Ramble email but I love you GUYS! (79th email)

Well hello are thou thee??

                Wow its been a good week to be honest! J A little slower on the work, well the investigators side. We are strugglin´to find investigators that want to progess. We didn’t have much contact with L and his fam. Because they can only meet all together one time a week, Tuesdays and of course we weren’t able to do it this last Tuesday with the craziness of changes! However on the other hand, as I have mentioned in the past we have been working with the ward-bishop A LOT more and its awesome! Its awesome that the bishop has put so much trust in us, our responsibility is clear to go and visit the families he has given us and come back with and report on how the visits went (sounds familiar)! We have a list of 5 specific families we have to visit in these next few weeks, as well as we take an hour or more to go find more lost sheep because unfortunately theres quite a few! But on the bright side we got lots of work to do! J

                Alright yes, if you didn’t realize already I hit my 1yr. 1/2 mark this past Thursday! J Wow I tremble just thinking about it, how fast. To celebrate yes sorry mom don’t get mad but I did burn a few things, it was a short sleeve shirt that I wasn’t going to use because its gettin’ a bit chilly if you know what I mean. I LOVE THE WEATHER RIGHT NOW by the way! J Its not even hot, theres always a breeze, and I don’t sweat just chillin´ in the house! Ha I just wish fall would stay longer J Anyways yes we had a fire in the backyard, cooked up some Shakira, burnt a shirt….alright and pants too sorry mom don’t be mad! JK !!! Well just the Shakira part, she actually loves us now we bought legit chicken food for her and she started to lay eggs again. The only hard thing is taking them out before she eats them, shes a cannibal!!!!! We also did some service Thursday with a fam., and we painted as you can see in the pics!! Yeah Dad, watch out I be paintin´the house like crazy when I get home! J

                As you guys can tell, I´ve fallin´ in love with Bella Italia! J Its probably me fav. area….well I don’t know its hard to pick because I learn different lessons in every area! But I really do love the members here, I think they love us too, and I love my comp. too but really! J Oh yeah and the converts are awesome, Sebastian left with us to do a few visits this week, Silvia is so strong its like she´s been a member for years on end now! She cooks amazing as well watch out Linds, I am going to be even more professional when I get home!! ;) As she actually cooks us dinner when we come over, EVERYTIME Linds so I got high expectations now everytime! ;)

                This week I started to read el Libro de Mormon again, my goal is to finish it before the end of my mission! If you want you guys can do it with me, I'm sure you already started again so don’t worry about it but if not I challenge ya´ll!

                Oh yeah my comp. Elder Massey that I love so much is in my zone again haha, he goes home this change though L And I was almost in his district!

                OH HOW COULD I FORGET?!?! I GOT A (P) to the (ack) to the (age) this week! And I almost cried, I LOVE the pics mom, really though I love how you put the bugs and snakes pics!! That is so me! J I've heard a few say that I look exactly the same, and its sort of true, however Alexis and Linds have changed sooo much! I think it’s the baby face that still has stayed strong with me! I love it! Yeah Mom, thank you insanely a lot I didn’t have patience this time I've basically scarfed all the candy already. And the brones and cake will be made soon I can tell you that! It be good to share with the members no? That’s what I was thinkin.

                Well now I am just ramblin´sorry I didn’t have much to say this week but I'm SUPER excited for this week! Easter Week is one of my fav. week, if not my fav. because I can remember Him more and remember MYSELF to always REMEMBER HIM! :) Super excited for conference, wow its already come wish us luck I hope we can get at least a few investigators or converts to come! Its gonna be a good one this week! :) WISCONSIN is slayin! Love the Jazz pic mom and dad ;) Im glad you had a good bday, its was an ok letter by the way sorry...Linds I LOVE THE PICS! Thanks for writin me totes, send you some goods next week! LOVE YOU ALL TOO MUCH! Have a fab easter week, because He lives we will! :)

Les amo, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

Watch out--here comes the paint!

Painting Warriors!  Service project with Elder Aruajo--March 2015

Handsome Boy!!

Traditional shirt & pants burning at the 1 1/2 year mark!!

Whose got game?

Jedi training!  Bella Italia March 2015

Watch out for the Dark One!

Capilla Abierta

Bum Bum Bum Bum...... (78th email)

Well hello there!

