December 8th update

Taylor had a great day, as he took some of his investigators to the place of the restoration of the priesthood. He said it was a powerful experience as they had a prayer, and the spirit was so strong. He said they really felt the spirit and it made him think how special it was to be able to take their investigators to the exact spot where the priesthood was restored. It was a great day!

The primary children brought them a Christmas tree, and they were touched by this sweet jesture. His whole district is going to his place for a sleep over on Christmas Eve. He said it will be a Christmas to Remember!

He said he has seen more miracles this last couple of months then he has seen in his whole mission. He is loving the work, and seeing the hand of the Lord in the work.

His address is Elder Taylor Russell
1234 Main Street apt. #3
Peckville, PA 18452
Thanks for all your love and support!

Scranton News from Dec. 1st

Taylor writes that they had another productive and sucessful week. they had their first Stake President Correlation meeting with President Dunford. He said it was an awesome meeting and he learned so much about how the Church really works. He thinks President Dunford and President Pugh are some of the finest men he has ever had the opportunity to know.

They were fortunate enough to be invited to the Petersons for Thanksgiving, who are an older couple that have a beautiful home up in the mountains. During dinner, there were 10 deer and 10 wild turkeys that showed up and stood right up next to the house. He said they played a little football with the other 6 missionaries from his area and the investigators the "Rays". They are still working towards their baptismal date on the 20th of December.

He went out on exchange with the zone leaders up in Montrose...(which is up on the New York border). He said that part of the mission really struggles, as there are few people to teach. This is where the restoration site is. After their work, they had set a family with a date and taught 6 other lessons, and found 6 new gators!!! He said they were really blessed and excited about the progress.

He gets to call in 3 weeks, and we are really excited to hear his voice, and hopefully share in some more sweet experiences. He sounds like a changed man, and is actively involved in a great cause. He would love to hear from everyone for Christmas.

His address is: Elder Taylor Russell
1234 Main St apt. 3
Peckville, Pa 18452

News from Scratton, PA

Taylor has had an exciting 2 weeks, as he was transfered to Scratton as the new Zone leader. He is feeling a little over whelmed going from managing a district, to managing a Zone! He is the youngest Zone leader, and he said it gets hard telling the Elders what they need to do, to be productive missionaries. President Pugh has high expectations, and as a result, they are working hard and having great sucess. President Pugh gives each new Zone leader one of his personal ties. He had Taylor open it in front of all the Zone leaders at their conference, and it was a very RED tie!!! There was a little bantering over the Utah/BYU football game! (You guesssed it, President Pugh is a big Utah Fan!) They had a little bet on the game, and unfortunately, they didn't get to hear or watch the game and had been in interviews all day. At the end of the day, President Pugh called to inform Taylor of the score, and their little bet! Taylor needs to wear the RED tie for the remainder of this transfer!!! What a blow!!! I told him at least he will be "Festive" for the Christmas holidays!!! That's what he get's for betting!!!

They had a tremendous week with 3 huge highlights!
1. They are woking with the Rae family They are teaching 4 high school age kids, who Taylor just loves. They gave some great lessons, and they all came to church on Sunday and filled the entire Pew! He said it was a great blessing to see this entire family at church, and they are all committed to be baptized on December 20th.
2. He said he felt impressed to tract a street named Mott Street. They were unsucessful to find one investigator on the street. At the end of the day, he saw a woman walking across the street to the Beauty Salon. He ran across the street and began talking to her. She said she was late for work, and couldn't talk, but he persisted! She said.."Are you one of those Mormons?" When he said yes, she said...Come tonight to my home, and I will talk with you. He found out her son lives in Washington State, and is a member and has been sealed in the Washington Temple. She said she talked with her son and he said, he prayed everyday she would find the missionaries and become a memeber. Her husband just passed away, and she has commited to be baptized on Dec. 20th as well ! He said it is going to be a white Christmas!!!! You think????
3. They recieved a call from the Church call center from someone seeking more information about the church. When he called, it was a Baptist misister who was teaching a class of 30 graduating students from the Ministry. They were learning about the Mormons, and asked if they would attend the class and teach theses students about the church? He was really worried, as most often they want to Bible bash, so he called President, and he told them to go. It was an amazing experience. They taught for 2 hours, and then they fed them lunch, and asked them back the next week for another 2 hour discussion. He said it was an amzaing experience, and the question of the day was...Can a Baptist inherit the Celestial Kingdom? He said it was awesome...and they really felt blessed, and learned alot!

This is all in a two week time period...and we are excited to get our update on Monday to see what else is going on. Needless to say...we feel blessed and great ful for the wonderful missionary experiences he is experiencing.

