Thank you so much for your emails! It sounds like things are going well and
I am so happy to hear about the kids' success in school and sports! And I
am really glad Hermana Munive was able to say "Happy Birthday Mom!" for me :)
We were walking last Friday and then it hit me... October 4th... Oh
yeah!! Elder Lamm said I should ask Hermana Munive(mission mom) if she could send you
something so I called her and she said she would love to! President and
Sister Munive are really good people and they really love the missionaries
here.
Conference was awesome! We were going to watch it in Spanish with everyone
else at the church (I still think it is kind of funny that you are
considered a bit lazy if you don't go to the church to watch all sessions
of conference here :) but after we helped the Stake President set up we
asked if there was an English room and he hooked up a little TV in a little
room for us to watch it to here the real voices of the speakers. It was so
great! It went by so fast! However the account of my feelings and
thoughts are upon mine other plates and I do not think it to be expedient
to share them all here. ;) But I would like to share my feelings about
Elder Holland's talk. It was fantastic for me. A few times I really have
felt quite down in the past year and I just could not figure out why.
First of all, I know that Satan has increased in his efforts to take me
off the path ever since the announcement of the mission age change last
year; but not so much with temptation to do things, more with heavy
feelings of inadequacy and darkness. (A lot of times I asked my dad for a
blessing for extra strength and I always received it. I am very grateful
for the priesthood in my life). And second, I know that I have been given
these trials at times to keep me humble and constantly asking for the
Lord's help. And Elder Holland's talk really pounded on this about
darkness and depression. Many very successful people have fought with all
their might to conquer it. And I really like what he said with, "If you
can't pass the bitter cup, drink it." Sometimes the only way through is
though the trial. But there is light at the end of the tunnel. There is
always light at the end of the tunnel. And the gospel is that light for
us. Because we chose to come to this earth and follow our Father's plan we
have the potential to be like him. And through thick and thin as we hold
on to him and obey his commandments, we will be.
I also enjoyed Elder Uchtdorf, President Monson, and really everyone.
This past week was the best of my mission. Although I was a bit sad Elder
Richards left, it was strangely a relief in some ways. I realized that
because he had such a strong, confident personality, often times it would
cover up mine and that was really hard but he was still a good companion.
Elder Garcia and Elder Tejeda arrived. My first native companions for three
days (until my new companion, Elder Lamm arrived).
They were awesome. We laughed, had fun, and most of all, did the work.
It was fantastic!! They are hilarious guys but they put the work first in
everything and that brought the spirit with us into every home and every
where we went. It really showed me how missionary work should be. I was
surprised this week about how much my Spanish has accelerated. I can
understand pretty much everything people say and I can reply in an ok-ish
accent. One of the young men in the ward that we always work with said
that he can hardly hear my accent now.
Elder Lamm has been great also. He is more humble and still has the
burning desire to do the work. We have a lot of higher goals set for this
week and we are excited to fill them. Last week we extended two more
baptismal commitments and they both said yes! Rosa's son, Carlos, accepted
for the same day as his mom. (I hope we will be able tokeep this day
because they weren't able to make it to the chapel this week
for the conference and they need to attend to be baptized). And
also Victor for the 19th. He has come to church a lot of times
and he really loves the gospel. We have seen the change in him over this
time and we know he can be ready by this day if he continues to prepare.
We were also able to give at least three blessings this week, one of which
to a woman with cancer who is a nonmember friend of a sister in the ward.
We went back to her house the next day and no one answered the door for a
while, but finally she answered and said that she couldn't talk because she
had company but she felt fantastic and she loved the Mormon message we
invited her to watch (Good Things to Come).
There have been so many fantastic moments from this past week I wish I had
more time to write but hopefully I will have more from this next week.
Thanks for your love and prayers. I love you very much mom. Your example
to me has really led me here today. Every day I see new families and see
the challenges they have to suffer through and I just think how blessed I
am!!
I love all of you guys and I appreciate all of the support from home. I
really can feel the blessings here in Los Mochis, Mexico. Thanks also for
your prayers in behalf of our investigators who are so close to tasting of
the glorious fruit of the tree of life.
Thanks again and I hope all is well in Utah,
Elder Tanner Clement
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