BIG WEEK!

So ...  a lot has happened this last week. 

First off I have sad news... and that is that Elder Schneider and I will not be companions anymore after Tuesday. He is getting transferred because my training is now over . He is so awesome though because he just got called to be a Zone Leader. Basically he's a leader over like 20 or so missionaries. He's going to do so awesome even though it will be a lot more time and work. 

Also this last Wednesday I went on exchanges with Elder Magalei ... the guy in the pics I sent from the temple. He's a big Samoan from Cali (the Bay area) and we,  of course, were like brothers already!  Ha!   So we got to teach Institute that night again and had 3 minutes to prepare a lesson.  Earlier that day I took him to go see this referral we had and as we were talking to people I checked my phone and had a missed phone call from the mission president.  I look at Elder Magalei and he says, "Its for you I bet," and I was like, "there's no way."  I call back and President Miller said he feels inspired to call me to a leadership position and wants me to be a trainer for a brand new missionary!!!  I, of course, said "yes" but was freaking out and still am!  Ha!  I feel now more than ever that the Lord will help me. Even though I am still a brand new missionary myself with the Lord's help I can still help train a new one. I'm very humbled to have been asked to do this and am very excited to pick up my trainee on Tuesday. 

The sad news is that Elder Schneider is going up north. Words cannot express how much I love that guy ... he's truly my brother/ companion/ eternal friend. I would not be as ready as I am to train or to be a successful missionary if it weren't for him. Something that Elder Schneider brought to my attention when I was ranting to him that I wasn't ready to have this calling and to train he reminded me of what the mission president said ... "one of the greatest showings of trust and leadership is being a trainer" and that the Lord called me for a reason. I can't wait to stay in this area and continue to serve in El Paso.  I love it here and the people more and more each day. 

Also, the first people I told about my call was Jake and Mary Salgado ...they are like my family from home.  They are the coolest recently married couple ever and i consider them my lasting best friends and family.  They have helped me so much with their love and strong spirits and have taken care of me.  They are the ones who post instagram pictures of me! Haha!   Last Saturday both of us and 2 spanish elders went to see this lady who was taught by the missionaries 8 months ago but moved. We went in and could tell something was wrong but she had a smile on her face the whole time. She told us stuff like that she has been to prison 3 times already and had to leave her 3 children, (2 years each time) and that she will be returning soon. So told us about her drug addictions and shoplifting problems and how she literally has no money and no one would hire her. After the end of our conversation each of us bore testimony that God loves her and wants her to rid of all her addictions and to be on the right path. This women was in tears felt the spirit and the love of the Savior and felt hope. It was one of the saddest stories I've heard from someone since being on my mission but I saw the Lord's hand in using us to comfort her. Things like this are real... everyone needs to be more grateful for what they have and remember who they are including myself. Please find someone this next week that you know you can help and give them joy. Keep going strong and next week I'll tell you about my trainee and send a picture :) I pray for all my family and friends.

 

Yours truly,

Elder Taylor