Long Week

This past week has been one of the longer weeks so far on my mission. Things have been so up and down it's been tough. BUT whenever there is a low there is ALWAYS a high. I look forward to next week and hope to make it a great one. I feel that I haven’t been giving the Lord all of my Might , Mind, and Strength lately. I’m being brutally honest. I’m sure everyone of you who reads this has had times where you haven’t given your ALL to the Lord and His work and been a helping hand. Now don’t get me wrong, we still have been doing missionary work, but it's not at the level where I want it to be. The great thing about the Savior and His atonement is that we can have HIM help US improve ourselves. That’s what I’m doing...I'm having Him strengthen my weaknesses and imperfections. Also, all of the stress from this last week with all that went on was weighing on me but again I gave it to the Lord and had him ease my burdens. 

Last night I watched the World Wide Mission President Broadcast at the church and it was good! Oh, how I love this Church. I don’t know of a greater thing than this. Everything just makes so much sense... the structure of it as well as the foundation that it's built upon. The leadership of the Church is what gives me so much faith and trust in it. As I watched the Apostles of the Lord speak I was taken back... I could truly see the love that this Gospel has brought to their lives. I was so HUMBLED and HONORED and GRATEFUL that the GREATEST time ever to be a servant of the Lord is now, and I have been found worthy and able to do such a thing...to literally be a representative of the Lord and to know that He is allowing me to do so. As I sat and watched the broadcast I just got so fired up about the missionary work and wanted to share it with all of our friends and family who have no idea about it and I TOTALLY forgot for a sec that I was a missionary (haha) until I looked down and saw my name tag. Then I got even more pumped about everything.

For some crazy reason since I’ve been  missionary my mind has been open to things.  Revelation sometimes just pours like water out of a glass.  It's SUPER humbling because those who knew me before probably think I’m crazy for saying this.  I am able to make up things such as quotes or analogies to help understand the Gospel in a simpler way.  While I was at the Butterfields a few days ago I was pondering my Dads 3D’s of the Devil that he made up and he sent me.  He said that the adversary will use Disappointment, Discouragement and Depression to get you down, and to fight against it!  Like father/like son I decided then and there to make the C’s that Satan will use against us:

Satan will use these C’s against you. 

1^st he will use Confusion, 

2^nd Corruption, 

3^rd Contention, 

4^th Collision until 

5^th you Collapse then with keep you Captive. 

DONT LET HIM! Don’t let him Confuse you and confuse your standards or your beliefs.  Don’t let him Corrupt your mind and soul.  Don’t let him bring Contention into your life and home ... he does this so there will be a Collision in your life; either with yourself or with others that you love and care for. Then, from that point you will Collapse and he will try to take you Captive. 

Now, I hope this doesn’t sound too scary or something but I am speaking of the reality of these things.  I have seen them in my PERSONAL life, and now being a missionary I've seen them in others’ lives. PLEASE recognize these C’s because he will use cunningness and craftiness to bring you down and take away all your joy. I’m giving these to you to help you put on that armor of God and to use these to your advantage so that when they occur  you will be able to fight ALL of them off.  I testify that if you apply this in your life, and share it with others to help them fight against it, that you WILL win; that WE all can win because we are on the Lord's team. Search for those who are struggling and help be a Savior to them and help lift their sorrows and pain. Maybe next week or sometime I can think of A’s and B’s too apply as well. 

I pray and hope these things will help all those who read this and and all of those you share it with. If this is applied you will be able to recognize these things and can better fight off the adversary. This Gospel is true and because it’s true that means it’s pure. I can bear testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is just that, and because of it we all have an opportunity to know pure and true joy after this life!  The scripture to go with the C’s can be found in 3 Nephi 14: 17-20 and Matthew 7: 16-20.  Open your mind to it and you will see how it applies.

Love to you all,

Elder Taylor

PS - I read the Pearl of Great Price this week and it was great!

My FADE hair cut!  A Mexican lady in Socorro cut it!

Picture of us and the sister missionaries