In case you've been wondering how Christa is doing since she returned home . . . she is doing great for someone readjusting to civilian life! I hope you enjoy this catch up letter and know that we love you and appreciate your interest in her especially while she was serving as a missionary.
-Love,
Lindy
From: Christa Taylor <christaliana@gmail.com>
Date: Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 11:55 PM
Subject: Some recent tidbits!
Date: Sun, Aug 16, 2015 at 11:55 PM
Subject: Some recent tidbits!
Grandparents and family,
Sorry I've been MIA with weekly emails for a bit! I have some tidbits and experiences to share with you though. Enjoy. :)
- My car keys went missing for two weeks, so I used a family friend's van. While I was at the temple yesterday, my mom found the keys in a random folder in our mud room! Temple blessings!
- SCHOOL STARTS IN TWO WEEKS! I move out in like ten days. Doesn't feel real yet. I have a lot to do to prepare but I am excited. :) I'll be living on campus at BYU.
- I'm trying out for both the ballroom team and concert choir!
- I'm quitting at both the Salon and Old Navy, so when school starts I'll just work one shift a week at American Eagle and do hair at my apartment on the side. The salon wanted me to work more hours than I could possibly do while going to school full-time, so I felt it was right to quit.
- Last week I worked two 13 hour days (an 8 hour shift and a 5 hour shift back to back). I literally clocked out at American Eagle, walked around the corner to the salon, and clocked in. Surprisingly I had plenty of energy left over. Again, blessings!!!
- This is my last week with three jobs. Bittersweet, relieving, awesome.
- There's a guy in my ward, Brandon, whom I've wanted to ask me out for the WHOLE summer and he hasn't, so most awk
w
ardly, during a church related phone call I suggested we go to lunch sometime. So we're doing lunch on Tuesday. (crossing my fingers) - Sister Davis and Sister Johnson and I are going to be living in the same apartment building on campus! None of us will be roommates but we might be in the same ward. :)
- A less active friend from my home ward, Ashlyn-- who I've been reaching out to this summer since I got my ward missionary calling-- CAME TO CHURCH TODAY!!! She came with her best friend Kat, also from my home ward, who got home from her mission 2-3 weeks ago. Happy miracle day!! I hope she keeps coming!!
I've had a couple neat experiences with meeting people at the temple recently!
#1 I think it was Pioneer Day when I decided to go to the temple that morning. Who knew it would be closed for Pioneer Day? So as I was sitting in my car for a few minutes, a van full with a sunday dressed family drove up and stopped when they saw that it was closed. I had the feeling I should walk over and talk to them through the car window, so I did. They were a sweet, friendly family, and the mom said, "Well, since we can't go in the temple today, how about you share your testimony with us?" Right there, in the parking lot. So I did. A sweet spirit was there. They also asked me what I felt was my biggest takeaway from my mission. I hardly thought at all when I answered something like this:
"The gospel of Jesus Christ. Before my mission I had no doubts that it was real and true, or that it worked. But on my mission, I learned how to live it. It became a pattern of life for me. I learned that Christ was the only way, the only one who could heal me, forgive me, teach me, and love me perfectly. I couldn't redeem or correct myself just through punishing or disciplining myself; I learned that the grace and mercy of Christ is the only thing that can do that. Now I am so much happier and at peace with myself, and my relationship is so much stronger with God."
The car was silent, and the mother had tears coming to her eyes. "Wow..that was..very profound. I really needed that." She looked at me. "Thank you." We talked a moment more and we parted ways. But I felt that I was really meant to meet them that morning; they lifted me, and I lifted them. That's the purpose of the temple anyway-- to be spiritually lifted. So I suppose my efforts to go were not in vain. :)
#2 During aforementioned loss of car keys, I had gotten a ride to the temple from my sister but I had no ride home, so I'd started walking. Barely three minutes into my walk, a sweet couple in their 40's who'd just finished their shift at the temple rolled down their window and called out, "Hey! You need a ride?" I accepted and ran and got into their truck. We discovered that they had a son who'd recently returned from a Georgia mission, too! Not mine, but Georgia nonetheless. By the time we got to my driveway five minutes later, he had offered me a book he'd written on the temple (he tried to give me a copy on the spot but he'd ran out), and they'd invited me come to dinner at their home with them and their son sometime! They were such kind people! I'm so grateful that there are so many loving people like them in the world, and that I had the pleasure of meeting them. :)
I have been learning so much. I've done a lot of recommitting myself over the last couple months, and I feel like it's been a solid, hard working, good learning summer. I'm excited to see what college life will be like!!
I sure love yall!
Love,
Christa
