Alive and Well!

Hola Everyone!

Im Alive and Well! I made it safely to Argentina! Whoo! Okay so I dont have a lot of time but I want to share a little about my week. So I arrived in Argentina at about 9 in the morning last Tuesday after a full day of travels. I was able to sleep well on the plane so thats good. I met my Mission President, President Robertson, and we drove to the mission offices. We then did a little bit of business and paperwork and interviews. We were then able to do contacts right then on the street with the Assistants to the President! Let me just say that they do not speak spanish here! haha. Everyone talked so slurred, fast, and kinda like an Italian speaking spanish. So hard to understand haha. But I was able to bear my testimony which was good. Okay so we then were able to go out to dinner with president because there were so few new missionaries. Normally they dont do that so that was a blessing. We then slept in the apartment of the missionaries next door who work in the offices. That morning was the transfer meeting! I was assigned to...wait for it...25 de Mayo! yaa! It is one of the few areas in the mission that is out in the campo or the country side. So its kind of has a western/mexican feel to it. Its a pretty poor area with shack houses and rundown apartments, but the people here are very kind! My companion is Elder Lindquist! He only has 6 week left in his mission so he has a lot of experience! I have been able to learn a lot from him already! On Wednsday we spent literally all day traveling to our area. Its the farthest away in the mission. We spent our time either waiting to get on the bus or riding there on it. Argentina is so different from the US and will definitely take some getting used to. I am riding a bike in my area! Which is fun! kind of hard sometimes because 2/3 of the roads are dirt and the other is paved. But its kind of like mountain biking haha! I am definitely pretty sore after these first couple of days haha. Some parts of the town are nicer with paved roads and businesses and is somewhat modern which is nice. Other areas are very country and run down with trash everywhere. But its a very safe place though. My pench, or apartment, Ive heard is pretty nice compared to others in the mission so thats a blessing! We live in the nicer area of the town so our apartment is pretty nice. Still very different from the US. I have pictures of the pench but they dont really do it justice, but I was definitely blessed with a nice place. The thing that is going to be the hardest to adjust to is the bathrooms here. No toilet paper, just a budet, and the plumbing is not very good. Stinks so bad! haha but enough about that. 

There are so few members here and just a branch of about 30 members some not as strong. We definitely have a lot of work to do. Because of this we cook all of our own meals for the most part. We have a small breakfast of "pancakes" basically flour, yeast, sugar, and salt i think. And bread. Sometimes eggs as well. We come back for lunch and make noodles with sauce and vegetables or chicken patties we buy at a meat place. They usually dont eat dinner here. The food is going to be a challenge getting used to. They dont eat a lot here so I definitely wont be gaining any weight haha.

Oh ya I was asked to be the piano player for church in the branch! But didnt this sunday because we drove to Chivilcoy for an area conference. Elder Cook, Hales, and the area president for Buenos Aires spoke over video to the whole area of Argentina. 

I have seen so many miracles already! I have been asking the baptismal commitments during our lessons and its been awesome! I am still tring to get to know our investigators and everything but its been great. We met a new woman my first full day of missionary work on Thursday and she is so accepting! She accepted a baptismal date after our lesson of the Restoration! She is an older woman and has a handicap son. She is so humble and kind. She prayed with us then and received answer of what we were saying was true! She is definietly a miracle.

​

Thats really all I have time for to say right now! Its been hard work and I cant understand anyone yet but I know I will improve. and I am doing great for only being here for about a week! Im trying to participate in conversations and my companions is good and telling me in English when to chip in on the conversations. So all is well! Love you all!

--

On our way to 25 de Mayo

Eating lunch before traveling to our area

Got to go. didnt get to send all the pictures ran out of time. Next week promise. Love you!

Elder Trent

He Has Arrived!!!

Tyler Arrived in Argentina August 25 2015 at approximately 9 am

This is the email and ;picture we received a couple hours after he landed. 

Dear Family and Friends of Elder Tyler James Trent,

We are writing to inform you that your missionary, Elder Trent, has arrived safely in the Argentina Buenos Aires West Mission. We have enjoyed becoming acquainted with him and are excited to be serving together.

