HAPPY NEW YEAR! Best. Year. Yet.

I've decided that 2014 is gonna be the best year yet. I'm gonna make it that way. Why not, right? Right.

 

It was SO good to talk to y'all on Christmas! I really gain a lot of strength from talking to and writing y'all. I think it's hard for a lot of missionaries, but for me it's helpful. Really helpful. So motivating too. I think that's because of the family and friends I have. Aren't we blessed. I may have mentioned this all before, but it's so dang true! Couldn't be more grateful for my family and friends.

 

We got to talk in church yesterday, all 6 missionaries. It was really good. Good to be able to talk to everyone. This branch is so awesome. They love us so much and I really love them.

 

Mama and Papa Choate had their 50th Anniversary Celebration this week. That's the Grandparents of the whole Choate fam. They are such good people. Even more Choates than normal were here, so it was a crazy week. We also had lunch at Choate Ranch (Mama and Papa Choate's land) on Sunday after church. There were so many people in that little house. I got to have some really great conversations with both Mama and Papa Choate. Talking to them each made me miss and appreciate my grandparents even more. I miss all of them a lot. All four of them. Though I know Grandpa Tanner is always with me. In D&C, where it says that angels will be round about us to bear us up, Grandpa's one of those angels for me. I know it. I've felt his help, guidance, and love very often. It's amazing. His missionary spirit is contagious. I love it. Such a blessing.

 

We've been struggling to find new investigators and to meet with our current investigators. They're all sick, out of town, or causing problems. Such is missionary life though, eh? Everything works out for our good in the end, if we're obedient. Obedient and Kind, and we're OK.

 

We did the Haka this morning. Elder T taught us how they did it on his island before track meets. It was pretty fun. We're starting Insanity again, I think. It's gonna be....well, insane. It'll be good for me though. I'm just a li'l guy, ya know. Not after Insanity though. It's out of control.

 

Well, the work is working, as Sister Beckstead says.

 

Love y'all tons,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

Merry CHRISTmas!!! "And that's what it's all about!" (Copyright Hokey Pokey Industries 1987)

"So this is Christmas, and what have you doooooone?" (I think those are the words.)

Wild that Christmas is here, no? It's wild, wild stuff to me. I tell you what. It's so different on the mission, but so good. 

I don't have tons of time, but it's okay...for reasons that will be revealed to y'all sometime this week.

So, we've been trying to get new investigators, after our baptisms. They took up a lot of our time, and still kind of do, since now missionaries teach the new member lessons. It's crazy. My goal now is to ask for referrals from everyone. Literally everyone. We're supposed to be doing that already, but I haven't been too good at it. Another thing we've been focusing on is OYM'ing everyone. We did with a guy the other day and he said he wanted us to stop and talk to him and had been wanting to change his life. He proceeded to tell us basically his whole life story...Okie talker. He's a great guy though. "There can be miracles, if you believe."

I'm so glad to have this special time of year to reflect on the Savior's birth, life, death, suffering, His names (thanks to y'all), and his resurrection. One thing I loved in the Christmas Program in Sacrament Meeting this week was that they talked about the Millennium being like an ongoing Christmas season for 1000 years. Doesn't that sound amazing? It's that song come true..."If every day could be Christmas". Every day will be, and for 1000 years! What a blessing, eh?

We, the Seminole Missionaries, sang in the Branch Choir for the Christmas Program yesterday. It was...interesting. Actually, the actual meeting went well. There were definitely angels singing with us. I prayed so hard that we would be able to bring the spirit into the meeting. I also have missed singing in choirs...odd, I know. It was fun to do that again. 

The basses from Mads have an email chain, and we've been talking about that recently. We had some fun times, wild times. I miss singing with The BIG4 a lot too. I've been so blessed to be a part of such great things. 

So, I'm getting rather excited to talk to y'all. I don't get homesick thinking about y'all...it's like the opposite. I get super duper motivated! It rocks. It's because I've been blessed with such great friends and family! There's no reason to be sad about stuff. Just be happy, why not?

I love y'all so muchly tons. For realsies. Thank you. For it all.

Love, 

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

Here again...

So I'm staying in Seminole for another transfer....and Elder H is staying here with me! First time I get to keep a comp for 2 transfers in a row! And this is his last transfer so I'll be his last comp. I'm stoked.

I'm super excited to stay here for Christmas! The members here are so awesome. They love the missionaries and are starting to do more missionary work!

pictures from the Christmas social in Seminole

Sorry for a kinda short letter...last P day as a district.
 
DH was baptized this past Saturday and I got to perform the baptism! Really cool experience! Elder H confirmed her on Sunday, and the new Stake Pres was there. Reminded me of Pops.

I got to go on exchanges this past Thursday and Friday. We did them back to back because of the shortened transfer and the crazy weather. I was in Shawnee for two days. It's hard being away from your area for that long, but I had a ton of fun, learned so much and had some incredible miracles/experiences. I've never not been District Leader's comp, so I've done a lot of exchanges. This next transfer, E. Hernandez will no longer be DL, so I'll only do probably 2....so weird.

Our mission goal of 50 baptisms is going well. Still needs work though. We're working on one or two more, we hope!
 

Thank y'all so much for all you do! Anything and everything makes a huge difference!

I'm not sure exactly when I'll be calling. Let me know what would be best for y'all! Don't know how to feel about talking to y'all...but it'll be good:)

 Love,
 Elder Tanner
 -I Love the Lord-

Helping us get to 50

DG was baptized on Saturday, and I had the opportunity to confirm him. We ended up doing it then, on Saturday, because church was cancelled due to FREEZING cold weather and, despite the "fact" that "it doesn't snow in Oklahoma", snow. But quite a few missionaries were able to come to the baptism. It was really cool. He's had a lot of missionaries teach him. This was a huge testimony builder for me that I'm where I'm supposed to be right now. I love the Gs almost like grandparents. They love us too. We have lots of fun and really spiritual times together. Bro. G is gonna be an amazing contribution to the Branch. I thought he was a member already my first week here. He's one of those people...super solid. Love that guy.

"Bro. G. said he felt like the jumpsuit was from a jail. I told him it must be a pretty nice jail....all white and stuff"

 The snow....the stuff that comes every year to Utah, but not Oklahoma...not much at least. It's here. And it's below freezing every day. We have been grounded a couple of days this past week, which is rough. We still walked to visit one potential family and turns out, they've met with missionaries before. Had a cool lesson though. They're so nice. Their kids love me too. What can I say? It's just the way I be.

Our two baptisms set for this Saturday dropped. One for sure, one maybe...probably. Church was just the 6 Seminole Missionaries yesterday, so we didn't have any investigators there. Too freezy out. So E can't be baptized this week, having only been to church twice. He will be eventually though. He's still pretty hesitant and can be difficult sometimes, but we're working on it, of course. Still love him. Lady Bug has been in Shawnee this week, trying to stay out of the cold, with some of her friends. Hopefully she'll come back soon, like today, so we can teach he more. She's been to church enough, just need to finish the lessons with her. It all depends on if she can come back to Seminole yet. Don't want her to freeze. She's awesome though. Love her too.

Church yesterday was sweet action. Rough because it was just the 6 missionaries, but awesome cause we had a powerful testimony meeting where we all bore testimony, and we watched "Israel, Israel God is Calling", a CES Devotional by Elder Holland....So, of course it was amazing. If y'all haven't seen it, watch it. I dig it...so much. It's the one where he tells us not to check our religion at the door...ever. I get the chills just thinking about it! Whoo! Then we figured out some things we need to work on in this Branch. It's gonna be good! We're already doing The Games, a competition between all the families in the Branch, doing missionary work and other church-related things, but also funner things like making a Mormon Harlem Shake and other FHE activities. They seem excited about it.

