1 More Son!

Hello everyone! I hope you all had an amazing Christmas! I sure did. It was full of member visits, and lots of food. Good food! I also enjoyed listening to all the testimonies of Christmas that were shared throughout the day. All in all, a Christmas to remember!

Transfers are this Wednesday, and I got a call from president telling us what's happening! I'm training my last 2 transfers! I'm staying in my area, but they're splitting our area. I'll cover the original 2 stakes, North and Northridge, while Elder Meldrum will cover the east and Kays creek stakes with some new companion. So I will have 1 more son, and I'm way excited about it! Couldn't think of a better way to finish my mission.

This week not a whole lot happened. People are busy or out of town. So major updates as far as people we are teaching, goes as follows:

• Ariana is getting baptized on the 12th of January for sure now. Elder Meldrum will perform the ordinance for the first time, and I'll get to confirm her! 
• Had a good lesson with Daniel. Don't think he's gonna get baptized very soon, but he is progressing. 
• A few people dropped us unfortunately, so we are going to start doing a lot more finding this new year so we can see more successes! 
• Abraham is still considering baptism, and we've seen him a few times this week, but haven't had a whole lot of teaching opportunities. 

In other news, Daniel, our investigator, is the Chief Battalion of the Gill Air Force base fire department (don't know if I ever mentioned that) and he took us on base and let us tour some of the jets, and his fire department, and it was seriously the coolest thing I've ever seen. I couldn't take pictures because it's illegal... But I wish I could have. Seeing those jets, airplanes, and firetrucks in person was awesome!

That's all I got this week. I love you all, have a great new years and stay safe!!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

Transgenders and Cocaine

Interesting subject line, huh? Well, it was an interesting week. Buckle up, because most of this email will be about that day! But here's just a few highlights of the week!

So we kind of had a baptism this week! Daniela was baptized and confirmed this weekend and it was so amazing! We've had the privilege of meeting and helping her just a little bit the past couple weeks, but an awesome senior couple in the area has mostly been teaching her, and so this weekend was her Baptism! She's super strong in the gospel and going to be an amazing member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints!

So this week I went on an exchange with elder Millet! For those who don't remember that name, we served near each other in Ogden West for 8 months straight! Anyway, he's my zone leader now and he's the best! So on our exchange, we started knocking on doors and the first door we knock on, a guy answers wearing a short plaid skirt, with obvious fake body parts, and says in a high pitched voice "uhm, unless you missionaries want to come inside, I think you're in the wrong place. I don't want to hear about your church or your mission", and then continued to totally check us out... It was super weird. Anyway, later that day we were at some sketchy apartments and some guy was doing something around his car and we ran up to him to talk to him, and he was shoving white little bags of drugs in his socks... And he instantly saw us and tried to play it off all cool. We asked him if he was from around here and he was like "uhm, no... I'm just uhm, visiting" so we just pretended like we didn't see anything and kept going 😂, it was hilarious. But all in all, we found 3 new investigators that day that seem pretty solid so it was a good day!

We went to Layton Park this week where they have a ton of lights set up and gave out copies of the Book of Mormon and free hot chocolate! It was super fun and super successful!

Ariana is now officially on date to be baptized on the 5th of January! She got interviewed and is ready to go.

That's about all I got! I'm super excited to Skype home tomorrow for the last time on my mission! It will be good. Anyway I hope you all have an amazing Christmas! Love yall!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

Dying Companion

Hello everyone! Hope you all have had an amazing week. I sure did! Not a whole lot happened but I have no complaints. My companion on the other hand.... Well, he threw up like all day on Saturday and so we didn't leave the house. That was fun! I basically just did personal study all day, and watched a lot of church videos, and listened to a lot of general conference talks. He's better now, so it's all good! 

Other news this week, we had a lesson with Abraham and he told us that he's still thinking of getting baptized, and that he wants to know if he should. We encouraged him to pray about it, and he said he will! Him and his family also came to church this week!

Ariana has been sick this week so we haven't met for our last lesson, and she was supposed to get baptized this coming Saturday. We have that lesson tonight, but I bet she's going to want to move that for the next Saturday, but we will see!

