June 27, 2011

Hello everybody! How are you all doing? I am doing very well! I love it out here on my mission and am learning a lot. I learned something about attitude this morning and want to share it with everyone. Our attitude largely effects the outcome of our day/situations. If we have a bad attitude going into something it is going to be a bother and not benefit us at all. If we start our day with a good attitude, the day goes better and situtations that you get into that usually would seem bad are now learning experiences. If we do something simple as have a good attitude and look for the good in every situation, you will grow and become a better you. I have seen this in my own life -- my mission especially. As I have had a good attitude I have learned and grown but if I had a bad attitude I dreaded the day. Think of your attitude and then change it if it needs changing. Be honest with yourself as well cause lying to yourself is... well it is just dumb and does nothing for you.

So last Monday was a good day. When we got home Pres. Elliot had got the transfer information way early. He showed us so we knew what was happening. We both stayed in Colly Creek ward! I will be serving 3 transfers with Elder Harmon and I am way excited! He is a great missionary and I am learning much from him. We also got a cool elder to replace one of the elders that finished his mission.

I can really remember much until Wednesday so I will start from there. We had a hot day. We went to dinner at our recent convert's house and it was way good! She is so amazing and just loves serving others! I think E. Harmon and I are going to buy her a quad [NOTE - quadruple combination set of scriptures. krt]. We then went to help him with some yard work at his mom's. We met his brother there who isn't a member of our church and he said we could come over and see him any time! We had a really good day.

Thursday was transfer day. They went pretty smooth. We found out that every companionship of elders is getting a portable DVD player. I am not too excited about that because I know it will get abused for sure. We had an appointment at 11 so we went to that and it went well. It is with an old guy who just likes to talk a lot but he still wants to learn. We then went to B-dubs [NOTE - Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant] with some of the elders in our zone. We then had to wait around for the bus to get back. Our dinner was interesting. We went out to eat and then their daughter spent a lot of time telling us that funding for sports should be cut instead of funding for arts. Her argument was that art actually takes talent and sports don't. I didn't like that at all so I proceeded to ask her if she could do things like thrown a football 60 yards or hit a home run or hit 10 threes in a row to which she answered no. I then said that is because you don't have athletic talent. I admitted that I don't have art talent so I can't do things like sing or draw or paint. I just wanted her to see that both take talent but she didn't agree with me yet. We had a team-up that night and we went out to a city called Auburn. We saw this lady we had tracted into earlier that week. At first the lesson was very rough and we were worried but we had planned to watch the Restoration video and we did. As we watched it the spirit filled the room and it was amazing. We then invited her to be baptized and she said she wants to and that she believes Joseph Smith's story! We were so excited. We then went to an investigating family's house, Shankia and family, and we taught them how to pray. The kids then said they wanted to come to church with us so that motivated the whole family to come! I love little children.

Friday we went and did service at Cliff's house. We torn up bricks from his yard. It was really hot but we had a good time. He then fed us steak for lunch! Man food to replace man work -- haha. We then had to go move a dresser for another PMF [NOTE - PMF = Part Member Family]. It was fun! We were able to see some of the older people that can't make it to church. Then we went to the Davis family's baptismal interview. They were pretty nervous but they did great! I love them!

Saturday was a busy day. We did some zone stuff that morning and then went and ate lunch at the spanish elders' place. We then tried to see some people. We didn't have too long because the Davis' baptism was in Ottawa Kansas because they had lots of friends there. They are still in our ward just got baptized somewhere else. So we had to leave at 3 to get there at 4. The drive there was interesting because we had an older couple drive us and he didn't like taking directions but he didn't know how to get there. So we made a couple of U-turns along the way but we got there. The baptism was very spiritual and the Davis family loved it! They are so ready to be members of Christ's church! We then came home and went to dinner at a restaurant where a young women who we are trying to teach works. She came and sat with us and we got her to agree to go on a church tour right then. We also had an appointment with our recent convert's mom, Anna. I went to the church tour with another missionary and it went pretty good. She is just a little teenager girl with that dumb mindset but she can and will change. The other appointment that night went smoothly and she wants to be baptized!

