The last week or so, as you can read by the title of the blog, was amazing. No words can express it... Elder Gibson and I will never forget it.
As you know, last week it started off with Elder Krebs coming up here and we had a great time. Then when Elder Gibson came back we only taught 2 lessons the next day. By Thursday we had only taught around 10 lessons. Well, a few weeks ago I decided to write down our goals and specific people we feel we need to pray for specific things for them. Also, we both have been taking everything to the next level ... wanting to go above our calling. We really worked on consecrating ourselves and Alamo so that we can help these people. Well on Saturday, in one day, we found 14 new Investigators ( people who want to know more about the gospel) and taught 12 lessons that day and set up 3 more baptismal dates. That is like impossible. We have no clue how it happened. We kept working hard all day and saying gratitude prayers before and after everything!! We have had to skip dinner the past like 3 nights because the work was going so well and we couldn't stop but the Lord helped sustain us.
We are beginning to realize the power and authority we have as representatives of Jesus Christ. If we are pure vessles and have a constant prayer wanting to receive guidance from the Holy Ghost to help teach and touch the hearts of many.
Then, on Sunday, we had 9 investigators at church and LOVED it. It also was potluck Sunday so we had the huge Thanksgiving feast together after and it was great. There were 75 people at church and 112 total for the food after (that is the record for this building). I'm going to try and contact the mission president and stake president and ask about expanding the building and getting a baptismal font out here.
I truly feel at home here. The Navajo culture is now feeling like my culture. I have a special love for them. They usually always pray in Navajo when we visit them and at church and it is so beautiful. We don't understand what they say but the Spirit is definitely felt. We believe their ancestors have a HUGE part in all of this success; they are helping their family here on earth to hear and accept the Gospel. We are definitely lead by their spirits. When we go and knock on a house they say " OH". In Navajo that means "yes" ... so you hear " OH" all the time. haha They never say "yes" in English... even if they are speaking English they incorporate "oh" into everything.
ALso they eat fried bread every meal. Sometimes we help make it and toss it in our hands... it is really good but SUPER unhealthy. Everyone right now has deer meat because it is hunting season and they have it with green chile. It is starting to get colder here. We are having to go out and chop wood for people and bring some to people to help them stay warm for this winter.
Kathy, who is getting baptized this weekend, is one of the most converted investigators I've ever taught. She just LOVES the scriptures and the Gospel and it all makes sense to her. Other churches around here are a little more crazy than other ones I've seen; like they believe that there is witchcraft and possessed people all of the time and stuff and are really superstitious. So Kathy, when she was a little girl, was forced to go to church with her mom, but was a little nervous. Well, when she was there someone in the front looked at her weird for a while then shouted, "Get her! She's possessed by a devil." Then all of the congregation went after her and another girl. They started beating and kicking her, ripping her clothes and then left her there. That was her last church experience. She lost hope in a God from that point. Well, we started seeing her when I got here and after a few weeks it clicked. I told her the purpose of this life, our Father in Heaven's plan for her to be happy and she said that I just answered the questions she has been looking for her WHOLE life. Then, like 3 days later, she basically read more than half of the Book of Mormon by then and was understanding everything. We taught her commandments and one she struggles with was coffee, but after we explained how it can be addictive and take away agency she said I will NEVER drink it again. Anything we teach her she does. Well, just yesterday, we were talking about her baptism and she said she wants all of her family to have the Gospel. Then she looked into our eyes and said, "You guys have no idea how grateful I am... you have saved this soul." We were oversome by the Spirit. We told her that that is why we are here, to find people like her, and I know God sent us to one of His most valiant daughters and that is her. Words can't express how amazing it was to see someone change and shift their entire life and culture for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She knows this is Christ's true church on the earth; His church.
We also have Margarita Gandanegro being baptized on Saturday as well and we should have a few more the next week.
We don't boast of ourselves, but we boast of our God. He is who made all of this possible, we are just following the Spirit to the best we can and being a tool in His Hands.
I KNOW I'm in Alamo for a reason; to help the ancestors of the Book Of Mormon come to the truth and to be the true covenant people. I'm eternally grateful for the experiences I had last week and for what is to come here.
This email would never end if I were to tell you all what its like here and the success we had last week, but just know that the Lord is blessing me and my family beyond belief!
All my Heart,
Elder Taylor
A pic here out on Alamo on a cool sunset day!
After church with 2 Navajo Princesses
Reporting the success of the most blessed week we have ever had our whole missions!
The Zone Leaders were tripping out on how awesome it was. We are so grateful!
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