{I feeL LiKe I JusT StaRTed}

Hey fam!

I love you all! Thanks for all the sweet letters! Im looking forward to changes this week because i think ill be going to get my package in David haha sweet!

Heres the news...

1. Presidente Madrigal is awesome. He came to dedicate a chapel here in Changuinola. Wow the priesthood is real. And hermana Madrigal is incredible too.

2. Our baptism with Erick fell through because there wasnt water to fill the font. Haha. So were doing it next week in the new chapel that was dedicated yesterday.

3. People think dads a grandpa hahaha.

4. I love Panama. But the food...ay ay ay. A veces es dificil. No worries i think im losing weight because i work out so hardcore in the mornings...some solid pushups.

5. The Book of Mormon is true. But thats old news

Im pretty sure i told you all about Francisco Vega...the guy with lots of addictions. We met with him last night and hes doing so well! The gospel changes peoples lives and its sweet to see! I love loving these people. Francisco is so hilarious! I feel like hes my best friend. Ill miss him if I have changes this week. But well see what happens. I think ive been out six months now...which is weird because i feel like i just started.

dad i liked what you said about humility...one of the bigtime important attributes of Christ. The people here are super humble. It makes me feel so greatful to have food and shelter and clothes.

I finished the Book of Mormon this morning and its definitely a sweet book. Everything in this gospel hangs on the B of M . If its true...we are set. and its sooooooooo true!

Sorry so short...but i gotta go. I love you all. A lot. President Hinckley said that missionaries should return home with a greater love for their families. Thats really true. Every day i love you all even more for everything youve given me. The church is true!

Mucho amor,

Elder T

{ObeDience PaYs oFF}

Hey!

Wow, sounds like things are going really well at the house...spring getting started, Marsh dominating the basement, J-Dub and Jessi moving through college, and Libby...starting kindergarten??! That´s weird, pretty sure I was just starting kindergarten. Things are flying here. Elder Poli and I have been so incredibly blessed in this area. At first I wasn´t sure if trying to obey all the rules with exactness really was helping...sometimes it seemed to make things worse. But we´ve seen the fruits of our labor here with Ceferino´s baptism...another baptism this weekend (Erick Sera...he´s way rad), and hopefully the familia Abrego the week after that.

Obedience pays off.

This week was really great. The baptism of Ceferino went really smoothly and according to plan, which really is a miracle in this area haha. Presidente Madrigal was here for the baptism and he and his wife really loved it. Me, Elder Poli, and our district leader Elder Cook sang I Need the Every Hour, a little English and a little Spanish. It was sweet. Music brings the Spirit faster than anything in my opinion. And when Ceferino bore his testimony about the change he has made it made me soooo happy. As Hermana Madrigal said in our last zone conference...´vale la pena´...it´s worth it.

I´m really excited about this investigator we have named Franciso Vega...he´s a middle aged solo guy and he´s got lots of problems. He´s coming toi church and we´re working with him on his drug addiction. All I can say about Franciso is that I love him. Really. I love him. He´s an incredible man and it´s awesome to see the change that is happening in his life because he is coming to know the gospel. I hope with time he can overcome his addiction and receive baptism.

We were hoping this week that the familia Abrego would be baptized but when they came to church we felt like they weren´t ready. That was a bummer but we´re going to continue working with them.

I still am having trouble believing that Libby is going to kindergarten!! That´s so nuts! I´m excited to hear about it. And Lib...you read?! That´s so ridiculous! Haha I love ya sis.

So I´m pretty sure it´s already April...and I think we get to call home in May. Even though I just barely called you from the airport...jeez. ya viene navidad.

The church is true. The gospel is so incredibly powerful. The blessings that come from missionary work are too many to count. I love being a missionary. I can´t even think about what it will be like some day to have to take this plaque off. I love being a missionary and talking about the gospel all day every day! I love you all. I always remember you in my prayers! Make sure you have family home evening and pray...

I´ll talk to you next week!

