CHRISTMAS ADVENT & ORNAMENTS

We made this advent calendar as a family to send to Elder Davis.  He said he has a hard time feeling  like it is Christmas time when it is 70 degrees outside. We hope this will help.

The advent has a song, scripture and quote from a General Authority regarding the birth of the Savior for each day.  Once you have read done these, you take the card out and there is a picture of the Savior.

Transfers will be the second week in December so Elder Davis won't know for sure until then where he will be for Christmas.  We sent these paper ornaments with the names of Christ on them in English and Spanish for him to hang up until he knows where he will be.  This way he won't have to transport a tree.  We will send his tree once he knows where he will be. 

 

WEEK 70

 

 The zone.

   It is pretty crazy to hear how nuts your week was! Dang! How on edge it must of been. How crazy it must have been to be so close to moving.  I actually have to smile at the results because I knew it would turn out that way. :)  I said a prayer on Tuesday night because I wanted to be a part of the spiritual process of the moving and knowing if we should move or not.  As I thought about it that day, I had the same feeling come over me and I heard my own words from a while back when I was talking about my family moving to Elder Sherman... I said, "they're not going anywhere anytime soon." These words gave me comfort and I was able to not think about it anymore and I have felt good about it ever since.  I would have told you but I got that feeling after we had emailed last week.

   Pops - Sounds like such a spiritual/painful week! I am sorry to hear that you threw your back out again. I think it is really cool that you are able to be so diligent in making sure that you do your exercises as well so you can heal faster. You really do amaze me in that regard. Especially that you still went to sacrament meeting. That alone shows that you know what the sacrament really means. I have really learned a lot in that regard the past few months.  I have learned that when we take the sacrament, it is almost as if we were literally going up to the savior and feeling the prints in his hands and his feet. As we partake of those emblems, we are like the Nephites... how cool is that!?

   So yeah your week was pretty cool. Ours wasn't bad either.

  

1.  I have not done anything yet for this act that you speak of. All I need to do is enter my social security number into my missionary portal though so it should be easy.

2.  I actually don't have MY Christmas tree but there is a small one in the apartment that we will probably use. I feel super bad though that I wasn't able to take mine with me. The Floyd's put so much thought into that and I feel bad I had to leave it.  I actually just remembered that I probably won't be here for Christmas anyway (in the apartment he is in now).

 

3.  Our week was pretty good. Andres didn't come to church so that was a little frustrating. But 2 less active members that we have been working super hard with, came to church.  So that was pretty cool.
 

4.  The best part of my week was probably when I went on exchanges with one of the missionaries in our district. It is so cool to be able to do that and to be able to get to know them better. We are pretty good friends now.

 

5.  I have a couple pictures from pday.  So you will get those. :)

 

6.  For Thanksgiving we have been invited to eat at two family's homes so will probably be doing that. Plus since it's Thursday, we will be weekly planning as well.  I will be sure to take pictures on Thanksgiving and during this week. You should also be getting something from San Diego this week so hopefully it arrives before Thanksgiving.  But it might not.  Don't get too excited about the mail though.  It's what I could do.

 

7.  Right now, the things that I am thankful for are many. More than anything I am thankful for the Savior and all that he did so that I can be clean and worthy to be on a mission and help others repent as his representative.  I am of course eternally grateful for the family that I have been blessed with in my life.  I'm grateful to have the opportunity to be on a mission and to learn so much. I'm thankful for the scriptures and the light they give us all. 

 

8.  Yes, I did get the meds and cookies. One word................... DELICIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much for that. MMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

   Well I love you!!! Thank you for everything you have done and for everything you continue to do for me! You are the best!  :)  I am very grateful for all that you teach me and do for me. I thank you for parenting me the way you have because I know it has molded me into who I am. I always have and always will have a very high respect for you. You have no idea of all that you have taught me.  If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be here. More importantly, I don't think I would have learned the real power of the atonement like I have so far.

 

   Love,
   Elder Taylor C. Davis 

THANKSGIVING PACKAGE

We had lots of fun putting together Elder Davis' Thanksgiving package this year.  Last year he wasn't sure he would have a dinner appointment, so we sent him dinner in a box.  Last year we took a chance and shipped him a pumpkin pie (his favorite) and it arrived safely, so we knew we wanted to do it again this year.  I can not tell you how happy I felt as I purchased that stupid pie!

 This was so fun to make!  All of the items pictured above (other than the pie) were inside this turkey!

Holidays are a big deal around our house and holiday meals usually include an elegantly set table.  Taylor expressed that he missed that so last Valentine's day I sent him a tablecloth and cute paper goods to set his valentines table.  It seemed to mean a lot to him, so I have tried to send tableware for holidays.  I found this fun tablecloth at Wal-Mart and had to laugh as I thought of he and his companion coloring on it!  Totally included a new package of crayons in this package.

 Any of course you have to "cute" up the inside of the shipping box!  I didn't get to make it as cute as I wanted, because I was in a hurry, but hopefully he will still enjoy it!