Wow really its been an amazing week here! :) I wont say that too much has happened but I just felt good, loved, and happier than ever this week. Cheesy moment ends now! But really its been an awesome week, I think it was better because we tried even harder to complete the goals we had as a companionship and as a zone! Which the majority of those goals was to work with the members more, to bring ´em out on lessons and visit and strengthen the members (I think that was my fav. part of the week, I love the members here! :))

Anyways the news you´ll been waiting for, yeah maybe not but anyways it aint too big but I AM......................................................staying!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN BELLA ITALIA with Elder Araujo for at least one more change and I cant tell you how excited I am! But really like more excited than ever before because I feel like the Lord has more stuff for me to change and do here! Well obviously thats it, if I am staying but it was just a confirmation and as you can tell I am very excited to stay! Many people say they didnt like Bella Italia that much, but I disagree its BELLA! And not quite Italia but still amazing! Anyways I sound like a 2nd grader. Also because my comp. and I just recently started up this new plan thats going to help us soo much I hope!

Ok so next probably one of the most special moments in the mission yet happened this week! :) We were in a charla with Sebastian and M on Friday, it was a great charla, Sebastian is still helpin us teach her then it was time for us to go. I asked Sebastian to say the prayer, and being a stud he willingly said it, but he didnt just say it he SAID it from his heart! I felt the sincerity of his heart when he said it. Do you want to know why? Because one of the things he said hit me sooo hard, he said at the end of the prayer: (translated into English obvi) ¨please bless the missionaries, so they can continue teaching me so that I will be able to go on a mission someday!¨ I think I shed a little tear when I heard him say that, ahh I will never forget those exact words! :) He is a special lil guy, so grateful to know him. :) Thanks for all the prayers for him and his fam. they have been answered! :)

Other than that we started teaching an old investigator fam. recently. Well sort of, the dad has been going to this ward for like 5mths. now, he hasn't been baptized yet because he is waiting to get married. So recently we started to teach him and his whole family again!! :) They all came to church this week, same with a friend of his and her children! Once they get married, they will all get baptized so we´ll be prayin hard for them this week! :) His name is L!

1 Nephi 1:1 really hit me this week, a Hermana from the ward shared it with us in her talk on Sunday, it really hit me how good of an attitude Nephi had. Acknowledging that he had many afflictions and trials in his life, he said he was favored and blessed by the Lord. Wow he is an example to me! :) Might be my new goal this change, to be more grateful and to do what you challenged me to do Dad. I still havent done it, mainly because I dont want to face the fact that I only have 6mths. left! 

Anyways I love you ALL TOO MUCH! Im glad you went to the Jazz game together with the Irvines this week!! Sad for BYU, amazing for WISCONSIN! WOOT! Love ya´ll thank for the talk Dad, Alexis I'll get to ya dont worry! Paz!

Les amo, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

sorry no pics this week I cant figure it out on this crap computer! sorry

BUENAS!!! (77th email)

Montevideo Uruguay Temple Trip March 2015

Some Elders from the Zone & Sister Cook after going to the Montevideo Uruguay Temple

Opa Fam!

                Tis another week has gone by in a far off land! To be honest its been such a fabulous-hard week its been pretty bitter sweet but more sweet than anything!

                The work here has been a little tough, no excuses of course but the weeks are usually a little rougher after a baptism but its alright! We´ve been teaching Sebastian´s sister, M this week a lot! She wants to get baptized but is super young and learns very slow, but she learns! We will have to see what happens, we´ve put a lot of thought and prayers into her and what we´ve been thinking is we gotta focus on the entire family more! The parents are being super tough right now, even with the members! Its been hard for us to know what to do, because we want to help them but they hardly want anything to do with us. So can you please keep them in your prayers this week, thanks! J However Sebastian is killing it, he helps us teach M, goes to Seminary on his own and gets along with the youth here! J

                Wow random crazy time fly-bys thought next week is changes, so you wont be getting an email from me Monday as usual. But changes is already here!!!!! I know I always say this but I think this change has gone by the fastest honestly! I cant believe it. But what I can believe is I am probably staying here in Bella Italia with Elder Araujo for at least one more change! J Luckily, unless something insanely crazy happens but I don’t think so! There will be a lot of changes to the zone im thinking…

