#Idoexist

4/4/16
Hey Mahm and Dad, 

I think that those photos prove that I #Exist.  Any ways the photos are of me and Elder Vi... (the brown one) and the baptism of Gio... We baptized him in the river behind his house. But the problem was that it was not deep enough. So we went and dug a hole in the river bed. But in the end, I still ended up baptizing him sitting down. That was an awesome experience. The other pictures from the river are of the family of Gio... and of the Elders from the area next to ours. Elder P And Elder R, both from Utah. The pictures of me and two other Elders holding a flag are from the change meeting we had. The white one is Elder W. He was also trained by Elder Go.. So he is my "Brother" in the mission.  Anyways, I love you guys.  Hopefully all the photos will make up for the crappy letter. We had to go visit some members, so it didnt give me a lot of time to write. My favorite confernce talk was Elder Holland's talk.

Love and miss you guys 

Elder Tagg

4/11/16

Maham y Daddy-O

How's it going in the States you rich peoples? Hahah!

This week was awesome! We did some good work. We found lots of people that will be baptized this month. We found two really positive families that I am sure will be baptized. One of the families is really poor because the 80 year old Mom is the primary care giver. Her husband died and all three of her sons have autism or down syndrome or something like that. Anyways they barely have anything, but we were able to get them some help through the Bishop's Storehouse because one of the sons was baptized a while back. It felt really good to help them. I almost cry every time we go to their house. Anyways they are really receptive to the Gospel. If the Mom gets baptized her sons will follow her, so that is awesome. It's really good to see how the Gospel can changes lives. Anyways we are working hard. I realized this week I really love the people here and I love what I am doing. 

So about the kidnapping thing. We also had to go and stay in the house after conference like the Elder you heard about. I still don't know what happened, but we are fine and I am still in the mountains. 

To answer your questions I DID get two packages this week.  I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I loved it! Haha you are awesome Maham. The branch is really good. One perk about being in charge of the branch is that we get to go to The TEMPLE every month. We will go next on the 16th of this month. My comp and I are doing really great. He is awesome. One thing I have learned from him is to be charitable and love everyone, no matter what. I always see him giving his stuff to people in need, even though he comes from a really poor family and he doesn't have a lot of stuff. He is always giving to those in need. I really love that about him and am trying to learn this too. My testimony is good. I am being good. The hardest thing about being a missionary is having to eat the freaking corn tortillas every dang day. They taste so bad and get soooo old. I am always a little homesick, but I don't really think about it that much, hahah.

Freak Dad that's a weird dream. I have also been having weird dreams where I go home but I hate it because I feel like I should be in the mission field hahahah. Ever since I got to Guatemala I've remembered my dreams and have been having weird ones.

Anyways, it's kinda late. I love you guys 

Elder Tagg

PS The pictures are of me in the mountains, me at a zone meeting, and me with a blue tongue because of the candy you sent me hahah. 

Elder Tagg's previous companion (former Branch Pres)

Add caption

I think this means we don't produce this product except to sustain a life of valor...

Elder Tagg is somewhere in there!

Peek a Boo.  It's an Elder!

stick bug!

digging a font

I think they have the same barber!

looks like fun!

LOVE this

Happy Day

The Elder on the left is Evan's companion

Semana Santa

March 21 2016

Hey guys! This week has been pretty weird. First of all, I did know Elder Fifita. He was the assistant to the President when I was born (first day on the mission). He was awesome everyone loved him. He was murdered in LA on the way back from a church activity. Super sad. He had been home for like 5 months. They don't know why he was murdered. They think It was just senseless. Also this week an Hermano from the branch died. His daughter didn't tell us until the day of the funeral. So none of the members could go to... So she got real upset and said she was going to stop going to church even though she was inactive in the first place. It's sad really. She let a little thimg get in the way of her salvation. What ever... it's on her.

Anyways this week (besides all of that stuff) was good. We found some really cool people that could be baptized...But we're gonna have to work hard with some of them to get it done. We are going to do it. 

Me and my comp are getting along really well. I feel like with Elder Wil... (a Gringo),  my Spanish got worse because we would always speak English. But now that I'm back with a Latino comp, it's a lot better. I think Elder Wil... just dulled my senses a little bit. But now I'm back to full swing. Hahaha

Anyways,  this week is Semana Santa. It basically is a week of Easters where they eat bread with honey and set off fireworks and remember Jesus... Also they make street art out of colorful dust. It will be awesome. Speaking of Easters my health is good no more diarrhea, but I do have to go to the doctor about my in-grown toenail that came back... And now that you mention it, since I've been up in the mountains, my hearing in my right ear hasn't been 100% But that's a story for another day...

