Exchanges, service, investigators, teaching, confidence & faith

So it's been a pretty crazy week! Lots of ups and downs! But overall it was really good!

Monday night we went on our exchange!!!!! I stayed here in Topsham with Sister Caffall (our sister training leader who is just the greatest ever!!!) and then Sister Sowards went to Yarmouth with Sister Brown! I was freaking out!!!! Like really. I didn't know how in the world I was going to be in charge cuz I still know nothing. haha So I was pretty nervous but knew this was going to be so good for me! So Monday night Sister Caffall and I went out and walked to the homeless shelter to find Alex and gave him some church clothes that a member in our ward wanted to give him so he could come to church! So we went and dropped those off, talked to Alex for a little bit, shared a scripture, prayed and then started talking to some other people that were at the shelter. We gave out some mormon.org cards and a got some potential investigators. Then we just walked around and did some street contacting! We try to talk to everyone but usually people just ignore us and walk right past.... lame... but then there was this couple that we walked past and they actually stopped and acknowledged our existence!! :D haha but we ended up talking to them for a good half hour! just standing there on Maine Street talking about the gospel! They were super open to listen and we gave them a Book of Mormon and they said they would read it! We even prayed with them right there in the middle of the sidewalk! :) We tried to get them to let us meet with them again but they said they're super busy! So we just gave them our number and they said they would call us! So hopefully they do! So Tim and Wendy - that was our miracle for the day! Then we came back to the apartment and planned...then went to bed... but I didn't even sleep because I was so nervous about the next day! Being in charge!! 

AH!!! haha so next thing you know it's time to get up and get on with the day! We went to the soup kitchen and it was a super busy day there! So many people! But it was good! I got to talk to lots of different people! And Alex was there so I talked to him! After the soup kitchen we had lunch and then time to study!! Then we did mormon.org time at the library and then we went to the Hersoms... We started to walk...and then halfway there we decided we weren't going to have enough time to get there, teach a lesson, walk back and then go to our dinner appointment so we walked home and got the car.....! :D Kinda weird not driving for two and a half months.... haha but it was great! So we drove to the Hersoms, read from the Book of Mormon with them and had a good lesson about knowing for yourself that it's true! Sister Hersom just really wants to know like Brother Hersom does so we're working on that and helping her to gain her own testimony! She just has a hard time understanding the scriptures so we started from the beginning and we're just going to read it with them! We shared our testimonies about the Book of Mormon and how we all have to know for ourselves and the spirit was really strong :) Then we drove to the Jones for dinner! They're such a cute family!! We just love them! And then after that we tried to contact some people that lived around there...knocked on some doors but nobody answered!! Then we drove back to the Hersoms because Sister Caffall left her planner there!! haha and then after that the day was basically over! It was a really good day! I got us safely where we needed to be and we did everything we needed to do! It was just a really good day and gave me lots of motivation and more confidence that I really can do this! Even though it's really hard. Like really really stinkin' hard. haha but I can do it! 

Anyways....Wednesday was good we had district meeting and then we went and saw Brother Eldredge! We talked about the Book of Mormon with him and gave him the Book of Mormon challenge! Challenged him to write his testimony in it and then to pray about who he could give it to! That's one of our zone goals - giving copies of the Book of Mormon to members to give away! So that was a good lesson! We also had Book of Mormon class that night! and again it was just us and Brother Eldredge... but it was good like always!

Thursday we went to the hospital and did service... usually we just do paper work and stuff but they decided to switch it up for us! guess what we did?! They wanted us to put together iv packets! Ah!!! gross. haha so we had to put everything together for the iv! the needle and everything ugh...freaked me out haha but Sister Sowards loved it! haha I don't think I'm ever gonna work in a hospital...that stuff just freaks me out! haha so after the hospital we went home and studied! then we went and saw Sister Giveen that night and also talked to some interesting people out street contacting! haha that's always fun! :)

Friday we did weekly planning which is always long and boring... but we got out of it a little early so we could go see John before he goes to college! We taught him about the plan of salvation! It was really awesome because he said that's what got him interested in the church was when he first met his girlfriend and found out they could be together forever! :) So we taught him and then we came back and finished our weekly planning and studied.... then we went to the Smith's for dinner!

