Prepared By The Hand Of The Lord

Hello Friends and Family!

I noticed that it has been a long time since I've been able to send a group letter home. I feel blessed that Elder Taylor and I have truly seen the remarkable Hand of the Lord lead us, guide us, and touch those we have had the opportunity to teach. I realized that I have failed to discuss some of the most amazing people I've had the chance to teach while serving in Auburn, Alabama. I wanted to take this time and write specifically about one incredible Sister we've been teaching since January: Taylor Haas (name used with her permission).

Back in mid-January, Elder Taylor and I were writing down member referrals we had recently received on our whiteboard. As we were writing down these names, our phone rang with a number we didn't recognize. We picked it up and an Elder on the other end introduced himself.  He indicated that he was currently serving in Indiana, and that he had a friend who was a college student at Auburn who would like to take the missionary discussions. He said her name was Taylor, and that she had attended Church and even LDS Seminary for several months during her Junior Year of High School. Many of her close friends, including this Elder we were on the phone with, were members of the Church, and made a positive impact on her. However, towards the end of High School and into college, those of her friends left on missions and she decided to attend college in Auburn. She fell out of touch with the Church, and it hadn't been rekindled until now.

Taylor began to experience hardships and some negative aspects of life before January of this year. It got to the point that as she was emailing this Elder, who was serving in Indiana, and she asked for help. We got her information, and when we called Taylor, she was beyond receptive the first time we spoke with her. She agreed to meet with us the next day at the local Church Building to talk. We had several other members of the YSA Branch come with us to the first meeting as well. When she came pulling into the parking lot to our first lesson, she got out and laughed and said how she had just finished the latest EFY Youth Album!  It was at that moment, I knew she was going to progress really well in the Gospel and the Church.

In our first lesson, she explained how she had tried to meet with the missionaries before in California (where she's from), but it didn't go well.  She told us how her parents are extremely against the Church, and misunderstood our beliefs. We inquired what she wanted to get out of meeting with us in the future, and she responded, "I want to feel peace. I want to feel what I felt when I came to church before." In our first lesson we gave her a Book of Mormon, and read 1 Nephi 1 with her (with the Spirit's guidance). 

When we came back for our second visit that week, she had read nearly 4 chapters, with highlights, sticky notes, and filled nearly 5 pages in a "Scripture Journal" that she had bought after our first meeting. We continued to read the Book of Mormon with her, where she was at, and the Spirit filled the room during the entirety of the lesson.  After the first meeting, Elder Taylor and I felt prompted by the Holy Ghost to call and ask a specific member, named Summer, to be her friend and support as she met with us.  Summer readily responded to the call, immediately called Taylor herself, and they became the best of friends.  Still to this day, they are nearly inseparable as they get to know one another, and Summer helps to answer questions, concerns, or struggles in applying the Gospel standards into her everyday life. 

As we continued to meet with Taylor twice a week, the YSA Branch seemed to just rally around her in every step of her journey.  At church on Sunday's she would give her most fervent and sincere testimony and explain the things she had learned from her studies the previous week. We continued by giving her the new, "Come, Follow Me Book- for Individuals and Families" (our Church's Sunday School Guidebook), and she immediately latched onto that. Taylor began to attend Institute each week on Thursdays, and Family Home Evenings on Monday as well. Pretty soon she was attending every single Branch event, church service, meeting with us, and kept her consistent and extremely deep, study of the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ.  I have never seen someone so prepared by the Hand of the Lord to accept the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ.

One lesson in particular stands out to me. As we began our lesson (we always begin by following-up on her reading, her prayers, and Church attendance) she was filled with emotions.  She stated that she had been praying and received an answer that the Book of Mormon was true. As we invited her to be baptized, she quickly accepted and agreed to adjust parts of her life to keep in accordance with the Commandments of God.  She said that from that moment her thoughts, feelings, and daily walk became more clear. She said she used to get headaches each day, but those stopped. She said she used to break-down with stress from school, but now her days were filled with Peace and Comfort. She said she used to attend certain college parties or events that weren't the best in the Lord's eyes, and she totally stopped attending or participating in anything that might be contrary to the Commandments. As we taught her of the Word of Wisdom, the Law of Chastity, and the Ten Commandments, her questions weren't questions of, "Why is this a commandment?", but instead, "How can I best keep this commandment?" 

After about two months Taylor began to read the Pearl of Great Price. She has since finished the Book of Moses and onto Abraham. She is currently passing through the Isaiah Chapters of the Book of Mormon, and does a more in-depth studies on Isaiah than I have ever seen. She reads the Book of Mormon with the Institute manual near her, and prays about questions she might have. Maybe our approach to studying Isaiah could be the same as Taylor's? Anyways, she will do such in-depth studies as to research each historical character involved, get their background, and find the Hebrew root of the name itself. She will share in our lessons (but really she is teaching us) how her studies have affected the way she views the world. We call this, in the Church, repentance. 

One of the major obstacles that Taylor has faced is telling her parents about her decision to join The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With much prayer and fasting, she informed us after a lesson one evening that she was going to call her father and let him know about her decision to join the Church. Both Elder Taylor and I nearly had a heart attack! What would happen? How would he respond? All we could do was return to our apartment and pray that his heart would be softened.

The next day we received a phone call from Taylor. She was beyond excited. She said that when she first called her father, and told him about her decision to be baptized, he responded by saying, "Taylor, I have never despised any decision you've ever made, as much as this decision." They had nearly a three hour conversation. However, Taylor said she bore testimony on the phone call with him of the power of the Book of Mormon and how it has literally changed her view of the world, and the decisions she makes.  She told us, "After I said this, it was silent on the phone. He suddenly switched. Like he totally turned his opinion." Her Dad continued by telling her that, unlike his first reaction, he would support her 100% in her decision to be baptized. Elder Taylor and I were completely humbled by the power of prayer in softening hearts, and how Heavenly Father works in such mighty ways to accomplish His purposes!

After this experience, the time came to tell her mother. Elder Taylor and I joined Taylor in a special fast, and prayed continually for her mother's heart to be softened as well.  One day Taylor received a text message from her mother saying how she would still love her as her daughter, and would support her in her decision to be baptized. Not only that, but after that text message her mother began running into many members of the Church that corrected many false views she held towards the religion, and how she began to feel better about her daughter's decision to be baptized. Time and time again, Elder Taylor and I were humbled by the outpouring of blessings from Heaven for such amazing miracles and tender mercies of our Heavenly Father.

Taylor is currently on-date for May 25th, and will be baptized in La Crescenta, California. She was to be baptized here, but her father called her one evening and asked if he could attend her baptism. Tearfully, Taylor told of this experience and she said, "I never would have thought in a million years that my father would want to come to my baptism!" Later, her mother also indicated she wanted to attend as well. She made the decision that getting baptized back in her hometown of La Crescenta would be best so her parents could attend. Elder Taylor and I couldn't agree more. 

I want to bear my firm testimony of the Everlasting Covenant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I have seen this Gospel work miracles, wonders, and mighty changes in the hearts and minds of those it touches. In all things, Our God prepares the way and prepares each person to receive the fullness of the Restored Gospel. I do know that Joseph Smith was a Prophet of God. I know that he communed with Jehovah and was anointed to usher in the Last Dispensation. The Book of Mormon is my evidence of this testimony.

I know that Jesus Christ is the Eternal God and the Savior of the World. One name always stands out to me, that He holds: Immanual. Translated from Hebrew, this means: God With Us. I know Christ is with us always, and as such we can turn to Him in our greatest moments of need or moments of joy. 

Until Next Week-

Elder Robb

(In the picture, the order from left to right is: Me, Taylor, Summer, and Elder Taylor)