Planting seeds!

     Hello Everyone! I am so grateful for this week in which I've had! Over the past couple of months our area has struggled, even though we have been working very hard, the baptisms had just stopped! We had been teaching great people but it just wasn't their time to accept the gospel yet. Seeds have been planted and I'm sure the harvest here in our area may come months or years down the road. I have been so blessed to see the hand of the Lord in His work. I have been blessed to see how much He truly wants to be a part of our lives. He gives us exactly what we need at the right moment so that we may grow and learn. 
     I think the greatest lesson I have been learning over the past couple of weeks has been patience. I have prayed hard and sincerely at night for the answer to come of a prepared person to show up right in our path that would accept the invitation of baptism! Someone that would be so excited they would want to go fill the font that very instant and be baptized by proper authority and immersion! The answer didn't come that way.  The Lord has helped us to see that we must rely on Him at all times, and that His purposes are higher than ours. The Lord pushed us through it and has helped us to grow spiritually.  
     This week, after having seen another baptism fall through, we prayed that the Lord would help us know who it was that we could help more fully accept our Savior Jesus Christ into their lives. We have been teaching a group of five girls ranging from the ages of 9-18. As we have taught them they have made some great changes in their lives. They have really enjoyed church but their parents have been holding them back from being baptized. As we went over this past week we had a distinct impression that Brenda the 18 year old was ready to be baptized! We told her how we felt and she was a bit surprised! She said she wasn't sure. We promised her that evening if she came to church on Sunday and watched a baptism that she could catch the spirit of it and that she would know for herself that her Heavenly Father wanted her to be baptized. Sunday came and Brenda came to one of the 'child of record' baptisms in the ward. As she watched, the spirit entered the room and you could literally see something change in her face! There was a light that  wasn't there before. As we left the baptism, she was very happy with what she had felt. We had to leave right after church to head to a meeting in Fresno, so we told her to text us about how she felt. As we got into our meeting, we received a text from her telling us that she had made up her mind and wants to be baptized this upcoming Sunday! 
     I am so grateful to represent Our Savior Jesus Christ. 
I am grateful that the Lord has answered our prayers and has helped us to find one of his daughters prepared to receive the gospel! I love this work! I hope that each of you trust in the promises that the Lord has given you! He will follow through! Love you all, have a great week!! 

Elder Tanner Aiken

Another great day!

     Hello Everyone! As President Gelwix always says, "It's a great day to be a Mormon missionary!" It truly is! 
     Today we had our temple trip, which will be my last until my departure day! I can't believe how fast time goes, there have been so many things that I have learned here in this area in Firebaugh! There was a really strong spirit at the temple. I was able to feel my Heavenly Father's love, and His acceptance of me. What a blessing it is as well to do temple work and have that opportunity to bless those who have passed on! 

Bowling on P-day!

     A thought that kept coming to me this week was the importance of my purpose as a missionary. I thought about the Atonement and that those who are not baptized unto repentance and by the proper authority not not see all the blessings that the Atonement brings. Elder Sanhueza and I thought about this a lot and were thinking about who out of our teaching pool was really increasing their faith in Jesus Christ and keeping their commitments. As we prayed and thought about why our church attendance was down and what we needed to get people to church, we received three specific game plans about what we needed to do and as we applied those things the Lord blessed us. We were able to have 5 of our investigators at church this Sunday. We worked well with the ward on getting these girls to church. As we followed what the Lord told us to do, they had a wonderful experience and are all hoping to get baptized!  
     I love how as we use the Lord's guidance that he has given us, He blesses us with more. I have learned on my mission to put full trust in our Father in Heaven and rely on Him.  I am grateful for the time in which I have had serving Him. 
     As I sat in the temple I was able to think about the great change that I have seen in myself even at times when I couldn't notice the change. The Atonement of Jesus Christ and my faith in Him has changed me! I know that God lives, I know that this is His work, I have seen it many times, and the spirit has born witness to me of that! I love you all. Have a great week! 

Elder Tanner Aiken

Choose to be changed!

Working on a "day of service"!

     Hello Everyone! things have been going really well here in Firebaugh this past week! Things are starting to catch fire  almost literally. It's getting hot!  The hot summer temperatures of the San Joaquin Valley are just around the corner! 
     This week has been a great week of seeing the Lord push us through trials and helping us put our trust in Him. One quote I heard this week that I really like is from Ezra Taft Benson that says, "when you choose to follow Christ, you choose to be changed." That is so true! I have seen how the Lord has changed me and molded me as I have chosen to follow Christ! 
     It's not always the most glamorous life to follow, with rejection, being mocked, and there are even those who are spit upon from time to time. Living a life like that may have some wonder why we do it? We do it because we are forever indebted to Him!  We do it because we love Him! 
     This past week we have been working very hard and praying very hard to see progress in our investigators. This week a mother of five, who is without her husband and lives in a 2 bedroom trailer, was able to make the 45 minute drive to church on Sunday. Such a sacrifice, but yet she has noticed a difference as she has put into practice the principles of the gospel. She really enjoyed church on Sunday and apologized to us for missing her baptismal date.  She was wondering when the next day that she could be baptized on? We will be working with her to be baptized on the 18th of this month. 
     I have been reading in 2 Nephi this past week and I love the 2nd chapter as it talks about Christ coming and bringing us redemption. I love verse 8 which says, "wherefore how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth." This week we had our Mission Leadership Conference where President Gelwix had a quote from Elder Cook which said that right now is the most exciting time for missionary work in the history of the earth. Never before has there been this great a number of missionaries! How great it is to let our brothers and sisters know the truthfulness of this gospel, to let them know that Christ the Lord has offered himself in sacrifice for sin for us! It becomes more real when you think that he suffered for you individually! 
     I so love being a missionary! It brings such a good feeling into your life and it is so great to see the change that it brings into the lives of others!! I hope you all have a great week!! 

