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