{Week 32} Polanco - July 21, 2014

Hi! :)

Thanks for your email Katia! That was so awesome to read. And Dad, muchas gracias for your email. The Spirit was strong.

So first of all, Hermano Jaime found a job! He and his family read the scriptures and prayed, and then he left to go see if he could find a job. He looked all day, and told us that he was constantly praying too. Then he was on his way home, and passed a place and felt like he should go in a check. And they hired him on the spot! And the best part is that he gets Sunday off! So that was a miracle and we were all super happy for him.

And I got to practice my first aid skills! ...sort of. We were in a house with a less active, and she has about a billion grandkids under the age of 10 that were all there. During the lesson, someone knocked on the door, so she left quickly. And the next thing we know the, the 2 year old boy behind us can't breath. He was sitting in a pile of tiny toys, and was turning purple from lack of oxygen, and we were positive he had swallowed something. So I grabbed the kid (who was naked for some reason) and threw him across my lap, alternating between sticking my finger down his throat to get the toy out and turning him upside down and whacking him on the back. And Hna Mercedes ran screaming through the house trying to find the member. Then the kid went unconscious! I'm pretty sure I screamed for the member at the top of my lungs. I was honestly about to start mouth to mouth or something when suddenly the kid's 9 year old sister came and threw a bucket of ice cold water across his face. And he woke up and was fine! Turns out he didn't swallow anything, and has these anxiety attacks where he suddenly can't breath, and when he saw his grandma leave to go answer the door, that triggered the attack. But he's good now! It was pretty crazy!

And the other day we were knocking some doors, and this 20ish year old guy came out and told us we could return at 5:30. So we came back at 5:30, at which point he told us 6:30. So we came back and of course he wasn't there, but his sister answered the door. Her name is Dulce (that means 'sweet' in Spanish), and it turns out she's been going to church in another ward in another stake for the last 2 years, and her husband is less active! She loves the church and knows it's true, but hasn't been baptized because they're not married. She wants to get married and get baptized right away, but her husband, Orlando, wants to wait until January, when he finishes school. So we've been teaching them and trying to help Orlando understand that they should get married right now. They're super nice and I love them both, and they have the cutest 4year old daughter. That was a cool miracle - to find them by knocking doors!

The power just shut off. We had to wait 10min for the computers to reboot.

So today we had an activity as a mission. We all played soccer! The zone leaders told us that the president organized the activity for us. Each zone represented a country and we had uniforms and everything. We were France - and we lost 6-0 in the first game so we were out. Oh well! It was fun :)

Hna Mercedes and I rocking the 'Francia' uniforms.

Our zone rented a micro (bus) to go play - we all went to Los Reyes - one of the more dangerous areas in the mission. It was pretty sketchy, and super sad because the houses are in horrible condition out there. And a couple of them had body parts of dead sheep nailed to the doors... not sure why, and I didn't ask. Pretty sure they are never going to send us hermanas out there...

Our zone on the rented micro. These buses are always so crowded - tons of people standing in the aisles.

Me and Hna Gurley and Lopez! Those two are comps right now.
(They were in Jasmine's MTC District)

And on Sunday I had to speak in church. In this ward one of the missionaries speaks every week. So I spoke about missionary work! I felt the spirit - hope they did too and that some good comes of it!

I read D&C 31 the other day. And pretty much loved it. Just sayin'.

And I don't know if it was in the Ensign, but in the Liahona from June there was a great article about the Sacrament. It's called 'I stand all amazed' or something like that. I highly recommend it. I love how it talks about the Santa cena (holy supper - 'sacrament' in Spanish). The sacrament is literally my favorite part of the week. I always feel the spirit super strong, and I love the 15 minutes of silence when we can think of our Savior. I have learned so much about the Atonement while I've been here. We were always taught in seminary that there are 2 parts to the sacrament - the redeeming power and the enabling power. The redeeming power is what allows us to repent, and be clean again. And I have seen that power in action here. There are some people we teach who are so filled with joy when they learn that they can repent, and be baptized and be like new. And I love the hymn "I Stand All Amazed". We sing it a lot, and it is so powerful, because I know that the Savior loves us so much that he suffered and died for us. And the enabling power is what gives us the strength to continue on, to keep trying, and to do our best. My testimony of the Savior has grown so much since I came on a mission. I know that He lives and loves me.

The video is called 'Missionary work and the Atonement' or try searching 'the atonement and how it applies to missionary work.' This video is great. And Brooklyn Broadhead just sent me a poem that's amazing too.  (Posted at the end.)

