Transfer Calls & Christmas!

Hi everyone!

So after serving six months in the Moreland Ward, I am finally getting transferred to the Canby 2nd Ward! (Canby is about 40 miles south of Portland) I am going to be serving with Elder Prestgard, who came out the same time I did. I didn't know him in the MTC, but we've played basketball a couple of times together and he is a cool guy so I'm excited to serve with him. I will also be the District Leader over there AND we get a car!!! Hallelujah!! I'm super excited to be able to go meet and teach new people!!

At church on Sunday, Bishop was conducting in sacrament meeting and somehow he knew I was getting transferred so he called me up and asked me to bear my testimony. It was kinda scary, but it was nice to thank everyone for their love and support and to bear my testimony to them one last time. It has been awesome serving here in the Moreland Ward and I am so grateful for all the experiences I have had and the people I have met. Couldn't have had a better first six months on my mission!

So before I talk about Christmas, I have to talk about how on Wednesday I ran into Spencer and Cam (two of my best friends from college)!! We got some lunch and they had time to kill so we took them to go see our investigator, Gilbert. We had a great discussion with him and Gilbert loved them. Gilbert will be getting baptized very soon. He says, he is "waiting for God to tell him when". It was cool being able to see them and show them the area. Shoutout to both of them!!

Christmas Eve we went over to the McDonald's and they had a ton of family over and did a white elephant gift exchange that we participated in. I ended up with a beanie and Elder Giles ended up with some suppositories hahahaha. 

Christmas morning we were able to Skype home!! It was great, but weird seeing everyone. It was also bittersweet, cause now I can't Skype home until Mother's Day. But it was awesome nonetheless. The rest of the morning the entire Zone went to breakfast at a member's house so that was fun. Then Elder Giles and I had dinner and played games at the Kohler Family's house. It was a different Christmas, but I enjoyed it. Thank you to everyone who sent cards, letters, emails, and packages!! I appreciate it so much! Thank you!!

Saturday and Sunday were spent having last minute lessons and saying goodbye to everyone. Lots of pictures! 

Jack, nicest homeless guy ever ...

Bro. Stokes, the Ward Mission Leader ...  he says he's smiling in this picture :)

 Gilbert at his record store ...

The McDonalds ...

The Tupou Family gave Tyler a lei at his goodbye ceremony ...

Tyler will miss his monthly trip to Costco for hot dogs with Bro. Christiansen! 

Tyler posing with his friend, Joseph Yeates for one last picture ... 

Tyler, Cam & Spencer at Gilbert's record store ...

Have a great week!

Elder Hill

Merry Christmas!!!

Hi everyone!

This week was different than most weeks. It was full of service and Christmas events.

Tuesday
Tuesday we helped Sister Scott move from one apartment to another and we did that for most of the day. We also went with a lot of other missionaries to go caroling at a care center so that was fun.

Wednesday
Wednesday we were walking down the street and there was a homeless guy sitting on the fence and he started yelling at us to come over. So we go over there, and we started talking to him. His name was Hathaway and he began telling us a story of how he had a samurai sword fight in our church parking lot the other night, and how he carries his swords in his cello case. It was definitely interesting haha, but then he started asking us about why we don't smoke or drink and we taught him the Word of Wisdom and he said that's good advice so at least it ended well. Wednesday we also had a lesson with Gilbert, getting him ready for his baptismal interview Thursday. He was getting cold feet and said he wasn't sure if he wanted to do it, but we had a good lesson with him on baptism and he said he wanted to do it. 

Thursday

Thursday we had a few lessons and did some more caroling with the Ward. If only I could actually sing haha. Gilbert had his interview in the evening and we went over right before he had it and we walked in and he said, "are you ready, cause I was born ready.".. and it went great!! Now he just has to pick a date to be baptized and he said he might want to do it on Christmas haha so that will be exciting.

Friday

Friday was the Mission Christmas party! It was awesome seeing friends from other Zones and from the MTC. Our Mission is very very small geographically so you get to know a lot of other missionaries and the entire Mission came to the party. There were musical numbers and skits that people put on, it was so much fun. In the evening we had dinner with Ron and Gloria Jean McDonald and they took us out to a really nice seafood place as a Christmas present. It was delicious and we got a huge dessert. I ate so much I could barely move, it was a Christmas miracle that I could walk. 

Cakes our recent convert, Carissa made for the Mission Christmas party!! 

