We did it!

Buenas Familia!!!

So first off... we reached our goal of 200 baptisms this month in Costa Rica! That was the first time that had ever happened in the history of the church in this country! It was sick because we really saw so many miracles in our area, and zone and in the entire mission! The Lord was really helping us on this one.

Well, I hope Dad likes his new calling! I know he'll do a great job in it becuase he always does! And I am super stoked right now because I just got a letter from Martín and Veronica (the first family I baptized in Aserrí) and they are preparing to enter the temple in February!!! I am so stoked to see them again!

Well things are going great here in Tres Rios. We have had an enormous amount of rain lately, and there has been a bacteria going around that has been getting everyone sick here, so I'll probably have to go to the nurse to see if I have it, (I have been a little sick lately, but no worries, everything's good!). In a few weeks we sould be having a couple of baptisms which should be awesome. One is a little kid, Aaron and he is the nephew of the 1st counselor in the Stake Presidency. He is awesome and he loves talking with me about video games haha. Also we will baptize this guy named David. He is AWESOME! He is really the perfect investigator and he loves the peace that he feels in the church. He will be a great member! We also are teaching a ton of families, and a few of them could be baptized at the end of this month, they just all need to be married and come to church a couple more times! But things are looking really good here.

Oh cool story, so an Area Seventy, Valerí Cordón, lives in the Concepcion Ward, which meets in our chapel right after us. He asked us to do a couple "Rescue" visits with him on Sunday, and it was intense to see how much he loves these people, and how powerful his lessons are. It wasn't the first time I had done visits with him, but he is awesome and so powerful! He also graduated from MIT, so he's a genius but... it was a very neat experience and I felt the spirit so intensely in every single one of the visits. It is so important that we let all of the members of this church feel welcome, and that we show to them our love. After all, we are all brothers and sisters, and many people just need to feel this love to start coming back to church. And who knows, maybe we can be the answer to some families prayers, as in the case of Eric, my brother.

I love you all! Hey I turn 21 this weekend! Best gift ever... GENERAL CONFERENCE! I'm stoked for it! Love you all, take care!

Pura Vida,

Elder Taylor

P.S. Thank you, Sister Reynolds, for the book!  I love it and it made me so nostalgic haha, Love you guys!!!!

P.P.S. Did you get my pictures from last week?

I also attached some pics of our zone (we got the record this month for most baptisms that this zone has ever had!!!!) and also a pic of a gravestone that we made for a sister missionary that just finished her mission!

September 23, 2013

Buenas Familia!!!!

First off to answer your questions...

1. Yes I got the box!!!! Thank you so much, it´s the best box that I have gotten haha, thank you so much!
2. I haven´t gotten a book that Sister Reynolds sent me yet, sorry, maybe it will come in soon.
3. Yes I received the envelope with the two books! Thanks so much for that also, we are using some of the object lessons in our lessons already haha
4. I don't think I need anything right now, but I'll let you know! Thank you!

Well this week was awesome! This month in our zone (Los Yoses) we will reach our goal of 15 baptisms!!!! (That is the most our zone has ever had in the history of the mission... It doesn't seem like a lot but here in San Jose that is a ton!!!!). So I am really stoked with how all our missionaries are doing here.

Well we had changes the past week, and Elder Schweinfurth and I are still together! We will have 4 and a half months together after this change, and we are stoked becuase I love this companionship.

Well this letter is going to be a little short because not much new stuff is going on in our area. We have been trying a ton to work with the members here, and we have pretty much asked everyone for references, so we decided to knock doors for like 10 minutes. I love knocking doors because you can meet so many new people. We said a prayer and we walked down this one street, and then we both felt strongly that we should knock this one door. So we knocked the door and this lady answered, and I am really bad at contacting now because we have only worked with references for 6 months so I said, "Hey... we felt the impression to come to this house and knock your door... can we share a message with you guys?" She let us in, and they are progressing so well! IU love the Holy Ghost, and how he guides us to those that need to hear our message of hope! Their names are Zuly and Josue, and they are such an awesome family! I love them!