Anyways, I love you guys and miss you

Elder Tagg 

Street art made of colored sawdust.  To be destroyed the next day during a parade of walkers. 

March 28th 2016

  

Hey guys this week was normal except for that the freaking UNITED STATES lost to the Guatemalans in soccer for the first time in 33 years. Everybody thinks it's really funny and laughs at me hahahah.... Ahhhh it's sad that we lost. Oh also this week was Easters so that would make it a not normal week too. Here they don't call it Easter they call it the Semana Santa. Basically what that means is that nobody works they all go to the beach and get drunk.  Then on Sunday they all go to church. Pretty great right?  Another thing that they do here is they paint the roads with colored saw dust. It's pretty cool but then the next day they destroy all of it. Hahahh, all that hard work- just gone.

Anyways this week work-wise was really slow because everyone leaves. And, in this area you really need taxis to get out to all the little towns where all the people are and this week none of the taxis where working. So we didn't have as much to do and the week went by really slowly. Aside from the work being slow our investigator, Gio....  that we were going to baptize... Well his grandpa died, so we didn't get to baptize him in March. But that stuff happens I guess. 

This week I have seen how hard it is to be a church leader.  A lot of stuff went down and we had to deal with it all. It was pretty stressful... So because my comp is the branch president our calling is first for the members and less actives, and second to baptize. But one of our zone leaders doesn't understand this, even though we have explained it a bunch of times. He has been reporting that we haven't been working just because our stats are low because we are competing with our calling of working with the members and the less actives. Anyways some stuff happened there and with the death of the member. Everything has been a little crazy and we have to deal with all of it. I miss just being a regular missionary. But changes are on Wednesday so we will see what happens. I don't think I'lll have changes, but who knows. 

Anyways I haven't gotten any packages. I don't know if they are in the office and they just haven't told me anything or if they are lost in cyber space.. How long ago did you send them? 

for right now I don't need anything, but thanks. I'll let you know when I do.. 

The New York trip sounded fun even though I wasn't there.  I know you guys can have fun without me and Nathan, it will just be harder... hahaha 

love you guys and miss you!

Elder Tagg

A Little Testimony

Hey Mahm and Daddy'o 

How is everything going? Everything here is pretty good. I got my new comp his name is Elder Villacis he has 13 months here. He is the new Branch President. I'm not too disappointed because they made me the 1st and 2nd counselor, and being President is a butt ton of responsibility. But yea my comp is cool he is from Ecuador hes 22 years old and likes long walks on the beach. Any ways he's cool and we are preparing 5 people to go through the temple and be endowed, 2 couples to get married, and 2 people to get baptized. We went back with Gio... and everything is good he gonna be baptized this Saturday. I guess he just got s little freaked out last Saturday. But yea that's pretty much everything. If everything goes well with the couple we are marrying this week, then I will be able to go to their sealing in a year and be a witness. That would be freaking awesome.

Thanks to you guys the activity was great we ate pollo asado... 

Well I don't know what else to tell you guys so here is a fun fact: the word they use here for handcuffs is esposas which is also the word for wives hahha, I found that pretty funny. 

Also a little testimony... 

I know this gospel is true. I can say that for sures now.  I don't think that I left with that knowledge, But I've got it now, so that's what counts I guess. I love our Savior Jesus Christ because through him I don't have to suffer for my sins. I know that without Him we are nothing. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it was translated through the  modern day prophet Joseph Smith. I love this gospel and I love my mission... In the name of Jesus Christ amen.

Sooo sorry but this week I can't send pictures again. We gotta start going to another Internet cafe where I can send them...

Love you guys and miss ya 

Elder Tagg

Feeling the Spirit

2/19/16
Maham y Daddy-O

Hey guys This week was pretty good. But I'm feeling kinda sad cause I haven't baptized anybody in a little while. But the good news is that we have two baptisms lined up for the 5th of March. Here in Tejutla the missionaries have only baptized 2 in the last year, so I'd say our baptisms are basically miracles. Presidente Ruiz still hasnt recieved his answer if I'm going to be Branch President or not. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that I'm not going to be... we will see the 30th of March I guess, or if he decides to tell me before then. Hahaha.

