ELDER GULL'S CALIFORNIA ADVENTURE

Friday, December 2, 2011

11-26-11


hey, im good and everything is going good for me. My Thaksgiving was really good we went to the relief society president inthe wards house for thanksgiving and got fed a lot i was surprised they didnt have to roll me out, with how much i ate.  :). i like my new area it is pretty small, and we have a car which is good cause the area goes up the side of the mountain which wouldnt be real fun to bike up.  the boundaries of the area are from foothill to the side of the mountain and amethyst to haven. its a really skinny area. my companion is elder crozer he is from bountiful/woods cross. he was been out for about 3 months and i am his second companion. so i am follow up traning him, which isnt anything special.  he was already in this area which i good couse i would have been really lost if we both would have come into the area together. it is weird to be the senior companion now, cause i am the one making all the desicions but at the same time i like it cause it shows that president has some trust im me.  i was sad that i was having to move right before thanksgiving but i really like this ward. the people are really friendly, even though i felt like they were judging me yesterday to see if i would be a good missionary. they have had some really not so good missionaries in the ward and so i am having to work extra hard to build their trust, which is fine by me cause i really like to work hard. the building that i go to for church is the hillside building. it is the biggest churchi have been to on my mission but our church back home is still bigger.  i actually spaced that it was my birthday until a few days ago cause i have been working so hard that i really havent been thinking about it. and the weather here is so different than it is back home that it doesnt even feel like christmas. its kinda weird to see christmas lights on palm trees. i miss the snow and the cold. i kinda wanted to go to the mountains this transfer, but heavenly father had different plans for me. i dont know what those plans are but i hope i can find out.  so to answer your question of what i want ffor christmas and my birthday. i really dont know i will be fine with anything that you give me. i guess i could use some more socks caue the one s that i have are almost a dark blure instead of black. other than that i dont know. sorry :(.  well sorry this wasnt very long i dont know what else to write. hopefully i will get to talk to you also. its weird to think that in a couple more weeks i will get to call home and a couple more after that i will have been out for a year its crazy how fast time is going by. hope everything is going good back home. im sorry to hear about grannie that ghas to be really hard, ill keep praying for her, and maybe that will help.

Love You,
Elder Taylor T. Gull

Monday, November 21, 2011

November 21, 2011

hey
this week was pretty good i found out on saturday that i am going to be gettign transferred tomorrow. i didnt really want to leave but i know that i am needed wherever i am going next. on saturday me and my companion went up to lake arrowhead to help the elders and the sisters in running springs with a devotional that they were putting on up there. right before the meeting started the arrowhead elders got a call from president godwin saying that he was on his way up but because of the fog being so thick they couldnt find their way on the 18. so they went and guided them to the church building, but while they were gone it was our turn to sing the song that we had practiced to sing. so it was just me my companion and the sister missionaries singing instead of the 6 of us, but i think it still sounded fine. after the meeting got finished president godwin pulled me aside and asked me if i was ready to become a senior companion cause there was a missionary that needed some help and he thought that i was the one that could do it. so this next transfer i am going to be a senior companion i am kinda nervous. it good to hear that everyone is doing good. i dont think i am going to get on facebook anymore cause i get distracted for the rest of the week when i get on. i have only seen connie a couple time but i am going over to say bye to her and her husband. i still ahave a little cough and i am still coughing up phlem but i am doing better. i got my whole apartment sick so i kinda feel bad for that. but i have given elder slaughter a blessing so hell be ok. i hope i get to talk to you today.
Love,
Elder Taylor T. Gull

