Unexpected Changes and a visit to the ER!

A lot happened this week... There were a lot of ups and downs. They had a really great discussion with the guy they met in the park last week, and Elder Milne feels like this guy will really progress, but they will probably have to turn him over to the YSA elders, so that is a bummer. He also said that they met with a guy that was in the Air Force. Ty said he was really intense, and a little bit crazy, but that he (Ty) was really humbled by the experience of teaching him, because he realized he needed and deserved to be taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ. They also called a guy to offer to teach him more about Jesus Christ. They guy seemed genuinely interested in meeting with them, but when they met with him, all he wanted to do wash to Bible Bash with them. He calmed down, and started to listen to what they were saying and was able to find some common ground, however, he said he didn't think he would ever be able to believe in Joseph Smith. They left it at that, but then he called them back and scheduled another appointment, so they are not sure quite what to expect. Then the craziest thing that happened is that Jerry's daughter Megan called Ty and confessed that she is in love with him. This made things very awkward, so Ty called his mission president and explained the situation. The mission president then determined that it would be best if Ty was transferred. On top of this, Ty's companion, Elder Dobbs, decided he needed to go back home to work some things out. So now, Elder Milne has been transferred to Mission Veijo, he is still the district leader, and now he has a new companion. He is from Houston, TX, has been serving for about six months, and speaks fluent Spanish, so Ty is really excited about this. Ty is still the district leader, but this area is brand new. They are starting from ground zero. He stated they will work very closely with the ward leaders and the ward members to do what they can to find people to teach, but to also spend considerable time strengthening the members. Ty is feeling a bit overwhelmed - things happened so quickly, but he is at peace where he is at, and he knows the Lord's hand is in all of this. He hated to leave the members and investigator friends behind in his last area, but he is so grateful for the blessings he received there, and the miracles he witnessed. The first night in their new area, a member brought some shrimp tacos over to them. His companion had an allergic reaction to them, and they ended up in the emergency room, once there, they both started throwing up like crazy - they also had food poisoning. UGH! What a way to start off! I reminded him of his partriarchal blessing and how it counsels him to not worry whether or not he has the abilities to accomplish what has been laid before him, but to simply put his hands forward, trusting in God and relying on the power of the priesthood in his life, and he will be able to accomplish the great events that are laid out before him now and in the future.

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne!

Happy P-Day! How's my favorite missionary doing this week? I hope this finds you happy and well! I can't wait to talk to you later today! Monday's have once again become my favorite day of the week, because I get to talk to you! I have time between 1-3 my time, then from 4:00 to 4:30, or any time after 5:30. Hopefully one of those times will work for you. I cannot believe how quickly the weeks are flying by. I hope they are for you as well.  I can't wait to hear all about your week. How is Elder Dobbs doing? I pray he is finding peace, and that the right solution has been found to his struggles. I have been praying extra hard for you and him this week. 

This week for me was really busy (as usual), but I absolutely love what I do. I love being a marriage and family therapist, and this week, I was able to witness some significant gains my clients are making. I am learning a ton too. In fact, the more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn, and I feel like there is not enough time in the day to learn everything I would like to. Most nights, I just have to shut my mind down and realize I had better get some sleep. It is all so exciting and interesting. I love to see the light turn on in my clients' eyes. It reminds me of when I was a missionary, and how the change in the people we were teaching was not only spiritual, but physical as well. You could truly see it in their countenances. I love these words from Alma 5:14: And now behold, I ask of you, my brethren of the church, have ye spiritually been born of God? Have ye received his image in your countenances? Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts? ​It is truly awesome to witness this! Ty, you have His image in your countenance - you always have! That is why people are so drawn to you! What a precious gift you have! I am so happy you are willing to share this with others. Keep up the good work, and keep fighting the good fight! I know the Lord has his hand upon you, and you will continue to be a mighty instrument in His hand. 

