Dear fam,
Howdy!!!!!!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE GRIFFIN!!!!!!!!!!!!! He sure is cute!!! I definitely have the five cutest nephews and niece in the world!!!!! He is the best thing that could of happened on friday the 13th!
This week was pretty cool! I am trying to draw more pictures in my scripture study to help me visualize and show symbols in the stories. This week I read about Jared and his family crossing the ocean. I drew water, with the barge and two sources of lights, and a whale, and the winds. To tell the truth, it helped me to see what was happening and it stuck with me a lot better than if I hadnt done it. The lights in the barges are like the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or Christ himself. They always light the way even in the darkest of situations. The whales that swam around the barge are like temptations. They are always there, and seem huge, but if we keep ourselves surrounded by the light of the Gospel we can overcome them. THey cannot really hurt us unless we leave our barge, or place of security (or holy place). The ocean represented the difficult times and trials that we all face. We have to do as the people of Jared and keep on trusting in the Lord. Even if we do not see where He is leading us, He does. Oh, and the wind are changes in life that sometimes scare us, but always lead us to where we need to be or what we need to learn or where we need to serve.
So, I have two funny stories. One, is proof that the Lord answers prayers. One day this week we had a couple of appointments in the morning so we studied outside after our appointments. I accidently left my agenda or planner on the bench in the park. Anyone that has served a mission knows that the planner is like the brain of a missionary!! I cannot remember all the things in the there, appointments, directions, phone numbers, notes, etc. So at night, when I realized I really did not have it, we prayed that I coud find it the next day. We passed by this little park, and there it was on the grass!!!! It was a little beat up (soaked, smelled of cologne, and the last couple of weeks we burned from a cigarette), but I found it!!! Heavenly Father is really funny with prayers lately. He answers them, but never in the way I expect (yes I found my planner, but I was not expecting to find it like that haha). He makes me laugh!
Second funny story. FIrst, what do you think could be the most random thing you could find first thing in the morning in the bathroom???? Well Hermana Jackson got up on Wednesday and went to the bathroom. She saw something dark in the toilet and thought, "ewwww," but then it moved. No, it was not a frog. IT WAS A MURSIÉLAGO AKA BAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ya a bat in the toilet. That was a little bit of a surprise to put it lightly. She went to tell her companion, hermana chavez from Peru, and her spanish was not in full gear. Her companion went to see what she was talking about and shouted, "oh my gosh!" So therefore, and six of us one by one came in and saw the bat in the toilet. Yes, it was alive. We did not know what to do, but Hermana Hallenberger loves animals. She got a tupperware container and fished it out of the toilet. Then she dried it off with some toilet paper and we let it free outside. To say the least we had an exciting morning that day!!!
I am learning how much of a sense of humor the Lord really has!!! One day we prayed that someone would come out of this house that we went to visit, some inactives. Well, someone came out, and told us that the peope we were looking for left and probably left because they knew we were coming! haha, yes the Lord answered our prayer just in a different way than we were expecting!
The biggest thing I learned this week, is that when times get tough and opposition is large, you just keep going. There is always a miracle around the corner or a lesson to be learned. Opposition is a good sign even if is super difficult. I am also learning to trust in the Lord´s path and not my own. When we pray for direction and He answers us, we better follow that counsel. Sometimes it is really hard, but the Lord sees the big picture!!!
I love you all un MONTÓN!!!!!!!!!!!
Love
Hermana Taylor
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
December 9, 2013
Dear Family,
WHOA!!!!!!!!! That is super fun with the freezing rain!!!! We do not have that here. Especially since it is summer. We got rain yesterday, and it was one of the strangest things because summer here should be super dry.
Cool story of the week. We are teaching a part member family. The husband, Victor, has been inactive for 10 years or more and his wife, Gladys, is not a member. We have eaten with their family lunch once. and dinner once. We went to teach them the first lesson to the whole family this time and emphasize the priesthood. She got baptized in another church when she was 15, so she did not understand why she would need to get baptized again. We had a great lesson, but at the end when we invited her to be baptized she said, "I have been baptized already." Our hearts kind of dropped. Her husband tried to explain too, but she was firm still. We did not know what to do, so we invited her to kneel right there and pray and ask God if she needed to be baptized again. Well, she started praying and she said, "Father, I have a broken heart and a contrite spirit now. If I need to be baptized again, tell me." Then she started crying.
After the prayer she explained how she felt such happiness and like a hand was one her head during the prayer. She said that she had never felt like that, and felt such great happiness. It was amazing!!!!
