Letters from Elder Tab: Transferred......for the LAST time!

Today is a BIG day for Tab. He is officially starting his LAST transfer! I can't believe how quickly time has gone. It has really seemed to fly by. He thought he would stay in the same area to finish up, but no. I have been told the new mission president is "shaking things up." So, he has officially been transferred to Avenel, NJ. It's an area just south of the Oranges - not exactly his old stomping grounds, but close (I got this from Sister Gilcrest who works in the mission office. She called to get information regarding Tab's flight home). I guess we'll see what he thinks about it next week.

Hi Mom,

Yes, I'm being transferred tomorrow! I don't know where yet. Maybe back to the hood! I hope.

Apparently the missionary department suggests that all missionaries end their mission in at least one or two transfers outside of leadership as an RPM (regular proselyting missionary). But he told me that my new companion is a district leader is a bit stressed and that he could use my help. Perhaps they think I am good at handling stress, so I would make a good mentor. But I am terrible at being a mentor. So that may be why I am going - so I can learn to do that a little bit better. Anyway, he said that it would probably be the most important thing I do on my mission so I am doing what I can to prepare. I don't really have any idea who it is. I'm sure he's great! But being a zone leader was fun while it lasted!

Hey can you send me a white 2xl tall tee? thanks! Oh, and we made the tacos last night and ate them for breakfast this morning. Yum. Thanks again!

I'll try to send you some pictures today.

Love you!

Tab

P.S. where did you and dad live in san francisco?

Hi Dad!

You've been busy! Lots of naps... sounds like me when I was working at IMFT. What is Jeremiah up to? I look forward to seeing him again.

Yes I got to play golf. Actually, I kept the same ball the whole round. I guess that goes to show how bad I was playing... I shot in the 50s without any penalty strokes! It wasn't too frustrating though. My mission experience has helped me to be more patient in many ways, including golf. But the wicked slice sure was ugly.

Our week was alright. Again, the weekdays were tough to find people to teach. Our contacting numbers were pretty low as well. We stayed busy but it wasn't always the most productive work. However, our weekend turned out very nice. We helped a member move all day on Saturday, then made some chicken Masala and planned and went to bed. I slept really hard that night and I was quite sore yesterday. We were fortunate to have six lessons yesterday after church. The last two Sundays have been money days for us. We also got to play soccer this week with our Mexican friends. Igor wasn't at church so I was really worried because it was supposed to be his confirmation that day. Turns out he was invited to the YSA Branch in East Brunswick and so he attended there. He was also confirmed there, as we later found out. That was a relief. He emailed me and said that he wants to attend BYU but he needs two ecclesiastical endorsements by the 9th in order for him to be able to attend the fall semester. I guess he received some admission extension. I hope he gets them in time. Hopefully he will sign up for the winter semester. That would be really good for him.

We picked up a lot of new investigators this week and I hope that many of them will pan out to be progressing investigators soon. I am being transferred (surprise!!) so I won't be around to see that happen. One of our hopefuls, the Miller family, should be coming to church here in the next few weeks. We really put a lot of effort into our planning for them. We pray for them a lot too. It is a golden family. We brought the perfect team-up with us yesterday to go teach them. Though we weren't able to have a lesson because they were going out the door, we were able to invite them to come to church and they said yes! We had our team-up invite them. It is really easy for me to picture their family in the church and all dressed in white at baptism. They are a special family. I really hope that they will be baptized before the end of the year. They would make a valuable addition to the church and the ward needs them.

So, that's about it from me. I am not sure where I am being transferred to but I was released as a zone leader. President Taggart told me a little bit about my new companion and why I was being transferred but he didn't tell me who it is. Hopefully it's back in the hood!!

Love you,

Tab