El Libro de Mormón: Otro Testamento de Jesucristo ~ July 30,2016

¡Buenas tardes!

So this week has been pretty crazy getting ready for all the new transfers and the new missionaries coming in from the CCM. I have been getting lots of things ready for the new ones like pillows, bed sheets, mosquito repellent, hand sanitizer, etc. It´s been pretty awesome. There have also been quite a bit of sick missionaries this week that have gone to the clinic. So I´ve been working on that as well.

Apart from that we have had quite a bit of new changes here in the office. First thing, the Assistants won’t be here in the office with us anymore. They will be in an area called “La Playa” (The Beach). Right now there are 4 assistants, Elder Miller (who goes home on Tuesday), Elder Muñoz (who came to the office the same time as me), Elder Permenter (new as of a few weeks), and Elder Piedra (the old financial secretary). President will have 3 assistants after so he can have one accompany him to visit different areas and then have two assistants in their area working all the time. It will be a big and interesting change. The next thing, there will be sister missionaries coming to the apartment where the assistants lived to work in their previous area AND in our area. Our area will now be changed to half of the area of the Records secretary and the Executive secretary. We will now have half and they will have the other half. Our new area is called Modelo (Model). It will be interesting to see how all the changes go. Here in our district it will only be us the secretaries and the new sisters. It will be the first time having sister missionaries in my district and in my zone for that matter. Sister Gallego is sure happy about the change haha.

Well, so last week I finished the Book of Mormon again but in Spanish and it was a great accomplishment and cool experience. I have since started again and was reading since the introducción and the testimonies and something that has really been calling out my attención is all the sacrifices that Joseph Smith had to go through to be able to bring to light the Book of Mormon. I would like to share an excerpt from a quote that Elder Holland shared of the Book of Mormon:

“No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.”

I know the Book of Mormon is true and is the KEY of our religion. There is no doubt. It testifies of Christ and of His love towards all of our Father´s children. It contains a power that can calm spirits, heal wounded souls, and inspire the minds of whosoever that read it. There is also a part from Preach My Gospel that called my attention that says: “In the final judgement, what will you say to Nephi and Moroni about how you have used the Book of Mormon?” I invite you all that you may read, ponder, and reread the words that are written in this book. It is true, and it will change your life.

​¡Hasta lueguito​ !

Love,
~Élder Tyler Hales~




ÉLDER HALES


Secretario de Salud


Misión Colombia Barranquilla

P.S.
Thank you! ;) I have been getting a bit better I think at drawing people. The Nefi isn't turning out as well as I was wanting (the face) but oh well! :) Hey that's awesome about the shaver though! I will be so excited to get it !

I think the package will get here Monday or Tuesday if it has already arrived in Bogotá. I hope. ;)
What else was I going to say?.... I can't remember. I will write it when I remember. I'm going to write Matt real quick. Tell Dad hi as well and that I love him so very much! That he is the awesomest THORmas ever! ;)

Well, the time has arrived again.... I love you all so much! Sorry I haven't written back to all your comments and questions. I will try to write more personally to you Mommoo next time. Love you so much!

Hasta lueguito!

The Week That Follows ~ July 23, 2016

¡Hola a todos!

Well this week has been great! Not really a whole lot to say haha. President has been out with Elder Carreon (one of my companions, the one from Mexico) in Valledupar (one of the zones of the mission) doing the Zone conferences and checking all the missionaries' houses. I've been here with Elder Pucha (my other companion) working and visiting the people and such.

Well... yeah! Everything is good here! Haha, I'm not really sure what to say. Nothing has changed. Well actually something awesome is that one of our investigators is going to have her baptismal interview today with our zone leaders! It's another investigator with whom I haven't really been a part of the teaching very much, but my companions have been teaching her for some time.

Today we ate Burger King! :) That was delicious!... Then we were going to watch a movie (Big Hero 6) but I said no because the elders wanted to watch it from the internet, because they didn't buy it in the mall today, so they got a little upset with me. But it was the right thing.
What else?... Ah my cover for my missionary planner and my wallet arrived from the brother in Bogota that does custom leather covers for scriptures and such! I'll send fotos. And well I think that is it!