Everyone here seems to be doing fine. We are all busy doing our best to move forward in achieving our goals. The hardest part of all of this is being away from your dad. I miss him so much, and he is working so hard. I don't know how he does it day after day! He is such a blessing to all of our lives... None of what any of us do would even be possible if it wasn't for him and his hard work and dedication to his family. We are so blessed to have him in our lives. 

Yesterday (Sunday) was the first time we had relief society or priesthood in six months. It was via zoom, but it was wonderful nonetheless to see everyone. We also had online sacrament meeting. We get to go in person every other week, but the weeks we don't go, we can join via zoom. I am so excited for general conference this weekend. It will be wonderful to hear what our leaders have to tell us - how blessed we are to have a prophet and apostles today! 

Well Ty, I look forward to visiting with you later today! I sent you a package - it will hopefully be there for you today. It's not much, but I wanted you to know we were thinking of you on your birthday. I included a cake mix and some frosting. If you don't want to make the cake, you can use them for homemade oreos. Use the cake mix, 2 eggs, and 1/2 C of oil. Mix these together and then roll small balls and place them on the cookie sheet. Bake them at 350 degrees for around 7-10 minutes, or until they start to crack on top. After they cool, you can put some frosting in the middle and you have oreos!  Have fun!

Love you so much!!!

Mom

 

Letter from Elder Milne:

Loved this mom! Thank you so much for another great letter. I look forward to reading these, every week. I'm glad that you're loving your work and counseling others. I know those you talk with love you and are blessed for the light you bring to their lives. Dad is a machine; idk how he does it. I know that he loves us and that keeps him motivated - what a blessing to have him. I hope you guys will be with each other soon. I'm excited to talk with you. It's been a crazy week. Kinda mind blown right now. Love you mom! Talk to ya soon!

Baptismal Date, Birthday, and Wedding Day!

 This week, Elder Milne reports was a decent week. They had seven nonmember lessons, and a few ward member lessons. The great news is, Jerry's daughter Megan received permission from her mother to be baptized. The date is scheduled for October 24th. Her dad will baptize her. Elder Milne also expressed his excitement for the upcoming General Conference, and their church services can resume in the building on October 11th. He also shared that his district is doing very well and that every companionship has a baptism on the calendar. Their investigator friend, Leo, ghosted them, which is sad because he has a family that can really benefit from the blessings of the restored gospel. They were also able to reconnect with their investigator friend who is in a wheelchair. She had gone quite some time not returning their calls, but she finally did. They had a really great discussion with her as they read John 14 and highlighted God's love for all His children and the importance of going to church. However, even though she committed to going to church, she didn't show up. Such are the ups and downs of missionary life. Ty also mentioned that his greenie companion Elder Dobbs is struggling quite a bit with various issues, and asked if we would keep both of them in our prayers. He talked to his companion about Alma the Younger and his experiences, the conversion of the Apostle Paul, and the importance of choosing to repent instead of to perish as we read in Alma 13. He hopes Elder Dobbs can hang in there and discover what is best for him in order to continue his progression. Ultimately, the mission president will decide. Elder Milne reports being happy but exhausted, and he feels like they are being blessed in their teaching and finding efforts.

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne (Ty, my favorite missionary and youngest son),

