#7 UNA SEMANA LOCA

AUGUST 19, 2014

 wow, what a crazy week this has been! i dont even know where to start. we met with Domingo Avila again. he is doing great! its been over a week since he's taken drugs or alcohol! super happy for him. he is such a great man, and he even said he is getting one of his friends to go to the addiction recovery class with him, and is going to try and bring him to our next lesson, so we can teach him! his friend isnt a member. we'll see him again wednesday, so super excited for that!

   last monday, the 11th, which was our p-day, me and preciado got to go out with one of our less actives, in his truck on some of the dirt roads around here. it was intense! at one point, we were going up this super steep hill, with a cliff on our side, and not great traction since its super rocky dirt. it was super sketchy! especially since i absolutely HATE heights! i almost had a panick attack. but luckily we survived.

   Thursday, we had Zone Conference. it was awesome! best zone conference ever! okay true, first zone conf ever.. but it was pretty great! i learned so much and felt so uplifted and motivated to just be better! one thing just cool i learned, is that, Barabbas, the theif that Pilote let go instead of the Savior. well so Barabbas was not only a thief, but also like a freedom fighter. so he fought against the government. so anyways, after he was released, he went and gather together a small army, and came back AGAIN against the government, and actually killed Pilote. how crazy is that? i think thats pretty interesting. and all verifiable in history. oh, also, apperently there has been a big bed bug problem in the mission. so they talked about that and how to detect and to beware of the bed bug.

   Friday was packed. in the morning we helped the sisters move. but thursday night, preciado found a little bug or something in his bed, and so after that whole breifing on bed bugs we had, he was convinced we had bed bugs. so friday morning before helping the sisters we actually took all our stuff out of the appartment into the hot vegas sun to hopefully kill and bugs that might be residing there. so then we helped the sisters. then one of the couple missionaries were here, so we had them come over and tell us if in fact we did have bed bugs. so they came over and.... we are bug free! what a relief. so anyways, now all our stuff was just chilling outside for no good reason. so we decided to make a good reason. so we took this opportunity to do a good cleaning on our whole appt. and wow, ive never been so excited to clean before in my life! we vacuumed everything and rearranged out furniture and it was just awesome. then we pul all our sun treated stuff back in our clean house. and it looks good. so then later that day, we went over to the Navarros. and i cant remember if i said this already, but abuelita, hermana navarros mother, was terminally ill with cancer. and we knew she didnt have long to live. but ofcourse no one knows exactly. but it was apparent it would be very soon. so as we pull up to her house, we see some cars their, and something just feels a little different. so when we go in, we dont see abuelita laying on her bed, like she usualy is. in fact, the bed isnt even there anymore. so we ask sister navarro about it. donde esta abuelita? and she responds that she died. but she said it in such a happy way! it was almost a little weird. but she explained how in abuelitas last moments here on earth, she saw the spirit world, and how there was no sickness there and everyone was young and happy. and how bad she wanted to be there. and so it really was almost a happy moment when she did cross the veil fully. also, that evening while we were visiting, president called. he asked for me. and he told me that me Visa was here!! so i will be leaving to Ecuador this coming monday! i was super happy and excited to hear that news! but also a strange tinge of sadness was present also. i sadness to be leaving all the wonderfull people i have met here. but im excited for all the new wonderfull people ill meet in ecuador!

   Sunday i had to give a talk. it was just a short 5 minute one. but it went really well i think.

   Monday, was abuelitas funneral. it was a wonderful service.  it was super cool, because there were tons of spanish there. and so the whole service, all the talks and prayers and everything, were actually done in spanish... and english! it was crazy. everyone who talked was bilingual, so the would say it in spanish, then right then translate to english, then back to spanish, and so forth, so everyone could understand. so i got to hear every ones talk like twice! it was pretty cool.

   Im gratefull for this opportunity ive had to serve here in Nevada and for all the wonderfull people ive met here aswell. its been a blessing in my life.

i love you all

Elder Taylor

#6 HOW TO "SKINNAFY" A TIE

AUGUST 11, 2014

 Friday, me and Preciado had to go to Vegas for a Train the Trainers Meeting. after the hour drive, we finally get there. alive (so preciado is kind of an awful driver. so being alive after him driving to vegas is almost a miracle in itself!) But we got there and had a meeting and talked about how to improve companionship and by improving that improving our teaching. it was solid. then after we went to eat with two other spanish elders and some sisters. it was cool hanging out with some other spanish elders.

