I know My Primary Colors...Do You???

Hello and hi there,
I’m glad to see that everyone has had a great week! I’m so glad that Isaac was able to come and meet you guys. [Editor's note: On Saturday, April 19, a friend of Elder Taylor's, Isaac and Salvador came to visit the us in Portland, Oregon. Isaac and Salvador are from Reno and while on a trip to the Northwest stopped in to say "Hello!" We had a great time!] Just to let you know he did speak very highly of both Mom and Chanel and was sad that Dad wasn’t there…not that he would have been able to hear much from him! He said you guys were hilarious and I’m so glad he was able to see you, too! Oh, and I didn’t know that Sal was going to be there…he is really cool…well, they both are really cool! He did say he loved the Rooster Collection…Mom you really need to quit showing that thing off….it is nice - but come on now! But again he raved about how funny you both were and the pictures he sent are pretty funny….I didn’t know my Mom knew how to take an EMO picture….but she does.

Chanel, Isaac, and Mom - at the Taylor's house!!

Mom, Mom's Roosters, and Isaac

Being funny and silly with Isaac, Mom, and Chanel

Well this week was really pretty good…I told you a lot of what happened last Tuesday, so there won't be to much more to update. One thing is that we had Zone Conference and that was really good. I really do enjoy President and Sister McCracken. Their training were really good. Sister McCracken talked about keeping our apartments clean…and let me tell you we needed it….our apartment has been nasty! When you have four elders living together, life gets really hard….and nasty….so I have had to play Dad this last few weeks to try and keep it clean! And let me tell you….when I’m asked to clean my room ever again…I might do it now…because I have seen some nasty stuff! Don’t worry, my stuff is usually the cleanest part of our apartment…have no fear. President spent most of his training telling us of a few changes he is making so that was really interesting. He has changed how we count other lessons and a few other things…missionary stuff…so it is pretty cool…..it will motivate each of us to work harder. Change is really hard sometimes but we have to realize that when we are asked to make a change it is always for the better…it still maybe be weird or hard…but it will totally be worth the effort. So for those of you trying to make changes, remember it maybe hard but totally worth it.

Another cool thing that Mini Me and me did this week (oh, I call Elder Taylor "Mini Me" in my head sometimes…so that’s who I’m talking about) were asked to go to Primary yesterday and share about how we are following the prophet. It was really fun….so much fun that I remembered what Dad had challenged me to do: go to primary and see what the kids do. So we stayed for senior Primary and it was really fun. It really took me back and made me feel really sorry for my past primary teachers….but I always have time to repent so: I’m sorry to those teachers to whom I was a major pain in the butt…I promise I have changed…really. But really it was such a great chance to go and see the Primary kids and hear them get ready to sing for Mother's Day. And it's not that it is just an important day for Primary kids…..but missionaries everywhere and their families too. If you don’t know why…ask someone.

Well I hope that everyone had a great week this week. I know that I did - and this week will be pretty cool. We have two baptisms this Saturday and then the transfer is almost over. Boy howdy, do these things seem to go faster and faster! I still have plenty of time left….oh, I did hit 14 months in the field today, so that’s pretty cool. I will end with my testimony that for any of us to receive the blessings that God has for us, we need to be obedient to the commandants that predicate them. It may be really hard or scary or we may not see the point or the need to do so….but I promise God would not give us a commandment if it didn’t help us out in the long run. It really does…I’ve seen and I know people around me have seen it….as some company back home might say….”Just Do It.”

Love,
Elder Taylor

The Taylor Family Sealed Together Forever....And I Was There Too!!

Hey there,

I hope that everyone has had a great week! It seems that, by the e-mails, the week a was good one for all. It sounds like Mom has found her new favorite restaurant and I don’t think Dad will have to much of a problem with that at all. Chanel - so glad that you now have a full-time gig….I hope that you enjoy it because I know that the kids will love having you there. Other then that, thanks for the awesome e-mails this week….Dad I hope you got the rest of that check list done the other day. Well - just in case you were wondering I had a great week as well. Many many highlights...so, where to begin…..

Well I guess the best place to start is the end of last week. Sunday I got a chance to confirm Ashley Jensen a member of the Church. She was baptized on Saturday the 12th and she asked me to confirm her. She is a nice little girl….she is 9 years old and she is so funny….kinda reminds me of Chanel at that age….from what I hear. Very kind and loving at first…then she gets to know you and she is a little sass master….so it makes it fun to teach her. So she was baptized like I said, and the baptism service was really really nice. The Spirit was really strong there and lots of tears of joy were shed by one and all. It really a nice service.

