With All Our Love

 Dear Tanner,

Another week in the book! I hope you were able to work as hard as last week. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing how hard you worked, and hope to hear more such examples. Your father was conducting in church today and shared your bringing twenty some people to church last week. He said at first he was a little bit put off that people weren't motivated themselves to come, but then said he realized that they were kind of like a chugging, struggling engine. A little tender care by the master mechanic and his mechanics will help make the engine run as it should. Sometimes we all need a little help. It was a great meeting, and the work here is hastening as well! In relation to last week's letter, Uncle Zach left you a sweet thought: "So inspiring! bringing twenty to church is UNBELIEVABLE. GO Tanner!"

In news around the world? I mailed a package to you this week, Wednesday I believe. It should take just over a week, since it's trackable, ,so be on the lookout! There is deoderant, of course. Do you need anything else to be included in your birthday box?

FYI RJ from the Marlboro ward received his call this week and will be serving in Hong Kong speaking Mandarin. His family is SO excited!

Elder Cummings wrote about how his area is the southernmost tip of Londrina, and that half of the area is closed, which means that he cannot work there because missionaries were already robbed, had guns put in their faces, or just recently their backpacks were stabbed!! Be careful!

Elder Bennett wrote home about how you're now in his zone, and that you're a district leader. He also said that the name of your zone is Tiradentes but you are doing an inner mission competition of zones versus zones and your zone name in the competition is "The Dirty Dogz." Hmmmm.

Elder Peterson's mother shared a portion of his email with me on Facebook this week. She said he loved your activity. Here is his description of the picture he sent her from your district meeting. "The district leaders in our zone decided to plan something together to have more union in our zone. They had a bunch of activities planned and some spiritual messages that were great. It was one of the best I've seen, it was great. Elder Z and I totally dominated in the little course we had to run blindfolded. One of us was blindfolded, me, and the other had to guide the other through the course as fast as you could. I think after five transfers together we should be pretty united, although he did make me nail my face on a table during the course,ha!

Naomi's little thought for the week: "I love Annecy and all the people and I invited the Collignons to visit us in two years chez-moi in Connecticut. So be prepared for that because, as per usual, I was entirely serious. It sounds like this area could use me ridiculosity a tad more. And I'm bringing it in full force."

Greg's thought is a little bigger this week, but I just thought it was too good not to share: " One thing that irritated me this week was a less active incomplete family, two of the boys are not baptized and the family is not coming to church. We talked to the mom and she said that she knows that it is essential for her sons to be baptized and she knows that she has to come back to church not just for her, but for her sons as well. The only problem is that they are really poor and she has to work on Sundays. After talking a bit about faith and miracles we told her this: "Hermana we are representatives of the Lord sent here to teach and to testify in His name and when we promise something in His spirit it is just as if He were here promising it Himself. When He promises something it will happen. You just have to do your part. We promise you in the name of Jesus Christ that if you stop working on Sundays that you will never not have enough. You will always have sufficient means for your family." (The word for money is plata and I might have accidental said plato or plate once or twice...) And she told us in effect that she couldn't come to church this week because she had to work, and that she wasn't going to commit to anything in the future or in other words, no. I am glad I had this experience. It allowed my faith to grow and allowed me to see for maybe the first time that people are scared and that for a lot of people faith is hard. Now that I think about it looking at the examples in my life, my mom, dad, teachers, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, grandparents, etc. it never seemed hard for them to act on faith as I think about it now though I realize that it had to have been hard, maybe harder than I can comprehend, but the difference is that they all, you all acted where as this sister has yet to do so. Life is hard and difficult and in all honesty no worth it if we don't act with faith, sure it tests us but THAT IS HOW WE GROW, when we are tested. Think about how a muscle grows. You use it, you work it, you test it until it burns and feels like it is going to fall off. And for a few days it is sore, but then what happens? A miracle takes place in that muscle that was worked and pulled and stretched, that same muscle that hurt for days, stops hurting and indeed it is strengthened. I am pleading with you now to allow your faith to be tested, until it burns and until it wants to fall off because only through this process can we truly unlock our potential, only then can we find out who we were before this life, who we need to be here and now, and most importantly what we can become." Such a great little missionary!

