Hey Y'all,
Thank you to everyone who made a card
for me. I have read 3 and have 29 more to go! Great idea on Mom's part! It's
crazy to think that I am at the last month! It is crazy! Time is just getting
away from me! This week though it was amazing to see just how much more I am
doing to as the Lords Servant. I have been pondering a lot about the things I
have learned on my mission and the list keeps getting bigger. A lot of what I
learned I feel God is showing me daily all of the lessons and skills I have
learned getting out to the test and helping me notice them so much more! God is
really amazing and is definitely helping me finish strong!
Monday was again a visit to the beach.
We have members in the Ward who own a little diner and have to go through them
for a pier walk. Members know how to treat us. They got us free breakfast and a
free pier walk. I think I talked about it in my last weeks letter.
This week we worked a lot with Wendy and
WOW! what great experiences we are having with her. We have been teaching her
and really debating if we should invite her to be baptized. Every time we
planed to it just didn't seem right. On Friday was probably the best. we had
planned to read a talk with her from conference about being a Child of God and
we wanted to watch it on the tv. Luckily it worked and so as we were just
watching other videos. sister Higbee came across the Full Restoration video
which is telling the whole story of Joseph Smith with his mother doing the
narrations. It was definitely by the spirit that we were supposed to watch it
with her. Wendy loved it and she was just glued to the movie. We had to leave
before it was over and she was saying that she was having a Physical reaction
to this movie. She has goose bumps, had being feeling really warm and just felt
refreshed. she didn't know how else to explain it. We asked her questions to
help her realized that is was the spirit. It was really strong now! She was
saying this is how I feel the spirit. What is it trying to tell me? We both
testified that it is saying that Joseph Smith really was a prophet of God and
that the Book of Mormon is true and all the bad things happen to us like the
horrible persecution the saints went through was to help make them strong.
Later that night we were texting her and she respond with " I really want
to make things right with God and I want to join the church! I never thought
she would say that but I know knew why we didn't feel right but that she needed
to want it. She is getting a baptism date this week for sure! We haven't have a
lesson with her since then and so we will be committing her to a date
soon.
This week we have been focusing on
finding! We have tracted a lot and man I just got tired of it this week. I was
kind of dragging my feet as we drove over there. But I knew I had to and that I
needed to have faith that we will find someone or at least will be able to have
a great experience. I prayed about that and man god is amazing. We had two
great conversion! One of which I thought would not listen to us, but she talked
and told us some things she didn't feel that is right that we believe. Some of
it was wrong and some we had to clarify but at the end we were able to share
our testimony and she relaxed. She felt bad that we have been misguided or
something but once we told her that we except Christ she was nicer and sounded
more like a conversation of us all sharing our testimony then when it started
with correcting us.
Sorry again I have run out of time and so I
just want to end with one experience. we had a lesson with a part member
family. The husband is the non member and has wanted to join in the past but he
wasn't ready and so he stopped working toward baptism. He is an amazing man and
is really close. He doesn't want to commit until he really is and is very
sincere. We taught him about the Atonement and the Gospel of Jesus Christ and
it really was a great lesson where the spirit was present and so we were able to
be bold with him and help address his concerns. He has a concern with being
able to know enough to commit to a calling or teach and follow all the
standards. I felt the whole time that we need more people like you. I finally
told him that it's okay that your not ready. We can tell you really want it for
you and you understand covenants and promises you will be making and that will
give you a stronger conversion but to not let these set backs from allowing YOU
peace. He sat there and then told us. Well, now you have given me things to
think about. we both testified and ended with a prayer. He is amazing and his
wife is a great example. I love seeing those people who want to right and be
true followers of the Lord!
Well another great week and another has
started I hope you all stay safe and enjoy your week! Love you all!
Sister Farr
--
Sister Tayler Farr
Friday, June 24, 2016
Thursday, June 16, 2016
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| Wendy and Us! |
Well what a week! A lot has happened and we had a really great week! we found 4 new investigators and one was just contacting at a park! We had lots of funny experiences! We saw crabs, frogs, found a legit tree house and got to tract it, survived the first bad week of welcoming to the horrid humid summer and got our car hit with chocolate pudding on the side of our car by kids as a school bus was passing by- grateful my window was up when just about 5 minutes earlier it was down. By the way just before we had driven to go contact people we had gotten a car wash! It was a funny week but still one I don't think I will ever forget!
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| Malachi and Wendy! Love Them! |
Wednesday we had a great Zone Training and again another great meeting full of revelation and honest learning hearts. Our last instruction was my favorite we talked about Sacrifice vs. Devotion in missionary work. We sacrifice but when we are devoted we even give up our agency! That hit me hard! We then read in the Doctrine in Covenants about how Christ did come to earth imperfect but progressed much more than we ever will and became perfect! It was great and really made me think! I love this Gospel and so grateful to be able to be a missionary and be around so many great ones to learn from as well!
Friday we had a dinner with a friend of some of the members. She is not an investigator or interested but loves to serve the missionaries. We had pizza and apple sauce. She always has to have apple sauce with pizza! its a mom thing, have to have your fruits. It was so fun with her! she is Catholic and we got to share a message and she did one too! We stopped by an older member who was just about to leave with his daughter. He is home bound but so sweet! He gave us a referral for his neighbor and we found out that the daughter she already comes with the Bishops daughter, there best friends, and is going to girls camp and youth conference! We are trying to find out if she has ever been invited to take the lessons! Everyone says she is going to marry a Mormon boy! We will see what will happen but she is sweet girl!
