Count Down!!! 11 Days!

I feel like the 12 days of Christmas! We leave for Pennsylvania in 11 days...November 12th. We hook up with him on Monday the 16th, with a dinner with the departing missionaries and final meeting with the President. Taylor wants to spend that evening with the missionaries at the Mission Home, and we pick him up in the morning and fly to Washington DC to witness the wedding and sealing of one of his converts Andrew Doub. He is really excited about this. Then we plan to rent a car and travel back to Waynesboro to the reception, and see some of his friends. Then up to Scranton to have dinner with President Dunford and his wife, and some more great friends. We hope to make it up to the Susquhana River river together before driving back to Harrisburg, and maybe up to Altona before we fly out of Saturday morning Novemeber 21st. He will speak in our new ward at 1:00 on November 22 (400 South 200 West) and his big homecoming will be November 29th at 9:00 A.M. 900 South 100 West. (After the meeting we will be having brunch at our new home located at 741 South 65 West Orem) We are looking forward to this exciting time, and getting him home and sharing in his stories and tales.

He is currently back in the field for a few weeks prior to his departure. His companion has been really sick, and they are stuck in the house. (Not sure if it is the swine flue) but really hoping Taylor can remain well in such close quarters! They have a few investigators they are hoping will make it for baptism before he leaves, but if not, he knows will happen soon! He says his heart is broken as he knows there is so much work to be done in PA, but he misses his family and is ready to come home. We have seen the blessings of having a missionary in the field, but are ready to have him home as well....

We hope you can join us to hear his remarks. We want you all to know how much we have appreciated your support, love and prayers.

May the Lord continue to bless you all.
Fred and Shauna Russell

Working hard in Pittsburgh...49 days and counting

Taylor is in a small suburb of Pittsburgh. His address is 337 Four Mile Run Rd #B Pittsburgh, PA 15207. We are counting down as this is his last transfer! It doesn't seem possible he is coming home. The G20 world summit has been in Pittsburgh, so they have moved the missionaries out of the city for 10 days for safety reasons. There was millions of dollars of damage to London last year with riots so the church is taking precautions. Taylor is currently a zone leader and loving being back in the field. He is desiring to give it his best effort until the end and trying to keep focused. He is loving being back in the trenches and is hoping for some great success for this final stretch. We fly back to Pittsburgh on November 12th, and meet up with him on the 16th. We will hit some of his favorite spots and people on our way back through PA and fly home the morning of the 21st. (He is hoping he makes it in time for the BYU ballgame) It seems like a dream to us, and we are counting down the minutes, hours and days!

Counting Down!!!! 54 days!!!

Crazy times in Pittsburg

Taylor writes that things are a little crazy with all the changes in Pittsburgh. They had the first big transfer meeting this week and it was a little crazy looking over the transfer board and worrying over 180 missionaries and deciding who they would be linked up with and how they would make the changes. He said it took them 12-13 hours+ to make the arrangements, and then the problem was making rides for everyone. Breaking down the barriers between missions, and merging these missionaries always has it's challenges. Many of these companionship's were meeting for the first time, and it was like we were all new missionaries. It took Taylor over 20 minutes straight to read the new assignments, and then half of the missionaries needed additional instruction to get the assignments straight. It will take some time to forge these new relationships, and raise the bar to our new level of commitment, but with the Lords help we can accomplish this huge assignment. President Summer hay's had the departing missionaries bear their testimonies, and then Taylor got to go pick up the brand new missionaries from the airport. Elder Black his first Greene came back after having some surgery on his leg. He is a great Elder, and Taylor is excited for the strength he will bring to the mission.

The next 15 days he will be on exchange in the Harrisburg side of the mission. He will work with a new companionship every day for the next 2 weeks. He will get the opportunity to go back to Camp Hill and Waynesboro as well as many other places which he loves and is excited about. He hopes to find some great success and some new investigators for the Elders to work with. He hopes to make an impact and get the ball rolling again. He said he is grateful for this time to serve a mission, and it has been such a blessing to share the message of the Restoration. He said it has been a great blessing, and he has learned something from every new area and challenge. He knows the Lord lives and it is through his grace and Atonement that makes all things possible.

