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