Not much was said about what these are just, "in the field".  They went on a tour of the soccer stadium by their apartment last p-day and these must be from that day.  I love the jumping . . .
for joy? for a "header"? karate? "Chim-chiminey"?

"I know that after (the mission) I'm going to compete in the world's fastest walker competition . . . we fly!" Aug. 26, 2013

Hey everyone!

This week was really great. We were fasting on Wednesday and we found two new great investigators! The smartest kids I've met in El Salvador, we put a date for the 15 of September for one! He's so cool and already has a testimony.

There were lots of funny things this week. I was eating this fresh chile that an investigator gave me and you use it by breaking it open with your fingers and you spread it around on your food, but I totally forgot and then I went to the bathroom.... hahaha, I almost cried.  We also tried lots of random fruit this week, some great and some horrible.. like mom you wouldn't even like them! Also I was putting on my pants the other day and a cockroach flew out of the end of my pants, pretty gross haha and there are geckos that live in our house and they cackle, it's really funny. Another funny thing is that our investigators always pretend to know the words to hymns haha it's so funny.

But I love the mission, I know that after I'm gonna compete in the worlds fastest walker competition. We fly. Love to all.

elder tanner

                                    Jordan and Elder Ayala enjoying a meal at the Lopez' home.
                             The Lopez' are the family that moved here from El Salvador, but
                              their extended family stays at their house on the weekends and
                              they are so kind to take care of the missionaries.  This is a photo
                             sent by Lorena Lopez' sister.  Thank goodness for good people
                              like this family!

                    This is Jordan and Elder Andy Kendall, who is also from Provo.  They left
                    for El Salvador on the same day and were in the MTC together.  They are
                    great friends!

             
                                                             "We all have the same ties!"

August 19, 2013

This week was great!! We still don't have any baptismal dates with anyone but we are working so hard on it! We had eight investigators at church this week, and I had a talk.... haha my talk was alright, but I'm still bad at speaking in front of people!!

The Bishop here is so great, because everyone is so poor here and he tries to help every single one. It's amazing, it would be so hard.

Tomorrow there is a lady in our ward thats gonna cook us a feast and were pumped for that. The Lopez family invited us to their house to eat with their family, that was really good and nice of them.

It's crazy over here when CD FAS, the soccer team plays. We will be teaching and we can tell when they score cause the stadium is real close to our house!!  Today were gonna take a tour of it.

Today we're going to work with one of the new missionaries, the new guys get here today! I'm not new anymore, but I haven't felt like it cause my zone is so cool! I'm gonna send some pics!

Love to all,
Jordan

"I still ball hard if you were all wondering." --August 12, 2013

We brought 11 to the temple!! Most in our zone! And they had a great time!! Also yesterday we brought 8 to church! 3 families!! We're trying to work really hard with these families and baptize all of them, I think we can!!

But I did a change the other day with this guy Elder Lopez! He's so cool, he's 26 almost 27 and he's been here only one change longer than me! But we were teaching these 16 year old parents, it was pretty crazy! But the other day was so funny, we were teaching this family and the door was open and a drunk guy literally fell in the door and just slept. Our investigator didn't care, but then he woke up and said something anti Mormon and our investigator got up and chewed him out, it was so cool, he had our backs so hard. He's really good! Theres another investigator that wants to take us to the beach, haha I don't think he knows the rules. He always gives us tamales and stuff.

We had lunch with presidente it was way good and he taught us lots after. And this morning we played ball with president, he only invites five people so that was cool. I still ball hard if you all were wondering haha. I have a talk in church this week, I'm not very nervous though, it's weird! The rain here is so wild, the other day we were walking back after our lesson, and we literally walked in a shin deep river! It's almost like this every night, my stuff is gonna be thrashed, but it's fine!

But my Spanish gets better everyday, but I need a lot of work on this. All these guys are so cool out here, missionaries, investigators. I love this place. Anyways love everyone!!

 

Elder Tanner

Jordan and Elder Ayala studying in their apartment.

The Lopez Family

This is the Lopez Family.  Jordan is in their ward in El Salvador.  They are in the process of immigrating to the U.S., while still retaining their home and business in El Salvador.  They arrived in the U.S. on Thursday, July 30.  We have loved getting to know them and we're so grateful for all their service to Jordan and all of the missionaries.  They are very active and serving in every way possible in El Salvador, and now we look forward to having them here in Utah for at least several months.  They want their children to be educated in the U.S.  They are amazing people who will be an asset to wherever they are!