The two baptisms that we are going to have are of two kids of a member that haven't been baptized yet. One of the names is Gio.... who is12. He is awesome and ready to get baptized. The other ones name is Jer... who is 8 years old. Usually when there is an unbaptized 8 year old that is the son or daughter of a member, the baptism counts for the ward or brach. But since he wasn't in the system, he counts as a convert for us. So he is a miracle for us. Anyways they and all my investigators are doing really well... President Ruiz told us that if we baptize 10 people in the month of March he will put a story and a photo of us in the Liahona magazine... That woould be awesome, but it's gonna be a little difficult. But we already have 2 for sure baptisms this month. I'll let you guys know how it goes. 

The Philippine trip sounds awesome Maham. The pictures you sent make it look really nice compared to Guatemala. How 'bout we have a contest this week?  Whoever can find the most disgusting thing in the street wins. We shall exchange photos next week... I shall win! Hehehehe.... even though I didn't take a picture of the dead dog on the side of the road that we found yesturday haha.

This week I was having a little trouble feeling the spirit I don'y know why. Usually I almost always feel it. But I don't kow what happened this week... Any tips?? 

Keep on keeping on. I love yous guys...

Elder Tagg

3/6/16

This week was pretty interesting. Lots of stuff happened. First of all, President took our whole zone out for lunch. We had this Guatemalan version of steak. I thought it was pretty good... But apparently my body didn't, because on the hour and a half bus ride home, I threw it all up out the window of the bus. I almost hit Elder Wil... with the throw-up, because he was sitting in between me and the window. When we got off the bus, like the whole side of it was covered in my puke. It was pretty awesome... but I wouldn't recommend it. 

Anyways that happened. We also had two baptisms this week of two kids of less actives that needed to be baptized... So that was cool. Their names are Ger... and Ca... We were going to have one more, but at the last second, Gio... (another that was supposed to get baptize) did not come... So this week we need to go see what happened and then baptize him this next week. Keep him in your prayers. 

Another thing that happened was we found out presidente Wil... (my companion)  is going to have emergency changes because he has been in Tejutla for 8 months already. So President called a new Branch Presisent. His name is Elder Vil... and I'm going to train him. He comes on Wednesday. I wanted to stay with Wil...  because he's pretty cool and we get along really well. But I guess that's not what President has in mind... Whatever makes President happy I guess. Hahha. Also President has told us that they are opening an new mission in Guatemala and that it will take some areas from our mission. So whoever is in those areas will be apart of the new mission I think though that it won't open until the new President comes and by that time I'll have almost a year and who knows where I will be. But Tejutla will definitley be a part of the new mission. So that is pretty exciting.

Anyways that is pretty much it. Thanks for the advice and everything. Love you guys

Elder Tagg

PS Still having troule with the pictures sorry 

Fleas in my Bed

2/15/16

Hey Maham y Daddy'O,

This week was pretty good here in las tierras frias (the cold lands). The area is pretty different than the coast were I was in Malacatan. For example, all of the areas are really far away and we can't go to them all the time so the investigators sometimes can't progress like they need to. Something that my first comp Elder Go... told me when we were at the change meeting is that Tejutla is a special area and that I need to have a lot of patience and a lot of faith. So that's what I'm doin' I guess. Just going with it...

By the way, Elder Go... finished his mission. At this last change meeting he went home. So that happened. 

But other than that Tejutla is good.  The branch is growing. Elder Wil... has 7 months here, so he is about to finish his calling as branch president. So that means I might be president. I don't know if I'm ready but I'm going to try anyways. Elder Wil... is an awesome guy. We get along really well. He isn't like a 'Peter Priesthood' type, which is good, because I'm not either. You can't be like that and have fun on the mission... Which I think is something really important. You have to know how to have fun but still live within the rules. He and I have mastered that. We are going to do some good work here. Elder Wil... says that sometimes being branch president is really hard because he has to do interviews and carry all the weight of all the members that confess their sins to him. He tells me sometimes he feels inadequate because he is 19 years old and they are 60 year old men coming in to tell him their sins, and he has to help them. I don't know if i would be able to do that.... We will see. 

Anyways it's awesome that Brother Dyer is coming back and that he knows San Marcos. The bad part is that Tejutla is like a city an hour and a half drive away from the main city. I have not gotten the package with the shoes. I think it might be in the office but I'm not sure. If you could send some warm clothing (anything at all would be awesome). But I don't think I'll need a coat. Thanks guys. Love ya so much. 

