew our tickets were for the next day. So we go down there and apparently our travel agent booked our flight for the wrong day, and our mission president needed us a day earlier. So by the time we figured all of this out, it was about 3:30. We thought there was no way we would be ready in time because we were expecting to pack that night and so we still had a lot to do. Somehow we were able to run back to our residence hall, pack everything we had, and change into suits in a half hour. It was SO CRAZY! All I had time to do was stuff everything into my suitcase, trusting that I got everything, and then book it to the bus. I don't think I've ever sweated as hard as I did in that half hour in my entire life.
So instead of flying on a direct flight to New Jersey, staying the night in the mission home getting to know our mission president and his wife, and having a day full of orientation the next day; we got to fly from SLC to Denver and have a layover until midnight, fly from there to New Jersey and arrive at 5:00 in the morning, drive to the mission home only to rush through the crucial points of the orientation, find out who our trainer was and attend transfer conference (I'm pretty sure that's what it's called), and then go out to work right away. All of this was done on about an hour of sleep on the airplane. All the other missionaries were saying how they felt bad about how we didn't get to enjoy the first day experience. I also wasn't able to say goodbye to anyone that I had become friends with at the MTC or get their mission addresses, which really stinks. I laugh every now and then when I think of our zone leaders trying to figure out where we went and why all of our rooms were cleaned out. Hopefully someone let them know what happened. Overall it was kind of a bummer, but what can you do? From the small amount of time we got to spend with our mission president and his wife, the Bahrs, they seem really awesome. Apparently the mission was completely turned around (for the good) when they came in. Oh and my trainer is Elder Larsen. This is only his 4th transfer, so he is pretty young to be a trainer, but he is a great missionary. The first day we got here, every missionary I met told me how lucky I was to have him, and that he was already one of the best.
We are serving in Ledgewood East, which goes from Denville to Hopatcong and Chester to Rockaway. We live in Dover. Hopefully that is enough information for you to figure out where I am in New Jersey. We live with Elder Taylor and Elder Litzienberg who are our zoneleaders. There are also two other elders, Elder Walsch and Elder Fielding, who live in our apartment complex. It can be kind of crazy living with zoneleaders and a prodigy missionary, but I am surrounded by excellent missionaries and great examples. This is something I am very thankful for and it makes it much easier to learn and to grow.
Our ward, the Ledgewood ward, is one of the biggest and best wards in the mission as well (We get fed more than anyone, which is AWESOME). My trainer is constantly pointing out how lucky I am to start out my mission in such a great situation. A great ward and area, with really cool elders to live with.
Overall life is good. I have a long way to go before I can say I am a great missionary, but I am constantly learning. I know that there is nothing more important than missionary work and that these two years will be a special time in my life. Sometimes it can be hard to deal with rejection, but it's always worth it when you find that one person who is prepared to recieve our message. In the end all one can do is extend the invitation for people to come unto Christ. The rest is up to them. It breaks my heart when you can tell that someone has felt the spirit, manifesting that what we say is true, and yet they still reject it. I only find comfort in the thought that even if they don't accept it now, they most likely will later, even if it's not in this life. You're always successful when you're planting those seeds.
One thing that I have had to get used to, is that it is usually only the meek and the humble who will listen to our message. Other than one family, I don't think we have a single investigator right now who doesn't have some brain injury or major stroke or some other major handicap. It can be frustrating teaching these people because it is hard to communicate with them or get through to them. Because of this I have found the beauty in teaching simply. It's something that we are really trying to focus on in our mission. Using short power statements full of the spirit is something I have really tried to work on.
New Jersey is pretty crazy and there are a lot of strange people, but each soul is as important as any other to the Lord. Anyway I love hearing from people, SO SEND LETTERS!


Love, Elder Tilley