Reality Sets-In!

The reality of Covid-19 and its far-reaching effects has set in for Ty once again. Things in the Newport Beach Mission are a little slower than he would like them to be, and he is finding it difficult to remain positive at times. He and his companions are trying to be creative about their use of time and how they interact with members and those who may be potentially interested in learning more about Jesus Christ and his gospel. Ty has spent a lifetime doing hard things. I am confident he will get through this difficult journey as well. Lots and lots of prayers for Elder Milne and all the missionaries throughout the world!

Dear Elder Milne (Ty Guy)!

I miss you so much, but I am happy you have returned to serving your Savior Jesus Christ. I know the circumstances under which you are serving are less than ideal, but I am confident that Heavenly Father is mindful of you and your desire to serve and teach, and with some patience and creativity you will find ways to do just that if you seek His help, forget about yourself, and lose yourself in the service to others. I know it may seem that a lot of what you are doing is a waste of precious time, but maybe you can use this time to pray a little more fervently, study a little longer, and do what you can to improve a little each day. For now, it may seem this virus has slowed and even halted missionary work, but I know for certain that our Heavenly Father is in control, and He will use this evil that has come upon us to further His purposes. I know that as things continue on, this virus and the stress and circumstances that accompany will be turned into incredible opportunities to bring souls unto Christ. Hearts will be softened, doors will be opened, and the work will continue to move forward at an accelerated pace. I feel compelled to promise you that if you can just hang in there a little longer, you will be blessed to reap the harvest that all of this will bring. People will be hungry for truth. They will be seeking for peace, answers about the very purpose of their lives, and ways to renew and strengthen their relationship with God as their Father and their older brother Jesus Christ. I know it is super hard right now, but if you can exercise a particle of faith (remember Alma 32), I know that faith will grow into a perfect knowledge that God is in control, He is mindful of all of His children (especially His missionaries), and He will always open the doors necessary for His work to progress. 

I am super proud of you for being willing to return to the mission field. It was definitely harder to let you go the second time you left. I went home and cried myself to sleep. However, I too must have faith that Heavenly Father has His hand upon you and He will bless and prosper you. I know that it is hard to believe, but I do know that He loves you even more than I do. That brings me so much comfort and peace. Hang in there my precious son. You have done hard things your entire life. This is just another hurdle, but rest assured you have Heavenly help on both sides of the veil. I pray daily the Lord will send His most valiant angels to protect you and buoy you up. 

Take care of yourself Ty. Know you are loved beyond measure. I ordered you a new phone, because no one in St. George had one in stock. It will be here tomorrow (Tuesday) and I will send it in the mail with your golf pants. Was there anything else you needed me to send? Happy P-Day!

All My Love,

Mom 

Letter from Dad:

Buenos Dias

How are you?
Where are you? What city are you in?

How many companions do you live with?  Who are they?

What is the COVID status of your area there in Orange County?  Can you attend church yet?

Is your mission Spanish speaking or what?

What else is going on?


Love,

Brother BG Milne

Letter from Elder Milne:

Hey Dad,

Thanks for writing! I'm in Rancho Santa Margarita. The name is Spanish, but I am speaking 0 Spanish. Still have language study. But my area is English. I have 2 companions - Elder Zento and Elder Provencio.  We have nothing in common, but i'm trying to be positive. I am in quarantine, and we don't have church. You were right Dad - not doing a ton.

But I had a great day yesterday. My companion was on the phone with a non- member woman, and he wasn't doing to well. I was on my bed reading the scriptures in the other room, and I had the impression to say what was on my mind. I ended up talking to this lady about The Book of Mormon and bore my testimony. She then invited us to teach her a lesson, so we'll see how that goes. Then about 30 mins later, another lady called, and I talked to her the whole time.  She wants to learn more.

Honestly Dad, this has been very hard on me. I was having a hard time wondering why I'm here with not much going on, but after the day I had yesterday, I recognize that there is work to be done and that God has called me here for a reason at this time. So I hope things start picking up quickly, but I know I'm gonna get through this. 

Appreciate all you do Dad!

Love,

Elder Ty Adams Milne 

Welcome to the California, Newport Beach Mission

On Tuesday, July 7th, Elder Milne flew out of the St. George Airport at 8:30 am. Later in the day we received an email from the mission office stating he had arrived. Elder Milne was able to meet his mission president and his lovely wife - President and Sister Reeves.

California Newport Beach Mission

Weldon J. Reeves, 55, and Kathryn N. Reeves, four children, Clear Lake 1st Ward, League City Texas Stake: California Newport Beach Mission, succeeding President Glen B. Thomas and Sister Kim W. Thomas.

Brother Reeves is a former stake president, stake presidency counselor, ward Young Men president and counselor, seminary teacher, bishop, and missionary in the Dominican Republic Santo Domingo Mission. He was born in Redwood City, California, to Donald Lawrence Reeves and Lucinda Payne Reeves.

