Santa Clause

So Scott - Minnesota! HELLO BEST ACCENT EVER! I talk to my companion all the time in a Minnesota accent...taught to me by the one and only Janna Blair. Seriously Bugs, it's going to be great! I am so glad you are going state side! I knew it! It's going to be so grand.  I am excited for you to learn and grow. You are going to be a great missionary and asset to the Lord. I Love you Bugs!

Crazy story! Last night we went to Sister Mulloy's house for dinner....and she had us look at a picture of  her family. There sitting in the family picture was one of my best friends Cameron Adamson! I was so shocked! I was in the home of Cameron's mother! It  was so crazy. (His parents are split...hence the different last names.) Anyway, his family was so fun and they knew I knew Cameron and they were so excited to surprise me! It was great.

I love being with the members! They are great examples to me of what I want for my future family. It was fun being at church yesterday because although I have only been here 2 weeks, it was great to walk through the hallways and see familiar faces and actually be able to say hi to people that I knew!  I haven't had many opportunities on my missions to meet people and then actually get to see them again:)

I feel like we are working hard, but we just don't have a ton of progressing investigators. I don't really know what needs to change! I feel we are trying. Last week I asked if anyone had any advice..but I got nothing from all you  return missionaries in the family...I would love to hear your ideas and advice.

It has been great to go to a regular ward again. I love going to Sunday School and Relief Society. Yesterday I was so overwhelmed by the sweetness of Jesus Christ as we studied 3 Nephi 17, one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon. Jesus is the sweetest man that ever walked this earth.  I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and it's account of the Savior. I usually don't get bothered too much when people put down the Book of Mormon...but yesterday a man we contacted on the street got to me. He said, "Believing in the Book of Mormon is like believing in Santa Clause." I feel bad I let him get under my skin but I pointed my finger at him and said, "No No No! I can't believe you just compared the Book of Mormon to Santa Clause! The Book of Mormon is an account of real people with real lives, people that witnessed seeing Jesus Christ and of his miracles. If you want to understand Jesus Christ, his plan for you and his character read 3 Nephi chapter 17." He had a Book of Mormon so I gave him a sticky note with the reference. The Book of Mormon is true! I know Jesus Christ is real. I know he loves me.  I am glad he is my friend and he is NO SANTA CLAUSE!

  

OK. My time is almost out and I haven't written President! I Love you!

-Hurrah For Israel!

Sister Reynders

Help Wanted!

Hello!

Well Sister Reynders is feeling very "new" out here in the Mission field! ATTENTION: Calling all return missionaries to send me some ideas on how they found people to teach when they were serving. I could use some ideas so send them my way!

  

Honestly things are great! So Sis. LeDoux and I are serving in 2 wards here in the Liberty Lake Stake. The members here are amazing! Are the members this into missionary work everywhere? I don't think they are back home...or maybe I just wasn't paying attention.  The work would be a lot slower if the members were not so committed to doing missionary work - they are fantastic!  We don't have a ton of progressing investigators, but we are meeting with  *Sandra (*name has been changed do to privacy) tonight.  We might drop her if she doesn't truly want to change.

  

I have such a desire to do all the Lord wants us to do.  If there are changes we need to make in the area I want to do it. If there are certain places we need to be, or things we need to say, we want to do it! I just hope the Lord is happy with the work we are doing.  We are trying our best to align our will with His.  This week I want to focus more on planning more with the spirit and how I can incorporate divine revelation into our planning so we  feel confident that we are doing what the Lords wants.

So did I tell you last week we drove off a cliff....yeah...don't worry. I was the heroine and kept everyone calm. It was  raining and we had no cell phone coverage. We are good  but the car got a little messed up but that's a story for another time.

Did I tell you that I get freaked out sometimes walking and biking at night? It is ok though because it hastens my work! I want to be on lighted door steps talking with people because that's where I feel safe!...haha I am sure my companion thinks I am crazy because I am like, "Come on Sister! We have to knock this house!"  My companion: "What? What are you doing?" .....Me: "I think that cars following us!"

Elder Bugs Reynders is definitely going state side and I think Salt Lake City. (That's not a joke...I am dead serious!!) Today we are going winter clothes shopping because don't have the stuff to keep me warm. 

I love these verses I read this morn in Mormon 3.

 2 And it came to pass that the Lord did say unto me: Cry unto this people—Repent ye, and come unto me, and be ye baptized, and build up again my church, and ye shall be spared.

 3 And I did cry unto this people, but it was in vain; and they did not realize that it was the Lord that had spared them, and granted unto them a chance for repentance. And behold they did harden their hearts against the Lord their God.

