Elder Tyler Lunt's Mission Site
Loving life at the CTM
Date: July 08, 2008Area: Brazil CTM
Companion: Elder Campbell
Mom and Family!! And Friends!!
Oh man, I LOVE this part of the week! All week, as I do everything, I wish, “Man, I really wish everyone could see me right now!” Or, “Ah I can´t wait to tell everyone about this!” And this is when I get to, and I love it!
Oh, mom, before I start, yes I have scriptures! I´m so sorry I keep forgetting to answer that one! I got them my first time at the Campinas distribution center. It was expensive, like 60 real´s (Heyeis- pronunciation) which is like 45 dollars for everything- case included. I have really found things I like about having new scriptures! And besides, i´ll be moving to Portuguese ones after a while anyway!
Ah! Ok, so about my week! The highlight was definitely Friday. I had mentioned that we got to go proselyting, but didn´t really talk about how big, and exciting, and scary that would actually be! Oh man, it was amazing. We had been preparing all week- working on our approaches, what we would say, and really praying hard that we would have the courage to do it. Sunday night at district meeting we talked about fear, and how it holds us back. Luckily, I had plenty to talk about! haha! And we decided that every single prayer that we all said, we would pray that we wouldn´t be afraid to talk to everyone, and anyone. So Friday came along, and we were all SO excited! It was so cool, I haven´t felt so pumped up in a really long time. Probably since throwing doughnuts at cars and getting arres... in trouble. I really wanted you to be able to see! Or at least hear, so I decided to take my tape recorder, and I put it in my suit jacket!! We all piled in a van (My district) and set out for the middle of Săo Paulo. We all just sat in silence and watched outside at the city, waiting for when we would stop, and get out, and just go! So we finally came to this grocery store, and piled out, and each missionary got 2 Books of Mormon and a bunch of pass- along cards, and our teacher said, “Ok Elders, you know what to do, this is it!” And we all just smiled, high-fived, wished each other good luck, and set off down the avenue! It was amazing- I wasn´t afraid at all. Later I found out that the others weren´t either. Another testimony builder that God truly hears and answers our prayers. (Especially if we bug him more than 12 times a day). I have a lot on tape, but we basically just went up to people, walked with them, sat and talked with them, knelt with them, or whatever else they were doing- with them. The feeling is indescribable. Put yourself in my shoes- “Hi! How are you today? I´m Elder Lunt, this is my companion- Elder Campbell. We´re missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and we have a very special message that we´d like to share with you.” Oh man I just got teary- And then we would proceed to tell these people that we have a Heavenly Father, and that He loves us. Telling someone you´ve never talked to about the most precious thing in your life is such án amazing experience.
Those of you who listen [to the tape], don´t make fun of my Portuguese! Because they always say something back, and I have to say “Uh...uh....” About fifty times, haha, but I can still say what I need to! We had such cool experiences. There was one man leaning against the wall with his cane, just standing. We went up and talked to him, and I bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon, and from the moment we talked about God loving HIM, he didn´t stop smiling. I told him we had a Book of Mormon for him as a gift, and asked if he would like it, and he took it so thankfully. We sat with three homeless people and told them the same things, and showed them all the pictures of the prophets and everything that are inside the Book, and they were so happy. Gosh, I wish I could describe the feeling of knowing that you have just made someone so much happier than a few minutes before. And you can tell, the Spirit is there so strong when you know that they are interested, and you can just feel this... bond with them. Towards the end, Elder Campbell and I had one more Book of Mormon, and he said that he wanted to give this one to a family. We saw and stopped a few families, but they waved us off and weren´t intersted. We decided to keep trying, and at a cross-walk, up came this older woman with her younger daughter at her arm. She was coming as fast as she could, smiling SO big! She tapped me on the shoulder, and held out a pass-along card that one of our elders had given her, and was talking and pointing at a million miles per hour. At the end, I caught her saying, “Where can I get this Book??” I told her that we had one for her, and she was so happy, and asked us how much it was because she really wanted to buy it. We told her it was free and she was shocked! She took the Book so thankfully, and we watched her walk off, open it, and walk away without taking her eyes off of it. Me and Elder Campbell looked at each other, totally shocked! Ah, it was so cool. People here are so ready for this gospel I think.
