Basically I'm the worst but #Mishlyfehappes

Editor's Note: Ariana and her companion, Sister Leon, got permission today to go to the New York City Temple today. So rather than a full p-day to do everything they usually do, they had 1/2 day to do it. As a result this is all we got today:

Basically since I have no time this week, for my weekly email will you just kind of explain that I'm doing okay but that I just didn't really have time to email and that I will make sure to get a big group one out next week? 

Thanks. I love you guys!!

Ariana did answer some questions, so we'll use that as her letter this week. I'll put her answers in BOLD so you know which words are hers.

1. Tell me a funny story.

A random guy came up to us on the bus last week, called Sister Leon royalty, and then kissed my hand. 

2. What's the weirdest thing you've eaten this week? So far in your mission? 

We don't really eat weird things.... but maybe the fried bananas? But they are really good.

3. How many cat calls did you get this week? 

Not as many but less because the weather has been colder 

4. What shoes are you wearing now? Still boots? 

Yeah boots every day all day [Evidenced by what she is wearing in the picture below]

5. How's the Spanish coming? 

Poco a Poco [That's little by little for you non Spanish speakers.]

6. Is your apartment clean? 

YES hahahaha because I live there 

7. Have you run out of anything? 

No, luckily. Well besides hot water but its not like you guys control that. 

How often to do you run out of hot water?  

Every day. We just usually don't have it. Basically since I have been on my mission I have gotten used to showers without hot water. 

Well, you've got what we got. I'm sure we'll get a good letter next week, but the Temple was more important today. Shouldn't it always be? 

Ariana's Ghost Writer. 

This is from the APF  we did on a Saturday with members from the ward. 

What does APF stand for? 

No one knows. APF is just when we do street contacting with a theme 

My Trainer is either Brooke Shields or Mary Poppins ☔⛈

Hey everybody!

So pretty sure that Spring is actually bipolar because the weather here in New York City has been a mess. 

I thought I knew what Harlem was like and then Friday and Saturday happened. I literally felt like we were living in a sauna. Plus what I didn't realize is that people usually stay indoors when it's cold but the second that it's warm, all of the Harlem Crazies come out. Just out of currousity I counted how many times my companion and I were cat called at on Saturday morning... yep. About 17 times. Yay!! That afternoon we did a APF (basically where our district gets together, we pick a place out on the street and we hand out Book of Mormons). Usually they are super fun. This one was a little different. My companion and I were standing in the shade, trying (unsuccessfully) to not get sunburnt and this random guy came up to us, pointed at my companion and said he used to cast famous people in movies and that she looks like Brooke Shields. Shout out to the Elders who had our backs and heard what was going on, got the guys contact info (because refferals are life), and successfully got the man to leave my poor companion alone. Good times.

Sunday and Monday Mother Nature thought it would be funny if she soaked 2 sister missionaries in their big snow coats. Turns out that snow coats are not the greatest rain coats. Sunday night we had some good ole tracting scheduled in. Before we left the apartment, we looked outside and it just looked really windy and cold so we put on our winter coats. Um. Mistake-ish. The second we stepped outside we realized that it was actually pouring rain on top of the wind and cold. By the time we made it to the first potentioals door, we were both so so soaked. The lady that answered the door took one look at us and then asked us if it was raining. We were all "well yeah... it's raining hahah" and then she was like "where is your umbrella?!?" Basically long story short she gave us this chinese looking umbrella and told us we are more than welcome to come back (yay for new investigators!). The second that we went back into the pouring rain... miserable. Leon put the umbrella up because it physically hurt to have each rain drop hit our face and the second that she did that.... SHE TURNED INTO MARY POPPINS. Legit the wind blew and she got blown back so far it was literally like watching the movie.

We also had zone conference this past week. It was SO cool. Sister Bingham, Sister Franco, and Sister Cordon (they are all General leaders in the church) stopped by on their way to a meeting at the U.N. to talk to my Zone. One thing that I really loved that sister Bingham said was "Don't give up a minute of your mission or maybe even better, don't give up a minute of your life." Sometimes life is hard and we have to go through things that seem almost unfair. Sometimes we find ourselves wondering why bad things have to happen to good people. Heavenly Father has got this. So don't give up a minute of your life. Go and be happy! Go dance in that rainstorm (or snowstorm bc spring), climb that mountain, and finish that one thing on your to-do list that has been sitting there for ages. 

I love you all. To those of you who are taking finals in the next few weeks: Bueno Suerte!

Con Amor,

Hermana Taylor 

- We took wayyyy too many flights of stairs the other day. When we finally found a building that had a elevator in it we were so happy that we had to take a selfie 

- Pretty sure this courtyard of this building straight up belongs in Les Miserables

- Sometimes you're downtown and you see the Empire State building and sometimes there are random houses made out of green stones... 

Some People's Children

Hey eveyone!

I hope that things are going okay for you all. This past week was one of the coolest weeks of my life. (which I know that I say that pretty much every week but every week just gets cooler and cooler so sorry, not sorry) 

Oh my-lanta one of our investigators who is 8 years old got so excited when we taught her about the celestial kingdom and how we can live with our families for eternity. So the Dominican People have a tendency to give us orange juice every time we have a lesson with them. So here we are, teaching 8 and 9 year old about the celestial kingdom when the grandmother brings us some OJ and the little girl jumps up, grabs the OJ

from her grandma, hands each of us a glass and then proceeds to toast Jesus Christ.... ahahaha!!! Then one of the other little kids asked us if we could bring him a picture of Jesus Christ so he could hang it up in his room. Of couse my comp and I brought him one the next lesson and then he goes "YESSSS. Now I can go and pray to my Jesus Picture every night." Clearly the next lesson with them will be the commandments ahaha. 

Even though we may not pray to pictues of Jesus or toast him with our glasses of orange juice, we can still be grateful for him and His atonement. If you are going through something hard right now, follow President Nelson's advice in his talk about Personal Revelation. Heavenly Father wants to help you if you will let him.

I love you all! Have a super wonderful week. 

Con Amor

Hermana Taylor

- Some of the cutest investigators ever to have lived

- Madison Square Gardens. Just happened to pass it as we were on our way to an appointment.

- The 9/11 memorial was so cool! 

And Then There Were 2

Hey everyone!

I made it to my second transfer in the field! So something super insane happened. Basially long story short, my area doubled in size and now my companion and I are over the entire Manhattan Island! We have a lot of work to do but we are so excited to see what we can get done here. 

I hope that you all had a great Easter and that you had the chance to watch General Conference. President Nelson is really such a good person and he will be an amazing prophet. He already is! Plus his humor. Did anyone else just die when he straight up laughed at the fact that Layton is getting a temple? #forceface Something super cool that happened at conference was that we had not one, not two, but SIX investigators come and watch it with us! I love being a missionary and getting to be with these people. 

A super cool miracle that happend this past week was that my investigator that is paralized on the left side of her body 1. made it to the church to watch general conference 2. she accepted the invitation to be baptized on May 13th and 3. about 5 minutes after she accepted the invitation to be baptized her paralized left foot started to move around a little!!! We all freaked out! Miracles are so real. 

I love you all. Have a great week and know that I am praying for you!

Con Amor,

Hermana Taylor 

- Post General Conference Lyfeee

- The World Trade Center (visited the 9-11 memorial last P-Day)

- Hermana Leon's Birthday!