A Change of Heart

What a difference a week makes, and what a difference prayer makes. We have all been praying for Ty and the frustrating circumstances he is trying to do missionary work under. The Lord has heard and answered our prayers. I could see it on his face the minute we started our phone call. His missionary glow had returned - he had once again caught the vision! He shared that as he visited with different members this week he began realizing that they too needed service and blessings from the missionaries. He shared that many of them had confided that they were struggling staying on track spiritually since attending church has not been an option. He and his companions are now seeking to strengthen the members in their "Come Follow Me" studies, and in any other way they can. Elder Milne has realized that whether we are already a member of Christ's church or if we are a stranger on the street, we all need to come unto Christ. I shared with Ty that his number one responsibility as a missionary is to bring souls to Christ - whether it be his, his companions', the members' or anyone they meet. If this is his goal, the Lord will take care of the rest. Elder Milne shared how he had enjoyed spending time doing service projects, strengthening the members, and even teaching a few discussions this week. They do have one lady who has committed to being baptized, so they are super excited to help get ready for that. She has set a date for August 26th. She fed the missionaries the other night - soup like from Olive Garden, so Elder Milne was in Heaven.

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne!

How's my favorite missionary doing today? I hope you are doing well and that you are happy! I am here in New Mexico for this week, and I am enjoying my time here with dad and Buster. Dad and I attended Sacrament Meeting yesterday with Bishop Caton and a few members of his ward. A member of the stake presidency spoke for a few minutes and then Bishop Caton spoke. It was so wonderful to sit in a sacrament meeting and partake of the sacrament while reflecting upon the significance of the Sacrament and how vital Jesus Christ is in our lives. It is so important to always remember Him so that His Spirit will always be with us. It is equally as important to remember His atoning sacrifice and the price He paid so we can successfully navigate through this mortal existence and return to our Heavenly Parents. I am so thankful for my Savior Jesus Christ and all that he has done for me. He has not only made it possible to be cleansed from my many sins and to be strengthened in my weaknesses, but to also be enabled to become my very best self - to become all that my Heavenly Father created me to be. 

One thing that really stood out during the meeting yesterday was that "Change is inevitable, but misery is a choice." There are a lot of changes going on for all of us right now, especially due to this stupid virus, but, how we respond to it, and all the changes surrounding it, is a choice. We can choose misery, or we can choose to learn and grow from it. One of the greatest gifts our Heavenly Father has given us is the gift of agency or our freedom to choose. Regardless of what life hands to us, we still have that power to choose how we will respond to it and if we will choose to includue Christ in the details of our lives. Happiness, just like misery, is a choice. For me, I am choosing happiness - I am choosing Christ. When we choose Christ, we also choose peace. Peace can be our constant companion when we choose Christ to help us through whatever trials may come our way. Most often, our Heavenly Father will not remove the obstacles causing us pain and frustration, because there is something to be gained or learned from this adversity, however, as we choose to include Christ in our day to day life, we will have peace, comfort, strength, and guidance through even the darkest of times. I was so happy to hear you relate to me how you had experienced this very same thing recently. I am so proud of you and your decision to see things in a better light and to stay the course. Our perceptions are powerful, but what is even more powerful is we have the ability to change our perceptions! When we rely upon our Savior and the Holy Ghost, our perceptions can become Their perceptions, and we are able to see adversity for what it really is, and we are able to more clearly see the love as well as the plan our Heavenly Father has for us. Keep up the good work Ty! Allow your perceptions to be shaped by the Savior and His love for you and all His children.

I forgot to grab your mitt before I left for New Mexico. I am so sorry. As soon as I get back next Monday, I will find it and put it in the mail. Is there anything else you can think of that you need or want? Also, Mike Tornow texted dad and me yesterday and told us he had met an older couple that was on their way to serve in the office of your mission - Elder and Sister Hobley. He told them to look for you! I think they are going to be over the finances and apartments in your mission.

Take care of yourself Ty, and please know you are in my thoughts and prayers every day! And always remember, your primary purpose as a missionary is to bring souls to Christ, whether it is your own soul, your companions soul, the ward members' souls, and the stranger on the street. Your Heavenly Father has blessed you with some amazing gifts to do this. Recognize these gifts and use them in the way He intended you to. Love you to the moon and back!

