Tanner's in Hiroshima!

We received an email this AM from the mission secretary!! – Tanner arrived safely.  She said he looked a little tired but great!! 

She confirmed the no email policy –and said letters are important.

 

Here’s his address directly to his apartment…

 

Yamanota Higashi 13-10

                Yamanota Heights #105

                                                                                                Simonoseki-shi

                                                                                                Yamaguchi

                                                                                                751-0843

                                                                                                Japan

Tanner's almost in Tokyo

ear Friends and Family,

What a bitter sweet Memorial Day it has been at our house!!

Tanner finally left for Hiroshima this AM at 8:30 Am from SLC International Airport.  We got to talk to him for about 15 minutes when he was in SLC and for about an hour in LAX.  He left LAX about noon Utah time and will land in Tokyo at midnight our time…12 hours.  Then he will have about 2 hours till he catches another flight to Hiroshima that lasts about an hour.  When he arrives in Hiroshima, he will be greeted according to our letter,  by the Mission Pres and his wife.  He will stay in the mission home the first night as it is zone conference there.  He’ll meet his new companion and then go by train to wherever he’s assigned on Wed.

 

Wow…All I can say is we feel today like we did at the MTC 11 weeks ago.  It was brutal!!!  So great to talk to him but so tough to say good-bye again.  I think we’ll maybe be a little more used to it when we get his phone call at Christmas and it won’t be so hard…since we won’t be saying Good-bye again.  I cried for a  good hour!! (less than the 10 hours last time!!)– I’m such a wimp!!  It was a perfect day though…all 5 of us were here crowded around my cell phone which was on speaker phone.  He bore his testimony several times in Japanese and it was amazing! – I couldn’t believe how well he sounded! – He sounded excited and so confident! 

 

His President at the MTC challenged him to place a Book of Mormon while at LAX and get to Hiroshima with a referral for someone in Tokyo.  So…who do you think he placed the Book of Mormon with…come on…this one is EASY!! – THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT!!  Actually…It was a real experience and he was so happy! – I teased him when he told us that he had to place a Book of Mormon in LAX and was going to do that before he called home…that he just needed to find a cute girl and get it done and call me.  He said no way mom…it can’t be a single girl…I need to find someone really interested! – He said that he prayed on his knees for someone to be put in his pathway and when he was on the plane, he was studying and reading his scriptures.  The flight attendant came up to him, knelt down and asked about the book and what he was studying and asked about our church.  They went back and forth for the rest of the flight when she had time.  She read the introduction and he challenged her to read the Book of Mormon.  She accepted the book and said she promised she would read it.  Kind of cool for his first experience.  He loved it.  I’m pretty sure Tokyo is going to be a little tougher!!

 

The only bad news we heard was…Pres. Eyring shut down all use of email in several of the missions in Japan because of the inappropriate internet café’s they would have to go to.  Ugh…no email for Tanner…  Snail Mail only.  It takes about 8 days.  So send him one soon! – I’m sure he’ll need it!! J  Don’t send him email…he won’t be checking it for a couple of years!

 

Here’s a few things Tanner said to us today on the phone…

He’s been praying for a native Japanese companion – but that is very rare in Japan.

He has LOVED the MTC.  He is looking forward to getting out there but has loved the experience he has just had in the MTC.

He said he feels good about the language.  Wishes that he was better at it but considering how far he has come in the MTC – he feels pretty good.

He told us that he was one of only four I think…in 2 districts of Missionaries that are going to Japan that has had no former Japanese in school or lived there etc. WOW!

He said that when he started to hit a wall when learning the language, he would stop studying the language, turn to the scriptures and that would re-energize him so he could go back to the language.

He said he switched off with the other district leader and would give a “Sermon on the Mount” every Sunday evening from 7:30 – 9:00 on the hill by the Temple to the District.  (wow Tanner – too bad I didn’t know that…I would have attended!!)

His final words to me after we said our family goodbye’s was “Mom….I love you…The Church is true, keep Praying, go to the Temple..I love all of you…I’ll see you in 2 years…then he rattled something in Japanese…and said Goodbye”

 

Thanks for all of your support! – I just came in from a walk and Scott said…”Man … this day has been tough! - opened up some old wounds -  (from the MTC goodbye)”  I agree! – We just miss him a ton – but so proud to report that he is doing so AWESOME!!

 

Love, Sue

Greetings from the cage!

