Enough news to last a lifetime

Hello Everyone,

There is so much to talk about. It has been a CRAZY week here in Suwanee, but it has also been quite amazing! We didn't get a lot of lessons in throughout the week, but that is because we had so many service opportunities which was great! One of the members in the ward got married on Saturday, so for a good part of the day Friday my companion and I were helping with flower decorations and setting up. We got to go to the wedding at the church the next day since they were making it a big missionary event (lots of non-member friends were invited).

Oh what an eventful time we had there...the actual wedding lasted only 15 minutes or so, and then we moved to the gym for the reception. It was a very nice reception...at the beginning. Just a little into it the DJ asks over the microphone if anyone had an Albuterol inhaler or Benadryl. I got up and said that I did and ran out to go get it from the car. As I was going out there I notice one of the ward members in the Relief Society room having a MAJOR allergic reaction. To what, you might wonder...peanuts! What triggered this reaction? An egg roll that she had eaten. Who also ate an egg roll? ME!!! Yep, I had previously gone out to the car for the same Benadryl about 20-30 minutes before because I was also having a reaction. I count my blessings that it was not as serious as this Sisters was. I brought in my Epi pen and Benadryl. They ended up only giving her an inhaler because she is pregnant. We called 911 and my companion and I had to run outside to direct the ambulance. It was pretty scary seeing this whole event take place. By the time she was gone and being taken to the hospital, my reaction started kicking in more. Thankfully, I was no more sick than I usually get with these reactions so I just went home early and called it a night. Who would have thought peanut butter could be used as a thickener for the inside of an egg roll?!?! Sick nasty!

Sunday proved to be a much nicer day. It was actually a very beautiful day, and my favorite thus far on my mission. I was able to witness an entire family get baptized into the true church of Jesus Christ. This past month has been so wonderful. I have been able to see the Lord bless lives in a way that I have never seen before. I have seen a tremendous amount of miracles take place, and they are miracles I hope I won't soon forget. To see each member of the G family go into the water and come back up clean and pure was amazing! I look forward to the day when I will be able to see them be sealed as a family for all time and eternity. This family has brought me so much joy. I know that I was meant to be here to witness this change take place in their lives. I am grateful for the opportunity to have been able to be a part of it. The entire baptismal service was just perfect. There was so much support from the Suwanee ward, and I can't think of a better ward to have them come into. The Bishopric is amazing, the ward missionary leaders are amazing, and the ward in general is amazing! I have met so many wonderful people here.

President and Sister Wolfert, and their daughter Tess arrived in Georgia last Tuesday, so we now officially have a new mission president. I already love him. We have not met him in person yet, but have had the chance to talk to him on the phone a couple of times. I am excited to see what he will bring to the mission. Transfers are on Wednesday, and luckily the entire mission is going to this one. It is going to be extra long, since it is doubling as a meeting to meet the Wolferts. So as for news on the transfers...I am actually quite surprised. President King told Sister Groneman and me that we would more than likely be staying together in Suwanee (unless he received further inspiration). So we were expecting to stay together. But that is NOT the case. The assistants called us this morning (btw, you never want the assistants to call you on transfer call day) to say that I was going to be Senior Companion, and transferred. Yikes! I'm a liiittle bit nervous, but all will be well. About 2 minutes after the call from the assistants we get a call from President Wolfert (now you NEVER EVER want the mission president to call on transfer call day). He was calling to let Sister Groneman know that she will be training a sister fresh out of the MTC. He then wanted to talk to me. I guess he knew I would be sad about being pulled away from the Suwanee ward and the G family, so he was trying to give me words of encouragement. It worked :) He even told me where I will be going and who I will be with...double bonus! I will be going to Commerce (which is back in the same zone as Loganville) and I will be serving with Sister Smith (who is from Boise). I got to meet Sister Smith while we roomed together during the temple open house. We got along really well there, so I'm sure this will be a good move. I am learning more and more to trust in the Lord and His plan. I am extremely sad about leaving Suwanee (especially since I'll be missing the confirmations of the family) but I know that I will meet some more wonderful people where I'm going. It will be super fantastic, I'm sure! :)

Well, that's probably about enough news to last a lifetime so I'll bring this letter to a close. I hope all is well with you and that you are all seeing the hand of the Lord in your lives each and every day. Don't forget to read the Book of Mormon, it will bring you closer to Christ each and every time you read.

Love always,
Sister Taylor