Last Saturday/Sunday we received 19 inches do snow, which has made driving conditions really sloppy most of the week.
Monday
morning started with me having to dig out the transfer van and the
utility trailer so I could drive to the airport to pick up luggage for
22 newly arriving missionaries. When I got there to hook the trailer up,
all of the mission vehicles parked there were buried with at least 3
feet of snow because the guy who plows was too lazy to turn his blade so
the snow would go away from them instead of creating a 3 foot berm in
front of them. The trailer was in the last parking stall at the back of
the lot, so it had snow 12 feet by 4 feet in front of it. I dug the van
out thinking I would certainly die if I had to dig the trailer out.
Fortunately a guy with a plow on his truck stopped and I gave him $40
cash to help dig it out. Two weeks earlier, I had moved all of the spare
vehicles to a different place in the lot because they told me if I did
they wouldn't get buried.
After finally getting the van and
trailer connected, I met the assistants to the president and the sister
trainer leaders so that I could drive them to the airport to meet the
new missionaries. Before I left the office initially, I checked the
arrival times for both flight, one coming in from SLC and the other from
Mexico. It said that one was on time and the other one would arrive 10
minutes early. I dropped those meeting the missionaries off and told
them I would circle until they called me. To make a long story bearable,
I circled for 2 hours because both flights ended up being delayed. I
loaded their luggage and drove it to the mission home as they got on the
train for the traditional trip downtown on their first day. After
picking them up at the train station later, I realized that I had spent 5
1/2 hours in the van that day just transporting missionaries, luggage
and seeing the sights of O'Hare as I circled and circled.
Tuesday
morning, we were at the church at 7:30 to have everything ready to set
up 22 iPads and for both Claudia and I to do our training of the new
arrivals. 11 of the 22 iPads wouldn't set up properly because Apple was
blocking us from setting up that many Apple ID's all at once. So after
the transfer meeting I spent the rest of the day helping missionaries
one by one to get their iPad set up and ready to use. I must say that I
love and also hate technology.
That night we had dinner with the
21 amazing missionaries who would be leaving for h e the next morning.
After a testimony meeting where we heard from each of the 21, we took
pictures and said farewell to each of them. The farewells get harder
with each transfer because we have served with all of the sisters their
entire mission and with the elders for most of theirs. It is like saying
farewell to our kids and grandkids when we left them to come here. We
know we will see them again, but the separation is hard.
We had 2
senior couples arrive on Friday and a senior sister arrive on Thursday.
They are replacements for those who have either already gone home or
who left on Friday. To date, we don't have a replacement couple for us.
But since Claudia has a pre-op appointment with the surgeon for knee
replacement on May 13, we will leave for home on May 3 whether or not
our replacements have arrived. We do hope to be able to provide them
with more training than either of us received.
The rest of the
week was filled with picking up 2 cars from the body shop so I can sell
them, entering the month-ending odometer for each of the 74 mission
vehicles, helping missionaries deal with and know what to do for the 7
accidents that occurred between Tuesday and Friday, and attending three
baptisms yesterday.
Through all of the challenges, stress, etc. I
can testify that God is in the very details of our lives. I so
appreciate His sustaining strength and help. He knows us and loves us
each and every one. I see His hand in my life and know that you can too.
If he knows and loves me, he certainly does you. Trust Him and
acknowledge His hand and influence in your life. I love you.
Elder Taggart
Sunday, February 8, 2015
snow,snow,snow and they never said it would be easy
February 8, 2015
Have I said it enough times---I dislike transfers intensely? It is a week to test the endurance of one and all. We prepare for it as best we can but it always hits like a tsunami and sucks the life out of you as it goes back out to sea and life goes back to "normal". 22 incoming and 21 outgoing. Add 18 inches of snow on Sunday and 5 more inches during the week which made it all the more interesting. Church was cancelled Sunday so the President declared it no driving day....but go shovel snow as service. Elder Taggart was getting calls all day "can we just drive to the houses we know need help?" (otherwise they are walking in blizzard conditions) What do you think NO DRIVING means? How many ways can you interpret those instructions? It was the 5th most snowfall in a 24 hour time in Chicago. One inch every hour was forecast but areas by the lake got much more. We hiked across the courtyard to have a combined dinner with Abbotts and the Elders next door and thought we would die. We have no snow shovel so I had the brilliant idea to use our Swiffer to just push or brush snow away. Dumb idea. It was heavy snow and about ruined Elder Taggart's shoulder. Dinner was wonderful with our combined efforts and then it was back across the courtyard (aka tundra now) in windy, drifting snowy whiteout. We needed a rope to help us back to our own 64 degree apartment. What an adventure.
Monday our 22 newbies arrived--one batch from the Mexico MTC was early but the Utah MTC bunch was delayed due to many flight cancellations across the country. As my husband was digging out the transfer van and trailer from the buried church parking lot (he finally flagged down a pick-up with a snow shovel on the front and paid him $40 to shovel the drifts of snow from in front of the vehicles) so he could pick up luggage at O'Hare and then circle for 1 hr. 45 min. waiting for the next batch to arrive, Sister Abbott and I were opening boxes in the office to find coats to be taken to the airport for those arriving from Mexico. They come from 80 degrees in Mexico with no coats to 18 degrees, get off the plane and onto the train to go to downtown Chicago. No office stop planned so when our nurse says, "We're opening the boxes. They need coats." I responded. The Pres. was then called and told by the nurse, "swing by the office and pick up these coats." He obeyed and gathered an armload of coats with names on them with address labels.
Meanwhile, back at the office, I'm fielding phone calls along with Sister Abbott.
"Has my son/daughter arrived yet?"
"Can my son use his debit card from Honduras in Chicago?"
"My non-member friend needs some shovelling done in Orland Park. Can you send a couple of missionaries over this morning?"
"We want to go to Chicago for our last P-day. The President doesn't answer his phone. Do you think it would be OK?"
"My daughter needs her endorsement from the Pres. to get into BYU. Why hasn't he filled it out yet and when can he get that in. It's due today."
"Sister Taggart, I lost my name tag shovelling snow yesterday. Can you order me a new one?"
"Macy's said my pants were shipped to the office. Were they?"
A box comes labeled Sister Williams. We have one. Which one is it?
The new Senior Sister coming in is stuck in Lexington, NE. She doesn't dare drive any farther in this storm. After counting 25 semi-trucks and 63 cars off the road, she stopped in a hotel.
"I lost my water bottle with a blue lid. Is it in the office?"
While I field these calls, Sister Abbott is fielding calls about flights, addresses for their new missionary, flu symptoms, back aches from yesterdays' shovelling, and typical cold symptoms where they think they need to go to the emergency room, and one or two bed bug scenarios thrown in.
I am also throwing freight on the shelves to make sure we have enough pass-along cards, pamphlets, large print scriptures, media bibles, and Books of Mormon along with DVD's and an assortment of anything else we carry. When they come in after the transfer meeting, it is like locust hitting a wheat field. Everything is left empty!!
Tuesday morning our alarm goes off at 5:30 A.M. Elder Taggart and I do our training on Tues. morning, Ipad, set up for 22 new Ipads, car safety training, referral training and how to fill out a baptism record. The Ipads won't cooperate so 11 missionaries need special help after transfers. I look into the faces of each of these missionaries and a sadness comes over me. I won't be here for all or even most of their missions. I will barely get to know these newbies. Who will help them when they need help? It's sad.
I am hugged and hugged. I hear, "I love you Sister Taggart" as I go into the foyer where 75% of our missionaries are gathered. 3/4 of our companionships will change today. Now that's what I call apple cart upset. That's Where's Waldo on steroids!!! The new missionaries march in as we sing hymns in the chapel. They look eager, nervous, scared and more. The President has the trainers come up and describe the area they are assigned to--then the new missionary is called up, they hug like long lost friends, then go sit together as a new companionship.
Sister G says, "Well, for this area, bring your pepper spray and let's go to work."
Elder M says, "In Hebron, IN the driveways are white and ready to shovel."
Elder C says, "Pres. can I tell him what Morgan Park is really like?" (the Pres. frowns and shakes his head NO!!!)
Elder M says, "Our area is great. There are lots of baptisms coming up---we just have to find them."
Then the 21 missionaries going home march to the front and sing "Hope of Israel". I lose it. We have been here for their whole mission. These have become ours. My heart aches to think they'll be gone. Then they march out and Elder Taggart starts the shuttle to the temple. They attend a session before testimony meeting tonight. I hurry back to the office. We feed between 60-70 missionaries a quick lunch before they drive to their new areas. Four 5-quart crock pots of soup, platters of crackers, 6 loaves of french bread hoagies, mega bowl of orange wedges--GONE!!!
I brought an extra loaf of bread for PB&J's and in 2 minutes it too was gone. My supply shelves were the same---GUTTED. I had on my desk requests for 40 name tags, 8 letters of proof-of-residency and a pile of referrals they got while riding the train from the airport to the city. The last ones left by 4:30. We vacuumed, did dishes, emptied garbages, in a hurry, because we're all supposed to be at the mission home by 5 for the farewell dinner and testimony meeting. My husband didn't make it until 6 because of all the shuttling he did to and from the temple. We are told how much we will be missed. We are told by many they plan on coming to our house in American Fork to hang out while they go to BYU or UVU. We are told by 2 sisters they want a marriage just like ours. Several give us cards or letters of appreciation and many want a picture taken with us. I let the tears fall as we hug for the last time. It's time for them to leave the mission and move forward with their lives but it hurts. We will never see our Italian Sister again in this life. I was teary for 2 days. (does this sound like someone who is "trunky"? I know some of you think we are getting that way but these are our grandkids and this is our focus..TO THE END and BEYOND)
Got home late but Elder Taggart had to be up by 5 AM and to the mission home to take the first 17 to the airport. No rest. Today we have a Senior Sister coming in from Idaho. She was snowed in at Lexington, NE. We have the military missionary couple going home and the new military replacement5 come in. We have a new office couple come in. (not our replacement) We come home one night, finally having a chance to do 3 baskets of laundry, only to discover our laundry room would be closed for painting for 3-4 days. UGH!! I dream of having my own washer and dryer again. If that is trunky then so be it. I hate laundromats.