Well like I said before in the past sometimes tracting and contacting strangers is not my favorite but it helps when it is actually fruitful. We have been wanting to find good new people to teach and so it lead to trying former's and potentials, but died fast so we tracted a lot this week and contacting and we found like I said four new investigators. On Saturday we had decided to go contact at a park. When we got there no one was there except a man at the tennis courts. I figured he might be an instructor. We were thinking we would come back to him but I was like I can start the conversation easy. Tennis Hello! Long story short we talked about prophets, faith and Christ! We set up an appointment again at the park in between his lessons. He is Polynesian and is a sweet man! He has been prepared and he even said on one of these Mondays we can play with him! I was excited about that! But haven't played so might be terrible! He loves teaching left handers! Which I thought instructors hated teaching lefties but he loves it! Says they are more successful! I was happy about that!
Sunday like I said Wendy came with her son and it was great! We can really see more desire in Wendy she is getting closer to baptism and we noticed we have been waiting to ask her to be baptized when we felt she was ready but we feel that is a mistake now! We are repenting big time! She is moving forward so quickly and is amazing us and we can see her happier! She is even asking to help with activities and asks us before we even give her a committed what we want her to read and study this week! She is amazing and now we just need to work on her mom!
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| At the beach! Ocean Isle Beach |
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Sister Tayler Farr
Thursday, June 9, 2016
Shallotte is stuck with me!
Hey Y'all,
So from my title this week I am happy and grateful to say that I am staying in Shallotte and Shallotte is stuck with the famous Sister Farr! Having to tell everybody that it was a possibility really scared me this time and I really didn't want to leave Wendy and Vikki! But truly I am beyond excited to also announce I am staying with Sister Higbee and she gets to help me stay sane for the last 6 weeks of my mission......which is hard to say and never thought it would come to this, but I am making sure these last 6 weeks is not mine but Christ's and that I am just is mouth piece in it all!
This week is really a big blur and so I am going to start from Sunday!
Sunday was great Wendy came and we had a great timer at church! We were able to tell the Ward that we are staying and Bishop Fish was happy to hear it! We had a great talk with, like always and he is just a great Bishop and that any missionaries dream is to have one just like him! We talked about my plans after the mission and he gave me some ideas and things to think about and we talked about our investigators and other people are working with. We were able to make contact or see everyone he has asked us to see which we made sure to do (advice from Dad) and it was great to report. He was excited to hear people we were able to make contact he was afraid wouldn't get us a time of day! After that we had to rush over to Ocean Isle Beach and had lunch with a less active and her husband. It was great food but boy it was filling! We had a great time with her and got to know her more and will might be given a new missionary opportunity with her daughter coming to live with them for a while! She was so excited to tell us so we can influence her! I just love this women and just love how she loves the gospel! Sunday night I seriously have come to see that God has a sense of humor and I just am not the smartest when it comes to driving in Shallotte. Again I got us into a ditch but this time it was because of the wet muddy ground! Again we used it as a missionary tool and we got it out fine but I don't think I will be trying to turn like that ever again for certain for now on or will rudely just have to make Sister Higbee back me! I got to see how people use chains to get people out of ditches and next time someone needs help at least I will know what to do! hahaha! yeah! Later that night we got to members home lucky we were only 5 minutes late. It was the family we visited awhile back where they were all return missionaries! We talked about the Family mission Plan and how to start and continue to do missionary work. They told us what they have been doing and come to find out one of them since he has a really bad medical condition that deals with a difference in his blood flow in his body he shares the gospel through video games! I thought that was awesome! We talked a lot about mission experiences and they gave us a lot to think about! I kind of ended the night with a little self pity cry and feeling bad and allowing Satan to get to me! But realized that I just got to push and make the best out of this and finish strong and that it is really okay to think about the future and what next months bring, and so forth. I honestly think Sister Higbee was going to shake me into reality or something she was very sweet and listened well! She is amazing and now its like all good but man it was a kind of a rough night for us!
With that being said Saturday was a great day and we had great experience! We had gotten a referral from family in the ward and so we visited them and they let us right in and they loved when we started talking about the Book of Mormon! We left them with it to read till we came back. We didn't get a return appointment. They are older and so they have lots of doctor appointments so they are calling us. We saw Wendy and taught about the story of Esther! she loved it and we watched a video of Courage! Esther definitely showed courage and faith! We ended the night seeing a less active and his family. They were all a big hoot and lets just say I was very much comfortable and was my normal crazy self and it was great we left with a bible scripture and prayer. We were invited to come back! Some day this family will join!
Friday we got to have another great lesson with our other investigator Jeff. Not sure if I used his name yet but we read the talk His Grace is Sufficient and had a member from the Bishopric with us. We knew they would have fun and we were right. They really hit it off and found that they both have had near death experiences. Neither one of them should be alive and One had about 10 shots in his body and still he lived!
We have seen a lot of people this week and sadly we couldn't show it but I have learned that this week! That it better to focus on the people and not the number behind it. Even if it means we are late to another lesson or we simply don't share anything but we show love and that we care! I knew that but recently I have forgotten it! All in all I am so grateful to be staying here in Shallotte! To see where we are now I can;t wait what the next 6 weeks bring! We have had great experience, learned new things, definitely have learned from each other and we have so much that we can do now and the area is really starting to just be amazing! The work is truly being Hastened her in Shallotte and I have never seen so much potential in one area like this before and I am grateful to be able to serve here in this piece of the Lord's Vineyard! I hope you all have a great and Blessed Week and I am sending my love to you from North Carolina!
