December 28, 2009

Monday we went shopping to the Mall of Georgia, the 4th largest mall in the states, we went caroling with the Bishop and his family that night.

Tuesday, we delivered holiday-grams and visited some people with the Bishop. The first was Sis. C******** who is the cutest little widow in our ward. She has snow white hair and is about 4ft. 6in. tall... litearly, you could put her in your pocket! Well, as we were leaving she asked "Can I give you a hug?" I figured that if there's any harm from hugging Sis. C******** I might as well just throw my hands up in the air. So, I gave her big old hug. Then we visited R***** G******, he's a homeless guy (by choice) and he lives in the woods out behind the hospital. He's a recent convert and a super nice guy, he takes care of his neighbors like their his own children and tries to keep the neighborhood kids out of trouble by helping them make a fresh water stream through the woods.

Wednesday we had a gingerbread house making activity for the youth of the ward. We asked them to bring their friends and stuff and it was super cool. As we were waiting for everyone else to come this random guy walked into the church and asked if he could talk to someone. So, I went and into another room started talking with him. He smelled super heavily of smoke and he began to unfold to me the story of his tragic past year. At the beginning of January last year his stone business went under and as a result he lost his house (which he had allowed several of his workers to stay as well as several other people who didn't have a place to stay) and as a result of loosing the house the were all sent to the streets. He found a place to stay (an extended stay hotel) and has been there since May. He's been doing odd jobs here and there just to eek by. He hit a deer with his car sometime in between and it no longer works, so he has to get rides or walk from place to place. Well, on Wednesday he was eating and Cici's (after he had done some work for them) and say the steeple of our church and felt really prompted to come in. As I sat there and talked with him I realized what he needed was some help paying for rent for the week and perhaps some food or something. Well, I called the Bishop and he called the Elders Quorum President and he came over and we discussed what we could do for him. We got him set with another week's worth of rent and some money for groceries, in return there were a few things that they needed done and so he was asked to take care of those. We gave him a Priesthood Blessing and taught him about authority. It was a miracle that we would be at the church on that day and that it would be open. The Lord truly prompted him to come over.

Thursday we went to Wal-Mart so I could get Elder Mortensen a last minute Christmas gift and it was crazy there! We went to the H****'s home for dinner and then caroling with them afterwards. They are a really fun family. Bro. H**** is the stake high councilor over youth and he's really just a 40 something old teenager. We started singing Joy to the World at one of the houses and we ALL started on different notes, it was incredibly funny! We visited the P*******’s lastly and Sis. P******* has made us a dinner calendar to pass around to the ward for our meal sign-ups and it has pictures of us all over it.

Friday we spent at the S*****’s and the B******’s. It was a great Christmas and I felt just like I was at home... as much as was possible. They even gave us stockings with presents and we each got a Snuggie! Lucky us! The B******’s gave us Pop-Tarts and a Subway gift card... they're so thoughtful. Anyway, the day was wonderful.

Saturday, we went to go see R*** and J** (the people's who's house burnt down) but we ended up talking to R***** and C******. who are J**'s parents, instead. We taught them about the Book of Mormon and committed them to read it. They said they'll come to church when C****** gets work off (she works at Wal-mart on Sundays). They are super southern and I just loved them. R***** has no or very few teeth and a great thick accent and he tells us that his door is always open. He wished that more young people were doing what we're doing. We agreed. We sure love him and he told us on the way out "I sure do love ya guys"

Sunday- T*** came to church (he's progressing like a stud!) and A**** came as well. He was saying some Praise God's and Hallelujah's during sacrament and had a good experience. He came to Gospel Principles and Priesthood and participated in the lesson and he made a ton of friends. The ward really grasped their arms around him. He even volunteered to help with a service project this morning, he didn't have a ride and they had enough people but it was super cool of him! Well, here's the catch: He lives out of our ward boundaries. So we introduced him to the Elders who are ACTUALLY his Elders and we set up and appointment to go over with them on Tuesday so we'll actually be handing him off. But the truth is that all the baptisms are the Lord's and I trust that they will do a good job. 