Saturday was the wedding and baptism in the Chicago 2 Spanish Branch. I put a name in the referral system months ago. He was less active, wanting to come back. He now had a wife, a non-member. I sent the Spanish speaking missionaries in that area to their house. Two sweet Sisters taught the young wife, her mother and the mother's boyfriend. They needed to be married before they could be baptized. The wedding and the baptism were all in Spanish yet it was beautiful! We tried to sing the hymns in Spanish. Fun. You can feel the Spirit in any language. One of the Sisters came up to me after and said, "He was our diamond, Sister Taggart.." A talk I gave a year ago is still having an impact on these missionaries. I didn't write the talk, the Spirit did so I guess it's good they remember it.
The Christensen's are coming over for dinner today. They are one of the new office couples. They are pleasant to be around. They have served for years at the Utah State Prison so they are vets. I love working with these couples with so much Church experience. Old soldiers are we in this troop of young soldiers.
I have rambled too long. I wanted you to feel what we have felt this week. Wouldn't trade it for the world. We love what we are doing. It keeps us young. Photos are snow from just one day. I love my companion. This will always be one of our treasured experiences in life. We try to make the most of every single day. A good policy ,we have found.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Have I said it enough times---I dislike transfers intensely? It is a week to test the endurance of one and all. We prepare for it as best we can but it always hits like a tsunami and sucks the life out of you as it goes back out to sea and life goes back to "normal". 22 incoming and 21 outgoing. Add 18 inches of snow on Sunday and 5 more inches during the week which made it all the more interesting. Church was cancelled Sunday so the President declared it no driving day....but go shovel snow as service. Elder Taggart was getting calls all day "can we just drive to the houses we know need help?" (otherwise they are walking in blizzard conditions) What do you think NO DRIVING means? How many ways can you interpret those instructions? It was the 5th most snowfall in a 24 hour time in Chicago. One inch every hour was forecast but areas by the lake got much more. We hiked across the courtyard to have a combined dinner with Abbotts and the Elders next door and thought we would die. We have no snow shovel so I had the brilliant idea to use our Swiffer to just push or brush snow away. Dumb idea. It was heavy snow and about ruined Elder Taggart's shoulder. Dinner was wonderful with our combined efforts and then it was back across the courtyard (aka tundra now) in windy, drifting snowy whiteout. We needed a rope to help us back to our own 64 degree apartment. What an adventure.
Monday our 22 newbies arrived--one batch from the Mexico MTC was early but the Utah MTC bunch was delayed due to many flight cancellations across the country. As my husband was digging out the transfer van and trailer from the buried church parking lot (he finally flagged down a pick-up with a snow shovel on the front and paid him $40 to shovel the drifts of snow from in front of the vehicles) so he could pick up luggage at O'Hare and then circle for 1 hr. 45 min. waiting for the next batch to arrive, Sister Abbott and I were opening boxes in the office to find coats to be taken to the airport for those arriving from Mexico. They come from 80 degrees in Mexico with no coats to 18 degrees, get off the plane and onto the train to go to downtown Chicago. No office stop planned so when our nurse says, "We're opening the boxes. They need coats." I responded. The Pres. was then called and told by the nurse, "swing by the office and pick up these coats." He obeyed and gathered an armload of coats with names on them with address labels.
Meanwhile, back at the office, I'm fielding phone calls along with Sister Abbott.
"Has my son/daughter arrived yet?"
"Can my son use his debit card from Honduras in Chicago?"
"My non-member friend needs some shovelling done in Orland Park. Can you send a couple of missionaries over this morning?"
"We want to go to Chicago for our last P-day. The President doesn't answer his phone. Do you think it would be OK?"
"My daughter needs her endorsement from the Pres. to get into BYU. Why hasn't he filled it out yet and when can he get that in. It's due today."
"Sister Taggart, I lost my name tag shovelling snow yesterday. Can you order me a new one?"
"Macy's said my pants were shipped to the office. Were they?"
A box comes labeled Sister Williams. We have one. Which one is it?
The new Senior Sister coming in is stuck in Lexington, NE. She doesn't dare drive any farther in this storm. After counting 25 semi-trucks and 63 cars off the road, she stopped in a hotel.
"I lost my water bottle with a blue lid. Is it in the office?"
While I field these calls, Sister Abbott is fielding calls about flights, addresses for their new missionary, flu symptoms, back aches from yesterdays' shovelling, and typical cold symptoms where they think they need to go to the emergency room, and one or two bed bug scenarios thrown in.
I am also throwing freight on the shelves to make sure we have enough pass-along cards, pamphlets, large print scriptures, media bibles, and Books of Mormon along with DVD's and an assortment of anything else we carry. When they come in after the transfer meeting, it is like locust hitting a wheat field. Everything is left empty!!
Tuesday morning our alarm goes off at 5:30 A.M. Elder Taggart and I do our training on Tues. morning, Ipad, set up for 22 new Ipads, car safety training, referral training and how to fill out a baptism record. The Ipads won't cooperate so 11 missionaries need special help after transfers. I look into the faces of each of these missionaries and a sadness comes over me. I won't be here for all or even most of their missions. I will barely get to know these newbies. Who will help them when they need help? It's sad.
I am hugged and hugged. I hear, "I love you Sister Taggart" as I go into the foyer where 75% of our missionaries are gathered. 3/4 of our companionships will change today. Now that's what I call apple cart upset. That's Where's Waldo on steroids!!! The new missionaries march in as we sing hymns in the chapel. They look eager, nervous, scared and more. The President has the trainers come up and describe the area they are assigned to--then the new missionary is called up, they hug like long lost friends, then go sit together as a new companionship.
Sister G says, "Well, for this area, bring your pepper spray and let's go to work."
Elder M says, "In Hebron, IN the driveways are white and ready to shovel."
Elder C says, "Pres. can I tell him what Morgan Park is really like?" (the Pres. frowns and shakes his head NO!!!)
Elder M says, "Our area is great. There are lots of baptisms coming up---we just have to find them."
Then the 21 missionaries going home march to the front and sing "Hope of Israel". I lose it. We have been here for their whole mission. These have become ours. My heart aches to think they'll be gone. Then they march out and Elder Taggart starts the shuttle to the temple. They attend a session before testimony meeting tonight. I hurry back to the office. We feed between 60-70 missionaries a quick lunch before they drive to their new areas. Four 5-quart crock pots of soup, platters of crackers, 6 loaves of french bread hoagies, mega bowl of orange wedges--GONE!!!
I brought an extra loaf of bread for PB&J's and in 2 minutes it too was gone. My supply shelves were the same---GUTTED. I had on my desk requests for 40 name tags, 8 letters of proof-of-residency and a pile of referrals they got while riding the train from the airport to the city. The last ones left by 4:30. We vacuumed, did dishes, emptied garbages, in a hurry, because we're all supposed to be at the mission home by 5 for the farewell dinner and testimony meeting. My husband didn't make it until 6 because of all the shuttling he did to and from the temple. We are told how much we will be missed. We are told by many they plan on coming to our house in American Fork to hang out while they go to BYU or UVU. We are told by 2 sisters they want a marriage just like ours. Several give us cards or letters of appreciation and many want a picture taken with us. I let the tears fall as we hug for the last time. It's time for them to leave the mission and move forward with their lives but it hurts. We will never see our Italian Sister again in this life. I was teary for 2 days. (does this sound like someone who is "trunky"? I know some of you think we are getting that way but these are our grandkids and this is our focus..TO THE END and BEYOND)
Got home late but Elder Taggart had to be up by 5 AM and to the mission home to take the first 17 to the airport. No rest. Today we have a Senior Sister coming in from Idaho. She was snowed in at Lexington, NE. We have the military missionary couple going home and the new military replacement5 come in. We have a new office couple come in. (not our replacement) We come home one night, finally having a chance to do 3 baskets of laundry, only to discover our laundry room would be closed for painting for 3-4 days. UGH!! I dream of having my own washer and dryer again. If that is trunky then so be it. I hate laundromats.
Saturday was the wedding and baptism in the Chicago 2 Spanish Branch. I put a name in the referral system months ago. He was less active, wanting to come back. He now had a wife, a non-member. I sent the Spanish speaking missionaries in that area to their house. Two sweet Sisters taught the young wife, her mother and the mother's boyfriend. They needed to be married before they could be baptized. The wedding and the baptism were all in Spanish yet it was beautiful! We tried to sing the hymns in Spanish. Fun. You can feel the Spirit in any language. One of the Sisters came up to me after and said, "He was our diamond, Sister Taggart.." A talk I gave a year ago is still having an impact on these missionaries. I didn't write the talk, the Spirit did so I guess it's good they remember it.
The Christensen's are coming over for dinner today. They are one of the new office couples. They are pleasant to be around. They have served for years at the Utah State Prison so they are vets. I love working with these couples with so much Church experience. Old soldiers are we in this troop of young soldiers.
I have rambled too long. I wanted you to feel what we have felt this week. Wouldn't trade it for the world. We love what we are doing. It keeps us young. Photos are snow from just one day. I love my companion. This will always be one of our treasured experiences in life. We try to make the most of every single day. A good policy ,we have found.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Gone fishing
This is the reader board for the business just around the corner from
us. He must not need the business or is old enough he no longer cares.
Several times per year, he will have something like this on his sign and
then be gone for weeks or even a month or so.
Well church was cancelled today because it has been snowing non-stop since 9 last night and is now forecast to continue until 6 am tomorrow. We are forecast to get at least 12-14 inches in most areas and up to 18-20 in others. Later today, we are supposed to have wind gusts up to 40 mph which will cause drifting and poor visibility. So I am sitting comfortably in our warm condo looking at the serene scene outside as I type.
Yesterday, before the snow started, they said that we had only received 15 inches of snow so far this winter as compared to 50 inches by this date last winter. So we have been blessed so far to have a mild and somewhat balmy winter. We are grateful for that.
At a Zone training meeting the president was taking about the Christlike attribute of patience. He asked the missionaries what patience was. One Elder said, "Elder Taggart is a great example of patience. It doesn't matter if we call him about an accident, a problem with our car, a cracked, lost or stolen iPad, a cell phone that is having issues or anything else; he is always calm and patient with us." He then said, "He has mastered that Christlike attribute". I'm not sure that is true and I'm sure some of my children would disagree that it is. But it was a nice compliment anyway. That is something I have spent many years working on.