Love,
Sister Farr
--
Sister Tayler Farr
So from my title this week I am happy and grateful to say that I am staying in Shallotte and Shallotte is stuck with the famous Sister Farr! Having to tell everybody that it was a possibility really scared me this time and I really didn't want to leave Wendy and Vikki! But truly I am beyond excited to also announce I am staying with Sister Higbee and she gets to help me stay sane for the last 6 weeks of my mission......which is hard to say and never thought it would come to this, but I am making sure these last 6 weeks is not mine but Christ's and that I am just is mouth piece in it all!
This week is really a big blur and so I am going to start from Sunday!
Sunday was great Wendy came and we had a great timer at church! We were able to tell the Ward that we are staying and Bishop Fish was happy to hear it! We had a great talk with, like always and he is just a great Bishop and that any missionaries dream is to have one just like him! We talked about my plans after the mission and he gave me some ideas and things to think about and we talked about our investigators and other people are working with. We were able to make contact or see everyone he has asked us to see which we made sure to do (advice from Dad) and it was great to report. He was excited to hear people we were able to make contact he was afraid wouldn't get us a time of day! After that we had to rush over to Ocean Isle Beach and had lunch with a less active and her husband. It was great food but boy it was filling! We had a great time with her and got to know her more and will might be given a new missionary opportunity with her daughter coming to live with them for a while! She was so excited to tell us so we can influence her! I just love this women and just love how she loves the gospel! Sunday night I seriously have come to see that God has a sense of humor and I just am not the smartest when it comes to driving in Shallotte. Again I got us into a ditch but this time it was because of the wet muddy ground! Again we used it as a missionary tool and we got it out fine but I don't think I will be trying to turn like that ever again for certain for now on or will rudely just have to make Sister Higbee back me! I got to see how people use chains to get people out of ditches and next time someone needs help at least I will know what to do! hahaha! yeah! Later that night we got to members home lucky we were only 5 minutes late. It was the family we visited awhile back where they were all return missionaries! We talked about the Family mission Plan and how to start and continue to do missionary work. They told us what they have been doing and come to find out one of them since he has a really bad medical condition that deals with a difference in his blood flow in his body he shares the gospel through video games! I thought that was awesome! We talked a lot about mission experiences and they gave us a lot to think about! I kind of ended the night with a little self pity cry and feeling bad and allowing Satan to get to me! But realized that I just got to push and make the best out of this and finish strong and that it is really okay to think about the future and what next months bring, and so forth. I honestly think Sister Higbee was going to shake me into reality or something she was very sweet and listened well! She is amazing and now its like all good but man it was a kind of a rough night for us!
With that being said Saturday was a great day and we had great experience! We had gotten a referral from family in the ward and so we visited them and they let us right in and they loved when we started talking about the Book of Mormon! We left them with it to read till we came back. We didn't get a return appointment. They are older and so they have lots of doctor appointments so they are calling us. We saw Wendy and taught about the story of Esther! she loved it and we watched a video of Courage! Esther definitely showed courage and faith! We ended the night seeing a less active and his family. They were all a big hoot and lets just say I was very much comfortable and was my normal crazy self and it was great we left with a bible scripture and prayer. We were invited to come back! Some day this family will join!
Friday we got to have another great lesson with our other investigator Jeff. Not sure if I used his name yet but we read the talk His Grace is Sufficient and had a member from the Bishopric with us. We knew they would have fun and we were right. They really hit it off and found that they both have had near death experiences. Neither one of them should be alive and One had about 10 shots in his body and still he lived!
We have seen a lot of people this week and sadly we couldn't show it but I have learned that this week! That it better to focus on the people and not the number behind it. Even if it means we are late to another lesson or we simply don't share anything but we show love and that we care! I knew that but recently I have forgotten it! All in all I am so grateful to be staying here in Shallotte! To see where we are now I can;t wait what the next 6 weeks bring! We have had great experience, learned new things, definitely have learned from each other and we have so much that we can do now and the area is really starting to just be amazing! The work is truly being Hastened her in Shallotte and I have never seen so much potential in one area like this before and I am grateful to be able to serve here in this piece of the Lord's Vineyard! I hope you all have a great and Blessed Week and I am sending my love to you from North Carolina!
Love,
Sister Farr
--
Sister Tayler Farr
Thursday, June 2, 2016
This is a small report this week but seriously I could say more!
Hey Y'all,
Well what a week! We had a pretty crazy week! Monday we had exchanges with our sister Training leaders and we had fun! I stayed in Shallotte. We found new investigators by tracting! It was a great experience.
Wednesday we had a potluck as a district and we brought Darth Vader Waffles. So good! We had a lesson with Vikki tonight again on Patriarchal blessings. She is getting hers on June 19th and so excited for her! She is just amazing! I just hope to get her to go to the temple next!
Thursday was a good day and we were able to even finish weekly planning go see people except I got the car stuck as we were driving home from trying to contact a former investigator. I got it really stuck. Some of the neighbors came over to help us get it out and they had to jack it up on wood planks and then have me try to back it up from off the wood planks. It was really embarrassing but we got potentials from the experiences and we are going to be visiting them soon. I really do think that God has a sense of humor since He let this happen!
Last week I told you about Wendy our new investigator! She is amazing and we had a great lesson with her and got to meet her mom. We got a text from her asking for us to meet at the pool. She told us some stuff and we got her to come to church! In the last 24 hours we can see just how much the Spirit is working on her and she came to church Sunday without a problem!
Sunday was great! With it being the 5th Sunday we had combined meeting and we, the Ward mission leader, and our favorite ward missionary talked to the members about Family mission plans. We talked about all the success and fun and the gratitude for all their help. Sister Sanchez talked about the fears, and why we do missionary work. The WML talked about everything. He was bold but it was great and so inspired. We weren't nervous and none of the other two said anything they were planning on to say. It was a very Spirit led meeting and so excited to work more with the ward with missionary work! Shallotte is going to be flying this next transfer with so many potential and great experiences I just hope I am here!
