Mission Week 92, Tacna Peru; "PEACE".

This week was fairly interesting. I was sick for a part of it but I got over it fast. It was actually the Christmas dinner that made me sick and after that I ate Ricotto Relleno which would usually make my stomach worse but my companion told me to do it with the faith that it would make me better. I just kept on telling myself that it would make me better and with a positive mentality I got better while eating a pretty heavy dish.
This sunday I gave a talk on the message from the first presidency from this month. I enjoyed preparing myself for the talk I used a few scriptures from John. The explanation of peace is amazing and how Jesus gives us a peace that no one else can. How a firm confidince in his plan and in obeying the commandments can bring us more peace that a full wallet and a full stomach. That is just one of the fruits of the spirit. I have decided to look and develop everysingle one of these fruits of the spirit found in galations 5 this week. I hope that I can gain a stronger testimony of each and everyone of them.
Our investigators keep on progressing. We are excited to see them take thier leaps of faith in these days. Last week we all had very spiritual experiences and we were able to feel such a strong spirit and this week we really focused on committing them to act according to their feelings. We will see the results this week and I wait for them zealously.

I have a two months left in the mission. I have many plans and goals that I will accomplish in that time, Moreover I would like your opinion on the goals I have set and I would like you to help me set more. Here are some of the goals that I have planned,

1. Learn to testify in Ayamara or Quechua

​ (native language here in south america)​

and use it to help convert someone who does not speak spanish.

2. Have a healthy Diet and gain 5 Kilos.

3. Raise church attendance in the ward I am in by 20.

4. Read the Book of Mormon in the two weeks I have left while contemplating the way I have used it in the mission and how I can better that usage int he time I have left.

5. Serve my companion daily.

6. Be more spiritual in my letters that I write home. Help my family feel converted through the things I write.


Elder Tanner

Mission Week 90 & 91, Tacna Peru "One SOL"

 12/12

Another good week. It was hard to get in doors for lessons but with a some phone calls and text messages we got enough investigators to go to church. There are a few of those investigators that we want to teach and they tell us, no I just want to go to church. A little frustrating but no one ever said that the investigators would come easily. I hope that we through fasting and prayer the lord can soften their hearts or we can find the "KEY" that will get us in the door and the spirit in their hearts.

I miss being with Elder Velasquez. He is an excellent missionary. We are still living together. Its a little strange. Everyday with Elder Velasquez was a Day where you got home and you felt absolutely drained. So many spiritual experiences and surprises at every turn. Elder Cleverly is a fantastic Elder too. I do not know him quite as well but we have a much more compatible way of teaching and I can feel the spirit so strong its like it is shooting out of our fingers like it says in Preach my gospel. The weight of the zone is not the same. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to learn. It was amazing to see how the lord can fix everything and we only play a small part. He is everything. He can do everything. Sometimes all we have to do is be present and he will do the rest. Sometimes we he lets us fail so we can learn.

This was an experience from last week that I wanted to share.

Fast and testimony meeting the Bishops councilor started by talking about the example of a sister in the ward who was going to go to the temple. She had so little but she always saved enough to go to the temple. This sister was an older woman who sold juice in a market she said that she did not make much money in fact it was practically nothing. That all that was left after she had bought food and necessary items was a sol. ONE SOL. She would take that sol from everyday and put it in a jar that was saved for the temple. Every year she would go to the bishop and say bishop here it is and she would always have enough to go to the temple including a little extra that would go to help others. A few testimonies later that same woman stood up and gave the most simple and sincere testimony. She said,"the temple is a good place. It is Beautiful and I like it. I like it and the lord likes it to. He is happy that I am there. That is why he gives me extra so I can go". I could not stop thinking about the humility and example of faith in that woman. She saves 33 cents daily so she can go to the temple. What more can we give? I am making goals of more things that I want to give during the mission and after the mission. 

12/5

Whew I had a few things that I wanted to write you but today was the hard day. Changes.... I am staying in my area but I will have a new companion Elder Velasquez is going to another ward in the stake but they are splitting the zone. I have half of the zone in the larger of the three stakes. It will be a lot easier to manage. Elder Cleverly is my companion. He should be getting here soon. I am feeling really wiped out. Yesterday we readied a room and that was not the funnest. We were painting for over an hour. I loved the Christmas devotional. I should have a few minutes more to write

Today was changes. We had to send over half the zone. Imagine trying to get over fifteen missionaries on three different buses in two different terminals.... I was fairly agitated and I yelled at a member. He wanted to call me and give me a hard time and I was just not taking it while trying to make sure elders did not lose their buses. During changes I cannot describe how much less stressful the sisters are. They are mature, they get to the terminal on time. they do not complain. they dont give me problems. I would love to thank and urge all sisters to go on a mission. They have such a strong presence int eh mission.