hello Everyone, sounds like your all doing good, and that's awesome that its the open house for the Provo temple ahhh that's so cool enjoy it I bet its beautiful!! so I don't know if it told you guys but we bought some bikes, because ha-ha President Munive didn't want to buy us Motorcycles... ;) but we bought 2 bikes from a pawn shop here, that are pretty good ha-ha they don't have breaks but, its all good, and now we are going to work a little bit faster and easier, because of the little towns. 

Tuesday we had our district meeting, it was good, than we got back to Bacobampo, and ate and then we had to start our trip so remember Andrea and Jesus, how we are working with Jesus and his baptismal date is for the 27 of Feb. well they live pretty far away, in a little town, the first time we went it didn't seem to far way because we went with our branch president in his truck, but yeah its far away ha-ha so we left on our bikes and we were trying to find it, because its just a little dirt road and your cutting through fields, but we got there and we were able to teach them a really good lesson, we taught about Joseph Smith the restoration and the Book of Mormon and its so cool because they are reading as a family in the book of Mormon and praying together and everything and when they have a question they work together to solve it they are awesome! so we taught them and finished and, as we were returning back to Bacobampo it got dark so we were riding our bikes on a dirt road without light ha-ha it was pretty intense, but a car passed us and we watched it as it fell into a ditch, ha-ha, I think the dude might have been a little drugged, but we pushed his car out of the ditch and it tore off his front bumper head lights and all ha-ha, and he got out and was like woops, ha-ha didn't see the ditch, ha-ha we pushed him out and he went on his way with his front bumper and lights dragging ha-ha, it was the weirdest thing haha. but we got back to Bacobampo safe and sound haha,  

Wednesday we had a lesson with Rosa in the morning and we had to teach her about Adam and Eve, ha-ha its always an interesting lesson with people that have been in different lessons, but we were able to explain it well and she understood the importance of them partaking of the fruit, she accepted to be baptized but still doesn't want to accept a date!!! ahhhhhh haha its so hard to hear that when we know that she is ready!!! she knows its true and she knows she has to get baptized ahahha! but thanks you for your prayers and please keep praying for her :) she will get baptized  

Thursday we were able to have a lot of success! we talked with and taught a lot of people and were able to find some new investigators we taught a guy that has a awesome mustache its so long that he had pony tails in his mustache that are like five inches long I was going to ask him how long it took to grow it, but I didn't haha, he's  a good guy, but we also went with Randy because we ate with his grandparents who are members, and we talked to him a little bit about baptism and he also wants to get baptized but doesn't want to accept a date either!!! We invited him to pray about the date we put with him and he said he would pray, but I asked him if God answers his prayer that he should be baptized the 26 Of march would he get baptized and he said no, that is something normal that I have heard on the mission, and it truly does amaze me that the people are willing to deny the answer from God, and its really sad because they are putting the Natural man first, The invitation from and example that our elder Brother set was to do the will of the Father, many times when making decisions in life we should do an introspection and ask ourselves what it is that God wants us to do and not what we want to do but we are going to keep working with Randy :) also we went with Eva, and had a lesson with her member husband Jesus Ramon, and we talked about the Prophets and the importance of a prophet in these days :) they understood really well and we asked Eva if she would be baptized and she said Yes!!! whooo, but she wants to learn more before we put a date so we left them with some homework to study about baptism and we told them we would come back in a few days to see if they have questions, and to help them understand it better :) we also explained to her husband Jesus Ramon that is member that he would be able to baptize her and he got really excited about that so hopefully that helps them :), we also went with Jesus and Andrea that live in a far away town ha-ha I'm just going to call it far far away like in shrek haha, but this time we went in hitchhiking, we had a lot of luck and got a ride from a member that is from Navojoa, and I was able to talk to him a little about Navojoa since I was there for a good while haha, he took us right to the house of Jesus and Andrea, and we were able to give them a quick lesson and, then we went back to Bacobampo in a bus, because as we were walking down the highway a bus passed so we hopped on and got back to Bacobampo :) they are still super excited about the baptism but there is a little problem, they aren't married... and Andrea is married with another guy but doesn't live with him obviously, so we have to divorce Andréa and her ex-husband and marry Andréa and Jesus so he can get baptized, its going to be interesting but we are asking Pres. Munive for help and he gave us the number of Lawyer in Obregon that is member so we are going to call him tomorrow and see what he can do for us :) please pray for them so that they can prepare and do the things necessary to get baptized :)  

Friday we took this day to work in the little towns we worked in 3 little towns the first one is called Campitos, then Rodeo, and Wirachaka, we were knocking doors in Campitos and we were able to teach some people, but the whole town is catholic haha there is just one church and its a catholic so they weren't all to open to hearing us but then we went to Rodeo to eat with our Branch Pres. and work in his town, then we went to Wirachaka we were able to visit some less actives and invite them and investigators that we found to church.  

