What a week it has been! Nothing out of the ordinary and nothing particularly funny this week. I think of Pres. Hinckley's quote that most of life is ordinary and that is true.
After Sarah's baptism last week, a somewhat hostile ward clerk approached my husband and said," Is the mission going to get this baptism entered into the system or do I need to do it?" "The mission" happens to be me in this case and it is "my mission" to accomplish this. No offense taken and no, I don't need your help to do what i do. Two days later an Elder phoned me to say his ward clerk was really upset with me because I hadn't entered a baptism yet. I calmly ask for the name--not recognizing it at all. When I ask for the date I almost laughed....7-6-12. "Elder, we weren't even a mission until 7-1-13." So this upset clerk will have to find someone else to blame. That was a year before I got here.
One of the miracles we are seeing every day is that people approach us. Our UPS man has been coming into our office daily for months now. He just randomly stopped at my desk and said, "Where do all these missionaries live?" I explained they lived from the Wisconsin border down into Indiana. "Who pays for their apartments?" I explained they pay their own way. My own children saved for their missions. "Who pays for your apartment? Does this job pay for it?" (Wait for it----I'm going to blow a mind here) "We aren't paid for the work we do here every day. This is all volunteer. We work for free--8-10 hours a day....and we pay for our own car, gas, apartment,insurance, food,or whatever we need" Then came the kicker...."Why would you all do this?" (oh, did I fail to mention there are 84,000 strong around the world) Why would we do this? 1. We love The Lord and have made covenants to build His kingdom here on earth
2. We love serving these young Elders and Sisters and would do anything to help them succeed
3.We made a goal years ago that is now being fulfilled. We go hand in hand as a companionship.That is when we are at our very best.
4.Hopefully our example will prompt someone to follow in our footsteps and have the same wonderful experience we are having.
There are 7 1/2 million people in our mission. We are amazed by reports from our missionaries that many they come into contact with have never heard of the Mormons. We have plenty of opportunities here.
The Lord's hand is in the details. I said a quick,humble prayer this week in front of my computer, "Heavenly Father, there are many areas that never get a referral. Could they just get one occasionally?" That day I assigned referrals to 6 companionships who had never had a referral. I got a Polish language referral and when I assigned it--it was in the area of one of our Polish sisters. Coincidence? Not at all. Then Thursday and Friday all of the servers at BYU crashed and our referral system crashed with it. I can't assign anything without that system!
Thus, the field trip with Elder Taggart to Chicago to buy parking permits for our cars in downtown. When your companion says,"Lock the doors as soon as I get out and don't let your Iphone show." I happened to be talking to a daughter. By the time we leave here we will have seen the best and worst of every neighborhood, I believe.
On our P-day this week we went to the Skokie Holocaust Museum. There are 7,000 survivors of the holocaust in that city alone. We have a huge Polish population in Chicago. It was a sobering experience, reading, seeing, actually standing in one of the rail cars that transported Jews to the concentration camps. Our name tags were a reminder that our past holds some injustices--even in this very state of Illinois.
I was reminded of our need to hold family close to us. I felt a need to shout to all the world, BE NICE TO EACH OTHER!!! I was haunted by what standing idly by and remaining silent can mean. I came back to my modest apartment more grateful for sacrifices made by my ancestors. Only two words this week......BE KIND!
Love,
Sister Taggart
Sunday, March 30, 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014
Police and Sara....or who am I married to and do I need to order him a new name tag???
My mother once told me I make everything into a drama. When my husband was having heart attacks, or the year my appendix ruptured and they didn't find it for 10 days, I assured her I didn't create the drama....it found me. This week I wasn't a bit surprised when it found me again, in the form of identity theft. Our tax man called us to tell us he couldn't e-file our taxes because someone had already filed with Elder Taggart's social security number. The next night the bank alerted us our accounts had been frozen because someone had attempted to use our password 3 x unsuccessfully to get money out of our account. Someone had already purchased two computers on a bogus Paypal account under Elder Taggart's name with our old Seattle address. I wanted to alert these people and tell them they are barking up the wrong tree. We are living in a 700 sq. ft. Condo with a plastic chest of drawers from Walmart and mismatched utensils from Salvation Army Thrift store....driving a 12 year old car. There are other accounts in the bank much larger than ours. Go find them!! Leave us alone. Better yet....GO FIND A REAL JOB.!!! We have bigger and better things to focus on than someone stealing who we are. Go find your own identity and leave ours alone!!! Thus the police photo. Glenview police department wouldn't touch the case because our 700 sq. ft. Condo is in unincorporated Glenview. The Cook county sheriffs department wondered where the crime had been committed? Was it in Seattle, Utah, or Illinois? He also wondered why we move around so much. We just laugh because last year was bizarre. We are stable people but our record recently doesn't document that fact. Slap on a missionary name tag and sent me anywhere,right? We are truly a peculiar people. We should be OK. After talking to the IRS, Social Security, the federal trade commission, the police department, our bank, our financial advisor, our credit card people, the blood bank and our shoe store (for our foot size, etc.).....we hope we have shown due diligence.
My job has literally taken off. I assigned 60 referrals on Tuesday alone. Good thing since the system was down off and on for the next three days. Gotta love computers.
Two of our sisters had a complete shake-down in downtown Chicago this week. They parked their car, got out, approached the first man they saw to see if he wanted a Book of Mormon. How were they to know the undercover police were waiting for his first drug deal to go down? They detained the Sisters while they searched their car for drugs and such. I couldn't choose two more innocent,modest,pure sisters. And no---he didn't want a Book of Mormon although it could have changed his life.
I contacted an Elder this week to see where the form was for a baptism he had performed a week ago. "I didn't have a form and couldn't find one so we didn't do one." My heart stopped. My job is to enter each baptism into the computer and send it off to Salt Lake so they can record each baptism and send out a membership number to the new member. "Seriously, Elder, I need you to send me his information." "Seriously, we don't have his information because we couldn't find a form!" (Deep breath, he is 18 years old and has been here less than 12 weeks. Two months ago he probably had his mother picking up after him and making his peanut butter sandwiches) "Elder, ask your zone leaders for a form and start collecting that information today. As far as Salt Lake is concerned, that baptism never happened!" "Oh, it happened, Sister Taggart. I was there." Gotta love 'em!!!
Happy day....my Costco rebate check came and the excite me was more than I could contain when I walked out of the store with my new Kitchenaid dish drainer. It's been a long winter.
