Well I thought I would just write a quick note....

Hello Family,
I was sad to see that you were all so un-happy with the amount of details in my e-mail last week. So I hope that you are satisfied this week. This week was a good one….my first full week in Las Vegas and it was fun. I got to see some fun stuff, some crazy stuff and then everything in between. First we had p-day last week and that was fun. One of the senior couples in our office staff left this last Friday so we gave them a surprise party on their lunch break last Monday. So that was very fun. We had a great time and since my District Leader is a Spanish speaking missionary he wanted to have a piñata, so we had one and let them beat the crap out of it…so that was the highlight. Then we got together with another zone and played basketball….the skill level down here in Las Vegas isn’t very good. I didn’t lose a game in like 2 hours of playing…it was sad…either that or I’m getting better….which I doubt since I saw who I was playing with.
Well, we had zone meeting on Tuesday and that was cool because we got to shoot chalk at a chalk board and that was cool. Our zone leaders have an air gun and they used it in their training. They said we need to have vision and they blocked the sight so we couldn’t aim and then they moved the barrier and showed how much easier it was to do…so that was fun. Then we just went about our missionary work. Friday I went on splits with Elder Marchant…he is my district leader….that was fun…because he has a car…oh yeah, my area won't have a car for a while…that’s the info I got from Sanderson….so we are just on foot and bike right now….mostly just foot….it is really fun to walk around and talk to people down here….just not at night…that’s when the gangsters come out…so we try and have appointments and stuff. Well anyway back the splits…we went into the real ghetto that day….we had some referrals to check on and they were all in the projects. I actually had someone ask me “Who wants to know?” when I was looking for someone. I guess we do look like cops some times. But it was just another confirmation that I was indeed in Vegas….in the Ghetto. Don’t worry Mom, it was during the day. So that was a lot of fun….speaking of referrals in the ghetto….Russell and I went and talked to this guy named: Ulishes…..said like Delicious…just with a U instead of a D. He was a nice guy and we might start teaching him soon. But I just love the name so I had to tell the story.
Oh yeah I almost forgot….this past Thursday was my Official one year mark……its all down hill from here…it was so weird when this one member asked me and I told them how long I had been out….they said “oh, all down hill now” it was really weird. So it is weird. Everything was my first last year and now everything will start being my last!! Scary thought but at least I’m not Ex-Elder Boland….I'm still going strong. Oh, by the way, Congratulations Bobby! [that is your name in case you forgot…I do] You did all 2 years - way to go! Well, I have to get running but I love all of you very much and hope you have a great day! Talk you you in March…man how time flies.
Love,
Elder Taylor

Now Reporting Live From Las Vegas....Elder Taylor

Hey there everyone.....Hello from Las Vegas....It is a totally different world down here.....yesterday I saw a sign that said "Support your local stripper".....and that's when I knew I was really in Las Vegas.....oh yeah that, and the fact that when we go anywhere in our area we can see most casinos on the strip......so that helps as well.
Well I'm in the Las Vegas Zone and my Companion is Elder Russell....he is actually from Camas Washington, and I didn't know where that was until he told me....it's next to Vancouver......in Washington across from Portland.....so he is from pretty close....he actually went to Remington's for mission clothes and Ron told him that he actually knew someone who was in this mission and that would be me! So small world, eh???? I will send my picture card this next week maybe and you will get to see a little bit of G-ville and some parts of Vegas......We live in a 2 bedroom apartment with some other Elders....they actually are spanish elders and right now we have one phone line so I'm always afraid to answer the phone when they aren't home because I have no idea what they are saying so...that has made life interesting....we actually just moved into a new place in the same complex, just bigger.....so it is kind of weird though....We live in the Ghetto....really it's the Ghetto....don't worry mom.....it's awesome. I love it......I'm so sick of dealing with rich people...they never want to listen.....and speaking of listening we have 5 people that should be baptized be the end of March so that is really cool....first time of being double transfered and there will actually be missionary work going on in the area.....so it is really nice....one other problem is, we don't have a car even though we are supposed to....it's ok. Elder Sanderson just became one of the Assiatants to President McCracken so I have a hook up....OH, and the fact that the mission president knows my Grandparents....Oh yeah! I got the Hello from you guys when I met him on Wednesday....it was sad though to say good-bye to President Andrus...we got to say good-bye on Wednesday when I got to Las Vegas....so that was really sad....but life will, literally, go on for him....he was very emotional......but I'm excited to get to know the new mission president....I love you guys so much and I hope you all have a great week.

Love,
Elder Taylor

Viva Las Vegas....

