Week 5 Lima MTC

Another week has come and gone, and this is by far my favorite week! He looked and sounded so good! I am so proud of Ty and his beautiful heart - it is evident he is developing a missionary heart!

Letter from Blaine:

Good Morning Elder Milne,

I was thinking about what I might write you this week as I was driving home to Rio Rancho from Bloomfield last night after work. My thoughts caught hold of how your life has prepared you for your mission, that the Lima, Peru mission was the right call for you, and how incredible that was.
I reflected on how you were born and lived in many different places across the USA.  Each place you went you were always able to find friends, happiness, and joy there.  Even your last place away, though the most difficult, was perfect to send you towards a mission to Peru.
That place being New Mexico.

I think New Mexico was a great “warm up” for your mission for the following reasons:

1. It is a completely different culture, different language, and different churches related to the people there.
2.  You experienced difficulty with our living arrangement. The first eight months we lived in a hotel.  After much prayer and thought, we decided to buy a house and move into the Rockaway ward.  The Searle’s were there with their family, and Alex especially was a great source of strength for you in this place.
3.  You experienced adversity with the kids there at times, some even calling you an “_____ Mormon.”  You were able to hang with them nonetheless and was successful playing ball there. These were my thoughts.

You have already been amongst the Lamanite people and have experienced adversity and success with them. I think that was my biggest thought I wanted to remind you of today, and that your life has prepared you well for this time in your life. Keep these experiences in mind as you prepare to leave the MTC and go into your assigned area.

You have had valuable experiences, and now with your MTC training even better prepared to go and serve and love the people. So, cherish the remaining time you have at the Lima, Peru MTC and soak up as much as you can before leaving.  Enjoy Elder Holland, and go and tell him who you are and where you are from.  He will likely give you some love and kindness in his reply.

Well got to get up for work and get on my way....

Love,
Dad

Letter from Elder Milne:

Hey my loving Father. It's amazing you had that thought because all week this week I've had amazing experiences reminding me that everything in my life happened for a reason. I'm sending a big summary to mom about my experience here. And I don't have a lot of time so I will invite you to read it. I love you so much dad words can't describe it. You're an amazing man and a great example. Keep working hard. 

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne!

Happy P-Day! I hope this letter finds you happy and well, and I hope you have had another great week at the MTC. Your time there is coming to an end. Enjoy your remaining days there and soak-up as much of the Spirit as you can. The MTC's of the Church are truly incredible institutions. The accelerated learning and growth that takes place there is quite remarkable, and surely unmatched by any other place of learning upon the earth. What a privilege it has been for you to be at the MTC in Peru. You will look back with fondness on your time there, and it will prove to be a great blessing to you throughout your mission and your life. I still treasure the things I learned at the MTC years ago as a new missionary and also as I taught there following my mission. 

Speaking of the MTC, how is your new MTC Mission President, President Wade? Have you had a chance to meet him? Also, do you only have one more week there? What day do you leave the MTC? Will you go straight to your new assignment or will you spend some time in the mission home and meet your mission president? His name is President Mark A. Richey. You received a welcome letter from him after you left for Peru 😂!  He wants you to read the following counsel from the Lord:  D&C 31:3-8... It is Powerful! He also invites you to deepen your personal testimony of the Doctrine of Christ as found in 2 Nephi 31, 3 Nephi 11, and 3 Nephi 27 - you have been called to teach His doctrine with power and conviction. What a marvelous blessing and opportunity you have been given.

I'm so excited for you to listen to and meet Elder Holland tomorrow. What an amazing blessing to receive instruction from one of the Lord's Apostles. Shake his hand and let him know who you are and where you are from. Also mention you are Elder Kaden Clark's cousin who is currently serving in Japan. Elder Holland blessed Kaden as a preemie baby who weighed less than two pounds when he was born. He is a living testimony of the healing power of the priesthood. Kaden and Elder Holland have remained friends ever since.

I am so excited for the many missionary adventures that await you Ty. There will be ups and downs throughout this adventure, but nothing in the world compares to it. Each day of your journey, I challenge you to LOOK for Christ in all of it. Allow Jesus Christ to be your Senior Companion - He is always there ready to teach, bless, comfort, and enable you to be your very best. In 1 Nephi 11, the Spirit invites Nephi to LOOK at the interpretation of his father Lehi's dream. The Spirit teaches Nephi that the iron rod is the Word -  which is Christ; He teaches Nephi the path is the Way - which is Christ; He teaches Nephi that the fountain is the Living Water - which is Christ; and the Tree of Life is God's Love - which is also Christ. Christ is the meaning of Lehi's Dream. Christ is the meaning of our lives. It is only through Him we can return to our Heavenly Home and live with our Heavenly parents. This is the message the people of Peru need to hear. Each day I challenge you to look for Christ - He will be there, and at the end of the day write about it in your journal. Also, remember as you study the scriptures, it is one thing to know the scriptures, and it is quite another to know their author - the author is Jesus Christ. Come to know Him through His words.

