I'm Melting

Hey,

So I guess this must mean another week has gone by. I mean it must have: I am sitting here at a computer and I am typing out a letter so that must be what this all means. Well, this week really has seemed to fly by. The weeks always seem to fly and when you get to a certain point you wish that they would either slow down or speed way up. But this speed it still good. It sounds like everyone had a great week far across the land from the East to the West. Chanel, it really does sound like you are having a great time in Chicagoland, and as far as Cubs stuff, well a shirt and foam finger would be great, maybe a hat. Oh heck, I don’t know! There is to much good stuff….you know me, so whatever you think I will like. Mom, it is hard to believe that it isn’t too far to the Ward Campout. When you mentioned it I was thinking that it was really far off….but just a month from now we will be talking about how it all went! Dad, way to go on the golf….is it sad that when you told me about the hole on the course….that I knew which one it was even though you told me the wrong number?! It is hole 5, by the way….but that I also wanted to jump up and down when I heard you shot so well! Another nine like that and you broke 100! Well, you'd better sharpen up your game….I know I will be when I get home - and I won't just let you beat me either….

Well, as for me this week was good. We had a lot of appointments fall through but it will all work out in the end so that’s great. We picked up some new investigators and visited with some old ones. Please allow me to vent for just a moment if you will. People don’t seem to realize the importance of anything these days. If it doesn't involve money, cars or worldly things, it is impossible to get their attention. I mean come on people; do you think that you will be able to take that stuff with you when you die??? Hello?! I think not. Well anyway…like I said we have some new investigators. One we picked up a week ago is really progressing well. She is keeping the commitments we leave her and she has been to church the last two weeks and really likes it. Her name is Chemise Jones and I can't remember if I mentioned her last week or not…but she is really nice and is trying to set a good example for her kids. So that makes it really cool. We’ve also got a few more people that we are trying to work with, but they all have health problems so that will make it harder for them to get to church and things like that. But with faith we can do anything.

Also this week we had zone meeting. We have this meeting at the beginning of every transfer. We get together a zone and talk about all the new changes and old changes and talk about the transfer theme and set goals and such. After the meeting, we always go out to lunch and spend more money then we really need to - but it is a good time. Well this time we all decided to have a BBQ and just have each missionary pitch in a few bucks for burgers and dogs and we had a great out door picnic….but it was like 10,000,000 degrees outside as always….but is was still a great time to be together as missionaries.

I hope that you all have a great week. Things here seem to just be getting hotter….so that means I hope we start teaching inside a lot more. I hope that good things happen for you all wherever you are. Know that I keep you in my prayers and that I love you all so much.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Image via TimeInc

Two week old pictures...

The Las Vegas apartment - before Elder Porritt got his visa to Argentina!

The Eldersaurus Rex

A herd of violent Eldersauruses...hilarious.

Well The Crump has Arrived...

Hello once again,

It really seems to me that the weeks are running together as time goes on. It really seems to me that time keeps going faster and faster. Sometimes I find myself thinking it's a day or two behind where I am. But all in all things are really going good. I am loving being in my area still, these two wards are amazing and some really cool things might start happening here in a few months. But first I would like to comment on the emails I got from you guys this week. Chanel, remember even though you're in Chicago - I still love you, and don’t forget to send me something Cubs ok? I really want something, and since I love you and you love me….I mean come on it works out perfect right???...right??? Dad, I can’t believe it has been a year since you have played a round of golf….that really is sad. Question…How is my putter doing???? Are you cleaning it regularly? But all in all I’m glad you are getting a chance to play. That’s really cool about the Priesthood thing….oh, and Mom said you might bless the sacrament soon….so that’s really cool, too. Mom, can you go one week with out getting sick? I mean come on….you might as well hire a live in doctor or something. But I’m glad to hear that this past week was fun up to the weekend….by the way I really miss going with you to Kelson’s…remember that??? But I hope that you get feeling better soon….remember I am always praying for your health.

Well as for me this week nothing really new or different happened…..just kidding, I got a new companion! His name is Elder Crump and he is from Kentucky….and no he never did get a chance to meet the Colonel, I asked….he didn’t laugh. He is from Mount Sterling or somewhere in the middle of nowhereville out there. He has been out for nine months. He actually just came from an area that I served in while I was in Reno. The Skyline and Lakeside wards up there. It was fun to see how things are going now that I’m gone. He was only there for 3 months like me but he said that it was really nice while he was there. He has a family with a mom and dad and an older brother and two younger sisters…I think. His older brother is on his mission in New York, Spanish speaking. So that’s cool right??? Chanel asked few questions and so I will try and answer them for you.