We introduced a fam to The Games last night, after we had dinner and watched the Christmas Devotional with them. It was our Branch Mission Leader's fam. The Mom and Grandma are Filipino, so we had amazing Filipino food! They also had some nastysag rice gelatin dessert thing....tasted like raw eggs and was like Jello, but thicker...so I gagged a li'l bit. Like, an actual gag. But I finished it. We all tried it and none of us liked it....pretty funny though. They're a great family. Turns out, I forgot it was Christmas-time... Even with all the snow and freezy-ness and christmas decorations and even Christmas gifts from the G's...still forgot. But the Devotional reminded me. Really great Devo. too. I loved the question of What happens next? That's a good question for everything, including Christmas. Always good to hear from the prophet too. Love that guy. I almost felt sad missing the Fast Sunday deal with caroling and all, but I was fine, actually. I thought it would be harder. Thought of y'all though. Felt some love vibes too, sent some back. Hopefully y'all feel them too. 

Fun at the K's home

 Speaking of...I'll be only calling on Christmas, no Skype. But it's all good with me. I really want to talk to everyone, if possible. I wanna talk to Ann too. But especially Tato. Tato must be there. We need to talk, bro. No offense to y'all, but I miss him probably most. Turns out, my whole life has been spent with him by my side, no matter what. Despite all I do to bug him. I don't have a closer friend. So....he's gotta be there:) Ya hear, Tato?? Good.

I love y'all so dang much. Don't have too much fun without me. Jk, have tons of fun!

Love,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

The Lord's hand is in everything we do. Did ya know?

SO...turns out we have 2, maybe 3, baptisms these next two weekends. Talk about miracles.

 

I don't have much time to write, cause we have a Zone P day today. But here it goes.

 

Bro. G, a member's husband is getting baptized this Saturday, the 7th. DH "Lady Bug" is going to be baptized the next week, the 14th. Super exciting. E might be getting baptized that day too.

 

Did exchanges with the ZL's this friday. Elder C and I were here in Seminole, and we ended up teaching all three of our baptismal dates lessons Friday. It was some of the best lessons I've had my whole mission. Really. I learned so much from Elder C. He's a great missionary and an awesome leader.

 

E fasted with us on Sunday. He made me go up with him to bear his testimony, but he did it! It was so cool. He told us he wants to stop smoking now, since his fasting. HUGE miracle. We were kind of losing hope (I know we shouldn't), but I've really been trying to focus on the fact that each and every one of God's children need this gospel. No matter what.

 

We had a mission-wide fast for 50 baptisms in December, as a stepping stone for 100 baptisms in a month, our mission vision. Vision 100, as Pres. Walkenhorst calls it. We're going to do it this month. I know it.

 

The Lord has been extra quick and/or specific at answering my prayers lately. It's amazing. He knows us each so personally and wants to bless us. He's just waiting for us to ask and act.

 

We had a Turkey Bowl Thursday morning, and we ate dinner at the G's that night. It was so good to play football again.

 

Also, I found a cool scripture that goes along with Bishop Linton's turning to Christ, rather than turning from past sins. It's in Alma 39:12-13. There are some other cool verses in that chapter as well about not letting the sins of others be an excuse for our transgressions. Good reminders. (If you could share that with Bishop and tell him I share that with a lot of people and it really helps, I'd appreciate it.)

 

It's nice to see some outward success, after not having much, if any, the rest of my mission so far. But I've also learned to really appreciate the inward, smaller miracles and successes. I love Him for both.

 

I know the Lord has a personal plan for every single one of His children, our brothers and sisters, no matter how we've treated Him in the past, or will in the future.

 

Thank you for all you do. I'm so grateful for you. (HEY, I rhymed.)

 

Love y'all,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

He knows me.

This was an insane week. It has seemed so fast, yet so much has happened. I have never felt so spiritually high and low in such a short time...besides some other times previously in my life. But this one was pretty intense, don't get me wrong.

 

Elder Craig A. Cardon of the Seventy came for a Mission Tour on Friday and he shared some incredible things, including a pretty straightforward rebuke of a certain aspect of teaching as a missionary. It was sweetness though. I dig rebuking...I guess I need it a lot. He IS a special witness, E. Cardon. He told us some things about their meetings with the First Presidency, which revamped my testimony of them as well, especially as I was reading about following the prophet in PMG in my studies. He told us to think of up to three questions at the beginning of the day, and promised they would be answered throughout the day. So, naturally, I thought of three questions, being greedy with divine promises. Sue me. I felt kinda bad about choosing three pretty personal questions, but found later that my answers to them can help those around me too. The Lord's sneaky sometimes. Good sneaky. Anyways, all three of my questions got answered partially throughout the day, BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! In E. Cardon's final testimony, he shared an answer to each of my questions...in order. So, turns out, the Lord knows me. Pretty dang stinkin' well. Huge testimony builder, and it would be uncanny...if we weren't talking about the Lord. I don't know about y'all, but I love the Lord. He never ceases to amaze me and bless me, despite stupidity on my part.

 

That brings me to the rough part of the weekend...the muddy part. We got stuck in the mud on the way to an appointment, and we couldn't get the car out before we had to be at the church to go to the adult session of Stake Conference. We went with muddy feet and pants. The members were so loving and kind about it though. Many offered to help us out....of the mud. We ended up getting it out at about 12:30 am. Super freezing and tired, but we got it out. All six of the Seminole missionaries came that night to help. We all froze together, along with Bro. B. We definitely bonded. And I found out that staying up late is definitely not worth it. We get up way too early for that. I still got up at 6:30 though. Wildly sleepy.

 

We got grounded on Sunday cause of the cold and ice. It was/is SO cold. It's crazy. The humidity makes it super fun too... We spent the day at the K's house. They're so awesome. They fed us Lunch and Dinner. And S, their daughter, is the one that texted Tato. They are so good to us missionaries.

 

The Norman Stake got a new Stake Pres. yesterday...which brought back a flood of memories of Dad's getting called and released as Stake Pres. I felt an almost overwhelming sense of gratitude for his and all church leaders' service and sacrifice. They go through a lot. More than we know. I know they're called of God, including Dad.

 

Another miracle to go along with my stupidity with the car, showing the Lord's constant awareness. I was feeling down about the whole thing yesterday morning, when I noticed I was a few days behind on my Conference Calendar. The one from Sunday morning, if you remember, was about putting aside past guilt....that's what I struggle with probably the most. It's so hard to forgive myself. I know I've repented, but Satan, like the quote says, uses that to lure us back in and tries to drag us "carefully down to Hell." I don't know about y'all, but that's not so desirable to me. "I choose life [eternal]." (Sid, on Ice Age) I may have added that last word there...but you get the picture. This all showed me the Lord's remembrance of me. He will NEVER forsake us. He leaves us with peace. His peace. MUCH better than the world's short-lived peace.

 

Remind me to tell y'all about Remember the CHANGES. Something I made up at my last Clinton District Meeting. It's in relation to one of the greatest movies of all time, Remember the Titans. I find relations to that with missionary work rather often...sweetness, I know. "Attitude reflec' leadership" being on of them. Think about it.

 

We are one, y'all. That's what I got from Stake Conference. Heavenly Father said so Himself in General Conf. through Pres. Monson. Invite friends over for dinner, not even relating anything to the Gospel, unless it's brought up. Invite them to FHE alone or with the missionaries. It's powerful. We do that here a lot, FHE with members. We have one tonight with the K's. It works, and it brings the missionaries and members together.

 

We're still teaching Bro. G...I think I told y'all about him. He's a member's husband. He's basically a member, coming to church and all. He just isn't baptized. He's awesome.

 

During this Holiday Season, it makes me so grateful for y'all. Beyond what I can say in mere words. In eternity, I'll be able to express it to y'all, I hope. Know that I love and pray daily for y'all. Thank you for everything.

 

Love,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

Seminole to the Maximum

I'm in Seminole now. I'm with Elder H now. I like it now. I think I'll stay for a time. Elder H has 2 transfers left, but he doesn't seem too trunky...yet;) He's awesome though, no worries. He is just a li'l lazy with some things. Missionary work is repetitive...imagine that. It's also a pretty big deal. In one of my many studies over the past few days (scholarly of me, I know), I read in Jacob about how we're going to have to answer for the welfare of the souls around us that we did, should have, could have helped and tried to bring to the Gospel. It's up to us to share what we have with them. We best not blow it.

