28 de Enero (17th email)

What up familia?! How is the good ol´January cold? Almost February how crazy is that! Time is flying, and things are getting a lot better.  As you guys might know Elder Castro has returned home to his house in Columbia. He left yesterday (Monday), a little sad but he was ready to go. You guys might have already talked to him over facebook but if not probably this week. He was a good missionary I will miss him a bit. Yesterday, and today I am working with the other Elders in our house, Elder Chuctaya and Elder Ence as a tri-companionship!! Woot woot!  Its awesome I love working with them, they are a bunch of studs. Also yesterday night I found out who my next companion is going to be……….ohhhhh wait for it……..Elder WESTERN! I dont know him , never met him.  We will see how it works out I meet him tomorrow! We will be working in Barrio Centro for another change woot woot! We definitely got a lot of work to do.

                Sorry I dont think I can send pictures with this email like I promised. Bummer, I have so many pics to show you guys but I dont have a camera cable. I have been using Elder Castro´s this whole time and I still need to go buy one. I wil for sure next week though I promise for reals! Oh yeah and Dad how are the chats with Maxy? He is one crazy kid. I love that you are befriending everyone I know on my mission. J P.S. Dad I loved your talk from 2 weeks ago, super inspiring and cheesy at the beginnning haha the inter-net, angry birds, and twitter oh my goodness typical Dad! This week has been pretty darn good with the Spanish! Its a miracle patience and dedication really does work! J I have really been trying to trust in the Lord and listening for the promptings of the Spirit. I have come to find out that its more important to listen to the investigators and what they say. And then with faith and inspiration the Spirit testifys and literally helps you say what the Lord wants you to say. I know this works and it has been a huge testimony builder especially this week!

                My spiritual thought is in one of my favorite books in the Book of Mormon, Enos. As its probably the same for a lot of people as well. I have always loved this book but I dont think I really have likened the experience of Enos to myself. I challenge you guys to read that story again and thinks of the times when you have had a doubt or a question in mind. What did you do?  Did you cry or pour your soul out to the Lord for forgiveness or an answer. I learned in vs. 4 the importance of sincere prayer. Without a sincere prayer how are we going to recieve in answer if the Lord knows we dont really mean it. Then Enos´s experience goes on, it talks about Enos conversing with the Lord. The Lord says your sins are forgiven ¨because of your faith¨multiple times. I cant count the countless times that the Lord has healed or blessed someone because of their FAITH. Thats the only way we can be healed, is first having faith in him to repent. Its the first principle of the Gospel, and its one of the hardest for me to do. I know my faith increased after reading this experience from Enos. I know if I have faith in Lord and His Atonement all will be ok no matter what! Just like the quote you sent me Mom. Thanks so much sounds like we are kind of in the same thought process right now!  Thats what I learned this week, sorry its pretty obvious but I think I understand faith more and I wanted to share that with you guys. J

Crazy week but still lovin' mission life!!! (16th email)

Oh my goodness gracious I know I say this every email but this week was extra crazy. And sorry if I miss something or this email is a little shorter, its been a crazy pday and I didnt get the chance to use my Alphasmart today. Alright here we go brace yourselves haha I GOT YOUR CHRISTMAS PACKAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HAHAHA just about a month late but I could care less it was amazing!! I felt like it was Christmas. So many surprises I didnt know you were sending me another ipod. Well of course I didnt know thats what Christmas is but definitely didnt expect that! So awesome, I am really enjoying the new music (especially the Piano Guys!) Also another sweater thanks momma, I am definitely ready for the winter here I think. Haha Elder Castro loved his stuff, he loves you guys so much we have been rockin the new super fly ties and tie tack things! Dad and Mom thank you so much for the photo album of my trip I freaked out when I saw that! I really think I am going to be using that a lot on my mission. Nothing like a personal experience to bring the Spirit into the lesson. Oh and the family photos and Papa, tooo much to handle thank you so so much. Nothing like american candy especially Christmas candy out of the stocking haha. Dad I almost freaked out too when I saw the Melchizedek Priesthood line of authority! But really I am not joking that is one of the coolest things I have ever seen. I hung the big one up in our room and I keep the small one in my scrips! Super good, and thanks for the cards and the drawings Alexis! You keep getting better and better, you are so cute! (I heard you are getting incredibly tall by the way, whats up with that?) I know there was more but I cant really remember right now! But I seriously got the best family in the world. I know all the missionaries are pretty jealous right now. Anyways to the rest of week but, first I wanted to apologize we had an unexpected Mission Conference that I found out Sunday. So couldnt really warn you but hey I am alive dont worry! Oh and also dont forget this next week is changes so we will be emailing on Tuesday again! :) LOVE YOU! Ok my week where to start? Its a real rough one.  But anyways that was definitely a shocker this week. Oh yeah thats not all too! Yesterday we all found that Presidente Newsome and Hermana President Newsome has got to take care of some legal problems I guess with his business. But hey we are trying to stay positive, I am definitely going to miss them. I only knew them for 2 months but I felt like I knew them forever! Amazing people and good luck to them in the future! 

