Elder Tanner

Elder Tanner

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Mission Week 70, Ferroviarios Peru


I had a very fun accident this week. I almost got run over by a car but All went well. I tore a huge hole in my pants. but I just ripped them down the seem and We have a member who is Called Mamita Lily She fixes all the clothes she stole my shoes once and had them repaired. She is awesome.


Its been a great week, There have been so many changes. We have not only experienced changes in companions but many of our investigators are encountering new problems and challenges in their lives. We found out that a recent converts dad has started to have problems with the word of wisdom because of marital difficulties. The amazing thing about the gospel is that there is an answer for everything. We want brother Jaime to go to church because I know that he would find the friends and support necessary. Its amazing how god lets us pass through adversity to help strengthen us physical spiritually and morally. I know that the adversity that we face in the mission is just a way of showing how much confidence the lord has in us as missionaries.
This week I have been studying adversity and how much it is related with patience. I love the definition in Preach my gospel for patience...

Patience is the capacity to endure delay, trouble, opposition, or suffering without becoming angry, frustrated, or anxious. It is the ability to do God’s will and accept His timing. When you are patient, you hold up under pressure and are able to face adversity calmly and hopefully. Patience is related to hope and faith—you must wait for the Lord’s promised blessings to be fulfilled.

In these few days that I have been with Elder Otsuka, I have been able to see the great gift of patience that he has. He has never lost patience with me, but patience is not just responding to adversity with faith and calmness. I have always been able to control my temper but Admire greatly the hope that my companion has in situations that have little probability of realization. I am focusing a lot on developing more patience.

I do not know what awaits us in the upcoming change, however both Elder Otsuka and I will be prepared for whatever challenges the lord sees fit for us.

 
Love Elder Tanner

Monday, July 4, 2016

Mission Week 69, Ferroviaios Peru


This week we met the new mission president. Tuseday in the morning all the missionaries from arequipa went to the Church in Umacollo and we all sat nervously waiting for our new president to address us. President Johnson got to the church and the entire chapel went silent. He walked in with his wife and the two had giant smiles. I could tell that this president would have a large influence on my life. We listened to both the assistants. they explained a few things but when president johnson spoke he told us stories about his mission experiences. He told us about how in his mission there was an area that had not had baptisms for a long time. He with his companion prayed and fasted and decided to put the goal of 25 baptisms for the month. Through SO much fasting and prayer they accomplished the 25 baptisms the day before the end of the month. The fallowing months they continued to multiply thier success on the fourth month they spent a lot of time teaching more than fifty people at a time. They found a lot of success through serving in the fields with thier investigators and they baptized more than 200 people in that month. He exclaimed that we through covenants with our heavenly father could accomplish the same. I was amazed.

Afterwards we had lunch with president In a pizza place. I sat off in a corner with my companion. We ate some delcious pizza and right before we were going to leave I saw that President was talking to one of the Assistants and pointing at my companion and I. We walked out to leave and the assistants waved us over and told us that president wanted to go and visit the members and investigators that we were goign to visit. Close to the end of the day we drove with president to the lesson and It was amazing. We taught the plan of salvation and you could feel the spirit so strongly. It was amazing. We did not have much time to talk afterwards but It was an amazing experience for My companion and I. I hope that you all had amazing spiritual experiences this week too!