I have been put up for adoption

Hello family and friends!

 So a lot has happened in the past week. I had been put into a trio, with amazing sisters! We have been trying to figure out how to get everything done for both wards which has been insane. We have the two craziest areas and we have been put together.  Insane! But it has been a good opportunity for me to see my weaknesses and strengths and what I need to work on!

Sister Livingstone, Sister Reynolds & Sister Gafa

The sisters I am with are the Arabic speaking sisters in the mission so I have been given the chance to learn with them which is way cool! I wish I could type something out for you so y’all could see it but that isn’t a possibility with their alphabet. It’s insane! I have learned to say and spell the alphabet in Arabic and I can say a general prayer to give thanks for food, the gospel and to bless people we are teaching as well as ourselves! It is a weird language with a lot of noises that sound like you’re going to spit on someone. You also sound like your last breath is being taken away with some of the words spoken! Ha ha! It really is an awesome language!

It has been super cold lately because it hasn’t been raining or been cloudy. Weird how that works right? Today it finally rained and it warmed up a bit which is nice! (and by warmed up it is about 40 degrees) 

Even though I am loving it here, I have been put up for adoption against my will. President came up to me on Sunday after the mission devotional and told me that I would be getting a new companion on Friday... my heart literally broke and I had to walk away without saying much because of my confusion. I felt like I had just been told I will never get to have ice cream again or something. It was a sad moment in life. We had thought we would be together for at least this transfer and we had just come to terms with it all, but I have now decided that this is going to be awesome! We found out the missionary who I’ll be with is coming back out! She had gone home for a few months for medical things and has decided to come back and serve! I am sooo grateful to be able to create a new relationship with this sister and help her know that she has made an amazing choice of coming back out to serve. Even though I will miss sister Gafa and Sister Livingstone, and Arabic, I am excited to take this journey! :)

That is pretty much what made this a crazy week. We had 6 1/2 hours of church on Sunday, LOTS of dinner appointments and a ton of lessons to teach. We were going all day and by the time we got home we were all looking like zombies! It is good though, staying busy. It keeps your mind on the work and how important it is! I am so grateful for this gospel! It has blessed my life so much. I know that in my life here, there have been trials that are personal to me but I love that I know about the atonement and how it can help me personally! I hope that all of you will take the time to ask to feel the atonement in your own life. It is amazing when you can feel it working for you as an individual and when you feel it and gain testimony of its reality you will have a very strong desire to share it with others. I am grateful for you all and I love you all individually! Have an amazing week! 

Sister Reynolds

Transfer news!

Hello everyone!

So another transfer has come and gone. TIME IS FLYING! I’m not sure how I feel about it but I just don’t think about it and all is well :) So I found out a few days ago, on Sunday, that Sister Taylor is leaving me. I am so sad and I am in denial about it but I know she is going to do SOOOO well in her new area! She will be right next to Mount Rainier and she will be companions with someone that I was in the MTC with! What a small world! I am so incredibly grateful for everything that she has taught me! She is someone who has helped me in hard times and who will forever be my friend and sister! 

 As for me, I will be staying here in Kent. But there is a twist to that statement. I will be in the James Hill YSA ward still but I will be put into a trio. 3 of us missionaries will be double covering. We will be in 2 different wards, James Hill and scenic hill! CRAZY STUFF! Even more than that, I’m pretty sure my future comps, Sister Gafa and Livingstone, are the sister training leaders AND the Arabic speaking sisters. This means there is a 99.1% chance that I will be learning and trying to speak Arabic here in good o’l Washington. I am feeling very under qualified for it all but I believe that God can do miracles and if this is what I need to do it will happen if I work hard. I am excited to be with these sisters though! They are so amazing and both are almost finished with their missions.

This is sister Gafa's last transfer and Sister Livingstone has 1 more after this... I am being trained by the greatest most experienced teachers and that will be awesome!

Anyway, this week has been good. We have taught a lot of recent converts and less active members! It is always good to be able to share our testimonies with them and help them learn more. We have had a lot of new move ins to the YSA ward. They have all left for school and new people are taking over! I miss them but the new members are awesome and I’m grateful for their testimonies and the spirit that they bring!

I don’t really have that much to update y’all with and I’m sorry about that but ill try better next week. I do however have some pics that i will send you so that should make up for it! :) I love you all and hope that you have an amazing week. Never forget that the lord loves you and wants you to turn to Him! 

Sister Reynolds

Alma 5:33

LOVE YOU ALL!

