Perm What?????

Well I guess you can now call me Sister "Curly" Taylor. :) Got my hair permed and I love it! It's going to be fun and crazy thing is it'll still be probs slightly wavy when I get home! Ahhh. But that's exciting. It reminds me of when I took my hair out of the braids. Now, Sister Maclay and I both have the curly hair...people better watch out!

So it has been one of the best weeks we've had!!! We were able to find 6 new investigators and teach the gospel so plainly and powerfully, it just keeps getting better and better! Holla! And honestly sometimes I think why is God blessing us so much but it's because He's hastening the work and things are happening here!

I just can't express how much I love missionary work, when you're out doing work it just makes you so happy. And I've seen that so much..at certain times when I see I've been slacking off I'm not way happy but when I am out after we talk to someone it's just better. Tuesday after emails was such a bomb day! We went and picked up our team up for the day, Andrea Servil. (Mom who you got the picture from) She's our age and SO AWESOME! We went and visited people in Linden and found and taught some great lessons. We went over to Hana's house (the cute little 4 year old) and gave her a picture Book of Mormon and her mother a Book of Mormon in Czech. We read the intro with her and she said she'd begin reading it! Hana is so cute and wanted me to read her the Book but we were talking to her mom. Hopefully we can meet with her again. We went by on Sunday and her mother just said hi to us so we talked to Hana. We're hopin and prayin :) After we went and tried another potential investigator but found his granddaughters who we picked up a couple weeks ago. We gave them each a Book of Mormon and testified of it and invited them to begin reading it. They said they would! Then we had another great lesson with a husband and wife, it was just an all around great day! :) And Andrea did such a good job testifying of the truths of the Book of Mormon. She wants to come out to General Conference when I'm home so we'll see!

We were able to visit more less actives and on Friday were able to meet with the referral we received earlier in the week and I must say he is PREPARED! We taught the Restoration and he accepted a soft baptismal invite and said he'd read and pray about the Book of Mormon, on Saturday we asked how it went and he said he read but didn't pray but he said he would we told him to keep up the great work and he said "you just motivated me to get up and go do something." It's so cool to know that just by words and the spirit we can help these people. Because we truly are instruments for our Heavenly Father and that's incredible!

Saturday night was really cool too! We went to go check up on a member on the ward list and got to the house in Westfield (BEAUTIFUL houses, all of the families sit out on their front porch) and saw the family outside and those are the most awkward for me. But we walked up and asked if the member lived there. They said she didn't anymore and I asked if they knew her address and they did. So the lady asked why and we told her we were missionaries from her church and just was checking up on her. She proceeded to find her address and give it to her and it was completely awkward because we didn't know what to say. So they started asking questions about us as missionaries and I finally said "so we go around teaching people about Jesus Christ. Do you want to know more about our church" (thinking they were going to say no...where's my faith!?) She said "sure I would." It caught us by surprise but we got her information and she said after school started and everything we could come and teach her more! It was really cool and so exciting! That made both Mac and I so happy! :)

Church was great and the week was just amazing. Hopefully this week will be great. It's the last week of the transfer already and I can't believe it! We're getting some more sisters in so one of us could be training...who knows!? I'll let you know next week what's going on with that! But I hope you all have a great week. And CONGRATULATIONS to Melissa and Barry again! I'm so happy for them! I love you all!

 

Love,

Sister Tay Tay

"Another" Awesome Week

Lets start off my saying CONGRATULATIONS TO MELISSA AND BARRY!! I've truly been thinking of them today and this morning thinking, "now they're in the endowment session", "now they're probably sealed" and awh it just makes me so happy! I can't express how much I love hearing them get to the temple and be sealed. I hope it was a truly remarkable experience for the both of them and I love them both so much. I'm excited to be able to go together as a whole family when I get back....

