Well here goes nothing I'm sorry if I miss some information but I will try
and get everything in there. First a few items of housekeeping: I have not yet
gotten the package, they changed the mission office address so I'm guessing the
blanket got sent to the old one but I'm hoping on Wednesday at zone
conference I'll be able to get it and get the mail if anyone has sent any. Of
course there won't be pictures in this email because I haven't recieved the cord
yet but I'm hoping to get that like I said. Item 2: I'm not sure the exact brand
of Sister Robinson's backpack but it was a black one so if you wanted to get a
jansport inexpensive (like $20) iIm sure that would work. Thanks for doing that.
I really appreciate her giving hers up for me. Item 3: my companion (I'll tell
you about her later) LOVES salsa, so would there be any possible way you could
send us some because we are STARVING. But if you could we'd both really love
that... Item 4: Sister Dicou really loves salsa and would be so appreciate if
she could taste some of our very own. I hope you'll be able to send it
somehow..
Item 5: My address for my apt is:
201 Lindsley Dr. Apt. 1B
Morristown, NJ 07960
Mission office address is:
5 Cold Hill Rd. South Ste. 10
Mendham, NJ 07945.
Make sure to put those on the blog so if people send me packages I'll get
them quicker. Item 6: how much did the car sell for? I can't believe it went
that fast. That's so incredible! :) Item 7: I put it down lower as well and I'm
to lazy to delete it, but Monday's are my P-days. I'm kinda sad I haven't gotten
the package yet so I can put pictures on this email but they are coming I
promise. Item 8: I forgot to mention I did buy a clothes hamper in the MTC. And
I will be buying some more winter clothes soon as it starts to get colder. Item
9: IS KIMBER ENGAGED YET??
Okay, I hope I got everything down if I remember something I will put it in
the first paragraph.
Anyways, the mission field is unlike the MTC. It is so crazy, but so much
fun. We got to the mission home and slept and the next day woke up and ate
breakfast and then had meetings, with the financial and doctor of the mission
and the transportation person. After we had a meeting with President Jeppson. He
told us his whole story and it is INCREDIBLE! He is such an amazing man. His
wife is so hilarious and I just already love them so much. They are amazing
people. Their son-in-law is actually Alex Boye which is pretty awesome. After
that all of the trainers were downstairs and came up and we had lunch. We didn't
know who we were going to be paired with but it was kind of obvious Sister Roper
and I had one of two choices. As we were eating President was praying and
deciding who to put as companions. And then the companion ceremony began. He did
the sisters first and Sister Roper was put with Hermana Coley. So there was one
more sister left. My companion is Sister Dicou and she's from Sandy Utah. She
went to Alta and is so so awesome. This is her last transfer so she's been here
a while and knows her stuff. While we were eating I had a feeling I was going to
be her companion and I was so excited. I've already learned so much from her.
And I can't wait to learn more. I am serving in the Parsippany Area. We went to
our transfer conference and there were some missionaries going home so they bore
their testimonies and they were so strong. I can't wait until I'm up there and
bearing my testimony of all the things that I know are true. My testimony has
already grown so much but I can't wait to let it grown even more. I have a lot
to still learn but it's coming. After conference we went back to the apartment
real quick and then out we went. We went to a couple of places and found a new
investigator.
We woke up the next day and exercised! It felt so good to get out and
exercise. We run in a cemetery. It's nice though, I'm not to scared haha. We had
district meeting for the first time. The spirit of all the missionaries are
incredible. I know I'm going to learn to much just from them. We had dinner with
some of the members and that cooked some pretty good fried chicken. I ate
everything off the bone. (Yes, dad, I really did) We went to visit a recent
convert, Bonny, and I can already say I love that lady. She's amazing and I
can't wait to get to know her even more.
The next day was our walking day and planning session. It was a good day.
It has been pretty cold this past week but Sunday was so beautiful, same as
today. I already pulled out my coat but hopefully this week it won't be to cold.
Our walking day was incredible! We taught a couple of recent converts and talked
to a lady, our last one of the night. Her name is Debbie and I feel so strong
about her. It's so crazy to be able to talk to people and have them open up in
just a matter of minutes. I want to help everyone. I want them to know, how I
know, that this church is the true church of Jesus Christ on the earth today. It
stinks to see people you love make a wrong decision because I want to help them
see the truth so bad.
