Hello! April 21, 2014
Happy Easter
yesterday!!! :) This week has been a
good one, I've really learned a lot. And I hope I can share at
least some of what I learned this week! So
this week we had Zone Training Meetings, and those were great as always!
:) We also had 2 choir practices since we had a big concert last night
since it was Easter! But before we get to that, lets see...what is
happening in Laguna…Lots of things. We found 2 new investigators
this week, but because of choir, I still haven't met them! So I can't really tell you anything about
them, but one's name is Maggie and the other is Linda. So :) that was
really a great miracle!
Also, this week
we will be meeting with Catherine and Jamie, and hopefully we can start to
teach them. So that will be great! Lot's of good things happening here!
Michelle is still progressing and well, we are working hard to find teach and
baptize, and we have already seen many miracles, and I know that we will see
even more as time goes on! :)
On Friday we were
able to go to the temple. It was so great to be in the house of the Lord,
to feel the peace that comes there, and to feel God's love so much more.
It was needed and nice, and even though I didn't get the answers I was looking
for, to the questions I had, I was able to get answers and just reassured that
God knows me perfectly, and that I really do just need to trust in His timing!
So I went on an
exchange to Irvine with sister Putnam! So
that was fun to be back with her again! :) And SUPER weird to be in my old apartment
for a day. But, we had a good but also weird exchange. Cause Saturday
morning was A BIG day! We woke up and got ready in our nicest
clothes and headed over to Newport where we were able to not only hear from
Elder Neil L Anderson, but we were also able to shake his hand. It was a
very spiritual experience, even just being in the same room as an Apostle of
the Lord. It was so...I don’t even know what words I should use to
describe it. But it was an experience that I will not ever
forget. The talks of those who were with them (Elder Ellis from the
seventy and his wife, as well as Elder Anderson’s wife) were all focused on
Jesus Christ, as they should, but it was so great! :) Elder
Anderson talked about a lot of different things, but I think the things that
stood out to me the most were these:
1. This is a hard area to baptize, and this
should still be our goal, because it is possible, but we really should be
lifting the faith of all those that we come in contact with. The world is
spinning fast away from Jesus Christ, the Bible and God. We need to help
all those that we can to keep having faith, and keep strengthening their faith,
because that really is what is important. And we can do that whether
we are missionaries or not. So my
invitation from that is to lift the faith of all of those around you! :)
2. The Book of Mormon
is so important. The world is losing it's faith in the Bible. (Which
means their faith in Jesus Christ is also dwindling) But the Book of Mormon is
another testament of Jesus Christ, and the days are quickly coming that it will
be more and more important for us to share it with the world. So read it. And Share it. :)
3.
Another thing that stuck out to me was that the atonement is personal and
individual. But, I'm gonna talk about yesterday and then I'll tell you
the rest of my thoughts on that, because it has continued from Saturday until
now.
So Yesterday was Easter,
and it actually was kind of a crazy day. We sang in a sacrament meeting
in Irvine at 9, and then we came to the end of our ward with Sister Hedrick,
and then we went to her sacrament meeting cause she was speaking. Then we
went to dinner with a great family! They did a BIG Easter egg hunt with
all their grandkids and a few families from the ward. We got to help hide
the eggs, and I must mention that when I say big, there were at least 250 eggs
that we hid, so it was so fun watching all the kids run around and go and find
the eggs. it felt like family, it felt like home, and that was nice!
:) We also had a choir concert, and it really was so powerful
being able to testify of Jesus Christ. I
think one of my favorite songs that we sang was called "This is the Christ,"
and one of my favorite parts says "I too can testify, this is the Christ,
the Holy Son of God, our Savior, Lord, Redeemer of mankind, this is the
Christ" Because that is the message that we share, that Jesus
Christ lives! And that because he lives, we have
EVERYTHING. I don't know if you have seen this yet, but if not, go
watch it and go share it, it is called Because of Him, the newest video that
the church put out. We've been watching it with members and
nonmembers. It is so powerful! Here is
the link:
So, back to the
atonement topic. The Savior went through the atonement for
each of us. When he was on the earth he healed people, one by one.
And so it is with us now, whether we are the repentant sinner, or going through
a deep trial and we need strength, the atonement heals us one by one, and gives
us strength one by one. It is personal and individual. Every week we are able to take, one by one,
of the sacrament, and become clean again, one by one. Jesus Christ did
what he did for each of us, individually. Because he loves us. He loves
me. He loves you! :) And I know that is true! I know that He is
real, that he Loves us and that he wants us all to return to him. I
feel so blessed to have this gospel, to be a missionary. To know of the
plan of Salvation! Life is so good!
Life is so rich! :) Because of
the gospel, Because of Him. So even though Easter was yesterday, let us
remember the Savior in all that we do! And
share with others this wonderful message!
Just a little bit
more about my morning today. My zone did a Ragnar rely race (where each
person runs for a distance, and then the next person runs) So me and Sister
Hurst ran a mile, but me, not feeling super great, finished the mile, and then
I threw up, so that was really exciting. Then we got to all do
personal study at the church, and then we had a testimony meeting with all the
missionaries in our stake and it was really powerful to hear the testimonies of
people that I get to work with, and to hear how much the Savoir has personally
helped each of us.
So, I hope you all
have a great week! I love you!
Love,
Sister Taylor
Burningham
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