This happened after we went the ENTIRE day contacting (we street contact almost always) and NO ONE wanted to listen to us. It was kind of hard. It seems like we go all day long every day, and at the end is when we find people that want to listen. I think the Lord is trying to teach us perseverance because everyday it is the very end of the day that we find people. I guess that can be true in life too. Sometimes we can try our very hardest, and we still have to wait to see the result. It does not mean that our efforts were in vain, it just means we needed to persevere to get the best result. In the end, it all works out as we trust in the Lord.
I am also learning that it does not matter if others accept my work, or think that I am doing a good job. It is the acceptance from the Lord that we are all looking for. Even though we do not have baptisms and investigators in the church every week, we feel and know that the Lord sees our work. He knows that we are working our hardest and that is what matters. We also know that we will find those golden investigators as we keep on looking. We just have to find them!
I hope that things are all going well for yall in the cold!!!! I have to say I do not envy your weather right now.Keep up the good work!!! Invite someone to church this week, or to a family home evening or dinner!!!!!!!!!! It will strengthen your faith, I know it!!!!
With a lot, a lot, a lot, A LOT, OF LOVE,
Hermana Taylor
WHOA!!!!!!!!! That is super fun with the freezing rain!!!! We do not have that here. Especially since it is summer. We got rain yesterday, and it was one of the strangest things because summer here should be super dry.
Cool story of the week. We are teaching a part member family. The husband, Victor, has been inactive for 10 years or more and his wife, Gladys, is not a member. We have eaten with their family lunch once. and dinner once. We went to teach them the first lesson to the whole family this time and emphasize the priesthood. She got baptized in another church when she was 15, so she did not understand why she would need to get baptized again. We had a great lesson, but at the end when we invited her to be baptized she said, "I have been baptized already." Our hearts kind of dropped. Her husband tried to explain too, but she was firm still. We did not know what to do, so we invited her to kneel right there and pray and ask God if she needed to be baptized again. Well, she started praying and she said, "Father, I have a broken heart and a contrite spirit now. If I need to be baptized again, tell me." Then she started crying.
After the prayer she explained how she felt such happiness and like a hand was one her head during the prayer. She said that she had never felt like that, and felt such great happiness. It was amazing!!!!
This happened after we went the ENTIRE day contacting (we street contact almost always) and NO ONE wanted to listen to us. It was kind of hard. It seems like we go all day long every day, and at the end is when we find people that want to listen. I think the Lord is trying to teach us perseverance because everyday it is the very end of the day that we find people. I guess that can be true in life too. Sometimes we can try our very hardest, and we still have to wait to see the result. It does not mean that our efforts were in vain, it just means we needed to persevere to get the best result. In the end, it all works out as we trust in the Lord.
I am also learning that it does not matter if others accept my work, or think that I am doing a good job. It is the acceptance from the Lord that we are all looking for. Even though we do not have baptisms and investigators in the church every week, we feel and know that the Lord sees our work. He knows that we are working our hardest and that is what matters. We also know that we will find those golden investigators as we keep on looking. We just have to find them!
I hope that things are all going well for yall in the cold!!!! I have to say I do not envy your weather right now.Keep up the good work!!! Invite someone to church this week, or to a family home evening or dinner!!!!!!!!!! It will strengthen your faith, I know it!!!!
With a lot, a lot, a lot, A LOT, OF LOVE,
Hermana Taylor
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
December 2, 2013 - Halfway Point!
Dear Family,
I LOVE YALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just wanted to make sure that yall knew that! Also happy thanksgiving a little late!!! I hope it was super delicious and that yall found a million things to be thankful for!!!!
So Wednesday I complete my halfway point, or nine months. It is tradition to take a photo like this in the mission (see below). Hermana Jackson gave me a soccer ball, so I just stuck it under my shirt. Companions from the MTC, and we still are in the same apartment, serving in the same ward haha. I cannot believe how fast the mission is going!!! I LOVE THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!!
One miracle we had, is that we left early sunday to pass for an investigator before church and bring him. In Chile every house has a gate, and normally we just shout, ALOH, and the people hear us. THis house was far back from the gate (they actually have a little bit of a yard) and our shouts just were not cutting it. We decided to pray, and I said all of two sentences asking that he could hear us and he came out (we did not finish the prayer until later). Unfortunately he told us that he could not come to church, but we forgot to pray for that (or we did not have time), so the Lord did answer our prayers haha. It was really great! The Lord has a sense of humor.