Saturday we had a power house lesson with the sister Adeliza and Rosa, Adeliza shared her testimony about baptism and we talked about our purpose in this life and we explained that there are 5 principles that we have to live in this life to live with our Heavenly Father, they are have faith, repent, get baptized, receive the holy ghost and endure to the end and we asked her what she lacks and she said it bright and clearer than day baptism haha so we invited her to be baptized and she said yes, but didn't accept date!! haha, we also went with Eva and Jesus to invite them to church and they said they would go so that was awesome! and we were able to visit a lot of people and invite them. 

Sunday!!! whoo the big day we got to the house of prayer 45 minutes early and when we got there Rosa was showing up and investigator!! more than 30 mins early to church!! we were shocked she just said she wanted to make sure she didn't show up late so she could take the sacraments haha!! she has to get baptized! also Eva showed up Adriana the girl that we are teaching whose mom wont let her get baptized, and also Andrea and Jesus came from far far away everyone was befriending our investigators it was really cool and Rosa is going to a relief society activity with the sisters to make desert for the family night we are going to have :)  we talked about our plan this month in the branch council and we explained that we are hoping to be able to baptize Jesus, Adriana, Eva, and Rosa this month but we need the help of the members so we are going to see what we can do and hopefully it will all work out... We know its going to work out, and please have faith you guys and pray for this people so that they can get ready and feel the desire to be baptized this day the 27 of February, I Know that we can do it!! 

Thank you guys for everything and I hope that you all have an awesome week :) and I know that we are going to see lots of Miracles this week :) 

Love Elder Tanner 

1 Nephi 19:17

So this week was pretty awesome! even though I got kind of sick we were still able to see lots of miracles and blessings :) Tuesday we were able to find a guy in the street,actually he found us haha his name is Felipe haha we were in front of the house of prayer waiting for a sister to arrive and accompany us to a lesson, but she never showed up haha.. but while we were waiting there, Felipe showed up and was like hey are you from Utah? I told him yes and he told me that he had lived in Ogden for a long time, working washing windows for the banks, he said he really liked it, we invited him to have a lesson in the house of prayer with us, but he said he was busy but we made an appointement with him for that same day in the night and so that night we had a really cool lesson with him and he explained to us his desires to change, but didn't want to get baptized.... haha oh well, we are going to keep working with him, because I think he just needs to learn more about the church and the importance of it and of baptism, Wedensday we had a family night with a sister that is so amazing her name is Sister Adeliza, she's like our little grandma haha she does everything for us, she always washes our clothes and makes us little treats, and she is the only member in her family and she really wants her family to be members too, so we decided to have a family night with them and it was pretty good, we were able to teach some of her kids and grandkids, but they explained that they are already in a church, and she and us understood that and we had to respect their decision, but it was still a really big sucess because we gained the confidence of them and it was a good family night, Sister Adeliza really liked it :) but this day and Thursday is when I didnt feel so good :), so we couldn't get a whole lot done but we were still able to visit some people. Friday we had our zone conference in Navojoa, it was really cool, they talked about the importance of using members in the work and it is so true we really can't do it without the members. We got back kinda of late, and this day we had to go to a little town far away so didn't get to eat until really late like at 4 or 5 but it was alright because we had a lot of luck because a guy pulled off to the side of the road and gave us a ride so that was really cool :)  We had a lesson with Rosa Saturday haha there are times when I realize how much the mission has taught me patience because there are alot of times when I'm ready to break out yelling and running down the street because the person knows that the message is true but doesn't want to accept it haha, so the lesson with Rosa was super good, but thats the thing, she knows its true, she loves to read the Book of Mormon and the pamphlets that we give her and she knows that she has to get baptized, but she doesn't want to do it haha she won't accept a baptizmal date, haha so we are battling with that, we think that we have to bring members with us so she can feel the influence of the members and feel their love and maybe that will help her get baptized :) we were able to invite lots of people sunday and wow we truly saw the blessings and work of the Lords hand this day because we had a tone of people come out. Sunday we changed the time schedule from 9 to 10 because its super cold in the morning , and we thought that it would make it eaiser for the people to get ready and also so that the people who live in far away towns can come on time :) we had 30 people in the house of prayer !!! it was awesome and even cooler is that we had 6 investigators!! haha I'm sure it doesnt sound like a lot for you guys but we have been having 12 or 15 people every Sunday and it doubled this week super awesome and we had lots of investigators, and so many things happend sunday haha i want to talk about it and I hope that I have enough time to write it all, so sunday we had a lot of people come out Rosa came, Adriana, A family that we are teaching that lives in a little town super far away!! and Eva the wife of Jesus Ramon that want's to be sealed some day!! super awesome also some less actives from a little town came! that was super awesome, but I'm learning a lot as councilor in this little branch I'm sure I dont know how dad feels but I think I'm getting a little taste of it and its cool I love it and I'm sure he loves it too thats why he spends so much time in the church sundays and mutual days :) thanks for the amazing example Dad and Mom for always magnifing your callings, but this sunday a girl from one of the towns came out she was a really active member but she got sick because she recently had a baby, so she hasn't been able to come but she is starting to come back, with her Mom and Dad, but she doesn't have the support of her husband he is a member but isn't active, so she showed up with her newly born baby and she had told us and the branch Pres. earlier that she wanted to present the baby girl and give her a blesing one Sunday well it was this Sunday and it was cool and all but I was a little suprised when we asked her who she wanted to give the baby the blessing and she choose me haha, so I had to give a baby blessing this Sunday without knowing before hand haha super crazy but it was cool, all sorts of stuff happens in the branch haha but it truly was a really special spirit, I'm sure its how Jordan felt when he gave the blessing to Camden just a couple weeks ago, but I also had to direct the music. That's right, Elder Tanner that before the mission didn't even sing hymns had to direct the music, haha I have really learned the beautiful spirit of the hymns they truly are so beautiful haha I'm sure I looked a little goofy directing the music but it was cool :) I also gave my testimony this week about love, and I was able to talk about my Mom the very best teacher and example of true love, I testified that the love of our Heavenly Father is simliar to the love of a mother, I also talked about the importance of the parents teaching and guiding and the children being obedient, me and my comp gave the sunday school class lesson and we talked about how to have more hope and patience it was super cool :) 