Mom

Letter from Elder Milne:

Mom, I needed this more than you know! love you so so much and love these letters. I will look for Elder and Sister Hobley. Keep theses coming - have an amazing week!

This week was actually a really great week - with exception of being stung by hornets as we completed a service project LOL! We met with more members this week. One even knew dad. She went to Pine View High School and is three years younger than dad. She remembers dad. We also have been able to meet with the lady that wants to be baptized on the 26th of August. She is doing really well, and we have also been teaching another lady that is interested in learning more. Her husband is a less-active member. He doesn't really want anything to do with the church, but she is progressing well. We also had an interesting experience happen the other day while we were at the stake center. The doors were locked while we were doing some family history work inside. We heard a knock on the door so we answered it. It was a girl, probably around the age of 20, and she asked if we were the missionaries. She recognized our car out front. We told her yes, and she was so happy. She said she was taking the lessons from some missionaries awhile back, but she moved to Missouri and lost track of them. She has now returned to California and wants to continue with the lessons. We reviewed the first discussion with her and she was so interested. The only bad thing for us if we may have to turn her over to the single adult ward missionaries, but oh well, it was still a cool experience. I have really noticed how God has changed my heart this week, and I am able to see His tender mercies and miracles in my life each day. I do recognize that everyone needs the Savior, so I will continue to do my best to uplift those around me. I have been very happy this week, even when I was stung by the hornets - I was like, "this is no big deal." I think I had for sting marks - LOL! Have a great week mom!

Elder Provencio Picking-Up Chicks!

Smiles even after being stung by hornets!

Sporting the Masks...

Another Difficult Week...

Elder Milne is still feeling a little down and frustrated about the current circumstances for missionaries in California. He says he is trying hard to hang in there, and he is trying to see the positive in each day. He says he sometimes he gets frustrated because he feels his time could be so much better spent back home in school or working. He misses Peru because they were always busy there, and he was able to feel a sense of accomplishment each day. He vowed to hang in there. He said he is determined to not come home until he has completed his mission! I admire him for this. I have been saying extra prayers for him - I pray if the circumstances can't change, that the Lord will change his heart and the way he sees things. One thing I have learned in life is that it is all based on perception - our perceptions of any given situation will determine our feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. 

Letter from Home:

Dear Elder Milne!

I hope this finds you happy, well, and surviving the restrictions placed on your missionary work. I know these restrictions make life as a missionary somewhat miserable, and I know you feel at times that your time could be must better spent, but I also know that Heavenly Father will bless your efforts, and one way or another, His work will progress. 

Dad and I didn’t get to go to see the Lewis’ because the day before we were supposed to go, dad received word that one of his assistants has the corona virus, and dad had to wait six hours in line to be tested starting Sunday morning at 6:30. He will know in a few days if he has it. Hopefully he doesn’t, because that would make both of our worlds difficult.

This coming week I get to see eight different therapy clients. I’m nervous but excited! I’ll also be getting more clients because I’ve finally been approved as a Medicaid provider. Thankfully, I only have nine months left of school and as an intern, then hopefully life can normalize a little for me and dad!

Buster has been enjoying his time in New Mexico! It’s definitely cooler there and he has more room to roam. Carter says Millie is doing well in Cedar City. I wonder if they miss each other! 

I’m sitting on an airplane back to Utah right now! I left the truck for dad and Buster. I hate wearing these stupid masks. I seriously can’t breathe!!! I am so sick of this stupid COVID virus! I’m slowly enjoying my snack and water so I don’t have to feel so claustrophobic! 

Everything else is about the same. You’re definitely not missing much back home! Dallin and Hayley are loving Florida! We will need to visit them soon! Another beach vacation is just what I need!!! Carter and Carley are staying busy with school, work, and Millie. Dad is working like crazy as usual. I don’t know where he gets his energy from!

I pray every day you will witness the Lord’s tender mercies as you do your best to do His work! Look for them each day. They are always there. I also pray you will be kept safe from harm and the evils of this world! Use the extra time you have due to quarantining to really study and understand the scriptures, and to recognize how the Lord speaks to you. This is a time in your life, like no other, where you can really work on strengthening your relationship with your Heavenly Father, your Savior Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. By doing so, you can move forward with a sure foundation of love, light, and knowledge, and the courage and confidence to face whatever may lie ahead. Your Heavenly Father loves you very much, and he is pleased with your desire to serve Him and His Son. 