Mucho amor,

Elder Tanner

ps dad thanks for the update...i wish i had time to study the old testament...i´m going to need to take a class when i get home haha

{He WaS ReaLLy a GolDeN inVestiGatoR}

Hey fam!

Sorry i think i only have time to write one letter this week. I´ve got a lot to say. So this week was a good one. Well...yeah it was. I was pretty sick thursday night...woke up at two with a fever and couldn´t fall back asleep. So the next day we took it easy. But we still went to a lunch appointment and on the way there I contacted this Danish guy. Haha bad idea with a fever of 100. Let´s just say he wasn´t all that receptive. It made me think of Grandpa Hansen because I´m reading his journal. Wow.

But guess what? Ceferino is getting baptized on Saturday!! I can´t wait. He´s definitely ready. He´s 21 years old and he´s been coming to church and all the activities and stuff. he was really a golden investigator. He had no problems really with any of the commandments and was really willing to change.

Also, with respect to the hermana Seferina and her children...let´s just say Satan tries so hard to keep these people from baptism. Someone broke into their house and broke their door...so now she can´t leave the house alone to come to church. I don´t know what we´re going to do but she HAS to come to church to prepare for baptism. Her kids are awesome. they learn the gospel so fast. I love teaching the gospel to kids. There´s this little girl named Kenya at one of the houses we are teaching in...and ever since the first lesson she says ´profeta´ like ninety times every lesson...haha it´s way cute.

And we are teaching this kid named Erick Sera...17 years old. He lives with our branch president right now (he doesn´t really have a family and he´s here studying). But we´re going to set a baptismal date with him soon.

Dad..fecha=farm. There are sooooooooooooooooo many bananas here you wouldn´t even believe it. We climb up this big hill every now and then and you can just see fincas for miles and miles it´s nuts!

Really funny stuff happens all the time here. I love messin around with the little kids. They´re soooo cute. I always think of Lib whenever I see the little girls.Me and Elder Poli have a great time with the people. The members are great. We´re having trouble getting them really animated about missionary work but we´re doing what we can.

Bueno...I love you all a lot. the church is true. There was a kid who bore his testimony in church yesterday about how he was sealed to his family...he´s 12. It was such a powerful testimony. I thought when Libby was sealed to us. never will I forget that experience. I love you all. Marsh keep reading the scriptures. Mom I talk about you and the fam a lot to the people here. Dad keep telling me about your lessons in gospel doctrine i get good pointers and advice. J dub and Jess I love you both a lot! I´m gonna write you a letter today because there´s never time :) Lib...you have no idea how much I love you.

I´m bummed that I may only have three more weeks here in Empalme...but it´s all good.

Con mucho amor,

Elder Henrie

ps the package got here but it´s in David hahaha I´ll go pick it up in May though no worries :) oh and no we don´t have a chapel in El Empalme, but our little building is sweet! Chao!

{I LoveD CoNfErenCe!}

Hey fam!

Wow...Elder Holland delivered once again eh? Third time in a row. I loved conference! we actually stayed in Bocas to watch it because the new chapel that they are building their managed to get it through satelite. It was sweet! They focused so much on the family. I was amazed when at the very end Elder Andersen said that nobody receives assigned topics. Talk about revelation.

I loved hearing the prophets voice again! It was so nice to listen to them give their messages...and it was amazing listening to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir again (you know youre a missionary when youre excited for mo-tab). I thought Elder Packers talk about blessings was probably my favorite...after Elder Holland.

Marsh did you hear the prophet talk about dating? Its good advice...stick to it. And get ready to go on a mission because you will be on your way to the MTC pronto. I thought about all of you during this conference. I feel blessed to have the family that I have. I was so glad when Elder Holland was talking about what happened to those three ladies that he met in the airport that our family is not like that.

Ok so this week...we set a baptismal date with a kid named Ceferino. Hes 20 years old and really solid. But we can see that Satan does NOT want people to make this covenant with God. Immediately after he accepted to be baptized...his mom started joking about how we dont eat meat or drink coffee. Ay ay ay. But hes doing great.

