Do I need tickets to THIS gun show??

Hey There,
Well I hope that everyone is doing well this week and that all is going well. Mom, sorry to hear that you aren’t doing so well and glad to read you are back at work today. It seems like you all enjoyed the wonderfully slow week in the house. I wish we could get a week off sometimes…your batteries get kind of low during the week…so you just have to work hard and then rest hard at night. We really did have a lot to do this week. We had a lot of appointments early this week. Plus I had my first district meeting of the transfer this week, too. I have to say I hope it went well. This week should be better…we really have to be creative on these things otherwise they get really boring.
We got a call later in the week from a member in California, she was coming up here to “The Candy Dance” in Genoa. It is this huge craft fair and party that they have been having for over 88 years now. It's a big deal and was actually a lot of fun and I’ll talk more about it later. Well she needed help setting up her two tents that she would be using this year and called us to ask for help. We gladly went with our zone leaders to help her. This is the point where I say thank you to all my scout leaders and family for making us help set up the camp site where ever we went. She had two quick shades and zipper sides to go with them. I was really like the only one who knew what to do…so I just jumped into action and made it all work….and it took no time at all…which was really nice. Then she took us out to a nice lunch to thank us. We went back Saturday and checked the whole thing out…it look good and The Candy Dance was really pretty cool. They had a old west gun show right in the middle of the street and everything….you know when you have that your party is really cool. Plus a lot of pretty cool crafts…but were still cool to look at while you are there. It was a warm day…but overall we had fun and tried to share the gospel with as many people as possible….sadly they weren’t there for that. All in all it was a great afternoon.
Also cool thing. Terry Terrebrood got the Aaronic Priesthood yesterday. Now we are working to get him to the temple with us to do baptisms. On a sad note…a less-active lady we are working with had her mom pass away. I think I might mentioned she was ill. She passed away and the funeral was this past week. It was a really nice service…everyone spoke very highly of her, but still they were sad to let her go. In better news though, we got a new ward mission leader in one of our wards here. Let me tell you I am really excited about working with this guy…he seems really on top of his game. He is a younger guy, he just got out of dental school and he really wants things to go well here…so that is really what has me excited.
I always hate this point because I feel like something happened this week that I am missing or something. Well, I guess if I remember I can just send you a letter by mail or something. I love you all so much and I am so glad for the support that you give the elders back home…I know that they must really love it. I know always do when we have families like that. Have a great week and I will talk to you all later. Oh, I got the package you sent with Sister Baldwin…thanks for the coloring book, Chanel. Anyway I love you and have a great week.
Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Pictures from Elder Taylor

Elder Wright and Elder Taylor with Cheyne at his baptism.

Elder Taylor at Lake Tahoe!

Yar - it be Elder Taylor...ready for mini-golf.

Elder Taylor and Elder Wright with his zone leaders at the railroad museum in Carson City.

Working hard for the....Money...No....Working hard the Blessings

Well Hey There,

I hope that this letter does find each of you well and that things are going good for each of you today. This week has been a pretty good one. We have had a lot to do it seemed at times and then at others it seemed like there was nothing to do. Overall it was a great week. I was glad to hear about all your amazing missionary opportunities this past week! Seems like the Elders might as well just stay in my room! Just kidding….where would Dad sleep??? Really though I was so happy to hear about all the things you are doing and the things you want to do in the future. Dad, I was so glad to hear will get the Melchizedek priesthood after I get home….that means I can give it to you and then take you through the temple not too long after. We are working with Terry Terrebrood and Cheyne Lealand, the two guys we just helped get baptized….and we hope to take them to the temple when we go in mid October….that would be so much fun. I really hope that we get it to all work out well.

Well like I said this week was fast and slow….we seemed to have not too much to do early in the week but the weekend seemed to fill out quite nicely. We went and helped a Sister with some firewood. Well, by help I mean we went with a member and loaded his truck full of wood then drove to her house here in Carson. We had to drive to Gardnerville for wood and then unload it at her house…then drive back and do it all again. Really though, I make it sound worse then it was - actually I loved it. It was so much fun to get a nice workout….plus she made this amazing breakfast for us afterward...so really it was all worth it in the end. Plus I feel a lot stronger. Hey - when do you start feeling old?? Because I felt so old after doing all that work. Really it was a lot of fun and like I said the food was awesome.

As for missionary work we went out to Dayton, which is in my District, and help them with their area out there. It is pretty slow so I wanted to help them out. We went tracting and had lunch with them. It was a pretty good day….the Elders out there are the only ones in my District….pretty lucky it is a nice small district. Well, we had a great time. The elders are two southern boys. One is from Florida and the other from Mississippi…so you know they know how to have fun! Oh, and have no one understands what they are saying. But, that’s all right - I think I learning to be Southern…..just kidding. Really a lot of what we did this week was tracting and contacting people. We did get 3 referrals from one of our Bishop’s wife the other day while tracting….we hope that something good comes of it….plus referrals are always nice.

