Monday, October 29, 2012

Moving

I am sorry I haven't written a post, we have just moved and we are in packing, next Monday I will post about the first day in the new ward. Check back!

Monday, October 22, 2012

Visiting Teachers

When my visiting teachers first contacted me to meet me a few months after we moved into the ward, I was so nervous. I didn't know what to expect, I'd never had the visiting teachers over before.
I was so nervous when they came, but wow.
I love my visiting teachers, Bryan and I are moving this week, and I am SO sad to leave them! They have been so helpful to me. They have made such a difference in my life, and really helped me stay active in the church with Bryan working Sundays all the time.
I am so grateful for my visiting teachers, I hope I can make an influence on another sisters life, like they have mine. Thank you Kimmi and Emily.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Great Talk

"http://www.lds.org/ensign/2009/02/succeeding-as-a-new-convert?lang=eng

I love this talk, it is so true, and just what a convert needs to hear.
I wish that ALL wards would remember this article, when they get a new
convert into their ward.

An Honest Heart-Richard M. Siddoway

I read a great book recently, it is called An Honest Heart it is an easy read
probably written for the teenage reading level. I didn't care, this book is
so wonderful, about a young girls hard life, and how it changes when she
meets 2 sister missionaries.
If you read or have read this book, share your
thoughts with me, I'd love to hear what
you have to say.

Monday, October 15, 2012

Book of Mormon

Right now, I am so focused on reading the Book of Mormon,
my goal is to finish it by New Years Eve this year.
 Over the past couple of months, I have realized how much it helps you
to understand the scriptures if you read EVERY DAY,
I get so much more out of my scriptures if I read every day,
sometimes I read twice a day, (with Bryan studying for school all of the time),
sometimes, I read a page, other times I read twenty or more pages, it varies;
but I read every day!

I challenge you all to read every day.

It keeps you focused on what is really important in life, I also find myself
 understanding the stories better when I read everyday.
 Invite the Spirit into your heart, home, car and read everyday.
I found a great book at Deseret Book that I purchased that is
very helpful guide in studying the scriptures.
It is called, The Book of Mormon Companion this book introduces every new character in every chapter, it gives a summary of each chapter, and also gives the chapters main theme.
I LOVE THIS BOOK! it will definetly be one that I keep on the bookshelf for reference, are also many internet sites you can find that are helpful.
on lds.org you can find great resources to help with the Book of Mormon
Listening to the Book of Mormon as you follow along reading is also helpful to some people.
You can download the Book of Mormon for free on iTunes.

Happy Reading!!


Sunday, October 14, 2012

The Right Direction

I recently met a lady in my ward, she was telling me about herself,
and I learned that her husband in a convert, who is not active in the church.
 They were married civilly, and have been married for 5 years and they are
not yet sealed in the temple together.

She attends Gospel Principles with me, she attends this class to help teach
 her husband about the gospel at home. When I heard this story, it made me
so grateful for my own testimony. As a convert of a little over a year,
my husband, Bryan, his work schedule does not allow him to attend
church on Sundays with me. I still attend every Sunday, all three hours.
It gave me reassurance that I am on the right track to eternal life.
I know that Heavenly Father wants Bryan and I to be sealed,
I know that if we keep working towards it, it will happen.
It may not happen as soon as we want, but it will happen.
In between conference sessions on Sunday, they played a short video
about the new Brigham City temple, in the video, it talked about
a couple who had been married for 58 years and they were not
sealed in the temple yet, they worked very hard to be ready for
the temple, and they were the first couple sealed in the new
Brigham City temple. This strengthened my testimony,
I know that we will be sealed, just because those around me
are getting sealed right now, doesn't mean that Bryan and I
are supposed to, as long as we are living the gospel I know
that Heavenly Father will point us in the direction he wants
 us to be, and he will not lead us astray. For any of you
 that are in our same situation the best advice I have for
 you is to keep looking forward, and keep following the
 commandments, heavenly father will bless you as you
walk your path towards the temple. That is my testimony
 to you, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Friday, October 12, 2012

Conference October 2012

Here are some quotes I loved from October LDS General Conference

"Our message is one of faith and hope in the Savior Jesus Christ"- Boyd K. Packer

"Take his hand, and with him enter in"-Boyd K. Packer

"The Lord is in the details of our lives"-Thomas S. Monson

"Become the person Heavenly Father wants us to be"- Dieter Uchtdorf

"We determine our happiness"- Dieter Uchtdorf

"Find happiness regarding circumstances"- Dieter Uchtdorf

"I pray we will not wait until we are ready to die, before we truly learn to live"-Dieter Uchtdorf