Thursday I had a missionary call to tell me that they had been at the library and he now was not able to find his iPad. He thought he had left it at the library. The next morning, they went back to the library and sadly it had not been turned in by anyone. So he called me again to let me know. I notified my contact in SLC who has the ability to send a signal to a lost device that will disable it and make it so it is no longer usable by anyone. Saturday morning he called me saying that he found it; he had left it at a member's home. By then he was somewhat in a panic that his iPad may be disabled before I could get someone to reverse my previous request. So tomorrow I will try to cancel that request and hope they didn't act quickly on my request.
Someone from Salt Lake called on Friday asking that all senior missionaries respond to them letting them know what monthly average costs are here. They need this so they can update information sent to new senior missionaries on what to prepare to spend each month. The average cost for a senior apartment is $1,200 per month. Gas is $280 and food is $450. I found it interesting that in the 23 months we will be here, we will spend over $1,000 to do laundry. That is crazy since we have a perfectly good washer and dryer sitting in our home not being used.
We have 23 new missionaries who will arrive tomorrow depending on flights that are being cancelled or delayed. Wednesday, 21 will leave after having completed their mission here. So I will spend much time in a 12 passenger van towing a trailer Monday-Wednesday getting missionaries and their luggage to and from the airport as well as to and from the temple for their last visit there. This snow should make for delightful travels.
We are grateful to be here, we love the people, we love the missionaries, we miss our family and pray that they will claim the blessings promised for our service and sacrifice, we love the Lord and this great work of helping others to come unto Christ. It is a great time to be alive and to be able to give back. We love you and pray the Lord's choicest blessings may be yours.
Elder Taggart
Well church was cancelled today because it has been snowing non-stop since 9 last night and is now forecast to continue until 6 am tomorrow. We are forecast to get at least 12-14 inches in most areas and up to 18-20 in others. Later today, we are supposed to have wind gusts up to 40 mph which will cause drifting and poor visibility. So I am sitting comfortably in our warm condo looking at the serene scene outside as I type.
Yesterday, before the snow started, they said that we had only received 15 inches of snow so far this winter as compared to 50 inches by this date last winter. So we have been blessed so far to have a mild and somewhat balmy winter. We are grateful for that.
At a Zone training meeting the president was taking about the Christlike attribute of patience. He asked the missionaries what patience was. One Elder said, "Elder Taggart is a great example of patience. It doesn't matter if we call him about an accident, a problem with our car, a cracked, lost or stolen iPad, a cell phone that is having issues or anything else; he is always calm and patient with us." He then said, "He has mastered that Christlike attribute". I'm not sure that is true and I'm sure some of my children would disagree that it is. But it was a nice compliment anyway. That is something I have spent many years working on.
Thursday I had a missionary call to tell me that they had been at the library and he now was not able to find his iPad. He thought he had left it at the library. The next morning, they went back to the library and sadly it had not been turned in by anyone. So he called me again to let me know. I notified my contact in SLC who has the ability to send a signal to a lost device that will disable it and make it so it is no longer usable by anyone. Saturday morning he called me saying that he found it; he had left it at a member's home. By then he was somewhat in a panic that his iPad may be disabled before I could get someone to reverse my previous request. So tomorrow I will try to cancel that request and hope they didn't act quickly on my request.
Someone from Salt Lake called on Friday asking that all senior missionaries respond to them letting them know what monthly average costs are here. They need this so they can update information sent to new senior missionaries on what to prepare to spend each month. The average cost for a senior apartment is $1,200 per month. Gas is $280 and food is $450. I found it interesting that in the 23 months we will be here, we will spend over $1,000 to do laundry. That is crazy since we have a perfectly good washer and dryer sitting in our home not being used.
We have 23 new missionaries who will arrive tomorrow depending on flights that are being cancelled or delayed. Wednesday, 21 will leave after having completed their mission here. So I will spend much time in a 12 passenger van towing a trailer Monday-Wednesday getting missionaries and their luggage to and from the airport as well as to and from the temple for their last visit there. This snow should make for delightful travels.
We are grateful to be here, we love the people, we love the missionaries, we miss our family and pray that they will claim the blessings promised for our service and sacrifice, we love the Lord and this great work of helping others to come unto Christ. It is a great time to be alive and to be able to give back. We love you and pray the Lord's choicest blessings may be yours.
Elder Taggart
Maps...Maps....Maps.....
Feb. 1, 2015
All day I stare at maps. I type in referral addresses then stare at maps to try and figure out which missionaries should be assigned to which referrals. I come across some fascinating information. Last week I assigned an ALMA who speaks Spanish. Today I had a SARIAH who speaks Spanish. Coincidence?? I think somewhere way back they had ancestors names Alma or Sariah and I would like to think they were the ones recorded in the Book of Mormon. Meanwhile I search more maps. I've told Elder Taggart that he better know the way home because I'm not reading the map for him.
Why do people put themselves into the referral system? There are as many interesting reasons as there are people. I could fill this whole letter with different reasons. This week a Muslim Hindu said he doesn't want to hear the missionaries message but he wants the Book of Mormon to read. That is the #1 reason people refer themselves....they want a Book of Mormon. The #2 reason is they want to learn more about the Mormon Church. Then in no particular order # they need a Priesthood blessing, # they are interested in talking to our missionaries about Joseph Smith, personal revelation, or any number of things, # they need service like help moving. I am approaching 5,000 referrals assigned so far on my mission so I should be used to maps, right?
My knee is doing fine. The cortisone seems to be doing what it should and I am doing muscle strengthening exercises 5 days a week. We have an appointment May 13 with a doctor in American Fork, Utah. Todd says this doctors' patients have better results and shorter recovery times so we are going with him. Then Todd can be my physical therapist and get me on my feet quickly. Thanks for your prayers in my behalf.
I heard about one of our baptisms this week that really touched me. A mother, Spanish speaking, had a daughter who was dying of kidney failure. The mother was a match so she decided to donate one of her kidneys. The surgery went well and they were both sent home to recuperate. A few days later, they both took a turn for the worse. In fact, the mother felt like they might both die if they didn't get help. She prayed to her deceased mother and ask for help. That day our missionaries knocked on their door. They were able to give them a Priesthood blessing and get them the help they needed. Immediately they both started to improve dramatically. They invited the missionaries to teach them and they joined the Church. When she found out she could go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead, she immediately wanted to go and be baptized on behalf of her deceased mother. I love the way people are placed in the path of others to accomplish God's work here.
On Monday the President gave me a project extraordinaire. Could I extract address labels for all people baptized last year so he could write a follow-up letter to each of them to see if they have remained active? Sure---no problem. So on Tues. I phoned RECORDS in Salt Lake to see if there was a way I could generate address labels from past records. I entered them all, one by one, into my computer. I was hoping my computer could just spit them out magically in label format. They connected me to a Joseph Anderson who proceeded to tell me:
1) once the records are sent to Salt Lake, they no longer live in my computer ( not those exact words)
2) once a person is baptized, they fall under the stewardship of a Bishop and Stake President, not a mission president.
3) only with area authority approval could our mission president get those addresses from Salt Lake.
In Preach My Gospel (p. 223) under MISSION PRESIDENT it says (in Chapter 13): " Occasionally follow up with recent converts to find out how they are doing and how missionaries and members can be of help."
Who do I believe????? So I go to my RECORDS book and I have all the addresses I need on hard copy---I just have to extract them off each Baptismal Record. So I proceed to do that, for days, in between doing referrals, mail, running a car to the auto body shop and phone calls. On Friday the President comes in and we talk. He has changed his mind. We will begin with Jan. 2015 baptisms. (I didn't tell him I had 175 labels from last year already typed up.) I smiled and said I would get right on it. (Who is this person and what have they done with the old Claudia?)
Random call for the week: "Sister Taggart, I'm going home on Wednesday. Before my dad left his mission he ordered a name tag for each of his sons. Isn't that neat? I would like to order a name tag for each of my children. How many children do you think I'll have?" Haven't been asked that by a missionary before. Should have told him a dozen.
This weeks' mending was a pair of suit pants torn opposite the direction of the seam across the butt of the pants. I now ask how these things happen. They were building a pyramid of Elders in the gym and he was on the bottom. The thing that irritated me the most was not his stupidity but that the only gray thread I could find at JoAnns.....out of probably 30 shades of gray....was on a cone! So I had to buy 3000 yards of thread for a 10 yard fix. Murphy's Law.
We are not skipping church today. Church was cancelled due to the snow. This is a view out our glass door. We have 7" so far and we are forecast to receive that much more. Transfers are Monday and Tuesday so this should make life interesting the next three days. Airport runs with possible flight cancellations, half the mission coming to the transfer meeting on slip and slide roads, missionaries coming from the MTC in Mexico with no coats......just a barrel of laughs for all. We aren't complaining that winter finally decided to arrive the first of February. Last year we had 50 inches of snow by this time. No complaints at all. Just makes for messy transfers. So our next door Elders were over here as soon as they heard church was canceled to see if Elder Taggart would give them permission to go shovel driveways. We will have dinner with them later this evening. One of them goes home this week and we will miss him. The new Senior Couple comes in this week so that apartment will have to be cleaned and vacated by Wednesday. No they are not our replacements but we are still hopeful. We are working hard to the end. We love these missionaries and their enthusiasm. We are starting to be thankful we will settle in Utah because that will mean continued association with these wonderful youth.
Have a great week and finish strong whatever you may be involved in. And stay warm.
Love,
Sister Taggart
All day I stare at maps. I type in referral addresses then stare at maps to try and figure out which missionaries should be assigned to which referrals. I come across some fascinating information. Last week I assigned an ALMA who speaks Spanish. Today I had a SARIAH who speaks Spanish. Coincidence?? I think somewhere way back they had ancestors names Alma or Sariah and I would like to think they were the ones recorded in the Book of Mormon. Meanwhile I search more maps. I've told Elder Taggart that he better know the way home because I'm not reading the map for him.
