July 25, 2013

Willie and I went over to the pageant last evening before it started and looked up his great nephew, Elder Cameron Parry, David's Cindy's son. We are going to meet him and his companion Monday for lunch at Keokuk where they are assigned. We haven't seen him since he was 2 years old so it was pretty cool.
Today I was serving in the Scovil Bakery. In this busy season we start the tours in back and take the guests inside when the previous tour is through. So, I'm outside and here comes three people. I knew that Elder Dallin H. Oaks is in Nauvoo but was surprised to have one of them be him. They are here having a family reunion. I love their shirts for the reunion. They have a tree on them and say "The Mighty Oaks Family". We waited for another member of their group to come and I gave the tour to Elder and Sister Oaks and two friends with them. What a humbling experience. They were so attentive and gracious that I almost stopped shaking before the tour was over (almost). I told them I was pretty nervous and asked him if I could shake his hand. They all shook hands with me. What a great thing to have happen to me. When we got set apart by our stake president for our mission, he said we would teach kings and leaders. I've given tours to a lot of leaders here, but an Apostle, one of the Quorum of the Twelve, it just seems unreal, like I may wake up at any moment from a dream. I'm grateful that I didn't freak totally out or faint or some ridiculous thing like that. They were just so real and down to earth. I pray that my mind stays good enough to remember it always. That's the first tour I've given that I was shaking for a long time. I told them I needed an extra helping of the Holy Ghost to help me through it. I'm so grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost and all the help He has given me while here.
Well, I better go pick up Willie. He's about off.

Brian Taylor's letter, July 21, 2013

More about Pioneer Days

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Brian L Taylor 4:41 PM (23 hours ago) to me Dear Elder and Sister Scott,             Today I am going to send you a follow-on to last week's letter, which  dwelt somewhat on the severe weather conditions in which the Willie and Martin handcart companies endured suffering almost beyond imagination.  Someday we will understand more fully why certain individuals or groups are given these trials, but then remember "whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth" as the scriptures tell us.             I want to begin by reviewing with you some details that are seldom considered in the story of those pioneers.  Elder Franklin D. Richards, president of the British Mission, had been given the responsibility to help emigrants get to America and on to the Valley.  After he got the Willie and Martin companies on their ship to America, he sent a letter to President Young to advise him that two more companies were on their way, then he "closed up shop" and left for America two months after those handcart pioneers..  Keep in mind that a letter to Salt Lake City in those days came by "snailmail."             Pres. Richards' traveled on a steamship, whereas the emigrants came via sailing vessel, and his ship came via New Orleans, rather than to New York City.  Even though his trip was much longer, it was faster.  He came up the Mississippi via riverboat to Florence, Nebraska, arriving August 21, making the trip in about one-third the time that was required by the "handcart" group.  He departed two weeks later in a light carriage, which could travel around 100 miles a day.  His entire journey from England took only 70 days--less than half the time of the fastest handcart group.             The timing of his arrival could not have been more fortuitous--Oct. 4th.  The next morning was general conference, so a huge crowd of saints were assembled to hear their prophet. His message:  "Go out and rescue those handcart pioneers."  They were told to reassemble, bringing teams, wagons, teamsters, flour, clothing, bedding and medical supplies. He then cancelled the meetings and sent the saints home to begin their mission of mercy.             As I recall seeing the "17 Miracles" video about the handcart journey, I can hardly hold back the tears.  Those handcart pioneers had exhausted their food supplies, and considering the weather, they all would have perished without help from church headquarters.  It is sad enough to realize how many lost loved ones (sometimes parents) during the arduous journey.  But even though some survivors lost toes or fingers from frostbite, their testimonies remained unshakeable the rest of their lives.             We seldom hear that even the rescue party heading eastward was delayed by a three-day blizzard.  And then recall that they really didn’t know where they would find those starving handcart companies.             Had some of our modern-day church members been transported back in time to the days of the handcart episode, I wonder how many of us would have responded willingly--yes, anxiously--to save our brothers and sisters.  And consider with me the fact that we DO have challenges of a different brand facing us in the Church today.  How many visiting teachers and home teachers take their assignments seriously and look forward at the beginning of each month to opportunities to help our assigned families (physically or spiritually)? How many members love their fellow brothers and sisters enough to give liberally to their support!  I remember the day that our former stake president asked the brethren to consider giving $100 fast offering each month.  With so many breadwinners being laid off their present jobs, the need today is also real.  (Only the bishop is aware of all current needs in his ward.)  While we may not be asked to place our lives on the line as did those handcart pioneers, we still face some real challenges in our day.  Would that we might all be an eager part of the "rescuing team"! Love, Brian

