Elder Tanner's letter 2/2/2015

Elder Tanner's letter 2/2/2015

Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2015 11:50:18 -0600

Dear Family,

Ok first things first.. transfers... so, for the first time on my mission I'm being transferred to a new area!!  AHH!  I feel so safe and warm in this area and ward I don't wanna leave!  So I'm going to Killeen, Texas!  It's the FURTHEST south our mission goes and it has a huge military base in the area so I'm looking at a COMPLETE culture shock.  From soccer mom Utah area to red neck military TEXAS area...   Oh wait... theres more!.....    I'm going to be the district leader.......... I KNOW!!!  I can't believe it...  I'm soo nervous!!!   I have prayed muchly for an increased vision of what I need to become and what the Lord would have me be.

So yeah, this week has been pretty crazy.  Transfer calls and everything made this week SO LONG with many sleepless nights.

Quick investigator update: Kenny has a paralyzed stomach and a mega colon (8x too big) and also with his most recent visit to the hospital he got diagnosed with diabetes insipides..?   So yeah, pretty crazy!  The priests all went down there on Wednesday for mutual and visited him!!  I was soo happy they did that!   Kenny was blown away too and he said " I hope to see you guys at church soon".  This, (in my opinion) is the best part...  He had been a little scared to pray with us after lessons, like he did a few times but it was always kind of a push on our part  (like maybe a prayer before by one of us to help him).  Before they left HE asked THEM if they could pray with him AAND HE wanted to say it!!!  HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!  I was sooo happy when I heard!!

Shelly: we have to drop her bap date cuz she hasn't been to church yet and she won't make the cut for being at church 3x before baptism, plus she still is working on smoking.   It's still a slow going process but we're working with her.

On Friday we had a training for the new leaders which REALLY helped with everything.  It gave me a better Idea of what I'm supposed to be doing as a DL and more confidence that I can actually do it.. but it will be hard.

It has been a good week though.  Sorry this letter is so everywhere.  My mind has been everywhere for a while.  Elder Jacobson and I had some deep talks and we really got into each other's heart and for the first time really I felt like we came to a mutual agreement that we are so different on many levels yet similar in a few key points.  This is why we got to be companions, to learn from eachother and trade our talents so that now instead of 5 we have 10 as the parable goes.

I learned this cool thing this week, faith and fear both have the same exact definitions: things hoped for but not seen, they both lead us to act, and both of them dictate who we become... so who will you be?  A man/woman of Faith or a man/woman of Fear? ... prove it.

I'm going to need all the help I can get this week!  It's just the truth haha so your prayers ARE greatly appreciated and will be greatly appreciated.

Love you all!

Dear Dad,

Ok so I sent a recording regarding transfers but I'll be a little more open with you.  So first things first I am getting transferred to Killeen!  It's the city that Fort Hood is in, it's a big army base!   aanndd I am going to be the district leader.... WHAT?!  Yep, the district leader....   We got the call last Monday so I've settled down quite a bit, but still... im a little nervous!! first transfer out of my area first time being a district leader... I will need lots of help this week.   haha it's just the truth.

 

What president has told me about my companion is that "he's an interesting elder and you'll need a lot of patience with him.  He has a bit to learn yet about teaching but he's a goood missionary and your gonna love him".  The other missionaries who heard the news have all raised their eyebrows.."...Him? oh man.." and told me how weird he was.  A few of them said that sucks!  haha  That kinda set a strange stage in my mind but I'm not letting it get to me.  I have adopted a mind set of " ok i'll probably need patience, but I won't know til I get there and I'm just going to love him from the start and we'll see where it goes from there" mindset.

 

That's awesome about mom!  haha  I can totally see her coming home with an armful of stories haha.  I'm so glad she's enjoying it though!  I have been praying for her and you a lot this week.

 

Yeah lyndsie!!  That's so cool that she loves it so much!  That makes me happy that she's found something to work at and do her best at.   She was already trying to be the best when I left so I can't imagine where she's at now!  That's sweet! 

 

Yeah it was way cool that they got to stop by!!  It BLEW my mind and it was fun!  Kinda derailed my thoughts that night but I recovered and was focused the next morning :)

 

So yeah!  This week I'll be saying good bye to a lot of members that I gotten to be really close with and then Wednesday it's a new adventure in Killeen!  My address is 1101 horizon drive Unit C Killeen, Texas 76549 :) 

 

Thank you so much for your prayers and love and support!!  They are really felt by me and I know I get strength from them!!

