Happy New Years everyone! Thank you so much for the sweet cards, packages, and notes. I feel so loved and spoiled here.
Our New Years Eve was probably the most celebratory one of my life. We had a fantastic count down at 10:06pm (we were going to do it at 10, but we weren't ready, so we did 10:06. It was new years somewhere). We were banging pots and pans, cheering and hollering, running around the apartment, and jumping on the beds. We also ate candy and had a fancy schmancy toast with french lemonade. We even got New Year's kisses (named Hershey's, of course)! I'd say it was a successful new years celebration. :)
So, TRANSFERS!! They're this wednesday. **drum roll** I'm staying in John's Creek, and Sister Buhler is headed to Gainesville (the boonies) to be companions with one of my MTC friends. My new companion's name is Sister Mellot. I haven't met her before, but I'm excited to! Keep me in your prayers. I'm still a newbie and I'm hoping for a smooth transition. :)
Last week our top investigator, a teen named Devon, said her mom wasn't comfortable with her taking lessons anymore, so she dropped us. We were sad about that. She's still reading the book of mormon and she loves learning, but she's timid about moving forward and has some fears. I think she's just afraid to mess up. She's been going to church off and on with her member boyfriend for a few years, and she's comfortable there, but I think officially investigating the church just made it real for her, and that was scary. It went from dipping her toes into the water to an invitation to swim. Maybe she's not ready now, but I firmly believe she will be one day. I would love to see her make that step in her life and keep in touch with her. And I'm doing her eyebrows tonight, so we'll get to meet with her at least briefly. Yay for marketable skills!! ;)
Church on sunday was AMAZING though! Devon was at church with her boyfriend, AND we substituted her sunday school class last minute and were able to teach, with her needs in mind, what we had been planning to teach her next. A struggling teen we've kept on our radar came to church and blessed the sacrament; a struggling recent convert was also there and involved; and the theme of the Atonement in testimony meeting was a spiritually uplifting experience for me. I feel very blessed.
We're still struggling to get in with all the investigators we have, especially when we aren't sure how prepared they really are. But we're giving them as much focus as it takes to help them progress until we feel we should act otherwise. Our investigator on date, Vivian, has been busy and is now sick, and doesn't want to meet until she's better. She has terrible health pretty regularly, and she hasn't been reading the book of mormon consistently; so I think we'll just have to be patient and do what we can to help her. I hope we can see her baptized soon, but it may be a longer process than I thought.
I hope among your new years resolutions are 1) reading the book of mormon daily and 2) being a missionary wherever you are. I didn't study my scriptures daily before my mission, and now that I get to, 30-60 minutes isn't nearly enough. Even if it's 5 minutes a day! Do it! I promise you will come to know our Savior more personally, understand his Atonement more fully, love the scriptures sincerely, and have clarity and order in your daily life. You will be HAPPY! Mosiah 4:27 -- "See that these things are done in wisdom and order...it is not requisite that a man run faster than he has strength". It's the most thrilling adventure, heart-wrenching tale, historically fascinating, and life changing book you will ever read. Don't believe me? Check the ratings! Click here: mormon.org :)
Happy New Years 2014!
Sister Christa Taylor
Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas. - Dale Evans
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