Anniversary

Familia!

It sounds like everyone had a great week! Fun to see some pictures of
CJ getting back from the mish. I can't believe he's back already! My
last companion emailed me and said that it all just feels like a
dream. He and I became real good buddies, so it was a fun transfer. My
new companion is fun too. He's got a real outgoing, loud personality
so he keeps things light haha. He's from Houston, Texas and served
about 8 months in Brazil and then had to go home and then came out
here to finish his mission. He'll go home in August. I forgot to wish
you guys a happy anniversary last week! Funny enough, Elder Fifita's
parents anniversary is on the same day! And it was the day that he got
home, so it was a good present for them haha.

You'll have to send me some pictures of Toni's new baby boy! That's
exciting! So many little babies that I'll have to meet haha.

It's still been pretty tough to find new people to teach, but it was a
good week. We had a couple lessons with Leslie and Alex this past
week, but they just kind of disappeared on Sunday. That's what
happened last week as well, so we're going to set some expectations
with them and hopefully help them to realize how important our message
is. Delia had to work yesterday too, so she wasn't able to make it to
church. At this point in my mission, we're really just searching for
the elect. They're out there, but we've gotta find them haha. Keep
praying that we'll be able to find them.

I mentioned a few weeks ago that Ali and Crystal were going to get
baptized and they did a couple weekends ago! They got married on the
Saturday and then baptized on the Sunday. I ran into a couple members
that I knew from that ward and they told me about it. Super exciting!
I can still remember the night that we found them. It was super cold
and neither my companion or I felt like talking to anyone haha. Crazy
how it's always the last person you talk to and the last door you
knock though. I love the gospel. I'm so grateful to be a missionary
and have the chance to share the gospel and help people in whatever
situation they might be in. The gospel makes bad men good and good men
better. I hope you all have a great week. Love you!

Elder Reynolds

Transfers

Familia!

Great week this past week! We've had some summer weather these past
few days which has been pretty nice. It's been hot though! It sounds
like y'all have been getting some nice weather back at home as well!
We had been working with a lady named Delia and her husband Eduardo,
but they both got super sick this past week and we weren't able to
meet with them. Then Saturday night, Delia called us and asked if we
could get somebody to give her a ride to go to church, so we got
someone and she came! It was ward conference, so a lot of it was in
English, but she said she really enjoyed it. We'll be seeing her again
on Thursday. We're not sure exactly what happened with Leslie and Alex
this past week. We saw them Friday night and set up a trip to the
Visitor's Center for Saturday night, but during the day on Saturday
Leslie texted us and told us that she wouldn't be able to go. And we
haven't been able to get in contact with her since, so say a prayer
that we'll be able to get back in contact with them! They're super
solid, but satan always works hardest on the ones that are prepared.

Transfer news is that I'll be getting an elder named Elder Guerrero.
I've seen him around at meetings and things and we've gotten along, so
I think it should be a good transfer. I just can't believe that it's
my last transfer! These past two have flown by and I'm worried this
one will go even faster haha. It's been a blast this past transfer
with Elder Fifita though, my easiest companion to get along with on my
mission. We have the same personality haha.

It should be a great transfer though! I'm going to do my best to give
it all I've got these last 6 weeks. I love my mission! So grateful to
be here and to have met and worked with all the people I've had the
chance to know. Have the best week! Love you all!

Elder Reynolds

04-11-2016

Familia!

I'm glad to hear it sounds like y'all had a good spring break! Mom,
when you told me how old little Lucy is, I couldn't believe she
already has 9 months! It seems like I was just getting pictures of her
as a newborn! Wild to think that CJ is getting home so soon too. I'm
sure everyone is getting excited to see him! It's been fun to email
him throughout the mish.

We had a real good week this week! Leslie and Alex (Jose, but he goes
by Alex) are solid! They came to sacrament meeting yesterday and after
the meeting ended, Alex leaned over to me and told me they'd be there
every week from then on! We did find out about a situation we're going
to have to work hard to get past though--Leslie is married to another
guy in another place, so we'll have to help her get divorced and then
married to Alex. It's possible though! It's been a lot of fun teaching
them this past week, their two youngest kids are always just all over
the place and pretty crazy haha. We've been teaching this other guy
named Quintin who we've had a couple lessons with and has showed some
interest, but hasn't committed to come to church yet. We should be
able to get him there this Sunday though!