I love you all! I know that exact obedience brings miracles!

Stand for the Right, even when you stand Alone!

Hasta lueguito! :)

¡Paz fuera!

Love,
~Élder Tyler Hales~

P.S.
So really strange and sad thing..... a lot of my things are disappearing and I don't know if someone is stealing them or if they are just getting lost somehow... my captain america shirt with the shield is missing... my purple swiss knife is missing...​ the mission seal logo thingie that Sister Searle gave us is missing.... my ipod charger.... what else? Oh! Even my study journal!! I really have no idea what is happening! None of the missionaries here know where my stuff is (or at least say that) and I don't know what to do. I'm going to have to write my name on every single tiny little thing! Down to my pencil and scripture marker and usbs...

Sorry, I don't mean to share all the frusterating things with you Mommoo. you are just the only one that I think understands.... I am a bit sad but oh well! Hay que seguir! - as we say here. It means - we have to keep going! It's a phrase that we always say here in the office because it was something President Searle always said. He always said "Bueno... Hay que seguir! Hay que trabajar!" Haha. I'm so glad you got to see them on Sunday! I actually recognize a few of the missionaries in the fotos from pictures I have seen here. One of them was Elder Krandall, another Elder Urresta... and yeah that's pretty much it haha. But that was fun to see the pictures of them and their house. They are the sweetest people.

Well, let's see here.... Sorry for not writing much in my weekly letter today.... :/ My head hurts really bad and right now I don't know why but I just don't feel in the mood.... it's strange... But oh well. Oh thanks for the music! I had some troubles with The Prayer... every time I tried to download it and play it in itunes it only played until 53 seconds... but i finally got it to download correctly and I listened to it :) You are the bestest Mommoo ever! :)

Well, I'm here for 15 more minutes if you have questions or comments or something! :) Love you so much! Say hi to everyone!!!

El Pan ~ July 16, 2016

 President Kent and Sister Marilyn Searle's Homecoming

Bueno, I´m not sure why I put "el pan" as the title... but oh well. I am running out of things to call my letters, and that frase is something the people selling bread say in the street...... ANYWAYS......

SO everything has been going great here in the great city of Barranquilla. I am enjoying it. The food here in the office is great. Playing soccer in the mornings. Visiting the people. My companions and the missionaries here in the office. Todo. ¡Todo es incredíble! (that means - Everything is awesome - from the Lego movie in Spanish) ;) haha. We watched that a couple weeks ago and I think I was the only one that liked it....

So we had a baptism this last week! His name is Stiven. I haven't really been the one teaching him, it has been my other companions, Elder Piedra, and well my current companion Elder Carreon. Nevertheless it was a neat experience for everyone.

What else has happened? Well everything with President is going super awesome! Actually this Tuesday we had our first Zone conference with him and it was super legit! We talked about the best talk ever! Becoming a Preach My Gospel Missionary!! OH it is so legit! Tell dad to tell everyone in the ward to read it because it is so legit! In the Zone Conference we talked about the need of having faith, diligence, and attention, as Nefi had in the work of the Lord. And if we have those things we will baptize CONVERTS every week. It was awesome.

Also in the Zone Conferences President interviewed all the missionaries and introduced them to his family and we had to bring a foto of our families to introduce them to him and his family. And I will just say that my interview was very touching. President and his wife expressed their gratitude for my service in the office and in taking care of the missionaries' health. We all got a bit teary eyed and well yeah... it was legit. :)

So I think that is about all that has happened this week! Thank you to everyone for all you have done! I love the mission and can't believe that I am now just under a year out here in this amazing place!

Foto (Stiven is the one with my white tie)
¡Paz fuera!

Love,
~Élder Tyler Hales~


P.S.My ipod plays any type. It's just the dvd players that play our usbs in the field don't read M4As. M4A and Mp3 are fine. send either type. :)Thank you for the usb chord!! does it have the outlet block thingie too? :)

(Mom suggested drawing a picture of the Savior, or something gospel related, for the missionaries Elder Tyler takes to doctor appointments.)
And I thought about that as well and I thought that was a pretty awesome idea! The only problem is that all of the clinics that we go to are withing 10 minutes of here in the office... and most of the missionaries don't have their problems longer than a few days. But I will be thinking about how to do something cool like that! Maybe like a cool and inspiring little quick sketch. thank you for the idea! I have been wanting to draw more.