All is well back home. Dad is still working hard, Hayley is still working hard, the rest of us are still in school 😂 - working hard, and Buster and Millie are hardly working 😂! We know you are working hard too, and we know the Lord will bless you for your efforts. We pray for you multiple times throughout the day, and I always keep your name in the temple. I love you Ty, more than you will ever know, and I am so proud of the man you are becoming - never lose sight of why you are serving a mission. Also, each day, allow yourself to feel the divine love of your Heavenly Parents. They love you and will send their holiest of angels to comfort, support, and protect you. One of my favorite scriptures as a missionary was D&C 84:88: "There I will be also, for I will go before your face. I will be on your right hand and on your left, and my Spirit shall be in your hearts and mine angels round about you, to bear you up." Ty, know that you have love and help on both sides of the veil, for when you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's blessings. 

Ty, I love and miss you so much! Just remember to work hard, play hard, and pray harder! Love you to the moon and back!

Mom

Letter from Elder Milne:

Hey Everyone,

I've had an amazing experience here at the Lima MTC, and I want to share a summary of it with you all.

The first two weeks we were here, I was struggling with learning the language and being diligent studying it. The second Saturday here, they dropped us off at the Lima Tambo mission area to do missionary work. It was such a humbling experience for me seeing the poor part of lima and watching these young kids play soccer in the street using full trash bags as their goals. A member from Lima asked me the question "esta bien?" which means are you okay? I didn't know what it meant, and I should've. After that experience, I started working harder in the classroom and on the practice lessons we had with our teachers. Things got a lot better as I became more positive, and I learned a lot. Then this last Saturday, we had another experience like that. They dropped us off in the little poor town of Manchi 40 by the city of Lima. But this time the companionship we were with had a baptism, so we attended it. At the end of the baptismal program they had each of us missionaries bare our testimonies in Spanish about our own baptisms, and it was a great experience. The Spirit was so strong.

After the baptism, I talked to a lot of people in the streets of Manchi about the gospel in Spanish this time - haha. I couldn’t believe how different this experience was from the first one. Later that night we went to two other appointments. On the way there, we were chased by a bunch of wild dogs. I honestly thought they were going to eat us. So, I was praying they wouldn’t and also praying I would have the gift of tongues, because I was told I would be teaching about the principle of faith to the first family and share a scripture and my testimony with the second one. I honestly was amazed at how well it went. I maintained eye contact with those I was teaching, and the words just poured out. It was better than I had ever taught before. My companion told me my pronunciation was even correct. I was so happy. Now my favorite time at the MTC is when we are practicing teaching the lessons in Spanish.

Another cool thing that happened this week is I finished the Book of Mormon. I read the Book of Mormon for the first time, cover to cover. I know, crazy how I haven't before, but I prayed to have that great feeling from the Holy Ghost that it was true, and I didn't get a feeling but heard a voice say go back in the room and talk with my companion and our Latino companion. They were talking about their lives and why they're serving, and the Latino said a big part of his testimony was when he read D&C 122, and he invited me to read it. This section is about when Joseph Smith was locked in Liberty Jail, and he asked God why all these horrible things were happening to him and the saints, and God responded saying all these things are for your experience and your good, and many other things. But when I read that scripture, I thought about the hardships in my life and how all these things in my life have happened for a reason, and I felt like the Savior had his arms wrapped around me. At that moment I knew it was all true.

Sunday, I was called on to speak in church. Each week we are supposed to prepare a 2 ½ minute talk on the gospel and then we are randomly chosen to speak. I hadn’t prepared my talk as I climbed into bed Saturday night, and the Spirit reminded me, thank goodness. My talk was on our premortal life and the Atonement, and how we were saved to come forth during this time to help gather Israel. And of course, I cried. I am a boob here at the MTC. After my talk, one of the senior couples came up and talked to me – Brother and Sister Everett from the Washington Stake back home. He said his dad played baseball with Grandpa Glen. I also have met President Wade, our new MTC president. He is awesome. He came right up to me and told me he worked with my Uncle Eli. I told him that Eli is my first cousin. I wish I had more time with him. We are leaving on Tuesday. Tomorrow Elder Holland will be here at 10:30. His talk will be broadcast to the missionaries all over the world.

Well, I’ve said a lot. We are leaving Tuesday, so I don’t know when you’ll hear from me next. It might not be until next p-day, which will be the next Monday. Love you all. Thanks for your love and prayers.

