I love being a missionary.

Well, I guess I should start off by saying. I love being a missionary. These past two weeks with Sister Waddoups have been incredible. Something clicked with her and I and we went to work. Our teaching was great. So simple and understandable and our unity has been on point. And let me just say, Sister Waddoups (Swads, I now call her) is so funny and incredible. We have been laughing so much these past two weeks. And I'm happy to say I'm out of my rut! Woo hoo! But seriously Swads is great! Unfortunately, we received the transfer text last night and I am being transferred. I'm so excited to go somewhere new because I feel like I've done my job here but Swads and I have gained such a great relationship. I'll truly miss serving with her. But God has a plan and everything is going to be great!

We had a MAJOR laugh attack, the hardest I've ever laughed in my life by far, last night at like midnight :/ I couldn't really sleep after I got the text and we were just CRACKING up! I loved it so much.

First off, like I said I'm being transferred, there's a couple of new areas opening up for sisters tomorrow (Freehold and Wrightstown and I have a feeling I'll be doubled in to one of those but we'll see tomorrow) I love change. So I'll let you know where I go next week! Also, Liz Dicou is going to be here today and I'm going to see her and I CAN'T WAIT! So stoked!

 

But now to the week.

Like I said it was a great week. We taught 16 lessons which was great for us. We taught 5 great lessons on Saturday and met a new LA. Man, I'm getting ahead of myself. Lets rewind. Monday was another relaxing p-day where we stayed at home and I had CCC. (Christine's Craft Corner) I was making bracelets, shirts and doing all sorts of crafts. I love crafts! That's why pinterest would be BAD for me. We did a lot of service this week too. I love doing service. It truly gets us into people's doors sometimes.

We had another great district meeting. This week Swads and I were trying to focus on the Elders area that they are going to get. So we worked a lot in Manahawkin and Little Egg Harbor and tried to find people for the Elders. Not much luck but it's okay I really think they'll get here and start running. We really took the time to get everything organized for them. I'm excited to get Elders down here!

Wednesday we rode our bikes all day and clocked 18.5 miles on the bike. Didn't realize it was going to be that long but it was worth it. A nice workout. And luckily we were doing more service so we were able to be in street clothes. And I'm grateful for that because we got home that night just about drenched in sweat. It was a good day. We taught our investigator, Lisa, the plan of salvation and she understood it. She accepted a soft baptismal invite. She truly is incredible. Unfortunately one of her cats died and she's been mourning over the loss but hopefully Swads and her new comp will get over there and help her even more.

Thursday we did transfer planning for most of the day because we were splitting the area. Actually Friday too. But we were able to go over to a members home and begin to teach her boyfriend. It reminds me a little bit about Barrett. But it's so cool to see this young man want to learn more about the gospel and come closer to Jesus Christ. It's great. We taught him the Restoration and then the Plan of Salvation on Saturday. More about that in a sec. Friday was actually my 10 month mark! Ahhhhh, like you said mom time is flying by. Out of my three areas I've been in I've only stayed in Mo-town for three. God knows now I can't stay in one place for too long haha. Swads and I celebrated with Fro-yo and Pizza because she hit her 3 month mark a couple days before me.

Saturday was amazing! We had to plan for our Relief Society lesson but then we went out and got to work. We taught pure doctrine of Jesus Christ. And boy it was incredible. We met a less active originally from Layton. He's in the Elders area and will hopefully begin to help him come back. We also taught Brent again like I mentioned and boy did that lesson go great! We taught the Plan of Salvation and he played football in High School (He's 18) so we related it to football and woooooo he understood it. He accepted a soft baptismal invite and I'm so excited to see his progression. I love it!

Church was kinda bitter sweet. Every time I would pray I would feel like my work was done and so I had a feeling I was leaving but it was a weird feeling. I have come to love Barnegat. I never thought I'd say that. But I have. I'm so grateful for the things I've learned here and am so excited to take them into my next area. We taught Relief Society and it was a great lesson. We had correlation with our Branch Mission Leader, Brother Roberson, and he made me tear up expressing his gratitude for me. He was crying and I had tears in my eyes. It's nice to hear how thankful they are for us because sometimes I think as missionaries we are blinded by that. We had a great night and waited anxiously for the text. When I got it. I felt peace. I've done my work here and now it's Swads turn to tear it completely up down here which I know she can do.

 

I love this gospel. I love my Savior Jesus Christ. I know he lives. I know he loves us and he performed the Atonement for each one of us. I love the Book of Mormon and love reading it. I hope you all have a fantastic week this week. You are all amazing! And next week, I'll be in a completely new place! Missions are exciting! I love you!

 

Love,

Sister Christine Taylor

The Book of Mormon is true

Well golly, I feel like I haven't been on here for some time. Just a week. Ha but it was a great week. I took a lot of pictures I realized so be ready for a photo album. :) But like I said this past week was great. It was the boost and motivation I needed to get back. I'm not completely back but I'm definitely getting there. I feel like on your mission there's just moments of high and low. That's just me but it's on the up. And as I've been thinking....I can only go up from here (physically where I am in the mission and spiritually where I am in the gospel) I got a good laugh when I thought of that one. And this is the last week of the transfer. I can't believe how fast it went and so of course all the questioning if I'm going to get transferred or not. We'll have to see next week when I email. I have a feeling I could possibly be moving but it's all up to God. We're also splitting the area this upcoming transfer and getting Elders down here so we've done a lot of tranfer planning and getting the area ready for the Elders. That's going to be excited and definintely needed for this branch. Just to get a little more priesthood down here.

