Elder Taylor: Temple P Day Week 13

I am so angry right now. I am officially an enemy of all sony products. I still haven't found any card reader that reads Sony memory sticks. I'm sorry everyone, I'm trying my best, but I don't have much time in the first place to look for an adaptor, and I may have made the massive mistake of sending the usb chord that works for this camera home. I understand that after this, none of you will ever want to talk to me again, but hopefully you can forgive me. I really am trying.

Sorry for the lateness, but this week is a little different...I was able to have the opportunity to go to the temple and do a session today. This is why my preparation day was moved to Wednesday (I guess it is Tuesday for you all. Almost Wednesday).

I have been exhausted the last week and a half, and I couldn't be happier about it.

Elder Tung and I were able to perform a priesthood blessing for a woman who had her operation for cancer. We still haven't received any news on how she's doing, but we're including her in our prayers.

We've also taught quite a few investigators and met with some less actives. One specific investigator named Cyrus (that's just his English name) offers every week to learn English from us in exchange for us teaching him the lessons. He has been not very receptive in his record, but since we started working with him, he has actually begun to progress. He's praying now. He is reading the Book of Mormon and ALL of the materials that we give him. We are going to invite him to church next week and see if he is willing to do that. If he does, that will be a huge success in getting passed his motive of learning english in order to actually help him develop faith.

The members are amazing. We are actually getting chenged out tonight by Leih Hing Daaih. Cheng out is when a member takes us out for a meal and we share a message with them. I'm in charge of the lesson, and we're really excited to be with him and his family. FYI, Hing Daaih and Ji muih are the way we say "brother" or "sister".

Also, random question that has actually been bothering me almost the entire week: How is Matthew Bingham doing? How is school for him? I would really like to get into contact with him and/or his family. Matt has always been a great example to me of how to be more christlike. He's a man of greatness, not complexity. A man of power, not of pride. Even if I can't get in contact with him, I hope that he knows how great his impact on me was.

I can no longer keep up with the push-ups per-second. I got to 89 and couldn't do the 90th push up in time. CHAAAAAAHM! Shoot! I'll still work on it though, even if my companion keeps calling me fat (still don't know if he's serious or not when he calls me that).

I am so glad that Simon Adam and Owen had the opportunity to meet Taysom. When he bore his testimony while I was in the MTC, I could almost feel a little bit of the anger that he had given up in order to be a truer disciple. His injuries are a trial, but he looks at them in a different way than most people do. He doesn't mind the effect that they have on his football career nearly as much as they affect him as a person. He really has quite a grasp on what is most important to him. He's a very inspiring individual.

Everyone is looking not too much older in the photos (except Adam and Owen of course, but I'm used to them looking older every day). Even my fellow missionaries cannot deny how powerful you all seem.

I had a little confusion when the 15th came around for me. I woke up thinking "Hey, it's my dad's birthday today, and I can't tell him how much I love him and how old he is. Chaam." I was also confused because even though it was the fifteenth that day for me, it was only the fifteenth for both of us simultaneously for a few hours. Got a little caught up in what time was actually the beginning of his birthday. Still not sure, but either way, my dad: He's now 44 years old, has the most impressive beard picture in the China Hong Kong mission, and the provider that my family needs but doesn't deserve. He gives up every ounce of his time and energy to help his wife and children find happiness, even if it isn't always the lasting kind. He simply wants to do the right thing. He is never satisfied with himself and his efforts though. Always pushing to become more, always seeking to magnify his callings as they come. I could never see him hurting someone else on purpose or seeking to be better than them. I know he's not perfect. He told me that almost every day. I still think of him as the best example of a man. I know you all can't see me right now, but I am seriously trying to not break down to tears in order to preserve the life of this macbook pro that doesn't belong to me and is very, very, very expensive, even in Hong Kong. My testimony, my desires, my life, my faith, any strength that I have I owe a lot to my Dad (Mom, you're next on the 29th, and Ana, don't doubt that I'm not going to remember you on the 28th). Dad, thanks for the advice, patience, and long late conversations that we had about things that I was only beginning to understand and still have such a short grasp on. Your forgiveness and willingness to wait for me to someday pick up on what you have taught repeatedly are a big motivation to keep trying. I wish you could see me now and hopefully I could get the approving smile that I caught so diligently in my growing up. I love you, and I have no doubt that you love me. I actually dedicate my ponderizing scripture to you this week (even though it may be a slightly shorter week).

Alma 48: 11-13, 17. "A strong and mighty man"? Check. "A man of perfect understanding"? No doubt. You don't delight in bloodshed, but your soul joys in the liberty and freedom of his brethren and country. A heart swelling with thanksgiving unto God. A man who labors diligently and exceedingly for the welfare of his people (family or otherwise). Firm in the faith of Christ. Sworn with an oath to defend his people even with his life.

"Yea, verily, verily I say unto you, if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Bryan John Taylor, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men."

It's about midnight where most of you are (with a couple of exceptions). I hope I don't come off as offensive in any way when I send out my emails. I know that my English is struggling right now and I owe a lot to this macbook's ability to correct me so well.

Love to all. I pray for you. Please forgive me for my inability to send pictures at the time. Someday I'll get it right. To all of my siblings, I wish I could have been more than I was, but I hope that I can impart to you any fraction of what I feel this mission is turning me into. Almost 190 pounds and I don't feel fat. Almost done the second time through the book of mormon on my mission and I still feel like I don't know enough. Keep the faith. Ga yauh.

These are pictures of today's temple trip with the district. Not mine, my companion's.

I tried to force a second baptism on my companion in front of the temple. A little ode to the Nacho Libre on the 4-wheeler picture of Uncle Matt that I saw (for those of you who understand that).