Tanner's Letter Sent on Feburary 21, 2012

Suasdei!

How’s it going?? Things here are great, I’m supposed to go to the travel office in an hour but just thought I’d drop you a line real quick:) This week was great. Just getting ready to go! Super Excited!!!!! Oh yeah cool story, so David Tenney came into the MTC on Wed. and I actually was escorting again that day. I thought it would be so cool if I could escort one of my best buds! I knew the odds were very slim. But I prayed that I could have the opportunity to escort him and see him. I would be cool if I couldn't but I prayed that I could. And guess what? I escorted him:) Out of all the what 400 missionaries that come in I was able to get to escort him. I saw his car drive past and I hurried and ran down just a couple of stations and was able to say hi to the Tenneys and escort him. It was really cool. I was grateful for that prayer answered. Some might say it's just a coincidence but I feel it was an answer to my prayers. It wasn't even a big thing but it meant a lot to me that our Heavenly Father was that mindful of just a silly desire I had and answered my prayers. I love Him.

I just want to testify about the Book of Mormon. I know it is true. It is the word of God. It testifies of Jesus Christ and confirms the truthfulness of the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the Restoration. All objections rest on this Book. I love this book, whenever I read it I just feel happier and feel peace. I feel closer to Heavenly Father and learn so much through the Holy Ghost. I love this Book and know that it will change the world as it already is. I am so thankful for it-what a privilege it is to read it!

I just want to issue you all a quick challenge: Read the Book of Mormon a chapter a day for the next two years-till I come back, and hopefully beyond that. I promise to do the same:) Even if it''s hard and you can only get in a verse then I feel that that is a battle won! So yeah wanna do it? I promise that we will all have our testimonies strengthened, have peace and the Spirit and draw closer to our Heavenly Father. President Hinckley said, "Those who have read [the Book of Mormon] prayerfully, be they rich or poor, learned or unlearned, have grown under its power...Without reservation I promise you that if you will prayerfully read the Book of Mormon, regardless of how many times you previously have read it, there will come into your hears...the Spirit of the Lord. There will come a strengthened resolution to walk in obedience to his commandments, and there will come a stronger testimony of the living reality of the Son of God'.

I don't know about you but if I was to read it those would be the exact things I'd wish for-stronger testimony, spiritual strength and desire to CTR, and the Spirit! Anywho, those are some of my thoughts and I just love the Book of Mormon, now more than ever, and this work. I hope you'll all try and do this and see the difference in your life. I also just want to say thanks for all of your love and support! My world is going to get turned upside down in a day or two. But I am so excited:) I am receiving more prayers right now at this time than I ever will again for the rest of my life-so thank you so much and know I appreciate it and am so grateful for all of you! I love you! And I hope you have an incredible week.

Love,

Elder Garlick

Tanner's Letter Sent on February 14, 2012

Howdy!

Happy Valentines Day everyone! Hope you have a good one. Go on a fun date, eat some chocolates, or enjoy some Twilight or Pokemon valentine cards or something:) I hope that the past week has been a great one for you as it has for me. Well let's see what I did this week...I got the opportunity to host this week so that was real cool. It is surreal being the missionary that is hosting the new missionary and not the teary eyed missionary getting out of the car. Seems like it wasn't long ago that things were different in that regard. I enjoyed doing it. I got to escort an international missionary, help escort a sister, and then an elder-so I got a little taste of everything! The international missionary was from Mexico and I helped him with his bags and he didn't seem to have a whole ton. Which was humbling and I think so cool, I admire some of these missionaries who do so much to be here. They are incredible.

Anywho, also this week we got our travel plans!!!! So that was super exciting too. And crazy! We leave on the 21st of February and the travel time is going to be like 28 hours total! We fly to LA and have a 3 hour layover, and then to Hong Kong with a 5 hour layover, and then to Cambodia! Whoohoo! I am excited to go to China or at least say I was there:) But yeah, should be brutal-but I'm not dreading it at all.