So yeah, I just blew past my 11 month mark yesterday! Uhmm....what? I can't believe how much time has flown by. It's weird to think I've been out this long but it's awesome! I love my mission and will cherish the time I've been able to spend out here serving the people of New Jersey. My heart is with the people of New Jersey. We had a few couple of slower days because Sister Maclay was a little sick but we were able to visit some people and get to know them better. It was Sister Mac's birthday on Tuesday so we had cake cake and more CAKE. And by the end of the night we were both feeling sick from all the food so we headed home before "you know what" came. But seriously it was a lot of cake. It was a nice day though. I was still feeling a little sick the next day but all is well. Sister Mac was feeling sick like I said but we still went to interviews. I had a great interview with President. I love President and Sister Jeppson so much. I'm excited to see what happens this upcoming transfer because we're supposed to get another 18 sisters or so coming in but not sure when and how many at one time. It'll be interesting to see how everything pans out. I'll keep you updated! I can't believe it's the 5 week of the transfer already! I have no clue where time has gone. But we've been able to meet some of the ward and still have a LONG ways to go. But we keep working and trying to meet the less actives. We finished out map of the area and got that up on the wall and everything so we're finally settled in I believe. Now just have to figure out what direction I'm going and I'm all good!

Thursday we did weekly planning and then went to our appointment. It was with the Gonzolez family and we were planning on doing the teabag object lesson. We were teaching the lesson and time came to light the teabag...I was having Smac be the one to hold it. I lit it and it started to go down and then the teabag started to fall. We were all freaking out a little but Mac held it and then it floated up into the air. It was scary but she had SO much faith that it worked out. That was my little experience from the week. Other than that it was a lot of trying to meet less actives and find new investigators. Unfortunately one of our investigators that had a baptismal date dropped us. :( I think the family got to him.. :/ but we brushed it off and are searching for the one who are prepared because I know they're here. :)

Sunday was great! We had a couple of awesome street contacts in which both were in tears as we were testifying of the gospel. We got one to commit to come to church which was great and hopefully he'll be there! I love teaching the gospel. I was pondering today what makes me happy? And as I was thinking, before my mission I probably would've said basketball, sports, hanging out with friends...but as I've been out here. Teaching the gospel truly makes me happy. After we were done and prayed with both those individuals I was so happy and wanted to go and talk to another about the gospel. It's truly blessed my life so much and I'm such a different person than I was before. It's amazing!

Yesterday we had a Sisters Party in Morristown with ALL of the sisters in the mission. We did yoga and it was great to be with all of them again. It was good to see some familiar faces again. We got home and ordered pizza because of my month mark and got a knock on the door. It was our up-stairs neighbor. She talked to us and it was really good to get to know her better. She's awesome and reminds me a lot of some of my coaches I've had back in high school and college. She's def an athlete and is the head coach for volleyball in New Brunswick. She hooked us up with some shorts and t-shirts! Totes awesome! :)

Well, I was able to finish the Book of Mormon again this past week and I'm here to tell you....IT'S TRUE! I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon in my life and the difference it's made in my life. I hope all of you are reading and feasting on it everyday. It's really amazing! I love you all. Again, Congrats to MELISSA AND BARRY! I'm so happy for them and wish them all the best! Awhhh.. The church is true! I love it so much. Hope you all have a fantastic week! :) Peace and blessings.

 

Love,

Sister Taylor

Liberty Island

Why hello!? It is a good cloudy day over her' in New Jersey but so beautiful. The weather hasn't been way to hot these past couple of weeks. I thought I was really going to struggle but nope it's been so good! The week was a good one. Little slower than usual but still was able to help people come closer to Christ. I think myself especially. I'll tell you all about it.

We got to go to dinner at Chili's with a less active woman that is just beginning to come back again. She bought us dinner and it was very nice. :) We then went to another members home and had to eat again. Lets just say....I made it look like we hadn't just eaten. I tried to hurry and get it all down so I didn't ralph. It was funny. Sister Maclay couldn't really eat much more so I helped her out. :) That's what companions are for. 

Tuesday we had zone meeting. It was fabulous! I love our zone leaders. They are inspired. Our focus is the Book of Mormon and commitments. I'm very excited about this. I'm just about to finish the Book of Mormon for another time. I'm in Mormon. I love reading the Book of Mormon. It has such great power in it and when we read it every single day it's a protection. I know that's true! We were supposed to have a baptismal interview for our investigator but some things happened and we didn't end up having it. We slightly dropped him so we'll see if he comes around sometime. We went and assisted at the bishops storehouse and helped serve and stock the selves. I love doing that kind of stuff. It's great! Wednesday we went out and thought to go to Hana's house (the little girl I gave the bracelet to) and talked with her mom and she's our newest investigator! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she said she was going to read the intro! We're going to see her Wednesday to teach her! More than a little seed mom, potentially a new member soon! I love it! :) 

Thursday we had the opportunity to go to Liberty Island yet again to serve! i'm so glad we get to go! I was able to go with my companion and Sister Morrison and her companion. it was so much fun to do that. The Statue of Liberty! Ahhhhh. It was an eventful day! We met some more of the members on Friday and one of the cute families, the Denninghoff's. They have three little girls and a little boy and boy are they adorable! It took them a few minutes to get warmed up but they are so excited to have sisters! We had some great lessons. Sunday was awesome! We were able to go to church and partake of the sacrament. I bore my testimony in church and it was so nice to be able to formally share it with the ward. It was incredible to bear it and KNOW the things which i was saying were too. I'm so grateful for my testimony. It's grown so much since I've been out here. I know the Church is true. I know God lives. I know My Savior died for me and went through the atonement for me. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon and restored the gospel onto the Earth. I know this is the ONLY way back to our Heavenly Father. By living the gospel...having faith in our Savior, repenting, being baptized, recieving the gift of the Holy Ghost and Enduring to the End. When we do those things we will gain eternal life. 2 Nephi 31:21 

We are excited for this upcoming week. Last night we got a great referral and was able to set one of our investigators with a baptismal date on September 8th! I love missionary work! It's so great. I'll send you pictures from this past week! Hope you all have a great week! I love you all so much! Tell Melissa and Barry congratulations and i'm so proud and happy for them! Did Tacy like her presents? haha Love you all!

Love,

Sister Taylor

Another.....Best week!!!

I honestly had the best week teaching wise on my mission this past week. We were able to find 7 new investigators teach more than 20 lessons and extend baptismal dates to people! Ahhh the work is so amazing! I love the area. I love my companion. I love New Jersey. And I love the people. I'll tell you about some of the people I've met this week and man. I love NJ. haha

 

Like I said, this week was so great. It seemed to start off a little slow but ended up being fantastic! We went and met one of our investigators. Andrew, 18 years old and friends with a member family. We went and got to know the family and then he came. We were able to finish teaching him the plan of salvation. It worked so great. He does judo so I was able to relate it to judo like I did football with Brent in Barnegat. We invited him with a soft baptismal invite and he accepted! He's a nice kid and seemed to be really happy with the gospel and feelin the spirit and such. :) Yahoo! We also met with another one of our investigators and set him with a date of this upcoming Sunday. We don't know if he'll be ready to be baptized so I'll let you know next week if it happened or not. He's a really sweet guy and hopefully with prayers he'll be ready! I'm not taking any time for granted here. The best thing about being doubled in is you can go out and be as bold as you need to and commit people to things. It's the best!

I love teaching with Sister Maclay. She's been out for just about 4 months and she's great. We had a good day of teaching on Wednesday and had a member come out with us to try people. We went and watched the Restoration with a member and boy I felt the spirit so strongly during that movie. It's incredible, everytime I watch the Joseph Smith story it's powerful. Almost brought me to tears. I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and his son Jesus Christ and he is the prophet of the restoration. Boy I'm so grateful for Joseph Smith. I've been reading in the Book of Mormon and I'm in 3 Nephi and I forget everytime I read it how incredible it is. I just read yesterday when Christ came and boy it is so amazing. To actually had an account from our Savior Jesus Christ. Can you tell it's been a good week!? :) We went to the Servils that night and was able to teach the family. They are members but it was a good lesson and they had an aunt there and we were able to talk about the Book of Mormon a little bit more with her. I just love the mission! It's completely changed who I am. I know who I am. And I'm comfortable with the crazy things I do. :) ha

Thursday was weekly planning. I was having a little bit of a rough time still getting used to the area. I kinda wanted to scream all day....but....I was able to get my anger out. Not on my companion either! :) haha During studies I kept seeing flies come into our study room. I was wondering why there were so many. Soo each time I saw one I'd kill it..with my notebook. Unfortunately, one fly ruined it for all of his friends...I went into our back room and pulled up the blinds and lets just say it was a bad day to be a fly. I was disgusted to see SO MANY flies. And I'm not joking there were so many. So I kinda went to town on them....and killed them all....wanna guess how many I killed. Well the first day I had a running total of 80 flies....the next day was about thirty more. So I've killed 111 flies within two days. :/ Call me crazy but I was able to get my anger out..That's my highlight story. Well one of them for the week.

Friday was AMAZING! We went to lunch with a member family at a steakhouse and was treated very nice. The members have a brother that Sister Maclay knew in Arizona and he was visiting so Sister Maclay went and saw him after 4 years and of course I tagged along and just ate the food. It was nice. Then we went and tried a couple of people and found a less active and pretty much punched her with the spirit. As we were leaving we believe we heard her crying because of our visit. It was cool. We went on an exchange and I went to Short Hills speakin da Spanish. It was fun. I was with Hermana Herrera and she was one of the ones that stayed with us during Hurricane Sandy so it was fun to be with her again. We were able to teach a few people and contact a lot of people. The exchange was really fun but Saturday night turned out to be INCREDIBLE! Sister Maclay and I were both happy to get back to our area and we immediately went out to try some people. We found 4 new investigators and taught four people! We met three cute girls and I told them when I come back I'll bring them bracelets. So I had to make four for them. Then we decided we wanted something to eat so we went to go to Subway and had to park far away so as we were walking Sister Maclay is SO good at talking to everyone we talked to a nice guy from Morristown and then we were walking to Subway and there was this cute little girl, Hana, riding a bike. We stopped to say hello and she said "watch me ride my bike!" So we did. And the conversation just went from there. She said let me teach you! So I get on this tiny bike, in my skirt. And tried to ride it but my legs were too big. I couldn't peddle. So she said, let me teach you. She was holding me up and said "man alive, you are heavy" I finally got going on it and she was SO happy she taught me how to ride a bike. It was great! haha I was so happy. She melts my heart. I told her I wanted to come back and bring her a bracelet so I got her favorite color and she wanted a violet one, not purple, violet. It was so cool. She's four years old and such a prima-donna. Her friends came out and she asked if they wanted bracelets and so I was up to making 8 bracelets in a matter of 30 minutes. But it's cool. I don't mind. I love it! So we told her we'd go back the next day at 3:30 to give her the bracelets.

Sooo...church was good. We had four less actives at church! I loved the spirit. We didn't have bread at the beginning of the meeting so we did testimony meeting first and then had the sacrament. That was a first but it was good. I love fast sundays. We had correlation and then we had to make it over to Hana's by 3:30. We got there right on time and as we were walking up she was outside and as soon as she saw me she dropped her bike and said "oh my gosh, I thought you'd forgotten about me" So CUTE! I said of course I wouldn't forget about her and then she said "you're late" but I showed her my watch and said we were right on time. So she forgave me and then said "you have my bracelet?" I pulled it out and she said "that's so beautiful!" She went and showed her mom and her mom came out and thanked me and she said "you need to make one for my mom" They're originally from Slovakia and so she has this cute little accent. We started talking to the mom and its a coincidence but we met a recent convert at church from Slovakia so we're going to bring her over and start teaching her! Boom holla! She's just the cutest girl and I love her so much! She said when are you coming back, tomorrow? I said no but we're going back sometime this week to teach her and see Hana. Love her so much already! We went and had dinner with members which was very nice then went to a less actives house and then to another investigators house.

Seriously this week has been the best! I'm so grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. for the opportunity we have to become better every day of our lives! The church is true. I'm so grateful for the restoration and the Book of Mormon. I've written a lot today so I better get going. I love this gospel with all my heart! Thank you for all your support! I can't believe I've been out here for this long but there's no where else I'd rather be! Love you all have a great week!

 

Love,

Sister Christine Taylor

Scotch Pains, NJ 92 A 2nd Ave, Garwood NJ 07027

Holy yes! I love my mission! I'm serving in such a great new area! I'll tell you all about it really shortly. Just know that I'm doing great and loving my new companion already!

 

So last Monday we headed up to spend time with our district for the last time. I was finally able to shoot a basketball again! But I was in a skirt so I didn't get to go all out..but we played pig and that was fun. We went and said goodbye to a few peeps I wanted to which was awesome. I'm going to miss them but I'm so happy I'm here. We headed home and I was low-key stressin about packing but it wasn't a problem. It was all good. Unfortunately, because Barnegat is so far south, Liz wasn't able to come down but that's okay. Our day was busy!

 

Tuesday was transfers! And boy was it crazy. We had about 22 missionaries come out. Most of which were Elders. We had the first companionship of 18 year old Elders, that was cool! Transfers begun. Sister Waddoups got her new companion, Sister Dotson and was so happy. Then they continued and I waited anxiously for where I was going. President called my name and I've been doubled in, yet again (everytime I've been transferred, no complaints though), to Scotch Plains 2 North, with my new companion Sister Maclay from Gilbert Arizona! And boy do I LOVE HER SO MUCH ALREADY! She's hilarious and a lot like me and I'm so stoked to be companions with her here in Scotch Plains. Our new address is 92 A 2nd Ave, Garwood NJ 07027. So feel free to start sending letters my way! ;) But for real. I'm so happy to be here. I'm so happy to be here with Sister Maclay. She just got out of training and so it's all straight up missionary work now. Totes excited. We got our car, 2013 Subaru Legacy and drove to our area to find the Elders didn't do the best job of cleaning it. They left the trash, socks and other items of clothing in the drawers and it was just a mess. :/ So Thursday we took time to deep clean the apartment. Definitely needed to be done and now it looks like a nice Sisters apartment. Too bad the door frames are a little different so I can't put my pull up bar to do my pull ups :(

 

The rest of the week consisted of getting to know the area and going to meet some of the less actives and ward members the Elders set up for us. There are some really amazing people in this area and I'm so excited to work with them and help them strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ. It's going to be amazing here I know and feel it! The ward was so excited to get Sisters again. They've been begging for sisters and so here we are! Ready to work and strengthen the ward. And ITS A WARD. :) I'm just really happy to be here. We met some great families. On Thursday we went to a members home...she said she is from Colombia and moved out to Utah about 7 years ago. I asked her where and she said "Kaysville" Boom. Connection. She lived on Mutton Hollow and it was cool to talk about home for a little.

 

We went to Liberty Island on Friday to volunteer. Man what an experience that is. To be able to be on the same Island where the Statue of Liberty is is so incredible. We met a lot of people from around the world. Nepal, India, China, Japan, Italy, France, Haiti, Dominican Republic and so many others. We're going in a week in a half again to volunteer. So excited to go again! I love that!

 

Like I said, church was amazing. A lot of the members were so excited to see sisters and I know Sister Maclay and I are going to kill it here. Sisters were coming up wanting us to call them for Team ups and wanting us to come over. That's the best! After church we went to an investigators house and he's had a couple of baptismal dates and we set him with another date. August 25th. Hopefully everything will work out and he'll be baptized on that day. We headed to the bishops home for dinner and man what a great family they have! They are from the Dominican Republic and so awesome. They have two beautiful young women and just a fun family.

When I was up in New City I also met a member that used to live up there but moved to Jersey. I saw him at church and he remembered me and I remembered him. It's just fun to see familiar faces around.

 

I truly am so happy to be here in Scotch Plains. I've been in the most Northern part to the most Southern part of the mission and now I'm right in between. Sister Maclay and I already get along great and we're teaching well off of one another. It's weird not to be training but it just gives us more time to work and find people who are ready and prepared to hear the gospel. Our first day here we went to Shoprite to get some water and we were walking out and a man stopped us and asked "are you Mormon?" We said yes we are! We talked and got his phone number and hopefully we'll be able to start teaching and finding more people like him. We contacted a little 8 year old too that was really interested, not so much her dad but she was. We'll see what happens.

 

I love this gospel with all my heart. I know I'm supposed to be here. I know that God is aware of every single one of us and he loves us so much. He puts people into our life that'll bless us so much. We need not take anytime for granted we have for the people really close to us. I'm grateful for the Book of Mormon, for Joseph Smith and for the Restoration of the Gospel. It's incredible. And makes so much sense. I love you all so much! And yes mom, I did get the package. Thank you so much. I think you probs think I've gained more weight on my mission. They're a little too big so I'll have to exchange them but thank you so much! Hope you all have a fantastic week and I'll talk to you soon!

 

Love,

Sister Taylor

 

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