Gain an unshakable testimony of the Book of Mormon and the prophet Joseph Smith. There will be many trials and even persecutions ahead that will try and test your testimony. The world is quickly ripening in iniquity, and only those who have a strong testimony of Jesus Christ and His restored gospel can weather the storm. We now live in a day where good is considered evil and evil good. We require the Holy Ghost’s companionship to rightly discern truth from error and good from evil. Our prophet President Nelson has promised us that if we read and study the Book of Mormon each day we will not be deceived. This is a great promise! Use what extra time you have on your mission to really study this magnificent book! As you do, you will come to realize that it was written for our day, and that it not only testifies that Jesus is the Christ, but that it shows us the things we need to do in our day to be preserved as children of God, as a church, and as a nation. Notice the many patterns that are so applicable today! I love the Book of Mormon with all my heart, and I know that it is true!!! 

Hang in there my precious son! I know your struggle is real, but I also know you have a heart filled with courage, faith, and love!! You can do this! I love you to the moon and back!!!

All My Love,

Mom

Letter from Elder Milne:

Hi Mom!

Loved reading this! Thank you so much - keep this coming. I've loved reading the Book of Mormon here and, I've definitely noticed the things that were written for our day today. Love you so much! Tell Dad he's amazing and that I love and appreciate him!

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.

15-Day-Quarantine and Alma 32:27

Greetings Elder Milne!

Wow! What an interesting time for you and for all of us. We received word that Peru is on a 15 day lock-down. This will be an interesting experience for you, but might also give you time to work hard on the learning the Spanish language and to get creative with your missionary work! Stay calm and positive, and do all you can to cultivate a stronger relationship with the Spirit (as President Nelson has asked - learn how the Spirit speaks to you; learn to hear Him). Missionary work without the Spirit of the Lord guiding and directing it is in vain. Please know we love and miss you very much, but we are comforted knowing the Lord has his hand on you at all times. We pray for you daily (multiple times), and we are confident they are heard and answered on your behalf. We are hoping to hear from you today to get an update on how everything is going. Please take this time to get some much needed rest, to study the scriptures more in depth, and to work on your Spanish.

We are all in Rio Rancho this week. Mom, Dallin, Hayley, Carter, and Carley all drove here on Saturday to spend the week with dad. Yesterday (Sunday) we had an amazing day. Bishop Smith gave the priesthood holders permission to administer the sacrament in their homes, so we had a very special sacrament meeting. Dad conducted and was in charge of the music, mom gave the opening prayer, Carter blessed the Sacrament and dad passed it, Carley and Carter gave two amazing talks, Dallin and Hayley then taught the Come Follow Me lesson for this week (Jacob 1-4), and dad did the closing song and prayer. It was amazing and the Spirit was so strong. We thought of you throughout the meeting and of course prayed for you throughout the day. 

Things are a bit crazy here in the United States and a little uncertain. Schools have been closed, and when Spring Break is over, everyone will go to an online format. Mom's classes will pretty much remain the same, and she will continue to see clients on Wednesday nights, but has been told her class lengths maybe shortened - yay!! Dad's work schedule hasn't been affected yet, but they are taking extra precautions to make sure they are doing extra sanitizing, etc...  Other than all of that, life continues on as usual. Not much else to tell you. We brought Buster and Millie with us to New Mexico. They seem excited to be back in the backyard. 

Yesterday, Dallin took a trip down memory lane as they looked at all the pictures and videos saved on our home computer. It was awesome to see so many happy memories. We have attached a special picture of your baptism in Minnesota for you. We will also try and attach a funny video of Carter playing the piano and singing and you joining him with some background dancing - haha! 

Well, not much else to share. How are things with your new companion? How are things going as you lead in this area? How are the people doing you are teaching? Are you still able to meet with them? Take care of yourself son, stay healthy and safe, and know you are loved more than you can ever imagine. Be at peace - all is well!

Mom and Dad

Ty's Baptism in Minnesota

Hey Everyone!