This is a small report this week but seriously I could say more! I have so much on my mind! We had interviews with President and Sister James and it was great. They are amazing and Sister James is the sweetest! I cry and she does the hugging! hahaha! I got a blessing from Bishop Fish and had Sister Higbee take notes! I am glad I did. It was full so much! and from everything he said I have so much more to do and my time is getting shorter and I know that God has so much more for me to do! Like get Wendy to the waters of Baptism! Love you all and know that I am thinking of you! Have a great and blessed week!
Love,
Well what a week! We had a pretty crazy week! Monday we had exchanges with our sister Training leaders and we had fun! I stayed in Shallotte. We found new investigators by tracting! It was a great experience.
Wednesday we had a potluck as a district and we brought Darth Vader Waffles. So good! We had a lesson with Vikki tonight again on Patriarchal blessings. She is getting hers on June 19th and so excited for her! She is just amazing! I just hope to get her to go to the temple next!
Thursday was a good day and we were able to even finish weekly planning go see people except I got the car stuck as we were driving home from trying to contact a former investigator. I got it really stuck. Some of the neighbors came over to help us get it out and they had to jack it up on wood planks and then have me try to back it up from off the wood planks. It was really embarrassing but we got potentials from the experiences and we are going to be visiting them soon. I really do think that God has a sense of humor since He let this happen!
Last week I told you about Wendy our new investigator! She is amazing and we had a great lesson with her and got to meet her mom. We got a text from her asking for us to meet at the pool. She told us some stuff and we got her to come to church! In the last 24 hours we can see just how much the Spirit is working on her and she came to church Sunday without a problem!
Sunday was great! With it being the 5th Sunday we had combined meeting and we, the Ward mission leader, and our favorite ward missionary talked to the members about Family mission plans. We talked about all the success and fun and the gratitude for all their help. Sister Sanchez talked about the fears, and why we do missionary work. The WML talked about everything. He was bold but it was great and so inspired. We weren't nervous and none of the other two said anything they were planning on to say. It was a very Spirit led meeting and so excited to work more with the ward with missionary work! Shallotte is going to be flying this next transfer with so many potential and great experiences I just hope I am here!
This is a small report this week but seriously I could say more! I have so much on my mind! We had interviews with President and Sister James and it was great. They are amazing and Sister James is the sweetest! I cry and she does the hugging! hahaha! I got a blessing from Bishop Fish and had Sister Higbee take notes! I am glad I did. It was full so much! and from everything he said I have so much more to do and my time is getting shorter and I know that God has so much more for me to do! Like get Wendy to the waters of Baptism! Love you all and know that I am thinking of you! Have a great and blessed week!
Love,
Sister Tayler Farr
--
Sister Tayler Farr
Saturday, May 28, 2016
Spiritual Drain!
Hey,
I know what an interesting title for this week letter, but really I feel like every week is so spiritually and emotionally draining! I always look forward to Sundays and Mondays! This week we had a great experience with a Seventy who came to visit the mission! Vikki's baptism was on Saturday and we had great experiences during the week!
I'll start from Sunday this time:
Yesterday was a great day and Vikki got confirmed! She had Bishop Fish baptize her and had about 7 total in her circle which started out to just be 4 including Bishop! I have never seen her smile so big before! She was literally glowing! She was so cute! She is amazing! After Church we had a linger longer/baptism for an 8 yr old girl! We had a lot of food left over after the Fiesta activity so they used it for after the baptism! Vikki came also and I could tell she enjoyed it a lot too with the fact that now she gets to attend another already being baptized! She would turn to me and say that was a good talk I liked that or that's amazing! She is just so great and I love her to death! It has definitely been an experience I never thought I would get to have! I got to truly be a part of the preparing her baptism and having to think of everything! I was so grateful to see how much she has learned and knowing how much potential she has! I can see her being a Relief Society President! Oh man! She is just amazing! We left early from the linger longer to finish stuff before a lesson at 3:30! We were able to have Bishop come with us to see the Parcell's. I'm not sure if I talked about them before but we had gotten a referral from someone in the same neighborhood as them and when we were able to get through the gate we stopped by to see them and she loves us coming! We were hesitant in telling her that Bishop was coming but when we arrived she was so honored to have him in her home! Her husband (nonmember) stayed during the lesson and just listened! We talked about the Atonement and the gospel of Jesus Christ using a visual! (I love using it-and she needed it). It was a great lesson and she is wanting to go to the Temple! She hasn't been to church since before knowing that there was a temple in Raleigh! It was back in the 70's where they only went to Washington DC and that her home town was barely a branch! Now it is a stake! Go figure! She is such a sweet lady and just kept asking us when we could come back! It was a great lesson all the way and Bishop did a great job in answering all her questions! She asked some hard ones! Bishop Fish is the best Bishop I have worked with here in NC!