Friday, July 22, 2011

7-18-11

DearJessie, 

          It's crazy all the things that have happened since last year. Hard to believe that one year ago I didn't really have a testimony and you were trying to help me come back to church. I will never forget the night that we sat on your back porch talking and looking through your EFY book. And then I pushed you into the little kiddie pool later in the week. :) I am also glad for making the final decision to go on a mission. It's crazy to think of all the blessings that will come from this. Even now I can feel some changes happening. I talk to more people than I used to when I was home. I am learning so much and I am helping people come to Christ, and make HUGE changes in their lives. Speaking of which, crazy as it sounds but the next 5 weeks me and my companion have 4 baptismal dates set and it looks like they will all get baptized. The hike last week was really fun. We hiked over a bunch of rocks in a dry wash to a waterfall and a "pond" underneath it. I got sunburned during the hike. It's better now, even though it hurt for a couple days. I remembered to take my camera so I took some pictures of it. Tomorrow is transfer day. I am not getting transferred again, which is good cause I really like it where I am, even though it gets pretty hot and kinda humid. How is summer going? How is your family doing? When does senior year start up? Thanks for having confidence in me. Sorry if you can't read this, this was the only pen that I could find today.

Your Best Friend,

Elder Taylor T Gull 

Sunday, July 10, 2011

July 6, 2011

Dear Family,

How is everyone doing?  How is the summer going so far for everyone?  I hope you all are safe and having fun with whatever you are doing.  Sorry it took so long for me to write you guys back.  As for my mission, in 6 days I will have been out here for 6 months.  It is crazy how fast time is going by.  It seems like it wasn't that long ago that I said goodbye to all of you before going to the MTC.  I can't believe that I almost past up this experience by not going.  It has helped me grow more than anything else could have.  It also has helped me appreciate you guys more.  There is a member in my ward right now that is moving up to Cedar City in a couple days and last week when my companion and I had dinner with him he wanted me to tell you guys that he and his wife are grateful for the sacrifice that you guys are making while I am out here on a mission.  I am going to have another baptism tomorrow.  The lady that is getting baptized walked into church the Sunday before I came to this ward and told the missionaries who were here that her uncle told her if she ever needed a church that she should go to the Mormon church on Pacific.  We have been teaching her since I got here and have set 3 dates with her but because of things that keep coming up we had to keep pushing it back.  So it will be good to have her get baptized tomorrow cause Satan has been working really hard to prevent her from getting baptized.  I am really enjoying this area and my mission even though the heat is not fun.  I know that I am still the same Taylor, but at the same time I feel like a different person than I was before the MTC, it's really strange.  Thanks for all of the things that you have done for me in my life.  I know that I wouldn't be the person I am today if it wasn't for the example that you all set for me in my life.  That includes you too Del, Don, and Kaytie, even though you are younger than me.  I love you all.  I hope all is well.

Love ya,

Elder Taylor T. Gull

Monday, July 4, 2011

June 8, 2011

Dear Family,

How is everyone doing.  Like you all probably know I got transferred this week so I am no longer in Apple Valley anymore.  My new area is in San Bernardino serving in the 1st ward.  I am also in a car area so I am not riding my bike, at least for this transfer.  Elder Teichert my old companion stayed up in Apple Valley and is training a greenie in my old area.  My new companion is Elder Brewer.  He was a pitcher for BYU last year and he has been out on his mission for 9 months today.  I like it down here in the valley so far mostly because it is not really windy down here.  It also reminds me of home because of the mountains.  It is also really busy down here so I don't have anytime to be bored.  Yesterday I visited a couple of members, they are pretty cool people in this ward.  Do you guys know anyone from San Bernardino that you want me to visit, cause I am now in a car so I might be able to visit them.  Well I don't know what else to write.  I love you guys and miss you too.  But I stay busy so I don't really get home sick anymore.  I can't believe that in 4 days I will be out on my mission for 5 months.  It's crazy how fast time flies.  Write back soon.  

