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Hey,

so that i remember to tell you-- got the package. that shirt is pretty sweet. thanks for sending it to me.

sounds like a busy time. i know how meetings with ward councils and things like that go. sounds time consuming. i hope that you are doing alright trying to get through that schedule that you have going. sounds pretty tough.

im glad that you spend time with katie. she will need someone to talk to as she learns more and more about the Church. there is a lot to learn.

this week has been interesting. i was on exchanges in other areas on two of our most important teaching days. so... for some of our people, i only know what Elder Catanach has told me.

Elder Catanach is doing awesome. he is so on board with trying things that are difficult to him and learning how to be more efficient and a stronger teacher. some things are difficult to do for younger missionaries like getting rid of mormon norwegian, going on exchange in your own area, engaging investigators as you teach, and pulling an equal load. he is doing his best in all of those areas and it amazes me how the Lord makes up the difference for him sometimes. he improves so much every day that he is out here. this might sound weird with me not being with him very long but i am so proud of him. it isnt easy for him and he is pushing through it.

its funny being in a leadership position and i got to see some of this with Elder Gibbons but a good portion of your thoughts and efforts go to building missionaries almost like they are investigators. i have a couple in my district who are struggling. one because he feels he isnt good enough at being a missionary and one who doesnt want to be here. it is interesting to get to work with them and have a new perspective.

Elder Catanach has told me that Henry is working on hiring a reliever for weekends and he could be able to go to Church as soon as next week although that is a bit optomistic. lots of people looking for jobs though so it shouldnt be too long before henry can go with us.

Elder Catanach also has told me that we have picked up a new investigator who kept his appointment with us and wants us to come back.

no major progress that i am aware of anywhere else.

i am working on making a template family mission plan that i will commit families here to build off of. that should get the work going faster if they will chip in some.

still working with lots of potential investigators. found a ton in the last two weeks and we are working on pinning them down. have a good week.


Grandma: Hi Grandma. i cannot believe that we are on email 40. i also have difficulty believing lots of time markers and things that have happened.

we are doing lots of splits with the other Elders. i have only 4 left over this week and next week. i am ready to be done. next transfer if i am still here i will get to start doing them earlier and they will be less headache.

for meals, we usually only eat lunch and breakfast at the apartment and we have poptarts, cereal, sandwiches, and simple stuff like eggs and bacon or microwaveable stuff. when we dont have dinners i do like to try cooking. i make BLT's, bacon cheeseburgers, spaghetti, pretty simple stuff.

i hope gabe and braden are getting better. i cannot believe that caleb and mandy are in school! we are getting a bit older as a family.

Grandpa: happy birthday Grandpa!

we all have certainly been blessed as you said. sounds like you have been busy with all the things that you have going on. do you get to be at the presentation where they show it to the general welfare committee?

sometimes i am amazed when i find new layers to the gospel as you said. i feel like i have learned a few this transfer. i just keep learning that it is true as it says in the scriptures that "as many as I love I rebuke and chasten." that is the whole Plan of Salvation, to be put through hard times so that we can learn. Heavenly Father loves us too much to make things easy for us. i have really realized this in my training of Elder Catanach. if i didnt love him i wouldnt throw him into or leave him in difficult situations. he learns way more if i make him stretch. i could make the work go much smoother by doing everything myself. but that was satan's plan, to take away agency. i am amazed at what Heavenly Father has taught me and others out here. the mission truly is as Elder Holland told us in the MTC, 'God's greatest gift to a 19 year old'.

i hope you have a good week.

Love your favorite missionary,

Elder Taylor Barron