Matt meets and artist Oct 12, 2009

Transfer calls were on Thursday, and we are staying together. So that is good. This last transfer was one of miracles, it truly has been amazing. We have seen so many cool things. This last week we found a new investigator. Her name is Renu, she is from Thailand, and she is an artist. We doored into her, and she let us in. She said she only had 15 minutes. So we went in and drank some tea (herbal) and ate cookies, it's cold outside. We went in and started to chat, then we talked about the church, ect. Then I asked her if she painted the paintings on the wall, she said yes. They were way cool too, I told her I was going to buy one from her when I get home. Then downstairs and she came up with two paintings that were way awesome. I thought she was just going to show us, but no she told us to take them. So we did, and I was so excited, it is a way cool painting. Then we talked more, her husband came home he is Swiss, and we talked more. Then when we were leaving I asked her how much she would have sold the two paintings for, she said 2,300 individually. My mouth dropped, I told her we couldn't take them, but she insisted. I guess she has two art galleries, and has been invited to NYC. Then she invited us to dinner this coming Friday. I am so stoked!

October 5, 2009 Know that I am well

In our Zone we are doing something called "Mission Possible" There are 20 missions we are supposed to accomplish before the end of the transfer. One of the missions is to give out two Book of Mormon's. Elder Kunzler and I had already given out one of the two, I was praying that we would find someone to give the book to and I would know just who would take it. We walked by tons of people, we walked through a carnival, and didn't stop one person. This whole time I was praying to find the right person. Well we ended up in front of our apartment and hadn't stopped one single person. But I wasn't going to give up, so we started to walk down the street, and got to a point where I stopped and asked him (Elder K) what way we should go. He looked around for a minute and then said that there was someone coming up behind us, so I said well we might as well talk to one person! As we were walking up I was praying so hard that we would be able to talk to them and give them the book. Oh, this was at like 9 at night too. I walked up to her and said "because of this book we came to Switzerland, this book is called the Book of Mormon, when you read it and ask God if it is true you will get an answer that it is, You will come nearer to your Heavenly Father, and know that he loves you. Can we give you this book?" She said YES! The we talked more, got her number and she asked where the church was! It was truly a miracle that we had both been praying for. When we got inside I said a thankful prayer. Another "mission" was to tell the First Vision story 5 times, we had to do it one more time, it was late and we were getting rejected left and right. I felt like we should go across the street, seeing how the only people were over there. So we went and I saw a lay smiling way big, so we went up to her. And she said you're the Mormon aren't you? In English. So I said yes, you know us? Then we started to talk and turns out that she lived in England and that her husband is English. But we talked about a ton, I told the First Vision in German since she could speak it and I can't do it in English. (strange) I could feel the power of it and I could tell she felt it...They were both so nice, and the husband's friend is a Mormon in Utah. It was just a really good experience. I love being on a mission, I love the gospel and it is true. Know that I am well.

Solothurn

My new "golden" companion is Elder Kunzler. After meeting him and taking pictures we ate some of Sister Materns delicious food Mmmmm. Reminded me of when I came in, except now I was actually talking and could understand it all. haha. Then we were off to Solothurn. We got in, unpacked a little, then we were off on our way o a family that wanted to meet us and tell us a little bit about the ward. They were funny, they were joking around saying in Swiss German that E.K. didn't like the food, and thought that they were crazy for eating it and stuff. They were just joking around and I couldn't help but smile, because I can understand Swiss German. Next we went to a meeting with the Bishop. That went well, we talked about what he expects of us and what we expect of him. On Friday we planned, that went really well, I just called a bunch of people, old investigators, new, less actives, and we set up ton of appointments for the coming week. It was sweet! Saturday we had a street display to pass out the fliers for this celebration we are having in the ward. It was amazing, we passed out more than 400, which is pretty darn good for it having to do with the church and in Switzerland! It was way good. We met a member who was confirmed by a "golden" Dale C Lloyd (My Moms cousin). I also met a member on the street as we were going to Bahnhof. His name is Ben, he is way cool, he was born in Switzerland but moved to none other than West Valley City when he was 1! He knew where we live, and he graduated from Granger! Way crazy...Sunday was really good, the ward is legit. They all gave testimony of missionary work. They are so ready to help. After church I spoke with Ben again. He asked if I knew a family named Remund and I said ya...Kylie Remund! Andit turns out was way good friends with her sister, and I was way good friends with Kylie. Insaine! After church we did some streeting, that was really good. We gave out more fliers, and something really neat happened. I saw this lady a little ways away and I felt like I should go and talk to her, but I thought right after no, there are people coming my way to talk to, So I ingored it...Then a second later Elder Kunzler aske me if he could go talk to her! well, I failed following the spirit. But he went and talked to her for a long time. I'm glad E.K. chose to follow the spirit...lesson learned. I love you all oh so much. Elder Talley

Mom, the blog is looking a little lame! Elder Talley Oct. 5, 2009
I will repent and update the blog tomorrow when I have Matt's e-mails with me. For now I will just say that all is well with Elder Talley and the work is going well. (It would help the blog if he would send his mother more pictures to post!)