But now its time for the story that I talked about with the photos haha so the family that we are teaching that live in a little town super far away their names are Jesus and Andrea and their son is Luis. Andrea and Luis are members but the dad Jesus isn't, we are working with him and he loves the church, he loves to learn, and we decided to take the branch to them and their family in the town, so we talked are branch president into giving us a ride out there and when I say out there I mean out there haha, we loaded up the truck after church with a lot of members and we headed out haha its, a town were you have to be on the highway and get off onto a little dirt road and drive a little ways to get there and thats what we are doing in the pictures haha on that dirt road heading to the little town, haha it was a lot of fun and it was super cool to see and feel the spirit of the missionary work in the members :) we finaly got there, and it was starting to get late so we decided to share a quick message with them haha I felt like a missionary preaching on a soap box because there were like 30 people listening to us in this little town, we had the parents of Jesus and Andrea and there cousins and everyone it was awesome! and the members shared their testimonies and it was super cool, then after it was super dark because there weren't any lights and it was getting late, but before returing they gave us some hot chocolate so that was super yummy, and we were able to take Jesus and Andrea off to the side and talk to them about baptizm and Jesus aceepted to be baptized the 27 of Feburary! and Andrea was talking about being sealed in the temple super cool!! we are going to keep working with them, and we hope that they will keep looking for that beautiful feeling of the spirit and will accept it, Jesus always tells us that he loves the feeling that he feels in the House of Prayer, haha so it was an awesome Sunday! but the crazy part was geting back haha it was super dark when we left it was like 730 or 8 and Pres was flying down that dirt road haha really for a second I thought I was in the baja 1000 haha in the back of a truck flying through the dessert, haha it was a pretty ineteresting and mircale filled day :) but we need some prayers please pray that Jesus and Andrea will be able to do the things neceassry to prepare to be baptized . Rosa so that she will feel the desire to be baptized because she is ready.