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

Because of Him!

     Hello Everyone! This week my heart has been full of gratitude. I am humbled at the love which I have for my Savior Jesus Christ. 
     This week we had many times to teach our investigators about the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we had the opportunity as well to show them the video "Because of Him." What a powerful video! This week, I also heard some very difficult stories from investigators and people on the street about drug abuse, sexual abuse, you name it I heard about it this week! I was overwhelmed at the sadness I felt for these people, that they don't know about the gospel of Jesus Christ that they don't know that the Atonement is free to everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as their Savior! 
     Elder Benites and I were on an exchange this week in Kerman. We had just had a baptismal interview in Madera and were racing back down to get to an appointment in Kerman. We were going to teach a man who I have had the opportunity to meet on a few occasions. As we talked about what our focus would be in the lesson, we decided to center it on Jesus Christ. The story is that 4 Sundays ago he had just walked into church with a Book of Mormon asking what time the services started. We could tell he was not a member. He told us that he had been seeing the missionaries riding bikes past his house for years, and something always impressed him about those crazy guys who ride bikes in white shirts and slacks during the summer in 110 degree heat! He has been taught for the past few weeks and has been praying about baptism, and the Book of Mormon. He has read over 150 pages and has really been progressing. But something has just been holding him back from baptism. As we began to teach that lesson, the spirit guided us as we asked inspired questions to know his needs. We began to ask him questions about the purpose of life, and he opened up to us and told us that he had suffered as a youth being sexually abused, to being exposed to drugs and alcohol at an early age, to eventually living on the streets and living in a homeless shelter in New york City!  This man had truly been through it all! We opened up the scriptures to Alma 13:24 saying that God is sending angels, and angels are preparing the hearts of the people for the coming of Christ! We told him that we as missionaries are the angels sent from the Father to declare repentance unto this people! The Lord has been preparing you for a very long time to accept his gospel! Through Jesus Christ and His Atonement you, yes you, can have a new beginning! We asked him if we could watch a video on his computer "Because of Him." We invited him to pay attention to his feelings as we watched it. As we watched the video there was a different feeling in the room. After we finished watching and testifying of the spirit, we looked at him as he sat and stared at the wall. After 45 seconds of silence, he looked at us, "I believe what you are telling me is true! I want to be baptized, I just don't know when."
     I know that through Jesus Christ we can become changed people. We can have new beginnings! With him there is no end! God has given us the best gift! Eternal life! It's hard to put intp words the feeling that I have as a missionaryl. I love it! It is so great to be able to bring this knowledge that we have to people every day! God bless you all and have a great week!!! 

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

Happy Easter!

     Hello everyone! Such a great week to be a Mormon missionary. I went to a baptism last night down in my last area to confirm a woman I taught.  I was so happy that she had made the decision to be baptized!
     I am looking forward to one of the greatest holidays of the year! Easter, a day we dedicate to Our Savior Jesus Christ. I have come to know and love Him over these months as a missionary. He is what motivates me to get up in the morning on time, to do my studies, to talk with everyone, and most important to invite others to repent and be baptized. I think of His example which He left for us. Elder Eyring has talked about it in one of his talks. After Jesus Christ was crucified He went to "the spirit world for three days, his work in mortality was finished, when He deserved a rest He kept going". Elder Eyring said, "when I am tired and my body begs for rest, I give myself this rallying cry 'Remember Him'."
     This Easter there is no need to think of material things. It is a time to reflect on the most perfect life that this world has ever known. When Mary came to the tomb she was told, "He is not here for He has risen"! He has Risen! I know that Christ lives! I know that His mercy is free to anyone who accepts Him and follows his example. What part of the Atonement did not cover our sins, trials and sufferings? He covered everything! We must accept Him and His promises! I know that He has paid the price for our sins so that we can enjoy eternal life! I know that as we fully apply the Atonement into our lives, and internalize it this Easter week we will become changed, motivated, and filled with the Love of God! I have felt this myself, I have felt His love in my life, I have felt the whisperings from the spirit confirming to me the reality of His sacrifice! I hope you all have a great week - and Happy Easter! 