Why do people put themselves into the referral system? There are as many interesting reasons as there are people. I could fill this whole letter with different reasons. This week a Muslim Hindu said he doesn't want to hear the missionaries message but he wants the Book of Mormon to read. That is the #1 reason people refer themselves....they want a Book of Mormon. The #2 reason is they want to learn more about the Mormon Church. Then in no particular order # they need a Priesthood blessing, # they are interested in talking to our missionaries about Joseph Smith, personal revelation, or any number of things, # they need service like help moving. I am approaching 5,000 referrals assigned so far on my mission so I should be used to maps, right?
My knee is doing fine. The cortisone seems to be doing what it should and I am doing muscle strengthening exercises 5 days a week. We have an appointment May 13 with a doctor in American Fork, Utah. Todd says this doctors' patients have better results and shorter recovery times so we are going with him. Then Todd can be my physical therapist and get me on my feet quickly. Thanks for your prayers in my behalf.
I heard about one of our baptisms this week that really touched me. A mother, Spanish speaking, had a daughter who was dying of kidney failure. The mother was a match so she decided to donate one of her kidneys. The surgery went well and they were both sent home to recuperate. A few days later, they both took a turn for the worse. In fact, the mother felt like they might both die if they didn't get help. She prayed to her deceased mother and ask for help. That day our missionaries knocked on their door. They were able to give them a Priesthood blessing and get them the help they needed. Immediately they both started to improve dramatically. They invited the missionaries to teach them and they joined the Church. When she found out she could go to the temple and do baptisms for the dead, she immediately wanted to go and be baptized on behalf of her deceased mother. I love the way people are placed in the path of others to accomplish God's work here.
On Monday the President gave me a project extraordinaire. Could I extract address labels for all people baptized last year so he could write a follow-up letter to each of them to see if they have remained active? Sure---no problem. So on Tues. I phoned RECORDS in Salt Lake to see if there was a way I could generate address labels from past records. I entered them all, one by one, into my computer. I was hoping my computer could just spit them out magically in label format. They connected me to a Joseph Anderson who proceeded to tell me:
1) once the records are sent to Salt Lake, they no longer live in my computer ( not those exact words)
2) once a person is baptized, they fall under the stewardship of a Bishop and Stake President, not a mission president.
3) only with area authority approval could our mission president get those addresses from Salt Lake.
In Preach My Gospel (p. 223) under MISSION PRESIDENT it says (in Chapter 13): " Occasionally follow up with recent converts to find out how they are doing and how missionaries and members can be of help."
Who do I believe????? So I go to my RECORDS book and I have all the addresses I need on hard copy---I just have to extract them off each Baptismal Record. So I proceed to do that, for days, in between doing referrals, mail, running a car to the auto body shop and phone calls. On Friday the President comes in and we talk. He has changed his mind. We will begin with Jan. 2015 baptisms. (I didn't tell him I had 175 labels from last year already typed up.) I smiled and said I would get right on it. (Who is this person and what have they done with the old Claudia?)
Random call for the week: "Sister Taggart, I'm going home on Wednesday. Before my dad left his mission he ordered a name tag for each of his sons. Isn't that neat? I would like to order a name tag for each of my children. How many children do you think I'll have?" Haven't been asked that by a missionary before. Should have told him a dozen.
This weeks' mending was a pair of suit pants torn opposite the direction of the seam across the butt of the pants. I now ask how these things happen. They were building a pyramid of Elders in the gym and he was on the bottom. The thing that irritated me the most was not his stupidity but that the only gray thread I could find at JoAnns.....out of probably 30 shades of gray....was on a cone! So I had to buy 3000 yards of thread for a 10 yard fix. Murphy's Law.
We are not skipping church today. Church was cancelled due to the snow. This is a view out our glass door. We have 7" so far and we are forecast to receive that much more. Transfers are Monday and Tuesday so this should make life interesting the next three days. Airport runs with possible flight cancellations, half the mission coming to the transfer meeting on slip and slide roads, missionaries coming from the MTC in Mexico with no coats......just a barrel of laughs for all. We aren't complaining that winter finally decided to arrive the first of February. Last year we had 50 inches of snow by this time. No complaints at all. Just makes for messy transfers. So our next door Elders were over here as soon as they heard church was canceled to see if Elder Taggart would give them permission to go shovel driveways. We will have dinner with them later this evening. One of them goes home this week and we will miss him. The new Senior Couple comes in this week so that apartment will have to be cleaned and vacated by Wednesday. No they are not our replacements but we are still hopeful. We are working hard to the end. We love these missionaries and their enthusiasm. We are starting to be thankful we will settle in Utah because that will mean continued association with these wonderful youth.
Have a great week and finish strong whatever you may be involved in. And stay warm.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Monday, January 26, 2015
I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go......." (2)
FYI from Claudia. As you can see by her time-stamp, she finished after I had gone to bed.
Honestly,
I was too tired when we got home from the fireside to really care about
writing. And my week was quite hum drum as weeks go.
I
will share one vehicle experience with some Elders. My phone rings, Hi,
this is Elder____, we have quite a situation here. How can I help you?
Well my companion made a left turn, which apparently was illegal where
he did it. The police pulled us over and they are writing him tickets
right now. But he didn't have his driver's license on him; he left that
in the apartment. And you didn't put the registration and proof of
insurance in our car. I assured him that, yes I make sure that is in
every car. His companion said to him, it's not in the car because it's
on our desk. Why they would take it out of their car is a total mystery
to me. The Elder continues, They said they would probably impound and
tow the car since there were three violations. Well the officers had
mercy on them and didn't two the car. But they cuffed the driver, put in
the squad car and took him down to the station where they booked him,
tug a mug shot, etc. Fortunately, they released the Elder to his
companion.
I
spoke to them the next day and they informed me that he was given a
mandatory court date, and told that if he failed to appear he would be
arrested and incarcerated. So I made sure he knew that whatever he had
planned for that day or wherever he was, he must not miss that court
appearance. I also told him to make sure that he was extremely humble
and not a typical 18 year old. Oh, and that he should pray that he gets a
judge who might be merciful and a bit lenient. So I asked him how much
the three tickets were. He shyly said, $1500 and then said, Elder
Taggart, my parents will kill me if we have to pay that much. I then
shared all of the previous advice again. Hopefully once he shows proof
of a drivers license and proof of insurance, those two will be
dismissed. We then talked about what he had learned from the
experience.
My real highlight for
the week was bring able to sing with the young missionaries at the
fireside last night. We love these young people. They love us and don't
hesitate to tell us so. They always seem thrilled for a handshake and a
hug. We do love what we are doing. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true
and we are all known and loved by Father and our Savior.
Have a great week.
Elder Taggart
Sunday, January 25, 2015
"I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go......."
January 25, 2015
This week has been typical, crazy, and busy. Ernie Banks died. Some may be asking, "Who is Ernie Banks?" A Chicago Cubs baseball player from days gone by. He was the Cubs first black player. He hit 512 home runs in his career with his skinny 185 lb. frame and no steroids to help him.....just determination. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 on the first ballot. He is a rare player in that his whole career was played on one team....the Cubs. He earned the title of Mr. Cub. It has been all over the news here, a real blow to the community. Even White Sox fans were in mourning.
We fed 2 sets of Elders, Thurs. then Fri. nights this week. I was on the phone with one set of Elders while another set was at my desk. They heard the cancellation, heard I already had a turkey breast in the crock-pot, and chimed in as soon as I hung the phone up, "We're available for dinner tonight." They love being in our home for an hour, having a home-cooked meal, then going back out into the cold cruel world. I had to scramble the second night to feed the original invitees. Costco roasted chicken with leftovers of everything else from the night before was good enough. We have no leftovers now, but they leave a spirit in our home better than leftovers.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Odd referral name for the week: CLANTCHA. Can't you picture a mother holding a baby in her arms and saying, "You look like a little Clantcha." Some of these names crack me up.
Chicago has a coyote problem. There are 2000 within the city limits and they are even producing little ones in the city limits. Adaptation is the name of their game. I say good for the coyotes!!
A man in our ward got a $400 ticket for walking too close to the commuter train tracks this week. They said they have had too many suicides recently so they are ticketing anyone they see close to the tracks. They don't have enough police to stop the murders, confiscate guns from teens, come to our house for identity theft.....but there were several officers there ticketing commuters as they got off the train. It's all about revenue and how Chicago can make money to keep the insanity going.
I received a pair of suit pants from an Elder this week with a 4" tear (off the seam) across the rear. "Can you mend these?" When I questioned how it had happened---I almost told him no. A few missionaries decided to build a human pyramid in the gym after district meeting and these pants were the casualty.
A young sister came into the office this week, took one look at my outfit and said, "I would totally wear that outfit! I would trade clothes with you anyday." I think I have arrived. The jacket was 15 yrs. old, the skirt from Salvation Army, and the blouse a gift from last Christmas. Stylin'
We are not on a count-down but I have hit the panic button. We have 3 months left and no replacement in sight. I am cleaning out drawers and binders at the office and closets and shelves in our apartment. We came in a car and we go home in a car.....without adding a trailer my husband reminds me. How did we accumulate this stuff? I spent my last 6 months in Renton eating down our food storage. Now I'm doing the same thing here. Soup, rice, and chicken. I give food to all the missionaries who eat here. I mailed 4 boxes "home" this week and the car still won't hold all it has to. Hoard and purge seem to be a pattern in my life.
I also started writing detailed instructions to whoever takes over my job. I may not get to train a replacement so I must leave instructions so any warm body can do the tasks I do daily. All systems have changed since I was trained. Referral system with Ipads is completely different. Baptisms are recorded the same but you must bird-dog missionaries to get the signatures they need on the records, mail them in the same month they are baptised in, then reconcile reports, dates, months, and wards, put it all on an excel spreadsheet to attach to an email to 4 stake presidents and the mission president each month. We have an audit coming up. Invoice matching with supplies ordered gets scrutinised by the bearded wonder who audits us yearly. I spent $26,000 on supplies for this mission last year and I can account for every dime. I am more than a cute outfit sitting in an office! So in my spare time I write instructions as if she is as "out of touch" as I was when I got here. (Turn on computer. This is a mouse.)
