Elder Saylor Taylor
"Called to Serve"
Sierra Leone, Freetown Mission
08/2010 to 08/2012
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Friday, January 7, 2011
Monday, January 3, 2011
2011 "YEAR OF THE MISSION"
2011 "YEAR OF THE MISSION"
Well here is the first Email of 2011 "Year of the Mission" Thats what I'm calling It :)
I'm starting it dateless, American less, and all mission haha
well to start Elder Jenkins my Star Vally brother is moving to FreeTown and Im receiving a new Companion on Thursday, but get this my new companion is Elder Priddis, a missionary from good old Wyoming, so I'm pretty excited about that.
New Years was CRAZY!!!!!!!! we got a phone call around 5 P.M. telling us "Go Home NOW leave Lessons If you Have To!" The Police had Barricades set up in the road, People were going nuts!! I think every ounce of alcohol in Liberia was consumed that night. It was pretty awesome...(not the drinking part, but just how crazy it was). I entered the New Year hearing the song "Wave Your Flag" And hundreds of Africans chanting non-sense.... Yea,h we kept our doors locked that night. haha
The first day of the new year I was given the privilege to assist with baptism again, our blind investigator (James)chose me to baptize him. We gave him the choice of kneeling in the water and just bending forward (make it a little easier for him to completely submerge) but he said, "No its o.k. I trust you and I know you wont let me fall." So we preformed the baptism standing up and laying him back into the water. it was the smoothest baptism Ive been given the opportunity to help with. Something Ive been learning since we have started teaching James is what trusting truly is. He is in a situation were he only has trust, he has had to learn what faith really is. Ive thought a lot about when he said "No its o.k. I trust you and I know you wont let me fall." Ive realized that we have all said that. When we were baptized we said that, maybe not to the the person baptizing us but to our Heavenly Father and Savior, when we made the decision to baptize, when we made the decision to go through the temple, every time we take the sacrament, that is what we are saying. The words are not from our mouth but from our actions, and actions speak louder then words... And that is one of my goals for this new year. I don't want to just say "I trust in my Heavenly Father" I don't want to just say" I trust in Christ" I want my actions to show that, "I Truly do Trust the Father and Son and that I know they will not let me Fail."
This month or next James' wife will be coming to baptize, It will not be the missionary's baptizing her, It will be James. I truly hope that God will Privilege me the opportunity to assist in that baptism as well.
I miss every one and it sounds like the New Year is starting out ok :)
I love you and miss you all Love Elder Taylor
P.S. listen to the song "Wave Your Flag" its from the World Cup its pretty awesome... but don't worry I try not to listen to it... I'm a missionary only enjoy hymns and stuff like that haha :)
I'm starting it dateless, American less, and all mission haha
well to start Elder Jenkins my Star Vally brother is moving to FreeTown and Im receiving a new Companion on Thursday, but get this my new companion is Elder Priddis, a missionary from good old Wyoming, so I'm pretty excited about that.
New Years was CRAZY!!!!!!!! we got a phone call around 5 P.M. telling us "Go Home NOW leave Lessons If you Have To!" The Police had Barricades set up in the road, People were going nuts!! I think every ounce of alcohol in Liberia was consumed that night. It was pretty awesome...(not the drinking part, but just how crazy it was). I entered the New Year hearing the song "Wave Your Flag" And hundreds of Africans chanting non-sense.... Yea,h we kept our doors locked that night. haha
The first day of the new year I was given the privilege to assist with baptism again, our blind investigator (James)chose me to baptize him. We gave him the choice of kneeling in the water and just bending forward (make it a little easier for him to completely submerge) but he said, "No its o.k. I trust you and I know you wont let me fall." So we preformed the baptism standing up and laying him back into the water. it was the smoothest baptism Ive been given the opportunity to help with. Something Ive been learning since we have started teaching James is what trusting truly is. He is in a situation were he only has trust, he has had to learn what faith really is. Ive thought a lot about when he said "No its o.k. I trust you and I know you wont let me fall." Ive realized that we have all said that. When we were baptized we said that, maybe not to the the person baptizing us but to our Heavenly Father and Savior, when we made the decision to baptize, when we made the decision to go through the temple, every time we take the sacrament, that is what we are saying. The words are not from our mouth but from our actions, and actions speak louder then words... And that is one of my goals for this new year. I don't want to just say "I trust in my Heavenly Father" I don't want to just say" I trust in Christ" I want my actions to show that, "I Truly do Trust the Father and Son and that I know they will not let me Fail."
This month or next James' wife will be coming to baptize, It will not be the missionary's baptizing her, It will be James. I truly hope that God will Privilege me the opportunity to assist in that baptism as well.