Ok enough with the sad stuff! It was a fun week too hahaha. I went on a couple exchanges with the Zone Leaders in the Hospital Ward. That area is pretty I liked it! It was awesome to switch up the scenery for a couple times and even better the zone leaders have AC!!!!!!!!!!!! Booyah too good. But anyways work was good there. Thats where Maxi´s photo was taken. When I was on the exchange, Maxi joined us and we taught the little girl Katy as Alexis might know now! But really you guys are friends on FB? Or friends of Maxy? Im a little confused. Unfortunately I wish I could claim Katy as a baptism of me and Elder Castro but she is the Zone Leaders investigator. Haha its all good she is a sweet girl and it was a fun experience to meet her! :) Speaking of Maxi I heard you have been chattin with Maxi Dad. How is that going? Haha I get a few oppurtunities to talk to Maxi and he tells me you and him might Skype one time! Haha that would be sweet I dont know how you guys will communicate but hey he can probably help you with Spanish! I want my whole family fluent by the time I get back!! Hahaha jk, but that would be super cool! VAYAN FAMILIA! Ahhh speaking of that too my Spanish is getting so much better. Its getting easier to be more patient and I can understand so much now!! Ahhh what a crazy 4 months woot woot! We went to the city Castro in Trinidad again to do another baptismal interview, the Hermanas are killing it. Baptizing mega!!!! Fun trip I got some photos of the farm this family in Castro has. Sorry its been a crazy pday so I dont have a cable but, I promise next week I will send you a bunch of pics. I mean a bunch, today we went to the ZOO!!! TOOO SICK!! I love the Zoo, its like 30 minutes from our area walking so we took advantage of that! Super fun but after we were walking back and the rain came down!!!!! Sooo awesome though so refreshing but unfortunately I am sitting here typing this email totally soaked! Didnt have time to change but its alright totally worth it! Yeah Momma a good sports week too much. BYU staying strong, what happened to WISCONSIN?? Noooo they were killin it, and what the what the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks in the superbowl?? Didnt see that one comin, well maybe the Seahawks but Peyton Manning must be killing it. Aww well maybe next year pack. Oooh Mom dont even talk to me about tennis. Soo jelly hahaha I love tennis goooo RAFA!  Anyways Mom sorry about the weird email sitiuations, I dont know what is going on. Maybe you just have to tune in extra carefully if I dont get it! Because I do like to see whats up with my fam back in good ol´ snowy Utah! :) Thanks so much for the amazing emails momma! You da best of course! Well thats basically my week. Wish me luck this last week of the change! Love you so so much fam! Thanks for everything and I will talk to you on tuesday dont forget. LOVES AND BESOS

Love, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

Pictures of members in Durazno, Uruguay

Elder Castro and Maximilano Lujambio

Dearest Familia!

Dearest Familia,

                ¡Opa che! Hows it?! How is the cold? Hahaha pobre familia jk I want a snow day here! However surprisingly there has been like no humidity this week. Perfect weather well almost…it dumped rain on Tuesday and Wednesday. The rest of the week has just been overcast amazingness. It reminds of summer in Utah because of the dry heat. Ive fallen in love with the Uruguay sky (as you probably can see from the photo). Its been a good week in Durazno as it is always! I'm understanding my purpose as missionary and what is expected of me more and more each day. Last P-day 2 tiny Peruvians tried to do the milk gallon challenge, complete fail as I expected. Both of them got half way done and gave up. Alright anyways that was random but I thought it was pretty funny. Besides that slip up, work was good this week! Honestly I love the work right now! I notice that I am the most happy when I am serving the people. Wednesday was an awesome day, we had the oppurtunity as a zone to do something called a Choque de Fuerza for a couple hours. Its when the whole zone goes to one area to hopefully improve the work and open up more oppurtunties for the Hermanas serving in that specific area. We went to a department in Trinidad called Flores. Super pretty area a lot like Durazno but less trees. Also super quiet, lots of farms, and sheep everywhere! But more importantly people there are super humble and always willing to talk to you. We placed a baptismal date and found a couple new investigators for the Hermanas I would say it was pretty successful trip and hopefully it helps out the Hermanas more importantly! (The photo of the bird thing is from this area J)With our investigators we still got 2 baptismal dates set for the 25 of January. One of them is named N.  We are trying to figure out the easiest way to get her baptized. But she is really interested and willing to learn more. She is definitely one we are focusing on this week so could you keep  her in your prayers please thanks! JThe other is named J, she is about the same age as Alexis. She has whole bunch of support from her friends and family in the ward. She is just a little scared of the water and the whole experience in general. Hopefully we can visit her and she can come to the sure decision that she is ready for this important step in her life. So keep them both in your prayers! Thanks so much I know your prayers help me and the investigators we visit every week!