Saturday we did lots of studying and then we went to Lisbon and saw Sandy! We watched a mormon message with her and talked to her about temples! We were going to go see some other people and find some former investigators but Sister Sowards forgot her name tag! haha so we just saw sandy since she knows us! haha then we had to go home! So we went home and got her name tag... we did some more studying and then we went to the Mullins for dinner! And our investigator Alex came! It was really good to have dinner with them and have their testimonies to back us up! Members are so important in missionary work!!! It was a really good lesson about the Book of Mormon! We watched Elder Holland's testimony about the Book of Mormon which is so powerful!!! Watch it! :) and then after that we went and got frozen yogurt! yum! haha it was a great night!

Sunday we went to church! We taught the Laurels!! That was fun!! Every fourth sunday we're going to go into young women's and do role plays with them so they can learn how to be missionaries! so we taught about eternal families and taught them how to teach about eternal families! Did role plays with them and had a lot of fun! :) We had dinner and our coordination meeting at the Jones and they are just so great! Really working on changing things in the ward and getting people excited about missionary work! So things are going pretty great!! I've been struggling with being confident in myself but this week has helped me to gain more confidence and see what I can do!

 Being a missionary is so great and it makes me so happy!! But it is so hard! I love this from President Eyring, it basically sums up how I feel right now! So I just want to leave you with this it's called "Fellowship of the Unashamed" "I am part of the fellowship of the unashamed. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. The decision has been made. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, and my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tainted visions, worldly talking, cheap giving, and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, position, promotions, plaudits, or popularity. I don't have to be right, first, recognized, praised, regarded, or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean on his presence, walk with patience, am uplifted by prayer, and labor with power. My face is set, my gait is fast, and my goal is Heaven. My road is narrow, my way is rough. My companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised detoured, lured away, divided, diluted, or delayed. I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice, hesitate in the presence of the adversary, negotiate at the table of the enemy, ponder at the pool of popularity, or meander in the maze of mediocrity  I won't give up, shut up, or let up, until I have stayed up, stored up and paid up for the cause of Christ. I must go till He comes, give till I drop, preach till all know, and work till He stops me. When He returns for His own He will have no problem recognizing me, my banner is clear!" LOVE YOU!! :)

Sister Tait

A great week filled with lots of service, new investigators, great members and fun times!!

So it's Monday again! :D First of all I just want to say thanks so much for all of your love, support, and prayers! I have really felt them this week! You guys are the greatest!! :) So here's how our week was....

Monday was p-day and we had a pretty packed day! We dropped our laundry off at a members house and then came and did our emails! then we went and switched our laundry and then we went and cleaned our apartment then we went and picked up our laundry then we went and picked up the elders and went to Walmart to buy our food for the week! then we dropped them off at the library to do their emails and we went to Target! Sister Sowards wanted to get some new clothes....so we ended up buying matching dresses but they needed to be hemmed so then we went home and wrote letters and hemmed our dresses! But we ran out of thread so we didn't get to finish...so maybe today... haha! then we went to the Rainey's for dinner! It was a very successful p-day! 

Tuesday we went to the soup kitchen and we were able to talk to a couple of people that were interested in the gospel... people always ask if we're really sisters and then we tell them that we're missionaries and all about us and the church! There was a man there that day who knew all about the church and we gave him a Book of Mormon and he said he'd love to read it! He was so excited and asked for our autographs! hahah he said I know you didn't write it but I want to remember who gave it to me! So we both wrote our testimonies in it and then gave it to him! :) There's always seeds to be planted!! :) After the soup kitchen we studied and then had mormon.org time! Then we went to the Hersoms for dinner and talked to them about the temple!