Oh I have also been waiting for the package and I think it shouldve arrived by now because some packages from the US that were sent a day or two after you guys sent mine have been arriving. So probably in these next few days it should arrive :D! I'm excited because I don't know how much longer I can stand a real razor blade... :P haha. My neck gets a little irritated some times because I have to shave upwards to get the cut short... even with a new blade.... But oh well. :)

Normally the time in the office is like 6 or more months so I will be here until like november I think. But it was just really spiritual and sincere. He expressed his gratitude for my work and he got teary eyed and I thanked them and I got teary eyed. The meeting was really super short like 2 minutes, but it was awesome!

Haha that's funny about Matt and Bryce, and you. ;) The office is hard work. I've never been so stressed, but it has been such an amazing learning experience in being able to forget myself. And well whatever the Lord's will will happen with me haha. ;) I really enjoy working with President. Oh and I think that would be awesome if you guys went to meet President and Sister Searle! They are the sweetest people ever! I love them! Send me pictures! haha.

Well I gotta go again.... Tell everyone I love them!!! Keep on keeping on!! Be safe! And stay focused on the work! Help Bryce get married too! ;)

ÉLDER HALES

Secretario de Salud

Misión Colombia Barranquilla

He Took Our Licking For Us ~ July 9, 2016

Hola everyone! How's everyone all doing?

So this week has been súper!!! The new president President Gallego is awesome and all his wonderful family. They had us over on Monday for family night and Independence day (for U.S.A. not Colombia ;) ) It was awesome. Now President and his family and my companion, the housing secretary, are in Cartagena visiting all the houses of the missionaries.

So this week there haven't been very many sick missionaries. Which is great! It has been a little more tranquilo for me here in the office. I've mainly been working with the references from the church headquarters and sending them to the missionaries in their respective areas. It's actually been fun to check all the directions and figure out in which proseliting areas they go and everything, and calling the references and seeing if they still want to listen to the missionaries. Sometimes they don't believe me that I'm a missionary and that I'm trying to scam them, so that's been interesting... haha. but yeah that's practically what I've been doing this week!

Anyways, so just today I was reading a legit talk by James E. Faust about the Atonement, “The Atonement: Our Greatest Hope.” It’s so awesome. It talks about the story Pres. Hinckley told about the big boy taking the licking for the boy that stole his lunch. There’s a part there that was so awesome that the little boy says.

The story says, “After five strokes across Tom’s back, the rod broke. The class was sobbing. ‘Little Jim had reached up and caught Tom with both arms around his neck. “Tom, I’m sorry that I stole your lunch, but I was awful hungry. Tom, I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”

By our wrong actions we cause pain for our Father in Heaven and our Savior the Christ. Sometimes we take for granted what he truly has given us. He gave us life eternal. He gave us peace and joy. But we can only receive it if we accept Him. If we reach out to Him and cry: “I will love you till I die for taking my licking for me! Yes, I will love you forever!”

I know that Jesus the Christ lives! He is our Savior. Without Him we would all be lost. With Him we are all found and brought into His loving presence to taste of that never-ending happiness. I know that the families are eternal thanks to Him. May we all remember to give ourselves that rallying cry when we feel we cannot go on in our responsibilities: “Remember Him!”

Until the next time.

“The price of [life eternal] is high, but that’s a price I’m willing to pay.” – Well-known


¡Paz fuera!

Love,
~Élder Tyler Hales~

ÉLDER HALES

Secretario de Salud

Misión Colombia Barranquilla





​Fotos: Me with Elder Pucha (left) Elder Piedra (middle) --> Financial secretaries, and myself (right) ​

​Iron Man shirt that I got today :D​

P.S.

