Families are Forever

Dear Family,

For the second week in a row we have not had a very good week. I can't tell you how bad it feels to look back on the week and see that you fell very short of reaching your goals. We had some bad breaks again, but I'm not going to sit here and make excuses. We should have done better. This is the Lord's time and it must be put to the best use. Fortunately we do have some great things set up for this week, and with great effort and reliance upon the spirit, I am confident that we will have a great week. We need to set a better example for the zone and find prepared people who will progress and make covenants! It has been a struggle the last couple of weeks. I have never worked as hard or put as much effort as I have now in my entire mission, but we aren't seeing the success that we would like. I only pray that it's not because of my weaknesses and short comings that we aren't having more opportunities to build the Lord's Kingdom. It's been very difficult for us to find new investigators. I've spent a lot of time on my knees pleading with the Lord to direct us to the elect. I hope I don't sound too negative, because I don't mean to be. I love this area and I know that great things can happen here. I need to look a little deeper and figure out how we can improve, because we have to do better. There is nothing that will ever stop me from serving the Lord with everything I have. I love him too much and I can't bear to see my brothers and sisters miserable because they don't know how or where to find happiness. This week my companion and I have to kick it into overdrive. There is no room to waste time on good things, we can only afford to do the best things.

So those are kind of my thoughts and feelings right now. I received both the package of shirts and also the package of goodies. Thanks so much! I forgot to tell you that I wear tall shirts, but it's OK, they still fit... barely. How is everything? I haven't heard from you all in a while. I hope life is great. Lately I have pondered a lot about the blessings of the Gospel. They are to numerous to count and when I try I am overwhelmed with gratitude. What a blessing. I have a testimony of many things in the Gospel through experience, but the witness that has been borne to me the most in my life, is the eternal importance of families. There are many things that I don't understand about the gospel but the Lord has blessed me with a great understanding of how a family should be established: only on the principles of the everlasting gospel. There is NO OTHER WAY. You can not receive all that our Father is offering without a family that is sealed in the temple. Not in this life and certainly not in the next. There should be no greater effort put into anything you endeavor to do than the effort you put into strengthening your family. There is no room for anything other than parents who love righteousness. I am grateful for my family and I love you all. Families are forever, but only if you do what is right.

Love Elder Tilley