We can all agree that driving is not my greatest strength

> So my new address is:
>  553 Tyler St Apt A1
> Pittsfield MA 01201
>
Please feel free to write me lots of letters and send me packages. Me and my MTC companion were able to get our guy to commit to baptism which was super cool. We felt like thats the way it was going to be in the field but I know now it isnt. Turns out Garretts uncle was in my branch presidency in the MTC so that was really cool. Anyway my last Sunday in the MTC we had a devotional with a guy who played football. He talked about how he's a total bro and loves to share the light of christ with others. He played in the NFL for the Eagles and when he met L. Tom Perry he was told that the reason he played football was to help open the doors to China. well next thing you know he's hired by the NFL to be the official ambassador for China concerning football. He was number 89 for reference but I dont remember his name. He was the guy who gave the play by play for the NFL that was broadcasted in China. He said that he didnt know football lingo in chinese but he did know church lingo. His play by play was "I testify that Tom Brady is throwing true passes" anyways he was just a super awesome guy.  I left the MTC at 2 in the morning even though our plane didnt take off until 930 so I was pretty much exhausted for the first few days in fact I fell asleep during companionship prayer. 

Our mission president is like the farthest thing from politically correct you can be and it's super awesome. The first thing we did was go contacting in the heat of Boston so that was really cool and really nerve-wracking. People arent very nice and dont slow down so we just walked and talked. My Trainer is named Elder Stevens and the first thing he did was give me a hug and then he handed me the keys. He can't drive. Now you know how I am with driving. WE can all agree that driving is not my greatest strength. Now imagine It's my first night in the mission it's raining and dark and we have a 3 hour drive to get to our apartment from the mission home. I'm driving a brand new 2014 Chevy Cruze. To add on all of that the people here dont really pay attention to the lines except for the yellow one thank goodness. The roads here have absolutely no rhyme or reason either. In fact I guess most of the roads were built on old cattle trails. Thankfully I'm still alive. 

It's been a lot of fun out here and I really enjoy it. The first dinner I had was with a mexican family who didnt really speak much english. That was interesting, we just played charades the whole time. It was just like when I was working at tree doctors. I havent had any sea food yet though and thats a little disapointing. also there isnt really an accent either where I am. 

Anyway cool story time: last night we were out visiting less active people and we normally knock on the neighbors doors just to see if they're interested too. we can't find this ladies house and we have like fifteen minutes until we're supposed to be back in our apartment and my trainer said lets just go back. However,  I remember my teachers in the MTC saying "never go back early if you can help it. It's when you think theres no chance and you still keep going that miracles happen" so I told Elder STeven lets just knock on a few more doors. SO he lets me take the lead and the first door we knock on is this really nice lady who has a dog which we immediately start petting (if the owners dog likes you so does the owner) anyway we get in the house and start talking to her and apparently her mom, nephew and brother in law all committed suicude and she's looking for answers. I felt really blessed to have the answer and happily gave her a Book of Mormon and explained that as she reads it and prays to find comfort and understanding she'll find her answers. We got all her information and told her we'd give her a call and stuff so that was really cool. Hopefully we can really help her to understand God's plan for us all. 

Some thoughts I had this week. Ive been pondering about ordinances and how when there is a baptism or sealing they are the two that end with "In the name of The Father & The Son & The Holy Ghost. We read in the scriptures that baptism is the door to the Celestial Kingdom. Hel 3:26-28 Perhaps it is because baptism is our first covenant with God & it is an outward expression saying we have chosen to follow Christ. Perhaps as we make this commitment that we will be supported by the whole of the Godhead. The sealing is the final covenant we make with God that is vital to our eternal existence. Maybe it is to let us know that the path we are on is pleasing to the Godhead. This covenant allows us to qualify for the greatest glory so long as we endure to the end. Let me know your thoughts. 

Also, my mission is not one that has iPads or Facebook at this time. 

Anyways I gotta go now Love you lots. Trevon
>
> P.S. Kellie thank you so much for the package I didnt get it until my last day in the MTC and it was really really awesome.

This week has been quite amazing actually

I ran into Jason Gardiner and Chase Funk here in the MTC so that was cool. It's really been a lot of fun here and it's such a great environment. This week has been quite amazing actually. Last Sunday we had a devotional from the guy who's in charge of all the media. So mormon.org was through him as well as all the videos the church puts out. He was really funny and had good jokes and he showed us the new video that they're going to put out for christmas. Thats kinda confidential though anyway the song that went to it was inspired by the song "stay with me" by Christina aguilera. 

After that we watched another devotional by Elder Bednar about the character of Christ and it was so inspiring. It was all about thinking about others before yourself. In total those two devotionals were over 2 hours long but they were so interesting and engaging. It makes me wonder why I ever had trouble listening to general conference. I also wonder why I didn't study more. ( yes dad you were right) We have literally no free time to study and it's awful. Even still I want dad to know that I could totally rock an hour lesson on the restoration if he ever needs me to. So long as I'm led by the spirit. Our first lesson I totally over formulated everything I was going to say and it went awful. Afterwards our investigator said "wow you guys sure do know a lot" which is like the complete opposite of what you want. I did some soul searching after that lesson and read D&C 84:85 (go read it) which really helped me understand why it went so bad. After that Ive begun every lesson with a prayer asking for the spirit to guide and help me & that has made all the difference. 