". . . every morning we get Peruvian Josh Groban going."

So glad you guys met the Lopez 'family. They're great.

 But I am eating healthier, we always have like 30 mangoes cause all the time investigators give us mangoes, avocadoes and limes. But I'm almost sick of fresh fruit because it brings so many bugs inside! But they are way good.

 Our zone got the most baptisms last month so we get lunch at his (Bro. Lopez) house on Thursday! And there were three baptisms yesterday of the people we were teaching but they were out of our area. So I kinda count it, but I don't! It's all good!

 My companion has this DVD with a slideshow of Christ and it plays "You Raise Me Up", by Josh Groban. I have never disliked this song in my life, but now I do. He plays it like 37 times in a row, and I made the mistake of writing down the lyrics for him.... gosh every morning we get Peruvian Josh Groban going. Ha-ha but its all good.

 I did a change with another Elder, he's really cool, he's from California.  He's our zone leader. We did work as two white boys. Today was fun playing soccer, it was such a diverse game. Two Peruvians and a Colombian, against an American, Salvadoran and Tongan. Ha-ha we killed.

 I bore my testimony for the first time in my whole life during church. Who woulda thought my first time would be in Spanish, but it was good. After we had to sing a hymn in front of the congregation, ha it was so bad, but latins kinda have horrible singing so they thought we were beautiful.

Tomorrow we have a temple trip with our investigators! I'm so excited, we have like 10 commited to come, so pumped. But yeah, for all people reading this, if I start getting weird, virtually slap me. Because I dont want to be weird. I've found what I think is a good balance on my mission of following the rules, but always having fun. I joke around with investigators so much and the members. It's the best way to get them to listen to you, they don't wanna listen to some strict bum. So when they ask me where I'm from I always say I'm from here, or Africa. They will laugh, but then I'll just keep a straight face... then I'll like slap em in the chest and be like, "just playing dawg". Ah it's the best, I love talking to everybody.  The only thing I hate is that I always get called on to say the prayer, they want to see if the white guy can pray. At times I say it at the begginning of the lesson and the end. Ha-ha but its all good. Anyway, love you all.

July 29, 2013 "I love the scriptures. Man they're so fun to read now. I read every minute I can. . . "

This week was really great. It was really hard, but we had lots of good times. The only time I'm mad or sad on the mission is when our investigators are being dumb and not keeping their commitments. But when they do its the best. We are working on this one guy, he's commited for the 17 de August.

This place is so fun, I love the lifestyle here. I should've grown up here for one reason, the guys always have their shirts off. It doesn't matter if they're skinny or fat, hairy or clean shaven, odd shaped or sculpted, 90 or 1 years old. I love it, and people spit in their houses ha-ha.  You'll be talking to them and then they just spit! Our ward is so great, it still cracks me up everytime the 1st counselor in the bishopric comes up to me and says what's up nigga?  I told lots of them to call me elder guapo so they do, it's pro. This lady in our ward made me this hot chocolate like milkshake but it wasn't. I don't know, but it was so good.

I love the scriptures. Man they're so fun to read now. I read every minute I can. I wish I would of read them during like seminary and stuff so I would know more, but I guess I'm learning alot more right now.  My spanish is alright, I still struggle a lot but it's fine. I learn more every day.

I went to San Salvador for my Visa this week, its weird. It's like a real city.  We go back the 6th of
August for a temple trip with our investigators.  The people here are so nice, they have nothing and they give us tons.

Man I miss music, family, friends, the shawties, Lebron, and sleep, but this is better for right now! I love everyone. Oh, one last thing, people here are funny, they describe other people like " you know the fat one, with the bad eye?" or like " the dark one with the big stomach" haha its hilarious. but anyways BUH BYE.

Love,
Elder Tanner (this was added by his Mom)

"Mom for breakfast the other day I had a grilled nutella sandwich, orange soda and cookies." --July 22, 2013

A bit of a bummer two of our baptisms we had to give to the other elders because we were teaching out of our area but it's chill, a baptism is a baptism for the Lord! But our other one is having some problems because she isn't married to the guy she is living with, but were working on it because she wants to move so that's good. Her husband is this drunk guy and he always kills our lessons and the spirit. So that kinda makes it a lot harder. 