Dieter Uchtdorf is my favorite, his talks always speak to me, my favorite talk of his was the Saturday morning session, "Of Regrets and Resolutions"

I want to hear some of your favorite quotes and talks.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Conference Countdown

Tomorrow is the start of the LDS General Conference October session. I can't even tell you how excited I get about conference. It seriously my favorite time. I love hearing the counsel of the Prophet and apostles. Every conference i've watched since I began investigating has always had talks jump out at me, always saying just what I needed to hear. I always say a prayer and I keep a notebook with me while I watch/listen to conference. I know the speakers will have great messages, just listen with the Spirit and I know that it will guide you in any bit of trouble you have or are having in your life.


I hope you all have a wonderful conference weekend. I would love to hear your thoughts on the upcoming conference. Feel free to comment, or email me.
-Taylor

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Our Search for Happiness

A few months ago, Bryan gave me a book to read that a member of a ward from his mission
gave him. The book is called, Our Search for Happiness, by M. Russell Ballard.
I read this book in two days, it is so good, it helped myself as a convert understand the
gospel a lot better. It is a great book for non-members of the LDS church, new members, young adults, adults, or those becoming active again.  If you want a quick read, I highly suggest this book. If you know someone looking into the church, or needed help and guidance in the church suggest they read this book.
The book covers it all, The book of Mormon, The restoration of the gospel, and articles of faith, just to name a few.

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Baptism Day

August 20th 2011

I woke up on August 20th so excited!! Bryan came over and we got all ready and ate breakfast with my family. My baptism was at 4pm, I was so excited all day long. We went to the church at 3pm, and my good friend Jaclyn and her husband Brian met us there, Jaclyn was helping me change after the dunking. Everyone started coming in, I went and changed into my jumpsuit (the adult one was too big so I had to wear a kid one) and Bryan changed into his white attire. We took some pictures with friends and family, and people started pouring in.We first sat in the room, and Bryan gave a talk n baptism, and he did an experiment with water, food coloring and bleach, the water was me, and the food coloring was all of my sin, ( ha ha), and the bleach was the baptism making me clean again. Well, he put too much food coloring in, and it turned pink, so everyone was joking about how I was so bad that I couldn't be all the way clean. My friend Melissa gave the talk on the holy ghost, she did such a great job.  We went into the bathrooms next to the font and Jaclyn came with me. Bryan had given me the low down and we had "practiced" that morning on what to do.

We stepped into the font and Bryan took my hand and said
"Taylor Janiel Rampton, Having been commissioned of Jesus Christ, I
baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen"

Then he dunked me.

I came up out of the waters of baptism, and it was a feeling that I will never forget,
I felt the most amount of peace that I've ever felt in my whole life.

I was so happy. I reached over and gave Bry a huge hug. I stepped out of the font and gave Jaclyn a huge hug as we are both crying because we are so happy. Jaclyn helped me change my clothes and then I went back into the room.
My dad stood up and I gave him a huge hug. I am glad that my parents were happy for me. After the program, so many people were coming up and hugging me, and telling me congratulations, some people that I had never met before. Bryans aunt and uncle even came down from Weber county and had only met me two times. My whole family was there, my parents, brother, grandparents and aunt and uncle and 2 cousins.  It was an experience that I will never ever forget, and neither will Bryan. I am so glad I asked him to baptize me, we have a special bond, that other marriages don't have.

Bry and I in our whites before the baptism

My amazing supportive family

Minging after the baptism

How I became an Investigator Part 3

I continued attending church, and studying the scriptures and meeting with the missionaries,
I also attended institute at the DATC where I met Brother Harding, he is such an amazing teacher,
and he really taught me about the gospel. It was now July and Bryan and I had just been talking about how I wanted to tell my parents that I was going to be baptised in August, I had said a prayer and asked the holy ghost to help guide me for the perfect time to tell them. We were sitting down to dinner one night and my mom says, "So Tay, when are you going to get baptised" I was SO happy, and I told her that I wanted to be baptized in August. I immediatly looked right at my dad after this, and he told me that as long as I was happy that they were happy and they would be at my baptism and support me.

August 18th
My baptismal interview
We were told to meet the missionaries at the stake center for my interview, when Bry and I got there the missionaries informed us that it was locked! So the missionaries made some phone calls, and we ended up driving to Centerville to meet a different missionary who gave me the interview. I was really nervous, but I don't know why. I remember when I walked out, I looked at Bry and I gave him a thumbs up and said "I passed." Everyone was laughing. I remember going to bed that night so excited for the next day.