Not all food is safe to eat!

Hello family and friends,

Story for the week...Tuesday's we always have district meeting, and after the meeting we always have district lunch. So this past Tuesday one of the Elders really wanted to go to a chinese buffet. I was pretty excited about this because they have a really yummy chinese buffet in Loganville that we have been to twice already, so this one should be just as good. The food all looked the same, so I got what I usually get at the other one. It tasted so good! But I started to feel sick. As I was eating, I started to get an allergic reaction. This can only mean one thing....those confounded PEANUTS!!! I asked a lady that works there if they cooked their food in peanut oil, to which she replied "no, vegetable oil." She doesn't speak English very well, and I don't think she had a clue. Basically, I asked a stupid question, I knew it had peanut oil or traces of peanuts or something. Anyway, I told my companion that on our way to our teaching appointment we needed to stop at a store where I could get some benedryl. I was calm, so she didn't think much of it. We got in the car and started driving, and I was feeling REALLY sick. So the first store I saw I told her to go to. Yes, this scared her because she didn't know it was bad enough that we had to stop at a store immediately. So we ran in and got some nasty benedryl, and then went on our way to drop off the Elders. My companion had to call and cancel our teaching appointment too :( We were driving for no more than 2 minutes when I started feeling like I needed to throw up, so we pulled into a Walgreens parking lot and ran in. After leaving there, I asked the Elders for a Priesthood Blessing. We drove to the Fort Yargo Elders' apartment, where all four Elders in my district helped to give me a blessing. Then we were on our way again. I "napped" in the car and it was silent. (awkward) I felt bad, because I had everyone worried, and was making them stop so much. Right after dropping off the Elders I started feeling like I needed to throw up again. (you can guess what happened next) After a quick trip to Walmart, and the short drive home, I took a long nap and then felt fine. Needless to say, we didn't get to teach that day :( :( :( And now my companion tells everyone this story, and tells them I almost died. On a more happy note, that's the first out of only two times a year I have an allergic reaction to peanuts. So now I only have to worry about it once more during this whole year :) (crossing my fingers)

This week we mainly focused on less-active members from the ward. We met several, and they were all so nice and welcomed us into their homes. We don't have very many investigators, let alone progressing investigators so it's nice to be able to go in and teach someone. Thursday we had a mission tour, where Elder Pieper (from the Quorum of the Seventy) came to speak to us. President and Sister King, and Elder and Sister Pieper all spoke to us. It was an all day event, and was really tiring. But I learned a lot of good stuff that will help me in the work.

I have been studying my Book of Mormon a lot and have been marking it up. It is my goal to finish it by the Temple open house in April. I mark about 5-6 chapters a day, so I think i'll be able to finish by then. This past week I also started studying and marking the Bible. I am working on the New Testament, then I will go to the Old Testament. When people say those in the South really know their Bible, they mean it. It's ridiculous how well they know it. (actually it's a really good thing) I'm hoping to get to the point where I know the Bible as well as the Baptists down here. We'll see how that works. I am learning a lot though, through my study of the Book of Mormon and the New Testament. I am not sick of it yet :)

My companion spoke in Sacrament yesterday and I was scheduled to speak next week, but thanks to Stake Conference and fast Sunday, I am being pushed back to the 2nd week in March. Yippee! More time to prepare, or rather, more time to procrastinate. We'll see what I have time for ;) Next week we have transfers, so we'll see where I'll be then. I love Loganville and want to stay, but we'll see what happens. Apparently there is supposed to be some big changes in the mission. I don't know what that means, but I'm assuming it is something good.

Don't forget to search, ponder, and pray. I know that Jesus is the Christ, it is only through Him that we can receive eternal life. He is the way and the truth. Heavenly Father lives and loves each and every one of His children.

Live, Laugh, Learn, and Love,

Sister Taylor