Hello Everyone,
Well this has been a week that has been out the ordinary. We had our temple day on Wednesday and they were doing something new with that by making it also our p-day as well, so that made this past week go by very fast. One day to the next was like the blink of an eye, so that made it all the crazier when it was Saturday night and we were at transfer calls….Mom I know your probably dying to know where it is I will be going or will I be staying or what……well…….Drum Roll……if you can't guess by the title of my letter this week…………..I will be leaving Gardnerville. For Las Vegas. I will be in the Las Vegas 3rd and 7th wards and my new companion will be Elder Russell. So there’s the big news for the week. Oh, Elder Tubb is leaving as well and the area that I cover now will be left as an needed basis. So that should be interesting. Oh and in other news we found out about President Andrus this past week as well…..and sadly there is good news and bad news to go along with it. Thankfully we fasted for his health and that was a prayer that was heard they have found what was wrong and a cure for it….the bad news is that he can't have the treatments and be our mission president. So we will be getting a new one some time very soon. We know his name and where he is from just not when he will get here. His name is President McCracken, and he is also from Idaho Falls, so Grandma and Grandpa if you know anything about him or who he is, all the info you have would be greatly appreciated. We are sad to see President Andrus go but we know that it is for the best and his health. He leaves for Salt Lake again this week to be released so….I don’t know if I will see him when I get to Las Vegas on Wednesday.
So now that I have all the news out of the way, onto missionary moments from the week. We went out to Walker, California finally and taught an investigator in the Branch I will no longer cover….and let me tell you that town is so small I could stand in the center of town and throw a football over them mountains…yeah that small! 500 people live there and they all must live in like 15 homes all together because I don’t know where they get 500 people. The lesson went well and we had a good time. Then on Thursday we went out again just for dinner and we had day light so we took pictures and all that good stuff. So that was fun. Then on Monday we went tracting as it was not our normal P-day and we found this really nice lady, as fate would have it or the spirit of whomever, her house was the last one on the street and Tubb and I were freezing and just wanted to finish the street before we went and got warm. We ended up talking to her for a little while and then she said we could come back….we had a great return appointment with her on Friday and we have another for tomorrow just before transfers. So that will be pretty cool to see what happens with her.
Well, really, that's all I have. The big news was transfers and I will give you all more info next week when I know more about the area and my new companion. Know that I love all of you and keep you in my thoughts all the time and in my prayers even more…..have a great week and I will talk to you next week.
Love,Elder Taylor

Hey, I thought you all might like to know....

Hello,
Man this week has just flown by so fast, almost too fast. Speaking of fast….thank you Mom and Dad for fasting for President Andrus. Sadly we won't know anything until tomorrow when he returns to Las Vegas from Salt Lake. But we all hope that his testing went well and he will be able to return to us full time. Speaking of him - I may as well talk about zone conference really quick. It was so weird having one without our mission president there. One of his counselors was there in his place and he did an okay job….not really able to hold a candle to President though. The trainings by the zone leaders were really good and entertaining which made up for an otherwise solemn event. But all in all it was a nice meeting and I can’t wait for President to come back to us.

After zone conference I was able to go and be part of a blessing, but this was an interesting one. It was for to two non-members, Greg and Carol Sherwood. They are really nice people. Greg had a tumor the size of his fist in his brain…..”yes it is a Tuma”…anyway….he was going up to Reno last Friday to have it removed and knew some members and he knew about blessings so he wanted one…and his wife wanted one for comfort. Well, we went with our branch president and it was such a cool experience. The spirit was really strong and after we were all done I asked if it was okay if we could come back and teach them once Greg gets back to normal….they were so excited to have us come back it was almost refreshing to see that there are still people interested in learning about the truth. It was really cool and I can't wait to go back. The only problem is they ended up not living in our area…but we are still going to go by and talk to them and see how Greg is doing.

As for other missionary work that was done this week, we had all the missionaries in our zone, all 12, come down to G-ville and we “flooded the area.” Fancy words for "had lots of missionaries in one small town." It was fun and we found a few new investigators. Some didn’t pan out but we have an appointment with one this afternoon. Oh, and Mom as you mentioned the stormy weather, we have basically been contacting in the snow and sleet the last couple of days….I didn’t think it was going to be that fun….but it really has been fun to try and talk to people. Most just listen out of pity but hey - someone might accept the gospel sooner or later. So that is pretty cool.

We did get a chance to go and watch the funeral for President Hinckley on Saturday and it was a very surreal experience to see the funeral of the only Prophet I’ve ever really known. It was a great service and I was so glad we got to watch it….and with yesterday being fast and testimony meeting everyone took the chance to talk about President Hinckley.

Well I love you guys so much. I hope that you all have a great week. Oh and Dad - Happy Birthday! Your card is already in the mail you should get it today or tomorrow….or someday before your birthday. I hope you have great weeks….we get to go to the temple on Wednesday and then transfer calls are on Saturday night so I will let you all in on the scoop next week….Love YA!

Love,
Elder Taylor