Subject: Scatter Sunshine
We had quite the week! I am feeling more and more comfortable with Canton. I feel like I've already been here forever. It's been a much happier experience with miracles scattered along the way.
I just realized, I don't think I told you about Sister Macedone yet! She's from Orem, UT, she's been out ten months, and she's also very musical. She's black and has a beautiful, showy singing voice with all the bells and whistles. We have fun singing together. She's the tenth of FIFTEEN children! Eight are her parents', seven are adopted. She's one of the adopted ones. She's a dancer (she taught African and hip-hop dance before the mish) and very playful, confident, inquisitive, and insightful. She's a great companion!
This week I was guided in my studies and I found a few articles that were clear messages to me from Heavenly Father. One was an article that caught my eye while casually browsing through the Feb 2009 Ensign one night. It's about a girl my age, who moved to Atlanta (!) to accept a job offer, and how she learned to choose to be happy now instead of pinning her happiness on future events.
The other article was about reaching your full potential, through serving others and relying on the Lord. Dieter F. Uchtdorf said to not waste joyous moments by anticipating the moment when they will end. I know I was led to find those articles.This is something I feel the Lord has been wanting me to learn-- and I've been happier because of it! I feel more like my sunshiny, bouncy self as I look for the good in the world and scatter sunshine. This morning when I walked in for studies, Sister Mac said "Thanks for the concert," since I'd been singing (rather loudly) "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" in the shower for a good 20 minutes. I'm loving my mission more now that I'm looking for ways to love it.
Friday was a day of miracles. We showed up for an appointment that fell through, but talked to a man fixing his car across the street. He was interested, so we set up a return appointment. As we were talking about the restoration, his friend pulled up, enthusiastically greeted us, and said he'd love to come to church! Later we accidentally locked our keys in the car, but the passenger door was somehow unlocked and we were able to retrieve the keys.
That night, we were on a dark road and flipped on our brights just in time to see that the road ended thirty feet ahead! We were able to stop just in time before hitting the trees and debris in the way. We also had a "spiritual GPS" experience where we were led directly to a home we felt prompted to knock at. They weren't interested, but we had a good fifteen minute conversation with them and talked to a few neighbors. We'd set a goal of reaching twenty contacts that day; we finished the day with exactly that amount. We were grateful the Lord let us see His hand in the work so clearly that day.
The Quentin L. Cook meeting on Saturday was wonderful. I'm so glad I got the opportunity to play the organ! It was a treat and a privilege. I loved it. Elder Cook came up while I was playing and gave me a pat on the back and said it was nice to meet me. He was so kind. :) The speakers were very inspired. They talked a lot about how to invite others to Christ while respecting agency, and conversion among members and investigators.
Please keep Sharon in your prayers. She's an investigator who has been very ill recently and it's keeping her from being able to read and study. She's promising and I'm sure that prayers will help her in more ways than one.
I love you all very much! I'd love to hear from you! My mailing address will always be the same:
1150 Cole Dr SW
Lilburn, GA
30047
Much love from the South!
Sister Christa Taylor
P.S. There was a bamboo forest in my last area. Who knew that South America was in John's Creek, GA? Also found a creepy little circle of stone monkeys...?? Don't ask. Because I don't know.
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