Week Four!

Hey All!

So I have been sick this whole week. There’s a bug going around our Zone and seriously like half our zone is sick it stinks! But hopefully I'll start feeling better soon!

Thanks mom for the Package with 10 lbs. of candy and clothes and my shoes ha, ha, ha. So this week was cool. I feel like my companion Elder Pace and I are really starting to learn how to teach in unity and the language is coming along really well. We have 3 investigators now and it is so frustrating when you know they know the gospel is true but still won't accept it!!!!! It’s so frustrating! But all is well, I know that we go through trials to test our faith, and it is only after the trial of our faith that we receive what we desire.

This week is kind of nuts in the MTC because all of the apostles are here! We saw David A. Bednar walking down the hall, and remember Banks my R.A from school? Well he's a security guard here now and he got to valet President Monson's car ha, ha, ha, so lucky! They are all here because all of the new mission presidents are here, including... Mine! On Wednesday we got to meet with our new mission president, President Wilkinson and his Wife. He served his mission in the Dominican Republic, and he's only 47! He is so spiritual but at the same time utterly hilarious. He and his wife are so cute together. He loves basketball and volleyball (score!) and he got recruited to play volleyball at BYU.

I seriously love President and Sister Wilkinson and they already feel like my surrogate parents for the next two years. I love them with all my heart because of the spirit that they bring whenever you talk to them. I cannot wait to get to Costa Rica! Oh, P.S., they said they don't have addresses in Costa Rica, for example the mission home mailbox in Costa Rica is down the street next to some McDonalds... so they don't know how it is going to be trying to send letters! Communication may only be through e-mail!!!! Nuts I know! I am seriously so stoked to get out there and do the Lord's work!

Something that I have been working on lately is my love for people. I don't want to be a missionary because it's the right thing to do. I want to do it because I sincerely love God's Children in Costa Rica, and I want to share God's plan of Happiness and salvation to them. It's hard being a missionary, I miss home, my friends, SLEEP, and the comfortable life I was used to, but I know this is what I am supposed to do. There’s just a sense of fulfillment when you grow in this gospel and you know that you are doing the Lord's work. I pray every day that I can live up to the name that is on my name tag and be a true representative of Jesus Christ and act how he would if he were in my shoes. I love this work, and I love this gospel so much!

Last night we had a sweet fireside from President and Sister Braxdy, District MTC Presidents up here and it was really informative and spiritual. They talked about different ways the spirit prompts us and guides us in our lives, and how we need to become familiar to his voice before we can start recognizing him all the time! I pray with all my heart that I can always be obedient so the spirit will be my constant guide! I can do nothing in this great work without the influence of the Holy Ghost to testify of what I am saying is true!

Well randy is really lucky! He leaves Tuesday morning I think, what a lucky dawg. I really want to get out and share my love for this gospel but at the same time I don't feel at all prepared in Spanish. Speaking of which, Spanish is coming along very well. I can mostly say whatever I'm thinking or want to express, albeit in a very slow and "gringo-ish" way. But don't judge it'll come through obedience and the Holy Ghost soon enough.

Well I want to know how everything and everyone is doing. How was the move with Katie and Cam? How’s Jase doing up at Vasser? How are Eric and Shelby's wedding plans coming along? How's Dad holding up in Sin City? P.s speaking of Sin City it is hot as heck in Utah, I AM GOING TO COOK IN COSTA RICA!!!!!!!!! Oh and what's going on in the outside world? Like politics and sports and stuff? I heard the Miami Heat won the NBA finals... sad day haha.

Well I love each and every one of you. I know this church is true. I know that the temple is the house of the Lord. I know that Jesus Christ is my savior and the redeemer of the world. I know that we have a Father in Heaven that loves us, and as I have grown closer to him he has lead me so much in my life. I know that Thomas S. Monson is the prophet of God on earth today and that he is the mouthpiece of the Lord. I love this church so much, and I love all of you so incredibly much. I love this gospel and pray that someday I may live in the presence of God and Jesus Christ again.

Love all of you so much!

Dios puede estar con nosotros por eternidad! ( sorry for my bad Spanish haha)

Elder Ryan Taylor