New mailing address

Send mail to:
Elder Matthew Talley
Schweiz Zurich Mission
Hermesbuhlstr. 4
4500 Solothurn
Switzerland

Going New Places

Well hello there...Last week was pretty intense to say the least..Wednesday I was in the Temple which was way needed and such an amazing experience. I love the Temple! Then on Thursday we got transfer calls and... drum roll...I am leaving Pratteln. It is kinda hard to believe, since I have been here for 7.5 months.Now I am going somewhere new. Solothurn to be exact. My new comps name is Elder Kuntsler. I have never met him. Actually right now he is in the MTC...Did I mention that I am traning?! I can not beleive it! I am kinda flipping out to be honest. I am very nervous...I am going into a totally new area with a golden (Greenie). Kinda intense... I am going to have to rely on the Lord and his help, without him this would be impossible. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve the Lord and help Him in any way I can. The(Pratteln) ward DID NOT want me to leave! haha, I guess they love me or something. I am going to miss them a lot...Solothurn is a way cool city I have done exchanges there. I met one family, the Joders, they are awsome. Tschuess, Elder Talley

Happy 20th Birthday Elder Talley!

"It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to, cry if I want to...But I don't feel like crying at all, I have noticed how much that I am really loved and it is amazing...Boy this week has been interesting, ups and downs. But still a really good week. We had a lot of appointments this week, which was nice to have, it makes the week go by faster. We met with Richard 3 times. First he came to church last week, then we did service for him and I sweated off about 10 pounds. (I lost a lot of the weight I gained when summer came...Schade) (hard) and then we had a big night where we were going to give him a baptismal date. We went to a members house and watched the restoration DVD. Then the member bore his testimony and helped answer questions that he had. Then Elder Jacobsen bore his testimony and then it was my turn to give the date...I could really feel the spirit talking through me, it was beautiful, it was perfect. After I asked Richard if he would get baptized he smiled and put his head down. Then he looked at me and told me he knows that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that the church is true, but he is stuck on the idea that more than one church can be true and that his is. Baptisims are what we are sent out here to do, but maybe somethimes at the moment it isn't the most important thing. Richard is closer to his Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ than when we started to teach him, he has so much more knowledge now. He is happier and that is important. I don't doubt that one day he will accept the gospel fully and be baptized. I have been trying really hard to get a good relationship with the members so that they will trust us and help us in our efforts to find the people that are ready. And it has been paying off! We have gotten 5 referrals this week alone, and that is really unheard of. Elder Jacobsen said he has gotten more referrals here this week than he has his whole mission. So thats pretty sweet.
I hurt myself every week somehow...Last week during soccer Elder Jacobsen and I ran into each others shins as I was trying to steal the ball from him and I got a hugh bump and bruise and my scar peeled up a little bit. It was intense. Oh and the week before a member kicked my big toe and it bruised up nice and good. Well this week no different, I was defending the goal and I charged another Elder, Elder Hodges and he slipped cause I scared him and slid into me then somehow he collided with both my feet and messed them up pretty bad..My big toe on the R foot has a weird bruise on the bottem and a blood blister on the top, and the other toes hurt. Then the L big toe the nail got bent back half way and is not feeling too well! Hopefully this next week I won't hurt mayself..haha.
So far my birthday has been really nice, which I am grateful for. I am no longer a teenager woot woot!" Elder Talley

Just who is Elder Talley following?

Still in Pratteln

Matt has a new companion, "Elder Jacobsen, he is a way cool kid. I am really excited that I can be here in Pratteln, we have got a lot of great things going on here. Heavenly Father and the Lord have been blessing me in so many ways it is truly unbelievable. I have been reading a lot up on faith, it is really interesting." Matt will be 20 on August 3rd, he say's " kinda crazy that I'll be 20 soon, no longer a teenager! A Happy Birthday to you Matthew!

Bern Temple

With Elder Walsh

Matt was able to see Elder Walsh from the Geneva Mission. They were in primary together in the Manhatten Ward.

more from Elder Talley, told you he'd put on weight!

Serving as a missionary and what was he thinking!

Switzerland is Beautiful!

Alex Grutter's Baptism

I'm way honored to be here!