 

I love Seminole. A lot. The branch here is awesome, and there are 6 missionaries here. We have two other sets of Elders in Shawnee, in our District. One being the ZLs. Our District is Me and Elder H in Seminole Central, Elders M and B (fresh out of Provo) who live next door to us, they cover Seminole East, Sisters A and B (basically sisters by blood, it seems; also in Seminole, just down the road from our place) they cover Seminole West and just opened that area last transfer...first Sisters in Seminole, Elders B and W (in Shawnee South), and the ZLs, Elders M and C (also in Shawnee). The Seminole Missionaries have tons of fun together. We get up at 5:45 to play sports in the mornings (or do Hip Hop Abs, or Insanity which is like P90X...We did Hip Hop Abs this morning...it's fun/funny...or funn, as Jord and I used to say). I'm in Seminole Central with E. Hernandez, which is....wait for it...wait for iiiiit...A BIKE AREA. Woot. I like it though. And we get rides from the Elders next door a lot. We, the Sem. Miss. have dinner together most nights. Members actually feed us here...like every night. It's pretty awesome...I'm gonna be FAT by the end of this transfer/week/day...sometime soon. Except not as fat as the other missionaries with cars! ...suckers..;) I just kid.

"Posterity (mission families are weird)."

 I love this Branch. It's made up of mostly Choates. They're all super strong members, besides a child or two. They call it the Choate Branch. We have an investigator here that reminds me and Elder H a lot of F, back in Clinton! oh, p.s. Elder. H served in Clinton too! So we have a lot of similar stories:)

 

I'm excited to see what the Lord's errand is for me here in Seminole.

 

Pres. Walkenhorst gave us a goal. He calls it Vision 100, or 100 baptisms in a month. We're going for a "stepping stone" in December, trying for just 50. That'll still be a mission record though. We're gonna make 100. But first we have to work with our Recent Converts. The Lord isn't gonna give us more when we aren't even taking care of the ones we have. That's what our area authority told us. Elder H says he's been feeling like this is "the transfer". Whatever that means, i'm ready. And excited. We're already seeing miracles. We just need to work a li'l harder...that's our only real problem. We will though.

"tie I found for 25 cents"

Elder Cardon of the Seventy comes this Friday for the missionaries and then he'll be presiding at the Norman Stake Conference, that we're a part of. We've been asked to go to the Adult Session Saturday and the regular one Sunday. I'm so excited. I want a good rebuking. "I wanna know. Can you show me?" -Tarzan. I just thought of that...kinda just came out as I was typing. That's how I feel though. I wanna know what I can do to improve and progress. What I can do now. I'm willing to do it. I know the Lord will show me.

 

I love y'all so much. The Lord's work truly is hastening, and "We're all in this together", right? I know what y'all are thinking...."You're crazy, Wildcat!" But really, "what-e'er thou art, act well thy part". I'm trying my best to do so.

 

Love y'all,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

 

p.s. the picture is of my signature on the Clinton board, in the Clinton apartment.

 

SEMINOLE

I'm going to Seminole this Wednesday, and my new comp's name is Elder H! He's from Texas, 25 years old, and a convert of 3 yrs. It's gonna be a good transfer! I've heard interesting things about him, honestly. Mostly from members here, he served here too. But I've decided I'm gonna love the heck out of him and the people of Seminole! No matter how they feel about me. It's gonna be one of those awesome growing transfers...I LOVE them. But seriously, aren't they all? Seminole is the eastern-most area in the mission I believe. So it's as close as I'll get to Al's mission.

 

Elder W and I had a awesome week! Interesting, but great! On Tues, it rained harder than ever before here! It wasn't rainy at first, and we were in a truck with TA, who leaves for San Diego on a mission on Wednesday. Right after he left, it started to pour...hard core. So we walked around in the downpour for the rest of the day..from like 4 on. It was AWESOME! I felt super legit. Kinda like Ann dog talked about sweating like crazy and feeling legit for that, that's how i felt being wet literally to the core. It was a LOT of rain. One of the roads was literally a river...it was wild. I was skipping rocks in it. We had a lot of fun that day. We also saw red and blue lightning, which is super cool! It was wild, wild stuff.

 

I've really been trying to show my love for our investigators, LA's, and members here. I do love them a ton, and I need to show and say it more. I'm gonna miss them, but, like I said, I'm gonna love the heck out of Seminole! Maybe I'll be in a car...that'd be weird. And my super-solid biking muscles will go back to the gelatin state they used to be in...oh well. 

 

I'm at an interesting point in my mission. It's like the post-training, pre-leadership portion. I don't know what that'll mean exactly for me, but it feels like a kind of transitioning period. It'll be super good though, no worries. Everything about the mission is. I LOVE being a missionary! "Eees da beeest!" (Nacho)

 

Have you ever felt like you're not sure what to write in a letter home? That's kinda how I feel at this instant. I want to help y'all feel the joy I feel and "catch the wave" of missionary work and all...I just don't know. We talked about it in EQ yesterday. We, as the missionaries here, asked what the members expect of us. They gave us some things that were good, but only after we called on people specifically. They may not have many expectations for us here. I guess maybe I'm supposed to encourage y'all to set expectations for the missionaries in your ward. Even in Utah, where we don't see ours often. But have them over for dinner, and let them know that you want them to help you with your finding efforts. Study Preach My Gospel whenever you can. That's to everyone. There's a 10-yr-old girl member here who's studying it, so...just think about that;) I'm really not trying to sound forceful or mean or anything. I just love the proactiveness of a family or two here. It's so helpful to us. And really, we're here to help the members with their efforts, not the other way around.

 

Another thing mentioned was that scripture Mama shared with me a few weeks ago, about our divine errand. Pray for Heavenly Father to let you know what your divine errand is right now. He'll let you know. He wants to let us know what we can do. And when we obey commandments, He BLESSES us with more, so keep asking for more I guess you could say. Even if you feel you've found yours. Ask Him what else you can do. There's so much to do in this hastening of the work. That's something else each family could immensely benefit from, watching the video on LDS.org about Hastening the Work of Salvation. As an FHE thing or personally or both! It's really amazing, what's being done in these days. Just look at the annual reports in Gen. Conf. from past years compared to this year's. Even just 2011. It's amazing what's happened. Elder W and I were looking at that this morn. INCREDIBLE, really.

 

I love hearing from everyone! I'm SOOO blessed. Especially with my friends and fam. There are quite a few missionaries that go a month without hearing from family. That hasn't happened to me yet ever. Not that it won't in the future. It's okay, life is busy. But I really do gain so much from y'all. It's amazing. Especially thank y'all for all the bday wishes! I had an amazing birthday!

 

I love y'all bundles...BIG bundles.

 

Elder David (Bill) Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

 

ps. i'm thinking about going by Bill when i get home...;) But really...it would be cool, but we'll see!

#crazyweek

We had a great, but crazy week this week! We helped two families move three different days, taught some solid lessons to solid investigators, built a smarties pyramid (over 1100 smarties, and we had tons left over), found out I'm probably leaving soon, and had a Birthday! It was kinda insane!

So pray for M and K, B, C still, and A, D, and C still. They really need some prayer power. They're so solid but a little non-committal. They are SUPER awesome, kind, loving, accepting people too! I really, really love the people here a ton. Especially in Clinton.

Which brings me to transfers coming up...Elder W found out he's training next transfer, so I'll most likely be leaving Clinton. There's been a threesome here before, but I'm thinking it probably won't happen. I completely trust the Lord though. He will direct my paths for good! There's no way I won't be put in the perfect place for me to be for the next 6 weeks. Working on my faith, especially by following Elder T's example. He has SO much faith, it's crazy. He's training for the first time next transfer and he told us he's not nervous because he "came here to serve, so [he's] gonna serve." I say to that, "Wow. I tell you what, wow!"

Thank y'all again SO much for the incredible package!! I can't describe what that meant to me! Everything in there was perfect! Plus Megee sent me one and it was amazing too! She gave me fox socks..:) If you're reading this Megs, thank you:) You knew just what I needed! Y'all did too, family!

We had a Trunk-or-Treat in the Ward here on Wednesday! It was SO fun! I love this ward so much! I'm gonna miss it, whenever I leave..:) We had an investigator come too!