 

Thank you guys so much for your prayers and I hope that you all have an amazing week!! I love you guys 

Love Elder Tanner

 

 

Boom Boom

Wow sounds like its super "chill" in Utah right now haha ;)  well that's too bad because here its nice and toasty... haha, super good to hear from you all :) That's awesome that Syd got to go to Sweethearts with Dallin, looks fun, Holy Smokes Payton is taking a ton of classes with Auto Body and wood work, and welding haha that's awesome, that's got to be a lot of fun! I think ill need him to teach me how to weld again its been a while I always want to talk to someone that's welding and offer them a "service", so I can practice haha, and that's a pretty awesome picture of the equipment Weston is using haha, but I still think the Frontier was stronger ;) 

So it was a pretty good week, we got to see a lot of Miracles , haha I had a companion that would always say that Luck doesn't exist its the Hand of the Lord working Miracles in our Life, I really like that because it is true there are so many examples of the existence of God our Heavenly Father and the amazing things he does for us everyday, but lots of times we don't take the time to stop and realize these amazing miracles or blessings of A Loving Father in Heaven :) 

but wow there are some days that are just frustrating haha, like Tuesday, wow we had a ton of appointments with lots of people and only one was home that whole day so we had to spend a lot of time looking for new people or people that were home, haha and nobody was home I think there was an evacuation in the town and somebody forgot to tell us, but we were able to have success this day and it was cool :) Thursday we had a Branch Family night in the house of prayer, and... one sister came :/ haha, so we decided to clean the house of prayer super fast, and she helped us and all it was cool, but as we were leaving an hour later 5 more members showed up haha, so we decided to share a message with everyone super, quick I shared one of my favorite stories from the primary the wise man built his house upon the rock :) haha it was super cool, I have learned that the gospel is so simple that can be taught and understood by a child, but it is also so profound and deep that can help us resolve and overcome challenges and temptations when we comprehend it and live it, its the small and simple things that open the door of the heart of people for the spirit to touch the heart :) and Friday oooh Friday well we had to wake up at 3 in the morning again to go to another conference with President and Sister  Munive in Obregon, haha its pretty crazy walking around in the street at 3 or 4 in the morning! haha its super calm, but we talked to a guy later that day when we got back and he asked us if we heard the gun shooting that was in the street last night, and we were like at what time last night and he told us early in the morning like at 4 haha, we were like haha well we were in the street at that time haha kinda crazy, but we had an awesome conference with Pres. it was really spiritual but i was helping President unload his car with all the packages and stuff and there was a big white cooler with yellow tape on it and we asked him what it was and he told us energy shots ;) we later found out that the church headquarters sent the mission flu shots.. whooo :/ haha, but it was super funny see missionaries freaking out haha like my zone leader Elder Coello the same elder that did exchanges with me the other week was almost crying haha he wouldn't let go of me he was practically hugging me while they were giving him the shot haha, it reminded me of Sydney when we went to get shots haha, but i took it like a champ ;) but it was kinda funny Elder Guardado was giving the shots because he studied medicine before the mission so i told him he has to give it to me soft or ill never share cookies with him again haha, and he did, but super funny Elder Coello, we didn't get back to our area till 6 that day super late, but we were able to make a sandwich to eat and get working again, 

 

Sunday was super cool because we were able to see 3 investigators in the House of Prayer :) 

we have the Sister Rosa haha she is super funny, she is really trying to learn, but lots of times she doesn't understand the things because what the other churches have taught her and we have to tell her Rosa forget everything that they taught you before, and just accept what we are teaching you, haha no its a joke we don't say that haha, but I want to also she gets distracted a lot, haha but she is super good, we are trying to get her to accept a baptismal date. 

Also we have a super cool kid that we are teaching his name is Randy he's 14 but a super funny kid we found him through some less actives his grandparents are members and he is super excited to always learn and he went to church this week and we are working with him to baptize him the 27 of Feb. we are super pumped because he is such a cool kid :)  

also we have the sister Adrian another youth that her cousins and aunts and uncles are members and she wants to get baptized but her mom wont let her we are going to talk with her mom this week and ask for her permission 

Please Pray that they will all have the desire to get baptized and that the mom of Adriana will give her permission also with Randy and that Randy will feel good about his baptism :)   

Thank You guys for everything I love you all so much :) 

Love Elder Tanner 

Wow Wow Wow 

What a cool week, ha-ha for several reasons, but the problem is that every time I get onto the computer I forget everything happened ha-ha...  but ill do my best to remember ;)   

