Date: Mon, Sep 15, 2014 at 1:52 PM
Subject: Comfort, Cake, and Caterpillars
To: Lindy Taylor <lindyjtaylor@gmail.com>
To: Lindy Taylor <lindyjtaylor@gmail.com>
YALL.
God is a God of miracles. We had some big ones and some teeny ones this week, and how awesome is it that I get to see them EVERY DAY as a missionary?! Sometimes I forget to look so I don't see them, but the Lord is always giving. I invite you to do the same! Look for the tender mercies God puts in your path.
God is a God of miracles. We had some big ones and some teeny ones this week, and how awesome is it that I get to see them EVERY DAY as a missionary?! Sometimes I forget to look so I don't see them, but the Lord is always giving. I invite you to do the same! Look for the tender mercies God puts in your path.
We had dinner with Weston and Kasey, both scientists, at a member's home and talked about exercising faith to find spiritual evidence of truth. It's hard to believe in something when it can't be sustained entirely by physical evidence. How interesting that the most important knowledge available--that there is a God, who is our Heavenly Father and loves us--is solidified in our souls primarily by spiritual evidence! God does provide physical evidences of His work, but we must exercise faith to find spiritual evidence, which is just as real and more lasting than physical proof.
Our mission president has started a new emphasis in our work with members, in which we role-play instead of sharing a brief scripture thought. The members take the role of a friend or relative who is not a member or less-active, and we teach them as though they were that person. It's been a great success! In the four times we did it this week, one member got ideas on how to reach out to her less active brother; another was reminded of a cousin in need of support; a couple arranged to introduce us to a part-member family; and a recently reactivated member cried as she recounted her experiences coming back into church activity. This is definitely an inspired change in our approach to member work!
Here are some of the big miracles from this week! Ashu was an African man referred to us online. When we arrived, he and two other African roommates were there ready to be taught. There was no furniture in the small apartment, so we stood for over an hour. It felt powerful to testify on my feet to three attentive investigators! All three had solid questions and listened carefully to the message of the Restoration. Our member team up cried and cried with joy when we left because missionary work is what she loves so much. No one else had been available that night so it was a miracle to have her come with us to such a successful lesson with not one, but three prepared people.
Janet, a Hispanic woman, was another miracle. A couple weeks ago, we had ten minutes to tract and the first door we knocked was hers. We set up a time to come back, but she was not at home when we returned. That was the night we felt prompted to visit the Vietnamese man who had a firm desire to go to the temple. So this week, another appointment fell through, and we decided to give Janet a try. She was home and let us in. We started teaching the Restoration, and she sincerely said, "I have gone to so many churches, and I never felt anything. Something is missing; I want to feel that peace in my heart!" We testified of the Restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon, and she said she would read it. We referred her to the Spanish elders, who are working with her successfully. I know the Lord orchestrated that experience, because none of the miracles surrounding her were arranged by appointment or planned ahead. He just made it work perfectly!
Comfort was the candle on the cake. We came to church yesterday and were informed that a black woman named Comfort was looking for us. After a few moments of conversation with her, it dawned on me who she was. My last companion had tracted into her six months ago, but they were unable to teach her because shortly thereafter she left on a 5 month trip to her homeland in Ghana. She got back last month and had eagerly awaited our return. We didn't come by, so she stopped waiting and had her daughter take her to church. In her broken English, she expressed that she had read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet, believed it was true, and that she wants to dedicate her life to Christ, join the Church, and be baptized. Okay! She stayed for all three meetings and enjoyed it thoroughly. We're teaching her tonight and giving her a baptismal date for early October. I hope and pray her enthusiasm continues as we teach her.
Speaking of cake, it's Sister Hawkins' birthday tomorrow, she'll be an oldie at 21! If you write me soon then be sure to include some birthday wishes for her. :) We're halfway through her training already. It's flying by! I love her and I love working with her.
