Merry Christmas to each of you

Well Christmas was good. I had a wonderful time with great members and even got to open presents. I was very well received into this ward. Just about every house we went to had gifts for us and they were great gifts. I have all new socks and a few more ties and even some new shirts. Skyping home was great fun too. Thank you to everyone who sent me cards & gifts. Merry Christmas to each of you.

 

We had a great week again and we did lots of service. We helped two people move that weren't members and we have return appointments to teach both of them which we're excited for. With the way this area is set up we seem to always have something to do. It's strange, since my greatest struggle thus far has always been filling our day with productive work to do but here it's been more about choosing the best things to fill our schedule with. It's a great problem to have. Elder Franca and I decided to force ourselves to plan even more effectively so we can be assured that what we're doing is exactly what the Lord wants us to do. I know I've been talking a lot about planning and scheduling and setting goals as of late but it's really become a huge part of my mission and I feel like it will really help me after my mission as well. 

At the Christmas Conference we even gave a training about goal setting and it was amazing. We presented the training to three different groups but by the end we had presented the training to about half the mission. We really felt inspired and we asked hard but achievable things of the missionaries and for the rest of the day missionaries came and thanked us for the training and the spirit we helped them to feel. I was grateful for that confirmation that we had taught by the Spirit.

I'm happy to be here and I know I'm exactly where the Lord wants me to be. 

-- 

Elder Trevon Turley

I'm in Nashua & life is great

Well I don't think I've ever had a more hairbrained transfer than this one. I was in a really good routine in Oxford and it all got reset. It was strange, I felt like I'd never been transferred before. I think I lost pretty much everything after I unpacked it but I think I'm settled a little more now so that should be good.

I had a great final week in Oxford. Our final lesson with Barry was great! We went over the importance of Joseph Smith since every time we tried to teach that it never really stuck. So we started our lesson strong by telling him that we were going to teach him why Joseph Smith is an important part of the restored gospel. By the end of the lesson which was filled with testimony bearing and dot connecting we asked him to pray and ask god if Joseph Smith was a Prophet to which Barry promptly said no. He proceeded to say that he needed to read the entire Book of Mormon which he had previously been opposed to. Now he had a good enough reason to read it and he committed to read a chapter a day. We asked him why he didn't want an answer because we told him he could pray and get an answer without reading the whole book and he said he wasn't ready for an answer and we asked him to explain. He said that once he gets that answer there's nothing holding him back from jumping in the water. So at least he understands what it would mean if Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet of God but he's not ready to make the commitment associated with that knowledge so he's taking his time which is understandable. It was basically the best last lesson you could have in an area and I was grateful for that opportunity.

Nashua has been wonderful. It's a great ward and environment to do missionary work. We're in a city but it's big enough to have a car so it's really easy to make daily contact with everyone! This has been the easiest area to fill our planner but I'll have to make sure that I continue to focus on priorities so I don't get caught up in just filling the planner. Also regarding our car, we drive a minivan which is pretty great. We use it for carpooling to distrrict meetings and stuff since we have three companionships in this area. I feel like a mother driving it but it's fun.

Elder Franca and I are going to have an amazing companionship. In all honesty all of my companions up to this point has had some special need that I was forewarned about but not Elder Franca.  He and I have had so much fun doing work. We really are able to work together and I don't really have to worry about him as well as the people we're teaching which is completely different for me and a welcome change.  He's helped me to be more obedient and already I just feel much more happier as a result of it. 

Life is great. 

-- 

Elder Trevon Turley

Last week in Oxford

Well I'm getting transferred to Nashua New Hampshire. I'm excited and my companion is quite renowned as one of the greatest missionaries out there so I'm excited to serve with him. His name is Elder Franca, he's from Brasil and we will be the zone leaders. 

This past week was good. We had a Zone Conference with Elder Packer of the seventy which was awesome. He laid down the law and helped me get some aspects of missionary work into a better perspective which I'm grateful for. 

I was really grateful for this past week in Oxford. It's my last week here and it was a blast! To be honest when I first arrived here with Elder Acosta we had very little work to do and it was very hard. I was happy to see how the area has grown and I pray that the new missionaries will continue to improve and help others come closer to Christ.

At church they asked me to give somewhat of a departure testimony/talk which I was happy to do. The last time I gave a talk was when I served in Pittsfield and it was absolutely terrible. I did not prepare because I was a missionary and I thought that meant I could get up and give a great talk without preparation. It was a stupid idea. Anyway I put a bit more time into preparing and I thought it went well. I even made someone cry haha. I think I'll just tell you what I talked about and then be done with my letter.

As far as determining my topic I was reminded of the prophet Jacob who said "for why not speak of the Atonement of Christ and attain a perfect knowledge of him" (Jacob 4:12) 

Many people use the phrase "Apply the Atonement" it's not a phrase that's used in Scripture and rarely is the time ever taken to explain the how of the application. It's like being given medicine to cure a disease and not knowing whether you're supposed to ingest it, take it through an IV or apply it as a cream, etc. Without that knowledge it doesn't do us any good.

A phrase that is commonly used in the Scriptures and I believe holds the same meaning as "apply the Atonement" is "Come unto Christ" (Moroni 10:32) when I discovered that it was very revelatory for me because our purpose as missionaries is to "invite others to come unto Christ...". In other words we invite people to apply the Atonement in their life. The best part is that the rest of our purpose teaches us how to apply the atonement. It is through "Faith in Jesus Christ, Repentance, Baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end" (PMG, 1) as we focus on developing and acquiring these principles and ordinances we are able to apply the atonement. 