I miss every one and it sounds like the New Year is starting out ok :)
I love you and miss you all Love Elder Taylor
P.S. listen to the song "Wave Your Flag" its from the World Cup its pretty awesome... but don't worry I try not to listen to it... I'm a missionary only enjoy hymns and stuff like that haha :)
Elder Taylor's Testimony Dated 12/22/2010
Elder Taylor was asked by his sister Norma, to share his testimony. It was read the Sunday after Christmas the 26th of December in the Las Vegas, Desert View Ward.
It is as follows:
The person who I am and the man whom I wish to become has changed
drastically since the first day I entered the mission field,(Trust me there
is still a lot of changing that needs to be done) haha,
When I began My testimony was one that was built off of stories and
experiences of others. Through much scripture study and personal
reflection... Ive been able to shape my testimony in to a testimony that is
no longer built upon the experiences of others, but is one built upon simple
truths.
My testimony is neither long nor Elaborate, how ever I can promise
you, I mean it with every ounce of my being...
I believe in visions, angles, and other heavenly things. I know God
has called a Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, I know the Priesthood that he holds
is truly Gods power given to righteous and worthy men.
I know the *Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints* is the
Lords true church, I know that Jesus is the Christ. I testify that his life
did not begin in City of David, nor did it end on the Cross. I can promise
you our Savior is now standing on the right hand of God... and their arms
are stretched out...
The Love of God is real, It is more real then even the world around
us, more real then the things we can see or touch with these physical
body's. As we age and the world around us fads away, Gods love will
not... It has been and always will be there.
I will close my testimony in the most straightforward way I know
how. In our hymn book there is one song that touches me more then any other
song, "hymn 136 I know my Redeemer lives", I want to share one Phrase from
that Amazing song, "He Lives" That is how I will close my testimony, "He
Lives" I say these things in the name of our Loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Amen.
It is as follows:
The person who I am and the man whom I wish to become has changed
drastically since the first day I entered the mission field,(Trust me there
is still a lot of changing that needs to be done) haha,
When I began My testimony was one that was built off of stories and
experiences of others. Through much scripture study and personal
reflection... Ive been able to shape my testimony in to a testimony that is
no longer built upon the experiences of others, but is one built upon simple
truths.
My testimony is neither long nor Elaborate, how ever I can promise
you, I mean it with every ounce of my being...
I believe in visions, angles, and other heavenly things. I know God
has called a Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, I know the Priesthood that he holds
is truly Gods power given to righteous and worthy men.
I know the *Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints* is the
Lords true church, I know that Jesus is the Christ. I testify that his life
did not begin in City of David, nor did it end on the Cross. I can promise
you our Savior is now standing on the right hand of God... and their arms
are stretched out...
The Love of God is real, It is more real then even the world around
us, more real then the things we can see or touch with these physical
body's. As we age and the world around us fads away, Gods love will
not... It has been and always will be there.
I will close my testimony in the most straightforward way I know
how. In our hymn book there is one song that touches me more then any other
song, "hymn 136 I know my Redeemer lives", I want to share one Phrase from
that Amazing song, "He Lives" That is how I will close my testimony, "He
Lives" I say these things in the name of our Loving Lord and Savior Jesus Christ Amen.
Monday, December 27, 2010
December 27, 2010
> All right I feel like using my email time again.
>
> This Christmas went really well. Our day started out with a
> baptism. I was given the privilege to baptize Larry Kigi Zeigie. This
> is one of the most amazing people I have had the opportunity to meet.
> Truly someone who was prepared to receive the gospel. The water that
> he baptized in only came up to my shins, so I had to bend pretty far
> to get him all the way under the water. And this being Africa, that
> was not the only issue. As you all know, supplies are few and far
> between, so the baptismal clothes were... how would I say this... very
> form fitting. :) So, as I was baptizing Larry, trying to get him all
> the way under, the white jumpsuit I was wearing tore from my
> midsection to my knee. (And those few seconds about ten people saw
> Elder Taylor's garment bottoms) In my surprise I dropped Larry... He
> came out of the water laughing, I was laughing, the witnesses and
> everyone else were trying not to laugh. Needless to say, we had to re
> perform the ordinance. Second time, no problems. After the baptism I
> had the opportunity to hear Larry bear his testimony. And since my
> coming to Africa that was one of the most humble and pure testimonies
> I have ever heard. I hope that someday I can have a testimony a
> fraction of the testimony I heard from a recent convert at his baptism
> on Christmas Day. Out of all the baptisms I've had the opportunity and
> privilege to assist with, this was the most spiritual baptism I've
> attended. Was it because it was Christmas Day, or was it the testimony
> I heard, or maybe it just felt good to laugh again. Whatever it was,
> it was the great start to a great day.