In news around the home? This was the week of appointments. I think we got all seven of us in for eye check ups...Miller was told he would be back within the year for glasses. I'm so sad none of you boys got my eyes. Hopefully Breyer! I still have 15/20 - pilot eyes. The doctor was very impressed. I went to the dentist for my two cavities to be filled. Don't want to talk about it. I'll have to go back as the three pain injections didn't work on the bottom jaw, just the top. We'll finish next week with a couple of ortho, physicals, dermatology, and we'll all be set. Are you ready? I actually have a few appointments for you already! I remembered your license. I have to wait until mid September until I'm allowed to call.

Porter took some kind of class that includes helping on the yearbook staff, and was conveniently assigned to take pictures for golf, cross country, track, etc. So he traveled with Hunter to Esquire, and took pictures of the Fairland team. You'll see those pictures today. He did a great job! It's nice to get a quality photo every now and then, and he got to get on the green, only after showing his press pass, which is nice. Hunter did a great job as well, earning first place for his team, and probably fourth overall. We're still waiting to hear. He said except for one hole, he felt like a professional. He came home and called Grampy to share the good news.

 Speaking of Grampy, not so good news. His spleen has become enlarged again, and is eating up his blood (platelets, etc.). They want to radiate the spleen which in turn will allow his blood numbers to come back up, and in turn allow him to resume chemotherapy. But his numbers are so low he can't receive radiation. In the words of his much beloved doctor, "He's a complicated patient!" He and your grandmother are actually scheduled to fly to Fort Collins for their anniversary treat, and see Uncle Zach and family, this week, and his doctor has been on vacation in India, so the complications will wait.

Miller came off the bus one day this week and said, "Mom, I need a baggie!" I asked him why, and he said he needed to save a hair he found of someone he likes. Oh boy. Oh Miller. We had just a litlte chat about being friends, and somehow I convinced him we didn't need to save her hair. Too cute, and way too funny!

Sawyer is doing well in school, and when we had sharing time one night as we were gathered for family prayer, he showed us all his paperwork with 98's and 100's all over them. Porter shared how well he's doing in his AP statistics class. He loves it. Hunter is taking this class as well, and I don't have the heart to tell him his 82% is just a little below Porter's 95%. Do you think he'll let Porter help him? Uh no.

Hunter spent yesterday setting up a course after the boys' favorite summer show, men trying to be crowned as the first American Ninja Warrior. The show is in its fifth season, and there has yet to be someone that can finish the challenges. Hunter did a good job imitating the multiple stations involving mostly upper body strength, balance, coordination, etc. all in an effort to crown the first Schenewark American Ninja Warrior Champion. After three different rounds, with different competitions, I THINK Sawyer was crowned. Mostly because he stayed outside for hours, practicing in between rounds, helping Miller, and having better times than Miller and Cooper (sick). Porter was in a class all by himself, but missed round two. It was a great activity to keep the boys busy after their schedules, no soccer practices or games, were cleared for Labor Day weekend.

I heard this quote by Ludwig Beethoven and immediately thought of you. I just loved it! "Don't only practice your art, but force your way into its secrets. For it and knowledge can raise men to the divine."

In seminary we were talking about some of the purposes of the Book of Mormon. I'm having them keep a list so as we come across them throughout the year we can add them. The first is in 1 Nephi 1:20 and it states that, "But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance." You have been chosen, and you will be delivered. I think last week you had twenty delivered to the doorsteps. I know you count that as a tender mercy, as your intricate plan went smoothly. Also, in 1 Nephi 6:4 it states that, "For the fulness of mine intent is that I may persuade men to come unto [Christ]." That is your mission. You have the Book of Mormon as your proof, and your commission as your power. Go forth and have a wonderful week. 

We love you dearly!

Mom and Dad