Something that I learned this week, is that I am super ungrateful. Thursday we woke up and went to a reunion for those new missionaries (Hermana Escobar is about to finish her training in a couple of weeks) and I have forgotten that it was thanksgiving. I was too consumed in myself and the people I needed to call and all the things we needed to do. One Hermana had to go home for health issues, and that made me really sad. I take the mission for granted. Really, Every single day is so precious! Later in the meeting, Presidente read from Job 1:20-22. Job lost EVERYTHING!!! All that he owned, his family, even his health. And in the midst of all this, he gave thanks to God for all the lord had given him. He knew that everything we have in this life is a blessing from God. EVERYTHING!!! He knew what gratitude really was. I realized that I am super ungrateful. I cannot complain about anything on the mission because I am so blessed to be able to serve! I see miracles, small and large, everyday, and am learning so much!!! That day, in our prayers (we always pray a lot during the day) we just gave thanks. It is really powerful giving thanks in prayer. I highly recommend it when you go to sleep tonight. Just give thanks. I promise your problems will shrink or maybe even disappear.
Thank yall for your prayers and support. I know without yall I would not be here in the mission. I am so blessed to have yall as my family and friends!!!! I LOVE YALL!!!!!!!!!
Today for p day we had a potluck thanksgiving. about 20 or 30 sisters in the mission came and it was really fun! Some of us played a little bit of soccer which is why we had shorts, and others skirts haha. It was super fun!!! Oh, here is a pic of Marisol and us at her baptism. The other one is her, with her 3 daughters, mom, and her friend that baptized her. We are super happy for them!!!
I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont forget your prayer of gratitude tonight!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Taylor
I LOVE YALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just wanted to make sure that yall knew that! Also happy thanksgiving a little late!!! I hope it was super delicious and that yall found a million things to be thankful for!!!!
So Wednesday I complete my halfway point, or nine months. It is tradition to take a photo like this in the mission (see below). Hermana Jackson gave me a soccer ball, so I just stuck it under my shirt. Companions from the MTC, and we still are in the same apartment, serving in the same ward haha. I cannot believe how fast the mission is going!!! I LOVE THE MISSION!!!!!!!!!!
One miracle we had, is that we left early sunday to pass for an investigator before church and bring him. In Chile every house has a gate, and normally we just shout, ALOH, and the people hear us. THis house was far back from the gate (they actually have a little bit of a yard) and our shouts just were not cutting it. We decided to pray, and I said all of two sentences asking that he could hear us and he came out (we did not finish the prayer until later). Unfortunately he told us that he could not come to church, but we forgot to pray for that (or we did not have time), so the Lord did answer our prayers haha. It was really great! The Lord has a sense of humor.
Something that I learned this week, is that I am super ungrateful. Thursday we woke up and went to a reunion for those new missionaries (Hermana Escobar is about to finish her training in a couple of weeks) and I have forgotten that it was thanksgiving. I was too consumed in myself and the people I needed to call and all the things we needed to do. One Hermana had to go home for health issues, and that made me really sad. I take the mission for granted. Really, Every single day is so precious! Later in the meeting, Presidente read from Job 1:20-22. Job lost EVERYTHING!!! All that he owned, his family, even his health. And in the midst of all this, he gave thanks to God for all the lord had given him. He knew that everything we have in this life is a blessing from God. EVERYTHING!!! He knew what gratitude really was. I realized that I am super ungrateful. I cannot complain about anything on the mission because I am so blessed to be able to serve! I see miracles, small and large, everyday, and am learning so much!!! That day, in our prayers (we always pray a lot during the day) we just gave thanks. It is really powerful giving thanks in prayer. I highly recommend it when you go to sleep tonight. Just give thanks. I promise your problems will shrink or maybe even disappear.
Thank yall for your prayers and support. I know without yall I would not be here in the mission. I am so blessed to have yall as my family and friends!!!! I LOVE YALL!!!!!!!!!
Today for p day we had a potluck thanksgiving. about 20 or 30 sisters in the mission came and it was really fun! Some of us played a little bit of soccer which is why we had shorts, and others skirts haha. It was super fun!!! Oh, here is a pic of Marisol and us at her baptism. The other one is her, with her 3 daughters, mom, and her friend that baptized her. We are super happy for them!!!
I love you all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont forget your prayer of gratitude tonight!
Con mucho amor,
Hermana Taylor
Monday, December 2, 2013
November 25, 2013
Dear Family
Hola!!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I hope you are all going to eat a bunch of turkey and mashed potatoes!!!! thanksgiving does not really exist here, but we might celebrate it next p day with some other sister missionaries. Today we went to climb san cristobal (a big hill in the middle of Santiago) but the workers are on strike. We played in a park for a Little bit instead. Tell everyone in Maryland, Grandma Billy Connie Chris erica Cristy and whoever else that I said Hi!
