December 8th, 2014

From Elder Tyler Bell,
The beginning of this week was super good. We had a lot of really
spiritual lessons. We taught one family that was really strong in the
church but now are less active. Every time we teach them the spirit
is super strong! They know exactly what they need to do to receive the
blessings of the gospel and progress but they never complete their
compromismos. I don’t understand how they can feel the spirit so
strong every lesson but still not attend church or read in the Book of
Mormon. This is the biggest problem here! Everybody’s too lazy or busy
or worried to change their lives or fulfill their commitments. We had
a bunch of families that are menos activo a la iglesia esta semana
pero fueron diferente familias de la seman anterior. Es muy dificil
por que none of the investigators of menos activos attend church
unless we teach them at least twice that week or wake them up Sunday
morning. They don’t attend for themselves.  They need their own
testimonies but we are having a really hard time helping them find
them.
I got 9 letters and your package with garments and the SD card
adapter. I’m going to try to send photos today but the internet is
really really slow. About 20 minutes just to load my email!  I also
got letters 3 and 5 of Summer’s and am really hoping that the others
come.
I had a really cool experience with an investigator yesterday. He
wanted to see the baptismal font really bad. I took him in to see it
and as soon as we opened it up it was like the spirit poured out of
it. It was amazing! After that he attended the Christmas devotional
yesterday and wants us to teach him every day of the week. It’s really
cool. The problem is that he leaves December 20th to live with his
people in the rain forest and won’t be able to attend church for a
very long time. I don’t know If we should baptize him or not. Here
we’re advised to be somewhat hesitant to baptize people because of how
many menos actives there are. The mission had a really big problem
with missionaries baptizing people without really teaching them
anything. We’re not really sure what we should do.
We also had a really cool experience during a noche de hogar. Al
principio yo fui preocupado por que the DVD we brought to show the
family wasn’t working and there were about 30 people there. But then
the spirit calmed me down and said that everybody would learn what
they needed to. That lesson was probably one of our most spiritual so
far. We taught about charity and the love of God and I’m absolutely
positive everybody felt the spirit.
We also bought a little Christmas tree this week! I still can’t
believe it’s Christmas. Seeing temple square during the Christmas
Devotional yesterday was really weird. The devotional was good but we
kind of forgot about daylight savings time. We told everybody that it
started at 8 but it didn’t really start until 9. But besides that it
was pretty good.
Love you!!!!!!!

It's so true there is a very strong difference between the suffering
and repentance here in Bolivia. One package. 9 letters. 4 from
Mercedes.

From MOM:  “I love it!  So glad packages actually get to you.  Is it the one with the adapter for your camera?  I love that four letters were from Mercedes!!  What a sweet heart.  Who were all the other letters from?

Love you!

1 from Grandma. One from you and dad. Letters 3 and 5 from Summer. Yep
I have the adapter for my camera but I don't know if I can use it
today. The internet is really slow!!! :(

Dear Tyler,
This is McKenzie. Grandma is giving me a ride to school this morning. She says, "tag, you're it!" I've been thinking about you a lot lately. How you would always give me rides everywhere. You are and always will be my best friend. I miss going to dances or high school events with you. It just doesn't feel the same. I am so grateful to be able to have an uncle one year older than me that I spent most of my life with. I am so grateful for your strong example as a follower of Christ and your willingness to serve. You have helped me to become better just by your example.
I love you
(Ps. Grandma says you always get the last tag!) (;
McKenzie

From Tyler,

Thanks Mckenzie! I love your letter!  I miss many of these memories
that I had with you as well. I hope that we can have more similar
memories after my mission. Don't forget the times that we went to
carnivals together or played tag in the blue house or simply played in
the park. So many great memories. The family truly is one of the
greatest blessings we have in the Earth. Sometimes I think we forgot
about our families or their feelings a little too often!
It's only because I'm at a time disadvantage! That little stinker!
Love you!!!
Uncle TJ