Hello again dear friends and family!
You know what time it is!!! Weekly-super-long-email-update time!!!
Recently I was told that unless my emails were "super interesting" that they would not be read by a few individuals. So I am going to do my best to make this one as interesting as possible!! First up, we have the weekly report!
Saturday- Was a pretty great day last week! I was starting to feel really stressed out about all the packing and preparation that I have to do for my job in Nauvoo, but the stress just made me really unproductive. I was supposed to pack, but I basically just picked out what suitcase I was going to pack.... and then never did haha! All in all, it was a pretty boring Saturday, and this is supposed to be an interesting email, so I'll move along hehe!
Sunday- Was so much fun actually because in church the little children went up during our main Sacrament Meeting, and sang a song all together!! It was SO cute, but honestly I was a little disappointed! You see, one little girl in the class I teach loves the song they sang, and everytime they practice it, she is quite literally SHOUTING those lyrics as loud as she can! (A girl after my own heart I must say) However, when they sang for the whole congregation, she sang really softly *cue me fake crying*. I was really hoping she would scare everyone with her adamant singing! The little song they sang is super cute though, and I wanted to share the lyrics with everyone here! It goes:
Help me dear Father,
To freely forgive,
All who may seem,
Unkind to me,
Help me each day,
Father I pray,
Help me be nearer,
Nearer to Thee,
Help me dear Father,
To truly repent,
Making things right,
And changing my ways,
Help me each day,
Father I pray,
Help me live nearer,
Nearer to Thee.
Isn't that beautiful?! The little girl in question only really knows the chorus that goes, "Help me each day..." and you can just hear the total conviction and love in her voice as she yells those words as loud as she can! Sunday was also really hard too, because that little girl's family is now moving away from Tucson next month. I used to teach her little brother piano when I was in high school, and every time I see him, he always tells me what songs he is learning now! I had to say goodbye to both of them on Sunday, and it was sad because of how long I have known their family. But hey, missions are full of goodbyes, you get used to it. Also on Sunday, I had some dear friends give me a beautiful little keychain that has on it a small stone. That stone was an original piece of the first Nauvoo temple! That temple was dedicated in 1846, but was destroyed in 1848. That temple is also the very thing that Hyrum Smith, my character in the Pageant, is building in the background the whole time! What an AWESOME gift! I have already fallen in love with packing around that tiny stone, because it reminds me of how important that building is! Of course on Sunday too, I played some games with my siblings, and had an online rehearsal for Nauvoo. It was the last online rehearsal because now we will be meeting in person!! AHHH how cool is that?!
Monday- I slept in a little too late if I am being completely honest, but in the morning I worked on some videos I needed to make for Nauvoo. I had to record myself singing a few different songs, and I found out that I can still sing pretty high!! For you musicians out there, I could hit an F4 pretty effortlessly in a belt! (that probably sounds crazy if you don't know what that means... basically... it's cool hehehe) Then I had to go straight to the Tucson Temple for my shift as a cleaner. Since it was Memorial Day (Happy late Memorial Day! Thank you to all you active duty and retired military!) we were short a few missionaries to clean. So I had my work cut out for me. I cleaned up the entire womens dressing rooms for 4 HOURS straight, and then went out to see what else was needed. And no, I wasn't slacking off for four hours, it really does take that long working super hard. I found that a small section of carpet in the mens dressing room needed to still be vacuumed. Now the thing is, this section of carpet was about 20ish square feet BUT in the temple when you vacuum, you have to vacuum EIGHT times. So those 20 square feet took me about an hour to vacuum. Like I have said before, I trust the cleanliness of that temple pretty well! Monday night I also watched a movie with my Mom called The Testaments. The story in that movie takes place in the ancient Americas, during the time that the Book of Mormon takes place. There is a young man who falls away from the Church of Jesus Christ in that movie because he wants to impress a pretty girl (named Laneah). Ironically though, that girl joins the Church when he leaves to pursue wealth to woo her! It is a super great movie, because it's all about when Jesus came to America 2000 years ago! The reason I watched it though is the lady who plays the girlfriend in that movie is going to be in the Pageants this year!!! Her name is Joy, and she is going to be Emma Smith, wife of the prophet Joseph Smith and Hyrum Smith's sister in-law. Here is the link to that movie for free on Youtube if you'd like to watch it! It's only about an hour long, so I'd highly recommend it! So yea, I'll get to work with a Church celebrity actress!
