Y'ALL WOULD NEVER GUESS!‏

This week flew by! I just don't even know where to start! Because it flew by I will just start with the most eventful. I finally got my bike this week ... Biking is brutal! Ha! But it was kinda fun too actually! I say that now right? On Wednesday we got to paint a members house. .. I mean, we literally painted the outside of their house (which is actually a cabin). It was so much fun, but I have never seen bugs like I saw that day, ever, in my life. I should really start taking pictures of them, because really, I have never seen them before in my life! 

 

 

But Saturday and Sunday were the most eventful. Saturday an investigator tried teaching us about how the Book of Mormon isn't true. It was pretty much like an awkward breakup afterwards. We also found out two ward members were in the ER. Then we found out an investigator had gone to jail. ... But Sunday made up for Saturday. After church we went to the hospital to meet with Joanne, and then we had an appointment soon after that to do a church tour. On our way out of the hospital and on our way to the church tour, we get a call that they had to cancel. But then right after their call to cancel the tour we meet a ward member, Ollie, who's daughter, named Hope was in the hospital. She wanted us to go visit with her. We then get a call from the Elders who were just about to go over to the hospital to meet with someone. ... The Elders were going to come visit Hope. It truely was the Lords will that all this happened. We hope to visit with Hope and her kids in helping them receive the Gospel.

 

 

The timing was so perfect, because after meeting with Hope we wanted to go visit a referral, Darlene. It was one of the coolest experiences so far. As we knocked on the door, her daughter answers, and after calling for Darlene, Darlene let us inside. We asked how she was, and she just broke down. She has cancer, and is being evicted, and has her daughter and grandkids living with her. You could tell by her face that she was really struggling. We told her that we loved her, and that God loves her, and knows what she is going through. We talked a little longer, and then I had an impression that I needed to ask her if we could leave a blessing on her home. As missionaries we are able to bless their home for peace and pray for them and their families. After our prayer she accepted for us to come over on Thursday to teach her the first lesson. She has had the missionaries over before, but I really feel the Lord has prepared her and she is ready now to receive our message.

 

 

I know miracles happen today!

Love y'all,

Sister Reyne

Alabama Bound. Tuscaloosa.

I'm officially in BAMA and it is beautiful! The people here are so friendly and they have such a strong faith in God and Jesus Christ. They are examples to me of how great their faith is. We just have to teach them how they can increase that faith even more! So far people seem to be open to hear our message. We have only met a few people not so receptive, and well ... not very nice. But most everyone we talk with are kind if they decline. But that's when you try another approach and are able to set another appointment with them. I haven't yet mastered how, but my trainer is fabulous at it! Her name is Sister Dodini. She has been out 2 months today, and just seems to have it all together. I hope to be as great as she is! But I know I can only compare myself to myself. I miss my companion from the MTC, Sister Parsons, but I know we will see each other again at the next transfer meeting.

 

The Southern accent! Oh my gracious! It's the greatest thing y'all will eva heahr! I can see why people catch onto it so quickly. I mean it when I say people here are so friendly. It was my first Sunday in the ward. The ward is tiny, and there are a lot of inactives that we will continue working with to bring them back to church. One of my favorite members so far who we met with Thursday, is Sister Hall. She is one of the most faithful, close to perfect person I have ever met! She has such a beautiful spirit about her. She was converted by two missionaries when she was young. She lives in very humble circumstances and is such a happy person.

 

 

Our progressing investigators are Rebekah and Ronald. I can already see how the gospel is changing their life. It's incredible to see, and I've only met with them twice. They have been to church 4 times, and Sister Dodini and (who used to be) her trainer started meeting with them. We have a baptismal date on July 13, and we hope to help them make that goal by meeting with them at least every other day. The hardest part I find is being there for them, but not in a way a friend would, but a way Christ would. We want them to build their faith in Him not us.

 

 

We have a few other progressing investigators, and we have been trying to update the ward list by visiting less actives to see if they still live there or not. Missionary work is so different than I thought. It can be hard trying to fill your day, and sometimes you feel like your driving more than meeting with people. But then there are days like last Saturday, where we were busy meeting a lot of people, less actives, members, and potential investigators.

 

 

I love you all! Thank you for your support, it means the world when days like my first day was the hardest day of my life. It really is culture shock! Haha

 

 

(Pictures to come)

 

Love,

Sister Reyne