> I'm so grateful for all the packages and the letters I received,
> (Even Ashley's Package) every thing was heart warming and uplifting,
> the best part of packages were the 6 cans of Easy Cheeses I received!
> haha you people know me to well :)
> Talking to the Family was amazing, I'm sorry the time was so short
> I was only given 1 hour and well I had a lot of people to talk to.
> haha It was so good to here your voices again
> And Right after my phone call the weather turned from African
> sunshine to crazy tropical storm! It was amazing!! the African
> missionary's were doing traditional rain-dances, Talk about nuts. It
> was raining so hard you couldn't see 5 feet in front of you, and when
> ever it thunder the whole earth shook, It was AMAZING, it stayed that
> way all night... and I slept like a baby. That was my first good
> nights sleep in a long time. It truly was the Icing on the Cake.
> > I love and miss you all, Till next week,
>
> Love Elder Taylor
>
> This Christmas went really well. Our day started out with a
> baptism. I was given the privilege to baptize Larry Kigi Zeigie. This
> is one of the most amazing people I have had the opportunity to meet.
> Truly someone who was prepared to receive the gospel. The water that
> he baptized in only came up to my shins, so I had to bend pretty far
> to get him all the way under the water. And this being Africa, that
> was not the only issue. As you all know, supplies are few and far
> between, so the baptismal clothes were... how would I say this... very
> form fitting. :) So, as I was baptizing Larry, trying to get him all
> the way under, the white jumpsuit I was wearing tore from my
> midsection to my knee. (And those few seconds about ten people saw
> Elder Taylor's garment bottoms) In my surprise I dropped Larry... He
> came out of the water laughing, I was laughing, the witnesses and
> everyone else were trying not to laugh. Needless to say, we had to re
> perform the ordinance. Second time, no problems. After the baptism I
> had the opportunity to hear Larry bear his testimony. And since my
> coming to Africa that was one of the most humble and pure testimonies
> I have ever heard. I hope that someday I can have a testimony a
> fraction of the testimony I heard from a recent convert at his baptism
> on Christmas Day. Out of all the baptisms I've had the opportunity and
> privilege to assist with, this was the most spiritual baptism I've
> attended. Was it because it was Christmas Day, or was it the testimony
> I heard, or maybe it just felt good to laugh again. Whatever it was,
> it was the great start to a great day.
> I'm so grateful for all the packages and the letters I received,
> (Even Ashley's Package) every thing was heart warming and uplifting,
> the best part of packages were the 6 cans of Easy Cheeses I received!
> haha you people know me to well :)
> Talking to the Family was amazing, I'm sorry the time was so short
> I was only given 1 hour and well I had a lot of people to talk to.
> haha It was so good to here your voices again
> And Right after my phone call the weather turned from African
> sunshine to crazy tropical storm! It was amazing!! the African
> missionary's were doing traditional rain-dances, Talk about nuts. It
> was raining so hard you couldn't see 5 feet in front of you, and when
> ever it thunder the whole earth shook, It was AMAZING, it stayed that
> way all night... and I slept like a baby. That was my first good
> nights sleep in a long time. It truly was the Icing on the Cake.
> > I love and miss you all, Till next week,
>
> Love Elder Taylor
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
Christmas in Africa
Elder Taylor is super busy, but I did hear from him today and he is doing great. We are so excited to talk to him on Christmas Day. Chances are we will get regular e-mails again after Christmas.
I will be posting many photos of his area in the next few days, courtesy of Elder Kevin Moss, who is also serving in Sierra Leone.
As we all pray for our amazing Missionaries this holiday season, please add specifically, Elder Lowe, Elder Moss, Elder Kenner (Elder Taylor's current ccompanion), Elder Jenkins (from SV), Elder Lancaster. These are names of Elders serving in the same mission as Elder Taylor. I know there are more, but these are the names to date I have heard.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
What will your gift to the Savior be this year?
I will be posting many photos of his area in the next few days, courtesy of Elder Kevin Moss, who is also serving in Sierra Leone.
As we all pray for our amazing Missionaries this holiday season, please add specifically, Elder Lowe, Elder Moss, Elder Kenner (Elder Taylor's current ccompanion), Elder Jenkins (from SV), Elder Lancaster. These are names of Elders serving in the same mission as Elder Taylor. I know there are more, but these are the names to date I have heard.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!
What will your gift to the Savior be this year?
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
December 15 2010
Elder Taylor had been very busy for the last couple weeks. Sorry no mail to share..
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