Elder Milne

MTC Week Four

It's hard to believe Elder Milne has been gone for four weeks. It has really flown by, and I am amazed at the growth and learning he has experienced already. What a blessing and a privilege it is to serve a mission and to be the mother of a missionary. When I have a missionary in the field, I recognize that I strive each day to be more spiritually attuned; this is a good thing, but, Ty is my last missionary until I have grandchildren who might serve. I pray I can carry on this spiritual attunement beyond Ty's service. I notice I am much happier and focused on what truly matters in life.

Missing my Handsome Ty Guy!

Letter from Blaine:

Elder Milne,

I heard you blessed the sacrament this week at the MTC.  Because of that I attended the Rio Grande Ward in Albuquerque which is a Spanish ward.  I wanted to hear the sacrament prayers in Spanish and be able to think of you in that regard, so I went to sacrament meeting this past Sunday down there.

I hope you are doing well, and I hope you are enjoying being a missionary.

Love,

Your Dad in Arms
Blaine Milne

Elder Milne’s Response:

I love that Dad, my goodness. I sure love you, and I am so grateful for everything you've done. I'm loving the mission. Elder Jeffery R. Holland is coming to speak to us the 23^rd, and I'm so excited to shake his hand, tell him I love him, and tell him who I am.

Ty

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne,

How is my favorite missionary doing today? Another week has come and gone. For me, this one flew by. I hope it did the same for you. I hope your week was filled with the Spirit, learning, love, and fun! I'm excited to hear all about it! I thought of you Sunday as I partook of the Sacrament and how you were going to be blessing the Sacrament in Spanish that day. It made my heart smile, and I whispered a prayer of support for you and a prayer of gratitude for the blessing of such a wonderful and humble son. I am so proud of you Ty, and I pray multiple times a day for your happiness, well-being, peace, and safety. I also pray that you will feel the love of our Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, in great abundance, and that they will surround you with Their holiest of angels to protect you, support you, and give you confidence to do whatever the Lord requires of you. I also pray you will feel and know how much your parents love you and so very many more. We are all back here cheering you on!

Well, this past week I started back into my semester at DSU. I really like what I am doing, however, I was not very happy about having to get back into schoolwork. Ugh!! It was a bit of a rude awakening as each professor outlined what we would be doing this semester - lots of reading, writing, and multiple other assignments. One good thing though, we get to start seeing clients this semester. That is scary and exciting all at the same time. Dallin started at DSU this week as well. He graduated from SUU in December, but he has three classes left to take for his pre-dental stuff, so he decided to take it at DSU so he doesn't have to travel back and forth. Carter and Carley started at SUU on Thursday. Hayley still stays as busy as ever with her many jobs! Everyone is back into the swing of things, and we are all doing well.

I want to share with you some thoughts I had on Sunday during Relief Society. The lesson was on two General Conference talks, and they were really good. The first was by President M. Russel Ballard entitled, "Giving Our Spirits Control Over Our Bodies," and the other was by Elder Dale G. Renlund entitled, "Unwavering Commitment to Jesus Christ." From the first talk, my takeaway message is what I consider the secret to living a happy and productive life, and it is this: We need to truly come to realize who we are: we are divine sons and daughters of God our Heavenly Father, and He has a divine purpose and plan for our lives. His desire is for all of us to not only return home to Him but to become like Him as well. Through the Spirit, we will come to know for ourselves our divine nature and the divine plan He has for our lives. Once we have done this, then each day we must recognize the choices we make will either bring us closer to fulfilling our Father's plan for us, or they will move us further away. The next big takeaway is the importance of keeping the covenants we make with the Lord. When we keep our covenants with our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, it opens the door for great blessings and even miracles to follow. When we don't keep our covenants, it doesn't mean the Lord stops loving us, it just means we lose those blessings predicated upon keeping those covenants, and it limits the miracles we will witness in our lives. Elder Renlund used the example of the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's from the Book of Mormon. These people were the converted Lamanites taught by Ammon and his brethren. Upon their conversion, they covenanted with God that they would no longer be a war-faring people, in fact, they buried their weapons of war deep into the earth. After that, there were multiple occasions when they could have broken their covenant with God and perhaps even been justified. The Lamanites were constantly attacking the Nephites (who had committed to protect the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's) and these new converts could have added great support to the Nephite armies, however, the leaders of the Nephites told them to keep the covenant they had made. We later read in the Book of Mormon, that the Lamanites came upon the Anti-Nephi-Lehi's and started slaying them. They bowed at the feet of these Lamanites and many were slayed, however, once the Lamanites saw that these converts would not fight or break the covenant they had made, many of the Lamanites were moved with compassion, and there were more Lamanites who joined the church of God that day than there were Anti-Nephi-Lehi's slain by the sword. This was indeed a great miracle. Furthermore, if they had not kept their covenants, we would not have the miraculous story of Helaman's Two Thousand Stripling Warriors. 

