Fwd: Canton: Connections, the KKK, and Meet Larry

From: Christa Taylor <christa.taylor@myldsmail.net>
Date: Mon, Mar 3, 2014 at 1:03 PM
Subject: Canton: Connections, the KKK, and Meet Larry
To: Lindy Taylor <lindyjtaylor@gmail.com>

Hey'all!

 

It's happening, I'm becoming a southern girl. Y'all is now officially part of my regular vocabulary. And every once in a while I'm a fixin to do somethin. Just kidding, not that fluent yet. But ahm a workin ohn it. And I hit my five month mark yesterday! The time is flying by. I'll be home in 13 short months.

 

Here's a fun story. One night this last week we were driving to a less active member's home who lives in Waleska, which is a pretty country, po-dunk area. I was driving. Our GPS told us to take a left onto a potholed, bumpy, precarious dirt road. After several minutes of winding down this road, Sister Macedone said, "I really don't remember this road. Our GPS is probably possessed." Right on que, the GPS said, "Turn around when possible." AHH!!! That freaked us out. Alas, the road was small and surrounded by trees and old barbed wire fences, so we had to keep going. Branches were scraping the sides of our car, and soon we heard howling. Oh no. A pair of yellow eyes appeared right outside my car door and barked loudly at the car, chasing us. It was not a wolf, thank heavens, but a big brown lab. I sped up to outrun him, getting tossed every which way as we hit potholes right and left. Soon we passed some old trailers, with equipment and cars outside. Sister Macedone commented that it was probably the KKK's headquarters. Not funny. (We later found out a preacher lived there. Quite different from the KKK.) Just then, a GATE came out of nowhere, blocking our path! We managed to turn around and eventually free ourselves from the path of endless woe. It was a left, by the way, to get onto that dirt road. Don't choose the left. Choose the right. It wasn't as life threatening as it felt, but it was quite the adventure!

 

I made an amazing connection at a dinner appointment last week! I met a ward member that served with my grandpa in Finland on her mission!!! She said she'd served a mission in Finland, and I mentioned in passing that my grandpa had served there as well. "That'd be Elder Taylor," I said, passing something on the table. She looked at me and said, "What was his first name?"
"Rocky," I said.
Her eyes got big. "Rocky Zane Taylor?!"
"Yes!!"
     We couldn't believe it! She said she got goosebumps all over just remembering Elder Taylor. She told me about how he was her zone leader, a very good missionary, and had taught her and other missionaries how to make tabs out of paper-punch-circles from undeveloped film strips to help mark verses in the bible by topic.  It was definitely a tender mercy that God helped us meet and make that connection. There are no coincidences with the Lord.

 

I've had several opportunities to use my musical talents here! Quentin L. Cook, an Apostle, is coming to speak to the Georgia Atlanta and Atlanta North Missions this Saturday, and President Wolfert called me a few days ago and asked me to be the organist for the meeting! I've also become the ward choir pianist, and I'm singing with a few other sisters for a musical number at Zone Conference next week (Elder Kopischke of the Seventy will be there). I'm also a substitute organist for the ward. It feels good to sit at the bench and tickle the ivory now and again.

 

Honesty is the best policy. We played uno after dinner with a member family one night, and I was the only one who played clean. I won three times. (I'm not typically a regular winner in card games.) I think God was trying to tell them something. ;) Of course it was all in good fun, but you get some extra heavenly help when you're honest, even in card games. :)

 

We have lots of opportunities to do service here. There are so, so many members struggling with pretty serious tragedies and trials in our ward, and it's a lot to take in. The members are pretty open with us about what they're going through, and we're trying to find our role in helping them. Please pray for the people here. They need to love and be loved. They're good people and once the ward's situation is a little more stable, they are just firecrackers of missionary work waiting to happen. I'm excited to be a part of it here, whether or not the fruits of our efforts comes while I'm here.

 

Please pray for Lorra, Kimberly, Sharon, and Dorothy. They all have very different needs but we're excited to keep teaching them the gospel.

 

I love you all so much. The Church is true. If you're wondering what you can do to be a missionary, then pray for opportunities to serve and open your mouth, read and study your scriptures, serve and love your family, and do your home/visiting teaching. It matters so much that every person is watched out for and cared for. I have gained a greater appreciation and testimony of the importance and significance of visiting teaching. God asks us to do it for a reason.

 

1 Nephi 3:7 "I will go and do as the Lord has commanded; for I know the Lord giveth no commandment unto the children of men, save He shall prepare a way for them, that they may accomplish the thing which He hath commanded them." The Lord always provides a way.

 

Love,

Sister Taylor

 

P.S. Meet Larry the Lizard. Isn't he cute?