Well I must talk about the exciting news first. We got transfer calls this past Saturday and I'm getting transferred! I got the call from the Zone Leaders at about 9:35 Saturday night and they told me everybody in my district that was getting transferred so that I could call all of them and let them know. Ever since last P-day we've all been speaking in rhyme because we were bored last p-day. So I decided to write out a rhyme for everybody that was getting transferred. Let's just say, it was a hit. It was pretty funny because I called everyone up on a conference call and did the rap and they thought it was the best transfer call ever haha. So after all that commotion I was just laying in bed talking to Elder Metekingi on the phone about transfers and President Cahoon calls. This was about 10:25 so I was almost asleep, luckily I wasn't asleep yet though. He called me to give me a new calling. He first started with all the small talk saying that this calling was really going to make me stretch, but he was happy with the work that I had done in Kwinana and the example that I have set for those around me. Then he asked me to be a Zone Leader. Wowzers. If I thought that I had learned how to rely on the Lord as a district leader, I'm sure I was wrong. Now I'm definitely going to have to rely on the Lord 100% and be a perfect example for those around me. In my prayers that night after receiving that call it was just "help me, thank you thank you thank you, help me, thank you thank you thank you.." I'm really excited for this new opportunity and experience though. I loved being a district leader for 2 transfers. I feel like I learned a lot that has prepared me to serve as a Zone Leader. There's definitely some things that I know I need to work on to be a good zone leaders, but that's what the humbling experiences are for. I absolutely love humbling experiences. I love finding out my weaknesses so that I can learn better to rely on the Lord and turn those weaknesses into strengths. I'm not sure yet which zone I'll be in as a zone leader, but I think there's a chance that I'll stay in Rockingham Zone which would be absolutely amazing because I would stay in the same ward but get to experience the better half of it. It wouldn't be a big adjustment for me at all. I think my other two options are down south to Bunbury or up in Warwick zone. Either one would be amazing. We'll find out on Wednesday though, so I'll let you all know next p-day.
This week as been hectic busy. On Wednesday we got to attend the temple AND go city contacting. I always love going to the temple and can't wait until I can attend more often. City contacting was a bit blah. Everybody seemed to be really busy, not many people really wanted to talk. But it was still fun to be in the city. I went on two exchanges this week. One with Elder Palalagi in Halls Head and one with Elder Onetaka in Mandurah. They were both really good. We biked ages in Halls Head because they don't have a car since they wrecked it and their area is ginormous. Since they don't have a car we had to ride the train from the city to get there and same with Mandurah, we had to take the train from Rockingham after district meeting. We had a crazy experience on the train on Friday. This lady confronted us and started going off on us about how we were all brainwashed and Jospeh Smith was crazy and she couldn't believe why we would want to associate ourselves with such a religion as mormon. It's amazing how much persecution we get just because of our black name tags that have the name of Jesus Christ on them. It was really sad hearing her talk to us because she believes that when we die, nothing happens, and she's perfectly happy with that. I don't understand how anybody could find happiness in that. The part that I really didn't like about her confronting us was that when she went to go sit back down a couple rows behind us all the people around her were telling her how brave she was for confronting us and "it was no different her confronting us on the train as it was us confronting them at their doors," and the one thing that really made me upset was one one lady said to her "good on you". I'm just glad that I do have the testimony that I have and that an experience like that cannot even come close to shaking it. It's crazy some of the false rumours that are out there about Mormons. Some of the things that lady said about us and Joseph Smith that she had heard just blew my mind that she could actually believe that. I'm happy that I know how to recognise the Holy Ghost telling me that this church is true and the Joseph Smith was indeed a prophet. There's so many times on my mission that I just feel like Alma when he says "O, that I were an Angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the trump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!" But I, like Alma, know that it is not possible to force people to heed to our message. I just wish everybody could know the happiness that I know. On that same day we did talk to a really great guy who said he was a Seventh Day Adventist and when we asked him about what he believes happens to us when we die, he practically taught us the Plan of Salvation, with just a few minor differences. It's great that there are people out there that at least have faith in Jesus Christ and aren't too far off the strait and narrow path. Even though he wasn't interested in having us come teach him, I know he'll accept the gospel someday.
Well don't have a whole lot of time today for emailing, got heaps to do today before I get transferred. But I'll hope to hear from you all soon! Love you all!
Elder Tanner
ps. - Write to me!
PO Box 185
Tuart Hill, WA 6939
Australia!
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