Fwd: Donkeys & Gordon B Hinckley

From: Christa Taylor <christa.taylor@myldsmail.net>

Date: Mon, Jun 2, 2014 at 2:41 PM
Subject: Donkeys & Gordon B Hinckley
To: Lindy Taylor <lindyjtaylor@gmail.com>

Fam & Friends & Yall,

Today is my 8 month mark! Crazy yes? In 30 days I'll be halfway through, and ten months from now I'll be nearly home. It's flying by. I love it here and I know I still have much to accomplish. It's going to be a packed ten months!

We did both my favorite and the saddest service project ever this week. With our investigator Lucy, we brushed and washed a member's sick donkey, Louis. This poor donkey has a horrible case of founder, which is a disease that warps the hooves so they are shaped like the bottom of a boat on the bottom, instead of being flat and sturdy. It makes it terribly painful to stand, and without medication, he can only stand for a few minutes before he collapses in pain.

He also has a disease that prevents him from shedding properly, and since everyone has focused on the show horse, Louis hasn't been groomed or washed in at least several months-- Lucy says years. He has only a small, dirty, rocky stall for protection from the hot sun and needless to say, with all of that he is miserable and neglected. Corny it may sound, but it broke my heart to see that donkey hurt so badly and need so much grooming and love; and by golly, I was going to love him to pieces while I could!

His coat was so matted and muddy that I had to take scissors to cut out matted chunks of hair. We scrubbed and combed and cut and pulled hair for over an hour before we had him looking decent. While we worked, Louis happily watched us and stood very patiently, despite the pain he was obviously feeling. He was a very good boy. He struggled back to his pen, and I stayed with him for a minute (within sight and sound of my companion, of course ;)) just talking to him. I hope he felt better. I'll send pictures next week if I can get copies.

Back to missionary work. While we worked on Louis, we learned more about Lucy and how we can help her. We're going to invite her to be baptized tonight. After embracing Judaism for a long time, she is just opening herself up to Christianity again. We're hoping for the best!

Bittersweet. This week was our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Wolfert, before we get our new mission president in July. The first few hours were just for me. President Wolfert gave a training based on President Gordon B Hinckley's mission advice-- Forget yourself and go to work.

That was exactly for me. I've realized that thus far on my mission, one of my biggest goals has been to improve myself-- become a better missionary, more converted disciple, and a more refined, Christ-like person. That is a good goal, but I can't forget myself completely and go to work with that as my biggest focus.  I'm still working on myself personally, but I realized I need to give 100% of my efforts to serving others, and as I do, Christ will change me better than I could ever change myself.

That's a valuable lesson on faith. When Alma teaches about planting a seed of faith, he says that we see the growth of the seed as we plant it and nourish it; in other words, as we act on it. In my case, I've been studying the plant instead of watering it. Studying it may give you a pretty thorough understanding of it, but the plant is no closer to growing than it was before I studied it. When you exercise faith, nourish it. Set goals. Say prayers. Take a leap of faith, even if (and especially if!) it's out of your comfort zone. God shows us where to go as we're walking. I know you'll see the Lord's specific plans for you unfold as you start walking in faith.

So with that, the month of consecration is perfect timing! Once a year for the last few years, the mission has been doing the Month of Consecration-- where exact obedience is especially emphasized, we make goals to sacrifice things that prevent us from serving 100%, and we begin with a mission fast. I'm looking forward to seeing miracles throughout the month as the work goes on.

Please keep Joel Rogers (faith to accept existence of God and take the lessons), Jason (to get a solid teaching opportunity with him), and Lucy (faith to accept Christ and humbly seek truth) in your prayers.

Happy summer, and if you're in Utah, shout praises for dry heat!! :)

Love,
Sister Taylor