I honestly don't have anything else. I need to start taking better notes like I used to, but I've been forgetting every day. I will try to do better for next week. Love you all, talk to you soon!

Photos:

 

1. Got an unplanned birthday cake, balloons have the wrong age  
2. Had a ginger bread house making competition and made the avengers tower
3. Missionary sports are dangerous! 
4. I love dogs
5. I love dogs
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Finding GOLD!

Hey everyone!! Hope the week has been good to all of you. This week was really good for us! My birthday week, so we had to make it good. We did a ton of finding, and we found 14 new people to teach! The mission has been really pressing for at least 1 new potential a day, and we were able to double that this week. We saw so many miracles. I'll talk about a few of the people who are golden!!

So we tracted some of the apartment complexes in our area, and knocked into this family that just moved here from Rwanda. They all speak decent English, but mostly french. There's the mom, 2 sons, and 2 daughters, and they're all 9 and older, so baptism age! The 2 sons, the mom, and the oldest daughter were all soaking in the message of the restoration. Like this is what they've been looking for. So, we have had 2 brief lessons with them and hope to have more this week! Such an amazing family! God is definitely preparing his children for the gospel.

Something else that I almost forgot to mention, Honorine (the mom) asked us why people call us Mormons. After explaining it to her, and expressed how the church's real name is "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" she said something along the lines of "how dare they try to give you a nickname and take Christ's name out of it." we were so amazed by that! Even someone not of our faith, and hasn't really heard of the church, can see that it's all about him, and sometimes we lose sight of that.

I also got to go on an exchange this week with Elder Bean! He came to my area with me and it was a good day. Can't remember what happened but whatever!

With 28 wards, it means lots of christmas parties. So we have have been going to as many as possible to try and meet new people and talk to the non members that come. It was fun!!

That's really all I have this week. I love you all, have a great week!!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

21 Years Old, 21 Months Out

Hey y'all!! This week was nothing special, but this coming week sure is! Tomorrow, I turn 21 years old, and then 4 days later I would have been out for 21 months. It feels like just yesterday I celebrated my 18th birthday at home. They weren't joking when they said every year gets faster! Anyway, I'm blessed to be able to see another year, and this one was the best yet. So thanks in advance for the birthday wishes and the ones I've already received but haven't replied! It means a lot. Here's a few updates from the week:

• I forgot to mention that transfers happened last week, and obviously Elder Meldrum and I stayed together. The catch is, we picked up another 2 stakes (East and Kays Creek) so now we cover 4 stakes, and 28 wards. I'm also the district leader again.... So yay me.
• We had stake conference in the East stake, and the area seventy visiting called up my companion and I to speak. I've never spoke in a stake conference before, let alone on the spot, so that was fun. He asked Elder Meldrum and I to speak on different things. I spoke on how my testimony of the Savior has grown the last 21 months, and the conversion story of the Blundell family! So that was fun.
• Ariana is doing super well and should still be getting baptized on the 22nd!!
• We had a lesson with Timothy and Coraima, and it was one of the best lessons I've ever had. They loved it all and soaked it all in. They want to get baptized!! They're not on date yet, but hopefully this week they will be.
• We probably attended close to 6 ward Christmas parties this week, with tons more to come. If I will ever gain weight again, I think now is the time!

That's really all I have this week. Thank you all for the continued love and support! Have a fantastic week!!

P. S. I realized I took 0 photos this week, so enjoy me looking depressed.

Love,
Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

Food and Football!!

Hey everyone! I hope you all had an amazing Thanksgiving, because I sure did! This week was really a blur, I can remember Thanksgiving pretty well and a few other activities during the week, but other than that I'm clueless. Anyway here's how the week went!

We had I think 1 or 2 lessons with Ariana this week! She's getting more and more excited about baptism every time we see her. Her and her family actually came to church this week too! It was so good to see them there, they're actually really committed to coming back for good, and I am so happy about that.

We had a lesson with Daniel on Tuesday. We have been kinda going out of order with the lessons based on his needs, and so our first lesson with him was on the plan of salvation. This one was on the restoration. He seemed to understand it all and didn't ask too many questions. He's opening up more and more, so that's a good sign. We really hope to have him commit to baptism soon!

