Staying in Long Branch!

It was great to hear from Tab today! Transfers are this week and he will be staying but will get a new companion. He seems happy and healthy. Love when I get to chat with him! 


Hi Mom! 

You're on. I am on as well! I got the letter on Monday that you sent. I was sad to hear about Andrew Ungerman. 

My week was good! We worked hard and taught lots of people. We got rained on us a bunch and my coat bled blue, staining one of my new shirts :( But it washed out for the most part. I still have 4 more, haha. We had some good people come to church too, including Marcela. She was really nervous it would be awkward but she showed up. We introduced her to the kids her age and then left her alone for the last two hours and it turns out she loved it! So that's good. Something I have improved a lot on my mission is not worrying about things beyond my control or things that I don't have to worry about. Like investigators at church - let the members do the fellowship. That makes sacrament meeting more enjoyable, like it should be.

Yes, I know Britton (hope I spelled that right). Her dad is in the bishopric of the Princeton 2nd Ward. You never mentioned the name of the second girl... but I don't remember anyone by the name of Daniels of the top of my brain. I'm not worried - I don't take bad photos on my mission so it's not possible that you could have showed a bad one. ;) I'm just kidding.

My finger is pretty good. It doesn't really hurt at all, but I can't get full rotation out of it like I used to. It is slowly improving. I can bend it about 90 degrees at the joint where the break was. The occupational therapy is nice and I enjoy it. I have gone twice so far and I have one more appointment next week. The swelling should go down in about 6 months or so.

For transfers, I am staying in Long Branch and Elder VanWagoner is heading out. I have no idea where he will go and I have no idea who will be my new companion! Elder Traasdahl is zone leader in my old zone :( he got transferred in when I got transferred out! I was sad about that. I would have LOVED for him to be my zone leader. It would have been hilarious, especially because his companion is a lot like him. Elder Vargas is in Perth Amboy - and he has been there forever - but he will be transferred this Tuesday. Yes, I miss them. But I talk to them all the time. Being in zone 11 (in a walking area, not to mention) is rough because it is like being isolated from the whole mission. 

I find it crazy that the doctors didn't reset Rorie's arm properly! How does that happen? I guess if they don't charge you extra and it doesn't end up being affected in a noticeable way it wouldn't bug me too bad. And yes I got your package! thank you :)

I like the pictures you send. Nice smile Rorie! that Cubby's looks yummy! is it a sandwich shop? man how new is it? or was it just a hidden guy that's been there for a while? Ahhh man, Gen X closed?! where am I gonna get my white shirts now...? I think they have a location in Salt Lake somewhere.

hey question - how much is a gallon of milk at Days? at the creamery?  Milk here is 1 for 4.50 I HATE NEW JERSEY PRICES!

I am still here till 1:30! eh nothing in mind that i want for Easter, but things to mention for the next time you send treats........

peanut m&ms over peanut butter. I have way too many cashew clusters!

Here's some pictures for you.

Love you too :)

Tab

Hi Dad! 

I did have a good week. I went to OT (occupational therapy, as I came to find out) twice. Two days in a row, actually. The exercises aren't all that unique and so most of them are things I can do at home. The good thing about therapy is that I have nothing to do but the exercises. But at home I get distracted. And there is someone at therapy who can answer all my questions. 10 contacts a day this week was a failure - I averaged about 6 or so. We knocked about 100 doors it seemed. Including on the rainy Saturday. One thing I realized is that I ought to be well prepared for when someone asks to learn about the Book of Mormon right on the doorstep. It happened a few times and I was so unprepared! So maybe that has something to do with it? We did hit 20 lessons, though! Two weeks in a row is pretty good for us. 

According to my memory, about 1 in 7 with a baptismal date ends up getting baptized. I could be way off with that, because some investigators go on and off of a date. Marcela has a very good chance of getting baptized. Rosa does too, but things keep popping up that prevent her from coming to church and they aren't excuses. She has a rough family situation - she is taking care of her daughter's premature child. But she really wants to be baptized.

Yes for transfers I am staying and Elder VanWagoner is going. I have no idea who my new companion will be but he better be good!