Well, things are definitely getting interesting. We are now on a 15 day quarantine. So, it looks like I'll be spending a lot of time learning Spanish and catching up on some sleep - haha. Our mission president has done a good job making sure we have plenty of food and water to last. I know this quarantine is necessary but I'm still frustrated. Our friend Jose had scheduled to be baptized on March 25th. We then realized due to the quarantine that wasn't going to be possible so we challenged him to be baptized Sunday (which was yesterday). He said he didn't feel like he was ready. We thought he was ready so I said to him, "Jose, do you have a desire to follow Jesus Christ?" He said yes, so I shared with him Alma 32:27 and told him that having a desire to believe and a desire to be baptized was enough. The Spirit was so strong when I shared this and he said yes, he would be baptized this Sunday. Well, then of course church was canceled, and now we have to wait until after the 15 day quarantine. Because church was canceled, we had the opportunity to take the Sacrament to some of the members of our ward and also to the 9-year-old girl who was recently baptized. Her whole family participated in the sacrament. It was a really cool experience. This past week I also went to Lima and met with our mission president and the group of missionaries I came to Peru with. We all got to share how things were going for us. I was happy to find out my Spanish is going as good or better than the missionaries in my group. Some of the missionaries were really discouraged with the language and their areas. I feel like I have been very blessed to have a good trainer and to be serving in an awesome area, and my Spanish is really improving. My mom asked me in her email if I am struggling being homesick. I told her I wasn't and then told her I had a dream a few nights ago that I was back home in Utah and instead of being really excited, I was really sad because I wasn't on my mission. I know this is where I am supposed to be, and I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord. Even though this is a really crazy time for everyone right now, there is no place I'd rather be. I love you all and thank you for your love and support. Elder Milne PS... Sorry for the delay on the email. I am currently in New Mexico and things have been a little crazy. It was really fun talking to Ty this week. His brothers and their cute wives were here, so we all got to visit with Ty. He looked and sounded so good. He truly has the missionary glow. I have seen so much growth in his testimony and overall maturity. I have been praying everyday he would be blessed with the gift of tongues and the interpretation of tongues, and I truly believe my prayers are being answered. He and Carter talked back and forth in Spanish and Ty taught us the first discussion in Spanish. Wow! It was so awesome. This is such a crazy time for everyone, especially missionaries. Please continue to pray for all of them throughout the world. Love you all - Natalie

Elder Milne's First Transfer and Inca Cola

We didn't get to email Ty because he told us he would be talking to us on Tuesday. Well, he surprised us and emailed and called on Monday instead. 

Hey Everyone,

I know I told everyone that my p-day would be tomorrow because of transfers, but we had some last minute changes. I ended up with the zone leader today while my trainer went to his new area and so we had some time to call. I am getting a new companion later today. His name is Elder Jordan. He is from somewhere in Utah, and he is going to be the district leader. I’ve been working hard trying to learn our area so I can help him adjust here. Elder Arnold was a great trainer. I will miss him.

This week was definitely better than last week. We did a lot of walking again, but this time we met a ton of new contacts and we have been teaching some awesome people. On March 28th our friend Jose Angel will be baptized. He is 23 years old and is the boyfriend of one the ward members here. She basically laid the law down to him and told him she wouldn’t marry him unless he was a member of the church. He has been taking the discussions and has been to church the past four weeks. One cool thing that happened with Jose is when we taught him about the first vision. We usually get a negative reaction when we teach the first vision to people, but Jose got really excited and said that this was a huge blessing because now we finally know which church is true. I felt the Spirit so strong when he said this and it made me really happy.

We are also teaching an 11 year old and 13 year old. Their parents are members but have not been active in the church for a long time. Well, they have started coming again so they want us to teach their kids. We have a great ward here. I’m afraid I’m going to get fat though. Every time we go to a member’s house they serve us Inca Cola. Everyone here drinks Inca Cola and all of their teeth are rotten. The other day I had Inca Cola five different times. I’m going to have to start telling them no before my teeth fall out. Inca Cola isn’t really cola. It tastes like bubble gum haha.

Mission life is hard and the days are long but I decided the long days just give me more time to learn Spanish haha. Thanks everyone for your support. I hope everyone is doing good. Love you all.

Elder Milne

PS. Ty sounded really good today. I could definitely hear the confidence and courage in his voice. He spoke excitedly about his mission experiences and the people they are teaching. I am amazed at the growth he has already experienced. He is sounding more confident with his Spanish, and the anxiety he expressed last week wasn't there today. My prayers for him are definitely being answered.