Love,

Elder Davies

December 21, 2009

This week has been full of holiday-grams and anti-biotics for me (I think I'm over my sinus infection now) We've delivered about half of the holiday grams, which is good. We're hoping to see some fruits of those labors.

Also, we sang in church yesterday. We sang a duet of 'O Holy Night' with the choir and the organ coming in at the 3rd verse. It was super super cool. I really love this ward, they treat us too good.

Okay, last and coolest part of this week. On Monday we went to deliver a food order to a family who's house burned down the day after Christmas. They aren't members, but they were renting their furniture from Rent-A-Center where a recent convert works and he called us and we put the food order together for them. It was huge! There were like 6 gallons of milk, and about 10-12 other boxes full of cans and pasta and some more boxes with meat and eggs and stuff. Well, R*** and J**, who are the ones who's house burnt down, are living with J**'s father  which just happens to be the house next door, until they can fix up the trailer they're going to live in, which is behind the house. Well, they were so grateful. I really love these people. They are the most Southern people I have run into in this area thus far. They've lived here for 38 years, so back when it was just open land and dirt roads, and they are pretty "red" (if you don't know what I mean ask Greg for interpretation) I'm pretty sure all of J**'s teeth are about to fall out and as for the rest of the family I think only half of them have teeth. But we went over later in the week and taught them about the Book of Mormon and they said they would read a few verses that we picked out for them. We'll go over again this week and just check up with them and try to continue to teach. They said we're always welcome in their home after what we did to help in their time of need. Service is really one of the best tools here in the South.

Love,

Elder Davies

December 14, 2009

Well, this week has been full of creative finding ideas. As you know President King was a/the creative director for his company. And with studies from the MTC that show how tracting in the southeast closely associates us with Jehovah's Witnesses we try to perform service in the area and be creative in ways that we find people before we start tracting. However, we still tract if we don't have any other finding activity planned. That is something that kinda surprised me when I first started serving. But, we, in this area try very hard to use the ward members. We've started creating Family Mission Plans with families as we have dinner with them. We commit them to set a goal date and have 3 people in mind that they can invite to some sort of church function by that date. Those fruits will probably be after I leave this area but it is important to get the members involved (see PMG Ch. 9- quote by Pres. Hinckley that starts "So many of us look..." pg. 160). However with it being the Christmas season we have started to do some holiday oriented finding.

First is Holiday-Grams, which I described last week. Most of our afternoon time this week was organizing rather than delivering but we did deliver one. We started singing before she got to the door and her baby sitter kept passing by us so it was super awkward already. Then she opened the door, cut us off mid singing and told us she was giving her baby a bath! We quickly gave her the gift and left on our way. That was the only one we were able to deliver this week, so I figure it can only go up from there.

Next, and this was is a VERY creative way to find people. We were getting a ride with Sis. C*** to her house so we could pick up our bikes that we left there. (Side-note: Sis. C*** is an older lady in the ward who absolutely LOVES her dogs. She bears her testimony about them every fast Sunday and treats them better than some people treat kids: she's the ideal dog lady!) We were talking about her upcoming concert with the Sugar Hill LDS Choir and she was talking about how she gets pedicures before them and her eyes lit up and she proclaimed: "Do you want to go get pedicures?" I was shocked! I didn't know what to say so I deferred the question to Elder Mortenson and he said "Uhm, I guess so" So we went with her to deliver the Korean Book of Mormon she asked us to get for her pedicure ladies. We got there and the little Korean ladies come out and give Sis. C*** a hug and then she tells them that she needs to 2 pedicures and points to us! Needless to say they let out a little chuckle, realized she was serious and then started to give us our pedicures. I was just hoping that no one would come in the store, but I'll be man enough to say it: It felt SO good! And, we taught them about the restoration, invited them to church, gave them Alma 32 in the Korean Book of Mormon to read to them. They came to the Choir Concert on Saturday so, the pedicures paid off... in many ways! It was also fun because the lady doing my pedicure kept telling me how cute I was and then asked me if I had a girlfriend. I told her, "not until I go back" then she slyly told me about her 14 year old daughter. So I've got Sis. A******* (the 80 year old choir director) in Hamilton Mill and now a prearranged girlfriend for when I get back. Boy, sometimes missionary work is much different than you expect.

