Getting anxious.....(26th email)

Hahaha hooooola familia ¿cómo a pasado? Sounds like you guys have been having a crazy week! I bet Moms bday went sooo good, what do you mean you have been partying all week? Is that because all the crazy sports games and all! Speaking of.....WISCONSIN TOOO SICK!! Have they ever won the tourney? They are sooo close I cant even believe it. Its crazy I go through days now totally focused on the work that I forget I even watched sports before. Thats how it should be eh?! RSL is kickin trash too, wow they are always going to be amazing, they are making up the slack from turible Jazz. Anyways a NEW COUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Wow finally its about time! Haha what did you do with the other one. SO this one has enough space to fit the whole fam? And a person can lay down?? Whatttt! I am hittin up that super comf, the first thing I get back! Hahaha that is nice timing right before conference! I dont think I have been more excited for General Conference until now! Its going to definitely be different but I am super pumped to just hear the inspired words! :)

Alright now to my awesome week as usual! :) The title says it all though...so we didnt get to do B's baptism this past Sunday. We passed by their house everyday but we could not get anytime with her because her kids were going wild or she wasnt there. Wow the opposition is really working hard right now but we got a set charla just with us and the mom this wednesday to help her understand. We are hoping it will work out because I cant tell you how ready B is! He is cruising in the gospel, he understands what a prophet is and is excited for GC! He is reading praying and teaching his friends the gospel and how to pray, and even that HE WANTS to be a missionary!! He is the biggest stud ever! :) Luckily though we got a super firm goal for this Saturday for his baptism in between the conference sessions. Keep praying one more week, he´s been a toughy but we will get there!

Other than that we found a new investigator this week that was super close to getting baptized a year ago with her daughter than somehow it just didnt work out. Her name is A L, and get this SHE texted us saying that she wanted to study with us and do what GOD wants!! Satan might be working the opposition but God is definitely working the miracles stronger! Oh yeah and we got the is kid named C that is like 16ish and he has got the same situation, we just got to line up a charla them both! The Lord is the head of this work, I have a firm testitmony of that and he is preparing the people that have been stuck in the darkness! Super excited for conference and those charlas this week!

Qué mas? Oh yeah MY SPANISH IS GETTiNG SOOO GOOOD!! Ok im not going to jump the gun and get to confident but I can pretty much say what I need or want to say now. Sometimes its a little rocky and not as flowy (is that even a word?) but whatever its getting sooo good. Talking is the secret hahaha who would of thunk? I think I am just getting a little bit over my shyness and seeing more confidence in myself and of course the help of the Spirit there is no other way I could do this! The main reason I say this is because I had to speak in church today for the first time! Woof I was a bit nervous but it honestly worked out awesome! I think I made sense...I think? I just got up there had a little plan but just went off on what the Spirit wanted me to say! Ahh sorry its hard to explain and a little cheese bomb but I am just sooo excited to see progress! :)

To answer your questions no I wasnt made 2nd counselor, but I still got lots of responsibilities in the Branch! We teach Sunday School and as I said I had a talk this past week. We are just the permanent fill ins, my comp. taught all 3 hours yesterday what a stud right? I stinkin love Elder Massey we have sooo much fun, and so chill and easy to get along with!  But yeah thats all I got for this week, I am in Chuy right now going to go buy some cheap stuff! Brazil is just soooo much cheaper I have no idea why?? But yeah thanks for all the support as usual (and the money:)) Love you more than Dulce de Leche! :) And thats saying a lot. Have an awesome week, and an awesome Conference on the sofa nueva!!!

Les amo, Elder Ivie 

PS: I will try to send some pics next week sorry I am still waitin on that camera cord, thats the thing with working in a pueblito (little town) we dont get mail super fast because the Zone Leaders live an hour and a half away! Esta bien.

La Semana de Milagros!! (25th email) -- Elder Ivie has been out 6 months already...ahhhh!!!