Haha, but Mom for breakfast the other day I had a grilled nutella sandwich, orange soda and cookies haha. YUM! But we had kinda a hard week, not many people wanted to listen to us, but we find ways to make it more fun. Like it says in D&C 75 about if people let you in their house bless the house, and if they don't dust off your shoes. So we always kick dust off our shoes when they're rude haha. This one lady always makes fun of my Spanish when we're at her house. 

There are so many flies in this joint, you go to hit the fly on your head and you hit like 7 on the way, haha. We do lots of work with less actives and recent converts and we were teaching this one named Franklin and he's had a tough life, he grew up in the US, so he knows English and he talked to me in English the whole time. But he was in prison for 7 years, and has been deported 6 times. He's had some crazy times here, he's been beat up tons. This past week there were two people killed in his neighborhood, it's the most dangerous part of our area so we don't go there much. But anyways how about the US yesterday beating Salvador 5-1!! Anyways much love. 

-Elder Tanner

"I think about every little kid in El Salvador has touched the nozzle of my Camelback." July 15, 2013

That's all great news! First off I wanna start off by saying we have three people getting baptized!! 2 on July 28 and one on Agosto 5. And we're about to get two more! A story about the other ones that we will baptize. Their names are Gloria and Alfredo Tenas. We met them like 4 days ago. We were there last night and Gloria started telling us about her dream she had. About a week before I got to El Salvador Gloria said she was praying about if she should keep attending her church cause she didn't like it that much. But that night she had a dream and she said I was in it. Standing in my mission clothes, saying vamonos, or let's go! So crazy! I know I was sent here for a reason now!

 

But El Salvador is wild, we rode to our area in the back of a truck just hanging out. My comp is Elder Ayala, he's from Peru! He's way cool!! He cooks for me all the time and knows a lot! We walk about 7-8 miles a day, so not tooo bad. Showers are freezing here but it's fine cause it's pretty hot! Stray dogs everywhere and I hate them, they always follow you or bark at you, so you just fake like you're going to hit them. But Salvador isn't as dangerous as it seems, there is lots of gangsters but they don't mess with us, the worst thing I've seen was these two guys swearing at each other (yes I know Spanish swear words from high school) and one guy had a hammer and the other guy had two huge rocks in both hands but they were getting held back, so nothing happened. And it's funny, we aren't supposed to witness crimes, because president's wife told us that snitches get stitches! Ha so funny.

 

The first night we had dinner at president's house, it was way good and their house is really nice for Salvador. The family is way cool, and president is great too. A little strict, but way good. We have different rules than other missionaries, we have to be up at 6 and we only get 45 minutes to write instead of 1 hour. It's good though. We are pretty beat at the end of days because a lot of houses don't have chairs or couches so we will stand or sit on the floor. Everyone here is so poor, it's sad. The other day I used at twenty at the super market and it was like a hundred, she had to get her manager to come open the register and what not. Our lunch when we eat out is 1.50 and pupusas here are like 25-30 cents. Last night members cooked for us.... sooooo good. Oh and the other day I got a Fanta, they gave it to me in a plastic bag with a straw haha.

 

But our first baptismal commit was great, felt so good. Funny story about this, in the final prayer with the family I blessed a different family. Haha but this place is great, so dirty and poor, but awesome. I think about every little kid in Salvador has touched the nozzle of my camelback. I don't know how I haven't gotten sick. Actually I do, because the Lord blesses us. Peace and love.

Elder Tanner

p.s.
I live in a place called Colonial España! Try and look it up. We played soccer this morning and I had two goals! No biggie! Oh and a member of the bishopric always comes up to me and says what's up nigga? Haha it's so funny.

