สวัสดีครับ!
I think my most favorite times of the week is when I get to read email. It's the best EVER! It sounds like BASEcamp was an amazing program. I can tell just through your words that the kids really understood alot more and didn't just read the scriptures but really pondered them and wanted to know more about them. They feasted upon the scriptures and the Spirit worked through the whole program. We had a MTC devotional with Elder Jay E. Jensen speaking about studying the book of mormon. If you see himnext Sunday, tell him he did an AMAZING job. My whole district has a renewed fire about the scriptures now and how to study them. BASEcamp sounds like a miniature MTC you've got going:) If you need a BASEcamp Thailand addition, I should be able to help;)
It's crazy how time flies! School is already about to start?? It feels like I should be getting ready to make the journey down to Orem everyday again. That's so awesome. Hayley, I hope you start this school year off great! Make goals first thing and subgoals that you can meet and then reward yourself. I have really come to find that goals are what gets things done. I also have seen your friend Elder Hyde I think it was, a couple times in the MTC. He gave an opening prayer last Sunday for our Mission Conference and before he said it, you could see his head in the background on the screen and he looked like he was about to throw up. I think he was alittle nervous for it haha. I would be too! Mom, thank you for sharing about Mark 2. You've inspired me to study that today! I think it will be a great thing, and I love what you said about how Christ works. I've seen it in my life here at the MTC. Where I think I understand the Atonement or a doctrine, and I feel comfortable with it, but then it grows uneasy again because I haven't learned my lesson of always trusting in our Savior. So with some practice I think I finally kinda understand that Christ just doesn't want to cleanse us from sin, he wants to CHANGE us completely. That's what this gospel is all about. Changing our lives competely. It's such a beautiful process.
Dad, I hope you liked my gift:) Sorry it's not much, but that's all I really could get here in Thai. And what you've said about following the Spirit always and seeing people how they really can become hit home to me. It's funny that you said that because that's what I've been thinking about these past couple of days. I read President Uchdorf's entitled "The Merciful Obtain Mercy". One of the greatest talks I've ever read! It talks about how all men are VIPs in the eyes of our Heavenly Father. The world sees us in terms of yesterday and today, but God sees us in terms of FOREVER. He sees us how we can become with His help. It has totally changed my perspective about the people I meet. I see new Elders and Sisters, even lunch ladies and tell myself that they are VIPs of Heavenly Father and that He loves them as much as he loves me, regardless of what they've done in their life. It's amazing. It goes right along with the Atonement. I love it soooooo much! How merciful God is to us, His children. I have made a goal, and whoever can join in with this as well, when I catch myself judging someone or immediately being biased by the way someone smells of smoke or their personality, to think of how the can become through the atonement of Jesus Christ. How God sees them and then maybe share with them the message of the gospel and let them feel of his love. I think our thoughts will be alot more pure and charitable if we think like God thinks:)
I recieved my travel plans! We leave this Monday (8/12/13) at 6 pm and travel for 2 days straight until we arrive in Bangkok at 10 am the 14th! We fly to LAX and then to Hong Kong as well. It's going to be so awesome! But so nerve wracking. I've been praying I'll be able to sit by someone who needs the gospel and who is being prepared by God. It's going to be an adventure, but I'm going to miss Elder Love and my district and teachers like crazzzzzzzy!
Also, I know this is really short notice, and if it's not possible, it's totally fine, but could you send 1 or 2 more Axe hair gel things for me? I think it's called "the spiked look" or something and it's a black and red case. And also an inexpensive messenger bag as well? They don't allow backpacks anymore, they want shoulder bags that go over one shoulder. I found one in the lost and found, but it's beat up pretty bad. I think packages only take 1 or 2 days to get to me here, but if you guys are way too busy, don't worry about it:) Send it only if you have spare time.
I had an awesome experience last night. I had the opportunity to administer a blessing of comfort on an elder. He approached me and my companion and asked for one and so we went outside at about 9:45 pm when it was dark and I had the blessing to be able to bless him. It was amazing! He was having fear of being sent home because of some medical issues that were being checked with him. But I know he is a GREAT elder and I know that through faith, anything is possible. The gospel is so true! THere's nothing scary or bad about it, it's amazing that people don't just flock to the baptismal font.
Thank you all so much for everything so far. I've almost been out 2 months and I've loved everyday of it here! Pray for me as I travel to Thailand. Pray for us for successes and to stay out of harms way, both physical and spiritual. I'll need all the help I can get from Heavenly Father. I love you all so much! The next email you'll recieve from me will be from Thailand!!!:)
Love ya much,
Elder Tanner
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