Hasta Ver!

Well, this is it, folks! 

I'll end with the biggest learning ( I think, that's actually really hard to decide on) from these last 18 months:

It's not about you.

the end.

Life just isn't about us! Literally, all we can do if we want to be happy is strive to be the best servant to the Lord that we possibly can be, and that comes by selfless service. All. of. the. time. I've had the privilege of being able to serve for 18 months in a manner slightly more obvious than others, but I know all of you have had those same selflessly serving moments in your own spheres of influence. I've thought about what things might be scary in coming home, but I realized the other day that none of those things are actually scary if I'm focusing on other people instead of on myself. Is it scary to go make friends? yes, if I'm focused on me. But If I just want to be a blessing? Not scary at all. it's like a magic potion to expel all fear and enmity. 

I LOVE the scriptures in the New Testament, where Christ says that if we are to be great leaders, we have to be the greatest servants, and that we are His Friends if we know him and follow what he does, and that "greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for them." I love my Savior, and am so incredibly grateful for the opportunity I have had to serve and represent Him. 

I'm actually very peaceful about the transition into this next part of my life. I've had some really sweet experiences recently that have helped me really feel of God's love and appreciation, and have helped me see that this is all just preparation to keep being a servant in new areas of building the kingdom.

I love you all!!! 

--

Hermana Reynolds

New Mission President!

Well, it feels like about a month's worth of happenings happened since last PDay... but I'll share just a few things.

President Maluenda left on Tuesday Morning, and President Torres jumped right into the thick of things and had an interview with every single missionary before the end of the week. It's incredible to see how the Lord has prepared and selected His servants so very carefully - President Torres is EXACTLY what the TMM needs right now. He's 37 and is one of the hardest workers ever. He has an incredible vision, and the vision of the missionaries has already grown a lot. It's pretty exciting to watch! 

Both Sister and President Torres come from Honduras and are learning English. Evidently when they received their mission call it said that they would be called to a mission that spoke "hispana" (I think that's kind of a generic term for 'a spanish language? not really sure) and so when they got called to Texas they were pretty surprised. I don't think I understood until now that this is the ONLY mission in the USA that is a "Spanish Speaking mission only" and nobody is called to speak other languages here. Pretty cool. 

Anyway, things are still pretty magical working with the YSA and with the new mission president. Only good things to report :) 

On a spiritual note, I've been thinking a lot about repentance lately. It's been pretty easy, as it's the end of this beautiful adventure, to feel like I haven't done enough, or that any lack of success has been because I'm just not quite good enough and that it's just too late. However, I've realized that that's exactly what repentance is for. No, I am not perfect. Get over it. ha ha. I've definitely made a lot of mistakes, and I haven't been the "perfect missionary," but I've learned and grown a ton and I've been pretty dang obedient and I have helped lots of people, so in the end it's okay. And the good news is is that with every day I can repent and keep learning and the Atonement covers anything that isn't perfect. So, it's okay that it's the end and that I'm still  not perfect. If I was I'd get translated and you wouldn't see me next week, and I'm pretty sure that'd be at least a little bit of a disappointment. ;) But for reals, repentance. it's amazing. I'm still figuring it out. 

Well, much love!

Hasta next week

--

Hermana Reynolds

Pictures

I painted these pictures for President Maluenda as a farewell gift - he leaves tomorrow, and President Torres arrives tonight. They're all scenes from the mission. 

--

Hermana Reynolds

why working in the YSA is the best thing ever.

This principle will be illustrated through a story.

Characters: 

Frank. Our Branch Mission Leader. Very enthusiastic about his calling and willing to do anything to help the work progress. (called us last night saying "Sisters! I came up with a new finding tactic so that I can help you find new investigators that will progress!) = Golden. 

Michael. Recent Convert. Wants to study Preach My Gospel when he meets with us so that he knows how to teach the gospel to his family and friends. = Golden. 

Arnold. Roommate of Michael. Just broke up with his Girlfriend, and decided that he needs to "repent and get closer to Jesus. Also Golden. Owns a pet Bunny named Snow. It lives in his bathroom. Illegally. He's very cool. 

About three weeks ago, Michael invites Arnold to come to institute, since he's going through a rough time, and he comes! Then comes again the next week. So, we ask Michael to invite Arnold to come to church, and he comes. We set up an appointment, and then later are texting him to see how he liked church and he says "I liked it! I just want a bible or something so that I can follow along during the lessons." Done.

We were on exchanges for the two lessons, but evidently they went super well and he is super willing to learn. We have a lesson on Friday, and read in the Book of Mormon with him; first nephi, chapter 2. "so how can this apply in your life?" "well, I just stopped drinking and things, and I still have my roommates and friends who don't understand that and want me to drink and things, so that's kind of like my Jerusalem that I have to leave, and I shouldn't murmur like Laman and Lemuel." Promises to come to church. 

Sunday: Michael comes to church, but said that he knocked on Arnold's door and didn't get any response so he must have been sleeping. We get in contact with Arnold later and then set up a lesson for that night. We decide to teach the Plan of Salvation.

We start the lesson, and get to the Atonement, and then explain what it was and how it covers our sins. "Does that make sense, Arnold?" "Yeah... I actually really needed this.. because I just feel frustrated in trying to get closer to Jesus... because.... last night... I sinned... I don't even know if I should tell you......" 