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

Record number of baptisms!

     Hello family and friends!  Everything went great this week.  Our zone absolutely exploded with baptisms!   We finished with 19 baptisms, 1 below the all-time mission record of 20 by a zone in a month.  The Lord has blessed us so much, I know it's because of our love towards our  Savior Jesus Christ.  I have literally seen the hastening of the work right before my eyes.  
     Our mission finished with 104 baptisms.  We haven't passed 100 baptisms in the last 2 years!  The Lord is hastening His work, the Lord is brining forth his very elect.  How exciting to be a part of this generation, in the fullness of times, that will be talked about for generations to come!  I love this work!  I am 100% committed.
     This week the Lord has blessed me with a new found energy and strength, a deepe-found conviction of the truthfulness of this gospel.  I love so much being a missionary!  
     As I stood at the pulpit yesterday during testimony meeting in our Spanish group, it was as if my whole mission flashed before my eyes.  I saw all the people that I had taught, served and have come to love.  It was a truly spiritual experience.  As I bore testimony of the Savior, and the Restoration of the Gospel, I thought about how much I love being a missionary, there is no greater calling.
     This week we will be training our zone on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  I will be focusing on faith in Jesus Christ.  One thing that Elder Porter told our mission when he came and visited us was "the first principle of the Gospel is not just faith, but faith in Jesus Christ."  Faith in Jesus Christ is the way we live our lives, it's how we act.  We notice faith in Jesus Christ in ourselves when we are living in accordance with the commandments of God and doing all we can to align our will with that of God's.  A scripture that I love and has hit me more powerfully as of late is in 2 Nephi 31:21:  "And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God.  And now, behold, this is the doctrine of  Christ, and the only true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one  God, without end, Amen."  There is no other way back to our Father in Heaven, only through Jesus Christ.  Our brothers and sisters in this world will not have that opportunity to return back to God's presence without the gospel of Jesus Christ.  
     We have been seeing great things happening in our area this past week.  The Lord is preparing the hearts of the people in our area!  I am looking forward to the month of April to find and teach and baptize!  
     I love you all so much!  This work is the best work to be a part of!  I know that God lives, we are His children.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior, He lives!  This is the only true church upon the face of the earth, and what a blessing it is to be a part of it!

Love,
Elder Tanner Aiken

Listen...always listen!

Elder Aiken at Yosemite National Park

     Hello everyone.  I had the chance to go to Yosemite National Park with several other Elders yesterday.  What a beautiful part of the world!  The weather here is beautiful.
     It was another great week being a Mormon Missionary with some great spiritual experiences. We started off with Zone conference where we had some great trainings on the importance of receiving personal revelation everyday. I had never really thought of the importance of receiving personal revelation everyday, but receiving personal revelation is what keeps us converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is something that we must seek for every day in our morning prayers, asking the Lord to guide us and to help us recognize his promptings. In my prayers every morning I have promised the Lord that I will follow all his promptings, no matter how hard or even awkward they may be, I will do them. I love the Scripture in 2 Nephi: 28 vs 30 where it says:  "For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receivith I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have"
     There is a promise in that scripture, that if we do harken unto the Lord's precepts, he will bless us with more. We show the Lord our trust in him as we follow his counsel. He is more willing to give us his counsel when we are willing to fully accept it.  
     On Wednesday, I had a very spirtual experience that I will never forget. As we took our daily 25 minute drive out to Mendota, I remember praying to Lord asking him to help me recognize his promptings.  As we approached Mendota, I heard the voice of the Spirit tell me to turn left. I followed and we turned left. I heard another distinct impression, turn right, park the car and talk to the first person you see. As we parked the car we offered a prayer asking the Lord to lead us to that one person we had been prompted to meet. As we got out of the car, I looked to my right, and saw a lady all alone sitting on her porch. I walked straight to her and as we approached her the woman seemed a little surprised. I asked her how her day was and what she was doing there. She told us she was waiting for her kids to arrive home from school. The words came to me as I told her that we had been sent to her house that very moment by God to say a prayer with her. She began to weep and asked, "how did you know"? I told her that we had been guided there to her home by the spririt of the Lord. As we began praying the Spirit came very strong and I knew that it would guide our words in what we needed to say next. As we finished, I paid close attention to my thoughts. As she was wiping her eyes, we asked her how she felt. She said she felt much better. I felt impressed to ask her about her children and her family. I told her that I could sense that she was very worried about her children and her status of her family. She began to cry again and said she had recently divorced her husband and doesn't get much time with her children. She was shocked that we had discerned her thoughts. I thought back to that scripture, "line upon line, precept upon precept. Those who hearken to my precepts...I will give more:. The Lord had blessed us in that very moment for following his promptings! He then trusted us with more, he blessed us with the gift of discernment! 
     I know that God lives! I know that he truly wants to be involved in every aspect of our lives and he wants to guide us. We in turn must be willing to sacrifice our will for his. This work is so true, I love being a missionary! God bless you all!! 

Love, 
Elder Tanner Aiken