I don't have much else to mention... we had a good week and we worked hard and saw some blessings. I presume that many more blessings will come this week. I learned some new things in the scriptures and through prayer that helped give me some motivation. Mostly just to remember who I am and who I represent, regardless of where I serve. 

Thank you for the quote! I love it. I saved it :) 

Love you,

Tab

Here's the quote that Tim sent Tab that he like so much. It's worth posting.........

My brief thought this week comes from Wilford Woodruff: “Now, if you have the Holy Ghost with you – and everyone ought to have – I can say unto you that there is no greater gift, there is no greater blessing, there is no greater testimony given to any man on earth.  You may have the administration of angels, you may see many miracles; you may see many wonders in the earth; but I claim that the gift of the Holy Ghost is the greatest gift that can be bestowed upon men."

That's a great blessing.

Fellow missionaries

Tab would find some Will Ferrell graffiti!

A little Banksy too.........

going ape

I can move my pinky!

Hi!

Thanks Dad!

I appreciate your letter. I didn't write much to President Jeppson today and so I don't have much to copy and paste for you. But, we had a pretty good week. We had 20 lessons this week, and it has been a while since we have gotten that many. We had some awesome team-ups, too. A Vietnamese brother, Phu Nguyen (Foo Win) came out with us on Tuesday and then had us over for dinner on Thursday. It was fantastic. Sadly, he didn't cook Vietnamese food. One of these days he said he would. He knows what I like ;) Then we had some of the YSA young men come out with us later in the week. Marcela and Rosa have baptismal dates now! Team ups served our area well last week. 

And to get back to you about what pre-missionaries should work on... I have noticed that the most successful missionaries (and the ones who train a lot and become assistants) are farm boys. They know how to work hard. So tell them to know how to work hard! Go tell them to dig some holes or something...... 6 feet wide and 6 feet deep. 

As for a homecoming report, I am not sure! I think that my mission is full of miracles and spiritual experiences, but I don't take the time to sit down and think about them and how much of a blessing it is to be on a mission. I read a talk by Elder Eyring about writing in a journal and got the impression to do better at that. I have only made it through about half of one journal in my 18 months in NJ...

Anyway I need to write to mom. I skipped her last week so she deserves it!

Love you,

Tab 

p.s.

Hahaha I have learned how to work much harder on my mission. I hope it is not necessary for me to go to a farm. We'll see! I think persistence/diligence is the attribute I seek for the most. I just hope I can retain the things I have acquired on my mission. It seems that some of the returned missionaries in the wards I have served in are not much more pious than non-returned missionaries. There are a few who stand out, and I would like to be like that. 

Hi Mom! 

Well stink!  I thought your birthday already passed this week - what day is it? I thought it was the 19th for some reason... 

What happened to Andrew Ungerman? I know last week you told me he was missing and this week you said he had a funeral. If you know and would like to share, I would like to know.

So this week was pretty good. I think I got the dino paper this week. Maybe that was last week. The periods have been passing quickly. Thanks for the photos! I like when you send them!

I have a letter partially written for you and for the Rasbands. I got my splint off and so it is much easier for me to write. I can move my pinky just enough to grasp a golf club. But I was told I should get back to 80/90 percent flexibility with rehab. I haven't gone in yet... wednesday I will be going. 

Ahhhhh SLAB! ooh they do numbers now! did they expand? 

Nice Colby! haha tell him to keep it up. Work hard!

<3 Love you,

Tab

Wanna see pictures of my stitches?

Here are Tab's emails from this week. It was a bit hodge podge but I'll take what I can get. He seems to be doing fine. He better be glad I love him so much or else I would be mad that he just leaves me hanging.......

Hi mom! 

Wanna see pictures of my stitches? I bet you don't. I'll send you a picture anyway! It is doing fine! it doesn't move that much because I have a splint on it still and I haven't moved it in so long. But, physical therapy starts on Thursday. That should help a lot. Everything is going good.

Well, I sent Regan an email! I just said hi though. Since I still have a splint on it is still difficult for me to type. So it will be another shorty email week. Sorry! I may just write a letter home cause my companion is wanting to go. 

Oh nevermind - he went with someone else. He wanted to pick up a package at the UPS store. But I have time now for a moment!

