Christmas Message from Elder Taylor

If I have learned anything while serving my mission, it is this saying
" Talk less, Say more." Too many times the idea we want to communicate
is ether too large to describe with adequate words, or no amount of
words can do the idea justice.
Sometimes even with the support of a visual aid an idea still cannot
be fully explained. That is why the witness from the Holy Ghost is so
powerful, even more than a visual witness.
  I have learned through experience that when you stop talking and
just let the Holy Ghost do his job, that is when that unexplainable
idea is explained; by talking less you truly are able to say
more.That's because the Holy Ghost says what you can not.
  One of the greatest examples of this is the birth of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ.
The scriptures briefly but gracefully cover this period of our Saviors
earthly life.
  No attempt was made by any of the Gospel writers to go into detail
and explain this historical moment, why....? Because no words could
explain it. The Gospel writers knew this, so instead of filling their
Gospels with written characters or visual aids, they left room for the
Holy Spirit to teach, as they did with many other phases of our
saviors life.
  I wish I had the vocabulary to explain the joy that came into the
world the day our savior was born, but... I don't.
So like the Gospel writers of old, I will "talk less and say more."
  I know the church is true, I know Jesus Is the Christ, and I know
why we celebrate Christmas.  We celebrate because over two millennium
ago our Savior was born.  Is this not a reason to rejoice?
   To the world it isn't, but to those actively worshiping our God it
is, it truly is.... I know it is.
I cannot wait to spend the next Christmas at home once again.
Love Elder Taylor.

Christmas in Africa 2011

Baptism Photo from Africa

Elder Taylor is doing well in Africa,  He was holding out on us.  I guess he wanted the Baptism Photo he sent to us to be amazing.  He did not disapoint!  Although I do not have a entire letter to post here are so tidbits from his recent letters.

From Letter Dated DEC 12, 2011

12

It will be short today, we recived a new missionary in the

apartment, fresh from the MTC ,so needless to say it is a very young apartment, and vrry diverse
here is a sweet list of people.

Elder Taylor (U.S.A. Wyoming) 16 months
Elder Essego (Nigeria, Port harcourt ) 3 months

Elder Tawhia (Qatar) 6 months
Elder Walker (U.S.A. Idaho) 8 weeks

Elder Stewart (U.S.A. Louisiana) 3 months
Elder Osiei-kissi (U.K. England)  3 weeks.

We are a very young apartment,
We are still trying to figure out what exactly the Lord is thinking

Love,

Elder Taylor

This is a photo of the Grafton Branch.  Elder Taylor is on the far Left.



Finally a Letter!!! November 21, 2011

     All is well on the West Africa front,

     So I received a package today that was supper sweet, got a few

cans of easy cheese and a camera finally!  So I will start sending

pictures again.

     I was a bit under the weather a few weeks ago, but I took the

medication they gave me and I feel much better, as of now I'm checking

in at 150 pounds, with a growing boys appetite.

      A lot of things have happened the last few weeks, I finished my

college applications for the BYU (all 3) and am praying that I get accepted.

Also we are having a lot of success in our area, there are a few guys

that we baptized theses last few weeks (ages 18-19) all of them are as

of now preparing for mission. It was so amazing how we met these

young men, what happened is we just stared teaching one of them, we

invited him to make some commitments keep the commandments, and he was

keeping the commitments and the commandments, and because of that he

started to change.  His friends noticed the change, we invited them to

keep the commandments and make commitments, and they did, and they

also started to change.  When they started changing there friends and

family's also wanted to change.  Because of that one person changing,

5 people have been baptized 1 has a baptismal date for Dec 3, and

yesterday we started teaching 2 more.    all of this has happened

because of one person and there desire to change.  Its so amazing and

so simple, but that's how God works "By small and simple means great

things are brought to pass."  The people in that community are starting

to call the church " da poddi church"  which means "The Friends

church"

4- are mission age young men

3- are young woman 2 of which are mission age, or at least old enough

to wait for a missionary... ( like that ever happens... haha I'm not

bitter)

1- is married with a child

The Gospel is so true...

    I also have a short story to tell.   so In Liberia I used to wash

all of my clothes on my own by hand, well since I got to Sierra Leone

I just wash my garments and pay some one else to wash the rest of my

Cloth.  All was well for the first few months...  what usually

Happened, we would give the person our cloths and the next day he

would bring them back. This particular day that didn't happen.  Three days went by and Elder Stewart and I had no clothing...   We would pass by the guys house, No one was home... At the End of 3 days the person we gave our clothing to returned to our apartment with our clothing. The first thing he told us was to check if any thing was missing...

