Really Hard Week

It was a really hard week!  Oh and I lost my SD card, so all of my mission pictures are gone and my camera is broken so I have no camera to take pictures.  But it could be worse.  Please be safe.  I don't know what I would do without all of you.  I love you!  Taylor 

Heartbreaking Goodbyes and New Beginnings

 Well, I've been in my area for about a week now and I have so much to fill you in on.  So last Monday I had a lot of goodbyes I had to make.  You know how much I dislike the "g" word (goodbye).  So after a long tear filled day of packing I was finally set to leave on Tuesday.  Tuesday we loaded up the car and I left.  I said goodbye.  As we were leaving it was real, it hit me like a ton of bricks.  I had been in Tahoe for almost 7 months, and I had to say goodbye.  The finding out about Bishop Maine's death happened and everything so it was a hard week.  I am doing better though.

My companion is Sister Barker.  Sister Underly is serving in Carson City as well, so I get to see her like everyday and that's so awesome, right?!  Please take care, I love all of you so much!

Hermana Friend

4th of July in Incline

Fun facts that happened this week:

Took a hike with Sister Rogers

Burnt my arm with an iron, now I have a huge new scar on my right arm.
My camera randomly decided to brake.
When we were at dinner on Sunday, I spit my water all over everyone.....no comment
Moving to Carson tomorrow
There is a Target in my area. I will be broke when I get home
My Spanish is A LOT BETTER! YOU WOULDNT BELIEVE IT!:) I can finally have a normal convo with someone:) I talk as much as I can:) But I still talk in English as much as I can:)
Sister Cordle has now been my shortest companion
My new companion will be Sister Barker (she was Sister Underlys last companion, funny right:)
Oh yes met our new mission president, President Chestnut
 

Man life is hard sometimes. But Heavenly Father is always there for us.  Sorry I didn't feel like writing a whole lot last week, I was just pooped out:)

On the 4th we came home early because there were too many crazy people on the streets.  Then we had dinner with the people we live with and then played games.  The Sister we live with fixed some of my skirts that were too long.  At about 9:30pm we went outside in our sweatshirts and blankets and watched the fireworks on the deck, we had a great view!:)

I am sad to be leaving this area but when it is your time, it is your time. :) I am leaving my area in Incline and headed to a place called Carson City.  I promise to write more later. 

Love, Hermana Friend

Email in Espanol

Us just being... well us

Hola Madre!:)

No quiero escribir mucho hoy, pero te amo mucho! Etoy bien y estamos bien en nuestro area! Mucho color en Tahoe, pero esta bien! Yo estoy feliz eschuar esta bien in Washington!

Good week! Sorry I can't write much today:) Hahaha but know that I love you! This week was good:) 

Love Your Missionary

My cute new board I got, cute matters!

 

We went to the very end of our area this week, and we found Emerald Bay. very Beautiful:)

#Missionaryprobs

This week seemed like it was a year long. It was good, just long :).  Last Monday we packed and packed, then unpacked.  So we can move for two weeks and then pack again haha:) #missionaryprobs Saw a bear on the golf course as we were headed home!  Went to a ward member's house for dinner!

On Tuesday we had a District Meeting in Reno.  I'm having a competition with one of our investigators to see who can read the Book of Mormon first.  I am Mosiah and he is in 3 Nephi, if I win he says he will get baptized! :)

We went to a Kindergarten graduation on Wednesday for one of our little Ward members, he is so adorable!  I got him a little graduation Teddy Bear and they said that he sleeps with it every night now.  So cute, he melts mi corozon (heart:)  We saw a coyote in the same place we saw the bear!  Don't be alarmed if I get attacked, I took karate!  Yo lo tengo (I got this)!  Went to one of our new member's house and he gets to go to EFY this week!  I am so excited for him!  He is like another brother to me.  It will be hard leaving him.  Transfers are coming up!

On Thursday we went to a high school graduation for a member in the ward, she is so sweet.  It was so weird being at a graduation, I did that same thing TWO years ago.  What the heck?  Where did that time go?  Then we went to her graduation party, it was really fun, it was really cool being able to see a lot of less active members at her party!

Friday we finished planning for the week, then we volunteered at the Thrift Store.  It was kind of just a chill normal missionary day.  We walked around and talked to people.  We went to a less active member's house and played Uno.  I ended up missing lunch and we both ended up missing dinner so we went home early so we could chow down on some grub.  I had a killer headache for awhile, but I am ok now :).

We volunteered again on Saturday.  That night we had dinner at a member's house which was kind of awkward at first.  We weren't supposed to go over there until 6, but they called us at 5 asking where we were.  But we were in a lesson, so being the ninja I am, I texted them in Spanish saying, "we are coming."  Well, I thought I said, "we are coming."  But being the white greenga I am, I said, "we are eating."  SO they were confused but said, "ok."  So then when we got to their house, no food had been prepared.  After we figured it all out, they bought us food from a fundraiser fiesta their friend was having to raise money for a friend that has cancer.  It was really delicious (muy rico).  I have found out on my mission that I love very spicy things and chocoflan! :)

At church on Sunday I translated...well tried to haha :).  We had dinner with the family we are staying with, we had steak!  Then one of our investigators invited us to a Father's Day BBQ.  So we went because we thought that was really nice to invite us.  When we got there, it was super aca-awkward as it was mostly older men and then the booze came out and we were like, oh, ok.  So we stayed only for a few minutes and then when we felt like it was a good time to "escape," we did.  So I guess you can say we PARTIED it up on Fathers Day:) Hahaha.

So last week I cut my thumb, this week I hit my head, scratched my knee, got blood on my slip and tripped down the stairs while I was talking to someone on the phone :) Hahaha, but I am still intact so that's good :).

