Sunday, April 14, 2013

Conference. Christine has under a year left on her mission.


Don"t you just love when it seems the prophet and apostles are speaking directly to you!? I sure do! I could just say the church is true after listening to conference and that'd be enough for me to write. But that's all that happened this week. Miracles happened this week. And one just recently today. Awhh I'm so happy to be out here on my mission. It truly has changed my life.

We'll get to conference but first I want to tell you all about my weeek. I can't remember if I mentioned last week that our new monthly focus is consecration. But blessings happen when we put our minds to becoming more consecrated. One thing in talk from Tad. A. Callister about consecration is that it doesn't just happened over night but we have to work at it. And that's something I've definitely been working on. We started Monday with our wonderful P-Day but ended up meeting quickly with a less-active mother and have a return appointment with them this week. She's such a sweet lady and I'm so grateful we were able to catch her. We went around checking if the ward members lived in the same addresses. Not much luck.

Tuesday we had our zone meeting. And I love zone meetings. Because our monthly focus is on the gospel of Jesus Christ and on consecration we role-played the Gospel of Jesus Christ but then talked about consecration. How can we as members be more consecrated? I loved zone meeting. We then had Sister Wright's hot seat which was fabulous! She's such a great story teller. I'm definitely going to miss her. After zone meeting we went to a members house, Sister Joiseus and talked to her for a bit. She fed us some more Haitian food and we had "crunch" (which included shrimp, and yes I ate it again!) It was pretty good, kinda spicy but oh well. We had her kids and nephew come and we taught them Alma 50 and they enjoyed it. I love teaching the members. I love being able to strengthen them and well as them strengthen us. We finished off the day with going to Eli and Emanuels (RC) to teach them about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The elders came with us and did the tea bag analogy for them! They loved it..Eli and Emanuel are such great members.

Wednesday was a long day. We were out for most of the day trying members and seeing if they still lived at the same address. We were up in Stony Point and went to an address that was right by the Hudson River. It was highly affected by Hurricane Sandy and so nobody lived there. But we drove down the street and saw a kid just sitting outside his house. We pulled up and asked him if he knew the member. He said no one lives here anymore. I asked him if we could talked to him for a little bit. He said yes. He was 13 years old. We gave him a Book of Mormon and told us he'd read it (which we went back a few days later and he did read a little bit) I asked how he was doing and he said "awkward" I replied "why because two girls are talking to you?" He said "yes..." I kinda laughed inside but it was cool. We went back on Friday like I said and he said he read a little bit. He's a cool kid.
We went and taught one of our members about prayer and it was really good. The new senior couple up here, Elder and Sister Kay came with us and it was a good lesson. Wednesday night we went and played volleyball against the young men because they're practicing for a tournament thing. It was fun. Those boys are really good kids. Some of them are heading out to BYU-I which is going to be so great for them. We had fun playing volleyball. It was sweet though. Before anybody got there, I was shooting around and I decided to shoot it from full court and Sister Ward is my witness, but I shot it on my first shot and made it full court. (the court is a little smaller but it was still so sweet) I told Elder Benson that so we decided to record who could make it first from full court. I'll send the video back....it's pretty funny how mad he gets when I make it first hehehehe ;)

Thursday was another long day of finding members. Not much luck but we went and taught a few people and got return appointments with them. It's so cool to see the little miracles happen when you just tell the Lord "I'm going to go out, even if we don't find anyone, I'm out trying my best" And that's what its been for Sister Ward and I up here. Many people are working quite a bit and it's hard to get a hold of people. But we're really trying our best to find and help these individuals here. We did go to the Pena's (way sweet members) with the Elders and taught them about prophets. We played telephone and it was quite funny. We did some in spanish and some in english. It was hilarious. We went to another members and Sister Ward looked really sick and like she was going to pass out and so we left and it really scared me. But she's okay. I had her get a priesthood blessing from the Elders. I'm so grateful for the Elders up here. They are so great and fun!

Friday was longgggg...No luck until the end of the day. But we did find a great potential family we're going to go back and teach. They are soon expecting their third boy and I know that this gospel will bring them closer together. The dad's relative is a member and so it struck a interest in him. I hope and pray that we'll be able to teach them and help them come closer to Christ! :) Friday night was great. We went to a members house. She came from Haiti three years ago and couldn't find the church. So she decided to google it and was there on Easter Sunday. We taught her Alma 50 and she came to general conference both days. Her kids are so adorable and she's definitely going to bring strength to the ward.

Now to the best part of the week! GENERAL CONFERENCE. Like I said I felt like they were all talking straight to me. But I'm sure most of us felt that way. President Jeppson had us write a few questions down we'd like answered and boy did they get answered. Like exactly what I neeeded. We were able to watch all the sessions at the church building and I recieved so much revelation. I hope all you did too. Those men are truly called of God. Their testimonies of our Savior Jesus Christ are so strong. That's something that I realized that every single one of the people that spoke bore solid testimony that they know Christ lives. And I'm right there with them. I know He lives. I know He is the head of this church. It is His gospel. It is His work. And I'm so blessed and grateful to be able to be an instrument in His hands to help his children come back to Him. I know the church is true.
Sunday after the first session we decided to come home for a little and God answered Sister Ward's prayer. The deaf couple in our complex were getting out of their car at the same time and she was able to tell them a little bit about us. Boy it was cool to see the gospel being preached like that. They were a little confused and wondered why she thought she was God but she was able to clear it up and we have a return appointment with them in a week or so. God loves every one of His children. He yearns for them to come back. I'm so grateful for Sister Ward's talent in being able to communicate with them. It truly was an answer to her prayer.
Last night we were able to go over to our LA/PMF house and be able to really sit down with them and ask what they're expecting of us. The non-member said "to teach us about things we don't know about the book of Mormon!" Boom. That made me so happy. The less active got so happy when we told him he could live eternally with his family. I'm so grateful for the knowledge I have of eternal families.

Man, just like you all say every week. It sounds like you're really loving your mission...and I am! It's so wonderful to be out here preaching the gospel to all who will listen. I'm just about to finish Alma and I can't express enough my gratitude for the Book of Mormon in my life. It truly helps me become a stronger disciple of Jesus Christ. I love this gospel and can't wait to do this for the rest of my life! I've changed so much and know the church is true. I'm so grateful for a living day prophet. I'm so grateful for all of you and all you do. I'm thankful for your prayers. And i'm praying for you as well. God be with you. I'll talk to you all next week. Love you all so much! :)

Love,
Sister Taylor

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