Totally Beasting It Up

1/5/15
Whadup Mahm!?

So this week was WAY SWEET. K-daug I are totaly beasting it up down here in Vila Clara! This place is wayyyyyy slummy but it's awesome. We are already going to be staying together another six weeks so that makes me so incredibly happy. This transfer is looking up already with baptisms already marked for the first three weeks. We've got a bunch of people already coming to church and we are super excited to be baptizing a bunch of priesthood  holders here in a bit. 

My last pair of shoos are dead. Yep. So I went to Saude to try and find a new pair but I couldn't. I'm going to try out a store here in my area to see if they dont have anything. My feet keep getting wet because of the holes. And K-Daugs shoos are pretty much already done as well. 

A few daysago I introduced K-Daug to avocado shakes. Best thing in the entire universe. He loves them. We are also addicted to pizza. We buy it like 3-4 times a week. My favourite is called the Romeo and Juliet. It's a combination of either mozzarela or this cheese called catupiry and another thing called goiabada. Which is a type of candied fruit that only grows here in Brazil.  It's suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuper good.

I am so excited to be baptizing with K-Daug. so glad that the Broaddy-B kept ustogether once more. 

I'm teaching a drug dealer right now. He stopped snorting crack and smoking marijuana. And he turned in his drugs, but now he doesn't have a job and has to pay the rent. He has a lot of faith. He's on date to be baptized on the 11th. He's already been to church a few times.

We are also teaching this lady named A who is super strong in her other religion. We use a lot og guile to get her to assume the invites that we give her. she came to church 2 times already. Here is a pop quiz for you. What prophet in the Book of Mormon was reffered to as using "guile"?

I'm so stoked Evan is on splits with the Elders. How are the Elders? Any convert baptisms lately in the ward?

Love you bye!

Elder Tagg

12/29/14

Hey Maham

So this week was good. We be working hard, Kennedy and I. We have already got some serious member support and several great baptisms lined up. 

But anyways it was great to see you guys this week. Sorry for crying. It's not my norm.

But yeah so everything is great! I'm healthy happy and baptizing, so that's great. 

Uhhhh yeah. Don't know what else I should say. Kind of just talked to you guys...

loveyoubye

Elder Tagg

These Streets are Sacred

Hey Daddy-O

I have been sharing that 'He is the Gift' video with a lot of my investigators lately. The Church has put a lot of resources into that baby. Every week I have to send a detailed report to Church Headquarters with a bunch of numbers and complicated data because of that video. Every day we have to do an additional 10 contacts using the little pass along cards about the video. It's sweet. The mission standard is 20 contacts per day.

But yeah that's sweet that you be doing your part with inviting non members to your family home evenings Dad! 

This week was OFF THE CHAIN. we had 8 investigators at church! YES! 

I'm doing great here in Baeta Neves. Having a lot of success. 

Oh yeah I needed to axe you a question. How is we gonna do this skype thing? becaz I forgot you guys's thingy. You know the username thing. I dont know how to do technology anymore otay? And my English is horrível so don't laugh at me when we talk on Christmas k?

Love you

Elder Tagg

Ay Maham!

How you doin? So I have a really crazy story to tell you and you are probably going to freak out.

Last night we got a call from Pres Broadbent. I was all like "whaaaaa???whayisbroadbentcallingmeatthishour?" and then I found out. I'm being transferred. 

So that was nice. So tommorow I'll be heading out to Piratininga to open a new area/train an American who is getting to Brazil now after waiting for more than a year for his visa. Yikes. Elder Bazante will be staying to train another American who is also arriving. I'm really gonna miss that kid. I'm gonna miss this area. This ward has been so nice to me. There is a road that cuts right down the middle of my area called "Rua Dos Vianas." It starts in the richest area of São Bernardo and ends in the poorest. I walk that road every ding dong day. that road has become sacred to me. These streets have become sacred to me. São Bernardo is sacred to me. I've been here almost a whole year in the same city. "A onde mandares irei" (I will go where you command)

Anyways we had a baptism yesterday. S guy named Antonio. I freaking love him and his family. the rest of his family was also going to be baptized. Too bad I'm gonna miss it.

By the way Evan has a cabeção. (that probably won't translate right on google it means a big head) And he is way bigger than Dad. Drew isn't far behind him.

Well that's all. 

loveyoubye!

Elder Tagg

By the way I love you.  Here is a photo of half of my mission.  There is a lot of power in that room.

Can you spot the assassin?

Don't worry, it's not loaded

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