Coming at ya from Enumclaw, WA!!! It's been a crazy transition, but I'm so glad to be here and so glad that God knows a whole lot better where I need to be than I do. Enumclaw is a lot like graham, only even less city haha there's a lot of farms and land and LOTS OF TREES and lots of incredibly nice and humble people. We're working on finding the hispanics, theyre few and far between, but it makes it kinda fun its like a treasure hunt. I have so many flashbacks from my first area and I'm ready to work hard, even harder than ever. I'm with Hermana DeBry and she's the cutest. She's on her 4th transfer in the mission, and this is her 4th transfer in Enumclaw. She loves this place and loves the members and is a really great missionary. Her spanish is really super as well, we already get along so well and are excited to work hard. This week was super wild with trying to figure everything out but there is so much work to do here! The biggest miracle was this. Buckle up folks. So last week there was the crazy heartbreak with Lastenia when Hugo moved out and she still didn't want to get baptized. Well, turns out Hugo moved to Enumclaw. And I just moved to Enumclaw. So i was determined to find him. We're driving back from an appointment at like 7 oclock and I literally see Hugo running across the street and I like screamed HERMANA WE HAVE TO PULL OVER. We went back and found him and talked to him and taught him and the next day he came to the church for a tour of the meeting house here. It seriously blows my mind sometimes I think that I know God and I know what he's trying to do but I seriously don't. Him moving out of his house may have been God's way of preparing HIM to recieve the gospel, not just Lastenia, because this is the perfect chance for him to start fresh with a branch that doesnt know his story and doesnt know who he is and he can finally just learn about Christ and his plan for him. i was screaming. he got super nervous when he actually got in the church, proabbly because he could feel the spirit, and then dashed off like normal. Then Sunday comes around and we're not really sure he's going to come and all the meetings go by and we're sitting in sacrament meeting not knowing how to help him and brother unguez comes up and says theres an investigator waiting for us. FRIENDS, HUGO CAME TO CHURCH. I'm not sure i can appropriately explain how big of a miracle this was becuase I'm bad with words but I was floored and trying to keep it cool because he's the type that if you flip out he'll be like wow youre dumb but i was so happy for him. He needs the gospel because the GOSPEL CHANGES LIVES BECAUSE CHRIST CHANGES LIVES. man such a miracle. Another great story of the week was we went to visit a less active family who lives in Orting which is like literally the middle of the woods on the way to mount rainier but we went out there because we felt like we should visit them and we didn't really know what they needed (helping people come back to church is always kinda hard) but we went and decided to just share the message of the restoration. We shared it really quickly in like 5 min, and the spirit was so strong as we testifed of the truthfulness of the gospel, and because the spirit was strong, they told us all the struggles theyre having in their life. They are having a lot of struggles, and its sad, but an undeniable impression came to my mind that if they were to read the Book of Mormon every day, their problems would go away. Then a follow up impression of "tell them that". So I did, it was kinda scary promising them something, but I felt the confirming witness that this is how they can overcome the difficulties they have, just by coming unto Christ. I know the book of mormon isn't necessarily a one size fits all fix, but that book can help us overcome so many of lifes struggles that we have. I know it is from God. I know that it helps us come unto Christ and be perfected in Him. I know it is true. I love being a missionary and sharing this message. I love Enumclaw!! Hermana Reed pics:
1 bff sis rasmussen 2-3 MLC pics :) 4-5 our halloween costumes, our final moments together, stick of ephraim and stick of judah 6 while out contacting we met a nice man boiling his deer skull outside :) 7 your daily walk in Enumclaw 8-9 ps it snowed HERMANA DEBRY IS THE CUTEST 10 ALL THE HERMANAS WERE IN THE SAME PLACE AT THE SAME TIME THANKS CHOIR PRACTICE
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What. a. week. You will never believe the miracles and heartbreaks we saw this week. It was a crazy rollercoaster and here's why. So on Tuesday we found out that Hugo, Lastenia's boyfriend, MOVED OUT. HE MOVED OUT- YES YOU READ THAT CORRECTLY. He moved out of his own house because him and Lastenia broke things off and he didn't want to be there making a connection with the girls, Fabiola and Esmy, when he knew he wasnt going to be in their life forever. MIRACLES. We didn't believe it at first, because this opens so many doors for both of them, but WOW! so we went over there, we were actually on exchanges so it was me and hermana ohlsen(hermana short's baby- so great), and we talked to her about what this means and we read in mosiah 18 about the covenant of baptism and she basically said she felt like she was already doing all those things, so then we read verse 10 and we asked her "what is holding you back from being baptized?" and she said "well now, nothing". WHHHAAAAT! It was crazy!The spirit was seriously so strong. Anyone could've felt that this was what the Lord wanted her to do. so we invited her to be baptized that weekend and she said she was really nervous and she wasn't sure she was ready so we invited her to pray about it and pray specifically about that weekend. So when we came back the next day, it was kinda on everyones minds and our branch president was there and then the whole member family of who she lives with was there, which looking back maybe wasnt the best because i think she felt too pressured and she got really nervous and didn't want to answer, so we came back the next day and it was just us and her and she told us "hermanas i just dont want to be baptized right now i dont feel like its coming from within me its not a huge desire i have. i know it will come some day, she said, but right now i'm okay where im at with these lessons and church and everything." It was probably the saddest moment I've had on my mission because literally the Lord parted the red sea for her he made it so everything was possible and she is just too content without progression. It was heartbreaking, and the spirit told both of us,me and hermana wilson, in that moment too that there was nothing more we can do with her, she's not wanting to progress right now. So shes still going to