 I also had a moth fly into my eyeball the other night...right into it. Luckily, my reflexes are still more than lightning fast and I blinked just in time! 

 I was listening to I Love the Lord, sung by the Big4 the other day and my iPod was on shuffle. The next thing that came on was 2 Nephi 4, the chapter that song comes from! Uncanny, I know! Turns out I needed to read that chapter that day, so I did and it was super beneficial. Plus a verse in a chapter nearby that I saw while reading it was just what an investigator needed to hear later that day! The Lord works in mysterious ways.

Ice Age was on in the car next to us, on the way home from the Trunk-or-Treat...I've never been so tempted in my entire life...Okay, maybe that's a little exaggerated...but it was rough, let me tell you.

Elder W and I have been trying out new ways to ride our bikes (pretty safe, don't worry, Mom). Our recent favorite is side-saddle. It's not all that comfortable, but it looks real good.

I heard that one song "Cantando Llores" or whatever it's called at a Mexican Restaurant the other day and I couldn't help but sing my lyrics, which include something about enchiladas. I know my Español pretty well, needless to say.

I'm 19, they say. Word on the street. The Hermanas made me cookies in the shape of "Happy Bday!" for District Meeting, and bought me a bag of goodies (Butterfinger, splat ball, and Batman toy).Elder G  got me a candy bar too. Yeah, I have an awesome District. Plus we had the ZLs there that day. Elder T, my favorite Elder ever probably, stayed here in Clinton with Elder W and I, while Elder Z went to Elk City. It was so fun being with both Elder W and Elder T! The really are some of the coolest people ever. 

 

Halloween "Costumes"

Turns out, the Lord really knows me...so well. He has shown that in even little ways every day out here. I know He lives and loves us. He wants us to come to Him. Why would we ever do otherwise? It's crazy and insulting to His Atonement if we don't. So, shall we? Yes, let's. I know He knows all of us more individually than we may even know ourselves. Isn't that amazing. Think about that for a while. It blows my mind, maybe that's just me though. I hope not. I've been thinking, what can I do to show my love for Him more today? There are so many opportunities to do so. I love that.

I'm old. "It's time to begin, isn't it? I get a little bit bigger, but then I'll admit, I'm just the same as I was. Don't you understand? I'm never changing who I am." Unless the Lord and I feel it necessary.

I love y'all so dang much. Can't even explain it. Pray for y'all daily, by name.

Love,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

 

Elder Tanner by his apartment

The Joy of Missionary Work: A Novel by Elder Tanman

So, I felt and noticed sincere missionary joy last night, after having quite a rough day, feeling pretty much like poop from church until around 8:30. There wasn't much reason for it, but that's how it was, nonetheless (big word...booyah). The joy came while we were talking to JCADS... They all live together at the place where C, A, and D live. They're also all moving on Friday...MY BIRTHDAY!! But they need to, cause right now they're in a SUPER sketchy Inn across the street from our apartments...like there are police there every day, at least once a day. But anyhowzers, I was bummed cause G dropped us last night. We just had a spirit-less lesson and it was rough...but it's all good. One day. After, we went to visit JCADS and set up an appointment to show them the John Tanner movie, cause I told them the story, per the Holy Ghost's request. They wanted to see the movie, so we're gonna show it to them. They always cheer me up, but I felt more sincere joy this time than other times. 

 

Friday was Zone Conference!! It was awesome! Pres. talked about Obedience vs. Disobedience, and it was awesome! We have a lot of really good missionaries here, and we just need to get rid of our little disobediences. We all have some, but without them we can reach our goal of 100 baptisms per month. I know it can happen.

 

Before my interview with Pres, we (the missionaries from the few areas who were getting interviewed) were waiting out in the foyer and he came up behind my chair and gave me a head massage for a minute or two. It was super random, but super awesome too! I love that guy, he's so great.

 

We are having tons of fun together, Elder W and I. I love serving with him. We started a smartie pyramid, like Al's on his mission. We have to buy more smarties today though to finish it. We're gonna work on it Thurs. night, Halloween. We have to be in by 5pm...cause it's sketchy here all the time, but esp. on that night.

 

We have gotten some SOLID new investigators recently and have had some awesome miracles. A couple named M and K who have had tons of cool experiences and a lady named B who sees spirits! They're awesome and interested!

 

We also gave C a baptismal date! It's gonna take a lot of faith...but it can happen!

 

Love y'all tons.

 

Love,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

 

Sorry this is late. the internet at the church stopped working, so i'm just sending the draft i had saved today. Love y'all tons

It's partay time!!!

I don't know why, but it feels like it's time to party. I guess that's good.

Church yesterday was wild...wild stuff. BW got home from the Idaho Nampa Mission (weird and odd to see someone come home from a mission...seems like that'll never be me). He came out to a lesson with C Friday. It was sweet, like being in a threesome, i assume. Elder T was with me, cause we had exchanges. Anyway, the BW and his parents all spoke in Sac. Mtg...so kind of a W family sac. mtg...but it was good. Bro. W sang three verses of a song in his talk from the pulpit...and then, Bro. M sang two verses of a song in the Elder's quorum lesson...it was uncanny. I've heard of things like this, but now i've seen it live:)

Speaking of exchanges (i know i did somewhere in that paragraph), Elder T and I had an AWESOME exchange! We've grown pretty tight  and we had tons of fun, plus tons of success together! I had scriptures come to me in lessons, like never before! It was miraculous! And we got 2, basically 3, new investigators on Saturday! Elder T prayed 1/2 in english 1/2 in Kiribati ("kirabes"). He taught me a lot about promising our invest.'s blessings for keeping commitments. It'll help them tons cause they have troubles with that here in OK. They're chill and laid back, but non-committal to the maximillion (maximum). We also froze on our bikes both nights he was here...we kept yelling, "it's too cold!" the way he says it, with his accent:) I'm pretty dang good at accents..or so i've heard. Elder W told me that this morn.

C's determined to get baptized, and she's going to. I know it. Pray for her. She told us she's gonna defy the odds to be baptized. She wants and needs it, so she's gonna do it. 

A guy named G, a former member of the blood gang, who's super buff and black, and legit....anyways, he's progressing well. He's so awesome. 

Elder W's bike broke Wednesday...and it was freezing...and we had to walk home from the opposite side of town...and it started to rain...and we froze...BUT we chose to be SUPER happy and have tons of fun! I did at least, and Elder W caught on and joined in. It was a good day. The next day, we had to walk all over...tired feet. I might need arch supports for my shoes...they hurt pretty often. 

Elder W decide we would Real Play for ourselves this week...it was SO cool and insightful. I'm grateful for him. We hope to be together next transfer too:) But His (Heavenly Father's) will be done. No worries. 

Well, gotta go. It's been a good, freezing cold week! I've used my coat a lot! I love it. I like the Freezing.

Love y'all tons,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

NO TIME!!!

We had to email at the Clinton Public Library this week...yeah. So I don't have like any time at all.

I had an awesome week, with amazing miracles. The ZL's were here Friday for an exchange, doubling our area again. Had some amazing miracles with them. The new ZL, Elder T, is super funny and gives haircuts, so I hopefully will be able to get one from him this Transfer. Booyah. Sad that Elder G went home though...weird that that time will someday come for me too... Anyway, I was with Elder Z again, and we had a good time together, talking to drunk people and an investigator's husband who just got bailed out of jail, etc.

Also, we helped the sisters move on Friday. It was a little stressful, cause they had to move back cause the new place was a li'l sketch, but it was good and we made it fun! After we moved them back to the old apartment, we found a potential investigator for them in the apartment across the way from them! After all that, Sister L asked me for a blessing of comfort. We all, the ZL's and Elder W and I, participated. It was cool to be able to do that for her. The Hermanas in our District are so awesome. I love our District.

Last night, we taught a family that we found through just talking to a guy on the street. We ended up teaching his WHOLE family! The dad is from Nigeria, but speaks English. They are all SUPER nice. We even had a member with us...AH, it was amazing! This is such an awesome work we are all, or all should be, involved in and called to. It's so rewarding to see people accept our message and progress! Y'all get involved.