We had a great experience tracting tonight! We went to see a less active and had a quick dinner with them. We were going to go see another less active but instead drove home to try tracting out our apartment complex! Seriously no body would even let us talk! But oh well! It was starting to get discouraging but we knocked on the last door for the night and a mom and her 5 yr old opened the door! The boy ran out and said "Hi ladies you can come in and play with me." He was the cutest thing ever! We started talking to the mom and we were setting up a time to come back. We were setting up a time but then she just let us come in. They didn't have a couch or really anything in there living room and so we sat on the floor while she sat in camp chair. Now this 5 yr old had some energy and the time he really wanted us to play with him. I tried to play with him to let Sister Higbee talk but he was just to distracting and we could tell the mom (Wendy) was embarrassed so I just went with it and we started talking about how we are all God's children! We asked question that we got I don't know answers to. We asked her "Do you know that you are a child of God? She said no I don't know. It broke me to hear that we explained how we are. I felt impressed to apply this concept to her personally so she can see what we are saying. I use her being a mom and she completely opened up. Told us a lot of things and that she doesn't get support from a lot of people. She is living with her Mom. She is just a sad lady. Had decided Today to quite smoking to be healthier and to be able to save money. I truly know that we meant to see her tonight and this lesson with her was very much spirit directed and I was able to help with it. I told her that now we will be a support group and we can help her get back to church and see what is in store for her. I told her that the church is a support system and a big family! My heart just ached for her and I felt so bad and I know God let me see her the way he sees her! I have a love for her already that I just want to give her something to keep her going! To realize all of this was seriously a spiritual drain!
Saturday= Baptism Day! We were pretty busy and it was interesting to try to get the font on! It leaks even when you have water in! But it worked fine we thought we might have to use a plastic bag. We got it fine! Vikki's baptism was great and we had a lot of people come. We got to meet her family and her husband really liked it! The talks were great and Vikki was glowing! When she was baptized she was just smiling so big and just cried. She was laughing and just was amazing! It's crazy to think that all of it is over now but thankfully nothing went wrong! Oh I love this woman!!!!! After we had about an hour before we had to be home so we went to go see a potential who we had tracted into. Not sure I said anything about him earlier but he is a single man and lives by himself in a big home and at first talked to us just fine but once he found out we were Mormons he got kind of defensive. We left the first time on good terms and so when we stopped by he was glad to see us. He is ready and I know he has been prepared but he may take a while. We hope to fellowship him with our Ward mission Leader! It was great we learned he likes Poetry and romantic movies. hahaha.
Thursday we had Zone Conference and I got to go back to Fayetteville! Never thought I would miss Fayettenam! It was great to be with the Southern Zone of which all I have been in now! Elder Zwick came and we had a great conference. It's amazing just how much the leaders of the church know what's going on in the world. I am proud to say he wants to tell the quorum of the 12 that we are a very impressive group of missionaries. He says he will report only good things! He talked a lot about new ways to teach and Sister Higbee and I have used it already and it truly helps us better present our purpose and being able to share a strong testimony. It's called Teach Testify or I call it Teach and Testify from the Heart! Elder Zwick talked a lot about obedience and why we are to be obedient. It's not that we are expected to be but that we should want to! President talked about setting goals and I felt that was a call to repentance for me. I may be setting goals but do I really need to work on them or are there better ones that make me stretch and improve! It was literally I felt for me! Sister Zwick talked about praying and that I know I need to be better at. Not doing it more but more of letting the spirit direct. I was so tired at the end I was grateful that I wasn't driving back from Fayetteville. It is amazing just how much I got out of this Conference! I love these meetings..... I never thought I would say that!
I have so much I could talk about but I wanted to leave with a testimony today! I love this work and I love the companionship of the Spirit and just how I feel as I do this work here in North Carolina! I have learned so much and honestly what haven't I learned! Anyone who asks better be prepared for a long list! I love just how I feel at the end the day, even and especially on the hard days! I truly love this Gospel and I know it's true! The more I live it and try to learn it the more I am love it and know that it is what I need! I have learned so much about the plan God has for us and also the individual plan he has for me personally! I may not know what it is but I know the plan he has for me as a missionary. Whatever I do know about anything that makes a testimony is the faith we need to trust that everything will be okay! No matter the hardships, the unknown, the times when we feel incapable. We really are incapable of so much but Christ fixes that for us all, personally and lovingly. This is the Gospel of Hope and love and those who say otherwise better wait cause something will always come to teach us! We may feel lonely but from the story of the footsteps in the sand he is really there the whole time and times carries us when we don't realize it! I love my Savior and I love this work and I love North Carolina and I especially love the South of where there Faith is grounded but they loosen it enough to see and receive what is truly better! Love you all and I hope and know you will be blessed and looked after! Have a blessed week!
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Sister Tayler Farr
I know what an interesting title for this week letter, but really I feel like every week is so spiritually and emotionally draining! I always look forward to Sundays and Mondays! This week we had a great experience with a Seventy who came to visit the mission! Vikki's baptism was on Saturday and we had great experiences during the week!
I'll start from Sunday this time:
Yesterday was a great day and Vikki got confirmed! She had Bishop Fish baptize her and had about 7 total in her circle which started out to just be 4 including Bishop! I have never seen her smile so big before! She was literally glowing! She was so cute! She is amazing! After Church we had a linger longer/baptism for an 8 yr old girl! We had a lot of food left over after the Fiesta activity so they used it for after the baptism! Vikki came also and I could tell she enjoyed it a lot too with the fact that now she gets to attend another already being baptized! She would turn to me and say that was a good talk I liked that or that's amazing! She is just so great and I love her to death! It has definitely been an experience I never thought I would get to have! I got to truly be a part of the preparing her baptism and having to think of everything! I was so grateful to see how much she has learned and knowing how much potential she has! I can see her being a Relief Society President! Oh man! She is just amazing! We left early from the linger longer to finish stuff before a lesson at 3:30! We were able to have Bishop come with us to see the Parcell's. I'm not sure if I talked about them before but we had gotten a referral from someone in the same neighborhood as them and when we were able to get through the gate we stopped by to see them and she loves us coming! We were hesitant in telling her that Bishop was coming but when we arrived she was so honored to have him in her home! Her husband (nonmember) stayed during the lesson and just listened! We talked about the Atonement and the gospel of Jesus Christ using a visual! (I love using it-and she needed it). It was a great lesson and she is wanting to go to the Temple! She hasn't been to church since before knowing that there was a temple in Raleigh! It was back in the 70's where they only went to Washington DC and that her home town was barely a branch! Now it is a stake! Go figure! She is such a sweet lady and just kept asking us when we could come back! It was a great lesson all the way and Bishop did a great job in answering all her questions! She asked some hard ones! Bishop Fish is the best Bishop I have worked with here in NC!