The highlight of our week was Sarah's baptism. She was a referral I entered who happened to live in our ward. She is 25 and a preschool teacher. She was raised a Catholic but was not happy with her religion. She remembered a high school girl who was neat and smart and seemed to have it all together.(our bishop's daughter) she called Rory and ask her if she could come to church with her over the Christmas break. The rest is history. She came, she felt loved, she had her questions answered, she kept coming. Now for your part.......the ward members literally fought over who got to have her to their house for dinner and a lesson with the missionaries. Ten families have a vested interest in her. They not only invited her but her parents also. Friendships were formed. Her parents, aunts,uncles,work friends were all to her baptism....plus 100 people from our ward and the Young Single Adult ward. Her family was afraid to enter our chapel....but when they did, there was a girl in front playing a harp for prelude music. It was a spiritual experience for every person there. The bishop's daughter flew home from BYU to witness the baptism even though she felt she had not been much help in the process. She was just a quiet example of a good Mormon girl through high school who didn't even know who was watching her and impressed by her beliefs.
Times up. Must run and wish a little Lily happy birthday. We love our time here. Spring May come....after we get two more inches of snow tonight. We love you and miss you. Get involved with feeding the missionaries. They will eat anything and leave a powerful spirit in your home.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Sarah on the right.
Sarah on the right.
Will the real Bruce Wayne please step forward
Monday & Tuesday was spent primarily on the phone with the IRS, social security, the bank, the FTC (Federal trade commission), financial adviser and the three major credit agencies. We also went to the police department to file a police report for identity theft. Claudia will elaborate on that. Oh and I also researched and then signed up for an identity theft protection service.
The good news is, it doesn't appear that anyone has done anything else with my identity. The bad news is, the IRS says I won't likely see my tax refund for 6 months. It apparently will take them that long to determine if I really am me. Brian sent me an article that was in the Deseret News this week about tax fraud identity theft and what a big business it has become. I am just grateful that our finances and credit cards are untouched; at least so far. Talk about feeling violated.
On a happier note; one night this week I received a phone call from two Sister missionaries at about 7:25 pm. You need to know that in the almost ten months we have been here, I have only had one phone call on my mission cell phone after 7 pm that wasn't bad news. So when that phone rings after 7, I always cringe before answering the call. These two sisters just called to say, "Elder Taggart, we just wanted you to know how much we love and appreciate you for all that you do to help the young missionaries." that call made my day.
On Thursday we had quite a few missionaries stop by the office after a meeting they had. They needed supplies, a new cell phone, encouragement and obviously a snack. Before they left several said to Sister Taggart and me, when we get married, we want a marriage just like yours. They then asked, so what is the key to a great marriage? I have been surprised how many missionaries have asked us that question. I find it interesting that there are 9 senior couples here serving and they ask us that question. We do have a great marriage but it is primarily because I have an amazing wife. But, since we do love these young people and want them to be happy in life, we try to give them a few pointers on things we have found to be very important. We have had several tell us that when we get home, they plan to stop in to see us since we will live so close to BYU's campus.
Yesterday, we went out to lunch with the fleet manager for Pep Boys and his wife. He and I have hit it off and he has met Sister T numerous times, so he called and asked if we could have lunch so that his wife could meet us. We had a wonderful visit and learned that our wives are apparently kindred spirits. We laughed a lot and they asked us lots of questions about our beliefs, family, what our missionaries teach, etc. His wife said she was excited to meet this Elder Taggart that she had heard so much about. During our conversation he said, in business occasionally you deal with someone you hope to stay connected to for the rest of your life. He then said, Elder Taggart, you are me of those people to me. I was blown away and share that only to punctuate that you never know who is watching you or whom you may make an impression either for good or bad. We will now do more with them moving forward.
We attended a baptism last night for a wonderful young lady. She had at least of her immediate and extended family there to support. None of them are members of our church but I know they felt the Spirit of the Lord last night. There must have been 110-125 people there to support her. She went to high school with a young lady in our ward here; they were never friends and hardly even knew each other. But she remembered there being something different about this girl from most of the kids at school. About 3 months ago she called this girl and said she wanted to know about her church. She has been loved and fellowshipped by many in the ward.
This ward we are serving in is amazing. They welcome and love anyone who comes and many are joining the Church in part because of the love and acceptance they feel from them. It is a thrill to be a small part of it all.
I am so grateful for the part each of you has played in my life. I am not rich as to the things of the world, but I am truly rich because of the people I love and because I know my Savior and feel of his love and blessings in my life. I love what I am doing even with a crazy winter. Have a faith-filled, blessed week.
Elder Taggart
The good news is, it doesn't appear that anyone has done anything else with my identity. The bad news is, the IRS says I won't likely see my tax refund for 6 months. It apparently will take them that long to determine if I really am me. Brian sent me an article that was in the Deseret News this week about tax fraud identity theft and what a big business it has become. I am just grateful that our finances and credit cards are untouched; at least so far. Talk about feeling violated.
On a happier note; one night this week I received a phone call from two Sister missionaries at about 7:25 pm. You need to know that in the almost ten months we have been here, I have only had one phone call on my mission cell phone after 7 pm that wasn't bad news. So when that phone rings after 7, I always cringe before answering the call. These two sisters just called to say, "Elder Taggart, we just wanted you to know how much we love and appreciate you for all that you do to help the young missionaries." that call made my day.
On Thursday we had quite a few missionaries stop by the office after a meeting they had. They needed supplies, a new cell phone, encouragement and obviously a snack. Before they left several said to Sister Taggart and me, when we get married, we want a marriage just like yours. They then asked, so what is the key to a great marriage? I have been surprised how many missionaries have asked us that question. I find it interesting that there are 9 senior couples here serving and they ask us that question. We do have a great marriage but it is primarily because I have an amazing wife. But, since we do love these young people and want them to be happy in life, we try to give them a few pointers on things we have found to be very important. We have had several tell us that when we get home, they plan to stop in to see us since we will live so close to BYU's campus.
Yesterday, we went out to lunch with the fleet manager for Pep Boys and his wife. He and I have hit it off and he has met Sister T numerous times, so he called and asked if we could have lunch so that his wife could meet us. We had a wonderful visit and learned that our wives are apparently kindred spirits. We laughed a lot and they asked us lots of questions about our beliefs, family, what our missionaries teach, etc. His wife said she was excited to meet this Elder Taggart that she had heard so much about. During our conversation he said, in business occasionally you deal with someone you hope to stay connected to for the rest of your life. He then said, Elder Taggart, you are me of those people to me. I was blown away and share that only to punctuate that you never know who is watching you or whom you may make an impression either for good or bad. We will now do more with them moving forward.
We attended a baptism last night for a wonderful young lady. She had at least of her immediate and extended family there to support. None of them are members of our church but I know they felt the Spirit of the Lord last night. There must have been 110-125 people there to support her. She went to high school with a young lady in our ward here; they were never friends and hardly even knew each other. But she remembered there being something different about this girl from most of the kids at school. About 3 months ago she called this girl and said she wanted to know about her church. She has been loved and fellowshipped by many in the ward.
This ward we are serving in is amazing. They welcome and love anyone who comes and many are joining the Church in part because of the love and acceptance they feel from them. It is a thrill to be a small part of it all.