WEEK 69

 
   Wow what a week!! It has been crazy, fun, insane, powerful and just completely sick!! Andres our investigator was baptized on Friday and that was probably one of the best experiences of my mission so far! You are right that it is kind of like when Luis got baptized but it is very different at the same time. 

    To see someone from finding them yourself, teaching them, and them repenting and making all the changes necessary to be able to come unto Christ and be baptized in his restored church is better than anything yet that I have experienced in my life.  Andres is such a beast and his baptism was super sick!

    There were so many people there that we had to bring in like 3 loads of chairs from other rooms! I had the privilege of baptizing that young powerhouse of a little spirit and it was so sick!!! It took me back to my baptism and made me feel super happy knowing that I am helping other people be able to do this.

   It gave a strong confirmation that I am doing what's right and that this is where I need to be.   I still can't believe how much of a beast Andres is. He was confirmed on Sunday and that was yet another cool experience.  President Martinez ( the branch President) confirmed him and it was so cool. I felt the spirit so strong that it brought tears to my eyes. His family filled the entire first 3 rows of the church and it was amazing to see that happen. 

   Josh is still looking good for his baptism and it sounds like he is really gonna make it this time.  Pam is doing well too. Francisco however is kind of faltering a little.  He hasn't been reading, or praying, or coming to church. It makes me really sad but maybe it's not his time yet.  We did invite Yadira to the baptism but she has been super busy lately and she might be moving so we're hoping she just moves to another part of Chula. We'll see.  

   Sounds like things are going pretty well over there! It's sad to hear that everything with the house is still kinda lame but I know that it will all resolve itself.  We just have to use the 5th step of the Gospel and endure to the end.  It's the most difficult and takes the longest but it's the most rewarding. I know things will work out. :)

 

   There has been a scripture in my mind all morning and I thought it was to share with someone else but I feel very strongly impressed to share it with you as well. So here goes. It is: Alma 22:16 this is when Aaron is teaching King Lamoni's father.

     " 16 But Aaron said unto him: If thou desirest this thing, if thou wilt bow down before God, yea, if thou wilt repent of all thy sins, and will bow down before God, and call on his name in faith, believing that ye shall receive, then shalt thou receive the hopewhich thou desirest.  "

 

    I know things probably suck right now and that it's hard. But I know that you are being prepared by the Lord for something big. The worst thing you can do is give up. 

 

    I really love you and am grateful that you are such a solid member of the church and that you are converted.  Thank you for always being an example of faith and of love. I would be a sack of nothing without your example. I love you dearly and hope you enjoy this email.  

 

   This week we are going to go to a place called Sunset Cliffs up in Ocean Beach. It should be a lot of fun.   Our next transfers are in about 3 weeks.  So they are coming fast!

 

   Love you!

 

   Love,

   Elder Taylor C. Davis

WEEK 68

The "Comfy" couch.

    Not usually am I this excited about the sports updates but for some reason I am feeling pretty pumped!!   I feel like this week is going to be a good one.  You did a great job with your updates too because I was able to read them and basically live the game. So thanks for always doing that!! It really does make me happy!!

   So today I don't have a ton of time so I am going to just get down to business.... This week has been sick! Andres passed his interview and is ready for baptism!!! Ever better.... He's getting baptized on Friday and he wants me to do it!!!  So Sick!! Man it really has been cool to see him learn and grow so fast! It's crazy seeing such a giant spirit inside such a tiny body!!It's cool to think that he is one investigator that I have found, taught and am going to baptize.  How cool it has been to see him progress in the Gospel! He's such a champ!

   They haven't took the couch away yet so we are really enjoying it.  I am actually having to use it here and there because my chair that's at my desk really hurts my back. But hopefully we'll get new chairs soon.

    My last zone conference was about 2 months ago and we met in a stake center at Sweetwater. There were about 30 missionaries there.

    So far we don't have many plans for thanksgiving but we have received an invite so we'll hit that up for sure.

    Haven't really heard anything about iPads. We suspect that we will get them next month but nobody seems to know. 

   If I can find a member that will let us Skype on Christmas, I probably will.  Otherwise it will be a phone call.

   Elder Strong and I have cooked thinks like burritos, biscuits, french toast, pasta, all that fun stuff.
    
   Josh Has a baptismal date for the end of this month! I was so pumped when I found out. I love that kid!

   Today we are emailing from the Family History Center since the libraries are closed.

   The funnest thing I've done on P-day would actually probably have to be playing sports.  Yeah I have been to Ocean Beach and the Mormon Battalion and stuff like that but it's always so rushed since we have such little time.

   We can go to recreational places like museums and parks and bowling and that's all that I have done. 

   We are seeing  a lot of change in the branch. People are stepping up to callings, more people are coming back, and it is really taking off. The branch has more attendance than the ward now.
   
  As far as Christmas goes, I don't wanna ask for anything because I don't think I can haul anymore around than I already have.  My clothes are holding up fine.  Everything's good. I wouldn't mind a couple more pairs of CTR socks though. They're starting to get wholes in them and I might have a couple casualties before I go home.