So Tuesday we had a lot of success and were able to start the week awesome finding new people to teach and it was a really good day then we found out that night, that in the morning we had to be in Obregon for a special Conference directed by the Apostles to the missionaries around the world!! super cool! But we had to wake up at 3:00 in the  morning to get ready and take the earliest bus possible at like 4:30 or 5, to get to Obregon on time!! ha-ha, but I really wasn't all that tired, until it started to get late that day ha-ha but the Conference was awesome!! I was able to see a lot of my companions and Elders from my district!! ha-ha I saw my son Elder Vaca!! ahhhh it was soo cool to see him! haha, but it was pretty crazy because I found out that I'm a Grandpa now because Elder Vaca is training someone ha-ha and my Father was there Elder Flores!! so in the conference we had 4 generations of missionaries Elder Flores, Elder Tanner, Elder Vaca, and Elder Cofler ha-ha super cool its like family history, but yeah it was super good to see Elder Vaca haha one of my best companions, but I also saw Elder Guardado and Elder Hernandez that was with me in Aeropuerto, really good to see all of them but, the Conference was the best part, they talked a lot about how we can find more people to teach and the importance of the Holy Ghost in our lives, and in the missionary work, and in the conversion of the people that are members, less actives, or investigators, it was awesome, and in fact we heard and excellent talk from W. Christopher Waddell! The mission President of Jordan and Krystle, he gave a really good talk! we than got back to Bacobampo, 

Thursday we did Exchanges with the Zone Leaders haha Elder Coello came  with me in Bacobampo and Elder Sanchez went with Elder Robbins haha this is like the 4 time I have done exchanges with Elder Coello haha I think we must be pretty good friends, but it was chill haha we did a ton of exercise!! haha nobody would listen to us it was so weird we went with so many people and looked for new people but they just didn't want to hear it, super crazy, it was kind of depressing too, but it just goes to show that we don't ever know what will happen in the life the only thing we can do is press forward with a smile and our heads up looking for opportunities in life :) but it was a good exchange haha we went to work in a little town, and we found a sister that would listen to us but the problem is that she is from an Indian tribe like in Utah and Arizona there are Indian tribes and reservations and stuff like that, here in Mexico also, and this sister didnt know spanish she just knew how to talk in the Indian dialect of Mayo, here in Sonora the biggest and most known tribes are the Yaquis and the Mayos and the Yaquis are around Obregon and the Mayos in Navojoa and since we are kind of close to Navojoa we found this sister that speaks Mayo, I learned a little bit when I was in Navojoa, haha but it was like I was starting the mission over and I couldn't speak the language, haha but she was worried about leaving her house alone to go to church and I noticed that she had a pig, and I knew how to say pig in Mayo so I explained to her in mayo "that no worries her pig can keep watch or take care of the house" ha-ha she thought it was pretty funny!, also at the end of the lesson her daughter in law showed up that speaks Spanish and mayo so we had her explain a couple things, but at the end of the lesson  the sister asked us if we knew how to castrate a pig, because she wanted to do it with the little piggy that the Mayan sister had  and my comp didn't know how, but I realized that I did, because I had learned how from my time working in Palmyra when I went to help Brand, castrate, and give shots to the cows ha-ha.... I told her I know how, and she was trying to get me to do it ha-ha, but I really didn't want to ha-ha, I know we are supposed to give service and all that but not this type ha-ha, my companion was dying laughing, because the sister really wanted me to do it haha, and I just kept refusing haha she finally gave in haha, but maybe we will go  by on pday in normal clothes and get the job done haha, kind of a funny story 

Saturday we had a District Conference with the 4 branches that are in this district and we were able to see President Munive and Sister Munive and Sister Munive brought me some cards from Christmas haha, late but I got them so no worries, and I just want to say thank you to all the ward members that signed the cards that really did lift my heart and made me feel so good :), I have grown up in the Wolf Hollow ward all my life and I have learned some amazing lessons from a lot of amazing people, friends, teachers, and family! Thank you for who ever did that and who ever signed the card I love you guys so much, but we also had a conference Sunday and it was super good too,  they talked a lot about the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy I have learned so much about that in the mission, the importance of the Sabbath day and it truly is such a blessing to have it and I hope that we can use it well and sanctify it and observe it :)  

