It's busy behind the scenes!

From Dec 16, 2017:

Hello Mom!! 

You calling me your handsome son just reminded me of something! Every sister in our mission that sees a photo of you says: Oh my gosh your mom is a babe!! So you are fitness/appearance goals for like... everyone. Congratulations! :D 

Anywho, I‘m doing absolutely wonderful! Very tired, but no matter! My back is much better. I took a few days to lie down and am now back at it. I‘m just being careful and it seems to be working! Now that the pain is less, it appears that the pain might have been caused by some kind of strange movement in coordination with my screwy back. The pain is no longer irritable, it‘s more like a dull pain, and I can feel it in my back and down my left leg when I sit too long or bend. But they say I‘ll be fine and that it will go away. It gets better every day. No worries! :) I probably screwed with it as I was at the climbing gym on pday. 

I got my Christmas package! It‘s just sitting menacingly in the corner by my desk, begging to be opened. Can‘t wait. :) 

Haha things are great in the office! You‘re right about it being crazy though. We have Christmas coming up AND Transfers just happened. It was insane. 

Elder W is training me to do his job, but his method of training is a bit far out for me. XD Once he sat there and watched me take 45 minutes to order a spreadsheet of travel tickets before telling me I could‘ve done it in 5 seconds by sending the spreadsheet itself to the Train company... When I asked him why he didn’t say anything, he said now I know and it will be easier! Ha. Haha. What a scream.I love him though, we work super hard together! I‘ll be sad to see him go. He just doesn’t explaine things. He just kinda asks me to do it and expects me to find out how. You know me, I like having specific instructions and manuals and such. I‘m a lego builder, what can I say? XD 

 

 

So let‘s tell a story about transfer day!!! We picked up the new missionaries from the airport and got them all ready to go! They‘re awesome. It was fun to meet them. We taught them a little about mission finances and then got em ready to go to their areas! They spent the night at President‘s house and we met them at Bahnhof the next day. After getting everyone situated, one of them asked me what time their train was leaving (Three of them were going to Switzerland together without any experienced missionaries!) I told them it was leaving at 12:34... and then looked at my watch, realizing that it was 12:36. DANG! They missed their train. We had to go buy them another ticket, but couldn’t afford it with the money we had on hand. So we had to buy them a different ticket, and load these poor new missionaries on a regional bus all by themselves to go to Switzerland!!! But it worked out. But right after that, a sister got on the wrong train! Which meant the sister she was supposed to ride with in the right train was alone, with the other sister‘s ticket! Needless to say, it was a bit of a circus, but one we survived, and it was a blast to see everyone. :) 

That was pretty much my week. We were just planning transfers and making plans and buying tickets. It was hectic, but everyone got where they needed to go! :) No Problemo. It‘s crazy to see everything that happens behind the scene, and fun to be a part of it. President and I also decided we were going to sing for Christmas conference. It‘s an awesome arrangement of Silent Night and O Holy Night, where I actually sing the highest note I possibly can!! The high A flat. We practiced today and I did it! Its a beautiful song, and I can‘t wait to sing it. I‘ll try and get it recorded for you. 

This week I was thinking about repentance. Sometimes it seems so simple but sometimes not. One thing I thought a lot about was that repentance is not just giving up doing things that are bad or damage our spirits. It‘s also about becoming better. Replacing the bad with good. This is what truly makes us whole. That‘s where the phrase „What good does it do?“ comes from. If we simply stop doing bad things, but don‘t do good things, it really doesn‘t „Do Good.“ It just „Doesn‘t do bad.“ God‘s Purpose is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man, and men are that they might have joy. This, combined with the sermon on the mount and the commandments, reveals an instruction booklet God has given us to achieve that. His commandments are a guide to Joy in this life and the gift of Life Eternal. In his presence. If repentance is turning to God, it is also following His instruction booklet. It‘s one thing to feel bad about something, but it‘s another thing to trust in God and abandon it because you believe He knows better. This requires an impressive degree of humility and patience. 

To put it simply, repentance is just using God‘s commandments as a guide to try and become a better person. To become more like His son. To be less angry, and more forgiving. Less miserable and more hopeful. Alone, it would be impossible, but with the power of the atonement everything fits beautifully into place. It‘s for everyone. I‘m eternally grateful that it‘s for me too. :) I don‘t have to dwell on my past mistakes. I just have to accept our Father‘s offer to help me learn and grow from it. 

That was pretty much my week! Sorry it wasn‘t too exciting, but transfer week is a rush. 

The tree looks awesome!! I‘m sure you had a great time doing it together. :) I look forward to that again. We do indeed have a tree in the office! Sister Hughs decorated it, I‘ll have to send a pic. For Christmas we‘re going to spend the night at President Brown‘s and open presents in the morning! And eat breakfast. Yum. I‘m excited. As far as Skype goes, I‘m not sure... I‘ll try to find out this week though. 

So how many kids do you teach in Seminary? That would be so cool. If you ever want some help, I‘m definitely willing to accompany you! I would love to teach with you!

Woo! Sky got her application in! I have not, sadly... I‘m going to begin working on it again tonight. I have time, now that transfers are over. :) 

Thanks so much for your testimony, Mom! I love reading it because it always strengthens mine. :) You know what I‘ve grown to love? Church history. I cannot get enough of it. I love reading about Joseph Smith and the early church. I feel like I know so much more about the church than I used to, and I thought I knew a lot. I have a reading list for when I get home!

Well I better go, Momo. We have the Ward Christmas party soon and we have to help set up xD. I also gotta write Googles and Skypie. Thanks for the email. I love you and I miss you. I thought about you all this week a lot. All good things. ;) 

Thanks Mom. I love you so much. :)

-Elder Tanner Larson