 Happy 20th birthday on Saturday! I hope you were able to do something fun and exciting to celebrate, even if it was only for a few minutes. I have a gift for you, but it will not be there today. I wasn't able to get it in the mail in time for the two-day delivery for today. Anyhow, I thought about you all day, and missed you like crazy. At least we had the life-sized cutout of Elder Milne to give us some comfort and a bit of a feeling that you were there with us on Carter and Carley's special day. Everyone loved seeing your handsome face, and hopefully you received a few emails giving you some happy birthday love! The temple sealing, dinner, and open house were wonderful. What a special day it was filled with family, friends, and especially love. The temple sealing was my favorite part. It was so wonderful to be back in the temple. The Spirit there was incredible. I thoroughly enjoyed the words that were spoken prior to the actual sealing. The sealer told Carter and Carley that the only advice they would ever need to have a happy and successful marriage and family was to listen to the words of the covenant they were entering into and to live them throughout their lives. It is amazing to me how these simple truths cover everything we need to do and become in order to have peace and joy in this life and to return to the presence of our Heavenly Father. I am so grateful for the wonderful gift we have of being sealed as husband and wife for eternity and for the unmatched blessing of having our children born under that covenant as well. The sealer in the temple reminded us that the most important room in the temple is not the celestial room, but it is the sealing room. This is where the most important ordinance we participate in takes place. This is what binds us to our families and to our Heavenly Parents for Eternity. This is what we are all here trying to accomplish. It is so important that we do all we can to live up to the covenants we make in the temple. This is truly the only thing that is of worth in this life, and this is from where all the blessings that matter flow. Remember, you are serving a mission to bring souls unto Christ, to prepare them to receive the ordinance of baptism, but most importantly, to prepare them to receive the ordinances of the temple. There are very specific blessings that come only through making and keeping the covenants of the endowment and of celestial marriage. This morning in my personal study, I came across a list of the covenants we make with God and the blessings he promises in return. I will attach those pages to this email. It is a great review and resource to have.

 How are you today Ty? How did your week go? Today, I am happy but exhausted. It was a whirlwind weekend, and I'm still trying to recover. But it was such a blessed weekend. I am so happy for Carter and Carley - they literally just participated in the most important thing they can do in this life. At the end of the sealing ceremony, the sealer had Carter and Carley stand at the head of the altar and look into the eternity mirrors. He had them look to the right and told them that this view represented their ancestors, all those who had come before them since the beginning of man. He told them to reflect on them and to thank them for all they had done to prepare the way for them to be where they are today. He then had them turn to the mirror on the left and this represented their future posterity, and how what they had chosen to do today would affect generations to come and that their posterity would someday look back and call them blessed for the righteous decision they had made. It was really neat.

 How are your investigator friends doing this week? How was church this week? How is your district doing? How is Elder Dopp doing? Is there anything specific that you need? I can't wait to talk to you today! As we get more pictures from the wedding photographer, I will send them to you. In the meantime, I will send you the few that I have. I love and miss you so much Ty, but you also know that there is no place I'd rather you be. Just remember this week and moving forward as a missionary, there is no better way to combat the evil of this world than bearing down in solemn testimony of the plain and precious truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Defending these truths with our own testimonies is what won the war in Heaven, and so it is the same here - we must fight against evil by countering it with truth! We must never be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and we must never fear that it will offend. For in reality, it is only these truths that can save us and heal us.

 Love you to infinity and beyond!!!

 Mom

Letter from Elder Milne:

This was wonderful Mom! Thank you so much - I'm so blessed to have you and our Family. Sounds like Saturday was an amazing day - very excited to talk to you today! A lot has happened. I won't write everything that happened, so we can talk more haha

Love you so much!

Ty

Letter from Blaine:

Greetings Elder Milne,

It’s Sunday night and I am getting ready to hit the hay.  The weekend was filled with Carter and Carley’s temple wedding and reception.  It turned out really nice.
Dallin, Hayley and I flew in from Florida and New Mexico respectively and I think we all travelled safely.  The dinner and reception was well received by all who attended.
Kim and Mike, Glenda and Scott and Kayden came from my side of the family.
Jennifer Weaver who is married to Chris Weaver who is Kim’s partners at Pizza Factory, catered the dinner.  It was really nice of Jennifer to help serve the food throughout the evening.  The wind was blowing pretty good early in the afternoon in Cedar city, but during the dinner it died down and was calm.

