Get ready Conference is Coming!

Hello!!!!!!!!!

Well things are bright and happy today on Temple Square! Things have kind of picked up this weekend...too bad my p-days on Fridays!

Last week we got to go to the broadcast of the Brigham City Temple dedication. HOSANNA! It was great! I loved hearing from the special witnesses of Christ. They were powerful! Where 2 or 3 are gathered there shall he be in the midst of them!  We also got a tour underground and behind the Organ in the tabernacle and in the Conference Center which was awesome as well! 

This week we had a special meeting with Ruth Todd who is the head of Public Relations for the church. She talked to us about being the " Face of the Church".  She spoke with us about looking our best and being nice....which is kind of interesting because I thought that coming to Temple square we would get lectured and told about this all the time but this really was the first time thus far. Anyways it was good.

So besides all these fun things (Oh, also! We get to go to the RS broadcast tomorrow for which I am very excited!) The Missionary work is going great! My favorite is just being on the square and taking tour after tour. It is so great to preach the gospel. This week it has been so fun because we have gotten so many people with GREAT questions!  From where I serve in the field it seems  like people that come to Temple Square are in a famine and our message is like savory homemade  bread! Honestly what we have to be careful of is teaching (feeding) too much, that their stomachs are full and they don't seek out the missionaries in their local area. That is why the timing at which we invite is vital.

Once again I have to say I am going to miss teaching Brazilians when Sister Sagari is no longer my companion! I love Brazilian people and I really, really, really want to go visit Brazil  someday!...Hopefully relatively soon! honey moon? These people make me feel at home, and I think they create a great environment for the spirit to dwell. We took an awesome Brazilian family around yesterday and probably spent more time with them then we should have but I felt like they needed it and we needed it!

This week Michael L. is getting baptized. It has been a long journey for him! We have been teaching him for 6 months, but this last week when we called him on the phone he bore the sweetest testimony.  I cried on the other end...but good thing I can play it off, because he can't see my tears through a phone. He wants to be baptized so bad and truly has an understanding that this is just the beginning on his path of discipleship. He is great.

Well I am going to go know. I would appreciate it if you all could keep me in your  prayers - thanks.

Love you later.

Hurrah for Israel!

Sister Reynders

Hey I've been out 9 months...what?

Hello to whomever is out there that cares to listen! I am doing well:)

I really think I need to start a "Guest's say the darndest Things" list. People really are so crazy sometimes...but  because they are all children of God I won't tell you some of the really crazy things I hear here on Temple Square but here is one example. As part of the tour we do an acoustic demonstration in the Tabernacle. We first tear a piece of newspaper and then drop 3 straight pins and in contrast one small nail. The purpose of this demonstration is to help the guest see the magnificent acoustics of this legendary building! But we get responses like this, "So, I understand the symbolism behind the tearing of the newspaper, you know, that the media in the world is corrupt and your church doesn't want to be involved in it, but I really am struggling with the symbolism behind the droppings of the pins."  Another funny one was, "As Mormon missionaries you have to wear a flower in your hair right?"........I know why they say this because a lot of the Sisters in an attempt to spruce up their outfits wear things in their hair.   I love the off the wall things people say, they brighten my day:) We hear a lot crazier things than these that I won't mention.

We got to meet with Richard Elliot one of the organist for the MO TAB early Wednesday morning. He did a whole presentation about the Tabernacle, organs, and specifically the organ in the Tabernacle. It was great because we talk to people about this organ every day.  It's good to get some legit information about how organs work and be able to answer questions.

I often think back when I was a young lass sitting at aunt Martha's house and Uncle Hughy had Mo Tab playing and I ignorantly said, "I don't like Mo Tab - the words all jumble together, and I really just don't think they are that great."  PSSH... I was not very cool.....I absolutely love the Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and in specific the organ. I could listen to that organ all day. There is a special spirit that comes from that building and that organ. It was built by Joseph Ridges who grew up in London across the street from an organ factory. He first heard about the church in Australia where he was taught the gospel. Brigham Young got word that there was  an organ builder in Australia and asked him to construct and organ for the Tabernacle, so Joseph Ridges obediently picked up his little family and came by boat to California and headed towards the Salt Lake Valley. There are a few things about this story that impresses me.  First, how good Brigham Young was at noticing the talents of others that could help build the Kingdom of God, and INVITING THE MEMBERS TO ACT, and use their talents for good. Second, how willing Joseph was to respond to the call, and the because of his efforts and diligence thousands and thousands of people come to Temple Square every week just to hear this organ.

Brother Elliot didn't go into all that but he did play "Come, Come ye Saints." I have never heard this rendition of the Hymn and I seriously wept as I sat in those Choir seats. I felt once again those feelings I had  in Nauvoo,  that those early Saints were near me.

I know this Gospel is true, and I personally cannot deny the spirit that testifies to me over and over again through the history, journals, artifacts, and buildings left from the early members of this church. If you don't have a testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel read, listen, sing, see the testimonies left by the millions that came before you, that God lives, he is there for you, and he loves you. It is my prayer that each of us continues on the path that will lead us to our Father in heaven. As Elder Holland admonished us, "If you've made covenants, keep them. If you haven't made them, make them. If you have made them and broken them, repent and repair them. It is never too late so long as the master of the vineyard says there is time.