     Sister Reynolds 

I am not sure what this is used for exactly but the baptist church on the hill has something going on...

we went to some weird place and i put this mask on and couldn't recognize myself. scary moment haha

we were trying to be cool and all model like... it didn't work out because sister T was drivin.. so here is just a serious pic of my face and her profile.. :)

I saw this picture and thought of Elaine Webster

I had been craving a hot dog all week so we went to Costco for lunch! (the person in the back is the best part :))

 no judgement please, but while we are living in Auburn we can't go home for lunch and dinner, so for a snack we brought the last of Sister Taylors nutella.... but we forgot a spoon.. God gave us hands for many reasons.. haha

ITS 2017!!

ITS 2017!!

That is so weird to say! I cannot believe that the world dint end before this day... weird. Ha ha kidding! I hope that everyone had a good New Year’s Eve and an amazing new year’s day! How awesome that we got to go to church and take the sacrament on the first day of the year! Starting out clean! woot woot!!

Looking back on 2016 I’ve realized that a lot has changed for me to be here on a mission in Washington. I’m so grateful for you all! I know that each of you have made a huge impact on my decision to come and serve. I hope that all of you have made some goals for this New Year, more then go to the gym or stop eating the M&M's that are always on the table (that is one of mine...)  :) I hope that you have made goals that revolve around the Gospel and that you have involved Christ in some way. I feel like these kinds of goals are easier to achieve because we have the greatest support system on our side!

This past week has been a good one with some bumpy edges. We were able to find a new investigator and we hope that he will continue to have the desire to learn more and repent and be baptized! I have never prayed so much for people in all my life but man I’m so grateful that we can pray! It brings so much peace to our hearts. We also have been finding a lot of people to refer who are families! Families are so great because one makes a family. It is one person’s decision to change and follow Christ that will impact everyone else around them, whether they know it or not. I hope that each of you, even if you are the only active member in your family to reach out and share your testimony with a family member! I know that it will bless them and help them have the desire to change for the better! :)

Bebeto, our investigator who was on date for January 14th, dropped us again. It was even worse than the first time. We got a text that told us he was no longer interested and that he felt like the prodigal son and needed to return to his old church and God would be happy with him. I know that he will one day understand that God helped him on the right path and that he will have the desire to come learn again about this amazing Gospel. It broke my heart to have to let him go, but agency is real..... and we have to love it I guess :)

But any way, life in Washington is good! I’m not sure how it can be 33 degrees and sunny, which it is right now. If you looked outside you would think it was spring but that is false advertising! It is like the Arctic when you emerge from the warmth of your home. Speaking of homes, I am still in Auburn. Our bathroom won’t be done for a while so we have to take the commute every day. It really is no biggy but I have decided that I never want to live in an apartment if I can avoid it, or at least an apartment in Auburn. When you turn on the bathroom fan a plume of smoke, not really that’s an exaggeration, comes out and you become engulfed in the smell of drugs. But that only happens twice a day because we are never at our house. Always looking for the blessings! :)

I love you all so much. I’m so grateful for your support and your love. I’m sorry I haven’t sent pics in a while but one day I will. I never remember my camera.:) I also would love to invite you all to read Our Search for Happiness if you haven’t, it is soooo good! One of my favs I think! I love you all and have a great week!

Sister Reynolds

Merry Christmas

Hello!!

Well, just like that Christmas is over but its okay because it was such a good day! I’m so glad that it was on Sunday and that we were able to take the sacrament to think more about our Savior! How great is that!!??

I think one of the best parts, besides skyping home (i loved talking with you all! I’m so glad that everyone was there and that we were able to talk.... we were disobedient though! Ha ha we went 10 min over but repentance is real J), was being able to teach this woman we found named De'Yanna. (greatest way to spell that ever!) We had to go tracting last night and someone told us to go try her door. When we knocked she was super open with talking and then invited us in so we could share more. We taught her the restoration of the gospel and she LOVED it! She told us that she had the exact same feelings that Joseph Smith had about all the churches and which one was right! We told her that we pray about a date to invite people to be baptized and we invited her to baptism for January 21st.  She sat there thinking for a while and then said yes. Apparently it is the day her great grandma passed away and 2 of her nieces and nephews had been born!  She said it really was inspired from God and she was really excited to learn more. As we were about to leave, she got teary eyed and said that she had been struggling that day to know the meaning of Christmas and was trying hard to find her way back to Christ. We told her that we were lead to her door by the Holy Ghost and then we testified of God’s love for her. She told us how grateful she was for us and then we left. Miracles happen and this was one of them. It testified to me that our Father in Heaven has prepared his children to accept this gospel!

Other than Christmas, this week has been pretty much the same! We had another day of finding, or tracting. It was super cold but at least this time it didn’t snow!

