Week two 8/31/2011

Hi it's good to hear about everyone.

Tell Seth he needs to get the heck out his room and walk the dog since I'm not there to do it during the day any more. Also thanks for your letter dad I really appreciate it; as for what TRC stands for I have no clue it’s just where we go to teach at the MTC. I got my travel plans earlier this week I fly out on the sixth to St Louis. The classes are ok they would be better if they all weren't in the same tiny room every day, but I suppose it's what I take out of the class that counts.

Sunday was good President Mckiff, one of the directors of the MTC, talked to us about being safe and healthy in the mission field. The underlying theme was don't be stupid, eat healthy and wash you hands.

We taught Arnold again this Monday it seemed like he's really interested in the church because he's attended church and read pretty far into the book of Mormon. We also got a new teacher Brother Madeiras who severed in Hawaii.

Tuesday was great James and Joni are attending church again from what they said when we went to teach them. Then that evening at the MTC devotional Elder Jeffery R Holland from the quorum of the twelve came and spoke to us about the responsibilities of a missionary.

Today has been really good we went and did an endowment session at the temple and are working on gathering our stuff back up for next Tuesday.

Anyways tell me about any news over there or in Washington. Hope you guys are doing well.

With love

Elder Taylor

Week One 8/24/2011

Hello everybody how are things going for you?

This first week has been pretty hectic. My MTC companion is Elder Garrison Cannon and is great guy; he's from St George UT and gave up rodeo to come on his mission. Elder Cannon will also be serving in the St Louis Mission. Our roommates are Elders Ross and Hubbard and our district consist of Elders Thompson, Levitt, Ewel, Black, Ross, Hubbard, Reed, Jolly, Meltin and Woodland. We've taught a couple mock lessons in class and its way different than I thought. We also had our first TRC lesson with the Saxtons yesterday. TRC lessons may or may not be real however that just made me more nervous because I didn't know what it was. However we did all right the Saxtons were inactive members who hadn't been to church and a while so we taught them about the power of prayer and told Brother Saxton that the nine-o-clock session of Church didn't overlap with the Broncos game.

Then after the lesson went to the MTC fireside and heard Elder Zivic of the Seventy speak about perseverance, motivation and positive thinking. Afterwards we met as a district and played pass the orange and whoever had the orange had to share a spiritual thought from the talk. My Favorite thought was shard by Elder Reed who shared about knowing where you are, where you are going and how to get there. I also received a letter from my mission president in St Louis which was just mainly a hello and welcome, but it had a great quote that said "Faith is the power, obedience is the price, the spirit is the key and Christ is the reason.”

Sorry I want to write more but I have limited time on the computer so I’ll end it here and write you next week. By the way since I reported on my prep day there will only be one more email from my from the MTC although I can send post any day of the week.

With love, Elder Taylor

P.S. how's my dog doing? And if you write me using dear elder (Google it or ask someone in the ward) I can pick up your letters in the mail the day you send it rather just on Wednesday.