Thank you for the sacrifices you are making at home to have a missionary in the field. We know the Lord blesses and cares for the families of the missionaries.

Warmest regards,         

                            

President David P. Robertson and Hermana Julie Robertson

Argentina Bound!! Goodbye MTC

Hola de el CCM uno mas tiempo! Proxima, Argentina!

A lot of different emotions about heading to Argentina! Super excited and also nervous! But I know I will do great! I have loved my time in the MTC and am grateful for the time i was able to spend here learning how to speak the language and become a better missionary. I was blessed with such a great district and awesome teachers that have taught me a lot. I feel like my real mission is starting in a few days! The MTC is a big bubble inside of a bubble Utah. I have gotten very comfortable here. Argentina will be a big change! Pero, estoy animado! (But, I'm Excited). 

My district in front of the map

Elder Wilcox with our Branch President

Elder Blake Day is in our zone

I was sick for most of this week:( so I unfortunately I didnt get a whole lot done and was out for some of the week, but Im good now:) But I was still able to learn some and had some fun experiences.

So for the past week and half we have been practicing in the MTC Choir to sing in a Special Devotional this past Sunday. We had the opportunity to sing with the Nashville Tribute Band for a couple songs. If you haven't heard of them, they are an all Mormon country/rock style band based in Nashville. The MTC had never done anything like this before and probably will never again. We usually just have a speaker like a General Authority come speak to us. But this time this band came and played for us the whole time. All their songs are country style pop but their lyrics are about things in the church. I thought it was going to be pretty cool to have a "concert", but didnt think it would be very spiritual. I was wrong. It was amazing and I felt the spirit during the whole thing! I love the Spirit that comes from music! You can look them up if you want!

 Nashville Tribute Band

Spiritual Experience: One thing that I wanted to improve on this week was better study my scriptures. Its amazing how the Lord answers your prayers! Our priesthood lesson on Sunday was about this and also the devotional on Tuesday talked about it! I have really worked hard on this and have noticed a big change! I love the Scriptures! We can learn so much and know what God wants of us from them.

Scripture of the Week: Mosiah 2:21

Funny Moment of the Week: So one of the Elders in our District told us his Dad is sending a package with Jimmy Johns in it for all of us. When we got it, we were all excited and stuff, sick of the cafeteria food. We opened it and everything was gone except for a note and an open bag of half eaten chips. Haha it said you can't send fast food to the MTC, but we enjoyed the sandwiches thank you! Haha! We all thought it was hilarious except for the Elder who it was for was pretty mad haha.

 

Sorry for the Short Email! Next week i'll write more from Argentina!

Love you all, Thanks for your Support!

--

Elder Trent

 

We have matching All blacks Jerseys haha

Movie Night on Sunday. We watched an old Bednar MTC Devotional.

Said Goodbye to the best Teacher I have ever had, Hermano Barfuss! 

He never spoke a word of English to us haha. (Im wearing my new tie!)

In Field Orientation on Friday

At Infield. Elder Marchant, Lowe, Me, Wilcox

MTC Week 5

Hola Everyone!

Another week has flown by! I can't believe I leave for Argentina in one week! We got our travel plans yesterday and its starting to get real! The MTC is a pretty sheltered and comfortable place. I've got really accustomed to it, the schedule, and what we do. Argentina will be a big change, but I'm excited! Its like my real mission starts in one week! Pretty much everything is the same here at the MTC. Just learning how to and teaching a lot of lessons, class time, and a lot of spanish learning! 

Last Sunday I had the opportunity to do a musical number for Sacrament meeting which was fun! I was also released as District Leader. I learned a lot from this experience and was grateful for the opportunity to serve. Last sunday, our Branch President gave a really good talk that I really enjoyed. He talked about the miracle of the loafs of bread and fishes in  Mark Chapter 8 I believe. I always thought of this as just a cool miracle bu he brought up something else that we can learn from it that I had never thought of before. He told it a lot better but it is like giving Christ everything we have even though its not enough and he will provide the rest and then more. We may be shy, have a learning disability, anxiety, etc. We may feel inadequate or not good enough to succeed. But if we come to him with all we have, try our hardest, and serve HIs people with everything we have, Christ will help with the rest. Through the Lord we can do all things.

