Wonderful baptism!

Hector's baptism!

     Hello everyone! This week was full of miracles and just a great week in general! This week we had Hector's baptism and we had nearly our whole branch there. There was also another lady getting baptized that day and the spirit was really strong at his meeting.  I'm so glad we had the opportunity to teach him and he will forever be one of my great friends here in California! The sad news is that he is moving out of our branch and up to Mariposa to work up there. 
     This week we have been seeing people put into our path. We have really focused all our energy on obedience and diligence and the Lord has been blessing us. We were about to meet this family of 5 just three days ago. We first knocked on the door and offered the man who answered if we could say a prayer with him. While he looked a bit suprised he said "yes"!  We promised him that through this prayer and blessing he could feel the Holy Ghost. As we finished the words of the prayer we kind of sat there for a couple seconds and just let the spirit sink in. As we began to speak and ask him how he felt, he said, "I have never felt anything like that before inside me". We asked if we could come inside his home and share a brief message with him about the church that Christ established and how it has been restored to the earth again. As we shared he listened and felt the spirit. We invited him to be baptized and he told us he would. He has invited us back tonight to share it with his whole family. 
     We have also been focusing this week on one of our investigators, Celeste. She has two children and we have been teaching her for about the last three weeks. She has come to church and has progressed so much. She has continued reading the Book of Mormon and has felt and seen the change in her life as she acts on her faith. Last night we taught her the Plan of Salvation and really focused on the three kingdoms of glory. We focused on how that only with baptism can we reach that top glory and be with our families for eternity. As we said that the spirit really began to work in her! She said she has had so many stresses and trials in her life and wants to change. She wanted to make sure her kids have that shelter from a world that is wicked and constantly changing. We invited her to refocus her commitment and be baptized on the 28th of April. She laughed and said as long as they don't make me memorize scripture and read it in front of everyone I will do it! We are praying for God's help each and everyday and we are truly seeing miracles! 
     I also recieved my new companion this week, his name is Elder Arredondo. He is from Logan, Utah and is currently waiting for his visa to Brazil. I have really enjoyed training him so far. He came in with a great attitude to work hard and to baptize which I know will really help our companionship out! We have really focused ourselves on inviting everyone to be baptized. If they say no we ask why not, and if they are not ready to be baptized we move on and look for the people who are willing to keep commitments and are wanting to change their lives to follow Jesus Christ! I have really seen the great change that the spirit brings into peoples lives. God can soften hearts! 
     Have a great week - and never be scared to invite someone to hear the gospel message!

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

The Lazarus Principle

Me and Elder Gygi at a member's home for dinner.

     Hello!  We received transfer calls and President Gelwix called to inform us that the transfer would effect Elder Gygi and me. Elder Gygi was transferred, and I was called to be a trainer, while still being the district leader so I'm excited about the new opportunity to train a new Elder from the MTC. I will drive up to Fresno to pick him up on Thursday so I will be spending the night in Kingsburg. 
     This weekend was really great. We got 2 investigators to watch General Conference with us, a single mother of 2, and Hector.  Hector was originally getting baptized yesterday, but is now going to be baptized this Sunday which is better for him.  He wants a senior missionary couple to be at his baptism and they were in Salt Lake for Conference. We watched General Conference in the Selma Ward building where they had it both in Spanish and in English! That was truly an inspired Conference. I loved Neil L. Andersen's talk faced towards the members of the church - every member a missionary!  We need to be helping to find those people who are prepared to hear the gospel or who could use something as simple as a prayer.  It is such a blessing for us as missionaries to know that we have members that actually care about the work of the Lord and trust us enough to give us referals! 
     One of my favorite principles I've learned in the mission is the Lazarus Principle.  God will only do those things that God can do.  God expects us to learn and progress in this life.  He gives us tasks that may be difficult so that we may learn.  Here it is:

THE LAZARUS PRINCIPLE:  John 11:39-44

-Who rolled away the stone? (Men)
-Who raised Lazarus from the dead? (Jesus)
-Who unrolled the bands?  (Men)
-The Lazarus Principle:  God will only do those things a God can do - he asks us to do those things that we can do!

Have a wonderful week ahead - and don't be afraid to share your testimony of the gospel!

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

Easter Feast!

Lindquist is my mother's maiden name!