Daniel Taylor's letter July 19, 2013

Fwd: Hola Ustedes

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David Taylor 9:11 PM (11 hours ago) ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Daniel Taylor <taylord123@myldsmail.net> Date: Fri, Jul 19, 2013 at 3:34 PM Subject: Hola Ustedes To: David Taylor <tdvdbtylr@gmail.com> Hola familia y ustedes, Como estan?  Espero que ustedes esten bien.  Ok typing in Spanish is too hard because I can't make any accent marks and the other keys get thrown off.  It sounds like you are all doing good, and I hope that is the case for everybody.  Things have been going really good here in the MTC.  And of course, it is my last week here so I am really excited, amazed that the time has flown by so fast, and un poco nervioso to start my mission.  But I am eager to get there and help people because even though the MTC is great, it is still very sheltered from the world and everyone here is LDS.  So it is going to be a change for me to go somewhere where that is not the case. I do leave this Monday for the airport.  I actually got bumped an hour so I will be leaving the MTC at 5pm on Monday, but my flight still doesn't leave until 10pm so I will see if I can call somewhere in between there.  I need to go buy a phone card still and figure out how that all works out.  But yeah I should be calling home sometime around there for a short amount of time.  My Spanish has been progressively improving which is good because I feel like I can communicate, even if in just a basic way, with the people with Guatemala because my teacher is from Guatemala and she said she speaks at the normal pace that she usually does, which isn't too hard to understand.  It is only when she is talking to her twin sister here that it gets crazy because they purposefully talk really fast so that we can't understand them.  Sometimes they don't understand each otehr haha. Well I got Mom's letter yesterday, and I would just like to suggest right now that you don't send anymore letters to my MTC mailbox because if it doesn't get there before I leave on Monday, chances are it will just get sent back to whoever sends it, or not.  Someone told me that the MTC doesn't forward that kind of stuff to the missionaries if they've left, so yeah.  But thanks for the packages and letters.  I have written a bunch of letters during my freetime over the past three weeks and I am going to send them out today.  So sorry if some of them sound a little outdated haha, it's just that I don't get much time to do that kind of thing and so I used my spare moments to do that.  So hopefully they get out to everyone by Monday. On Tuesday I dropped Elder Vasquez off at the travel office and he is now on his mission in California.  I got a new companion for this week, Elder Longoria, because his transfer is next week, so he stayed an extra week here to be there on time for it.  So we are companions for this week and it has been very fun and a good learning experience.  He is a pretty crazy person, but he knows when he needs to be serious and he is a very outgoing person.  Hopefully I will be able to send a picture of him soon.  I was going to get one with him today because I got my haircut, but I kind of forgot haha so maybe next week I can if the computers down in Guatemala can handle it.  Oh, he is going to the Ventura, California Spanish speaking mission.  So both of my companions so far have been going to California which is weird because everyone else in my zone seems to be going foreign, with the exception of a few people.  But I know he'll do awesome there. The devotionals this past week have been really awesome.  On Sunday, Richard I. Heaton spoke to us and talked about how the Lord is preparing people out in the world for us to teach.  After that, we had our Sunday night film and it was beyond amazing.  It was probably the best one I have seen since I have been here and I recommend that you all see it sometime, maybe this week since I am talking about it.  It was an MTC devotional given by Elder Bednar some years ago called The Character of Christ, and the principles in this talk given by him are so true and amazing that I believe that anyone that follows the things he teaches in it are going to be changed.  I sure am going to do my best to follow the counsel given by him.  I know that if the whole world lived those principles, there would be true happiness here and no contention.  So just watch it and see what you think (or read it if you can't find a video version).  Then on Tuesday, we had a good devotional by Richard Hinckley and his wife on how being exactly obedient and other points of advice for us. This week for class, we have been working on how to answer questions of the soul using The Book of Mormon.  Basically from now on, we aren't going to be teaching the full lesson plans that we have normally been doing.  Instead, we have been doing first visit door approaches every time and practicing trying to discern the needs of the investigators/find the questions of their souls and answer them with the scriptures.  Honestly, this has gone so much better than trying to find their doubts while teaching.  Through asking inspired questions, it opens the door to true conversion and is much more effective.  But, it is also difficult for me to do this because I am not very good at asking questions like that.  This is something that I have been working on all week, which is to listen very carefully for these questions that get the investigator to meditate and apply the things we teach.  But I am sure that with practice and a lot of prayer, I can improve in this area. This Wednesday was my last week hosting.  It is so much fun and it's a little sad that I don't get to introduce the new missionaries to the MTC and show them around.  I am glad though that I got the opportunity to do it.  The last Elder I hosted actually was originally from Mexico before moving to Utah, so his family spoke in Spanish on the curb when I told the that I am going to Guatemala.  I thought that was pretty cool.  Yesterday I went to In-field Orientation and I learned so much more from it.  I would love to talk about it, but sadly my time is coming to an end.  So this week has been really good and full of things to do.  I will be packing tomorrow to get my stuff ready and sadly, I am the last one to leave in my district.  Everyone else leaves between2-5am while I leave at 5pm.  But that is ok.  The zone leaders are pretty cool and I will probably just spend the day with them as I get ready to leave.  I love you all and can't wait to talk to you again from Guatemala.  Adios! Love, Elder Danny Taylor