We will have the opportunity to pick him up on November 16th of this year and travel through his mission and fly home on November 21st. Home for Thanksgiving!!! We are excited!!!

Please drop him a note at:
Elder Taylor Russell
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania Mission
2589 Washington Road Suite 410
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15241

Mission Merger

Taylor has had an emotional week as the Harrisburg Mission has been combined with the Pittsburg Mission. He is still serving as the AP and has been involved in making all these changes. These past several weeks as they have been getting ready for President and Sister Pugh to leave and the over 80 missionaries to be combined into the Pittsburg Mission under the direction of President and Sister Summerhays have been emotionally, physically, and spiritually taxing. President and Sister Pugh decided to do the last Zone conferences personally so they could have one more teaching moment and tell each missionary good-by. They were taught about nightly planning, and Sister Pugh taught them about integrity. Then everyone got the opportunity to stand and share their testimonies. Taylor had the opportunity to bear his testimony each time, and said it was so hard to say good by so many times.

Sister Pugh fixed him and Elder Ang_Bejar their favorite dinner, and President gave them both priesthood blessings. The next day, they had a huge transfer meeting where both of the mission presidents and both sets of AP's met to make the new missionary changes. Taylor said it was like a huge business meeting changing everyone around. He said saying good-by to President and Sister Pugh was one of the most difficult things he has done. They had a tender embrace, and with tears bid each other good-by! Taylor loves them like a mother and father, and has grown so close to them from their close association. He said he felt like he had a hole in his heart...and it felt like the day he had walked off the basketball court for the last time. (Those of you who know how much he loved basketball...know what a loss this was!) President Summerhays is a wonderful president who will manage over 200 missionaries. He most likely will serve in Pitt for 2 more transfers, and hopes to get out tracting one more transfer before being released on November 16th! Yes...Can you believe the 2 years is almost over? He truly is having some remarkable experiences. He said it has been so hard to see all the changes, but he knows this is the Lords church and he is in charge. Changes come into our lives to open new doors. He is trying to be positive and look at new ideas and try his best to go with it. He loves the missionary work and feels the Lords hand every day! He is extending his faith and working hard. His new address is:
Elder Taylor Russell
Pittsburg Mission
2589 Washington RD suite #410
Pittsburgh, PA, 15241

March 30, 2009

Taylor had a great week as they had Zone leader council to discuss all the mission details. Afterwards Sister Pugh feeds all the leaders, and Taylor enjoys it so much! He is traveling all over the mission weekly training and going on exchanged with different companionship's and getting a feel for what is working, and what is not. They had a baptism of a cute 82 year old woman who has been taught many time, but finally committed to be baptized. She is only 4 feet 10 inches, but a powerhouse of a woman! It was a great week!

Last week he had the opportunity to go to dinner with President Dunford to Texas Roadhouse! President treated them to the biggest steak they had, and then fed them spiritually while they ate. Taylor loves President Dunford, and always is taught so much when he is with him. He challenged them to some powerful commitments that will be life changing. (As a mother, I am grateful for these powerful men and the examples they are in Taylor's life. I know he is not the same young man he was when he left, and I am thrilled to see him grow and raise the bar in his life and the life of those he is influencing!)

He told of a great story of a family who had them to dinner, and really wanted their teenage son who plays on the High School team to attend church. Whenever the missionaries come, he slips out with his friends. After dinner, Taylor and his companion Elder Carter (who played high school basket ball like Taylor) went looking for this young man. They found him and challenged him to a round of ball...with a challenge that if they lost, he would come to church on Sunday. (They didn't realize these two white boys in church cloths could really ball it up, so they took the challenge!) No surprise, but the Elders won, and hope they follow through and come to church on Sunday. Taylor was feeling pretty good, that he hadn't lost his touch!

