Tanner made it safely to Vancouver, Washington this morning! We did get to talk to him early this morning on speaker phone with all four of us squished into my bed, before he boarded his plane at SLC international. He said that he has learned so much at the MTC! He said that he decided he would be positive and he really loved his experience there so much! He said that he was really tired because they had been up packing and then were too excited to sleep much, before leaving the MTC at 3am to take public transportation to the airport. Mostly, he just sounded so happy!

Later today I got a text from the mom of one of his besties, that Blake and Tanner had found each other at the SLC airport as Tanner was waiting for his flight and Blake was waiting for his connecting flight! Blake flew out this morning from St. George for his mission in Columbia! What a tender mercy indeed!

Greater still, we got an email this evening from Grandma Honey, that a friend in her branch in Pine Valley had forwarded an email from her friend in Vancouver who happened to be helping with the welcome dinner for the new missionaries. (This whole stateside mission thing is awesome!!!)

She writes: Tonight I met a young elder at our mission home that just arrived from the MTC. I am on the mission home committee and serve at each transfer dinner. Will you share this with his grandparents Susan and Scott and family? This is a large group of 16 new missionaries. This is their arrival dinner in the mission home in Felida, Vancouver WA. He was in excellent spirits and very happy and friendly. He is in excellent hands with the mission president and AP’s. So warm and kind and love these missionaries!

Best Wishes, Peggy Goodwin, Felida Ward

She attached this letter from Tanner and a couple of pics :)

Thanks for the letter you guys sent me in the MTC! I’ll make sure to knock on every door on every floor! Love you guys and thank you for establishing this gospel in our family! I have come to love it so much in the past few weeks and I want to thank you for passing down the love of Christ! I love to think that I can be with my family forever because of him! Love you guys and I’m having a ball and can’t wait to invite all to come unto Christ!

Love your little Tanny boy – Elder Taysom