Meeting Madeleine

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Wow...where do I begin in this sweet story?

This is a story of an online proselyting mission...the ARIZONA PHOENIX MISSION.
It is the story of a sweet young leukemia patient, Madeleine, who reached out asking questions while she was in treatment in Phoenix Children's hospital a year ago.

First, she was referred to the loving care of Sister Brittany Larsen and her companion.

Then the area switched to Elders, namely Tyman Weiler and Harrison Wardle.  They continued teaching Madeleine...that is, when she was not teaching them!

Madeleine read the Book of Mormon several times, had great questions and was looking forward to being baptized when she was in remission.

 Brittany and Tyman and Harrison had never met her in person until yesterday...when they were all surprised at her appearance at a benefit Cure Search Walk they were participating in, in her honor!   An anonymous donor flew her over for the event and it was the best surprise ever!

 Oh how it warmed our hearts to see these four together...and there would have been more missionaries who could have joined in the celebration.

But this was a witness of the good that is happening when people get involved with people!

Madeleine has deferred enrollment in Juilliard school of music until her cancer is in remission.

 Here is Harrisons BYU Lacrosse team with the girls they walked for; Madeleine and Claire.


We had another miracle...the pouring rain halted just long enough for this walk to take place, seriously, it was one of those windows of heaven where the heavens stopped the rain just so a sweet daughter could participate in this walk!

And here is the APM connection all together after the walk.
It was an honor to be with Madeleine.  We ask you to join with us in praying for her recovery so she can be baptized and have the dreams of her heart fulfilled.

It was an honor to be with valiant RM's who didn't just love the Lord and His Gospel while they were serving, but who have made it an eternal quest to be more like Him.
WE LOVE YOU!!!  Taylors

MTC Departing Missionaries Aug-Sept 2014

We decided to try to continue the tradition of getting a photo with our departing missionaries...even if we have only known them for 6 weeks!  But, we have met with them twice a week for that time, so we get attached!
Leaving early Aug were:
Elder Rowland, Portluck, Caldwell (all to Mexico), and Sister Graham (to SLC before Spain) and Mattson to Spain.

Our second departing missionaries were all going to either MONE Mexico or CIUO Mexico...not sure which missions those are...the church has their own abbreviations.
Sisters Burton, Turley, Wagner, Louie, Elders Williams, Shakespeare, Lords, Tanner and Jepson.  We got pretty attached to this group, they went through a lot, and we know they will be awesome!
We love our work at the MTC.  We know where they are going, and a bit how to help them on their way!

This group of Elders were heading to Mexico Monterrey W. and Mexico City West.
Elders Wall, Kitchen (from Cottonwood) DeMars, Kennington, Goff, Andrews, Gale, Nielson, Lofgreen, Fjerstad, Nisson and Larson
 






We got pretty attached to this group!

Sisters Kiel, Mello and Tew all going to TEMPE!! Yay! and standing, Elders Gamble-Thompson, Goodrich, Guymon, Reese and kneeling, Elders Pudil, Hoyt and Blanding.
Guymon, Hoyt, Goodrich and Reese all are going to Tempe too, the rest to CA San Fernando.  

   Here are a couple more districts that are leaving the last of September!

Elders Atkinson, Checketts, Konieczny and Selfsaison, Us, Sisters Dossett, Gomez, Titensor and Lee.  Heading to CA Santa Rosa (except Elder S to NYCS)

 And...some things never change!
This is what happens when you let any missionary have any photographic device, even your iPhone.

 Well,  you get some pretty cute photos too!

Love these Sisters!

And some random shots of the nice courtyard area of the West Campus, which will soon be just a memory as they are consolidating our campus up onto Main Campus by the end of October.

More Beautiful Nighttime Phoenix Temple Photos!

 I am so lucky!  My cousin has connections to some of the latest and greatest Phoenix Temple photos, so even though I am not there to take them in person, I have some great shots to share!



This first one is looking northwest at the temple grounds overlooking the desert trail that runs along the southern border.

 This is a full on front view looking west.
Love the reflection in one of the three pools out front.

 This is the sign on the south end of the property telling passersby what they are looking at.

And a closeup of the HOLINESS TO THE LORD stone over the front entry.
I was there the day they mounted it, and it looks so good with the gold leaf inside!


Hope many of you get to the Open House October 10-November 1.

We begin with the end in sight...all paths lead to the temple!
Love you!  Have a great week!  Sister Taylor

CITY OF ROCKS/ALMO IDAHO TRIP 9/14

 CLICK HERE TO GO TO ALBUM OF ALL 95 PHOTOS OF THIS DAY!  GOOD TIMES!

We made our first trip up to ALMO IDAHO where President Taylors father was raised.  Yup, they have a General Store there...Post Office inside, gas pump outside.  That is the business in town.  We brought along Amber Harding, Wes Larsen, Ben Doolhoff and Nick Cardoso.  Jordan Pugsley met us later in the day.

 We stayed overnight in the family home we still own in Almo...perfect place to base ourselves while we go out to hike!


We stopped at the Visitor Center to learn more about the area.  It really is in the middle of nowhere...but is a key route for the California and Oregon trails, so there are totally historic places out there!

 For instance, we walked behind "Camp Rock" to see some of the signatures in axle grease from pioneers who stopped here to camp along the trail.
Very cool how preserved it is!

 I don't think any of our guests were prepared for the shear VASTNESS of the area.  So many interesting and cool rock formations to just "scramble on!" 

That was what they wanted to do.  There are hiking trails, but they just wanted to "scramble" so scramble we did!

 We made a stop up at the top of the reserve to pump spring water for everyone to drink.  Super cold and really good!

 I was thinking what an amazing opportunity this was for all of us to just get to know each other better out in an amazing place...how many RMs do you know who have spent the weekend with their Mission President...it was awesome!

 These kids were just MOUNTAIN GOATS!  Seriously not afraid to try to climb on anything!

 Arches may have huge arches to hike to...but City of Rocks has so many cool and interesting rock features within just minutes of parking areas that we just loved it!

 Nooks and Crannies all over the place!

 Jordan met us at lunchtime down at the house and joined us for the afternoon hiking/scrambling.
So good to all be together!

 This is BATH ROCK...where the adventuresome can get atop this huge formation where there are pools of "living water?"

The myths of the area suggests that Indians would bathe up there...hence the name Bath Rock...but that would really be absurd...its just a name.


It was the perfect setting to sing the ARIZONA MISSION FIGHT SONG!!!  (among other things)

We had so much fun discussing gospel principles and how they are working in our lives as we just enjoyed being together!

 Walking what looks to be the ridgepole of the valley home.  Beautiful!

The impetus for our choice of weekend to hike in Almo was the wedding reception of RM Gabe Hall, who married an Almo girl, Megan Jones.  It was great to support them and also see Qwinton Brothers there.
Jordan and Wes were also companions of Gabe.  How sweet to have them there to celebrate his sealing in the Rexburg LDS Temple.




We  hope to do the CITY OF ROCKS hike a couple times a year.  Message us if you want to be a part of a group going up either late spring 2015 or next fall. 

September Visits 2014

I sort of cheated on this one...it technically was the last day of August, but I was tired of adding to that post.

Began this month by sneaking away from the MTC, a rare occasion, to hear Tyman Weiler speak in his sacrament meeting.

He says he was nervous, but you would never know it.  He is a great speaker!  He taught the Doctrine of Christ as he should and was bold in doing it...lovingly bold.

It was great to see him again.  We know he was in the right place at the right time to help transition the Griffins into the mission as we had just left.  He was able to love and support both Presidency companionships and it takes a special missionary to do that!

A BONUS was that when I got inside, I was able to sit with Colton Robinson, another great RM.  I found out that he and his wife live fairly close to us in Provo so we look forward to seeing them again soon!


I love that our RMs continue supporting each other long after the mission ends....hmmm...does it ever really end?  I think not.

 Judging by the way I am dressed (the same) we had a couple more visitors to the RM Mission Home.

First was Lance Cabral, here to get residency to go to school next year.

Oh how that young man grew and matured on his mission!  We love him so much!  We are excited he is here for the long haul!

Speaking of those we love...the Hancock family from our ward in Peoria were here bringing Joe to BYU and made a visit.  Mitzi was the dearest visiting teacher to me my whole time in AZ...and this family live the gospel naturally and lovingly each day.  We love them so much!

 Monday night 9/1  we had some visits from a couple more RMs.

And, we wasted no time in putting them to work!
Long story short, we were late borrowing a truck, got waylaid by stopping for a terrible accident on the way home, and were on deadline to return the vehicle!
Prescott Jackson and his folks were happy to visit while we worked, with "Scott" joining in with "My Scott" in unloading rocks for our garden surround.

 We had already been working Tyler Starr and his brother Daniel for about 30 minutes!

they manned the wheelbarrows and we got the dirt and the rocks all in their new beds.

 Here is Daniel, recently called to the Samoa Mission...we are so excited for him to meet Elder Vaoga!!!

They were making fun of me because they thought I hurt my leg...I did not notice the blood all over my leg and foot.

Frighteningly enough, it was not my blood...but from a girl at the accident scene!

The SUV we saw had done a total 360 flip and 2 passengers were ejected including this girl who fractured her skull and was convulsing at the first, and when she came to, she was out of control.  I was trying to help her and her completely overwhelmed and panicked mother, who spoke only Spanish, by trying to calm them down and translating a bit for the paramedics.  I have found my Spanish to be a huge part of my life since returning home from our mission.  I am grateful for our assignment that helped me get a bit more fluent.

After the unloading, we went inside to check out the quilt and to have some ice cream.

We love having our RMs and their families come visit!  We get to tell the parents the difference their child made in the lives of so many, including themselves!

Thank you for the visits!!!

 Here we are with the Jackson family.  I love their story of how they both served missions to Chile...and how Brother Jackson actually waited for his wife to serve a mission before their marriage...they were TRENDSETTERS for what is happening much more commonly now!

And us with the Starr brothers.  Tyler is helping Daniel prepare and is home in time to really make a difference there!


Welcome home Scott and Tyler!  WE LOVE YOU!

 Thursday 9/4 we had 4 more RMs come visit!  We really scored this week!



This was my dinner.    Yup.  I taught them to eat nutritiously!

 We have Nathan Wainwright, Kyle Bradfield, Austin Bartleson, Mark Knobbe in front with us, Tiffany, Chelsea and Jana in back! 



We had so much fun!!!

 And true to form...Mark stole my camera.  This was something he did ALL THE TIME when he was our assistant.

 Now I will show you the kinds of photos that I was constantly deleting when I would get back home and find he had stolen my camera....

 Lots of feet shots...



...and the telltale selfie to let me know the beautiful face who was taking all the crazy photos!!




LOVE THESE MISSIONARIES FOREVER!!!