Monday, February 25, 2013

Elder Hill -- 25 February 2012

Bro and Sis Hill,

My name is DB and your son is presently serving in our ward right now. I just wanted to fire off an email to you to let you know how he is doing.

He was in our home yesterday night with the Elder S whom he is training. He came for a dinner appointment. He is a delight to have in our home. He has a great ability to find a common interest with each member of our family. In the old days we would call this building relationships of trust. He livens up the room whenever he is here. You must miss him and his friends coming and going from your home. We appreciate his sense of humour and the stories he shares with us.

As social as he is also has a great depth to his character. He has also been in our home to practice teach on a regular basis. We have a seven year old that is preparing for baptism and we like to offer the missionaries the chance to practice teach our little guys before they get baptized. It is a win win situation as far as we are concerned. He always comes well prepared with his lesson and testifies with great power and always leaves the spirit here.

Last night his message was especially touching he shared the first time he gave a blessing and that it was to his grandfather. The story was very touching. It was exactly what we needed to hear.  He has most of us in tears as the doctors feel that my mother is going to pass away soon. He had no idea of this experience we were having in our family at the time. He must of been prayerful of the message our family needed. You can be very proud of the missionary that he is. He represents your family WELL!



He and Elder S joined us Boxing Day ( the day after Christmas.) for games and food. We received a new CRAZY family game Quelf and they joined us for it. You have to do and say crazy things. This has earned him the nick name Elder Izzle. One of the things that we had to do during one game was repeat the word izzle at the end of every sentence and if you didn't do it and someone caught you had to move back a space on the board. Well he was busting everyone. Hence the little kids call him Elder Izzle. He is fast becoming a family favorite in our home ( That's a secret as we don't have favourites here.;))

Before I close two other things I wanted to mention to you are: Our daughter has been called to the Temple Square Mission and is scheduled to enter the MTC at the end of April. She will be teaching in American Sign Language so she will be in your neighbourhood. Elder Hill mentioned in passing that Sis Hill's maiden name is Fish. My husband's great great grandmother is a Fish  Anne Fish Bell whom crossed the plains to Utah. My husbands family were pioneers that came from Utah to homestead in southern Alberta.

Thanks for sharing your son with us.
Warmly
The B Bunch

"Take My Yoke Upon You..." -- 25 February 2013

Hello, dear everyone. The past few weeks since I've become a district leader and since I have begun training have been a challenge. I'm learning an awful lot about humility (my friends are breathing a sigh of relief right now :D) and about doing what the Lord wants (my mother is breathing a sigh of relief) instead of what I want.

My boy is a good boy, but it is safe to say that this is the hardest time on my mission so far.

Toward the beginning of my mission (look at me, talking like I've been out long enough to be able to say that) (crazy) I wrote my friend Renae Rowley about how a mission doesn't have to be hard if you will just do what the Lord wants you to do.

Now, let me tell you all the truth: Missions are easy for those who will willingly humble themselves and do as the Lord would have them do. Missions are easy for those who will teach and lead by example. Missions are easy for all those who understand their purpose.

By extension, life is also easy, when we trust in the Lord.

The real trick, then, is understanding how we can reach that point. Well, the savior answers that:

28 ¶aCome unto me, all ye that blabour and are heavy laden, and I will give you crest. 29 Take my ayoke upon you, and blearn of me; for I am cmeek and dlowly in eheart: and ye shall find frest unto your souls. 30 For my yoke is aeasy, and my burden is light.

 I often get caught up in the idea that I am alone. That I can't do this (my mom would wash my mouth out with soap). That I am not qualified. Guess what? Alone, I can't. The only way that this will be possible is if I live my life for the Lord. If I will take His yoke, His work, His cross upon me, then it will all work out for the best.