Also, this week I got released from my assignment as a zone leader. Although now we are asked to help train the new ones who just got here this week and who actually are our new roommates. So that is pretty neat. I am so grateful for the opportunity that I had to serve as a zone leader. I learned so much about loving others and about leadership. I have never taken a leadership responsibility as seriously as I did this one and I really appreciated this opportunity to serve. I just learned so much and it really helped accelerate my growth. I love my branch so much and my district. There are some incredible missionaries that are going to do some great things in whose company I get to be pleasured with. So yeah it is kinda strange not having that responsibility anymore but not gonna lie it's kinda nice having just a little less to have to worry about for a week:)

Okay quick spiritual thought. Something that I saw was a Mormon message called "love one another" it was great and I'd recommend watching it! And that has been something that has been on my mind a lot the past couple of weeks. Developing Charity and love for others. The hymn "Love one another" has been stuck in my head a lot and i really like this scripture, John 13:34-35; "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another." I believe that we are the happiest when we do that-turn outwards as Christ would and show love one to another. I have a testimony of this and have seen it in my life. Let us all follow His perfect example of love and find simple ways to show kindness and love to one another.

I love you! Thanks for all you do and for your prayers-they mean so much to me.

Love,

Elder Garlick

Tanner's Letter Sent on February 7, 2012

Hey hey Fam Fam!

Welp, turns out quire is actually CHOIR. I had just sent the email when I asked another elder and he was like,..."uh..c-h" Haha I felt pretty silly! Guess the language is just taking over! And yeah we got in to sing in the choir, it was the 50th anniversary of the MTC and Elder Nelson and Elder Holland came and spoke with us. So it was definitely a great experience! I was happy to be able to hear their sweet messages.

Anywho, things at the MTC are going great. The language is going well, and the teaching is getting better. We had a 40 minute lesson in the TRC-where volunteers come and be taught just as themselves- pretty much all of them are rms from Cambodia:) And that was probably one of the greatest lessons we have had. We actually taught our old teacher Lookruu Godfrey and it was a really neat experience. The Spirit was strong. I really like the MTC and being a zone leader and all-I am learning so much everyday and becoming a better person and leader. So, I'm very grateful for that assignment to serve in.

I am SOOO EXCITED to get to Cambodia. I try and imagine what it will be like and I know that it will just be unreal and very difficult at times...but, I honestly think I have no idea how much of a culture shock it is going to be and at the same time how incredible it will be. Only 2 weeks left!! In two weeks I'll be on a 24hour trip to Cambodia! I really like the MTC but not gonna lie...after 10 weeks I'm starting to get down right antsy to go out into the field! Our teachers showed us some pictures of some of the people and as they talk about them..ah!...I'm just so excited to serve them. I already feel great love for them! and...Ah! I'm just stoked.

Quick spiritual thought. You should all read Alma 32. I love this chapter-verse 27 where even if we can just have a desire to believe and experiment (act/live) the word, we can know of the truth! And john 7:17 I love, If we will be obedient and live the doctrines we can know of the truth. I just think these scriptures and how we need to continually be nourishing our testimonies otherwise they will wither and die. Let us all smile and live the truths that we know to be true, as we are obedient our testimonies will be strengthened, and we'll be closer to our Heavenly Father. And we'll be happy:) I know this Church is true and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ makes me so happy! I love you all and thank you so much for your love and support! Have a great week.

Love,

Elder Tanner Garlick

Tanner's Letter Sent on January 31, 2012

Hello there! I hope that all is well:)

This week has been good, and I hope it was the same for you.

It is crazy that I am going to be on a plane to Cambodia in 3 weeks from today!!! 3 WEEKS! Wow, time is just a flyin'! It seems crazy that this is my 9th week here. The days can be really long, but the weeks just zip by. I swear it was yesterday that I was sending my last email. And I'll probably be thinking the same thing next week. The language is coming along really well, I feel so blessed and feel that I can say really most of what I want to say. The reading is still really tough and I can understand some words when I read the Book of Mormon, however, I have a hard time relating the whole passage and it still takes a really long time to try and sound it all out... But I can see that it is getting better and I am sure that it will only continue to!

