Letter #10 . . . new comp this week!

Hey all! 

New companion, Elder Torrico

 My new companion is awesome! He has been out 20 months, he was a zone leader for a few transfers, and is now the district leader. He went home midway through to get his gall bladder removed. He is super chill, smart, and sensitive. He's from Layton. His dad's from Bolivia tho. He was in choir! He's a pretty good singer. 

Saying goodbye to Elder Amosa

Today I was playing piano for the district and for some of the zone! They were just throwin' out songs. It was fun.

Sounds like the fam is doing good! I miss all of you. Things are good lately. Elder Torrico has worked a lot with the members during his mission. We have been filling our free time teaching members about the 'Pick A Date' talk by Elder Ballard. The members choose a date to have someone ready for us to teach. So we're hoping we can start getting some solid investigators through that.
We went to Liberty Jail with Shawn Chestnut, our investigator, and his wife. It was super cool. The Brights also came. There was a really cool spirit there.
 
We've noticed the ward is getting more excited about missionary work. It's awesome!

Love ya all,
Elder Townsend

Last day as companions, April 21, 2016

First Sunday with Elder Torrico, April 24, 2016

Liberty Jail with Shawn, his wife, and the Brights

Letter #9 from Elder Tan Man in Kansas . . . a funeral?

Hey all!

I've been out here two months. It seems like just about two months
haha. Not longer or shorter.

Elder Townsend and Elder Amosa

Transfers are this week. We don't know who is going where until Thursday tho. I hope I stay with Elder Amosa another transfer just cause we get along well, and have fun along the way. 

Most of the work is less actives, or referrals, a lot of faulty referrals. This area is really hard. It's known as the hardest area in the mission. And Sister Moore said it teaches missionaries patience, long suffering etc. haha.

We had an awesome lesson with Shawn last week, our best one yet. We did a lot of testifying, which brought the spirit a lot. He is getting to the point where he can say that this is the true church. We are taking it slow and steady with him. I'll let you know how things go with him. My favorite thing to do out here is have a spirit filled lesson with someone, and see the gospel changing them, and seeing someone develop a testimony of the perfect Book of Mormon. The most dreadful part to get through are the times when we aren't 
working as hard as we should be. Then I start feeling anxious 
about how long I'm going to be out here.

District lunch at the Moore's

We have district meetings every Wednesday. Me and Amosa have done a few musical numbers for those. Our district leader is leaving in a few days to go home, so we had a funeral for him. Hahah I'll send you the
video. There are some cool people out here, that pic u saw was of some of them in our district, and our district leader eating at our place.
 
President and Sister Vest are just nice great people. He knows I play music, and always is encouraging me to sing in sacrament. WHICH WE DID YESTERDAY! We sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go". I'll attach the
video. Sister Moore played the piano.

"Funeral" for Elder Midgley going home this week!

I'll let you know when I need more clothes, I'm good for now. Please send lots more Claire videos. Love you lots.
 
The sacrament singing is too long to send, but I know how. I will send it to you this week.
 
- Tan

PS. Click here for Video of funeral services for Elder Midgley going home! :)

Leawood, Kansas

Short letter #8 . . . and video singing a hymn!

Hi, this is Tanner's Mom . . . we received a very short, 10 line email from Tanner today, basically just commenting on my letter and answering a few questions. He apologized and said "sorry for the short letter but I don't have much time today! Love you all!"

He said they have taught their investigator Shawn "a few more times and he is progressing in every way. But when we bring up baptism, he says he isn't ready to denounce his baptism in his other church. We'll see how it goes!

Tanner also said he went to eat at Laura McMaster Neiderhauser's again, a gal we went to high school with, and it looks like he had a grand old time finding old photos of Matt and I from our yearbooks at her house! ☺️

Here is a fun little video Tanner sent of him and his comp, Elder Amosa, singing "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go". Click on the link just below and enjoy! 

Video of Tanner and Elder Amosa singing a hymn! 

"I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go" 

Tanner's zone bein' crazy . . .

And serious!

 

Week #7 . . . first General Conference in the field!

April 4, 2106
 
Hey All!

Pretty jealous you all are in St. George without me. Don't have too much fun ....☺️ hope all is well and everyone's happy. I miss everyone.

Elder Amosa and Tanner singing for Bishop Schow and family

Me and Elder Amosa sing a hymn everyday we have dinner with the members as part of our spiritual message. My go to message to share
has been the Testimony of The Book of Mormon by Jeffrey R. Holland Mormon message. It is so powerful. One of my favorite Mormon Messages.

We had our meetings with President and Sister Vest last week. They went great. I love them.

We got a new investigator named Shawn Chestnut. His wife is a member, she was the one I talked about toward the beginning of the month in my journal entry about the lady that came up to me in the hall after my testimony. This guy is rare, he is so humble, and the best thing is, the more content and info you give him, the stronger his testimony gets. He is a sponge. He read the Book of Mormon on his own before we ever met him, loves it, and agreed to take the discussions. Our ward mission leader set that all up. We did the first lesson last week, and we have another one tomorrow. He is also is reading two Joseph Smith Biographies, and according to his wife, can't stop talking about how cool Joseph Smith is. He also watched conference yesterday!☺️

Lunch between Saturday conference sessions?

Conference was really good. There were a ton of good talks. Uchtdorf, Mervyn Arnold, Steven Owen, Eyring, and many many more. I really liked the topics this year. My favorite was Holland. I love every apostle equally. Yet Jeffrey R. Holland has a keen understanding and different level of sensitivity to the specific, complicated emotions and feelings toward the gospel that a lot of members of the church have. His talks always address and ease my complicated mind more than anyone else. His talk was one of the most vulnerable, sensitive, simple, and powerful talks I've ever heard. It's been on my mind since, and addressed so many things I have been thinking about. Dad, there were a lot of mind-body-spirit talks this conference you probably loved. I like how Holland talked about how we get back into our minds so easily after spiritual highs. The advice, and comfort he gave to help was awesome. "The number one law of heaven is to love God with all your heart, might, and strength. But the number one TRUTH we tend to forget is God loves US with all HIS heart, might, and strength always, and he wants you to be happy."

Keep reading the Book of Mormon. Love you all.

- Elder Townsend