Sister Kiera Tanner: I "killed" my companion

August 5, 2015

Alright this week was incredible. I wish I could explain more about it but it's been such a busy crazy week that I don't have any more time. It's just been so awesome! Gosh I LOVE being a missionary! First off, HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANDREA! Hope it was fabulous in Peru!

WEDNESDAY

So I got a call from President Smith Wednesday night and he asked me to TRAIN again!!! So I am SO excited for that. I was reaaallllyy hoping that I would train one last time and I only have 3 cycles left so now is my only chance! I am excited. Everyone pray for my new companion, sister Standage! :) it's cool because president smith does it differently than president Morgan did. President smith didn't pick our comps that we will train until he met them. I like experiencing things differently with different mission presidents. I'm sure these next two cycles will be really hard but help me to learn and grow a lot!

THURSDAY

We had to go down to Ossining for Sister Grobergs exit interview and it was pouring rain so bad that while driving down a lot of the missionaries said they had to pull over and wait a while. It ended up taking most of the day and then we had dinner after the interview and did some tracting.

Oh this is random but this week I learned what a tag sale is. I didn't know before. I guess they don't say yard sale or garage sale here. Only tag sale and estate sale. It's fancier I guess...

FRIDAY

On Friday I got to go to the Train the trainers meeting. It was so cool. We went on a split and I went with another sister who is training. The spirit was so strong and we had a really good time. There were 16 of us there who will all be training. President told us that it was easy for him to pick the trainers because the spirit told him each of our names and he knew that we would be best. He talked about how we are going to set the tone for their whole mission and life and we all talked about our trainers. The whole meeting just pumped me up so much to train. I feel so at peace because I was praying to know how to be happiest for the end of my mission and how to finish strong and training kept coming to mind but it's not like I can volunteer to train and so it was definitely an answer to my prayers when I got the call. I know that something challenge in will be good for me so that I can learn and grow these last 3 cycles. Something that I found out while there is that Beau McCraney from the beachside Ward was my mission presidents trainer! Small world right? So that was funny because I could pull up his picture on lds tools.

SATURDAY

Jenn is doing so awesome. She is still on tract to be baptized next month on September 19th. She even invited her friend to church. She is learning so fast and the spirit was so strong.

Alright here is a good story full of emotions!! So we prayed to find a miracle family and all day we were in search of that family. Well I guess we weren't specific enough. Here is what happened. So Jays phone was off and we wanted to meet with him with Edgar. So we went to his house to talk to him and he opened the door with a sigh of relief and he said "sisters my phone plan is up and so I am so glad you came over. I have a lot to talk to you about. Don't freak out. Can I get baptized in the Philippines??" So of course we said yes but explained that he can get baptized here too since he has a couple months. Then he said "well all last night I was thinking about how maybe I should get baptized with my wife and kids. So do you think I should wait and get baptized with my family?" And we explained how he could do that or he could still get baptized and then later he can baptize them when they are ready and he said "I can't baptize them. I don't have the proper authority!" So we talked about the priesthood and how he will receive it after baptism. He was so excited. Then he told us that he got a job and leaves for the Philippines on August 5. I was so sad to hear that. He said he is going to go talk to his family right after the flight lands there and teach them and then have the missionaries over. He was so golden and the new missionary was going to love him! But I was also at peace. All week as we were thinking about Jay and how he wanted us to fast for him to find a job here in America, sister Groberg and I kept getting the thought that he needed to go back to the Philippines with his family. But of course we couldn't tell him that because we are missionaries and so we aren't allowed to tell him to go back to his country so it was worrisome for us. So when he told us that was what the answer to his prayers were, we knew it would be okay. So even though I am so sad to see him leave and sad that I can't see him be baptized, I know he will be. He shared with us miracles that have happened to him to bring his family together and how he is so grateful for all he has learned and for the friendships of the ward members. His family really is that miracle family we were praying for, we just forgot to ask them to live in our boundaries. So Be specific with prayers! It was awesome though.

SUNDAY

Wow! Church was awesome! During gospel principles we were talking about covenants and and jay brought up the priesthood and then answered all the questions about the priesthood. He is so cool!!

Jenn brought her friend named shayla to church as well! (Except she spells it a bit different). Jenn is so awesome doing missionary work already. She said she just wants to share all she has learned with everyone so they can better their lives. And it was shaylas birthday yet she still came to church. What a perfect way to spend a birthday.

We also asked a less active family-the wells- to fast with us so that we could find a family to teach. And they did it so that was super cool!

It's the best when investigators actually come to church!