Brian Taylor's letter, July 14, 2013

Thots for the day

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Brian L Taylor <bjt087@gmail.com>	Sun, Jul 14, 2013 at 8:29 PM
To: Wilford Scott <scott.wilford@gmail.com>
Dear Elder and Sister Scott,                           Our sacrament meeting program today was one that I will long remember.   Brother and Sister Steve Brown, who have served a mission at Martin's Cove in Wyoming, gave us a spiritual treat today. Recounting their own experience of being out in Martin's Cove in freezing weather, they helped us appreciate the extreme weather conditions those handcart pioneers endured.  They also shared with us some other details they had learned through study of that great epic in history of the Church.  I shall never be the same.  I had seen the video "Seventeen Miracles," but even that could only partially enable me to appreciate what it was like to be there.  One of the great lessons taught by the survivors of that great experience is that they remained faithful throughout their lives and chastised others who criticized the church leaders for ever allowing it to happen.                         Yesterday I received a phone call from a cousin in Oregon who grew up in a home without the influence of the Church.  Some high school friends introduced him to the true Gospel, and he soon made the decision to serve a mission.  After completing his mission to New Zealand, he came home, married in the temple and had three children before his wife "flipped," got a divorce  and ( I gather) did not give their children the training that one would expect from an LDS member.  Some of you missionaries who have been serving many months have  read in my previous letters how I had been looking into a phone book of my mother's side of the family and noticed Jim;s phone number in Portland, Oregon.  I decided to give him a call, and I'm glad I did.  While I had little previous contact with him, I did meet him when he was on his way to the mission field.  My phone call to him turned into a very close relationship.  He came to visit me two years ago, and he brought a young man who was not LDS, but came from a dysfunctional family.  The young man went to church with me during our visit, and I hear he is now being taught by the missionaries.                         But back to Jim--when he phoned yesterday, he had a tale of woe to share with me.  He had gone to visit a family member, placed his complete family records into a duffle bag and threw it into the back of his pickup, and drove away.  Somewhere along the trip he left his pickup for awhile.  When he returned, he found someone had stolen his duffle bag with its precious contents.  Jim is not computer literate, so the records were all handwritten.  He and I have spent almost two years together trying to complete his family data.  Since he does not use a computer, I am trying to figure the best way to share my family records that I have on my computer.  To create my family record I had used the old PAF program, which the Church has now discarded in favor of more modern software.  My grandson who is serving an internship with the Church History department, indicates it is not as simple a matter as I had at first assumed.  Since he is a software specialist, I feel sure he will figure out a solution to the problem.  But this whole experience has taught me to treat my extensive family records as some of my most prized possessions (which they are).                         In closing I would like to refer to some results of our joint Relief Society-Priesthood class today--primarily for the benefit of the younger members of our ward missionary "corps."  Men and women were asked to share their opinions about the most important ways of using the priesthood to "bless" the marriage.  For the benefit of you younger missionaries, I must say that before you ever go to the temple and make those special covenants, please STUDY D. & C. Section 121.  Then remember that to have a successful, eternal marriage, act as if everything depends on YOU, not on your companion.                         How very fortunate you are to be WHERE you are and DOING what you have been called by the Lord to do.                         May the Lord bless you and your efforts,  Brian