Alex Grutter was baptized on Sunday June 14th. Way beautiful... Elder Farnsworth and I were the witnesses and that was a really neat experience for me. It was such a beautiful thing to see him in white and standing in the water, I will never forget it. Once he came out of the water he gave Brother martin a long hug, and I could hear them both sniffing. Which of course made me an emotional guy to start getting teary eyed. It was really just a beautiful experiance and I am honored that I could take a little part in it. Such a blessing. I didn't even really do anything, but none the less it was beautiful and I am glad that I could be here for a part of it. He changed his life for something amazing, mega cool!
Things are going really well, I can tell that I am growing in so many ways. I can now see why they say the mission prepares you for marriage. My companion and I get along, but I have to execise patience a lot lately. I'm grateful to be out here, I love it. Way awsome expericane.

So we all had a good chat with Elder Talley on Mother's Day. It was so good to hear his voice, and know that he was still the same old Matt just improved. He was missing American candy, Skittles, Starburst, Reeses, Sour Patch Kids...he said you could only eat so much chocolate?! I can't understand. I sent him a care package, cost a fortune! If you want to, just send one in a prepaid small flat rate box 5 3/8" X8 1/2" X 1 3/4" up to 4 pounds. Of course letters are his favorite thing to get. Today we got a email saying that the baptism they had set up for Alex Grutter failed, but it was re-set for June 14th. He just has to attend church two more times. Matt has "been really busy, which is totaly fine. I am doing really well over here in Switzerland, I love it. In only like a week I'll have been out for 6 months, kinda cool, gell (huh)? I am so grateful for our Heavenly Father and his beautiful blessings! I am so grateful that I have this opportunity to serve Him, it is hard at times but it is worth it."

I do a lot of things for service, pretty much whatever besides babysitting. A couple days ago we re-did a members food storage for them. We do service a lot, I love it. Herr Oertle is doing really well, he loves to come to church and to meet with us. He is reading from the Book of Mormon. So Sunday we finally got to see the last session of Conference. We had to wait a week because of the time difference, they have to record it onto discs then replay it. What an amazing session! I loved it! It was so much focused on the Temple, and in my reading I've been reading about the Temple and how important it is. I wish that I could go more..The Temple is the only way to happiness..Well, combined with other things in the gospel of course... Elder Talley

From a letter dated March 25th. I got your letter today, the one with all the quotes and scriptures to study. Way good! That is the one thing I want to work on, having a taste of the faith of Joseph Smith. He was simply amazing. And that story about the food, way cool! I want to gain faith like that. It's something I'm working on and that I need to be better at. Along with prayer. I've been working on making it a communication. I love the power and comfort of prayer. I may not be able to speak with you but I can always have a conversation with my Heavenly Father. And without fail every time it works. I want to become an instrument in the Lords hands.
Yesterday we got an Easter card from Matt...Happy Easter! I hope you guys had a really good one. A family in the Ward invited us over for the day. The wife made the meal for me specifically! It was way good! Then they gave us desert twice. We had a good talk. I invited their son to sport (sports at the Ward) He is inactive. He said he would come, he is way cool! The dad was so grateful that I did that. They live in Germany, that was my second time in Germany. On the way home we went on the Autobahn it was way cool!!! We missed our exit so we had to go into France to get back home. The Lord is blessing us a lot. I'm enjoying myself. It's beautiful. Read Luke 24. I love you, Elder Talley

Just a few parting thoughts...

One of the seven mice we killed in our apartment.

Elder Talley on the prowl.

My first companion and trainer: Elder Irick

On my way to Switzerland!

My first companion: Elder Matthew Schultz

Missionaries in the making.

Working hard BEAUTIFUL Sucess

Matt is working with several couples a family and a few singles. He is keeping busy and loving the work. He says; "Boy has it been a week or what!! We have been working so hard and have had BEAUTIFUL success! Matt is so grateful for his "Companion Elder Farnsworth we are going to do some great stuff with the Lords help!"

Staying in Pratteln

Well I heard from Elder Talley!...Sorry I'm so late...We just barely got time to do e-mails. We went to Shilthorn today. It's an amazing mountain with 360 deg. view of the Alps! It is so beautiful!! The Lord sure created a beautiful place! Can you imagine how it look after it becomes Celestial? AMAZING! So now for the news...Last Thursday was transfer calls and guess what?? I'm staying here in Pratteln! I'm way excited. There are changes though; I'm getting a new companion! Mty Trainer is going to a different area and I'm staying here with one of the Elders from the other companionship in our apartment. His name is Elder Farnsworth, he is way awesome. He is from Cedar. (Utah) I'm really excited; I know we will work really well together. I have been working with a man Herr Oertle alot altely. He says we have so much love for him, and it is true! I love the mission life, it's wonderful. I love the Gospel and all it brings into our lives. Did I tell you about the 7 mice we have killed in our apartment? Sick! We killed 3 in one night within 2 hours...haha awsome eh?