Sorry I'm a little short on time, but it's been a great week! This is
the last week of the transfer, so I'll be letting you know what comes
with transfer calls this Sunday. It's been a great transfer! Have the
best week! I love you all!

Elder Reynolds

General Conference

Familia!

We had some tender mercies this past week! General Conference was
definitely the highlight of the week. I feel like there can be no
doubt that the church is true after watching general conference. Every
time I watch it, I feel the same way. The leaders of the church are so
inspired! I loved this past conference and felt like there was a lot
of hope that was transmitted through the talks. Some of my favorites
were President Uchtdorf's from the Sunday morning session, Elder
Gong's, and Elder Holland's as well. I'm excited to go back over my
notes this week and review those messages. Such good counsel!

On Thursday, we had temple day and you won't believe who I ran into..
My best buddy Drake Job! It was real good to see him, he's doing well.
He's already engaged and is getting married June 18th! Pretty wild
haha. Excited for him. We started a fast as a zone on Thursday and
into Friday so that we'll be able to meet some of our zone goals and
we ended up with a tender mercy Friday night! We contacted a guy on
the street the first week of the transfer named Jose but he didn't
know his address, so all we ended up with was his number. We tried him
on Friday and he said that he was busy, but when he mentioned meeting
us, his wife was interested and he told us that she'd give her our
number to call us. And she actually called us! We went over and taught
them last night and it turns out that Jose's sister is a member in
Guatemala and even teaches seminary! It was kind of tough to keep the
lesson focused because there were a bunch of little kids running
around, but we committed them to read from the Book of Mormon and
we'll be meeting with them again tomorrow! Good things coming.

I've got no doubt that the church is true! I've been blessed to gain a
sure testimony throughout my mission. I found out that a couple that I
taught from my last area (Ali and Crystal) are getting married and
baptized in a couple weeks, so I'm hoping to be able to make it back
for that! It's fun finding out about people I've taught in the past
and how they've finally come to get their own testimony! I love this
work! Make this week the best!

Elder Reynolds

Easter (03-28-2016)

Familia!

Sounds like you were able to have a great Easter! It is a little weird to think of dad sitting down in the pew instead of up on the stand haha. It's been a while since that's been the case! It's funny that you mentioned something about Uncle Pate, because I was going to say something about him this week! On Friday, a Tongan member took us out to eat and it turns out that he knows Pate! His name is Big John Vainisi. You'll have to shoot this email with the picture I'll attach to him somehow. Big John said that Pate was a hero rugby player back in the day. 

We had a good Easter. We walked most of the day, but we had a quick lesson with a nice lady named Delia. She's a seventh day Adventist, but made it sound like she doesn't go to church a whole lot anymore because she's a little older. We set a return appointment with her for tomorrow, so hopefully we'll be able to set a date with her and get her to watch general conference with us! German made it to church yesterday. We ran into him on the street on Thursday and he invited us over on Saturday. He still wasn't quite ready to accept a solid date, so we're probably going to have to hand him over to the Lord for a little while longer. Mardo hasn't been making any effort to meet with us, so we've kind of turned him over as well. We had a good lesson with Eddi on Thursday and gave him a Book of Mormon to start reading. His mom has still been MIA, but we're supposed to be meeting with them tomorrow so we're hoping she'll be there!

I'm stoked for GC this weekend! Probably my favorite weekends on the mission haha. Better than holidays! Kind of sad that this is my last one as a missionary, but I'm really looking forward to it and I know it'll be packed full of great counsel. Make sure to have some questions in mind and they will get answered! I was reflecting in sacrament meeting yesterday on just how crucial Jesus Christ is in the great plan of happiness. I know He lives and am so grateful for the gospel that gives us the knowledge and understanding of what it is that we need to do in order to receive that fullness of happiness in this life and in the life to come. What a blessing! I hope you all have a great week and take advantage of general conference this weekend! Love you all!

Elder Reynolds