Date: Mon, Jun 23, 2014 at 3:07 PM
Subject: Wild Boars, Excellence, and Dodge Chargers
To: Lindy Taylor <lindyjtaylor@gmail.com>
Subject: Wild Boars, Excellence, and Dodge Chargers
To: Lindy Taylor <lindyjtaylor@gmail.com>
Hey yall,
First of all, we got transfer calls today! On Wednesday, I'll be shipped off to Lawrenceville with Sister Hjorth (pronounced "Yorth") as my new companion. I will miss Canton. I've grown close to many people here and it's not fun to leave. But I'm excited for a fresh start, and I served close to Sister Hjorth in my first area and she's awesome. I'm excited to be her companion!
This last week had some serious blessings! We have one investigator, Gavin, on date for baptism! Several part-member and less-active families are also swimming into our teaching pool. We were also able to get a standard of three, which I've never done before! (Our mission has "Standards of Excellence", extra goals, that we strive for to help us improve and reach higher each week-- our mission standards are 70 contacts, 5 new investigators, 2 investigators at church, 1 on date for baptism, or 5 lessons to investigators with members present. Each one accomplished in a week is a "standard".). God poured out so many blessings, big and small, this week for us.
Finding Gavin was a miracle. He is nine, and the son of a less active member/recent convert, Stephanie. We were tracting a neighborhood and decided to leave because there was too much rain and thunder, and we didn't feel good about the area. Sister Alvey said, "You tell me where to go and be led by the Spirit," so I did my best and gave her lefts and rights as we went. After several turns we ended up across a main highway in a condo complex. The GPS said Stephanie lived there, so we decided to stop by. I had knocked on her door several times before and never met her. They pulled up right then, and we were able to set up a return appointment, at which Gavin eagerly accepted the invitation to take the lessons and be baptized. He is on date for August 21st, his tenth birthday. He is a treat to teach and the simple games, visuals, and object lessons strongly bring the Spirit. His mom, though a member, was never very active so she is learning right along with him. We knew the timing of meeting them, their readiness, and our being led there was God's handiwork in action. They would have been at church on Sunday but Stephanie is having heart problems and couldn't make it. So please pray that Gavin and Stephanie will be able to continue to investigate the church without her health preventing it.
For the first time ever, the lessons to investigators and less-active/recent convert lessons GREATLY outnumbered the number of member lessons we taught! They just fell into our lap; it was so thrilling to see the blessings pour in! We're being obedient and we're working hard. I think some of the blessings we are receiving are because we're prepared to receive them. God cleared our plate and then filled it with even better blessings.
One funny little miracle. I saw a nice, shiny, grey Dodge Charger in front of us while we were driving to an appointment. It's a nice car, right? So I reeeeally wanted to see the front of it. It kept going straight when we turned, so I didn't see the sides or front. I was bummed. So I said a quick hopeful prayer and asked to please see another Dodge Charger so I could get a better view. I quickly forgot about it. Then that very afternoon, at that same intersection, what did I see? I saw a bright red, gleaming Dodge Charger right in front of me! And, lo and behold, it turned just as I did, so I got a lovely view of the side and front. I laughed and said a quick prayer of thanks. More than seeing a nice car, it reminded me that God cares about the little, little things.
On another random note, we tracted a podunk little street and were then warned TWICE that day about wild boars in the area! Apparently, when they were clearing out a nearby forest for a reservoir, a pig farmer retired and released his pigs into the wild, creating a large boar population. So, we're done tracting there. We were sufficiently warned. But we did meet some lovely people on that street (including Danny, a nice black man missing teeth, who was full of sunshine and southern hospitality, singing as he walked away. Said he'd come to church, hope he does!).
I love Sister Alvey and I'll miss working with her. We are totally different but I'm grateful I got to work with and learn from her. She's delightful and completely dedicated. She is strong and bold. I hope some of her talents will rub off on me as I go on to Lawrenceville. Canton has been an incredible experience, I'm really going to miss it.
Love,
Your Favorite Sweaty Peach, Sister Taylor
P.S. Pic from my bike ride this morning and of Gavin's family. :)
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