This week I have been really trying hard to listen and understand my investigators and their needs. My spanish is coming along well and I'm progressing, but I've had trouble understanding others Spanish. I have been trying hard to really listen to what my investigators are saying instead of thinking of what I'm going to say next, or give up trying to understand. I know that if I do this, the Spirit will help me know what to say in the very moment. I have been improving a lot by doing this in my lessons. This week has been some of the best lessons that we have had and its cool to see our progression over the weeks.

This week we also got to skype and teach members in their home country! I taught a member in Costa Rica! It was so difficult to understand her haha! She talked so fast! One thing she said that I caught was that she thought Argentines talked really fast ahah! But it was a fun experience. A few Elders in my District got to skype member in Argentina which I'm a little jealous about! I cant wait to go!

So last week i told about how I sang in the Choir when President Nelson spoke to the MTC for a devotional that broadcasted to the other MTCs. Sam Slivers who is in the MTC in Mexico saw me and Richmond Anderson( we sat close to each other in the choir, and his room is actually only a few doors down from mine so I see him a lot which is awesome) in the Choir and emailed us about it! It was cool that he saw us all the way from Mexico!

Also another cool thing from this week is that Elder Blake Day from Rugby who is going to Ecuador is now in my zone! He was going to go the Colombia MTc but didnt get his visa in time so he came to the Provo Mtc. He got here last wednesday and I got to talk to him a little bit.

Scriptures of the Week: Mosiah 2, Mark 8

Love you all and thank you for your support!

Ready to go for the Day! Im always waiting on my companion! 

Haha he takes forever in the mornings

We bought our mission shirts from the bookstore!

The Field is White!

Tyler after he got set apart as a missionary with Stake president Pete Bowden.

Our awesome mailman holding Tyler's mission call. He calls when he has a mission call. 

Tyler was in California with his Rugby team.This was Good Friday. Friday April 3rd. So exciting and scary!!

He got to open his call on Easter Sunday April 5 2015. Argentina Buenos Aries West

MTC week 4

Hola Everyone!

Almost one month in the MTC! Time has flown by and only 2 weeks until I will be in Argentina! I can't wait to go! Not much to say this week but I am still happy, doing well, improving, and enjoying my mission!

I have realized this week how important it is to try always stay focused and be improving.

One exciting event that happened this week was from the Tuesday Night Devotional. We knew there was a possibility of a "Special Speaker" but weren't sure. When we got there we found out it was going to be President Russell M. Nelson! He was just set apart as the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and this was his first time speaking since then. It was broadcasted to a lot of the other MTCs around the world. We were in the choir and singing prelude when he walked in. I just felt a rush of the Spirit testifying of him as an apostle of the Lord. Honestly, President Nelson is not my favorite speaker, but I was able to learn a lot and enjoyed listening to him. I know that he is an apostle and called of God!

Also, this week our district got to host the new missionaries that came in on Wednesday, so that was fun! It was cool to be the "veterans" in the MTC and show them around.

My spanish is improving a lot! I can pray, bear my testimony, carry on an easy conversation, and give a lesson without any notes! I also have memorized scriptures and phrases. One thing that my companion and I are doing is trying to following along the Spanish B.O.M while the other is reading in English. We then try and read and translate the scriptures from Spanish to English while the other helps their mistakes. It is one of my favorite ways to study! I have been surprised with how well I have been doing that and it has been very helpful.

Funny Moment of the Week: Nothing too funny happened this week that I can think of. During one of our lessons I accidentally asked one of our investigators if he would read verse God(Dios instead of diez) in the Book of Mormon haha! He was super confused and I didn't realized what I had said until a few minutes later haha.

Spiritual Moment: We were reading as a class in Matthew 16:15-18 I think. It talks about how even though Peter knew Jesus and saw his miracles, his greatest confirmation that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God, was from the Holy Ghost! This hit me, I realized the power of the Holy Ghost. That is just how powerful the Spirit is in anyone's conversion to the Lord.