Ty, as you move forward in your missionary labors, I promise you that as you strive to keep the covenants you have made with the Lord, you will not only be abundantly blessed, you will also witness great miracles. Also, always remember that when you are on the Lord's errand, you are entitled to the Lord's blessings. Never hesitate to call upon the powers of Heaven for whatever you might need - the Lord desires to bless and help you, all you need to do is ask.

Well, I have said enough for now. Buster and Millie say "hello," and I'm sure they miss seeing your handsome face - I know I do! Keep up the good work my dear son. Work hard, play hard, and pray harder! Love you to the moon and back!

Mom


Elder Milne's Letter:

Hey Everyone!

Well, I have completed one month of my mission already, and I have two weeks left at the MTC here in Lima. We have been practicing really hard on teaching our missionary lessons in Spanish, and each time I get a little bit better. The language is still hard, but I am surprised at how much I am learning. I just got back from the temple and this time the session was in Spanish. I could actually understand quite a bit of it. This past week I had a couple of hard days. Some of my morning classes were difficult to get through. But I have learned that when times get hard and the Spanish is really hurting my head I just say a few prayers and soon everything seems better. I also read my patriarchal blessing and it really helps. This week a line really stood out and helped so much, it basically said that even if I don't feel like I have the abilities to accomplish the tasks placed before me, all I have to do is put my hands forward, trust in God, use the power of the priesthood in my life, and I will accomplish the great events laid out for me. This gave me some hope.

Two exciting things happening soon are we are getting a new MTC president this week, and Elder Holland will be visiting us next week. The new MTC president is Terry Wade from St. George, and he was one of the main law partners with my cousin Eli Milne at their firm. I'm also excited to see Elder Holland and tell him who I am and where I am from. He is good friends with my Aunt Glenda and Uncle Scott Hirschi. I have met him a couple of times before. It will really be awesome to have an apostle visit us here in Peru. This week I also get to go in to the city of Lima again and do some missionary work with the full-time missionaries serving there. It will be interesting to see if my Spanish is any better than the last time. 

I only have two weeks left her at the MTC, so I am going to do my best to enjoy the food. It is really good, and they feed us so much. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, love, and support. It really means a lot.

Elder Milne

PS... Elder Milne looked really good again this week. I love to see his eyes because they tell the full story. His were happy and filled with light. He said he had a couple of hard days but prayer really helped him through. I told him this was normal, and that prayer is the key to everything. He told us he was able to bless the Sacrament in Spanish for church this week, and that it was a really neat experience. Blaine knew Ty was going to be doing this, so he attended a Spanish ward in Albuquerque on Sunday just so he could hear what the Sacrament sounds like in Spanish. I thought that was really neat, and Ty really liked hearing that from his dad. I have been working on a blog for Ty. It will be for his mission as well as things happening here at home. I only have a few posts, but I will work hard to get it updated. You can follow him at www.eldertymilne.blogspot.com 

Natalie

Three Weeks Down and Three to Go at the Lima MTC

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne,

I love the sound of that, even though it means you are 4,139 miles away from home. A piece of my heart is definitely in Lima, and I have mixed emotions about that. I also feel like one of my arms has been cut-off - I really miss taking care of my baby boy! However, I am so happy you are where you are and you are doing what you are doing! More importantly, Heavenly Father is very happy and pleased with you! He too loves and misses you, and a piece of his heart is in Lima, Peru as well. Ty, always remember how very much you are loved by all of us on both sides of the veil, and never underestimate the power of that love. Angels are truly at your beckon call. I pray every day the Lord will surround you with His holiest of angels to strengthen and protect you. I know He hears and answers my prayers! I pray you are well, and you are learning and growing in the Spirit each day.

This week makes week three you have completed at the MTC - three down and three more to go! 

Enjoy your remaining time there. The MTC is such a special place. It is truly a place of accelerated learning, growth, and development. Treasure every minute you have there, and take advantage of the Spirit that is ever present there. What a privilege and blessing it is to have such special training. Your experiences there will lay the foundation for your missionary service, which in turn will lay the foundation for your life. Remember this each day Ty. Your Heavenly Parents will use your mission experiences to shape and mold you into the man, husband, and father they desire you to become. The good days and the hard days will equally contribute to Their divine design for your life. Always express gratitude for the good days, and seek comfort and guidance on the hard days. Some of the greatest and most important lessons you will learn will come from enduring the hard days - always remember that help is just a prayer away and your older brother Jesus Christ will always have your back. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and it can bless every aspect of our lives. Through it, we are not only forgiven of our sins, but we can also receive His divine comfort and strength through any trial we experience, and best of all, His Atonement enables us to become our very best selves! The blessings of the Atonement are endless and eternal. Seek each day to apply it to your life and to more fully understand the breadth and depth of it! Prepare to be amazed!