This Sunday night was kind of hard because we got back to Bacobampo, and went with Melquizdec and we tried to share a message with him, and he told us that he didn't want to keep listening to our message, it was so weird it happened so fast, and we were just stunned :/ but we have to respect the agency of every person. But I learned that even in the hard times we cant sit down and rest we have to have a prayer in our heart and a life filled with love, and that's what I had to do, I really did get kind of upset, but I know that being mad or sad wont do any good, I really had to pray and ask for help, and Heavenly Father really did bless me and I felt the peace from the spirit and the drive to keep working :) and that same night we were greatly blessed through a less active, we went with a sister that is active that has a son that is less active and his wife isn't a member, and they just had a baby, so we decided to talk about eternal marriage and eternal family we sang families can be together forever and they loved the song, its a song from the primary but really brings the spirit, and that spirit was felt by the son of the sister, his name is Jesus Ramon, and we were able to testify and promise a eternal family through his diligence and commitment to keep the commandments and make the covenants necessary! and he felt the spirit so strong I started to asking him what he is willing to do to obtain this blessing, and he said whatever it takes, and I asked if he was willing to go to church, pray and read the scriptures and with him being filled with the spirit he said yes and then we explained that his wife would have to get baptized to be able to go to the temple with her :) and he said that he is going to talk to her about it and that he wants her to get baptized so they can go to the temple one day, he was so filled and so excited to talk to her about it, that he was asking for scriptures in the Book of Mormon that talk about baptism so he can share them with her :) We truly saw the hand of the Lord in this lesson and truly the spirit was felt because this less active had a change of heart and the desire to help his wife and newly born baby be together forever and all that is possible through the spirit of an eternal family, it is such a blessing! its what everyone looks for, but is only in this church because it is done under the divine power of the priesthood, We are so grateful for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost for the spirit that was felt in that lesson and I know that Families can be forever :) There names are Jesus Ramon and his wife Eva please pray for Eva so that she will feel the spirit that her husband felt so she will have the desire to get baptized and have an eternal family :) 

I love you guys so much thanks for everything
Love Elder Tanner  

How an Eagle Scout dries his pants fast haha thats a fan on the seat and a tie tied to my pants and the fan so the air passes through easier haha ;) 

Changes

Time Flies!! I cant believe it, another change has gone by, well I'm still here in Bacobampo ha-ha, but my companion Elder Guardado got assigned to another area he was sent to Obregon, and I got my new companion today Elder Sanchez, He's a good guy he's got 6 months in the mission and is from the same generation as my son Elder Vaca, Elder Sanches is from Puebla, ha-ha he's a pretty funny kid, he's really sarcastic and is always making jokes :) 

 

So it was a pretty good week this week, We had a conference in Huatabampo with other missionaries and we taught and helped people do their family history work, and genealogy, because the district is getting ready to go to the temple, so we are helping the branch's get ready to go. It was a really cool conference and it made me realize how cool family history work is, and also made me feel bad for never doing it before the mission but I'm so grateful that we have done it, because it truly is such a big blessing to be able to do it because we are the only church that can do it, because we have the power and authority from God to do it :) So please just know that I will be working hard in that after this mission, its really such a cool thing to look for our ancestors and be able to baptize them and do the ordinances necessary so they can be with us forever :) I cant really work on it right now but I will when I get back :) so please let Aunt Maurine know that I will be hoping for a temple trip and that she teaches me more about the family history!!! because it truly is so special :)  

I truly felt the spirit of this temple work Sunday when I had to give a talk that I hadn't prepared ha-ha, my companion was directing the meeting and we needed people to give talks and I thought he would give a talk, because he was directing, but he said and now we will hear a talk from Elder Tanner about the family history ha-ha I gave him a couple slugs after the meeting for that but I was able to share some experiences and my testimony and some scriptures, that I have learned in the mission about this work and it was truly cool, because it fascinates me how the spirit puts words in our mouth to teach people true doctrine, and not only the people we are teaching but ourselves also, as I was talking and I said something that really touched my heart that I have always known but the principle was so clear that it truly touched my heart and made me want to work in this work, I said that as members baptized in the church and with temple recommends we have keys to open the door to the salvation of our ancestors! That in the spirit world there is a door with 2 different places on each end Spirit paradise and spirit prison, when we baptize our ancestors with the body we have we use the keys and open that door so they can pass from prison to paradise and experience the blessings of the true gospel! It made me feel so grateful for the love and confidence our Heavenly Father has in us to be in this time and generation to work with our ancestors and in the temple :)  

We also found a guy named Melquisdec (with a name like that he is asking to get baptized ha-ha) he is super cool and we have been having the lessons in the house of prayer and the questions to our answers are on point! ha-ha its so cool, like we aren't as missionaries accustomed to have people answer so good but his answers were like well I have to baptize me, and I have to be baptized in the right church, and a lot more, he has a baptismal date for 27 of February, so we are hoping to be able to baptize him this day. He would be a big help to the Branch because we need more Priesthood in the branch, but he's a little nervous and shy and unsure about baptism so please pray for him that he will feel what he has to do, and will feel comfortable with his decision to get baptized, he couldn't go to church this Sunday because he got sick :( but we are sure he will go this Sunday. 