He is growing and doing well. He loves to get mail, so if you get a chance, please write him at:
Elder Taylor Russell
Harrisburg Mission
3903 Hartzdale Drive Suite 303
Harrisburg, Penn 17011

what a Week

This week Taylor drove all over the mission visiting and working with the Zone leaders to make sure the mission was running well. For his first exchange...he got to go back to Scranton where he just came from! He loved going back! He had the opportunity to work with some great South American missionaries who are speaking English as a second language. They taught a great Spanish family who only spoke Spanish and Taylor had the opportunity to read the Book of Mormon in Spanish for them. He said the spirit was so strong and it was a great blessing! He said he feels so blessed to work with the best missionaries in the mission and to work with President Pugh in all the behind the scenes details. He got to see one of his recent baptisms who has fallen away from the Church. He felt so badly, and said he has learned so much about Agency. He said every new member needs a friend and mentor to help them, and she did not get that and it made him feel so badly. He said he is learning a lot, and knows that the Church is true and will bring wonderful blessings. We need to do better to share it with others! So there is a challenge for all of us! He is really busy, and has limited time to write. He would love to hear from anyone! You can e-mail him at: trussell@myldsmail.net.

Back in the Mission Home

Taylor got a big surprise, when 2 weeks before transfers, President Pugh called and transferred Taylor back to the Mission Home as the new AP! Brother Shinner, the mission leader in the Scranton area called Shauna to wish her a Happy Birthday from her missionary son! He told us of Taylor's new call, and said he was supposed to speak in their Stake Priesthood meeting the next day, but the AP's showed up to move him back to the mission home! (He went from the fryng pan into the fire!) He was sad to leave this wonderful area and people who he loves so much, but is excited to work closely with President Pugh, and loves the Smiths who work in the mission office! He said there is allot to learn, and he needs our prayers in his behalf, but feels humbled and honored for this new assignment. Taylor has been so blessed to work with wonderful companions, and Priesthood leaders who have impacted his life for the better. He has been taught, tutored and instructed in such positive ways, that his life will be forever changed! He loves President Dunford who is the Stake President in the Scranton Stake. He always looked forward to his personal time when he was taught by President Dunford. Some of Taylor's most prized possessions from his mission are personal ties of President Dunford, and President Pugh. He cherishes theses ties and has one from each of these great mentors! He also loves the Shinner family. Sister Shinner always made a huge breakfast for all the missionaries on transfer day. Taylor missed out, and will miss them and all the great things he learned from them as well. No wonder the work is going so well in that part of the mission! These great devoted people who are serving with all their hearts! Thank You!!!

News from Scranton PA

It was wonderful to talk to Taylor on Christmas! He sounded happy and "Tired". He claims next year on Christmas he doesn't want to do anything but chill on the couch! That was sounding pretty fun after the rush pace of an active missionary. He rattled off question and answers for about an hour with the family...but we never have enough time to really "Talk"! His holiday season has been busy, but eventful! They are working with a wonderful "Ray" family. He loves this family, and especially has connected with the teenage boys who love sports, and love to play a little with him! They were able to go up to the "Restoration site" together and said it was a fantastic experience that he will never forget! They baptized 3 of the kids a few weeks ago, and the other will be baptized at the end of the month. He said this family was really prepared for their message. He is also baptizing a mother and her daughter at the end of the week. They were led to this great family as well, and have a great love for those they are teaching!
The primary children brought the missionaries a Christmas tree which was so appreciated! They have a great Stake President "Duncan" who Taylor loves and admires and is so supportive in the missionary work.
Because he is the Zone leader, he has increased responsibilities that never give him time to rest, but he is learning alot and seeing great success.
He sure appreciates those of you who have sent letters, and packages. He wishes he had time to personally thank you, but his time is so limited, we are lucky to get much news! He asked me to express his love and appreciation for all you do to remember him. He feels your love and prayers.
His address is still:
Elder Taylor Russell
1234 Main street apt #3
Peckville, Pa 18452