Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Tall Baptism/Short Eternigator

Hi Mom,
Don't you wear that fake arrow through the head headband saying "I've had a headache all day" thing every single Halloween?

So this week was awesome. We had the highest numbers this transfer.  We have two new investigators (C and J), one progressing investigator, and all this other junk. So C is not actually YSA but we are still teaching him (with permission) because he goes to the YSA ward. His daughter is A and she was baptized about a year ago and she's going to BYUI now. Now he is interested in the church. J is a guy we tracted into. He's African American.

I went on exchanges with Elder J in the Anacortes 1st ward area. They have an investigator named V, she's from Vietnam, and she is literally like 4 feet tall and when she shakes your hand her fingers don't even reach the edge of your palm. anyways she's an eternigator (ask dad for missionary lingo) who just hasn't stopped drinking coffee and smoking and so basically, Elder R and Elder J and I just pretty much got her to commit to quitting everything and working towards baptism on December 7th. She's doing well with it so far. We gave her a priesthood blessing.

So last story. Last night the power went out and pretty much we didn't really care. Then we were going to do companion prayer and go to bed. Right as we started praying, the lights came back on after being off for about an hour. So yeah, we thanked God in our prayer for the lights! haha.

Love Elder Tagg

PS A scripture for you in return;

2nd Kings 2:23-24

Dad,
WAAASAP? So no I don't have the Alpha-smart thingy yet, but its probably in the mission office in Mill-Creek. Next time I'm down there, I'll pick it up.

That story of yours about the young brain cancer patient sure was intense. I can't even imagine what that's like. try sharing the gospel with him.

So here are some picture of my first official Baptism that Mom wanted. By the way I gave that other redhead in the photo a haircut. So yeah, that was my first time doing that too.
My First Baptism.  She was 6 ft 2!
The other day I pulled prank on my companion by hiding bread all over ALL of his stuff. I even like tacked to the ceiling above his bed so that he would find it. I also did all this random stuff. Then I wrote him some Haikus to mend our relationship. :)

Dear E (younger brother age 17),
Oi meu Irmao, como vai?
So yeah I don't understand what your last sentence said but if was anything about you being able to take me after the mish BE PREPARED TO BE TAKEN DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! as Dad would say.

Oh, and I could lift the tall woman I baptized easily because i'm a man.

Nathan

HI A (little Sister age 10),
I am doing great in the field and yes, I HAVE been to Field of screams. It's not scary.
No, unfortunately we aren't allowed to dress up :( we have to be in by 6 on Halloween.
I have read 5 of the Harry Potter books and I have seen all the movies. :)
Love Elder Tagg

Dear E (little sister age 6),
You Rule! Don't let anybody ever tell you otherwise. Are you going to be a missionary one day?
Love Elder Tagg




Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Hastening is Happening

Elder Tagg (Back Left)

Hi Mom! 
This week we finally got a new investigator! But he dropped us... So now I'm back to zero! Ha ha you are right about what you said about numbers not counting. The truth of the matter is that when the members don't help us we have no choice but to go looking for people on our own. Right now "THE HASTENING" is happening, and according to our church leaders, it is the biggest thing to happen in the church since the restoration. But it WILL NOT happen without members. I like how you are doing your own missionary work in Maryland.  Just remember, this Gospel is for more than just your friends. The people you invite can be anybody, and if they say no, then just offer to be their friend and that's all you can do.
Love 
Elder Tagg


Hi Dad,
Ha ha how often do you go behind Mom's back? That's so funny and I can't wait to try the Alphasmart! *The Alphasmart was Mom's idea we totally tricked Nathan into wanting one by presenting it from his Dad "without letting Mom know" worked like a charm* It sounds really cool. So I made a discovery, and that is that the mission is turning me into a redheaded version of YOU. Seriously my ADHD is receding, and I find more joy in just sitting down and reading my scriptures or studying. I'm reading Jesus the Christ now. It's really good. Also I have found that I am a lot more motivated to work out now and have been seeing major results.  I think the reason why I didn't like to work out before so much was because it didn't seem like it made a difference. 
Anyways, I love you, take care
Elder Tagg.