We also have a sister named Maria or Mary ha-ha but she has 3 little girls that have the age of baptism and they came to a family night in the house of prayer and we watched a video about finding faith in Christ and she really liked it, so we are hoping to be able to baptize them too! :) it would be super cool to see the family get baptized but pray for her so that she recognizes the importance of the church in her life and her daughters lives, and that she wont be afraid to go to church because she lives with her cousins and mom and dad and they don't support her in her decision and they always try to get us to not teach her... but we are going to baptize her!! Pray with faith and we can do it!!! 

 

Well I'm really grateful that Heavenly Father has given me another transfer here I'm really trying to help strengthen this branch because it needs it, thanks so much for your support :) I truly do love you guys :) BE HAPPY AND KEEP SMILING  '

'

D&C 128:19 !!!  

Sorry for the short letter but I really do love you guys so much and thanks for everything :) 

Love Elder Tanner 

El Dia De Los Reyes

Hello everyone :) 

I hope everyone had an a good week, sounds like everyone had to get back to the "grind" School, Work, Play ;) ha-ha, well the work doesn't ever come to a stop here, but that's alright because I love it :) Work hard and... Work harder ;) so you guys heard about the "Chapo Guzman" ;) ha-ha pretty crazy right ha-ha I actually know the Elders in that area where he was caught, heard that there was a ton of gun fire super crazy, but also ha-ha its been said that he was here in our area before heading down to Mochis, I have talked to a lot of people that say that they knew him, ha-ha super crazy but its funny because the people here love him, they love him more than the president of Mexico ha-ha, because the Chapo always buys them food and is good for the little towns, but no worries he's now in a super safe place ha-ha ;) 

Besides that its been a pretty good week because we were able to celebrate El Día de los Reyes, pretty cool, we bought a cake and all and were able to celebrate that a little bit :)  

Pretty crazy story that happened this week was that we saved a mans life, we were heading to lunch with a member one day, but we passed the house of less active member that's on the way to where we were going to eat, and I felt like that we should check on the family, and my companion agreed to, we stopped by and found the father outside just walking around we asked if we could share a message with him and he seemed a little shaken up we didn't know why but we testified and talked about the importance of the family and the role of a father and he talked to us about all the problems that he has been having in his life, so we explained how the Gospel isn't just for spiritual matters but to help us with our physical or temporal matters and problems, he felt a lot better and was willing to offer the closing prayer, we got to the lunch late but we felt better, as we were eating, someone came to the door of the house crying and it was the less active brother that we had just barely taught, the father of the house where we were eating left and talked with him and later informed us that we had saved his life, because before we knocked on his gate he was preparing to kill himself, and was tying the knot to do what he was going to do  but the message we shared gave him a lot of hope  and made him feel better and he was super grateful and really emotional, I cannot express how grateful I am for the love our Heavenly Father has for us in giving us the gift of the Holy Ghost to guide us protect us and help us, and also be instruments in his hands to bless and help his children ask in prayer everyday for the amazing gift and companionship of this amazing personage and member of the God head, The Holy Ghost :)   

 

We were able to have quite a bit of success this week we worked super hard to be able to find new investigators :) and it paid off because we found a lot so we are going to be working with them in this week, and we are super pumped to see how they progress, ha-ha but I'm not going to lie ha-ha it was kind of an interesting week this week because never in all of my areas have I seen or heard from so many people be so confused about the importance of a having a church, ahh it is so frustrating, really you don't know how ticked, sad, upset, frustrated I get when someone tells me that its not of important to have a church, because the church is your heart, YOU are the church, ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh haha my comp has had to hold me back a couple times from people like these, naw I'm joking but I really do get frustrated because, its normal that once in a while in a week, but literally about every person that we talked to has told me that ha-ha, because they have grown up with the idea that God is a changing God that lets us do what we want how we want, of course we have a loving Heavenly Father that has given us our agency but that does not mean that we can take our own path in life to be able to return and live with him, Jesus Christ said I am the way and the life, and we know and testify that when Christ was here, he established his church a church organized of Prophets, Apostles and the Holy Priesthood of our Heavenly Father, That is the way and there is no other way but it makes me so sad knowing that the people have been taught different about our Heavenly Father. It truly goes to show that in these later days people have Created God according to their wants and desires, I probably don't make any sense but I hope that we all understand the importance to have a Church, but not any church a church with our father in heaven and Brother Jesus Christ at the head with Apostles and Prophets governing the church, I know that this is the only true church, I know that Thomas S. Monson is a living Prophet and is a guide for us. I know that his council is what we need in these days to be protected and live happily and have an eternal family. Don't take things casual this is the Church of our older Brother. Let us live, act, and share this message, I also know that just because this path is the right path doesn't mean that its full of cake and flowers, but filled with bumps, holes and thorns, but our Heavenly Father has given us tools and things to be able to overcome these obstacles, Prayer, Scriptures, and going to the church every week to take the sacrament will truly protect us and help us over come any obstacle, Let us be happy and Cheerful in all things while we are in this path of enduring to the end, Never forget what is at the end of this path, a loving Heavenly Father with Arms open and a Eternal family, Press Forward in the path with Faith in our Heavenly Father and his Son Jesus Christ and a love for God and all men (2 Nephi 31:19-20) I love you guys so  much and I know this is the True church and correct path and I'm so grateful to be able to share it and also to have my family in this path with me. 