I am so grateful for the part each of you has played in my life. I am not rich as to the things of the world, but I am truly rich because of the people I love and because I know my Savior and feel of his love and blessings in my life. I love what I am doing even with a crazy winter. Have a faith-filled, blessed week.
Elder Taggart
Sunday, March 16, 2014
Beware of the Ides of March
And just when you think it can't get any busier....whamo....it does.
Last Sunday we were at the mission home taking care of the Elder who got hit by the car and the mission president's wife. The Elder was just 10 days out of surgery. He went to Sacrament meeting with us and did remarkably well. The president's wife had a bad sinus infection and just needed to get off the treadmill for 24 hours and rest. (and not have to give a talk in Spanish in Chicago's stake conference) May I state here again---I am SOOOOOOO grateful we are serving the mission we are serving and they we are not responsible to interview, motivate, discipline, counsel, and preside over these 212 active missionaries. All we have to do is love them and serve them. Sister Woodbury has a washer and dryer in her home that she can use anytime without quarters. She also has missionaries drop in day and night for meals. She has the big house with a maid.....that usually has 2-4 missionaries coming or going, sick or well, waiting for a ride to the airport because a visa has come in or a houseful of youth from one of 4 stakes who want a fireside in the mission home. It is a revolving door residence without privacy that would drive me nuts. This week our Elder was well enough to fly home to complete his recuperation and at a different time a Sister who left 4 months ago because of illness was coming back to complete her mission. The mission president was told to have a date night with his wife weekly but as we were on our date this week---he was in a 5 hour area coordinating council in Buffalo Grove. Saturday dawned and we had our p-day, did our laundry, grocery shopping, washed the car, cleaned the apartment, etc....while the president and wife were driving all over creation to make it to every baptism. No envy or coveting on my part. We are exactly where we are supposed to be doing what we need to be doing.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN 91/2 MONTHS......
1. Home is where my eternal companion is
2. Bloom where you are planted
3. Unpack your bags (never say "I'll only be here for a year so.....)
4. Don't share how it was done "back home". People don't care.
5. Bring a few comforts wherever you go: pictures of family, a quilt, memory jewelry, chocolate
6. Keep old habits that are tried and true: date night on Friday, scripture study, family prayer,
side by side Saturday work
7. Always have a warm fuzzy sweater and afgan for winter and cute, cool muumuu's for summer
8. Condo living is not all it's cracked up to be. No yard work or shoveling the walks but it's still
just an apartment you own.
This week was comprised of six 10-14 hour days. We had 4 Zone Conferences in a row. The first one was in Valparaiso, Indiana. We had to get up at 5 AM to make it there on time. We now have missionaries in every zone who have been in our home for a meal or had personal experiences with us that help them love us as much as we love them. It is a sweet reunion when we meet.
Elder Taggart and I inspected cars together first. No coat weather. It was 50 degrees. We could hear birds chirping. We checked mileage, is the car neat and clean inside and out, what is the tread depth and air pressure on all 4 tires, are there scratches and dents, what are the fluid levels, are supplies in the trunk neat and orderly, are all the lights working, are the registration and accident info in the glove box, etc.(by weeks end we had inspected 72 cars) The Church wants this done monthly. We ate lunch with the missionaries and then I did my training on the new Ipad referral system and Elder T. did his training on Safety in cars and Facebook. At 3:00 we headed back to Illinois with the president's wife in our backseat so he could stay for a meeting later that night with the Valparaiso Stake Presidency. (see what I mean about his life?) Exhausted, we still had to go into the office at 6 PM to catch up on what we had missed that day and prepare hand-outs and such for the next day's zone conference.
AND THEN IT SNOWED 4 MORE INCHES IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT!!!!!
Yes folks, we are at 80" for the winter with 100 days below freezing.Gotta love winter here!!
Wilmette's Zone conference was 14 degrees with blowing wind and snow. We wore coats, boots, hats, scarves, gloves.....and still about froze to death. We would inspect 4 cars then go in the church to warm up. (extreme irony---when have you ever known one of our buildings to be toasty warm?) Then outside again to do 4 more until all 18 had been inspected. Then inside to eat lunch, train on new systems, then I mended clothes missionaries brought, then hurry home in Chicago traffic so I could feed 2 Sisters a wonderful dinner....then to the office to catch up and get ready for the next day. Does our life sometimes sound like the Groundhog Day movie? Some days it is......but what a blessing to associate with all of these energetic, young missionaries.
The President is sick by Thursday and does he get a day off??? No--he has 2 more zone conferences. We picked up a repaired car on our way back from Buffalo Grove on Friday,worked in the office until 7 PM, came home and answered missionary phone calls until 9:30 PM and declared our week done.
Neat story for the week. At transfers 2 weeks ago the President released an Elder as a Zaone leader and made him a trainer for the last 6 weeks of his mission. This Elder has struggled with feelings of hurt, "what did I do wrong to get demoted?", questioning the decision on why he is no longer a leader. During lunch I felt prompted to go talk to him. As I approached him I wasn't sure exactly what I would say. "Elder, I need to talk to you."
"How about right now?"
"OK. I just felt I needed to tell you, Elder Taggart used to be the Stake President for 10 years, responsible for 3500 people. Today as I watched him inspect 18 cars so missionaries would be safe, he never stood higher in my eyes than today. This is where The Lord needs him right now and this is what The Lord needs him to do.
With tears in his eyes, he said, "Thank you, Sister Taggart. I needed to hear that today."
So.....bloom where you are planted. Do what The Lord needs you to do. There are no insignificant jobs in the Kingdom of God. All are needed to enlist and participate. The gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives. One sister who prepared our lunch one day said, "One day I met two angels on my porch who converted me to the gospel. Today I see an army of angels." I got to be an angel by association that day and that is fine by me. We love you and miss you.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Last Sunday we were at the mission home taking care of the Elder who got hit by the car and the mission president's wife. The Elder was just 10 days out of surgery. He went to Sacrament meeting with us and did remarkably well. The president's wife had a bad sinus infection and just needed to get off the treadmill for 24 hours and rest. (and not have to give a talk in Spanish in Chicago's stake conference) May I state here again---I am SOOOOOOO grateful we are serving the mission we are serving and they we are not responsible to interview, motivate, discipline, counsel, and preside over these 212 active missionaries. All we have to do is love them and serve them. Sister Woodbury has a washer and dryer in her home that she can use anytime without quarters. She also has missionaries drop in day and night for meals. She has the big house with a maid.....that usually has 2-4 missionaries coming or going, sick or well, waiting for a ride to the airport because a visa has come in or a houseful of youth from one of 4 stakes who want a fireside in the mission home. It is a revolving door residence without privacy that would drive me nuts. This week our Elder was well enough to fly home to complete his recuperation and at a different time a Sister who left 4 months ago because of illness was coming back to complete her mission. The mission president was told to have a date night with his wife weekly but as we were on our date this week---he was in a 5 hour area coordinating council in Buffalo Grove. Saturday dawned and we had our p-day, did our laundry, grocery shopping, washed the car, cleaned the apartment, etc....while the president and wife were driving all over creation to make it to every baptism. No envy or coveting on my part. We are exactly where we are supposed to be doing what we need to be doing.
WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IN 91/2 MONTHS......
1. Home is where my eternal companion is
2. Bloom where you are planted
3. Unpack your bags (never say "I'll only be here for a year so.....)
4. Don't share how it was done "back home". People don't care.
5. Bring a few comforts wherever you go: pictures of family, a quilt, memory jewelry, chocolate
6. Keep old habits that are tried and true: date night on Friday, scripture study, family prayer,
side by side Saturday work
7. Always have a warm fuzzy sweater and afgan for winter and cute, cool muumuu's for summer
8. Condo living is not all it's cracked up to be. No yard work or shoveling the walks but it's still
just an apartment you own.
This week was comprised of six 10-14 hour days. We had 4 Zone Conferences in a row. The first one was in Valparaiso, Indiana. We had to get up at 5 AM to make it there on time. We now have missionaries in every zone who have been in our home for a meal or had personal experiences with us that help them love us as much as we love them. It is a sweet reunion when we meet.
Elder Taggart and I inspected cars together first. No coat weather. It was 50 degrees. We could hear birds chirping. We checked mileage, is the car neat and clean inside and out, what is the tread depth and air pressure on all 4 tires, are there scratches and dents, what are the fluid levels, are supplies in the trunk neat and orderly, are all the lights working, are the registration and accident info in the glove box, etc.(by weeks end we had inspected 72 cars) The Church wants this done monthly. We ate lunch with the missionaries and then I did my training on the new Ipad referral system and Elder T. did his training on Safety in cars and Facebook. At 3:00 we headed back to Illinois with the president's wife in our backseat so he could stay for a meeting later that night with the Valparaiso Stake Presidency. (see what I mean about his life?) Exhausted, we still had to go into the office at 6 PM to catch up on what we had missed that day and prepare hand-outs and such for the next day's zone conference.
AND THEN IT SNOWED 4 MORE INCHES IN THE DEAD OF NIGHT!!!!!
Yes folks, we are at 80" for the winter with 100 days below freezing.Gotta love winter here!!
Wilmette's Zone conference was 14 degrees with blowing wind and snow. We wore coats, boots, hats, scarves, gloves.....and still about froze to death. We would inspect 4 cars then go in the church to warm up. (extreme irony---when have you ever known one of our buildings to be toasty warm?) Then outside again to do 4 more until all 18 had been inspected. Then inside to eat lunch, train on new systems, then I mended clothes missionaries brought, then hurry home in Chicago traffic so I could feed 2 Sisters a wonderful dinner....then to the office to catch up and get ready for the next day. Does our life sometimes sound like the Groundhog Day movie? Some days it is......but what a blessing to associate with all of these energetic, young missionaries.
The President is sick by Thursday and does he get a day off??? No--he has 2 more zone conferences. We picked up a repaired car on our way back from Buffalo Grove on Friday,worked in the office until 7 PM, came home and answered missionary phone calls until 9:30 PM and declared our week done.
Neat story for the week. At transfers 2 weeks ago the President released an Elder as a Zaone leader and made him a trainer for the last 6 weeks of his mission. This Elder has struggled with feelings of hurt, "what did I do wrong to get demoted?", questioning the decision on why he is no longer a leader. During lunch I felt prompted to go talk to him. As I approached him I wasn't sure exactly what I would say. "Elder, I need to talk to you."
"How about right now?"
"OK. I just felt I needed to tell you, Elder Taggart used to be the Stake President for 10 years, responsible for 3500 people. Today as I watched him inspect 18 cars so missionaries would be safe, he never stood higher in my eyes than today. This is where The Lord needs him right now and this is what The Lord needs him to do.
With tears in his eyes, he said, "Thank you, Sister Taggart. I needed to hear that today."
So.....bloom where you are planted. Do what The Lord needs you to do. There are no insignificant jobs in the Kingdom of God. All are needed to enlist and participate. The gospel of Jesus Christ changes lives. One sister who prepared our lunch one day said, "One day I met two angels on my porch who converted me to the gospel. Today I see an army of angels." I got to be an angel by association that day and that is fine by me. We love you and miss you.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Potholes
Winter has not been kind on the roads here. There are potholes everywhere. They say that over 250,000 have already been patched but driving is like playing dodgem. They added 6 more crews so they can now patch 7,000 per day. I have replaced over 12 tires due to blow-outs from hitting potholes.
We had 4 zones conferences this week; one every day except for Monday. This meant we got to see and be with every one of the 212 young missionaries and many of the 22 senior missionaries. It is such a joy to be around them and to feel of their spirit and love. We were spiritually lifted and physically fed some yummy lunches.
These conferences meant we did much driving. I thoroughly enjoy being in the car with my companion because of the time it gives us to talk. We also enjoyed seeing the countryside in Valparaiso, Indiana on the South and Lake Villa, Illinois on the North. But that also meant we had to deal with the busyness and traffic of the city. We noticed evidence that Spring just may come. The trees are starting to bud which amazes me with the crazy winter we have had. Most of the snow has melted even though we received another 4 inches last Monday. That puts us close to 80 inches of snow right here in the city this year and none of it was capable of being made. To a snowman because it has been so blasted cold.
With the help of my sweet companion, we inspected 72 mission cars in 4 days. Tuesday was warm enough in Indiana that I only needed my suit jacket on. Wednesday & Thursday we almost froze even with heavy coats and scarves on because of blowing snow and gusting winds. Lest you think inspecting the cars is simply looking them over for scratches, etc., here is what is required on every car. Check for scratches & dents, is the car clean on the outside and inside, what is the tread depth on each tire, what are the fluid levels, what is the tire pressure, is the trunk neat and supplies organized, do all of the lights and horn work and do they have the registration, insurance info and accident packet in the glove box? Oh and what is the mileage?
I gave out candy awards for those cars that were the cleanest, etc. (thanks Linda G). Sadly I had to stretch on some of them to find cars on each day to commend; I didn't award any on one of those days because none of them appeared to have been cleaned. The Bruce side of me really wanted to tell most of the missionaries that if they were my kids, based on how they how they treated a car, I would take their keys away. I did tell a few missionaries who made very light of their responsibility to treat the car as if they had bought it with their own money or better yet with sacred funds that I expected they would walk until they had taken time to clean their car.
If any of you have experience with identity theft, please let me know what you did to correct it. I found out this week that someone had opened a Pay Pal account using my personal info and had charged over $900 in my name. I also was told by my tax guy that they couldn't e-file my tax return because someone else had already filed a return using my social security number. S this week I get to make time to find out how bad it is and just what I can do to correct everything. I already alerted all 3 of the major credit-reporting agencies and they have out a fraud alert on my info. Oh, for the days of being able to shake hands and know that your word was as good as any contract, etc.
