Additional Photos

Canadian money

Big hailstone in a big hand

"Trekkies" love the town of Vulcan.

Chain of trainers (our "First Presidency" photo)

Canada Day Fireworks

Fooled the family with this end-of-mission suit burning. It was actually a suit left behind by another missionary.

July 18, 206

It’s kinda crazy to say that this is going to be my last letter, considering that I will see all of you on Friday! I am really, really looking forward to that. It is going to be an experience and a feeling that will not be forgotten. Just make sure that you are all there at the airport, and don’t forget to pick me up! Because that will be awkward for me to stand there and see all the other missionaries greet their families. I will be in the corner on the pay phone calling a taxi, if that happens! hahaha I’m sorry to hear about your back dad. It might so be that with the medication your on I will be coming home to a dad that’s high as a kite, because of all the pain medication(s)! haha . 

This week will be a breeze. We will have DTM. I will pack and on Thursday I will head to the Transfer Station the Stake Centre in Lethbridge. When I get there I will load my stuff in the trailer along with all the other missionaries that are going home or being transferred to Calgary. When we get to Calgary we will unload all of our suitcases take them to the mission home for all of those that are going home. We go to the temple in the afternoon with all of the missionaries that are going home. After that, we will come back to the mission home, eat a nice meal, we will have a devotional/testimony meeting, spend the night in the mission home, wake up, eat breakfast and they drive us to the airport! That is what this week will intel. That is how they send missionaries home in this mission. 

We have one new investigator. We helped some people that are relatives of a less active member. We have helped them with various service, so we have a pretty good relationship with them, and it all started with service. We drove by their house and saw them outside, so we stopped and visited with them for a while and taught a lesson, it was a good lesson. Very good questions and real intent. 

Even though last week was long and this week will probably be a little longer. We got some work done last week. We had dinner at a members house. He had some family over from Saudi Arabia. They are members of the church, but they are not allowed to worship how they wish. They have to do it in secret, all of the members do. They have normal police and "Religious Police" Proselytizing is forbidden there. No one is allowed to talk to others about religion unless they are asked and have permission from the person. Sometimes it is a trap, someone may come up to you and ask you questions, and you cannot reply unless you have their permission. You are always being watched over there. When they were talking to us about that they said that we are so blessed to be able to have that freedom. So count your blessings and enjoy that freedom of religion, because it is really so nice to be able to walk down the road in Sunday dress walking to Church. It was really an eye opener for me talking with them and about their lifestyle that they have to live. They are originally from Spain but moved for work reasons (oil industry).

I enjoy and I am thankful for the freedoms that I have in the Country that I live in. Even though other countries are kicking missionaries out, or taking Jesus out, the Church will continue to grow! I have seen it here in Calgary when they added a new stake, years ago Calgary was only 2 or 3 stakes now we are at 7 stakes. (use to be 6). 

The missionary workforce is stronger then it use to be and growing too! Tanner you will be on the front line for the Church, you will be a missionary, a representative of La glesia de Jesucristo de los santos de los ultimos dias! You will help others come unto Christ and experience the same joy you have, they will never forget you! 

Thank you so much for the love and support and for your prayers, I’m so excited to see all of you on Friday! 

Jully 11, 2016

Last week was a lot better than the previous week. You'll see why later on in this letter. 

But before I forget, I want to tell you something. There is a guy that moved into our ward. He is a member, a little older but not too old. He's retired, and he is a really nice guy. But for some reason he reminds my of you dad. We went over to visit him and we have visited him a few times at church activities. This guy has done a lot of things in his life. He’s been in the militarily, owned a business, he has taught classes, and so on. He has lots and lots and lots of stories. All of them are about him and what he’s done, and the life that he has lived in his glory days. For some reason the last part of my description reminds me of you dad, talking about the glory days, and all the things that you have done as a kid. Its weird that I made that connection.. hahah 

Independence Day here was okay. I know it was better in the states than it was here. After dinner we went on splits because we double booked ourselves. I stayed here in Claresholm to teach a less active member with a member, Elder Smith went to another town with the elders quorum to help someone move in that is a former investigator in a neighboring mission. We will help out with round 2 tonight. It seems like all I talk about in my letters is all of the moves that I have done. 