come to church and do everything and pray but we just can't be physically teaching her like we were before. It was pretty heart breaking, but I know that the Lord has other people prepared right now to accept the gospel here, so we'll go find them. I love her so much, and Esmy just wanted her sister to have the blessings she's seen since her baptism too, but we can't force anyone to make decisions they dont want to make. She told us that she knows that one day she will wake up with the desire to be baptized, so until that day... So after that long agenda all week we realized we needed new investigators, people wanting to learn more about our message. So on Saturday we had our own Renton Hispana festival of finding and went out finding all day and we were full of faith and set goals and prayed and made plans and I swear God led us by the spirit to so many people extremely happy with their own religions. It was really incredible how many people that we met that just bore their testimonies of how happy they are in their own church and how much they love it there and how much they will never want to change and tried preaching to us and by the end of the night we get home and just lay on the ground together saying "what even was today..". We were praying all day to be led to people who were looking for the gospel and looking for Christ and this message and nothing really at all. BUT the Lord is teaching me so many things so I'm grateful for that day because I learned that there are at least people in the world who love Christ and serve him all around us and that as I practice patience and keep working hard the Lord is going to help us find the people ready to hear what we have to share. Last miracle of the week, so on Sunday night I found out I'm getting TRANSFERRED. RIP my joy. Just kidding i'll be happy whereever I go serving the Lord :) but I was pretty sad to be leaving Renton, I love this place. The only other companionship that got transferred was the Enumclaw hermanas, so it was pretty clear I was going to Enumclaw. I love Enumclaw, i prefer to call it "city of Enoch-claw". ;) but i admittedly was kinda nervous because it is really hard to find hispanic people down there, but I know there are people prepared because theres a branch and theres missionaries and God has people there for us we just gotta find em. SO I was pondering it all night and during church on Sunday our branch president taught a lesson about D y C 82:10, in English its "I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say, but when ye do not what I say ye have no promise." In spanish it says something like "yo el Senor estoy OBLIGADO cuando haceis lo que yo os digo". I love that word obligado. He's obliged. His hands are tied, he has to do it and he will do it. So i've been somewhat wrestling with the Lord in prayer for a few days telling Him Lord I know this area is going to be kinda harder and I know there's people you have ready for us so here's the thing I will do everything I will talk to everyone I will ask everyone for help and I will follow every spiritual impressions to go to whatever area you tell me but Lord you HAVE to lead me to the hispanics. You have to do it. So then on Monday we were going about the day before I left and we had left a lesson with a less active and I said to hermana wilson, "anyone else we need to see here?" and we couldnt think of anyone and this one lady popped into my head shes the cousin of jose rodrigues and I thought nah she wont be home she works but the word "obligado" came to my head so I said we gotta go hermana. So we went and knocked and knocked and nobody answered, as we walked away i literally say "solo estaba tratando de seguir al espiritu.." meaning "i was just trying to follow the spirit.." and the window swings open, ITS HER. She said "sorry I was sleeping I work nights" and I was like WHAT THE. OBLIGADO. OBLIGADO. I always though Enos was the only one who could make commitments with the Lord, but now I know that the Lord is going to help me wherever I am to find his prepared children. He is obligated to do so. I know this is His work, and I'll do it in rain or shine in Renton or Enumclaw or in Alaska of wherever I will follow where He leads. Jesus Christ is the great shepard, and I'm so grateful to be his servant. Have a great week! Hermana Reed PICTURES!
1 Los Bernal 2 Esmy mi bff 3 Esmy y Lastenia 4 Vanessa 5 hermana reed y hermana ohlsen grandmother y granddaughter date 6 FOUND BRAN MUFFINS ALMOST AS GOOD AS GRANDMAS 7 RIP renton with leaves bigger than my face 8 hna wilson crying after day of finding because God blessed us with a parking spot near the house 9 hna casteneda 10 ADIOS DOCTOR JEX I LOVE YOU 11 Noche de Hogar con los jeronimo y los rodrigues 12 District of greatness Another week another miracle. Missionary work is so... incredible. This week I had an exchange with hermana facer and i went back to my beloved Federal Way and Heavenly Father played his "tender mercy" card because the hermanas had dinner with a member... her name is PETRA ARROYO. I could've cried! So by divine intervention I was able to see Petra and talk with her and CRY because I love her so much and she's doing so so good. Her daughter, Gloria, recently started taking the lessons from the elders which is a huge miracle because when I was there she was nice to us and started opening up but never wanted to learn and now her heart is being softened and she's learning from the missionaries and I was like so shocked and I talked to her and she is just amazing. man i love that family with all my whole heart it was amazing to see them and Petra is the greatest member missionary ever! she was sharing her testimony all through dinner and just wow really giving me hope about how people can turn their lives completely around as they come to follow Jesus Christ. She's doing so good peeps!! It was interesting being in Federal Way again, lots of memories and feels, but that place definitely has a part of my heart. This week was good here in Renton as well. On Thursday, we heard some news that definitely broke our hearts though. Mabel, the woman we were teaching from honduras who was super pregnant and moved to Tacoma, had her baby, but she had it as a stillborn. ): gah it broke my heart to hear about it because she was just so excited for her baby she didn't care how it came even when they told her she might have down syndrome she was just ready to have and raise her baby and it was so out of the blue. Tender mercy of the Lord part 2, the hospital she was at was in our area. So we went to visit her in the hospital and we got there just in time to help translate what the doctor was saying to her about how to make sure she keeps healing, phsyically and emotionally, and it was