Food Bank Photo -- 30 September 2013

Do Pictures Count as a Thousand Words? -- 23 September 2013

Note from Mom:  When a picture looks this happy, it counts.  Letter was snail-mailed this week.

A Note From Mom -- 16 September 2013

This morning Ashtyn said, "Mom, D FB'd me.  She said to tell you to check your FB because you're gonna laugh."  This is what I read when I got to FB:

So another small world moment at church today.

There was this C U T E toddler walking up and down the aisle in sacrament meeting. I just had to comment on how cute she is and her darling fluffy pink princess dress that she was wearing. Well the mother asked me if I was Sis B. I said yes I was, and then she went on to tell me that her MIL is a Hill from Medicine Hat and that when she was visiting her husband’s grandparents, she was watching this lovely young woman playing the harp and then she was interpreting for sacrament meeting.  The woman was thinking what an accomplished beautiful girl and then she thought to herself I recognize her. She was one of my EFY girls.

I guess this was shortly after we moved to MH.

She then went on to say that she has a YSA age girl boarding with them and she asked if she could invite the elders over for dinner last week and she said that would be fine. So they came for dinner and as they were talking she mentioned that she had been on a mission and the elder asked where and she said Temple Square. He said oh I have a friend serving there right now and she asked if it was any one she knew and our Elder Hill said L.

She went on to say how he is making quite a name for himself, that grandma and grandpa Hill LOVE him, and her parents knew him in the Okatokes ward and said that he is amazing and that she should have him over for dinner. Then he got transferred to the YSA branch before she could, and then through the woman they have living with them she finally got to meet him.

Such a small world hun. 

I just had to laugh.

Commitment to Serve -- 16 September 2013

"Your success as a missionary is measured primarily by your commitment to find, teach, baptize, and confirm people and to help them become faithful members of the Church who enjoy the presence of the Holy Ghost."

Success is measured by commitment. That's not what you do, it's who you are.

This week was good. In a weird way. It was empty, we had more appointments cancel than I can count, but that isn't what's important.  Not at all. :D

God and I both think it could have been better, but I am committed to improve. To stand taller. To walk and live strong. Are you?

Rock.

Yesterday was just loaded with miracles. It began with Ward Council.

Our mission president wants to see another set of missionaries in the Ward in which we are currently serving. We told him we would do our best. How would we do it? By following the cousel of the 12 and get our ward council moving.

So, we presented this idea to the ward council as humbly as we possibly could.... you won't believe how wonderfully they responded to us. They were like, "Okay, what do we need to do?" So, up and coming, a new ward mission plan, built by the entire ward council, with goals for every facet of the work, that is easily presented to the ward.

This may seem so small.... but this is the best thing that has ever happened in the Ward. Ever. Becasue this means the foundation will be strengthened, which means higher levels of conversion and a greater willingness to spread the Gospel message. And a ward that is self sufficient in sustaining the work of Salvation, regardless of the calibur of the missionaries in it.

That's all I really have for this week.... but I am so grateful for the light that has come... and that will continue to come. I know this Gospel is true. I know that this work is His work, and it will roll forth boldly, nobly, and independant. :D

Rock on. Peace. Love. And Temple Marriage.

In that order.

Elder Taylor J. Hill

Shout Out to Wonderful Canadian Saints!

I received an email over the weekend that said:  

The Sisters and the Zonies

Tonight we had Sister D and Sister A along with Elder Hill and Elder K for dinner at our home.  We are so blessed to have them in our home.

Seriously, the Canadian Saints are WONDERFUL to share with the parents.  I am grateful.

Broken Record -- 9 September 2013

I'm just a broken record,

Singing the same old song.

Just a broken record,

Begging that we'll all get along.

I'm just an oldies record,

Asking you to read,

And a quiet scratched up record,

Testifying it's what you need.

I'm just a boring record,

I told you, "You could pray."

Just a smiling record,

trying to make your day.

I'm just a heartfelt record,

Scratched up, tattered, and torn

Just a solemn record,

I'm feeling pretty worn.

I am a distanced record,

Trying to do what's right.

I am a frightened record,

Who prays for strength every night.

I am a hopeful record

And every time I pray

I feel a peaceful record,

That you will be okay.

I'm just a happy record

Because He loves you, don't you see?

Just an excited record,

Because He loves you and even me.

I'm just a determined record,

Spinning round and round

Just a spirited record,

Projecting forth His sound.

I am a powerful record,

Here to do His will.

I am His chosen record,

Even if I'm ill.

I'm just a broken record,

Just a servant of the Lord,

Just a broken record,

Here to preach His Holy Word.

Well, that was a rugged first attempt at poetry in a whole year.

How are you!? Man, I'm so stinking great. :D I've been up and out of my shell and teaching and testifying.... so good.

I read through my email from last week, and man... it was awesome. Exactly what I was trying to say. :D

Have you ever thought about the name of Christ? Jehovah? It means, "I Am." When Christ talked with Moses, He told him to tell the Israelites that He, or, "I Am" is the God who sent him.

Well, that bears simple significance, I think. After all, how often do we catch ourselves saying things like, "I am an idiot" or sometimes even, "I am worthless." "I am alone." Why would Jesus Christ allow His name to be a part of such statements? Why would we even make them? Well, we make them because we are human and imperfect. And I think He allows His name to be in there, because even in those times, He wants us to know we are still His. We are His sheep. His Children. He allows His name to be in such degrading statements because He loves us enough to decend below the worst and weakest of all human frailties to be able to lift us. His Atonement is infinite and wonderful. :D

Well, this week was good. Elder K. and I are getting along well. Our zone is struggling a bit, but we'll do our best to help them out. We are going to be doing a training at ZTM tomorrow about our purpose and our wonderful callings a missionaries. There is nothing in the world---so far as I have experienced---as great and wonderful as knowing that you have been called of God to do a marvelous work and a wonder. His marvelous work and wonder. Man. :D Sooo good.

