1/20/2012

1/17/12

Hello again!


So yes, transfers is tomorrow, and I am officially headed to another
zone.  I'm excited to go out and meet more people, although Elder
H  has been pretty good to me.  Exciting times.

I got to spend a lot of time outside this week.  There were actually
two days this last week where it snowed, and was staying around 10
degrees.  Today it was raining and is back up to 50.  Had a couple
interesting lessons with people who didn't want to listen, but we
tried.  There was a part member family that fed us the other night.
The husband hasn't been baptized but loves to feed the missionaries.
I'm pretty sure there was half a cow on my plate.  Those steaks were
huge.  On top of that there was a heaping bowl of potatoes, corn,
salad, rolls, and all sorts of good stuff.  It was a good meal.  We
are still eating the leftovers they gave us.

That's about it, next week I'll have all sorts of new people to tell
you about.  Thanks for all your prayers!

Love ya,
Elder Tanner Newey

1/9/12

Hey Mom!

Nope, its not morning here, but I am having a great day.  We cleaned
the basement this morning, it was pretty nasty.  There was a garbage
pile big enough to fill a dumpster. Most of the spider webs are gone
too. So no more deep cleaning, there isn't too much left anymore, the
apartment looks completely different.  Exciting news, Elder
H  got called to be a trainer this morning.

  I've noticed my days go a lot smoother as well when started with that
morning work out.  I have only gone
running once though, so when we had a zone p-day last week and played
basketball all day I was a little sore.  President Sorenson has been stressing
lately the need to readevery day.  He gave us a Book of Mormon to mark all
the names of Christ and write down His attributes.  It really makes you think about
who is talking and who really is being referenced.

I really enjoyed your letter.  That was a great article in the ensign.
We read that in priesthood last week, and then this week we read from
the teachings of George Albert Smith and what his creed for life was.
Those two are where my goals for the year are coming from.  That whole
idea of attitude really makes a difference.  The entire last issue of
the Ensign just had lots of good things for me to change.

Now that the holidays are over the work is picking up a bit more.
More of the members are coming out to teach with us.  We went teaching
with one of the stake presidency last week and the stake president
asked us Sunday when he gets to go.

T, A  and B  are our three investigators with baptismal
dates.  T  is doing good, she missed church but felt terrible.
She has been real up and down about stuff but more and more is
realizing what she needs to do.  A  and B  (mother and son)
came and watched the baptism of one of B's friends in the branch.
They really enjoyed it and had a couple questions.  Each time we visit
B  keeps saying "baptize me right now!"  A  is even explaining
quite a bit of the doctrine to him and is really starting to
understand it.  Phil is still missing in action, not really sure what
is going on there but hopefully he gets back to us soon.

Other than that there is a family we are teaching, but just the
parents.  The kids are mysteriously always upstairs.  J  is born
again and has been through just about every religion.  B  was
raised catholic but had some issues with doctrine.  They are very nice
and have listened pretty well to what we have to say, and have a lot
of questions.  They are mostly open, and each visit they open up a
little bit more.  Last night J told us he really enjoys us coming
over.  They pretty much told us that if they didn't have the Bible
they would completely believe everything we were saying, but because
they do have the Bible they are a little hesitant.

As far as my new companion, I still have Elder H, I won't
know who my new one will be until a week from Wednesday.  Elder
H  is great though, we are getting a lot of work done.
He's kinda goofy but I love the guy.  Things are definitely going well
over here, I'm still loving every minute of it.

That is about it from me. Oh, let Jacob know his team didn't do too
bad.  The boys team here lost 48-8.  Not too bad considering most of
the boys had only ever touched a basketball once before the game, and
that was at the practice the Wednesday before.

Love ya lots, and I will write again next week!  Although it will be
Tuesday because of transfers.

Elder Tanner Newey

1/2/12

Hey Dad!

Things out here are going great!  Now we have some baptismal dates and
some solid investigators.  Tracey and Alicia are doing awesome.  When
we met with Tracey the other night she said she was watching the ball
drop when she decided she wanted to start the new year right.  so she
turned off the TV about 10 to 12 and started reading from the Book of
Mormon.  I'm very excited for her, she is very close to baptism.
Alicia is teaching her son the gospel, and they are both nearing
baptism.

