Happy Birthday Holly!!
I hope that you have a great birthday today! I can`t believe that you
are already 7 years old! You are growing up :) just kidding I know
that you are now 10 ;)
Big news from Elder Reed, I am no longer assistant to the President in
Concepciòn. Hence why I am writing to you right now instead of last
saturday. President recieved revelation and said he needed me to act
as an assistant, district and zone leader up in the northernmost zone
of the mission. So, here I am in Curico Norte tearing it up!! I love
being back in the field but first let me tell you how all of this came
to pass.
On Monday we had a meeting with President at 8 in the evening to
decide where we were going to open up the 8 new sectors that we will
have in two weeks. While we are there President decides to drop the
anvil of revelation upon by saying "Elder Reed, I think we need you to
go early so pack your bags tonight" It was very exciting. I am just
happy that I didn`t get to influence where he sent me, I know that
this is where the Lord needs me to be and life is great. So anyways, I
didn`t actually get to my new sector...oh and nobody else in the
mission knew what was going on, not even the other office Elder`s...
So we left to do a mission tour on Tuesday morning to get more
interviews done and I didn`t make it to my new sector until Friday. It
has been an adventure and just in the few short days that I have been
here we have found 8 new investigators one being and amazing family
that is made of pure gold! The father, jose, has been looking for
truth his whole life and if we get him going the rest of the family
will get baptized as well. We also have a great inv. named carlos who
is progressing rapidly and doing amazingly well. The month of March
could be big for us.
On a side note in just the last couple of days I have lost like 10
pounds and my feet hurt more than ever! It looks like I got a little
soft in the office driving the truck. Nevertheless pain is just
weakness leaving the body and missionaries need to be strong so life
is great.
Anyways, I love all of you and hope you have a wonderful week!
Elder Reed
Monday, February 20, 2012
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Brent has one more transfer to stay in office
Hey Family
How have your weeks been? Mine has been a little crazy. It is transfer planning week and it took us 3 days this time to do all of the cambios. We pretty much had to plan for the next three transfers because we will be opening 15 new sectors, losing half of our leadership, and having a quarter to half of the mission training at the same time. We have a lot of big changes coming, it is really exciting. Even though it has taken a solid 3 days it has been fun doing cambios with President.
As far as other crazy things happening our truck broke down! We were on our way out to do mini cambios when the clutch gave out and the car stopped moving. We had to push it to the Ford Dealership. It was really a pain losing all the time we did getting it fixed but at least it is safe to drive in. While we were fixing it we found out that our previous mechanic had been jimmy rigging the truck instead of fixing it the right way so it was a blessing to have the dealership look at it. We also went Urban Paintballing as a zone and it was pretty much the most epic zone activity I have ever planned and been on. I will send some pics but we did it call of duty style and played on a big villa that had two or three empty houses to go through an empty pool and terrace and everything it was a good unity builder jaja.
We also had this intense miracle happen this week. On Sunday a woman walked into church that I had never seen before and I felt a very strong impression, stronger than I have ever felt, to go and talk to her. Well, I was waiting until the end of Sacrament meeting to go do that but ten minutes b4 it ended she got a phone call and left. All I could think of was to ask the people who sat next to her if they knew where she lived. Thankfully the bishops wife is good friends with her but had never had the confidence with the missionaries to send them over to her house. Well, I got the direction from her and we went over to the house and met Barbara. We had a very powerful lesson with her and we have kept coming over to her house and she is amazing and so prepared. She reads and prays and wants to get baptized. She has been going through a lot of difficulties in her life with her family and now has recognized how the gospel is bringing a peace and tranquility into it that she has never had before, it is great. She should be getting baptized in two weeks
Oh, and as far as transfers go...I will be staying in the office for one more cambio which means that I will officially spend more than half of my mission in the office. I am not complaining it has just been strange to see the Lord´s plan fold out for me here and I am glad that I can be happy wherever I am if I am in the service of my God.