Well I know you want more details about my life….so what has happened here lately? Last p-day we played basketball and that was fun. I hate to brag but I’m am like the best player in this tiny little zone so really it is fun. Oh I bowled a 207 the other week! With no open frames either….a clean game! Can you believe it?! Oh and I won a game of hearts this morning as well….I shot the moon twice…the second time to win the game….it was amazing! Ok - I’m going to stop tooting my own horn….even I want to throw up. Well, this week really has been great and I hope this one will be good too. Tomorrow I have the first district meeting of the transfer….it should be pretty good…I hope. Well, I love you all so much and I can’t believe it has been 19 months now…next month I will have been here for 20 months….oh man that’s crazy….I better stop talking about it. Well have a good one and I love you.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Where have all the bikes gone????

Hello Again,

This week has been quite interesting. We have had a lot to do and it seemed like time just kept running shorter and shorter….yet we always seemed to get things done when we needed to. We had a baptism this week! The guy's name is Cheyne (said like Shane) and he is the boyfriend of a member in one of our wards. He started taking the lessons a few weeks ago. Well he progressed really well, so he decided that he wanted to get baptized. Well the problem is that he doesn’t live in our ward boundaries….well we got him all hooked up with his regular ward and he does have a few friendly faces in there so it won't be too weird. His girlfriend has family in that other ward and they are all really close….so he had friend built in….so it works out great! The service though was great and I left my camera at home so I will have to send the pictures later. Wait, I will just send the card home this week….I guess it has been long enough since you have had some new pictures to go crazy over. Anyway, the service was really good. His girlfriend is an amazing singer and she sang an awesome arrangement of “I am a Child of God.” I must say it was absolutely amazing. Overall, the evening was really nice.

This week was also filled with transfers and such. I already gave the news that I was staying and that my companion would be staying, too. Well, we did make the trek up to Reno to retrieve my bike…which I left in Las Vegas. We got there just shortly after 7…..which was when the transfer van was to arrive and when Elder Wright and I left at 8ish, the van was still not there. That really stunk especially because I was hungry and we were late for dinner with Isaac. I talked to our ZL’s and had them get my bike and bring in down to Carson City for me…..they were staying in town for a meeting the next morning. So, we went to meet Isaac….and it was a nice break. It seems like the last two transfers have been more stressful then I ever wanted them to be. It all worked out in the end and I have my bike here in Carson…stored in the nice garage.

Well other than that the week was spent like I said trying to get the baptism all worked out and dealing with transfers. I guess as for things with me and my companion: they are good. We seem to have a pretty good time together. I really love this area…some of the members here are so amazing and really nice. They love us and want to help us. Then there are those that just don’t care. I have to say….it is really nice as a missionary when you have people around you that care...and for those that don’t care about missionary work….well you really should. This is one of the most important things we as members of the church can do. We are asked and told that we need to help people find this glorious gospel. We really need to help those people that are around us on a daily basis and those we only see once and their gone. We need to help them see how important the gospel is in our lives. As we do that we will be able to draw people unto our Savior and then they will really experience true & pure joy. Well I hope you all have a great week and that things continue to go well for all of you. One more thing really quick: I love that you guys have the missionaries over to teach lessons - it really puts a smile on my face to know you are doing what you have been asked to do...just do some more...Well, I love you all so much - have a great week.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

And The Winner Is.......

Well we found out sooner then I thought we would!
Transfer calls are in and here are the verdicts:
Elder Wright and I will be staying in Carson City.....so that is good and also I will be the new District Leader....so that should be fun. Well, that's really all I have for you today.

Oh! Yesterday I forgot to talk about my diiner with the Baldwins....it was a really nice evening, being able to visit and talk about old times.....Dave Boland came and brought up that I was the li'l smokie eating champion of the world...well, at least of the ward campout....anyway we had a great time.

I love you all and have a great rest of the week.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

False Start....ten yards....oh i miss Football...

Well Hey there,

I hope that everyone is doing alright and having a great time…..sounds like everyone had a great weekend and that things might settle down to normal now. I’m glad that the weekend vacation went well and that you all had a good time. This weekend was a little different than expected. On Thursday our zone leaders got a fax from the assistants to the mission president saying they weren’t going to send out transfer calls until this Tuesday (tomorrow), so right now I don’t know what is happening with transfers. So on that news I will have to let you guys know when the info gets here. So sorry on that front. I was a little less then pleased myself when I heard about it. Transfers this time around is all messed up anyway….we have them on Thursday instead of Tuesday and so it made everything different anyway. The reason behind that is President McCracken has been at a mission president seminar….so that has occupied the majority of his time lately. So that’s that.