                Oh yeah the goods of the goods, as I told last week as well, we went to the temple this week oh boy was it oh oh oh glorious! JJ BEST TEMPLE TRIP EVER! JJ BECAUSE the names got to me in time! Woot! So lucky, I knew the Lord needed my comp. and I to do those names! Mom / Dad it was an experience without words to give it justice! We first met in the chapel to hear a few words from Pres. Cook! He talked about what it meant to be endowed with power from on high. J Then he went to go do interviews with everyone of us, we split into 2 groups, our group stayed with the Asistants and Pres. Cook while the other group went to the temple! The Asistants taught us some good and very important things about the Area Book, the interview with Pres. Cook was amazing as usual! J I always feel the Spirit super strong with that man, and everytime he sees me he starts singing ¨the holly and the ivy¨ song haha I think just like you dad! He´s a great man of God. J After my interview we watched for the 1st time ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Meet the Mormons!!!!! In Spanish...WHOOOOOO!! Finally, didnt get to quite see all of it but it was SOOO amazing and hilarious in the beginning! I gotta admit the missionary part made me think about home a bit, but it was amazing to see good ole Utah again! Im sure its been a great missionary tool! After that we ate lunch, went to the Distribution Center to get some spiritual goods, got some stuff for Sebastian as well!! THEN we finally made it to the temple. The best part of it all was basically doing it all!! Our whole group got to do just about all the ordinances, baptism, confirmation, initiatory, and endowment! So that means all thats left for Henry and Arthur is the sealings! :):) It was such an amazing experience if I havent said that like 50 times already! I got to baptize my comp. for Arthur and he did the same for me! The whole time I felt Henry was right there with me! And at the end of it all I knew he was sooo happy I was there for him, I literally felt him right there next to me giving me a giant hug! Ahhh it was the best experience ever! Thank you so so so so so so so so so so so so much for sending those names, its so different when you do it for a relative. Quick question do you want me to send those back to you guys? Or do you just want me to hold on to them until Im back? But yeah that was basically it, quite the unforgettable feeling and experience. Oh yeah on the way home as well, I almost threw up coming home on the bus because it was so packed. Ive changed a lot in the mission but my car sickness sure hasnt! Ha but im alright it was a day of feeling the best and the worst but it was sooo worth it! Ha

Thats super awesome to hear all about all those little guys goin on mission now! And even better they are going SudaAMERICA!! :) Da best! Wow what a Sports week, looks like it gonna be a good one! I congratulate you dad for sitting back and watchin a few games! ;) Anyways thats all I got for the week, thanks for St. Patty´s wishes I completely forgot to be honest with ya´all I love you all TOO MUCH! Have a fab week and dont get too mad this week ;)

Les amo, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

BAPTISM! SEBAS! woot! (76th email)

BUENAS!!!

                Hola fam. What another great week in Uruguay was!! Saturday was a marvelous day, everything went great to be honest there is usually lots of opposition where this is a baptism. Not saying there hasnt been any but it went better than planned lets just say that!! Yep, my comp. E´ Araujo baptized the Little kid I confirmed him :). It was a great service, lots of members came, his Mom (who is a member) came as well as his Little sister M (yes it means miracles in english!) So that was super exciting!! Its good to see the support from everyone, especially from the Young Men! Because he needs it, but luckily he has already enlisted himself into Seminary and comin´to mutual every week already!! :) He is such an amazing kid, the Lord has prepared him super well and I am so grateful to be here to witness that! We are hoping to see a lot more success with the rest of his family. We are trying to get the Ward involved with the whole family, because as I have said before the parents are members and there are a few members that already know them like the bishop. Sooo yeah this family is gonna be a big work in progress but excited to help them realize the blessings they are missing! A part of the work are Sebastians siblings, he´s got like 8 of them and only a few have been baptized. M is one of them, she wants to get baptized, and she went to church yesterday, she loved it too! We just gotta teach slow and simple because things dont stick as much with her because she´s young. She´s adorable though, acts just like you Alexis is hilarious! The other day she was crawling around meowing like you used to do, I couldnt believe how much it reminded me of you! ;) Love ya!

                Tomorrow is going to be amazing, I am so excited, I miss the temple sooo much! So far the names havent arrived to me yet but Im going to check today, Im praying for them!! We will also be having interviews with Pres. Cook too so that´s a blessing as well!

