May They Stumble Not!

9/3/12

Hola Familia!

Elder Holland is real! All this time believing in him as some Santa Claus – Like I figure finally I received a good handshake (grip). Believing is seeing. We did the line where we all go through and shake hands with him, Elder Maynes, and Elder Waddle. Elder Waddle- I shook first and he said "Me Gano." cuz he is like six fourish. And I couldn't decide whether to answer in Spanish or English so I was just kind dumbstruck and his sweet little wife decides to translate it for me. "You beat him!" I felt like- hey, I speak Spanish. But then the next one- Elder Maynes said "Where are you from?" Again with the Spanish English thing… "Uh....Alpine?' And then even Elder Holland-"Como esta?" Stop it! I know you speak English! So I answered "Hey how are ya?" And I kept going through the line -"Oh hi", President and wife.

They said some inspiring stuff. Waddlel – numbers don't count, conversos count. Maynes – Coherederos Con Cristo. It really impacted me with Holland when he said- when PMG came out, the General Authorities kind of made a deal. 1000 converts for one – who do you think that one is? The only one convert we want to guarantee out of your mission is YOU! That impacted me a ton cuz I feel like I'm accomplishing that. Then he said- then when you're converted you'll have thousands throughout your life. Then he said the mission is real life. It's the closest to real life you are ever going to get. And that he'd like to pop less actives returned missionaries in the nose. Like, didn't you get it? He mentioned the missionaries church choir which my zone made and it went alright with the song. I saw Rameriz and Arnett which I had been looking forward to. They looked good! Another funny thing Elder Holland said- what chance do the sheep have if the shepherd doesn't care? He came down and was among us. Walking around and even got in the face of some missionaries. It was sweet.

Also received various wedding invitations and participated in one wedding cake. My old English investigator and his Columbian future wife came by to invite me to their wedding 22 Septembre. An 18 year old investigator got married to the first counselors daughter of 17 – Weirdos! But felt totally love by my British friend. How kind of him to invite me.

We are doing alright as a companionship. I kind of rail on him, but patiently and only when he makes negative comments. Like even after the apostle came he just grumbled about the bus and being tired and he said he'd understood nothing (and it was cool because I understood it twice- in  English and in Spanish.) But I totally called him out on it and he became thoughtful – winner! And my district leader is sweet and is even more into railing on him than me. Both are from Peru. Still need to work a lot on the teaching part.

 A couple new investigators are cool. Sister Bellena Barbosa or rather, Hermana Barbosa came and we had only had like two supershort lessons with her and she surprised us. Also a new half gringo I found named Juan. We taught and he was interested to learn, will see! Another one bore her testimony in church and it was funny – she's been attending church for almost a year, but still won't accept a baptismal date. She and two other women read and are going through Alma in the Book of Mormon. Rocks, but all got trials, hurtles to jump to get to baptism. May they stumble not!

Love you all tons!

Elder Taylor

Totally Powerful

 8/27/12

Halo Familia!

Elder Holland comes this Saturday to my mission! Wahoo! That'll be sweet. We are going to have a meeting with him from 10:30 AM till 11:45 AM and I'm sure it will be the sweetest hour and 15 minutes I've experienced in my entire life. We've been preparing a choir for him and I'm sort of worried about it. With all the practices and a zone conference the work went super downhill. But I realized a super fault I have in my work – verification – you got to be on top of these people. So we've committed to a plan where we are going to see them almost all every day. Through us or the members.

The zone conference edified me. Mostly just made me want to complete goals and love people and be one with my Comp – he's actually cool. I just think it was hard for him to change areas and stuff. I've totally smashed him a couple times with the doctrine and liked it. We actually watched a video del Elder Bednar and he said the answer is always in the doctrine. Always cool to see. And that is what changes behavior.

A couple hard days past where everything fell through – everything. My comp got all thoughtful and quiet and I just kept going like "get over it dude" and he did. I prayed that God would give my investigators a trial of faith in going to church and He did, and they failed. Except two. It rained a ton at 1:30 PM right before church started and stopped at like 1:50 to 1:55 so they could have gone. Had they been diligent they could've gone, but I know that God answers prayers.

Also it's necessary to have a repentant and building attitude cuz that is where God helps you to progress. I'm cruising through the BOM(Book of Mormon) – totally powerful!

Love you all tons!

Elder Taylor

It's fun to see the lightbulb go on!

8/20/12

Halo Familia!

I miss Elder Ramerez. He went to Soledad 2000. (Where I was robbed.) Then came Elder Mandico. I realized how severely prejudiced I had become against Peruvian missionaries. I don't know why Peruvians drive me nuts, and it's not just cuz they're short. Although that is a large factor, (or small?) But I do realize that if you cannot learn to like someone or love them that says more about you than it does about them.

But I'm also not training. Pretty bummed about that I was. My comp is pretty new, 4 months here and totally Peruvian. Speaking about Peruvians Elder Max Pacaya is in the other mission, Columbia Medellin.

My investigators have problems. They are serious problems that come from alcohol and sin. Don't do it! Others it's fun to see if the light bulb go on. "Oh that is a sin, that's bad" or "Oh that makes me feel good! I want to know more!" We got some good people coming along, but slowly. I'm still in Bastidas 1 Santa Marta. But finally a less active we found knocking doors came to church with his investigating wife, well girlfriend.

Received  packages and mail. Tell people thanks and all that have written, and sorry I've never sent a real letter in the Postal Service from here. With regards to food the best thing here are the fruits and fish and the juices.

We were in a trio house since Friday with a brand-new gringo Elder Hill from Abilene Texas. He's super lucky because living with gringo, me, it makes everything easier when you start. Been super fun. His comp got here today. Elder Hill and I sang for 15 minutes for a little member kids birthday in English. They loved it.

Love you all tons!

Elder Taylor

The Basis is Home Teaching

8/13/12

Halo Familia!

We'll see if we can whip this out – writing late because we went to ParqueTayroma today! Totally sick! Look it up! I'm pretty sure they filmed Pirates of the Caribbean there. I have sweet pics I'll try to send.

Our bathroom exploded this week. All three other elders used and It got nastily clogged. Nothing I haven't fixed before (even when it all comes out of the shower drain – normal), short version – dirty water enters house beneath-mad owner yells at us-we call a guy-cannot shower-guy comes, fixes it. Not our fault – just poorly built. Showered in the kitchen sink.

My Comp finished the book of Mormon and I gave him a sweet pen so he'd be an Elderzote. That was sweet to see.

We had a couple blowouts with investigators this week. Gustavo Se Rebelo' said "never will I go to the church", so we know there's a deeper doubt there. And others have had super bad experience (violence) in their matrimono that we had to call super directly to repentance and then later we left a task that they'd tell each other that they loved each other – cute! But a new one came to church (finally) after a month he came and is going to bring his wife next week. Will see!

And then we went to the rich part again and we actually have two potential families there! They are hard to find a lot, but usually complete the compromises. Such is already being married, but will see!

The church needs a lot of help here in Santa Marta and the basis is home teaching – do it – it really is the churches most important calling, or assignment, but it only works if you do it.

Love you all tons!

Elder Taylor