Hooooola How is everything goin?!? Comin up on Momma´s bday eh?!?! Whats the plans!?!? I am so glad you got the card Momma. Also getting sups excited for conference in 2 weeks wow I remember watching it in the CCM like it was yesterday! The hard thing here in Lascano is we only have a computer that can transmit it in Spanish.....sooo we might be watching it in Spanish. Its going to be quite the experience I will understand pretty good but it will be hard to pay attention I just know it. But maybe later on we will figure out how to watch in english on a Pday or something. Its all good.

Wow what a week fam, I never saw any of this comin. So here is what happened you know our investigator B? We bumped up his baptism this Sunday because he is a stud and he is so ready. Here is what happened. We taught him everything, he recieved his answer from the Lord and the only thing missing was the baptismal interviews. So the Zone Leaders came here to do it, but when we went to go pick up B from his house he wasnt there!!!!! So we freaking out trying to call him (he is 12) but his Mom had his phone. We thought he was trying to avoid us or something. We decided to go searching with him because he was probably hanging out with this friends. We called the Zone Leaders and let them know the situation and they told us to pray. So we were looking for a place to pray because we were like in the middle of a noisy street, when 3 random people that we have never met before called us over. Elder Massey decided to go talk to them. It turns out they just wanted to know  where we were from, it was like a 30 sec. conversation then they left. But here is the miracle right when we turned around we saw B and his friend walking on the sidewalk a block down!!!!! MILAGRO! There is no way that was a coincidence. It might be cheesy but I am thoroughly convinced that the Lord put those people there to stall the time for just a moment so we could find B!!! Ahhh soo cool then we had the interview and he was set. However Saturday night rolled around and we went to go visit him to make sure everything was good. But to our surprise his mom was having some doubts. She didnt want him to get baptized on Sunday which kind of stressed us out because we knew and B knew he was ready. We left it at that because we had to go back to the house. We prayed and were hoping we could make her understand tomorrow the importance of B's baptism! This is honestly the best thing he could do for himself right now. To understand his Father in Heaven more and to recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide him of course. So we went to go visit them in the morning right before church and unfortunately we found out that he had an asthma attack during the night and he couldnt come to church or his baptism.

Anyways lots of potential let up to this bummer, but we still have high hopes for B this week. The Lord is just sending tests of our faith and diligence and we aint given up! :) We got B's baptism this next Sunday and we are going to finalize everything we need for B and for his mom. Keep them in your prayers especially this week thanks guys! :) Im so excited for this week because this could be my first baptism too! Other than that huge story we got a few others investigators named C and S we are working on. The whole family are members but inactive, and their daughters C and S never got baptized. So we are going to be working on getting them back to church and hopefully get the 2 daughters in the waters this week too! :)

Lascano is rolling here, as you see we got lots of potential and we are working our hardest. Elder Massey is such a stud muffin, its hard not to compare myself to him because he is such a stud. He is teaching me just to have an amazing attitude about everything and have the attitude and hope that we will baptize! :)

Me and Elder Massey are doing awesome, cant wait for this week, I set some awesome goals this week too! Thats another thing Elder Massey has been teaching me. Anyways thanks for all your prayers and support! You guys know that I LOVE YOU snug as a bug in a rug! :) have an awesome week!

Love, Elder Tyler Ivie

Lombardi uno!! Classic!

                                     You can always find this name everywhere!  Sweet!
                                                 

Changes...Lascano baby! (24th email)