so so hard. We really didn't know what to say, but we read from the Book of Mormon with her and sang hymns and she finished by saying "los angeles de mi iglesia. gracias." The spirit was so so so strong. I am grateful for the knowledge of the plan of salvation that gives us peace in times of heart break, because she will see her baby again. The biggest miracle, was when her husband (semi less active) said that he wants to be more faithful in the church. he sees the people reaching out to help and he wants to be in that position someday, helping people and serving Christ. Sometimes its the broken hearts that lead us to have a contrite spirit. Mabel and Edwin are getting married this next week so that she can get baptized. :) As for our other investigators, vanessa is doing amazing. we taught her word of wisdom and she just goes off on how people drinking when their young is embarrassing anyways and she doesnt even like coffee and she is so excited for her baptism MIRACLES. then we had more amazing lessons with hermanos rodriguez tambien. They are seriously so humble and just want to follow Christ its amazing. we had a power house lesson where we went in depth more on the apostasy and prophets and everything and it was so incredible to see things click in his mind as he learned about what Christ really did when he was here on the earth. their lesson was right after zone conference where we talked all about the restoration and joseph smith and i was so pumped about how much i love joseph smith and the spirit was so thick as we just testifed that joseph smith really did help restore the church of jesus christ onto the earth again. They are amazing and came to stake conference and are progressing so much! Then for Lastenia, she made a big step this week and is cutting things off with her boyfriend, what the plot twist I know. she moved into the room with esmy so isnt sleeping with him and started paying rent and is just another person renting the room in the house now. She definitely knows the church is true and wants to make strides and this was a solid half step for her! YAY MIRACLES. FUNNY STORY OF THE WEEK. So its been raining soooo much this week, its like the heavens opened after a summer of no rain and it just poured and we had a lesson with Esmy and Lastenia and I tried to make a joke about having to swim to church the next day, thought i was pretty funny, but i guess it didnt translate well because they were like oh hermanas we dont think we'll be able to come then it'll be too cold.. and saying things like i dont really like swimmin in the winter... soooo to clarify we dont actually need swim suits for church. hahahahaha lucky that too or else nobody would come it looks like. spanish fails by hermana reed, 15 months still learning hahaha I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It has helped me grow closer to my Savior and has helped me find my way through a world of storms and I know and testify with the prophets of old that a man will grow closer to God by abiding by its precepts than by any other book. Joseph Smith is a prophet of God! I'm so grateful for him and the sacrifices he made. Go read Doctrine and Covenants 135! It'll make ya cry. love you all so much! Hermana Reed Picturesssss!
1 equipo hermanas con petra y gloria 2 i wish you could see how much its raining in this pic but this is us running home with our pasole in the river that is Renton WA 3 everyone needs the gospel This week was magnifica como siempre! I was only in my area for like 2/7 days, but luckily my lil baby is a professional and has basically taken over the area, so proud of her. First i had an exchange with hermana gunner again and we were down in Enumclaw round 2. I sure love that place, but its a whole lot colder than Renton is, but we did see some miracles aka finding hispanics out the wazoo in places you never would've thought. Hermana Gunner is such an example of faith and diligence to me. we go home together so we're both ready to sprint to the end. It was really great. Then I came back to Renton and we had a great lesson with los Rodriguez again. They loved church so much!! They have had some pretty nasty experiences in the past with different churches but talked about how they just felt good at church with everyone. YES LOVE IT. Our branch president came with us, he is a super start. he's been helping us so much with the work and he's very involved and wanting to meet everyone we talk to, so he's a huge blessing. They came to church again this week and are making huge strides, reading the book of mormon even when it doesn't make sense to them. That's my favorite part of the scriptures, God doesnt wait to bless us until we understand the doctrine in the scriptures, he blesses us for our efforts, no matter our education level or understanding. THANKS GOD LOVE YOU. This week we also saw huuuuuge strides for Lastenia and Hugo. Hugo is seriously turning a page! He read the family proclamation and was sharing his testimony on how we need to put family first and he came to a dinner at the branch president's house and was really opening up. I see him showing love in ways he never has before and I think he really wants to change. I was reviewing a little bit the notes from my setting apart blessing this week and it talked about how i would see miracles on my mission, miracles of peoples hearts being softened to the gospel and the biggest miracle of that i could think of was Hugo. The gospel of Jesus Christ really changes peoples hearts and Jesus Christ changes them for good. I love love love that I can just sit back and watch it all happen. Exchange 2 was with Hermana Short!! Gah I love her so much. She is training and white washing and opening an area (she's a champ). Here's the greatest part. so back when i was her trainer (backstory, we're supposed to speak spanish outside the house at all times, and that was hard because she was learning spanish) i would have her listen to these songs by kari jobe (donde te encuentro is the album, 10/10 would suggest looking it up) and have her translate it and she got super frustrated because she couldnt do it but we're driving to an apointment and she says "hermana, quiero mostrarle algo" (hermana i want to show you something) and she turns on the song and starts translating it PERFECTLY. I legitimately cried. I was so proud in that moment at how much she's grown and the missionary God has helped her become. PROUD MOM MOMENT I LOVED IT. She's doing amazing. Last miracle, we started teaching a girl her name is Vanessa and shes 15 and probably the greatest human being on the planet. She is so prepared for the gospel too. We met her taking out her trash and she was wearing a super cute jean jacket so i told her i liked it and then we