July 2, 2013

Yeah the weeks are flying!   But thanks tons for all the letters, it was so great to see some pics and read notes. I love and miss everyone. I leave the mtc in exactly a week and I'm so excited, I'm not that great at spanish yet, but I can teach lessons and stuff so thats good. I've never had so many blessings and prayers answered in my life. Everyday right before we have sports it starts pouring rain, so me and my like best bud Elder Dalton always pray for the rain to stop and everytime it does, its so wild. and I dont know if youre supposed to do this but I prayed not to get called on to give a talk in sacrament meeting every week and never got called ha-ha. But last week we went to the flea market and around the city. it was way cool.  But the market was wild, they had a meat section and its just all this meat hanging and some has like a green tint and it was nasty, bugs were like crawling all over it and they were hitting the meat with fly swatters to get the bugs off. also pigs heads, feet, and other animals and parts that couldn't be identified. I decided our room was getting boring so I made a fort out of our room and it looked so money, all the other rooms were so jealous. Oh we finally got our cameras for once and I got some great pics of me and my district, companion, and just other people that I love! but they took them back so I'll upload those some other time when I'm out in the field. Our district flag is like one step from finished and I'm so pumped. The hermanas have been doing working on it. Our district is so sick, we all love each other.The last group that left the night before they left, we sang called to serve in spanish with every elder in the MTC packed in a hall right below presidents room. It was so awesome. The spirit was everywhere! We performed as a district and sang, Mas Cerca Dios de Ti (nearer my god to thee) and we had half the congregation crying, it was pretty great. Every once in a while we hold yoga sessions and I'm the teacher, we call it yogamos because if yogar was a verb for yoga it would conjugate into yogamos for we yoga! Sorry for the all over the place emails but I think of stuff randomly. Love everyone.

-elder tanner

June 24, 2013

 

Yeah 2 weeks left it's so crazy... the old guys leave tomorrow and then we are the big dogs on campus! 3 days ago I sliced two of my fingers on the chain nets outside after I dunked it, hopefully I don't get tetanus... haha I'm fine though. But it was dripping blood all over the court, so that's pretty sweet. But our mother of the district Hermana McGill went and got me bandaids. We call her the mother hen cause 5 days ago she gave me eyedrops cause she was worried about my eye and then gave me these bandages. We laughed so hard because after I washed out my cuts she was like ahhh that hurts doesnt it.. then we all started busting up. But she's great. Def the coolest sister here.

 

Yesterday we watched the worldwide leadership conference thing and it was really good. But earlier we watched a devotional from January given by Jeffrey R. Holland that was (if it's not bad to say) even better!! It was so great, he got us all so pumped up. He was chewing us out. He had this money quote in his talk where he was talking about returned missionaries that come home and go inactive. "If you're one of those guys, you better not cross me in a dark alley at night." So awesome. His talk was about how we first need to convert ourself before we convert others. So great. Anyways tomorrow we go on another tour, tomorrow is a tour of the city and we go to like a little market. Pumped for that.

 

Wednesday I get my first mission cut.... RIP to my handsomness. 2 weeks ago I gave my first priesthood blessing ever to an elder in my district, it was the coolest feeling I've ever had. I honestly didn't know what to say but I literally just opened my mouth and God put words in there. So crazy, I've never felt the spirit with me so strong in my life.

 

My watch band tan line is on the money. Me and Elder Dalton layed out and tanned during deportes on Saturday cause the volleyball went over the fence. It kinda sucks we haven't gotten to use our cameras yet, but it's chill. My teachers are so great. I honestly love them all. And the HEAT OH I COULDNT FORGET ABOUT THEM!! Rings for my best bud Bron! Met the Anderson's friends down here.

 

And last but not least, we had this lecture yesterday about stress and health and it was honestly the funniest thing ever. But it wasn't meant to be. This guy has the most monotone voice and he would just say the funniest stuff. He was like "if you use had sanitizer you hands will dry.... and " does everyone know what fecal is.... it's poop" all the boys were cracking up and the hermanas were acting all mature and what not! Anyways love everyone... peace!

 

-Elder Tanner

June 19, 2013

It's going so great! I'm rolling now! 3 weeks in and 3 weeks left! A crazy thing about the Hispanics is that they all call me John Tanner or Padre Tanner! They all know John Tanner somehow and every one of them asks me if I'm related, I think its hilarious! The new batch of elders and Hispanics are pretty great.

 

Oh yeah I have to renew my debit card. We get tons of rain here, but then it will be 80 degrees and sunny 15 minutes later, it's wild. I've been working hard on my watch tan line because I think those are so sick. 

 

I got so many good friends down here, every night we just all get together and do something. I lead a yoga session every few nights and we call it yogamos, meaning "we yoga." We kill it. Our district is like a family. We started a flag out of scarves and ties and we're making a district flag, first ones ever to do it! Everyone looks up to our district cause we're sick.

 

My teacher is getting married to one of the other teachers, what a baller. He is so cool, all of our teachers are so great, they teach us tons about the gospel and Spanish! We still shred on the volleyball court everyday, and I got a real nice email from Ben Patch and I told him about how I shred on the court and how I'm like almost as good as him.