We love and miss you and pray for your health and happiness.
Elder Taggart
We had 4 zones conferences this week; one every day except for Monday. This meant we got to see and be with every one of the 212 young missionaries and many of the 22 senior missionaries. It is such a joy to be around them and to feel of their spirit and love. We were spiritually lifted and physically fed some yummy lunches.
These conferences meant we did much driving. I thoroughly enjoy being in the car with my companion because of the time it gives us to talk. We also enjoyed seeing the countryside in Valparaiso, Indiana on the South and Lake Villa, Illinois on the North. But that also meant we had to deal with the busyness and traffic of the city. We noticed evidence that Spring just may come. The trees are starting to bud which amazes me with the crazy winter we have had. Most of the snow has melted even though we received another 4 inches last Monday. That puts us close to 80 inches of snow right here in the city this year and none of it was capable of being made. To a snowman because it has been so blasted cold.
With the help of my sweet companion, we inspected 72 mission cars in 4 days. Tuesday was warm enough in Indiana that I only needed my suit jacket on. Wednesday & Thursday we almost froze even with heavy coats and scarves on because of blowing snow and gusting winds. Lest you think inspecting the cars is simply looking them over for scratches, etc., here is what is required on every car. Check for scratches & dents, is the car clean on the outside and inside, what is the tread depth on each tire, what are the fluid levels, what is the tire pressure, is the trunk neat and supplies organized, do all of the lights and horn work and do they have the registration, insurance info and accident packet in the glove box? Oh and what is the mileage?
I gave out candy awards for those cars that were the cleanest, etc. (thanks Linda G). Sadly I had to stretch on some of them to find cars on each day to commend; I didn't award any on one of those days because none of them appeared to have been cleaned. The Bruce side of me really wanted to tell most of the missionaries that if they were my kids, based on how they how they treated a car, I would take their keys away. I did tell a few missionaries who made very light of their responsibility to treat the car as if they had bought it with their own money or better yet with sacred funds that I expected they would walk until they had taken time to clean their car.
If any of you have experience with identity theft, please let me know what you did to correct it. I found out this week that someone had opened a Pay Pal account using my personal info and had charged over $900 in my name. I also was told by my tax guy that they couldn't e-file my tax return because someone else had already filed a return using my social security number. S this week I get to make time to find out how bad it is and just what I can do to correct everything. I already alerted all 3 of the major credit-reporting agencies and they have out a fraud alert on my info. Oh, for the days of being able to shake hands and know that your word was as good as any contract, etc.
We love and miss you and pray for your health and happiness.
Elder Taggart
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Spring must be coming
Spring must be coming; we hit 45 degrees one day this past week. It felt so good I wanted to have short sleeves on. But I know it was just teasing us; I'm sure we have another 5-6 weeks of winter. It got warm enough though to actually make a snowball. I did so, threw it and almost felt like a kid again.
There must be a lot of people in our area who take most clothes to the cleaners. In talking to the one where I have my shirts done, they said they do 10,000 shirts over week. I was amazed particularly since there are about 10 cleansers close to us. At 79 cents per shirt, that is $7,900 per week just in shirts. Saving my sweethearts back is worth 79 cents per shirt and besides, they starch them the way I like them.
Today we are watching the Elder who got hit by a car; the one I mentioned last week. He was released from the hospital on Friday. It has now been 10 days since the accident. He is staying at the mission presidents home while he gains enough strength to fly home to California to finish his recovery. He is an example of modern miracles; the doctors are amazed he is recovering as quickly as he is. Many have been fasting and praying for him and a loving Father in Heaven has heard those prayers and expressions of faith and has blessed him immensely. They cut him from his sternum to his pubic bone and used 34 staples to close the incision. He is walking and able to get up and down by himself. Thanks for your faith and prayers on his behalf.
We will take him to church with us today because I am speaking. But we will only stay for the 1st hour so we don't wear him out.
We truly do see the hand of the Lord in our lives and the lives of many around us. He is aware of everything around us and is as involved in our lives as we allow Him to be.
We have 4 zone conferences this week so I will be inspecting all 78 of the vehicles in the mission and doing some additional training on safety as well as on using Facebook effectively. Sister Taggart will take her sewing machine so that she can mend pants, skirts and such. She will also do some training on reporting on referrals on their iPads; a new program to do so.
May you have Spring in your step, see the wonders of Spring around you, and feel the warmth of Spring in your heart. Make time to smell the roses this week so to speak and thank the Lord for your many blessings.
Elder Taggart
There must be a lot of people in our area who take most clothes to the cleaners. In talking to the one where I have my shirts done, they said they do 10,000 shirts over week. I was amazed particularly since there are about 10 cleansers close to us. At 79 cents per shirt, that is $7,900 per week just in shirts. Saving my sweethearts back is worth 79 cents per shirt and besides, they starch them the way I like them.
Today we are watching the Elder who got hit by a car; the one I mentioned last week. He was released from the hospital on Friday. It has now been 10 days since the accident. He is staying at the mission presidents home while he gains enough strength to fly home to California to finish his recovery. He is an example of modern miracles; the doctors are amazed he is recovering as quickly as he is. Many have been fasting and praying for him and a loving Father in Heaven has heard those prayers and expressions of faith and has blessed him immensely. They cut him from his sternum to his pubic bone and used 34 staples to close the incision. He is walking and able to get up and down by himself. Thanks for your faith and prayers on his behalf.
We will take him to church with us today because I am speaking. But we will only stay for the 1st hour so we don't wear him out.
We truly do see the hand of the Lord in our lives and the lives of many around us. He is aware of everything around us and is as involved in our lives as we allow Him to be.
We have 4 zone conferences this week so I will be inspecting all 78 of the vehicles in the mission and doing some additional training on safety as well as on using Facebook effectively. Sister Taggart will take her sewing machine so that she can mend pants, skirts and such. She will also do some training on reporting on referrals on their iPads; a new program to do so.
May you have Spring in your step, see the wonders of Spring around you, and feel the warmth of Spring in your heart. Make time to smell the roses this week so to speak and thank the Lord for your many blessings.
Elder Taggart
Saturday, March 8, 2014
"HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM...."
MARCH 8, 2014
This week has been a hard week. Part of it has to do with transfers and the pressures that brings to my desk. Part of it has to do with unforseen disasters that his my desk and Elder Taggart's desk regularly. Part of is has to do with the feeling I am just treading water to keep my head above the water.
It all started last Sunday when Chicago 7th ward was dissolved and absorbed into Hyde Park and Westchester 1 wards. Elder Crook was released from that bishopric. It was the most disfunctional ward I have ever watched so I figured no big deal. Hold that thought.