Sunday was AMAZING!!!!!!! The confirmations we very well and Elder Harmon and I did them. We got compliments on them all day long so that was different. We also had 6 investigators at church! Shankia and her 4 came and so did Anna! It was very cool! I think this past week was the best week of my mission. I know it is because we decided to change our attitudes and to be exactly obedient. It was very cool to see. After church we went and visited Shanika and Anna. Anna is going to be baptized on July 9th and Shanika is coming along. Her and her sister, Nia, are going to feed us on July 8th. We are excited. It was funny yesterday because they were asking about our missions. They were shocked to find everything out. They then asked what we were going to do when we got home. I told them I had looked into the Marines a little bit and they went crazy. Now mind they are african american so you know how they act when they get excited. They said "Ooooooo a man in a uniform is so sexy!" and they both laughed. It was really funny cause afterwards they were very embarrassed. They are really cool though. We then had a cool appointment with a less active person. We also saw her kids and their dad at the library today.

So this week was amazing! We have seen many miracles and I am very thankful for them! I love you all and remember your Lord and Savior loves you!

Your Friend,
Elder Zachary Taylor

The Kansas City temple

Elder Nam, he is really funny but got transfered away :(

Davis family at their baptism on June 25th!

Elder Cuello at the baptism

June 20, 2011

Hello everybody! So this week was amazing! I hope you all had great weeks as well. I know that it is easier to have a good week as we are obedient to the Lord's commandments and that is why I was able to have a great week, because I tried my absolute best. I have noticed that when we give our absolute best as missionaries the Lord gives his absolute best for us.

 

Monday was a good day. I played basketball a little bit but stopped when my ankle started hurting. We had dinner with a couple in which the wife had just been baptized about a year ago. It was really fun and they were very cool. We had to hurry towards the end because she is a big hockey fan and the Stanley cup was on. We then went to see some recent converts. This is a family that was baptized about 2 or 3 months before I got here. It was really good to see them because the husband needs some help and the elders quorum is not stepping up. I wish members could see how important they are to missionaries and their converts. Without the member's support we couldn't be effective missionaries.

 

Tuesday we went and helped at the Zoo again. It was pretty fun. I just dug holes for some grass stuff. It got old quick though. The guy who works with us came to lunch with us though. It was good for him to come with us. I can see him changing a little bit by little bit. We then went and saw our RLDS investigator and I must say that this meeting wasn't our most productive one. She just gets her doctrine mixed up so much. We read 1 Nephi 3 with her and she says that it isn't talking about Joseph Smith. We didn't get into a heated argument or anything but it was defiantly a debate. She still invited us back though. We then went to see one of our members who wanted a blessing. He was going in for surgery on his back and he was pretty nervous. As I gave him the blessing I felt the Lord there and he told Cliff that he would be ok and that He would be with the doctors so they would operate with skill and percision. It was really cool to be able to feel that. I was very thankful for the opportunity to give the blessing. We then went to dinner with a counsellor to the bishop and Bishop Madsen. It was really fun but we had to leave rather quickly because we had a team up to teach our baptismal candidates, Davis family. We got there and we were going to talk to them about moving their date up but they told us they wanted to move it up to June 25th before we said anything. They are so ready and it has been a blessing to teach them.

 

Wednesday was good we had district meeting. We were then suppose to go on exchanges with the assistants but they were runnig late so Elder Harmon needed some stamps so we went to the post office. We were walking in and we ran into the former elder Struthers. He was back to the mission visiting with his parents. It was really cool to see him. We then went on exchanges with the assistants and I went with Elder Lesuma again. We had a good exchange, we had all 4 of us in Topeka and it was really productive. We taught a total of 8 lessons and found 3 new invstigators. We had a dinner with the Davis' at one of our member's houses. It was really good and the Davis' loved it. Elder Harmon and Nicholes also got one of our part-member family's 10 year old girl back on date.

 

Thursday we had a meeting with Bro. Corillo and it was really nice. He told us how much missionaries had helped him and how much we ment to him. I was very touched. I didn't think I would be able to come out here and actually help people but as I have been out here I have seen people change. I have also come to know that it isn't me but it is the Holy Ghost which is changing people so when I say "I" I mean the Holy Ghost. We then had lunch with our recent converts and that was really fun. They fixed us some HUGE hogies! They are the best! We then had an appointment all the way up in Auburn fall through. It was a little frustrating. We tracted in this small town of Auburn and didn't have any success. We then went back to that appointment and she was there but we set up to come over the following Sunday. We had a sweet dinner and then a amazing team up! We went to see a recent convert who hasn't come to church since she was confirmed. It is really hard to see. She is just lazy. I can't believe people let their laziness compromise their salvation and their family's salvation. It is just really frustrating to see people be that selfish. If I am ever that selfish you all have permission to slap me.

