Tanner's Mission Experiences

From returning from a foreign country we were all required to be in self-quarantine.  Your dad continued to work and just monitored his health closely.  The rest of us including Tyson hung out at home for two weeks together.  The weather was gorgeous and it was actually quite a pleasant experience!  You originally planned to stay until my birthday (the 19th) but ultimately decided to drive to Utah when Tyson left so he could help transport your stuff.  It was great having you boys home but once you've had a taste of independent living, it's hard to go back to being at home.  We totally get that.  We will take what we get, when we get it!  Welcome home Tanner!  It's wonderful to have the whole Pace family back in the same country together!  (Brittany made the computer graphic rendition of our family for my birthday)

Since we have been having church services at home for the past three weeks and for the next forseeable future, we decided to do a video of Tanner's homecoming to post for family and friends.  He wanted to do it in a "Face to Face" style where he answered questions.  I reached out for people to submit questions and then we compiled a list, grouping similar questions together.  He actually spent an hour answering the different questions but he did a great job and I enjoyed listening to his experiences and his testimony. Then later that day 14 ward families came by waving and honking their horns and calling out from their cars to welcome Tanner home.  It wasn't the typical homecoming we have come to expect BUT it was still wonderful to celebrate the service of this young man with loved ones! Sister Waite, a photographer from our stake, was doing a "Front Porch" project where she would drive by and take a picture from a distanc...

What a rollercoaster of emotions this whole process was.  Tanner told me on Monday that he was being sent home early.  Then he told me he was joking.  Tuesday he called me to tell me the joke he told me on Monday was actually true.  Then on Friday he called sounding very discouraged that he wasn't going to be able to get out because they canceled the flights.  I was worried because he had mentally switched gears to coming home and I knew trying to transfer back to a mission mindset might be difficult for him.  Plus there was a possibility that if he wasn't able to get out now he might not even be able to come home at his scheduled May 19th time. I know we are able to call on help from beyond the veil so I prayed that if possible my dad could be sent to help comfort Tanner.  I know my dad was so proud of Tanner for making it through his mission and was shocked that he was able to handle such a diffic...

Wow, we are living in interesting times aren't we! I never imagined that while on my mission I wouldn't be able to invite people to church! ha! When my mission president called me with the update of church members no longer meeting in the meeting houses I was nervous. I was thinking wow, if the coronavirus is big enough to close meetings worldwide then I wonder how dangerous it really is. I started to worry for my family, I began to be confused as to what can I  do now as a missionary. I started to worry about the possibility of American borders closing down and  being stuck! Reasonably I was worried, anxious, and a little discouraged. It's not easy to go out to proselyte and have people yell "Coronavirus" at you because your a foreigner. It's not easy to teach people the message of the restored gospel and when they ask, "When do you worship", you have to say, "Well, right now we are currently closed, but we will get back to you", ha...

We got Tanner's flight plans today: 14 February 2020 Dear Brother and Sister Pace, Elder Tanner Scott Pace will return home soon. We want to make sure that those who will greet him will know when and where he will arrive. Following are the flight plans for  Elder Pace: 19 May 2020  (Tuesday) Depart Kumasi 7:25 am (Flight AW 101)        Arrive Accra (Kotoka Intl) 8:05 am Depart Accra 10:30 pm (Flight AA 6414)          Arrive London (Heathrow Intl) 6:15 am (Wed 20 May) 20 May 2020 (Wednesday) Depart London 9:15 am (Flight AA 047)           Arrive Chicago (O Hare Intl) 12:00 pm Depart Chicago 1:51pm (Flight AA 3079)       Arrive Salt Lake City 4:32 pm                        ...

Hey Everyone,   I know, I know, it's been a long time. But the way we humans tend to measure the value of things is by how rare the item or thing might be. So really all I'm trying to do is increase the value of these emails. So if your wallet is lookin thin this morning, be careful, this is a million dollar email! HAHA, So yeah it's been decided, I'm flying into Utah. Like the mission has already purchased the ticket and everything. So If anyone is reading this email and will be in Utah from May 20th to May 27th then hit me up. Like seriously, I'm pretty sure upon arrival I will have no friends in America apart from my family. So if you want to go bowling, or watch Black Widow, or jump inside of a moving elevator then let me know. Hahaha  So yeah quick update on the life of Elder Pace.  1. I started to keep a journal for the year of 2020. So yeah maybe I'm a little late, maybe a few things of my mission will be lost, But just like the Book of Mo...

Hello Friends,  Afishapa!! That translates into Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I have been listening to Christmas music a lot and I especially love the song that reads, "its the most wonderful time, of the year."... This is definitely a true and accurate statement, and as I reflected on why this is my thought lead me back to my Savior.  Christmas is about Christ, and it pains me when I see His name replaced with an X. If you have fallen given into this disrespectful temptation by placing this on social media posts, or text messages, or even posters, then I would invite you to quickly repent and put Christ back into your Christmas and lives.  That is not the only way we take Christ out of Christmas however. It is so easy to get caught into the worldly aspects such as presents, decorations or even delicious food, that we might even forget the origin of this joy.  Even I almost got caught up on this recently as I was planning an activity for s...

Hello friends!. I don't have much time but I will give you all a quick update. Right now I am in Dichemso, and I love it. So far in this area I have experienced 4 baptisms and 2 more are soon to come. My first companion in this area was Elder Vaka from Tonga, but now I am with Elder Bressler from America. I am sooo happy to be with him because spending my last Christmas with an American will be sweet. Today we went to the mall and another store and got some decorations to totally deck out our room!!!!  I love Christmas because it truly is the most wonderful time of the year. As members and Christians we know why. It's because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. and on this season where we celebrate His birth it helps us turn towards others in love, kindness, and charity. There is no better time than this to celebrate the birth of the greatest of us all. I LOVE CHRISTMAS! Love, Elder Pace

We didn't get an email but we got a video call on Thanksgiving day (Nov 28).  Tanner was able to connect us with Tyson and Brittany as well so all of us were able to see each other and talk together for the first time in I don't know how long!!!

Whats up friends! Long time!!! I'm not going to lie, I hate doing group emails, but I love all of you and I'm sure some are waiting for a quick update! haha.  This week was a very great one! To start off my week I went on an exchange with one of my good friends on mission and it was a blast! After that we had a district council and the sisters shared with us how they are really struggling in their area, so we were blessed with the opportunity to go and help them in their area with a mass contacting. I recently went to their apartment to drop off supplies and asked them if they found any success from it. They said with so much energy and enthusiasm yes! Even one of the people found during this activity was a person previously investigating the church. They said they are now teaching the entire family and they want to be baptized! WHAT A MIRACLE!  My companion and I were also blessed to go to a meeting with the mission president. This meeting consisted...

Hello Friends, It was made known to me that some of you all back home got different vibes from my letter a few weeks ago than I was going for. I guess there were a few lines that made some come to the conclusion that I am having a hard time or that I'm depressed. I promise you all that I'm not depressed nor am I having a difficult time haha. I am actually the happiest I have ever been and I am just as enthusiastic and optimistic about my mission as I was since day one. The purpose of those few lines talking about some days it's harder to get out of bed or on my own I'm not enough, was not to be taken as a cry of despair however the counter part attached to those sentences telling how i constantly overcome those feelings was meant to be the main focus. I was hoping that the reader would take away from that email an underlining message of always turning to God by doing the little things. Those examples of hardship on mission were given to add imagery to th...