The Rest of the Lord

September 16, 2013

Dear Family,

This week was awesome!  I can confidently say it has been one of the most peaceful and joy filled weeks of my entire life!  I will talk about it more in my letter but in case you're only reading this paragraph...know it's been a great week!

Elder McDonald and I have really become great friends over these last 12 weeks and I am very grateful for my time with him.  There has been an amazing progression in our relationship.  When he first got here we would walk in-between appointments talking about how we wanted to go to Alaska together when we get home, what kind of music one another liked, movies that have come out since I have been gone, basically all about home... and it wasn't beneficial to us at all.  Over the past few nights I have really started to notice the changes that have occurred...instead of talking of home we talk almost exclusively about how to help investigators, how awesome that last lesson worked out, things we studied during personal study that we didn't have enough time to discuss in the morning, and even this past week (brace yourself) we caught ourselves a number of times singing hymns...and it has made a world of difference!  I can't even describe to you how happy I have been this past week, it has been one of the happiest weeks of my life.  

It really is quite difficult to explain, we were out later than we usually were, walked further than we normally did, were more tired than we had ever been...but the peace we felt the entire time was unmatched by any other time of my life.  Something I studied a lot this week was the phrase "the Rest of the Lord".  This phase is mentioned seven times in The Book of Mormon.  Normally it's in the context of after death but I looked at in another way this week.  President and I talked about it and he said, "the rest of the Lord is the peace that occupies your mind when you are satisfied with your performance/work you are doing".  And that is how I have felt this whole week. I am so tired but so happy and content at the same time.  The spirit was so strong in lessons, we were able to have words put into our mouths both in lessons and in blessings we had the opportunity to give.  I had tears come to my eyes on a number of occasions, it was just amazing!  We would finish planning at the end of the day exhausted but had the biggest smiles on our faces.  It has been a long time since I have been able to really examine myself and give an honest answer that I felt totally at peace about where I was spiritually.  There was nothing in my past that was bothering me, nothing that I was currently doing that I felt guilty about and I was at total and perfect rest.  I am so happy.  My mission is completely different than it was a month ago and I am a completely different person than I have ever been.  Missions truly are divine and I am so happy and grateful to be here:). Every night this week I have laid in bed with a peace that I have never felt before in my life.  I am satisfied and proud of the work that I had done that day and I can literally feel the Lords approval of it as well. 

Anyway...Yes, I will make sure to get some more pictures of me with the people I am working with, we have been pretty good with pictures though haven't we?

Well transfers are right around the corner...  I am really starting to get nervous that I'm going to be transferred.  This place is awesome and I really love it.  I feel like I could stay here for the rest of my mission and I wouldn't mind at all!  Koforidua is growing like crazy and is becoming such a great area I am almost sick with nervousness thinking about the possibility of leaving to a new.  This place has really become my home over the past eight months and I love it. 

Update on the Ansah family: Things are going great!  The boys were able to attend the baptism of Daniel on Sunday which got them all excited for their own baptism next week!  We met with the family the other night and Blessed had set a cut off date with selling the car...he said that Christmas is the last possible time, that if he hasn't sold it or paid back the pastor before then that he will just come anyway.  We set a date with him for the 29th of December with an asterisk next to it that whenever he sells the car his baptism will be the Sunday of the week he sells it. That family is so ready and so excited to be in the church it's so sad that this debt has to hold them back so much.  The branch is so excited about them though!  They even are thinking about trying to help him to pay the pastor back so they can be in the church as quick as possible!  I'll leave that to them.  The boys come every Saturday to clean the church, they are at seminary every morning.  They are just the golden family.

Yeah I'm still coughing...it seems to be getting a bit better but ill make sure to keep an eye on it.

It sounds like you are all having an awesome time!  Park City, Clear Creek, birthdays, sounds like a constant party around the Bradshaw house lately.  That was fun when we stayed up there a few years back!  That was sweet!  I think if I walked into a hotel right now my head may just explode!  I'm still not quite sure how Ill take to all of that stuff...? 

Elli I cannot believe that you are so old! Eleven? That is crazy to me!

It sounds like the rain has been crazy there lately!  It's kinda been the same way here as well.  We are starting to approach the dry season but that's not what it feels like. It rains almost every day, most of the time something gets flooded. ha ha, Luckily no water in the apartment yet though;).  I'll attach some pictures. 

But Dad I am totally up for some snowmobiling when I get back!  We were actually talking about that just yesterday, our landlord has this crazy notion stuck in his mind that whenever he starts his car the first thing he needs to do is to rev the heck out of it...like bury it deep past red line.  Now, the worst part about this is he does it at about 5 in the morning...and it fills the back room of our apartment with exhaust. Anyway it smells just like snowmobiling, or at least what I remember it smelling like! It made me really want to go, so we will definitely have to!

Yeah Mom to answer your question I'm not sure what is going on with transfers...?  I actually have been pretty lucky, with my mission full of the crazy experiences...I have had quite a few opportunities to talk with President Judd and get to know him really well.  After we were robbed last week, he came up to visit then this week we had zone conference.  And then he and I talked on the phone a bit the other night about the other Elders in the district and transfers for them but all I got about me was, "well Elder, transfers are coming, know there will be some changes, but keep praying, keep doing what your doing, and it will all be okay."  Now I didn't look too deep into it but I feel like I'm about due for another tough companion:/.  I'll be expecting the worst though...so I guess it can only be good news;).  Keep your fingers crossed.  

For the questions:

Mail?

-I got a 'dearelder' from Missy this morning and I got a letter from Mindy a few weeks back...thank you!
Photos?

-they are on drop box...which is almost full again so can you empty it?

Best moment of the week?
-I was able to give a blessing to a member and his wife on Sunday and it was the most directed I had ever felt in what I said.  I started out fine, nothing too special and then it just hit, it was like my mind turned completely off and it wasn't even me anymore.  I was prompted to say something about the resurrection and I thought It was a bit weird but then as I thought about it for another moment my entire body got chills all over  and I just knew that I needed to say what I had been prompted to.  It was really cool experience. 
 
Most spiritual moment?

-we had a lesson with a lady named Benice...and I swear we weren't even able to say anything!  We sat down she immediately started praying then when she finished she started right into how she felt like she just needed to open her Book of Mormon...so she did.  She just opened right up to Mosiah 18, which talks all about baptism and following the desires of our heart.  She just went crazy with how she for years now has had a very strong desire to be baptized again but since she had been baptized before thought that she couldn't, even though she knew that it wasn't a proper baptism.  She asked a few questions about if she could be baptized as the people in the story were and was just over joyed with the knowledge that she too, could have the desires of her heart fulfilled.  It was awesome:).  

How is the list of the 365(?) In-active members going?  What a great list to have!  Let us know how that is going!

-hahaha, lets just say its like trying to find a specific person in NYC with only their first name. Oh, and it's someone you have never met before...  and then to top it off...Ghana is the worst with addresses!  We searched for a few hours but had zero luck, so hopefully this week:).

Best food you cooked this week?

-I actually didn't cook this week!  We had investigators invite us over for almost every meal :)

P-day fun?

-nope

Coughing?

-yes;)

Okay remind me to next week tell you the story about the picture with all of that awesome looking candy.  Its a sweet story but this email seems to be getting a bit long and scatter brained.  Crazy how much awesome stuff happens when you are doing whats right:).  

Anyway I love you all so so much!  Don't worry about me things are going great.  I couldn't be happier and I know this church is true, so what else really matters right?:)

Love you all, I'm praying for you,

Taylor