When is his birthday? August 1st
How many siblings does he have? 3. One older and two younger.
Does he speak any other languages? A little French.
How many ties does he have? I don’t know but not as many as me and most are cool looking.
What is his favorite donut? He likes donut holes.
Who is his favorite Simpson’s character? Moe, but he really reminds me of Ralph Wiggam….looks and everything.
When was his last nosebleed? Last Friday after doing some service.
What's his favorite cereal? Corn pops.

If you have anymore questions let me know. I will get the answers for you. Oh and NO he is not a dancer….I almost forgot that one.

Well enough about him I have a pretty cool experience to tell you. Well, I think it is cool and as a missionary it sure doesn’t happen every day. So we got back from our service on Friday….don’t worry I just painting the whole picture for you….and I had just gotten out of the shower. Well, Crump tells me that we got a phone call from a lady that needed a ride to church. In this area it seems everyone needs a ride to church, by the way. Well, anyway, she said her name and I was only a little familiar with the lady and knew only part of her story. I just knew she had been to church once and I thought she was a less-active, because she told us she used to go a long time ago. Well, I called her back and told her to give someone in the ward a call. Well while talking to her I found that she hadn’t been baptized before and that she wanted to come to our church and learn more about it and become a member. So that was amazing…a call we never get. Well we went and taught her the next day and she committed to get baptized on the 12th of July…but her son turns 8 the next week so we might talk to her and wait a week and baptize them both together….how cool right?? That was one of the cool things we had happen this week. Also we were tracting and we ran into this guy who said he was having family trouble and that he was on the phone with his mom and that he wanted us to come back later to talk more….so we are going back next week to talk to him. He said, “It is so crazy that I am having these family troubles and then you guys knock on my door.” So that was cool. Then we talked to this Ex-Catholic, now Buddhist for like an hour and talked about how she almost joined the church and then didn’t and became Buddhist. People have the craziest life stories sometimes….I tell ya.

Well I hope that this week goes as well as last week did. I hope that you all have a good time doing what ever it is that you are doing. I love you all so much and I pray for you all the time. Keep on doing what is right and the Lord will bless you more the you know. I love you and have a great week.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

A New Comp....Some Dinosaurs....Oh, and a few Snide Remarks

Hey there,

So, holy cow, it seems like I was just here the other day and I was writing an email to you all. Man, does time fly too fast when you are having fun. Well I guess there have been a few big changes this past week for me and they will continue to happen. One is that Elder Porritt left for Argentina on Wednesday and has been there since. So that was bitter sweet, I guess. We got the call on Monday last week and on Wednesday he was off to the other side of the world. He was a really good kid and is going to be a great missionary down there. But that put me without a companion, so I was put with the two Spanish speaking missionaries. That has been a lot of fun……no I haven’t really picked up to much more Spanish. I get really confused when we go to their appointments. I mean, I know what they are talking about…..because I teach it in English but it just sounds way different to hear it in Spanish. It really has been fun; Elder Barragan and Espanol are a lot of fun. We have really gotten along well this transfer and were actually sad to see transfers come. Well I guess you want the news then….I will be staying in my area….again…..and will be getting a new companion….Elder Crump…..I have no idea where he is from or really anything about him….other then this next transfer should be one to help me get pushed…or him get pushed, I should say. But it will all be for our benefits, so that will be good. Also, Elder Espanol will be leaving….but he is going to Winnemucca, My Greenie area…..oh man, I have talked to him all about it and hope that he has a great time up there with all those fantastic people.

Well this week has been full of other fun things as well…..mostly me going to the Spanish appointments and being totally and utterly confused by what is going on. But also, we went to one (The Recent Converts/ Part member)family’s son’s birthday party…..if you caught all that then you are doing great. It was a dinosaur themed party and boy, it was pretty funny. The young kid turned 3 and it was a quite a hoot to be there let me tell you what. I will send some pictures of the day and some others to help illustrate the goings on the last little while.

Also, as you know I was able to go to lunch with Eric…..that was a great time….we went to chili’s and had a great time….my companions said they thought Eric was really funny and they really enjoyed his jokes and all that stuff. It was really a great time…..good to see someone from home again….although it was still a little weird…we really did have a great time.

Well, I really can’t think of anything else that happened this week.

I do want to say a few quick things about my Dad. As you are aware yesterday was Fathers day, and I will be the first to admit I am a terrible son….I sent no Father’s Day card, no nothing. But I will also be the first to say that I have the best Dad around. He is one of my best friends and someone that I can always turn to in time of need. I mean, come on, have you all heard of the International Bank of Dad…..just kidding-we all know I go to mom for that. But really, my dad is the best. He always is there to make me feel like a million bucks…..whether it is him letting me beat him at golf or wrestle him to the ground…..he always has a loving heart, and that I do love about him….I am so glad that my dad got baptized….now he can be my dad forever…..and I can’t think of anyone else I would like that to be.