Hey Mommy!! and Dad
How's it going? How bout them Jazz?!!!  2-2 in the series now!  That's what I'm talking about.  We just gotta steal one at their place now.  We love the articles and the the updates!  I never know the elders you talk about with missionary moms thing!  The language is coming along great! I know I have tons of work to do, but it is becoming lots of fun.  Last night we were up kinda late saying goodbye to Okamoto choro and gushiken Choro.  They are from Tokyo and Okanau respectively.  They are heading to New Jersey and San Fran.  We always kick  it with them and work on our language skills, or lack there of.  Elder Mozingo says hi.  Him and Elder Stevenson are doing great!  Nope, we get our travel plans this Friday!  I'm so pumped!!!  Sounds like all of Ian and Wyatt's sports are doing well. And Hayley's!  She was so pumped about her first win in her email.  That's so awesome.  Are Ian and Wyatt in Acceleration yet?  That's the key to a successful senior year!!  I'm stoked to see brant on Wednesday!!  K so... we need a going away party in a box!  a.k.a.  tons of energy drinks, bubbly, chips and salsa, you know, the works!!!  Umm, about the bike situation, and airport.  Do send the prepaid phone.  That would be good, the bike I'll write about more later today. :-)  I know there's more stuff I need and want to say, but it's way too early to remember what it is.  Tell Ian to write me!!! He's slacking!  I'm really having a blast up here!!  This language is dope!  I wanna get there so bad though.  There are monkeys in Japan, cool huh? and dragons!  I have some cool stories to tell, but it will have to wait for the snail mail, later on today!
Love you tonz,
Elder Gatchell

Fake it till you feel it

To whomever this may concern;
:-)
Another great week in Spirit Prison!!  How's everyone doing?  That FHE sounds like a lot of fun.  I bet all the families loved it.  That's awesome everyone is ripping it up.  Yes, I got the brownies on Saturday.  The branch loved 'em.  Yes it's been cold up here, but everyday by four, the sun is out and we go play sand volleyball, whish is money in the bank!  That's awesome you're doing so much genealogy.  Keep it up.  Think of Our ancestors that are so stoked right now for your hard work.  Oh ya before I forget.  Our sunday night devotional speaker was President Watson, just recently released from the Mesa AZ mission.  After the fireside I pushed my way to the front and got a chance to talk to him.  He knows Dave really well.  He taught here along time ago, and Dave was in his first district.  He was great!  Spoke about really knowing our purpose.  When does Tyler leave?  Is Terry dying yet?  That's awesome about Shari.  Good for her.  I hope that works out well.  So when exactly do Brant and D.O. enter the MTC?  I'm stoked to see them.  That story about Wes is hilarious.  I can really picture him right now.  What a stud!  Tell him I said hi.  Well anyways, can you believe I have less than 3 weeks?  Crazy!!  I'm so stoked to get there!  We will get our flight plans next week.  It's coming so fast!!  So, last night was Cinco de Mayo!!!  Elder Toomey's( stevie's comp.) gf sent us a fiesta in a box.  So long story short, I still can't see straight.  There were drunk mexicans and everything!(my comp.)  Did you get my letter to bishop?  I didn't have his address yet.  I got the newsletter yesterday! Love getting that!!  Tell all the Dixie Elders to keep shredding it out there!  I love hearing about how well they're doing!  Tell all the mom's I love them as well! :-)  Well it's P-day! so you know what that means! Yup leftover Tuesday again!! haha oh ya, my ties are dropping like flies.  I'm a mesy eater!  You could always get me another tie or two!  :-)  So, the language is coming well.  I'm learning a ton, and am learning to love the language.  It's so cool!  Our new Sensai, helps so much!  He made a newsletter for our district.  I'll send it with my snail mail today.  He's classic!  Anyways, I know I'll think of more to say later, and write it in the handwritten.
Love you tons,
Gatchell Choro
p.s. Dad I need my priesthood line of authority, and your conversion story. :-)

A little catch up

Hey everyone!

Well I'm going to be posting a whole bunch for Tanner today because we have to update everything he's sent because we haven't updated for a while so you better start reading!