Also, one of the needs in our mission is a greater understanding of gospel principles, because almost everybody has less than 6 months on the mish right now, so Elder Stermetz and I are making a program to help us in just knowing the doctrine better, it is going to be sick. I am now memorizing all of the scriptures that are found in lesson 3 of Preach My Gospel and, don´t be hatin, I have found that now that I understand and have a personal testimony of the principles of the gospel memorization has been an important tool to expand that understanding and I have been learning a lot.
Other less important news, because of the mission I have found a love for both bananas and Ketchup, things that I hated before the mission, and regularly consume them both, however, I still do not like mint.
How did everyone like the talk that I sent out?
Well, I love you all! If you ever feel down in a day make more plans to fill your time with meaningful activities(things that build new skills, attitudes, or love for yourself or for others), not just menial to do lists, and you will not experience disatisfaction in your day to day life.
Love,
Elder Reed
How have your weeks been? Mine has been a little crazy. It is transfer planning week and it took us 3 days this time to do all of the cambios. We pretty much had to plan for the next three transfers because we will be opening 15 new sectors, losing half of our leadership, and having a quarter to half of the mission training at the same time. We have a lot of big changes coming, it is really exciting. Even though it has taken a solid 3 days it has been fun doing cambios with President.
As far as other crazy things happening our truck broke down! We were on our way out to do mini cambios when the clutch gave out and the car stopped moving. We had to push it to the Ford Dealership. It was really a pain losing all the time we did getting it fixed but at least it is safe to drive in. While we were fixing it we found out that our previous mechanic had been jimmy rigging the truck instead of fixing it the right way so it was a blessing to have the dealership look at it. We also went Urban Paintballing as a zone and it was pretty much the most epic zone activity I have ever planned and been on. I will send some pics but we did it call of duty style and played on a big villa that had two or three empty houses to go through an empty pool and terrace and everything it was a good unity builder jaja.
We also had this intense miracle happen this week. On Sunday a woman walked into church that I had never seen before and I felt a very strong impression, stronger than I have ever felt, to go and talk to her. Well, I was waiting until the end of Sacrament meeting to go do that but ten minutes b4 it ended she got a phone call and left. All I could think of was to ask the people who sat next to her if they knew where she lived. Thankfully the bishops wife is good friends with her but had never had the confidence with the missionaries to send them over to her house. Well, I got the direction from her and we went over to the house and met Barbara. We had a very powerful lesson with her and we have kept coming over to her house and she is amazing and so prepared. She reads and prays and wants to get baptized. She has been going through a lot of difficulties in her life with her family and now has recognized how the gospel is bringing a peace and tranquility into it that she has never had before, it is great. She should be getting baptized in two weeks
Oh, and as far as transfers go...I will be staying in the office for one more cambio which means that I will officially spend more than half of my mission in the office. I am not complaining it has just been strange to see the Lord´s plan fold out for me here and I am glad that I can be happy wherever I am if I am in the service of my God.
Also, one of the needs in our mission is a greater understanding of gospel principles, because almost everybody has less than 6 months on the mish right now, so Elder Stermetz and I are making a program to help us in just knowing the doctrine better, it is going to be sick. I am now memorizing all of the scriptures that are found in lesson 3 of Preach My Gospel and, don´t be hatin, I have found that now that I understand and have a personal testimony of the principles of the gospel memorization has been an important tool to expand that understanding and I have been learning a lot.
Other less important news, because of the mission I have found a love for both bananas and Ketchup, things that I hated before the mission, and regularly consume them both, however, I still do not like mint.
How did everyone like the talk that I sent out?
Well, I love you all! If you ever feel down in a day make more plans to fill your time with meaningful activities(things that build new skills, attitudes, or love for yourself or for others), not just menial to do lists, and you will not experience disatisfaction in your day to day life.
Love,
Elder Reed
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Oops-Dec. 10
Well as far as opening things for christmas if anybody else wants to send me a package it would be most graciously recieved. I totally forgot that Savannah was getting married good for her!