   Turns out what happened is, the first day he picked up the cloths, they

were at his house in the Landry bag.  His brother came to visit, when

his brother saw the bag of nice clothing he took it and ran to the

neighboring city of Boe… That is only about 150 MILES AWAY!  So they

guy who wash's the clothing told his aunt, (who was getting ready to

make a trip to and back from Boe) to steal them back. When she got

to Boe all the cloths were strung out on the line, (apparently the

brother wanted to wash his new clothing...) she didn't know which

cloths were his and what cloths were ours, but she did know that we

were white shirts and dress slacks every day. So she grabbed all the

white shirts and slacks she saw, finished her business in Boe and

returned to Grafton,

    Once the clothing was back in our possession we inventoried our

clothing, we had all of our priesthood clothing, but or casual

clothing was no were to be found... We dint lose to much just some

Football jersey's (soccer).   They took my favorite jersey it was an

AC Milan jersey. All is well we were not mad, but the guy has yet

come to collect our clothing for wash again, so I have returned to

washing by hand... ugh... haha or at least till I can find some one

different to wash.

   I hope every at home is doing well, Love Elder Taylor

Picture worth a 1000 words

Elder Taylor on the top with his Indian Jones hat on:).. 

All West Africa Clean-up day.  The yellow shirts say, (with hand prints on the back) "Mormon Helping Hands".  This photo from mission Blog.  http://www.sierraleonefreetownmission.blogspot.com/

November 7, 2011

Back from left to right is Elder Taylor, Elder Wood, Elder Essego, and Elder Tawiah. Front row left to right, Elder Pabie Elder Stewart.

10/18/2011

10/17/2011

Elder Taylor has been super busy.  He is doing well and working hard.  Hopefully he will send us some news next week.

Temple in STAR VALLEY

This week was a pretty good week,

And technology is amazing!!

Were I am we don't have the opportunity to watch conference on time,

we get it about a month later in the Church magazine, and when they

send the films to the mission.    but....    with in 5 Min of The

announcement of a temple in star Valley I knew.

I will never forget the spot where I was standing when I received the news!

My companion and I were just returning from exploring and finding a

members home,   It is sufficient to say we were off the beaten

trail... ha ha.   we were in a place called "Grass Fields", its a

meadow at the base of a mountain so we were crossing some Creeks and

jumping some streams to get back to the road side,   we were about

about a mile from the closest road, (You have to remember I'm in

Africa, so this grass isn't the 2 in green stuff in front of our

house, this is West Africa Rain Forest grass, granted I'm a short

person, but the grass is taller then me.   ha ha

 As we were making our way back, I received a two text messages one

from the office Elders and the other from the Mission Presidents

wife...  both stating they just announced a temple in SV!!!!!!

   I truly felt complete Joy.      I just looked at my companion and said

           " I am in the middle of the Jungle,  in AFRICA, and I just

Heard they Are building a temple to worship God, in STAR VALLEY!!

The only thing that could make this moment an greater is, if you were

an attractive girl..."

            I don't think he understood my humor,  (Different Cultures

I guess... ha ha. )

But all things aside, I am so happy right now,

I pray and hope they are not done building it by the time I come home,

because I want to help build it,  even if it is only helping sweep up

the work site.  I really want to help.

I hope every one is well, tell every one Hi,

Love Elder Taylor

P.S.  I guess its a good thing that every girl Ive dated is already

married... because I can now get married in the Star Vally Temple.

Blessings for serving a full time mission! ha ha

New Area

So my new area is amazing, and my companion is from the Middle East,

his name is

Funny story,   when the transfer news came Sunday night, I was told I

was going to Rokel with an Elder Geiba ,  I was told Rokel in part of

Congo cross, A branch in the heart of the city, and I would be in the

wealthy end of the city, a place with super markets and English….  I

was also told I would be living in the mission office compound…  On

Friday night, the end of Day one of my journey to free town I found

out it wasn’t the correct information.  I am in Rokel but my companion

is not Elder Geiba, and Rokel is not in the heart of the city.

   Rokel is as Far East as you can go, and is a brand new area,    It

opened up for 6 weeks but then closed, it was closed for 6 weeks, and

they just opened it up again;   Only 3 missionaries have been in this

area, I being one of them.    my companions name is Elder Tawiah

Our area is the biggest in free town, it is huge!!  And Bush,  Haha If

you know me you can imagine how happy I was when I found out I was not

going to the city, but am opening an area that is new to the church,

we don’t have a branch or even a unit in our area we are pioneering

the area and everything.