 

Friday we had to go to Lawrence for a district meeting. It was good and it was the district leader's last one before he goes home. It is weird to see people leaving around me. Then we went down to Emporia to do some baptismal interviews. Well we did 5 of them! I had to do 4 because E. Harmon had taught those 4 already. The first one was this 11 year old girl she was funny. She told me something that was just crazy. She said her boyfriend was already putting pressure on her to have sex. At 11 years old! She told him no! I gave her major props for that! The other interviews went well. We then had a dinner with our ward mission leader and he told us how much he liked us. He said that there would be a Taylor/Harmon model of missionary work here for a long time. We then went to visit people but had no luck. We had a cupon for some ice cream so we used it. They lady who served us asked about us and we gave her a card and she said she would call us.

 

Saturday we taught Moi, a 19 year old recent convert who doesn't go to church. He is good at inviting friends over and he had 2 over that day. It was cool. They all said they would come to church but they didn't :( We don't really know what to do for him. We then were able to go see Cliff, he just had surgery, and he is doing pretty well. We had a sweet dinner and we were playing pool for a very long time and nobody won. Dinner was so good! We then went to teach Melissa and she and her son Donavon still want to be baptized. She talked to her boss about switching shifts so she can come to church.

 

Sunday was good. We helped pass the sacrament and said the prayers. Elder Harmon was saying the closing one and he forgot so we sat there in silence at the end for a while. It was pretty funny. We the went to see this member who called us but he is in a different ward. So we are going to refer him to his missionaries. We had dinner with a family who is going to pick their son up from his mission next Sunday. They said it was weird he was coming home but their were ready. We then went out to Auburn and taught a family and found 5 new investigators through it! It was exciting! They all want CTR rings. We then were invited over to one of our member's houses up there in Auburn. They are really cool. They are the ones who invited us over for Easter. They wanted us to come to try some of their fish. It was BOMB! Their kids also challenged us to a basketball game. We... destroyed them again. Its good though because they are getting better.

 

So that was the week. It has been fun and great to be a missionary. I love it and wouldn't trade it for anything. Thank yo to all who helped me get out here!
 

Your Friend,
Elder Zachary Taylor

Topkea District in longest time out in the mission field order

Wakarusa District 1

Wakarusa District 2

 

Brother Corillo and us

 

Wheat field

 

Us with the wheat ready to harvest

June 13, 2011

Hello everybody! So this week has been really good!

Monday was great because I got to play basketball. Don't worry mom I was careful. I taped up my ankle a lot and didn't push myself very much. It was fun though. Afterwards we had a dinner with the Jones family, they fed us on Easter, and it was really fun. They fed us steak again. We have had so much steak recently. They were trying to guess our first names and their dad got both of ours! It was pretty cool.

Tuesday was a good day. We went to the zoo and did service there. Another elder and I were stuck tilling up dirt with hoes. It was so hot out side, muggy and sunny just the way we like it.... not. I was super hot we both took a lot of breaks. We did that and then we went to lunch. We then went to go try to visit an investigator but he wasn't home. That is ok though because his nephew was there. We talked with him and we shared the message of the Restoration with him. It went way good. He said he feels like we were put into his life for a reason. We then had a good dinner with the Hirschi family, the family that let us call home at their house on Mother's Day. They invited some of our investigators with a date to their house for dinner this coming week! It was really sweet! We then went and taught the family they invited over. They are so ready to be baptized! They were also very appreciative of the invite and plan to go.

Wednesday we tried to visit a couple of people that morning but with no luck. We then went to visit a part-member family that just moved into our ward. They moved from the Derby area so I know lots of places they are talking about. They are really cool and they love golf so we may go golfing with them, even though I am horrible. We then had dinner with our recent convert, Sis. Dawson. She is so amazing! I love her! We then were able to see another recent convert and that was really good because she is struggling with coming to church. She has all sorts of excuses but they aren't sincere they are just excuses. I wish people could see how much it hurts them to continually make excuses.

Thursday was really good. We had interviews that day so we had to go to the church early to set up. Everything we good. Pres and Sis Van Komen said this was their very last one. They have done 5,000 interviews on the mission and we are lucky enough to be the last ones. Our stake Pres. provided lunch for us so that was really cool. We then went on exchanges and I went with Elder Nam. He is from South Korea and he was called to speak spanish. He is a really good teacher! We went to see some of his recent converts that are in our ward so that was good. We got to teach a new investigator that was at one of their house's too!