July 6, 2013, Dancing the Clarinet Poka

Sister Money and I served in the John Taylor Home yesterday. The Nauvoo Brass Band in the horse drawn carriage came by and stopped and played in front. We were sitting out on benches they have placed in front by the street. Some of the Young Performing Missionaries had been performing their "venyette" across the street under the big old tree and had come over to sing for us. The band played The Clarinet Poka. That's a dance some of the missionaries do in Sunset on the Mississippi. The YPM's started dancing to it and two of the Elder's in the YPM's asked Sister Money and I to dance. At first, we both said we hadn't ever danced it. But we've watched it a million times so we decided to go for it. There we were dancing The Clarinet Polka to The Nauvoo Brass Band, in that horse drawn carriage, in the middle of Main Street in Old Nauvoo. Who would have ever thought it!!!! I thanked Elder Black as he escorted me back to the bench on the brick sidewalk in front of the John Taylor Home. The YPM's sang a couple of more songs for us and then they had to leave and some of the guests that had gathered, watching, wanted tours. So we left our short lived youth behind and went back to work, grateful for the fun little experience in Old Nauvoo. Through out the day, 30 tours were given in that beautiful old home of a prophet of God. John Taylor was the 3rd prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day-saints. What a wonderful privilege. To tell the stories and show the homes and places of business of the great people who lived and worked here in Nauvoo in the 1840's.

Brian Taylor's letter, June 30, 2013

Here comes July! 1 message

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Brian L Taylor <bjt087@gmail.com>	Sun, Jun 30, 2013 at 6:30 PM
To: Wilford Scott <scott.wilford@gmail.com>
Dear Elder and Sister Scott,             I trust that you have had a good week.  If any of our missionaries have had a trying week (similar, I guess to the "bad hair day" for women), just think that Heavenly Father loves you enough to throw a few trials in your path.  I recall the saying from Pres. N. Eldon Tanner that he learned more from the "brick bats" thrown at him than from the calm, peaceful days.  When the trying season seems to linger longer than usual, pray for patience in endurance, yes, pray that you may see the intended lesson and profit from it.             The Father's Day season brought me a couple of books by members of the First Presidency.  The first day I opened one and began to read, a thrilling, warm feeling enveloped me--much like reading special sections of the scriptures.  I decided to share with you one incident that carries a walloping message from several angles.             This story involves a convert by the name of Stephen Borup.  This young man was a deeply spiritual person right from the time of his baptism as a youth.  He knew that in order to enjoy the promptings of the Spirit, he had to live worthy of that blessing each day of his life.  And one day his dedication saved his life!             During the second world war Brother Borup was assigned as an engineer-gunner on a B-24 bomber in the South Pacific.  One day his crew heard the announcement that the longest bombing flight ever made would attempt to wipe out an oil refinery.  Brother Borup, then serving as president of an LDS group,  received the prompting that he would be assigned to that mission, but he would return.             The mission over Borneo encountered fierce resistance.  Their B-24 was hit by enemy fire, exploding into flames at once.  Their crew was ordered to evacuate the plane.  Brother Borup was last to leave their plane.  Landing in a body of water, he had trouble inflating his life raft.  In fact, he went unconscious, but revived enough to inflate his raft just enough so he could roll into it, a totally exhausted man (saved for a purpose).             For three days their crew floated about in their yellow rafts within enemy territory--ships and aircraft clearly visible (saved for a purpose).             Then a terrible storm raged for three days.   Thirty-foot high waves tossed them about and almost tore their rafts apart. Still without food or water, the men's situation was serious.  The other men asked Brother Borup if he prayed.  He replied that he did pray, and they would be rescued.  That evening they saw a submarine that had been sent to rescue them, but it did not see the men.  The next morning the same thing happened.  Brother Borup later related that they knew this would be the last time that the submarine would be in the area.             Then the promptings of the Holy Ghost gave Brother Borup a distinct prompting:  "Command the sub to pick you up."             Silently he prayed, "In the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the priesthood, turn about and pick us up."  That simple.             In a few minutes the sub was alongside the men and brought them aboard.  The captain said some words like "I don't know how we ever found you, because we were not even looking for you.  Brother Borup knew why and how it had happened.             Now I am going to ask you to re-read this story and mentally or on paper list the ideas that have special significance for us all.  Think of the promises that have been made to you personally, and ask, "Am I prepared?"  May the Lord help us to realize that we don't have to be in foreign waters to face life-threatening experiences.  However, if we are prepared as was Bro. Borup, we need not fear--any time, anywhere. God bless you, "Grandpa" Taylor