Wednesday we usually have district meeting but this week it was canceled because of zone conference! So instead of district meeting we ended up doing service for one of the members! Sister Mullin was getting ready for her daughters birthday party for Saturday and asked if we could help! It was so much fun! We painted monsters because the theme was Monsters Inc! So we had lots of fun doing that on Wednesday for a little bit then Sister Smith picked us up and we went and saw Brother Eldredge! He's just as great as ever! We went over the priesthood with him and of course he already knows everything! Then we went back home and studied until Book of Mormon class! and Brother Eldredge was the only there again! haha but it was really good we talked about prayer and fasting!

Thursday we went to the hospital and did service and then after that we went back to the Mullins to do more service and help with the painting! :) And then we ended up having dinner with them! So pretty much this week has just been full of lots of service! 

Friday we had our zone conference and it was all about working with members and getting to know them better and serving them and being more involved with them! It was really good! I learned lots of good stuff and we got lots of new ideas to really help bring forth the work! Members are so important in missionary work and we talked about how we're just here to assist them and help them in the work! So that's what we're gonna do and we're gonna do all we can to help members to have more missionary experiences and really involve them! It was fun to be there with all the missionaries from different zones and to be able to meet more people!

Saturday we did more service! :) We went and helped Sister Mullin set up for the party at the church! She's an awesome missionary and had invited lots of nonmembers and actually our two investigators Pat and Ken were going to be there! We got to talk to a few people there so that was really good but then we had to leave and go to High Priest Lobster dinner...! hahah yumm lobster! haha it was really fun and there were lots of delicious desserts! haha the lobster...still not my favorite thing....

Sunday was good for us! we got most of our missionary work done yesterday...it was a super packed day which was good! We went to church then went to a members house for lunch right after! Then we went straight to Greg's and taught him....the lesson went pretty well we just taught about charity and he loves talking about Christ and Christ-like attributes! Then we went to the Paradis and we just read the Book of Mormon with them! Then we went to John our new investigator that we got last week! He had read all of the pamphlets that we gave him and we just taught him the first lesson! It went really well!! It was mine and Sister Sowards first first lesson! Crazy huh?! haha but it was pretty great! His girlfriend is a member and it was really powerful to have her there and to bear her testimony! He also prayed for us at the end of the lesson and said he would read the Book of Mormon! He wants to know that's it's true! So he's great!...if only we could teach him more... but they're both moving away to college in the next couple of weeks so I don't know if we'll get to teach him anymore! But at least we got to teach the first lesson! It was awesome! :) Then after that we went to the Jone's house! We got a new ward mission leader yesterday and they had us and the elders over for dinner! They are the cutest family and he is going to be so great! I'm super excited and he really knows what he's doing and wants to help us! So be prepared to hear of some great changes and miracles happening soon in the Topsham ward!

Tonight we're going on exchanges and I'm staying here...and Sister Sowards is leaving me! AH! kinda scary...haha but it's gonna be really good for me! So I'm really excited but super nervous.... I'm gonna be in charge of everything tomorrow and guess what!? I might even get to drive the car! haha...so next week I'll have some exciting stories for sure!

Can't believe it's time to go back to school now! Crazy crazy!! I'm glad I'm here and not there... haha :) but hope you all have a great week!! Love you so much!

Love,

Sister Tait

Mormon Messages, teaching amazing people, service, rain & lots more...

Well it's been a pretty good week!! It's Monday again!??! I feel like I was just writing to you guys... haha but here we are again!! :)

Tuesday was a good day for us! We went to the soup kitchen and then to the library to watch Mormon messages! Those always make me so happy and really just give me an extra boost! So if you ever need a little pick me up or anything watch the Mormon messages... the ones for youth are super good! just don't watch the ones about missionary work...unless you want to bawl your eyes out... haha Sister Sowards and I sat here in the library just crying watching ones about missionaries haha but actually do watch them. They're really awesome :) After that we went and saw the Hersoms! They are so cute :) Still working towards the temple and we're just going through the lessons and helping them get closer! Then we had lots of studying to do! So that was super fun.....

