Ear Infection/ Slow Down Mom

12/1/14

Hi Mom 

So sorry for not writing you last week.  There was this flyer that all missionaries had to fill out and it ate up all my time.

But anyways...

These past two weeks have been very unique and special for me. I wasn't transferred again and neither was Elder B. Looks like we are about to baptize the living daylights out of this povo! (people)

I got an ear infection starting Monday and I'm taking antibiotics. It was hurting and it was hard to sleep for a few days, but I still gave it my all and worked hard.  Now the pain has gone away so I'm good. I'm still on antibiotics. We have been teaching a lot and we were expecting another baptism yesterday, but it fell through because of a few problems so we decided to wait one more week with him. His name is Z. We are teaching the rest of his family also and his parents, but he is a lot more prepared. They'll come around. 

Yeah I opened all my Christmas packages....everything... oops.  I LOVED IT!

Other than that I'm doing great.

I got a package from the Morris family that also had stuff from Tina V. Tell them thanks for me kay? I don't have their email.

That's all for now!

Tchauzinho (bye-bye)

Elder Tagg

12/8/14
Hey Mom

That was a very depressing letter... 

It really breaks my heart to hear about how members treat each other some times. I have seen people go inactive because this and it is one of the saddest things that I can imagine. I know you will never let anybody turn you inactive, Mom, I'm just lamenting, you know. The Celestial kingdom will have all kinds of people. We need to learn now how to deal with them. 

My only advice would be to serve. serve serve serve serve serve serve sirva sirva sirva sirva sirva. Service is the action form of love, you know. I know that Sister X has her problems, and it's just like you said, we all do. She just has different problems than we do. I'm sure she is a nice lady who has probably been through a lot.

Anyways, Dad wrote me about all that you have been doing this Christmas season, as always:). Mom you are really wonderful. I never thanked you for all you do to make our Christmas season so wonderful. But you need to take it down a few notches. I don't want to come home to a footless Mom.  You know like, Mosiah 4:27, Mom.

My companion and I are doing great as a companionship. I have never taught so well before. The other day we were teaching this old blind guy named H who is a less active trying to come back to church. we got to his house and he was super down. Before we taught him we decided that we should sing for him. We sang "sol no coração" (Sunshine in the Heart) and then we left him a message in 2nd Nephi chapter 4. Anyways this week he came to church and bore his testimony about the church and how it made him so happy to be a member. I had never sang for somebody in a lesson before. He was really grateful.

Z is having some challenges. He learns somewhat slowly. So we had to act out the Plan of Salvation for him to get him to understand.  This next week we are going to baptize his step father, A. lets see if Z does anything after this.

Well that's all I have

Love Elder Tagg.

PS Say sorry to Dad for not writing him...

PPS Oh by the way, I am really happy for Mary! Tell her to write me an email!

The Love I Left Behind

Hey Mom, 

Woah I am really sad to hear about uncle Randy, but at the same time, not so sad. It must be hard for Josh.  He left and his Dad was normal still. 

I'm glad to see Evan and his fattening face. He's a good kid.

So I got BOTH of the packages that you sent me. I must admit, some of the things that didn't have days on them I already opened... I couldn't help it please forgive me! I haven't opened anything that had a day on it. but I was worried that I might be transferred and I didn't want to lug my Christmas box around. 

Just one question though, what made you choose that box shape? I'm not criticizing, it just was a little painful to see how much you paid to send them. I'm flattered, but don't you think you might have saved muny if you sent them in a box that was a little more... I don't know, cubby? The larger the box the more you pay.  But das okay. 

I really loved it though, Mom. You outdid yourself on this one! It seems as though my boxes just keep getting bigger and bigger :). I opened the present that had all of the family photos inside and it broke my heart. I didn't get trunky (homesick),  but I was reminded of the love that I left behind for you guys. You are so great Mom.

This week was good. We have an ENOURMOUS teaching pool right now. We have so many investigators I can't even keep track of them all.  We have so many potentials that our planners can't even fit them all.  This is the first time in my mission that the biggest problem is not finding people to baptize, but choosing which people to baptize next. Yeah be ready for some pics in white here in a little bit!