We helped out a non member that we can soon start to teach. All we did was clean off the driveway that had a bunch of TVs and a grill, some couches and a bed went to the landfill too. 

On Wednesday we had one last lesson with Grant before he goes off for two weeks for counseling, he will get back on the 29th. I think that this should help him.

We have two new investigators, they are unbaptized children over the age of 9. It is going to be a little hard teaching them because the parents do not come to church, and the 11 year-old son loves video games and is always wasting time playing something. When we are there to teach the games go off, same with the TV. I asked the mom about the kids getting baptized, she said that it was their choice, they can choose. The baptism is not going to happen in the next two weeks, it might happen in September.   

We had interviews with the mission president. Those went well. I have one last and final interview this week. It will be my departing interview. 

We were going through our former investigators and we went by one. We got a return appointment and taught them that week. Berry is a very very smart guy. He has studied most religions and has read much about our church. Jesus the Christ, Doctrine and Covenants and so on. We will be meeting with them this week to answer one of the questions that he has, and some concerns. One of the questions was about the great apostasy. Did the 3 Nephites have the priesthood during the great apostasy, because if they did they could continue the Church where it left off.  We found the answer for him, will will see him on Friday. So there are two more investigators last week. Total we had 4 new investigators last week. 

Thank you for the email, it is crazy to think that next week will be my last email. Maybe I will not send anything. Maybe you will have to wait to see me.. haha . 

Love you all, 

How is marking the Book of Mormon that I told you to do months ago, marking anytime it reference to Jesus Christ? 

The book of Mormon is the most important tool for conversion, once you get a testimony of that, then you know that the Church is true.  

July 4, 2016

July 4

My week sounds like the same as your week.. long and tiring. 

This week was probably one of the worst weeks as far as numbers go hahaa. 

We moved apartments. So there was a lot of packing, and things to clean, and packing, and moving. It was a long and dread-some move. But we got it all done, and the place that we moved to is really nice, a lot bigger, and an upgrade. That move occupied most of all of our time. I am so glad that it is over. 

We did not move far from the last house, we are still on the West side of town, we moved to an apartment complex on the top floor, moving the beds, and furniture and, desks were a challenge.The move was still smooth we had some the the youth to help and one of the members brought his truck and horse trailer. I’m thankful for their help because there is no way we are able to fit all of our stuff in our Chevy Cruze.  

We did not meet with many of our investigators. We met with Grant once, it is going to be longer before he is baptized. 

 July 1 was Canada Day, they had a small celebration in this small town that I’m in. They had a few blowup bounce houses and an animal petting zoo. We saw the fireworks from our window. They were really sad, nothing like the American fireworks that they do on the 4th. I got some pictures of the fireworks here. 

Dallin and Tanner you have a  very nice job, that makes me want to work for this guy during the summer. He sounds nice and has a lot of work to do. What better person to work for him than I! haha:)

The house is progressing so well. I can’t wait to see it with everything moved in. 

Dad I have a scripture for you in response to your email. Please look up Romans 10:15. :)

- 

-Elder Condie

June 27 2016

Had a good week, we met with Grant a few times. He is still doing good, and he is getting closer and closer to baptism. It seems like after each visit we get this close to getting him on date! His wife is supportive of him, Grant said that his wife is willing to give up coffee with him. Closer and closer. We have been meeting with him every morning at 8:30 for about 2 weeks now, and that has really helped him. When we go over there in the morning I can tell that there are a lot of things going on in his mind, but after visiting with him, and reading the Book of Mormon, and watching some Mormon Messages he just looks a lot happier. The spirit comes into his home and it makes a difference, it will make a difference in anyones home. 

We are moving! Imagine that! I guess our Landlord does not like us anymore. haha No that’s not the reason. His daughter is going to move in. We are moving to an apartment this week. This is going to be the third time that I have moved apartments on the mission! It’s sad because I have to pack everything up and unpack and then after that I will be packing again! So it’s great I guess because this will help so i know what things i will and will not be taking home because of luggage weight. 