On Monday/Tuesday we had 3" of new snow, 14 missionaries arrive, transfers all over creation, where's Waldo big time, and our water delivery man said he wouldn't be able to deliver our drinking water because of the snow. Are you kidding me??? 40 missionaries in the office to pick up supplies, new area kits, maps, and lunch and we have no water. Mormons don't drink coffee, tea, beer, soda pop (at our age) or alcohol and a skiff of snow prevents them from delivering the one thing we do drink! I wanted to tell them to come out West and we'll show you how it's done!! To make matters worse, the tap in our office sink spewed brown water for two days so we didn't dare do anything with that water!!
Transfers were all I thought they would be. "Sister Taggart, did my mom send a box of bedding for me?" "Sister Taggart, did my name tags come?" "Sister Taggart, do we have a Korean Book of Mormon I can have?" ALL AT ONCE!!! It reminds me of Finding Nemo seagulls saying "Mine, Mine, Mine" except it is a group of missionaries around my desk saying "Sister Taggart, Sister Taggart, Sister Taggart." I think I am learning patience---slowly. Some days I just don't like my name.
Our Elder from El Salvador told me about his one new white shirt from Walmart. He came out months ago with only 2 or 3 old white shirts. He was so proud of his new "white" one. Later in the week he got 4 more "white" ones from JC Pennys. I cannot even imagine not having enough shsirts to last one week without going to the laundromat. He never would have dreamed of asking for them which made it more fun to buy them for him.
Another tender mercy this week was the tie find. We went to Kohls for flannel sheets on clearance (finally) and I said, "Let's see if they have any ties on clearance." We had a gift card for our missionary Christmas stash from last year. There were were Chaps,Vanheussen, and Arrow ties for $3.50 to $9.00 on clearance....plenty of choices. I went crazy and now have the start of our sub-for-Santa this coming Christmas. Natalie says I have a sense for bargains. I think I am prompted to be in the right place at the right time....constantly.
Wednesday night we had 3 Sister missionaries in our home for dinner. One will be going to Russia next week because her visa came. She said a beautiful blessing on the food in Russian. After an American meal of roast, potatoes, carrots, jello and ice cream, she asked Elder Taggart to give her a Priesthood blessing. It was a choice experience for us. She will be put on an airplane alone from here, arrive in Moscow for a plane transfer, then another city where she will catch a train for a 10 hour ride to her new home. The courage of these youth is amazing.
Thursday the sky fell in. I turned on referrals to enter the 30 my missionaries had called in the day before and to assign all the unassigned ones. When I got to the Chicago 7th ward it said "Deleted Organization." OK, we know that ward is now part of the other wards. But they inadvertently deleted all the referrals from that ward--I estimate between 200-300!! That ward had 2 million people living within it's boundaries. I have missionaries in that area, they ride the trains daily, and they are referral machines, both in finding and teaching. Gone!!!They call me to retrieve the data....I can't! I talk to Elder Taggart. He is having the same problem with area books on their Ipads. They wanted us to go paperless and then they wipe out all our data from SLC??I called the Provo referral center, "Uh, Houston,we have a problem. I'm about to give you the worst headache you've had all year!" "Oh, Sister Taggart, it can't be that bad." It was. At the end of my conversation with him and Elder Taggart's conversation with the Ipad people in Salt Lake at Church Headquarters.....they call an emergency meeting that night to try and figure out how to retrieve the data they deleted when the Chicago 7th ward was dissolved. I love being pioneers---NOT. So although none of it was my fault and there was nothing we could have done differently, I spent a restless night concerned for my missionaries and their loss. And Friday the problem was still unresolved.
Tomorrow we have recovering missionary patrol. We will stay at the mission home with our Elder who was hit by a car 10 days ago. He is making a remarkable recovery. We will take him to Church and care for him the rest of the day since the mission president and his wife have responsibilities all day on Sunday. Elder Taggart will be speaking in our Sacrament meeting so that is the one we will attend.
So our life in the pressure cooker continues. We will be training at 4 Zone Conferences this next week. Press forward in your spheres of influence. The work is hastening. We feel it every day.
Love,
Sister Taggart
This week has been a hard week. Part of it has to do with transfers and the pressures that brings to my desk. Part of it has to do with unforseen disasters that his my desk and Elder Taggart's desk regularly. Part of is has to do with the feeling I am just treading water to keep my head above the water.
It all started last Sunday when Chicago 7th ward was dissolved and absorbed into Hyde Park and Westchester 1 wards. Elder Crook was released from that bishopric. It was the most disfunctional ward I have ever watched so I figured no big deal. Hold that thought.
On Monday/Tuesday we had 3" of new snow, 14 missionaries arrive, transfers all over creation, where's Waldo big time, and our water delivery man said he wouldn't be able to deliver our drinking water because of the snow. Are you kidding me??? 40 missionaries in the office to pick up supplies, new area kits, maps, and lunch and we have no water. Mormons don't drink coffee, tea, beer, soda pop (at our age) or alcohol and a skiff of snow prevents them from delivering the one thing we do drink! I wanted to tell them to come out West and we'll show you how it's done!! To make matters worse, the tap in our office sink spewed brown water for two days so we didn't dare do anything with that water!!
Transfers were all I thought they would be. "Sister Taggart, did my mom send a box of bedding for me?" "Sister Taggart, did my name tags come?" "Sister Taggart, do we have a Korean Book of Mormon I can have?" ALL AT ONCE!!! It reminds me of Finding Nemo seagulls saying "Mine, Mine, Mine" except it is a group of missionaries around my desk saying "Sister Taggart, Sister Taggart, Sister Taggart." I think I am learning patience---slowly. Some days I just don't like my name.
Our Elder from El Salvador told me about his one new white shirt from Walmart. He came out months ago with only 2 or 3 old white shirts. He was so proud of his new "white" one. Later in the week he got 4 more "white" ones from JC Pennys. I cannot even imagine not having enough shsirts to last one week without going to the laundromat. He never would have dreamed of asking for them which made it more fun to buy them for him.
Another tender mercy this week was the tie find. We went to Kohls for flannel sheets on clearance (finally) and I said, "Let's see if they have any ties on clearance." We had a gift card for our missionary Christmas stash from last year. There were were Chaps,Vanheussen, and Arrow ties for $3.50 to $9.00 on clearance....plenty of choices. I went crazy and now have the start of our sub-for-Santa this coming Christmas. Natalie says I have a sense for bargains. I think I am prompted to be in the right place at the right time....constantly.
Wednesday night we had 3 Sister missionaries in our home for dinner. One will be going to Russia next week because her visa came. She said a beautiful blessing on the food in Russian. After an American meal of roast, potatoes, carrots, jello and ice cream, she asked Elder Taggart to give her a Priesthood blessing. It was a choice experience for us. She will be put on an airplane alone from here, arrive in Moscow for a plane transfer, then another city where she will catch a train for a 10 hour ride to her new home. The courage of these youth is amazing.
