I Knew It Was For A Reason‏

After being transferred early to a new area with Sister Dodini, I knew I would be for a reason. I stayed and Sister Dodini got transferred to Fayetteville which is in Tennessee! I'm a trainer now! I'm LOVING IT! I feel a responsibility to be a better missionary every day and do my best to help Sister Williams be a great missionary, work hard, have fun, and love it! She is from Price, Utah. She has wanted to serve a mission her whole life. I wish I could say that, but what an example that is to me.

 

Northport is great! We are working hard!

 

Thank you all for your support and prayers!!

 

Love y'all,

 

Sister Reyne

Transfers!‏

Saturday we had a Ward Activity for Northport Ward for Pioneer day! The missionaries got to be the judges for the pie eating contest, so we got to taste 8 pies. It was GREAT! Haha It's like at Thanksgiving time when you want to try everything, but you don't want a slice of everything. We met with a ward missionary who is going to be FABULOUS! I'm so excited for this ward! I have a good feeling about it! And I hope I get to stay here for more than 1 transfer! 6 weeks is not long enough! Then Saturday evening we had a Ward Talent show for the Tuscaloosa Ward. We have been planning it for a while now (before I came it was being planned by the Missionaries as a way to find, where we asked members to bring their nonmember friends).Elder Bean and Elder Hardmann did a dance with Sister Dodini and I to a song from Sons of Provo. It was hilarious! And the ward loved it! I had Sister Hopkins record it for us, but I don't think I can send it. I've tried emailing videos before and it doesn't work.

 

I can't believe it's time for transfers already! After the Elders and us Sisters swapped wards from Tuscaloosa and Northport, it's been a week now that we've been able to sort of get to know the new areas, members, investigators, etc. I knew it was for a reason, because I'm staying in Nortport and Sister Dodini is moving to a new area to train, and I'll get to be a trainer!!! I'm so excited but scared of course. I'm new myself still! But there are so many new missionaries coming out that they will need trainers, so almost everyone will be a trainer. All the other missionaries are staying in their new areas for this next transfer, except Sister Dodini. This girl is totally going to be in my wedding party someday! I just love her!

 

Wednesday I will meet the sister who I will train! Wish me luck! We will be learning together haha I've only been in Northport 1 week, but thankfully it's close enough to Tuscaloosa that I know (somewhat) of where I am.

 

Thank you all for your support, love, and prayers for my dad! I can't say thank you enough! I love you all! And I know the Lord has a plan for each and every one of us.

 

Love,

 

Sista Reyne

A Mission Aint for Wimps!‏

Well this week has been interesting! I'll have to keep this short, but basically we almost got killed our way back from Zone Training. It was sunny as we were driving along, and then all of a sudden it POURS. It seems to be pretty "normal" weather for Alabama. The roads were then wet, and cars were coming to a complete stop. We thought we were going to hit the person in front of us, and by reflex we all thought turn into the side (bike) lane, but everyone was silent. It was like the spirit told us not to speak, we literally COULDN'T speak! The car was silent. Then seconds later a car comes FAST behind us in the side lane (where we would have gone by instinct) and he was probably 12 inches from hitting us. He slams on his breaks and does a complete 360 beside us! Then gets our of his car and says in a thick southern accent, "Now that's some good driving!" Gets back in his car and keeps driving in the side lane. After we were no longer speechless Sister Dodini said how her instict was to pull to the side of the road, but she literally couldn't. Something felt as though it was keeping her from moving the steering wheel. It's moments like these you know the Lord is looking out for us. We thought we deserved ice cream that day.

 

Saturday Ronald and Rebekah got baptized!!! It was incredible! I couldn't not cry because I was so happy for them! On Sunday they were confirmed. The Power of the Priesthood is so real! And the Atonement is so real! I FELT it! It was one of the most incredible experiences on my mission so far, and in my entire life!

 

Sunday was a special meeting because we had the Northport and Tuscaloosa Wards meet together just for Sacrament Meeting. Elder Meredith of the Quorum of the 70 was there, and President and Sister Hanks were there. President Johnson spoke. His testimony was so raw and so real! He's an amazing Stake President. At the meeting they talked about how the ward boundaries were to be changed, and they created a YSA (Singles Ward) Branch! That's a HUGE deal! It was an amazing Sunday, but then after the meeting the Northport Elders told us that we were going to be changing wards, because of the new boundaries moved Spanish speaking members from Northport to Tuscaloosa. The Spanish speaking sisters are in Northport, so we are bascially flip flopping. It's a little confusing still, but we got a call at 6:30 this morning that we were to pack up and move into each others apartments. So for now, I will be companions with Sister Stevens for a few days, so I can get to know Northport area and members, and their investigators, and then Sister Fedrizzi will be with my trainer Sister Dodini to do the same. Then on Thursday we will probably all plan together. Then transfers are next Wednesday, so we are thinking that I will stay in Northport and Sister Fedrizzi will stay in Tuscaloosa (switching areas) and then Sister Dodini and Sister Stevens (our trainers) will be transferred somewhere else. Otherwise it doesn't make much sense to have us in each others areas getting to know the investigators and area if we were to just move AGAIN next week. So we'll see. It will be an interesting week. I'll miss Sister Dodini, but change is good. It helps us grow and learn. Today was not the PDay we had planned, but I feel at peace because I know the Lord knows what He's doing, even if we aren't sure the reasoning right now.

 

I can't thank you all enough for the prayers! I really do feel them! Thanks for the emails and letters! It's the best getting a letter at the end of a long fabulous day!

 

Being on a mission has been harder than I thought, but way more fun than I thought! The MIssion Aint for Wimps!