Ty, I love and miss you more than you will ever know! But my mama heart is so proud of you - it takes so much courage and faith to do what you are doing, and I know you will be blessed because of your decision to serve the Lord. Your decision to faithfully serve the Lord will not only bless you, but it will bless your family and generations to come. Always keep this in mind - our individual choices have generational consequences! Always choose the right! Lastly, always choose to love first! Share that big, beautiful heart of yours with all those you meet each day. Love is the answer to your success in the Peru, Lima South Mission! 

I almost forgot, President Wade, who is going to be your new MTC president there in Lima is Elijah Luke Milne's law partner who just retired and Eli is taking over for. Make sure you let him know that Eli is your first cousin, and then I want you to show him the song that Eli wrote and Carter sang at your farewell. He will really like that. I had family home evening last night with Aunt Jaclyn, Eli, Megan, and their beautiful little family. It was so much fun, and it brought back so many memories of when my three boys were little and so very precious! 

Also, each week I want to share something with you from the Book of Mormon Come Follow Me lessons. The thing that stood out to me this week and that I shared with my Sunday School class is this: On the title page of the Book of Mormon, which was written my Moroni himself, we learn that the two main reasons the Book of Mormon was written for our day is to testify to us that Jesus is the Christ and how important it is we keep our covenants with God, not only as individuals, but as a nation as well. It is the keeping of these covenants that will bless us and protect us. The events which take place in the Book of Mormon definitely mirror our day! I love the Book of Mormon with all of my heart and know without a doubt that it is true! I love you Ty, and I can’t wait to see your handsome face today!

All My Love,

Mom

Letter from Elder Milne:

Hey Everyone!

It’s been another great week at the MTC. This week went by faster than the other two, so that is good. I really like it here though. I’m learning so much and my Spanish gets a little better every day. I’ve never studied so hard in my life. I also like the food here. Peruvian food is really good, so I am trying my best not to get fat. We do get to exercise here every day, and on P-Day we usually play soccer, not my favorite, but at least it’s something. Once in awhile, the elders from the other district will play basketball, so I will play with them.

Today, I just got back from the temple. I really love going to the temple. It is such a great reminder of the love the Savior has for us. This week for church, I got to lead the priesthood discussion. It went really well. I’m learning that I really like to teach. Next week in church I get to bless the sacrament, so I am working hard to memorize the sacrament prayers in Spanish. So far, I have been able to pass off everything I’ve needed to in Spanish, like the First Vision, D&C 4, our mission statement, and other things. I have an awesome companion who is really good at Spanish, and he helps me so much. I also have two Latino roommates, which makes learning Spanish a lot easier.

This week I have also received a lot of comfort from reading my patriarchal blessing. It is amazing how it says things that I didn’t really notice before, but they fit perfectly with what’s going on right now. I have also been reading a talk given by Elder Holland at the MTC that Carter gave me to read on my mission. It is so good, and it really motivates me to want to be the very best missionary I can be. It’s called The Miracle of a Mission.

One cool thing that happened this week in class was the other day we watched a video about a man who lost his mom at a young age, how he blamed God, and he never forgave him. I thought about my dad and how my Grandma Bonnie passed away when he was 15, and I ended up sharing the story with my district. I then bore my testimony about how grateful I am that my dad stayed on the covenant path and raised me in the true church. They all loved the story and I felt Grandma Bonnie’s love as I bore that testimony. I’m so grateful to be on a mission. I know it is going to be difficult, but I know with the Lord’s help I can do it.

Elder Milne

PS... When we spoke to Ty, he looked really good and seems happy. He said it had been a crazy week but a good week. Here is the link to his blog if you are interested. The only reason I like to do a blog is it is a convenient way to turn it all into a book at the end of Ty's mission. It will contain Ty's experiences as well as what is going on with our family. The link is: www.eldertymilne.blogspot.com 


Letter from Dad:

Hi Elder “two bit” Milne,

Well I haven’t seen you in “three damned weeks!”
I now know how Grandpa Glen felt when he said that about Kirk.

Well, how did your week go?  Are you making any “headway” yet?

Still enjoying the Latino people?  Are they a beautiful people in Peru? Or are they rather “homely.”

I have been working back in New Mexico for the past 4-5 days and have enjoyed the people here and the work.

Just remember “Jesus is coming” and we don’t need to worry about worldly conditions.
The Lord will continue his work and all things shall come to pass. Have this kind of faith when times get tough down there.  He will lead.

Love

Dad 

Letter from Ty:

Thanks for the message Dad. I'll let mom tell you how my week has been. My Spanish is getting better every day. As long as I trust in God, I know I'll be okay. Words can't express how grateful I am for you - mi padre. In class the other day, we watched a video about a man who lost his mom at a young age, and how he blamed God and he never forgave him. I thought about you and Grandma Bonnie, and I ended up sharing the story with my district. And I bore my testimony about how grateful I was that you stayed on the covenant path and raised me in the true church. They all loved the story, and I felt Grandma Bonnie's love as I bore that testimony. Have a good rest of your week. You’re the goat!