Huge dessert served at the Mission party ...

Tyler's Zone at the party ...

Saturday

Saturday we did a lot more service helping the Stake move some stuff from the nativity, and then we helped a family in our Ward move a bunch of furniture. It was nice to do service for different people. We had our Ward Christmas party in the evening! It was super fun talking and mingling with everyone, and there were a lot of non-members there too so that was good. I'm gonna miss this Ward, seeing as I will probably get transferred after this week. I have been here for six months and have made a lot of strong friendships, so it'll be hard saying goodbye.

Sunday

Sunday we had dinner with the Francis'. I think they are my favorite family in the Ward ...them or the McDonald's! They had us over for dinner and they told us to stay to help them put up/decorate their tree and play pinball with them. It was a lot of fun! I'm gonna miss them! 

The Francis Family (Blair, Sis. Francis, Bro. Francis, Tyler, Ian and his wife)

Tyler & Sis. Gillette

Merry Christmas!! Thank you a bunch for the cards and packages!!

Elder Hill


Tyler's highlights this week!

*Transfers calls are this Saturday and I think I will be leaving:(

*I know I talk about the rain a lot, but they said that it might break the record for most consecutive days with rain. It's rained every single day this month. *I get to Skype the fam on Christmas!! So exciting!!!

O Little Town of Bethlehem ....

Hi everyone!

Here's what happened in the OPM this past week ...

Tuesday
Tuesday was our P-day and we went downtown with some of the Sisters and another companionship of Elders and played glow in the dark mini golf! It was awesome. Downtown Portland is crazy. In the evening we had dinner with Dennis and Jackie McDonald and two of Gayle's daughters, Tamra and Shannon! If you remember, Gayle was the new convert who recently passed away, and now two of her daughters are starting to look into the Church and learn more. We taught the Plan of Salvation to them and talked about eternal families. One of them said that they want to start taking the lessons, but the other is moving soon so she is busy with that. BUT, she is moving to our Ward so we will be helping her with the move and can make that connection!

Wednesday

Wednesday we had lessons with a couple of our new investigators! We are taking it slow with them and just shared a Christmas message with each of them, but we did get return appointments! The huge "Joy to the World" event for our Stake started! They decked out the entire gym to make it look like the streets of Bethlehem, and everyone is welcome to come look at it! They have choirs and groups doing musical performances throughout the day, it's awesome. So we go there and show people around and help set-up or talk to people. That was Wednesday, Thursday, and some of Friday. We also took some sweet pics at the photo booths haha. 

Nativity photo booth with Elder Davies 

Stake Center - Joy to the World

Stake Center - Streets of Bethlehem

Stake Center ...

Stake Center ...

Photo booth with Elder Giles and Sisters Staley & Russell

Tyler with the Sisters, Elder Giles and Sister Scott

Photo booth - Tyler is Mary :) 

Nativity ...

Friday

Friday I went on an exchange with our Zone Leader, Elder Bishop, and I went to their area. Elder Bishop is 27 and he played baseball in college so it was cool talking to him about that. We tracted and taught a couple lessons in his area, but nothing too exciting. We got along pretty well!

Tyler & Elder Bishop

Saturday
Saturday I was back in Moreland and Elder Giles and I went over to Tamra's house to help her put up Christmas lights. While we were doing that, it started pouring rain but we finished anyway since we had to go somewhere soon. After we finished, it looked like we had gone swimming haha. From there, we went to a lesson with our new investigator, Gwendilynn! We knocked on her door a couple weeks ago, she told us to come back, but we hadn't been able to catch her at home until now. We went over there with a member and she let us in. So it was our first sit down lesson with her and it went really well! She's an older black woman with dreads and she's from downtown LA. She works at a perfume shop at a club in downtown Portland. She is such a nice lady, with an incredibly strong testimony in Jesus Christ. So we focused on how we are Christians and believe in Christ as well. We didn't want to push the Restoration or Joseph Smith on her because we planned to just make our discussion Christ-centered, but the entire time I kept getting the prompting to give her a Book of Mormon. At the end of the lesson, I finally pulled one out of my bag and I asked her if she has ever heard of or read from the Book of Mormon. She said no but that she has wanted to! I gave it to her and she said that she is going to read it and that we can come back on Saturday and see how she liked it. It was an awesome first lesson! Spirit was strong!