Everyone is working extremely hard right now in your family.  Each one of us are striving for some long-range goals.  It is amazing to see everyone at task.
Keely is in her first year of medical school at the university of Utah medical school.  Kim says she likes it. Zack too is there in her class.
It’s amazing that Kim and Mike have two kids in the 1st year of medical school in the same class at the prestigious University of Utah medical school. This is a miracle.

Well, Happy 20th birthday to you. I hope you had a good day.  There are many great things in store for you, keep your chin up.  It will all work out.

Love,

Dad Milne

Letter from Elder Milne:

Sounds like y'all had an amazing weekend Dad. Very happy to hear everything is going well! Sad, I missed it, but things are going well here. We put someone on Date for baptism last night, so I'm excited for that. October will be a good month. Very cool that Keely and Zack are both at the U - very neat. Thanks for reaching out and for the kind words. I'm beyond blessed to have you and our family. Have a great week dad! Love and appreciate you!

 

Working hard, feeling tired, and enjoying the blessings of the Spirit!

This week Elder Milne reports he spent most of the week calling people - he said he and his companion called every ward member so they could setup appointments. They also called people from their area book who had had an interest in learning more about the gospel in the past. He was able to get through to five nonmembers, and setup appointments with them. He says he loves calling and talking to people on the phone (something he never thought he would enjoy). He says those they contacted have some potential for progressing for sure. He said on Saturday they were able to teach four member lessons. He loves working with the members. He really enjoys assisting them in strengthening their testimonies and challenging them to invite their friends to learn more. He said on Sunday they were teaching some zoom lessons at a park and as they were finishing up, a guy came up to them and started asking them questions. He was super interested in learning more, so they will refer him to the YSA missionaries because he is in that age group. Jerry invited them over for a steak dinner and they had a really good lesson with him and his daughter. She is really progressing, and they are hoping she can get permission from her mother to be baptized. They are praying specifically for this to happen. They also felt impressed to invite a less active member to join them at Jerry's, and the guy was so happy. They were able to administer the sacrament to him. They also had five investigator friends join them for church. They also had a nonmember family invite them over for dinner and then they joined them for church on Sunday. They are trying to work closer with the Elder's Quorum President and the Relief Society President, but with the whole COVID situation, it has been a bit tricky. They met with a new guy named Strauss this week. His friend is serving a mission and he was able to join them via Zoom for the lesson. This was a really cool experience, Ty taught him from John 14, and he told that before the lesson he was so tired, so he went into his room and knelt down and prayed to ask the Lord to give him the strength to go forward. He says that during the lesson it was amazing how the Spirit put into his mind the things to say and gave him the strength to teach an awesome lesson. They also went over Mosiah 2:41: And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it. Ty and his companion also are continuing to teach a man from Morocco named Azedeen. This week they taught him about the restoration of the gospel and the story of Joseph Smith. Ty said the Spirit was so strong, but it still doesn't seem to click with Azedeen regarding the importance of having the priesthood authority and a prophet of God back on the earth today. Azedeen does join them for church every Sunday, so maybe someday everything will click. Ty says he really loves training a new missionary and having more responsibilities. 

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne,

Another week has come and gone. I hope it has been a good week for you. I pray you are happy and doing well. I am looking forward to talking with you later today to hear all about it. Dad is working in Farmington today, so he will be finished with his work shortly after 5:00, so maybe he will have time to jump on a call with you as well, if you are available at that time. I have availability at 1:00, 3:00, or 6:00 pm our time to talk. Hopefully, one of those times will work for you. How is everything going for you? How's your district of missionaries doing? How's Elder Dopp doing? How are your investigator friends doing? How are the ward members doing? But most importantly, how is Elder Milne doing? 