This week has been wonderful! We did cambios and we are having a lot of changes in the mission because we will be recieving a lot of new missionaries so we are preparing all of the zones for that also we are opening or reopening 4 sectores and by the time I leave we will have opened 15 new sectors. It is so amazing be able to witness as President Humphrey recieves revelation according to the needs of the mission and of the missionaries. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here again.
We also had an investigator get offended in church this week but we felt like we should let it settle for a couple days and when we visited them they were still mad but we just laughed about it and told them that it might happen for the rest of their lives and that they needed to get over and then we shared a powerful lesson on keeping the Sabbath day holy. Our investigator was able to overcome all of his feelings of offense and re committ to going to church every Sunday.
Other things that I have been doing is making the mission video....again. and organizing mission conference and a special christmas devotional and another christmas devotional I am super busy with office stuff which is a little lame but I know that it will make all of the missionaries feel more motivated to work during the holidays. What are the plans for christmas?? Specific plans? I love all of you thank you so much for your support!
Love,
Elder Reed
This week has been wonderful! We did cambios and we are having a lot of changes in the mission because we will be recieving a lot of new missionaries so we are preparing all of the zones for that also we are opening or reopening 4 sectores and by the time I leave we will have opened 15 new sectors. It is so amazing be able to witness as President Humphrey recieves revelation according to the needs of the mission and of the missionaries. I am very grateful for the opportunity to be here again.
We also had an investigator get offended in church this week but we felt like we should let it settle for a couple days and when we visited them they were still mad but we just laughed about it and told them that it might happen for the rest of their lives and that they needed to get over and then we shared a powerful lesson on keeping the Sabbath day holy. Our investigator was able to overcome all of his feelings of offense and re committ to going to church every Sunday.
Other things that I have been doing is making the mission video....again. and organizing mission conference and a special christmas devotional and another christmas devotional I am super busy with office stuff which is a little lame but I know that it will make all of the missionaries feel more motivated to work during the holidays. What are the plans for christmas?? Specific plans? I love all of you thank you so much for your support!
Love,
Elder Reed
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Thanksgiving
Hey family!
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that all of you have a wonderful time. I am not sure what I will be doing but I might have lunch with President or something. It just so happens that my companions birthday is also this week so I am sure that we will do something special. Lindsay, you should go build a snowman. Just sayin. jaja
This week was great! We have been traveling around doing interviews with President and his wife and we have been training on how to focus teaching towards commitment. My testimony on the importance of personal commitment has grown so much as I have been "committed" to applying all of the principles that we are teaching the missionaries into my own teaching. From studying Preach My Gospel we learn that Conversión is commitment and that and that our level of commitment to the gospel reflects our level of conversion. It has also been great creating better bonds of friendship with all of the missionaries. Are mission is extremely united and everyone is working really hard.
Well Alan the son of Chundo and Bernardita is getting baptized next week and we are all stoked for it. They are so great. we actually missed an appointment with them this week becuase we were traveling and they told us that they had held there own scripture study by themselves. Bernardita studies everyday without fail and Chundo is stopping smoking. We also found an amazing new investigator named Teresa but she doesn´t live in our Sector so we passed her to the other office Elders.
Today we went to the zoo. I sent Dad a pretty cool picture so you should all go and see it. The zoo was very interesting because there were no guard rails so you could go and touch the animals if you wanted to. It was one big petting zoo...except it wasn´t that big and you could pet lions and tigers and bears oh my I actually did pet a lion two tigers and a giant bear it was sick. Tell about what is going on? How is life for everyone? I love all of you have a great week!
