Same area New companion New responsibilities

August 25, 2014

Well hello.

This week was transfers week.

Same area. New companion. New responsibilities.

My new companion's name is....Sister Magleby. If you are familiar with Provo, and the Magleby's restaurant, then I will answer your question. It was her grandfather who founded Magleby's, but he no longer owns it - he sold it to a friend. She is from St. George Utah. And get this - this is only her second transfer. So, technically, I'm a trainer. But the hard part is done and she's awesome. But really - she's a great missionary and I really appreciate that.

So the responsibilities are amplified a little bit with training, and leading an area, and trying to keep up the incredible momentum that is here. I have little moments of panic now and then, but it's all good. I just have to get used to it. I'm excited though, because the Yucaipa First Ward is awesome :)

In other news I'm driving all over the place now (designated driver status) and it's back to being natural.

B gave us his coffee maker! We had a lesson on the Word of Wisdom a week ago Friday, and he promised to trade his coffee maker for a picture of Christ that Sunday. Then Saturday we went to check on him and he said he couldn't quit coffee right now. Well...Tuesday night we went over so Sister Webb could say goodbye, and he not only told her how much she has meant to him (helping him change his life and all), but then he asked if he could pray and offered the sweetest prayer thanking Heavenly Father for sending her, and THEN he said "hold on, I have something for you" and then disappeared and reappeared with his coffee maker! Sister Webb was in tears when we got back in the car. I don't know if I've talked about B much, but he is an investigator we have been working with a lot. He is this guy who grew up with a life completely different than a gospel centered life. As we've met with him, it's been neat to watch the change. He's just happier. And he's slowly gaining a testimony of each principle as he lives it. So while right now he may have headaches, he enjoys the self-control, the better feeling, and the confidence that comes from living the Word of Wisdom (which includes no coffee). He's one we've had to work a lot on, but the progress is slowly coming.

Mother suggested that if I don't have much to say, say something I've learned on the mission. Here's one: there are no easy fixes in missionary work. Makes sense though, as this is real people's lives, and the fact that we're dealing in matters of salvation and eternal life. 

Other things happened this week. Ants invaded our pantry. They only went for Sister Webb's food. Just as previously, they only went for Sister Webb's clothes when they invaded our closet. Now that she's gone they slowly disappeared. That or the ant traps.

I weekly planned basically on my own (new companion and all). It was a brain melter.

One day we had dinner set up with this family, and we tried to call to remind them but they wouldn't pick up. We show up, and it turns out they are about to leave for a trip or something. They felt bad though, so despite our protestations we walked away with a whole pre-cooked chicken, an entire thing of rolls, and an entire bottle of orange juice. We felt like we robbed them. But it was rather tasty.

And Saturday was the ward luau. Definitely a highlight of the mission. It was thrown together kind of last minute, but turned into a smashing success. They estimated over 200 people came including over 30 non-members and less active members. It was in the backyard of our bishop's house. His backyard is awesome. The food was great, everyone was talking with everyone, and there was a Hawaiian dancers show.

Probably the best though, was the fact that our investigator LG came! She is the one whose life has just been crazy. We haven't been able to meet in a while, have barely heard from her, but she wanted to come to the luau and she came! And she loved it! She still hasn't come to church yet, but baby steps - right? The Hawaiian dancer show was awesome, and at one point I was the "official" photographer as the real "official" photographer had to take care of her baby. A couple of ward members also caught me swaying my hips to the music. Oops. But if you ever saw me at a dance, you know that took self-control. This is why missionaries stay away from music. It was also fun because I knew practically every one there. I realized I know this ward probably better than I know my home ward, especially since I hear it has changed so much. These people are family now.

Fun tidbit: I'm not sure how I'm going to talk to people anymore, as I realized that most of my conversations start with following-up on something someone was doing missionary related. I apologize ahead of time.

And last but certainly not least: a chicken update. All the chicken's wings have now been clipped, so they no longer escape their enclosure. This was done after I took the picture of them all siting on their enclosure fence. In case you didn't know (as I didn't), clipping a chicken's wings means you cut their wing feather's short. It doesn't hurt them, as it's like cutting their nails, and you can't even really notice the difference until they flap their wings. I no longer get chicken stress.

Love you all! Stay safe :)

Sister Tanner

With all the news of Lugansk, Ukraine being without electricity and water and the fighting going on there, I asked Diana if she had news of any of the people she knew there. She said that the men whom she taught and were baptized, M and D, had relocated to L'viv, Ukraine. They were university students and the university in L'viv is taught in the Ukrainian language. They are hoping to find somewhere where the Russian language is used to continue their studies. You may remember last winter some photos of the missionaries touring a soccer stadium in Donetsk. On Saturday, that stadium was damaged by shelling. Last week shelling also started in Petrovsky, the section of Donetsk where Diana had served.