Yesterday in Sacrament Meeting the two elders serving in our area spoke. One was from Michigan, and he had been serving in Thailand before Covid hit, and now he has been reassigned here. He gave a really good talk on the blessings of service, and that it is through service that we most become like our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. The second missionary was from the Philippines. He had such a sweet and tender testimony. His English was pretty good, and he spoke plainly and humbly. He shared how the worst day of his life was when he graduated from kindergarten, because on this day his father passed away. He did not know his father had died until after the graduation and he returned home. Just before the graduation he kept looking for his parents, but they were nowhere to be found. Then it was time for the ceremony to begin, and still no parents. He said he was so sad, but when his teacher called his name and he went up to get his diploma, he looked out into the crowd and there he saw his dad smiling and waving at him. He said his dad was surrounded by light and was wearing a white polo shirt. He wondered why his dad didn't come up to him afterward to give him a hug and congratulate him - he said he remembers feeling so sad and confused. Then when he arrived home, he learned his dad had passed away. He then shared that his father investigated the church for five years before joining, and less than a year after his dad and family joined the church, his father passed away from lung cancer and leukemia. He then bore a powerful testimony of how through the Atonement of Jesus Christ he would not only see his father again, but they could be together as a family forever. He also remembers what a strength and comfort his ward family was during this time and moving forward. He then shared that his best friend was now serving a mission, and that he had just received letter from him, thanking him for the powerful influence he had been in his life. His friend had joined the church just a year before serving his mission, and he joined because of the Elder that spoke yesterday. The friend also sent the story that we have all heard called "I'll find you my friend." His friend told him that this was the two of them in the premortal world, and then he expressed how grateful he was that his friend had kept his promise to find him and share the gospel with him. It was a really great meeting. We are hoping to hear soon from the area authorities regarding when we can return to church full-time. It will be a blessed day. Last night as I took a basket of goodies to each of the sisters I minister too, I was reminded of how much I miss interacting with our ward family, and of the joy that comes from serving them. 

 

I found the original author of this story - it was originally written as a song. Here is the song and the account of how the song came about. What I love is that the song was inspired by the Holy Ghost, and thus it is a true story that so many of us can identify with, because truly, that is what we are all doing - searching to find those we promised we would help back home, because as they say in Spiderman - with great blessings come great responsibilities. Having the gospel in our lives is a great and privileged blessing, and along with it comes a great responsibility to not only live it, but to share it. 

There was this place called the pre-existence. 

Where we lived with our friends so dear 

A council was called and plans were made 

 Free agency is why we're here. 

Our Savior said,  

"Please find my lost sheep, and teach them and bring them home." 

I promised my Savior I'll find them, 

And teach them the way to go. 

(Chorus) 

I'll go and find you my friend, I'll help you. 

Our Savior's plan is the way. 

Please accept me when I find you 

And we'll be back with Him someday. 

Remember the worth of souls is great in the light and the sight of God. 

Look and search, 

And teach His sheep 

To find the Iron Rod. 

(2) 

My time has come to teach the gospel. 

There are souls out there who are gold. 

The gospel of Jesus Christ rolls forth 

And this is what they need to be told. 

And if your joy be great with one soul 

You have taught and have brought unto me, 

How great will your heart be exalted 

To bring many unto me. 

(Chorus) 

I'll go and find you my friend, I'll help you. 

Our Savior's plan is the way. 

Please accept me when I find you 

And we'll be back with Him someday. 

Remember the worth of souls is great in the light and the sight of God. 

Look and search, 

And teach His sheep 

To find the Iron Rod. 

I'll find you there my friend. 

The true story behind the composition: 
 

"Throughout the years I have heard many rumors, stories and other amusing tales of how (I'll Find You My Friend") came to be.  I chuckle as I hear what has been passed around the church and would like to set the record straight.  I was preparing for my full time mission to Atlanta, Georgia in 1979 when my sister, Laurel Ann suggested I write a song for my farewell.  I responded with, "I don't know how to write a song.  You've got to be kidding!"  When it was her turn to prepare the family home evening lesson, she had the whole family write poetry.  The poetry that came out of our little family was incredible.  This gave me the confidence, and along with her encouragement I decided to try.  Laurel Ann's greatest belief is that "you can do anything you want, if you want to badly enough!" 

