It's back to The Oranges........Somebody loves me ; ) And French?!

Tab was transferred this week and what do you know......he's right back to the area he LOVES! How often does that happen?! I am thrilled for him (who would've thought!). Nothing pleases me more than to hear him talk of how much he loves his areas, the people he teaches and his fellow companions and missionaries. I think he's in for ANOTHER great transfer!

Hi Mom!

Yes, I am getting transferred, just not sure where yet. Yes, I'm still a district leader.  

Just as a by the way, Elder Vargas AND I are getting transferred (he's going to be a Spanish missionary now) so don't send anything to the Trenton address anymore. If you have already, I can just get it from Elder Warnock in a week or so. Elder Traasdahl is also leaving, so Elder Warnock is the only one staying the apartment. Crazy right! Be right back.......

I'm on again, this time for something like an hour. Just found out I got transferred to Maplewood North, bordering East Orange, my old area :) And the address is

46C Meadowbrook Place

Maplewood, NJ 07040

So there is a lot of familiar ground. In fact, we are sitting in the same library that I was in 6 months ago. I AM PUMPED to be here. The area is really small, we have a car, and there are not many investigators. Elder Priest, my companion, and I were doubled in to this area. So we both don't really know what we're doing. But it's good... the advice from our zone leaders was to just start fresh. I am in zone 5 now. OK that's all the little details out. Oh, Elder Priest is from Mapleton, and he is a visa waiter for the Brasilia Brazil mission. He's mega nice, and I know he's a good missionary, I can just tell by his manners. I will now be learning French. Since he has an hour of Portuguese study in the morning, I will have an hour to study French, something I've wanted to work on. I need to go buy a French for dummies book though, because all I have is a French Book of Mormon and a French dictionary. It's tough trying to find where to start. I'm excited though.

I'll keep writing more in a minute but I'll send this so you'll know I'm here, in case you want to ask me anything. Pause.........

Ok, ACTUALLY, I don't have much more time and I have to write to President Jeppson. Email time is short today because we need to go out and shop still, and get back to eat and do some proselyting. We had a meeting this morning where I got to meet my new zone leaders and district leader buddies and it was a good meeting. I felt that they lacked unity and love for each other, it was kind of weird because they are all super good missionaries. It was just a little bit awkward though, or maybe that was just me. Haha, I love being awkward! Elder Traasdahl really helped me embrace myself while I was with him.

Well, I have sad news. Since so many of the missionaries are going over miles lately, President Jeppson had to crack down on leaving zones, and the verdict is that nobody can leave their zone unless it is for service at the Bishop's Storehouse. So, since East Orange is now in a different zone, even though it is like five seconds from our house, we can't go over there :( But it's ok, in our area there are lots of places I visited when I was in East Orange, so I can still remember the good times. I just can't go see members on PDays : ( something I was really looking forward to doing.

I also have good news - I am really excited to work this area with Elder Priest.

Other than that I don't have much news or things to talk about. It was sad to leave Trenton... we said goodbye to Ange and Jos and Curt and Aut yesterday morning. We got some pictures, maybe they made it to Facebook. Fortunately, if Jos gets a name of her ancestor to take to the youth temple trip on the 28th, Elder Vargas and I can come with her, and Ange and Curt said they'd come too. Oh, Johnson moved away to school at Virginia Union University. But we stay in contact. Anyway, I'm excited for all of them. We're working on getting Ange and Jos to go to BYU. We told them it was the best, and really inexpensive. So we'll see :) But I know that if Ange (and maybe Jos too) goes to BYU that he'll serve a mission, which is exactly what he needs.

Alright I'm out of stuff. I'll talk to you again soon, next Monday. 

I love you!

Tab 

p.s. And I'll let you know on the shoes. If you want, you can send dad's shoes with a belt that matches them, cause I only have black. I like them, and I can shine them. And then I'll let you know soon about cordovan shoes. And I think I'll order the new scriptures. I got mini tabs from lds.org store and they sent them to me, so I may just end up using those for a while. I'll see. And maybe someone will want to buy them from me, or I can give them to someone. Someone who will treat them well and love them :)

Hi Dad! 

I appreciate the things you send because it seems that they are things you or others wished they would have learned before their missions were over. Again, I gained insight on how things work in the eyes of God. To me these insights are directly related to the Restoration. Without the Restoration, we would not have the gift and power of the Holy Ghost, and I know these things are inspiration given by the Holy Ghost to man. It was interesting for me to see this contrast yesterday when we were teaching a Catholic priest. His name is Brother Francis (named after Pope Francis), and he is the priest of a small church in South Orange. He's attended 24 years of Catholic seminary and studies the scriptures like nobody I have seen before - and his knowledge is so broad, but it is not very deep. For example, he could tell me what every verse in the New Testament says, what Christ did every minute of His life, yet he doesn't understand the Atonement, and its effects, on a level that even I can understand them. He doesn't understand the basics - the principles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ - in the way that I do. That's not to say he doesn't feel deeply about Christ... I know he does. But I also know that the power of the Holy Ghost and the calling I have allow me to understand (and remember!) the scriptures in a special way. It is something he is missing and sadly it is something he doesn't understand, and doesn't want to understand, he is missing. I am grateful for that gift I know I have.

Great point. We had a very good lesson with Sister Collier (returning LA) on Monday night about reminders - temple garments, the sacrament, the Holy Ghost, etc. and the important role they play in just helping us to remember the Savior and Heavenly Father. I would call it a Remembrance lesson, if there is such a thing. But, I learned a lot just during that visit as I pondered and thoughts came to my mind. I feel like I learned more than she did. It was a cool experience.

And yes, I am back serving in South Orange this time. Somebody loves me  ;)  Kidding, but I am very excited. Lots of familiar territory brings back many good memories. I have a thing for memories. I love them! I'm sure everyone does. This time I will be in the Maplewood ward, which I have heard many good things about. I am excited to say the least! I look forward to talking to you next week about it.

Have an awesome week! Oh, how is Big Red the truck doing? Champ as ever?

Love,

Tab