WEDNESDAY
We were driving to a less actives to go fishing and have a BBQ when we remembered that we told her we would bring some BBQ chips. So we stopped at the store on the way and the cashier was looking at our tags. So we asked her if she has seen missionaries before. turns out, she has been wanting to learn more about the church and has been wanting to come to church she just didn't know where it was. So she gave us her number and all that good stuff. She is awesome. Her name is Maurisa.
Then we went Fishing...sorta. I mean, who has time to fish on pday? There is no time to sit and fish! So we mostly just took pictures, put our feet in the water, and had fun. We fished for like 15 minutes haha it was fun though!
At night we went and visited a lady we tracted into named Nanette. She is super open to a lot of things and super closed off to others. It was good though. She told us about how we knocked right when she needed us and how she knows God sent us there. The spirit was so strong throughout the entire lesson so it was wonderful.
THURSDAY
We made a whole bunch of cookies during weekly planning to go give to investigators, potential investigators, less active members and members. Food is the way to people's hearts! we made oatmeal chocolate chip cookies too so of course they were delicious.
We had a few interesting lessons and got yelled at a ton while Tracting. It was a weird day to say the least. Haha
We stopped by our favorite members house to get some water really quick and they ended up feeding us dinner since we didn't have an appointment. Just the moms and their kids were home. They were so mad at us haha they were like "you don't have dinner and you didn't call! Sit down, you aren't leaving until you eat!" And we told them we had cookies and fruit in the car but they said that wasn't acceptable for dinner. It's two young families that live there. One family is from Brazil and the other from Mexico. They both went to byu with their husbands and now their husbands are working together here at IBM for the summer. They are so awesome. we help them with their English. It's good but not perfect. They have both lived in the U.S. For about 2 years. Anyway, they ended up feeding us a ton and then cake. It was all delicious but they said our punishment for not telling them was that we had to eat a lot. Next time we will tell them :)
FRIDAY
We were suppose to go on a hike with an investigator but she cancelled last minute. Lame. Anyway, we found an awesome new family with like 12 thousand children. Except they prefer church and everything in Spanish...so we had to give them to the Hermanas. But they are awesome. We tracted into them and they let us in to teach the whole family. The spirit was so strong and they loved it. So that was cool :)
SATURDAY
We met an awesome new family while Tracting. We decided to do some family home evening Tracting. It was awesome. The family consists of a mom who was catholic and converted to baptist and a husband who was Jewish and converted to baptist and then two little kids. She is super open though so hopefully her husband doesn't shut us down haha. Her name is Amanda. She said we can come back and teach her more and also come back and do a family night with them to teach them how it works.
We also got to teach Jamie (the investigating family with the two cute boys we play with) and it was awesome. We brought a member with us and we taught the whole restoration. It went really well. Afterwards we played with the boys and the member we brought talked to Jamie for like 30 minutes and fellowshipped her so hard it was the best. We gave them cookies as well. Jamie and Max love that we play with their kids so we try to a lot. When we were leaving the boys were like "mom, I don't want them to leave! They are fun!" Haha it was so cute.
SUNDAY
HAPPY FATHERS DAY!!
We got to teach young women's which was super fun just remembering the good old days of personal progress haha
But when we went Tracting in the rain we prayed to find the elect. We had really been seeking out more solid investigators. Well we found this super awesome guy who was wearing a Utah shirt. At first we thought he was going to be a member but he isn't. His named Jay and he is from the Philippines and is here for 6 months staying with his brother who is catholic. In the Philippines he lives next door to the missionaries and he works with a man in Utah who is mormon. When he went to Utah the boss took him to all the church stuff with his wife. He asked us why his boss didn't ask him to meet with missionaries and we said we didn't know why and so he came to the conclusion that his boss is waiting for him to ask. Anyways, it was awesome. We explained what we do and didn't teach him a ton of stuff but mostly just shared our testimonies and invited him to church and to meet with us Again. He agreed to meet with us again so we did on Tuesday (so make sure you read Tuesday)!
MONDAY
While Tracting We met this super awesome (who use to be catholic and is now semi Buddhist) guy named Gee who is probably like 22 or 23ish and we had a really cool convo with him. He was really open to hearing and learning more. As we taught him he asked a lot of awesome questions and you could tell he felt the spirit as we spoke. We invited him to church and to go on Mormon.org and all that good stuff and he really sounded like he would. Who knows. But He filled up our water bottles for us and then we left. As soon as we left his house and were at the next house, his parents drove up. It was cool to see the Lord guide us to his house first, just in time before his parents got home. If they were there we probably wouldn't have been able to teach Gee because the parents are hard core catholic he said.