Sister Reynders

 Sometimes we have to just drop and study where ever we can find a spot.

                         Bowling on P-day.  Guess who won?!!

                 We got to attend the Greek Festival which was so fun.

Where you all able to go?

So this week has just flown by! WOW! Things are going so well.  Last week when we were walking out from emailing one of the host in the JSMB asked us if we could come with him to his office and visit with a man who wants to be baptized. So we met with him and his name is Trevor! Without going into too much detail, he has been really prepared and is now living in Salt Lake and feels God has been prompting him to look into the LDS church! Anyways, we taught him right then and there and continued over the phone and now he has successfully transitioned to the missionaries here.  I am so excited for him to receive the many blessings that Heavenly Father has been waiting to give him!

We also got word that Fernando has a baptismal date set for the 29th of September! We actually called him when he was meeting with the missionaries in Brazil and talked to those missionaries on the phone....kind of "fubeca" (portuguese word...look it up.)

Michael, who I taught with Sister Kleine back in my 2nd transfer is also getting baptized that same day! It has been a long road for Michael, but he really knows the church is true.

This last week we did a couple Hospitality Bus Tours. When we went and picked them up from the banquet room in the Lion House where they were eating,  I was telling them where the bathrooms were and then I said, "Where you able to go?...."  Then one of the men spoke up and said, " Well, don't you think that's a little personal?".........jokes were flying, everyone was laughing...and I was dying!  It was funny and we laughed a lot:).....woopsy doo....

OK, I just have to brag for a second this week....(I don't know why) but it just hit me that I know a lot of facts about the history of this place. It's kind of cool. Ok done.

On Sunday We went and sang/spoke in a ward in Murray Utah.  I think I was more nervous about getting there alive than I was about speaking. Ya'll know how greatly I dislike driving and I had to drive!!  But it was so good to be in a family ward. Public speaking becomes a lot easier on the mission. I talked about faith in Jesus Christ in our families. I started off by talking about my own family. I told them about my dad and how every time I asked permission to go and do something his response was, "Only if you promise to go on a mission and get married in the temple!"  I told them about my dad and how it was never a question for me if he had faith in Jesus Christ because it was taught to me through example. My dad knew that through serving others and making and keeping covenants in the temple, that that was where we could find peace and happiness. I shared about my Great, great, great, (hopefully that's right) grandmother Mary Elizabeth Rollins and her example of faith in Jesus Christ as she courageously saved those important pages of scriptures from the mobs. There was a good spirit in the meeting and I was very grateful to partake in it. Pres. Seppi (2nd counselor in our mission presidency) showed up in the back and then afterwards invited us over for lunch.  It was a nice break from the Square.

Last P-day we went to the Greek festival! It was so fun! I kind of feel like a celebrity walking around Salt Lake as a missionary! Everyone is like OOOOOHHH there's the Sister Missionaries! And they paid for all our food and we got all this free jewelry from one of the booths! It was great! It was fun being out in the community as well:)

Well life is good and I am sure glad I am here and not anywhere else in my life.

In District meeting this week we focused on "Crying repentance",  and that every single person needs some sort of healing through the atonement of Jesus Christ and we can be a part in that healing.

Life is Good. Hurrah For Israel! Do Some good.

Sister Reynders

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

Fake it till you Make it

Ok. So once again life is good. I had my first District  meeting yesterday and thank heavens it's over...but it's going to come around next week again! No! Just kidding -  it was good. I just stress over these sorts of things, but the Sisters in my district are so sweet and we felt the spirit and I think it went well. We also had Leadership training and had our General Conference Pump up meeting. So we have really been uplifted and edified this week!

Two days ago we had a Hospitality Bus tour and we had to take them to the Beehive house. The  last time I did the Beehive house Sister Kaberry had served there so she really knew a lot, but this time I didn't have her! Of course Sister Sagari has never been there. It takes a lot to get in front of people and talk when you know you don't know much. ...It was scary but it ended up being great! They couldn't even tell we didn't know what we were doing. I have learned how to really fake it well on the mission! haha 

On Sunday we are driving to a ward about 20 minutes away and we will be speaking and singing in a ward. It will be good to be in a family ward.

I feel like this week had a lot of little bumps and challenges that we had to get through, but I really felt the Savoir right behind me every step of the way. I never felt alone and hat the challenge was something I couldn't do. How grateful I am for the peace that comes from knowing and trusting our Savior. 

I know this is a lame letter... sorry...but somedays writing letters are so hard!  I love you all though.  It looks like the family is all hanging out in the Midwest these days. Hope seminary is going well! I can understand how hard of a calling that would be, but soooo rewarding!

If Sarah Denna and Jessica Godfrey, ever read these emails....I miss you and wish I had your current addresses!

I love my life and really enjoy the work. I feel content and happy. 

The Purpose of the Gospel is to make bad men good and good men better and to change human Natures-  David O. McKay   Mosiah 3:19

Hurrah for Israel

Sister Reynders