   So yeah that's my life so far. Oh yeah! And we added a GOLDEN investigator named Yadira last night!! She is super cool and committed to reading the introduction of the Book of Mormon and pray about it! Ahhhh Yeahhhh.
 
   As always, I love you so much and I hope that you enjoy this email.

   Love, 
   Elder Taylor C. Davis

WEEK 67

 

 Mine and Elder Strong's Pumpkins

 My pumpkin

  Sporting the mustaches that were in his Halloween package.

     Week 67...has been crazier than crazy!!!  There has been so much going on and we have been super busy! But yes it has been good too.  :) 

     The continued training of Elder Strong is going really well. He's taking the lead in most situations and he says that he is finally understanding people.  So that makes us happy. 

     I am still the district leader and yes it is going great! I had been praying and talking to President about getting more missionaries in the district to help the work and it happened on Wednesday! So we have had a lot of meetings to help them get their new area and change things up a little.

    

     Our new apt is just me and the Terminator. It's pretty nice though.  The apartment that we moved out of is still a 4 man so I think you can say it was a success. :)  We didn't move too far from where we lived before but geographically we are in a way better place and it has actually become really nice! It's very roomy in some aspects and not so much in others.  Overall I think it's nicer because it has it's own washer and dryer.  So we will be saving like 40 bucks a month now!!!! It also has a lot of dining space. I will take more pictures this week to send you next Tuesday of what it looks like. 

      Pretty much every apartment is different. Ours right now has a comfy couch but the mission office informed us that they'll be taking that away soon. :(   You asked what we take when we move, usually we just what we can fit in the car to go.  Down here in Chula, most of the apartments have dishwashers so that has been nice. :)  Our apartment has a crock-pot, but usually that isn't very common. It pretty much all depends on who was living there before.

 

     We actually have been trying to cook more lately.  Elder Strong likes to cook and I do too. I was wondering if you could somehow make me a small, portable cook book of easy things to cook.  I know you have suggested it before but I think I'm ready for it now.

      On Halloween we had to be in by six and they gave us an assignment to study and it was pretty good. Once we were finished with that, we carved pumpkins and put them out on the porch. :)  

     I did get the package you sent and it was super cool. Thank you so much! I can't decide what my favorite thing was but I'd probably say the Reese's Pumpkins, the Reese's cake mix, or the tie. :)  How are you so creative!?!?!? 

     Things  with Andres are going pretty good. He came to church with his grandma on Sunday! Which was actually stake conference. SO SICK! Plus we saw him yesterday and he is SO ready to be baptized. We are going to schedule his interview today. :)  So yeah he's looking good for the 15th. :)   We are starting to see a desire of his grandma to take him to church. So that would be really good!

      The new branch is going along pretty well. I am super good friends with the Branch President so that always helps.  We have actually been having more attendance in the Ward so far, so that has been pretty good. Church is now at 9 so of course that is great for us. Minus the 7 am branch council meeting.

     We are still working really hard reactivating peeps - yes. There is a family that we have been working really hard with that is almost considered to be fully active again and it has been a lot of fun working with them! 

     What else is new? Hmm.  Well as you know, I have been in Chula since February so you can probably imagine that I am struggling with that.  But I actually have been loving it here. Yes, a change would be nice but I would be okay if I stayed here for another 3 months if that's what the Lord wants.  Anyway, last week at transfer meeting (Wednesday), President invited all the missionaries to pray to receive personal confirmation that we were where we needed to be. Well, this made me feel kinda cool because the Monday before that day, I had actually had a feeling that I was staying for sure and I prayed to know if that was actually what was going to happen and if it was where I needed to be.  But.... I had not received any type of answer yet. This experience seemed all too familiar... So since that day, I have been praying and still had received nothing. I started to doubt, I started to worry.  But when I was sitting there on the pulpit as part of the choir for stake conference, President Schmitt got up on the pulpit and said how there are 36 missionaries in the wonderful stake of Chula Vista. At this moment, I was overcome with the spirit. I felt the spirit so strong that it was the strongest I have felt the spirit in a LONG time.  I can't even explain how it felt, but it was almost like Nana was giving me a giant bear hug of the spirit. I hope to never forget that feeling. I know I need to be here and I am glad to be here. Chula is where it's at!

    Mom, I love you to death and appreciate all you you do for me to the very core of my being. You mean so much to me. 

    Dad - What a joy it is to read how well you are doing! You really have amazed me with your conversion. Especially since I have left home! It's just a testimony to me that Heavenly Father really does take care of you while I am away. Thank you for always sharing your powerhouse experiences and for sharing what you have learned from the Gospel. I hope to be as temple thirsty as you are when I get home!  Don't get me wrong, going to the temple once every 3 months as a missionary is unexplainable. But I'm not sure it competes with going every week.  Well Pops, I know you know I love you and I hope that you enjoy this week and feel that love for you.

    Love, 

    Elder Taylor C. Davis