We had a great experience tracting tonight! We went to see a less active and had a quick dinner with them. We were going to go see another less active but instead drove home to try tracting out our apartment complex! Seriously no body would even let us talk! But oh well! It was starting to get discouraging but we knocked on the last door for the night and a mom and her 5 yr old opened the door! The boy ran out and said "Hi ladies you can come in and play with me." He was the cutest thing ever! We started talking to the mom and we were setting up a time to come back. We were setting up a time but then she just let us come in. They didn't have a couch or really anything in there living room and so we sat on the floor while she sat in camp chair. Now this 5 yr old had some energy and the time he really wanted us to play with him. I tried to play with him to let Sister Higbee talk but he was just to distracting and we could tell the mom (Wendy) was embarrassed so I just went with it and we started talking about how we are all God's children! We asked question that we got I don't know answers to. We asked her "Do you know that you are a child of God? She said no I don't know. It broke me to hear that we explained how we are. I felt impressed to apply this concept to her personally so she can see what we are saying. I use her being a mom and she completely opened up. Told us a lot of things and that she doesn't get support from a lot of people. She is living with her Mom. She is just a sad lady. Had decided Today to quite smoking to be healthier and to be able to save money. I truly know that we meant to see her tonight and this lesson with her was very much spirit directed and I was able to help with it. I told her that now we will be a support group and we can help her get back to church and see what is in store for her. I told her that the church is a support system and a big family! My heart just ached for her and I felt so bad and I know God let me see her the way he sees her! I have a love for her already that I just want to give her something to keep her going! To realize all of this was seriously a spiritual drain!
Saturday= Baptism Day! We were pretty busy and it was interesting to try to get the font on! It leaks even when you have water in! But it worked fine we thought we might have to use a plastic bag. We got it fine! Vikki's baptism was great and we had a lot of people come. We got to meet her family and her husband really liked it! The talks were great and Vikki was glowing! When she was baptized she was just smiling so big and just cried. She was laughing and just was amazing! It's crazy to think that all of it is over now but thankfully nothing went wrong! Oh I love this woman!!!!! After we had about an hour before we had to be home so we went to go see a potential who we had tracted into. Not sure I said anything about him earlier but he is a single man and lives by himself in a big home and at first talked to us just fine but once he found out we were Mormons he got kind of defensive. We left the first time on good terms and so when we stopped by he was glad to see us. He is ready and I know he has been prepared but he may take a while. We hope to fellowship him with our Ward mission Leader! It was great we learned he likes Poetry and romantic movies. hahaha.
Thursday we had Zone Conference and I got to go back to Fayetteville! Never thought I would miss Fayettenam! It was great to be with the Southern Zone of which all I have been in now! Elder Zwick came and we had a great conference. It's amazing just how much the leaders of the church know what's going on in the world. I am proud to say he wants to tell the quorum of the 12 that we are a very impressive group of missionaries. He says he will report only good things! He talked a lot about new ways to teach and Sister Higbee and I have used it already and it truly helps us better present our purpose and being able to share a strong testimony. It's called Teach Testify or I call it Teach and Testify from the Heart! Elder Zwick talked a lot about obedience and why we are to be obedient. It's not that we are expected to be but that we should want to! President talked about setting goals and I felt that was a call to repentance for me. I may be setting goals but do I really need to work on them or are there better ones that make me stretch and improve! It was literally I felt for me! Sister Zwick talked about praying and that I know I need to be better at. Not doing it more but more of letting the spirit direct. I was so tired at the end I was grateful that I wasn't driving back from Fayetteville. It is amazing just how much I got out of this Conference! I love these meetings..... I never thought I would say that!
I have so much I could talk about but I wanted to leave with a testimony today! I love this work and I love the companionship of the Spirit and just how I feel as I do this work here in North Carolina! I have learned so much and honestly what haven't I learned! Anyone who asks better be prepared for a long list! I love just how I feel at the end the day, even and especially on the hard days! I truly love this Gospel and I know it's true! The more I live it and try to learn it the more I am love it and know that it is what I need! I have learned so much about the plan God has for us and also the individual plan he has for me personally! I may not know what it is but I know the plan he has for me as a missionary. Whatever I do know about anything that makes a testimony is the faith we need to trust that everything will be okay! No matter the hardships, the unknown, the times when we feel incapable. We really are incapable of so much but Christ fixes that for us all, personally and lovingly. This is the Gospel of Hope and love and those who say otherwise better wait cause something will always come to teach us! We may feel lonely but from the story of the footsteps in the sand he is really there the whole time and times carries us when we don't realize it! I love my Savior and I love this work and I love North Carolina and I especially love the South of where there Faith is grounded but they loosen it enough to see and receive what is truly better! Love you all and I hope and know you will be blessed and looked after! Have a blessed week!
--
Sister Tayler Farr
Friday, May 20, 2016
Another great week and another great week!
Hey Y'all,
Another week gone and by I feel like this week went by fast! Nothing like talking to family though to top off a good week! We got a lot done this week and truly after doing Shot Gunning for the third time I am starting to see the third week of the transfer starts to get it going! We have great week ahead of us! Lots planned, great appointments set and Zone Conference with Elder Zwick coming from the missionary board and a baptism! So excited for this week!
