Transfers ONCE AGAIN!

Well I can start by telling you that it will be a BUSY transfer. But the cherry on the cake for this a transfer is Conference! WOOHOO!! Hope you are all preparing!  I have been asked to be District leader and I really was not expecting that because I am a still a trainer. But I am grateful for the opportunity to help the work in this way. I am also the Sports Co-coordinator for the mission and Sis. Sagari and I are on the Hospitality Bus Tour Committee.  (I am glad to be back doing H.B.T) So there are lots of different things to do this transfer but it's going to be the best transfer yet on Temple Square!

I really love teaching with Sis Sagari and I am grateful to get to know the Brazilian Culture! It is so fun to take Portuguese lessons and tours! I think Brazilian's hearts are softer. We had our own little miracle this morning...So this last week Fernando came on "chat" and sister Sloan asked us if she could transfer him to us because he was typing Portuguese and of course we said yes! But the transfer didn't successfully go through so we thought we lost him. But Sister Sloan luckily got his email from the top of the screen so we sent him a text (I say we, but of course Sis. Sagari was the one doing the typing....I don't think he'd understand my Portuguese...) Anyways he replied and we got his contact info and we called him. He has seen missionaries walking around his town in the past and we asked if he would meet with them. And today we called again and he said he was driving and saw the missionaries so he pulled over to the side of the road and talked with them and they invited him to go to church this Sunday! We are so excited for Fernando to go to church this Sunday! He's only 22 but so great! We love him and hope he makes some covenants soon!

School has started and you can definitely tell. The square has slowed down a lot and it's kind of depressing..but with that we get more time in the Teaching center which we really need because there are so many people sitting in my files that I haven't had time to contact and weighs on my soul!

Oh Mother I feel so sick inside! I was so grateful for your stamps...but in the hectic move of apartments I think I lost them:(  Please forgive me and I feel so bad because it was a waste of money and it was so thoughtful because I really needed them. Today I will have a little time to search through my stuff so I hope I can find them. Sis. Sagari said she loved chocolates and she ate them in 2 mins:) The Sisters laughed when I told them "so my mom sends me a package....Sister Sagari gets chocolates and I get stamps...." haha but I just said, "My Mom knows me well."

Seminary sounds like it's going well for Mom and Kate! Annie and Adam's family is so great! Thanks for making me cry:)

  

Oh yeah to answer your question mother - we  do serve at Welfare Square and The Beehive house...I just haven't and I AM SO GRATEFUL!!!!! That was the one thing I was praying for coming into this transfer! I really didn't want to be at another venue for conference! It would be sad if we didn't  get to be out talking to all the members! Now in the  dead of winter.....bring it on...I would love it. But when there are people on the square...no way. - I don't want to be stuck in the Beehive House!

I love you all!

Sister reynders

Big Sister's Visit

 Annie and Adam and family were on their way to Idaho and stopped at Temple Square.  They decided they were not going to go looking for Janet but if they happened to see her that would be great. Fortunately she was the second Sister missionary they saw and they were able to visit for a few minutes.  Janet hadn't seen the kids since before Annie and Adams move to Australia.  It was a happy reunion.

Hello PMG!

GUESS WHAT? A MISSIONARY'S DREAM COME TRUE HAPPENED THIS WEEK!! DRUM ROLL PLEASE.....SMALL "PREACH MY GOSPELS"! I was seriously jumping and shouting for joy!!! I got mine laminated over at the Church office building and I am all set to go!

This last week we were so blessed! Robbie Hernandez from Porterville CA was baptized on the 18th! He was a mormon.org inbound call! Yesterday we were eating dinner and we got a call saying they needed a tour at the Map so we ran up and took it. It was a couple and I went to shake her hand and she said, "Oh I know you"....I said "you do?"  "Yeah you were that good singer at BYUI."  We took her and her boyfriend up to the Christus and tried to get a feel where their relationship with Jesus Christ was. We talked a long while about Jesus Christ and the role he's played in our lives. The boy friend's name was Jared and we found out he had met with missionaries in the past but never got baptized. We gave him a soft baptismal commitment and then took him through "Gods Plan for the family." At the end we asked him if  he would pray for a date to be baptized on and he said, "Actually I had one come to mind. Sept 28!" So we will be in touch with Jared and hopefully he will be baptized soon!

This morning I had my own little miracle. I had an inbound call from a man named Wayne who had watched something on TV last night about Mormons.  I think it was on NBC or CBS, anyways, he has been watching Music and the Spoken word as well and was wondering if he could find the closest church building and go to church. I talked with him a bit and then invited him to have the  missionaries and he said he would love to. So we will be in contact and hopefully church goes well on Sunday for him.

After that Sis Sa Gari and I called Diane from Brazil. She was a member referral from T2. She picked up and we taught her the restoration today, her first lesson. She lives out in the boonies. Anyways, I couldn't do much but asked about her feelings about the BOM and bear testimony and such while Sis. Sa Gari translated it into Portuguese. But Diane is so sweet and after asked for a Book of Mormon! So by the time the missionaries get to her home she should be ready to go! I feel so blessed to be doing this great work! I see miracles everyday. I really am spoiled in that way. I see lots of people with willing hearts.