Well, from there the rest of the week is kinda boring, but T*** has moved his baptismal date up to Jan. 9th and asked A*** (a priest in our ward... Sis. S*****'s son and our main team-up) to baptize him.

Yesterday at church I was talking to people and saying hello before the meeting started and I looked out and say B**** (my friend from the Spanish Branch) with her kids come in. I went up to them and I****, her 4 year old ran up to me and threw his arms around me... we're really good pals. They stayed for sacrament meeting and then afterwards gave me a present. In it was a scarf (very stylish I might add) and a key-chain digital picture frame with pictures of all of you on it. It was the best present ever! She got all the pictures from Facebook, since I guess she's friends with Matt and Jordan. But she's so great, I love her and her little family. They are struggling financially right now, but that they would drive an hour to me and give me such a thoughtful gift I was deeply moved. I love the Spanish people in this area. I would love to serve them one day, I try whenever I can.

The last thing I want to mention, just briefly is Bishop Hilton. I feel so incredibly blessed to be able to work with him. Like I've said before, I feel a special bond with Bishop and feel like I'm able to learn from his leadership and apply it into my life. Yesterday, I talked to him about how Elder Mortenson and I have been sick and we set up a time after church that we could receive a blessing from him. I will not go into detail about the blessing but he said some things to me that re-testified of the power of the priesthood. He is like my father away from home, something I miss so much this holiday season. Sis. S***** is my surrogate mother and this ward is my surrogate family. I love serving here and while, during the Christmas season, there are additional trials in missionrry work (as well as additional opportunities) I know I'm where I need and want to be for this time in my life. 

Love,

Elder Davies

December 7, 2009

We are doing very well here in Sharon Springs. We're trying to get our feet underneath us since we've both been battling illnesses for about a month now. As soon as I get over something Elder Mortenson gets it and as soon as he gets over something, I get it. Kinda the tricky part of companionships. But amidst all of this, we're still able to get the work to progress.

This week we were able to start teaching T*** outside of church. T*** has been coming to church for about 2 months straight now. We've been teaching the lessons to the Priests quorum mainly so that we have been able to teach him too. He's 18, he comes from a very rough background, he's never really had a solid father and his mother, from what I gather, has not been too helpful and may have some problem of her own. Well, T*** is really great, he really wants to learn and I've met few people who are as interested as him. We taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ on Monday and committed him to pray and think about baptism. On Friday we went out to breakfast with him and while were on our way home he said "So, I think I want to be baptized." We told him we know he's ready and asked him to pick a date. Usually we'll pick the date right there but, we felt like we should just let him choose and get back to us. Sunday, I was sitting by him and Brother B***, his main fellow-shipper, and we decided on January 23rd, so that Sister B*** can be home in time for it. Well, afterwards Bro. B*** was teasing T*** about going up and bearing his testimony and towards the end T*** leaned over to him and was dead serious and asked: "What do I say?" Well, he got up and bore his testimony and thanked the ward for helping him. The coolest part is that in the last two months T*** has gone from wondering if God even existed to saying on Sunday "I know this Church is true" It was one of those "this is all worth it" moments on my mission.

We had a Zone Conference on Thursday and it was good, as they always are. We talked about how the youth in this stake are going to be key, something that our Bishop emphasized and something that we were already aware of. It's amazing how the Lord will confirm his message through the different vehicles to verify its truthfulness. I'm glad to because I love working with the young men in the ward so I'm excited to let that be more of a focus.

The coolest thing that we're doing this Christmas is called: Holiday-Grams! We've allowed the people in the ward to sign up their friends, neighbors, etc. and we will deliver a present ('Joy to the World' or 'Mr. Krugers Christmas' with either a Family Proclomation or a '3 Simple Ways to a Happier Family' booklet) a short 1-2 min. message about Christ all with a carol and a smile. We're not going to ask if we can teach more or anything, we're going to let the members follow up on that for us. That's their part of the deal. We're hoping that we can find some families that we can teach this way. We should be getting started on Tuesday so wish us luck!