My companion & I have two investigators and that is going really well once we got over our issue with way too much forethought. One of them half commited to baptism on our very second lesson! Our first lesson we taught the restoration for an hour and then for our second one we taught him about recognizing the spirit but it was only fifteen minutes long. At the end I felt prpmpted to ask him to be baptized and he said he wanted to but he wanted to learn more and we told him we'd be glad to help with that. Tonight is our last lesson with him so we're gonna try for a home run and teach him about the gospel of christ.

we got to go to the temple this morning which was fantastic by the way.

Above this is my mission zone. Below my companion & I. We were chosen on day two here to be the zone leaders which really doesn't mean too much here in the MTC. 

My companion is pretty funny. He likes to impersonate Yoda. He says things like "the word of God you must spread." And "Elders you are" Its pretty funny. Not everything's perfect though. My companion sleeps all the time. Ive given up on waking him up since he just goes back to sleep. But I love him still and there's no one else I'd want as my companion in the mtc. We have 4 sisters and 4 elders in our district but only 3 of us are going to Boston. 

I feel like I have a better understanding of the atonement after being here. it's all based off of our purpose which is to invite others to come unto Christ (which is to use his atonement) by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Christ and in his atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end. We apply Christ's atonement by showing faith in him and praying for help and guidance. Repenting or changing our life to be more aligned with his. Being baptized and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost to teach us truth about God and his gospel. And finally renewing our covenants with him as we take the sacrament each week which helps us endure to the end. How simple is that? seems pretty simple to me. 

Our instructor lost her preach my gospel and we found it after she went home. This is what we did with it. Go read the scripture. 

Found this in the bathroom. Pretty funny. 

 Elder Christensen from the District came over and we got to meet him which was pretty cool. I got to sing in the choir for a devotional by Larry R. Lawrence of the seventy. He talked about the war with satan and what we need to do to defeat him. It was really cool because every hymn we sang was a battle hymn. 

Thank you to Sister Hunt for the Jokes. Sister Delong for the great insight about Boston. Stacie for the coolio handshake. Grandma for her awesome letter and the pictures. and everyone else who wrote me. I don't remember any of your questions though so sorry. 

I love you, Elder Turley

By the way if get a scripture for my plaque I'd like it to be Alma 26:22 (go read it)

If you'd like to send me some clif bars, that would be a real game changer for me. 

Also let grandma know that the missionaries purpose is the very first sentence on the first page of preach my gospel. Also tell her that there's a section specifically about how the members can help. I'm not sure where it is but it's near the back half

A final last thought. I know Jaron said to start out with a fresh set of scriptures but I am not Jaron. I need my seminary scriptures. I cant navigate these new ones, they feel foreign and have no valuable references or thoughts that I've written in. You may just need to send them to Boston though. I leave Tuesday at 3 in the morning. I don't think you'll have time to get them here to Provo. 
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You better believe I raised my hand

So I've been here three days now and its been fun. It's amazing how much you learn in a day and how they help you realize the things you already know. My companions name is Elder Layland and he's from Ogden Utah. We're both going to Boston so that's cool. Our teachers are really cool and funny which is nice because it keeps things fresh. I realize I've said cool a lot and I can honestly say it is really cool here, especially in the morning. I always wear my suit just to stay warm & comfortable. I don't know how I'm going to survive the cold in the Boston area. 

Could you please put my updated address on Facebook. I would appreciate that. There's not much to say I mean It's only been three days. One of the Elders in my district was super pumped and bragging because he got six letters in one day. I was thinking it might be fun to show him up a bit. So my plan is to have everyone I know write me. Of course this is all dependent upon you so I just want you to know I'm counting on you to come through for me Mom.  I'm just kidding about showing the elder up but it really would be awesome if a lot of people wrote me. I didn't come here with anyone's email but yours Mom so if you could also mention on facebook to have people email me with their name's so I can actually write them that would be great. 

If you forwarded Jaron's letters to me as well that would be appreciated since I can't just go to his blog. Keep me updated on him please.

You can let Justin know I fulfilled his invitation regarding our purpose. When all the new Elders/Sisters were gathered together on the first day the MTC presidency gave us all a riveting talk getting everyone pumped and then at the end they started asking us about our responsibilities pre-mission. If you can guess where this is leading they ended by asking if anyone had memorized our purpose and you better believe I raised my hand. The MTC president had me go stand up in front of everybody and recite it and and oh boy was I shaking (my district said they didn't notice it but I was) anyways after I finished he told me he had never heard it recited so well. I bet he tells that to everyone. He also told everyone we were the best looking group of missionaries he had ever seen so who knows if he can even be trusted, ha ha I'm kidding of course. 

Love you guys, Trevon

PS Write me. Dear Elder would be best since I'm only here 12 days.