Yeh! I was going to answer your Q's though - the thing in the x-rays is a pen and some little metal thing I assume. He just used those to keep my finger in place. I'll write back some more later today. just gimme a minute....

Love,

Tab

Hi Dad,

this is an excerpt from my letter to President Jeppson (it's easier than writing something different...):

"It was a better week than last! I would guess that is because of the contacting. I had a cool experience with my district leader, Elder Beus, on Tuesday. While on exchange, we contacted a lot of people and it helped that it was a really warm day. Lots of people were outside. We talked to a man who was at the bus stop but he wasn't interested so we gave him a card and left. About an hour later, after walking out of an appointment, a woman across the street waved us down and told us, "start teaching me." We taught the lesson right there on the sidewalk. After we got to know her a little bit and taught her the about the Book of Mormon I asked her why she called us over. She told us that she had seen us earlier talking to the man at the bus stop and so she became curious. She wanted to know who we were and what we were doing! I am thankful we were lead to see her again. She even asked to come to church yesterday. Sadly, she doesn't live in our area :( , but the Neptune sisters are now teaching her. That was our contacting miracle for the week. 

Even in the short time that we have been doing it, I feel that contacting has given my whole mission more direction and promise. It has given me motivation that I needed.

Now, to overcome the initial fear of making the first contact of the day. The more people I contact, the better the day goes. I think it would be a good idea to set a goal to make a contact within 15 minutes of leaving the apartment. I enjoy working with Elder VanWagoner. He is an obedient missionary. 

When I was companions with Elder Priest (what a guy) we both contributed at leading out in basically every phase of missionary work. For example, it was much easier for me to contact when he was doing it and it was easier for him to contact when I was doing it. We talked about how it was a strength of our companionship. I had a similar experience with Elder Thompson. They are fantastic missionaries. (end)

Quoting myself like a boss. 

Thanks for the message. I liked that last little part by President Coolidge. Enduring to the end is what I need to do! It is what you need to do too, ha. As for what you should teach Colby, my first thought was to get him to read the Book of Mormon and/or read it with him. I have some other things on the brain but I will give it more thought and bring it up next week. Getting a testimony of the Book of Mormon was something I wish I would have done earlier. Also, tell him to pay attention in seminary. With the little attention I paid to my teachers, I learned more through seminary than anything else. 

A new president at BYU! To be honest, President Samuelson's voice always drove me crazy at the devotionals, and I didn't know him at all. 

Other than that, I don't have much to write about! Have a great week.

Love you,

Tab

This is it!

It's straight again!

These are all the scriptures we have between E Vanwagoner and myself.

Surgery went well - x-rays look cool too!

Hi mom! 

i have a hard time tyo;ing withl my right hand so I may be short on ;nformation today.

Hah... yes it is a little frustrating to type with my hand in a cast! The day is going well! We went to the most desolate TJ Maxx I've ever seen. The week was lame cause I was down for a day and .5 and then we lost track of some of our best investigators! :(  But the day is good. Bread was 50 cents at ALDI. Haha.

I get stitches out thursday. screws are cool. the hospital gave me a rose for my girlfriend. ha! we made a vanilla coke chandelier. i will send you some photois.

Transfers are on April 2 I think....yes that's awesome Delaney got a mission call! Tell her I say good luck!

l;ove you;

Tab

Hi Dad! 

i ;will b'e short today becais\e my cast makes it so I cna"t type vberywell. It's a big giant cast. I'll send you a picture. 

I forgot that it was Regan and caitlns birthdays! You don't need to tell them that though ;) I have been missing some of that sm'oked pork. Last time I" had it was the day I went into the MTC. A long time ago. By the way, the last thing I ate before I left f=Utah and hopped on  the plane was smashburger in the airport. Given the circumstances, it was easily the best fast food I have ever eaten, and some of the best food I have ever eaten overall. I haven't had a good burger in a while. 

Surgery went well. My finger is stuck somewhat in the cast but I: can move it around a lot in there. It feels totally f;ine. I want to take the cast off! Fortunately it doesn't itch or stink. The xrays look cool  too. I'll send a picture. 

Thanks for the great e=message! I haven't ever heard much about that topic. Though I did read the account at the end of Genesis about the blessing given to Ephraim and Manasseh. it made me laugh a li;ttle bit. Old Testament reading IS much better with teh study guide.