Tuesday- I went to the Temple as a patron, and that was fun! I was supposed to come home early so that I could pack and memorize my lines.... BUT.... I didn't... My wonderful mom helped me out though with my line memorization later that night, so that was good! Basically all Hyrum Smith says in the show is a bunch of instructions about building the temple, and lots of street names! You see, Hyrum was part of the committee that designed the city of Nauvoo, so it's cool that the show is accurate as to what he was responsible for in life!
Wednesday- I worked at the Bishops Storehouse of course, and we got a new Service Missionary!! Her name is Sister Lamont, and we actually knew each other four years ago! We were in a Trek Family together! For those that don't know what that is, Trek is this big three day event where the youth of the local Church congregations get together and dress and live like the Latter-Day Pioneers did! We are all split up into "families" that we spend the three days with, and Sister Lamont was my "sister" in that family! It's always cool to bump into someone you know! After working in the Storehouse, I went down to the Institute of Religion on the U of A campus to pick up some books! I got some really awesome books about the Nauvoo Temple, and a book all about Hyrum Smith that I started to read, but haven't finished yet, though I am close! The best part is, they are mine to keep! Oh and! I got an antique Hymnal! SOme of you might not know, but I actually collect Hymnals, so if you have any old ones you don't want, let me know, because I love collecting them! My dad was out of town helping out with boys camp this week, so it was just my mom and I that went on our weekly temple trip and Costco run. because it was just my mom and I, we got ourselves some Costco smoothies! When I was little, my mom would take me to Costco and we would get smoothies together. granted, they were about a dollar cheaper back then, but hey! The memories are still wonderful, and they still taste great!
Thursday- Was my last day in the Tucson Temple before I would leave for Salt Lake City. My boss, (called a coordinator) asked me to be a floor coordinator for my last day! Basically a floor coordinator makes sure everything is going on okay on one floor of the temple for a while, and has certain responsibilities to help the patrons have a good experience! Think of them as a manager... but only for half a shift. Basically though, you just walk around making sure everything is running smoothly, which some Temple Workers think is code for "walk around and visit". Because I had this job though, I heard some commotion going on in the front lobby of the temple. Curious, I went out to see what was going on, and found a young man in the lobby carrying a bag. This young man had come to the temple to find himself a Book of Mormon, and had brought a bag with him asking us to fill it up with every piece of literature that we could give him about our church! He was incredibly interested in the Book of Mormon, and kept saying, "If I never read the Book of Mormon for myself, then how will I ever know if it's true?" I was able to take him aside into a small waiting room off to the side of the main lobby and tell him a little bit more about our religion and the Book of Mormon. It was fantastic, and he is now meeting with the missionaries and reading the Book of Mormon! What a miracle!! After that great day in the temple, I went out to get the music for Nauvoo spiral bound. I had printed up all the music I would need (there is a LOT of it) so I needed it bound up real nicely. Then of course, I went home to work on lines and finally pack. I was up until about 2 AM packing! Was I up until 2 because I also got sidetracked for about an hour? yes, yes I was... But I got packed nonetheless! I was finally ready to go.