I'll be sure to write Niko, Bro Dyer, & Audrey 

Love and miss you guys 

Elder Tagg

2/22/16

Maham y Daddy-O

Hey guys! How's it going? This week was a pretty normal one. We got all the fleas out of my bed, so that was a good start to my week. The red itchy dots are going away and I feel better... but I still got a little bit of a cold. 

My comp is from Arizona. No one here feeds us, we make our own food. I have been making a lot of macaroni and eggs-in-the-middle-of-toast. It's pretty good. I prefer this than chicken everyday from members. Now I don't have to wash my own socks, but the lady that washes our clothes is a less-active so we have to wash our own garments. I have gotten some sweaters from some 'pacas' here. Those are like thrift stores. The people here literally take all the clothes that we donate and they sell them.  It kind-of makes me a little mad actually. Like they are taking advantage of our donations or something.

Anyways we got lots of investigators that are doing good and stuff like that. We are going to have a lot of baptisms in March or at least we should. We have at least 4 that are progressing and on course for baptism this month. 

President still hasn't told me if I'm going to be president of branch. He is still waiting to get an answer from the Lord.

One thing exciting that happened this week is I completed 6 months on my mission. So I  burned a tie. It was pretty cool because the tie I burned was a special one. The story behind it is I wore a tie I really loved to a multi-zone meeting, and president's wife said it was too flashy and it called attention away from my face. So she took it and gave me an ugly as crap one instead. So I burned the one they gave me... It was crappy that they took my tie, but I got 'em back by burning the one they gave me. Ahahahahah

That was pretty much every thing that happened this week. The package with the shoes in it is in he office. I'm just waiting for some one to bring it to me thanks so much Maham. Love ya.

I miss and love you guys

Elder Tagg

Burning a tie

Elder W

Crazy! 

New Area! Tejutla!

Hey Mahm y Daddy-O

This week was crazy first of all I had changes.  Elder Me... stayed in San Isidro and is now training a new missionary. I've been moved to Zona San Marcos, one of the 2 zones in the mountains. It is freaking cold here. Like you have to wear a sweater at all times so you don't die in the cold... Anyways my area is called Tejutla. It's a small branch that covers an area that takes two hours to get across in a bus... It's freaking huge... My comp's name is Elder Wi... Finally a GRINGO comp! Woooo! He has 18 months on his mission and he is the branch president of the Tejutla Branch, and technically I'm Senior Companion because when he got called to be Branch President they released him from being a missionary, but that calling is only for 6 months and he really still is an Elder. But anyways he is training me to be the next Branch President. President Ruiz told me that he still isn't sure if I will be the new Branch President, but that I should be trained as if I will be... But I don't know still. So right now I am learning how to be a Branch President and trying to learn the area too. But if I am the new branch president I'll be here in Tejutla for at least 6 months. So that's exciting. 

The one thing I'm discouraged about is that in the mountains here in Guatemala we don't baptize as much because the people here have more money and are more prideful. But I'm going to baptize here. Don't you worry. 

Thats sweet that you guys are considering going on a Disney cruise though.  I've heard they are really awesome and high quality. Where would you go?? Sucks that I can't go...  (this has definitely not been determined and our kids at home don't really know yet so... mums the word).

Hey guys since it's really cold here, I'm going to need to buy more sweaters and cold weather clothes.  It would be awesome if you could send me some money.

I love Yous Guys

Cuidase (Take care)

Elder Tagg

 In San Isidro on a water tank

 Me and Elder Med... in San Isidro on a water tank

Me and a 90 year old Guatemalan that has no health problems and can still read. He is awesome.

The view of Tejutla and mountains from my roof

Guatemalan Cowboys

Hey Mahm y Daddy-O 

How you guys doing? .... I'm doing pretty good.  I have a new comp is and his name is Elder Me... We were in the CCM together. He is senior comp and we are working really awesomely. This Wednesday are the official changes. (as opposed to emergency changes that happened last week). I have no idea what is going to happen, because Elder Me... only has a week in our area, and I have 4 and half months. So who knows what is going to happen. 