Well everyone have a great week….I love you all….....Chanel….good luck with the new summer job….have fun and don’t forget I’m down here I still want emails. Again you’re the best family a missionary or anyone could ask for.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Tuna Talk

Hey Hey,
Wow….another amazing week it sounds like. I’m so glad to hear that the ordination went well yesterday.

Well, this week has been a pretty normal week for us. We have had some pretty fun appointments this week. Oh, when I say “we” I mean Elder Porritt and myself. He is still here and hasn’t gotten his visa yet. We’re think this week might be the week, but we just never know. Anyway, last Wednesday we went and had lunch with a lady by the name of Stickney, we had met with her Sunday and she wanted us to come back so that she could feed us. She has been a less-active member. So we went back and she made us tuna melts….something I really have fallen in love with lately, I think. Anyway we sat and ate while she talked only allowing for minimal comments from my companion or me. So we just kept eating and eating, thinking somewhere down the line she would need to take a deep breath, and thankfully she did: it gave me a minute or so to tell her she needs to come to church….and then she went off on that for another good while….then we just sat and listened and boy, that was a long lunch visit! But we made it out alive and remarkably in under an hour I believe. So that was the lunch I never thought would end…..I caught I glimpse of what the missionaries might think when they go and visit with Mom.

Also we have still been meeting with Kim. It sounds like we will have to wait until September for her to get baptized. Her mom isn’t too keen on her doing it anytime soon and won't sign the paper, so that makes us have to wait. But all things are done in God’s wisdom. We have still been meeting with her, mostly watching movies to help give her visuals of all the things we have taught her. We watched The Testaments on Saturday and if you guys haven’t seen it, I recommend getting and watching it….it really puts a visual to what Book of Mormon life was like. Anyway, she loved it and we will keep meeting with her until she gets baptized, so that means we will need to start getting creative with the things we teach her now. But I guess that will stretch all of us.

Also, yesterday I was asked to speak in sacrament meeting. Well, I was asked on Thursday and actually spoke yesterday. It was on the scripture Doctrine and Covenants: section 59, verse 23, talking about peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come. Well, I talked about Dad's baptism and how he now has peace in this life and now will be with his family for eternity. So I think the talk went well. I got lots of compliments as most speakers do, so I can’t judge off that, but I think it went well.

This weekend is transfer calls and so I have no idea what will happen. I have been here for almost four and half months. I could be getting the boot or staying for a little while longer. We just never know. Well I love you all and have a great week.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Two days late and a two putt short...

Hola Mi Familia….Translation…Hello My Family…
See? Having a companion that is going to Argentina really is paying off already. We are able (and supposed to) do language study every day. So I’m picking up a little here and there. It really is a lot of fun. He isn’t fluent yet but he is able to hold his own in a gospel related conversation. We find a lot of people tracting and contacting that speak mostly Spanish so he is able to talk to them and get some of their info for the real Elderos that live with us to go by and talk to them in real Spanish. Elder Porritt really is a good kid. He is from Northern Utah and most people can tell that right off when he starts talking. And that makes things even more fun. I really thought that serving with someone from Utah would be more annoying than this, to be honest. We get along really well and I will be sad to see him go. He had to sign some papers yesterday to help get the visa so I think it will be coming sooner rather then later. We are really having a great time and like I said last week, it really is hard training a missionary for a different mission. Most things won't be the same so I have to try and keep things as general as possible….even the language won’t be the same down there. So it really will change his whole mission when he gets down there. A few quick things about his family: he is the oldest of 4 kids, all boys in his family. He likes a lot the same things I do…..SPORTS…..it is so nice to have someone to talk sports with…..especially since he has only been out like 2 months he has the latest and greatest updates. So as you can see, we really do have a fun time together.

This last week seems like it really happened over a month ago to be totally honest with you all. Does that mean that time has been flying or going slow? We had a great Zone Conference this past week. It was really helpful for me personally. The things that we always seem to talk about at Zone Conferences are always something that I need. Most missionaries will make the same exact comment as that one in relation to this topic. One of the most prevalent topics was praying with faith: to find people and to know what to do after we ding them. We also talked a lot about teaching people the importance of the first four principles of the Gospel and how it leads us to makes changes and commitments. We had an awesome testimony meeting afterward as always and I got up and bore my testimony on the power of praying with faith. And how by doing so my dad is now a member of the church and it was really cool to be able tell a quick little story and know I have testimony of praying with faith. So needless to say….Zone conference was great.

