The Last Entry of 2013

Yep, that's true. Next week will be 2014. Inconceivable! I remember last New Year's like it was yesterday. I can't believe it's happening again. Yikes.

To catch you up on this oh-so-exciting mission life, here's a little story. Okay, it's not the best story, but it's better than nothing. I just wanted to tell you about a pretty good Christmas. 

The day before Christmas I received a package from the best parents in the world. In it were 4 stockings, one for each missionary in my apartment, and each of them had a name labeled on them. Instead of giving them to the elders right then and there, I woke up at midnight to put them next to our two-foot-tall tree. In the morning they were all surprised! It was great.

I opened up two pretty great presents. Two pairs of tan pants! Woohoo! I also got a really great calendar with all of the birthdays of the Anderson side of my family on it. Some pretty great presents.

Some great members took us out to IHOP for breakfast. Man, that was super awesome. I had country fried steak and pancakes for breakfast. It was a pretty good time.

When that was over I finally got to call home! Nothing is quite as special as calling home as a missionary. Good times were definitely had. Tons of jokes, tons of tears (mostly from my side) and lots of Skype stuff. Yeah.

The rest of the evening Elder Bushman and I visited a bunch of the less-active members and investigators we have been working with and gave them plates of cookies and boxes of candy. That was really a great time. It was very enjoyable.

I bet your Christmas wasn't as good as mine! But it it was, I'm super glad for you!

I'd write more, but it's about time to go! Thanks! I'll see all or most of you next year! Can you believe it?

Jan 6 (4 days ago)

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Now go, and be Golden,

Elder R. Sage Taylor

Well, It's That Time of Year Again

Are you like me and tripping out because Christmas is on Wednesday? I can't believe it. I feel like Christmas from last year was like a week ago. There's no way I'm on my second Christmas as a missionary. It's kinda nuts.

These past couple of weeks Elder Bushman and I have been sharing a pretty sweet message about Christmas. We've been asking people to think of a gift they can give to Heavenly Father this holiday. We've been having them write it on 2 pieces of paper, so they can keep one and then we take the other one. We're giving a big ol' envelope full of these gifts to Bishop Parker for Christmas to show all the good things this ward is doing. It's going to be great.

So there was this one day this week where we had next to nothing planned. So what we decided to do was walk to our lunch appointment, which was a couple of miles away, in the hopes that we would be able to talk to people we saw along the way. During the whole hour-and-a-half that it took to get there we talked to 2 people. Man, that was disappointing. Lunch was good, though, and we were able to share our Christmas message with the family.

I wish there was more goodness to write to you about. Every day I'm happy. Elder Bushman and I always have tons of fun and work hard. Even though right now our investigators don't really ever meet with us, and we have to find things to do sometimes, we are always having a good time. Being obedient brings blessings, and one of those blessings is happiness.

Christmas day is going to be great! I can't wait for it. There sure isn't anything like talking to your family while you're on your mission. It's the best!

I hope all of you enjoy this awesome season. It really is all about Christ.

-- 

Now go, and be Golden,

Elder R. Sage Taylor

Here Are Some Pictures



 Here is one of the 3 Elder Taylors!
Yup, there are 3. The other two came on Tuesday,
and since I was at the Van Cotts' house at the time all the new greenies arrived
I got a picture with them. Woo.




Here is the Christmas tree Elder Bushman and I helped put up at the Nolans' house




Totally choice photo op.



Not Too Much

I've spent a lot of time emailing others and telling other missionaries about their transfers, so I don't have a ton of time to tell you about this week. I'm sure you don't mind.

1. Elder Bushman and I are both staying here in the Pioneer ward for another six weeks. It's going to be a great transfer. Christmas and New Years. I'm excited!

2. We found a new investigator this week. Her name is Jeannie and she is ready to be baptized. We set a baptism date for January 4th. I'm sure that it will go through.

3. This upcoming week we have 13 teaching appointments already set up. I am happy about that. It's not often that we even teach that many lessons in a week. The next 7 days are going to be good.

4. I don't know. 3 seemed like not enough things to write about. But there really isn't another thing to mention. So, I guess I want you all to know that my favorite color is green.

Thanks all of you for your awesomeness! Have a great Chrismas season!

--
Now go, and be Golden,
Elder R. Sage Taylor

Your Obligatory Email

You ever just have one of those weeks? Well, I sure did.

As I'm sure you know, Thanksgiving was this week. A blow to your system, I'm sure. We got the opportunity to help at the Redlands Family Services for a short while on Tuesday. At first we helped people take the food that they received to their cars. Then we got to help sort a TON of food that was collected from a Food Drive that happened in town a few weeks ago. That was a cool little treat. Not that I got any of the food, mind you.

That night we were supposed to have a Book of Mormon study class at the Reichmanns' house. The sad thing was that the people the class was supposed to be for didn't show up to it! So it was Elder Bushman and me with Brother and Sister Reichmann. Hopefully this week people will show up.

There's something about Thanksgiving week where people just really don't want to meet with missionaries. Most just don't have time to. Unfortunately we weren't able to teach too many lessons. All of them cancelled on us. Ah well. What are we to do?

Thanksgiving was pretty neat. The awesome Williams family had us over for dinner. That was spectacular. Then we spent some time with our recent convert, Donnie. Then we had pie at the Reichmanns! Pumpkin pie, of course. Would I ever have any other kind? The bummerino part of the day was that Elder Bushman was sick. ): He wasn't able to enjoy the great meal and desserts. Bummer, huh?

BUT! On Friday we had a second Thankgiving dinner. What are the chances? That day was a lot better for Elder Bushman because he actually was able to eat something and hold it down too! The Lord certainly blesses his missionaries, huh?

Saturday the 30th was my 18 month mark. Pretty much mind-blowing. Like, totally, man. It certainly doesn't feel like it's been that long, but it also feels like I've never really done anything but missionary work, anyway. On that day we helped a new family move into the ward. My arms felt like gelatin afterward. Elder Bushman had a baptism to go to in Fontana, and I needed to stay in my area, so I paired up with Brad Newton who is going on a mission on Wednesday. We really didn't get too much done. We were also eating dinner at the Newton's hourse, so I helped them move things and stuff until we ate. Then there was a sweet "Pies and Ties" farewell party for the 3 young men in the ward who are going on missions. Those young men got some freaking sweet ties! I was jealous.

Yesterday was a freaking sweet church meeting. Testimony meeting was great. Donnie, the recent convert, got up to bare his testimony. Then the woman who is getting baptized that Elder Summerhays and Elder Weaver have been teaching got up there too. Then her husband who has recently become active also got up. It was magnificent. We also got to have 2 great lessons in the next 2 hours. In Gospel Principles it was about the Priesthood Organization and Elders Quorum was about the Articles of Faith. It was a really good block this week.

I guess that is that. I'm still awesome. Nothing can bring me down. I'm only two blocks away from a sweet comic shop. And some apples are green. This is all information that is neat, but not totally relevant. Have a good Christmas season!


--
Now go, and be Golden,
Elder R. Sage Taylor

Brad Newton, who is going on a mission this week!