Thanks

Dixie Elders

Elder Gatchell

Hey mommy<, and dad

How are you doing this lovely morning? :-)  I'm doing great. I love contacting the outside world.  Elder stevenson is reeading me the email from his dad. Maybe you didn't get my letter yet, but his dad got called to the first quorum of the seventy. Crazy! He's telling the story of having to walk up on the stand during conference. haha he was so nervous, thought he'd be the first ever to trip on the stairs.  I'm still loving it here, but wow is this language nuts.  I'm so horrible at memorizing stuff.  This is the last week with anything in english. As of this friday, we are in japanese for everything, no matter what it is.  They won't even translate for us what they're trying to say. :-S It's so rough. They talk so fast, and all the words just blend together. oh well haha.  I'm stoked you got that house sold.  What goes around, comes around right.  It's P day, which is nice, but our district is upping our game on SYL( speak your language) so we're struggling too.  I know the lord will bless us for struggling though.  I like the quote, :you have to reach up, before he reaches down."  I'm definitely doing my part, so I know he'll make up the difference.  I had some really cool spiritual events this weekend. I will share them in my written letter.  I just wanna say, how awesome was conference?!  Wow this is the true church. It was so evident during all the talks.  I have 23 pages of notes!!  Me, tanner gatchell took 23 pages of notes! :-S yikes.  Well, Elder Childs is great. He's got a bunch of letters, and his family and ?girlfriend? wrote him as well.  So, I think you're good for a while. :-)  That was awesome what you did though. :-)  You can always get at Elders Hollis, and  Harman in my district from Australia. That would be cool.  They're both from brisbane.  How is everyone doing?  Did Wyatt get my package?  Keep sending the sports updates. We love em. :-)  Yesterday was our Temple picture day with the Sempai.  We got loads of great pix.  Tons with me, Stevenson, and Mozingo. :-)  So expect some of those.  I love these guys. I'm so glad they are here in "the cage" with me.  They make life so much better.  We are nuts.  You would like them alot.  And they're Aggies!  How could you go wrong?  We're always making byu jokes, and everyone here gets so mad.  I've had so many byu kids try to argue with me how much better BYU is and I just smoke them, cause they're all sheltered and have never left provo in their life.  It's hilarious.  We always Joke how they walk around as theresomes in like ranking order.  President, First counselor, and second counselor, and pretty much introduce themselves that way. hahaha  Ah I love it here!  I really have so much to tell you.  I wish I had time.  I am writing a ton in my journal though, so you can read that when I fill it. :-)  Well I'm down to 5 min. and Iwill wanna get back on and check this later.  So I'm out, sorry it's so short.  Love you tons,
Elder Gatchell

Ohio Gozimasu

Hey mom and dad,
wow three weks tomorrow!! Time is flying!!  Still loving it though.  This past week was rough though.  They threw so much at us. language and spiritual wise. :-S  We're to the point now where the sensai don't even speak english. :-S  I have to translate everything in my head, and quickly too, or I'll miss the next thing they're saying.  Japanese is nuts!!! Sunday was fast sunday.  Really different here. It was mission conference.  Longest meeting I've ever been in! 2 1/2 hours!!! ah!! It was really great but my butt was so sore!!  Thank you for my ipod, I'm loving it!!! I love having that music in the background.  I turn it on first thing in the a.m. and off last thing at night. :-)  It's hard to stay focused all day every day when you're in the MTC this long.  There have been times when I've had so much thrown at me I started to wonder if I'd be the first ever MTC suicide.  haha it still is fun though.  Elders Stevenson and Mozingo make life amazing!!  They're hilarious. I have a bunch of pictures of us for you coming soon.  Well our lesson last week went great.  I nailed it!!  I was like throwing out scripture references to answers like nobody's business.  We prayed for forever before hand, and I really could feel the spirit speaking through me.  There's no way I could have remembered everything I said on my own.  My testimony is growing by leaps and bounds!  It's so cool.  Everything our church is all about is just making so much more sense. haha  Anyways, thanks for the braces too. I'm back in action, and I honestly can't miss on the court.  I've been lighting it up and getting some sick dunks as well. :-)  Well it's been dumping snow on us up here as well. I've liked the change.  Lot's of good photo ops.  I hear Ian is doing great. Sounds like he's working hard. Keep encouraging him.  He has such a good year coming up!  Umm I'm running short on time.   Oh ya the japanese we had to know for the lesson last week.  I nailed it! Cha Ching.  Our investigators were a japanese kid from BYU studying electric engineering at BYU, and a local doctor, who served in the fukuoka mission not too long ago, also at BYU.  They couldn't believe I've only been studying the language for 2 weeks. :-)  If you write me back today make it really short.  I'll explain how my email works in my written letter latwer today.  MTC is so awesome!  I get to hit the temple today as well. So cool with all the missionaries from our branch.  How is everything going?  you can still send me a dear elder today. :-)  I love mail. hahaha Up here in the cage(MTC),mail is the highlights of our life, and laundry, which I'm headed to in a few min.  I love laundry.  It's when I get to contact the outer world and chill with everyone here.  I found Elder Alldredge!! we got a pic. I'll send it home soon too.  Elder Lark left today. I got to chill with him for a bit yesterday and say goodbye.  That was cool.  K wow I'm running low on time. I really wish I had time to say everythingi want. I know this email is kinda all ovwer the place. Ah! I have so many stories and experiences to share.  I guess we'll have the rest of life for that huh?
Love you a thousand,
Keep those knees warm for us, we can feel it.
Elder Gatchell

P.S.  send Elder childs in my district a letter or small package.  Hasn't got one email, letter or package.  not even his family! :-(  Just something small. Everyone in our district is getting family to do something small. love you