Every Member a Missionary

Good Morning!

I learned so many great and wonderful things from an apostle of the Lord this weekend. I had been looking forward to our mission conference with Elder Ballard and Elder Gaye, and I learned so much more than I expected. Elder Gaye spoke to us first, and focused his thoughts on the members and what they can and SHOULD do to help with the work.

Present at the conference were the missionaries in our mission, ward mission leaders, Bishops, and Stake Presidents. I absolutely loved his talk. It was exactly what everyone needed to hear. I have the biggest testimony of the need for members in the work of the Lord. Missionaries simply CANNOT do it alone. Every member is a missionary. I realize now how bad I was back home. I was absolutely clueless about missionary work, and how much I could have been doing to help the missionaries. I hope that I never get to that point again, because I now know how frustrated missionaries get (or how frustrated Sister Taylor gets) when members don't do their part. Please please please be a member missionary now and always. The missionaries need your help, but more importantly the people in your area need your help.

One thing I love about apostles is being able to see that they are normal people. Elder Ballard has a great personality, and is actually rather comical. He came in and started talking to the missionaries, asking us how we were doing and if we had been sitting long. I (excited to see an apostle, and a little nervous) just shook my hand a little indicating that it had some what been a long time and he just copied me and laughed. When he got up to speak he was wobbling a little, and looked like he was going to fall over. He got up to the podium and just laughed and said something along the lines of "don't break your toe, it hurts." Poor guy broke his toe, how sad! He gave a lot of great counsel and let us ask questions pertaining to the work. He truly is an inspired man, and a special witness of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the chance we had to hear him speak to us.

We are sadly no longer working with our investigators, Raymond and Sandra. They dropped us last Monday. We were very disappointed, but we know that we will find others in our area who are ready and prepared to hear and accept the gospel. We are still doing family home evening with the M family. They are all so great! I love getting to spend time with them. I do wish I were Hermana Taylor at times though because then I could speak Spanish to them and Carla would understand me more. One thing I love about serving in Georgia is that I get to meet lots of wonderful people, American and Hispanic.

The G family that was baptized in my last area are moving to Texas this week, so sadly I won't have the chance of seeing them until next year when they are sealed as a family in the Temple. But I look forward to that day. They are all doing fantastic, still progressing quite nicely in the gospel. They are so excited to share the gospel with their extend family in Texas. Maria wrote me and told me about all of the great things that are happening in their lives. The gospel of Jesus Christ truly does bless families, and it brings so much joy and happiness. I look forward to witnessing more families receive this happiness as I serve here in the land of Georgia.

Have a wonderful week!



Love,

Sister Taylor