 

Here are some pictures that have been taken throughout the mission so far!!

 

Ronald and Rebekah's baptism JULY 13, 2013

 

 

 

Service project with some of the Tuscaloosa Relief Society Sisters at Hospice.

 

New Missionary Training Meeting. I got to see Sister Parsons again!

 

Me and Sister Dodini. WE WON!!!!! But not really, it was a scam.

 

 My District in the MTC just after arriving to Alabama!

 

4th of July

This week has been good! For 4th of July we went to Ronald and Rebekah's. (They are getting baptized Saturday!!!!) And two families from our ward were there too! We had lots of food, and played charades. It was so much fun! Rebekah recordes us, so it will be on Facebook. You probably won't be able to see it until we get approval to use Facebook, because I haven't been able to accept any friend requests.

 

 

We were planning on having 6 investigators come to church, but only 1 came. An Elder told us, "get used to being disappointed". So Darlene came, and I could already see a different light in her eyes after church.

 

 

Transfers are in 2 weeks already! There are so many missionaries coming in, I know Sister Dodini and I will probably not stay companions. I hope she can stay here in Tuscaloosa, but I also love it here. I'm going to miss the people so much if I have to leave! Next week we have a special Sacrament Meeting where NorthPort Ward and Tuscaloosa. (which we are in. And no, it's not Tuscaloosa 1st Ward, or 3rd Ward, etc. It's just the Tuscaloosa Ward. That's how few members there are.) We are thinking there may be a change of ward boundaries, so we shall see!!

 

 

Love you all!

 

Sister Reyne

Gotta love Scripture Power!

1 Month ALREADY?!‏

It's crazy how time goes by here. I feel like I've been here forever, but I also feel like I JUST got here! It sad to think of the time going by. Now I only have 17 months left of being a full-time missionary. It is more of a blessing than I could have ever imagined. Words ... they don't even begin to express how I feel being a missionary. It's still surreal.

 

 

This week has been fabulous! We worked hard and saw many miracles! One of my favorite "lessons" was with Heather and Diego. She is a virtuous women. She wants to live a good life, and she wants her daughters to live a good life. She lives all the standards already and doesn't realize it! She is so intelligent, and just knows she's missing something, but doesn't know what she's missing. Where do I start ... EVERYTHING she said she wants, and everything she lives, and everything she is looking for ... THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER DAY SAINTS HAS IT! Sister Dodini and I basically bared our souls to her. But she knows she has to find out for herself, she can't take our beliefs and testimony. She kept saying how confused she is and she just wants something more. Those are the exact words we want to hear! We know it will take time and we have to be patient. We just want this for her and her family so badly!

 

I also got to do my first exchange with the Sister Mission Leaders. And then we met with Ronald & Rebekah with the Zone Leaders the next day. I was so nervous, because I've already become comfortable with the way Sister Dodini and I teach, and who we see, etc. But because we don't tract a whole lot, I wanted to have that experience. I got to be with Sister Isaak. She's HILARIOUS! And I had so much fun! We also got to meet with a less active. I had to take the lead. So I just started talking, and asking him questions. I have NO doubt the spirit lead me with what he needed to hear. I don't remember exactly what I said. It was the first time I truly felt the spirit guide me when I felt unsure what direction to start with.

 

 

One day this week with met with Rebekah while Ronald was at church. They are ready again to be baptized on July 13th. The gospel has already changed their lives. Rebekah has come such a long way, and I can't begin to explain the miracles. She read us one of her Facebook posts. She talked about how excited she is to be baptized, and she knows The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is the true church that has been restored through Joseph Smith. She knows the Book of Mormon is true. .. It was just an incredible moment. Sister Dodini and I just started crying. Sister Dodini has a special friendship with Ronald and Rebekah. I still don't know them as well as she does yet, but I have such a love for their family.

 

We have been so blessed to have so many investigators. I don't want to take it for granted. Saturday and Sunday were a struggle with filling our schedules, that was the first time that's happened. I quickly have realized it's so much better having such a busy schedule and having backups, because it stinks when plans fall through.

On Saturday all of our plans fell through, so we just said, OK .. God is trying to tell us something. So we went to see a recent referral. She wasn't home ... Ok, now what?? But then across the street there was a family sitting outside on their porch. (This is very common in Alabama. I'm not sure why. Bunch of crazies, it's freaking hot!) But we're grateful, it makes things easier. After talking with them they allowed us to come in and leave a blessing on their home. (As missionaries we are able to do this in virtue of our calling. It can be really powerful.) They weren't interested in us coming back to teach them, but one girl stayed. We kept talking with her. She agreed to meet again with us. She said she had been praying to know what church to join!! It's just crazy! All of our plans fell through because of this!

 

 

I also got to give a talk on Sunday. I had basically no time to "prepare" although being on the mission that's all we do, so as we teach that was my "preparing" I guess. But during personal study time I was able to receive inspiration as to what I should say. I had a few points, and just talked. I have NEVER done that! I usually have to know exactly the layout and know everything I plan to say. I just LOVE my ward! Only 3 more weeks til transfers, and I really hope I get to stay here in Tuscaloosa. There's so much to do! 6 weeks isn't long enough! There are so many other stories and families I could share, but we can keep all that for when I get home. I will have PLENTY of stories. Haha remind me about the man who asked me, "Do you not understand English" because his accent was THICK! He's a less active, but we aren't sure why. He has such a strong testimony that our ward needs, so we are just going to continue going over. He just needs to go to church.

The church is true! I love y'all!!

Love,

Sister Reyne