Sister Reeves is a former stake Young Women presidency counselor, ward Relief Society president, institute instructor, seminary teacher, stake music chairman, and Relief Society teacher. She was born in Salt Lake City to Talmage Whiting Nielsen and Dorothy Levie Nielsen.


Here is the email we received:

Dear Parents,

Your wonderful missionary arrived safely to the California Newport Beach Mission today.

After greeting our new missionaries at the airport, we drove to the California Newport Beach Temple for pictures, then to the mission office where we had a very good meal, time to e-mail home, opportunity to pick out bedding and then to various locations for a much-needed rest. We are excited to have them in our mission.

Thank you for entrusting your missionary to us for their great assignment and call from God.

Sincerely,

Weldon J. Reeves, President
California Newport Beach Mission

The In-Between....

On March 31st at 10:30 pm, Elder Milne flew into the St. George Airport after a long and unsettling journey from Peru. The missionaries in the Ica and other areas outside of Lima had a lot of difficulties getting to the international airport in Lima due to local officials. This Covid-19 virus has made people crazy, and for a few minutes, Ty and the missionaries he was traveling with didn't think they would be allowed to get on the bus to take them to Lima. The missionaries in Peru were flown out the country on a jet chartered by the US government. The US embassy workers in Peru, including the head of the embassy all left on flights two weeks ago. President Donald Trump stepped in and had military personnel escort the flight out of Peru. Ty, as I'm sure all the other missionaries, was very glad to reach American soil. By the time we had him in the car heading to our home in Washington, UT, he broke down in sobs. He said he couldn't believe he was finally home and expressed how stressful the past 24 hours had been. It was good to have Elder Milne with us safe and sound at last.

For the next two weeks, all the missionaries returning from foreign countries had to quarantine for two weeks. I thought we would all lose our minds, but we made it through. Ty did find ways to connect with those outside our family who wanted to see him. He met many friends outside the house in the open air, and maintained a six foot distance from them. Once the two weeks was over, we all rejoiced. A day or two after returning from Peru, Ty was released as a missionary by President Carnavale. It didn't take Ty too long to get back into the pre-mission life, however, we enjoyed hearing of his many experiences he didn't share in emails or phone calls. Now the waiting began - where and when would he be re-assigned? Would he be allowed to return to Peru - a country and culture he had grown to love in such a short amount of time? Once church headquarters announced that missionaries could be reassigned if they chose and then given the option to return to their original mission, we were elated. We had fasted specifically that Ty would have the opportunity to return to Peru once the country was deemed safe to return to. It seemed to take forever to get Ty's reassignment. He was the last one in our stake to get his new assignment, and even then, he still had to wait six more weeks to leave. He was thrilled to be reassigned to the California, Newport Beach mission (this mission would allow him to use his Spanish some of the time). We were all so excited!

Knowing Ty still had six weeks, we told him he needed to find a job. The Lord was merciful! The first job he inquired after, a car wash and detailing center close by our house, hired him on the spot and he was able to begin the next day. He worked, on average, forty hours a week up until one week before his leaving to California. He was paid $8.00 an hour, but typically made around an additional $60.00 a day in tips. This gave him some spending money and the ability to pay for a few more months of his mission. When Ty wasn't working, he was going on a date or doing a variety of fun things with friends. He enjoyed every minute of his time back home. Before he left for California, we were able to do some fun things as a family. One thing we all really came to treasure was Sundays. We often met as an entire family to partake of the Sacrament and study the Come Follow Me curriculum. We also held testimony meetings and assigned uplifting talks or watched conference talks together. We also spent four days in Oxnard, California. We rented a beautiful beach house right in the harbor. Carley's parents and sister Abby joined us, along with Ty's Aunt Nanette. We had so much fun just hanging out at the beach for a few days, eating out at yummy restaurants, kayaking in the harbor, playing spike ball and air hokey, singing and playing guitar around the outdoor fire, and just being together. A few days after returning home, we headed to the Beaver Mountains where we rented a large cabin and had a family reunion with several of my brothers and sisters and their families. We really had a great time. We enjoyed lots of yummy food, hiking, fishing, boating, playing games, and of course singing songs and playing the guitar. It was a wonderful way to end his in-between time. The night we returned from the reunion, Ty was once again set apart as a missionary, and President Carnavale gave Ty a beautiful blessing. The next morning, we were once again at the St. George airport telling Elder Milne goodbye. I believe it was harder the second time around to let him go. I returned home and cried myself to sleep. However, I am so happy he was able to return, especially under such interesting circumstances. The Corona virus is still prevalent, especially in California, so we are unsure what missionary life will be like for Elder Milne once he arrives there.