Another amazing week here in New Jersey

Well well, what another amazing week out here in New Jersey. Can I just say I love love love New Jersey. I love the people the weather the scenery, just everything! I really have learned so much and I cannot wait to learn more. I'm so grateful for the Savior and for all he has done for me. This week like I said has been fantastic. After emailng last monday we got to head to Hoboken to Carlos' Bakery from Cake Boss on TLC. Word! It was sweet, when we got there, there was no line and we got right into the Bakery. I got a lobster tail that was BOMB! I loved it. And I got pictures so don't worry. I'll send those. It defintiely was an eventful week. After we headed over to the Liberty State Park to look at New York. I'M GOING THERE NEXT WEEK! FOR THE TEMPLE AND I COULDN'T BE MORE EXCITED! But really I'm super stoked. After the day we had a dinner appointment with some members of the ward. And we totally have a connection to home. Brother Smith is from Kaysville Utah and his brother is my age and definitely married Jennifer Parker. I didn't make that connection until the next day but confirmed that in church yesterday. What a small world! That was really exciting to make connections like that to home. The night ended a little early because Sister Morrison was still a little sick. But she's all better now. Tuesday was a great day with a lot of teaching. We get to do mormon.org for two hours every week and since we hadn't done any since the storm we did two hours. It was good to finally see more of what really happened from Sandy. I'm just proud to say "I survived Hurricane Sandy!" So that was fun. We went and taught a few people and then went to get gas and taught our gas guy. Those guys are awesome because you can teach them while they're filling up your gas. He was a really sweet man.

Wednesday we had zone meeting. I love zone meetings. You can always recieve revelation because we do a lot of role plays. They're very awkward but always great! Our zone leaders talked to us and our focus, again for this month, is on the Book of Mormon. I started reading the Book of Mormon over and am focusing on faith. I don't know if I told you that but I'm really excited to strengthen my faith while reading the Book of Mormon. It truly is the most correct and amazing book we have today. The principles and all the stories were written for our day and I'm so happy to have it in my life. I love being able to share with our investigators the message it contains and I have been able to see it start to change a few of our investigators lives. We went to lunch (5 Guys! Yummy) after and really enjoyed it. We had another dinner appointment with the English Elders and us with a family of the ward. We went out for Pizza and boy is the pizza good here! I don't know if I can ever go back. Haha jk, but really. The night kinda ended dull. Thursday we had some weekly planning which is long but always so useful. I'm really grateful for the time we get to plan and study and teach. I love it. We went and saw a less active family Thursday and they are so great. She has four little kids and wants to come to church but her kids are crazy. She said she was going to come this next week. Which is fabulous! After that we went to the Family History Center and did some family history. I'm grateful for the knowledge I have now of where I really came from, because honestly I didn't know that before :) Striaght up outta England! (I hope that's right) But that was fun and very useful.

The weekend got crazy! But it was incredible. Friday we went to the Gurney's (Members, I love them so much) for lunch. We had some bomb soup. And talked about the gospel of course. She's the young womens president and we're teaching the young women next week so we got the lesson for that. Then we went to one of our investigators, Cat, she's insane but has a lot of potential. She kept us for two hours because she just keeps talking and talking. After we went to the Berhmann's and said hi and had the new sisters meet them. They're great as well! And then we went to another investigators, Cynthia, and she is amazing! She is going to get baptized. She has a little girl and so I kinda had to babysit while S. Morrison and Galuvao taught her. They talked to her about the atonement and I heard it was an amazing lesson. She's progressing and we're so excited for her. She's moving this Saturday so we've been helping her with that which has been so great.

Saturday we thought was going to be a normal day but we ended up doing some service for a lady that had some trees fall in her yard. Huge ones too. So we went and helped for about four hours. I love service. Any kind of service. You all know that. I can't wait to get home and serve serve serve. We went back over to Cynthia's because she was donating some furniture to the mission because of the influx of missionaries coming in. She's a sweet lady. After that we went back and did studies and then went over to another member families home, Dunnings and had dessert with them. They are such incredible funny people! We had such a great time over there. We ate dessert and then Brother Dunning showed us a braille machine and wrote our names in braille and then we just conversed. And they want us to come back over! I love all the members of this ward! They are so great.

Sunday rolled around and it was just what I needed. Church! Being able to feel of the spirit in the chapel is so amazing to me and I love it. The sacrament was so great The talks were wonderful. They were on testimony and how we need to desire to have one. That's my challenge to you this week, write down your testimony. I realized it really doesn't have to be extravengant, but from the heart and really the things you know. I'm so excited to be able to strengthen my testimony everyday. We should all be striving to bear it everyday. It kinda got crazy last night and we went on a little exchange and went to Bonny's. I love Bonny! She's so faithful and great. She's a recent convert.

I got home last night and my companions and I had a little argument but it was excactly what I needed. I cling onto people so quick and so hard and when they leave or we have to make changes it's the hardest thing for me. But change is good and sometimes it really needs to happen. I'm really grateful for my companions and the difference they are.

As for mom's letter. Tell Jessica Cordero congrats. She's going to be such an amazing missionary. One thing I've learned is to be myself. People will appreciate it. Congrats dad on getting your elk. It's bout time! But really though nice work. If you make some jerkey maybe you'll have to send it out! I hope you start feeling better mom. You are in my prayers. It's sad to hear Brother King pass on but he's in a better place.

This week coming up is going to be amazing! I know it. I'm excited to progress this work in this area. I will let you know about Christmas as soon as I can. We actually still have to find a place to go. But I will let you know. I know this church is true. I know God lives and loves us so much. I know Jesus Christ is our Savior and we really need to remember him this Christmas season. Mosiah 18:27-29. Read it. It's good and the message we're sharing to the members this Christmas Season. I love you all and am so so grateful for your prayers. I feel them. I pray for you all as well. I hope you have the best week ever! I can't wait to hear from you soon! Miss you guys!

Love,

S. Taylor