Well today is the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the MTC so it is supposed to be quite the celebration, rumors have been flying around for months now about our devotional tonight. I have heard the 1st Presidency is coming and even that all or most of the Apostles will be there! We won't know for sure until the devotional though. Although our branch presidency was telling us that there are going to be a lot of guests and media so I can only imagine... Because of that there is going to have to be an overflow because they can't fit all of the missionaries in there with the guests(I heard there's gonna be like 700!) And the place only sits like 2100, and every missionary is dying to be in there. Plus the missionary quire(quoir quier?, can't remember how to spell that-maybe that is a good sign;) gets to sit in there so there will be a limited number of seats and the rest will have to watch it in the overflow. Well me and some other elders in my district were clever and decided to join the Missionary Qword! Haha, so we are going to be singing and get some seats:) But we weren't the only ones that came up with this smart idea but got to qword practice early enough to get a seat! They actually had to turn elders away because they didn't have enough qword seats for everyone. So we'll be singing tonight and we'll see who the speakers are. I'm really looking forward to it!

Since I have been here I have felt so much love for the people of Cambodia. Last week one of our Luukroos was testifying and telling us how great the Cambodian people are. He told us that as soon as we get there we will understand and regret it if we waste anytime here. I just felt so much love for the people of Cambodia and know that they are going to teach me so much and change me as I am blessed with the opportunity to serve them! I know that in a few weeks I am going to be experiencing culture shock times 10, and will be super confused-but ahh! I'm SO EXCITED!!:) I hope you know that I love this work and love being a missionary! I don't really tell about my hard times too much and this has all definitely not been easy, but I feel like I have already changed a lot. If I had to come home right now I would already be a better person-I can only imagine 2 years of this! I hope you know that I love Jesus Christ. I know that this is is plan and that he loves all of us. I know that the BOM is true and what peace it brings! I testify that Christ died for us and understands us. And that He lives for us now(Alma7:11-13). I hope you know that I love you and am so grateful for your support. Have a great week! Until then, "Mian so?phea?meangkual!"

Love

Elder Garlick

Tanner's Letter Sent on January, 25, 2012

Hey everyone how's it going?? Well I hope that all is well!

This week has been good, I feel like 100 percent better! I went to the doctor and he informed me that I was getting a sinus and an ear infection so that was not fun fun at all all.. But he sent me to go and get some antibiotics and whatnot and told me to take it easy and not workout at gym for the rest of the week, so I feel totally better now and felt better in a couple of days! Yay! Haha, except I started going to gym just a couple of days later;) Shhhh,.. But yeah thanks all I'm great, sorry to hear that some of you are not feeling so well-get well soon!

I don't think that I told you but elder barney and were actually in our room all by ourselves for like 6 full weeks until last week our streak was brought to an end. Bummer. Actually it's all good cause our roommates are really cool:) But I do miss having all the space I wanted and just murfin with Elder Barney. Their names are Elder Peiffer and elder Bangerter and they are going to down under to Australia English speaking! Cool huh? Yeah, they are both really pretty shy but I think this is a good experience for me and elder barney to learn to reach out to them and to maybe get them to open up. I was bummed at first but I think it's good for us to have roommates!

Things are going really great with Elder barney. It's definitely an adjustment being around someone for every second of the day, having a shadow. But I love him. We are really becoming great friends and I am so grateful for him. I love my district I have gotten to become so close to them, we are like a big family of brothers. We watch out for each other and it is great. I remember the first day or two feeling so shy and like I was never going to click with them, but I think that is probably how we all felt and we get along great now!:) It's crazy getting to know others and hear about different lives, I feel like I've had it really great and have been so blessed; It's eye opening to hear about others, pops the bubble a bit.

We learned in a fireside on Sunday about helping members and investigators learn how to progress. He made an interesting comment, the speaker said that sometimes we push investigators away by telling them that they need the church, instead he gave examples of how the church needed them. He gave examples of giving non members opportunities to serve and how most people want to serve and help out others and just don't know how! Giving them opportunities and invitations to serve can be huge and can help them see the joy that service and the church can bring. It was really good and the same goes for investigators usually they are interested and want to progress but just don't know how and we can't just assume that they do. I like something Elder Holland said he talked about going to their level first and understanding them before you can help lift them up. We watched the Testaments on Sunday and it was a big deal usually their are like 4 talks or movies to watch and almost the whole MTC stayed for testaments cause we've been waiting for like 2 months for it. We were all geeking out with excitement about it! I love it! We are all spiritual nerds:)

Anywho, things are going great, said bye to JJ yesterday and he is on his way to Hawaii! I'll miss him.

Thanks for everything and for your love and support, I don't think you realize how much it means to me. I love you! Take care, have a good week! Talk to you soon!

Love,
~Elder Garlick

Tanner's Letter Sent on January 17, 2012

Hey! Thanks for your emails and letters and everything they mean a lot!:)

This week has been good, last week we had the privilege of hearing from Elder Russel M. Nelson of the Quorum of the 12, So that was pretty neat:) He talked about the gathering of Israel.

We did a complete SYL Day yesterday where we would say nothing at all in English. As a district we decided to do this every Monday and Friday for the rest of the time here. We should be Syling as much as we can everyday but on these days we do 100% Cambodian and 0% English, we don't even talk to other missionaries who don't speak Cambodian in English. I was kinda excited and apprehensive about doing it, but we got through pretty much the entire day with only slipping in a handful of English words! Last night we did some planning and coaching from the teachers so we kinda used a bunch of English then. I really thought it went well, I can testify of the gift of tongues, I've been having a harder time listening than I have had speaking, even when I know the word sometimes I will have a hard time recognizing it when someone else says it. But yesterday I felt like I could understand the majority of what my teacher was saying which was really cool and I know that when we work hard the Lord will bless us!:) Oh and we got an investigator of ours, Som, to commit to baptism so that is awesome! Yesterday he was asking us about how long he would be under the water, i was having the hardest time understanding but peeked in my dictionary and was able to understand what he was asking!

I have been really pretty under the weather the past few days.. I have had a slight cold for the past couple of weeks but on like Saturday/Sunday it really has gotten a lot worse, in our zone leader meeting with the Branch presidency, my branch president told me to go to the health clinic if i was still feeling sick in a couple of days, I have a doctors appointment later today. Another elder told me I might have a nasal infection and to go to the health clinic too, so hopefully they will be able to help me out with that and so I can get working a 100 percent again! I got a blessing last night from some my companion and another elder in my district. I'm grateful for priesthood power!

Anywho, I am sorry this email isn't the most exciting but just know that the language is coming and so is my love and testimony of this gospel!

Love and appreciate you all and the sacrifices you make on my behalf, and the time you spend to shoot me a quick email or letter:) Have a great week!

Love,

Elder Garlick

Tanner's Letter Sent on Jan. 10, 2012

Hey hey hey!

How's it going?:) I hope all is going well. Thanks for all of the emails and letters I really appreciate it!

This week was really good-one of our lookruus left on Saturday to move onto bigger and better things-Lookruu Godfrey-he was probably my favorite and I really look up to him. He is so sincere and just has the strongest testimony and desire to serve, so he'll be missed! This week we had the opportunity to teach in the TRC which is where we teach volunteers who are just themselves and not acting or anything and we taught them about revelation through the Book of Mormon-that was neat and I enjoyed teaching them in Cambodian.

The language is really coming along well-although i know that it should be coming along better-we are told to SYL speak your language 100 percent if you know how to say anything in the language you say it. We've been slacking as a district and I have too, it's really easy to be lazy and just say things in English because it's much faster and easier. So that is something that I really want to step it up with this week and for the rest of the MTC-I really feel that this will be a blessing and help qualify me for the gift of tongues which I testify is real. It is insane how much we can already speak and use the language-truly a miracle-who knew that in just over a month I could pray in Cambodian and say a great deal of what I want to already and teach whole lessons pretty much without any papers to read off of. One thing that we've learned is that you have to work your hardest and study your hardest to qualify for the gift of tongues and so I really am going to try and do even better!

Elder Barney had one of his crowns on his tooth fall off and so we actually went to the dentist this week outside of the MTC via a Missionary Shuttle Van,which was really surreal leaving out into the "real world". We heard music at the dentist which was weird-Journey and Colbie Caillet:)-I was trying to study words while we were waiting and I could definitely tell that I was having a much harder time learning with the distractions and non spiritual music. But it was kinda neat to see provo a little, going past Provo high brought all sorts of fun memories of track back.

Okay quick spiritual thought 3 nephi 13:7-8 and pretty much the whole chapter, really realized that I need to be more sincere in my prayers and much more specific and just simple and humble. I definitely get too repititious and going through the motions and don't think of the fact that I am really having a conversation with my Heavenly Father! Wow, what a blessing and sacred thought-"Prayer" in the Bible Dictionary is also really good to read and has some great insights-I think we could all improve our prayers-I know I can! Just some food for thought.

Welp, Love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love,

Elder Tanner Garlick