He would love to hear from all of you. Please write him, or drop him a Christmas note. It keeps him going, and we apprecaite all your love and suport.

His address is: Elder Taylor Russell
1234 Main St. apt #3
Peckville, Pa 18452

Or you can e-mail him at trussell@myldsmail.net

News from Elder Russell

Taylor is currently serving in the Waynesboro, PA area. It is about 15 miles from the Gettysburg area, and very close to the Maryland border. He is still the district leader, and training a new missionary which is keeping him busy! They were thrilled to have 4 baptisms the middle of September. A darling mother and Father, and son, and another young man in his 20's. It truly was a highlight to expeience, and Taylor was very greatful for the opportunity to teach these wonderful people. He is haveing some great teaching experiences as he trains and works with the missionaries of his district, and has seen profound blessing as they have been led to 6 new gators in 2 days!!! The Lord truly blesses those who work hard! Taylor spent his 20th birthday on a mission tour with Elder Zwick who had come to observe their mission. He said Elder Zwick was awesome and told some funny stories about President Hinkley. He said he was on a spiritual high, and it was a special birthday...unlike any he had ever experienced before! His letters are getting smaller and smaller, and he claims he has little or no computer time to write, but promises to send a tape soon to fill us in on all the details. His family sent him a birthday box with a huge birthday banner. All of the nieces and nephews and even the dog, put their hand prints, footprints, and paw prints on it with a few fun comments! He also received some updated family pictures to see how big the kids were getting! (He loved the note about our future Hawaii family reunion December of 2009...He said it was his favorite part!!!) Time flys when your having fun....so I guess we are!! Taylor loves letters from home: If you get a chance, please write him a note at:
Elder Taylor Russell
300 West 5th St. Apt #8
Waynesboro, PA 17268
Or you can send him an e-mail at : trussell@myldsmail.net

updates from Taylor :July

We received a great letter from Taylor this week, and he was just made the district leader for the Carlisle District. He is also training a new missionary Elder Black from Phoenix, Arizona. He is Taylor's age, and played high school football. They seem to be a great match, and they get along really well. Taylor said his plate is really full as he has to do all the planning, teaching, and everything while he is teaching Elder Black, but the rewards are great and they are seeing impressive blessings. They taught 39 lessons this week, and the mission norm is 15-20. The mission high was 30, so they feel so grateful the work is increasing and they have people to teach. They have a baptism scheduled for July 26th, and are thankful for this opportunity. He said he is overwhelmed, but feels the Lord carrying them. He said there is no better feeling than sharing your testimony with others and looking into their eyes and see the instant change when the spirit tells them that what they are hearing is true! He said his personal testimony is increasing and he is having a great experience. He loves to receive news from home, so if you can drop him a note, he would love it. You can send letters to:
Elder Taylor Russell
Harrisburg PA mission
3903 Hartzdale Drive Suite #303
Camphill, PA 17011

Today's update from Taylor

We recieved a few lines from Taylor this morning, and he informed us he has been made the District leader and is now training a new missionary. He will remain in Harrisburg for at least one more transfer. He also sent word that Rowena has committed to be baptized which is thrilling for Taylor. All in all he sounded like it had been a great week! He would love to hear from anyone who has a moment to write!

Taylors update

Taylor is having a great experience in Harrisburg PA. Last week they attended a huge "Jubilee Day: which is a giant fair that is held in Harrisburg every year! There are tons of vendors, and lots of people. He and his companion spent from 6:30 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. passing out literature. They had 3 women attend church that week from direct contact of the fair which they were excited about. (He even got an opportunity to eat TWO giant Philly steak and cheese sandwiches which he loved! He has had two baptisms in this new area, and a few more they are working on. A few weeks ago he had the privilege of performing the baptism for a woman they tracked out, and saw through to baptism. It was a highlight of his mission so far. The second baptism is a young girl who had to wait to turn 18 before her parents would allow her to be baptized. She has stayed committed, and you will see the picture of her and her pet skunk in one of the pictures! Taylor will remain in Harrisburg for at least one more transfer, leaving him in the area for 6 months. This is a long time to stay, but he is close to the Mission home, and gets to associate with President Pugh and his wife, and the AP's which makes up 4 missionaries in this area. He said they are high powered and effective missionaries who are teaching him great things. (To say the least, they are working him hard, which he loves and enjoys!) He isn't much of a letter writer, and we are lucky to get a few lines, and very few photos. We hope you enjoy the few we have. He loves to get letters...and thinks it is like GOLD...so if you get a chance, send him a note at

PA Harrisburg Mission

3903 Hartzdale Drive Suite 303

Camphill, PA 17011

Taylor and his companion Elder Cutler on first day of transfers.