Love Elder Tagg

Elder Mealy and Elder Tagg

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM

Whassap Mom!

Woah! that's crazy that you ran into Katie! Wow she looks way happy in that pic. That's going to be me some day. (Soon I hope)

But anyways hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPY BIRTHDAY MOM! 

SO THE REST OF MY EMAIL WILL BE IN CAPS BECAUSE I'M TOO LAZY TO TAKE IT OFF MMMMMKAY?

THIS WEEK HAS BEEN GREAT OUR NEXT BAPTISM IS A FAMILY OF FOUR, THREE OF WHICH WILL BE BAPTIZED. NOW IT'S JUST A QUESTION OF WHEN. WE ARE WORKING WITH THEM.

AS FAR AS YOU GUYS COMING AND GETTING ME, I DONT REALLY CARE WHAT TOURIST TYPE STUFF WE DO. R HAS OFFERED HIS HOUSE TO YOU GUYS TO STAY IN. HE LIVES IN A NICE APARTMENT BUILDING. SO YOU DONT NEED TO WORRY ABOUT SECURITY. AND I REALLY WOULDNT STAY IN A HOTEL HERE IF I WERE YOU. JUST DONT DO IT.

BUT ANYWAYS I'M LIKE WAY HAPPY AND ALL THAT JAZZ. LOVE YA MKAY?

ELDER TAGG


HEY DAD,

SO SEVEN DAYS AGO AFTER I FINIHSED WRITING EMAIL, I GOT TO THE BANK TO GRAB MY MONEY OFF MY CARD AND SAW THE EXTRA MONEY THAT WAS ON THERE FOR ME.  I WASN'T EXPECTING THAT. THANK YOU. I WAS NEEDING A NEW PAIR OF SHOES. THANKS A MILLION. 

THANKS FOR REMINDING ME ABOUT MOMS B DAY (I WOULD HAVE FORGETTED. (DONT TELL MOM THAT) ) 

WHAT THE? M IS GOING ON A MISSION?!? THAT'S CRAZY. I'M REALLY EXCITED FOR HER. 

THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUR PRAYERS. I REALLY APRECIATE IT

eLDER tAGG

The Best Pictures in the World

10/27/14

What up Dad?! Thank you for the email. I don't have time to write Mom but I have some of the BEST PICTURES IN THE WORLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Sorry guys, I wasted all my time trying to do this dumb thing that BYUI sent me. Oh, and btw I can't unblock my card in Brazil. Can you try? Tell me what info you need.

Elder Tagg

11/3/14

Wud up Mahm?!

So yeah, Imma doing great!

I have gotten pretty used to life here in Brazil. I really have learned to love the people. It is a very unique culture. I feel like I fit in well here.

I've been having some crazy success lately. The Lord has really been blessing us. I was looking at the mission averages today on the news letter that we receive, and I found out that every single one of my key indicators are way above the mission average. (crud that sounded really prideful - not my intention). 

We had interviews with President the other day and President and Sister Broadbent seem to be very happy with my work. That makes me really happy because it's not always that we see the fruits of our work.

Well that's all I have this week. 

Love ya!

Elder Tagg

This Week Was Sweet!

Dear Mom,

This week was sweet! We had higher numbers than ever before in this area. This next Sunday we have 3 solid baptisms confirmed. I'm super excited. My companion and I are doing great.

One of the people we will baptize is named L. He's Arabian. His family is from Lebanon. His wife is a member. He's been reading the Book of Mormon and he is really gaining a testimony.

Another person we plan to baptize is a girl named E. She is 18 years old, works at a coffee shop and is way cool. She has read like half of the Book of Mormon and has a way strong testimony. She had to give up a theater job to come to church. This was  way tough for her. She and her sister will be baptized together.

So.. what is the most important thing in my life, you ask? God. that is the answer. HE is the answer. he is the most important part of my life, and my most prized possession in my life is my testimony. and after that, my family, and after that, my family members.

Love Elder Tagg

Want More Emails

HEY MAHOAYEAM!