We were invited to dinner again this Sunday....by the teenage daughters in that home. The parents said, "All the teenagers in our ward love you." We love them too. I guess one Youth Conference was enough for them to know who we are.
Tonight we had a Book of Mormon fireside in the Wilmette Stake. It was packed. 60 missionaries serve in this stake so we were all here. Young families, older families, Spanish ward members (there are 4 in this stake), new converts, investigators all joined for narration, a slide show to go along with music and the spoken word. A harp accompanied our ward's children's choir as they sang "Easter Hosanna" with slides of the Savior coming to the American continent after he was crucified in Jerusalem. After our mission president spoke about the Book of Mormon and sharing the gospel, our missionary choir of 60 sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go." I was moved as I looked over and saw my husband surrounded by young Elders. (They all wanted to be by him in rehearsals because he has a good voice.) It feels good to be part of this group.
So that's our week. Nothing spectacular. I tell people we are plodders. We are assigned a job and we just go about doing it the best way we know how, loving those we meet along the way.
We love being part of this work. We love The Lord. We love the Gospel. We know it can change lives.....it certainly has changed ours.
Love,
Sister Taggart
This week has been typical, crazy, and busy. Ernie Banks died. Some may be asking, "Who is Ernie Banks?" A Chicago Cubs baseball player from days gone by. He was the Cubs first black player. He hit 512 home runs in his career with his skinny 185 lb. frame and no steroids to help him.....just determination. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1977 on the first ballot. He is a rare player in that his whole career was played on one team....the Cubs. He earned the title of Mr. Cub. It has been all over the news here, a real blow to the community. Even White Sox fans were in mourning.
We fed 2 sets of Elders, Thurs. then Fri. nights this week. I was on the phone with one set of Elders while another set was at my desk. They heard the cancellation, heard I already had a turkey breast in the crock-pot, and chimed in as soon as I hung the phone up, "We're available for dinner tonight." They love being in our home for an hour, having a home-cooked meal, then going back out into the cold cruel world. I had to scramble the second night to feed the original invitees. Costco roasted chicken with leftovers of everything else from the night before was good enough. We have no leftovers now, but they leave a spirit in our home better than leftovers.
RANDOM THOUGHTS
Odd referral name for the week: CLANTCHA. Can't you picture a mother holding a baby in her arms and saying, "You look like a little Clantcha." Some of these names crack me up.
Chicago has a coyote problem. There are 2000 within the city limits and they are even producing little ones in the city limits. Adaptation is the name of their game. I say good for the coyotes!!
A man in our ward got a $400 ticket for walking too close to the commuter train tracks this week. They said they have had too many suicides recently so they are ticketing anyone they see close to the tracks. They don't have enough police to stop the murders, confiscate guns from teens, come to our house for identity theft.....but there were several officers there ticketing commuters as they got off the train. It's all about revenue and how Chicago can make money to keep the insanity going.
I received a pair of suit pants from an Elder this week with a 4" tear (off the seam) across the rear. "Can you mend these?" When I questioned how it had happened---I almost told him no. A few missionaries decided to build a human pyramid in the gym after district meeting and these pants were the casualty.
A young sister came into the office this week, took one look at my outfit and said, "I would totally wear that outfit! I would trade clothes with you anyday." I think I have arrived. The jacket was 15 yrs. old, the skirt from Salvation Army, and the blouse a gift from last Christmas. Stylin'
We are not on a count-down but I have hit the panic button. We have 3 months left and no replacement in sight. I am cleaning out drawers and binders at the office and closets and shelves in our apartment. We came in a car and we go home in a car.....without adding a trailer my husband reminds me. How did we accumulate this stuff? I spent my last 6 months in Renton eating down our food storage. Now I'm doing the same thing here. Soup, rice, and chicken. I give food to all the missionaries who eat here. I mailed 4 boxes "home" this week and the car still won't hold all it has to. Hoard and purge seem to be a pattern in my life.
I also started writing detailed instructions to whoever takes over my job. I may not get to train a replacement so I must leave instructions so any warm body can do the tasks I do daily. All systems have changed since I was trained. Referral system with Ipads is completely different. Baptisms are recorded the same but you must bird-dog missionaries to get the signatures they need on the records, mail them in the same month they are baptised in, then reconcile reports, dates, months, and wards, put it all on an excel spreadsheet to attach to an email to 4 stake presidents and the mission president each month. We have an audit coming up. Invoice matching with supplies ordered gets scrutinised by the bearded wonder who audits us yearly. I spent $26,000 on supplies for this mission last year and I can account for every dime. I am more than a cute outfit sitting in an office! So in my spare time I write instructions as if she is as "out of touch" as I was when I got here. (Turn on computer. This is a mouse.)
We were invited to dinner again this Sunday....by the teenage daughters in that home. The parents said, "All the teenagers in our ward love you." We love them too. I guess one Youth Conference was enough for them to know who we are.
Tonight we had a Book of Mormon fireside in the Wilmette Stake. It was packed. 60 missionaries serve in this stake so we were all here. Young families, older families, Spanish ward members (there are 4 in this stake), new converts, investigators all joined for narration, a slide show to go along with music and the spoken word. A harp accompanied our ward's children's choir as they sang "Easter Hosanna" with slides of the Savior coming to the American continent after he was crucified in Jerusalem. After our mission president spoke about the Book of Mormon and sharing the gospel, our missionary choir of 60 sang "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go." I was moved as I looked over and saw my husband surrounded by young Elders. (They all wanted to be by him in rehearsals because he has a good voice.) It feels good to be part of this group.
So that's our week. Nothing spectacular. I tell people we are plodders. We are assigned a job and we just go about doing it the best way we know how, loving those we meet along the way.
We love being part of this work. We love The Lord. We love the Gospel. We know it can change lives.....it certainly has changed ours.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Grateful for simple things
I think my week could be summed up with the word gratitude. Gratitude for simple, seemingly small things. Those things include:
-Gratitude that a Priesthood blessing, cortisone shot, faith and prayers have made it so that Claudia's knee has not been so painful. Thank you for your prayers in our behalf; they are felt.
-We have had an amazing week of weather. Several days this week I wondered if we missed Winter and Spring had arrived. As we drove home from church today, it was 41 degrees with bright sunshine. I know this won't last, but it has been appreciated.
- Zero new accidents this week; the arrival of 3 new cars; 5 being prepared to be sold.
- The quilt is finished! I get my companion back.
- The power, strength and enthusiasm of young missionaries who are full of faith and who press forward knowing that the Lord will sustain and bless them as they continue to be obedient and faithful. Wednesday we practiced a song with 60 missionaries serving in the Wilmette stake. Next Sunday night the missionaries are doing a "Book of Mormon" fireside. This will be the real Book of Mormon musical. There will be musical numbers performed by a variety of missionaries, vocal and instrumental, narrations and then all missionaries will sing "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go".
- the strength and spirit of the senior missionaries serving here is such a blessing. There are 22 senior missionaries serving here. We get together every other month for a potluck dinner and an evening of conversation. The president asked each companionship to share a tender mercy or miracle they have seen in their service. It was sweet to hear of those experiences. The responsibilities are so varied for the different companionships.
- As I worked on income taxes yesterday, I realized our retirement account was only $473 less on Jan. 1 this year versus Jan. 1 last year. What a blessing that they had grown to almost make up for everything we withdrew last year.
- Claudia and I team-taught the gospel principles class today. And I was reminded how much I enjoy being with her and serving with her.
So my week is really summed up as gratitude for many blessings and opportunities. I appreciate each of you and your influence in my life. I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven and for my Savior. I do see and feel their influence in my life and in the lives of those around me. Have a blessed week.
Elder Taggart
-Gratitude that a Priesthood blessing, cortisone shot, faith and prayers have made it so that Claudia's knee has not been so painful. Thank you for your prayers in our behalf; they are felt.
-We have had an amazing week of weather. Several days this week I wondered if we missed Winter and Spring had arrived. As we drove home from church today, it was 41 degrees with bright sunshine. I know this won't last, but it has been appreciated.
- Zero new accidents this week; the arrival of 3 new cars; 5 being prepared to be sold.
- The quilt is finished! I get my companion back.
- The power, strength and enthusiasm of young missionaries who are full of faith and who press forward knowing that the Lord will sustain and bless them as they continue to be obedient and faithful. Wednesday we practiced a song with 60 missionaries serving in the Wilmette stake. Next Sunday night the missionaries are doing a "Book of Mormon" fireside. This will be the real Book of Mormon musical. There will be musical numbers performed by a variety of missionaries, vocal and instrumental, narrations and then all missionaries will sing "I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go".
- the strength and spirit of the senior missionaries serving here is such a blessing. There are 22 senior missionaries serving here. We get together every other month for a potluck dinner and an evening of conversation. The president asked each companionship to share a tender mercy or miracle they have seen in their service. It was sweet to hear of those experiences. The responsibilities are so varied for the different companionships.
- As I worked on income taxes yesterday, I realized our retirement account was only $473 less on Jan. 1 this year versus Jan. 1 last year. What a blessing that they had grown to almost make up for everything we withdrew last year.
- Claudia and I team-taught the gospel principles class today. And I was reminded how much I enjoy being with her and serving with her.
So my week is really summed up as gratitude for many blessings and opportunities. I appreciate each of you and your influence in my life. I am grateful for a loving Father in Heaven and for my Savior. I do see and feel their influence in my life and in the lives of those around me. Have a blessed week.
Elder Taggart
If I had not served..........
January 18,2015
This week I have been grateful for missionaries who teach me so much. They come from Idaho where cultural diversity does not exist. Then they embrace the ethnic and cultural differences here in Chicago like it's as easy as driving a tractor. (Sister Taggart, we're teaching a man from Ethiopia right now. Do we have a Book of Mormon in that language?)
They may be a foster child who was bounced from home to home to home......never feeling stability. They come here with humility and gratitude and a cheerful countenance because they too can be part of this great army and work.
They come with challenges like anxiety or ADD and a loving Heavenly Father helps them channel the energy to share the gospel. Anxiety about getting on trains and talking to strangers turns into the many referrals I assign each week.