Sunday
Nothing too exciting happened Sunday other than church meetings and then in the evening we had a lesson with Gilbert! And guess what?! He is having his baptismal interview on Thursday!!!! We had a great lesson with him and at the end he said, "let's schedule the interview."  He has to get a special interview for certain circumstances, but we hope all will go well and we are praying that it will work out! Beyond excited!!

Miss you all! Have a great week!!

Elder Hill


Tyler's Hints & Highlights this Week!

* Haven't seen the sun in a week and a half. It has rained every day for like 2 weeks:(

* Scripture of the week is 2 Nephi 7:6-8:

6 I gave my back to the smiter, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair. I hid not my face from shame and spitting. 

7 For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. Therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be ashamed.

8 And the Lord is near, and he justifieth me. Who will contend with me? Let us stand together. Who is mine adversary? Let him come near me, and I will smite him with the strength of my mouth. 

This is one of my favorites because it tells us to be humble but to always stand for what we believe in and to never compromise, and the Lord will help us do that.

*We took Christmas card pictures with Jeff

Christmas Season!

Hello everyone!

Can't believe it's almost Christmas! 

Monday
Monday for P-day we went to a lot of thrift stores and went shopping for Christmas stuff haha. We found some sweet Christmas ties and socks.

Tuesday 

Tuesday we were able to go to the temple! I love going to the temple! There is an incredible Spirit you can feel, along with prayers and questions that can be answered!! Plus we took some cool pics. We had a couple of lessons in the evening with Caroline Scott and Rowan!

Wednesday
Wednesday we had a special Christmas Zone meeting with all the missionaries in the Zone. We talked about how we can increase our efforts and be effective during the holiday season. It was a great meeting! After the meeting, I went on an exchange with the Young Single Adult Ward companionship. I went with Elder Hanegan to their area and Elder Beamer came to Moreland with Elder Giles. Elder Hanegan and I taught two lessons to a girl who was recently baptized and a less-active member. It's so weird teaching people that are the same age as you compared to people who are usually way older. It's cool to be able to talk to the young single adult people and teach them because you can relate to them and talk to them about what they're doing in their lives. So that was fun, and I was with Elder Hanegan the rest of the day and in the morning until we changed back at 1 pm the next day!

Thursday 

Thursday we did a lot of tracting and finding so it wasn't too exciting and no one was really interested. Nothing too exciting to report on Thursday and Friday.

Saturday 

Saturday we had a Zone service project in the morning where we helped this lady redo her entire yard. It was fun working with all of the other missionaries and helping the people out with their yard. After that we went over to Rowan and Brother Roberts' house to play Parcheesi. It was the first time I have ever played and it was pretty fun! Then we had a nice Christmas lesson with them. Later, we went over to Gilbert's and we had the best lesson with him! We talked a lot about him and what's been going on and then he brought up baptism. He said that he believes everything, but just wants to know for sure. So we read Mosiah 18:8-10 in the Book of Mormon with him. He read it out loud and he started crying. The Spirit was so strong! He said that's pretty amazing, and we testified to him the blessings that will be poured out upon him when he takes the next step and commits. He then took us home and when I was getting out of the car he said, "Hey Elder Hill I need to tell you something. I'm going to become a Mormon, I'm gonna do it..... and you're the only one that can do it. I will not be baptized unless it is by you." He said he might be baptized on Christmas Day, but isn't sure yet. So keep praying for him! I have loved getting to know Gilbert and we have become such close friends, I am so thankful for him!

Sunday

Sunday we had church, watched the Christmas devotional with the Francis's, and had a couple less-active lessons, but the day I wanted to talk about is yesterday!

So Monday we had Zone Conference with five different zones in the mission. Elder Arnold who is in the Presidency of the Seventy (and talked in general conference) came and gave us some training and counsel. In the morning we had a leadership meeting for the District Leaders, Zone Leaders, and Sister Training Leaders where Elder Arnold came and did some training. He made each person stand up and answer some questions he had about what we are doing in our areas. It was really nerve racking haha, but Elder Arnold is such an awesome guy who has one of the most powerful testimonies I have ever heard. He said, "just two days ago I was sitting face-to-face with the Prophet and I KNOW that he is a Prophet of God as sure as I know that I am standing before you right now." We had a meeting with the rest of the Zones for the rest of the day and he gave us some incredible and inspiring counsel.. But I swear I always get picked on for doing something at these meetings and this time it was to give the closing prayer. I was just trying to lay low! Haha, but it was a cool experience......... In the evening we had FHE at the Holgate Center and it went really well. After that we had a meeting with Rowan and Rowan's mom. So if you remember Rowan is Brother Roberts' (our Elder Quorums President) non-member daughter who we have been teaching for the past few months. Rowan's mom is not a member and she lives with her mom for most of the week. So we go over there and they basically said that Rowan does not want to go to church anymore and she doesn't want to be taught. So leave her alone..... Let's just say that put a damper on our day. In the past two weeks we have lost two of our main investigators with Annette and Rowan. We've been on our knees a lot recently looking for help.