Hola!!! I'm doing great and President is as well! Yeah he is super young! But he's really awesome.
Hey that's cool about Boyd's grandson! We actually have a baptism for our area tonight as well!
Ok sounds good. So i'll ask you few quick things here... So I don't know if someone stole my ipod charger or it got lost in I have no idea where, so I was wondering if it would be possible to send a cheap Ipod shuffle charger here. The charger/usb thing with the white cube. i don't know. I will keep looking but I haven't been able to find it this whole week and it is always in the same spot on my desk here in the office but it has disappeared...
Also thank you so much for all the music!! It is so awesome! Do you think you could upload the Prayer by Josh Groban and I don't remember and also You Raise me Up? Oh and also if you could maybe find Hallelujah the original and also by Lindsey Stirling? :) :) Sorry haha. I was just excited when I saw that! Only problem... I can't put them on my ipod yet.... just my usb... but oh well...
Thank you for everything! You're the very bestest mommy ever!!! Love you!

New President ~ July 2, 2016

Buenas to todos!


Wow! So these past few weeks have been SUPER crazy! de verdad! I will be honest... I don't think I have ever been more stressed in my life. Like you said mom, being health secretary has been very taxing.... but that is no excuse to not fulfill what the Lord has called me to do. I know what the Lord has commanded me to do "and I must obey." (last verse of second Nefi)


So yeah, things really have been quite stressful here. First preparing for President Searle to leave and for President Gallego to come, and all that while taking care of 180 missionaries' health. It has been an adventure!
So President left this last Tuesday, and amidst of all the running around and cleaning up things for the new president I had a few medical appointments to go to with some missionaries. In the morning President and Sister Searle gave a last little meeting with all of us here in the office... and well... we all cried. President and Sister Searle then went to the airport to get President and Sister Gallego and to take them and introduce them to the mission home and to pass on the mantle of mission President. Then they were all going to come back to the office and President and Sister Searle were going to introduce the Gallegos to us in the office... but, unfortunately... I was in a medical appointment... and I and Elder Pucha (the new financial secretary) missed the last goodbye of President and Sister Searle.... :'( Honestly, I was a little frusterated and upset with the missionary that had the appointment for me not being able to be there in the office. But the past is in the past. So anyways, I got to the office and met Pres. and Sis. Gallego! Pres. Gallego remembered me from the CCM because he was like one of the executives there when I was there. So we were all there sad, and excited, and I - frusterated and sad and excited and stressed, but en fin, it all turned out pretty good.


So the first real night with P. and S. Gallego, they invited us for a birthday dinner at the mission home for their daughter Camila. Just so you all know, P. and S. Gallego are very young. They are 43 years old and have two kids, one boy 17, and daughter 15. The dinner was excellent, we had lasagna, and well being here with the new president and sister has been a great experience so far. Even though it has been super stressful especially for me concerning my health responsibilities, it has been cool to hear some of the things that President is planning to do to help the mission and all of Barranquilla prepare for the temple!


So yeah, that's pretty much all that's been happening. We have been playing soccer in the mornings with Pres.'s son, Sebastian. Oh yeah, I think I have forgotten to tell you guys that we play soccer almost every morning because we have a few little soccer fields, even an outdoor sinthetic one, near the office. So that has been fun. But lately I haven't been feeling to great with some sinus pressure... once again... probably from the stress and air conditioning in our apartment, so I haven't been able to play up to my best lately.


P.S.
We went to a different mall today, Villa Country, and I found this totally legit CAPTAIN AMERICA shirt! Oh it's legit!


P.P.S.
Oh!!! Tell Jesse I am so super excited for him to go to Puerto Rico! Spanish!!! :D Tell him I love him and wish him the best! and to study Preach My Gospel a lot in these next months!!


Well, I love you all! Until the next time...

¡Paz fuera!

Love,
~Élder Tyler Hales~

ÉLDER HALES

Secretario de Salud

Misión Colombia Barranquilla


I am still not used to that stuff. (in regards to a photo of mom's broken toe) I never watch in the medical visits where they have to do blood tests or anything. We just had a sister get an operation on a hernia! I wasn't there, but when we brought her to the clinic, OH the smell made me a little dizzy and sick....


Tell Emma and Gracie sorry. Tell them I love them so much!!!! Have fun at book club! Adios!!!