MTC Letter # 3

3 more days!!

I can't believe how fast my stay here at the MTC has gone. Its been great but I can't wait to head to the mission field and teach the people of New Mexico. This week has been great, my companion and I have been doing a lot better at teaching the Gospel and being more effective.  Our teacher was telling us that we have great potential as being very effective missionaries ... so it was great to hear that. The Spirit has been with me more and more each day which helps me understand the gospel better as I study but more importantly to be able to use the Spirit to direct me while I'm teaching and help me know what to say. There are a few great quotes and things I've heard this week that I wanna share:

" There is no such thing as an unsolveable problem with the Gospel".

 "Church is for imperfect people coming to worship perfect things".

"God doesnt count baptisms, He counts Converts!" 

"YOU ARE AN INSTRUMENT IN GOD'S HANDS!". 

"We don't convert, the Spirit does, we just need to make it present so it can do its part". 

I love all of the quotes and things I've learned. Each and every one is powerful and we can each take something from it. Something else is that sucess requires obedience, hard work and sacrifice. It requires us to WANT to bring others to Christ. Also, that every problem can be solved with work ... work harder when it gets tough.  

I am at the very end of the Book Of Mormon. I've got like 50 more pages and will finish before the MTC like I promised and it has been a blessing. The Lord has helped me so much with it. People don't understand how I've had only like 6 hours of sleep at night and then be able to have an 18 hour day!! It's the Lord... He's giving me the strength to wake up early to read the BOM and be able to continue with my day because He knows it's important that I finish it. It is so powerful ...  this book changes lives... I've seen it and it has happend to me!  Share it with everyone you know ... share the joy.

Here is a scripture that I really love that is exactly what I want to be able to say with power and conviction: "Behold, God is my salvation; I will Trust and not be afraid; for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; He also has become my salvation."  2 Nephi 22:2

 

Tomorrow, the 9th, is the 5-month-mark since my loving mother passed away.  I wanna do something special so I deciced I'll write a little email to her as if I was sending it to her and tell her how I feel.

 

Dear Mom,

The mission has been amazing so far.  I love all of the people I'm with and the sister missionaries are so strong.. there are a few that remind me of you if you were 19. You have prepared me my whole life for this huge opportunity I have.  You have always guided me on the right path, made sure I attended church and made sure I would be a strong man that can handle anything that life throws at you. I know I could have been better at scriprture study and payed more attention at times but i KNOW that besides that you have prepared me to be a missionary and to always continue on when it gets hard. I wish you were there to drop me off.  I just pictured you balling like a baby as I hugged you goodbye and as I walked away (ha) but what's so amazing is that we didn't have to do that ...  that I didn't have to walk away cuz now you can always be with me wherever I am. 

Last night my companion and I taught about the Plan Of Salvation.  Yes, they are actors playing a role but we are teaching them as if it's real and the Spirit was so strong. This person we were teaching hasn't been very receptive to the Spirit as we have met but this time as I spoke about the Plan of Salvation and how it is a plan of happiness his heart softened.  As I shared why it's important and how its blessed my life I could see in his eyes that he knew this Gospel was true.  He said, "Why wouldn't anyone want this?!"  I said exactly... we all need this. We commited him to baptism and after 2 minutes of silence and the Spirit working on him he looked up and said OK!  We were sooooo happy,  my companion and I just wanted to jump up and scream.  He realizes that God and Christ love him and want him to return with them and the first step is baptism. Mom, I want you to know that there's not a day that goes by that I don't think of you!  I wear my necklace EVERYDAY under my white shirt and tie.

 

Love your oldest son/ momas boy/ best friend/ Missionary,

 

Elder Taylor