September 27, 2010

September 27, 2010

Hey everyone!

     I can't believe I'm almost at the end of my first transfer! Time
is flying by so quick, and I'm scared of the day that I wake up and
this chapter of my life is over. One thing they focus on on with us is
the eternal perspective, and in the eternal perspective 2 years is not
a long time.  haha I've gone just over 1 1/2 months and I'm already
scared for when they tell me to leave Africa haha.
     This week was good. I ended up going on splits with elder
Jenkins. He has gotten sick a couple of times since coming here, so I
was happy to see him in good health and that he has been for quite a
while. His area is further into the interior of the country than my
area. It's still in Monrovia, though. So every time he saw the ocean
he lit up like a little school girl (haha jk).  The change in him is
crazy, definitely not the same kid I knew in school.  He has always
been good, but wow... He has been here only 4 months, and he says his
whole view of the world has changed and that he is so happy with the
man that he's turning into.  Every missionary in this mission is so
motivated and has such an amazing attitude.  I hope at some point in
this mission I get to serve with Elder Jenkins as a companion.
     So one of the things I was most worried about before I left was
when I hear the common dish that is eaten here is rice with leaves;
and they just do different leaves for different meals.  I'm glad to
say that is no longer a fear, because, well...that what they eat, but
it is GOOD. So far my favorite is the Potato Greens (Potato leaves)
and rice. It looks terrible but the taste is awesome. It's definitely
a lot easier to eat healthier when you don't have a Burger King or
McDonald's on every corner; no wonder America is fat. Also no wonder
why 50% of Americans' necks look like a pack of hot dogs...haha. (Hope
that doesn't offend)  But for real, it's crazy to think of what I used
to eat and how much! One of my new favorite things to get when I'm
hungry is a "young" coconut and lime. You know that song "you put the
lime in the coconut and then you mix it all up" turned out to be
REALLY good advice. :)
     Me and my companion are very different, but we get along so well. He's
only got a year left... haha. His name is Elder Kenner, and if you
have any question about music this guy can answer it; I mean ANYTHING.
He wants to be good enough to be a college professor for choir or even
just a high school teacher. One thing I really love about my companion
is the amount of scriptural knowledge he has. I'm constantly asking
him questions about doctrine or scripture references. I'm very lucky
to have him as a trainer. He is truly helping me learn and grow.
     One of the things he helped me discover today was that during the
Atonement Christ was alone, he truly had to bear not just our sins,
but our sorrows, our pains, and heart breaks. The more I study about
Christ the more amazed I am at the pure divinity of that man. All it
would have for Satan to disqualify him as the Savior was to have
Christ think even one bad thought. Also, though scripture study I've
found that Satan does try, but fails time and time again. Now this is
where I found out about Christ being alone. During Gethsemane even
Heavenly Father  himself withdrew from Him, and also the Holy Ghost.
He truly had to do it ALONE. He didn't even have the comfort of the
Holy Ghost to help Him with the burden. A man that has been pure from
sin and filled with the Holy Ghost all His life, had to take on all of
the sins of the world by Himself, and He of course did it. He died on
the cross alone, He alone ad to make that decision to give up His
life; that says so much to me about him, about His character, and His
obedience and love. He suffered so much, and He suffered it all by
himself. All of this was out of love.
     Too often we forget our self worth; we see  ourselves as the
world sees us, and not how Christ sees us, how Heavenly Father sees
us.  The day we see ourselves as sons and daughters of God is the day
we see the eternal perspective.

Love,
Elder Taylor