I am so happy!  Who needs a super market, haha

  The only downer is the travel, we have to travel far into our area,

to go to part of our area we take 2 cars, and 2 bikes, and that is not

even to edge of the area,  one way,

 The apartment we are in is nice thou, different unit worships there,

and 6 elders are there, but very nice and clean, no water though, but

we do have generator from 7 to 10:25 each night.

As soon as I saw the area and met my companion I received my witness

from the lord, that he has big plans for this little piece of Africa.

And the best part…. Mountains we are surrounded by mountains, amazing

green mountains,   It reminded me much of home in a good way, Liberia is

very flat, I forgot what it is like to be surrounded by mountains

Love Elder Taylor

Transfer to FREETOWN

Alright,   well transfer news came, and I am leaving Liberia,  I am

Traveling to "Free Town" the capital city of Sierra Leone,

I’m not sure who my companion is yet, partially because I can not

Pronounce his name haha, My new area is called Rokel,   So on Friday

I start my 2 day trip to my new home.

   I’m sad to leave good old LIB, but I am excited to see Free Town,

and all it has to offer, I’ve herd I’m going to a really great branch,

so let’s hope we continue to see many miracles.

Last week Monday, Elder Tim's, Elder Ameworlor, Elder Ogama, and I got

the opportunity to donate two book of Mormons to the National History

Museum in Monrovia,

I’m not sure what else to write I’m kind of adsorbing the news still,

so my mind is a little scattered,

Talk to you next week From

Sierra Leone Free Town

Elder Taylor

Longest WeeK, But all is Well

This week, has been one of the longest weeks of my mission, it has

Had many ups and many downs, but all is well,

    On Tuesday we had zone conference, talk about a spirit filled

Meeting, it was so wonderful, Pres Roggia spoke on some pretty amazing

Things, I am truly very lucky to have him as a leader in my mission,

   My personal study has been way amazing, as I’ve been re-going over

The principles we teach I feel like God has opened up my mind to so

Many thing both simple and complex, I truly feel that one of the

Major things I'm understanding from mission, is what it truly means to

be converted,

   Two stories from this week.

1.  On Thursday, we went to the Doctor (for my companion) so we had

to travel across Monrovia, and on our way back we ran into Agustine,

Agustine is the first person I baptized since mission, I was so happy

to see him, it was like seeing an old friend,  I was nervous for the

Big question "Was he still Active in the church? "

  The answer was yes!  So that made me even happier.

2.   Like all relationships some times companions have struggles,

this was one of these weeks,

On Sunday, some issues came up in the apartment so feelings were

tense, and It was poring Rain, that didnt help much haha.    So

its about 3 miles from were we live to the chapel,  and the rain is to

much for us to walk,  so we take bike (Motor Cycle),  we were almost

to the chapel, when our bike man stopped...  We can see the chapel and

between us and the chapel is a river,   (not a big puddle) a river ,

because of the rain the swamps over flowed and there is now a river in

the middle of the road.  at lest 40 feet across,   it was only a few

feet deep but very wide.    Our bike man said his bike wont make it so

he kicked us off and left us standing in the rain,

   Me I'm not upset at all I wish stuff like this would happen every

day. but my companion is having a hard time, he is upset at me at the

district leader at the zone leaders everything,   And I know this so I

try to lighten up the moment and crack a joke,   I told him we should

try and find a stick and part the water like Moses,

    I dont think he caught my humor, haha

He sharply said if I think it would work why dont I try it.

    So I was standing there looking at the water and a scripture came

into my head 1nephi 17:50, it is one of my favorite scriptures,

And I realized that we could cross the water,   So I offered a super

short prayer in my head and said,  Please help me find away across

this water, show me a path, or send a bike man or some thing.   as

soon as  I said Amen I opened my  I was planning on looking for a path,

 but then all of a sudden comes this bike man out of no ware and he

starts crossing the river towards us,

    What I was so amazed,  we are standing in the middle of no ware on

an empty road and all of a sudden this guy shows up,

     Here is were Gods sense of humor kicks in, The bike mans, bike

broke down 3 times while crossing the river towards us, as it got

closer I was able to see this bike is held together by tape,   what a

joke.... but beggars cant be choosers I guess, haha

Long story short he was able to get us across the river, no brake

downs, and we got to church only a little late, haha

Thats all the time I haveLove

 Elder Taylor