Menudo aka pig stomach for all you gringos - June 11, 2018

 A small glimpse into Elder Turley's day.

This was posted on Facebook by Richard Sessions.

June 10 at 7:37pm · 

After work on Friday, I was to meet Elder Matt Mendonsa and Elder Turley at a location near Island Park to spend the evening with them. I arrived a little early and landed an advantageous parking spot where I was able to watch a chance encounter of a man asking them about the gospel of Jesus Christ and they took the time to answer his questions. Even though the appointments I took these good missionaries to later that evening was a wonderful experience, this unplanned encounter I was able to observe will always be a cherished memory. (I'm so grateful for social media and those that take the time to share these wonderful moments with the families.  Jeni)

Elder Turley's letter

This week has been a blast. It has gone by so fast because we have been grinding so hard here in Elkhart. lol. #grinddontstop anyways this week has been pretty good. I had a lot of stuff I wanted to talk about but then I just started typing and I forgot it all.

 Sorry for last week and my email not sending. I guess God didn't want you guys to know how I am doing. lol. Not too sure if that was apostate or not but oh well. 

I should probably tell you a little about my comp. His name is Elder Mcbride. He is from.... lets see if you can guess..... Alaska..... sike.......UTAH. wow what a surprise.  He is awesome he definitely knows how to work and it is his last transfer so he is working extra hard to finish strong. We are into the same things for the most part so we get along great. He is exactly obedient so he is teaching me well.  I love being his comp and we are doing awesome.

Well this week I went on exchanges with Elder Mendonsa (he served in Columbus before I got there.) but let me tell ya. We had a blast.  As we talked more about our lives before the mission. I think he would fit in real nicely with "the krew" but he is pretty cool. 

Also this week we had some Mexican food. weird. because I am Spanish speaking now. but I LOVE Mexcian food. This family who is on date to be baptized fed us menudo. which is pig stomach. and it was kinda like a soup but it was soooo good. I would definitely eat it again. and she was asking us all the Mexican stuff we have tried and she named off a couple things that we haven't had and so she said she is going to cook us some more weird ~delicious~ food soon. 

Also today we have a lunch with our neighbors and they are going to be feeding us Costa Rican food so we are pumped for that.

 My Spanish is improving and I am learning to really enjoy the work. They are sooo loving and they love talking to us and they feed us a ton. on Sunday we had 3 dinners.... at 3,5 and 7. hahaha I am going to get fat. but the work is going well. I can participate more in the lessons and I am getting better at understanding them now but they talk so dang fast so its hard. 

but thanks for everything I love hearing from everyone. don't forget to write me. 

les quiero, 

     Elder Turley

Not a coincidence - June 4, 2018

I am putting in a lot of work to know what I know

Elder Turley's letter didn't come thru this week so here is a tidbit of mine from him.

  My Spanish is going good and I am learning well. I am doing a lot better than I was last week. Last week was rough. But I am learning a lot better because I have a better attitude for it.  I am more confident in myself. I don't talk as much as I should tho. So that is something that I need to work on.  I can do a door greeting and bare my testimony and teach parts from the lessons. We had church and I bore my testimony in Spanish it was so scary but everyone said that I did good and I am doing pretty good for only learning Spanish for 2 weeks.

 Its crazy how different the church is out here. Because here the wards are like one city. So it would be like all of Queen Creek being a ward.  My Spanish branch covers like three main cities and then a bunch of smaller cities around those big cities, but we only stay in Elkhart because we don't have enough miles to go to the far cities. 

yeah I have definitely had super big testimony building experiences, and learning Spanish is definitely one of them because I have to completely rely on the Lord for help. because I would not be able to do what I am doing in this amount of time with out Him.  I am putting in a lot of work to know what I know. My companion is helping me a lot.

