Doctrine and Covenants 4:3

"Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are called to the work" -Doctrine and Covenants 4:3

Monday, January 11, 2016

Called to Serve -- Week 12 in the Utah Orem Mission

Hello, my name is Sister Taylor. I am a missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am a representative of the Savior, Jesus Christ. I have the right to receive revelation over this area in which I have been called to serve and the people in it through my obedience. The blessings I promise through the guidance of the Holy Spirit will be honored by the Almighty God.

Being a missionary is pretty cool. There is really nothing like it. No time that is so special, because you get to devote 100% of your time and effort to the Lord. It is hard, incredibly hard. But it is so worth it. The amount of growth that has happened over this period of my life is amazing compared to the rest of my life. I am still not perfect, and I still have a lot I need to learn and know, but I have grown. I am going to miss being a missionary. It makes me teary-eyed every time I think of taking this badge off. I will never again have the opportunity to wear a tag that says:
SISTER TAYLOR

THE CHURCH OF
JESUS CHRIST
OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS

But God has given me the opportunity to know how it feels, and now I get to take this into the rest of my life. As Elder Neil A. Anderson said in the April 2013 General Conference: “If you’re not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, “not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.” And returned missionaries, find your old missionary tag. Don’t wear it, but put it where you can see it. The Lord needs you now more than ever to be an instrument in His hands. All of us have a contribution to make to this miracle.” I am excited to learn how to wear a tag of the Spirit. Pretty special chance!

This week has been wonderful. An amazing last full week of being a missionary! The highlight of the week was Myshima’s baptism!!! She was nervous, but when she came out of the room, I asked her how she felt. “I feel like a new person!” Her faith and desire to do what God wants for her is what brought her to this point. She is now working on family history. In the next few weeks, she will be able to go to the temple and be baptized for her mother and both of her grandmothers. Such a cool opportunity! I know her parents and the rest of her ancestors are so excited for her to begin this chain of solid church members.

Something that was a little crazy. We were in charge of filling the font. We filled it to a certain point with hot water, then the rest with cold water. Unfortunately, we didn't know that the cold water runs faster than the hot. Half an hour before the baptism started, we noticed that the font was almost overflowing, and that it was freezing. You can't pull the plug and put it back in without going swimming....so we didn't know what to do. We found 2 clean trash cans and created a mini bucket brigade to empty the font enough so we could add more hot water and have it not overflow. We got done minutes before everyone showed up. Good times. (Here's a picture of me in the EMPTY font! :)  )

Craziness of the week came when we went to a couple’s house that we’ve been to a few times. They’re engaged, but didn’t really intend to get married. We challenged them to set a date.….but they have to change together. It turned into basically a soap opera. We sat their awkwardly, trying to tie it back to the Gospel, while they fought. We finally just stood up and walked out mid-sentence. I think that was the turning point for them though. We told them we wouldn’t come back until they had set a date, and they were so embarrassed that they had been like that in front of us, that they’ve almost set a date now. I hope I get to see them before I leave!

We went to the Provo City Center Temple a ton this week. We saw many General Authorities, and more importantly, we saw the Holy Ghost touch people and push them to change. Such an amazing opportunity. We aren’t the teachers, we just tell truth that the Holy Ghost can testify of. In this mission, we “SEE MIRACLES”.

I will be honorably released Thursday, and be speaking in church on Sunday the 17th at 1:00 at the Red Brick Church on Cliffside. (1350 Eastridge Drive, I think). If anyone would like to be there, I would love to see you. If you can’t make it, know that I am grateful for your love and support.

I love this Gospel and the chance that I had to share it with those in the Utah Orem Mission. Every person that I have come in contact with has taught me a lesson. This is the true Church. I have seen and felt it hundreds of times, and there is nothing that would convince me otherwise.

Have a wonderful week!
Love,
Sister Taylor

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