We are finally moving today. Sadly, not to the mission home but to the land of Auburn. one would think that moving from point A to point B would be easy but no. it never is. The story begins this morning. We were told a few days ago that the Office Elders, the ones with the truck, would be coming at 9am to help move us out. all would be well in Zion if that actually happened. It was 10am and still no elders and the people who are remodeling our bathroom needed to get started. So we finally called them and they were moving other people at the time. So then we had to shove as much of our stuff as we could into Betsy, our Little Chevy Cruz. It all just got even more crazy but I won’t go into that. Suffice it to say, we look like we are living in our car, our suitcases are still in our kitchen at the cottage and we don’t have a key to our apartment. But i know that everything will be fine... or so i tell myself! Ha ha i just hope our little house gets fixed ASAP.

I hope that each of you have had an amazing Christmas! i love you all and appreciate you all so much! i pray that each of you will keep the spirit of Christmas with you throughout this next year! have an amazing week and never forget that Our Heavenly Father loves you!

Sister Reynolds

Merry Almost Christmas

Hello everyone!

It's almost Christmas!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAYAYAYA!! It is such a good time of the year! I’m so grateful that we get to celebrate Christ and serve as he did even more during this time! I hope that all of you have been having a good week and that you’re excited for this amazing Holiday! I miss not being in good ol' AZ but I will be having a semi white Christmas so it will be way fun to experience something new! 

The work here is going well! Bebeto is progressing and has been coming to church and our lessons with lots of questions but his heart seems to be opening to this gospel! I’m so grateful for him! I truly didn't know how excited you could get to see someone walk through the church doors! I hope that all of you look out for those who may not have been at church in a while and reach out! All they could need is an invite and when they DO come, go say hi! I know that the mission has changed my perspective on the importance of fellow shipping people and church attendance! 

 This week we had a Fabulous Federal Way Festival of Finding! We went out all day on Saturday from 10am-5pm and knocked doors. It took me a while to accept the fact that we would be doing that all day but once sister Taylor and i got into the grove of things all was well! We drove all over the place going into every part of our area, which is bigger than any other area. We drove 93.1 miles... that is not a good amount to drive in one day when you have to keep track of your miles and you are limited to how much you can drive in a month! But it was all worth it because we were able to share the gospel with a lot of people!! The day turned into the Frigid Fabulous Federal Way Festival of Finding though! It wasn't supposed to snow, just be in the 20's all day. We woke up to 19 degree weather and when we finally got out of the house to start the day it was about 25 and it was snowing.... my toes, fingers and nose almost fell off but it was a fun experience that I wouldst trade for anything!

We had a zone conference on Friday that took us back to the basics of missionary work. And I mean the basics. We talked about dress and grooming, what preach my gospel is and how to study from it. Surprisingly, it was a much needed topic of conversation! Ha ha! We then had Christmas lunch, ham and potatoes and such, and played a few games as a zone! we played one where we broke off into 6 different teams and had 5 min to write as many Christmas songs as we could on a piece of paper. we then went in a circle and had to sing, as a team, the first 2 stanzas of the song. If we repeated a song that someone else had sung or took longer than 10 seconds to start singing we were out of the game! it was way fun! You’ll never believe it but Sister Taylor and I sang a few of those songs by ourselves because no one else knew them. We basically sounded like the dream girls. No Biggy ;) also, our team won but who is to brag... not me :) ha ha! I love the visionaries in this mission! They are all so amazing and they teach me new things each time we have the chance to gather together! It is awesome!

It’s cold, it’s wet and the work is AMAZING!

It’s cold, it’s wet and the work is AMAZING! We have had some struggles with our investigators the last 2 transfers but things are turning around in the James Hill ward! Our investigator Bebeto is doing really good! He came to church this past Sunday and really liked it! Our ward has the best members and they are so good at fellow-shipping! He has asked us to pray for him so he doesn't have a change of heart like last time! I’m so grateful that the spirit is the teacher! Without him there is no way that we would be able to help him progress in the gospel. I feel very blessed to be the one who has the opportunity to help him. It is a testimony to me that hearts can change and that people are drawn to the good in the world, AKA Jesus Christ!

Wisam, our eternal investigator, is still coming to church and taking the lessons! He is doing well we just wish so badly that he can be baptized. One day things will change in his situation in Iraq and he will be able to become a member! Until then we are helping him strengthen his testimony each and every day! Sister Taylor and I don't know what we have done to be so blessed but we know that as we continue to be tuned instruments in Gods hand we will continue to reap the blessings!

I love the people here in Washington, as I have mentioned before, but some of them I have to work harder to love. haha!