Not a coincidence

Cool story:

Hayden (Gavin's older brother) is a ward missionary in his singles ward here in town and was asked to fellowship a young man who recently decided to come back to church.  This young man was at a low in his life and had decided to reach out to someone on face book.  Because of that conversation he decided he needed the church in his life again.  So when Hayden introduced himself to the young man he asked Hayden if he knew Gavin Turley.  Hayden said yes he is my brother.  He told Hayden that the person he felt the need to reach out to on face book had been Gavin.  I know God had a hand in this!  I asked Gavin about it and he said is was such a cool experience and that they have kept in touch since.  I love this! Missions are awesome.  I love seeing my Elder experience miracles and acknowledging them.  

Jeni

No Hablo Espanol - May 28, 2018

Elder Turley with his new Companion Elder McBride.
Elkhart Indiana

Here are some of your favorite missionaries in the South Bend and Elkhart zones at interviews on Monday, May 28 and Tuesday, May 29, 2018. Some of them had their first taste of Rise N Roll!

    Mission Leadership Council on a hot and humid Friday (June 1, 2018). Great leaders here!

This week has been the hardest week of my mission

I don't really have much to write about this week. This week has been the hardest week of my mission. My Spanish is getting better but I still have no idea what's going on during the lessons or when people talk to us. My companion Elder Mcbride is teaching me really well. I wake up at 5:00 everyday to study the language so now I study Spanish for 2.5 hours everyday. It has helped me a lot. The lord has definitely been helping me and blessing me with the gift of tongues. I can somewhat teach the restoration in Spanish. We basically know Every Hispanic person here in Elkhart and they all like us so whenever they see us they feed us bomb Mexican food. So we skip dinners here because random people end up feeding us all day. But all is well. Keep praying for me. I only took one pic this week but I'll send some from earlier.

Elder Turley

Going up North - May 30, 2018

Volunteering at the f

 

I promise he has other shoes.  He just wanted to really wear a pair out.

f

     

Elder Bearson will be missed.
Hopefully these two will meet up again.

You can't take the farm out of the farmer - May 29, 2018

          

So basically I'm a Spanish speaking farmer!

So this week has been legendary. We have been teaching a lot of people this week. Let's see a little about my week...

Tuesday we did service on the farm and after wards we got a tour of everything. We held the pigs. It was awesome. 

Friday we did some service and helped this lady named Naomi keep her apartment. It was a crazy experience. I wish I could type it all out but that would take years. (especially since I don't really know how to type fast) but we definitely saw miracles that day.

Saturday. We got Transfer calls and I AM GOING TO ELKHART, INDIANA. AND I'LL BE SPANISH SPEAKING. I am super excited but also super nervous. But let me rant real quick and tell you how God works in mysterious ways. So like 4 weeks ago, we go do family home evening with a Spanish family. We know nothing about Spanish. Something told us (God told us) we needa to learn Spanish. So, We were super motivated to learn Spanish. So we got books from members and we did a ton of Spanish studies. And we got to the point where we could talk to these families in Spanish. And say our prayers in Spanish. Then 4 weeks later, I get called to be a full time Spanish speaker. #miracles

Also on Saturday we had dinner with the Swainstons (our favorite family) and he took us out to the farm and he showed us how to drive the tractors and basically gave us the run down how to be a farmer.

So I'm basically a Spanish speaking farmer now. 

Sunday we taught a Powerful lesson to this couple who is a part member family. They are solid. I'm going to miss them. He is a member and he was in tears by the end of the lesson. (It felt so good making a grown man cry because of the spirit I could bring into Their home.)

FUNNY QUOTES

-Dan Oliver- *going to Disney world with his family* "screw all of my kids, I'm gunna have fun"

-Cody Swainston- "tractors are just as spiritual as a dinner message, let's go drive some tractors" 

-me- "we have learned a lot of stuff about farming, for example.... The difference between corn and soy bean, tractors, CONCUBINES, sprayers" 

               My address up in Elkhart for WHEN... not if but when you send me stuff is
               2229 Stevens Ave
               Elkhart, IN 46517

             Elder Turley

Zone Conference - May 9, 2018

Columbus Zone

Today (Wednesday, May 9, 2018) was zone conference with the Indy and Columbus zones. They loved this activity - speed teaching the Restoration.

10 Months - May 14, 2018

               

I went on splits with Elder Shingle

We are taking learning Spanish seriously!