The rest of that day was great! We got back, and the CTM was decorated for the 4th, and we had Ice Cream and American Burgers for lunch! (At least the Brazilian´s best attempt at both) and it was so good! It was my favorite 4th yet. Sunday was great too! It was fast Sunday, and they don´t serve dinner the night before, or breakfast. I fasted for my friend Adam- you´ll have to ask about him mom. Ah... Anyway, it has never been easier to fast, and it was such án awesome day. Sacrament meeting was so good! I got up and bore my Testimony, for one of the last times in English for a while! I talked about how my Testimony, and love for so many things has increased so much during my time as a missionary, especially my Testimony that Heavenly Father truly truly knows us personally. (Alma 26:31) I was up there, and was unexpectedly hit by the spirit, and started to cry. I didn´t expect it, and I looked up and everyone else was crying, and at that point no one could stop. The big strong missionaries were at it again! Haha. It was another amazing, awesome, incredible week!
I don´t have much more time though! Ah! NO! I wish I could keep talking! But I´ve got to get going! Dang! Man, I love it here. One month!! That´s awesome!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH!! I have learned so much from the scriptures this week- even that Leah is worth 1/8 measure of Barley. (Alma 11:17). But ah.... I can feel my personality and sense of humor slowly slipping away... NOT! I´m the exact same person! Just better! Haha!
I love you all so much!! I hope you know that! David, Leah, Mom, Dad, everyone. I hope and pray that you can feel that every day. THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything that you do. Everyone.- Everyone- I can feel your love and support SO much, and I have to say thank you. For the letters, prayers, I don´t know how to thank you! I hope you know how much I love you ALL!
Oh, mom, did Anna get my letters??? I´ve written her two! I sent one to our house! But she hasn´t gotten one and I feel so bad! You have to tell her Asap! Ok, I´ve got to go!! I love you!!
P.S. I got sick yesterday! Everyone is sick. My throat kills and it´s that nasty awful thing that I just barely had. Bleh! I wish I had some vitamins to take or something.... Ok, BYE!!!! [Ok...Mom Lunt here...for those of you reading this letter from Tyler, right here he is pulling his mom's chain-haha! I lovingly nag him in every letter to make sure he's taking his vitamins--when we went to Missionary Mall, his Nana and Papa Lunt bought him the most gigantic bottle of vitamins you've ever seen!]
P.P.S. I´m sending Leah a birthday message, and then next week I´m sending that paper that I email today along with the tape and stuff! Ok, love you! Bye! Thank you!!!!
Oh man, I LOVE this part of the week! All week, as I do everything, I wish, “Man, I really wish everyone could see me right now!” Or, “Ah I can´t wait to tell everyone about this!” And this is when I get to, and I love it!
Oh, mom, before I start, yes I have scriptures! I´m so sorry I keep forgetting to answer that one! I got them my first time at the Campinas distribution center. It was expensive, like 60 real´s (Heyeis- pronunciation) which is like 45 dollars for everything- case included. I have really found things I like about having new scriptures! And besides, i´ll be moving to Portuguese ones after a while anyway!
Ah! Ok, so about my week! The highlight was definitely Friday. I had mentioned that we got to go proselyting, but didn´t really talk about how big, and exciting, and scary that would actually be! Oh man, it was amazing. We had been preparing all week- working on our approaches, what we would say, and really praying hard that we would have the courage to do it. Sunday night at district meeting we talked about fear, and how it holds us back. Luckily, I had plenty to talk about! haha! And we decided that every single prayer that we all said, we would pray that we wouldn´t be afraid to talk to everyone, and anyone. So Friday came along, and we were all SO excited! It was so cool, I haven´t felt so pumped up in a really long time. Probably since throwing doughnuts at cars and getting arres... in trouble. I really wanted you to be able to see! Or at least hear, so I decided to take my tape recorder, and I put it in my suit jacket!! We all piled in a van (My district) and set out for the middle of Săo Paulo. We all just sat in silence and watched outside at the city, waiting for when we would stop, and get out, and just go! So we finally came to this grocery store, and piled out, and each missionary got 2 Books of Mormon and a bunch of pass- along cards, and our teacher said, “Ok Elders, you know what to do, this is it!” And we all just smiled, high-fived, wished each other good luck, and set off down the avenue! It was amazing- I wasn´t afraid at all. Later I found out that the others weren´t either. Another testimony builder that God truly hears and answers our prayers. (Especially if we bug him more than 12 times a day). I have a lot on tape, but we basically just went up to people, walked with them, sat and talked with them, knelt with them, or whatever else they were doing- with them. The feeling is indescribable. Put yourself in my shoes- “Hi! How are you today? I´m Elder Lunt, this is my companion- Elder Campbell. We´re missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and we have a very special message that we´d like to share with you.” Oh man I just got teary- And then we would proceed to tell these people that we have a Heavenly Father, and that He loves us. Telling someone you´ve never talked to about the most precious thing in your life is such án amazing experience.
