August 6, 2012

Dear mom,

Sounds like you all had a great week up at McCall.  Wish I could have been there, next year :)  And I just can’t wait!!!!!!!!!!  This week was, well I feel the worst of my mission.  Just of how crappy the week went and with my companion.  He is Gone Johnson tomorrow night.  So I’m stoked for that.  I am staying here in my area another change until Spencer gets to the mtc.  They can’t just leave a local missionary in an area after one change...he has no clue what he is doing.  This week we were out of the house a total of 7 or 8 hours I would say, that includes district meeting and church.  I’m so upset.  He is going to another area though, for another 6 weeks.  We don’t know where or with who but, he is staying.  The zone leaders haven’t called me yet with the changes, they will do that tomorrow.  I have never felt worse about a week in the mission then the week that just passed.  we´ll just leave it at that.

This last week I read my patriarchal blessing again.  There are some important things that make so much more sense to me now.   (note from mom . . . I edit his letters each week before posting - - I will keep some of these things private for Taylor!)

This next change I don’t really care who my comp is as long as he will work and be obedient.  I only have 8 months left, i just want to finish the right way.  I’ll be happier.  And my goal is 9 baptisms by the time I finish, that will bring my total to 20 baptism...I would feel good with that number.  And in this next change some goals that I have are to be in the road at 10:30, no later, also write in the area book every night, have comp study, and comp inventory.  Haven’t really done any of these this last change.    That’s really all that the mission is, setting goals, and learning to change.  

Right now, I have been finding some people to teach, but I don’t have anyone who is progressing.  But Andres is going to the temple this week so that’s cool.  Not really any prospects for baptism right now.  I’ll get that next week with a new comp, I was talking to pres about my comps and he was like oh you trained already great....like he just had the light bulb go off of somebody who can train.  Well I’ll find out tomorrow.  

I love being the DL.  It has its nags like calling everyone on Sunday and asking for the numbers and then calling the zone leaders and telling them the numbers.  But I do enjoy making a lesson for the district meeting. Tomorrow my lesson is based off of Matthew 13:18-23 the parabol about the sembrador, I don’t know how to say it in English.  The sewer it think.  And I get to do the baptism interviews.  And I get to decide when to go on splits and with who.  Its always bomb to go on splits with Elder Stephenson :)

Well that’s about all for this week, I’ll have a pic for you next week I hope.

Love you tons,

Elder Salinas

July 30, 2012

Dear mom how are ya?

This week was better.  On Tuesday, I went on divisions with Elder Call.  He is from Idaho Falls, has about 10 months in the mission.  We tore it up that day.  Just before at the District Meeting, I talked about the baptism invitation and inviting people with a baptism date.  Then right at the end, I told all of them to invite people before even saying the opening prayer.  Everyone just kind of smiled like what the freak is he saying.  The zone leaders were there and they were like excited about the idea.  So that day Elder Call and I invited 6 people to be baptized before saying the prayer.  It was good; it really helped them to understand why we are here.  They all accepted baptism dates too but none of them came to church, and the rain did not help us at all.  We did have 2 people at church.  But the numbers of the District are really improving so I´m happy about that!

This is the last week of the change; next Tuesday we (well most of us) will have new comps.  So we will see what happens with me next week.  Well that’s what Pres. Agazzani said in our interviews.   Pres Agazzani asked us 2 questions and they were how much time do you have in the missions - - 15 months I said and he said oh so little time left for you.  Then he asked how long I have been in this area and I said 3 changes or almost 4 months. And I said so I will be here one more change because my comp is going back to his house.  Pres said idk, we´ll see what we do with you.  I guess we´ll see next Tuesday.  

I did another interview this week for a lady.  Her 2 kids got baptized 2 weeks ago and she got married on Friday and baptized on Saturday.  They are a really cool family.  And I have another interview for this Thursday.  