We also set a date with an Hermana named Seferina (no relation to Ceferino) and her four kids. We are really hoping that she can progress. Shes having some difficulties with these two men that want to move into her house but we taught her the law of chastity and we are praying that all goes well.

This change is still going quick. There is never enough time. Its really hard work too. That makes it go even faster. I dont know how we already are in April!

Well family...the church is true. Really. Its true. Thomas S. Monson is Gods chosen prophet on the earth today. I have no doubt that we are going to be together forever. Everything that we go through in this life makes us stronger. The strength I have received from making it through the loss of a brother has helped me a lot...but we havent lost him have we? Hes waiting for us on the other side. Mom did you love that story about how that kid opened his mission call a week before his brother died. -called to serve on both sides of the veil- i thought it was great. I know God lives. Jesus Christ is our Savior. Joseph Smith saw Him and the Father in the sacred grove. The Book of Mormon is true. And its awesome. I love you all more than youll ever know. I am so glad i am on a mission right now! It is the best decision i have ever made in my life! I love you all!

Love,
Elder Tanner

ps yeah dad i got the picture and i could NOT find waldo!

Hey Grammy and Grandpa!

I absolutely loved conference. Before it started we were all watching the timer like it was new years haha. It was amazing. Thats great that Matt headed off to Brazil! I cant believe hes on his mission already. Yikes. Everything is great in El Empalme. The people, the food (yes i am getting a gut), and the faith. I love the people. It is crazy to think that i have over three months here. It feels like i got here yesterday!

The church is great. We had 73 people come last sunday (a step up from the 28 that showed up the first sunday of my second change). i am still trying to figure out how to be a better missionary. Gotta do it quick because the mission flies by. But one thing that my MTC teacher told us is that you never -make it- as a missionary. You can always improve.

Thanks for the email i love you a lot! The church is true God loves us!

Mucho amor,
Elder Tanner

{ThiS WeeK RocKED. ThAt'S aLL TheRe iS tO iT.}

Dearest mother,

This week rocked. That´s all there is to it. I´m still loving Empalme a lot! We had 73 people at church yesterday!!!! Yes! And Emiliano showed up looking like a stud. It was incredible.

Ok two experiences to share. Me and Elder Poli were contacting this guy in the street towards the end of the night and I saw a family across the street. Elder Poli was talking to him and I felt like I needed to go talk to this family...ya know...that feeling. So I when up and contacted them and we set up an appointment (this was last change). And a couple nights ago we taught them...the familia Jimenez...about the plan of salvation. The man, Luis, had lots of questions about the spirit world and people that haven´t had the chance to hear the gospel. A little while later in the lesson he started crying. His brother had passed away less than three months ago. Luis told us how his brother was going to come up for christmas but he never made it. I then realized why I was supposed to stay in El Empalme. I remembered where we were all at three months after James´ death and I told him about James. I could really feel the pain that he was in and we all cried together. We´re really hoping that we can get them to church as a family and get them progressing. It was a very special experince.

Ok, so we were walking to Finca 4 in our area when we saw a little neighborhood on the right side of the street and we were feeling it. We found a young joven in his house. This family literally had nothing. The kid´s name is Germán, 24 years old. He was baptized when he was 16 but hasn´t come to church for years. He cried as he told us what he´s been going through and how hard his life is right now. He´s been bed ridden for two months and they hardly have any food. That day they were waiting for two other pastors from a different church but we showed up instead...what a coincidence. Anyway, we gave fim a blessing and he came to church yesterday. It´s awesome to see what the gospel does for people. He´s still got a lot of things he needs help with in his life but i´ll be praying hard for him.

So it was a good week! Oh and ps we can´t go to Costa Rica anymore hahaha. I called up Presidente after i emailed y´all and apparently that´s bad. So...ya no. But no worries he wasn´t mad with me :)

Maui? What? haha well i´m in Panama so take that.

And what a cool story about those missionaries!

Love you all!

Mucho amor,m

Elder Tan

My awesome siblings!

