Elder Jackson Tait: Everyone Loves a Tie Message!

All right, first off I need to begin with saying Anna Hoer is an absolutely phenomenal female! Elder Campbell and I got home, and there was a package from Sister H. I opened it up and there lay a majestic tie. I mean, who doesn’t love a majestic tie? I saved it for Easter Sunday. Right before church I got the sudden idea of starting a daily “tie message.” When I wear my ties, I usually wear a tie clip, so I thought why not clip a message to it? I also have my typewriter and I thought, even better - I can type a daily tie clip message! So on Sunday I was walking around the Amherst Ward with a message on my tie that said “I really like this tie. Thanks Anna H.” The members of the Amherst Ward all mispronounced Anna’s last name when they read it, but they enjoyed the message! So then I thought, “Wait, why stop at recognizing amazing females on my ties when I can do daily scriptures!” Today I am walking around with Alma 32:21! It’s not that noticeable, but when I go to the grocery store I am bound to have a conversation! Anna Hoer you are causing a tie message phenomenon!

Every one loves a tie message!

Also it’s Allie D’s birthday! Wherever that female is, some one carry this message to her - “Happy Birthday! I am sending you a basketball, so you can play with your friends, shoot some hoops, make some baskets, play some defense, you know - block people or reject them! Whatever you want!”

This week was absolutely brilliant. You may not believe it, but Elder Campbell and I found out that Batman is possibly a member of the Chinese Baptist Church! So Elder Campbell and I were planning the week out when we got 2 media referrals sent to our phone. Media referrals are when people go on to Mormon.org and request a visit from the missionaries. The referral is then sent to Provo and then sent to the phone of the missionaries who live closest to the referral. Elder Campbell and I got excited to see what wonderful people were requesting us! Elder Campbell picked up the phone and read the name of the first referral. As soon as he read it, he looked up at me and started laughing. I asked what was up and he threw me the phone. The name of the referral was “Bruce Wayne”. Hey, guess what Mom! I’m teaching Batman! Maybe we'll baptize the whole city of Gotham when we are done with Sir Wayne! So we give our friend “Bruce Wayne” a call. No answer. So we jump into the missionary mobile and speed (while driving the speed limit) to the address that was listed. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! We were going to teach Batman! We arrived at the house.

I couldn’t contain myself! I think it’s Batman’s summer retreat! We knock on the door, and I couldn’t handle the intensity of the moment! Well it was anti-climactic. No answer. I was pretty sad. Maybe we could have even taught Anne Hathaway! So we hopped into the missionary mobile to our next address after being let down by Bruce Wayne . We punched the address into the GPS and made our way to meet a “Greg Mozel,” but instead of Greg we arrived at a lovely Chinese Baptist Church! Who would have thought! So the referral system still has a few flaws, BUT you never know what seeds you may plant, even with the referrals who are pranksters. So, ultimately the joke is on them!

Status report on the Judy! The black mold guy is reconstructing the bathroom this week, I am starting to feel better, and so we are staying. I talked to President Packard and I told him I was feeling better, and since the mold problem was getting fixed, we decided the best thing for the mission and the church was not to fight the lease and stay put until August. President Packard will move the Amherst Elders when August comes, as soon as possible. I might still be here, I might not. Who knows! The mold is just usually in the bathroom, but in the summer time it starts growing on clothes and other places. That just means more mold for us! So it will be exciting to see what comes up! I am feeling a lot better. Still on antibiotics, but hey, I am getting color back into my skin!

We had A great Easter yesterday. We spent it with Harry (Abindai) and Pete W and their families. The W’s are high-lar-ious! It was funny to be around them and hear their stories. Also Adam B. our investigator who is getting baptized soon was there with his brother. Adam is practically a son to Harry and his wife Patrice W. Also Patrice W is awesome! Can’t explain it, but in general the W's are amazing, and I WILL need to keep in touch with them.

After the W’s we got invited over to the C's. Brother C is a convert to the church. His daughter Crystal was over visiting from North Carolina with her husband and two young children. I am not sure if Crystal is a member, but it turns out she has been diagnosed with a fatal illness. I am not familiar with what it is in particular, but her future is unpredictable. I was sitting enjoying my second Easter dinner when Brother C grabbed me and pulled me into the other room to talk to me. Brother C told me as soon as he learned about Crystal’s medical condition, he offered to give her a priesthood blessing and she said she only wanted to receive one if the Elders were there. I am sure you can predict what came next. Brother C then asked me if I would seal the anointing and give the blessing. I immediately agreed, but I also immediately started to quiver and shake knowing that in no less than one minute I would be using the authority and power of God to bless a child of his who was ill - and I would be relaying to Crystal the words God wanted her to hear and know. Fear rushed through me that I would speak words that were only hopeful thoughts of what I wanted for Crystal. I wanted to speak the words of the Lord, not my thoughts. These were the thoughts rapidly accumulating in my head in the minute before giving Crystal her blessing. Then it was time to proceed with the ordinance. As Brother C, his step son, and Elder Campbell placed their hands on the head of Crystal, my worries and concerns were still ringing in my head. But, as soon as I placed my hands on Crystal’s head the noise in my head immediately ceased. As I took a breath I felt time and everything surrounding me slow down. This was my first priesthood blessing in which I was the mouthpiece of the Lord. As I breathed in, instantly the words of the Lord flowed out through my mouth and into the ears of Crystal. I will never be able to explain in words the connection I had with the Lord at that moment. There were many thoughts that were revealed to me as I saw what Crystal could become and the growth she would experience in the future. The thoughts and words that came to me were sacred and strengthened my testimony of the Priesthood. As soon as I closed the blessing, I couldn't even remember what I had said. I was only the voice of the Lord who was the one truly speaking. I could not have asked for a better Easter.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful Easter as well.

With Love, Elder Tait