Well, hmmm what happened this week..............
MARISOL GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are pretty excited for her!!!! She just glowed all day saturday, and especially sunday. She got baptized in her Ward, but we had permission to go. We did not see her get confirmed, but she came to say hi in our Ward afterwards and she just glows! it was a pretty amazing experience. i did not understand the importance of baptism before the misión, but I am learning here. She truly has started a new life being baptized by someone who has the Priesthood authority of God. I am so happy for her!!!!
That was definitely the highlight of our week. The whole week we were preparing for it, and we truly saw miracles. sometimes I get caught up in details and forget the whole picture. the Lord always makes it so it Works out in the end, and sometimes it is hard to let go and trust Him. letting go of this control, or worry (I do not know what to call it) is hard. i still struggle with it, but He is helping me slowly but surely.
i learned this week also, that the time when people kind of start to bug you, is the time that you have to love them the most. They probably bug you because you are having a problem, or they are going through a tough time. sometimes i can get a Little sucked into myself and my feelings, but that is not the way to fix the problem. The Lord keeps telling me that I need to learn to love. Sometimes I think I understand what He is trying to teach me, and He just throws a curveball telling me there is still more. it is good. It keeps me humble haha.
I know that the lord truly watches out for us and helps us overcome difficult times. If nothing else, I am learning how to trust Him a Little more. HE ALWAYS HAS THE BEST PLAN!!! If we would just listen to him and obey, oh how wonderful our lives would be!!! But, a lot of times our pride gets in the way and we mess up, dont listen, or just flat out disobey. That is why we have the Atonement. The Atonement is such a grand blessing!!!! Literally, I would be nothing without the sacrifice of my Savior. He truly suffered for every single one of our sins, sadness, illness, frailties, disabilities, etc. HE KNOWS US!!! that is why only through Him, and with His help, can we repent and be happy. It is true that, "wickedness never was happiness" alma 41 verse 10. I am so grateful for the Atonement!
Thanks for everything familia!!! i am truly blessed to have yall!!! I LOVE YALL A TON!!!!!!!
con amor,
Hermana Taylor
Hola!!!! Happy Thanksgiving!!!! I hope you are all going to eat a bunch of turkey and mashed potatoes!!!! thanksgiving does not really exist here, but we might celebrate it next p day with some other sister missionaries. Today we went to climb san cristobal (a big hill in the middle of Santiago) but the workers are on strike. We played in a park for a Little bit instead. Tell everyone in Maryland, Grandma Billy Connie Chris erica Cristy and whoever else that I said Hi!
Well, hmmm what happened this week..............
MARISOL GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We are pretty excited for her!!!! She just glowed all day saturday, and especially sunday. She got baptized in her Ward, but we had permission to go. We did not see her get confirmed, but she came to say hi in our Ward afterwards and she just glows! it was a pretty amazing experience. i did not understand the importance of baptism before the misión, but I am learning here. She truly has started a new life being baptized by someone who has the Priesthood authority of God. I am so happy for her!!!!
That was definitely the highlight of our week. The whole week we were preparing for it, and we truly saw miracles. sometimes I get caught up in details and forget the whole picture. the Lord always makes it so it Works out in the end, and sometimes it is hard to let go and trust Him. letting go of this control, or worry (I do not know what to call it) is hard. i still struggle with it, but He is helping me slowly but surely.
i learned this week also, that the time when people kind of start to bug you, is the time that you have to love them the most. They probably bug you because you are having a problem, or they are going through a tough time. sometimes i can get a Little sucked into myself and my feelings, but that is not the way to fix the problem. The Lord keeps telling me that I need to learn to love. Sometimes I think I understand what He is trying to teach me, and He just throws a curveball telling me there is still more. it is good. It keeps me humble haha.
I know that the lord truly watches out for us and helps us overcome difficult times. If nothing else, I am learning how to trust Him a Little more. HE ALWAYS HAS THE BEST PLAN!!! If we would just listen to him and obey, oh how wonderful our lives would be!!! But, a lot of times our pride gets in the way and we mess up, dont listen, or just flat out disobey. That is why we have the Atonement. The Atonement is such a grand blessing!!!! Literally, I would be nothing without the sacrifice of my Savior. He truly suffered for every single one of our sins, sadness, illness, frailties, disabilities, etc. HE KNOWS US!!! that is why only through Him, and with His help, can we repent and be happy. It is true that, "wickedness never was happiness" alma 41 verse 10. I am so grateful for the Atonement!
Thanks for everything familia!!! i am truly blessed to have yall!!! I LOVE YALL A TON!!!!!!!
con amor,
Hermana Taylor
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