I had the opportunity to finish the Book of Mormon in personal study today and I want to bear you my testimony that the Book of Mormon was translated by the power of God.  The words contained in that book are true and that the fullness of the gospel is contained in that Book. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and we can draw nearer to him and his Son by reading and pondering the words it contains. How  grateful I am that I have access to this book and have had the opportunity to have it guide my daily life. I know that Joseph Smith was called to be a prophet and I am so grateful he accepted that calling...I mean Moroni told him straight up from the beginning that his name would be had for good and evil among all nations....thats scary...how great was his calling! The Church is True. The Church of Jesus Christ is Restored. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

These are days never to be forgotten by Sister Reynders

Hurrah For Israel

-Me

Announcing after "Music and the Spoken Word"

Capital Trip

Hello Family! Guess what? I saw Uncle Paul and Aunt Lynn and family! It was so good to see them! I was grateful to see them and I knew it was ok because it wasn't planned! Jaron is so handsome! I love that boy!! I love our family! I am so glad we are together forever!

This last week we had zone conference at the Capitol! It was fun because we got a tour from Pres Gillette's niece who is some sort of government official. I am going to sound super stupid right now...but she  represents a certain part of Utah and votes on certain bills...ya....haha...some sort of senator or something...ya..ok I'm dumb I know.  Anyways, it was fun to get a tour around there and then have Zone Conference (half the mission). It was very spirit filled and we focused on being consecrated missionaries. I am grateful for the opportunity to look at myself and see what I can change and be better at.

Sis. Sa Gari and I are doing great! This week was awesome! Sister Sa Gari "passed off" this last week and she did great. "Pass offs" are something all new missionaries have to do. You give a role play tour to your zone leaders and they  test you to see how well you are bridging the gospel to the history, contacting people, discerning their needs, inviting, and all that jazz. She did great and I am so happy because  now we can take "investigator" lessons(AKA Elder's tours) and we can now take Portuguese tours, and Motor coaches(Big busses that come). These are things we would have been doing normally but can't do until you are passed off. Anyways, she did great.

Sis Sa Gari is picking up English fast and it is amazing to watch every day! Wow, the Lord loves her and is blessing us!

I got to Announce in English this last Sunday for the first time! Yeah ! It was sooo fun! When I was in charge of announcing I never picked myself because I felt weird doing that....haha

Oh man I love temple Square! I love teaching people!! It was so fun this last week because Sis Sa Gari , I and the Spirit teach very balanced and well together! I love it! We meet so many great people and I love it when we get to stay in contact and they do want to learn more and they Do want a Book of Mormon! It so great to see people come unto Christ!

We finally went to the temple today! It's been closed forever! It's nice to have the weddings back and so fun to have with families everywhere! Sometimes there are up to 70 weddings a day in the summer. I definitely have my fair share of opportunities to judge wedding dresses....."oohh lacey..." ...."what the..you look like a mermaid"......."uhh that veil has gone too far....."are you Mormon?"....haha

Well I love you all! I love the work! Keep up the good work on your end! Let's get a inactive or nonmember family in the Reynders home soon! Especially with  Annie and Adam back with the kids, surely there are relatable families! Bugs, keep those pass along cards in your pocket...

Oh and what's this deal about trying to send Bugs on his mission early? Wait a minute ,wait a minute...I don't think Heavenly Father minds if you wait a month for Sister Reynders to get home. Really.

Hurrah for Israel!

Sister Reynders

Beautiful Raven Black

So....once upon a time I got very bored with my hair. My companion kept putting all these notions of a beautiful chocolate auburn color in my mind so I bought some dye and my hair turned out great! Mostly a lighter brown with a hint of red....yeah! I was happy but I did notice that because I have so much hair not all of it got covered with the dye.  So I bought one more box just to fix it up a bit. Well they didn't have the exact color I needed but I thought this reddish brown dye would be just fine.  Now I want you to picture in your heads the scene from "Anne of Green Gables" when she’s lying in her bed with her newly dyed green hair plastered to her face with sweat and tears. "The peddler on the street told me it would turn my hair a beautiful raven black,” she cried!  This was me at 11 pm on Saturday night. I just sat looking in the mirror at my fiery red roots and cried! I looked like Ariel!  I had church the next day and it was the Sabbath so there would be no way to even try to make a change till Monday.  I didn't know what to do! So I cut some fabric out of my sweat pants and made a nice thick bandanna....I have never felt so humiliated in my life!  I couldn't make eye contact with people. The worse part of it all is despite my bandanna to cover my hair I did not have a bandanna to cover my SOUL! Try as I may, I could not fake it on the Square! I wanted to help people come closer to Christ.  I truly tried but the "Annie orphan hair" really just made every contact a pit of misery.  But the blessings came through even though my heart hurt because of my hair dilemma. We taught 9 guests and 12 members and received 2 referrals! Anyway, sweet Sister Palmer (one of the senior missionaries) had some brown hair dye and with the help of Sister Chamberlain (another senior missionary who is a hair dresser) they were able to get my hair to a normal auburn. So in the end my hair is still weird to me....but I look normal.  I know you're all on pins and needles wanting to see my hair n'all but....sadly I have no pictures for you this week...sorry.  This is why dying your hair on your  mission is a bad idea....it gets you side tracked into thinking more about what’s on your head than what's in it. The end