Thursday the sky fell in. I turned on referrals to enter the 30 my missionaries had called in the day before and to assign all the unassigned ones. When I got to the Chicago 7th ward it said "Deleted Organization." OK, we know that ward is now part of the other wards. But they inadvertently deleted all the referrals from that ward--I estimate between 200-300!! That ward had 2 million people living within it's boundaries. I have missionaries in that area, they ride the trains daily, and they are referral machines, both in finding and teaching. Gone!!!They call me to retrieve the data....I can't! I talk to Elder Taggart. He is having the same problem with area books on their Ipads. They wanted us to go paperless and then they wipe out all our data from SLC??I called the Provo referral center, "Uh, Houston,we have a problem. I'm about to give you the worst headache you've had all year!" "Oh, Sister Taggart, it can't be that bad." It was. At the end of my conversation with him and Elder Taggart's conversation with the Ipad people in Salt Lake at Church Headquarters.....they call an emergency meeting that night to try and figure out how to retrieve the data they deleted when the Chicago 7th ward was dissolved. I love being pioneers---NOT. So although none of it was my fault and there was nothing we could have done differently, I spent a restless night concerned for my missionaries and their loss. And Friday the problem was still unresolved.
Tomorrow we have recovering missionary patrol. We will stay at the mission home with our Elder who was hit by a car 10 days ago. He is making a remarkable recovery. We will take him to Church and care for him the rest of the day since the mission president and his wife have responsibilities all day on Sunday. Elder Taggart will be speaking in our Sacrament meeting so that is the one we will attend.
So our life in the pressure cooker continues. We will be training at 4 Zone Conferences this next week. Press forward in your spheres of influence. The work is hastening. We feel it every day.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Monday, March 3, 2014
Do You Know My Password?
Some here think I should be sent home for insanity. I am wishing for more snow...and 2 more days below zero. We break all previous records with 2 more days below zero and a mere 6" of new snow. I say lets go for the new record---bragging rights and stories to tell for the rest of our lives. "I lived through the winter of 2014 in Chicago.....walking to work uphill both ways....with only a thin Seattle coat for protection!!" You get the drift. (no pun intended.)
What a week it has been---the lull before the storm.(transfers next week) Quiet office for the most part---except for the Taggart's desks. Elder Taggart has had 7 accidents in 7 days...plus one of our Elders slipped on ice and fell while crossing the street and was then hit by a car. D&C 84:88....he was definitely protected by angels and all of the millions of prayers that go up daily on behalf of missionaries. He suffered broken ribs, a concussion,and had surgery for all the internal bleeds but will be as good as new as soon as his 12" incision heals. OUCH!!!
One of our Elders told me to read Alma 17:14 this week, then added, "Don't you think that describes the ______________ area of Chicago?" Oh these missionaries.
I started the new referral system on Monday. The training from SLC was hilarious. "Now I know you aren't looking at an Ipad and have no access to one but you need to train your missionaries how to report their own referrals on their individual devices." Funny man. I am a visual learner so all his descriptions of what would be on the device screen meant nothing to me. I'm supposed to train 225 missionaries yet can't be trusted to see an Ipad unless it belongs to one of the missionaries.(and the Church won't allow us to have their software on our own Ipads) So Sister Taggart has described over the phone countless times this week, "Turn on your Ipad....go to Safari....here is the website....now enter your password which will connect you to Area Book..."
I had one Sister say to me, "Sister Taggart, what is my password?" On any given day, I deal with 6 different passwords on my own computer. Yes--I have them written down in case the black hole shows up in my brain that day. Funny Sister.....thinking I know HER password.
Yes, you read correctly....225 missionaries. On Monday we gain 14 more missionaries. We lose only 4 plus 2 Visa waiters. Our Russia visa waiter is going to Russia next week where she will have no need of most of the ward clothes she has desperately needed here in Chicago. Go figure!!
I had 4 Elders to dinner one night this week. I am a grandma to all but one and his mother is my age. Hard for me to comprehend having a son his age....especially as my second granddaughter prepares for a mission. My can these Elders pack away the food!! We watched 2 of the Elders put half of the chicken on their plates and wondered what the rest of us would eat. They raved about the orange jello with grated carrots and crushed pineapple in it. Famous Mormon jello and 3 of the Elders had never had it.
No meals to prepare for transfers this week because Sister Abbott has that under control.
Missionaries reporting their own referrals.
Brother Abbott taking care of all the apartment inspections that are coming in.
I may just prop my feet up on my desk and take a nap this week!!
Ya'll have a great week and keep reading your scriptures!! Answers for everything, you know.
Sister Taggart
What a week it has been---the lull before the storm.(transfers next week) Quiet office for the most part---except for the Taggart's desks. Elder Taggart has had 7 accidents in 7 days...plus one of our Elders slipped on ice and fell while crossing the street and was then hit by a car. D&C 84:88....he was definitely protected by angels and all of the millions of prayers that go up daily on behalf of missionaries. He suffered broken ribs, a concussion,and had surgery for all the internal bleeds but will be as good as new as soon as his 12" incision heals. OUCH!!!
One of our Elders told me to read Alma 17:14 this week, then added, "Don't you think that describes the ______________ area of Chicago?" Oh these missionaries.
I started the new referral system on Monday. The training from SLC was hilarious. "Now I know you aren't looking at an Ipad and have no access to one but you need to train your missionaries how to report their own referrals on their individual devices." Funny man. I am a visual learner so all his descriptions of what would be on the device screen meant nothing to me. I'm supposed to train 225 missionaries yet can't be trusted to see an Ipad unless it belongs to one of the missionaries.(and the Church won't allow us to have their software on our own Ipads) So Sister Taggart has described over the phone countless times this week, "Turn on your Ipad....go to Safari....here is the website....now enter your password which will connect you to Area Book..."
I had one Sister say to me, "Sister Taggart, what is my password?" On any given day, I deal with 6 different passwords on my own computer. Yes--I have them written down in case the black hole shows up in my brain that day. Funny Sister.....thinking I know HER password.
Yes, you read correctly....225 missionaries. On Monday we gain 14 more missionaries. We lose only 4 plus 2 Visa waiters. Our Russia visa waiter is going to Russia next week where she will have no need of most of the ward clothes she has desperately needed here in Chicago. Go figure!!
I had 4 Elders to dinner one night this week. I am a grandma to all but one and his mother is my age. Hard for me to comprehend having a son his age....especially as my second granddaughter prepares for a mission. My can these Elders pack away the food!! We watched 2 of the Elders put half of the chicken on their plates and wondered what the rest of us would eat. They raved about the orange jello with grated carrots and crushed pineapple in it. Famous Mormon jello and 3 of the Elders had never had it.
No meals to prepare for transfers this week because Sister Abbott has that under control.
Missionaries reporting their own referrals.
Brother Abbott taking care of all the apartment inspections that are coming in.
I may just prop my feet up on my desk and take a nap this week!!
Ya'll have a great week and keep reading your scriptures!! Answers for everything, you know.
