"Cristian is an inactive member but it's kinda crazy cause like 4 months ago he got shot." October 27, 2014

This week we went to the temple, it was super great to go through for the first time in a while.

I did so many interchanges this week. I did 4 so I almost wasn't with my comp the whole week.

 

We had a miracle in church, Sunday morning we always pass by for everyone. When we had passed by for everyone they all said they weren't going to church. But when we finished the day we had 5 in church... it was so great. The people that came in the morning told us they wouldn't, but they just showed up!!

 

We're teaching a family named Cristian y Karen. Cristian is an inactive member but it's kinda crazy cause like 4 months ago he got shot. He has these scars of a bullet that went in his arm and left the other side and also in his leg, one that went through his bone and shattered his leg, so his leg has this big scar and bump too. And, that's how they met, karen is a nurse and she was helping him in the hospital and since then they have been living together. We're gonna help them get married, and baptized hopefully. Familia Rodriguez who we just baptized went to the temple on Saturday and did baptisms, the 3 of them told me they did 5 baptisms each and Imelda did one for Jose`s mom that died in a car accident in 1984. So that was super awesome to hear! They only have two weeks being baptized, they're great!

 

This week in our zone meeting we taught about the importance of reactivating inactives and retaining the new converts. It made me think about when I was a deacon and teacher and we would always leave church and go get Aaron Daly. Me and chris would always go see him cause we were closer to him and we would wake him up and bring him. That was always something really cool. Even though most the time we thought it was just cool to leave church during church, I know we did it with a real intent to help him. Because everytime we got him to come we felt so great.

 

love you guys

"I never thought the first time that I'd break the Word of Wisdom would be in the mission" October 20, 2014

You guys heard about the earthquake??

Yeah we felt it, it was really cool. We were sitting there taking numbers and I had just hung up the phone and my chair started to rock a little and I really didn't notice it then my comp was like, "hey, earthquake". It got a little bigger and lasted only like 20 seconds but it was cool to be moving around, it even kind of made a noise.... pretty sweet.

We're going to the temple tomorrow so that's awesome!

We put two dates with a family that we're gonna marry and baptize the 8th of November. We're really excited about that!

I have a new comp, Elder Moran. He's really cool, He's from Guayaquil, Ecuador. He's a really good teacher and really funny.

I never thought the first time that I'd break the Word of Wisdom would be in the mission, but it was haha. The other day we taught a lady and at the end of the lesson she gave us something to drink, we thought it was juice, and I downed the glass and she's like do you want more and I'm like, "oh yeah it's way good". She filled up my glass again and I asked her, what is this, Tamarindo?? and she was like no it's tea. I looked at my comps, and we all had wide eyes. She went away to go change or something and left us there alone. We started talking about what we can do, we were trying to find a place to throw it away. But then we did the worst thing ever haha, we just plugged our nose and chugged it fast. I think God will forgive us though.

well that was my week, love you guys.

"I knew the first time I came to this church I was gonna stay here forever." October 13, 2014

But this week was awesome!! We married and baptized the family!!!!

Also I got the package and I love it!!! Thanks so much!! I always wear the LeBron shirt and the pics are so great!!! love you

 

Yeah so elder Kendall got dengue.... it sucks cause he was out all week. But I've gotten to see him a few times and he's doing better. We took him the sacrament on Sunday. He's changing his house too so we had to go move him and his comps stuff into their new house, but theyre staying in the same area.

 

This morning I went with his comp to go drop of new tables and beds and stuff and we went in the tiniest little pick up. It was this old guy that took us... he was driving so slow every car was passing us, and when we would go down hills he would turn his key and turn off the car temporarily. haha it was such a funny thing. On our way back it started raining and his windshield wipers broke so he had a hand towel and so I reached out while we were driving and cleaned his windshield haha it was a funny experience.

 

The family we baptized was such a blessing, we literally did nothing. they showed up on their own then we visited them that week and they accepted a date. The dad, Jose is a inactive member of lots of time, but he's super pumped to be back in the church. He preaches the gospel to everyone and is working to get his priesthood rights back. The mom, Imelda bore her testimony in her baptism and said, "I knew the first time I came to this church I was gonna stay here forever." It was amazing to hear that from her, she also paid her fast offering yesterday and they have nothing. They're already so faithful. I hope to come back in a year for their sealing. Their son, Pablo knows so much he's in like 1 Nephi 10, and he can explain everything to us, he's 16 and going to SOY (its like EFY) in December. He's excited to go on a mission in 2 years.

 

It was a good week, but tell Elder Kendall's family that he's gonna be fine.  I've gotten to go see him to check on him a few times and he's getting better. He will be fine. 

                      The Paraiso Zone with Elder Ochoa and the President and Sister Spjut

"Now I feel like I have to get married fast and then be a priesthood leader for the youth." October 6, 2014

Wow conference was so great!!

The priesthood Session inspired me so much.

Now I feel like I have to get married fast and then be a priesthood leader for the youth.

Elder Eyring's talk about preisthood leaders was great and about trust. I thought about all of my great leaders I've had. Brother Staker, Chamberlain,Bishop Moore,Bishop Maughan, Lindahl, Porter, Leishman. I'm sure I'm forgetting some but these guys all had a big influence on me.... I went back in time as I listened to the talk, I was such a horrible kid and they had so much patience for me. I miss them all and want to be leaders like them in the future to be able to help other young kids like they helped me.

But we had a good week, a kid went home a little early so they shutdown the area and now we're in a trio, we're with elder chico now too he's from mexico. Were helping him alot cause hes really quiet and calm. But me and my comp no.. we're loud and happy and its helping him open up alot.

Something cool just happened. We write in the chapel of Colon every week. Colon is where I started, so I was just sitting here writing and one of my converts came and hugged me haha he came to play soccer at the church. It's sweet to see converts every now and then cause we come here lots.

Loving my mission.

Elder Tanner


*  I asked about the man who they found beat up last week and this is what Jordan said. 
"He's doing better, he hasn't been drinking! but he's got a hard life. There are lots of people with problems. It is emotionally hard sometimes.... but it's fine. You just feel really bad for the people."