But yeah, God has really helped us this past month, and we will be reaching 200 baptisms in Costa Rica this month! That will be the first time that we reach more than 200 baptisms in the history of the country, and it is funny because when President WIlkinson got here, a ton of general authorities told him that we would never reach more than 150 in one month here. I love the Lord, and I have seen so many miracles this month in the mission. He really is smiling upon this country, and blessing the hearts of countless numbers of people. I love you all, and I really miss you, but this mission has changed my life, and has allowed me to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord with countless numbers of people. I love it so much! Love you all, take care!!!

Pura Vida,
Elder Taylor
p.s I am going to send a ton of photos today, that's why the letter is so short! Love you all!!!!

Photos: Well my computer stinks... its super slow so I could barely send pictures. In these ones I sent the baptism of Hector and Petrona and Yaritza. Also we went to a haunted house that is supposed to be one of the most haunted places on earth. I am laying down in the most haunted room haha, making a mockery of the ghosts. It wasnt haunted. Okay love you!!!!!

9/16/2013

Buenas Familia!

Well first off I am really glad that everything is going well at home!!! It's funny Dad, that you mention the district in your letters. I don't know if you guys know this, but the church uses those episodes of the District to train missionaries now. So every time you quote it, I know exactly what is going on. And the missionaries here in Costa Rica really envy the missionaries in the states. (They have cars, cell phones, people that know how to read...) but I love it. I would never change my mission for anythng, Costa Rica is the best country and mission ever!

Well things are going great here in Tres Rios. This last weekend we had an amazing marriage/baptism of a family, Hector, Petrona and their daughter Yaritza! This family has been such a tender blessing of the Lord. We found them as a reference from a member family that lives close by, we passed by the house and they let us in, and 3 weeks later they were married, baptized, and preparing to enter the temple. I love how this gospel really changes people lives, and invites them to live a higher standard of life. So that was the great news that happened this past week. Oh also some good news that is happening this upcoming month, so they are opening a "PriceSmart" right behind our house, (PriceSmart is the Central American equivalent of Costco), so I am really stoked. Here in the mission we should be having only about 10 transfers in the whole mission, so I probably won't have changes this next transfer!

Well, I am so thankful for this mission and for all the blessings that I have received here. But I am more thankful for all the changes that the Lord has allowed me to make in my life so that I can really become a true disciple of him. I would not sell the knowledge of truth that I have for anything. I know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ is real, and that he can help us, but only if we are willing to follow his will and not our own.

I know that God is a god of miracles. I have seen so many miracles in my life, and I know that when we are finally willing to throw our own selfish desires away, God will bless us with a miracle. I love all of you so much.

I love this country. I am so sad that I will be going home in less than a year, but I know that serving a mission was the best thing that I ever did.

I love you all, take care, and always remember to keep us misisonaries in your prayers.

Pura Vida,
Elder Taylor

P.S. This week I did Family History work. I love it so much! I am so stoked to do it after my misison when I have a little bit more free time. Okay Love you All!!!!!!

I love the Mission!!!

Buenas Familia!!!

First off to answer your questions mom...

1. Usually on a regular basis, I just email some of my convert families that have computers, and sometimes people from home it just depends!
2. Uhm, I don't have any questions for you, oh but ask Katie where that Costa Rican lady is from that lives in her ward!!!!

Okay well this past week was awesome!!!! We are really seeing the Lord's hand in our work here in Costa Rica. This upcoming saturday we will be blessed with 3 baptisms! They are a family, Hector his wife Petrona, and their daughter Yaritza! They are seriously an amazing family, and they have progressed so rapidly. Its cool because they were a reference from one of their member neighbors, and they are the most humble and chosen people that I have ever taught on my mission. Hector is the coolest man ever, and I love him, he is so rad and stoked for his baptism and wedding this saturday.

So this week Elder Schweinfurth and I went on a ton of splits with our District Leaders and it was my turn to stay in the area. I love going on splits with new missionaries because they are ten times better than we were when we started our missions. The future of missionary work here in the world is so bright, and I love it! I spent two days with Elder Roldan, a new missionary from Guatemala, and then I finished off the week with Elder Ellsworth, (the best missionary ever). I really love our zone here, and we are going to have a ton of success this month.