Elder Reed
Happy Thanksgiving! I hope that all of you have a wonderful time. I am not sure what I will be doing but I might have lunch with President or something. It just so happens that my companions birthday is also this week so I am sure that we will do something special. Lindsay, you should go build a snowman. Just sayin. jaja
This week was great! We have been traveling around doing interviews with President and his wife and we have been training on how to focus teaching towards commitment. My testimony on the importance of personal commitment has grown so much as I have been "committed" to applying all of the principles that we are teaching the missionaries into my own teaching. From studying Preach My Gospel we learn that Conversión is commitment and that and that our level of commitment to the gospel reflects our level of conversion. It has also been great creating better bonds of friendship with all of the missionaries. Are mission is extremely united and everyone is working really hard.
Well Alan the son of Chundo and Bernardita is getting baptized next week and we are all stoked for it. They are so great. we actually missed an appointment with them this week becuase we were traveling and they told us that they had held there own scripture study by themselves. Bernardita studies everyday without fail and Chundo is stopping smoking. We also found an amazing new investigator named Teresa but she doesn´t live in our Sector so we passed her to the other office Elders.
Today we went to the zoo. I sent Dad a pretty cool picture so you should all go and see it. The zoo was very interesting because there were no guard rails so you could go and touch the animals if you wanted to. It was one big petting zoo...except it wasn´t that big and you could pet lions and tigers and bears oh my I actually did pet a lion two tigers and a giant bear it was sick. Tell about what is going on? How is life for everyone? I love all of you have a great week!
Elder Reed
Friday, November 4, 2011
Brents super busy week
This week has been soo buy but soo amazing and next week will be even betta. We had two mission conferences and it was really cool being able to participate in the training portions of the conferences. Also, I was able to sit down and have dinner with President and a general authority. Elder Richards is in the second quorum of the 70 and is so spiritual and knowledgeable it is crazy. We were talking after dinner and he would just cite the most random scriptures that applied perfectly to what we were talking about. He is a very intelligent man. I find that he lives in his calling. He is always teaching us about spiritual things and we are always being uplifted by him it is intense.
Also, another cool experience, we are teaching this family of three. Chundo, Bernardita, and their son Nicolas. We haven´t been able to teach them very much because of all of the travel. We went by there house last night and it was amazing. but first there are some things you need to understand. When we found them Chundo couldn´t read, Bernardita was extremely unhappy and Nicolas never went to school. The First thing that we gave them was the Book of Mormon each. We told them that we might not be able to pass by every day but if they wanted to be happy and recieve answers from God how to improve their family it could be found in The Book of Mormon. Well, we visited them last night and Chundo can now read better than I can and the family recognizes how the Book of Mormon has changed their life. Bernardita is happy and has read the entire Book of Mormon and Nicolas is behaving himself. They are coming to church this sunday and will be baptized as soon as Chundo divorce papers have finalized. They are an amazing family.
Other news, we might have an apostle coming to the mission in two weeks and we are making preparations for that. We will have a mission wide conference, o sea, the whole mission will come together at once to hear him speak. I am very excited.
Well, I have got to go but I love you all! Keep working hard and if any of you are having a hard week, read the Book of Mormon and you will find support and council.
Love,
Elder Reed
Also, another cool experience, we are teaching this family of three. Chundo, Bernardita, and their son Nicolas. We haven´t been able to teach them very much because of all of the travel. We went by there house last night and it was amazing. but first there are some things you need to understand. When we found them Chundo couldn´t read, Bernardita was extremely unhappy and Nicolas never went to school. The First thing that we gave them was the Book of Mormon each. We told them that we might not be able to pass by every day but if they wanted to be happy and recieve answers from God how to improve their family it could be found in The Book of Mormon. Well, we visited them last night and Chundo can now read better than I can and the family recognizes how the Book of Mormon has changed their life. Bernardita is happy and has read the entire Book of Mormon and Nicolas is behaving himself. They are coming to church this sunday and will be baptized as soon as Chundo divorce papers have finalized. They are an amazing family.
Other news, we might have an apostle coming to the mission in two weeks and we are making preparations for that. We will have a mission wide conference, o sea, the whole mission will come together at once to hear him speak. I am very excited.
Well, I have got to go but I love you all! Keep working hard and if any of you are having a hard week, read the Book of Mormon and you will find support and council.
