Hola Family,

How Blessed we are to hear the Prophets voice!!!!!!!!

Wow time is flying fast. I am so excited to think that I will be sitting with Dad and Drake at priesthood session next time. Wow, was Elder Hollands talk powerful. I am still recovering emotionally from what he said. I love Elder Callisters talk on the Book of Mormon. I am trying to arrange for a Loud Speaker to get attatched to our car so we can go around playing that talk and handing out copies of the Book of Mormon. I also loved Elder Christofferson's talk on repentance, I love how the 70's give talks and it is like, wow that is great I need to apply that asap. The apostles take such a simple and broad topic as repentance and speak so deeply about it and just make you really ponder about the topic and just like ponder about it so much that it keeps you up at night! I love General Conference and I am so excited to apply what I learned and can't wait for next session! Lexi looked beautiful in her pictures! I am so happy for her and Seth. I hope for the best for them. I've come to learn on my mission from this great member Bro. Smith that marriage truly is happiness. That if you aren't happy in your marriage, you won't be happy in life. And you can't reach the fullness of happiness with out marriage, so I am so happy for Lexi and Seth and wish that they will always be happy. I got your letters Mom and your packages! Thank you so much for the Candy Gram it was desperately needed. Elder Clinger and I have cleaned out our apartment of all food that wouldn't fall into the catorgory of raw. We had recently received a juicer and we were eating healthy but we were going crazy and Elder Clinger was mad that I talked him into it! But your candy gram saved him from killing me!

We are scheduled to have a baptism this Saturday. I do not think it is going to happen. About two weeks ago we met with the family and made a plan for Parker to be baptized on the 8th and his Father to perform the baptism. The family struggles to live the word of wisdom, the mother and the father both with Coffee and the Father with Alcohol as well. We invited them to meet with the Bishop and clear things up. We gave the Varneys the number to the Executive Secretary and we followed up and he said it was taken care of. We came over to plan the baptism program and the father said, "Elders I won't be able to perform the baptism." We later found out that he never called the Executive Secretary, therefore he never met with the Bishop. We are pretty confident the mother and father didn't keep the commitment invitation to live the Word of Wisdom. We don't want to set this family up for in-activity or to just fall back into the same slump they have been in the past 8 years. We fasted and feel that we should postpone the baptism.

I went on an exchange with Elder Johnson. He is so happy which I believe led to his seeing a lot of miracles that day as we were out searching out the honest in heart. We met this Lady named Joy from Peurto Rico. Her cousin is on a mission in Maryland and said, Joy, you just need to hear the message, she said she would but didn't think there was anyone that could teach it to her and low and behold we knocked on her door! Elder Johnson is going to make me an awesome satchel out of pants to carry copies of the Book of Mormon in!

We helped the Jacksons alot this weekend! This republican running for Govenor came over to their house and it was catered and they had valet parking and we helped clean up their yard all week for it! They raised $10,000 for the guy! I love the Jacksons they are such kind people and try so hard to share the gospel.

We had dinner last night with a family. He invited his friend from work to dinner! It was awesome he was from Oaklahoma, we asked him if he was a Cowboy or Sooners fan he said he was the only U of O fan in his family and then we turned the rest of the discussion into the gospel! The family we had dinner with are coming back to activity, it is so awesome. We are excited to teach him again in their home! There is so much power from teaching in members home, I love it!

Since I have been here we have been inviting members to invite a non-member friend into there home to hear the missionary lessons. I have been really frustrated because I haven't seen any success come from this invitation. These last 5 days we have had three lessons in members homes with people they invited and are having another tomorrow night. It has been an incredible experience.

Know that I am always keeping you in my prayers! I love you guys so much and you bring so much happiness into my life! I love family and I am grateful for God our father who created this divine and Holy social unit! I love you guys have a great week!

Love, Elder Taylor Petersen