Well right now we are really working a ton with that family whose baptismal date fell through, (Daniel and Brenda and their daughter Angie.) Hopefully we can help them to make take this important step in their lives, because they really are chosen by God, they just need to recognize and accept that. We have a few other investigators, but now we really need to focus on finding new ones and baptizing them!

Okay, well everything is going great in Costa Rica. I heard that Obama was going to bomb Syria, everyone is talking about that here haha, I hope nothing happens! I love all of you so much! I am stoked to hear about how I am a great-great-great grandson of Joseph Smith, and to hear about all those other stories from Aunt Darlene. I have really thought a lot about that too, that our ancestors really influence a lot of our decisions and are always trying to help us to choose the right. I have such a strong testimony of the power of Elijah, that not only are our hearts turned to our fathers, but their hearts are turned to us, and they are leading our missionaries to their houses. I love the spirit of Elijah, because it is so strong nowadays! Okay love you all, take care, and keep on giving them referrals and feeding the missionaries! Love you!

Pura Vida,
Elder Taylor

P.S. we're going to the temple this wednesday and I AM STOKED!!!! (but the new video still hasn't gotten to Central America yet... haha)

Costa Rica Pura Vida

Buenas Familia!

First off to answer questions...

1. Yes, Elder Schweinfurth is still my companion. We have changes in the middle of September, so ´ll let you know if I have changes.
2. My favorite thing to do on p-day is rest! I am basically an old man now haha, but I love exploring the mountains here in Tres Rios, and usually we have little zone activities and we play soccer and stuff.
3. Haha it seems like I always wear the same shirt for p-day huh, I don´t know its because that shirt is always out of my suitcase, and the other shirts I brought don´t fit me anymore!
4. No worries mom, I don´t need anymore more shirts, just white dress shirts becuase all my shirts are nasty and stained!
5. I have never had to call Sister Wilkinson about a health issue. I have had to call her about other issues like disobedient people in my zone though haha
6. I did not know that. But I bet here in Costa Rica it´s a little bit more humid haha
7. I do not need anymore more piano music right now, but I´ll let you know if I need it. And I am good with all the music I have right now, thank you so much!

Well, this past week was awesome! We had our Leadership conference with President this week, and we also had a ZL/DL conference this week. The leadership conference was awesome because President always gives us a lot of motivation! And guess what... this month in Costa Rica we have a baptismal goal of 200!!!! That is something unheard of here in Costa Rica (The hardest central American mission). When President Wilkinson first got here the mission was averaging 100-120 baptisms a month, however the last couple of months we have had 168, 120, and 150. Now is the time to reach 200! I love it!

 Well this month Elder Schweinfurth and I should be blessed with 6 baptisms. We found this amazing family, Hector, Petrona and their daughter Yaricxa! They are awesome! They are chosen by the Lord and they have already received many answers from him. They should be baptized the 14th, but they need to be... MARRIED! So we just explained to them the Law of Chastity, and I know that if they pray with Faith and real intent they will know that it is something they need to do to be baptized. We are also working with Daniel, Brenda, and their daughter Angie. They were the family that was getting baptized the last month but fell through. We haven´t been able to teach them for 2 weeks, and Daniel is really frustrated. We have a family home evening with them and some of his relatives tonight, so hopefully his recently baptized brother can talk some sense into him.

Well, I am so excited to hear that Eric and Shelby got sealed! I told them to wait for me but whatever... that's fine! No, but I am so stoked for them! They will have such a happy eternity together, and I love the fact that families can really be together forever. Speaking of which, I had an interesting experience today. Last night at like 10 P.M. the bishop from another ward called us and asked if I could be a translator at a funeral this morning. I love LDS funerals because they aren´t sad! They are times to reflect on the Plan of Salvation, and the love that our Father in Heaven has for us!

Well, I love all of you so much! I´ll try and make the next letter a little more newsy! Take care, and keep on living the gospel! Member missionaries!!!! DO it!

 

Love you all, Pura Vida,

Elder Taylor