Shout out to the Fisher Family for the package and everyone else for the letters!
Everyone should follow their example.

A pretty spring day for MLC at the mission home on Friday, May 4, 2018. Zone leaders and Sister Training Leaders came together to discuss how to increase the faith, love of God, and effectiveness in our mission. What a beautiful group of people on a beautiful day!

Skyping home for Mother's Day!

Well this week has definitely been a fun one. It has flown by and I feel like I am going to be saying that every week because time is flying and I don't know how to get it to slow down.

But we had noche de hogar (family home evening) on Monday with this Spanish family. And it was cool because we were able to teach them a lesson and talk to them in Spanish and understand them.

We had zone conference and President basically told us that we need to be more obedient. Elder bearnson and I have been doing awesome at being exactly obedient. And we are trying to help the zone out with that one. They haven't caught on as easily as we did lol. 

We went on exchanges and I went with elder shingle. He is a really funny missionary but he is very different, to put it nicely.

We went to one of the part member families we are working with and they were outside holding their FIVE SNAKES. Some of you guys might ask "elder Turley did you run away?" SIKE I HELD THEM.... It was actually pretty dope. And they said next time you come over we are having you guys come and sit inside and teach us one Of your lessons. So that was dope.

I talked to my fam yesterday and it was good to see everyone. It was definitely sad to say goodbye, But I'll see everyone soon enough so i ain't worried.

FUNNY QUOTES

-elder bearnson- "this pizza is hotter than my mom"

-elder bearnson- "pineapple knocks my socks off every time I put it in my mouth"

-Cody swainston- *screams down the hallway of the church* "dude, your tractor is more comfortable than my own house"

.

Almost Day 300 - May 7, 2018

One of Elder Ponds friends was at a convention in Salt Lake City.
 She recognized Elder Turley in the photo.  These were taken a year before Elder left on his Mission.
He is pictured with Kaden Keith and Chase Foote, two of his best friends and both serving missions.

He got to see his new convert Alex while he was in Carmel for conference.

MIRACLES

this week has gone by soooo fast. this week I will hit my 10 months mark and I cant believe I have been in Indiana for that long. It blows my mind.  The time keeps going faster and faster and I need it to slow down because I gotta stay here as long as I can to teach these hoosiers. 

 

I honestly don't really know what to talk about because we have been grinding so hard here in Columbus.  

COOL STORY: so we were tracting I think on Tuesday.  This day could not have gotten any worse. We had four people on date and we had to drop every single one of them because apparently they don't want to be blessed any more.... but anyways we were out knocking and this chick is busy with her kids and tells us to come back another time. So what do you think we did? WE WENT BACK... and her boyfriend came outside and greeted us and he says oh i'm actually a member but I haven't been since I was 12. (this guy isn't on our ward roster). Then he says how he believes in the church and still studies the Book Of Mormon and loves to talk about this stuff but is just too lazy to come to church. He has a girlfriend and 2 little kids and another on the way. So we keep chatting with him and he is sooo solid. And he wants us to help teach him and his girlfriend and some of you may ask "Elder Turley what did you guys do?" well let me tell ya. WE WENT BACK. and now we are teaching him everything and teaching his wife and kids. miracles. 

Also Elder Bearnson y yo estamos trantando de aprender espanol porque nosotros ensenamos mucho de familias espanol. hahahaha this morning I read out of the spanish Book Of Mormon. We are serious about this. and we say our prayers in spanish and we talk to each other in spanish as much as we can. lol. but we are pretty good. There are tons of spanish people in this area. and the spanish branch just dissolved and some of the families came to our ward so we visit some spanish families. so we have good motivation. 

FUNNY QUOTES:

  - president carlson: "well its a good thing we dont have polygamy anymore"

  - cody swaintson: "checks instagram during church... i look over and see  that its all tractors and of mexico. and he says something and i say ... man your instagram is just tractors and mexico... and he says... WELL DUH, IM A FARMER" 

SPIRITUAL QUOTE:

   brother kern: god sometimes lets bad things happen in our life because he cant take away peoples agency to do what they want, BUT he can bless us if we live and follow the gospel

Elder Turley