We were on exchanges on Friday and I went to another area while sister Taylor stayed in James hill. Sister Gafa, my sister training leader, and I pulled up to a stop light and saw a homeless man who wanted some food so I gave him an apple and a mormon.org card. (Always be 'finding' number one rule) We rolled up the window and waited to go. Before we could drive away we heard a knock at the door and it was the homeless man. He gave us the apple and the card back and said ”I don’t agree with the “Moron” religion and I can’t eat anything from you... I’m not sure why he didn't just take the apple and throw away the card but

he must not of been that hungry. I prayed a lot for him and that I might have charity for him. I hope that one day he will just take the apple. There are many other incidences that I could tell about but it aint worth getting all riled up again! Ha ha! I really do love these people I promise

I am excited about Christmas! Everyone has their lights up and fun things are going on in our area! We have our ward talent show and Christmas dinner this Friday and we also have our Christmas zone conference and devotional! It’s gunna be great! I hope that everything in AZ or wherever you may be is going well! I love you all so much! I hope that you all look up the 'Light the World' initiative from the church and do all you can to serve people as Christ did! I love the opportunity this season brings to help people come unto Christ! Don’t forget that he loves you and wants to help you! He is our Savior and Redeemer. I’m so grateful I’m here on my mission sharing the gospel to his children! There is no other place I’d rather be right now! I love you and hope you have a wonderful service filled week :)

This corner of the house is off limits and it is extremely tempting! 

 

Sister Reynolds

1. We got to set up a nativity from my wonderful mama! Thanks it was super fun :)

2. This corner of the house is off limits and it is extremely tempting! 

It Snowed!

Family. Friends.

Snow outside my house

This is urgent. We have officially hit winter! I arose yesterday and did the usual get ready for the day. Then as I made my escapade to the kitchen I had the urge to open up our blinds so we could look at our beautiful lake and then to my surprise I saw it! SNOW! It was cascading down in little, huge, flurries! I got so excited I think I scared Sister Taylor a bit! I had to go outside, even though it was freezing! (Literally 😂) I went and ran in it, more like frolicked, and I looked like a small child who just received a huge gift or something! It was absolutely beautiful to see and it made me excited to think that we might have a white Christmas! I realize now, though, that tracting in the snow or ice isn’t as fun as one would think! This morning I slipped on the ice. I might break a hip by the time summer arrives! haha! We have to bring a blanket with us these days in the car! We named her Monique, MOMO for short! (Hopefully I can send you a pic of her. ha! 

Monique "Momo"

The work in our area is slow right now but we have been seeing little miracles! We have recommitted our former investigator Bebeto to baptism for December 31st! We are super excited to help him gain his own testimony of the restored gospel! I pray that he will continue to have an open heart and mind! He is super cool though! He moved here from Haiti about 10 years ago. He knew nothing about Christianity but he was introduced to it by someone and he has gained an amazing relationship with God and Jesus Christ! He is so ready, even if he doesn’t know it yet. :) We also got a random call from another former investigator named Chris! He likes to pop up randomly but he seems pretty interested this time so we hope that he will be able to commit to learn more! 

The people here are just as amazing! We have met some cool and interesting people! i have to tell you about this guy who shall remain nameless. We knocked on his door and said that we were representatives of Jesus Christ. The first thing he said was, oh him? let me tell you a little something about Jesus Christ. From that moment I knew we would be in for a treat! He continued, and told us that Jesus was half human half ancient alien. Supposedly there is a picture somewhere that proves that this is true. His mother Mary had a beam of light go into her and that is how he was created. this is also the reason he has such amazing powers and could do so many miracles.... at this point I was doing my best to not laugh in his face but we had to get him to stop for longer than a second to let him know we had an appointment and that he could look up more on the website. I feel like somewhere in his life he was lead in an incredibly wrong direction but I guess one day he will figure it out! 

We also had a man come up to us the other day and this is how he said hi, “greetings earthlings! I was taken up by aliens and put back down. I lived in a time of Bon Jovi the evil and I’ve seen much. Do you have a dollar so I might ride the transportation to a distant land?" what a man he was! Sadly we couldn’t help him much but we told him that God loved him and gave him a card! The people here are the best! haha! 

I’ve been thinking about what my favorite talk is. I don’t think I have one but because I asked you all I might as well give one. I have come to love Elder Bruce R McConkie's last conference talk. I cannot remember the name of it but is truly powerful! I would encourage you all to go read it! Hopefully you’ll be able to find it! I love you all so much and so does the Lord and never forget that! I’m grateful to each and every one of you! Always try to do your best and repent daily! I have found that repentance is one of the most amazing blessings that we have ever been given! Take advantage of it! I pray for you all and I’m grateful for your prayers! i love you! 

Sister Reynolds

Christmas light by our house.