On Thanksgiving morning we played football with our recent convert's Dad, Derrick Blundell and his ward. It was super fun! Lots of youth and also dads out there ballin' out. It was pretty competitive, and of course my team won. It was a great game though, and it was freezing cold. Then for our first meal we went and ate with the Blundells! It was so good to share another meal with them, especially on the holiday. They're doing so good and remain active! Joelynn already has a calling as a Sunday school teacher. Our next appointment was with the Jacobsen family in a different ward. Lots of family, friends, and food! It was a good time. Then later that night we went over to our stake presidents house, President Macrum for some pie. Overall really good day! I was reminded how thankful I am for the amazing members that have taken care of me the past 20 months on my mission. I'll never forget that!

Saturday morning we woke up, looked outside, and it was ALL WHITE. It had snowed so much that night I think I cried. I hate snow. I hate cold. Anyway, the main reason I was sad was because at 10am that day we had an Elders vs Youth football game with one of our wards. We thought it'd be canceled, but nope they were playing regardless. So I did something I never thought I'd do, and that's play football in snow! It was actually so fun. I would rather play in snow than without snow actually. I could do without the cold weather though... Anyway, check out the photos below!

That's really all I have this week. It was definitely one I'll remember! I love you all, have an amazing week!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

No Time...

Hey y'all! Time is so short, and I have like no time to send this. So I'm sorry! Here's the highlights:

• I just had to say goodbye to Elder Beckdol and Elder Laurens. Elder Beckdol has been one of my best friends on my entire mission, so to say I'm really sad is an understatement. Check out the last photo of us together as missionaries!
• We found about 5 new people to teach this week and most of them seem really sincere about their interest!
• Asher and Jackie went to the temple, unfortunately we didn't get to go with them but they loved it!
• We had stake conference and Elder Dunn of the seventy came and spoke. We went to the adult session, youth session, and general session to hear him and he is truly amazing! By far some of the best talks I've heard, and a very spiritual servant of the lord!
• Did lots of service this week, and played lots of basketball (for exercise in the morning)
• Found some adorable dogs that look just like my dogs, pepper and Jackson!

I love you all! Sorry again, have a great week!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

20 Months! 😦

Hey everyone! At this point in my mission, my emails have been getting shorter and shorter, and I feel really bad. So I was super determined to take good notes this week to write a good one! Unfortunately, I failed yet again so this one is short like the rest... I'm sorry. Here's a few updates though!

• Asher received the priesthood, and he's a deacon now!
• Joelynn, Jackie, and Asher all got temple recommends, and we are going with them to the temple this week!
• Ariana is on date to be baptized on the 22nd of December! We taught her a few lessons this week, and she's super excited.
• One of our wards had a veterans day activity on Saturday, and we got to hear awesome stories from some of the veterans!
• We played in a volleyball tournament in one of our stakes, and obviously dominated(not really).
• I hit my 20 month mark!!! Time is flying by 😭
• We gave 2 talks in church this week, both topics on member missionary work! 
• I broke my finger 3 weeks ago, but didn't find out it was broken til this week. It's getting better though! (many have been asking about the splint on my finger) 
• It's freezing cold here
• I held a ferret for the first time! (pic below) 

Transfers are coming up next week, and I can't see any reason that Elder Meldrum and I will be split from each other, but I'm still curious to see what happens around the mission. I love my mission, I love the people, and I love my Savior, Jesus Christ! He definitely leads this church, and helps each of us in our trials every day as we turn to him. I have 4 more months to tell this to everyone I meet, and I'm determined to not lose my motivation! I love you all, have a fantastic week!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

Baptisms!!!

What a week!! Joelynn, Jackie, and Asher were all baptized on Saturday. It was so amazing! They didn't want a lot of people there, but when word got out that they were getting baptized, it spread like wildfire and there was over 50 people there. We barely fit in the room and almost had to go in the Chapel! President Call came, and so did the stake president! They had so much love and support, and the spirit was so strong there!