We had a cool lesson with Chelsea. She is trying to figure out which church to get baptized in. She wants to get baptized in this church but her parents don't want her to. They want her to be baptized in their church. She really wants to make them happy because she is technically their niece and she just wants them to accept her and be proud of her. It's sad. She's so awesome. But she is moving in 2.5 weeks so hopefully her not living with her parents will help her to do what she wants. She is currently writing a poem about how she feels so she can try to decide where God wants her. We figured it would be good because that is how she expresses herself and so it came to mind as we were trying to help her see her answer.
We had dinner with a less active family and they were so excited, they made things for dinner that they hadn't made in years because it took a lot of work but they loved it. It was so cool to see them open up to us and be excited for us to come back. They asked when they can feed us again as well so that was cool.
TUESDAY
Alright we had the coolest lesson ever with Jay! He is so golden! We asked a member to come who is a recent convert of about a year. 1 because we can't teach him alone and 2. They are super similar. So here is what happened. Jay wanted to meet at the church since he is staying at his brothers. So Edgar went and picked him up, we went to the house too but in a separate car just so we could introduce them really quick. Well Jay got into the car with Edgar who at that moment was a complete stranger. Talk about trust. So we met at the church and started the lesson and Edgar started telling Jay how hard this past year has been and how hard it is being a member of the church and all this stuff. And we were just thinking "ohhh noo. What is happening." Let me tell you, I never prayed so hard in my life during a lesson. I was praying that Jay would feel the spirit no matter what was said and that Edgar would say the right things. He kept going on and on about how he had to give up so many things and how people got mad at him and teased him for it all. And of course that sister Groberg and I would say the right thing too. Well Jay loved it all. It was exactly what Jay needed. He thanked Edgar for his testimony and was nearly in tears. Jay told us that he reached the peak of his career once he became captain of the ship he is on and he has all these great things yet he still feels like something is missing and he thinks maybe this is it. He said he has a void that he wants to fill but he hasn't been able to figure it out yet. And it was cool because Edgar was just so real with him because it's true, the gospel doesn't make everyone else happy for you and doesn't take away your challenges, it just helps provide that direction and strength you need through those times. Jay said he will get baptized when he knows it's true. Actually it turns out that his family met with missionaries for like 3 months until his dad told them never to come back but Jay was young at the time so didn't know what was happening. Jay said the closing prayer as well and it was the coolest first prayer ever. He asked God to help him understand everything he reads in the restoration pamphlet and to know if our message is true and just other stuff that helped make it even more incredible. We were so blown away by the whole thing. I wish you all could have been there. Well then that would be intimidating, but I wish it could have been recorded or something. It was awesome. I love being a missionary and I love teaching the gospel! God knows what He is doing.
WEDNESDAY
Today is transfers! President Morgan and Sister Morgan leave tomorrow! Or maybe friday. Anyway, President told me they are going to California in a couple months and so he started talking to me about Main Street and I told him that's where I live just two miles away so he asked if it was 2 miles back in and I said no it was south and he asked if it was by the power plant so I told him ya it's a half a mile back from the beach on the same street as the power plant and he got excited and said he knows exactly where we live. So then they started talking about the shops and about dukes and hula pie so I told him that you guys will take them to get some hula pie. He liked that idea. And then I gave him your number and address :) hula pie on you! Oh and turns out President has a time share at the Marriott in Maui too and they go in November a lot of times toooo! And they have a condo in Sans of Kahana in Maui (wherever that is) as well. So they are pretty cool.
On Sunday we talked about Christ and some of His attributes as I'm sure many of you did at church. I really loved talking about how Christ never put himself down. He never sought approval from others. He always used his energy to the fullest in the best way possible. He never rushed around from appointment to appointment. He spent time with people and was so calm and never stressed. He never begged people to follow Him or to listen to his words. He taught the humble, elect and prepared. He didn't cast pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6). He taught those who wanted to listen and learn. Sister Groberg and I thought a lot about that and so we implemented that into our work to make sure we aren't rushing too much and that we are really just spending time finding the elect. Time is so precious especially on a mission and so we can't waste time on awesome families who will be members in 20 years, but rather we have to find those who need us today. It's really brings the most joy when we do find the elect as well. I've never been happier than when I am teaching the gospel. This gospel is true. Gods plan for each of us is perfect. There are so many people who are prepared and ready to receive the gospel. It's up to you and me to find them. President Monson said, "Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lords vineyard to bring souls unto Him."
I love you all so much!! Have a fabulous week! Xoxox
Love,
Sister Tanner <3
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