Friday was a good day. We got to see our recent converts. They are doing well. We also got to teach this guy who works at McDonalds. We saw him there and then on the street and we talked to him. He invited us over and we taught him a good lesson. It was good because he was willing to listen and wants to make a change. We then had dinner but it was a drop off. Our next appointment dogged us.... :(

Saturday was good. We saw our RLDS investigator. We tried to read a chapter of the Book of Mormon with her but she is just really mixed up. She doesn't really know what she believes and then makes up her own doctrine. We tried to use the scriptures to support what we were teaching her but she says that we aren't understanding them correctly. Which blows my mind because we have had a prophet of the Lord come out and tell us what some of these scriptures mean. We then had a good dinner with a part-member family. Their grandaughter, who has taken lessons before, came over at the end and we are going to be teaching her now too!

Sunday was a really good day. We had to give talks in sacrament... scary. I went first and talked on sevice. I talked about when my companion and I helped that Methodist minister in Kearney fix up her house. Elder Harmon got up after and said "My companion practices what he preaches" He then told everyone in the ward about how I make his bed for him in the mornings and pull his sheets back at night. I do it because we were told by our mission president to serve our companions and those were some of the ways they suggested. They are small but that is ok. Well needless to say I got tons of crap all day! We saw the Jones family that night and they said that we would make a good gay couple! Not right! They don't understand that service is the key.... whatever.

I love you all so much!!!!!!

Your Friend,
Elder Zachary Taylor

June 6, 2011

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a good week! I had a great week!

 

Last Tuesday we took it easy because of my ankle. I feel bad but I couldn't be very effective without one of my ankles. Wednesday we had Zone Leader Council down in Independence. It was really fun and very uplifting. I was surprised at how many people helped me there. I was very touched by their kindness. Sister Van Komen treated me like her son so that was heart warming. We then came home and had a good lesson with the Snook family. She wants to be baptized they just need to come to church. I hope the parents see what their choices are doing to their children. They are not teaching them the things of the Lord and their children don't have a basic knowledge of things. It is really sad to see and makes me even more determined to raise my children close to the Lord.

 

Thursday was alright. We had district meeting and it was good. The real miracle is that we went to a buffet afterwards for lunch and I was able to walk on my own, without crutches. I have been trying to do everything I could to help my ankle so I think I am getting blessed. I couldn't do that all day however. I had to use the crutches the rest of the day. We had all of our appointments fall through besides dinner so that was a little disappointing.

 

Friday we had a district meeting with the missionaries in Lawrence. It was good I didn't have to use the crutches ALL DAY LONG!!!!! I was super excited! We went to lunch but it was a very expensive place so we waited and just talked with everyone. There was this girl who was at lunch with us and she found out that I had never been to this one ice cream place and she offered to buy an ice cream for me! It was really nice of her and it was good ice cream. I then went on exchanges up to Sabetha, KS. It is a TINY town and it was fun. We taught this guy who is "Jewish" but he believes in Jesus Christ. I didn't think Jews believed Jesus Christ was the son of God. It was a good lesson. I went with Elder Stevens. When we got home he showed me this container of cookies that they had gotten and when I tried to pick it up I noticed it was melted to the stove top..... not good. We had to turn the stove on again and wait until it was hot enough to come off. Needless to say the container was ruined. It was kind of funny to see it though.

 

Saturday we exchanged back. It was timely and I was able to go out the whole day. It was really fun. We didn't have any luck until dinner time. We had dinner with some members and one of our investigators. It was really good. She wants to be baptized and so does her son. She just is waiting to get another job because she can't come to church with her current job. Their names are Melissa and Donavon, if you want/will pray for them by name. They are really a great family though.

 

Sunday was ok. We found out one of our 10 year old investigators can't be baptized because she hasn't come to church in a long time. We had to break it to the family. We talked to just the father and he seemed to understand. We also had a good lesson with on of our recent converts. She was having a problem with tithing but we resolved that. I am very grateful we get to pay tithing. It is such a blessing to be able to further the Lord's kingdom with every pay check we get! We had a dinner that night and it was GOOD. The best part was that he gave us a referral! He lost trust in missionaries a long time ago and now we are gaining it back! We then had a good lesson with some more of our recent converts. We went around the room and said one postive thing about each person because they were fighting over stupid things.

 

Well that was my week! I love you all and want you all to know that I am here for you at all times!

Your Friend,
Elder Zachary Taylor

 My ankle the day after I twisted it

 My ankle on Friday

 My ankle today (Monday)

E. Stevens and melted cookie container

 

Melted cookie container

 

Turtle and I

 

E. Harmon, Turtle, and I