We also did some service for our Landlords. They are members. 

Donna came to church again. We met with her last week, and that lesson went okay. We told her that we were speaking in church and that she should come, and she did. She only stayed for the first hour. We were asked to talk for about 7 minutes each to fill the time for someone that was not able to make it. We talked about the joy that we have experienced when sharing the Gospel. 

We have a Prospective Elders list that we got from the ward clerk. There was this one guy who we have been trying to see, and we knocked on his door about 4  different times before he answered and we were able to get a return appointment. That day came around, and we knocked on the door and he let us in. We got to know him and left with a return appointment and message. He’s a great guy, he just needs some help and the Gospel back in his life. 

It will help him, the Atonement is so real, it’s there and it works. 

Two P-days ago we went golfing in Pincher Creek. That was a lot of fun. It is a hard course.     

There are some less active families that we have been working with. One of them invited us for dinner. We had deep fried ribs, wings, bbq beans roasted potatoes, it was so so good! It is sometimes hard working with less actives when they once were a member and fully active but then they do not want anything to do with coming back to church. 

Another less active family we have been seeing has 2 unbaptized children. We went over there, and I talked to them about the children and how they are not baptized. I asked if it would be okay for us to teach their children the lessons so they can be baptized. She said that it was up to them, she will let the children choose, so maybe by this week we will be able to met them and start teaching them. 

June 13 2016

I dodged the biggest bullet of the week. I am not getting transferred. I’m staying in Claresholm with the same companion, Elder Smith. Transfer calls come out on Tuesday night by the Zone Leaders. We were keeping in contact with other missionaries in the zone to see where they got transferred too. The Pincher Creek elders texted us saying where they where going, but we still did not get a call, so I called the Zone Leaders asking what’s going on. They said that nothing has changed for us, so I’m staying in Claresholm for the reminder of the mission.

I have missed all of you! Not just this past week but throughout the whole mission! Love you all! Thank you for all you do and for your prayers, I have felt them and it has given me strength through out the days, and days to come. Thank you for the emails it is really something to look forward to every week.  

Every morning we have met with Grant, we have been doing some of our studies with him. I have really enjoyed it, and it has really helped Grant too. He has been smoke free for 7 days now, which is an amazing answer to prayers. 

We will continue to meet with him throughout this week. I also got a haircut, thought that you should know. I look pretty good. haha. 

I was able to do a baptismal interview for someone in the district. There were two baptisms yesterday that we went to for a 10 year old and an 8 year old. That was really nice to go to and to interview one of the kids, his name was Marcus. 

So we are moving apartments, and it will be kind of an upgrade for us, we have been living in the basement suite of a members home, which is a nice place. I love it. But we have to move out because their daughter sold their house and they need somewhere to stay. Fortunately there is a older sister in our ward who is serving a mission in Cardston so she is going to move down there for the time being, so we may be moving into her home for that time. We will have the whole house to ourselves! 

This Saturday I shook the hand of President Nelson! He came here to Canada along with some other Seventy, namely Elder Bassett and his wife and Elder Sowez and his wife, along with some body guards. I was not able to shake the hands of the body guards.  That was cool, I think that will be fun to do after I retire, work for Church Security. haha 

One of the things that I really liked that President Nelson said was: 

The secret to happiness is freedom. 

The secret to freedom is courage

I think that is right on. That is so true. 

Mom you might think this is funny. So I have bunch of pictures in my bag of the mission and back home, we were at a dinner appointment at an older couple's house and somehow we got  talking about when I crashed into the truck at age 5. I had that picture and showed them, and of course sister Hirchie wanted to see more pictures. So I showed them the picture that you sent of Callie’s baptism with Tresa and Grandma in it. I pointed out who all was who, and when I pointed to you and said that was mom, she did not believe me! She said “that’s not your mom, that’s a hot chick!” She did not believe how skinny you were after having 5 kids, and how young you looked.

Love you all.