 

Love Elder Judy  

Elder Tanner Judy

PS: New Address: 1101 Horizon Dr. unit C Killeen Texas 76549

Subject: Re: momma's letter 2/2/2015
From: tanner.judy@myldsmail.net
To: judycoldsteel@hotmail.com

Dear Momma,

So first things first... so yeah they visited him and Kenny said " I hope to see you guys at church soon".  Before they left HE asked THEM if they cold pray with him AAND HE wanted to say it!!! HURRAH FOR ISRAEL! I was sooo happy when I heard!!!!   But yeah, Carson is just a stud, I love that kid!!

2nd things second... transfers.... so I am being transferred to a new area!  Killeen Texas!  It's got a huge military base on it so there are gonna be many more native Texans there.  ALSO... I am going to be the district leader..... I know!!  It's crazy crazy crazy.... I got the call last Monday so I've calmed down a lot and I actually am really excited.. but FREAKING nervous too!  First new area since the MTC AND being the district leader...  I'm gonna need some prayers this week haha.  I've prayed a lot about having Heavenly Father provide me with more vision of who I am and who he wants me to be.

 That's so fun to hear about your subbing!  I hope the kids aren't being too troublesome!  haha but then I know how amazing you are in those situations so I'm not even worried;)

That's super fun about skiing!!  I'd love some pictures! :)

Thank you so much for that scripture!  The first thing that popped into my mind was in the pre earth life when Christ stood in the midst of the noble and great souls and saw that they were good and said " these will I make my rulers".  It fills me with energy to find all those "noble and great ones" who have forgotten who they are and what they can become/ who Christ would have them be.

I love you so much mom!  Thank you for your prayers and for raising me up in righteousness to be out here serving the Lord.  I really owe it to you for being the example of diligence and faith.

Love Elder Tanner Judy

On Mon, Feb 2, 2015 at 3:51 AM, claine Judy <judycoldsteel@hotmail.com> wrote:

Dear Elder Tanner,

We got your last recording to work.  We loved it!!  I think the key is to use the laptop.  That's the only computer that will open them for some reason.  

I had Sister Burnside call me last night.  She called because she wanted to let me know what an awesome missionary you are.  She said that you are always happy and have been such a great example to her son.  I asked her if her son was the priest that brought Kenny to church.  She said that he was and I told her how grateful you were to him for doing that and for being so supportive to Kenny.  I found out that they were the ones that went to the hospital to see him since you couldn't go.  I was so grateful for them and for their love and support.  She told me that we would be so proud of you.  She just had to call because she was worried you might get transferred and she wanted to let us know how much they love and appreciate you.  She said they love all of the missionaries but you are the best.  They said that the ward will miss you so much if you are transferred.  It makes me think of how much we miss you as she was talking about how fun you are and what a good example you are to their kids.  I am so proud of you.

For some reason, I have worried about all three of you this week for different reasons.  I am so excited to hear how transfers went for you.  I think Tyler has transfers this week too.  I don't think Dallin's are this week, but his companion sure needs prayers.  

I was talking to sweet Brother Miller (the older one).  He always asks how his boys are.  He said that there was one month in his mission when he wasn't a good companion to be with.  That gave my heart comfort.  I know we all have hard times and I guess sometimes it is our turn to comfort, help and be patient with others.  There will be times when we need that comfort as well.  

This past week was my first week in Ms. Nystrom's class as the permanent sub.  It was fun.  The week just flew by!  I am trying to figure out what to change to make the class work for me.  The kids are so used to it being a certain way, so I want them to not be upset or anything but the way things are going right now is SO chaotic.  It is not a great learning environment.  It's more like recess sometimes!  There is one little boy that reminds me of you.  I just love him.  He was trying to get his work done so he could have free time, so I just told him what to write down so he could get finished quickly!  haha

We are going to take the girls skiing tomorrow at Targhee.  I hope that doesn't make you feel homesick.  They don't appreciate it as much as you guys did.  Lyndsie was asking for options other than skiing and Emrie was saying she didn't want to go.  It is so funny with just girls.  They watched the super bowl with dad and I and just played most of the time unless there was a funny commercial or Emrie was taking orders for food. 

I was reading in Alma and I love 31:35.  He is trying to teach the Zoramites.  He finds the people who are humble and says.  "Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee."

We pray every day many times for your success in finding people and helping them to come unto Christ.  Since I know of the great joy and happiness from the gospel, I just want others to have that same peace.

I love you!

Love

momma