Thanks to all who tried their best to invite someone to Conference this last week. I won't tell you what we need to do, cause the Brethren told us all pretty well. "Now is the time for members and full-time missionaries to work together"...yeah, it's time. It's so awesome! Elder Ballard's challenge to invite someone to a church activity, FHE, chruch, etc. before Christmas, the importance of members emphasized by so many, praying for FTM's in your area and their investigators..BY NAME, praying together with them to rid yourself of any fears about missionary work....all so good. Y'all are amazing. Keep it up! I read again this morning the scripture in D&C 18 about the worth of souls and the joy we receive from missionary work and bringing souls to God. I love those verses. I feel that joy every day, why shouldn't everyone?

We had a movie night this past Wednesday too! We watched 17 Miracles, and the C family came! Even though we watched it in English. They're so awesome!

I finished my first zebra pen this past week...yeah, sad day. I also got a jammed finger and a new foam mini soccer ball. There are Nerf hoops in our room...:)

In Shelle's letter last week, she accidentally said "serving the web" instead of "surfing", but, like a missionary, I made a connection with it. I thought about how maybe I did too much serving the web back home. I know I spent too much time on social networks, rather than reading from the scriptures. It's so sad to me, esp. now. I think social networks are awesome and i love them. but they shouldn't make us distracted from what matters most. Shelle really gets this concept, as she told me in the letter. Thanks for your example Shelle! Oh and shelle...me and my ZL, Elder T, want some moccs. He's willing to pay $30:) I'm willing to be awesome...and have mama pay you. But it's okay if you're too busy relaxing in the big UT;)

I got another flat...

A and D (C's dad) have a Baptismal date!! Woot! They seem to be doing really well! C doesn't yet, but he'll be baptized sometime!

I love hearing from y'all so much! It's amazing, how blessed we all are to be in this family! Think about it. Read, ponder, pray, act, repeat. (I think sometimes we forget those last parts, to repeat, and keep showing our faith through our actions.)

Also, E said the exact quote mama gave me that I keep on my desk! "Prayer changes things" Super sweetness. She has so much faith. We asked her what role religion has played in her life, and she just stopped and looked at us, then said that religion IS her life. Is it OUR lives too? I think it should be.

I love y'all SO DANG MUCH. Thank you again for everything. No greater examples than y'all.

Love,

Elder Tanner
-I Love the Lord-

6' 6"- Elder W!!

That's my new comp, Elder W. He hails (always wanted to use that) from So. Cal. That's Southern California, Dad. He's from the LA area too! And knows South Pasadena! He's from Agoura Hills. Goodness...this is gonna be such an awesome transfer!! We already changed and rearranged some things. I cleaned the apartment mostly. Elder White likes cleanliness too, and is super organized. We organized our investigators whiteboard, and it already is helping me feels more calm and I love it. He has tons of ideas and he's super willing to share them. It's gonna improve this area a lot. Not that it was bad before, but it's gonna improve! I love this Elder! We're super tight already, and he got here Wednesday!

Man... Kev and Shelle... Magyarorszag was stuck in my head all day on Tuesday! "A vir mon irden me Schnieder, Mgyarorszag!" All day....

Well, Elder P and I said bye and taught a couple more times together Tuesday, then he left Wednesday morning with Elder G (cause they have the truck). So Elder T and I worked here in good ol' Clinton. Then Elder W came back with Elder G!

Elder Tanner with Elder P

I can't tell you how amazing Conference was for me... I only wish I had appreciated it more back home. It was so incredible. I prayed to receive revelation for investigators and had some in mind, but during conference I ended up receiving things for different investigators and some Less-Actives too! Craziness.  The Lord is a mysterious ways worker. I love it.

C came to Conference Sunday morning! Pray for her. She needs to find a way to get baptized. I have faith she can be this transfer or the next. She needs it.

Sorry this is so short...I don't have much time, but basically all you need to know is that missionary work rocks! Just do it. God said so.

I love y'all SO stinkin' much! And this church is SO stinkin' true! Think about what that means, that this church is true. Real mind-boggler. At least for me.

Love,
Elder Tanner
-I Love the Lord-

Transfer Numero Uno: Completed

As the sun is setting on my first transfer, here in beautiful Oklahoma, I would like to say, I love the Lord. I really, really do. More than I can express in words. The way I try to express my love for Him is through everything I do, especially, but not exclusively, as a missionary.

This has been an interesting week, full of wild events. I will try to tell most of them.

First off, I got a haircut on Monday! Kev...you'd dig this barber. Yeah, it was at a legit barber shop, here in Clintonian. There were a couple barbers. The one used a vacuum, like the MTC, but of course I got the other barber. It's all good though, cause they both give you a massage after they're done cutting your locks! They have these heated, vibrating machines and they rub your back and shoulders with them while you're sitting there in the chair, legit barber chairs. It was an incredible experience, and if I wasn't a missionary and being money careful, I would've gotten a hot shave...I really wanted to. I even forgot to shave that morn! So tempting. But he did a little bit of a hot shave when he trimmed the edges of my hair. He did it the same way they do the hot shave, with cream and a knife blade razor, or whatever those old-fashioned razors are called. It was dulce acciones.

Also, Al and Dad and Shelle and Mama, thanks for the amazing advice! Y'all's letters are so inspired, I can feel it. Everyone's.

Al, I'm sure you know and feel this already, but help your seminary students appreciate seminary and treat it as basically the MTC. It really is, esp. nowadays. It's crazy how short the MTC is, even though it feels long sometimes. I regret not taking seminary seriously enough, and paying more attention to the girls in my class, than on the lesson. I was a good seminary student, don't get me wrong. I just could've engaged myself more and learned a WHOLE LOT more. Tato, don't blow it, like I did. TAKE IT ALL IN! It's sooo important, esp. for your future missionary service and life. Also, all who do not already, STUDY Preach My Gospel. As a couple, a family, personally, etc. It is an incredible, inspired, and, unfortunately, under-appreciated/utilized resource. IT IS AMAZING. I was told all of this so many times before the mission, and even on the mission, at first...yet I did nothing, really. Not nearly enough. Learn the lessons, so you can focus on teaching people, not lessons when you get out here, rather than focusing on the lessons cause you're still learning them. It would really help a ton.

I had an incredible experience with teaching by the spirit on Tuesday, with a guy we tracted into in an apartment complex, named Jonathan. He's a religious guy and super nice. I felt a lot of love for him, as he told us his story. He's been through some rough things, but trusted God through it all. Pretty incredible. As we taught him, I felt like I was really teaching by the spirit! I even had something from Seminary come back to me, which doesn't happen much to me. It was so cool!

Random sidenotes:

 A guy in the ward here calls me Buddy Holly cause apparently I look like Buddy to him..:)

The RS Pres's kids were singing "I love the mountains" song we used to sing in the car! I didn't know anyone else knew that! At least not in that generation!

El bailarin Español antes conocido como el whisperer mariposa AKA muchacho joven ridículo (you know who you are).

Praying to see the bits of awesome has really helped me. There have been some rough times, and focusing on those has been super good!
 There was a picture of Anndog in the De Los Santos (members) house...yup, a unicorn! 

Had a huge bits of awesome Wednesday and Thursday. Wednesday: We were at the church, taking a survey Pres. Walkenhorst asked us to take (cause we're having a Gen. Authority come in November!), and a guy walked right in, saw us in the Family History Center, right inside the front door, and asked us if there was any service he could do. I immediately, after getting over the initial shock, stood up and told him I wasn't sure about any service he could do, then asked if he was a member of the church. He said he wasn't. (At this point I'm freaking out on the inside.) So I asked if he would like to learn more about the church, he said yes! So we set up an appointment with him and gave him a Book of Mormon, which he was super excited about and said he would study it. He seems super solid! Our appointment was for this past Friday, and he ended up not being able to have us come then, but he texted us and let us know, which is good. I was on exchanges in Elk City with Elder G at that time, but Elder P told me about it. We're gonna visit him tonight though!

