God's Love

Well, I don't really know what to tell you! Things are good! I love our zone! These sisters are so amazing. I got to clean the temple when it was closed for renovation. It was cool.  We went to a baptism this morning of an investigator lesson we had last week. We have a new investigator named Wayne. It has snowed a ton here and its killing me. 

 The music concert that the Sister Missionaries are putting on is on March 15.  I am playing the guitar for "I am Australian" and I am singing "Amazing Grace" with Sister Osorio.  I am also doing a sound of music medley with a group and  I am  in the choir so I am busy with that as well.

We did leadership training, and of course sister Elliott and I had to train. I am so grateful for companions.  I still don't feel I will ever present myself very eloquently.  I can't think in my head before I speak so it makes teaching and training hard. But at the same time it forces me to rely on the Lord 100% every time I open my mouth.  It went well. I thank Heavenly Father.

I need help with my family research. First, I know Poppy's line has been done but it needs to be inserted into family search, so if you could get me his dad's name and birth so I can get going on that that would be great. We have 1 hour once a week when we can do family history so give me an assignment.

I didn't know Janna was REALLY going on a mission! I am happy for her. I wish she would write me. I think she will go to Washington Spokane Mission....or Temple Square:)

I called in and scheduled a time to interview for that job at BYU. The interview is on Monday. I am trying to not get my hopes up too much because I REALLY WANT THAT JOB....:)

Thank you for spending the time to do that all for me mom.  I think I better just go straight to work after the mission.  Going home and then coming back seems like such a hassle. It makes me feel good to know I will have a purpose after my mission and I get work with the youth!

This week I have focused a lot on trying to feel God's love. Heavenly Father is ALL around me and sometimes I am just so blind to it. I can honestly say that there has never been a time that He has failed me. I love Him and I am trying to be a better daughter to him. Dad, I also wanted to let you know that at times it is hard for me to imagine Heavenly Father, but whenever I feel I need a tangible essence of him, I use you as my guide. Thank you. I just take your love for me and my love for you and try to magnify that and that helps me understand Gods love for me. I believe that is one  of the biggest purposes for earthly fathers. It puts the responsibility on fathers but when done right it is such a blessing for God's children to have earthly fathers.

Life is good. Sorry I don't have much to say. Love you!

-Hurrah for Israel!

-Sister Reynders

I'm Back!

First of all, Happy Family Birthday! We were established 33 years ago on Feb. 16. Woot Woot! Thanks Mom and Dad:) I know you didn't know my p-day was today sorry. My prep day is now on Saturday.

Leaving Spokane was traumatic and hard but here I am just the same! I will always love Spokane. We had an awesome lesson with Jeremy right before I left. We hit it off with a bang. It was spirit filled and we all fasted the next day that he would have the strength to overcome coffee.

I don't think I let it really hit me that I was leaving until 8:30 pm. that night when they drove me to the mission home. I flew out and got to Salt Lake around 12 noon on Wednesday. When I got off the plane  they had a Sister there waiting for me and she told me I was to be Zone Leader with Sister Elliot! I am so happy Sister Elliott is my companion. I have yet to unpack but today is the day. The moment I got here I took a VIP tour with sister Elliot.  I guess we are responsible to give those tours now...kinda scary!

For the last two days it has been so crazy. We have had to do 4 training meetings for the Sisters and one zone meeting. They put me as a zone leader over WEST 1 which is the zone that covers, West gate services, Guest services, Humanitarian Center, Welfare Square, Office Assistants and a little Beehive house!........What?....do they realize I haven't served in ANY of these venues?!  haha  And here I am training the Sisters? But I really feel that the Lord is doing it all and I just apply myself and open my mouth.

The Temple Square missionaries are doing a performance "Music from around the World" in the assembly hall and I am heavily involved in that.  We heard that  Pres. Monson is planning on attending.  They have asked me to play guitar for some of the numbers so....gulp...the Lords really going to need to help me:)

I feel so grateful for my outbound experience because I have been able to share with the sisters the things I have learned. Yesterday in our zone meeting we taught about the Atonement and that the Atonement is central to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. People can find access to the Atonement through the Gospel and people can find access to the gospel because of the restoration.  SO...we really are here to help people access the Atonement. It went really well and I know we are going to see great things happen. The Sisters are great. Sister Ibarra is in our zone and so is sister Nixon and  Sister Lake, whose dad was the bishop in one of my outbound wards. 

Anyways life is good.  I will talk to Pres. Gillette about interviewing for that job. Thanks!

-Hurrah For Israel!

-Sister Reynders

A Request

Hello Friends and Family!

I am heading back to Temple Square this week and I have a request. As much as I love you all I am asking everyone to please not try to find me on temple Square.  It was great to see so many when I was there before but I really want to stay focused these last few months and I think this will help me do that. Thanks for understanding.