Just logged on and no new email from Elder Talley...could be that it's transfer day? I'll check again later...

Working Hard!

Sorry I haven't published any of Matt's emails lately...I'll try to catch you up to speed...The lady they were hoping to teach had another man from her church at the next lesson. They explained that they didn't want to argue but to share, so they are no longer teaching her. The church they meet in has a basement where Sunday School is held in a BOMB SHELTER! Matt say's "you have to walk through a way thick wall with a vault looking door! It's kinda cool." President Bednar went to Switzerland..."It was amazing I felt the Spirit a lot and it was all so great! We have a new investagator, his name is Herr Oertle. He is so cool. He has so many questions about the Gospel and seems really interested." On March 9th Matt wrote..."Well this past week has been really good! We worked really hard, I already have holes in the bottom of one pair of shoes...We've been walking alot. Oh and another thing...My shirts were altered too small because the arm's aren't long enough and when I bend my arm the fabric becomes weak and I have 3 shits with holes in the elbows now...Crappy. I tried sewing them but they just broke again plus I suck at sewing." (Can you imagine Matt Talley wearing anthing not perfect?) We had an appointment with Herr Oertle...I have a lot of hope for him. Yesterday we taught a 7 year old girl she is cool it was a really good experiance. (she is a mebber) well not yet she is getting baptized. But I was way nervous but the Lord blessed me so much and helped me and apparently I did really well. I love the Spirit! I love serving the Lord. It's most definitely a lot of hard work. Physically and mentaly...Yesterday was a very intense day, we walked and walked and walked and walked and walked oh and we walked some more! Plus we ran 2 miles yesterday morning! So I'm getting plenty of exercise, but I've gained around 18 lbs. on my mission so far, so that's pretty sweet...A meber family commented to the other Elders in our apartment that they have never seen an Elder eat as much as me...but they loved it! So that's cool, plus the people get offended if you don't eat all the food." Well that it for now I expect a new email on Monday....

So I had my first lesson! It was with the lady that I doored into my first time dooring. And funny thing she invited her preacher! My first lesson and she brought her preacher! It was pretty cool. I think it went pretty well, I think she felt the spirit. And she made out another appointment so now we have a new investigator!!! I feel so much closer to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I love the Gospel so much. The Ward here is amazing, they have such an amazing fire for missionary work it is amazing. I love them already. So I'm in Bern right now and it is beautiful!!!! It's phenomenal!

Loving Switzerland!

Switzerland is a ton different from America that's for sure...the culture, the people just everything. I love it! My apartment is very nice. It is one of the biggest in the mission. For a transfer (6 weeks) they are trying out four missionaries living in it. So that's pretty cool that there is another companionship in our apartment with us. They are both way cool elders. One of them likes to cook and clean so that's nice. I love speaking with the people, they react so different. They are very nice at first, but once they find out who you are they all of the sudden hate you. It's kinda funny. Our Ward feeds us so much. we actually just got back from a lunch appointment with a lady in the Ward. The food was AMAZING but I had to eat soooo much, no leftovers here! So the first door I knocked we ended up getting and appointment out of it. So that was pretty cool! I'm excited for it. Love, Elder Talley

I have arrived in Switzerland in safety. The flight was good and I feel awake. My first area is Prattein and it's in the Bern Stake! My companions name is Elder Irick, I meet him tomorrow.

I'm on my way to Zurich

I leave February 3 rd for Switzerland and arrive in Zurich on February 4th!

Jan 15, 2009

I've been learning a ton of German, the Lord is blessing my life in so many ways. I know that without the Spirit I couldn't learn as much as I have. I can already give the first lesson all Auf Deutsch and I can kinda have random conversations. It's so amazing speaking German. It's actually kinda hard to talk about the gospel in English...I keep thinking of the words Auf Deutsch! I love it! So testimony is the strongest thing we have...It is amazing and the people can really tell if you are sincire. Today at the Temple I sat down next to a man in a wheelchair and we started talking and he asked me whre I was going for my mission. I told him Zurich Switzerland and he started to cry! And then he pulled out his name card and said "My family is from Switzerland" it was amazing...we talked a little about it and he was very emotional the whole time. It was so cool. I can't wait to get out of the bubble(MTC) and start doing some major missionary work. I know that the church is true, I know that the Book of Mormon is true. Everything is true! That's pretty much all I can say... Elder Talley