Thursday: We went to see C and A and D (C's dad), cause we finally found them, after we tried their old apartment a lot. Finally found them at the Trade Winds Inn across the street from our apartments! A told us at the store on Monday, cause we saw her there! At our visit (only A and D were there), we found out all their things were stolen at the old place, even the Book of Mormon (that thief will feel bad if he reads and understands that book....), except for a few things. They found a job, through prayer, and it pays for them to live at that Inn. Pretty incredible. They told us that we had changed C's life, and that losing the BofM was devastating to him. They seem so sincere. They have trouble coming to church, and keeping some commitments. So sad. We visited them last night and C and A were fighting, so we're not sure what's gonna happen now...but hopefully things will work out. I want so much to help them.

Tato: read Galatians 5:7 and share it with the XC team, if you still are doing that. Unless you pansied out of it. Then just tell Scott to tell them:)

Exchanges were awesome in Elk City from Friday(after Dist. Meeting)-Sunday(before church)! Elder G and I walked around all day and it was pretty dang fun. It's crazy how much they get food and get fed there! Super awesome. But then I forgot my suitcase at their apartment...thankfully I got it this morning cause they came up for our last P day as a District.

I have a challenge for y'all...I know what you're thinking, cause i used to think the same back home..."OH NO! Not a missionary challenge!" Too bad, it'll bless you. Just do it. Here it is: Invite a nonmember/LA member to watch Conference with you. Make goals, plans, etc, and God will put people in your path for you to invite and bless. Then invite them, as they watch with y'all, to hear the missionary lessons, if nonmember, or to come to church, if LA. This can be individually, as a fam, or whatever you choose. It can also be just one total, or one per session, etc. Invite them to one or all of the sessions. Just do it, fam. Do it. Pray for questions to be answered during Conference and suggest these people you invite to do the same. Huge testimony-builder of answers to prayer, prophets, the restoration, this restored gospel, etc.

Thank you all for the incredible love and support!

Love y'all so muchly,

Elder Tanner

-I Love the Lord-

P.S. Elder G and Elder T are staying in Elk City, and Hermana L and Hermana O are staying in Weatherford. I'm leading out my area starting this Wednesday. The transfer is ending and Elder P is leaving. Hermana C is opening an area in Norman! I'm staying here in Clinton with a new comp, Elder W, who's huge and funny, or so i hear from Elder T. Also, a former ZL. Pretty excited...and nervous, since it's only my second transfer... But faith will get me through it. I will trust in the Lord and move forward in faith. Y'all please pray for me. Don't worry, I pray for y'all.

SUPAH BLESSED..."I'm so overwhelmed"

Holy cheeseburger macaroni Hamburger Helper! (We eat that a lot here.) We have been SO incredibly blessed this past week! God was so good to us! Despite our doubt and discouragement! We have quite a few new investigators, and lots have accepted baptism! Obviously, we'll see what happens from here, but they are super great people. Whatever happens, I've learned so much from the experiences of this week!

Goodness, I love the Lord! And all y'all! First of all, thank you for the package!! Came on Satuday, just to my door, not at the Post Office. It was there when we got home to go to the A's for dinner. But it was safe. It was such a blessing! Any mail is a huge boost to my day, and a package, esp. cause of this particular one's contents, is even more exciting! The Camelbak is great! Dare I say, perfect! Well...it's pretty close;) It really is a huge blessing though. I love getting new things, plus it is SO much more convenient! No more hauling around that huge-o backpack. It fit a lot of stuff, but this one can fit basically all of it too, but takes up very little space and AH! i love it. Also, Annie's CD is incredible! I told her this, but I listen to it all the time! It's amazing! I have such a talented, amazing family!! I can't believe how amazingly blessed I am sometimes. I didn't appreciate hardly at all, till I got here. It is such a huge blessing!

Also, thank y'all for your letters each week! Reading them lifts me more than almost anything else. Special shoutout to Shelle for her weekly letters, yeah...every week! It's amazing! Shelle, I think we have similar humor or your humor is just especially hilarious to me. I laugh out loud every time I read your letters. Tato, you should learn I am a Child of God on the uke, like it is played on the I am a Child of God Mormon Message. It's sweet action. And Mama, Consider the Lilies comes on the iPod all the time, and I think of you every time. I may have mentioned that before, but I guess I just keep thinking about it cause I hear it a lot:) Also, I love advice! And any and all you have to offer is happily accepted:) Speaking of...any advice, from anyone, about door approaches in wealthier areas? Especially faithful Church of Christ members/ any church's faithful members. And how do you address polygamy? Any tips, hints, etc? Also for people who stop you just to tell you the Church isn't true...silly people. We had this happen twice this week, on Tuesday. We've searched these things out and found some things, but just wondering if anyone had more insight. Also, any suggestions on how to be better at using scriptures and asking inspired questions while teaching? Teaching tips in general, really. I feel pretty inadequate with that. I know i'm not really the teacher, but I want to help our investigators be taught by the spirit. Also, with focusing completely during lessons...yeah, distracto-man strikes again..:/ But I just need to work on my focus. Again, i've searched these out for myself and have tried to apply what i've learned. I still am having trouble with them though. So, if anyone (siblings, parents, extended fam, missionaries, anyone!) has any suggestions/advice, i'd love to hear:)

Anyway, back to miracle week. Tuesday the 17th (the first one I've experienced and not watched that psych episode during, since my psych-hood began) was an incredible day for me! Not so great for Elder P though. I loved talking to people who bashed our church and tried to prove it wrong. It strengthened my testimony, as the Holy Ghost kept prompting me that what he was saying wasn't true, and I knew those aspects of the gospel were true. For Elder P, that made him start to doubt a little and made him think again about his testimony, though it didn't really shake it. But then it distracted him because he was preoccupied with thinking about how he could prove this man wrong. He overcame this the next day. I told him a lot of the things Mama says when we get discouraged:) We gave the silly man, Willie, our number and he said he may call in a week or two and have us come talk more about it. Good or bad idea? I asked, calmly and nicely, if he could give us examples of how the BofM goes against the Bible. That stumped him:) and he said he'd have to get back with me...he didn't know. But is it better to just leave it alone, or, if he calls, go talk calmly again? We didn't ever argue, cause we almost had a bad experience with that with a guy earlier that day. Which we believe the Lord had us experience, so that we would talk about it at dinner, and then when we ran into Willie, be able to handle it calmly. Crazy, how the Lord works. I like it though.

Also, we went tracting in Rolling Hills, the rich part of town. It was kinda intimidating, but not that bad...to me, at least. This was another really hard thing for Elder P. He said that after a few doors, that it was really hard for him. He's been out for over a year and he's never tracted in nice neighborhoods like that. He's been in the Spanish Branches before Clinton, but been in Clinton for almost 6 months now. He showed faith by doing it anyway though! Great example to me. I'm not trying to bash on Elder P at all! He did an incredible job of getting over it the next day, this doubt and discouragement. I was super blessed to be happy, outgoing, and confident in the Rolling Hills neighborhood. I've never been so excited about tracting, ever. I thought it was way cool, though we got rejected at like 5 out of 7 doors, with just one potential investigator, a member of the Church of Christ, whose husband is a minister there. But God blessed me to love it, a lot actually. It was so cool. Then we had an incredible lesson with a Native American guy (there are lots here),  and he loved that the BofM is about his ancestors. The Native Americans have VERY similar beliefs to us, just changed over time. It's really cool to see, actually. He accepted baptism, not a specific date, yet. We taught his fiance last night and hope to teach them both tonight! They're a young, almost-married (engaged) couple with a few kids. Pray for them, his grandpa is super into the Native American religion, so that could be a hold up. They didn't come to church, but I think they will soon, if not next week.

But then, the next morning, I had some of my own doubts. Quite a bit... I felt like I could never teach, esp. not by the spirit. I couldn't ask questions as I taught, and I definitely couldn't use scriptures! I don't know them well enough. Those were my thoughts. We, Elder P and I, struggled through these feelings together, and the Lord blessed us WAY more than we deserved, I think. We taught a guy we found at another investigator's house the week before for our first lesson that day, Wednesday. By the end of the lesson, he had a baptismal date! It was such a cool experience. I love lessons like that. We taught him again, on Saturday with Bishop, and had another amazing lesson. Bishop, a convert, rocks. He has an amazing testimony, esp. of the happiness this gospel brings. He's great. The investigator didn't come to church though. We're gonna visit him tomorrow though. I'm sure he has a good reason. We'll assume so, till we know for sure.