Scriptures of the Week: Matthew 16:15-18, Ether Chapter 2 and 3.

Im not exactly sure what happened here. I think I was yawning? 

Anyways it turned out really funny. Elder Wilcox took it without me realizing. 

Hahaha

Falling asleep in Class. I have yet to do that yet

​New Haircuts!

our maestro hermana Toleafoa. 

​Class tiiiiiiimmmmmeee!

​We love mail!!

Daily Planning in my Planner

--

Elder Trent

MTC Week 3

Hola Everyone!

Not much happened this week just a lot of classroom time and teaching our investigators. Every week I am making the goal of working on one or two things I can improve on that week. I come with questions and figure out how to improve on that goal to devotionals, study times, etc. At the beginning of the week I wanted to know how I can be more intune with the spirit and his promptings for my studying, the language, and teaching investigators. On Tuesday, Emeritus General Authority L. Lionel Kendrick talked almost exactly about that! what he said really helped me. He talked about how we need to have a more sincere and actual conversation with our Heavenly Father and how the Spirit can guide us in our lives, study, teachings, etc. One quote  I liked that he said, "Its not the durations of our prayers, but the depths of our desires." My second question was how can my companion and I better teach people and apply doctrine to their needs. It has been very difficult because it is pretty hard to understand them in spanish so we have just been teaching the lessons and asking/answering a few questions. It has not been going well when we have done that. Our first lesson with our investigator Chari we taught her about the restoration. It was no bueno. The only thing we got out of it was that she believes in God only a little and doesn't have or want a relationship with him if he even exists. We were definitely humbled by that experience. When we were preparing for our next lesson with her, we really wanted to help her and apply the gospel to her needs. Since we learned that she didn't have good relationship with her earthly father but wished she had, we decided to teach her about how her Heavenly Father can help her with her struggles and problems like an earthly father. We taught her how her Father in Heaven loves her and wants to talk to her through prayer, reading scriptures,and the Holy Ghost. Just like she wanted with her earthly father. This really helped her and she agreed to have us teach her how to pray. The spirit was so strong more than I've felt in our lessons so far. She was tearing up and I know she felt the love of her Heavenly Father through the Holy Ghost. We committed her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. I learned the importance of properly preparing and teaching with the spirit and really caring about our investigators. I know the gift of tongues is real and if we put in the work the Lord will help and bless us.

This week has been really great. It has been filled with some ups and downs as usually like not being focused or not wanting to teach. But I have been improving each day and my testimony is growing a lot. I know this gospel is the only true church and if we come unto Christ and become perfected in Him through his grace and atonement we can do any righteous thing with the Lord's help.(Moroni 10:32)

Scripture of the Week: 2 Nephi 31

Funny Moments of the Week:

I've realized a lot of things in the MTC are a lot more funny than they normally would have been at home haha but one thing that was funny to me was from the Sunday Devotional. The wife of an Emeritus General Authority had the thickest southern accent. She kept on saying the same phrase over and over again and after everything she said pretty much. In her accent,"Git up awn tyyme!!! It'll make aall the diffrence en yer day an on yer mission!!!" We all thought it was pretty funny and kept on saying it in the day and when we woke up in the mornings. It is seared into my brain and I laugh when I remember that in the mornings when I wake up. I definitely wont be sleeping in any time soon haha!

Also, on friday night we pulled a little prank on one of the elders in our room and in our district. Elder Skaggs can make this face thats way creepy with a creepy voice and laugh. One Elder, Elder Lowe has said that he doesn't ever get scared. So when he, Elder Lowe, went to the bathroom during the night, Elder Skaggs hid in the corner of Elder Lowes bed in the dark with a hood on. You couldn't see him at all, but we knew Elder Lowe carries a flashlight with him to the bathroom. He comes back and crawls into his bed without realizing he is there. Elder Lowe feels something warm on his foot so he shines his flashlight in that direction and sees Elder Skaggs with his creepy face and cackle. He loses it, freaks out, and jumps out of his bed! Haha It was the funniest thing ever! We were all laughing so hard. I attached a picture of Elder Skaggs face. Imagine seeing that in your bed with him wearing a hood in the dark! haha!