*Back and forth letters from his siblings*
Dear Nay,
(This is A) How are you? How is it in the field? I'm doing great. In the Harry Potter series I am on the fourth book. I'm not sure if you have read it, but it's great. The K's visited us and it was a lot of fun. We mostly played air hockey (you know Z? I beat him and he is older then me!) Today was the primary program, and I played 'Family's can be Together Forever' on the violin, but I think I messed up. Maybe you can show me how it's done when you get back.
Luv ya and miss ya!
Your sis,
 A

A,
I remember Harry Potter! that was MY generation's favorite childhood series. You beat Z? Nice! Put those Ks in their place haha. I've messed up in front of people before. Nbd. (no big deal).
Nathan

Dear Nathan
I hope you are serving good people. I gave a talk about my family today in church. I saw this music video called "What Does the Fox Say?" and at the end a pretend fox stands up and sings "bud ump ump beway da." Mom wants to dress up like one of the fox dancers from the video for Halloween. I like her being that but Audrey says she will be embarrassed. We are eating pizza right before bedtime. We are having fun I hope you are having fun too.
Love you,
E

Dear E,
I love to hear from you! yeah I've heard about that video... don't eat pizza right before bed.
Nathan

Dear Nathan
I hope you get your visa soon. I love you and I miss you. I just ran the last meet of the season and I got my PR which is 21:02 which is disappointing because it's only 2 seconds away from 21:00 flat. I have a question for you of great importance. Which is better? Pancakes or waffles?

Sincerely, 
Your red head brother
D

Dear D,
Pancakes or waffles can both be better or worse, young grasshopper.
Nathan





Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Next Transfer- Brazil


Hi Mom,
So I don't have too much time right now, but I will be able to email you more later on today. I do not live in Mill Creek. I live in Anacortes.  Mill Creek is where the missions P.O. box is. So yeah, maybe I can use the Jamba Juice gift card later. I feel good. So yeah, the fact of the matter is that I have my visa, but the church is probably waiting until the next transfer to send me out. My testimony is growing. I am getting along. Yes I am obedient.

Talk to you more in a bit. I have some photos that I want to send to you. I baptized yesterday.

So this past week has been odd. The zone got cut in half and we have no investigators. All I have been doing is tracting, and I have the most contacts in the mission, but I still have no investigators. I talked to a really drunk guy last night. He took a Book of Mormon, but only because he was drunk.

Thats all folks,
Elder Tagg

PS Oh yeah! Happy Birthday to Evan.  Here is my present : )
PPS Dear Eliza, you are awesome.

Monday, October 7, 2013

My Mission is a Blessing

Hi Mom,

First off, I just wanted to let you know that when I say 'I have nothing to say', its because I really don't. Please stop bothering me about that... 

So yeah, about that whole "group message" suggestion? Yeah, not gonna happen. I have already made up my mind not to ever do that because it's too impersonal. Frankly, I don't really give a darn about the blog and it really doesn't matter to me. I will write people who write me, bottom line. 

So, about that recent investigator, her name is H and she's way awesome. Elder D (who just left by the way) found her one day by knocking on her car window when she was parked at the beach. He then referred her to us and Elder M pretty much converted her. Elder M is another visa waiter going to Sao Paulo South. He's a transfer ahead of me, its all good though. Anyways that's H. We are baptizing a girl named C on Sunday and she asked me to do the baptism which is awesome! I hope they don't send me away before then.  Yes that's right, this will be my second convert and my first ordinance! I'm so excited! I'll send you a picture :) C is like 6'2" and she is literally the smartest investigator we have had so far. 

The other day I did a baptism invitation on a doorstep contact. Yeah, it was awesome. 

During general conference they said that if all members start to do missionary work (like they are supposed to), we will have millions of new members by Christmas. So go do missionary work, it will only happen if everybody finds people.

Yeah so I got a few opportunities to talk with some native spanish and portuguese speakers, and I understand them perfectly. It's pretty sweet, I almost understand the spanish better, haha. Anyways my teacher in the MTC went to Portugal on his mission and he kind of taught me how to speak with a European accent, which is harder for spanish speakers to understand. Maybe my time in the republic of Brasil will straighten me out. 

This whole transfer has been crazy. Being in a four pack is nuts! I feel like I'm married to like three other guys... its weird.   

I am super glad i decided to serve a mission :) It has been such a blessing in my life so far.


Working out every day has really payed off. Lol. But seriously I'm starting to really look like a beast. The insanity workout is super tough though. This morning I kind of hurt my back doing it.  I'm pretty sure Missionary Me could totally beat up Pre Missionary Me, like hands down. 

Oh I'm not getting transferred (one of the benefits of being with the zone leader is that I know what's happening way before it happens)  but I'm staying here in Anacortes while one of my companions, Elder M, is going to another zone. Since I've almost got my visa I'm really not sure what they will do with me... 

Things are going great :) Im really starting to get antsy for Brazil though... it's really starting to wear on me. that being said, I know that I am here in Washington for a reason and that this is where I am supposed to be.
Com Amour,
Elder Tagg





The Beast Himself