Wednesday we had district meeting then more studying... then we went and saw Brother Eldredge! Oh my goodness he is just amazing!! We were going to read through the temple book with him but got there and he had it sitting on his table and said he's already read through it...twice. pfft! there goes our lesson! so we thought we talk about tithing but he brought it up and said he's already been doing that! haha so basically he's ready and we have nothing to even teach him! But we still go every week and try to think of something that can help him! Ahh!! he's just so great! He's also our faithful Book of Mormon class attendee! Sometimes nobody else comes but we can always count on Brother Eldredge to be there! :)

Thursday we went to the hospital and did service there! We tried to go and see Pat and Ken but they have been out of town! So that didn't work out... we tried to visit some former investigators and some potentials but not much luck.... we did lots of walking! but then we switched the car with the elders so Friday was a good day to get lots done!

Friday it was super rainy. Like so much rain. It was dumping on us! Finally got to break out my rain coat though :) haha and thank goodness we had the car! We went a saw a potential investigator who lives across from the Smiths! Oh I love the Smiths!! We were going to drop off some of their dishes that we had but just left them in the door because we never actually leave the dishes there...we always come back with them full of more food! haha but our plan didn't work...When we got back to the car there was a note on our windshield that said "Don't leave! Come visit the Smiths!" So we went and saw them and Brother Smith gave us some delicious chocolate cake :) haha they're just the greatest :) That night we also saw Sister Wallace and she is getting oh so close to the temple!! We're just going through all of the pamphlets with her to refresh her memory and make sure she's got all the basics!

On Saturday we went to the hospital to visit our new investigator Alex! :) He just had surgery on his foot but should be out today! and then we'll be able to meet with him and get him back on track for baptism! :) The rest of Saturday was super slow........ we went to Lisbon and saw a few less actives and then tried to contact some formers..... no luck with any formers! but hey we did find the street faith, hope and charity! Pretty awesome! So we took pictures :) Oh! and then we had this referral that we got so we called the number and it wasn't the right person... so Saturday we went to go find the house! So we drove to the address we had and it was not the right person either!! Weird.... but the lady who answered the door was really nice and we gave her a Book of Mormon and she said we could come back! So we have a potential investigator there! :) Awesome! Then that night we tried Pat and Ken again but they still weren't home... so we just heart-attacked their door! and then heart-attacked some of the members that live by them too :)

Sunday was good! Of course we went to church...then we went and saw Greg! It was an okay lesson...we read the talk "Trial of Your Faith" -Neil L. Anderson and I learned a lot! haha it's a good talk you should read it :) actually I've been reading a lot from the November 2012 ensign with all the conference talks and there's tons of really good ones! read them all :) haha but anyways Greg didn't really participate in the lesson...we just aren't sure what direction to go with him...it's looking like we're just gonna have to keep being patient.... We saw recent convert and went over the same talk with her because she's having some big trials and really struggling right now! But that talk, some Mormon messages, and then singing How Firm A Foundation really helped! It was a super spiritual lesson I just knew we needed to sing that song so I said we were going to and she loved it! :) We also got a new investigator yesterday! He's committed to take the lessons! So we'll meet with him next week! :)

So it's been a really good week! I've learned a lot! and I know i'm gonna keep learning lots... haha but this week I've been working a lot on patience...and faith! And knowing that with God NOTHING is impossible! Missions are not easy but I know that I'm really being able to come closer to my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ as I rely on them and really put my faith and trust in Christ! I've been thinking a lot about the story of Peter walking on the water... This story can apply to all of us! I think sometimes we get comfortable with where we are but we need to get out of the boat. Peter had to have faith to get out of the boat and to walk towards Christ. Of course if he thought he would sink, he would sink! But with the faith to get out of the boat and he was able to walk on the water! I have had to have the faith to get out of the boat and to really trust in Christ! We need to not doubt and to have faith.... and faith to actually try and get out of the boat! Faith is an action word and faith without works is dead! We have to act on faith and actually do something! We have to rely on the Lord but we have to do our part too! There's lots more I want to say about this but I can't think of how I want to word it... haha but there's something to think about....just what I've been thinking about lately and what I'm working on actually applying!! :) things are coming along and going well here! Hope you're all having fun with the last days of summer!! can't believe it's almost over!!! Craziness! Time flies when you're having fun.. :) Love you all!! Have a wonderful week:)

Love, 

Sister Tait

Love Mondays!! Two Months Today!!

