Month 4

Four months! Happy February! Oh wow- where does time go? Someone told
me that in two weeks 1/4 of my mission will be done. That worries me
because I still want to do and become so much more! Luckily there is
time. This week I've been feeling a bit discouraged and inadequate. I
have this idea in my head about the kind of missionary I want to be
but I feel like each lesson I fall into the same routine. I am trying
to allow the spirit to influence my work more but at times I feel
stuck.

On Wednesday we went through the smoking cessation program with S.L.
He is doing great so far! Today is day 5 and he is staying strong. I
am grateful for this fantastic program that helps people break free
from this addiction.Life can be soo full and filled with joy when we
aren't stuck in a behavior pattern that limits other choices. It's
also an expensive habit. SL will feel rich at the end of the 7 days
which should be a good motivator to keep going.

President Marston did interviews in our zone this week. I really
enjoyed the time we had to talk. He radiates love for the missionaries
and really embraces his role in the Roseville California mission.
President asked us to pick a goal and to find a scripture that goes
along. I decided to focus on more meaningful prayers this year. As a
missionary I share with people how prayer can help a person feel more
connected to deity. I always want to work to strengthen that
connection. I have faith that my goal for the year will help me
overcome the missionary rut I'm in right now. I'm putting more of a
focus on kneeling for morning/ evening prayers and taking time for
quiet contemplation during and after the prayer.

This week it seems like everyone has the flu! Our dinner had to cancel
on Saturday because all the kids were sick so Sister Sheffield and I
went out to eat. Our funds were severely limited and at lunch I prayed
that someone would pay for our food that night. Guess what?!? IT
HAPPENED! Yep. Missionary miracles! A couple from another ward in our
stake was in front of us and paid for our dinner. It made my Saturday!

A new tv show has brought up lots of questions with many of our
investigators. The show is called 'Lucifer' and from what I've heard
it's about Satan who is a good soul but choses to contain the evil in
hell. He gets tired of being the ruler of the bad people so he goes to
New York to fight the sinners. It has inspired lots of questions about
the plan of salvation from people we teach. I love talking about the
plan of happiness because it answers the questions each soul will
wonder at one point or another in life. The start of this show has
prompted people to ask us about the gospel- I love it! The Lord is
hastening the work in so many ways- even ones that we don't utilize or
have control of as missionaries!

Funny story with T ( the kid in my email two weeks ago)
I think I'm going to start adding in my weekly encounters with him
because this kid never disappoints! Our visits with the family are
always entertaining.

So last week we were teaching about enduring to the end and staying
consistent with living the gospel. T usually has such a hard time
staying focused and during this lesson he opened up a package of candy
canes and was pretending they were guns.
A few weeks before he broke the candy canes in pieces and shoved them
into a Christmas orange which became a sticky distraction.
After a few minutes the candy guns got old so he stood up and put one
of the guns between his butt cheeks. We weren't sure exactly sure what
he was doing and decided not to draw attention to it because he loves
getting a reaction out of people. Anyways he broke it with his bum and
then declared to us how strong his muscles are! Gah! I kept it
together until we got out of the house. It was stupid funny mostly
because of how weird the situation was. Oh mission life.....

This week T keep himself busy by eating crackers with his feet.
Yep.... He put the crackers in between his toes and that was that. He
was able to stay on track (for the most part) as we talked about
service and how it connects with enduring to the end - or stamina as T
calls it. He said service is good because we are doing the things God
would have to do so by serving others we are helping God so he has
less work to do later. Haha! That's one way to look at it I suppose.

Our week was full of service - mostly helping people pack and move.
Two families in our ward are boxing up their belongings. One is moving
out of state and the other is moving down the street. We went on
Saturday to help with the 'a few houses down' move but after a half
hour the elders quorum said they were almost finished so we could go.
We called bishop later that night and he told us there was a surprise
attic which added another 6 hours of work!!! We felt so bad because we
really could have helped.

I have been thinking a lot about my desire to become a stronger
missionary. I study Preach my Gospel but I still feel like I'm falling
short most of the time. On Friday Sister Sheffield did her departing
temple trip - she finishes her mission in a few weeks. While she was
gone I was paired up with Sister Madsen who has been out for over 2
months. It was Friday that I realized how unprepared I feel to get a
new companion. Sister Sheffield and I have been able to work so well
together for so long now that the though of change terrifies me. We
both have different strengths so our companionship has been a real
blessing to the work. The lesson we had on Friday was a wake up call
for me because I basically had to lead the entire thing. I had a hard
time and was so stressed out. I talk too much when I get nervous- it
was bad. Real bad! Also that day I had to drive which really made me
incredibly nervous. I haven't been behind a wheel in four months and
driving a different vehicle always stresses me out. I was sweating
bullets!

Exciting update with B and D - the cute couple we have been working
with for the past few months. There might be an engagement soon!
Yeeks! 😍 I'm so very excited!! I'll keep you posted.

The work is going really well in Granite Bay 2.

My Ponderizing scripture for the week can be found in Helaman 3:35- in
the Book of Mormon. This is my goal scripture that I connected to my
focus for 2016.

'Nevertheless they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and
stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of
Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea,
even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hearts, which
sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God.

Today for P Day we went bowling:)

Love you all!
-SIster Taylor