I saw a preview for the Olympics last week at the super market.  I was so mad.  Why do I have to miss the summer Olympics, why can’t I have missed the world cup or the winter Olympics?  Now I won’t get to see Shawn Johnson....how lame ;)  And I was surprised to read that athletes from Paraguay marched in.  What are they going to compete in, sleeping???

It’s cool that we have a bunch of missionaries now.  Me, Michael, Spencer and Morgan, And that Casey Short is going on a mission....Cool.

Dad, que tengas mucha felicidad hoy en tu cumpleaños.  Estare para la proxima.  

And sounds like you all have a fun week planned, especially going up to McCall.  Can’t wait for next year.  It will be so fun.  

Today we have a district activity.  We are going to the dam again, but today we are going inside to see all of the machines and cool stuff.

Love you

Taylor

July 23, 2012

Dear mom. .. .. .. 

This was an ok week.  I went on Divisions with Elder Garzon from Columbia.  He has the same time I do in the mission.  It was like every other Tuesday of this change.  I got stuff done!!! Every time I have been on divisions with another elder things got done in my area.  All last change I just wanted to do my best and help everyone, that’s why I’m the DL....because Heavenly Father knows what I want and what I wanted.  This change has really stunk.  I know we had the 2 baptisms but that was because Elder Keller and I taught them.  I really feel like the ´´work´´ that has been done with Elder Cardozo is not great.  I have never felt that this badly about my work ethic, but this last change is killing me.  This week we have interviews with Pres. Agazzani.  I’m sure I will be the last because I’m the district leader...and I will have to tell him how the district is doing, how I’m doing and my comp.  So I can’t wait for that.  My district is doing better this week; we had better numbers in total.  In the district meeting last week I prepared a lesson on obedience.  I told all of them that they needed to dust off where the others can’t see, and that their investigators will not progress if they are not obedient or progressing.  Then we did a practice where they all had on point of lesson one and they had to teach me.  They had to invite me to be baptized at every point, so Elder Call taught the apostasy and had to invite me and so on.  It was a good practice, and the district as a whole had more invitations.  Tomorrow I´m gonna talk about inviting with a baptism date, we aren’t doing so hot in that right now.  And we are so close to reaching the goal we have of 7 baptisms this month.  After this week we would need 2 more, hope we can do it and find some miracles.

This week I was mad at my comp and tired of him being lazy.  And the lessons were not happening and I told him to clap a house and to my surprise he did it.  Some little girl came out and yelled into the house ´´Mormons¨´ and then a dude came out all excited, he asked us if we were gonna come in, how the church was doing and that never happens mom.  Then I was like this guy has to be a member, but he isn’t.  We had a sweet lesson with him and invited him to be baptized....he said if God answers his prayer.  Also I have been working with the less active to find part member families...it’s been working out good.  

And it seems to me that the summer is just about to end.  Reunion next week, then football is gonna start, next Spencer will be gone, a month later I will get papers that ask me where I want to fly to, and what day I am leaving, then you will get my flight and travel plans.  Time just goes by too fast mom.  

We have transfers in 2 weeks....I wouldn’t mind staying here for 2 more transfers.  I will be here for at least one more transfer, or until Spencer goes to the MTC.  I really like the area that I am in.  And we are seeing a lot of progress in the Branch.....80 people yesterday.  Record!!!  They almost ran out of cups of water for the sacrament.

I have really been thinking about what dad said to me in his letter this last week.  I have always been a leader.  People always picked me.  I don’t know why, but they always did.  I’m just trying to be that example to everyone in my district.  I know I can work harder out here . . . I am just trying to serve and learn.  Wrestling and my job at the lab, everyone always saw how hard I worked, i don’t know if I have worked as hard here as I did at wrestling or at the lab.  I already have a list of stuff to ask Pres. Agazzani this Thursday.  If I could just be with Elder lamb, Elder Heiner, Elder Bartlome, or Elder Stephenson.  People who I see work hard, who understand what our purpose is, and just do everything possible to be the best.  I know what would get done!!!!

Love you all 

Taylor