Friday- Was such a long day, it felt like a week all by itself! I got up in the morning, finished putting some things in my suitcases and making sure they didn't weigh too much (I ALWAYS OVERPACK. It's my curse I just know it) and left for the Tucson Airport! Funny story about TSA though! So, as a Missionary, you wear little black name-tags, and I will be wearing my Service Missionary name-tags (which I finally got this week! Yipee!) all throughout my service in Nauvoo! Now, I figured that someone wearing a T-shirt and shorts to fly on a plane would look funny also wearing a name-tag. So I thought, "well, Teaching Missionaries are required to wear a full suit and tie when flying on a plane to represent Jesus Christ respectfully and be an example... Since I have to wear my name-tag, I should probably do that too!" So, I went to the airport in a suit and tie, and wore my name-tags. You read that right, name-tags plural. I like to wear one that goes on my white shirt, and one on the collar of my suit-jacket, just in case I ever take my suit off, I will still have a name-tag on. Trust me, it's so worth it. Anyway, as I was going through the airport security, they of course made me take of my jacket, and my name-tags. I placed all of my stuff in a couple bins, and went through the x-ray thing no problems. However, when I got to the other side, I realized that the name-tag that goes on my white shirt was missing! I still had the one that goes on my suit, but the one that sits on your shirt pocket had vanished! I couldn't just leave it behind, but I couldn't hold up the line, so I gathered my stuff and put my suit and shoes back on. After that, I stopped a TSA worker and said, "I am so sorry, but I seem to have lost a black name-tag in the conveyer..." That TSA worker looked at me like I was absolutely CRAZY and said, "Uhh, you do realize that you're wearing one, right?" I just laughed and said, "yep, I know it's crazy, but theres a second one for your shirt". The TSA workers were super nice, and even joked around with me, making sure the name-tags matched up, and kept exaggerating the word "Elder" when they said "Elder Taylor". That happens a lot. I think its because its so weird for a 20-year old kid to be called "Elder"... The reason missionaries are called "Elder" is because the office of Elder is a special office in the Priesthood in our Church. So we call missionaries by that title, because they are constantly acting in that Priesthood duty! It is a sign of respect to refer to a missionary as Elder, as you are respecting the sacred calling they are fulfilling! Anyway, I got into the airport, and bumped into a few people who asked me about my mission! That was cool! I also sat next to the most wonderfully kind woman ever on the plane! She and I never stopped talking with each other the whole flight! She and I had a lot to talk about! As we were walking together through the airport to baggage claim, many people kept saying to me "welcome home Elder!". Now, I have been in the Salt Lake City airport as a missionary before. And that is not what people said. But I kid you not, several people said that to me. I think its because I have a really scruffy beard and long hair. On top of that my suit is worn out, my shoes are scuffed, and I'm not nervously rushing to my destination. I am a lot more confident as a missionary, so I guess people assumed I was returning from my mission, rather than just starting my mission! I didn't really care, and I took it as a compliment really! There was also a few families that had big signs out by bag claim that said "Welcome home Elder ______". I kept saying, "wait thats not for me is it?!" And laughing with those families as they would shake their heads. I even did it to a family that was waiting for a Sister hahah! Yep, I can be a little annoying! My cousin came and picked me up, and he drove me down to Provo Utah to be with my Uncle. We played a lot of games, and went out for some really good burgers last night! I'll be here in Provo for the next two weeks until we fly out to Illinois for the Pageant!
Well OH MY this was a good long email, but you can expect some more long ones in the future! I love you all so much, and I cannot wait to begin rehearsals soon!!
Before I go of course, I have to share a scripture with you all! This weeks verse is in Moroni, the very last book in the Book of Mormon, and its chapter 10 verses 4-5. It reads, "4 And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost.
5 And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things."
Brothers and Sisters, for you are all my Brothers and Sisters if you read this far, I testify that this is true. These verses are specifically about the Book of Mormon, and it is asking us to ask God if the Book of Mormon is true. And I know it is. I know that this is the Church of Jesus Christ, and it is the only true church. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be a missionary, and want to always be able to serve everyone I can, just as Jesus did!
I love you all so much, and cannot wait to tell you more adventures soon!!
Much love!
Elder Taylor
The Special Temple Stone!! How cool!?!?!
My last shift at the Tucson Temple for a while!!
My favorite view on the Tucson Temple grounds!!
My Temple name-tag! I put it on my Bible now, and I think it looks so cool!
These three flags were gifts from my family, and they represent the three places I have served my mission! The blue one is New York, The one with the star is Arizona, and the white one is (obviously) Illinois!
How I felt staying up until 2 to pack
This awesome pillowcase my mom gave me a year ago when I started my mission, I just pulled it out last night again, and it made me laugh!
I got a new CTR ring! CTR stands for Choose The Right, and if you look, you can see that the ring has the music notes for the Hymn "Choose The Right"!! Pretty fitting! And it fits hahah!!
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