Ty

Elder Milne and his harmonica

P-Day Fun!

The Lima, Peru Temple

Happy New Year from Lima, Peru!

I truly can't think of a better way to start the new year than by getting to talk with your favorite missionary. He looked so good and his outlook was much improved. Here are the emails for this week:

Dear Elder Milne,

We are so happy you have made it safely to your mission in Peru.  I am taken back to feeling that you arriving there as a missionary is the first miracle.  I look at your life and think of all the difficult things you have endured already.  To see you residing in Peru is a marvelous work and a wonder.

I want you to know since you have gone, that these kind of feelings for you have increased.  I feel you must always remember the sweet spirit felt at your farewell and what a miracle that meeting was.  To see the many different ones that came and how they all represented a beautiful mix of our lives.
From the many Washington 1st ward members that were there including Ralph and Katherine Staheli, Matt Staheli, Sheri Staheli, Oakley Staheli. The Bishop and Kelly Paxman on the stand with the Stake President.  Randy Green and his wife, Randy Wilstead his wife and Logan, Myron Lee and his wife, Aunt Marcia and cousin Raul Adams, Ocey, AJ and Logan Leavitt.  Cousin Mary and Harv Russell, my nephew Elijah Luke Milne his wife and 4 kids, Rod and Bobbi Allen, my niece Kandi, Bill and Bella Clark.  Grandma Susan and Raymond, Aunt Nanette and Uncle Randy Morgensen,
Chantel and Trevor and their two girls,
Candice and Gavin, Courtney and her husband, and your cousin Devin.  And Many others.........
I keep playing their faces over and over in my mind.  These are the many that love and support you and who are a semblance of the many angels in Heaven who too will accompany, support and lift you when you might be bored, lonely and fearful.

Remember what I told you before you left.  Your mission will have a great impact on not only the people you teach in Peru, but those people back home that love and think of you.
Your mission will lead many active, inactive members to do better. Your mission and example will lead many to Christ.

Allow Christ to enter and have a place in your heart that often times felt broken....
Jesus Christ is our only way forward.  He is the way, the truth and the life.  Oh how I love the Savior and how he has lead my life to this point.

I know He will lead yours in Peru.  Ty, please read your scriptures and search for him each day and follow him.

Love,

Your father in arms

BG Milne

Thank you so much for the email Dad. Brought me to tears. I've never studied harder in my life in the spanish and the book of mormon. The highlight of my day is reading the book of mormon at the end of the day and writing in my journal. Thank you so much for everything you've done. I love you - Ty

Dear Elder Milne,

Happy New Year to my favorite missionary! Wow! Can you believe it is the year 2020! Two decades ago we welcomed you to our family, and you have been in our hearts ever since! Words can’t express how much we love you, and we are so proud of you! 

Ty, I pray this week has been a good week for you, and you aren’t too homesick. I know it can be difficult, but I know you are where you are supposed to be, and I pray you feel that in your heart! You are loved more than you’ll ever know, and I know without a doubt our Heavenly Father will surround you with angels on both sides of the veil to strengthen and sustain you. He wants you to succeed and to learn and grow in ways only your mission experiences will allow. He has so many blessings in store for you Ty, and I know your sacrifice will be well worth the price! Always carry a prayer in your heart and all will be well!

We made it home from our vacation, and now reality has set in... back to the old grind stone! We had a wonderful time, but now it’s time to move forward into a new year. For all of us, this year will be what we make of it, so let’s make it a great one! 

Buster and Millie were super happy to see us! Millie is getting fat😂! We need to get her on a treadmill! 

Please let us know what time you’ll be calling, and please let me know what you need. I need to find the best way to send you a memory card, or is there any way you can buy one there. I just worry about it getting lost in the mail, but I will send it tomorrow if that’s the best thing to do. Do you need anything else?

We are so excited to talk to you! Can’t wait to hear how your week has been! Love and miss you so much, but I know you are where the Lord wants you at this time. When things get difficult, I want you to remember to have true grit! I believe grit is a Christlike characteristic that we all need to have! Throughout your mission, there will be times when you have to dig a little deeper and pray a little harder. Remember that with the help of the Lord, nothing is impossible! 

Love you my dear son! Can’t wait to talk to you!

Love,

Mom

I Love you mom! Thank you! - Ty

Hey EveryoneI

I hope everything is going great! I arrived in Lima at 5 Am on the 20th and then spent the first day on no sleep - that was tough. But every day since that has been great! The Spanish is pretty hard, but I know it'll come along. Reading the Book of Mormon has been my favorite thing; my testimony has grown so much already.

Last Friday, we went to the Lima temple for an endowment session. Everything about it is beautiful! We talked to a nice lady before the session, and she broke down in tears. She told us how much love she has for the missionaries, because they brought the gospel into her life and how blessed her family is because of it. 