The other fun thing we did this week was help S** and M** and H****** M******* put up their lights. S** and M** are hilarious, they are both from Long Island and are classic New Yorkers. They moved here to Georgia about 15 years ago. Anyway, S** wants to be baptized and H****** (who's 24) wants to learn more. But M**, for some reason that is unknown to us (well not really I think he's holding on to his Coffee and Tea and doesn't want to find out the church is true because he doesn't want to give it up... he used to be a 4-Pack a day smoker till he quit for health reasons) is holding back. He was pushed really hard back in New York. The Elders there told them they had felt very strongly that he will someday be a Bishop. I think that that scared him a lot. We're trying to gain trust with him, because things can't really progress too much until he'll listen.

Love,

Elder Davies

November 30, 2009

Tuesday, we got new Elders in the district, two of which are greenies and another who's a former Zone Leader but is spending his last 4 weeks training. Most of the day was spent going to say hello to them and welcoming them to Georgia. Needless to say they were a bit overwhelmed, like all of us have felt. But they're great, and I'm going to love this district... I just know it!

Wednesday we decided to try and spend the morning doing service, before we had any real appointments. We went and moved a hot water heater for an investigator who has 9 dogs in her house. In fact, while we were there she stepped in some dog poop and rather than pick it up, she just changed shoes and went on her way. Then we went over to offer another investigator some service and his friend, who's a Messianic Jew (a Jew who believes that Jesus was/is the Messiah). Anyway, she started asking questions about the Book of Mormon and so I sat down and started to talk to her. Well, as I sat down I heard this 'RIP'. I kinda wrinkled my eyebrows but just continued to casually answer her questions. Well, I knew my pants had just ripped and I was devising a way that we could get out of there and them not notice. So, I finished helping her understand what we believe the Book of Mormon is, I invited her to read it and she wants "imperical evidence" first. Well, as much as I'd like to show her that, faith will be more necessary. When we got out to the car I examined it, and this was no small rip by any means. This rip came from the top of my pants, to where the belt loop was and extended all the way towards the bottom of my pocket. Well, we quickly made a stop at our apartment so I could change. Needless to say, our team-up who was with us got a real good laugh. To top off the embarrassing day, that night we had a dinner appointment and at the end we knelt down to pray and I realized... my fly was down the ENTIRE appointment. I just hope that no one noticed!

Don't worry this rough start didn't ruin my Thanksgiving though. It was a great meal at the S*****'s. We had everything that you could need/want and then some. We even had Frog-eye salad (Acini Salad)... and it was ALL good! The game was full of fun, laughs and expressing gratitude. We played Ping-Pong, Phase 10 and Catch Phrase. I felt like I was just at home which was a good thing... and made me a little homesick, but don't worry, all is well! I really loved Thanksgiving, it was a great day. I wrote down as many of my blessings that came to my mind in 5 minutes and filled up my journal page.

Well, Sunday was a great day! Some of my friends from the Spanish Branch came to our ward and afterwards we went to a park and had a little Spanish fiesta. It was so so nice to see them, and they said they're going to come and visit me in Utah when I get home, so one day, you will ALL be able to meet them. The other really cool experience we had was on Sunday night. We went over to visit Sister P*******, W********'s wife. She's been sick on and off and we started talking to her. Usually we don't turn off the TV because we don't want to be rude but, this time I asked her if we could turn it off, because it's always distracting me. So we did, and it was amazing how the spirit was able to be in the room. Sometimes I think I worry to much about offending people and don't think about whether or not I'm offending the spirit. Well, she really opened up to us and told us about some of the worries she's been having that she hasn't told anyone. We shared some scriptures with her that we've both found comforting and left her with a prayer. 

Love,

Elder Davies

November 23, 2009

We had transfer calls last night and I'm very pleased to say that finally I will be staying with a companion for longer than a transfer! Elder Mortenson and I will both stay here in Sharon Springs. Which means that we'll spend Thanksgiving AND Christmas AND New Years AND his birthday together... I'm gonna have to be a nice companion for the next 6 weeks.