Sorry for the long email but I truly have seen the blessings and the importance of being in the right church and my testimony has grown so much in the mission, I love this gospel and I love my Savior, thank you for your prayers and love.
Love Elder Tanner 

Happy New Year!! 

wow 2015 went by flying!! 

but here comes the big one!! 2016!! whoo thats awesome haha 

It was a prettty cool year this week ;) if you get what I'm saying haha, I'm terrible with jokes I know ;) but it was an interesting week, I forgot to tell you guys that Monday in the morning we gave service to a family, their dad has a problem with his legs and they needed fire wood to make food and sell it and to be able to cook food for themselves so me and my comp decided we would take a swing at it ;) another cheesy joke haha, but we got up early and went to their house to cut fire wook, well its not like when I would cut fire wood with dad haha, becuase we didn't have a chainsaw just the good old fashioned axe!! haha we had to cut down a big ole tree!! we had to  cut down the tree and clean the branches with a machete! haha but it was cool, I left with a couple of blisters but it was cool, I liked getting out and working a little bit!  

Then Tuesday in the afternoon we found out that we would be having our Chirstmas Party as a mission on Wedensday in Obregon, so we had to go to Navojoa and sleep there for the night tuesday and wake up super early to go to Obregon for the party!! It was cool, because I was able to call some Elders from my Old district, and sleep with them!! it was super cool to see them, and see how they are doing and hear about the people that I had to interview for baptisms and how they are doing!!! Wedensday in the morming we woke up at like 4 to get ready and go to Obregon and we got there at like 8, it was super cool because I was able to see a lot of my old companions Elder Yoo, Elder Hernandez, Elder Rivas!! haha I love them all so much and it was so good to hear from them and see them, Elder Rivas is going to be finishing the mission in about 2 months super crazy!! in the Christmas party Pres. let us get into sport clothing and play some games it was super fun to relax a little and be with other missionaries! then we had a christmas dinner!! some senor missionaries Gringos made the christms dinner it was super good, but the gringos forgot to buy tortillas :( haha, we had turkey, pototes, yams, stuffing, corn, and all sorts of good stuff it was awesome!!! then to finish the party we were able to have a talent show! the district we did a play about what Christmas is like in the mission it was super funny and I was finaly able to get my package, and I found myself, the most amazing tie!! haha its a tie with a bunch of flowers on it haha I love it! a brother in the branch asked me if I was a gardener before the mission hahaha I thought it was pretty funny, 

Well it was kinda rough Wednesday because we got to Navojoa late because of the party in Obregon, and there weren't any buses that went by Bacobampo, so we had to sleep another night with the elders from my old district haha two nights in a row sleeping on the ground with just a blanket haha but it was worth it super fun :) we were able to have dinner with a sister in the branch, and she made us pozole its really popular here and one of my favorite dishes its super good :) we didn't stay up till 12 haha thats not for missionaries but it was a good year thanks for everything guys and I hope you all have an amazing week, I don't have a whole lot of time to write, but I'm so thankful for the support that you guys gave to me in 2015, and I know that you will continue to do it in 2016, thank you guys so much for your love and I hope that in this year that comes we can all make goals, both spiritually and physically to be better I love you guys so much and have an awesome week there is so much more that I would like to write but I don't have enough time haha, but I'll be sure to let you guys in on total next week :) I love you all, Love Elder Tanner