Elder Justin Taylor: Four-day weekend

I was so blessed the last few days... that's why I called it a "4-day weekend."

On Friday it was zone meeting and it was so powerful. The mission is drastically changing for the better. Our minds were so enlightened. We now are here to encourage people to commit; basically, we usually start out talking about the restoration of the Gospel and then at the end we bring up baptism. The people will say, "Wait. What? You never mentioned that before. Where did that come from?" Now, when we include baptism as our commitment, teach the lesson, and keep referring to baptism they will see the importance of it! IT WORKS! I'm grateful for it.

Then, the next day was General Conference, which was awesome!! I got to see my boy Elder Holland's talk which was bomb and I also loved the talk by the 70 member who was from Africa; wow, so powerful. The priesthood session, of course, was great and inspiring. I'm so grateful to have this priesthood authority to act in the name of God; its breathtaking as I learn about it.

Of course the Sunday of General Conference was also so powerful. I really enjoyed hearing our beloved prophet talk about losing his wife and about his testimony. I received confirmation again and again that he truly is the only true prophet on the earth. Later that day even though general conference took up our day , we went out all fired-up with the Spirit and taught 9 lessons that day!! That's pretty good for that small amount of time we had. Also, in zone meeting my district was the #1 in the whole zone! haha I'm getting a little prideful but I'm just so proud. Also Alamo, my area, is #1 in the zone. We teach an average of 7 more lessons a week than the 2nd highest; I'm also grateful for that blessing from the Lord but we have SO much more work to do and to fix!

Then on Monday was the temple day :) Ahhh, I was so excited for it!! We left Alamo at 6am with Elder and Sister Croft who are the awesome senior missionaries here on the reservation. We got to the temple and I immediately felt the Spirit. On the way to the temple we saw all of the hot air balloons in the air for the festival... so that was cool. While at the temple I prayed more than ever before. Every second that I didn't have to talk or do anything during the session I was bowing my head and communicating with my Heavenly Father. I can't explain it, but I just never wanted to stop praying. The new temple video, by the way, is SO great... I loved it! There were four things I specifically was praying for. I started praying about those specific things a day or two before the visit so I was prepared for the temple and continually prayed for those things while in the temple. I've already at this moment in time gotten closer to the answer that I'm searching for and I feel spiritual strength more abundantly.

I want to share something personal and amazing that happened in the temple. This is the miracle for me this week. After being in the celestial room we were all directed to the sealing room so that our mission president could speak to us all. Well, I was the last one out the celestial room because I was praying and didn't want leave. Ha! Our beloved mission president started talking. The Spirit was there. Then the Mission President said that some of us out in this mission have faced much opposition and trial to be out here. I was sitting next to one of my best mission buddies Elder Krebs. He has been my zone leader in El Paso and now here and he goes home in like 2 months. This amazing thing happened. His mother also passed away just like my mom and we both have really helped each other and we have a bond because of it. So, as I heard President say that I thought of Elder Krebs and how hard it is to lose a mother; and then its as if I saw this in my head... my mom and his mom together, holding on to each other and looking down on us, their sons, with tears of joy in their eyes for us being out on our missions. I know that they were saying, "Look at our boys working so hard for the Lord and for this eternal Gospel... we are so proud." Later in the changing room I told him about that and he looked over at me with tears in his eyes and said, "Elder, I want you to know that as you told me of that experience the Holy Ghost just testified to me that it was true. Thank you so much!" We hugged and I felt so much love it was amazing. I know its hard to probably understand that experience on here [the blog] but it was amazing and I felt so happy to know that my mom is proud.

This Gospel is TRUE! I KNOW this because I've tested what I teach people. I have not told anyone I've taught to do something that I haven't done myself; neither did the Savior... He never asks us to do something He hasn't done... EVER.

My favorite quote from General Conference was by President Uchtdorf. He said "Doubt your doubts before you doubt your faith". Remember everyone that Satan's tool is doubt... to make you lose your faith. Doubt what Satan is telling you before you doubt what you have faith and believe in. We are all constantly attacked... even me. I'll tell you and be honest that even as a missionary I'm attacked DAILY. I hate it but I grow from it because I don't let Satan's doubts bring me down ... because my faith overpowers Satan as I nurture it.

Love to you all. May the Lord and His precious angels lift you up and bless you as you live His glorious Gospel.

Elder Taylor