Despite my "depths of despair" experience I have never been so happy in my life. I love every moment of this experience! I feel so close to my Savior and feel honored to share his love and message with people every day! EVERY DAY! HOW COOL IS THAT! EVERYNIGHT!  EVERY SECOND OF MY LIFE! I love it!!!!!!!!!! I live and breathe thinking, "How can I help others come unto Christ?" 

As missionaries we leave our fears on the "sacrificial" alter and open our mouths with everyone. There are times when we don't open our mouths at all times in all places...sometimes it’s our timid personality, or the fear of people mocking our beliefs, or just plain laziness...but no matter what the reason is it’s never good enough. It never outweighs the Saviors command, "At all times and all places he shall open his mouth and declare my gospel as with the voice of a trump both day and night." And  he promises if we do "and I will give unto him strength such is not known among men!" (DC 42:12) What a blessing it is to put my desires aside and be a missionary, a representative of Jesus Christ, and proclaim that all can find happiness and peace through our Savior! How grateful I am for his infinite atoning sacrifice.

This week I experienced my first group of “anti's”.  I have had individual anti's here and there but I hadn't had a group on a tour yet. Of course they hid their true intentions until later in the tour when they knew they had us cornered. It was tough because my companion is new in the language but I could feel her prayers.  I felt they were "friends of other faiths" (aka anti Mormons) right from the beginning so we told them, "We will not get into any bickering and fighting as we show you around. You may ask us questions and we will show you around and share with you some of history and basic beliefs of our church." When things started to get more crazy towards the end...(they were sneaky and kept pushing us a little harder and harder... next time we'll leave earlier) we just said we are sorry we can't answer your questions. Sadly a member came up to me and got into the tour and was like, “Let me help these Sisters answer your questions.” Bad idea..............it turned into craziness.  Sweet sister Sa Gari bore a powerful testimony and we left. It was a tough situation but it helped me appreciate the character of Jesus Christ. I felt sensitive to the spirit and when it was there and when it wasn't. 

Time is out and I don't have time to do a closing to this letter. Sorry..haha well....write me. Peace!

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

-Sister Reynders

 A Missionary for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Trip to Brighton Girls Camp

I Love the Mountains

Dear Family,

There are tons of people on the square. We have seen lots of miracles...well miracles to me. We have 2 new investigators which is great because we really would like to see 2 baptisms happen this transfer but I don't know where we are going to get them from because for some reason our teaching pool is diminishing...so I happy to see that. 

Mom thanks so much for the package! I am so glad we think alike! I was just thinking how it would be really nice if my Mom sent something to my companion because she hasn't gotten anything since being here...and then you did! Thanks for listening to the spirit mother:)

We are having a great time. We are working hard and her English is improving:) We do lots of vocab and role playing. I hope I am teaching her right.

This last week we had the opportunity to go to Brighton girls camp as a mission! Half of the mission went in the morning while the other half covered the square and then we  switched. Luckily I got the afternoon. The things we did there we just like my experiential education classes I took for Rec. management at BYUI. You know the trusting games, the blind folded, team building sort of things....All that was great but to be honest just being away from Temple Square and up in the mountains was enough for me. I was ready for a hike! I miss hiking! So it was greatly needed and I had such a fun time! We all got matching temple square shirts:)

So Juan Ortiz is someone that I taught from Feb to April but then dropped him because he wasn't moving forward and could never really gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. Well, I felt the spirit really strong prompting me to contact him again. With Sis. Sa Gari as my new companion I really felt she was the one that would make the difference. Well, I contacted him and actually had her speak to him in Spanish and in the end he is going to church on Sunday! So I don't know what will come of this but I felt it was a mini miracle:) 

I truly love being on my mission. Man it is the best! I feel right in the "middle" and I don't' know why I had a panic attack the other night thinking about going home......ya....NO THANK YOU! I am really happy everyday doing this work! But I know that what makes me most happiest is doing exactly what the Lord wants me to be doing at this time in my life..I know that as I keep that perspective that there is much joy that awaits me in the rest of my mortal journey:)

Life is Good! Love, Sister Reynders

24th of July Pioneer Parade

 Last week was Pioneer Day and we were able to go to the parade!!!!! Thank goodness for Pres. Gillette! We do fun things all the time!

 

A lady and her family were so nice and she had us sit with her family. They gave us a seat in the shade and fed us. They were great!

The gentleman in between us is the man on the front of the missionary guidelines book that you get when you get your call. If you remember there is a picture of this guy getting baptized in a font...well this is him many many years later.