Courage

This week was super busy. We had a lot of office work, but its all going well :)

This week I studied in Deuteronomy chapters 20-24. Moses talks a lot about what the people should and shouldn't do and it is really important because it's kinda the last time Moses speaks before he dies. One thing I thought was cool was when he talked about them going to battle, he said even though the enemy might be strong and there may be many of them, they should not be afraid. And if there are any among them that are fearful, they should go home because they would only make their brethren more fearful.  That is true in our lives too, we should face problems head on and trust that we will make it through. :)

Every time we taught this week it rained a lot, which was awesome because it was windy and pouring rain and there was lightning! Our companions saw a transformer explode in front of them and fire balls shot out.  I love the weather the most though because its cooler when it rains. Otherwise its way to hot.

Anyways, hope you have a great week :) 

 

Elder TJ

 

"He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city"

- Proverbs 16:32

Righteous Living

I was reading in Proverbs this morning and I really liked this scripture:

 

Proverbs 12:28 "In the way of righteousness is life; and in the pathway thereof there is no death."

 

Its true and I know it's true because as I've been out here I notice.  People who are living the gospel are happier. Maybe its something about eternal progression or maybe its about loving the people around you. I don't know, but living the gospel and really changing for the better really makes people happy and to me that is true life.

 

-Elder TJ

Life is good

Attached is our trip to Magat Dam with one of our members and our boat ride there and my friend Tyron and my two friend Sister Aguanta and Elder Atwood

Sacrifice

Hello again!

Today we had a half day mission, which is where the members help us out.  We went and talked to some people who hadn't been able to get to church and told them how much we missed them.  It was amazing to see how many people came and how much the people loved to work with us.  Some of them even had to sacrifice time and money to be there and drive us places, but they were happy to do so.  I love it here so much!

I have been reading in the bible in addition to my other studies because I haven't ever read it all the way through. As I was reading Leviticus I noticed all the sacrifice they do and how specific they have to be. They have to kill the animal the right way or prepare the food the right way and burn certain parts and do things with other parts and put blood certain places.  I wondered how that could be relevant to us, seeing as we don't sacrifice animals anymore.  And this is what I came up with.  We still have sacrifices in our time, though they aren't animals.  We live in a world where everything is very attainable and easy. God asks for different things from us. He asks for us to give up our sins, to sacrifice our desires and wants to him in order to bind ourselves to him in covenant.  And the covenants we make are every bit as intricate as sacrifices of old. I also thought about how God doesn't need their animals and how hard it must have been for them to give entire bulls to God, though he doesn't need them. But the sacrifices aren't for God.  They are for us. As we give away our sins and covenant with God, we get closer to him.

I hope you all have another great week and I feel your love and support.

Elder Taylor-Jenson

Life is good.

Finance

Hey!

So the past couple months have been crazy and I've been busy.  I got into a new area and my new job is in Finance.  So i am now the finance elder in my mission and its a little stressful haha. The past couple weeks I have been in training taking care of rent and support for the missionaries.  We don't really work as much though so I miss that. 

But this week i read in numbers 11:11-15 and it was really inspiring even though its kinda sad.  So this is where we see Moses kinda break down.  He is a super faithful man and he has done everything the Lord asked until this point.  And here he breaks and we see how hard this all is for him.  He feels like he would rather be dead and he hates how the people complain, he feels like he is their mother.  And after that we see the Lord provides a way for him.  He gives him instructions to help Moses out.  And I think that's how life is for me sometimes, sometimes its hard and I've learned to just do it or put up with it.  But maybe if I took my problems to God more often, He would help me more quickly. 

I miss you all and hope you are doing well!

Elder Taylor-Jenson

Life is Good

Baptism and Transfer Day

28 March 2016

Whew a lot went down this week.  First we taught a lot, which was amazing.  I am talking more in lessons and I'm really comfortable with the language, I can joke with people and they actually understand my jokes! (I love the PI, here I'm actually funny!  That or they just laugh at my accent...)  I find it easier to speak from the heart about how the gospel has changed my life.  Elfie, our investigator, got baptized last Saturday too!  It was awesome, we also had two other baptisms along with his, Emerald and Hanisa.  I got called to speak last minute which went well even though I wasn't expecting it.