Sister Taggart
A Year Later
It has now been one year since I retired. And oh, what a year it has been. We sold a house, built a new house, moved to Utah and then moved to Chicago to serve a mission for 23 months. We have experienced highs and lows, joys and sorrows. I miss the wonderful people of the Renton/Kent area, I miss the people I spent so many years working with in the candy industry, I miss my posterity and the comforts of home. But I don't miss the day to day rat race of work and all the drama that goes with that.
We are enjoying a wonderful adventure here in Chicagoland serving with 225 young missionaries as well as 18 senior missionaries. We are as busy as we have ever been in our lives but we are learning, growing and being blessed by opportunities to serve. I am convinced that service to others brings joy, happiness and sweet satisfaction. Our love for each other has grown even deeper and we have found that we thoroughly enjoy being with each other 24/7. I am personally looking to spending the eternities with this woman who has brought so much experience and meaning to my life.
Here are a couple of interesting statistics for Chicago:
* There are 80,000 - 100,000 gang members in Chicago. 1,600 of them are responsible for 70% of the murders here.
* As of Friday night we are officially the 4th snowiest winter on record here. Normal snowfall is 29.3 inches. We had 69.5 by Friday night. We woke up today to an additional 2 inches. That's almost 6 feet of snow in the city.
I felt like our cars were targets this week. We had one car that was hit by a deer that ran into the driver's door, shattering that window and destroying the door. Another car was hit by a coyote damaging the front quarter panel of the car. Amazingly, both of these animals ran off seemingly not harmed too badly. We were the victims of 3 hit & run accidents; none with major damage thankfully. And the week wouldn't be complete without 2 more rear end accidents. No missionaries were injured in any of these accidents which is a testimony to me that the Lord does watch over and protect those who are serving Him.
We had a missionary slip and fall on the ice while crossing the street Thursday night. In falling, he hit his head which caused him to have a seizure and black out. As his companion tried To flag down a car to call 911 and assist him, another car hit the fallen missionary and threw him about 15 feet. He ended up with a concussion, broken ribs, a punctured lung and some internal bleeding. He was given a priesthood blessing by his companion. Even though he was injured, the combination of the Lord watching over him, the result of a priesthood blessing and the faith and prayers of many, the doctors were amazed that he was not much worse. When they opened him up to explore and repair the internal bleeding (about a 12" incision), the lung they were sure was punctured had closed back up. They repaired a couple of bleeding organs and have said that he will have a complete recovery. Again, the Lord does watch over and protect those who serve Him. He doesn't necessarily eliminate any injury or harm, but he does protect and bless. This young man should probably have been killed.
We have 14 new missionaries arriving tomorrow which will start yet another crazy transfer week. But we will enjoy the spirit and enthusiasm of these new missionaries and will be blessed to see many other missionaries as they come to the transfer meeting to find out what area they will be moving to and who their new companion will be. We will also say farewell to 6 who are either returning home after serving faithfully or who have finally received their visa so they can go to the country they have been assigned to serve in. It hurts every time we have to say goodbye because these young people have wormed their way into our hearts and have become like family to us. But we know there are others who are anxious to see them and feel of their love.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has an amazing ability to change hearts and lives. People who have the faith and courage to recognize the truth of the message we share start on a path that will enrich and bless their lives immensely. I am grateful to know that when I consider how insignificant I seem to be when considering all of God's creations, He knows my name and cares deeply for me, his son. My life is blessed to know Him and to love Him and His son, Jesus Christ. May yours be also as you draw unto him and learn of him. Make time in your busy life to pause and have a meaningful conversation with your loving Father in Heaven who sent His son to suffer and die for us.
Have a rich week.
Elder Taggart
We are enjoying a wonderful adventure here in Chicagoland serving with 225 young missionaries as well as 18 senior missionaries. We are as busy as we have ever been in our lives but we are learning, growing and being blessed by opportunities to serve. I am convinced that service to others brings joy, happiness and sweet satisfaction. Our love for each other has grown even deeper and we have found that we thoroughly enjoy being with each other 24/7. I am personally looking to spending the eternities with this woman who has brought so much experience and meaning to my life.
Here are a couple of interesting statistics for Chicago:
* There are 80,000 - 100,000 gang members in Chicago. 1,600 of them are responsible for 70% of the murders here.
* As of Friday night we are officially the 4th snowiest winter on record here. Normal snowfall is 29.3 inches. We had 69.5 by Friday night. We woke up today to an additional 2 inches. That's almost 6 feet of snow in the city.
I felt like our cars were targets this week. We had one car that was hit by a deer that ran into the driver's door, shattering that window and destroying the door. Another car was hit by a coyote damaging the front quarter panel of the car. Amazingly, both of these animals ran off seemingly not harmed too badly. We were the victims of 3 hit & run accidents; none with major damage thankfully. And the week wouldn't be complete without 2 more rear end accidents. No missionaries were injured in any of these accidents which is a testimony to me that the Lord does watch over and protect those who are serving Him.
We had a missionary slip and fall on the ice while crossing the street Thursday night. In falling, he hit his head which caused him to have a seizure and black out. As his companion tried To flag down a car to call 911 and assist him, another car hit the fallen missionary and threw him about 15 feet. He ended up with a concussion, broken ribs, a punctured lung and some internal bleeding. He was given a priesthood blessing by his companion. Even though he was injured, the combination of the Lord watching over him, the result of a priesthood blessing and the faith and prayers of many, the doctors were amazed that he was not much worse. When they opened him up to explore and repair the internal bleeding (about a 12" incision), the lung they were sure was punctured had closed back up. They repaired a couple of bleeding organs and have said that he will have a complete recovery. Again, the Lord does watch over and protect those who serve Him. He doesn't necessarily eliminate any injury or harm, but he does protect and bless. This young man should probably have been killed.
We have 14 new missionaries arriving tomorrow which will start yet another crazy transfer week. But we will enjoy the spirit and enthusiasm of these new missionaries and will be blessed to see many other missionaries as they come to the transfer meeting to find out what area they will be moving to and who their new companion will be. We will also say farewell to 6 who are either returning home after serving faithfully or who have finally received their visa so they can go to the country they have been assigned to serve in. It hurts every time we have to say goodbye because these young people have wormed their way into our hearts and have become like family to us. But we know there are others who are anxious to see them and feel of their love.
The gospel of Jesus Christ has an amazing ability to change hearts and lives. People who have the faith and courage to recognize the truth of the message we share start on a path that will enrich and bless their lives immensely. I am grateful to know that when I consider how insignificant I seem to be when considering all of God's creations, He knows my name and cares deeply for me, his son. My life is blessed to know Him and to love Him and His son, Jesus Christ. May yours be also as you draw unto him and learn of him. Make time in your busy life to pause and have a meaningful conversation with your loving Father in Heaven who sent His son to suffer and die for us.
Have a rich week.
Elder Taggart
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