This week was a pretty low key week we had a few appointments and few fall through….what else is new? It was overall a really good week filled with lots of fun things to remember….but for some reason I can’t remember a dang thing right now. I really do hate this…..normally I write in my planner what I want to write in my email but with the new planner starting today…I didn’t do that. So, right now things don’t seem to be coming to my brain.

So I will tell you about Elder Wright. He is from Alaska. He played sports in high school, like basketball and track and he loves sports like I do….so that has been very nice. He is a really good kid and good missionary and actually his birthday is tomorrow so that is pretty crazy…but other then that I’m not to sure what you want to know.

So I just found this in an old email from Chanel…I think she wanted me to fill it out…so I will now

What are you wearing today?
Taylor: White shirt, pants, tie…missionary clothes.
Wright: Same

How many ties do you have now?
Taylor: A lot….almost to many….I think I’m done buying ties.
Wright: 15 or so…he is still new.

What was the last thing you had to drink?
Taylor: Milk….after frosted shredded wheat…MMMMMM…
Wright: Water….with pills so he doesn’t get sick.

Do you wash your car or let the car wash do it?
Heck yeah we wash the dang car….this isn’t Vegas.

When was the last time you ran?
Taylor: ummm I don’t know when ever we last played sports.
Wright: two weeks ago…he tried the running in the morning thing…didn’t last.

What's your favorite animal? Why?
Taylor: Penguin…do I really need to explain.
Wright: Bear…they are all over Alaska…and they are big and stuff.

What is your dream vacation?
Taylor: Some where warm and cozy.
Wright: Brazil

What is the worst injury you've had?
Taylor: Broken arm .
Wright: separate both shoulders.

Do you collect anything? If yes, what and why?
Taylor: Right now…ties I guess…because I wear them every day
Wright: Track shoes…that’s it.

Do you like hot sauce?
Taylor: Yeah why not?
Wright: Yes! Tabasco.

Well that seems to have filled up the space I needed. So anyway things are really going well and hopefully we have a baptism this week I will let you know. Love you all.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor

Where have all the Baptism Clothes Gone???

Hello Guys,

Well I must say I am sorry that this is late but it isn’t my fault this time. Yesterday was Labor Day and so the libraries were closed. So since we had a lot of free time yesterday we decided to take a road trip to Lake Tahoe. Oh man, it was so nice to be up there. The weather was in the 70’s and just a wonderful time was had by all. We got some pictures BY the water…not in the water….so that was really nice. It is such a nice place up there….we will have to make a stop up there when we come back and visit people…for sure. But other then that yesterday was a pretty benign P-day.

This past week was pretty busy though. We had Zone conference this past week in Fallon….that is about an hour drive from here so we had to go out there for that….which was really good….although zone conferences usually are amazing so it is really nice. We talked about lengthening our strides. That was really cool. President McCracken talked about how we were doing well but talked about just giving a little more and trying a little harder to do what was right. It was really uplifting and made me think….what more can I do? What can I be better at? So it was a really good meeting and I left very uplifted. We did come home that night to a message from our investigator who was to get baptized on Saturday. We called and he asked if we would come over as soon as possible…so we went right over. They were just having a few logistical problems and we just had to make a few corrections….but still it was slightly nerve wracking to get that call. But Terry Terrebrood’s baptism did happen on Saturday, but not without a few hiccups. We got there and there had been four baptisms that morning….well they used all the large people suits - so we didn’t have anything for him to wear! Thankfully there is one other church in Carson…..so we went there and got a suit for him to wear…..once we got that all taken care off we were off and no more problems for the night….which is always good. He was confirmed in Sacrament meeting and then he was all done. Speaking of sacrament meeting….Elder Wright and I were the speakers in that ward….it went really well. I was given the beatitudes in 3 Nephi…the talk went really well, I think, and we each got tons of complements on them.

Well as for things for me personally things are going well. Yes, transfer calls are this Saturday and no I have no inside info as to what is happening. I always have my theories but they never seem to pan out so I just figure that I will let the Lord send me where I am needed. I really do love this area so I hope that it calls for me staying here and enjoying my time. We do have 17 new missionaries coming out to the field this transfer so that is a lot so you never really know what is going to happen. But you do know that the Lord has you in the right place at the right time. So that makes things a little nerve wracking but I have been out long enough not to really worry anymore about it. Well I love you all so much and hope that each of you have a great week….email will be back to normal next week…so be waiting by your computers like I know you will be…love you all.

Love,
Elder Geoff Taylor