My New Years Eve was spent in Youngstown, President wanted us to have
our district meetings that night so that we won't be wasting time.
The district meeting was really good, and I learned a few things that
are going to help the work here.  After the meeting was over we broke
out a bottle of grape sparkling cider a member had given us as well as
a lot of Christmas cookies.

  President Sorenson just gave us all a small copy in
which we are to mark all the times Christ is referenced, as well as to
mark and then write down all of His attributes in my study journal.
He has the goal to finish in 90 days and gave us all a calendar.   
(In response to dad's question about how to encourage his priests to prepare for missions)
Another good thing is the most recent message in the Ensign by
President Monson about Attitude, Belief and Courage.  Those along with
Charity make for a much better day.  Something really good is the
Christlike Attribute activity at the very end of chapter 6, that
really helps make sure you are on the right track.

  Sounds like the Lord is taking care of everyone pretty well for me.  
 (Also...In response to dad's question about how to encourage his priests to prepare for missions)
 The biggest thing is desire, to desire as Ammon and his brethren did
in Mosiah 28:3.  If they can develop that love for all men, they will
be ready to go out and invite all to come unto Christ.

I love you so much, thank you for all your support and prayers, they
bear me up and keep me going.

Elder Tanner Newey

12/27/11

Hey!

The work is going good, more dinners this week, new investigators, and
the week is actually pretty full with appointments already.  Some of
the less actives are starting to work towards a temple recommend and
investigators are making it to church.  Hopefully we will get to teach
three investigators today.  The work is great, I love it.  I just went
on exchanges with one of the zone leaders and he showed me a few more
things I can do better, so I'm all ready to go.  Great things are
coming this week.
 Elder Newey

12/19/11

Hey Mom!

So the Christmas conference is tomorrow up in Kirtland, I should get
your letters then.  I'm excited, it'll be fun to be back.  I got a
package from Grandma and Grandpa Newey this week full of all sorts of
great stuff, and all the letters from Thanksgiving.  It was nice to
see all the pictures of everyone. sounds like you are all having fun.
Enjoy Arizona, you will be a little warmer than me.  Although I did
rake the leaves and mow the lawn today.  There was snow yesterday.
For a bit.  Our truck looks good too, we finally washed all the dirt
off.  Oh, I got all the Christmas cards from the ward too.  Kinda
weird, I don't recognize many names from before, although it's not too
hard to tell who Jacob's friends are.

The Relief Society here gave us stockings full of all sorts of good
stuff.  We have a lot of junk food in our apartment.  It feels a lot
more like Christmas with all the candy everywhere, Elder H even got
a Charlie Brown tree, complete with ornament.  We found some
Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas CD's in the branch library, and have
just about burned them out.

Other than that the work has been kind of slow.  H  and T
decided that the Church is not for them, and so won't be preparing for
baptism anymore.  All the other investigators we invited to church
were sick yesterday.  So the gospel principles class we taught
consisted of one less active, everyone else had bolted.  This week
will be full of Christmas preparation and tracting, will be fun.  I've
got to start warming up my caroling voice, it hasn't been used before,
hate to scare people away. 

The branch presidents daughter was baptized yesterday, that was cool
to see.  Now I just have to figure out how to get someone older than
eight into the water.  Oh, we attended a Messianic Jewish synagogue
Friday night, very interesting.  The first half hour was full of
songs, a little different than our hymns.  It almost felt like a
concert.  There was a lot of standing.  They had a Torah though, and
said the lambskin was from the 1300's or somewhere around there.  It
was cool because the scroll was all in Hebrew, and they even let us
come and look at it.  They had New Testament Bibles with English on
one side and Hebrew on the other.  Sadly Andrew was not very interested in
what we had to say, so we probably won't be meeting with them much
anymore.  Learned a lot of cool stuff from them though.

That is about exciting as its been.  We ate a place called Hugger
Mugger, they had really good subs. 
Have a great week, merry Christmas, and I will see you soon!

Love, Elder Tanner Newey