Brian & David (Brian's son) Taylor letters, June 24 & 26, 2013

Inspirational week-end

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Brian L Taylor Jun 24 (4 days ago) to me Dear Elder and Sister Scott,             Sorry to be behind schedule with the weekly letter.  Long ago I heard the saying that the hurrier I go, the behinder I get.  That seems to be my story this past weekend.             My live-in grandson and his wife went on a camping trip up by East Canyon Dam for four days this past week.  It surely was quiet here without all the sound effects of a one-year-old every day.  She is such a loving little tyke that I surely missed her.  The mother came home with a bad case of laryngitis.  I guess the little one senses the problem, because she is more quiet than usual.             I am hoping that all of my correspondents were able to hear the special broadcast presented by the Church yesterday.  The participants were ideally suited for the messages they gave.  I am still feeling the wonderful spirit of that meeting, and I feel the importance of the messages that were given us.  It is thrilling to reflect upon the responsibility of us church members in helping to find opportunities for our missionaries to keep busy teaching, as well as reclaiming many of the members that we never see in church.  After the meeting I was thinking of the best way to approach an inactive neighbor living just two doors north of me, and Dave mentioned a family that has "fallen away" in our neighborhood.  Both families are friendly, so I must pray for the best approach to warm them up to the Church.             In reflecting back over that special meeting, I have been impressed about how each participant was ideally suited to present the message that he was assigned.  I am always "revved up" when each one speaks on any occasion.  I especially enjoy hearing President Monson relate his experiences as president of the mission in Montreal.  Then I realize that every mission president is entitled to that same brand of revelation.  I am sure that any person who has worked in or near a mission office has observed how the spirit of revelation operates there.             A long time ago I heard the saying that we should pray every day as if everything depended upon the Lord, then we should get up off our knees and go to work as if everything depended upon US.  I get in the frame of mind that I am no longer able to get in the ring as a vigorous participant in the Lord's work.  Yet I CAN give a 92-year-old's effort each day, rather than hunting an excuse for doing nothing.             My note to you is shorter than usual, but it still brings my love and good wishes for your having given the right answer about accepting a mission call.                             God bless you in your loving service.  I love you.             Grandpa Taylor Letter from Farr West Inbox x David Taylor Jun 26 (2 days ago) to me Wednesday, June 26, 2013 Dear Elder and Sister Scott, How are you doing?  I decided to write you an email, instead of phoning because the last time I called, I think you were probably working at the Visitor's Center or one of the other Church historic sites there.  I don't want to interrupt you if there might be an important meeting with investigators to the Church talking to you.  With an email, you can read it when you have a Preparation Day, or if you have a few spare minutes some other part of the day or evening.  I will give you news from home.  We took our youngest son, Danny, to the Provo MTC two weeks ago today.  The Missionary Department changed his assignment from flying on a plane to the MTC in Guatemala on Tuesday, June 11, to go to the MTC in Provo on June 12 instead.  There are so many missionaries in the world now that the Church leaders have to juggle some missionaries around to different locations to accommodate everybody.  We don't know how long he will be there; but he hopes that he will get to at least go to the MTC in Guatemala for some of his training before he gets sent to his mission field.  Now Pat and I are empty nesters, since Michael is seldom home when he gets home from work each day.  He hangs around with Rolene Taylor's nephew, Travis, a lot.  Jordan Roe is going to get married in July.  My dad is still hanging in there.  Keep up the good work.  We'll probably see you again in a few months. I can hardly believe how fast the time is going since you both left for your mission.  Our sons, Jeremy and Danny, will be getting new mission presidents in July.  David Jay and I are still home teaching partners and will still be together unless we get translated before you return home.  Ha! Ha! Love, David Taylor