     Hello friends and family! How are you all doing? I am doing great! Yesterday was a bit of a strange but very rewarding Easter! At church we had three investigators come, the most we have had since I have been here. Having a very broad area it makes it hard to get everyone to church. During  priesthood, we had a chance to pull out one of our investigators named Hector who is a really smart 20 year old. He attends UC Davis and is majoring in bio-chemistry! He is so great I love him so much. We taught him the Plan of Salvation with one of the members in the room next door. Just the week before, when I was on an exchange with Elder Pinnock, he had promised Hector that if he read the Book of Mormon everyday he would have work everyday. Hector  hadn't had consistent work in a while. He works in the fields picking oranges with his mom. This week he was able to read the Book of Mormon everyday and he had work for every single one of those days! They end work on Saturday and have only Sunday off. On Saturday night right after he had gotten off of work it began to thunder and just began to pour! He said it was one of the hardest rains he has seen in Orange Cove since he has lived there. The funny thing is if it would have rained the day before, he would have been out of work for three days while the fields have to dry before they start picking again! I knew and he knew that his answer had come directly from God. 
     I have also come to know that God hears the promises and acts on their authority which we have through the priesthood! Hector said that he has attended church other places in California because his mom is a member. He has had lessons with senior missionaries, but he said that nothing had ever clicked or came that powerful to him! He has read up to the book of Alma in less than 3 weeks. We are having his baptism this Sunday in between General Conference! Hector has become one of my great friends and we are always so happy when we get to go out to his house way out in the middle of nowhere in Orange cove! Having been out here in Fresno I have already seen many of the promises from Heavenly Father that have been in my Patriarchal blessing. 
     This week has been really focused on Jesus Christ and His crucifixion and resurrection. I can honestly say this week more than any other has had a huge impact on my testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ! I really felt my love for Him as I partook of the sacrament yesterday and was really able to feel His love He has for me and for all our brothers and sisters! 
     Yesterday we also had an emergency zone conference so we did not get the Easter dinner we were hoping for. As a mission we had kind of lost our focus on baptism and had focused too much on finding people to teach. We had very large teaching pools and a small amount of progressing investigators!  We have been called unto repentance as a mission.  After having a very loving chastisement from our mission President, we were all very spiritually edified on how we need to change as missionaries and focus on the thing that is central to our purpose as missionaries which is baptism and confirmation! We have now changed our 3 hours of finding down to 2. And have added the power of 1 to our mission again, where every area in the mission is responsible for 1 baptism every month which I am very excited about! I know that as I pray to God to continue to put prepared people in our path, and for our goals we have set for baptism for the month of April and also putting faith into action, God will always fulfill! 
     Our president always gives us a good bye hug before he leaves and he always tells me, "Son, I am grateful you are here in this mission and you have been sent here for a reason"! I am so glad for the opportunity each week I have to be a California, Fresno missionary! This week was solid and I am still having such a fun time here in Reedley. I know God lives! Christ is risen! He is our Savior! I hope you all have a great week and really use this Easter to be a springboard to be consecrated members of the Church of Jesus Christ, to recognize our shortcomings and strive to be better! Love you all! 

Elder Tanner Aiken

Happy Easter!

     This week was really a good one! I am so excited each and every morning to find more people to teach and bring them closer to Jesus Christ. This week we really focused on getting more members involved in the missionary work.  That has been hard to do here in Reedley because we cover 14 smaller towns that are pretty spaced out and to find members that can come with us to teach has been difficult. 

     This week in district meeting we made it a focus to have 1 member present at the lesson each day, and to also have five lessons during the week focused on the importance of the Sabbath day! As we applied the things we learned each companionship was able to have a member present at the lesson each day. That's the first time since last September! It was really nice to see the members involved in missionary work. As of right now we have 9 people set for baptismal dates in April and are really trying to help them progress that they may be able to be baptized. 
     One of my favorite investigators is a twenty year old named Hector. His mom is a member and they live 30 minutes away from the church building out in a place called Orange Cove. They have spent the last 3 months trying to find the chapel building in Selma where we attend. Hector is truly someone searching for the truth. Elder Pinnock and I were on exchanges and we had an appointment one night this past week to teach him. We both felt prompted to watch the Restoration video with him. After the video Hector told us how powerful that movie was and he had never pictured it to be like that. Hector has already read to the book of Mosiah and has a pretty good knowledge of what he has read. He began to tell us that this past week has been a struggle. He hadn't read or prayed and told us this week he and his mom had not had any work picking oranges out in the fields. We promised him that if he read and prayed everyday this week he would have work everyday of the week. He has been doing that and has had work everyday! I truly felt the Holy Ghost in that room with us. Hector is preparing to be baptized on the 7th of April, and has been to church 3 times! 
     This week I have begun reading the references from the topical guide about Jesus Christ. This is called the 'Easter Project' that everyone is doing in the mission. As I have read I have come to know my Savior Jesus Christ better each and everytime I read. I read the topic on Jesus Christ 'advocate' the other day and remember having such a love for our Savior that He literally pleads our case to our Father in Heaven and only through Him can we return to the presence of our Father in Heaven! I really love this work and am so glad to be a part of it each day! 
     I have been having such a great time in Reedley and getting to know all of the missionaries! We are a united group and I think that has helped us individually in our areas. I have been having so much fun this week! Today was very exciting as well. Right before we came to the family history center to write, we had a chance to stop by a referral with a member and we invited them to be baptized on the 14th of April. The mom has told us about her life and how dificult it has been with drugs, having a child at 14 and trying to support her three kids as a single mother. I truly feel God's love for her and for her children! I know that God lives and knows each and everyone of us personally! Love you all! Hope you have a great week and Easter weekend!