I made here safe and sound here in Lascano but, boy has it been a busy ride getting here! Tuesday was my last day in Durazno I got to say bye to some people from the ward, the Bishop, Maxi, and B thats hopefully going to be baptized here soon! :) Wednesday was changes day we took a bus at 7 in the morning to Montevideo because thats where they do all the changes stuff then they send us on different buses to our areas. We arrived in Montevideo got to chat with some of my friends that I have met, I met my comp. Elder Massey he is awesome (I will talk about him later on). And lastly we had a meeting with the Cooks!! Chris´s grandparents opa che they arrived just last week! They are soo funny and nice I didnt get a chance to meet them personally but I will here soon! They are super funny and spiritual I just hope they stick around for a while haha. Oh yeah funny but scary story I accidentally left some of my bags unattended on the sidewalk and apparently some guy on a horse and carriage was scoping them out and almost stole them. But fortunately a Brother that was outside chased them off, that definitely wasnt any coincidence that was a miracle from the Lord. Then we left Montevideo to the zone of Treinta y Tres (33)! We arrived and stayed at the Zone leaders house because Lascano was like another 1hr, and a half away and we had a Zone Conference the next day. We got a baptism goal this month of 33....go figure eh? But apparently nobody has put that high of a goal before so we are pushing hard this month we are actually getting pretty close! After the meeting we left for Lascano, its a pretty little town here in the middle of nowhere! Its definitely not as small as I thought it was going to be, I am really coming to see that Uruguay is basically the South American version of Wisconsin! Haha go figure that too! There is definitely lots of fields but lots of trees and palm trees too. The area is pretty big but our ward isnt. In fact its not even a ward, its a BRANCH! Opa! And the chapel is a house!! First time ever working or even being in a Branch. This past week we had 13 people in church...wow right? Little different from Utah eh? Even Durazno! But I really am super excited to work here and have this new interesting experience! I think I am going to be like 2nd Counselor or something, we also teach Sunday School which will be good for my Español. I have basically already met everybody in they Branch, the President is a good guy, I love the Fla. Viñarte they are a bunch of recent converts and we meet with them all quite often! They are super crazy, but super funny and so loving I love them already. They have like 10 kids and one of them just got baptized this week, his name is Mauricio. He is about 23ish and so spiritual and so ready to walk in the way of the Lord. I actually had the opportunity to confirm yesterday!! Ahhh I was a little nervous because it was my first time but it went better than I thought it would. I think he understood me? Its was very simple but I felt the Spirit which is all that matters right? We got a few investigators here, one of them went to church this week, Br. He is a mega stud he loves to learn more, we are just working on helping him feel that this is the true church and this is the way the Lord wants him to go. We are teaching him how to pray today to receive that spiritual confirmation. We got a few others but I will tell this next week if there is any progress with them this upcoming week! :)

Lastly we had a cool opportunity to go to a city called Chuy for a baptism interview on Saturday! The cool part of this city is half of its in Uruguay and half of its in BRAZIL! Amanda probably has heard of this city...well maybe Brazil is huge! But anyways after the interview we had a little extra time before our bus left to look around! Its pretty awesome because there is a 2 way street, one of half in Uruguay, the other in Brazil! So literally we just crossed the street and we stepped into Brazil! How sick is that? Its pretty cool too because people start speaking Portuguese to you and its super strange but awesome! I was going crazy, we picked up some nice cheap Brazil goodies (Guarana, Fanta Uva (grape)). I remember Guarana from the states, its soooo good and sooo cheap! But anyways that was basically it, we could definitely feel the culture change! :)

Elder Massey is a mega mega stud. Everybody in the mission loves him and l love him already! It took a little bit too warm up to him but now we are good! He has 10 months in the mission so yeah little bit more time than me. He is from California but spent a year in Hawaii to go to BYU Hawaii. He is soo chill, and funny! He has got such a great attitude about everything and I want to become more like him. I have noticed this past week that I could have had a better attitude about things. I wasnt negative but I could have been happier than I was. So that is my goal this week, I want to change my whole outlook on things. I know we will have success and I will everyday more and more if I have a better outlook on things! I found an awesome scripture today its in 2 Nephi 31: 19-20. I love it because it asks the question like have you done all your good? Or something like that, it goes on and talks about how there is no way your could have made it this far without faith and hope in the Savior and His words. I know that is sooo true! I have grown sooo much in these past 6 months (almost). And I am not going to stop or halt my progress to become a better Christlike missionary. I am going to be better this change, faith and hope is the key to a good attitude! The mission is so awesome! I am excited to see what this new experience has in store for me.