They come with gifts and talents and then sing or accompany whenever they are ask. And they sing with all their heart and soul, even though it may only be one note the entire song.
They come from homes where money is plentiful and they had their own room and nice bathroom. Now they live in apartments that make college dorms look like luxury condos. For $1200 a month in Chicago you get an attic apartment or maybe a basement. The Church furnishes a kitchen table, 2 folding chairs, 2 desks, 2 beds, and 2 nightstands. One Sister from Poland said, "This is much nicer than what my family has at home." Yet her family sacrifices so she can be here sharing the gospel.
They come from divorced, dysfunctional homes yet they teach about eternal marriage and forever families with hope in their hearts they can go home and practice what they preach---not what they experienced. (They corner Elder Taggart and I whenever they can and ask how they can have a marriage just like ours. I want to say--"Start in 4th grade.")
They come inside-out shy and their loving companion trains them, encourages them, praises them, and nurtures them until they become confident, sure missionaries.
They come from other countries and enjoy America for 2 years and then go back to their own countries anxious to do missionary work and build the Kingdom in their home countries.
They come with mental and emotional challenges and it is hard. Some don't make it. But some find that when they focus on others, serve diligently, and lose themselves, most of their challenges go away.
One gave up a U of U scholarship to play soccer.
One put medical school on hold.
One walked away from a career as a Jr. High Music teacher. She is paying her own way.
Many go home to bank accounts drained and know they must work a year before getting into school again.
Many, many are the only member of the church in their families.
I am humbled as I watch them teach and bear testimony of how much they love their Savior and the gospel. A religion that does not require sacrifice really doesn't have power to hold us firm.
I watch missionaries who are nervous to go home because of the environment or abuse or anti-Mormon they know awaits them. Our hearts ache as we see them go. We know from experience not all of them will make it.
I finally got Salt Lake to give me an answer on the referral in Vietnam. The Church has no mission there. Vietnam currently has 4 branches in the entire country and 2 missionaries. So they told me to email the Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission. I received a response shortly thereafter that those 2 missionaries would contact the branch of the church closest to her and branch members would meet with her. I know Heavenly Father loves each of His children and tries to reach them one by one through faithful servants. What an honor and blessing to be part of that.
I shook hands with Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy today. He just showed up at our sacrament meeting. I was grateful to be wearing the tag. There was an unspoken moment as he read it....yes, for now I am a full-time servant too. My pressures and stresses are minuscule compared to his but the consecration of all my time is similar. His family meets every New Years for a reunion. This year they decided to re-focus on better Sabbath Day observance. I love the Sabbath. We listen to church DC's all day, attend Church in a ward we love and feel loved , read from the Book of Mormon, write home and visit with some of our children and grandchildren. I reflected on how many general authorities I have fixed meals for, hosted in my home, been in meetings with, and fixed meals for even here. Today I was grateful to be wearing "the tag". It says much about my priorities and who I am becoming.
So as I try to finish my mission strong I continue to write personal notes to all outgoing missionaries. I'm surprised at how much that means as missionaries call to thank me. We focus on the peace felt in the office. Such a blessing. We watch Senior missionaries leave, and then be replaced with other valiant, selfless Seniors. I am humbled to be part of this group in the church right now. Our efforts may be slower than the young missionaries but sincere nonetheless.
Grateful for the life I have lived thus far. Goad to have no regrets continues on the horizon. By small and simple means, The Lord will continue hastening His work. If I had not served this mission i would have missed so much. Good choice. Have a great week.
Sister Taggart
This week I have been grateful for missionaries who teach me so much. They come from Idaho where cultural diversity does not exist. Then they embrace the ethnic and cultural differences here in Chicago like it's as easy as driving a tractor. (Sister Taggart, we're teaching a man from Ethiopia right now. Do we have a Book of Mormon in that language?)
They may be a foster child who was bounced from home to home to home......never feeling stability. They come here with humility and gratitude and a cheerful countenance because they too can be part of this great army and work.
They come with challenges like anxiety or ADD and a loving Heavenly Father helps them channel the energy to share the gospel. Anxiety about getting on trains and talking to strangers turns into the many referrals I assign each week.
They come with gifts and talents and then sing or accompany whenever they are ask. And they sing with all their heart and soul, even though it may only be one note the entire song.
They come from homes where money is plentiful and they had their own room and nice bathroom. Now they live in apartments that make college dorms look like luxury condos. For $1200 a month in Chicago you get an attic apartment or maybe a basement. The Church furnishes a kitchen table, 2 folding chairs, 2 desks, 2 beds, and 2 nightstands. One Sister from Poland said, "This is much nicer than what my family has at home." Yet her family sacrifices so she can be here sharing the gospel.
They come from divorced, dysfunctional homes yet they teach about eternal marriage and forever families with hope in their hearts they can go home and practice what they preach---not what they experienced. (They corner Elder Taggart and I whenever they can and ask how they can have a marriage just like ours. I want to say--"Start in 4th grade.")
They come inside-out shy and their loving companion trains them, encourages them, praises them, and nurtures them until they become confident, sure missionaries.
They come from other countries and enjoy America for 2 years and then go back to their own countries anxious to do missionary work and build the Kingdom in their home countries.
They come with mental and emotional challenges and it is hard. Some don't make it. But some find that when they focus on others, serve diligently, and lose themselves, most of their challenges go away.
One gave up a U of U scholarship to play soccer.
One put medical school on hold.
One walked away from a career as a Jr. High Music teacher. She is paying her own way.
Many go home to bank accounts drained and know they must work a year before getting into school again.
Many, many are the only member of the church in their families.
I am humbled as I watch them teach and bear testimony of how much they love their Savior and the gospel. A religion that does not require sacrifice really doesn't have power to hold us firm.
I watch missionaries who are nervous to go home because of the environment or abuse or anti-Mormon they know awaits them. Our hearts ache as we see them go. We know from experience not all of them will make it.
I finally got Salt Lake to give me an answer on the referral in Vietnam. The Church has no mission there. Vietnam currently has 4 branches in the entire country and 2 missionaries. So they told me to email the Cambodia Phnom Penh Mission. I received a response shortly thereafter that those 2 missionaries would contact the branch of the church closest to her and branch members would meet with her. I know Heavenly Father loves each of His children and tries to reach them one by one through faithful servants. What an honor and blessing to be part of that.
I shook hands with Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy today. He just showed up at our sacrament meeting. I was grateful to be wearing the tag. There was an unspoken moment as he read it....yes, for now I am a full-time servant too. My pressures and stresses are minuscule compared to his but the consecration of all my time is similar. His family meets every New Years for a reunion. This year they decided to re-focus on better Sabbath Day observance. I love the Sabbath. We listen to church DC's all day, attend Church in a ward we love and feel loved , read from the Book of Mormon, write home and visit with some of our children and grandchildren. I reflected on how many general authorities I have fixed meals for, hosted in my home, been in meetings with, and fixed meals for even here. Today I was grateful to be wearing "the tag". It says much about my priorities and who I am becoming.
So as I try to finish my mission strong I continue to write personal notes to all outgoing missionaries. I'm surprised at how much that means as missionaries call to thank me. We focus on the peace felt in the office. Such a blessing. We watch Senior missionaries leave, and then be replaced with other valiant, selfless Seniors. I am humbled to be part of this group in the church right now. Our efforts may be slower than the young missionaries but sincere nonetheless.
Grateful for the life I have lived thus far. Goad to have no regrets continues on the horizon. By small and simple means, The Lord will continue hastening His work. If I had not served this mission i would have missed so much. Good choice. Have a great week.
Sister Taggart
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Glad to be me in spite of myself
Greetings from Chicagoland. We got more snow this week and it hasn't
gone anywhere until today because the highs most days this week have
been in single digits. Today is balmy, about 32 degrees. Who ever
thought you would be excited for it to get up to freezing?
We had a young man from our ward here leave this week to attend Utah State to begin his college studies. He has some challenges socially that have prevented him until now to leave home. He is 21 and after spending 6 months living with an uncle's family in Utah, he and his parents decided he might be able to handle being on his own. Last Sunday I told him that my ancestors had a connection to that school. When his mother dropped him off, they told him to go to the TSC. They didn't know what that stood for. Before she drove away, he came running out of the building excitedly to tell his mother that is was the Taggart Student Center. She told me today how grateful she was that he had made a connection to something familiar that calmed him before she drove off. Who'd of thought that a connection to Taggart would calm and assure him.
Claudia's knee has been causing her much pain lately. After X-rays and an exam this week, the doctor told her that her right knee is bone on bone, thus the pain. I was impressed with him as he explained the possibly options, etc. which ultimately will be a knee replacement. The next morning, he gave her a cortisone injection, which as of today has relieved much of the pain. Hopefully we can buy 4 months of minor pain and have the surgery after we get home in May.
We had the two young Elders who are living right next door come give her a blessing. I have given her 100's over our years of marriage and we felt it would be good experience for them. Elder Warner gave her a beautiful blessing. Now we press forward in faith to finish our labors here.
Hey, how about those Seahawks? I just has to give them a shout out.
We had 7 accidents with mission vehicles this week, so you know what I have been doing. I haven't figured out how to get them to think and to have their brain engaged in what they are doing as they drive. The majority of the accidents continue to be due to not paying attention, lack of judgement or lack of experience.
I was asked to give a blessing today to a sweet sister from Mongolia. They are quite new to the church and thus have not had much experience with those things. So I walked her husband through doing the anointing and then I sealed and gave her a blessing. They are such humble people so full of faith and are here to get an education so they can go back to Mongolia and make a difference for good.
I am grateful for all the Lord has blessed me with and for His trust in me. I love being part of this great work and appreciate all the good people we are meeting as we serve. The gospel is true, a loving Father in Heaven knows us personally and is aware of our every need. He is indeed involved in the very details of our lives. Take time this week to see His hand in our life. We love and miss you all.
Elder Taggart
We had a young man from our ward here leave this week to attend Utah State to begin his college studies. He has some challenges socially that have prevented him until now to leave home. He is 21 and after spending 6 months living with an uncle's family in Utah, he and his parents decided he might be able to handle being on his own. Last Sunday I told him that my ancestors had a connection to that school. When his mother dropped him off, they told him to go to the TSC. They didn't know what that stood for. Before she drove away, he came running out of the building excitedly to tell his mother that is was the Taggart Student Center. She told me today how grateful she was that he had made a connection to something familiar that calmed him before she drove off. Who'd of thought that a connection to Taggart would calm and assure him.