started talking and she loves the book of mormon and came to church for the first time and loved young womens and esmy was actually her friend at church esmy is equipo hermanas and the best missionary ever. It was amazing when we taught her about the restoration and afterwards this is what she says "I just want to share one last comment. When you guys come, i dont know what it is, but i just feel really good and i feel happier and more positive and i feel that way for a while and then when you leave it stays but by the next day im always back to feeling bad again. i dont know what it is, but im just really grateful for the times you just stop by even because it makes me feel so much better". It is incredible to me how these people learn to recognize the spirit in their lives and how God is helping prepare her to have the spirit and be HAPPY all the time. That's what the gospel is, it is happiness and joy. I love sharing it with the world, or at least my lil world of Renton. Hermana Reed PS CONGRATULATIONS TO ALICIA I WONT SPILL THE NEWS BUT I CAN'T WAIT TO BE AN AUNTIE AGAIN :))))) ALSO THANKS FOR THE PACKAGE MOM AND FOR NOT STOPPING MY BY HOUSE BUT I HOPE YOU LOVED RENTON AS MUCH AS I DO PICTURES:
1 h short and h reed back at it 2 mother daughter pics 3 FAMILY HISTORY IM A GMA :) 4-5 we went to jimmy hendrix's grave last week, did you know hes from renton? its a thing. 6 THE FIRST BIG RAIN STORM HNA WILSON WAS SO HAPPY 7 saludos de Enumclaw 15 months in the mission you'd think I'd know a lot, but every day I realize more and more how much I just don't know. But sometimes, the more we don't know, the more the Lord can take over. Let me share just a few experiences. This week I had an exchange with the hermanas in Enumclaw. Enumclaw is just as it sounds.... awesome. It reminds me a lot of Manassa, CO. It has one big street of stores and then lots of lil houses and fields and then the farther out you get theres the cows and horses and goats and maybe 1 hispanic in every couple hundred. It's hard to be an hermana down there, but I know there are hermanas because there are people the Lord needs us to find! So that was a focus on the exchange, but ultimately I felt very helpless because I just didn't know what to do to help them a lot find more success. They are doing everything right, but sometimes God needs us to just not know what to do. It was amazing for me to see how the Lord guided us and blessed us with little miracles in ways we normally wouldnt have recognized as miracles but they definitely were. This week we were led to a couple interesting situations with strong members of other faiths. First, we had a lesson with a girl named Adaly who had met the english elders and said we could come back, but we come back to a meeting with her and her father who is a pastor for an evangelical church who made it very clear we were wasting our time with him. He knows the Bible very well, has been to school, has learned a lot and it was very clear there was a lot that I dont know. We were actually on splits, so it was just me and a member (hermana hoyos - ex misionera and superstar) and I loved how when we were backed into this corner of "who knows more" and him really trying to force his opinion on us, the spirit quietly just whispered to me that it was okay and that all I can really do is tell him what I know by the spirit. Us as missionaries, we don't go to school for 7 years, we don't have a perfect knowledge, but I know by the power of the Holy Ghost that this is the Lord's restored church and that the book of mormon is the word of God, and as I ackowledged how much I dont know, the spirit was able to testify of truth. I'm grateful for how much I don't know, because it allows the Lord to work through me just a little bit more. We also went to la iglesia adventista this week! Okay let us explain. We are teaching an investigator named Gabriela and she's adventista and invited us to her church to see her baby get presented to God so we decided to go and support her. WOW I learned so much. It really helped us feel what other people feel in other churches because I honestly didn't know, and it really just touched me to see how faithful other people of different religions are too. We all are just trying to follow Jesus Christ and there is truth in every religion. We just gotta find what has the whole truth, and we're all just looking. The pastor there was really nice to us and I think could feel a light from us because he started teaching his sermon in half english because he sees these white girls he obviously doesnt think we're understanding and halfway through he screams at us and says "ARE YOU UNDERSTANDING DIS?" hahaha it scared hermana wilson a bit, but it was interesting to see how much they welcomed us there. So the next day at church we talked to our branch council and talked about what we can do to help visitors have a better experience at church too and it really helped us learn a lot. and then, when we had 2 new investigators at church, wow it was like a whole new branch was welcoming them! Hermano Roderiguez came to church with his son for the first time and they were seriously smiling from ear to ear they were so happy and the branch was so good and made them feel so welcome. Not sure if I've talked about Hermano Roderiguez, his name is joseluis and he's from Honduras and is looking to change his life and come unto Christ and we met him taking his trash out. Just another testimony that God is very aware of His children and is putting us in the right place at the right time to help them with their desires to know God. Okay I'm kinda rambling but last story, We had a lesson with Lastenia this week and her bf Hugo came too! It was in the house of a recent convert family, los Castaneda. Los castaneda are seriously amazing. Theyre the cutest couple, he is like super buff and scary looking, like youd look at him and never think he was an avid church goer, and she is super gorgeous and has tattoos and just it would be so easy for the world to judge them but they are SO RIGHTEOUS and loving and have the strongest testimony and the lesson we had with them was exactly what Lastenia and Hugo needed because they needed to know that we can be normal people and still put God first. I know the world teaches a whole lot of things, but as we put God first in our lives and the lives of our family, everything always goes better. I know this is the restored church of Jesus Christ's teachings, and the way that we can return and live with our families and with Heavenly Father for eternity. I love being a missionary!! Thanks for reading this far if youre still here!! Hermana Reed PICS:
1 this is real WA, blackberry bushes EVERYWHERE. FREE SNACKS. 2 describe Enumclaw in a pic 3 found this glove that brings me joy 4 hermana debry and I take on el campo 5 MLC thug pics 6 my mission president crush on pres rasmussen continues 7 las hermanas y presidente de MLC BUENOS TARDES HERMANOS Y HERMANAS. Another great week in the PNW from your local hermana. Update on Elva and Guillermo. They are officially back in Honduras, but not before we could have one last lesson with them. After the devotional last week, their hearts were definitely softened, which was a miracle because I was translating this video about the scientific method and atoms and creation and all this crazy science stuff and just praying they understood, but the Spirit was in the meeting and they had a change of heart, so on Tuesday we went back and knew it would be the last time we could see them before they went home and all we wanted was to feel the spirit so strong so that they would be motivated to find the church again in Honduras. So we watched the restoration movie, and it was incredibly to see how the truth just clicked in their mind as they watched. Afterwards Elva turns to us and with tears rolling down her face she says "we've been confused. but this is the reality". She just kept repeating it "Esta es la realidad. esta es la realidad". The spirit was practically tangible and we helped them find the nearest capilla in Honduras, its about 4 miles away, but we're sending the missionaries there and theyre going to go. Honduranian addresses are a little rough, part of the address includes "behind the futbol field" but I know missionaries are going to find them again. It has been a tender mercy to be able to work with them and see how the spirit can seriously change things 180 degrees. As for the title, this is a quote from a nice man named Henry. Backstory, every first Saturday of the transfer we have whats called festival of finding and we go out finding alllll day. I'm always praying and looking and thinking about new ways to find people to teach, and the idea kept coming to me to go bus contacting. we practically never use the bus here because 1 we have cars and 2 people are crazy and fights break out, but i keep reading stories of other missionaries who do it and i kept thinking that we gotta try it. So the day before finding day we were fasting because our area really needs some miracles and I was fasting to be bold enough to teach people on the bus and be confident and help people change their lives and come unto Christ. So Friday we were walking to an appointment and we meet henry. henry is like 80 and is an ex history teacher and loooooves to talk. We tried to teach him the restoration, and he was pretty anti, but somehow i committed him to read the book of mormon. #exito and then we have to kinda cut him off because we had an appointment and he was like okay okay so i shake his hand and Henry grabs my hand and pulls me in close and stares me in the eye and says "you are a very bold woman" in like a half whisper hahahahahahahaahhaahah So i just said "thanks henry" and try not to pee myself laughing. but it was lowkey an answer to prayer because if Henry thinks im bold i can be bold on a bus. SO we went bus contacting and it was AMAZING. First we got on the bus and there was nobody else but us and this other companionship of sisters. But dont you fret, that baby filled up fast and we spread out and taught the restoration probably liek 15 times in two hours on the bus. Tender mercy was the first two families that sat next to me were hispanic and we taught restoration and got return appointments. Theyre suuuuper prepared. Long story short, we got lost in south seattle for a while but figured out the bus system and were walking around downtown renton for a while, but a member saw us walking and drove us to womens conference that afternoon. MILAGROS. It was a great experience, and we were straight exhausted, but it felt good to know those people we met were prepared by the Lord to ride the bus that day and He guided us there. Last peice of boldness: we had a dinner appointment with a member and she had cut up some peppers and tomatoes as like an appetizer and i see this orange pepper and thought it was a bell pepper... so i pop it in my mouth and eat it, turns out this is a "chile manzana" also known as a jabenero pepper also known as only less hot than like a ghost pepper. It was the first time in my life it literally hurt me to eat something. Ive eaten some spicy things that are like hot, but this pepper caused literal pain in my mouth and i had to be drinking water or it would hurt hahahah this pepper has freaking black seeds!! but i have lived to tell the tale. I feel like a very bold woman. I know this church is true! I know Joseph Smith really saw God the Father and jesus christ and because he did we have the restored church, with all the teachings and authority and doctrine of Christ's original church, and that has changed everything. I know that God is preparing people in our paths to recieve the gospel. I know Thomas S Monson is a prophet of God, and will be speaking to us here in 6 days! Everyone watch conference and be prepared to recieve divine guidance from the all knowing and loving Heavenly Father that we have. con amor, Hermana Reed IV Ps this is what my mission president said when i told him about the quinoa miracle "Hermana Reed. That is a wonderful story. I am going to call it the miracle of the quinoa. I am sure that Hermano y Hermana Aguilar will be blessed for your diligence, and for your unplanned fast. President Rasmussen" (Quinoa Miracle Story found HERE: http://hermanareed.weebly.com/home/come-ye-children-of-the-lord) Pss. One more story. to follow up on the quinoa miracle This week we were able to go back with our new branch president and his wife and they clicked so well. I have been reading in the New Testament and I read in Genesis 24 about the servant of Abraham and it taught me a lesson on finding. Basically, he prays for the specific event of finding the wife for Issaac and when the event happens, he thanks the Lord for the miracle. But then when he goes back to 'teach' he shares the miracle of how God answered his prayer and led him to Rebekah and it caused the parents of Rebekah to soften their hearts and let him take their daughter. So it taught me that as we tell the people the miracle it was to find them, it will soften their hearts. I testified of the miracle it was to find karen and how I was sick but God had known her need and placed us in her path and she was touched so powerfully and the spirit was so strong. She then told us this story, she said that ever since her grandmother died that shes been super scared shes going to like find her body in her house so she was scared to like go in the bathroom because her body would be there or look in the mirror and everytime her husband (novio) would come out of the bathroom she got so scared and cried. But then the night we met her she had gone out walking to just clear her head and she was talking with her mom in honduras and was saying like "i just need peace" and then shows up the hermanas!! she said i felt peace and then you talked to me. i know God sent you here. I was just thanking God so much that 1 he made me sick because if i hadnt have been sick we wouldnt have been there at that time and 2 that He knows His children so well and is allowing us to be a tool to bless their lives. They weren't able to come to church this week because they had prior engagements, but she wants to know the truth and understands that baptism is an important step but is willing to do whatever it takes to know what the truth it. It has been a serious tender mercy. Pictures:
1 love for hermana jeronimo that makes us breakfast 2 post bus adventure we <3 Renton 3 Nefi made me an oragami yoda 4 adios a mi amada familia OKAY SOOOO LETS TALK ABOUT GENERAL CONFERENCE AM I RIGHT??? Before my mission, I loved General conference but the mission makes it so much better because the whole time I'm just thinking of the people I know I want to show these talks to and it's amazing how the apostles and prophets acknowledged every need that I have and every road block my investigators are facing and our branch and our mission and wow the propehts and apostles are CALLED OF GOD I KNOW IT. For those who weren't able to watch any of conference, here's the link go watch a talk right now: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/?lang=eng This week we saw a lot of tender mercies and miracles. classic life as a child of God he's EVERYWHERE in our lives. I'm not sure how much I've written about Mabel, but she is an investigator of ours from honduras, she just moved here with her novio and her two year old naomi from Texas. Her novio is a member but she isn't so we've been working a lot with her, but they've struggled finding work and finding a house and have bounced around living with some members and shes also 8 months pregnant not sure if i mentioned that but she has such a strong faith and it has been amazing to work with her and teach her and see how much she trusts in God to make things work. This week, they finally found an apartment, in tacoma ): so we wont be able to work with them anymore but the missionaries there will. But the relief society threw her a baby shower and I'm telling you family I have never seen someone so beaming. Her family has literally nothing, no money and nothing for this new baby and the relief society went all out and mabel kept saying that she doesnt even know what a baby shower is and she doesnt know what to expect and she was just in tears when she showed up. It was a blessing to be able to love and serve her so much and she will be baptized soon over in Tacoma :) We met and taught a lot of new people this week which was awesome but one lesson stuck out in particular, with a new family and right before we started the lesson their friends came in so all of a sudden we are teaching a room full of like 8 adults and theyre all listening to us teach in spanish whoo lil stressful but so good. and we taught them about the restoration of the gospel of jesus christ. it was really poweful and as we shared the first vision of the prophet joseph smith and explained how Jesus Christ told joseph not to join any of the churches I felt the impression to just pause for a second. Normally I dont pause there, but i did and it was silent in the room and then all at once like all of them leaned forward and said "pero porque?!?!?!" It was the coolest visualization of real intent I've ever seen. All of them, just dying to know why none of the churches in that time were the church of Jesus Christ. I love my role as a missionary because I can help people just be able to find more truth in a world that is super confusing and help them know that their heavenly father wants them to know truth too. Lastly, I want to add my testimony to those of the prophets and apostles this weekend that testified of the Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon has seriously changed my life. All growing up I was pretty spotty on reading it, more focused on basketball and homework and sleeping, but when I got to college and seriously read the Book of Mormon for the first time it's when everything changed for me. i felt the desire to be a better person, to put God first in my life, and for that reason I'm here on a mission. The Book of Mormon is the word of God, it's how we can have true happiness in this life and in the world to come, and as we read it every day we will see miracles in our lives. Our test scores will increase. Our stress levels will decrease. The atmosphere in our homes will be happier. We will be more confident in ourselves. We will be able to face trials with ease. We will be HAPPY. Follow the prophets advice and read the Book of Mormon EVERY DAY. IT WILL CHANGE YOU, IT CHANGED ME. As Christ's representative I say to you, please do whatever it takes to put Christ as the center of your life. Hermana Reed Pics Pics Pics:
1 selfies w/ fabiola siguen 2 baby shower de mabel :) 3 mid conference convivio con la rama y las hermanas de ingles OKAY FOLKS BUT THIS WEEK. I know that probably every week I say this but it was such a great week for us, full of ups and downs and trials and miracles and I am so grateful to be a missionary, I dont think I can ever say that enough. Lastenia is doing really good, finally reading the book of mormon so thats some miracles. I recognize that every week i basically talk about different people, sorry if this doesnt make much sense but here are the weeks highlights! Early this week I had an exchange with Hermana Gunner. She is the other hermana that came out at the same time with me and I seriously love going out with her and teaching the gospel because it is so natural! It is so natural to teach with her and to find with her and we taught the message of the restoration seriously so many times that when I got home I was exhausted but it is the greatest kind of exhausted to hit your head on the pillow and know you helped people grow closer to Christ that day. While we were together, we went to contact an old referral we had that we had never been able to contact. We walk up and see that on his door is our card! The card with the picture of Jesus Christ on it. I almost passed out. He was home and didn't have much time but we are going back this week. As some of you know but maybe others dont, missionarys put a picture of Christ on their door, I dont exactly know why but I know its like a rule?? so it was rad to see this man with his jesus pic on