Libster thanks for the sweet email! I want to see a picture of your long hair! Did you get the birthday package yet? I hope so :) just wanted to wish you a VERY happy birthday from down here in panama! Are you really 5 years old? jeez that´s huge. Don´t grow up too much before i get home lib. I love you a lot and i miss ya! I hope your birthday is as good as mine was. I´ll be praying for you.

Love ya lib!

-elder Tan

Hey dad i´ve only got a couple minutes left...i just wanted to thank you for the letter. Every week i get so pumped after hearing from the family! It really does get me ready for the week. Ps we´re going to David this week to hear the profeta and the apostoles give us the word! I´m soooooooo excited! How lucky are we to have a living prophet.

I love you dad!

Elder Tan

{He´S cHanGiNg So MucH}

Hey hey!

Alright....so I asked my district leader when we were over there if it was against the rules and he told us it was fine. And we talked to the migrations people also so I wasn´t under the impression that we were breaking any rules. So we were over there for about 20 minutes and came back. It was actually really lame as there was nothing over there. And I´m trying to be obedient 100 percent with every rule (my last comp told me that I was too obedient haha)...and I searched the rules thoughouly to see if I could send a video home to all of you. The rules say don´t have cameras in public while you´re proselyting...and it didn´t say anything about videos. Trust me i´m not wanting to get sent home for blowing it on a rule. But i´ll write Presidente Madrigal about it to clear it up with him and make sure we´re good. That´s what i always do when i have an interview...ask him about questions i have with rules...

This weekend we had a baptism with Emiliano because I got to stay in El Empalme with Elder Poli! It was such a great experience. Afterwards he stood up and bore his testimony about Joseph Smith and the church...it was so incredible! Seeing the change that he made has been so amazing! And we had some great lessons taking Cecilio out with us yesterday. He bore his testimony way powerfully about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. He´s changing so much.

This coming month we want to work for 3 baptisms. And we´re going to try to get 75 people to church! It´s going to be a lot of work but i´m really excited for it! I´m glad i´ve got six more months here in El Empalme. And i can´t believe i´ll be 20 tomorrow! Crazy!

Thanks to all for the emails :) maybe if you sent letters they´ll get here this change hahaha we´ll see! I love you all! I love this Gospel. I love testifying to people about the changes and the happiness that this Gospel can bring. Thank you all for all the support!

Con mucho amor,

Elder Tanner

ps we´re teaching a guy named José Smith! haha he´s really positive!

{I'M ReaLLy SaD AboUT TuCK}

I´m really sad about Tuck. He was such a great friend. I wasn´t really expecting to see him again but it´s still hard. I know he and James are going to have a great reunion though. I´m just chillin here crying at the computer in the middle of nowhere hahaha i feel dumb. I hope you´re all good there. I´ll miss him a lot. I´m gonna have to work super gnarley this week to quit this feelings.

Mom and dad thanks a million for the letters! I love hearing from you! Seriously it recharges me every week. PS no we don´t have daylight savings. And i´m so excited for Matt! He´s gonna be on the team soon! The MTC is nuts. I´ll never be able to describe my experience there. haha it was so much fun...at times i miss it...just because it was so dang easy compared to the mission field. But he´s going to love it. Tell Matt that I´m wishing him the best of luck in every aspect of the mission, the language, the studying, the working. And tell him to ENJOY the washers and dryers in the MTC.

I´m actually surprised my letter made it to you that fast. Tell Libby i sent her a sweet birthday present that I bought from a little old lady by Costa Rica. Yes we went to Costa Rica last week. It´s not all that tough...you just walk across the bridge and you´re in Costa Rica.

Last night we had a sweet lesson with this awesome family! The wife is Cindy she´s a member, and her husbands name is Julio. He saw an Anti Mormon video recently and he had some questions. But we did already in focusing on the doctines. They´re a sweet fam. I hope I don´t get transferred this week because i´ll miss Emiliano´s baptism (This saturday) and i won´t get to work with this fam. We´re going through the jungle again today, but we´re bringing Emiliano! Sweet! Oh and we had 48 people at church yesterday! Awesome!

Mucho amor,

Elder Tanner

oh and yes i can print emails haha my bad