Always Learning

My Beloved Family,

I'm finally starting to get settled in here in Paterson. I still have stuff I haven't unpacked yet, and probably won't until I have to leave. Our apartment is a blast. Elder Turnbow and I live with two other Elders, Elder Roper and Elder Casper. We all get along really well which is great! Elder Roper is training Elder Casper, so other than him our apartment is really young. Elder Roper also served in Ledgewood, so we often talk about both the awesome and the crazy people we knew there.

This week, like the one before was really rough. I don't know what happened since I wasn't here last transfer, but our area is really struggling. I finally met our only investigator a few days ago, so that's good news. I've made a point of calling every active member in our area, so that we can work with them to find people to teach, but so far nothing has paid off. We've also visited a lot of less actives, since we don't have any investigators to teach. That's probably the only success we've had so far, which helps me see that we're making a difference in some way. We talked to a less active girl named Laura who we're helping to get back on the right path, and she really opened up to us. We also talked to a less active lady, Sister Bosket, who we hope will start coming to church as well. We're trying everything we can think of, and everything Preach My Gospel can think of, but so far we haven't seen much progress.

A couple of days ago we got three referrals from a member that we were super excited about, but then we found out that they all live in the other Elder's area. I know that our hard work will pay off eventually, I just hope it does soon. Elder Roper was a Zone Leader before he came to their area, and he was dropped and sent here as a special assignment because that area was really struggling. He has done WONDERS for their area, and he has given us a lot of great advice. They have 10 baptismal dates right now and most likely have a few more on the way. Last week they got 15 referrals and 11 new investigators. They're in the same ward as us so I know it's possible for us to have a TON more success. We're just going to keep praying like everything depends on the Lord and working like everything depends on us, and I know things will turn around.

Neither my companion nor I have much experience so we're learning a lot together. It's really frustrating trying to figure out how to be a good district leader when you can't lead by example. My companion and I have been presented many challenges and because of that, I feel like I have learned more in the last two weeks than I have my whole mission. I am so grateful for this opportunity I have to learn SO MUCH. Believe me, I'm learning a lot, especially what not to do. There has been a lot of trial and error the last two weeks but we do our best.

This week should be really exciting with Christmas coming up. We are also going to the temple this Thursday and I can't wait. Hopefully I'll receive some sweet revelation on how to fix this area. What I'm most looking forward to on our temple trip, is for the opportunity to relax and really have a moment for myself. I plan on having some good quality time to spend pondering on what I can do to improve myself and my missionary work. I feel like a barely have time to think anymore. I spend all my free time studying the area book (I hope we find some former investigators who are ready to keep commitments now) and making phone calls, or doing my District Leader duties. The time spent doing these things is important, but not always fun. I am happy though, so I can't complain. I don't know how you could be a part of so great a work and not be. Hard times or tough situations are prevalent as a missionary, but overall things are great if you're doing everything you should be if you're not happy you're doing something wrong. There are many things in life that bring about sorrow and pain. There are a lot of reasons to be sad, but none to stay sad. I know that a hard working missionary is a happy missionary. This is what I try to live by. There are so many things that we cannot control. Sometimes things don't work out. As a missionary I see so many people who just won't accept the Gospel because they are lazy or they let dumb things stand in the way of accepting true happiness. Most of the time there is nothing I can do about it, I just do my part and hope that they do theirs. In the end, those who are God's Elect will do their part.

Love, Elder Tilley

P.S. MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!!!!!