the door as well. That much closer to conversion to Christ's gospel:) Other miracles. This week we had our dia de independencia activity in the branch. Most of the latin countries celebrate their independence day sometime in september, for mexico it is the 15th and for some other countries as well so we had a big activity on the 15th and all week we've been inviting every hispanic we see because who doesnt like dancing, food from all over the world, and a church full of happy latinos? I was seriously in heaven. They had a wall full with sections for every pais and people brought food and lil munecas and articles from their paises and everyone was just so happy to show some of their culture! and seriously THE WHOLE WORLD SHOWED UP. Let me emphasize. At sacrament meeting on Sundays we have like 40 people thats usually a good showing. At dia de independencia, we had literally like 200 people there. it was INCREDIBLE. about halfway through the activity, this woman calls us that we've been working with her name is Elva and her husband Guillermo. They are from Honduras and we thought they were investigators, but we recently found out they were baptized in Honduras like 40 years ago and haven't been back to church yet because of some bad thing the bishop there did and they got quite offended but theyre here visiting their daughter and we've been trying to show them the light of the gospel again. So halfway through they call us and say that theyre walking to the church but their lost! So we leave and go try and find them and it takes us like 15 min but we find them in the middle of this random neighborhood at like 8 oclock at night and we realize that we can't even drive them back in our car because its the mission's car so we call our branch mission leader and he comes and picks them up but we keep walking while we're waiting and I decided to get out and walk with them so they didn't feel so lonely and my comp drove the car along side us. Ultimately, we got to the activity and it was the first time they stepped foot in a church building in that 40 years and they said it felt incredible to be there again. as we reflected on that experience, we realized that that cultivates everything that is missionary work. Dia de independencia is like the celestial kingdom (accurate anoalogy) and we are the ones that have to go and look and find those people who are lost and wandering and trying to find their way, but ultimately we can't do it alone. We need the memers. We need the scriptures. and we need Jesus Christ. That's the only way they'll be able to get there. Hermana Wilson said as she watched us walking and she was driving, the song came on "come ye children of the Lord." the lyrics continue saying "oh what joy it then will be to our savior lord and king" man. It was one of the greatest moments. Then on Sunday night, they came to our mission devotional as well, and Elva was crying as recent converts testified of the Book of Mormon. Theyre going back to Honduras this next week, but I know theyre going to find the church again there and theyre going to change their lives again. Last miracle, so we've been in a bit of a famine this week because not a lot of members have been able to feed us and we've literally eaten all the food in our apartment and we didn't have pday til today so yesterday i was eatin all the oldies food in my fridge... not the best choice and around 4 oclock i was feelin it so we came home and long story short i threw it all up. sorry this letter just got gross. but just wait. So after I threw up i felt a ton better so i said okay hermana lets go and i put my shoes on and we went to work because we had appointments right i wasn't just going to stay in!! so we went out and we were going to see a lady we had an apointment with at 6 that we werent there for... its about 745 at this point and we see a lady walking and I decided to talk to her and in talking she says to us, I think my husband goes to your church. and we were like whos your husband? It was hermano aguila, who is a super less active man we have never been able to see. We asked if he was home and she said yeah come on over so we found this man who hasnt gone to church in years and we meet his wife, karen. Karen's grandfather had passed away 2 days earlier and she was very distraught about it. it was probably one of the most powerful lessons i've been in on my mission as we taught the plan of salvation. The plan our Heavenly Father has for us to be with our families forever, and for us to have happiness here and in the eternities. Hermano aguila felt it too, and Karen wants to come to church. Sometimes, life throughs hard stuff at us, like 3 week old quinoa, but i know as we push through that God has miracles waiting for us!!! I love this gospel and I love my Savior jesus Christ. He is the light. turn to Him! Hermana Reed PS HERMANA SHORT IS TRAINING IM GOING TO BE A GMA PICTURES :)
1-2 dia de independencia 3 WA weather has returned and the tights and boots are back 4 THE BLESSED DOOR 5 Elva and Guillermo :) 6 adios al districto 7 mis arboles 8 h gunner and h reed back at it 29 Y dijo Enoc al Señor: ¿Cómo es posible que tú llores, si eres santo, y de eternidad en eternidad?32 El Señor dijo a Enoc: He allí a estos, tus hermanos; son la obra de mis propias manos, y les di su conocimiento el día en que los creé; y en el Jardín de Edén le di al hombre su albedrío;33 y a tus hermanos he dicho, y también he dado mandamiento, que se amen el uno al otro, y que me prefieran a mí, su Padre, mas he aquí, no tienen afecto y aborrecen su propia sangre; Moises 7:29,32-33 this week helped me realize a little bit of why God cries. We had a great week, lots of people to teach and a lot for God to teach me. Last week I talked about that family from Honduras that we found late Sunday night, we went back to teach them and taught them the restoration, the spirit was strong and I felt God's love and we invited them to come to church and things kinda changed. they told us a little about their church experience. They have been to a lot of churches, and have seen a lot of bad things. They have seen a lot of churches that just aren't doing what churches should do and they said we're sorry to say we just can't believe that any church can be different. I felt so sad in my heart for these people who have looked for God their whole lives and looked for the truth and been beaten down by heartbreak so much and for a moment i thought, well I can't blame you, but the more I reflected on the situation the more I realized that we are different. None of those other churches they have been to has the restored truths of Christ's church. But yet, I could see why God would cry because of these poor people. it gives me hope to know that there are