But as for my week! We went up to Toms River after emails and went Crabbing. I was crabby...haha just kiddin. But just like the cray fish, not my cup of tea. But it was fun to be with the district. I'll send some pictures :) Then we came back and went to a member referral we got and got a NEW INVESTIGATOR. Her name is Lisa and she's so sweet and sincere and wants to know God's path for her. Hello. The GOSPEL! So we've seen her a couple of other times and she's progressing. We extended a soft baptismal invite yesterday and she said when she finds out that it's true she'll be baptized! Woo hooo! That was cool. And it made me happy. I don't know but this week Sister Waddoups and I's lessons were great. We were testifying throughout the whole lesson and it was just really good.

Tuesday we had one of the best district meetings I've had on my mission. It was so full of the spirit. It was the type of district meeting asking the questions "why are you here on a mission?" "what do you want to become at the end" and "what's keeping you out here" Really thought-provoking questions, questions I've been thinking about lately these past two weeks. I went on an exchange with Hermana Santos (she's our STL) and had four powerful lessons with her! We went and taught a less-active about Enduring to the End and boy it was pure solid doctrine, teaching, testifying and all the good stuff. Unfortunately Hermana Santos took her area phone so we had to go return it to Sister Waddoups and Hermana Stevens up in Toms River, that took two hours and then we went back to work. We've been getting a lot of rain storms, just like you said mom, massive down pour and then completely clear. I love them! That happened and we rode to our Recent Convert and she wasn't home so we went and knocked on her next door neighbors house and got two more NEW INVESTIGATORS. A mother and her 8 year old son. Her son is the one that is going to get that family baptized. One of his first questions he asked:

"Is it true that God can really make it possible for me to live forever?" Uhm, hello 8 year old! Then at the end of the brief message he asked: "what is the right way to pray?" We got a return appointment but we'll have to reschedule that because we're going to serve at Ellis Island. We're going on Thursday. I'm so excited to go again. It's crazy to think the first time I went I was here in NJ for 6 days! Big growth from then :) Also, I hit my 10 month mark Friday. AHH! Totes crazy! We taught a couple of other lessons and had enchiladas with the Robersons. It turned out to be a great day.

Wednesday we woke up early and went and saw the sunrise again (pictures will come) and it was great! We exchanged back and Sister Waddoups and I planned on riding our bikes....we got outside and all ready to go and complete DOWN POUR. I was drenched from Head to toe. I could ring my skirt out with water. It was crazy. We taught the gospel and it was great. We rode bikes with one of our less actives and boy is NJ beautiful. :)

Thursday we had a RS meeting and some other appointments. We have had one Thursday where we've gotten weekly planning down actually on Thursday. We're transfer planning because we're getting Elders so we did get a little bit of the done. We went and saw Lisa again and I mowed her lawn. I love mowing lawns. She's a great lady!

Friday was another one of those days I needed just like Tuesday. It was zone conference and boy was it AMAZING! Our monthly focus is on the Book of Mormon again and the spirit in the conference was incredible. Never to be forgotten. President Jeppson gave a little thought on how the work we are doing is incredible and we are making a difference. I had tears in my eyes. It was just the thing I needed to hear. President Jeppson talked about the apostasy and how everything foretold of the apostasy and I gained a stronger testimony of  the restoration. He shared bible scriptures that talk about the apostasy. Loved It! We did role plays and I love role plays now. I didn't like them at the beginning of my mission. But I love them now. We ended with Presidents closing remarks and testimonies of missionaries and I just love hearing the testimony of others because it strengthens mine so much. One Elder said "I know the church is true. That felt good to say that." It was great. At the end of the meeting, I went up to shake president's hand and tell him thank you and he grabbed my hand and said "The lady in the Stafford branch came up to me and thanked me for the blessing you've been in her life. You make a difference and I love you." Again, tears came into my eyes. It's just those little statements that hit home and they did for sure. We drove home and had a meeting with Brother Roberson for missionary work and went home.

Saturday was awesome. I was able to write down my thoughts about the Book of Mormon and see really where I gained my testimony of it and I realized I didn't completley know it was true until right before my mission. But I'm grateful for the time I took to look at where I've come from. :) It was nice. We had to do transfer planning so we got that done on Saturday. We also went and saw another one of our Less Actives and split the area.

Sunday we had church and that's always a bonus. The sacrament is so important to me now. Because I understand the importance of what I'm really doing as I partake of the bread and water. These things I thank my mission for. I've truly been able to see that living the gospel is the only way to go. Just like in 2 Nephi 31:21 This is THE way. And I know that's true. We had a team up with us and she's so incredible. Her testimony of the gospel is strong. She's a convert of about 2 years now and I love her. We went and taught Lisa again.

 

Transfers are coming up. On Friday I had a weird feeling that I've done my work here. I don't know if I'll be transferred so I'll let you know next Monday when we know. We're getting three sisters in and will have 75 sisters I believe in the mission. When I came out we had 20. The Lord is Hastening His Work. Members and Missionaries have to work together in this cause or nothing will get done. Pray for someone to share the gospel with. I know that when you do, God will put someone in your path. We get to go to Ellis Island like I stated above on Thursday and I'm so stoked to go back there. I love this gospel. I love the Book of Mormon and know it's true. Thanks for all your support and love and prayers! Have a great week! :)

 

Love,

Sister Taylor