I think we all often forget that the Lord has "borne our griefs and carried our sorrows." We also forget that the easiest way to live our lives, is to just do what the Lord wants us to do, faithfully, believing that He will provide a way. This makes me think of a story my mom shared with me in a letter from when we were still little kids. Our family had a budget of only, like, $65 for a whole month of food. For six of us!!!!! We didn't have enough money to pay for it... but someone called and invited us over to pick as many peaches as we wanted. I THINK WE STILL HAVE PEACHES IN OUR BASEMENT FROM THAT PICK! Later, someone did the same for tomatoes. I thank my lucky stars to be blessed with parents who paid their tithing, because they gave all they were asked of by the Lord, they were able to take care of me. Who cares that I don't like peaches very much, I had enough. I was healthy, I was whole, I was loved. And I know now that it was the Lord who did that for my family. It is because of the Lord that I am here. It is because of Jesus Christ that I am even able to stand on the ground here in Canada and boldly proclaim the Gospel. For all things have been given me. Even though I am aware that really, we are nothing, but "we are everything to Him."(You Matter to Him - Dieter F. Uchtdorf)


Who cares that the past few weeks have been rough? As soon as I figured out what I needed to change in order to align my will with His, it INSTANTLY became better.

My friends, to all who are experiencing trials, I promise you that if you will align your will with His, then you will find "peace in this life, and eternal life in the world to come." I promise the Lord knows you. I promise that He will make your burden light if you will turn to Him. Give him your all. Give it up. Give up your addictions, your temptations, your sorrow, your sin, your imperfections, all of it. Give it up. You will find rest through Jesus Christ.

I know that the Lord is there. I know that He is watching. I know that there are times when we want to shake our fists to the sky and ask "How could you do this to me?"

But, like before, all I can still say is, "Thank you, Mister Gardener. For loving me enough to cut me down."

Finally, I was blessed this weekend to perform a baptism for my friend Loreen.

That commission has changed my life.

I will forever be different. I will forever be grateful.

I love this gospel.

I love you all.

Peace(available through Christ), love(of God), and temple marriage (my parents example to me). In that order.

Elder Taylor J. Hill

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Logan Dee! -- 19 February 2013

Guess what everyone!? My best friend Logan will be entering the MTC on Wednesday!!!!!!!! Ole!

I'm hearing lots of good news about sisters and others going on missions, which is amazing! This is the best thing in the whole world.

I only have a second, but I just wanted to point you to an article:

April 1998 Ensign "Come Unto Me" by Jeffery R. Holland

It is all about HOW we can come to know Christ. It really is beautiful, and it helped me a lot this week.

I love you all so much, keep rocking the world :D


Elder Taylor Jon Hill

Monday, February 11, 2013

Pictures sent 11 February 2013




Missionary Music -- Monday, 11 February 2013

Some missions have a lot of really strict rules about music. The things you could listen to, for example, when our last president was here was limited exactly to missionary work. Now President N says: Follow the white handbook.

Which basically means spiritually uplifting music that isn't only meant to entertain.

So, I have inherited some music that I wanted to recommend highly to all who are reading this.

Album title - Artist
Joseph: A Nashville Tribute - Various
Work: A Nashville Tribute - Various
The Sum of all Grace -  Mindy Gledhill
Come Thou Fount -  MOTAB
Showtime - MOTAB
August End & Hymns..... The Piano Guys /  John Schmidt not sure which

Anyway, in the way of less.... regular things, M WAS BAPTIZED! Ole!
It was very exciting. She was so excited to be baptized. I was excited for her. One of the greatest blessings of the mission is the opportunity to see everyone around you changing, usually for the better. M has come a long way since she first met with Elder C and I. :D

In other news, L is down to 2 cigarettes  a day and is off of coffee completely :D  She will be baptized on the 23rd. She bore her testimony of the Book of Mormon to us yesterday :D It was amazing.... sooo incredible.