MONDAY

Monday was so awesome. We started with a "Funeral" for sister groberg since she "dies" today and that was really fun and all tied in at the end with a good message about member missionary work and the importance of always being faithful. It was really awesome. Afterwards we set out to work hard. We first did some serve to help a less active woman pack. She is moving to Arizona to live with her mom. Her mom is a super solid member and seems to be in close contact with the sister missionaries there so it will be a good move for her. Afterwards we went and did a couple look ups and then went to PJs who we met last week. Well PJs fiancé was asleep so we talked to him for only a little bit about the Book of Mormon and about the restoration. He was really nice about the whole thing but we didn't stay long. As we were leaving we saw this man getting into the back his car full of gifts and so we asked him if he wanted help bringing them in or if he was packing up. He said it was his 2 year old sons birthday and that he was headed to spend the day with him. He then asked who we were and what we were doing. So we explained all about how we are missionaries and how we teach people all about what we know is true and about the Book of Mormon and how it helps us. He then asked me how the Book of Mormon has changed my life and I was able to testify of the Book of Mormon and how it has helped me and the peace, hope and answers it provides for me. His demeanor changed and he quietly said "I ask that because I have been going through a really hard time. My wife and I are divorced but I still get to see my son on weekends but it is just so hard being away. I want to be a good father and it's sad that his mom and dad aren't together. We are on good terms though but I have really been seeking for guidance and help. It's funny that you come today because I have been thinking about that a lot today and about how I can find peace and hope and answers to my questions." We went on and talked with him for a little while longer and gave him a Book of Mormon with some passages to read. As soon as we left he got in his car and started reading and for the next 5 minutes while we were in that area he continued to read. We are headed back next week and we have his number and all that too. He truly was so prepared and God sent us to him for a reason at that specific time.

Later on after dinner we decided to tract one house. So we prayed about it and both thought we should go to the same exact one. So we went and they turned out to be hard core catholic. Well we asked her if she knew anyone that we could talk to and she said "well there is this family across the street with 3 kids, you could talk to them. Well maybe don't actually. Ya maybe not. Well I guess you can." And so hearing "family" we headed right over there. Well nobody was home. As we were leaving a car pulled up and a man got out and he came and talked to us. It was the dad of the house. We ended up talking to him for like 20 minutes and we gave him a Book of Mormon. He said his wife is one religion and he is another so they haven't decided how they should raise their kids. He also told us that he hadn't been home for 2 weeks and when we got home we were there so he knew God sent us at the perfect time. His family's a away for the month because the grandpa is dying so we taught him about the plan of salvation and eternal families and he loved it. He was glowing and just in shock by the time we left haha. The spirit confounds people sometimes. Seriously it was so cool. He was so thankful for the Book of Mormon we gave him too. We will go back on the 17th and see if he has questions and teach him more!

So many miracles and such an answer to our prayers and fast!

TUESDAY

Oh my goodness so at 4:30am sister groberg and I were both awake because there was soooo much thunder and lightning. the thunder was louder than I have ever heard and the Lightning was more then I've ever seen. It was so crazy! And the rain was literally buckets and buckets.

Anyway, we had a lesson with Jenn about baptism and the gospel of Jesus Christ and it went so well. She even changed how she dresses and so that was good! The spirit was so strong and she told us how excited she still is for baptism.

Later we went to say goodbye and have our last lesson with Jay about temples. We gave him pictures of the the temples in the Philippines and wrote notes on them. We explained how if nothing else, just remember that he can get to the temple. It was such a cool lesson. He loved it and he is so excited to go to the temple! He is so set. He said he packed his Book of Mormon in the side of his bag so that he can have easy access to it to read it that night and in the morning before he flies out. He said he will keep us updated with his family and he asked us to keep him in our prayers. Today and tomorrow (Wednesday and Thursday) we are praying for him all day because he will see his wife and kids today and they need to accept the gospel. He wants to take his wife to church and to the temple. Oh yea and they have 4 kids and the oldest is 17. Sister Groberg and I promised each other that we will go to his temple sealing next year. It's a plan and it will happen! :) it was sad leaving but also really peaceful because this is right and it will be so good for him and his family.

It was an awesome day though, we said bye to a lot of people and finished packing and cleaning!

WEDNESDAY

Today is transfers! I'm excited as I mentioned earlier. I'll tell you all about my companion next week :)

This week I was studying about miracles and how we can pray to see miracles. In the Bible Dictionary it says "miracles were and are a response to faith and its best encouragement. They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith." Then later on it talks about how if miracles cease then it is because our faith has ceased as well. We have seen a lot of miracles this week. I know it is because the Lord is blessing this area and the people here who are ready to learn. I love studying about miracles because I feel the spirit so strong as I do so. I have felt so much peace and motivation as I have witnessed the Lords hand in this work here. It's so awesome being a missionary!

I hope you have a fabulous week! I love you all! Hunt and Liv, Have fun in Peru!! Mom and dad, have fun playing with Jax! Riss and David and Rory, drive safe to California! Shay and Sam, good luck with work, I love you both!

Love,