We also got a new bunk bed frame this week so our room is actually a room instead of two beds side by side!  This week is the end of my two cycle training (a cycle is about 6 weeks) which means I'll get a new companion!  4 of us elders live in Cabbaroguis and the other two are new, we all thought my companion would be transferred to a new area because he is the oldest here.  But today we found out that I'm actually going to be transferred and one of the other guys who got here at the same time as me!  Its unusual because I just got done with training but I am super excited!  But I wont be able to use the new bed frame come Wednesday...  oh well, I'm super stoked!   

We also had this awesome Pinoy traditional dinner where we just eat off a banana leaf... it was so cool.

Anyway, I love you all, thanks for the support!

Elder TJ

Life is good

A Fresh Start and Astig Falls

21 March 2016

This morning we went to the falls in Bagiou Village!  It was a blast, I love it here!  I also got to eat a pig's eye this week (poor pig) and pump water for the first time.  Buko juice (as usual) was freshly cut yesterday at our dear member's house (the Deranchang family).  But in the midst of all the astig (cool) things we got done, we did work too!

This week I prayed a lot for Elpie, our 15 year old investigator who really wants to join to church and for Amie (as you can tell those are our most progressing investigators).  Elpie had his baptismal interview this week which went smoothly!  I was a little worried when we went to have his guardian sign the consent form but it went well (my companion is super good with people so props to him!).  Elpie will get baptized next Saturday if everything goes well!  He is so excited to get his fresh start, when we explain baptism we tell them about how strong the spirit is at the baptism and about how they become new, all their sins are washed away.  He is super excited for that.  And Amie started to actually take notes during our lesson, which I thought was awesome because she sometimes doesn't seam like she wants to pay attention.  But we didn't ask her to take notes, she just did, which made us super excited!  

Personally I've been working on a lot too, mostly being as obedient to the mission rules as possible and becoming as self-less as possible.  I started doing the dishes more (which I hate doing) and looking outside myself more which so far is going well!  

Thanks for all the support, I love you guys a ton.

Elder Taylor-Jenson

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.  So watch your step."

Spiders and doing what is right...

14 March 2016

This week was a blast, we went on a hike up this hill and cut down some small trees to help this guy build an extension to his house!  Then when we were done we went to this grandmas house and I climbed a 30 foot tree (I mean it was 10 feet mom...) to get the buko (coconuts) down.  That is my favorite thing here, being able to cut open a fresh buko and have some fresh buko juice.  We also caught some little spiders  on our walks home.  I use to be a little scared of spiders to be honest but here even the kids play with them.  And this morning of course I owned up some basketball with the little Filipinos!  They make me laugh so much, I don't think i can play basketball without speaking Tagalog! 

As for spiritually, I relearned a lesson this week that my dad taught me!  (I'm half a world away and my dad is still taking me to class...)  Ever since I was little my dad has taught me "don't sweat the small stuff" and that is so true.  There is an infinitely vast plan set out for us.  Every experience we have gives us an opportunity to learn and be better and work to perfect ourselves as people.  I was in this van on the way to stake conference this weekend and we drove past a church with a cross.  I thought about why our church doesn't have a cross as its symbol.  Our symbol is "the church of Jesus Christ of latter day saints" with the name of Jesus in big letters.  I think the reason for that is because this plan for our whole lives, this gospel and this church is all centered on Christ.  Thats why our symbol is his name.  And as I thought about it I realized how much the gospel has changed me a lot.  How I wouldn't be me if I wasn't a "mormon".  To me it is the Gospel of Jesus Christ for Keanan Taylor-Jenson.  It is personally and directly related to me and who I am.  So maybe that is why it is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  

I miss you guys so much, again I thank you for your time and support. You have all touched me at some point in my life.  

Your Average American in the Philippines,

Elder Taylor-Jenson

"feel the fear and do it anyway"