The mission has been great! I love it here. We have a bunch of investigators again, and although none came to church, we were able to talk with them all afterwards and help them understand the importance of coming. So they should come next week!

You're all awesome. It sounds like you're all having a great summer, and the house and yard look great!

Love you all tons.

Be good, say your prayers, and study the scriptures!

-Hna Taylor

Puppies! A member's dog had puppies and they are adorable. If I put my backpack down, they all instantly climb on top of it.

 These pictures are from last week but came from other sources than Hna Taylor - one from Hna Ingrams mom and one from Hna Stutznegger.

Zone Soccer Team (France)

They had interviews with their new Mission President last week.  Hna Stutznegger chatted with all the missionaries too and sent this picture to me.

  

"He's Been There Before"
{By Elder Troy Whittle}

The alarm bell rings at 6:30,

I stumble to my feet
I grab my companions bedding and pull off his sheets
A groan fills the room, is it already time to arise?

It seems like just a second ago
I was able to shut my eyes

The morning activities follow- study, prayer and such

When it's time to leave the apartment, you feel you haven't accomplished much

"We have a super day planned,"

My comp. says with a grin
I lowly utter a faithless breath,

"Yeah, if anyone lets us in."

With the word of God and my faithful Schwinn, we ride off in the street prepared to face another day of humidity and heat

It's 9:30 in the evening, the day is now complete

The only thing to show for our work is a case of blistery feet

It's past 10:30 p.m. My companion is fast asleep,

Silence engulfs me all about and I begin to weep

In the midst of sadness, I kneel down to pray
I need to talk to father, but I'm not sure what to say

"Oh, Father" I begin, "What happened to us today?"

I though we'd teach somebody, but everyone was away

My hands, my aching hands- worn, hurt and beat;

If our area was any smaller, we'd have knocked every street"

"Why on missions are the days so much alike?"

The only difference about today was the flat tire on my bike

Will you send some cooler weather? the heat is killing me

I sweat so bad, it gets in my eyes, it's very hard to see"

"Why do I have to wear my helmet, isn't your protection enough?

People always laugh at me, and call me stupid stuff

Please send us an investivators so I may give them what they lack

I want to give them Books of Mormon, the weight of them hurts my back"

"And what about my family: They don't have much to say
I'm sick of not hearing from home day after day after day

Oh Father, Why am I here am I just wasting time?

Sometimes I just want to go home, I'm sorry but that's on my mind"

"My companion, Heavenly Father, what are you giving me?"

The way he rides his bicycle, I don't think he can see

Now you have it, I can't go on,I don't know what to do

That, my Father in Heaven, is the prayer I have for you"

My prayer now finished, I stand up, then jump right into bed

I need my rest for tomorrow, we have another long day ahead
Sleep start to overtake me, I seem to drift away

Then it seems a vision takes me to another time in another day

I'm standing alone on the hill. The view is very nice
A man walks towards and says, "My name is Jesus Christ"

Tears of joy well up inside, I fall down to His feet

"Arise," He states, "Follow me to the shade. You and I need to speak"

My attention's towards my Savior, total and complete

He says, "Your mission is similar of what happened to me

I understand how you feel, I know what you're going through
In fact, it would be fair to say I've felt the same as you.

"I even know hwo you felt when no one listened to you

At times I felt not quite sure what else I could do

I know you don't like to ride a bicycle, for you a car would be sweet

Just remember the donkey I rode wasn't equipped with 21 speeds"

"I understand you don't like sweating, it fact it's something you hate

I remember when I sweat blood from ev'ry pore, oh the agony was great!

I see you don't like your companions- you'd rather have somebody else-

I once had a companion named Judas who sold my life for wealth"

"It's hard to wear a helmet and have people make fun of you

I remember when they put thorns on my head and called me King of the Jews
So you feel burdened down by the weight of your pack

I recall how heavy the cross was when they slammed it on my back"

"Your hands hurt from tracting and knocking doors all day

I guess when they pounded nails into mine, I ached in a similar way

It's hard not to hear from home when your family's not there to see

I lost communication on the cross and cried, "Father, why hast Thou forsaken me?"

"We have a lot in common, but there's a difference between us you see

I endured to the end and finished my mission, so follow and do like me"

He embraced me with His arms and His light filled me with His love
With tears in my eyes I watched as He went back to the Father above

I stood with awe and wonder when a beep rang in my head

I listened and heard the alarm, then realized I was in my bed

My companion let out a groan, "6:30 already, no way!"
I sat up and said, "Come on, I'll even carry your scriptures today!"

No matter what we go through,

when we feel we can't take more

Just stop and think about Jesus Christ,

He's been there before

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