Another really cool thing happened this week as well. We got to go to the temple on Friday….with Elder Taylor’s Family. His whole family…his Mom, Dad, brothers and sisters…for real. It was so cool…here is the reason why: his parents adopted three children not long ago and so they were being sealed together. Now, you may ask, "Why the Vegas temple?" Well, he has family that lives in the other Vegas mission. His grandparents and one of his uncles live over in Henderson. So the reason why they came here was because it was also the grandparents 50th wedding anniversary! So, all of his family came out to surprise them. It made me think of when we surprised Grandma and Grandpa Siple for their 50th! Anyway….it was so cool…we got picked up by his uncle on Friday morning and driven over to the temple, (which is beautiful by the way) and went and did an Endowment session and following that the new kids were sealed to their Mom and Dad. It was so cool to see a sealing - I have never been able to do that until now and it was so cool! It made me look a little too far into the future, if you know what I mean. Then we got to spend the rest of the day with his family and go have a party/dinner for his grandparent's….it was a really cool day. Now, don’t worry, we got it all approved and we won't be coming home early. It was all on the level…and again I must say it was so cool…plus since it was the Taylor side of his Family, I fit in perfectly…I was the long lost son they didn’t know they ever had….it was great.

Well other highlights from this last week were I got to go the driving range last P-day…..it had been since October since I had last hit a golf ball and it was killing me. We live right close to the Las Vegas golf club and we drive by it at least 300 times a day. Ok, maybe not that much, but it feels like it! So I took Elder Espanol with me to hit golf balls and guess what Dad?! I can still kick your buns! The best part was when I hit a ball…..Elder Espanol. He watched and said…”Man, its like the Indian god of golf came down and picked up and carried it away himself!” This made me die laughing!! I had to ask him to say it again…to make sure I caught it all….it was so funny.
Also we had interviews with President McCracken. Every time I’m around him I get to know him better and like him even more…he is really a nice guy I really am enjoying having him as my Mission President. Also we went to the hospital yesterday with him and Sister McCracken to visit Brother Wyatt. I talked about him a few weeks ago…well, he is in the hospital now and President wanted to visit him, so he called us and took us, too. I got to say a little prayer at the end as he didn’t really know what was going on, so we didn’t give him a blessing…just a prayer for him and the family. It was a really cool experience.. We also got to teach a new investigator named James last night and it went so well….he had great questions and we were able to answer all of them - it was really cool. Also tomorrow is Zone Conference and so that will be all day…but fun as usual.

Well I love all of you so much….thanks family again for you great letters. I may not say it all the time but they are so perfect and fit each of you perfectly….its like I’m talking to you…but not. Thanks Bishop Wilson for the weekly letters - I love hearing about friends on missions and them going through the same things I am (and sometimes worse). Again I love you all and have a great week.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

The Jamba Guy and Elder Taylor

Being silly with Miss Ashley

General Conference Hangover??....Can I Say That

Well, Hey Everybody,

I hope that you all have had a great week and that you all got a chance to enjoy General Conference…..I know that I did! It was so cool to be apart of the history and stuff……I just kept thinking that in like 20 years from now people will talk about this conference and I will be able to say, "I remember where I was…I was in Las Vegas Nevada." Well I must say that I was a little unsure about President Uchtdorf before conference….I mean he is an apostle and stuff….but I was not to sure about the guy….but let me tell you what people: he is the real deal and also….that President Monson! Let's hope he is around for a long time. He did such a great job in his talks this conference. Not that any of his other talks were bad….but now that he is the prophet….well, he did a great job. And the fact that he wiggled his ears in the Priesthood Session it was amazing!! Side note: the screen we were watching it on was like 25 feet tall…it was huge….and when he did that it was so funny…..his ears were as big as me when they were on that screen…it was so funny!! Well anyway….I really loved Conference and can’t wait for the May Ensign to come out…its going to be so cool. Oh, and just for all you kids (and adults) out there….it is Cool to read the Ensign and the New Era, okay, so get of my back!

Anyway….as for missionary work….we have been getting ready for our baptisms this Saturday and doing all that goes into that….the teaching, and interviews….getting the programs ready. It really is a lot of work to get someone ready for baptism and then you have to teach them how it all works and then when they get really scared the day before you have to calm them down…so that’s always fun. But one thing that we did this week was we got together as a district and had a mini-district meeting and studies and stuff and then went tracting out in an area together. It was really fun…plus we all got to know each other a little better!

I feel kinda bad there isn’t a whole lot more to report on this week. Just the standard stuff I guess. But know I love you all so much. Like I said earlier in the letter, I was so glad for General Conference….We got a chance to here our beloved new prophet speak and let me tell you all what: I'm so glad to go around and tell people that we have a prophet on the Earth today and his name is Thomas S. Monson. I know that he really is the prophet of God on the Earth today and that he has been called to lead our church to new and better heights never thought of before. It will be fun to see where the church goes in the next few years…..the only way I see it is UP! I love you all so much.

Love,
Elder Taylor