I'm happy to say that things are going well here in Cumming Georgia. This week we had one of the most spiritual lessons of my mission. We went on a team-up with our Elder's Quorum President Brother Ray to teach J** M*****, a friend of a recent convert who I have never met but has come to church about 4 times before I ever got here. Well, as we pulled up to his house there was a note on the door for us. I thought "Great, he's ditched out on us again!" However the note explained that he had been up super late but that he left the door unlocked and is asleep on his couch, so if he doesn't answer he wants us to walk in a wake him up. So... we walked in, however, he was awake. We then proceeded to teach J** about the Atonement. Elder Mortenson shared a really cool experience he's had lately about how he feels very strongly that his Dad is teaching J**'s Dad (who just passed away during the summer) in the spirit world. I talked about the Atonement and how I've felt great gratitude for it in my life and particularly in J's life, and how that knowledge of the Atonement in the only comfort I have in knowing where my brother is and that I WILL see him. Then we committed J** for baptism on January 3rd. He was super hesitant because he hasn't received his answer yet. Then Bro. R** talked about road signs and how sometimes we miss the sign for the street we're looking to turn on because we aren't paying attention. Well, then J** prayed right there, aloud about the date. I felt the spirit flood into the room as he prayed and he said that he felt good. Now, Jan 3rd is a BIG Goal for J**, partly because he's a HUGE smoker and basically and Alchoholic. But we have resources to help him and we'll do what we can to make it all work.

We had one other teaching appointment this week that was... interesting. We went over to J***** M****'s house (he's the 77 year old who loved the BYU channel and could probably beat me up) his wife, C******, has been a challenge, but she's finally sat down with us the last time they ( I was on exchange) went over. This time we started to talk to her and asked her if she'd read any of the BOM yet. I don't remember what her answer was but she started to say that she was really concerned about Elder Mortenson and I. She obviously had a concern but she said she didn't want to share it because we're "young and impressionable." She proceeded to ask us what we study. I told her that I'm currently studying Job and Psalms in the Bible. She asked us if we read in secular stuff and I told her that while we're on our missions we don't read things not put out by the church. She was really concerned about that. Well, she's been reading this book about the FLDS church and it's origins and Joseph Smith who started the church. Well, she knowingly acknowledges that there's a difference between us and the FLDS but she has some really mixed ideas about Joseph Smith. She sees us as having split off from the church that Joseph established and even believes that he was killed because of the "things he was publishing."

Well, I'll tell you what, I set her straight. Without standing up from the couch were I say I told her that what she had been told and read were flat out lies. And with all the vigor of my heart testified to her that Joseph Smith died for the Book of Mormon. I held it in my hands and told her that I knew with NO doubt in my mind that that book cost the lives of Joseph and his brother Hyrum, that it cost the best blood of the 19th Century. With all the love I have for her (and it is enough to fill that room) I told her that if she desired to know for herself that that book was true and if she wished to know the truth about Joseph Smith she would read the Book of Mormon. I told her that her concerns were not going to "shake" me as she had feared. I have examined and continue to examine my religion and find in it the fullness of Christ's gospel. And I have not come here to Georgia to leave my family for 2 years based on a whimsical testimony and ideas "planted" into my mind by a false church. No, I would not that.

C****** still has some major concerns and she's said she'll read the Book of Mormon and pray about it, but, one thing is without a doubt. She knows I know and that is all I can do. The Spirit put the words I spoke into my mouth at the time I needed them, I bear witness of that. I know with the fervor of my heart that gospel of Jesus Christ has come forth that the "fullness of times" or "refreshing" has come to pass. It's going to take a lot more than some false priestcraft book about Joseph Smith to change what I've fought to gain.

Love,

Elder Taylor B. Davies

November 9, 2009

The reason why I am writing you all so late is that this morning rather than e-mail like we usually do, Elder Mortenson and I went on a tour of the Hubert Humphrey mansion. Everything that I told you previously is true, I saw it in all it's splendor this very morning. He however was not available to show it, so his brother gave us the tour. Word on the street is that he has finally sold it, so that was probably our last chance. I wish that I had pictures to show but I was too afraid to ask if I could take any.