Love,
Elder Reed
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Oops-I forgot to post.
My week has been amazing, we went with President to go finish the new missionary training in the northern zone of our mission and it was a great experience. I have been able to see the many strengths of our mission and it gives me such a stronger testimony that this is the Lords work. All of the missionaries are so different and there stories of how they got on the mission are outstanding and fantastic. Many are new converts, or are in part member families. They are so strong in there testimonies and in their understanding of why they are here. We have seen a lot of miracles this last month and the Lord is pouring out his spirit on the land literally, it is awesome!
Something funny that happened this week was a lesson that I had while with one of the other zone leaders named Elder Glass. We went and were teaching the commandments to a young couple. They aren´t married have one daughter and we started teaching them the law of chastity. The lesson was funny because they are great people and very open about there questions and concerns about the logistics of keeping the law of chastity. They were willing to attempt it but said they didn´t have much will power so we explained that if they made a marriage date that was soon and got married soon then the law of chastity wouldn´t be a big problem for them. This got them excited and the boyfriend said he wanted to get married as soon as possible because he didn´t want to feel guilty by breaking a commandment. We´ll see what happens.
Anyways, I´ve got to go but I love you all!!
Elder Reed
Something funny that happened this week was a lesson that I had while with one of the other zone leaders named Elder Glass. We went and were teaching the commandments to a young couple. They aren´t married have one daughter and we started teaching them the law of chastity. The lesson was funny because they are great people and very open about there questions and concerns about the logistics of keeping the law of chastity. They were willing to attempt it but said they didn´t have much will power so we explained that if they made a marriage date that was soon and got married soon then the law of chastity wouldn´t be a big problem for them. This got them excited and the boyfriend said he wanted to get married as soon as possible because he didn´t want to feel guilty by breaking a commandment. We´ll see what happens.
Anyways, I´ve got to go but I love you all!!
Elder Reed
Monday, September 12, 2011
Brent
Hey Family,
I can´t believe that it is already time to pick up Lindsay. Makes me feel old haha. This week has been awesome but also a big struggle. My sector is doing great though and if we didn´t have great struggle we wouldn´t have great victory. And one great victory is worth at least 5 great struggles so it all works out in the end jaja.
Not much to report this week except that I am feeling extremely good because all of my new converts are still active and progressing at a million miles per hour and we have now made specific goals for them to make it to the temple as soon as possible. How are all of you doing?
This week my testimony has grown a lot on the need to be guided by revelation and the need to speak by the spirit. Many times when we need to repent and someone is telling us that it chafes but when the spirit is there testifying to the heart of the person the message is understood and changes are brought about. That is why we are commanded not to teach without the spirit becuase we ourselves cannot bring about the change of heart necessary for God´s children to be able to repent and follow the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Tell me about what is going on. Mom I saw the picture the kitchen is looking awesome!! Anyways, gotta go but I love you all!!
Read the Book of Mormon everyday!
Elder Reed
I can´t believe that it is already time to pick up Lindsay. Makes me feel old haha. This week has been awesome but also a big struggle. My sector is doing great though and if we didn´t have great struggle we wouldn´t have great victory. And one great victory is worth at least 5 great struggles so it all works out in the end jaja.
Not much to report this week except that I am feeling extremely good because all of my new converts are still active and progressing at a million miles per hour and we have now made specific goals for them to make it to the temple as soon as possible. How are all of you doing?
This week my testimony has grown a lot on the need to be guided by revelation and the need to speak by the spirit. Many times when we need to repent and someone is telling us that it chafes but when the spirit is there testifying to the heart of the person the message is understood and changes are brought about. That is why we are commanded not to teach without the spirit becuase we ourselves cannot bring about the change of heart necessary for God´s children to be able to repent and follow the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Tell me about what is going on. Mom I saw the picture the kitchen is looking awesome!! Anyways, gotta go but I love you all!!
Read the Book of Mormon everyday!
Elder Reed
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