Release Date...week 78

Notes from Mom:  No pictures this week, and actually not a regular letter sent to everyone, but I have plenty of information to share!

This is the official date...I GET MY FULL TWO YEARS!!!!(almost, off by one day, but I'll be on the plane for a while, so...)

Here is a copy of the letter:  

Dear Elder Taylor,



Due to the schedule of starting dates for colleges in the fall, your release date has been adjusted to 18 August 2017.  Any questions can be directed to President Lam.

Please let your family know about this change.

Thank you for all you do to make the China Hong Kong Mission the best mission on the earth! Your dedication and devotion does not go unnoticed.

Warmest Regards

Sister Pett

Notes from Mom:  we were glad to see this.  It also means that Ian and Simon will likely not see each other this summer, unless Simon goes in later into the MTC and Ian gets permission to visit him there.  It's okay.  Simon's mission is just his, and he has been doing his own fasting and praying in preparation.  That will become another blog!

In response to some other questions I got another email from Ian.  Things sound great!  The most pertinent question was about his toe.  Sister Decker said he was on crutches when she saw him at Island 2 sacrament meeting.  She said that she has heard Ian bless the sacrament in Springville and Hong Kong, but lives in neither of those places! Another one of the sister missionaries from his MTC district went home, but I wasn't sure if it was her.  I asked who the mission doctor is, or is it President Lam since he is a medical doctor. 

"I didn't know sister Lo left, but I guess it's almost about time for her to be going. President Lam isn't allowed to practice medicine as the mission president (which he sometimes gets frustrated with). I broke the big left toe playing soccer in morning exercises. Elder Orton looked at it and said I just need to tape it for a few days and then it should be fine (though it will still be bruised for a while). I'm actually good today. Nothing too crazy, but I'm off the crutches. Definitely frustrating having to use a crutch though to get around. It gave me a bubble in the MTR that was unusually spacious though, so that was nice.

Sister Cahua knows. Enrique actually wanted to on campus housing as well, so it would be SUPER nice if you talked with her about that and got it figured out together."

Ana and Simon both get their wisdom teeth out this week.  It reminded me of the hilarity that was Ian's wisdom teeth extraction and his "return from his mission to China where he taught Ninja basketball.

"I am excited to hear about the upcoming half-prophecies that will be shared."

I asked about how things are with his new companion.  Elder Aldridge was at the end of his mission when Ian went into that area.  That can be really hard and combining that with all of the details we have had to hammer out regarding Ian and school makes for an especially trunky time.  Now he is with Elder Johnson.  

"Elder Aldridge was alright. A strength that he had was his memory of people and situations, but that was also difficult because that meant that he wasn't very willing to update records, so Elder Johnson and I are doing those tonight. Elder Johnson is just the nicest guy ever. He is going to be studying Engineering, but he doesn't know if he wants to go to BYU or USU. He said "I have no life and no idea what I am doing," but that's just him saying that cuz he's funny. I FINALLY HAVE A COMPANION AS TALL AS ME! It's strange, but actually kind of nice."