Elder Lowe thought it was pretty funny after too. Our district gets along really well, have fun together, but also work hard when we need to. We still have our challenges, problems, language, and companionship struggles but I'm grateful for the fun and spiritual experiences I've had with them and for the friends I have made.

Love you all and thanks for your support! 

Me and my companion Elder Wilcox packed the same tie! haha! we wore them on sunday. Probably wont do it again cuz we got a lot of teasing for it haha!

Until next week!,

--

Elder Trent

Hola Familia!

I decided to write out my mass email on paper so I have more time to email back and forth it you want but first I need to type out the mass email and send it.

-Thanks Grandma, Teegan, Tori, Dad, and Mom for writing letters and emails to me! I love them! It feels like forever since Ive seen you guys. I mark my scriptures with a family photo so I get to see you everyday :)

-I love the watch! It is da beeesst! and also thanks for the micro fiber towel and other packages I love them! You can send the other towel you have from Deseret book if its not too big and packable. Also the microfiber blanket would be nice to if its packable. Thanks!

-About when I get to call you at the airport: I've heard of elders who have a day use phone or something like that that they brought to text/call back and forth. Im not exactly sure how it works and where to find it or what its called. Just try to look around. I think I remember that Josh Parr had one. You could ask their family maybe.

-Send more pictures of you guys and what your doing and of Spice in an email or letter please!

-It would be nice to have a very small stuff sleeping bag for argentina as it can get cold at night. Other elders have them going to my mission. If not its ok.

-I need like 2-3 more pairs of Drilux to and bottom size small garments and some short whit exercise socks.

My foot is fine and don't notice it uness Im barefoot. My teeth are doing good too just a lot more sensitive than they used to be, but they dont hurt to eat anymore. I hope I dont have a cavity :/

-I will try to send a handwritten letter sometime during the week when I have time at night to write it.

-I have used my mp3 player yet because we're not supposed to in the MTC. I'll have to wait to use it in the field. I haven't been wishing I could anyways so its all good.

-Oh! I get to play the piano for our Branch during Sacrament Meeting on Sunday! I will play three songs in the spanish hymnbook. Ive never played them but they are not too hard. I'll tell you about it next week or in my letter! I also get to do a special musical number next sunday too probably my fairwell song. Wish me luck!

-The only other letters I have gotten besides Grandma and family is the Higginson kids! They all wrote me letters it was cute and funny! Tell them thanks for me! I will try to send a thank you letter back to them this week is well, but if I forget tell them thank you!

-I think my log in info for the family name I reserved is trenttylerj, password:coolman21 (ive had it since I was like 12 dont laugh haha)

-Oh I love the hair gel stuff and it looks like it will last a long time! Probably just send one maybe 2 more will last me. Thanks!

-Thanks for doing the U of U scholarship stuff and depositing airsoft money and debit card money!

-Time in the MTC is so weird. It has gone way fast and also super slow. Like sometimes I'll look back and be like wow! 2 and a half week already or just the opposite. When thing the MTC has not helped me with is my memory! I cant remeber anything thats happens in the week or that day anymore so much happens haha!

-There is definitly a lot of work, but we do still find ways to have fun and joke around! Im staying positive, but I do have my hard times where I dont want to teach or study but Im improving a lot everyday in a lot of differeent aspects!

-The MTC is good and I learn a lot, but I cant wait to go to Argentina!

I have to change my laundry now. I will type the mass email up soon and then we can chat back and forth for about 10-15 minutes I let you know when. Love You all!

--

​Love my packages and letter so much!

Met some fellow friend missionaries at our temple walk on sunday!

Chilling in our messing room. 

This is before our cleaning room inspection haha! my roommates are messy.

WE like to eat our sack lunches here after we go to gym. This is right by our room. 

We have gym at 11 and then we go and get a sack lunch instead of going tot he cafeteria. You have to dress up to be in the cafeteria

Elder Trent, Lowe, Wilcox, and Marchant

Class time all da time

Elder Trent