What a long strange trip it's been...

The views expressed in the following blog are Tanner's, and only Tanner's. They do not represent the views of the other contributors. If you find my opinion of you or your service unsettling, feel free to email me your concerns to me at kohlglass@gmail.com

Cheers,
Tanner

First of all, thanks and kudos to Glass for starting this blog; it will be great to reminisce a little and hear what you are doing now. This is Tanner, but you can call me Tanner. I served under the Karl Pope regime from Dec. 1994, until he left in June-ish of 1996. I then served under Pres. Peacock as part of the Japan Fukuoka Mission. I maintained my Ryukyu identity, however, by leading the Okinawa liberation front. I was trained by Johnson in Itoman. I learned a great many things from Johnny, such as how to fall gracefully on ones face off a balance beam 3 inches off the ground, and that it is, indeed, possible to forget to put on a tie before leaving the Apato. Johnny and I shared our apartment with Chesnut and Glass. Chesnut was very influential during my tenure as a missionary, and was a shinning example of member missionary work, and maintaining appropriate member-missionary relationships. From Itoman I transferred to Shuri where I killed Matsuoka. Matsu and I had many adventures fending the local hooligans off his bikes, we were rarely successful. He was, however, able to exact his revenge shortly before he died by stealing his bike back. If I remember correctly, he heroically cheered me on as I made a grab for the bike and rapidly rode away. Luckily for us, one of the miscreants had converted his basket into a back seat, so Matsu was able to ride victoriously back to the apartment in true Okinawan style. Matsu and I shared our apartment with Davis (the great Teflon protector) and Koga. Matsu died and was replaced by Baine, and Lowe replaced Davis. Those were good times. Baine and I worked like mad, unencumbered by trifles such as the ability to speak Japanese. Shortly there after, I was transferred to Oyama to be twice cursed with a dump of an apartment and to work with the Gunjins. I served with Field, though spent little time with him. Hunter had received his first bean, Elder Yancey, and since Yancey redefined the term “lemon” and Hunter was my district leader, we spent quite a lot of time on splits. Grant, who I served with for only a few months, replaced Field. I was transferred from Oyama to Okinawa shi to serve with Clark. We were in the same apartment as Cline and Wood. Clark either transferred out, or died, I can’t remember which, and I became Woods companion to serve, yet again, with the Gunjins. Hunter transferred in with his second bean, Estes, when I was made Wood’s companion. Estes, apparently, tried to out-do Yancey in the lemon department, and succeeded. So, as it turned out, I spent very little time with Wood, but rather went on splits with Hunter. From there I was transferred to Naha to serve with Denning. This was a good time for me as a missionary. I had a great companion and I shared the apartment with two good friends, Glass and Hodson. All good things must come to an end, however, and Tokuno replaced Hodson. Forever will Glass have my respect and admiration for his patience with Tokuno. I fear that Glass was the recipient of all the frustration that Denning and I caused little Tokuno to feel. Remember the time we put that roach on his futon? I didn’t know that a male that has been through puberty could squeal like that. Harmon transferred in to replace Denning. I had a good time with Harmon, though I lost count of how many times he assumed he knew where he was going and ended up on the wrong side of Naha.


After the Mission I attended California State University, Fresno where I received a BS in Biology. I then attended grad school, where I received an MS and PhD in Entomology (study of insects). My research deals mainly with the evolution of insect societies. I am currently a Post Doctoral Fellow at Utah State University.


I was married shortly after I returned from Okinawa to Annette Elvester. We now have 4 girls (beat you by 1, Cline) Ciera (8), Chloe (6), Brooke (3), and Autumn (1.75).

David Tanner
1130 West 400 South
Logan, UT
84321
commander.svimes@gmail.com