 

Every Sunday we have to write talks, because they call you out randomly from the crowd, it's so scary. It's in complete Spanish too, but I haven't been called. Our zone pic is pretty money huh, this next one I mean mugged and I can't wait to see it. We got really into singing recently, we sing all the time. Come Thou Fount is our jam, or Mas Cerca Dios a Ti (Nearer My God to Thee). Anyway, miss and love everyone, wanna hear game 7 results!

 

-Elder Tanner

June 10, 2013

We will be writing on Mondays Tuesdays or Wednesdays! I'm having a great time down here, I'm learning Spanish pretty good! Me and my companion have taught I think 10 lessons in Spanish, it's really hard but it's good practice!

 

What's up with LeBron and the Heat?? Rainstorms down here are monstrous, I thought I had seen some bad ones, until I got here during the rainy season.

 

Tomorrow all the native companions leave.... its gonna be sad cause I was close with tons of them, lots of them got my email though to stay in touch.

 

The food here is so great and I know all the cooks, there's: Mauricio, Carlos, José, Fernando, Analee, Veronica, Cindy, Jerson, Maynor, Luiz, Jorge, etc..... they hook me up on food, the other night they were giving out three enchiladas, guess who got 6.... hmmm... that's weird! They also had me try this super hot sauce and I told them I wasn't afraid and because I'm a gringo they thought I would die, but I handled it and they were impressed.

 

The MTC is a lot better the second week, I've got so many great friends in here, we play volleyball everyday and we are getting dang good! 

 

I sent you a pic of my zone! Love these guys! Oh, tomorrow we get to go to WALMART!! Yes!! So glad to see some different scenery! Love and miss everyone

 

-Elder Tanner

 

 

Jordan's group at the MTC. He is in the middle, two rows above the Sister missionary.

June 4, 2013

I have had a great time so far in the MTC, but this place is also hell on earth. These 16 hour days are killing me. I got diarrhea on the third day and have had it since. It's a ravenous diarrhea though, never had it like this. On Friday night I got up 15 times to go to the bathroom, not the tightest. So the next night I slept in the hall to cut down travel distance and that was much better (I left the room door open because we stay sight and sound with our comp.) Anyway, that first day was literally the longest and hardest day of my life, but it makes these other days seem like cake.

 

I'm doing pretty good in the Spanish, I use Spanglish all the time when I don't mean to and I think a lot in Spanish. Every day we hear these big loud booms and my companion thinks they're gunshots, but they aren't, its gotta be like a shipping yard or something where they're dropping stuff. I think I'm right because I'm from Utah and my uncles have taught me well. 

 

I feel bad for an elder in my district, he has been super homesick and worried about his family this entire time and we were like everything is gonna be okay and then one of his best friends died the other day. So we all feel terrible and comfort him and tell him not to give up and everything. He's a really strong elder.

 

I'm super good friends with Andy, we're buds and see each other tons. Me, Andy, Elder Griffin, Elder Dalton and many other guys are super close. We roll together. We play volleyball every day and it's super fun. Our district is sick, we all love each other. There is an Elder Flake down here from Snowflake Arizona and I'm good friends with him too. He's a descendant of William Jordan Flake also, he's a classic Flakerton. Well, keep updating me with all the sports, I miss my baby LeBron, hope he's doing great. I miss you guys too, love you, bye.

 

Elder Tanner

 

Oh also the MTC isn't as bad as I made it sound. I like it too. And I have learned so much. I have never been this righteous for a whole week in my life. I feel like I could hang out with President Monson right now and feel worthy of his presence. It's awesome.

 

Oh and our district got a commitment for a baptism!! We've been teaching this lady named Candy who works in the kitchen at the MTC and she said she would get baptized after all of these lessons our district has taught her, she's great! But now I think we have to hand her over to the "real" missionaries which is dumb, but as long as she gets baptized esta bien. Hasta luego.

 

 

May 29, 2013

So I've only slept one and a half hours... the flight I didn't sleep at all.

Guatemala is wild, so many guys with guns and what not.

I saw James Harden at the airport, and I got some really cool kids I'm rooming with. I don't have like any time they gave us five minutes but I'm safe and just had the longest day of my entire life.

Dropping him off at the airport!