Last week had our first Spanish lesson
with our recent convert! Oh did I ever mention that he only speaks Spanish! We
have a translator but they brought another friend who is not a member and so
honestly it was probably the worst lesson I have ever taught! WE didn't have
Spanish pamphlets, barely able to find a Spanish Book of Mormon and luckily the
video worked watching The Restoration went well! I was honestly to nervous to
be teaching well enough to have the spirit but while watching the movie in
Spanish of course and feeling the spirit I was then able to be more comfortable
and I even could understand what some of the things they were saying! At the
end when we were talking about the Book of Mormon I was able to understand a
little of the Spanish they were saying! Talking about Gift of Tongues! It was a
great ending and we didn't completely scare away the friend!
Tuesday we had a lesson with our Investigator Jeff and our Ward Mission Leader! It was amazing and I just love going out with our WML! He is amazing! We talked about the Atonement and the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We used a visual. He loved it and even our WML invited him to baptism and church! He gives such great answers he just needs to get baptized but first come to church!
Wednesday we had a great Zone Training and I gave my first thought at any Zone Training on my mission thus far and so that made me nervous! You would have laughed seeing me shake so bad! Of course I was fine and a lot of people in there instruction quoted what I had said and I knew what I had prepared was by the spirit! It was a great training and I am so excited for this week to get to see President James and excited to see someone visit the mission! Which means a very emotional, mentally, and spiritually exhausting meeting but none the less amazing!
I have turned into one crazy tracting machine! Now the idea of doing it doesn't scare me (credit goes to President James). We got to go back to contact some people we tracted into and one so far has become a new investigator. He didn't except the Book of Mormon yet but we are seeing him tonight to teach him about the Restoration! We also saw a Less active that Sisters used to see quite regularly about a year ago but she hadn't been contacted or seen for a while! She loves missionaries and is sick but she has a strong testimony nevertheless! It is quite a testimony builder when members who aren't allows able to make it to church still show the love they have for the church and the Gospel!
Friday was a great day of tender
mercies! We got to have lunch with a sister in the ward at Golden Corral and I
found one of the best Banana Pudding I have had here! (anyone have a good one
they would like to share with me?). We then worked on Vikki's baptism program
and it took a little to long because we spent 2 hours just on the typing of it.
I could tell I hadn't been in school for a while. haha. Sister Higbee had a
girl she taught in Pembroke and we got permission to go. WE got a great member
to take us! It was great to see the members and Mama Ang again and it was
weird. Some of them thought that I was visiting from so that was difficult. But
I love Pembroke and I miss the accent!!!!! I love my Lumbee's!
Saturday we had a lesson with
Vikki going over the Baptism interview questions before we have her interview
tomorrow! We wanted her to feel less nervous so we thought just going over the
questions and playing the Plan of Salvation Board Game Sister Higbee made would
do just that! Sure enough it did and it was a lot of fun with her! She
definitely is ready for baptism and has learned so much so quickly! She just
amazes me everyday! We then went to see some Less actives in Shallotte. We
found lots of potentials, lots of them had moved so it was wonderful to get to
meet the new owners who let us come back! We also experienced the first yard
sale in an apartment complex and that was weird, but honestly you can find
anything in NC! Didn't find much of a bargain but did find a possible new
investigator who Virginia missionaries will be getting soon probably. She is
moving soon but we see her again tomorrow night!
Sunday was great! Sister Higbee was asked to play in Sacrament! She is a very talented women! I got to sing in the choir and it was fun to sing with such a small choir with a small congregation. Not many nerves but amazing spirit. We sang the Spirit of God! It was a great performance and we had great speakers. The WML always does a good job teaching gospel Principles and Relief Society. That night we had dinner with a family who we hadn't really met. As we talked I come to find out that they are related to someone! Sister Kim Asay!!! Small world! Kim had told me to look for them or that her family lives here but it took me a while to realize that her maiden name is Skipper and I couldn't connect it! Literally I thought that her cousin looked familiar but really I was looking at Sister Asay!!!! This is like the 5th time I have met someone on my mission that I or someone I know knows someone else! The Mormon world is quite small!
Today we got to have a district activity
and we went to the beach, visited a gift shop and ate some seafood for lunch!
It was lots of fun and we even got one of the senior couples to come which
we got out of having to drive our car! We went to probably the biggest gift shop
I have ever been to and got some great bargains! It was so fun to get to be by
the beach too! We had a sand Temple building contest! It was fun! Sister Higbee
and I built the Mesa Arizona temple thinking it was the easiest to make! We
played with a Frisbee and just had a great time walking in the sand! It was
hard not swimming and getting completely wet but enough to feel the great ocean
water!
Another great week and another
great week! So excited for this coming week! I feel like each week I get more
and more excited to see what will happen! This week with Vikki's baptism it
makes it all better and more exciting! I will send Pictures! Love you all and
God Bless! :)
Sister Farr
--
Sister Tayler Farr
Another week gone and by I feel like this week went by fast! Nothing like talking to family though to top off a good week! We got a lot done this week and truly after doing Shot Gunning for the third time I am starting to see the third week of the transfer starts to get it going! We have great week ahead of us! Lots planned, great appointments set and Zone Conference with Elder Zwick coming from the missionary board and a baptism! So excited for this week!
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| Our Spanish Recent Convert made me this Scripture Case himself! Shows his love for His Savior! |
Tuesday we had a lesson with our Investigator Jeff and our Ward Mission Leader! It was amazing and I just love going out with our WML! He is amazing! We talked about the Atonement and the Gospel of Jesus Christ! We used a visual. He loved it and even our WML invited him to baptism and church! He gives such great answers he just needs to get baptized but first come to church!