Rather than linger too long on the fun but trivial things I will let you know how my week went. This week was a very good week for us. We made some hard goals and we achieved in succeeding most of them, actually almost all. We did not get to meet much with our investigators that we've been working with the past weeks, other than W******** who will be baptized on Thursday. So we spent a good amount of time doing service and contacting some potential Investigators, some of which we will continue to teach. In fact, our board is just about full... we'll see how solid they are and if they keep their commitments this week.

Tuesday- Elder Mortenson got a flat tire, luckily it was right by a members house. Unfortunately, a gated community. Fortunately a car had just passed through so I was able to ride through. Unfortunately Elder Mortenson was not able to ride, due to flatness of tire and was running with his bike to try to make it. Fortunately he barely made it, I got a good laugh and we were back to work in no time.

Wednesday- We did service for some older ladies in the ward. One of them lives with her daughters and we've been told they are not very fond of the church, they've been baptized, but not very big fans. Anyway, they were super happy that we stopped by to rake their leaves and they were very nice, we'll be having dinner with them on Friday. The other lady has MS, and we set up her trampoline net (which she doesn't use... don't worry, it's for her grandson) and then looked through her church library. Then we taught a mission prep class to the Priests and Laurels, who are incredibly missionary minded, I'm thinking we'll get more investigators from them than anywhere else. Cool story, we challenged and committed them all to pray for missionary opportunities and as far as I know by Saturday, they had ALL had one. One girl was even going to bring a friend to church, but his dad told him if he went he'd be grounded and all sorts of other terrible things. Opposition in ALL things I told her. Actually it should really be said, Opposition in All things good!

Thursday- Zone Conference. Elder Bednar taught 18 of the mission presidents surrounding down in Florida and President King was really just relaying what he was taught about. There were two main themes: 1) "Jump out of the boat" meaning that we need to just do the things that are hard for us and exercise the faith. 2) "Get out of the way" we are trying too hard to sell people rather than allow the spirit to touch them, another very valuable thing. That night we had dinner with O***, her mom is a member and lives with her, her husband and her two children however her mom only speaks Spanish, so we can't really communicate. O*** told us she knows the BOM is true and so I bluntly asked her why she hadn't joined the church. She said because she's not dissatisfied with the Catholic church. I told her we aren't here to make people dissatisfied with their church with bashing it but rather to help them understand the fullness that resides in our church. We'll see how it goes with her.

Friday- We helped a member family move in right across from us. They'll be here till there house is done, so it's a great thing to have them close! That really took most of our day.

Saturday- We did some more service and then we got a call from S** and M** M*******, not sure if I've told you, anyway they're investigators and they invited us to 'The Barn' it's where the Coal Mtn. Elders spend a lot of time providing service and teaching a lot of people. There've already been like 4 baptisms from it in about 6 months I think. We'll we dug some holes from some horse shelters that'll be put up. I asked S** why she hasn't joined the church, she knows its true and openly admits it. She told us she wants to do it as a family and that for some reason M** is "not ready" and "doesn't want to be pushed". So really if we can help M** we will be able to baptize Sue. Kinda like the whole J***** M**** case. Who we weren't able to see this week.

Sunday- Primary program, we were able to teach T*** (he's been coming to church but still doesn't want to be taught be missionaries so we taught the 1st lesson in Priest quorum and he 'just happened to be there') he has some real potential to be baptized soon. He's 18 and could actually serve a mission soon as well. Things are starting to fall in place. We also had a YSA bring her boyfriend who's interested in learning more. So we set up a time and will teach C**** this week. That night we had a 'low country boil' one of my FAVORITE dinners! You'll have to look it up or ask Greg. It's where you just boil corn, potatoes and shrimp and put it all out on the table and you just eat it with your hands. However this time it was a bit more sophisticated and we actually had utensils. Then we had a team-up to go and teach W******** the last of the commandments. After we taught him we were talking about Thursday's baptism and the started to have concerns that he had never raised before. I was thinking, I've been waiting for this, things have been too smooth. Anyway, Bro. B******** our team-up bore a powerful testimony and we talked some more and kneeled right there and prayed to know if Thursday was the right day. It was a miracle. W******** prayed in front of us for the first time. He's been too nervous too and the last time he did his wife had to tell him what to say.  

Love,

Elder Davies