Recent Converts

My sweet family how are you?

Thanks for the love and support and especially all of the prayers! I really appreciate it and know that it strengthens me. This week has been very similar to other weeks have been, here in Scotch Plains.


There are so many people who are struggling. It's frustrating that we haven't been to ward council or PEC since I've been here. There is a lack of communication between us and the ward leaders which is a direct result of not being invited to those meetings. We have valuable info that they need and are ready to take assignments which can't be given. If we don't attend ward council, the many recent converts and others who are struggling will go un-helped. No new member lessons are being taught either. What else is new as a missionary?

This past week we have talked with several people who are considering turning away from the church and turning away from God as a result of not properly handling trials. Trials come regardless of how you handle them. You may as well choose to turn to God and earn Eternal Life in the process. Try telling that to someone who is struggling, and all of a sudden a concept that is so simple that anyone with a particle of a brain-cell could comprehend becomes difficult to understand. That's not the attitude I have when helping people, but sometimes I can't help thinking that on the car ride home. In all seriousness it really has been such an eye-opener. My companion and I often reflect on this transfer (which will end after this week) and we are mind boggled. There have been so many people who have needed help desperately, and we of course have been the one's they have turned too. This happens everywhere you go to some degree, but it's been unreal here. I have never spent so much time on my knees praying with everything I have for so many people. There have been many disappointments and it takes a lot of effort not to get discouraged.

Last night we talked with a recent convert who has one of the saddest stories I've ever heard, concerning her experience after baptism. She has one of the most dysfunctional families I've ever seen. Her family and friends don't only disprove of her choice to join the church, but actually hate her. She does everything for them and never does anything for herself. All she gets in return are disgusting comments and rude remarks. So many people have abandoned her. She barely finds the strength to make it through the day let alone find happiness. What do you say to someone like that? There isn't much you can. We are there for her, however, and I think that counts for something. She has always handled this very well until the day I arrived here when she found out that her boyfriend (who is serving a mission) fell for an investigator and wrote her off (so despicable). She really is an amazing person, but because of experiences she's had and because of poisonous words uttered by her family members each and every day, she believes that she is incapable of being loved. It breaks my heart. This is one of the many people we are working with right now.

This transfer has been so different. We have focused almost all of our efforts on helping recent converts and less-actives, instead of finding and baptizing. I don't mind though. What's the point in baptizing if there is no retention? In a perfect world the members would reach out and help them. I'm not saying that they don't, but I know that someone could make that extra effort and change or even save a life. Other than that things are going very well. My companion and I are getting along very well and we have a blast. We have to work very hard to keep our spirits up with all the chaos around us, but we manage. Oh by the way, Tom who was going to be baptized this next Sunday will not be baptized as soon as we thought. I know that it will happen eventually so I'm not to disappointed in the set-back.

Love Ya Lots!
Elder Tilley