Claudia's knee has been causing her much pain lately. After X-rays and an exam this week, the doctor told her that her right knee is bone on bone, thus the pain. I was impressed with him as he explained the possibly options, etc. which ultimately will be a knee replacement. The next morning, he gave her a cortisone injection, which as of today has relieved much of the pain. Hopefully we can buy 4 months of minor pain and have the surgery after we get home in May.
We had the two young Elders who are living right next door come give her a blessing. I have given her 100's over our years of marriage and we felt it would be good experience for them. Elder Warner gave her a beautiful blessing. Now we press forward in faith to finish our labors here.
Hey, how about those Seahawks? I just has to give them a shout out.
We had 7 accidents with mission vehicles this week, so you know what I have been doing. I haven't figured out how to get them to think and to have their brain engaged in what they are doing as they drive. The majority of the accidents continue to be due to not paying attention, lack of judgement or lack of experience.
I was asked to give a blessing today to a sweet sister from Mongolia. They are quite new to the church and thus have not had much experience with those things. So I walked her husband through doing the anointing and then I sealed and gave her a blessing. They are such humble people so full of faith and are here to get an education so they can go back to Mongolia and make a difference for good.
I am grateful for all the Lord has blessed me with and for His trust in me. I love being part of this great work and appreciate all the good people we are meeting as we serve. The gospel is true, a loving Father in Heaven knows us personally and is aware of our every need. He is indeed involved in the very details of our lives. Take time this week to see His hand in our life. We love and miss you all.
Elder Taggart
Needle in my knee, a whole lot of cold, and the quilt is done!!!
January 11, 2015
Every week I think life will be routine, nothing out of the ordinary. Then I am proven wrong.
Apparently, with this cold snap, there are several Sister Missionaries who want my job. Can't blame them, out there in the cold, cruel world at 18 degrees below with the wind chill factor. We just have to run from the parking lot into the warmth of the office---62 degrees this week. The grass is always greener.
A Sister missionary asked me this week, "What is your favorite part of your mission?" It gave me cause to reflect a moment. In order, I would have to say my three favorite parts of my mission are #1 Serving full-time, shoulder to shoulder with Elder Taggart #2 Serving these wonderful young missionaries #3 Being able to get on the computer and match missionaries with needs, no matter where in the world they are. This week I was able to match up Elders in Mexico with a lady dying of cancer who wanted a visit and a blessing. Last week it was Thailand and I am still waiting for Salt Lake to get back to me with the request from Vietnam. To me, that is a miracle.
I chuckle at our missionaries. The other Senior couple was out of the office Tues. serving lunch at the New Missionary Training meeting. As luck would have it, that's when the call came in. "Sister Taggart, our pipes are frozen. We have no water. We have called the landlord and the office and left messages but they don't respond. Do we just sit here and wait for the pipes to thaw?" A) In Chicago, that could be a very long wait. You could wait months for "the thaw." B) We are paying $1200 for that apartment, you better get running water with it---and an indoor toilet C) It's 1:00 in the afternoon. How long can you wait? We found another phone contact for her and he came right over.
We have had 2 sets of missionaries to dinner this week. I have pretty much proven they will eat anything I serve. Some meals are better than others. We just love having them in our home.
My right knee has been giving me fits since this summer. Walking became painful. Sewing 230 hands (yes, I just put 8 more on) on a quilt didn't help. Throwing freight in the supply room of our office doesn't help either. Finally, this week, the pain became unbearable. When you can't sleep--that's pain. So off to Dr. Goldstein we went on Wed. afternoon. How do we select doctors here, you ask? We go to Zoc Doc, find a friendly face that goes with a solid name, and see who has the first opening. So far we've found 2 really good doctors. Dr. Goldstein gave me several options, took x-rays of both knees, came back with fewer options. My right knee is bone on bone, my left knee is not much better. So how to buy me 4 more months before knee replacement surgery??? You guessed it, a shot in my knee. So behind door #3 is a new knee for me as soon as I get home. The cortisone shot didn't work for about 48 hours but when it kicked in (no pun intended) I was able to walk without limping and to sleep. This development opens a whole can of controversy as far as being careful with my knees my whole life.....every knee only has so many bends in it over a lifetime, etc. To the athletes in my family, I didn't have a running chance. (no pun intended) Thanks to arthritis, which is in all my joints, I may be singing this song again.
The neatest experience was having Elders W & W come over and give me a Priesthood blessing. I was promised I would complete my mission without surgery. I was also told this is my refiner's fire and this trial was given to me so I would be more compassionate and have empathy for the pain of others. I was also told this trial is mine because of my great faith and strength. So there you are.....I'm the chosen one for this particular roadblock.(don't trip over it with your bum knee)
We continue to enjoy our time in the office with the Abbotts. Compatible is a good word for us. Another office couple arrives in 2 weeks but still no replacement in sight for us.
THE QUILT IS DONE!!!!!!! 85 hours and 5 of my p-days plus countless hours in the evening. It is done. It is not a masterpiece but will be adequate. I plan on it being the last king-sized quilt I ever make. Pictures will follow when I ever get a place large enough to open the whole thing, which our apartment isn't .
So life continues. We try to do a bit of good every day. We try to lighten the burdens of others. We try to laugh several times each day, at ourselves and our circumstances. We know we get two notches on the belt for these two winters we have lived in Chicago. We are grateful for Celestial Marriages which can exist on earth. And like one Sister suggested, I find joy in the journey each and every day. Maybe you could do the same. It's worth the effort. We love you and miss you.
Sister Taggart
Every week I think life will be routine, nothing out of the ordinary. Then I am proven wrong.
Apparently, with this cold snap, there are several Sister Missionaries who want my job. Can't blame them, out there in the cold, cruel world at 18 degrees below with the wind chill factor. We just have to run from the parking lot into the warmth of the office---62 degrees this week. The grass is always greener.
A Sister missionary asked me this week, "What is your favorite part of your mission?" It gave me cause to reflect a moment. In order, I would have to say my three favorite parts of my mission are #1 Serving full-time, shoulder to shoulder with Elder Taggart #2 Serving these wonderful young missionaries #3 Being able to get on the computer and match missionaries with needs, no matter where in the world they are. This week I was able to match up Elders in Mexico with a lady dying of cancer who wanted a visit and a blessing. Last week it was Thailand and I am still waiting for Salt Lake to get back to me with the request from Vietnam. To me, that is a miracle.
I chuckle at our missionaries. The other Senior couple was out of the office Tues. serving lunch at the New Missionary Training meeting. As luck would have it, that's when the call came in. "Sister Taggart, our pipes are frozen. We have no water. We have called the landlord and the office and left messages but they don't respond. Do we just sit here and wait for the pipes to thaw?" A) In Chicago, that could be a very long wait. You could wait months for "the thaw." B) We are paying $1200 for that apartment, you better get running water with it---and an indoor toilet C) It's 1:00 in the afternoon. How long can you wait? We found another phone contact for her and he came right over.
We have had 2 sets of missionaries to dinner this week. I have pretty much proven they will eat anything I serve. Some meals are better than others. We just love having them in our home.
My right knee has been giving me fits since this summer. Walking became painful. Sewing 230 hands (yes, I just put 8 more on) on a quilt didn't help. Throwing freight in the supply room of our office doesn't help either. Finally, this week, the pain became unbearable. When you can't sleep--that's pain. So off to Dr. Goldstein we went on Wed. afternoon. How do we select doctors here, you ask? We go to Zoc Doc, find a friendly face that goes with a solid name, and see who has the first opening. So far we've found 2 really good doctors. Dr. Goldstein gave me several options, took x-rays of both knees, came back with fewer options. My right knee is bone on bone, my left knee is not much better. So how to buy me 4 more months before knee replacement surgery??? You guessed it, a shot in my knee. So behind door #3 is a new knee for me as soon as I get home. The cortisone shot didn't work for about 48 hours but when it kicked in (no pun intended) I was able to walk without limping and to sleep. This development opens a whole can of controversy as far as being careful with my knees my whole life.....every knee only has so many bends in it over a lifetime, etc. To the athletes in my family, I didn't have a running chance. (no pun intended) Thanks to arthritis, which is in all my joints, I may be singing this song again.
The neatest experience was having Elders W & W come over and give me a Priesthood blessing. I was promised I would complete my mission without surgery. I was also told this is my refiner's fire and this trial was given to me so I would be more compassionate and have empathy for the pain of others. I was also told this trial is mine because of my great faith and strength. So there you are.....I'm the chosen one for this particular roadblock.(don't trip over it with your bum knee)
We continue to enjoy our time in the office with the Abbotts. Compatible is a good word for us. Another office couple arrives in 2 weeks but still no replacement in sight for us.
THE QUILT IS DONE!!!!!!! 85 hours and 5 of my p-days plus countless hours in the evening. It is done. It is not a masterpiece but will be adequate. I plan on it being the last king-sized quilt I ever make. Pictures will follow when I ever get a place large enough to open the whole thing, which our apartment isn't .
So life continues. We try to do a bit of good every day. We try to lighten the burdens of others. We try to laugh several times each day, at ourselves and our circumstances. We know we get two notches on the belt for these two winters we have lived in Chicago. We are grateful for Celestial Marriages which can exist on earth. And like one Sister suggested, I find joy in the journey each and every day. Maybe you could do the same. It's worth the effort. We love you and miss you.
Sister Taggart
Sunday, January 4, 2015
Happy New Year & Boy it is cold
Happy New Year to each of you. I hope that the Holidays were enjoyable
and relaxing for you. We enjoyed being able to have a few days off
allowing us the opportunity to relax as we celebrated the Savior's
birth. The Ekins came to visit us over Christmas; a visit we thoroughly
enjoyed. We played games, talked, laughed and spent on day at the Field
Museum with them. Their visit was much more relaxing because we were
able to have them sleep, etc in the condo just next door to us. So we
were able to have more room to do crafts and to play games.
Thank you to many of you for your cards, letters and even gifts! We enjoyed catching up on your family and activities as we read letters and cards.
I am always excited for one year to end and a new one to begin. 2014 was packed with lots of experiences with young missionaries whom we have grown to love and to consider as family. Since we have been here 19 months, many missionaries who have and are returning home have shared that time with us. I think many of them will continue to be part of our lives since many will be attending BYU in Provo, just down the road from our new house. I am grateful to be able to look back on this past year, to reflect on experiences, challenges and growth and then to ponder what changes, improvements, etc I want to focus on this year. I am very appreciative for the Atonement which makes it possible for us to make minor course corrections and, at times, even major ones to help us to get on the path that will bless and enrich our lives.
Several have come back to Chicago to visit people they grew to love here. Saturday night, the Abbott's joined us and we took Elder Dahiro Chicago Vivas out to dinner. He is from Ecuador and several senior couples helped him to get accepted, registered and then to fly from Ecuador to Idaho where he has just finished his first semester of studies. It was delightful to see his growth and the experiences he is having. He said that if it wasn't for his mission, he never would have had this opportunity to get an education.
The world is really small in the Church. Our granddaughter who just returned from her mission in the Dominican Republic just emailed us that she met a girl at church today who had served here in our mission. The two of them plan to hang out together and no doubt will have many stories to share of this old Taggart couple.
It rained and snowed yesterday and has snowed most of today. We are grateful that this winter has been extremely mild so far, particularly as compared to last winter. But, I think things are about to change. The forecast for this week includes more snow and highs that are in the negatives or just single digits. So we will bundle up and be cautious as we are out.
You are important in my life and I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly in many ways in 2015. Know that you are loved from Chicago.
Elder Taggart
Thank you to many of you for your cards, letters and even gifts! We enjoyed catching up on your family and activities as we read letters and cards.
I am always excited for one year to end and a new one to begin. 2014 was packed with lots of experiences with young missionaries whom we have grown to love and to consider as family. Since we have been here 19 months, many missionaries who have and are returning home have shared that time with us. I think many of them will continue to be part of our lives since many will be attending BYU in Provo, just down the road from our new house. I am grateful to be able to look back on this past year, to reflect on experiences, challenges and growth and then to ponder what changes, improvements, etc I want to focus on this year. I am very appreciative for the Atonement which makes it possible for us to make minor course corrections and, at times, even major ones to help us to get on the path that will bless and enrich our lives.
Several have come back to Chicago to visit people they grew to love here. Saturday night, the Abbott's joined us and we took Elder Dahiro Chicago Vivas out to dinner. He is from Ecuador and several senior couples helped him to get accepted, registered and then to fly from Ecuador to Idaho where he has just finished his first semester of studies. It was delightful to see his growth and the experiences he is having. He said that if it wasn't for his mission, he never would have had this opportunity to get an education.
The world is really small in the Church. Our granddaughter who just returned from her mission in the Dominican Republic just emailed us that she met a girl at church today who had served here in our mission. The two of them plan to hang out together and no doubt will have many stories to share of this old Taggart couple.
It rained and snowed yesterday and has snowed most of today. We are grateful that this winter has been extremely mild so far, particularly as compared to last winter. But, I think things are about to change. The forecast for this week includes more snow and highs that are in the negatives or just single digits. So we will bundle up and be cautious as we are out.
You are important in my life and I pray that the Lord will bless you abundantly in many ways in 2015. Know that you are loved from Chicago.
Elder Taggart
Happy New Year from Chicagoland
Jan 4, 2015
Happy New Year!!! Sorry we didn't write over the holidays. We had Ekins here and wanted to enjoy every minute withy them.
Christmas away from home is never easy. We had activities to participate in, gifts were finally all delivered, yet there was a yearning to be with family. The Utah and Texas branches had both texted singing together so we briefly got a peek into the window that was our lives and will be our lives. After 2 years away we were grateful they only included 1 song each so it wouldn't hurt so much. Now my vent on Skype.....I dislike it intensely. We know our computer works well with Skype, we did a whole fireside with it......can't say the same for our kids' computers. We got 4 minutes of viewing a 1 1/2 year old grandson we haven't seen since we got here 1 1/2 years ago. One daughter the sound worked but not the picture,one son the picture worked but not the sound. One daughter had a 5 second sound delay so they spent the whole time pointing at us and laughing. The son who Skypes us regularly had no issues with technology. Thus the less-than-fulfilling visit with children on Christmas.
Ekins arrived in time for Christmas dinner in the evening and it was celebration time. They drove 8 hours from Ohio on Christmas Day to be here and we were grateful. We had great conversation to get caught up, had good food, played games, and relaxed for 5 days. They were able to sleep in the empty apt. next door so there was plenty of room to spread out, do crafts, etc. I think we got more sleep those 5 days than on our whole mission. Ellis would wake up early,, slip out their glass door and into our glass door to help Elder Taggart make breakfast. Fluffy pancakes, muffins, omelettes, with hot cocoa and Cutie oranges. Each day was a new creation. Ellie was so proud she had grown taller this year and didn't need to sit on the counter to help. We watched Night at the Museum before going to the Field Museum and it made the adventure that much more fun. (except our dinosaur bones didn't move) Alas, they had to leave and we came back to reality.
The quilt is nearing completion thanks to helping hands. Our office looks so empty now that boxes are cleared out. My life in the office is much the same....175 letters to readdress my first day back. Who does the letter addressed to Z-DUBS belong to? "Who in Chicago speaks Ethiopian, Sister Taggart? We have an investigator from Ethiopia." Some Elders were checking out my new phone case and the next thing I know, their "selfie" of themselves is my new
screen saver! This life either keeps you young or ages you rapidly!!
Our bonus came when our Elder from Ecuador had a layover in Chicago and the Taggarts and
Abbotts took him out to dinner in Hispanic Chicago.
He has had 1 semester at BYU-I, carried a 19 credit hour load, and got a 4.0 while also serving as the Executive Secretary in the Bishopric. He said he was not a student before his mission but now he finds it easy. His enthusiasm for life and gratitude were contagious. We laughed and enjoyed the common experiences we have had in Chicago. He will be a Church leader someday in Ecuador.
We have snow and it has turned cold this morning. No complaints. We have had a Seattle winter up til now. We loved receiving cards from so many of our old friends and family. Feels good to reconnect with your lives.
We press forward with hope and gladness. As we see each new batch of missionaries arrive, full of hope, our hope in the Church's future increases. We feel gladness as we meet with outgoing or released missionaries because they have blessed our lives. We laugh as we think of 400 extra grandkids we have grown to love and care deeply for.
That which does not kill you makes you stronger. I will be a much stronger person than when I came.
We love the gospel. We love being missionaries. We have grown to love Chicago and the people here. May we all feel the need to share what we know to be true with those waiting to hear our message.
Love,
Sister Taggart
Happy New Year!!! Sorry we didn't write over the holidays. We had Ekins here and wanted to enjoy every minute withy them.
Christmas away from home is never easy. We had activities to participate in, gifts were finally all delivered, yet there was a yearning to be with family. The Utah and Texas branches had both texted singing together so we briefly got a peek into the window that was our lives and will be our lives. After 2 years away we were grateful they only included 1 song each so it wouldn't hurt so much. Now my vent on Skype.....I dislike it intensely. We know our computer works well with Skype, we did a whole fireside with it......can't say the same for our kids' computers. We got 4 minutes of viewing a 1 1/2 year old grandson we haven't seen since we got here 1 1/2 years ago. One daughter the sound worked but not the picture,one son the picture worked but not the sound. One daughter had a 5 second sound delay so they spent the whole time pointing at us and laughing. The son who Skypes us regularly had no issues with technology. Thus the less-than-fulfilling visit with children on Christmas.
Ekins arrived in time for Christmas dinner in the evening and it was celebration time. They drove 8 hours from Ohio on Christmas Day to be here and we were grateful. We had great conversation to get caught up, had good food, played games, and relaxed for 5 days. They were able to sleep in the empty apt. next door so there was plenty of room to spread out, do crafts, etc. I think we got more sleep those 5 days than on our whole mission. Ellis would wake up early,, slip out their glass door and into our glass door to help Elder Taggart make breakfast. Fluffy pancakes, muffins, omelettes, with hot cocoa and Cutie oranges. Each day was a new creation. Ellie was so proud she had grown taller this year and didn't need to sit on the counter to help. We watched Night at the Museum before going to the Field Museum and it made the adventure that much more fun. (except our dinosaur bones didn't move) Alas, they had to leave and we came back to reality.
The quilt is nearing completion thanks to helping hands. Our office looks so empty now that boxes are cleared out. My life in the office is much the same....175 letters to readdress my first day back. Who does the letter addressed to Z-DUBS belong to? "Who in Chicago speaks Ethiopian, Sister Taggart? We have an investigator from Ethiopia." Some Elders were checking out my new phone case and the next thing I know, their "selfie" of themselves is my new
screen saver! This life either keeps you young or ages you rapidly!!
Our bonus came when our Elder from Ecuador had a layover in Chicago and the Taggarts and
Abbotts took him out to dinner in Hispanic Chicago.
He has had 1 semester at BYU-I, carried a 19 credit hour load, and got a 4.0 while also serving as the Executive Secretary in the Bishopric. He said he was not a student before his mission but now he finds it easy. His enthusiasm for life and gratitude were contagious. We laughed and enjoyed the common experiences we have had in Chicago. He will be a Church leader someday in Ecuador.
We have snow and it has turned cold this morning. No complaints. We have had a Seattle winter up til now. We loved receiving cards from so many of our old friends and family. Feels good to reconnect with your lives.
We press forward with hope and gladness. As we see each new batch of missionaries arrive, full of hope, our hope in the Church's future increases. We feel gladness as we meet with outgoing or released missionaries because they have blessed our lives. We laugh as we think of 400 extra grandkids we have grown to love and care deeply for.
That which does not kill you makes you stronger. I will be a much stronger person than when I came.
We love the gospel. We love being missionaries. We have grown to love Chicago and the people here. May we all feel the need to share what we know to be true with those waiting to hear our message.
Love,
Sister Taggart
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