Wednesday we had a great Zone Training and I gave my first thought at any Zone Training on my mission thus far and so that made me nervous! You would have laughed seeing me shake so bad! Of course I was fine and a lot of people in there instruction quoted what I had said and I knew what I had prepared was by the spirit! It was a great training and I am so excited for this week to get to see President James and excited to see someone visit the mission! Which means a very emotional, mentally, and spiritually exhausting meeting but none the less amazing!
I have turned into one crazy tracting machine! Now the idea of doing it doesn't scare me (credit goes to President James). We got to go back to contact some people we tracted into and one so far has become a new investigator. He didn't except the Book of Mormon yet but we are seeing him tonight to teach him about the Restoration! We also saw a Less active that Sisters used to see quite regularly about a year ago but she hadn't been contacted or seen for a while! She loves missionaries and is sick but she has a strong testimony nevertheless! It is quite a testimony builder when members who aren't allows able to make it to church still show the love they have for the church and the Gospel!
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| The Best Mission mama ever-Mama Ang! |
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| Vikki and I! |
Sunday was great! Sister Higbee was asked to play in Sacrament! She is a very talented women! I got to sing in the choir and it was fun to sing with such a small choir with a small congregation. Not many nerves but amazing spirit. We sang the Spirit of God! It was a great performance and we had great speakers. The WML always does a good job teaching gospel Principles and Relief Society. That night we had dinner with a family who we hadn't really met. As we talked I come to find out that they are related to someone! Sister Kim Asay!!! Small world! Kim had told me to look for them or that her family lives here but it took me a while to realize that her maiden name is Skipper and I couldn't connect it! Literally I thought that her cousin looked familiar but really I was looking at Sister Asay!!!! This is like the 5th time I have met someone on my mission that I or someone I know knows someone else! The Mormon world is quite small!
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| Building our Mesa Temple! |
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| Playing in the Sand! |
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| Sister Hyde and I at the Beach chillin' in the sun! |
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| The Southport District Clan! |
Sister Farr
--
Sister Tayler Farr
Saturday, May 14, 2016
You shall be tried!
Hey Y'all,Happy Mother's Day Y'all! It was great to see family over Skype yesterday and so nice to get to meet my Sister to for the first time!
Nothing like a nice cool Preparation day morning to have studies and fun at the beach! We had a great time getting to study the gospel and listening to the waves! Nothing better for the first time to Ocean Isle beach!
This week I have learned just how amazing it is to have a strong testimony! We went to go see some members on our roster that no one knew and we went to an older couple! She quickly let us in! We had a great talk for a while then she brought in the fact that she had read this book! I don't remember what it is called and glad that I don't! We could feel the spirit but once she started talking about the book it was gone! She told us it was saying all these terrible things Brigham Young and Joseph Smith did! It never made sense. She kept saying "I know there human and they make mistakes but if they were doing so much bad why would God who is perfect let them still be the prophet of the church! She also didn't like the idea of how we say in the church we will one day become Gods and Goddesses. It was hard to explain that we will never be over God he will always be our father but we will become perfect over time and we then can be God's! All in all she still said that she has a testimony she just needs to work things out! I noticed that in all of this I saw that there must be something missing and we talked to our Bishop and he helped us understand more and it actually make sense! I truly know that I have a testimony and its strong enough where literally I was able to laugh in Satan's face and say nice try! It's amazing to see how much my testimony has grown! I may not have been able to be okay and foundated on the gospel about 2 years ago. I have had a lot of experiences and doubt but my personal foundation and testimony is rooted to far deep to be pulled by the adversary! I just hope I can help others get to where I am now! I am grateful for the lessons God has given me so that when this time came I wouldn't be shaken! Truly was a tender mercy and I hope I never will forget it!
We had a lot great other lessons and more with our investigators! Last week we found a lady tracting and we taught her on Tuesday again but taught the Restoration! We invited our WML! He was great and we are so glad we had him come! Her husband came half way and he started talking with him and getting comfortable with us! We are hoping that they come to our ward Fiesta night so we can give them a church tour. Petra (investigator) was so involved with the lesson we couldn't get through the whole lesson! She loved it when we gave her the Book of Mormon! I have never seen someone so excited than she getting it before! She flipped through it as though we gave her a book that is the most precious thing ever that gives answers and everything she needs in life but now I'm thinking it really is that book! Our Ward mission leader left with his testimony and it was a amazing! We know it was spirit that led us to invite him! We hope to start teaching the husband too!
Now Thursday was crazy we went to a less active families of 5 and found 4 of them are returned missionaries! Probably the most intimidating lesson with members ever! We taught them the restoration using the cups and boy it was rough for me! But so amazing to hear all of the testimony and how they really want to be to church and serve more but their health makes it hard! They have some disorder that causes them to pass out if they stand up or sit down to fast! The husband said he barely finished his mission!
Our one investigator is awesome! She is doing so well! Her baptism is made for the 21st! She is so ready I feel like we are holding her back! She seriously is soaking up everything we are teaching her like a sponge and is asking so many great questions! She even started doing her family history so she can take names to the temple after her baptism! We were going to go to the Family History center at the church with the consultant and help her set it up but she did herself! She is amazing and it is such an amazing experience to see the drive she has for the gospel!
I hope you all have a great week! Love you all! Remember I love y'all and am praying for you! Have a blessed week and always be looking for those missionary opportunities! :)
Sister Farr
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Sister Tayler Farr
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