Momma yes I have been getting the emails from you! Its just hard keeping up with them! I try to read them if I have time! Its good to hear that Spring is starting up, I am sure you guys are pumped because of that. 30 days for Tommy woooooow that has been crazy fast! So excited for that kid. Sports are looking good we will see if Byu and Wisc play this next week! Haha oh momma. Well its good to hear everything is just dandy, I love you guys too much to handle. This is probably the longest email ever, its been a big week! But until next week! Chao Que pasen bien!

Les amo,



Elder Tyler Ivie

1...2...3...4...Transfers....excited for the change but bittersweet leaving Durazno! (23rd email)

¡Hooooola Familia!

Whats going on?!?!? Yesterday was the big day we got the call for transfers and............................................................CHAOCITO! Wow I didnt see it coming I am getting transferred with only one change with Elder Western! I am headed off to the zone of Treinta y Tres (33). I will be working in an area called Las cano and my companion is Elder Massey another gringo!!! From what I have heard, Elder Western knows him and he says he is a mega stud and an awesome missionary. He only has like one or 2 changes more than me so it should a little bit more interesting. Thats all that I know right now, I leave Durazno tomorrow morning :( I have to go Montevideo to maybe meet my comp. and take a bus to 33. It should be a long day, ive heard that 33 is like 6-7 hours away from Montevideo! Gooooodnight. But hey I am super excited to see a new area but sad to say bye to Elder Western and this area so soon. I really will miss Elder Western he was such a stud and we had so much time together in the Lords service. But its alright of course I will go where the Lord wants and needs me at this time!


Alright to our week of course as I always say its sooo good! Time is flying by here we found out that B our investigator is 8 instead of 9 years old so it will be a ward baptism instead of a convert baptism. But of course that is perfectly fine, to baptize someone shouldnt be just for a number for the mission. Just like Elder Holland said ¨this people arent lifeless objects disguised as a baptismal statistic.¨ He needs to progress into the waters of baptism and the only way he is going to get there is by following the Saviors teachings that we teach him. Elder Western and his replacement comp will help him with that here in the next 2 weeks. Its awesome to see how the gospel can change a families happiness, the Mom and B have gone to church for 2 straight weeks and they look happy as ever. Its gonna be sad not to see him get baptized but this isnt of course for me, its all his decision. B and the Fla. Delpino will always be in my prayers. Other than that we had a couple more menos activos come to church. One couple we have visited ever since week 1, when Elder Western came they went to church! Opa that was super awesome to see! Also me and Elder Western were going to start up english classes every Thursday this week. But yeah its going to be a little hard for him because I am leaving. However I think he is still going to try them and see how they work with his Latino comp. Oh yeah speaking Elder Western got one of those filler in missionaries from Uruguay to be his comp for like 3-6 weeks for some reason. Good luck Elder Western!



I got a quick spiritual thought that really helped me understand my purpose as a missionary again. Its in Alma 29:8-9 it talks about a missionary of the Lord, Alma and his testimony of missionary work. He is such an amazing example to me because he so willing and humble to whatever the Lord needs him to do. Even in those hard times of knocking doors in the dead heat or if all your plans just crash and burn to just keep going. But to ¨GLORY¨ in the things the Lord has commanded and that is to diligently work!! And in the end with diligently working that he become the instrument the Lord needs him to be and help a soul come unto repentance. Very simply put and thats just how missionary work is. I am fully convinced the success of missionary work directly reflects your attitude and desire to serve God, to feed His sheep, to LOVE him enough to sacrifice anything! this is my testimony I know the mission is changing me more than I ever thought already. Its always my goal to be positive in those hard times, and to see some souls life change because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and that includes me.



Alrighty fam thats it I love ya and appreciate all the support as usual. I truly got the best fam and dont know what I would do without you guys. You guys always make me want to be a better missionary every week. Thanks for the letters and the packages as well. Oh yeah hey I worked with Maxy this week and he skyped Elder Castro so I got see and say ¨hi¨ to him cant really do anything more! Ive gots to stay focused on the Lords work!

