May 31st: On The Way Home

May 30th: A Note from Jesse Jones

Hi Mrs Tarbet, 

I hope I've found the correct contact for Logan's mom? (As soon as I got home I forgot the name he told me to contact) 

I would just like to say how much your son has helped me on his mission, he is an amazing missionary and an even better friend. 

I saw him off today at Transfer meeting ready for his flight tomorrow. 

It was an honour to meet such a well mannered, thoughtful and compassionate young man and I'm proud to call him a friend. 

I bet you cannot wait to have him home again! I will deeply miss him and cannot thank both your family and Logan for all he has done. 

Regards

Jesse Jones 

Shrewsbury Ward 

EMM

May 29th: A Note from Elder Masekaomeng

Hello Mr and Mrs Tarbet, 

I hope that you've had as wonderful week as we've been able to have. I'm Elder Masekaomeng, your son's last companion. I've only got good things to say about this transfer with him. He loves the gospel and all of you. He knows how to follow the promptings of the Spirit and earnestly seeks to help the people we've been called to serve from a driving, motivating love. We worked well together and I believe that the Lord has been able to use us well in preparing this plot of land for more work. I've been surprised by the successes he's had as he's gone to help people, they love the gospel and him.

     We laughed, we worked, we learned and we taught. We had a good transfer and I'm thankful I could spend it with him. I just finished training and I have to say, I'm happy that he shared his experiences with me. Honestly wish him and you all the best. The only unfortunate thing is that he didn't get that British accent I bet you were hoping he might come back with. Have a great reunion when you do. Hoping for the best blessings upon you and your family.

Elder Masekoameng
P.s. we're apparently known for being a bit quieter here in Britain, but Elder seems to have taken that a bit far :)

May 29th: Things I Will Miss and Things to Look Forward to

Things that I will miss most about my mission?

I will miss the people. I truly love the people of England. I have not gone anywhere that I have not met someone who has touched my life. One of the things from my Patriarchal blessing is that I will make friends here and I need to work to keep them for eternity. The first part has been fulfilled completely. I have made so many friends here. I love the people and I will miss them. I want to come back more than just in August.

Things that I am most excited about when I get home?
The people—that's kinda a copout, but it's true. The other thing that I will be excited for is probably the ability to access full information on numerous topics: Gospel, worldly, and otherwise. I want to be able to continue learning and growing. I look forward to being able to use all of the resources that there are. 

Elder Tarbet
Caelitus Mihi Vires
My Strength is from Heaven

May 26th: Pictures from the Temple

May 22nd—May 28th: The Grand Finale

Well my final week.

It has been a very good week. Monday, we had the chance to go see a waterfall with Jesse and then have dinner with Elder and Sister Bailey. Elder Bailey is a fantastic cook! He used to be a caterer and so he is very talented. He made us a really nice curry. It was good to spend a bit of time with them, they have been very good to me and I've come to care about them. I have generally come to care about the people of England. It's going to be hard to not see them. I'm going to have to find a way to come back to see them more that just in August. These people have become family to me. I truly love this country. 

On Tuesday, we had District meeting and I got to give my final training on the Atonement of Jesus Christ. It was good. In all fairness, I very likely will use if for my homecoming. It was a really fun training to prepare. It brought me to my knees a couple of times in gratitude for the gift of a Saviour. Wednesday, we had a street display in the town centre. It was my last one and it was a real struggle. I just couldn't seem to get anyone to stop and listen to me. I did get some really nice people—they weren't interested in our message, but they did stop for just a second. I remember one quite old fellow who stopped and told me how I was real example of what young people should be like today, that I was doing the Lord's work and then he said a little prayer for me. It was so sweet. He really made the rest of the display doable. I have come to really appreciate the people who are just genuinely kind. 

Thursday, we had a lesson with a young man named Kearen who is a friend of one of the YSA in the ward. We taught him at her family's house. He is super solid. He has been coming to church, seminary, and reading the Book of Mormon. His mom even told him that he needs to read the book. Then, after the lesson he actually invited us to come over and teach his parents some time. Sadly, the family wasn't at church this Sunday because of some health problems, so the other Elders will be teaching him soon! Friday was the Temple. That was a REALLY good day, We left at about 10:30 from Shrewsbury with the Baileys and we got there just after 12:30. We had lunch with the other missionaries and then we caught the 2:00 session. We then went into the Marriage waiting room (President knew exactly what he was doing, he put us in there on purpose) to talk a bit more about the temple and some of the symbolism. It was so good!!! I really loved it. It reminded me of the first time I went to the temple because we got through into the celestial room and there was President and Sister Ulrich waiting for each of us and embracing us. It was just like when I went through the first time and had my family standing there waiting for me. It was really special. We spent 2 hours after the session with President and the senior couples learning more about the temple and some of the symbolism of it. On the way home, there was a bit of an issue with the Baileys and so me and Elder Carre had to get a train home (never a dull moment on a mission). 

Saturday we started off the morning with a nice stake-wide game of football (soccer) that was bunches of fun. Probably the last I will get to play in this country (or possibly ever). It was great because Paul came and he played for a bit before his back packed out. It was his first time playing in about 10 years. It was fun. After we got back to Shrewsbury, we went down to a place called Luddlow which is the very most southern part of the mission. It is actually farther south of Birmingham and its suburbs. We met a really great man that joined the church some 40 years ago, but due to health and the distance to the church, isn't able to come anymore. We had gone to see him last week, but he wanted us to make sure that we came back for a dinner with him, so we went back. It was so good. He is 91 and so he has seen a lot. He was in the Navy in WWII and was a part of D Day. He has had just about every job under the sun from postman to factory and everything between. I love missions because you get to meet these great people. 

Sunday was Church and it was interesting for sure. Since they all knew that I was going home (I didn't announce it, the ward mission leader did), I had the assignment of sharing my testimony. The problem was that I started losing my voice on Thursday and after Friday night, it was gone. I then strained it talking in Luddlow because Rony is deaf-ish. I could only whisper. I have never heard it so quiet in that room before. It was really neat actually. I just whispered into the mic. I had to be very selective with my words because I couldn't get much out, so it was very short. My voice is seeming to make somewhat of a comeback today, I can talk, it's just a bit croaky and quiet. Sometimes it drops back to a whisper.

Well I love you all and look forward to seeing you on Wednesday! I never thought that 2 years would end, but now it has—I can't believe where it has gone.

Elder Tarbet
Caelitus Mihi Vires
My Strength is from Heaven

May 23rd: Manchester Bombing

Dear Parents, family and friends of our England Manchester Missionaries,

We are horrified by the terrible events that have occurred in Manchester last evening. We are saddened by the events of this tragic event. We have contacted our missionaries and found them safe and sound. All of our missionaries have been accounted for.  I have been in contact with the Stake Presidents and we have been informed that no members of the Church were injured in this serious explosion. Our hearts are filled with gratitude for angels watching over and protecting our missionaries. We love our missionaries and are so blessed to have them serve in our mission. Please continue to have us in your prayers as we strive to comfort and bless the families here in the EMM.

With Love and gratitude,

President and Sister Ulrich

President of the England Manchester Mission