Hey!
Another week has flown by and I can barely believe it! Sister
Sheffield and I have seen so many blessings. Over the past 7 days we
have been able to find four new investigators! Last week we started
teaching two new people. The numbers doubled! Considering the weeks
before were zero new investigators- these past two weeks have been
miracles! The Lord is hastening his work. With the start of 2016 we
have been sharing a New Years video with people on the street. It's
amazing how hearts soften to the message in a simple three minute
video.
Over the past five weeks we have talked to a few people who weren't
interested in the gospel for themselves but wanted us to teach their
kids. Pretty funny because they seemed to realize that what we do as
missionaries is good but they don't want better for themselves.
Anyways those kids didn't really seem super interested or were tricky
to keep appointments with so not a lot really happened. Something
changed this week and the parents started wanting to know more.
Cathy who lives in the park only started talking to us because she has
drama with her neighbors (she wanted to complain to us about it haha!)
she also wanted us to come talk to her son who in her words ' needs to
accept Christ as his savior and redeemer'. Initially when we asked her
if we could share a message with her she said she is good, she knows
Jesus and ' appreciates all religions'. The craziest thing happened
this week... she let us come in and share the restoration with her!
She was surprised that what we talked about is mostly what she already
believes. She told us that she 'will read our book and pray about it'.
YAY! I couldn't be happier!
So much is happening in the Cavitt Stallman trailer park. We met the
manager (Sam) he almost ran away from us haha! People either blow you
off/ ignore you or they listen but sometimes you get the runners.
Anyways he watched a New Years video that shares a story from the
bible. It's about Lot and his family. They live in a wicked city and
God commands them to leave because he is going to destroy the whole
place. Before they leave God tells them to not look back but Lot's
wife turns around as they are leaving and because of that she turns
into a 'pillar of salt'. The message is that we have to learn from the
past but not live in it...leave the past in the past. Enjoy the
present and work towards a happy future. We talk to people about their
New Years goals and how even if we fall short of our goals the
atonement can get us back on the right track. Sam loved the video and
asked for a pamphlet about the church. We gave him a Book of Mormon
and he was taken aback. He was hesitant to accept it because it was
'so nice and looked expensive'. We have plans to go visit him next
week.
A lot of the people have trouble reading or understanding the church
words we use which makes sense because it is almost like another
language haha! I remember what it was like when I first started
reading the Book of Mormon as an investigator. It was hard and I
couldn't pronounce things right. I love the pamphlets we give out
because they are simple and define the church words. I think the
pamphlets will really help Sam and others we are starting to work
with.
Thursday was pretty rough. We taught a lady named Juliet. She has gone
through a lot of hard things and focuses so much on the bad. I know
that the hard times help us grow and learn but she just sees them as
punishment or proof that God does not love us. I felt like I was
hitting my head against a wall the whole time! She asked a billion
questions but gave us no time to answer any of them. It was a hard
lesson for me because I felt like she really had no intention of
learning. It was my hardest day in California.
After that experience I started to study patience. There were a few
conference talks that really helped me. I still have lots of improving
to do on this one but I trust that I will learn what I need to when I
need it. Being on a mission I am starting to become more aware of my
personal strengths and shortfalls. I can feel the growth happening. I
love it! Christ refines our character.
We have many more experiences that have built my faith but I don't
have time to go into them now. All I can say is that I love being a
missionary.
We spent a lot of time working with recent converts and less active
members this week. A large part of this week was spent contacting
potential investigators. We didn't have a ton of success with the
potential investigators but I am learning more about the area and the
people. I love Granite Bay!
We helped out at compassion planet on Tuesday. The ladies were working
on quilts and pillows. Sister Sheffield and I helped out by cutting
string for the tie quilts. We also spent a few hours on Tuesday night
working on our ward blitz project. The year is broken up into six -
two month sections. For January and February we are focusing on
service. We go to ward members homes and share a spiritual thought on
the topic and leave them with a magnet and a bag of m&ms (because they
are members and missionaries) haha!! Our goal is to get people out and
serving others in their community. There is a website called just
serve that helps place people with service projects. It's a community
run project and not affiliated with the church but the missionaries in
the Rocklin zone get to help out with different projects each week. We
are still meeting with our 'forget me not' group each week. I love
those elderly people- they brighten my day. This week they had their
monthly temple trip so we met up for Chinese food lunch. I'm looking
forward to studying the scriptures with them on Wednesday. They always
have insightful comments but sometimes need a bit of correcting. I
guess before the missionaries started helping with the group there was
some false doctrine being taught.
On Thursday we started working with a member who is trying to overcome
her smoking addiction. She has some really great goals for 2016 and
making it to the temple is one of her biggest ambitions. There is a
smoking cessation program that missionaries can use to help people
overcome this addiction. It was started by a set of missionaries who
served in Ireland but didn't have many baptisms because people
couldn't seem to kick the cigarettes. They loved the message of the
gospel but the addiction gripped them too tightly. The course is 7
days long and involves lots of grapefruit juice and excessive tooth
brushing- right up my alley :) I joked with sister R that not only
will she stop smoking but she will have the best oral hygiene of her
life! It's a very specific program but she can do it! She embodies
fortitude. Her character is strong and resilient. I can't wait to
celebrate with her on Thursday- we are having a party!!
President and Sister Marston are in our ward boundaries and sister
Marston said she picked up a package for me from the mission office
but forgot it at her house. Sister Sheffield and I swung by after
church to pick it up and ended up staying and having lunch with the
Marstons. It was a great way to spend a Sunday. I love President and
Sister Marston so much. They are a great example to me in leadership
and love. They both radiate so much love and concern for the
missionaries in the Roseville California mission.
My Pondering scripture of the week is Romans 5:3-5
"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that
tribulation worketh patience;
And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in
our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.'
Overall life is grand!
All the best
-SIster Taylor
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