Saturday we got to go to Ellis Island! The opportunity I have as a
missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to get to go serve
on Ellis Island is incredible. It's a once in a lifetime opportunity. And we
were right across from the city! I saw the Freedom Tower and the Statue of
Liberty. It seriously was so cool! It wasn't too busy when we got there so
Sister Dicou and I went and walked around where they took all the immigrants and
then watched the film there. The history there is like none other. I'm so
grateful for that opportunity to go and serve there. For the last few hours we
went into where the people look for their ancestors manifests and ships and
helped them when they needed assistant. It is so cool to see people get so
excited to find their ancestors. I know that genealogy is true and we can help
find people's ancestors and we can do work for them. I'm excited for when I come
home to start finding people and do genealogy work! (Grandma is going to be so
happy!) :) After Ellis Island we had a dinner appointment with an old man, Skip,
and he took us to a diner. I had a chicken pesto panini and it was delicious!
The food here has been pretty good. Saturday and Sunday were a little tough for
me, I don't know why but sometimes you just need to cry. I don't know why I was
feeling like that but in my prayers I just let it out. It felt good to be able
to cry and speak with God, because he knows what I'm going through and he's
going to be able to help me through anything. I think I was just a little
frustrated because I didn't know some of the people in my ward I was serving in.
I know I'll be better because I saw their faces and met them on Sunday. Sunday's
are always so good. I've taken Sunday's more seriously I feel since I first got
my call. It's a nice relaxing time at church to be able to remember the
sacrifice Christ made for all of us and to partake of the sacrament. I'm
grateful for the sacrament and the opportunity to renew my baptismal covenants
with our Heavenly Father. After church we had a couple of appointments. We met
some pretty cool people. I feel like Sister Dicou and I have planted good seeds
in the people we've come in contact with, even if we didn't teach them anything.
I can't wait to finally start really teaching a progressing investigator and see
the change in their life. I know it's going to be amazing and strengthen my
testimony so much. So to answer your question mom, Monday's are my P-days. So
I'll be sending pictures next week.
New Jersey is so beautiful. The trees are changing colors and I just LOVE
it! It's definitely totally different from Utah but Utah has its own beauty. The
people here are awesome. The ward is so cool. It's pretty big, almost like a
Utah ward. I'm so excited to serve here and know New Jersey is where I'm
supposed to be. I don't know why yet, but I'll figure it out. I read my
patriarchal blessing a few days ago and I love it. It's so true and pertains to
my life when I was at Taft, here and for the future. I've realized I've taken a
lot of things for granted in my life as I was growing up. But that has changed.
I see people without the gospel and I just want to help them. That's why I'm
here. To help people see that without Christ and his atonement and every aspect
of this gospel we can't return to live with him again. I've learned so much from
my experience already and can't wait to learn SOO much more. I know Sister Dicou
is my companion for a reason. Her testimony and her experiences are so great.
We've gotten along so well. And I can't wait to build that friendship.
I hope I got everything in there that I wanted to say. Of course, there's
so much more than what I wrote but that's the just of things that are going on
right now in New Jersey. I know this church is true. I'm so grateful for the
gospel in my life right now. I honestly don't know where I'd be if I didn't have
the gospel in my life. And I know a lot of people say that but I really don't.
The structure and the standards that I have, bless me. They don't restrict me. I
know that Jesus Christ died for me and I can't return and live with him and
Heavenly Father one day. The things that I have already learned have been
incredible. I know the plan of salvation is real. I know the Holy Ghost can be
in our lives, if we obey the commandments and be obedient to the things we have
been taught. I know prayer truly works. I've been praying more than I have ever
prayed in my life and it's been a blessing. Sister Dicou and I were going to
visit someone and as she was saying the prayer a car was slowing passing us and
I could tell she was looking at it as she was praying. The car drove off and we
finished our prayer and got out of the car and started walking. As she we
praying I was getting a bad feeling for some reason. But as we were walking the
same car started coming towards us. I told her I felt funny as she was praying
and so we started walking back to the car. He kinda sped up a little and we
jumped in. He parked behind us and then slowly drove past us again and then
stopped in front of us. Sister Dicou said we're outta there and drove off. It
was pretty scary. I know the Lord is watching out for us. And I know the Holy
Ghost is real and we both got that feeling to get back in the car. I'm grateful
to be able to listen to the Holy Ghost and we were able to stay safe. I know
that this church is true and we have a living Prophet on the earth today to lead
and guide us. Go re-read some of those general conference talks. They will help
us in our lives today because the Lord speaks through his prophets and apostle
and he speaks through them. I loved General Conference. I loved all the talks
and gained so much about the gospel. This church is true and I love being able
to be an instrument in God's hands and help his children come back to him. I
love you all and am so very grateful for your support and love! I pray for you
guys all the time!
Love,
Seester Taylor
P.S. Happy 7 months to Grant on the 12th. And a happy 2 months to Tacy on
the 8th. I can't believe she's already two months. I'm expecting pictures of
them as well soon. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment