Faith, Family and Lots and Lots and Lots of Rain

1. Service softens hearts. We reactivated some less actives; they came to church last week and then a ward social this week! It was great! But as soon as they started to do what they were supposed to their house sold.... so yeah, but they are in a ward that meets in the same building so we still get to see them every week! Crazy thing is the only reason we got in  because I knew the mom's (sister daniels) family who is up in the Monroe branch and i ate thanksgiving dinner with them all! Crazy  and their 6 year old son Harlen loves me! So tender mercies! You get sent to areas for a reason! 

2. We had dinner with the Gaglianos. That is the bishop in the ward and that is a crazy family! There are 6 kids all under 13 so yeah it is a packed home! There is always something going one but they are a great family & always busy! Their littlest daughter Myla was telling their mom at church that the missionary with orange hair is really nice because i said hi to her! haha she is adorable but nothing brightens up your Sunday like an awesome family and tacos! 

3. Bro Luers, a member of our ward, gave an awesome talk on priesthood heroes! You would never guess looking at this guy that he had a life as tough as his. he has no idea who his father was and struggled with that for a long time until he married his wife and his father in law taught him what it was like to be a father! He finished his talk talking about how Jesus Christ should be are biggest hero always! 

4.  CS Lewis and the living house. CS Lewis makes an analogy of us all being a house and God is the repair man that is helping fix us up. We are fine as the repairman fixes the leaky roof or that creaky door or even the broken light bulb, we see that he is improving us and making us better. But then all of the sudden the repairman knocks down a door or rips down a section of the roof! That doesn't feels so good to us. We worry then as we see the repairman destroying us, we had a nice comfortable life as a small cottage but we don't know the plans of the Master Builder who wants us to be a glorious mansion that is his prized piece! 

5. One of my favorite quotes about the Book of Mormon that we use to teach an investigator this week! " It is not that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though it does indeed do that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ though it does that, too. But there is something more. There is a power in the Book that will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin serious study of that book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find power to avoid deception. You will find power to stay on the straight and narrow path. The scriptures are called the words of life and no where is that more true then it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words you will find life in greater and greater abundance!" President Ezra Taft Benson! Read it, it's a great book!  

6. Since I'm already quoting past prophets here I'll just quote another. Spencer W Kimball said "when we cant chose our circumstance the wise thing to do is change our attitude about the circumstance." oh how that principle has helped me as a missionary it is amazing! 

7. Here is a great video you all need to watch! It is about the Savior's willingness to always forgive us! Watch it! Cause it is my favorite and always brings the spirit!!!!  http://www.mormonchannel.org/video/mormon-messages?v=3446112587001

8. I lost the keys on Saturday :( It was tough. I prayed super hard to find them and the only thing that came to my mind was faith without works is dead so I went to work! Cleaned the whole apartment and of course it was in the most random place ever! But so true, faith without works is dead! Lesson learned with the keys!  

9. You meet crazy people as a missionary... but that is half the fun! The lady we met this week is Mytha Rutherford! She is half Irish and half Cherokee native american. So that was a super interesting combo. She would talk in an irish accent but say native american words... it was just an odd combo! But you  see crazy stuff all the time as a missionary! 

10. Ee have been biking twice this week and the bottom fell out. Both times we were super close to home but still were soaked to the bone by the time we biked home. It's been crazy how much it can rain and it will be for 15 minutes then gone! Wish we could send that to California! 

Love you all, 

Elder Taylor

The book that blue is also true!

1. The Register family! We had a call Wednesday night to come help a family move in the next day so we went and helped them unload! They are an awesome family that moved from North Alabama down here and they were investigating the church! So miracle right there they are awesome it's a mom, dad and 3 boys! They had been meeting with sister missionaries for a few weeks but never got taught too much! So here we go, investigators falling from the sky! The two youngest boys love us already cause after we helped move we played baseball with them and thought it was so much fun! We got to go back on Saturday and have more of a lesson with them and it's crazy how many people have been put in their lives that are members. Mrs. Resgister's best friend in High school was a member and Brother Register has an uncle that is a member and they have some friends from their old town that are members! Small world but awesome world! We have big hopes for the register family! 

2. To go along with that we are pro movers! we also helped move random people in on Friday we just asked them if they needed help and said sure! nothing like random acts of service right! 

3. And to go along with that one I'm grateful we have a chiropractor in our ward! Tender mercies!! We went to him and sat in his massage chair and got adjusted! So great! 

4. We had a missionary meeting with all the missionaries in the pensacola area and some awesome stuff was said. The mission has been really focused on reaching our goals which is great but not always happening. So we have been getting a little down on ourselves. They read Alma 21:12 "And it came to pass that they saw that the people would harden theirhearts, therefore they departed and came over into the land of Middoni. And they did preach the word unto many, and fewbelieved on the words which they taught". They then posed the question was Aaron less diligent than his brother Ammon who baptized thousands? No he was not, those Aaron taught just exercised their agency in the negative which is alright. But just because we don't meet a goal does'nt mean that we failed. We can try as hard as possible but we still need others to exercise their agency for anything to happen! it was an awesome lesson, we just need to do our best and help them make the right choice and if they don't make it then oh well, we can't force anyone to baptism we only invite!

5. Micheal Randolf is a guy we meet at the 4th of July river festival. Oh boy he is a character. He is a born again Christian and loves singing songs about Jesus. We were texting him and noticed his signature on text messages, so for you un- tech savy people that just a phrase that you can put on all your out going texts. but anyways all his texts say #Jesusismyhomeboy You got to love it right!

6. we were talking about church myths yesterday at church. I guess myths are not the right word to say but traditions that we sometimes confuse as doctrine in the church and a member of the high council had a good story about beards. He said they were rearranging the stake and  when that happens a general authority, or leader of the church, interviews a lot of people. This time is was Gene R Cook of the 70. This high counselor at the time was called in to get an interview and had a big beard. After the interview Elder cook caught brother Smith at the door and asked brother smith are you a missionary? Which the reply came back of course every member a missionary! Elder Cook then said well President Hinckley likes his missionaries clean shaven! So he went home and shaved! Not trying to say anything *cough Brady cough* Just kidding buddy! 

7. A sister in the area said something awesome yesterday! She said the Atonement is enough. It doesn't matter, it is enough for whatever we do! It's so great to have the knowledge and comfort no matter what we do or what we go through the atonement is enough for us! 

8. We biked 70 miles this week! Yeah for biking! My legs are going to be awesome when i get home!

9. Funny story about legs. Elder Beahan keeps ripping his pants haha but its because his legs are getting too big for his pants! But i told him the other day, while thinking of the rugby position hooker, " man you have huge legs you should be a hooker" Yeah awkward. After that and he decide to tell the rest of the missionaries! #embarrassing! but thats alright! 

10. Finished the Book Of Mormon again today! It's still true! Read and pray! Yeah! 

Elder Taylor

Dear President Monson can we wear shorts?.... please

1. This week we got a new investigator! Yeah! His name is john Long. He is a pretty cool guy and his girlfriend is/ was a member. So they are waiting to get married and then they both want to get baptized! So that's awesome. I think they plan on getting married in September! We will see what happens but we are excited. They have it all, they just need a kick in the butt!

2. Edward Clark is another investigator we have and he is a guy I pity. He is a super nice guy and wants to learn more, he just is an alcoholic! It's so sad, he knows it's bad for him but he will not turn away from it. It doesn't help that he has two brothers that come over because their wives don't let them drink at home, and they just drink all day! It's sad, he wants out of this horrible habit but he cant pull him self out of it! We try our best but its sad to see someone self destruct..

3. We have done crazy amounts of service like every day we served for at least 3 hours but hey, I love it! It is also a blessing to get out of a white shirt and tie for a few hours! I love being a missionary but it would be nice if we could wear shorts! Maybe we can just get white shirts with a tie painted on and nice board shorts-- that would be the life!!! 

4. We were talking a lot this week at church about the whole priesthood stuff going on about women... it's been a hot topic but no one really cares down here thankfully! But a member said something super cool I'll paraphrase it. He said that women hold the key to bringing God's children to the earth from heaven and men hold the keys through the priesthood to return them home. Super interesting but hey i liked it! It was an interesting way of explaining it!

5. I have been doing a lot of studies this week on personal revelation and found a super good talk by Boyd k packard! He said " no one can survive in the world today, much less what it son will become without personal revelation!" So true, we need the helping hand of our loving heavenly father more now then ever before! 

6 One of my favorite scriptures of the week Ether 2: 25 "And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot crossthis great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods whichshall come." I love it because the Lord prepares us for our trials he helps us through them and helps us become better because of them!

7. A theme in the mission is being North Side Strong. If you know about wood trees that grow on the north side, they are more exposed to the elements than those on the south so they have to grow steadier and stronger! These trees are then better quality wood to build with!  So that is what this mission is! It iis hard in areas and we experience a lot of resistance but we are growing stronger! Remember that your trials make you North side Strong! but the Lord is building great things with us, right?

8. Last week we had a mission fast and our mission president gave the prayer for it! It was awesome! I have never heard someone pray with such love for those around him. I could hardly hold back tears as i realized how much he loves each and everyone of his missionaries and what we are doing. He truly loves this work and he is fully committed to this work! I love President Smith!

9. This is more something I'm jealous about. The missionaries going home this week ran into Jeffery R Holland in the Atlanta GA airport! What the heck? Why do i never get lucky like that! He is my general authority crush! That's wierd...

10. Awkward situation of the week: We were looking for a less active member and turns out he died last week! oops! That was a dang awkward door to knock we felt really bad!

I love you all!

Elder Taylor