   So i learned how to "skinnafy" a tie. ya i dont know if thats how youd spell that. but seems legit to me. but anyways, thats where you take a super fat tie, and undo it, cut it, then re sow it so now its a skinny tie. hence the name. but its pretty cool. ive gotten some ties for free some of the other elders that are super big and honestly quite ugly. so then i skinnafy it, and now they are actually pretty cool looking! so thats how us missionaries save money on ties.

  The highlight of this week was definitely Wednesday. We stopped by Domingo Avila's again and he was finally there!! But thats not even the best part... he had been sober for 3 days now!! and i know 3 days doesnt sound like a lot... but when youre dealing with drugs and alcohol and some stuff, three days was awesome!!! and he just looked so much better!! like his face seemed brighter and he looked happier and healthier and just better! and he knew it. and he was so happy to see us again! and he told us how thankfull he was we finally got a hold of him, and helped him get that desire and strength to change again! it was amazing. i love Domingo. i just wanted to go up and hug him so bad! but i didnt.. but we are going to be seeing him again next Wednesday. and he told us he is going to start attending the 12 Step Program, which is an addiction recovery program from the church. and he was even like excited to go to that! and he said he wants to start attending church again. and all this stuff. it was just so awesome. please if you can pray for him to continue to have the strength to remain sober and to do those things he needs to do to increase his faith and thereby increase his aptitude to resist the drugs and alcohol!

   Yesterday, we heard Hank Smith give a talk. he is awesome.he is kind of like a john bytheway. super funny and entertaining and uplifting. like the best combo! One analogy he gave was about "water off a ducks back", in relation to families and relationships. so basically dont take offense, just let the insults or whatever (water) roll off you, like how water rolls off a ducks back. so that is good to remember in any relationships we have.

  Well i love you all! hope this finds you well.

Love,

Elder Taylor

#5 BLESSINGS

AUGUST 5, 2014

First off, sorry for the late email. they were cleaning the carpets of the building alll day yesterday so we couldnt email. i dont have as much time, so ill have to keep this short and sweet.

   One thing ive noticed about this area, is how like all the streets are named after people in this town. Like the Marshall's live on Marshall Street. and theres a Frehner St and we live with the Frehners. and so forth. i just find it kind of funny. Also, i ate elk meet for the first time! it was way good. some of the other missionaries got some froma member, and neither of us had dinner appointments, so we got together and fried them up. it was a solid meal. especially considering elders made it!

   Part of our area includes a reservation. its pretty cool. but kind of sketch. you get on the Res and its so quite. there are NO children outside playing and laughing. well theres no one outside in general. all the houses are very small and many of them look run down. many buildings are tagged with spray paint. so while we were there the other day, i asked why dont we try tracting here, since there arent as many members!? but apperently thats like really dangerous to go start knocking on random doors.. so we havent done that yet.

   One thing that has surprised me is how many blessings you give as a missionary. ive been out about 5 weeks, and ive already taken part in 5 different blessings, both in spanish and english. its crazy. its cool though!

   Another thing ive been doing for a while is keeping a seperate study journal. i always have it with me, and keep it open whenever im studying to write down thoughts and impressions i have. And now, looking back through my notes, i still learn so much! its amazing! ive learned so much more by actively studying. i would implore all of you to also get a study journal, and anytime you are reading the scriptures, or at a church meeting, to take it, and write down a few insights or things you just think are cool. it will become an invaluable benefit to you if you do this. as it has to me.

   One thing i was reading was in Moroni 8. he says (paraphrasing) that he can speak boldly, because God has commanded it. I know that God has commanded missionary work, and therefore we should preach and spread the Gospel boldly! that is one thing im continually trying to do and improve on. and i know everyone has that same authority to share the gospel boldly! as moroni said "speak with boldness"!!

   I love you all and hope everything is going well. Dont ever be afraid to open your mouths. be bold! for the Lord has commanded it.

Love always,

Elder Taylor