Hello ครอบครัวที่รัก,

It sounds like everything is going so great. I love hearing about the struggles and the success with BASEcamp. Without opposition there is no way we could be successful:) I'm glad the Thai girls got to go to the rodeo. Haha I don't think they have anything quite like that here. 

This week I have been learning alot about the role that members really do play in missionary work. If you think about it, even the work that the President of the United States does doesn't even compare to how crucial and important missionary work is. Being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints puts on us a huge responsibility, because we hold the keys and the knowledge to help others wake up out of their spiritual fog. I have seen it many times on my mission. Some people didn't even know they were searching for Jesus Christ until they had these simple truths explained to them and then they acted upon it. In our Branch here in Thailand I have seen many examples of how important the members are to the work. I'll give you an example. 

We have a member of about 4 months who is named Brother Champion. He helps us teach all of our investigators. We had one particular investigator, Sister D who was having some troubles feeling guilty about past things she had done in her life. Before we had a lesson with this wonderful investigator, I felt prompted to ask Bro. Champion to help us teach her. As the lesson went by and as we talked about the pure power of the Atonement, a sweet spirit fell over the room and soon we were in tears. Bro. Champion shared that he had a friend who had the same problem as Sister D and shared how she came to know, trust and let Jesus Christ help his friend in her life so that she could overcome those problems. We were able to lay our hands upon our investigators head and give her a blessing of comfort and strength. You could literally feel the presence of angels in that room that day. Because of this member, Bro. Champion, a 17 year old, living a worthy life, wanting to share what he knew with others and trusting in the Savior, our investigator Sister D was able to fight, beat and overcome her hardships and temptations and be baptized the next week. That's the power of members in God's work. Heavenly Father needs his members helping in this work. A few days after this miraculous lesson, Champion told me of what the gospel did for him. He said when he was younger he wanted to go get alot of tatoos. His mom told him not to, but he told all his friends that when he was 19, he would get one for sure. And then he met the missionaries and turned his life all around. When we choose to help in the Lord's work, the people we help are blessed, but more often than not, we are the true benefactors of God's work, for our faith, our testimonies and our eyes are cleared to see the real vision of Heavenly Father's plan and work. Sister D, who was baptized soon changed as well. She has helped us teach in lessons with other investigators and has helped others know that the repentance process is REAL. Before she came into our Church, she said she tried all the other churches she could to get the guilt feelings out of her. She said everywhere she went, it didn't help. She felt guilty and in turn went back to her old ways. But when we had that lesson with Champion, everything changed and she became baptized. Just 3 days ago we had a lesson with her and she told us that she had prayed about being a missionary, and she said, "Elder I got an answer, God said I could do it!". Because of Jesus Christ, Sister D went from a person strung with darkness, guilt and shame, to a humble follower of our Savior Jesus Christ who is pure and whole and will serve a mission in the future. I promise there are stories like that for all of us. I promise you that if you help in this work, your life will have more peace, you will see the lives of others change, but most importantly, I testify that you will see your own life change and mold into what Heavenly Father would have you be. "For behold, this is my work and my glory--to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Moses 1:39) I know He lives! And I know that this is His work.

I love you all so much! This week is transfers, I don't know if I will be moving or not, but I really do love P-Log. I'll let you guys know what happens this next week!

Love ya,

Elder Tanner 

Dear sweet sweet family,

It's good to hear from you all again, and feel of your love. I always get so excited to hear about Jane and Nalin and all the progress that is happening. I'm am praying for them as well. 

It's good to hear that Chris Pratt came over! How was he doing? I hear he is working at the temple as well! That's so great! As always I am so grateful for such a great, loving family.

This week has been a harder week for me dealing with problems with investigators. We are teaching two 17 year old investigators who's names are Brother Ice and Sister Smile. They are both extraordinary people who has seen and received answers that the Church is true through prayer. But the only thing is that their parents don't agree with it yet. We were hoping for them to be able to get baptized this last Saturday, but things fell through. I was crushed because I felt like we had prayed, expected miracles and did all we could, yet we still could not help them get baptized. I don't want them to wait years down the road because the desire might get lost in the world or something like that. So much potential will be lost if they don't get baptized. We are hoping and praying that their parents will open their hearts to the gospel. 

We are also helping an investigator repent of some serious things. We recently found some things out which made my heart drop to the ground. It's incredible what the gospel of Jesus Christ can do, about helping people realize sin, and want to throw it all away. But by also trying to help them, we must help bare the burden which is taxing both spiritually and emotionally. I think of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. If it's this hard for me to help someone repent and see their sorrow and pain as they go through it, I can't even imagine what it must have been like for Jesus Christ to take the sin of billions and billions of people who have ever lived on Himself. I just stand in awe as I think about how Jesus Christ loves us so much. I am baffled about why he loves us this much. I have seen more than ever now that this world is a fallen one. The only way we can have hope is through our Savior Jesus Christ.

I love you all, and I hope you have a great next week!

Love,

Elder Tanner