BAPTISM + TEMPLE = Great Week

 Hey, hope you all had a fantastic week because I know I did.

First thing is Keiana's baptism. It went super great, besides the little issues, like not finding a baptismal suit for her to wear for her baptism, until like 5 minutes before it started!! haha But everything always works out in the end.      

Truly I'm so thankful for her, that I was able to be there since day one when we met her and was able to baptize her and see her continue to progress in the gospel. I want to tell you a little about her story. She has grown up with members, one of her really good friends is on a mission right now and told her if she wanted to know what he's doing to go find some missionaries and talk to them. So, some elders in my zone were reading in the white handbook and it says to  vary the routes you travel, so they decided to walk another way than before. While walking in the road they ran into Keiana who was looking for some missionaries.  We went by because she's YSA (young single adult) and started teaching her. EVERY commitment we left she did, and more. She started a 90 day Book of Mormon reading and is already like half way through the Book of Mormon. I could see such a change in her from day one to now and how happy she is to have the gospel and friends at the branch who love her and have the same beliefs; because truly we are all a team and are here to help each other endure to the end. She has changed my life for the better and has taught me so much. She even had 5 non-member friends at her baptism, she's awesome! Can't wait to see her continue to grow and go to the temple someday.

Speaking of the temple, I had the opportunity to go to the temple on Monday. We paired up with another zone and went. I got to see my old companion Elder Ahloy who I trained and other missionaries I have served with before in the mission, even ones that I have been to the temple with before. The spirit was so strong, it was so sacred in there. We all meet in the little chapel at first and hear from the temple president and his great wisdom, then we go to the endowment room, and we finish in the celestial room. At that point, I happend to be the first elder in there and was able to see all the missionaries in my zone walk into the celestial room, it felt like heaven. Just seeing the light in their faces and the smiles they had truly testified to me that the earth isn't home; we truly can make it to the celestial kingdom to be there with loved ones forever. After that, we went to the sealing room, where our mission president spoke to us … boy, was it powerful. He talked about covenants, and what we truly promise when we go into the temple, and what the blessings are that we can receive. I learned so many things I never knew. I received guidance for my life and peace to questions I have had. Truly, I want to make the temple a main prioroty in my life when I am home and to go often, it ALWAYS brings me back on track to where I'm supposed to be going. 

It was a Spiritual Feast these last few days! I love the branch more and more here. Seriously there are amazing YSA in our little branch and all the hard work is paying off! 

Much love to you all,

Elder Justin Taylor 

My companion Elder Snyder and I at the temple

Keiana's Baptism