Saturday evening, I actually experienced doing missionary work in the city of Lima with an Elder who has been serving for 18 months. It is a completely different world out here - haha. I experienced getting the door slammed in my face and getting rejected on the streets. At the end of the day, we taught a single mom with three kids. And she agreed to be baptized in two weeks. I bore my testimony in Spanish and said the closing prayer, so that was sweet. It was good to get a little taste of what Lima is like in the field. 

Anyhow, things are good! I’m so grateful for all of you and your support! 

With Love,

Elder Milne

PS…  Elder Milne shared with us on the phone that he absolutely loves the MTC in Lima. At first, he was disappointed because he wanted to go to the Provo MTC, but he said he know this is exactly where he is supposed to be. His companion is English speaking, but knows the Spanish language really well, so this has been a great blessing to him. He said the MTC there is very beautiful, but the city of Lima is very dirty. He shared that his favorite thing each day is reading from the Book of Mormon and writing in his journal. He says he has never studied so hard in his life. We are all praying he will receive the gift of tongues!!! He says that there are only about 90 missionaries at the MTC there, so it feels like one big family. All of the Latino missionaries like to come to his room to talk to him and his companion because his companion has such good Spanish and they love laughing at Ty’s impersonations. He also said the Latino missionaries told him that he has the heart of a mission president. He considered that quite a compliment, and I would have to agree. Ty has always had a heart of gold, so I told him that even though there will be a language barrier for him for some time, he can still love the people with that beautiful heart of his. He agreed, and then he told me the wonderful advice his oldest brother Dallin gave him as he was boarding the plane. He said, “Ty, the people you teach will not remember the words that you said, but they will remember the way you made them feel. Love the people, and your mission will be a great success.” I think that is excellent advice. Elder Milne also mentioned how much strength he gains from his older brothers’ examples of missionary service. He said he has the best brothers in the world. That made my momma heart proud. A million thanks to all of you for your love and prayers for Elder Milne. You are truly a blessing in all of our lives. - Natalie

Email from Uncle Juan:

Natalie,

Thank you so much for sharing! How amazing to see that Ty is doing so great and is already have amazing experiences. Would you mind sending him this next time you write to him:

Elder Milne. Comparte tu testimonio lo más que puedas! Hay algo muy especial cuando uno comparte su testimonio en un idioma que no es tu idioma natal. Al hacer eso, los Angeles son los que habrían el corazón de las personas. 

Aún cuando te cierren la puerta, recuerda que eso solo significa que no están listas en ese momento. En mi misión yo estuve en áreas muy pequeñas donde tuvimos que tocar las mismas puertas varias veces. En una de las ocasiones, cuando yo ya estaba cansado de tocar las mismas puertas, nos respondió una persona que ya nos había rechazado anteriormente y por fin decidio bautizarse. Mi compañero y yo terminamos bautizando a toda la familia. 

Sigue adelante! Trabaja mucho, créeme que el tiempo se va muy rápido! Que el Señor te acompañe siempre. 

Juan

Chatting on Google Hangout

Elder Race and Elder Milne

The District

Merry Christmas from Peru and Puerto Vallarta!!!

I received this email from Ty on Friday, December 20, 2019:

Hello, best friend! I made it to the MTC in Lima. I love it already, although I am running on one hour of sleep. I'm confident I will get the Spanish down. I already had a missionary experience, and I will tell you all about it on Christmas morning at 9:30 am Peru time. Have lots of fun on your cruise! Love all of you so much!

We were all missing Elder Milne so much after he left that we decided to console ourselves by going on a seven night cruise to the Mexican Riviera - haha! Dallin, Hayley, Carter, Carley, Blaine, and I drove to the port of Los Angeles to board the Royal Princess on Saturday, December 21st. Our ship sailed at 4:00 pm, and we were at sea for two days before arriving in Cabo San Lucas. Cabo was beautiful. We went on a glass bottom boat excursion to the famous Lover's Beach and around to other beautiful sights along the coast. The tropical fish were beautiful, and we even saw sea lions. It was a fun excursion, except Blaine got really seasick and threw-up a couple of times off the side of the boat. I felt so bad for him. We then spent the rest of the day on the beach. The turquoise water was beautiful and the golden sandy beaches were very clean. The temperature was in the low 80's. It was truly like being in paradise.

December 24th (Christmas Eve) we spent in Mazatlan. We drove to the Golden Zone and spent a nice relaxing day at the beach, sipping on pina coladas and eating yummy Mexican food. We also bought some beautiful handmade gifts.

This message was for Elder Milne in Peru

This one was also for Elder Milne - LOL!

