The Super Bowl of Life

I am excited for the Seattle Seahawks to be in the Super Bowl; though I won't be watching the game today. I will watch highlights tomorrow.

On a much bigger plane, we are all playing in a Super Bowl of sorts called the game of life. The outcome of that game is immensely more important than the outcome of the game today. Like those who are playing today, I hope we have and are preparing to be able to give our best, to leave everything on the field in our performance to return with honor to live with our Father in Heaven. This is the game that really matters. The Super Bowl will come and go, but how we play this game will affect the eternities and will bring us far greater joy or sorrow than the outcome today.

Ok, that was a bit too heavy, but totally true.

On a lighter note, we are starting to have some exciting results from using Facebook to share the gospel. Many of the missionaries are now teaching the gospel using chats on Facebook or using Skype to have a face to face conversation. They are teaching people in many states iN the US as well as in many countries throughout the world in English, Spanish, Polish, German, Italian, Russian and several other languages. They are gradually learning how to use their online time more effectively.

I have been working on our taxes which is not a fun task. But thankfully, we should get a nice refund this year. Because of how I was paid for January and February which included contract payments for 2012 and part of 2011, they took almost as much in withholding for the two months I worked as they did the entire previous year. That refund will help to find another year of missionary service.

I can't believe I have been retired for 11 months. Boy does time fly when you are busy and engaged in exciting things.

The snow and cold continue to keep life here interesting. I finalized and filed the paperwork on 6 accidents this week but still have 12 that are open. I physically saw the 2013 Silverado this week as I stopped to get mission things out of it because it will be totaled. If anyone saw me, I am sure they were laughing as I worked and worked just to get any door open far enough for me to squeeze my fat, not so little, body in so that I could retrieve things. I am so thankful the missionaries were in this truck when they got hit. Had they been in one of the regular mission cars, I am sure we would have had serious injuries. A loving God is watching over them.

I have developed a friendship with the fleet manager at Pep Boys. We get most of our vehicle maintenance done with them. The Church is their largest and oldest account in the United States. As he and I had lunch together this week, he asked me many questions as he has every time we see each other. He is struggling with several things right now in his life, with a wayward son and at work. He asked me quite a few questions about my business and after our conversation he said, I think I would have enjoyed working for you. Hopefully our chats will lead to him wanting to know more about Jesus Christ and his gospel which changes lives for the better.

I love what we are doing and even though it is crazy cold, my heart and life are warm because of the joy that comes from serving others. Have a Super week and may you win against the world this week.

Elder Taggart