Think Rambo

Wed. April 24, 2013 (The day he went in to the MTC)

Dear Family:

You guys are so awesome.

Today was crazy. I've never felt happier or more fulfilled than I did today and I've never felt so small and humbled.

The spirit is thick here. I feel like I'm constantly on the verge of choking up. I love singing hymns with all the missionaries.

My MTC teachers are SO cool! It's weird though cause they got assigned to a new area and won't be my district's teachers after Saturday of this week.

My district is way cool! There are 4 of us guys and 4 sisters. My companion's name is Elder Tambo (Think Rambo and it's easy to remember ;)). He's soft spoken, half Filipino, played guitar in his high school's jazz band, is from Reno, Nevada, and is way cool.

So I mentioned I felt very small today... Me, my companion, and about 50 other Elders and Sisters had the opportunity to talk to 3 investigators in a role play scenario. (Either they were recent converts, investigators, or are becoming active again.) There was one lady named Luwana. After some general questions she didn't really answer (she said she was just chill, and pretty laid back and liked to hang out with her friends) I wanted to know if she was happy with her life and what she felt her purpose in life was. I started off by commenting on how she was kinda coasting through life and if she was happy with life. She got very offended that I had said "coasting through life." She then told me she has cancer and her best friend was recently shot and killed. She isn't "coasting through life," she's "scraping through life." I've never felt so bad. After the thing was over I went up to her and shared what I had learned from her:
     1. Don't assume
     2. Testify of Christ's love (another girl did that and it touched Luwana)
     3. I have a lot to learn.

I'm so happy and excited to be here! I'm still the most excited missionary ever.

My P-day is Wednesday next week so I hope this gets to you before then!

I love you all,
Love, Elder Taylor Janis