Well hello everybody!!! It's finally Monday!!! I feel like this week has been super long...haha! It was kinda a rough week but that just means this week is gonna be really awesome!! :)

Last Monday was good... we went to the Rainey's for dinner after pday and I just love them!!! Oh my goodness! So Sister Rainey has been a member for a while and then brother Rainey just got baptized last year!! So she's been waiting a long time to be able to go to the temple and on Tuesday guess what!? He went through the temple!! So exciting!! Even though we didn't really do anything it's so fun for us to be able to see the fruits from other missionaries and what has come from their hard work!! Now this couple is going to be sealed together soon and it's also amazing to see the impact they're having on the rest of their family! Sister Rainey's parents the Hersoms live in the ward too and we also visit them regularly! They have been less active but have been coming to church for the past couple of weeks and since Brother Rainey has gone through the temple they have a renewed desire and really want to get there and get sealed!! It's so great! AH!!! I just love them! They are the cutest! :) And then Brother Hersom's sister (Sister Wallace) she's so cute too :) (it's funny how every knows everyone cuz they're all related it's fun to figure out how all these families in the ward go together haha) She is working towards the temple as well!! Hopefully she can get there soon before she has to start chemo again!! And then Brother Eldredge! He is living the word of wisdom and the bishop said he's ready to go to the temple!! Oh my goodness! It's just so great! I love it! All these people realizing they're not getting any younger...they know what they need to do and where they want to be so they're doing all they need to do to get there! I don't feel like I'm really even doing anything to help them! But they're teaching me so much!!

So yes it has been a good week!! Monday-Wednesday are always really good! Then Thursday, Friday, Saturday kind of drag.... Just because we're trying to find more people to teach and we're not really sure how to do that! Pat and Ken who were are new investigators have been way busy and we haven't been able to meet with them! so that's kinda lame...this is the week! we're gonna meet with them and they're gonna come to church!! I know it! haha...

But yeah...we have a new district leader - Elder Lund! And he is now training a new elder who is a visa waiter waiting to go to Brazil! So Wednesday we had district meeting with a whole new district! Elder Vaughn is also training a visa waiter! So it was kind of nice to not be the new one! I felt a little more like I knew what I was doing... at least compared to these fresh out of the mtc elders! haha... yeah I still have no clue what i'm doing.... it's cool... :) On Thursday we made a list of all of our former investigators...there were 78!! So now that's what we're gonna do when we don't know what to do! Go and contact these people and try and get more people to teach!! :) but....they don't like to answer their doors :/ so we've done lots of knocking but not lots of teaching this past week so that's why it was rough!

Oh here's some exciting news! So on Saturday night the elders texted us and said they had a referral for us! And he was moving to the tedford shelter on Sunday! We texted back and said Awesome we love homeless people!! Then they said.. "oh and you'll love this one! he said he's come to church before and really wants to be baptized! should be there tomorrow!!" What?!?! haha but then we figured it out... texted back and said "no way! Don't tell us it's Alex?!" .... "you got it!" hahahha oh boy... so Alex is back in Brunswick!!! We'll probably get his baptism and everything figured out and then he'll move back to Bath and the elders will get him... haha but oh well! maybe we can get it figured out !! So it's gonna be a good week! Here's something that I learned this week... well I already knew this but it's really stood out to me lately.... We all have weaknesses and we all have strengths! obviously... and we all have different ones!! How would it be if all of us had the same weaknesses and the same strengths!? umm yeah... we would all fail! We can lift others up because of our differences! I love Ether 12:27 and I know that through Christ our weak things can be made strong! None of us are perfect and this gospel is all about change and becoming better! Through Christ and the Atonement we can do that! I know that it's a process though and it takes time... We just have to keep pressing forward and having faith and doing our very best! Christ doesn't make up the difference...He makes ALL the difference! We just have to continually keep trying!! I just keep thinking... I need to do my best and He will make up the rest! Anyways there's my thought for the week... haha :) I love you all so very much!!! Thanks for believing in me and for all your prayers, love and support!! LOVE YOU!! have a great week!! :)