Gordon B. Hinckley said, "Don't be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. Accentuate the positive. Look a little deeper for the good. Go forward in life with a little twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life."

I think Gordon B. Hinckley said it better then I ever could.  Life is certainly difficult, but the does not mean we have to be unhappy.  I like that a lot. You have a choice in this world.  Happiness is a choice.  Te amo mucho!

Hermana Friend

Going to the Temple, Temple

We had a short P-Day last week because we went to the Temple on Wednesday so we had to cut our P-Day short by three hours.  I just took a nap...surprise!:)  My favorite word in Spanish is CIESTA (that means nap:).  Then later that night we played Phase 10 with a less active and her boyfriend. Which I got beat...which we all know how competitive I am haha:) 

Tuesday was just a calm normal day of missionary life.  We have had a hard time finding new investigators because a lot of the people here are just here for the season. But the people we have been teaching are amazing.

On Wednesday we went to the Temple, which was amazing.  I could just feel the Savior's love.  It is amazing how incredible Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really are.  Then we went to Red Robin for lunch (in Reno), then we traveled back up to Tahoe.  We had dinner at the member's house where we will be staying from June 15 to the 29.  We have to stay there because the other family is having family come and stay and they need our house area.  But you can still send mail to the same address :).  Please send letters, I love receiving and writing letters :).  After dinner on Wednesday I got really sick, we came home and I blew chunks!  So Thursday we stayed home all day because I was not feeling gooooooooood at all, and Hermana Cordle felt a little sick to.  So Thursday just consisted of me sleeping all day and not eating anything.

We had to go back to Reno on Friday because that was the day we said goodbye to our Mission President and his wife.  President Hermansen gave everyone a hug, including the Sisters, and to be honest, that was weird hugging a dude, for not hugging someone for 6 months haha.

On Saturday we went to help clean a house.  It took us 5 hours and it still wasn't all the way done when we left.  Sister Cordle and I got put on el bano duty!  We killed so many cockroaches! It was muy malo!  I just kept thinking of that one time when Dad forced me to clean that family's house with all the cats.  I remember driving in the truck and he said, "you know why I made you go right?"  I just rolled my eyes in my head and didn't really think of the reason.  But he responded with love and a smirk on his face, "because it is going to prepare you for your mission, you are going to encounter houses way worse."  It was a humbling experience and it made me realize Heavenly Father loves EVERY ONE of his children, no matter what!  So what I am trying to say is Thank you Mom and Dad for TRULY preparing me for my mission!  That night went to a member's house and played basketball with the dad and kids.  Sister Cordle just hung out with the mom while I played.  This experience just reminded me that it really is the little things in life that mean the most.

On Sunday we went to church, learned about agency, taught Relief Society in Spanish, went home had lunch, took a little nap, watched a video with the members we live with that the Bishop wanted us to watch about giving the sacrament back to the Savior, packed our stuff and moved some of it over to the member's house where we will be staying and had dinner with them!

Today we will be packing and moving, remember you can still send mail:)  It's funny because I don't think I ever really thought I would be a missionary, speaking Spanish (and people actually being able to understand me), and having the experiences I am having on my mission, or meeting the wonderful people I have been meeting!  And to be honest I don't think I realized exactly how much my mission would change me for the better or prepare me for my future family and life, or help me cope with my childhood.  My eyes have been opened up more and more as the time goes on.  I still have awhile on my mission and a lot of experiences lie ahead of me, good and the not so good, but no matter what happens this Church is true and Heavenly Father is ALWAYS HERE!

Yo quiero compartir mi testimonio en espanol. yo se que con todo mi corozon, esta Igelsia, es la Iglesia de Jesucristo. Esta Iglesia es verdadera! La Igelsia de Jesucristo de Los Santos de los Ultimos Dias es verdadera! Morire una Mormona! Te amo mucho mi familia!

Hermana Amiga!

Sixth Month Anniversary

On my 6th month anniversary we are going to the Temple, so that will be fun! This Friday we have Zone conference and it is when the Mission President will say his goodbyes. Our new President will be President Chestnut. That will be exciting!  It is suppose to be like 80 here today, but we will see.  I have been getting kind of sick a lot because its hot and cold, cold and hot. BUT I LOVE TAHOE! Very interesting though! 

This week was crazy! Actually crazy doesn't even sum it up.  On Monday we went shopping in our new area and we saw a bear, a real life wild bear.  We went to Subway for lunch and this random guy bought us a $40 subway gift card and said "Enjoy your P Day":) I thought that was incredible!

On Tuesday we had a huge miracle with a referral from the office.  We thought he was an investigator. As we were talking and getting to know him he told us he was a member, so we were like that's awesome:) Then the tone shifted...he started to cry as he talked about his life. The Spirit prompted me to talk about Patriarchal blessings and it really hit home for him.  I felt the Spirit so strongly, it was one of those moments that I just said to myself "Dude, Taylor, this is why you went on a mission!" It was an incredible experience!

It's been a tough week, Sister Cordle and I treated ourselves to ice cream and played at the beach for like 3 hours with a member which was much needed :).  We did end the week by volunteering and doing our weekly planning.

I translated again at church, one boy bore the sweetest testimony and talked about the power of the Priesthood.  Sunday night we went to dinner where we will be staying for a few weeks.  It was delicious, but you can still send mail to the same address! It will be a little vacation I guess hahaha

Overall this week taught me a lot about myself, about how Heavenly Father works and the Spirit.  I am so thankful for this Gospel and for the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost.  I love you so much! Te amo mucho! Have a great week:)

Hermana Amiga

P.S.  Watch the video Lift on Mormon.org or lds.org