The Lord has called me to declare repentance whether these people accept it or not. It is my responsibility to throw agency into the equation and give these people the "Chance" to repent.

Life is good! Hurrah For Israel!
-Sister Reynders

Best Week Ever

Umm...Ok.....um...best week of my life. The end.

I don't think I have been this happy in years and years. I don't even know where to start!

I have had so many adventures and I laugh 24/7!

I left Temple Square on Wednesday morning - I left a box and a suitcase in the storage at T2.

I flew into Spokane and Pres. and Sister Mullen greeted me there. They took me by the temple and then we went to the mission office and got some info and training with the Assistants. I had an amazing interview with President and then I was off! I got put in a trio because this mission is a week behind T2 transfers. Let me tell you it has been the best thing ever! I seriously haven't had this much fun since I was in high school with Sarah and Jessica all the time. That's what it feels like with my two companions! SOOO great!  I can tell you one thing...my bootie hurts something fierce because my bike seat is so hard!

 I am serving with Sister Ledoux and Maxfield, both from Utah:)  We just got transfer details last night  and this next transfer Sister Ledoux and I are sweeping a new area called Liberty Lake. Sister Maxfield is training again for like her 5th time and is straying in Hayden. It will be sad to say goodbye to her.  All three of us have become really close the past few days. This is sister Maxfield's last transfer. Next transfer Sister Ledoux and I will have a full time car, but we have bikes, too, so, we do both.

Before I get going I want to tell you that our Heavenly Father is VERY much aware of each of us....and knows us individually...I have never felt that so strong in my life as I have these past few day since being in Hayden. Any of you who really know Janet Reynders knows, that I get scared very easy, and one of my biggest fears is getting kidnapped.  I know it sounds silly...but it's a real fear for me.  Of course I never talked about it when deciding to go on a mission.  I have left my life in the Lord's hands and he continues to take care of me.  One of the first things President Mullen said to me without any prompt from me was, "I have recently been told on 2 different occasions that the Spokane mission is considered a very safe mission." Yeah, God loves me.

   

Transitioning from T2 to into the field has definitely been a transition, but the good thing is, is that I am a "preach my Gospel" Missionary in and out  and because of that everything transitions pretty smoothly.  I really just have to learn the new resources and such, like church tours, and then learn how logistics work like reporting numbers, learning the area, learning how to work with ward leaders, and new mission rules.

I have loved the work out here. I love making awkward contacts, I love getting my skirt caught in my bike every 2 seconds:), I love BEING ABLE TO DO SERVICE HOURS (I have raked a lot of yards this week.) I love being in homes!  We went to visit an less active family in the ward and the Sisters said, "They are always sneaking up and scaring us.  This time we are going to get them good."  It was pitch black outside and we sneaked around the back of the house (without getting eaten by the dog) and climbed over just a few things and we run up and banged on their window and then ran and hid.  The little girl screamed inside and the dad came out looking, "I bet it was the Sisters." He pulls out his flash light...then we jumped out! Everyone was laughing and we went in and had a good time with the family! Their boy and I played a duet with  him on the banjo and me on the guitar. But what I loved most was being able to gather the family together and all be edified by the spirit.

 We had a District meeting this week and our District Leader was going home. So I am sitting there waiting for it to start...and I hear this morbid depressing music...and all the Elders are dressed in black and are holding bouquets and they are walking in a funeral procession.  They walk to the front of the room and surround the District leader, and then that cheesey "going home" song from  the seminary CD's comes on and one Elder is just like "bawling and mourning."  Anyway....it was hilarious.

I don't believe in coincidences. It was raining last night and we had an appointment with this lady, but she ended up not wanting to talk so we went to their neighbors. They weren't home but we ended up talking to the uncle Josh who was babysitting the kids. Turns out he was baptized when he was 8 and has not been active for years. We gave him a new book of Mormon and taught him the importance of using the Book of Mormon to guide you though out your life. It was a tender experience and the spirit was strong.

I know the Church is true with all of my heart! I know that more than ever! Life is good! Pray for me! This week will be the test!

Hurrah For Israel!

-Sister Reynders

Outbound!

Sister Reynders has been sent to serve in the Washington Spokane mission for the next 4 1/2 months.  We were able to visit with her on the phone for a few minutes yesterday when she called to tell us where she was being sent to serve the "Outbound" portion of her mission.  We received a nice letter from her mission president today with pictures of her new companion and President Mullen and his wife.  We are excited for her new adventure.  Her new address has been updated on the sidebar.

I Love Conference!