                Quick update I guess, I am doing super good, I love being a missionary even though I´m weak and I struggle a lot even with the language still I know if I remain humble to what the Lord wants me to achieve here in Bella Italia! Something that I studied this week because recently I started to read Doctrine and Covenants and its really a Marvellous Work and a Wonder! I love reading it, last week I stumbled upon the answer I have been looking for awhile now and I have never looked back since. Its was in D&C 6: 21-24 where the Lord is talking to Oliver Cowdrey about translating the BofM. It says: 

21 Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am the same that came unto mine own, and mine own received me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehendth it not.

 22 Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a furtherwitness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning thetruth of these things 23 Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God?24 And now, behold, you have received a witness; for if I have told you things which no man knoweth have you not received a witness?

Yeah anyways I hope this isnt boring for you guys, but this scripture really got to me. It made me remember all the times when I felt the Spirit, when my testimony has increased and how I cant doubt that what I am doing out here in Uruguay is what the Lord wants me to do, and where I am is where he needs me to be :) Jesus Christ, is the Son of God and I have this priviledge to represent Him! :) I love being a missionary! 

Other than that I cant remember what happened this week, the baptism was the big highlight of the week. To answer a few questions you guys lost a hour of sleep?!?! We gained a hour of sleep this past weekend!!! Ohhh it was heavenly, it was a miracle to wake up and feel super rested!!! :) Thanks for the package Momma, you are always on the ball! Keep it up with the Sports updates I LOVE them! Ummm yeah good luck witht the snow lumps, and wish me luck with the incredible heat coming this week!! AH! Oh well I LOVE YOU GUYS TOO MUCH have a glorious week, and watch some March Madness for me! Chau!

Sebastian Baptism day in Bella Italia--March 7, 2015

Sebastian and his Mom & sister on his baptism day!  Elder Aruajo baptized him.  Elder Ivie confirmed

Les amo, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

Chau pday (75th email)

Buen Dia Buen Dia Lovely Fam!

                Here we meet again, the weeks seem like days its freaking me out! Trunky momento I realized this week the hermanas that came here with me to Uruguay are going home this change……yeah we are done.

                I hope all is well over there in Tierra Alta! Everyone keeps telling me how the States is suffering with all the snow. But they tell me that is whats happening in New York. However more important than anything I hope this email finds you all just fabulous! Because I feel that way, love being a missionary!

                Alright sooo good news this week, S went to church yesterday!!!! So he will be getting baptized this week!!! :):):) On Saturday at 7:00pm be there! But yeah its quite amazing that we found him and he has progressed so fast! Thanks for all the prayers, he is one amazing kid! Unfortunately his little sister didnt come to church with him because she slept in and she didnt want to get up. She wanted to go to primary she told us but just slept in!

:( However its alright we will work with her more, we need a lot more time to teach her! Shes is adorable though hopefully I'll get a picture of her this week and you will see. 

Oh yeah this past Wednesday we had a Multi-Zone Conference in the BIG HOUSE (Malvin) haha I always say that but I miss that place so much it was a blast. But still I love Bella Italia! :) Ummm anyways it was awesome like 4 zones came to hear the words of the Cooks, and of course Elder Viñas!! Wow it was amazing and so inspiring in so many ways.  Recently me and my comp. have been thinking of different ways to work in our area. Not just different ways but more effect ways, and going into the conference I was hoping to get a little revelation on how we should a approach it and boy was it given. Its going to take awhile be he really talked about how to establish Zion which involves strengthening the recent converts especially those that have the priesthood! :) He shared with us Moroni 6, I think it's about when Moroni talks about this exact topic! He challenged us to start with the recent converts and follow the new initiative that we are doing! Sorry its kind of hard to explain but it was really an inspired conference like always! And we got to eat lots of bean burritos after hahaha! I miss those sooo much! 

Alright that basically was my week, I cant remember of anything else but I just want to make sure you guys know that I LOVE YOU TOO MUCH! Please don't freeze, just let it go thats all I have to say. Have a fab. week fam! Good to hear from ya

Les amo, Elder Tyler Scott Ivie

Second time camping in backyard -- Bella Italia March '15

Elder Ivie has always loved fire!!

Elder Araujo camping in backyard!

Beautiful day in Bella Italia!!  March '15

What do you see when you turn on your lights...?

A tarantula!!!  Ahhhhh...GOOOOOODNIGHT!