Les amo mucho, su hijo Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

Amor Perfecto! (22nd email)

Opa che these weeks are just flying, I am starting to see how a misión is a ¨sweet dream¨dad! Next week is changes week already and this time I might be transferred. Im not quite sure but we will have to see, I love it here and I love my comp. So Im definitely not itchin to get out of here. And as usual dont forget my pday is on Tuesday instead of Monday. Anyways ¡Feliz Marzo! how are you guys doin?!? Spring is probably comin right around the corner. Can you believe that conference is in a month? Im pretty darn pumped if you ask me! My week was super good as usual Elder Western has been putting me in some uncomfortable positions to take the lead and talk more. Because I got to be honest my Spanish is progressing just the only thing that is missing is talking more. I still got a Little bit of the shy Tyler in me. However its been super good, I have already seen a good amount of progress and confidence in myself. Elder Western laughs at me sometimes because he remembers trying to learn Spanish and trying to talk to people. I really appreciate him though for giving me lots of opportunities to speak because thats the only way I´m going to learn how to speak. It was a super normal during the week but the Lord blessed us this Sunday with a new investigator in the church and a menos activo couple that we have been visiting for like 5 weeks. This Little awesome dude named B is our new investigator. We went to go visit a new menos activo (sorry less active, I am just so used to spanish) family in Santa Bernandina, a town across Rio Yi about 25 minutes walking distance from our house. We visited with the Mom that went menos activo for no reason and her Little 9 year son named B. We found out that he hasnt been baptized and the only reason why its been put off is because the family has been inactive for about a year! The Lord´s hand is in His work, it took us awhile to contact the family but with much diligence they came back to church this week! I know me and Elder Western are just the instruments here the Spirit helped them come back to church I just know it. I felt like a little kid at Disneyland when I saw the mom and B walk in through those doors yesterday! J And it was quite the miracle the menos activo couple came, I gotta admit I was really shocked. They have been promising to come to church for 5 weeks and nothing. They work on a farm just the 2 of them but somehow they found time to come to church, I know that was the Spirit too. Because interestingly enough Saturday night while they were sleeping some of the dogs from the neighborhood all gained up on one of his cows and killed it! Pretty gross and he was too happy about the whole situation. I know the Spirit comforted and told them to go because there is no way we could have convinced them to go. That was the big news with our investigators this week.


This past week for my spiritual thought I have been thinking a lot about Christlike love just like last week. Dad thanks for your insights last week it sounds like we were thinking sort of the same things. Its so true if we have Christlike love, we will be better at teaching the góspel because it changes our attitude and ability to have the Spirit stronger. I read a scripture this week in 1 Nephi 19:9 it talks about what the people did to Jesus Christ right before he was crucified and it is just horrible and almost too sad to read. But at the end it says he supported all of it because he had perfect love for the people. I don't know about you but it would be super hard for me to love someone spitting, hitting, and making fun of me. Innocent and perfect Jesus bared it without a doubt because he loved them unconditionally. I read a quote in Preach My Gospel this week that says something like this…strive to be a Christlike missionary not a person that does missionary things. Its always a challenge to love someone who rejects or slams a door in your face. But this is what I have been working on this week. Its changed my attitude and the Lord was willing to bless me and my comp. With mucho éxito esta semana! Oh yeah and this week we had the amazing opportunity as a zone to go to the temple!! Soo awesome its been 4 months since I went which isnt even that much time but compared to before it is. It was super cool to focus on the whole Plan of Salvation perspective side of it because I definitely understand it more being on a misión. It is so essential for every person and to just help someone fulfill that essential ordinance makes the experience incredibly special!

Thats the goods, I love it here fam! I still miss your food Momma and I always will but thanks for the Valentines card Momma I teared up a little. I almost forgot it is March Madness time!! Are BYU and the Badgers in it? Tooo sick wonder how mad it will get this year. Interesting to hear about Jimmer we will see what happens. Hope he gets lots of playing time. Alright thats all I got love you guys so so so so much pday is on Tuesday dont forget! Hasta proxima semana chaocito!

Love your son, Elder Ivie

Elder Western and Elder Ivie








Fattest dog in Uruguay!







'WISCONSIN' in Uruguay!! Mucho campo :-)