Lo've youo too! thanks for supporting me!

Tab

Screws are cool!

Not sure what this is......

Tab's cast

Vanilla Coke chandelier.....quite creative!

The hospital gave him a rose for a girlfriend - ha!

Surgery tomorrow.....they're gonna knock me out!

Today we learned that Tab will be having surgery on his finger tomorrow. Any kind of surgery and anesthesia makes me a bit nervous. I spoke with the mission office and got all of the details. Hopefully all will go well. Wish I could go with him but it is nice to know that a senior missionary couple will be there to take care of him. 

Hi Mom!

Yes, I got to talk to dad again. I forgot his birthdate so I had to ask him for that. I did about 2 hours of paperwork and then I sat down with a doctor's assistant who wrote down some information about my finger for a couple minutes and then the real doctor came in for maybe 3 minutes with my xrays and concluded that my finger was indeed broken. I could have told them that. Good ole doctors. Then he told me I needed surgery and that he would set up an appointment for this week. So I have surgery tomorrow morning and they're gonna knock me out. I am excited to get it fixed! So that is that. I thought that President Jeppson would have called you by now to let you know everything that is going to happen but maybe he will tonight. The office told me that he would. The finger and I will be just fine.

Oh man! I can't believe it! I have hurt my elbow like that a few times and it always healed up within a couple days or so. Perhaps you chipped the bone. How in the world did you hit your thigh that hard? It looks like you pulled a wrestling move on the bedpost. Your friend nailed it: "SLOW DOWN AMBER." slow down. But I won't tell anyone. 

The said blizzard snow storm brought us a nice inch and a half of snow this morning. That seems to happen each time the weather team reports a storm. It's usually watered down to < 1/4 of the supposed intensity. NJ weather is lame.

I did get your package and Colby's letter. Both were great! I wrote a letter back to the family but I keep forgetting to take it with me when we go out or I forget it when I put it in my jacket. I got it in the box today, though. It is a decent letter. I didn't really know what to write about. I also wrote a letter to the Rasbands... I am sure they will like that. They deserve a letter from me. 

What is the name of the student who got hit? That is really sad. Never cross the street without looking first! I remember the Houtz family but I don't remember Heather. It seems that things like this never happened while I was still home! 

About my companion...... He's great. We get along pretty well. We have a lot in common, so that is always helpful. Things are going alright in the area, but finding new people to teach has been really difficult in the winter. Hardly anyone is outside to contact. That and our list of former investigators (people who were taught in the past) in our area book is about 20. I've met about 15 of them, and only 2 or so were interested/committed. The area is about a year old, so relatively new. So referrals is our main source of new investigators, and those are often difficult to get. As a result, we cycle through investigators pretty slowly. Meaning we teach the same people for a longer time. 

18 months... that was really pretty quick. I miss those 18 months!

How is the family? Miss you all.

Love you,

Tab

Hey Dad,

"You may want to express thanks when that occurs, for it is an evidence of His trust. When you are living worthily and your choice is consistent with the Savior’s teachings and you need to act, proceed with trust. When you are living righteously and are acting with trust, God will not let you proceed too far without a warning impression if you have made the wrong decision." That was in the talk you sent to me a couple of weeks ago. I remember reading that. I had never thought of doing such a thing! I will try that more often. I liked that talk, by the way. 

I have surgery tomorrow morning at 11am in South Amboy. That is a little bit far away from our house, but not too bad. I am excited! I will be knocked out. The doctor I went to was recommended by a surgeon in Salt Lake City who works for the church but I thought about it and I don't think it was much of a recommendation... he may have just looked for the closest hand surgeon and looked at some reviews on Google. It was only about 3 miles from our house. Fortunately, our zone leaders let us take their car. 

I agree with you on prayer. I have had weeks and months on my mission where prayer was a big deal to me, and times when it has not been. Right now is a time where my prayers to God have lacked desire and the like. I am working on it though. 

Thanks for your letter! I finished my hand written letter back at the beginning of the week and always forget to put it in the mailbox when we go out. I stuck it in today. So you should get it soon.

Love,

Tab