                Something that I studied this week that was super special for me is in D&C 100:5-8. Me and Elder Castro read these scriptures during companionship study one day and they really impacted me. E. Castro told me that no matter what if you have faith in the Lord, He will put the thoughts and desires he wants the people to hear in my heart. What an awesome scripture, I know if I trust in the Lord he will give it to me in the very moment as it says in vs. 7. I know this works, I have already seen it happen on my mission. My Spanish might be terrible but somehow the Lord helps me and the Holy Ghost bears record of the truth as it says in vs. 8. What an amazing promise, I know if I work better at trusting the Lord this week I will see miracles! J

Picture of the Durazno Sky

Street in Durazno

Just like all missionaries, Elder Ivie LOVES getting mail!

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO -- (13th email)

FELIZ AÑO NUEVO FAMILIA!

                Bienvenido a 2014! Amazing week here in good ol´Durazno! President Newsome let us stay out working until 10:30pm on New Years Eve. We went to the family that gives us barbeque everytime. They are soo good to us! But unfortunately they didnt have barbeque ready so we just got apple soda which totally reminded of the classy tradition of MARTENELLI´S!! Sooo sick you guys better have had some. We went back to the house and the fireworks started. GOODNIGHT!! Fireworks ever, waaay more than Utah. It was so awesome and sooo pretty however the neighbors across the street were literally throwing bombs at our feet. Literally throwing grenades that like blast your ears out. And they had like a lot of them, that part stunk instead of watching firworks we were more worried about not destroying our ears. But besides that it wasnt a bad day. You guys probably watched the ball drop as usual.  Also this week me and Elder Castro have been really trying to step it up what we should always do. The mission has a pyramid of success I guess you could call it that. There are 4 points at the bottom that are key to finding people and having success on your mission. They are tesify with power, prepare (with PMG, Scriptures, prayer), be one as a companions, and exact obedience. This points me and Elder Castro have been really focusing on this week and has the Lord worked miracles. The Lord has blessed us with so much success, like a few charlas (lessons) with new investigators, baptismal dates for the 25 of January, and lots of referrals. The members have been awesome at giving us lots of referrals. Dad, Francis did overcome his addicting and is active as ever! He is one of my favorite converts. Sorry not much to tell but we have been super busy and we are doing amazing here. One of my best weeks in misson so far! Dad thank you so much for the suggestions with the new year goals and everything. Super important for missionaries as you probably know we are always making and trying to achieve personal and companionship goals every week! I also took your advice and reflected on this last year. And boy has its been a crazy year let me tell ya. It kind of blows my mind how much I have accomplished this year! And of course most importantly traveling across the world to serve my Savior. J Also thanks dad for the courage, determination, and faith quote every week. I would mutter that to myself a couple times a day and boy has it helped me this week too. I told you, you give the best advice same with you Momma. I really got the best parents in the world! J Vamo arriba! To answer your question there is pouch here. I might start using it. I kind of dont understand it but I will ask Elder Castro and maybe use instead of the Uruguayo Correo. And with the international stamps you sent me, will they work? Sorry a little confused. Both Forever Stamps and International Stamps are awesome! Are they basically the same? Anyways thanks Mom for always taking care of me, even in another country! You da best Momma! Sorry you had a terrible week! :( All of you guys are always in my prayers and I know the Lord will watch out for you guys! I hope this next week is a lot better with your heath and with sports. Stay strong Momma next fall football starts again. Woof that is depressing my boys and Wisconsin went down! Oh my goodness. Isnt that like the 4th year in a row Wisconsin has lost. Sorry to bring it up, and hopefully my boys are still in the playoffs! Thanks for the update Momma! :)

                One scripture I really liked this week is in Moroni 7:41,42. I love the message and it reminds me why I need to hope for things. Because as it says ïf a man have faith he must needs have hope.¨Without hope there is no faith. This week I have also been trying to focus on having hope for our investigators, the language, and my mission in general. I have felt the confidence and the peace I needed this week. Im so grateful the Lord has taught me this lesson.  I also feel the hope and the love the Lord has for me. J   

Thanks for the email Mom, Dad, and Linds! Love my family so much (and Alexis of course! :)) Sorry about the scare I dont know why I didnt get the email the first time. Have an amazing week! Courage, determination, and faith. LOVE YOU GUYS!! :)

Love your son, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie