New Pictures

An awesome Pday we did as a zone where we played lots of fun games

 We made gingerbread houses in Peru with Maria Delgado and her family. They don't make Gingerbread houses in Peru so they thought it was really fun and are thinking of making it a family tradition.

Guiliana baptism

Just getting in the Christmas spirit

December 16, 2012

HOLA FAMILIA Y AMIGOS!

How are you all doing? This week was crazy! Full of Christmas fun with the mission, ward Christmas activates and a baptism! Guiliana got baptized! Her parents came and they loved it! I have a good feeling they are going to get baptized! They don't live in our area. Which might be an odd situation because I think they are going to want to go where their daughter goes. I'm not sure, the Elders are going to teach them and then we will have to see.

This week I thought about writing you all a sermon. But sometimes I feel like you will all get bored if I do and stop reading my blog. . . and I like to believe you all love me and read my blog because you miss my presence in your lives.

Lately I have been obsessed with the thought of what is a true convert. I remember when I was younger I use to be really jealous of converts. I always wished that I hadn't been born in the church. I felt like my testimony wasn't real or  as valid as someone who found the church later in life. But not as a missionary I have realized something. Being a convert or having a true conversion doesn't come down to when we first learn about the church. We don't have to go inactive and suffer through all sorts of sins to have a testimony of the atonement. It's true that these circumstances CAN bring about a true conversion, but the pain isn't actually necessary. A true conversion comes from living the gospel, but not living the gospel out of habit but TRUELY living and loving the commandments. That's when someone truly becomes a convert.
The other day I was thinking about teenagers who were like me when I was a teen ager. People who feel the way I felt. Like their testimony doesn't mean as much because they were raised in the church, or maybe they feel like people won't take them seriously in life because they have never "lived" they don't have "experiences".  My advice for teenager who feels this way is the SERVE A MISSION! I'm serious. IF you want to find out if drinking and doing drugs really is as bad as they all say. You could drink and suffer down the road, or you could serve a mission, help others that are suffering and I can promise you if you do it with all your heart. You will never want to drink. All of the "experiences" I didn't get to have because I was raised in the church. Or all the "life" That I didn't live because I tried to live the commandments I have gotten to experience and live here in the mission. Helping people find the truth, overcome sins and addictions and changing their lives for the better has first of all made me very thankful for being raised in the church, and it also helped me gain a testimony of all the things I never did without having to suffer personally. On a mission you suffer vicariously for all the pains of your investigators. Personally just the vicarious suffering is enough for me.

So that's my advice. If you have a testimony but it isn't the strongest or if you want to "experience" life! GO ON A MISSION!
And if you are past that part of your life I was invite you all to find a way to love the commandments and live them out of love for the Lord and not out of habit. It will change your life.

Well that's my little idea for the day. I hope it all makes sense written out like it does running around in my head.

I love you all! Next week I'll give you all the Peruvian Christmas information that you need.
Love you all!

December 10, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos.

So I don't have a whole lot of time to write today, so I'm going to write super fast. But I have some good news. My companion is better! Honestly it's a miracle! She has been in a lot of pain and unable to walk for the past month.   I prayed Monday and told Heavenly Father that I didn't need a miracle for a sign or anything I just really wanted my companion to get better so she could work, and you know what happened! She got better! The Lord really does love us. I'm happy it was in his will to heal her because I was going crazy. We worked all week, found new people and it was great. It seems unreal to me that the Lord answered my prayers. I have always believed that the Lord answers prays, but as far as healing someone, I guess I always seemed to think that the Lord preferred to let us learn from the situation instead of changing it, but I am thankful that this time he had other plans!

Saturday we made ginger bread houses with some families in the ward. Gingerbread houses aren't a tradition in Peru. They had never heard of them, but it was SUPER FUN! They loved it and are thinking of making it a family tradition.

I wish I had more time to write but we are getting all the things ready for Christmas in the mission and I have to run.
I love your letters. I'm glad that so many of my friends are reading my blog!
Now you just need to write me so I know what is happening in your lives as well!

I love you all!
Till Next week.
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

New Pictures

Our new awesome zone shirts!

The Hermanas in my zone



Hermana Venegas

December 3, 2012

¿Que Tal Familia y Amigos?

 

I have some stories I wanted to tell you this week. Some of the funny happenings in Peru, some of the thoughts I have had in my head. First of all a funny story.

 

So women here in Peru have NO SHAME when it comes to breast feeding in public. It's just something normal that they do. It use to catch me off guard but now it doesn't phase me, but the other day we were at our pensionistas house and her daughter who has a one year old was talking about how she wants to stop breast feeding her son but he doesn't want to. So she gets this smile on her face and walks over to the refrigerator. I look over and she has hot sauce in her hands and she is rubbing it all over her chest, and then she looks at me and says, let's see if he wants some now. Ha-ha. I was dying. The funniest thing was when she tried and her sons didn't even care. She looked at him and said. "What are you Mexican! You like you Leche spicy!" It was hilarious, but I don't know, maybe you have to be like me and be so use to things like this. I guess this story could be funny or disturbing depending on how you look at it.

 

So this week. . . well. . . my companion is still having health problems. We were only able to worked twice and then they other days I tried to get people to come with me and work.

But it's just not the same as really getting out and working. I have been really worried about our area. I have worked so hard for months trying to get things going in this ward and things have REALLY turned around. But I worry that we are losing ground and losing all the work that he have done. It's just hard. I really love working. Its why I'm here. But I know the Lord has a reason for everything. I know that I am learning things in this time that I need to learn. It's just hard sometimes to learn lessons that we don't want to learn. But I love Hermana Venegas. She is a hard worker and I want to help here any way I can. One blessing we got this week was the Lord putting someone prepared in our path. Juliana. Her friend is currently serving a mission. She has been coming to church. She loves it. She wants to get baptized. I'm thankful that even though we can't leave and work how I would like to the Lord understands and it putting people in our path.

 

The Elders have some pretty crazy stuff planned for this Pday. All I know is last time they had something "crazy" planned for pday it ended with half the zone throwing up ha-ha. I can only imagine what they have planned for us this week.

 

Got to go.

I love you all!

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

Pictures

These pictures are from last Monday in Central De Lima.

Thanksgiving lunch with our pensionista

Thanksgiving Dinner with our Zone (minus the turkey and the pie)

November 26, 2012

Hola familia y amigos!

So cambios have come and gone… I will be staying in Santa Isabel for 6 more weeks with Hermana Venegas!  I am excited, scared and surprised.  I am excited because I love my converts in Santa Isabel.  I love the progress that we have made in the ward.  I'm scared because Hermana Venegas still hasn't gotten any better.  We went to work one day this week and the next two days she could hardly wake, so we went to the doctor.  He thinks she has a stress fracture.  He wants to put her in a boot, but I don't know how that is going to work because the three investigators that we have live in El Cerro.  Sounds like I am going to have to put her on my back and hike up the mountain… I don't know.  We talked about how we were going to do the work and still let her rest.  We came up with some pretty creative ideas.  I feel bad for her because I  know that she wants to work.  We are going to make it happen even if I have to push her up the mountain in a wheel chair.

I am really shocked that I am staying.  Guess that means that me and Hermana Anderson can keep doing the Insanity Workout! We are going to die!  I was looking at the work outs that are coming up and they all have the work MAX in front of them!!!

This week we did a fun ward activity where everyone got a name tag and a mission call to another country.  The elders set up the rooms with stuff from all the different countries that they are from (Guatemala, Ecuador, Columbia ect.)  It was really fun, everyone went to their different missions and learned about the culture and then practiced how they could share the gospel.  Everyone really enjoyed it.

Well I love you all!! Remember Christmas is coming up.  You should all write me letters,  that would be the Best Christmas Present ever!!

Love Always,

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

November 19, 2012

Hola Familia y amigos.

Wow time is Short, the internet wasn't working, but there isn't too much to say about this week anyhow. My companion has been on bed rest ALL WEEK because of something that is wrong with her legs, we don't know what it is yet but she is in a lot of pain! I feel bad for her. She wants to work.
She is really sensitive and requires a lot of love and attention so leaving her with our Pensionista and going out and working with a member really upsets her. . . . so basically this week I got caught up on every Mormon Movie KNOW TO MAN!

I have come to a conclusion about Church movies. . . Well a few conclusions, we should never try to mix Mormon culture with classic novels, its just not a good idea. We also shouldn't do comedies unless we are just going to make fun of our own culture. I also decided that we have some amazing Church movies. Have you ever seen Forever Strong, or Brigham City. Well I hadn't, they were basically the highlight of my week.
Wow I am so sorry, I think this is that lamest letter of my WHOLE mission, but I really didn't do ANYTHING! I taught like five lessons, 40 contacts, I feel like a bum. I really hope that Hermana Venegas gets better soon. If she doesn't I doubt I will be leaving Santa Isabel this transfer. I can't see the president leaving someone with too bad legs in an area where half the area is a giant dirt hill ha-ha.

Well. That's about it folks! Pray that I have a more exciting week this week, if not you will be getting more movie reviews on the few Mormon Movies we haven't watch yet! Today is Charly! Get ready to cry your eyes out.

I love you all!
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

New Pictures

Me and my companion, Hermana Venegas

My first companion, Hermana Lema sent me this shirt when she was released from her amazing mission and went back home to Ecuador. It says "Someone in Ecuador loves you"

November 12, 2012

Hoooolllllaaaaaa!!!

Wow so this week was like a sucker punch to the stomach. Man alive. Serious last night I just lost it. I went crazy. I just starting singing and dancing at the top of my lungs. Hermana Venegas looked at me and asked "What do you have?" I think I was just so sick of being sad that I went insanely happy ha-ha.
So what could have happen you asked that brought me to this crazy state. Ugh.

I remember when I use to read the Book of Mormon I wondered how it was possible that people could have amazing spiritual experiences and then after a few years stop believing. I remember I use to doubt if the Book of Mormon was true because it just didn't seem logical that things like that could happen. . . . Then I served a mission. . . . and now I can testify that things like that really do happen. I still don't understand how someone can look me in the eyes and tell me that during their baptism they felt a joy and a peace like they had never felt and then they stop praying and coming to church for two weeks and the next thing you know they deny everything. It's just insane. I've meet a lot of lazy less actives. They know it's true, they don't deny anything they just don't want to do what they need to do. I've also meet really hardened less actives, but they weren't MY converts. But to see one of MY converts change so fast and deny everything. Wow. It basically ripped my heart out. The thing that kills me is she doesn't want to know. She doesn't want to pray she doesn't want to read. She wants to have the peace of the gospel rapped up and delivered to her, she doesn't want to work for it. Her baptism was what she wanted and all she thought it would be, it was instant joy, but moments like that are few and far between, having a testimony is work. And she just doesn't want to put the work in. It was really heart breaking for me. I'm hoping that her friends in the young women's can help her out because she told us she doesn't want us to come back. Wow. . . . it's crazy how things change so fast.
But the good news is that there are other people who do want to work for it. Who do the basic things like reading their scriptures coming to church, praying and repenting every day.

I think this week taught me that there is a big difference in being a "convert" and having a true "conversion." I will do all that is possible to insure that the people I teach understand that difference and really do put in what they need to put in to have a conversion, but salvation is personal. What can be the hardest part of the mission at times is realizing that there is only so much you can do.

Sunday was really wonderful. I think the Lord used his little children to show us his love because for some reason a bunch of the little kids in the ward drew us pictures. It was really sweet.
We have two weeks left in this cambio. Time is moving by really fast. I really wonder if I will get to finish off the year here in Santa Isabel or not. I sure hope so, we have found some really great people that will progress for the month of December.

Oh my! Funny story for the week. We contacted "El Negrito" ha-ha. So I have been here in Santa Isable for FIVE month. And for FIVE months this Moto Taxi driver has been taunting me. Yelling things in English like "I love you." "You´re beautiful" "Kiss me" and man alive he just hasn't given up. Seriously always bothering me. So the other day he passes by and yells in English "I want to be your friend." and Hermana Venegas was just sick of it and says that is it we are going to contact him and takes off to talk to him. "ESTAS LOCA!" I yell as I chase after her. So we go over to him and he looks at me and again in English says. "I just want to be your friend!" So I responded in English "Well then let's be friend. He seemed really surprised that I actually spoke to him and he surprised me by not being as big of a creep as I thought he was going to be ha-ha. We talked to him and joked around a bit. He asked why I never talked to him before and I explained that he needs to treat us with more respect because we are missionaries. And to my surprise he apologized and since then he has been an angel. He says hi to us, talks to us at times but doesn't shout anything anymore ha-ha. I love it.

You have to love Hermana Venegas, she isn't afraid of anything its funnier what she said in Spanish but after words I told her "Hermana you aren't afraid of anything" and basically she told me "Please why should I be afraid of anyone in the streets before my baptisms I OWNED these streets." ha-ha She came from a pretty hard core life.

So that's about it.
I love you all!
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

New Pictures

Me making French toast with our pensionista and her family

Me and Hermana Venegas with Elizabeth, Wilian and Arturo

November 5, 2012

Hola, Greetings from your flea bitten friend here in Peru.

 

Once again I am COVERED in some kind of strange bug bites but we aren't sure what they are. It actually might be a skin infection or some crazy reaction I have to stress, but till we know for sure we will just stick with saying that its fleas. . . . cute right ha-ha.

 

This week. . . oh boy. . . this week was a great opportunity to learn patience and love. We dropped (and got dropped) by practically all the families that we had hopes for, for this November. When it all comes down to it there are lots of people here who will let you into their house to talk about Jesus, but when you invite them to act on the faith they have. . . they just don't want to do it. It's really too bad.

 

Halloween in Peru isn't that exciting. They are just recently starting to celebrate it. But advice for anyone who is going to serve in Peru, have your mom send you candy and hand it out while contacting all the families that are walking around. Its lots of fun, the kids and their parents love it and it's a more enjoyable way to contact for one night.

 

I feel super boring this week with little to say. Really, this week just must have me beat! I really respect missionaries that serve in countries that are less receptive cuz man alive this week of rejection just wasn't fun. But its fine, it's not like we curled up in our beds and cried, we worked hard, contacted a ton, basically we searched and searched and then we searched some more!

 

Oh this week I got the insanity work out videos my family sent to me, so we have been waking up at Six, running over to Tungasuca and working out with the Hermanas! The first few days were SO HARD. I wanted to die. I had to result to sitting on a public toilet in Peru because my legs were just too weak to squat! Man alive I'm out of shape. But it was lots of fun, I felt like I was in Volleyball again. We are taking Sundays and Mondays off, but tomorrow we start again! Week two! WHOOT!!!

 

Well I guess I will make this email short cuz really I don't have much to say about this week .

I love you all!

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

October 29, 2012

Hoooollllaaaaa Familia y Amigos!

 

This week was wonderful! Crazy busy! So much to do, I love weeks like this. So like I was saying in my last letter, this week was a week of milestones. First was on Wednesday. I reached the 6 year mark of my Dads passing away. Normally I like to take a break off life on this day and have a pity party, but on a mission there just isn't time for that. I felt like I wanted to be Sad but I didn't even have time to think about being sad.

 

Friday I reached one year in the mission. It was crazy to think how far I have come and all that I have done in one year. Their year has changed so many things. It has changed me physically, emotionally and spiritually. So I thought I would share with you all how this year has changed me, let's start with physically.

My hair, its longer and lighter, and THINNER! (Thankfully my family sent me hair and nail pills or I would be without hair.)

My Eyes, Limas air is so dirty that my eyes have actually turned slightly yellow. . . yup that's gross I know! But it's true, we got new North Americans and me and Hermana Anderson were looking at them and she turns to me and says "Look their eyes are still white."

My body, I'm still thinner then when I left, not sure how cuz I eat a lot more. but my pensitionista feeds me like crazy she seems determined to help me gain every pound back ha-ha, but with all the walking we do I'm not sure if it will happen or not.

My Knees, I have calices on my knees from praying so much on dirt or cement floors.

My feet, . . . . we won't even go there, but let's just say that a pedicure will be more than needed when I get home.

 

Mentally:

I'm more patient. Much more patient.

The culture of Peru is starting to grow on me and time doesn't stress me out like it use to. Being late is just a part of life ha-ha. (I hope that wares off fast when I get home or Ill really bother people in the states)

I've also become less judgmental.

 

Spiritually:

During my time in my mission I have learned SO much about the gospel, but not in the sense of new scriptures that I didn't know before, or new doctrine. Really I had study my scriptures before so I have had few moments where I have said "Wow I didn't know that" more than anything I have practiced the gospel in a way that I never had before. Before I served my mission I could tell you that the purpose of a baptism is to receive a remission of your sins, but in the mission I have seen it, I've lived it, I know it with my heart now and before I think I only knew it with my mind.

 

This year has been one of the best years of my life, It's been hard and not every moment is fun, but I have learned SO MUCH and I have been blessed with a joy and a special peace of mind that I had never found before.

 

Friday we celebrated my one year mark with Three baptisms! I couldn't ask for a better way! It was wonderful! After the baptism Elizabeth, Wilian and Arturo shared their testimonies. It was funny to listen about how Wilian and Arturo really didn't want to listen to us at first but when she started listening they felt something. Arturo shared his experience of how reading the scriptures has helped him stop fighting with his family. He finished by saying that getting baptized was the best decision that he had ever made.

 

I thought about myself, one year ago, October 26th 2011. Lying on an old bunk bed in the Provo MTC staring at the ceiling thinking "WHAT HAVE I DONE!" Those first few weeks in the MTC were really tough for me. I'll be honest I wished that I had never made the decision to serve a mission, but at the end of the night October 26th 2012 I laid in my bed, in Peru staring at the ceiling thinking the same thing that Arturo thought "This is the best decision I have EVER MADE!"

I am so thankful that I decided to serve a mission, I wouldn't trade this year for anything. I feel truly blessed that they Lord wanted me to serve a mission, What a blessing!

 

With one year down I have six months more, Six months more to give it all and make the best out of the time the Lord has given me. What a blessing!

 

I love you all, thanks for your letters of love and support. I'm sorry if you wrote me and I never got your letter thanks to the post office strike, but it sounds like things are a lot calmer now so you should be safe to write me.

 

Thanks for all your love and support!

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

Pictures

The pictures of from Saying good bye to Hermana Lema! Im going to miss my mission mom so much!

October 22,2012

¿Que tal Familia y Amigos?

Family this week was AWESOME! Seriously AWESOME! Santa Isabel is really turning around the members are wonderful! We have been working with a lot of the members. We have learned that it's easier to get them involved in the mission work if we bring the investigators to the houses of the members. It's been really effective and the members are super excited. We have three baptisms this Friday (what a great way to celebrate my year mark) the members are so excited because they know these people, they have taught them, they have come over to their houses, they are their friends. I'm just so happy to see this ward reaching the potential that I always knew that it had.

The best experience of the week was teaching Arturo about the importance of the Sabbath day. He didn't come to church last Sunday because he was too tired. And the Sunday before he come to conference but he told us flat out, I'm not coming in a suit and tie. So this week we visited him and we talked about the Atonement, we talked about all that Christ has done for us and then we talked about when we told go to church and when we don't honor the Sabbath day we are basically tell Christ "Thanks for suffering for my sins, but I really don't care." Then I looked at him and asked him Arturo could you look Christ in the eyes and tell him that all he has done for you doesn't matter." Oh if you could have seen the look in his eyes. I could tell by the look in his eyes that he understood what Sundays really are all about. Then when we went to picked him up Sunday he was taking forever to come out and I was thinking "After that amazing spirit filled lesson did he serious sleep in." but then he come to the window dressed in a Suit and holding out his tie says "Hermanas can you help me, I don't remember how to tie my tie." AAAAHHHHH!!!!!! He really is coming such a long way! I love it! I love my life right now!

This next week will be a week of land marks, on the 24th it will be 6 years since my Dad passed away and on the 26th I will have been on my mission for 1 year. Well the Elders say it's time to go!

I love you all! Till Next week!
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

Pictures

This bull is the reason I did not sleep Saturday night. They shot fire works out of it's mouth and a lot of people ran around making a lot of noise. Some kind of celebration. Can't say that I get it. 

October 15, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos!

 

All is well here in Santa Isabel. I get one more cambio here with Hermana Venegas. I'm really excited. We get along great. She works hard and we are seeing a lot of progress here in Santa Isabel. I really believe the end of this month we could have more baptisms in one month then Santa Isabel has had in a VERY long time. Which makes me excited. I'm just happy and working hard. Sunday I was a little frustrated because Arturo y Sheyla didn't come to church. You just have to accept that as a missionary you can only do so much but at the end of the day Salvation is personal. It's like that saying that says you can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink. . . well you can lead a person to the waters of baptism, but you can't make them swim ha-ha.

 

Really keeping the Sabbath Day Holy is a commandment that people REALLY struggle with here. Even down to our MOST active families buy things on Sundays. . . I'm not sure what we can do as missionaries to help them.

 

So my mom says that my letters finally got to you all. I hope you all know I love you dearly and I'm sorry that you are just getting the letters I wrote for you in June ha-ha.

 

We are getting new gringos in the zone. I'm pretty excited. Seeing the new missionaries makes me smile because you can see how far you have come.

 

This week I did something I have never done before I fasted out of thankfulness. Never in my life have I done that before. I have always fasted because I needed something. Help from the lord, strength to live with the trails I was passing through or to help someone else, but NEVER in my life have I fasted to tell the Lord that I was thankful for all I have been given. Honestly I had never even thought to do it till the other day when my companion wanted to fast. I was worried because for me fasting means that something is wrong so I asked her why and she said she wanted to fast to show that she was thankful for all the blessings she has been given. . . Wow. . . so I decided that I would do that this week but then things got hard, our contacts fell through and I thought "no this week I need to fast for this and that I will have to fast to show thankfulness another week." but then I thought maybe that's the problem, maybe I am too busy being focused on all that is going wrong that I'm missing out on all the blessings that the lord has been giving me. So I fasted with the only purpose to say thank you for everything that I have. Every time I felt hungry ( I did what my mom always taught me to do) I thought about why I was fasting and instead of thinking about the problems in our area that I was worried about I thought about the good things in life and all the blessings I have. Long story short, fasting to show the Lord how thankful you are is a GREAT idea. I can't believe that I have never done this before. If anyone reading this is passing through problems or trials I would invite you to fast and fast with the purpose to give thanks to the Lord for all you have!

 

Well know that you all finally got my letters I will expect to hear from you all soon!

Love Always,

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

October 8, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos, ¿Como la va?

 

Things in Peru are going good. Conference was AWESOME! Can you believe they changed the age requirements for the sister missionaries (the change for the Elders didn't really surprise be because it's been 18 in Latin America for years.) but the girls! 19 Years old. They lowered the age by TWO YEARS! Wow I can only imagine what this will mean for the obra! Seriously! I think about my group of friends, had the age limit been 19 when we were 19. . . . I really think a good amount more would have gone. I'm excited. I know the Lord needs more missionaries and this will open up a lot of new areas. All I can say is that the lord is putting a lot of trust in his "children" really 18 year old boys and 19 year old girls. . . I'm sure it will be fine as long as everyone remembers that this is the mission field and not freshmen year at Dixie state ha-ha. I'm excited I hope more girls serve missions. My mission is the best choice I have ever made. I feel like it is preparing me in so many ways for my future. I'm excited that more girls will have the opportunity because they won't be afraid of coming home an old maid at the age of 23 like I will be ha-ha. Jk. But seriously . . . Do we all think people in Utah will start getting married even younger ha-ha. I guess we will see.

 

They are also building a new temple in Peru! Whoot! Have you ever noticed how much they talk about Peru in General Conference. Every six months there is at least one talk about Peru.

Last Pday was really fun and stupid haha. We did a fast food eating contest, but the elders bought a ridiculious amount of food. Not only was it impossible to eat, but even more impossible to eat fast, by the end of the day 4 elders and 1 hermana threw up haha. But it was hilarious.

 

Right now we are teaching a brother and a sister Arturo and Shelya. They are preparing for baptism this 20th of October. Sheyla is 17 so she has to get permission first, but it's been really fun teaching them. Arturo likes to pretend he is too cool for our lessons, but he loves them and keeps all of his commitments. It's funny we will ask him if he read and he will respond like "uhh... yeah not really, but yeah," but then when we ask him what he remembers or understands it's obvious that he read everything, he is just 19 and likes to think he is super cool ha-ha. But it's been a blast teaching them and I have faith that Sheyla will be able to get permission from her Dad. (she has been trying for months) but Arturo has only recently been listening to us and I think when he sees that both his children are preparing for baptism his heart will soften.

 

Basically all is well in life. I'm hoping to get one more transfer here in Santa Isabel. We have lots to do and we are really trying to get the ward involved in the mission work and I feel like with one more transfer we could make a big difference. I know the work will progress here weather I am here or not, I just want to be here to see it.

 

So I sent home letters with a private sender, I don't know when they will all get to you but thanks to everyone who has been SO loyal in writing me. I have the best friends ever because I know a lot of you haven't heard from my since June thanks to this stupid post office strike but I have been writing I do love you all and my letters should get to you all soon.

Love you all!

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

New Pictures

Last Monday I learned an important lesson, milkshakes in Peru are not the same as they are in the states :( sad day

The second pictures is me eating Food from the Selva

The pictures from Denisse's baptism

October 1, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigios, Saludos desde Peru.

This week I have some stories for you all. Let's start with last Monday night on  the bus.
We were coming from the offices on a very crowded bus. My companion was sitting a few rows in front of me. The Girl that was sitting next to me left open up a spot to my left. I slid over so that Hermana Venegas could come sit by me, but before she could get to me a HUGE, SMELLY Peruvian man took her seat. So I'm sitting there and I can just feel him staring at me so I figure If I was going to be in this uncomfortable situation I might as well contact him ha-ha. So I start talking to him and it was very obvious he didn't have the Lord on his mind . . . Ugh . . . he kept winking at me. So I just decided to look out the window and hope that his stop came up soon. After several minutes of awkwardness the stop finally came, as he went to get off he tried to give me a kiss on the check to say goodbye. (which is normal for Latinos it happens all the time) so I put my hand in front of him and explained that as a missionary I can old shake his hand. So he takes my hand to shake it AND THEN with his other hand Reaches out grabs me by the back of my head and tries to pull me in to kiss me! AAAAHHHHH!!!! So I screamed and threw my head into my lap! And he kissed me like three times on the top of my head! YUCK!! All the people on the bus watched and laughed! YUCK!! Yeah yeah its funny, let's all laugh at the Gringo getting attacked by some huge smelly guy. Basically long story short more men have tried to kiss me in my 11 months on my mission then in the 11 months before my mission.

Other exciting story from this week is that Denisse got baptized. It was a really spiritual experience for her, honestly even before she got baptized she told me she still wasn't sure if the church was true but she wanted to get baptized. Then on Sunday it was fast and testimony meeting. During what seemed to be the last of the testimonies she looked at me and told me she wanted to share her testimony. She walked up there and told us all about how she had prayed and prayed to know if this was the true church and hadn't been able to receive an answer, but when she got baptized she came out of the water with such a strong feeling of joy. She said she could finally feel that Joy that the missionaries had been explaining and now she knows that the church is true.
I love baptisms because you get to see people the way the Lord sees them, not just for who they are, but for who they can be, the potential that they have if they follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and work to always follow the impressions of the Holy Ghost!

Basically things are going good here in Santa Isabel. I worry a little about things next month. We don't have a whole lot of investigators. We are teaching an 19 year old boy that makes me think of Austen my nephew. I accidently called him Austen in one of our last lessons ha-ha. I hope that we can help him. He seems pretty lost to me, and I know he has a lot of desire to do what's right, he just doesn't like to show it ha-ha. But I really enjoy teaching him. Oh we are also teaching a family of Israelites which is an adventure. I'm not sure if this religion exists in the United States, but it's a mix of Judaism and Christianity. It's really interesting. They believe in Christ and his teachings but they also follow the Law of Moses. I'm excited they are going to come to conference with us next week pretty sure when they walk in, in their robes, with their long hair and beards and all we are going to go down in Santa Isabel History.

Well that's about it family. I sent letters home, they should get to you soon. Hopefully within this next week or two. Thanks for writing me even when you all didn't hear from me for a while thanks to the post office strike.
I love you all! Have a great general conference!
I have been gone for 11 months! Do you miss me yet ha-ha!
I love you all!
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

Pictures

Andersons scriptures! He is the best

These photos are from outside of my house. The statue is of the Virgin Mary.  This is one of the ways the people of Peru who are Catholics worship. You got to love Peru!

Walking down the road we ran into this Lama.

September 24, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos!

Wow! Is it Lunes already! I can't believe how fast this week went by! Seriously I feel like I blinked and a week went by! But when I think of all that happened this week it seems like a month went by.
Things are going good here in Santa Isabel. Anderson and his family are preparing to go the  temple :) We had a really great lesson with them this week. I'm super excited. I'm hoping that the Bishop will set a goal with them to go to the temple before I go home. The best would be if they got sealed the end of May when my Mom and Sisters come to pick me up. I'd love to go to the sealing with my family (even though they wouldn't understand anything ha-ha.) We will have to see but I'm really excited for their family. I took a picture of Andersons scriptures to show you all how amazing he is. He is ten years old but he is reading the Book of Mormon by himself and he marks his scriptures with different colors depending on what they mean. Honestly he is AMAZING!

Denise didn't get baptized this week. I'm still worried about this whole situation. I don't feel like she has the family support to stay active. The reason that she didn't get baptized this week is because she was acting out at home and so as a punishment she couldn't go the church. It's interesting how people outside of the church think that going to church is a prize that we get instead of a need that we have. (Wow it took me about five minutes to write this sentence because I couldn't remember the word for prize in English. I'm losing my mind!)

This week we had a mission training with the president! It was really great. We talked about the importance of sharing our personal testimonies. We applied that in our lessons this week and it really made a difference.
Things are coming along in Santa Isabel. We just need to help unify the ward because it lacks a lot of unity. But I know we can do it. We just have to start with the Leaders. We are going to start doing Family home evenings with the ward leaders and they HAVE to invite a family less active or investigators or people who recently got baptized, because this is the problem. As missionaries we visit the less actives and the  recent converts. We build relationships with them, but then after 4 months or so,we leave the area. We have to help people build relationships with the ward leaders and most importantly with Jesus Christ.

Well. . . all is well. I'm happy healthy and basically flea bite free ha-ha.
I'll be sending home letters soon.
I love you all!
Love Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

Pictures

September 17, 2012

¿Que tal Familia y Yuntas? (Yuntas is Peruivan slag for Amigos, or friends. I tried asking for a Peruvian slag for Familia and they told me Family ha-ha. That's not slag! That's English. . . anyhow. . . )

This week was a good week. Jack got baptized! Whoot! It was a really good experience as always. We also have a baptism for this next Saturday a 15 year old Girl named Denisse. I'm excited for her, but I'm also worried. I've never baptized a teenager who didn't have family who are members. Honestly because I think it's a bad idea. The majority of teenagers who don't have parents who are members end up going inactive. Well I guess Kenji, his parents aren't members, but he was and still is solidly active. Denisse really like the lessons and she wants to get baptized, but I worry about her. The last thing I want to do is baptize someone just to baptize them. We are going to really work with the ward so that they will help her remain active. But It is a concern of mine.

So this week I got letters from wonderful friends and family. It seems like the post offices are FINALLY off strike, but I'm not sure how many letters I lost in that process. I'm sending letters home tomorrow. I've decided I don't trust the post offices so I'm sending it through a private sender.

So something I love is when you tell me in your letters that you read my blog. I also like to think at times that someone preparing for their mission reads this cuz they are a creepy blog stalker like I was ha-ha. Well in case you are that person reading my blog right now I have a tip for you.

When your mom suggests that you bring a flea collar on your mission, don't laugh at her and think that its ridiculous . . . . cuz one day you will wake up with a zillion flea bites all over you body and you will wish that you had a flee collar to put on your bed. Yup basically that's my long dramatic way of telling you all that I have flees, bueno, I had flees. Thankful I was able to track down some medicine that killed them all. I was waking up every day with more and more bites, I thought it was just in my bed, but nope we washed everything and I still was getting more bites, but not just in the night time, during the day as well . I feel like having flees puts my frumpiness to a new level ha-ha.

The other day my companion told me she is learning how to be serious and responsible thanks to my example. . . . Wow. . . . I'm pretty sure no one has ever used the words Serious or Responsible to describe me. It can only be one of two things. Either she thinks I'm serious because she has never had a north American companion and isnt use to the cultural difference . . . or I am getting super weird. All I know is she has me worried that Im getting lame! Am I getting Lame? If I come home serious, lame and frumpy you all have to promise to help me.

Well thats about all I have to report for this week.

I love you all! Thanks for your letters. If you dont get a letter back in about two or three weeks that probably means I never got your letter so you should write me again! I love you all.

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

September 10, 2012

¿Que tal Familia y mis Patas?

How are things going.

 

Life is good here. I don't have a lot of time to write. We got to the internet late because we were teaching Jack in the Morning. He is getting ready for his baptism this Saturday! I'm super excited! It's been a really great experience teaching him. He is making some BIG changes in his life. I pray that the members in our ward will help him in this process instead of holding his past against him. I think sometimes as members of the church we read amazing stories about repentance like Alma the Younger who went from destroying the church to being a great missionary and we think wow! The Lord really is amazing. He can change anyone but then when it comes to the situations in our daily lives we aren't willing to help the Lord make a miracle in someone else's life. Jack really is a great man. And He has a long Journey ahead of him that will not end with baptism. I really hope the ward will support him in this Journey.

 

I'm with my new companion. Hermana Venegas, de Columbia. She is wonderful. Super sweet. SUPER SWEET. Sometimes I feel bad cuz I'm just not that sweet or loving ha-ha.

 

We had a really fun activity where the ward got dressed up in ropa tipica de Peru and did dances from all the different areas. It was really beautiful. I love the rich culture they have here.

 

Well things are going well. We found a family new family to teach. They have to travel a long way to get to church and all the activities. I'm excited it's a family with two sons. Hopefully we can get them all baptized. This country needs more good men and our ward needs more priesthood.

 

I'm happy and healthy!

I love you all!

Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

Pictures

My Zone

September 3, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos!

What a week! This week on the 31st Elder D Todd Christofferson from the quorum o the 12 apostles came and spoke to the missionaries in Lima Peru. It was really wonderful. I didn't know that he could speak Spanish! It was really uplifting.  I couldn't help but laugh because I remember a year ago on the 31st of August I was home in Syracuse and I threw two epic parties in one night.  One unforgettable bridal shower for my Cousin Maddy and then a Tragically wonderful Birthday party for Courtney and this year I spent the 31st in Peru on a mission, listening to an apostle ha-ha. It's crazy how things can change in just one year. Sadly we didn't get to shake his hand or anything but it was still really cool. What I was really looking forward to was seeing Hermana Boyer and Hermana Gee, but sadly I think they both must be en el Selva right now because neither of them were there. But you know who I did see, Janae's roommate ha-ha. I don't remember her name and I couldn't take to her because she was super far away but we saw each other from a distance, it took me a while to figure out who she was but when I did I was super excited.

This week was filled with ups and downs. But on the good side Jack is still excited for the 15th of September and Elais says he wants to get baptized on the 30th of September. I'm still not sure if Elais will just keep saying this at the end of the next month and then the next month, but we will stick with him for one more month. He is starting to form friendships with some of the men his age in the ward. I think it will help him feel more confident about his choice to get baptized. We are focusing a lot in the Book of Mormon. He is so funny. He still doesn't like the Book of Mormon because it's not the Bible but yesterday when we taught him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith Repentance Baptism ect) and we did it by reading one verse in the Bible and then Another in the Book Of Mormon. At the end of the Lesson he understood the purpose of the two testimonies of Jesus Christ a lot better and he admitted he liked the Book of Mormon, but he likes the Bible more ha-ha. He is so stubborn, but what can you expect from a 75 year old man.

Hermana Lisarazo leaves for Mexico tonight. I'm bummed. I really will miss her and all her crazy habits and silly stories, but I know the Lord always has his purposes. I'm thankful that I had the six weeks with her that I had. I'm also super excited for my new companion. Hermana Venegus. She is my friend from the CCM. She is from Columbia and is super sweet. I bet she will teach me a lot! I'm excited!

All in all it was a good week! We are just pushing along trying to improve this area of Santa Isabel and I know we can do it. We just have to help the members see the potential that this area has and once they do and get more excited, the other things will really start picking up!

I love you all! Thanks for your love and support!
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart

August 27, 2012

Hola Familia y Amigos. ¿Como la va?

Things are coming along here in Santa Isabel. We having been TURNING THIS AREA UPSIDE DOWN!! Seriously. I have faith in this area and  in these members. I think there is a lot of potential in this area. We just have to find a way to help the members feel that way. I think we can do it. We have been working really had to involve the members in the missionary work and I think it's starting to help the area.

Elais didn't come to church this week. That was sad. We taught him about the Book of Mormon and he wasn't sure he could accept it.   But  after I started reading passage after passage to him to show him that it truly is another testament of Jesus Christ, he loved it all but when I said Elais everything I just read to you is from the Book of Mormon he looked at me and said "Well then I don't believe it." I have such a testimony of the power that the Book of Mormon has. It has the power to Change lives, it brings people closer to Christ than any other book and if someone can humbly read this testament of Jesus Christ there is no way that it won't change their life and touch their soul. But the key is having an open heart. We haven't dropped Elais and I hope that he won't get cold to the whole idea, but we will have to see.

But this week we found a really awesome guy named Jack. We meet him contacting and he told us in la mismo contact that he "Knows that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is True." He has lots of friends and family who are members and he got baptized ten years ago, but after he got baptized he saw a member of the church drinking and because of that he never got confirmed to receive the Holy Ghost. But he says he has been thinking a lot about going back o church and he doesn't believe it was coincidence that we knocked on his door. He came to church yesterday, he is reading The Book of Mormon and he has a baptism date for the 15th of September.

The only sad thing is that Hermana Lisarazo won't be here to see his baptism. She has her visa and will be leaving for Mexico next Monday. I'm super bummed. I really love Hermana Lisarazo. I'm so thankful that I had such a positive hard working companion for these 6 weeks. Santa Isabel isn't a walk in the park, but thankfully with My companion we were really able to get some work done and the area is progressing.

I just want to end by tell you all that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true and that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints really does have the fullness of the gospel. I know God Lives and Loves us. I´ve come to see on my mission that God has a plan, and when it seems like things are out of control we need to remember that God always has it under control. Trust in him. I think that's when we are the happiest. Put all your trust in the Lord and he will lead and guide you.

I love being a missionary! Not every day is Sunshine and Butterflies. Honestly the bad days outnumber the good, but there are moments that are so wonderful that they make every door slam, every blister, ever frustration worth it all. I can't believe I have been gone for ten months! It's crazy how fast time flies!

I love you all. I feel like I should remind you all to write me letters cuz Id love to know how you are doing but seeing that the post office is still on strike I'm not sure there is a purpose. But HEY!! Dear Elders get to me. So don't forget about me! Write me at Dear Elders!! Just go to dearelder.com, write a missionary, select mission (Peru Lima West), write a letter,  It is free so please write!!!

I love you all!
Hermana Sadie Jean Taggart