Laurel Ann also suggested calling Wanda West Palmer, composer of "Oh That I Were An Angel", who lived in Mesa to receive directions on how to even begin such a task.  When I called her she invited me to come to her home and she shared the secret for song writing with me.  She told me the key was just to PRAY--that Heavenly Father would work through me as an instrument in His hands to write down His words and music.  Two weeks before my farewell the music came as I was visiting in the home of Ray and Frances Rolph.  Frances asked me to play her piano and at that very moment I began composing the music for the song.  I left her home and went back to my home and was surprised that I could still remember the music that had come into my mind and out through my fingers.  The next morning, I awoke and went to the piano.  I could still remember the song that had come the night before through inspiration.  I had no lyrics yet but I began trying to create words for this music.  I worked for two weeks on lyrics but nothing came.  I guess I had faith that it would develop into a song because I even asked a close relative, Lynette Carling to sing it for my farewell. 

The day before the farewell, Lynette was to be at my home at 3:00 p.m. to rehearse the song which still had no lyrics.  She called me from the grocery store at 2:45 p.m. to tell me she was running a little late but that she was still coming over to practice.  I was about to tell her not to come when her child fell out of the grocery cart and she quickly hung up.  I thought. "she is going to be so disgusted when she drives all the way to my home and I have no song for her to sing."  I went to my room and began going over my notes for my talk when I read a story about two friends in the pre-existence.  One was being sent to an LDS home and one was going to be born to a mother in another part of the country and would know nothing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  After I read the story, I began to tingle; it was as if a surge of electricity was penetrating my soul.  I felt the Spirit of the Holy Ghost going through me so strongly and I knew this was the time to pray.  As I knelt beside my bed, I pled with the Lord to help me with lyrics.  Within a few minutes the lyrics flowed through my mind and I was finished before she arrived around 3:30 p.m. 

In 1985, George W. Dyer and Tina Brunsdale Wright recorded my album entitled, "I'll Find You My Friend."  Since the first publication, I'll Find You My Friend has been translated into twenty languages.  In 1987, a sequel to the first album was released entitled, I'll Find You My Friend Part II" with a song called "I Found You My Friend."  The vocalists for the recording are George W. Dyer, Lori Bowen Whittle, Keenan Kanahele and Lynette Vance Carling." 

-Linda Leavitt Hartman  

 

Anyhow Ty Guy, I hope you are having an amazing day! Do something fun and de-stressing today! Can't wait to talk to you later today! Love you to infinity and beyond!

Mom

Letter from Elder Milne:

Thank you, mom for another amazing email. I look forward to reading these each week. I love you. We had an interesting week but it turned out good! This week should be a busy one. Excited to talk to you I'll probably call 3 o'clock your time and can call at 6 too. Loved the story you shared, I'm very blessed to have this opportunity to serve. And so blessed to have an amazing family! Talk to ya later!

Letter from Blaine:

 Hello Ty

I just realized I needed to send you a email, so here I go.

I am sitting in Bloomfield between patients.
I will be changing offices here tomorrow.  They need me over in the Farmington office so my time up here will be changing to the Farmington office until further notice.

So I am getting a transfer tomorrow, just like you get sometimes. I have Buster with me. He is out in the truck bed in his kennel.
This is a hard go being separated from your mom.  I am so proud of her and what she has done.
May God bless her.  She has been simply amazing.

Well I better get back to work. I hope you are doing well.  Take some batting practice for me...

Love

Dad

Letter from Elder Milne:

Thanks for reaching out dad. That's exciting about getting transferred to Farmington haha you're amazing Dad super grateful for your hard work. Your hard work motivates me to work hard too. Mom is incredible what a blessing shes been in our lives. Have a good week of work dad, I'll go hit the field 

 

Love Elder Ty Adams Milne