Love you guys, 
Elder Taylor T. Gull

May 24, 2011

Dear Family,

How is everyone doing first of all?  I am doing pretty good.  The only real news that I have is that the baptismal date that me and Elder Teichert had set wasn't able to go through.  Mainly because she needs her dad's permission since she is under 16.  The good news is she might get her dad's permission either after June 2nd or after July 8th.  So we still might get to baptize her.  Other news that I have is that next week I might be having a P-day either on Monday or Wednesday.  It might be Wednesday because President Goodwin will probably let us because of memorial day.  If not we might be able to use members computers so watch for on Monday.  If I don't get on Monday than watch for me to get on Wednesday.  By the way Happy Birthday Kaytie on Monday and then Happy Birthday Mom on Wednesday.  Well what is new for you guys?  Sorry Kaytie, Del, Don, and everyone else I haven't wrote a letter to recently.  I have been really busy and even right now I am writing this letter on Tuesday night cause I had no time at all to write letters yesterday.  I bought stamps yesterday because I was at the post office and figures I should buy some while I was there.  Well talk to you guys later.  Write back soon.

Love Ya Guys,
Elder Taylor T. Gull

June 23, 2011

Dear Grannie and Grampie,

How are you guys doing?  I hope that you are doing good.  Thanks for the cards and the money that you have sent me.  Sorry it has taken me so long to write you a letter back.  I don't know if you already know this, but I am not in Apple Valley anymore.  Right now I am in San Bernardino serving in the 1st ward.  I really like it here, mostly because I talk to a lot more people than I did in Apple Valley.  I got to go to Apple Valley a couple days ago to see one of the people that I taught up there get baptized.  I also got to stand in her circle as she was confirmed a member and received the hold ghost.

I really miss you guys, and wish that I could talk to you more often, but I know that I am where I am suppose to be right now.  It was really good to talk to you on Mothers Day, even though it wasn't for very long.  Hope all is going well and thanks again for the money that you sent, it had helped a lot.  Love you guys.

Your Grandson,
Elder Taylor Gull :)

Sunday, July 3, 2011

April 25, 2011

Dear Family,
 
How is everyone doing. Hope all is going good. How is the baby doing? I am doing good. I am not getting transferred this time so I will be in Apple Valley for six more weeks. I am getting a new companion though which is good cause I think me and Elder bowler have been companions for too long. We almost got a new investigator last week, but sadly the person said that they couldn't meet with us because something came up. But I will go over again with my new companion sometime this transfer so hopefully something comes from that. Me and Elder bowler tracted our entire area last transfer. The area isn't very big it is only about 3/4 mile wide by 6 miles long. But that is still a lot of houses to knock on. Mission life is pretty much the same, except for I am having a little better time since I changed my outlook on things. thanks for the package that you sent me. It is going to help out with the food that was in it. Mostly because I have no money to buy food until the first of next month. Which isn't that far away which is good. What are some new things that are going on with the family. it is exciting to hear that Kaytie qualified to go to BYU. That is really cool. From the letters that I have got from you guys sounds like a lot of things have happened since I have been out here. So I guess I am working hard enough. I hope you guys are having fun and being safe with what you do. I miss you guys but I will be able to call in just a couple weeks which will be nice. Well write back so when you can/
 
Love you guys
 
Elder Taylor T Gull
 
 
PS Sorry this letter was short. I couldn't think of some things to say. 

Feb 21, 2011

Mom and Dad
 
Thanks for the package that you guys sent me. Thanks for everything that you have given me through my life. Thank you so much for not giving up on me a few months ago when I was going through my rebellion stage. I know that if you would have given up on me I would be a completely different person than I am right now. Because I was going down hill real fast and it is only thanks to you guys and Jessie that I am the person I am now. So thank you. Also thanks for bringing me up in the Gospel and stressing the importance of going on a Mission. That is the best thing that has happened to me in my life and I have only been out a little over a month. Sorry I didn't email today but the library was closed so I couldn't get on. 
 
I Love you guys so much,
 
Elder Taylor Gull

Mission Pictures

After much asking I have finally received Elder Gull's SD card.  Here are all of his latest pictures.  














































































He is getting tall.





The sister standing next to Elder Gull is his first baptism from Apple Valley.