Ultimately "enduring to the end" is the faithful observance of the other four points of focus and it all culminates with the reception of the holy ghost "which bringeth sanctification because of [our] yielding our hearts to God" (Helaman 3:35) If we aren't feeling that sanctification then take a step back and look at the preceding ordinance: baptism, or for those who have been baptized it is partaking of the sacrament. What is wrong with our participation in that ordinance that hinders our receptiveness to that Spirit?

If we struggle with feelings of worthiness or doubt in partaking of the sacrament then take a step back and repent or change your life to be in greater harmony with Christ's teachings. Then proceed with assurance that you are worthy to partake of the sacrament.

If we recognize the need for repentance in our lives but lack the conviction to make the change then remember that faith is unto repentance. As the prophet Samuel said "And if ye believe on his name ye will repent of all your sins," (Helaman 14:13). When we struggle with repentance take a step back and work on developing your faith! Paul understood the importance of faith as he resolutely testified "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians4:13). Faith is the first building block of our testimony. If you struggle to have Faith then find whatever desire is within you and "let it work within you until you can give place for a portion of [the scriptures]" (Alma 32;27)

As we focus on these principles and ordinances I know that they will lead to the development of Christlike attributes and ultimately life eternal (Moroni 8:25-26).

I hope that makes sense and that it will help you gain a better understanding of how to "apply the atonement"

-- 

Elder Trevon Turley

Thanks so much for sharing your son with us!  He has been a great missionary and we have really enjoyed having him in the Oxford Ward!  He's been fun!  Even if he does have to give me a hard time about my beloved Utes.  I'm a big Utah fan and that is always one of the first questions I ask the missionaries from out west.  Where does your allegiance lie?  When he first got here, he didn't really have an allegiance.  Now I think he does.  Even if it's just to get at me!  

The Burt family

Here is Elder Turley with his new companion Elder Franca. At least I think that's his name!  Elder Turley has a great looking tie on!  . We will miss him in Oxford! I had to give him a red and black tie!  Then he won't forget us!  And the Utes! He is a great missionary!

Hello everybody

Hello everybody who reads this. I don't have much time and my letter will be short. 

Barry believes everything we've taught him. He often will try to argue but the Spirit has always been there to quell any objections he has towards being baptized. We were teaching him about the covenant of baptism and he interrupted us to say that although Baptism would bless him spiritually it would hurt him temporally. He proceeded to tell us that the house he's living in is owned by his rich brother. Barry's fear is that if he joins the church he would face being disowned from his family which is devout catholic. If that happens he'll be homeless. He looked at us and with real fear told us that he didn't want to go back to that again. It was really humbling and I feel really bad for the guy. There's not much we can do except help him develop greater faith in Christ insomuch that he would be willing to face those consequences as a result of being baptized. He told us he wouldn't keep it a secret either if he was baptized because he felt like that wouldn't be standing as a witness of God at all times which is part of the covenant of baptism. 

He continues to read and pray about what we teach him and he'll continue to be converted but I pray that his conversion will be deep enough that he'll trust in the Lord enough to be baptized. 

Please keep him in your prayers. 
-- 

Elder Trevon Turley

Thank you to Sister Graff for taking good care of these elders. She is the primary chorister in Trev's ward & the primary kids got to earn items like (deodorant, soap, toothpaste & so on) Such a great idea & sure makes this mama happy. 

Awesome Week!

We had an awesome week! We were super busy and even when appointments fell through we always found some way to be productive. We made the best of it and had a lot of fun keeping busy. One of the people we're teaching (Barry) has been moving along very well! I love the guy and he always makes the most original comments. He has some remarkable faith in Jesus Christ and almost every time we talk about Christ he tears up and it's cool to see. He also loves the Book of Mormon and continues to be amazed by it and what he reads there. Much of what we teach he already believes. In fact he already believed in the Plan of Salvation. He has a different name for everything and his ideas were a little off but everything we teach he readily accepts. Except Baptism. He'll get there though, he came to church this past Sunday and had a wonderful time. He had previously come to a baptism on  Saturday so when we asked him to come to church he said "of course! I loved the way I felt there, why would I deny myself that feeling again," so that was really cool.  Why has he not been baptized you might say? Well I don't really know, he always has a few excuses most of which revolve around his Catholic/Italian heritage but I think that it's deeper than that. Thankfully God knows and it's very easy to see how much the Spirit has been working within him, his knowledge in the Gospel is increasing tremendously but his actual conversion is taking more time. When he met our bishop he compared himself to a Marlin and said that I was like the fisherman reeling him in. I felt like one of Christ's disciples in Matthew 4:19!  Of course we both know that it's the Spirit that converts but I'm certainly doing all that I can to help bring that Spirit into Barry's life. 

Elder Whittle got his birthday package and it came at the perfect time! Not only did you get the day right but it came while we were home and the mailman rang our doorbell so he was able to open it right away. He was very impressed with the package so thank you very much. I don't know if you knew this but cherry cake is his favorite which was quite amazing that you sent that. The triscuits were too strong for him but that's fine because I think they're great! He loved everything else. Thank you very much Mom. 

This picture is from a couple months ago but here you go. 

-- 

Elder Trevon Turley

Received this from a family in Trev's ward. They write that Elder Turley is the greatest and their kids really enjoy him.  They are hoping he won't be transferred just yet. 

Got these pictures from another Ward member (sister Graff) she is so great to send me pictures weekly. She says this was her sneaky shot of them vacuuming (completely unsolicited) after her sons baptism. She sent them home with a big plate of cinnamon rolls which I'm sure he loved. So grateful for these members who look after them.