Merry Christmas!

December 9, 2013

First, guess what family! We can Skype home for Christmas!! 30-45 minutes I think. How great is that!! I'll let you know more about what time etc as it gets closer but that will be a great Christmas treat. :)

My time is short, but here are a few highlights from this week. Saturday night was the ward Christmas party, and oh, it was wonderful! We had a less active couple, the Browns, come-- and we didn't expect them to be there. They don't ever come to church, but they accepted our invitation to the party and we loved getting to know them. I hoped they felt welcome and loved. I and the other missionaries in the ward did a musical number last minute upon request-- it was "I Cannot Find My Way" from the Forgotten Carols. I and a few others did solos in it, we threw in a key change, and it came together in two practices. When we performed, it was the best all of us had ever sung it! It brought the Spirit, and we received several compliments on it. I also got to play the piano at  some members' homes this week-- just improvising hymn medleys. I wish I had time to practice, but the Lord helps me play well enough to bring the Spirit, and that's what matters. I love getting to share music when I can!

On Tuesday, some researchers from Church Headquarters in SLC came out and interviewed about 20 of us. I think we're one of ten stakes in the world they've interviewed so far! They're interviewing bishops, stake presidencies, ward leaders, missionaries, and missionary leaders for feedback on the effects of the "wave" of new and younger missionaries. In my interview, there were about ten of us, and we were the younger (mission age, not real life age) ones in our companionships. I realized during that experience how I felt when I came to the field. I was prepared for the external, physical stress-- prepared to jump into a new schedule, to work hard, to try new things. I don't think I was prepared as much for the internal stress, the psychological stress. I've never been as mentally and spiritually stressed as on my mission-- and because of it, I've grown a lot. And struggled a lot. I've overcome the initial shock stage of hitting the gravel, but I know I'll be stressed my whole mission-- and that's okay! Stress is good for you when you know you have the resources you need to meet your needs. The Savior is a pretty good resource, and I've got Him on my side. So I know I'll be okay.

Little miracle today! We were grocery shopping at Target, and we asked an employee to help us find matches. Her name was Irma-- she's from Mexico, about 4'11", and speaks poor english. While we were walking through the store with her, she pointed at my badge to ask what it was. "We're missionaries," I said. Immediately, she stopped, her eyes welled with tears, and she gave me a hug. "Oh, I need the Lord, I need the Lord," she said. Our time with her was short and between her poor english and being choked up, I didn't know much of what she said. But I said we would love to visit her and help her, and she just nodded a big yes. We exchanged information and I gave her another hug. We prayed this morning for courage and opportunities to talk to people while we were out, since we wouldn't have other opportunities to meet people today. The Lord definitely answered our prayers. 

I went on exchanges for the first time this week! I was with Sister Blackett, Sister Buhler's first companion. She's a sweetheart. She has a bit of a shell-- not a shy, reclusive shell, but rather a shell you have to get through in order for her to trust and love you. I had a strong impression while on exchange-- "You don't know Sister Blackett, but I do. You're going to have to pray to see her the way I see her, then you'll be able to love her." I wrote that down, and I'm going to try to apply that with every companion I have. Really, with everyone in life...but I'm starting small. :) It was a good experience to be around a different missionary for a day and see how she worked. 

Sister Buhler and I have such a great companionship! We really hope we get put together again later in our missions so we can fulfill more of the potential we have to be much more effective missionaries. We're both very high strung and strong willed-- but we're working on using those to our advantage. We both are very self-aware and have great desires to love more and serve more. We're always looking for ways to be working smarter and harder, and to increase the companionship of the Spirit with us. And, since we're both so musical, we're going to carol to members this week as part of member visits! We're looking forward to that. 

We got to watch the First Presidency Christmas Devotional last night. It was inspiring, and I was so happy to get to watch it. 

I know this is where God wants me to be. He has a purpose for each of us and He loves us more than we know. Don't be afraid or hesitate to look for opportunities to lift up other people. The love of Christ is one of sharing. I know the Lord will bless you with opportunities to be a light for someone else if you ask for them-- He's done that for me, and I've felt His love and been strengthened through that.

I love you!

Sister Taylor

P.S. Before I write my big letter, here are a few pics of mission life. The one with the pie is from our pie miracle experience. Then there's our tree we decorated last night (it's real!) (we're wearing the headbands you sent, Mom-- it's become our rule/tradition that we have to wear them while we're decorating or doing Christmas stuff around the apartment. Thank you much :)), and the last one is a member's house in our stake where we spent a couple P-days. As you can see, I'm serving in an area of devastating poverty. Pity me.

(We sang O Christmas Tree with excessive vibrato and danced while we put the star on top of the tree. Thought you should know.)

Not many suffer as gravely as the owners of this humble abode.