He then proceeds to tell us how the night before, he was really tired and couldn't sleep, and he kept hearing his bunny, so he finally went in there and it had made a huge mess. He was frustrated, so started cleaning it up and threw the bunny in its cage. He returns to bed, but feels bad for how mad he was. He keeps hearing it, so goes back in and then realizes that he'd hurt the bunny when he threw it, and it can't walk. So he cradles it in his arms, and tries to hep it, but eventually "has to put it out of it's pain." 

"so that's why I didn't come to church - I didn't think God would want me there after what I had done. I heard Michael knocking, but just couldn't face it and knew God was mad," he explains while shedding a few tears.

Michael then testifies that repentance is real, and that the atonement covers ALL mistakes, even those including the death of bunnies, and then offers to finish teaching the rest of the Plan of Salvation to Arnold since we have to leave.

This is why the YSA is the best.

I'm sorry that Frank didn't get more involved in this story, but he's golden enough to be mentioned as a main character. 

Until next week,

Hermana Reynolds

this week's thoughts...

becoming in tune - 

Hi Family! So something that has been on my mind this week is the concept of becoming "in tune," and becoming "an instrument" in God's hands. So, here are some random thoughts that have come to me this week :)

One: A poem I found in the Ensign, based on Mosiah 3:19

The natural man comes easily - 

so much effort to do and be otherwise.

The yielding stretches me beyond myself - 

and is painful.

Drawing out the saint within requires submission

to a greater power.

The enticings are subtle; and though I fall,

His Grace puts off the enemy - 

and I become His child.

Two: I use the Ukulele fairly often, and sometimes I'll leave it in the car, and on hot days it will go out of tune pretty quickly. Something about how the heat changes the tuning made me think about how when there are hard times, our natural reaction is often to freak out a little bit and, in turn, turn more to our instinctive reactions and less "in tune" with God's plan or to the promptings of the Spirit. So then it's His job to correct or "tune" us. And it DOES stretch us, and can require time to get us perfectly in tune. It's a process of constantly checking to see if we're in tune, and being willing to accept His desires for us.

Three: A quote by someone. Probably Neal A Maxwell..

Having our wills swallowed up by the will of the Father actually means an enhanced individuality, stretched and more capable of receiving "all that the Father hath." Besides, how could we be entrusted with His "all" until our wills are much more like His? Nor could his "All" be fully appreciated by the partially committed. Frankly, it is our prospective selves we betray by holding back whatever the "part." No need to ask then, "Lord, is it I?" Rather, let us inquire about our individual stumbling blocks, "Lord, is it this?" We may have known the answer for a long time, and may need resolve more than His response. The greatest happiness in God's generous plan is finally reserved for those who are willing to stretch and pay the cost of journeying to His regal realm. Brothers and Sisters, "come, let us renew, our journey pursue."

The end. 

I love you all.

--

Hermana Reynolds

The highlight of this week was that Sister Moore and I got to go visit Alan - the investigator that we got to work with a year ago and who got baptized, the one who can't speak or walk. It was a really neat experience to be able to go back and see how strong he is and how well he's doing. He has his certificates from when he was baptized and confirmed and received the Aaronic priesthood in his room where he can see them, and we talked to him about getting his Patriarchal blessing, so it's amazing to be able to see how far he's come. 

It's been a pretty crazy transfer! we're staying very busy and learning a lot. As far as a scriptural uplift, my ponderize scripture from last week was 1 Corinthians 13:12.. or 12:13? I don't remember. The one that says "now we see through a glass, darkly"? anyway, I've been thinking a lot about how we really don't see SO much, and how the little things we do every day may seem to not make a difference, or how the hard times where we just barely push through may seem so insignificant for how difficult it feels, but the good news is that one day we will see face to face and everything will make sense :)

Well I love you a lot!

Be good - have a great week!

--

Hermana Reynolds

Hello hello!

Well, there's a whole lot to say this week! It's been really interesting being back with Sister Moore, because we cover our same area as before in YSA so we see a lot of the same people and it's a really weird flashback! It's been really nice to be able to fall back into a rhythm quickly instead of having to find out how to work the dynamic of a new companionship, and we've been able to work really hard and see lots of miracles. 

Working with the YSA is such a dream come true. I had NO idea how magical it would be. People literally have called us telling us they were bringing their friends to church/institute/FHE and asked if we could befriend them - it's like the opposite of what I'm used to. Most of them are returned missionaries, and the fire is very strong and very real. It's amazing. 

Spiritual insight for the week. We went to visit a recent convert who was baptized a couple of months ago, and he's been really struggling to not want to go back to drinking, etc. He got his patriarchal blessing a week ago, and because of some miraculous circumstances I was there, and now he's my member. We were able to talk about some of the things that he had been promised if he stayed faithful, and then sister Moore and I taught him about the war in heaven and about what it means that he's here on earth with the Gospel and what he had to have done in the pre-earth life to deserve it all. We told him that he had to have been a strong warrior on God's side, and after we had talked for a bit he said "really? I had no idea - nobody ever taught me that." you could see that it really affected him, and he saw life a little differently.

Those are the coolest moments - when you get to help people understand :)

well, I love you all!

Until next week.

--

Hermana Reynolds