Elder Teuscher, Alana and Taylor with her pet skunk. They just baptized Alana in June.

Taylor and the Camphill district.

Taylor with the Susquehanna River behind him.

Taylor in NewbloomfieldThis is Taylors pad! Cute huh? He lives above a pizza place so they get to smell pizza cooking all day and night!

Finally an update

Taylor seems to be doing well. He has been transferred to Lemoyne and seems to be really enjoying himself. He said that it is a really nice city. Much nicer than Altoona, his last area. His new companion is Elder Teuscher from Spanish Fork. He said they really get along. They are working in the mission home a few days a weeks and working close with the AP's. He likes that because he they get to do whatever they want as long as they are working hard. His next door neighbor is a Subway and there is a pizza restaurant above them. I am sure they are taking full advantage of that. He also let us know that there is a Chili's and a Carraba's and wanted his Daddy to send lots of gift cards for him and his companion and the Ap's. That sounds like Taylor doesn't it? This area hasn't had a baptism for a year and a half so he is determined to change that. He just wants to work hard and see how many people he can help bring into the gospel. He is doing great. He thanks you for all of your prayers and support.

Taylor sent us some picture from his last area. He gets a little behind on sending pictures home but we will keep you as updated as we can.

They were able to go and see the memorial for United flight 93. He said it was a really neat to be there and see all the names of all those hero's.

I guess there was a General Authority who came to visit his district and he wanted to make a good impression so he thought he would part his hair. Um yeah T lets not do that again.

These are a few pictures of his apartment. Seems pretty clean for a bunch of young men.

Taylor and his companion were able to baptize Jim. They have become very good friends. Taylor really thinks a lot of him. On there P day he took Taylor and his companion up in the mountains to see the view. It is really beautiful.

This is Taylor and his district at the Christmas Party that his Mission President had for them. They decorated ginger bread houses and had a nice dinner.

This is a Catholic church where they attended Mass on Christmas Eve.

This is a picture of one of the hills that they go up every day. He says the picture doesn't do it justice. They have to walk everywhere and there are non stop hill.

Altoona is a really big railroad city. There are railroad tracks everywhere they go.

Contact Taylor at his personal e-mail account at trussell@myldsmail.net

Great news from Taylor!!! Last Saturday he and Elder Neff had their first baptism!! We look forward to P-Day each week
and when we get Taylors news, but we are lucky to get a paragraph with very little information!! The work in Altoona, has been slow but our prayers are being answered as hearts are softened, and the missionaries are busy with great prospects!! Transfers were last week, and Taylor remained in Altoona. He now has a new companion Elder Haslam from St. George, and seems happy and is busy working hard. He mentined he is not allowed to get onto his Blog, like we had hoped, but we will keep the blog updated with photos and updates for all of his FANS, so continue to check this blog often for up to date information. We would ask you to e-mail him directly on his church web page at trussell@myldsmail.net or send mail (which he loves to receive) at Elder Taylor Russell
PA Harrisburg Mission
3903 Hartzdale Drive Suite 303
Camphill, PA 17011

He loves to receive letters and news from home!! We hope you will take a moment to send him an e-mail or note! Thanks for your continued support, prayers, and love! He is feeling your support and is making us Proud!

Great news from Altoona, PA! Taylor is doing super! We got a letter from him this week and he and his companion Elder Neff have thier first baptism scheduled for next week. They are really excited about their new convert. He said the spirit has been so strong, and this young man has become a great friend. He fed them on Christmas, and has done many kindnesses for the missionaries. The work in Altoona is hard. They are tracting many hours each day in the bitter cold, and have many doors slammed in their faces, and many people yelling and threatening them but they continue to work hard. We are praying for for a softening of their hearts so the work can progress. He said the ward Christmas party was really different from back home. He is appreciating all the things back home he took for granted! On New Years Eve, everyone went out side and shot their guns in the air instead of lighting off fireworks. (He is learning things are really different back there!) He loves the work, and he is growing and developing into a wonderful missionary. We are really proud of him. Thanks to everyone for your notes and cards. He loves hearing from home!

This is a church, and overview of Altoona, PA taken at Christmas time.
This is the ward Christmas party at the Altoona ward!
Fun times on Taylors first Christmas away from home!
Elder Taylor Russell pointing out his mission destination. Harrisburg, PA here he comes!
This is Taylor's district all going to Harrisburg, PA naturally they are all smiles!
Home sweet home! Taylor's little nook! Notice his sad Christmas tree, that remained undecorated--even though the decorations were sent and would have taken 5 minutes max to decorate! Priorities, Mom!!! (His family photo among his clutter!) Bah Humbug!!