Have a great week!

Elder Hill


Tyler's Hints & Highlights this Week! 

*"God already owns everything you have. He gave it to you. Your house, car, clothes, games, everything.. he owns it. The only thing He doesn't own is your will. That is the only thing you have to give to the Lord is your will. So give it to him." - Elder Arnold

*There are some sweet videos on LDS.org about Christmas so go check them out! I posted one on Facebook. Don't be afraid to comment or share it!

*Jeff, our cat, came back to visit us this week! We came home at 9:30pm on Saturday and he was sitting on our front step so we let him in to feed him and plan with him and then we let him back out hahaha.

*If there are any packages or cards you want to send, it's best to send them to my apartment now since it's too late to send them to the mission home. 

Elder Tyler Hill
1830 SE Linn St., Apt #5 

Portland, OR 97202

Thank you so very much for all the love and support. It means a lot to me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hi everyone!

Monday 

For P-Day on Monday, we went to an aquarium with our Zone and it was pretty fun. We got to touch the fish and pet an iguana (picture of me and Wesley the iguana). In the evening, we had FHE with the Tupous again! It was as good as usual, and we always play a bunch of games after. 

Tuesday
We had a lesson with Rowan and dinner with a less active member. He hasn't been to church in a while, but he says that he wants to come and he has a really strong testimony but he just has work on Sundays. But it was awesome to see him have such a strong testimony still. In the evening I had the opportunity to give my first baptismal interview! As District Leader, you get to do the baptismal interviews for all of the investigators of every companionship in the District. It was a pretty cool experience! It was with a girl in the Young Single Adult (YSA) Ward and she was super ready to be baptized so it went well! 

Wednesday

Wednesday we had lunch and a lesson with Gilbert. It's been tough with him because he doesn't want to take that next step even though he said he believes all of the doctrine. So keep praying from him. In the evening we got the one of the worst texts you could ever get as a missionary. Annette, one of our investigators that we have been working with for the past few months, had a bad experience with a member or something (we don't know the whole story), but she texted us saying, "I am not going to convert ever. I honestly feel bad for you guys. Don't come by anymore okay".... Not a great way to end the day.

Thursday 

Thanksgiving!! One of the family's in our Ward throws a big Thanksgiving dinner every year for their extended family and for anyone else who doesn't have anywhere to go so we went over there for most of the day and helped them set up, eat and hangout. It was fun, and they had Despicable Me playing so we listened to it while we helped set up haha. We weren't allowed to go door-to-door proselyting, so we just hung out at the church for most of the day with the members. The kids did a little skit for everyone too so that was funny and we played a little bit of basketball! 

Friday

Friday, we had District meeting and a couple of lessons. Nothing too exciting happened. 

Saturday 

It was a busy day! We had three lessons and we found two new investigators! We went tracting and no one answered for like an hour and then finally someone answered and they said that they want to learn more and have us teach them, it was the craziest thing ever that never happens. So we were super excited! Later we ran into a super nice black lady that said she loves Jesus Christ and told us to come by and share a message with her and her seven daughters. So we are looking forward to that this week! For some reason a lot of our investigators are older black women haha.

Sunday

Sunday we had dinner with a part member family! We had breakfast for dinner ... my first time since being out here, so that was super good. Then we had a lesson with Carissa in the evening and she is doing super well! She has work every other Sunday so she can't come to church but things are going great for her! 

 
Have a great week!
Elder Hill

Tyler's Hints and Highlights this Week!

*I'm reading in 3rd Nephi in the Book of Mormon and I'm trying to finish by the end of the year! 

 
*President Ballard texted us and told us congrats on our baptism and to keep it up! The little compliments mean a lot to us haha. 

 
*It's the Christmas season! A perfect time to talk to others about Christ! So don't be afraid! I'm so thankful for the Savior in my life and for the opportunity we have to celebrate His birth this time of year!