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

August 28, 2011

All is well.

So last night we left the door open last night for too long and a bat flew in our apartment.  It was a really funny!  We spent the next few minutes trying to chase it
out the door, then we tried to capture it and then we tried to stun it and all of those failed so we were about to really get nitty gritty with the little guy but
then he flew out the door on his own.  It was exciting, but he could've stayed there for the night...we have mosquito  nets.    Have you seen the movie "black sheep?"  That’s what I felt like.

   Also this week we had a way amazing youth program, we had 7 investigators show up.    They asked the missionary’s to bring a game that we could teach,   so I tried to help them learn water balloon volleyball... I'll just say they get points for trying... haha I’ll send pictures some time,    but boy it was a hit, everyone wanted to try tossing and catching the water balloons.   The key word in the phrase was "Try"        the day was a blast,   it was a sweet program.

   Sunday a man named Isaac was confirmed a member of the church, he showed up in his rain boots like always, he is so good.    When sacrament started there were only 10 brethren there total, so it was more of a priest hood meeting at first.  haha.

    The reason the attendance was so poor is because it was a rainstorm,   "it has to rain pretty hard for us to call it a rain storm" haha  

I really have fell in love with the people here; I’ve made some very eternal friends.

So my letter was short and sweet and straight to the point today, I’m happy and enjoying my mission.

Love Elder Taylor

P.S. I just found out there is an Elder Taylor in the MTC who is coming to Liberia in sep, his name is Chris Taylor, so that will be cool, to Taylors in one mission.

August 22, 2011

This week I'll be sure to get out a general letter,  

    One of my favorite days of the year just happened this week; it was the All Africa West Service Day, 

Last year I was in the MTC when it happened, every Branch, District, Ward, and Stake in West Africa have a service project, the project for Duala Branch was we cleaned up the public school at St. Paul Bridge and got it ready for the upcoming school year.   It was so great to see every one working and having a fun time, Our branch President Pres. Sayon was so funny the branch has a video camera so he was going around making movies, having us sing hymns and stuff while we worked, It was supper good,   the thing about it that made me the happiest was we had investigators there working alongside the members, 

     I got a sweet group photo that I’ll send next week,

Also on Sunday we had a baptism, another very prepared and very amazing person,   he lives in a swamp so the water around his house is about a foot to two feet high, so he comes to church in white shirt and tie and waders, while everyone else in the area waits till the sun comes out and dries up all the water (Which usually doesn’t happen)

That’s all short and sweet.

Love Elder Taylor

08/15/2011

Elder Taylor is doing great and working hard.  So hard sometimes he forgets his e-mail, to let us all know whats going on in Africa.

Hopefully next week we will get a detailed update.

Know he is healthy and pressing forward in the work.

finally some photos

so here are some pictures,   you know they say a picture is Worth a thousand words  so i figured it would be a satisfactory email. (22,000 words)

 

Love

 

Elder Taylor

 

P.S.  My favorite one is when the monkey is biting a small African child on the head.

July 11, 2011

Super Good news this week!  I took a hot bath!!  We built a fire, I

put a Pot on the fire we built, I put water in the Pot on the fire we

built, when the water was HOT I took the water from the Pot on the

Fire we built and put it into a bucket, Then I added some cold water

Because the water in the Pot on the fire we built, was too HOT, Then

I took the bucket in our bathroom and I took a shower and I was happy

Ha-ha.  It was my first hot shower in a long time.

So today I’m in a supper slow computer Café I Mean slow… but all is

Well today was a way great day, I defiantly needed it to recharge my

Batteries, so today we had a supper  P-day (all of the missionaries

come together and play Foot ball/ soccer)  The place where we were

meeting is far from where we are living, so we ended up on a 45 min

Motorcycle ride to the area,  but I loved it, it was the best part.

The ride was through the bush and I mean Real Bush he was taking us on

this little dirt trail, it was so relaxing just sitting on the back of

the bike riding through the jungle for 45 min,   It was good time to

think, to unwind, and to just enjoy Gods creations.

    Today my personally study went really well… I study about Zion,

and what Zion really is.  I study about the city of Enoch, about New

Jerusalem, and Also individual Zion,    The big thing that really

Struck out to me was, No matter what it is you cannot have Zion, in a

community, in a home in a family or, in any relationship,  unless it

is built upon the same governing principles as heaven,   And There are

no rules in Heaven,  There are however Laws and principles.

Rules are for rule-breakers.   The Law of Moses was Rules, The Higher

Law that Christ taught were Principles.

So we get to decide ourselves.  Live the Rule or the principles…

There are 3 reasons why we keep the commandments.

1.      Fear of punishment

2.      Want of Blessings

3.      Love for God.

We get to chose why we keep the commandments.  But I know that Zion

people keep the commandments because of reason 3.

Love Elder Taylor