I gave a talk in church on Sunday, which meant hours of preparation throughout the week :\ I love giving talks, and I love preparing talks, but I don't like devoting my personal study time for a whole week toward writing them. However, fortunately, the bishop was VERY specific in what he wanted me to talk about and that was certainly a blessing. He wanted me to speak about missionary work, but he wanted me to tie it in to an experience that I had had as well.  Plus he wanted me to help members overcome the fear of sharing the gospel and talk about their responsibility as children of God using the following quote (this is so good) "We are more than we know, and when we come to know this, may we never settle for less." Chris Hahn (famous climber).

So, my "message" for you is that "We are more than we know" and we should never settle for less.


You've probably already seen that one, but it teaches a lot about our divine identity.
We are more than we know. We are capable of being the greatest anythings we want to be. We are able to be the greatest tools in the Lord's hands in the world if we will only give ourselves to him and allow him to shape us in our "tabernacle of clay." He will mold us, and he will do so carefully and lovingly as we turn to Him. We are and will continue to be his greatest creations. We are the Masterpieces of His work. We are His. And He has chosen us to be the greatest versions of ourselves that we can be.

I love you all very very much. I will also send over a few pictures :D

Rock on. Peace, love, and temple marriage. In that order.

Elder Hill

Thursday, February 7, 2013

It's Beginning to Feel a Lot Like Responsibility -- 7 February 2013

I have about 10 minutes to email because my boy (Elder S) is allowed to contact his family through email today to let them know he made it here okay.

So....

I really like Elder S. He is helping me see what things I need to improve, and actually, I would like to be around new missionaries all the time. He's got a lot of work ahead, but he's doing well. I'm not sure what he's expecting; I suppose I should establish expectations. Anyway, he's fun. And funny. The other elders say he looks a lot like me. He's from Scottsdale, Arizona and he is not used to the cold at all. It's -2 c (28 f) outside and he's all kinds of bundled up. I guess I'm climatized. :) He's a stud.

Anyway, I'm learning that leadership is done mainly by example. I'm now under a bigger microscope than ever before... it's strange to be watched at all angles like this, but I'm doing my best. Obviously, some things are going to have to change in order to be a better, more effective example.

C emailed me and told me he has been transferred to the Bronx. :D He sounds so grown up and mature. I'm so so so so proud of my friend. How is L doing with his mission prep?

I love you so much.

I promise to keep doing my best. I love you.

Rock on. Peace, Love, and Temple Marriage. In that order.

Elder Tay-O Hill

Tuesday, February 5, 2013

Training, and Leading, and Larning, oh my! -- 5 February 2013

Well... I guess there comes a time when you HAVE to answer the question for yourself, "Are my leaders called of God?" Whether it's your mission president, your bishop, your Elders Quorum President, or even the Prophet.

My answer is a resounding, "Yes."

This week is transfers. Tomorrow, actually. I have been called to serve as a district leader as well as train. I have only been out for six months. My companion who only did 1 transfer here is going to Calgary. The most disobedient missionary in my area has been called to a leadership position and is leaving to go somewhere else. My zone leaders hate each other, but they're both staying. The spanish missionaries are gone.

"What happened?"

Well, the Lord knows. Fortunately. At first when I was asked to train, I was terrified (I don't scare easy) it was like going to the MTC all over again. However, it only took a short prayer and the answer from my Father in Heaven to ease my fears. I was told and taught to trust my Father in Heaven. To believe that He could and would work wonders. He will. :D It won't be what I expect, and it will probably mean swimming in some deep water (metaphorical water, I'm not going swimming) to get there, but He will make this next transfer amazazing.

I really don't have much to say other than that.

Always trust the Lord. Always be obedient. And never, ever give up.

I plan to be, "bigger, and better, and bolder, and older" than I have ever been before. I will live up to the Lord's expectations and I will be the best I can be.

I know this Gospel is true. I know the Lord loves and knows each of us personally. I will always be grateful for the love and support I receive from Him and from Home.

I love you all!!! :D

I'll email again soon.

Rock on. Peace, love, and temple marriage. In that order.

Elder Taylor J. Hill