I guess not too much else amazing happened this week but it went by too fast I can tell you that. There aren’t enough hours in the day to do the things we want to do…and it always seems that something gets in the way each time. Oh, I guess you are wondering why I didn’t do this Monday. Well, we were playing golf. Yeah that’s right….finally I got to play some golf….and I must say this….I have a lot of practicing to do when I get home! We played at the Angel Park Golf Club on their par 3 course. We got to go for free because of a member. We had golf carts and really nice Callaway golf clubs to play with. They were the nicest clubs I have ever played a round with. It was a lot of fun. Now is where the story gets intense: I was playing in a group with another Elder who had played golf before he came out as well. Well, we battled back and forth the whole day and it came down to the very last hole, and we were all tied up. We both hit tee shots about two feet apart to the right of the green. I chipped on first to about 10 feet or so. He went a little stronger and was farther away. He ended up three putting…so I had to make it in two….Well I totally choked I three putted as well, it was so embarrassing…5 missionaries watch you blow a 3 footer to win the whole thing….I was so mad. I’m still mad thinking about this and writing it down. So now the Elder and I have to come up with a way to break the tie. And that was the highlight of the week so far.

Well I love you all so much and I hope that you all have a great week. Remember I love you all so much.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Some pictures, for your viewing pleasure...

We have had pictures for a while - but the time has flown and the pictures are just now making it here...enjoy!

The Elders Taylor at a baptism...

Elder Taylor loves your smiling fez...

Elder "Little" Taylor and Elder "Big" Taylor in the car

Elder Taylor and Elder Espanole at the Las Vegas Temple

An E.T. and I didn't get to phone home this week...

Well hello family,

Okay, first things first: I’m so glad to hear that you have had a great trip and I hope that when you read this you are home and healthy. Chanel, that is so cool that you got to see Marcy Wells, I was really, honestly floored when I read that. I hope that she is doing well and if she is still interested in the “Vini-Van” tell her to write me and I will see what I can do. I hope that you liked the movie too; everyone down here says it is amazing and the like, so I figure it has to be good.

Well enough about all of you I have huge news to report today……Are you all sitting down???????? I have been apart of an Emergency Transfer! Thankfully I stayed in my area and Elder “little” Taylor left to a new area. I have now for my companion Elder Porritt, he is waiting on a visa to go to Argentina that is his normal assignment. He is from Bear River City, Utah. We just got put together yesterday. We found out all the news Saturday night and it was crazy if you ask me. One Elder had to go home for medical reasons. So that was too bad, but his loss is someone else’s gain I guess, or maybe not. Anyway, I have no idea how long Elder Porritt will be here with us. It could be a few days, weeks or even months. So this is a whole new thing for me which I must say kind of comes as an answer to prayer. I’ve been thinking a lot about how I need to do something new, something I haven’t done before…..there isn’t a whole lot I haven’t done yet, but this takes one off the list. It is weird because every time I go to tell him something that we do, I remember that in Argentina it isn’t going to be the same, from the language to the style in which people are taught. Each mission in the church is different so this should be an awesome experience for him, and I’m going to do my best to help him have a great time, plus he has to learn Spanish so I might pick a little more up too, which I don’t have a problem with! But anyway back to more of him: he is a really nice kid, this is his first time away from home or the MTC, and I think he is in little bit of shock, plus he is in Vegas, Sin Capital of the world - what could be more shocking straight out of the MTC? But he is doing great, we had a lesson last night with a nice older man, his name is Eugene, he is about 60 and very set in his ways. It was more like he wanted to teach us a lesson then us teach him….you know being 20 we don’t know anything right??? Well he got a little crazy about 5 minutes in and we lost control of the lesson and never got it back so I just tried to leave a quickly as possible. Boy that was crazy.

Also we taught Kim again last week…..the Big Law of Chastity lesson. See the problem is she lives with her boyfriend because she and her mom are fighting and so we talked all about that and she was actually OK with the fact that she needed to move out. I’m not going to lie, I was a little nervous because we were having to tell her that she needed to move and talk about all these problems, but then the Spirit came in the room and she totally was willing to accept every commitment we gave her. It was really cool. She is one of those people who wants to get baptized and so she is willing to really do what ever she is asked to do. It is really quite amazing.

Well I hope that you are all having a great time doing what ever it is you are going to do this week. Have fun with it. I will make sure I have more info for you next week about Elder Porritt, Maybe send me some snail mail questions you want me to answer this week and I will do it. Well I hope you all have a great week and that Chanel gets feeling better. Oh Mom, I feel fine and am doing great. We are going to Sister Harris’ herb shop this week and she is going to hook us up with everything we need to be as healthy as possible. Have a good one and keep it classy.

Elder Taylor