Well, I really do love you all so much. Sorry this one is short.

Rock on. Peace. Love. And Temple Marriage. In that order.

Elder Taylor J. Hill

Amidst the Hardest Weeks of Our Lives -- 2 September 2013

Do you ever have those weeks that are really hard? Well, this was one of those. Transfers for me usually is, and I don't always know why... sad for no particular reason, hmm.... I wonder where that came from (cough satan cough). 

Well, here we are. Monday. I'm feeling amazing. Why? Sunday came. 

There are some times when we are not running at 100%. Perhaps our pride is dragging us down (as mine often does). It could be that a loved one is gone, or that we feel empty, far from home, or things just don't seem to be working the way they ought to be. Well, there are plenty of each of those times on the mission, often they all come at once. There are, however, incredible truths that cause us to feel safe, whole, and happy, even in the middle of our most trying times. 

Why is church attendance so important? What about scripture study? Why do we pray? 

God wants to prove himself to us. How? He heals us. You remember those times when you were broken? Alone? and you got down on your knees and prayed to be fixed? Or to have a friend? To give you the strength so that you can do this... so you didn't have to walk that difficult road alone? I do. 

When we were volunteering in High River, we were at our first house and we had been there for 8 hours. The last thing to do was to rip the carpet out. I was exhausted, but so was everyone else. Our knives were no longer sharp enough to cut full lengths of carpet, so we were just cutting the top, and running, ripping the soaking wet, muddy carpet off the floor and dragging it up the stairs. I remember having nothing left, my hands couldn't hold on to the carpet or the railing... but I was the only one with enough strength left to rip out the carpet. They needed us. So, I just did what I could, I prayed. Grabbed the next strip of carpet and pulled. Prayed again, and did the same. Over and over and over again until there was only one strip left to pull. Fortunately, Someone else was able to do what I wasn't. 

You know, God doesn't just wait for our tank to run our and then recharge us with the energizer bunny of Atonement. It's no magic wand... he just waits until we actually turn to Him. He blesses us in small and simple ways, and then, when we are looking, does incredible things for us so that we can do His work. Accomplish His purposes. 

In the doctrine and covenants, God tells us: "And in temporal labors thou shalt not have strength, for this is not thy calling."  And that is true, we do not have strength sufficient to accomplish his purposes. We are not God, after all. However, His grace is sufficient. Here. Now. Always. It is active and not just AFTER all we can do. Remember that God's time is one eternal round. His strength is available here, now. Salvation is now. Peace and happiness is now. (see Alma 34:32 and D&C 58: 26-27)That is our purpose in life. Consider a missionary: if God only blessed that Elder after he did all he could do, then nothing would happen until after 10:30----if it happened at all. After means that whenever we do what God asks, immediately we receive His blessings of Salvation. It is predicated on our willingness to follow Him. (See sacrament prayers D&C 20: 77&79)

Do not wait to receive hope, happiness, salvation, or perfection. We are commanded: "Thou shalt be perfect with the Lord thy God." When did we become perfect? Baptism. Perfect with Him. Meaning, if we, on the scale of perfection are only at 2 and we need to be at 100 well, the Good news(or Gospel) is, Christ suffered an infinite atonement. How big is infinity? So, take our two, and add it to infinity, how much is that? Infinity. We have access to it if we are willing. Willing means we will. And guess what, Christ knows your imperfections. He knows that you will fail. But are you willing to stand up and try again? Are you willing to give what you can and be made perfect through Him? with Him? Do you give up because perfection or consecration is too far away, and you could "never" be that person? No. Because you can. With Christ, you are. You always will be with Him unless you shut him out and give up. He will never give up on you. 

I know this is a lot like a rant... and I'm sorry. It's a lot of information that I've been learning over the past transfer or 2 as I've been studying grace, the atonement, and Jesus Christ. I just feel like so often we damn ourselves because we aren't where we think we ought to be, or because we feel like for us it isn't possible. We just sit down and stop. Maybe we're still doing what we can do, but we're not progressing. We don't think we can get there. We don't believe in ourselves.

Well, when we give up on God, is when it stops. He promised to do all He could. God never lies. He can make you perfect with Him, in Him. Then eventually many many many years later you are perfect on your own. But only through the merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah. 

So when life gets hard, take heart. Because He has been there. With you. His name is imprinted on your heart. If it's not, then now is the time to be baptized again, to take the Sacrament again, to stand up and try again. 

He will help you. He will never give up on you. He loves you. 

And that is the great mystery. Why does God love us so much?

I don't know. I'm not a Father. In fact, in my personal strong language, I don't deserve salvation. But that's the point. God isn't seeking to give it to those who deserve it, because nobody does. He wants to give it to those who are willing... because He loves us all. 

Are you willing to do what it takes?

My friends, I mentioned that it had been a hard week. It has. Sometimes the only thing that will keep you going is a knowledge of the Savior... his Grace. Well, Sunday came for me. He did not give up on me, again. :D

I love you all so much. Please, don't give up. Ever. "Keep walking. Keep trying. There is help and happiness ahead. It will be alright in the end. Trust God, and believe in good things to come."

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

Elder Taylor J. Hill

p.s. if you don't feel like God is there, or if you don't believe He exists or that if He does, He's not answering you... I challenge you to lean on the testimony of the prophets and apostles, and then willingly do what they are asking you to do. Every day. You will get an answer. 

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2009-06-26-sunday-will-come?lang=eng