Yo yo yo yo yo yo so I'm trying to remember stuff that happened and stuff, but it's hard to remember with two languages taking up space in my head... OH yeah so trasnsfers came in and I'M STAYING!!! What else? What else? Yeah I'm on fire, I'm on fire. I'm just writin' what comes into my head... Lemme ask my comp what happened this week.

Oh yeah so we had p day da missão! (mission), and also we had nova força! (new force) and a bunch of other meetings.

We have got a TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON of baptisms coming up. With any luck we'll have about 6 this next transfer. It's gonna be the top of the CHAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We taught a lot this week. Found a lot. Called a lot of repentance. Ah, the life of a missionary. 

Oh but I do have one request.... Do you think you could get some of my old friends to start writing me? I don know, maybe Noa, Greg, Michael, friends from church also. I just want more emails.

das all!

Love

Elder Tagg

Elections in Brazil / Imma Teach Lula!

Dashing Elder Tagg

Hey Mam!

To answer your question about my violin opportunities, a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to tune a violin for a guy at a music shop and I did a little pluckin' to see if I still had it. But it was a really crappy violin, so I'm not sure if I still have it. Violins are rare here in Brazil... One time a guy came to the doorstep with a viola and I got to tear it up on his doorstep a little. Another time when I was in the United States serving, there was this Asian guy who was a violin teacher who let me work my magic on his steel strings for a tick. In the MTC they had 2 violins of fairly good quality that I played on p day. Elder Merrick and I got to play together then. I think he's in Fortaleza right now. He and I were stand partners in college and we both got called to Brazil around the same time. Other than that, I ain't played a note.

Yesterday was elections day here in Brazil. There were millions... literaly millions and millions of papers on the streets. Ridiculous. I found out this week that the ex president of Brazil (his name is Lula) lives in my area! And that he accepts visits! Imma teach Lula. Elections here in Brazil happen every 2 years. and the offices which are up for debate rotate every 2 years. This year the offices that were voted upon were; President, Governor, Senator, Federal Deputy and State Deputy. So there were 5 elections. President is the only one that is a nation wide vote. The rest vary based on the state. And there are various Deputies that will win. The number of Deputies depends on the size of the state. I think that Sao Paulo has like 80 or something. So it's a lot more voting all at the same time. It is a lot more wild than voting in the USA.

There is one guy that won the spot for Federal Deputy 4 years ago and he was re-running this year named Tiririca. He won more votes than any other Deputy in the history of Brazil. He is ridiculous and has no political opinions at all. He dresses like a toddler in his commercials and people vote for him because he is hilarious. He promises nothing but at least he does what he promised! His campaign slogan is (translated) "Fed up with politics? Vote for Tiririca!" I think I would probably vote for him :)

Anyways I loved conference. This was already my third conference on the mission. Whu-oh. I don't know if you guys noticed it but there was big 'follow the prophet' theme. They were talking a lot about changes and modern revelation. I thought that president Monson was going to announce a big change. But then when he didn't I realized that our prophet is really starting to look old.. and he was even kind of mumbling when he spoke. His final testimony was also different, like he wanted to say or do something that he didn't... maybe I'm the only one who noticed these things, and maybe I'm crazy.. but when the choir started to sing the last song about loving the prophet and about how he would be in our hearts forever, I think I figured it out; I think our prophet is sick, maybe even dying. When my ex-mission president got up to say the final prayer (go Tanner!) my suspicions were confirmed.  He prayed to "prolong the life of the prophet." I don't think President Monson has many days left.  Maybe you should keep this on the down low... but if this next April Elder Packer is presiding, you remember who said it first! 

But anyways my investigators are doing great I'm expecting baptisms this month. Please pray for LEANDRO!

Love Elder Tagg

(another letter- same day)

Hey whadup Dad?!

I hope your lovin life! Because it's SHORT! So this was my third conference on the mission. Yeah. that means in six months, I have less than six months left on the mission. 

I have a scriptural question for you. Who is Ariel? Also, who is Raphael? if you can answer please do.

Oh yeah, here are some pictures that I forgot to send to Mom.

Love Nathan

Pensive Elder Tagg

Distracted Elder Tagg