Another miracle was our investigators coming to church! We had 5 investigators at church, including C who always comes. C's son came too! First time since I've been here. And we usually only have C or no one at church, so this was huge, though two others didn't come. A guy we weren't sure about at all even came! V, who's 70-ish and lives alone. It was so cool to have him there. And it was the Primary Program, so they loved that! Such pure testimonies.

One more thought/cool experience this week: I tried praying really hard during a lesson to be able to teach by the spirit, cause C and A were upset with each other and I really wanted to help them. The Lord blessed me with the Spirit, and I was able to share some things that I think helped. I felt that it was really from God, and I was just grateful that He trusted me enough to be his mouthpiece at that time. It was really cool. Since then, I've fallen back a little in thinking I can't teach by the spirit, but I'm learning to get past those thoughts and just trust the Lord.

We've been blessed in so may ways in addition to these! I think it's partially cause we followed a prompting to go to wealthy areas, like Rolling Hills. We've been so blessed.

Random side notes, I got hit in the chest or face, can't remember which, by a grasshopper the other day while biking at high speeds (you know how i do)...yeah, weird experience. Didn't know what to think for a while there. Also, I found myself singing "Meteora" from The Christmas Toy movie the other day, as we were biking around. Don't know why, but i liked it. And Bro. S, the new 1st counselor in the Elders Quorum, came out with us on Friday. We got to ride in his Mustang Boss 320, or something like that...too bad I dislike Mustangs. But it was pretty cool to ride in. While we were with him, he got a text on his iPhone, and a flood of memories of texting on an iPhone flooded in, along with a flood of stress. I felt so grateful that I'm away from the worries and stresses of social life for two years. I realized that this is a really nice break from texting, etc. I love this work so much.

I love y'all. A lot. Thanks again for everything!

Love,

Elder Tanner

-I love the Lord-

I sure do love "ull"!

"Ull" is how one of our investigators spells y'all:) Cool story about her and Bro. P, the two happiest people I know, literally. I've seen her get a little upset before, but the happiness comes back immediately! It's incredible, esp. despite the MANY hardships of her life. Bro. P has been through a LOT too, but i've literally never seen him upset or not smiling. Literally. It's amazing. All of this changed, on Sunday. Bro. P was crying and looked pretty darn sad, and our investigator came into Sacrament Meeting and I waved to her and she barely waved back, no smile. This crushed me. The combo of the two people whose examples of happiness affected me for the better the most...I was allowing it to destroy my spirits. It was almost too much. I couldn't believe this. Then we sang some Hymns and I started to feel better and I realized I couldn't let this get me down. "Not today, Zurg!" (Name that movie, easy one, I know.) I waved at her again, after Sacrament Meeting was over, and tried to be super upbeat when I talked to her. It seemed to help. She talked to Elder T, and he cheered her up too. Good guy. She and Bro. P were in our Gospel Principles class, and they had both cheered up again, thank goulash. But I wouldn't have let it get me down, not any more. I have to choose to be happy myself, I can't just rely on others good examples.

Lunch at the W's after church helped a lot too. I love them. I told them about how they remind me of Grandma and Grandpa Twitchell, they liked that. They're so great. I had felt bad, not helping prepare the meal the past few weeks, while the Sisters went right in and asked how they could help. So this week, I suggested to Elder P that we go ask if we can help, before the Sisters got there, and he agreed. So we went in and helped a lot. The Sisters did too, when they got there, and we all had fun making lunch. (Awww, cute! Right?) It really was fun though. Brought me back to making sunday dinner with Mama...yeah, that one time I helped. You might not remember, Mama. I love our district. We had tons of fun at the Stafford Air and Space Museum in Weatherford last Pday! We were the only ones in the museum...:) And after, we got to go to WalMart!! Woot. Best day ever. So much better and cheaper than the stores in Clinton.

Elder Tanner with his zone at the museum

Oh, quick sidenote, I think Ryan Innes is on this "Nashville Tribute" missionary CD that Elder Gardner plays in the car all the time. It rocks! I couldn't believe I was hearing my man, Ryan Innes again! I'm almost positive it's him. Anyway...

I saw a Mormon Message with David Tanner in it!! Elder P was watching it, it's new, called Daily Bread. It's by E. Christofferson, who's in Elder P's home ward. David's in the first of 3 parts. It's an incredible message too! I love it. The concepts of it have helped and blessed me so much here.

So, we haven't been having much success at all recently...except with S, but even he has been m.i.a. the past few days. He may be with his family somewhere for his sister's Quinciñera(sp?) though. So we forgive.

We taught a guy last night about forgiveness. our lessons with him always get back to repentance somehow. So we purposely tied it in last night. We shared an awesome Mormon Message from my DVDs with him about forgiveness. And I felt that I should bear my testimony of repentance and forgiveness. Man...that was an incredible experience. I can't describe how it felt, but it was amazing. If it didn't help him, at least it strengthened my testimony and helped me realize that I truly am a worthy servant of God, and an instrument in His hands. There's no better feeling, than to be in His control. So liberating.

Here's a short testimony I shared with my friend for her "Missionary Book" her sister's making for her, before she leaves:

This gospel is everything, literally. You can't escape it, no matter how hard you try. That sounds restrictive and harsh, but it's really liberating and comforting, if you know of it's truthfulness.
Repentance works, God will forgive us, and we can all change. Christ made sure of that. We will never be given a trial that is too hard for us. God promises that.
Missions are the best thing ever, so far:) I love mine A LOT, even the hard times. Because in and through our weakness, the Lord shows His strength.
I love the Lord. He is always mindful of us and all we're going through.
This gospel ROCKS!

I don't know why, but I felt like I should share that with y'all. And I didn't think much about what I wrote, it just kind of came. So...take it or leave it, I guess. Probably not the right phrase for that situation, but whatevs, right?:)

Al, we're going to wealthy areas this week!! It's amazing how many times that's come up since you wrote last week. We know that's what we're supposed to do. I'm so excited! It'll be hard, but awesome. We are having almost no success, so we pray this will help.

Man...this has been a looooong week. Monday seems like forever ago, but it went really fast too...weirdness. We had a Veterans' Meeting for all the newbs, like me. We went to it with the Woodward Elders, so I got to be with Elder B a lot! They slept over Tuesday night, so we could leave early Wednesday morning. SUPER fun. The Vets meeting was amazing too. I loved it. So good to see all my MTC buds again. They're all doing so well! And Pres Walkenhorst is awesome. Super goofy, but very insightful and wise too. I love that guy.

One investigator, F, sends us some funny texts. At least to me:) One day, he randomly sent, "Where's Joseph Smith?", then later sent, "I'm at the casino, reading my Book of Mormon." I love that guy. He used to have a baptismal date, then he went to Utah, of all places, with his fam, and we haven't been able to catch him at home since he got back.

We had an amazing district meeting with the ZL's, Elders G and Z, on Friday. Elder G goes home in a couple weeks and is very wise, and Elder Z is too, just has 5 months:) They taught an incredible lesson on the promptings of the spirit, even though they planned to teach about finding. I guess they followed the spirit..:) It really was amazing. If you haven't before, or if you have too, ask yourself how you feel the promptings of the spirit. I never really had before Friday, and it really made me think. I'm still not 100% sure. But it helps to recognize promptings better. Just do it.

Elder P and I also did exchanges with the ZL's on Friday. All 4 of us stayed in clinton, so we doubled the area. Which is hard to plan for, trust me, but it's great. It opened my eyes to a couple of things. There are a lot of different door approaches, Elder P and I were mostly just using the Heavenly Gift (a Pres. Taylor, the prev. Pres., thing where you pray with the people at the door in a special way, it's cool and works), and I need to be better. Don't worry, i'm not depressed or anything, I just need to work harder on a couple things, and Elder Z and I made some goals to help me. It was a fun day. I love those elders a lot. Good men. Elder Z said the apartment's much cleaner since I got here..:)

In D&C 35:12-14, it talks about missionaries "manfully fighting for God", and that made me feel pretty sweet action, not gonna lie. I'm manfully fighting for God...booyah.