Something that was super funny, was right after Jackie got baptized, she looked up at everyone, and when she saw how happy we were for her and realized that it was over, she clapped her hands and laughed! 😂 It was way funny, but it reminded me of a scripture in Mosiah Chapter 18. Alma is preaching about the blessings of being baptized, and when asking them if this was their desire, they said:

"11 And now when the people had heard these words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of our hearts." 

Jackie knew exactly how important it is to get baptized, and when feeling the spirit so strong, she didn't know what to do so she clapped! It made everyone laugh.

Check out the pictures below! This week we hope to solidify a few people that we found, so it should be good! Sorry for the lack of detail again. I saw Marty this week too! He took us to lunch haha. He's been baptized for almost a year now! Love y'all!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

What's better than 2? 3!

Hey y'all! So we had some more miracles happen this week! Joelynn and Jackie have been preparing to be baptized this Saturday, and now Asher said he wants to get baptized with his mom and sister! We are so excited for the family!

We do cover 14 Wards, so he have had a lot of Ward parties / fall festivals that we have gone to this week. They were all pretty good, and had some really good food! We have been trying to meet as many people as we can, so that was good to be able to get our faces out more.

We have been making visits to members as much as we can to try and find their friends that we can teach, and we've been visiting so many people. We haven't found a whole lot of success this week in that, but we know that they are out there and we will keep trying!

I'm sorry for being terrible at emails lately! Love you all, have a fantastic week!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

What's better than 1? 2!

Hey y'all! It's been a pretty good week here. I don't really have a whole lot to report on but... We have 2 people on date now! So Joelynn, the sister we have been teaching and is on date for the 3rd, her daughter has been sitting in on the lessons and wants to be baptized too! So they're both on date to be baptized together! It's such a miracle to see the family come together. I bet it won't be long until her son, Asher, wants to get baptized too. So that's a miracle!

We did this awesome service for the Lutheran church in our area this week! They recently added on to their church, but apparently during the construction of it, a wind storm ruined some of their walls and such. So we got a bunch of missionaries and we went and helped them out! It was super fun to join together as brothers and sisters of our Heavenly Father, even though different faiths, and support one another. That's what this work is all about!

We found a few potential this week that we hope goes somewhere. If it does I'll inform y'all. That's all I got this week! Till Next time, signing out ✌️

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037

Transfers, again?

Hello everyone! So you may be confused by the subject line. Well, last week I told you all that I was staying in Layton West to train a new missionary. That changed on Tuesday... I got a call from President Call saying I was being reassigned to the Layton Northridge area to train a new missionary. So great! I'm not in Northeast Layton, like right up against the mountain. All the houses here are filthy rich... This will be fun. I've served in poor areas my whole mission, so this will be a first 😂. Anyway! On to the good stuff; my son!

My son's name is Elder Meldrum and he's from Dallas, Texas! He is for sure a stud already. He really wants to work, is already focused on his purpose, and has a strong testimony of the gospel. I'm excited to learn and grow from him, and hopefully help show him the ropes!

First week in our new area, we've been making a ton of visits to our ward and stake auxiliaries. So far we've been trying to contact our 2 stake presidents and all 14 bishops. Depending on the time of day, we throw some finding in there, by contacting former investigators and any referrals we have received from these bishops. On our 1st day in the area, we visited a part member family, the Blundells. The wife is a non-member, and the husband is active. We went over, gave her a copy of the book of Mormon, and left because they were busy. The next day, we asked them if they would feed us and they were super generous and accepting. So we ate dinner with them on Thursday, and had a long conversation. Long story short, after so many years of her being prepared she admitted she wanted to be baptized! So we put her on date for the 3rd of November! She also has 2 unbaptized kids from her first marriage, and they seem interested! I'll update you all if anything happens with them.

Being here 1 week, Elder Meldrum and I have seen so many miracles. The missionaries we replaced left us no work and didn't do a whole lot, but we are working hard regardless. Heavenly Father is multiplying our efforts as we work as hard as we can and we can tell! I love this gospel and wouldn't rather be anywhere else. Love you all, have a great week!

Elder Tyler Greer
tyler.greer@myldsmail.net
Utah Layton Mission Office
190 N Country Lane
Fruit Heights, UT 84037