Christmas day finally arrived and we docked in Puerto Vallarta. Before leaving the ship, we all met in my and Blaine's cabin and we opened Christmas gifts. Then it was time to talk to Ty on Google Hangouts. It was so awesome to see his handsome face, and we all had a good laugh at his really bad haircut (apparently it wasn't short enough upon his arrival to the MTC). He told us the past week was the hardest week of his life, but that he was really loving there in Lima. He also said he was so grateful to be at the MTC there instead of in Provo (where he really wanted to go). He knew this was right where he needed to be, because it would be the best opportunity for him to learn the Spanish language. His companion's name is Elder Race, and he speaks fluent Spanish, even though he is from Bakersfield, California. Elder Milne also shared that on the long flight to Peru he was able to talk to a young man about the church, about his missionary service, and presented him a Book of Mormon written in Spanish as he shared his testimony with him. This made my mamma heart very happy. He sounded really good and upbeat, and told us he would call us next Wednesday (New Year's Day). The remainder of the day in Puerto Vallarta, we hired a private driver to take us up into the rain forest where there was a waterfall and pool of water, and then we spent the remainder of the day at a secluded beach. It was a wonderful Christmas day, definitely nontraditional, but I loved being with my family and talking to our missionary son.

We were two more days at sea, and then on December 28th we arrived back at the Port of Los Angeles. That afternoon, we attended the Nutcracker Ballet, performed by the Los Angeles Ballet Company. It was an amazing performance, and the guys didn't complain too much. We then had a tailgate party at our condo - we grilled hot dogs and hamburgers and enjoyed eating them outside. Then off to the Staples Center to watch the Utah Jazz defeat the LA Clippers. It was an awesome game, and we had a lot of fun. The next day was Sunday, so we attended Sacrament Meeting in a Redondo Beach ward and then drove up the coast to Palos Verdes and found a yummy place to eat brunch - The Yellow Vase. That afternoon we took a long nap, and then back to the Staples Center to watch the Lakers defeat the Dallas Mavericks. It was a lot of fun, and afterwards we ate at an awesome Mexican restaurant - Rosa Mexicano. Their Yucatan Coladas were delicious! Monday morning we headed back to our home in Washington City. We had an absolutely incredible vacation, and it was really hard adjusting back to reality. Now that we were back home, the realization that Ty was gone really set-in. My heart was heavy for a few days - thank goodness we get to look forward to their weekly video calls and emails.

And He's Off... Well, Not Quite

Elder Ty Adams Milne was scheduled to leave for Peru on December 18th so he could report to the Lima MTC on December 19th. He had been assigned a travel companion whom he would meet-up with at the SLC airport. The two of them had been corresponding through messenger and were anticipating their flight together. Elder Milne was packed and ready to go, and we all headed to the St. George, Utah airport early the morning of the 18th. In my mind, we were to be there at 6:30 am for a 7:30 am flight to SLC. Upon arriving at the airport, Elder Milne went to check-in at the counter and they told him he was an hour late and the plane was just leaving. I checked Ty's itinerary, and sure enough, the plane left at 6:30. I have no idea how I got that wrong. I had wrongly programmed it into my brain. Everyone was upset at me, and I can't say I blame them. That act right there definitely qualifies me for the "Mother of the Year" award. I did the only thing I could do (besides cry), I called the missionary travel department and they helped arrange for a flight leaving the next morning. They could not book him on any flights later in the day due to weather and a Trax train breaking down full of missionaries heading to the airport from the MTC. It was a logistical nightmare, but the silver lining was, we were able to have one more day with Ty. We all went to breakfast at the Black Bear Diner on Washington Parkway and then went home and back to bed. It ended up being a wonderful day, and we were even able to add a few more things to his suitcase that we had forgotten, and I added a few more surprise Christmas presents. Blaine had to say his goodbye's that afternoon because he had to be back in New Mexico for work. So, it was just Ty and I the next morning at the airport. We were there on time this time - 5:30 am. Incidentally, this time the airplane was late, and it wouldn't be leaving for another couple of hours, so they told us we could go and get some breakfast. Off to IHop we went, and then the big moment finally came. I waited to cry after he boarded the plane. I had to be strong for him - but after he left I cried like a baby right there in the airport, and then later that night. For 19 years, Ty has been my little buddy. He has always brought a smile to my face and my heart, and I will miss him more than words can say, but I am so excited for him. He will be an amazing missionary because he has an amazing heart. I will miss our inside jokes, our funny sayings we have together, and our dances in the kitchen. Just like that, he was gone.

Here is the email we received from Elder Milne on December 20th:

Hello best friend, I made it to the MTC in Lima. I love it already, although I am running on one hour of sleep. I'm confident I will get the Spanish down. I already had a missionary experience, and I will tell you on Christmas morning at 9:30 am Peru time. Have lots of fun on your cruise! Love all of you so much!   Elder Ty Milne

See you in two Elder Milne!