Those of you who listen [to the tape], don´t make fun of my Portuguese! Because they always say something back, and I have to say “Uh...uh....” About fifty times, haha, but I can still say what I need to! We had such cool experiences. There was one man leaning against the wall with his cane, just standing. We went up and talked to him, and I bore my testimony of the Book of Mormon, and from the moment we talked about God loving HIM, he didn´t stop smiling. I told him we had a Book of Mormon for him as a gift, and asked if he would like it, and he took it so thankfully. We sat with three homeless people and told them the same things, and showed them all the pictures of the prophets and everything that are inside the Book, and they were so happy. Gosh, I wish I could describe the feeling of knowing that you have just made someone so much happier than a few minutes before. And you can tell, the Spirit is there so strong when you know that they are interested, and you can just feel this... bond with them. Towards the end, Elder Campbell and I had one more Book of Mormon, and he said that he wanted to give this one to a family. We saw and stopped a few families, but they waved us off and weren´t intersted. We decided to keep trying, and at a cross-walk, up came this older woman with her younger daughter at her arm. She was coming as fast as she could, smiling SO big! She tapped me on the shoulder, and held out a pass-along card that one of our elders had given her, and was talking and pointing at a million miles per hour. At the end, I caught her saying, “Where can I get this Book??” I told her that we had one for her, and she was so happy, and asked us how much it was because she really wanted to buy it. We told her it was free and she was shocked! She took the Book so thankfully, and we watched her walk off, open it, and walk away without taking her eyes off of it. Me and Elder Campbell looked at each other, totally shocked! Ah, it was so cool. People here are so ready for this gospel I think.
The rest of that day was great! We got back, and the CTM was decorated for the 4th, and we had Ice Cream and American Burgers for lunch! (At least the Brazilian´s best attempt at both) and it was so good! It was my favorite 4th yet. Sunday was great too! It was fast Sunday, and they don´t serve dinner the night before, or breakfast. I fasted for my friend Adam- you´ll have to ask about him mom. Ah... Anyway, it has never been easier to fast, and it was such án awesome day. Sacrament meeting was so good! I got up and bore my Testimony, for one of the last times in English for a while! I talked about how my Testimony, and love for so many things has increased so much during my time as a missionary, especially my Testimony that Heavenly Father truly truly knows us personally. (Alma 26:31) I was up there, and was unexpectedly hit by the spirit, and started to cry. I didn´t expect it, and I looked up and everyone else was crying, and at that point no one could stop. The big strong missionaries were at it again! Haha. It was another amazing, awesome, incredible week!
I don´t have much more time though! Ah! NO! I wish I could keep talking! But I´ve got to get going! Dang! Man, I love it here. One month!! That´s awesome!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEAH!! I have learned so much from the scriptures this week- even that Leah is worth 1/8 measure of Barley. (Alma 11:17). But ah.... I can feel my personality and sense of humor slowly slipping away... NOT! I´m the exact same person! Just better! Haha!
I love you all so much!! I hope you know that! David, Leah, Mom, Dad, everyone. I hope and pray that you can feel that every day. THANK YOU SO MUCH for everything that you do. Everyone.- Everyone- I can feel your love and support SO much, and I have to say thank you. For the letters, prayers, I don´t know how to thank you! I hope you know how much I love you ALL!
Oh, mom, did Anna get my letters??? I´ve written her two! I sent one to our house! But she hasn´t gotten one and I feel so bad! You have to tell her Asap! Ok, I´ve got to go!! I love you!!
P.S. I got sick yesterday! Everyone is sick. My throat kills and it´s that nasty awful thing that I just barely had. Bleh! I wish I had some vitamins to take or something.... Ok, BYE!!!! [Ok...Mom Lunt here...for those of you reading this letter from Tyler, right here he is pulling his mom's chain-haha! I lovingly nag him in every letter to make sure he's taking his vitamins--when we went to Missionary Mall, his Nana and Papa Lunt bought him the most gigantic bottle of vitamins you've ever seen!]
P.P.S. I´m sending Leah a birthday message, and then next week I´m sending that paper that I email today along with the tape and stuff! Ok, love you! Bye! Thank you!!!!
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