better things for us. This week, we also started teaching a girl named Kayra, she's the sister of a recent convert from about 2 years ago. She just came from Tijuana and is working here for a while, but as we taught her this week she told us of how her boyfriend had been killed two months ago, and thats really why she came to the states for a while, because she couldn't handle it. my heart just hurt so bad! These people just want joy, but it was another testimony to me that truly the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only place we can find peace in this world. We just have to remember that. In zone conference this week we watched a video, (its called "the worst mission call ever" by clint pulver - 10/10 would suggest you watch it) and at the end he just talks about how its so easy for people to get us to question our beliefs or question ourselves or for circumstances to make us question if there is a God, but we have to remember those moments we got down on our knees and felt the truth. We have to remember those moments we felt God's love, and we just can't forget. In this moment of self reflection, I tried to truly remember the moment in which I knew. There's been a couple times I've definitely gotten down on my knees and asked for knowledge and have been blessed with the confirming spirit of the truth of the message I share every day, but I still have questions, all of us do. I decided to fast on Sunday for some answers, and it was incredible to me how God being so merciful filled my day with experiences to know that this is the true church. That it does have the restored priesthood authority of God. That I'm truly never alone. That I do make an impact on people by sharing my testimony, even if they slam the door in our faces after. I know that this is the truth. Our branch president was released on Sunday, something waaaaaay out of the blue, but it was so tender for me to feel God's love for him, his gratitude for his sacrifice, and the truth that he had been called of God and that our new branch president had been too. I've never felt so light, so happy, so grateful really ever before. I know theres a lot of churches out there, a lot of confusion, a lot of pain, but I know even more that joy in life comes from living the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Its just a fact. sometimes, we just have to remember, and do the things God asks us to, because we don't want to make God cry. I love this gospel!!! Hermana Reed 1 dia de servicio! thats our investigator on the left, cuttin weeds in a dress and shes 8 months pregnant. theres the bar.
2 la rama renton hipana :) 3 CORRUNDAS 4 fam selfie 5 thought id send a pic of the study space its been a while Pretty awesome week this week! So last Tuesday was Esmy's baptism and it was AMAZING :) so here's some branch facts really fast, we combine with an English ward for the youth classes because most of the youth speak english more easily, so Esmy has a lot of friends in the English ward that came to her baptism and the room was packed! We counted and there were over 60 people there, we stopped counting at 60 we had other things to do, but everyone loves Esmy so much. Anyways, the English people got there on time for some reason, and we were waiting on Esmy and her family to come hahaha she only came 20 minutes late, but we weren't panicking don't worry. Anyways, the baptism went off without a hitch, she was so happy and then her sister who is still investigating said the closing prayer and it was so powerful. Hermana Wilson and I did a lil' piano/cello duet and it was such a great night. Esmy has never been happier, I'm so happy for her, and mostly that God let me be a part of her life. She has been through so much more than a 12 year old should have to go through, but by being baptized by someone holding the restored priesthood authority of God, she has been washed clean and she can really "nacer de nuevo". Nobody deserves it more than her. This week has been a good week of evaluation for me. When you hit a year in the mission it starts to become real like maybe I actually won't be a missionary forever, and hey that's not okay with me so I've been thinking of goals and ways that I can keep progressing and become the missionary and person that Heavenly Father wants me to be, because I definitely haven't hit the mark yet. It was interesting because then at MLC on Friday, we were counseling as lidership about goals we can help our mission achieve and I felt like I just wasn't getting the same vibe that all the other missionaries seemed to be getting and it really made me think about the way I look for personal revelation. As a missionary, in my experience, it's more of a gut feeling of "go here now" or "go talk to that person" or "turn around" or "stop talking, let your companion talk" (that one comes a lot). For example, on Sunday after church we had a lesson but our plans fell through and so did our dinner apointment so we were looking through plans and I just felt to go to a potential named Alex who was our old ex-neighbor. Alex opened the door and within seconds invited us in, woah wait what we haven't talked to you in weeks but he was ready to recieve us right then. We taught him and his daughter who just got here from Honduras and read to them 2 Ne 1:6 that talks about everyone who is here is brought here by the hand of the Lord. I know thats true because they need to hear the gospel. It was amazing how prepared and ready they were and we had no idea like if we hadn't have gone we wouldn't have been able to come to a closer knowledge of the plan that our loving Heavenly Father has for them. I'm definitely still learning how the spirit talks to me, but my mission president gave me some awesome advice to at the end of each day to write down ways I followed the spirit during the day, because the more we recognize it, the easier it will be to recognize it in the future, when it is more important too. God has a perfect plan for all of His children! He loves us and is just waiting for us to turn around and accept him and His perfect plan. I know this is true! Happy Labor day and happy SEPTEMBER WHAT EVEN. con amor, Hermana Reed Pics:
1-2 esmys baptism :) 3 casi todos los misioneros que la ensenaron 4 equipo hermanas (RIP Danny Torres he went back to school this week) 5 mensual thug pic @ MLC 6 my bff president rasmussen 7 weekly fabiola selfie 8 comida hondurania 9 look what i got all the sisters to do in the MLC pic TREND SETTING 10 chila quiles de la hermana jeronimo SO GOOD |
Hermana Fallyn ReedMissionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in the Federal Way, Washington Mission. July 2016 - January 2018. Archives
January 2018
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