Our first e-mail from the MTC!

Hello Fam!!!

I am currently sitting in the laundry room typing this up while doing my own wash... I know it's crazy, me doing laundry! haha It's weird but awesome being able to take care of myself:) What a week it has been! The food here is incredible! It reminds me totally of Chuck-a-rama and I get a bowl of cereal every meal. My companion Elder Love is a saint. His name is exactly how he is. I can tell he really loves the gospel. I sent some pictures to Hayley that she can maybe put on my blog thing if she wants:) and since it was father's day last Sunday, I would like to say how grateful I am for you, dad.

The days at the MTC can be pretty taxing physically and mentally as well. There have been times where I feel the adversary working against me very hard, but I always remember that I am loved both by my father in heaven and my earthly father. I have been thinking alot about you lately, dad, and I keep asking myself how I was blessed with such a great father. You have set such a great example for me since day 1 and I am so grateful for it. I have people in my district who have never known their dad, or aren't on the best relationships with their dad and I feel for them. I love you with all my heart and I hope the best for the BASEcamp. I'm praying for you daily and will continue to do so:)

I got a new nickname here haha. My distrcit calls me Chief or Elder Chief because I got called as our District Leader on Thursday or Friday. At first I was kinda intimidated by the responsibilities but it has been such a blessing in my life. I had the opportunity to interview all of the Senior Companions in our District and identify their needs and hear about their lives and stuff. Such an amazing experience and I've never felt Christ's love for each of them as much as I did when I got to sit and listen to them in private. It was amazing. In our district we have 8 Elders and 4 Sisters. I am so grateful for the Sisters in our district because of their ability to turn immature missionaries like me and focus them on the work. They are so awesome. 

It is insane how the Gift of Tongues work here also. By the second and third day, our district was able to say a full prayer in Thai and ask for blessings and be grateful for things as well. We have also had the opportunity to teach an investigator 4 times in full Thai. The lessons were 10-15 min. each and we never used a single English word. I wish I could say it was my own smarts that helped me, but it is definitely not me. The Spirit has helped me retain so much of the Thai language and we are actually starting to learn how to read the script as well. We have along way to go, so please pray for my district.

I have Preparation Day's on Wednesdays so I'll be able to write home then. I also get to go to the temples on Wednesdays at 7:30-9:30ish AM which was a huge blessing today. I really can feel our Savior's love there.

The pictures I sent are of some of the Elders in my district as well as my companion who I think looks exactly like Luigi off of Mario and Luigi. My other roomate/Elders are Elder Weaver and Elder Christensen who are so funny all the time. The pool on the ground in our building is when our bathroom basically exploded and there was nasty chunky stuff everywhere and my district was basically the first responders as we waited for the clean-up crew arrived. I have never smelled something as nasty as that day haha. 

The time is getting short here, but I love you all! I hope this gets put up on the blog for my friends to see also because I miss them as well! Thank you for all your prayers and support. Keep them coming because they are much needed. God bless you all!:)

Love,

Elder Tanner