This week has been really crazy. We had a really good month as a mission. A little while ago we had an area 70 tell us that as a mission of 200 missionaries we can baptize 200 in one month and more. We have been trying for three months to reach this goal, and this month we have been fasting every Wednesday to reach this goal. We finally did it this month. We baptized and confirmed, as a mission of 200 missionaries, 203 people! I'm pretty sure we broke a record of some sort. I don't know. But it was pretty cool. 

To answer your questions about my health. I'm doing good. I'm staying healthy. But I'm pretty sure I'm still loosing weight. Members and investigators are telling me that I look skinnier, but IDK. I feel fine and I'm eating a lot. About the pills for malaria, I haven't taken one yet I'll get on that muy pronto.

I haven't gotten the package yet but I have faith. 

I love you guys and miss you. Pictures next week 

Love Elder Tagg

PS I have drunk soda with Guatemalan cowboys. Those guys are awesome!

The following are letters from his siblings (and his responses)

Dear Evan

Hello.  I hope you are doing well on your mission.  We went laser tagging at a place called Shadowland and I used a nick name.  My nick name for the game was Unicorn!  My rank at the end was 21 which is pretty bad but I had fun.  I stayed by Dad the whole time.  

I had a fun birthday party.  The theme was my favorite things.  Some of my favorite things that we did were: watching studio C, playing Jenga, making a Totoro stuffed animal and eating pizza.  It was really fun.  

Dad taught my Sunday school class today and he brought in an iron rod which was cool,  

The snow this week was fun.  We made hills in the front of the house and went down it on our sleds and snow boards.  There were 3 "slopes" one was called the oompa loompa with a steep drop.  Audrey is the only one who can do the oompa loompa on the snow board.  The other two slopes were called "sled hammer" and "tackle." 

Lucy and I had two play dates this week.  We bought matching necklaces that are in the shape of donuts.  They are our friendship necklaces.  

That's all for me!  Tell me what you did this week!  

Love you and miss you

bye

Eliza!  

PS They remodeled Cafe Rio and it's better!  

Brynbo! (a nick name for her)

Isn't the shape of a donut just a circle?? Love you. Have fun in the snow while I'm sweatin my bum off. 

Elder Tagg

Hey Evan

This is your sister Audrey.  Remember me?  I'm making tater tots right now so that's good.  They smell yummy.  This week was awesome!  We didn't have school for the entire week so that's amazing.  We did some pretty fun stuff that week so that's good.  On Monday & Tuesday we basically sledded the entire day and shoveled too.  Wednesday we went bowling at Walter Reed.  For the first time I didn't use the bumpers.  It was fun.  I beat Drew!  Thursday we went shopping at the mall.  Lucy came with us.  She's cute.  She just got her ears pierced.  Friday I went laser tagging for Brother Weaver's birthday.  Saturday I went ice skating with my friend Alexia and we had a ward potluck.  Alexia is really nice.  I'm in this group chat with some of my friends and they text SOOOOOO much.  One day I got 500 texts.  How are you? Are u teaching a butt load of crap about the gospel.

well my tater tots are done \

love ya

audrey tagg 

Aud Bod sounds like you having lots of fun and workinmg hard don't text too much 

Elder Tagg

Hi Brother

How are you?  How is the missionary work?  What are your biggest concerns at the moment? Are there any cowboys in Guatemala?  Do you drink a lot of soda?  Do you drink soda with Guatemalan cowboys? 

I'm good.  I'm getting ready to take the ACT.  I got a 26 on my practice test. The reading is the hardest for me.  I need to go faster.  

I shoveled 5 driveways including ours during the storms and made 105 dollars combined.  Some neighbors were more generous than others.  

I miss you

Drew 

Boobooli,  

Como estas hermano? Mio felicidades por todo que ha hecho en su vida estoy contento porque eres mi hermano y no puedo esperar hasta que tu tienes la oportunidad para servir su misión se que lo vas a amar te amo muchísimo y se que tu puedes entender lo que estoy diciendo por que eres tan pilas y ya sabes español... cuídate mucho y cuida por petrice ella ya esta viajita y no tienes que manejar la como yo le maneje ¿esta bueno? 

con mucho amor 

Elder Tagg

Translation: How are you my brother?  Much congratulations for all you have done in your life.  I'm happy because you are my brother.  I cannot wait until you have the opportunity to serve your mission.  You're going to love it.  I love you very much and I know you can understand what I'm saying because you're good at Spanish.  Take good care of my car Petrice. 

With much love

Elder Tagg