Funny side story. As a missionary, the amount of effort it takes to entertain you diminishes to almost nil. We were waiting at a door and noticed a small caterpillar hustling across the concrete. Our conversation was as follows:
Our mission president has started a new emphasis in our work with members, in which we role-play instead of sharing a brief scripture thought. The members take the role of a friend or relative who is not a member or less-active, and we teach them as though they were that person. It's been a great success! In the four times we did it this week, one member got ideas on how to reach out to her less active brother; another was reminded of a cousin in need of support; a couple arranged to introduce us to a part-member family; and a recently reactivated member cried as she recounted her experiences coming back into church activity. This is definitely an inspired change in our approach to member work!
Here are some of the big miracles from this week! Ashu was an African man referred to us online. When we arrived, he and two other African roommates were there ready to be taught. There was no furniture in the small apartment, so we stood for over an hour. It felt powerful to testify on my feet to three attentive investigators! All three had solid questions and listened carefully to the message of the Restoration. Our member team up cried and cried with joy when we left because missionary work is what she loves so much. No one else had been available that night so it was a miracle to have her come with us to such a successful lesson with not one, but three prepared people.
Janet, a Hispanic woman, was another miracle. A couple weeks ago, we had ten minutes to tract and the first door we knocked was hers. We set up a time to come back, but she was not at home when we returned. That was the night we felt prompted to visit the Vietnamese man who had a firm desire to go to the temple. So this week, another appointment fell through, and we decided to give Janet a try. She was home and let us in. We started teaching the Restoration, and she sincerely said, "I have gone to so many churches, and I never felt anything. Something is missing; I want to feel that peace in my heart!" We testified of the Restoration and gave her a Book of Mormon, and she said she would read it. We referred her to the Spanish elders, who are working with her successfully. I know the Lord orchestrated that experience, because none of the miracles surrounding her were arranged by appointment or planned ahead. He just made it work perfectly!
Comfort was the candle on the cake. We came to church yesterday and were informed that a black woman named Comfort was looking for us. After a few moments of conversation with her, it dawned on me who she was. My last companion had tracted into her six months ago, but they were unable to teach her because shortly thereafter she left on a 5 month trip to her homeland in Ghana. She got back last month and had eagerly awaited our return. We didn't come by, so she stopped waiting and had her daughter take her to church. In her broken English, she expressed that she had read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet, believed it was true, and that she wants to dedicate her life to Christ, join the Church, and be baptized. Okay! She stayed for all three meetings and enjoyed it thoroughly. We're teaching her tonight and giving her a baptismal date for early October. I hope and pray her enthusiasm continues as we teach her.
Speaking of cake, it's Sister Hawkins' birthday tomorrow, she'll be an oldie at 21! If you write me soon then be sure to include some birthday wishes for her. :) We're halfway through her training already. It's flying by! I love her and I love working with her.
Funny side story. As a missionary, the amount of effort it takes to entertain you diminishes to almost nil. We were waiting at a door and noticed a small caterpillar hustling across the concrete. Our conversation was as follows:
Sister H: Dude, look. This lil guy is hauling.
Sister T: Yeah, he's booking it...Where you think he's going?
Sister H: I dunno! Look, he's on the wall now.
Sister T: Whoa. I didn't know caterpillars could do that.
This was a real conversation. We didn't realize how ridiculous it sounded till we walked away! So. If you think you need a blockbuster or facebook or a comedian to be entertained, that's false. Just give up normal life and soon the insects at your feet will become adventures waiting to happen.
Thanks for the letters, emails, prayers, and love. I'm feeling it!
Thanks for the letters, emails, prayers, and love. I'm feeling it!
Love,
Sister Taylor
Sister Taylor
P.S. We also taught Edwin, Jason, Michelle, Ebi, and Weston and Kasey. Ebi and Michelle are both single moms with one son, looking for a church that will help their sons grow up in Christ. Jeff and Georgina canceled because of sickness, and will need to set a new baptismal date. Please pray for these wonderful people as they are seeking the path God has in mind for them.
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