We had a miracle with the Heavenly Gift the other day, a lady who didn't seem very intersted, even after the prayer, was very interested when we went back another day. she said her life's been much better since we prayed with her! I was like, Booyah! We know why! It was cool. We're going over to her house tonight.

Read the grace article by Brad Wilcox in the Ensign for September. It's amazing. Great analogies.

Well, I gots to go. I love y'all tons. I can't thank you enough for your love, support, and prayers.

Thank you. The Lord blessed me with literally the BEST fam ever.

Love ull,

Elder Tanner

Y'all are so blessed, hearing from me every week

Really, I'M the one who's SUPER blessed because I hear from y'all every week! Thanks so much to those who email or write every week. I know I never did that, with friends, siblings, cousins, anyone. I was real bad at writing...still am, but I gotta share things somehow!:)

 

So, I read y'all's letters to me in that blue folder...man...amazing. I've gotten more guidance from those than from most other sources. Thank you all SO much. I loved them a lot. And thanks Mama, for putting them together. ANY advice is welcome and embraced, so please send any y'all have for me.

 

PS. i saw college football on at an investigator's house one night......I almost died. It was wild. Cool about BYU beating Texas, no? What was the score?

 

One thing I like that my mission pres. said in the stake conf. here was his version of the 49ers coach's saying. My mission pres says, "Who has it better than us, as we feel the spirit? NOBODY!" Something like that. I like it.

 

On Tuesday, Elder P and I committed to follow every prompting of the spirit we recieved, and it was an AWESOME day. We found a lot, not just that day, but this week. And we have a couple 18-yr-olds (so, my age), who are pretty solid investigators now!  Sweet, no?

 

The G's cancelled their appointment with us two Fridays ago, and we haven't heard from them since. And they haven't answered when we've stopped by. C and A (other investigators), and D (C's dad), disappeared the other day. They left their apartments, we think, cause they haven't been answering. And the last time we were there, we talked with D and he got pretty emotional when we read scriptures about not worrying about temporal things, and seeking the Kingdom of God first. He told us about how they were struggling with rent, and they were now supposed to pay for electric and other bills. I guess it was too much for them. I hope they're alright. We've seen A at some other apartments, near ours. We think it's her. So they may be laying low with some friends. Who knows... well, God does. We'll see.

 

Another investigator is SOO solid. She's been investigating since a while before I got here. She knows it all and is progressing a lot. There's just one thing, she is living with a man and they have kids together, some teenagers and a toddler. He, her boyfriend I guess, is not very interested in the Church. We taught him once and it went pretty well, but we haven't since then. Her son was baptized right before I got here. He's good, but has had some struggles with fighting other kids. He's 14, but a BIG 14-yr-old. We've been trying to help him, and he might start passing the Sacrament soon! If he comes to church. They didn't come yesterday, cause her job (walmart) worked her pretty hard and late Saturday night, so she was too tired. I hope she's alright. We're trying to help her a lot.

 

We found a really great family. The dad looks like Uncle Scott, just a little darker skin, cause he's Mexican. They're great, but are pretty comfortable with their beliefs...like lots of people here. 

 

I wanna try the more wealthy parts of town, but Elder P stays away from them. I asked him about it, and he said he guesses he just assumes they won't listen. (Al, he's like you said you were i think.) But he said he'd be willing to try some. I'm going to make sure we do. 

 

I hear Consider the Lilies on my iPod all the time, and I think of you, Mama! I love it. Also, I pulled a Mama the other day. One of the Elders from Elk City, Elder T, was really sick and eventually had to go to the ER. But I suggested that Elder P and I should pray as a companionship for him when we got their text...like our almost daily special family prayers for anyone who texted or called Mom about something hard in their life:) So, Mama, thanks for the great example. He's totally fine now! Elder T, that is.

 

There's a Guatemalan fam that comes to our English class every week, and they invited us over to their house for the dad's bday party last week. It was madness...I couldn't understand anyone, and there were tons of people in a pretty little home. The kids literally were running around screaming and no one did anything about it...so funny. I loved it though! Even if I couldn't understand. I just tried to understand, so I didn't fall asleep, like I kind of did at one of our appointments with another Spanish-speaking couple...oops:) (It wasn't bad though, Mom, no worries. Just for a couple seconds.) Elder P goes into Spanish mode every time after we talk with Spanish-speaking people...it's pretty funny. He's kind of an awkward Elder...but I love him. He and I both think I'll be taking over the area after just the first transfer, instead of 2. I could just get another spanish-speaker comp. But obviously, we don't speculate...kinda:) Elder P has the worst texting pause EVER. Worse than Ann Dog. Yeah, crazy.

 

I read from the BofM everyday, I'm in 2 Nephi, and I've gotten SO much more out of it than ever before. I love that book so much! Jacob's anxiety always reminds me of Mama:) And in Moroni 8 reminded me of Dad's letters to me. Read it and change it to our names, Papa. It's pretty amazing. And I need to thank you for your letters, Mom and Dad. They are so incredible. They've really changed my life. I mean that. Thank you so much for the support and prayers. From everyone. They are literally the only way I get through some mornings. Mornings are harder for me, but I love when we get to go out and share the Gospel and this happiness!!! I can't even explain it.

 

I've had some incredible answers to prayers recently. One was when we were visiting a LA, , and he had some friends over, nonmembers. We shared a Mormon Message with them about the BofM. (ps. EVERY missionary should have the Mormon Messages DVDs with them. They are such an incredible tool. We need iPads out here.) While we watched it, I prayed for his friends to really feel the spirit through it. and from the things they shared afterwards, they did! She even said she "felt actually pretty moved by it." Answers to prayers are real?? Sure thang. Tangent real quick, he came to church, which is awesome esp. cause he works a ton and usually can't, but he finally could. First time coming back, and the ward (amazing Clinton ward) were awesome at fellowshipping him. They showed a lot of love for him and his two little girls. They're VERY important to him, so that was a miracle. Then he suggested that he come out with Elder P and I later for visits, and he was essential in the meeting we had with a LA. Essential. 

 

The other specific answer to prayer was in my personal study. I prayed to learn something specific for a current or future investigator. I believe I did. I don't know who for yet. I had just happened to read the Proclamation to the World the night before and then that day I kept turning to scriptures about family and marriage, by chance. It was incredible. I hope to use it to help someone (or more than one) someday! 

 

Our district has grown pretty darn close lately, esp. at dinner at the W's yesterday. And today we're going to a museum together for P day! It'll be awesome. We got a third sister too! she's from Puerto Rico! So, that threesome, the Elk City Elders, and us (Clinton Elders) make up the District. It rocks. Elder T tried to convince one sister he was from Texas, then yesterday he tried to convince the new sister that he was from Peru. He always says little phrases of Español. Super funny.

 

I also still do perdiddle, and the yellow light thing on my bike. I do perdiddles on the left handle and the yellow light name spelling between the left handle and brake:) Only some will understand this, like Tato.

 

Elder P does play piano and sings too, Dad. He's pretty darn good at piano. He's playing right now, actually:) He's great. Amazing trainer. He was taught by his second comp. to pray for his future wife in the last comp. prayer of the week (sunday night, daily planning closing prayer). So we do that. I like it. I don't any other time, cause my "heart is locked". Look up the Lock Your Heart talk, if you don't know what i'm talking about:)

 

I love this so much, despite some REALLY hard times. Tomorrow night, Elder B and his comp. are sleeping over! Cause we have a meeting in the City on Wednesday morning. That'll be fun! some people don't get to see their MTC district much in the field, but i'm blessed:) And it just happens to be the Elder that went to my High School! Dulce accion. (Español for sweet action)

 

I love y'all so much and pray for ALL of you daily. Thanks for the prayers and support. It means a lot, esp. out here. Hope y'all had tons of fun for Scotty's bday!

 

Love y'all,

Elder Tanner