I do hope that by the time I finish my mission here, I will be able to get young missionaries to realize a few things related to winter driving. It amazes me that too many of them think they can be the first off the line, drive at normal high speeds and screech to a stop last minute and avoid sliding, losing control and such. This week I finished the paperwork on 6 accidents and still have 11 others in various stages of repair. We have truly been blessed however in that there have not been any serious injuries; just lots of cars with boo boos on them.
Last Sunday night, 3 missionaries who were driving the mission Silverado pick-up truck, were hit while stopped at a red light in the left turn lane. A van going at least 80 miles per hour according to the police report ran the red light. It was hit by a Honda Civic spinning the van around and directly into the front of our truck. The truck will be totaled, but none of the missionaries were injured other than a bloody nose and some sore muscles. Had they been in one of the regular mission cars, I am convinced they would have been seriously injured. Coincidence; I don't think so.
In another accident, the Sister missionaries started to slide on ice, overcorrected and had a glancing head-on with the oncoming vehicle. $5,000 in damage to our car. But had they been 1 foot farther to the left, they could possibly have been a fatality. Again, coincidence; I don't think so.
Because of the service they are engaged in and their overall obedience and faith, I am convinced that a gracious Father in Heaven is watching over them and protecting them. That is not a coincidence.
It continues to snow and the wind continues to blow. On the news yesterday morning they said that so far this winter (Dec. 21) we have had 45.4 inches of snow. The entire winter last year they only had 2.8 inches and the year before was only 12.9 inches. Lucky us to be here for a record winter of snowfall. They are now selling sweatshirts that say, "Chiberia 2014" with a thermometer showing the temperature below zero. We received another 3 inches of snow last night. The high temp on Monday is supposed to be -4 and on Tuesday -3. Then you have the wind chill factor on top of that. Utah winters will be a cakewalk when we return.
Last week I was privileged to assist a young Elder from Guatemala fill out and send paperwork to receive financial aid so that he can afford to go to BYU Hawaii when he completes his mission. This week, he received an urgent overnight envelope telling him that he had been given a scholarship. It is humbling and yet at the same time heartwarming to see young people from other countries whose families are from very humble circumstances, serve here with faith and diligence trusting that the Lord will bless them for their service. This young man will now be able to get an education that will give him an opportunity to rise above the meager existence that he has grown up in and be better able to provide for a family and contribute to society. Both Sister Taggart and I were a bit tender as he opened his envelope and read it out loud.
The two of us had annual physicals a week ago. We had each lost 5 lbs. since we began our mission; that was a surprise because we really haven't been trying to do so. Overall we are both in good health in spite of our ailments. I am now officially a type II diabetic and on medication to help control that. He tweaked some meds for both of us, but I think we both stand a good chance to live much longer.
We had 18 new young missionaries arrive this week; 5 others finished their mission and returned home. Transfer weeks are a bit crazy and definitely busy. But it is exciting to see another batch of young, enthusiastic, full of faith missionaries who have committed 18-24 months of their lives to serve the Lord and invite others to come unto Christ and feel of His love and mercy. We now have 6 missionaries (3 companionships) in most English wards and 8-10 missionaries in most Spanish units. The Lord continues to hasten His work in His time, which is now.
I invite each of you to learn of Him, listen to His word and strive more diligently to know Him and become like Him. True joy and happiness in this life and in the next to come as we turn our lives over to Him conduct ourselves more as He did in all that we do and say. I love Him and appreciate His love in my life. We love you and miss being able to see and talk to you on a regular basis, but we are loving what we are doing and definitely loving being able to do so with each other. Have a blessed week.
Elder Taggart
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