Elder Tanner Aiken

March 18, 2013

     Hi everyone! This week was really great! We gave our 45 minute training for zone conference on how to get our investigators progressing.  President Gelwix really liked it and it was a very spiritual experience. I have learned so much and have become so much better at talking and teaching in front of large crowds! 

The 'CHICKS' really dig me!

     This week it was in the mid 80's here in Reedley. Our investigators are great.  Yesterday we had 2 investigators at church which has really been a struggle, one named Martin who has a baptismal date for the 31st of March, and another named Hector who has a date for the 7th of April! 
     The work is progressing! I know that God lives. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and I truly know this is His work and His gospel here on the earth today. Keep praying for God to use you as a tool in His hands to bring someone to the gospel. Love you all!

Elder Tanner Aiken!

New mission record!

    This week has been really busy!  I have learned so much and love both of my companions.
      This week, we set a record with 307 new investigators, the most ever seen in the Fresno mission in one week! We are working so hard.  This week I have already been able to do three baptismal interviews and have two more this weekend.  My companionship has been asked by President Gelwix to give a forty five minute training to three different zones on how we can teach everyone that we find, instead of contacting them and just setting a return appointment. I am really excited about it. 
     Also this week we found 12 new investigators who have been really prepared. One that comes to mind is a man named Larry.  When we knocked on his door he was pretty happy to see us.  He has had many health issues and is almost totally confined to a wheelchair.  He explained to us how he has no family left and has no friends in the world.  He told us what his life felt like.  He said he was just existing instead of living. He said he has been looking for a year to find what path he should take.  Not only did my heart ache for this man, but I also saw a child of God who was so prepared to hear the gospel!  We shared about the Book of Mormon and the peace that it brings into our lives.  He was so thrilled to see young aged men at his door to comfort him and love him. We have more set up this week with him and have a really strong feeling about his future. 
     This work is fantastic, wonderful, and amazing!  I have so many words to describe it!  I am also having so much fun getting to know all the elders in my zone and district.  We are all very united and know our purpose to bring others unto Christ.  Have a great week everyone!

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

Time to harvest...

     This week was really great! It was a bit of a transition from Modesto to being here in Reedley. I am so excited being District Leader - everyone here is just great and we are all so fired up about this work! 
     As a mission we are seeing the highest records ever in this mission. Last year, the weekly average on new investigators was at 176. This last month, due to the harvest blessings program we have started doing, we have seen 279 new investigators weekly! That is awesome! I have a strong testimony of this work and I know the Lord is hastening His work. 
     This week we were able to see all kinds of miracles. The first one that comes to mind was last Friday. We just had an appointment fall through and we realized we still had a family that we needed to go see. As we arrived at the house of this family the wife was outside sitting next to a woman that looked very sad and was having a very difficult life. As we approached the wife of the house we began to speak to her, but we were cut off by the woman sitting next to her. She said do you guys have a Bible that I can read? We said yes but it's called the Book of Mormon! She said she had never heard of that book before. She had come to tell us that she had been prompted to sit at that house to talk with the family that we were going to visit. We arrived just on time. She began to explain to us that she has been having a very tough life, she has been addicted to drugs for the last 30 years and has been praying and praying for change and direction in her life. We shared that we hade been put into her path by the plan that God has for her. She began to cry knowing that three 23 year olds would stop to share a message that someone loved her and had a plan for her! We have set up an appointment this week to return. I know God puts His servants in the paths of his prepared children. 
     Then Sunday came and it was Fast Sunday. We knew that we needed to finish this week out strong. We prayed and fasted that the Lord would allow us to have 3 new investigators and one new baptismal invite. After church we began to do harvest blessings at every door.  But when we knocked they either said "not interested" or "leave"! We began to be discouraged door after door. We were hungry and wanting to just stop! But the spirit prompted us to continue on. It was one hour before our dinner appointment and we came to one last street where we went to the final three houses. The first was a girl named Jessica. We left the blessing with her and really felt good about it.  We gave her a Book of Mormon and set a return appointment! We were so thrilled to have a new investigator but we felt prompted to go to the house directly across the street where another man was sitting on his porch. We told him who we were and he was thrilled that we were there to talk to him! We shared a brief message and set a return appointment! Now we had two new investigators in such a short time! 
     We had one more house that was a referral from a recent convert. We felt this would be a great lesson. We knocked on the door of Rosaura and Jose. They invited us to share a message with them. We began by talking about the correct authority and how it was restored upon the earth. Both of them were shocked at this point, they had never heard about that before. We shared the First Vision with them, just as we did the spirit was so powerful! Both of them leaned forward in their chairs and it was impossible to deny the feeling in which we felt. We invited them to be baptized on the 31st of March and they promised to read and find an answer through prayer! Fasting truly does work. I know that God hears us and blesses us for our efforts as we strive to do our best! We found four new investigators and two baptismal dates! I love this work. I know that God lives! Have a great week everyone!!! Love you!

Elder Tanner Aiken