Well, I don't even know where to start. It's been a hard week, internally more than externally, but that's really where all my struggles have been on my mission. It's just really hard to leave this place. It is kind of like being told you have to leave your mission after only being out for 4 1/2 months.  You may be thinking, "What do you mean? You are still going to be a missionary."  Yes that is true but....it's hard and it's hard to explain.  Just the same I have felt the spirit very strong this week. The atonement is everything. I have so much to say about that but it will just have to wait until next week.

We had exchanges this week and so I was left in our area with the traveling Sister, it was good.

JT is a new investigator who just got out of prison 2 weeks ago and he has an awesome conversion story that happened in his cell in the prison. He got a hold of the Book of Mormon and he calls himself a Mormon now. He is great. On fast Sunday he bore his testimony.

We decided to be adventurous and figure out the bus system.....so we set off after a zone meeting and just got dropped off by the other sisters and our destination was to get back home.  The night before I decided I was going to talk to the first guy I saw with earphones in.  Well the first guy that walked past the bus stop had earphones, so of course I ran after him and he took the earphones out.  He wasn't interested but we talked about the atonement of Christ and we promised him that through the restoration of Christ's Church he can better access the atonement. We left him with a pass along card and that was that. But that was just the beginning of our adventure.

We found out that we were not at the right bus stop that would take us to the direction we needed so walked 8 more blocks and got to the right one.  We were at the intersection and our bus pulls up but we are stuck across the street. When the light said "walk" we ran like the dickens but.....we missed it! It was sad but I just couldn't help but laugh. While we were there we met Larry. We talked to Larry a bit and he set us straight as far as where we needed to go to get home. He then preceded to start smoking. Right before the bus pulled up he said "OH you're  the LDS missionaries? I thought you said Nurses Aids! I am a Mormon. I haven't been for years and I am from Montana."  But the bus came so we just got his number.  Then yesterday we were driving between church buildings for church and Sister LeDoux says, "There's Larry!"  We pulled over and jump out and he was holding up a sign for food. We said, "Larry we are on our way to church, will you come?" and he said sure. How do I get there?  We called a member to come pick him up and he came to church.  I know this is a long story but I know that Heavenly Father is aware of all his children. Larry is a special man and God loves him more than I know. I know that as we are sensitive to Heavenly Fathers love for his children we can be his hands.

Life is Good. I love the  work.

Love,

Sister Reynders

So long Spokane

Training

Ice Skating

Hello family!

I am very excited to tell you that Matthew (name changed) was baptized Saturday! It was great -pure happiness! There were over 250 people there and at one point the second counselor in the stake presidency asked for all the youth that were there to support Matthew to stand up and about half the people stood up! It was amazing! The youth give me so much hope. We have two new investigators and they are both 15 years old.  One of them is investigating with her mother. 

On Sunday we went to all 3 wards as usual, and it was fast and testimony meeting, and in every ward there was someone who talked about  Mathew's baptism and how it has influenced them to do more missionary work. In the last sacrament meeting youth after youth got up to bare their testimony.  I didn't feel any prompting to bare my testimony and then when there was 5 minutes left, as fast as lightning, my stomach was on fire.  I responded immediately and walked up and bore my testimony. I didn't really know what I was supposed to say but I knew I was standing up there not for me but for someone else. I personally didn't feel I needed to share anything but I went up there because I felt the Holy Ghost so powerfully so I stood. I was there for a moment and cleared my mind and then opened my mouth. I bore testimony that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is the real life and it should be what we live for. I told how when I was a youth I didn't have near the testimony of those youth that  had born that day, and that I hoped to be as they are some day. I was grateful to have the Holy Ghost with me. I was grateful that I have had experiences with the Holy Ghost and know how he speaks to me personally. I believe that if we pray to recognize the Holy Ghost he will prompt us, and as we respond to those prompting we will receive more. I know that as we experience this process over and over again that we develop such a relationship with the Divine Godhead that we will have no more disposition to do evil, and that we will be the instruments God needs. 

I leave the 13th for Temple Square. I think I had what people call an "anxiety attack" last night. I didn't sleep for hours. There are just a lot of things to think about as I head into this final part of my mission. Pray for me. We all know that prayers need to be specific,....and because I have a need I will just tell you what to pray for! Pray that Sister Reynders will know how to use the missionary skills, knowledge, experience, and testimony she has gained while in Washington, in the Utah Temple Square mission. Pray for her to be the instrument the Lord needs her to be on Temple Square for the other Sisters, for the mission, and guests there. Thanks for all your support, I love you all. Life is good.

Hurrah For Israel!

-Sister Reynders

P.S.  I love you Elder Reynders! Do some good. Trust the Lord and open your mouth, and listen to the Holy Ghost. When teaching a lesson keep Preach my Gospel in the back of your mind, but keep asking yourself, "What does the Lord want me to teach/ask/testify?" I know you are a great Elder  because you have a desire to serve God. It's that simple. He loves you, and he's so grateful every time you trust and sacrifice.