A Lot Can Happen In 1 Day

I am always amazed at what each day brings on my mission! Even when we're dropped, God allows us to find and teach more people! This week another family dropped us. But I'm grateful that we were still able to increase their faith in Jesus Christ, even if they didn't accept the full gospel right now. I've realized more and more that being baptized allows people to receive more blessings in life, and it is that gateway to eternal life, but ENDURING is the most important part of it. Baptism means nothing without understanding and willingness. People who are truly seeking have a desire to accept and live the gospel. So when we DO find people who are truly seeking we are able to recognize that within the first lesson! GOD lets us be the missionaries to teach people who ARE ready to be baptized, it's the greatest joy! AND after being dropped by two families, we found another family!!! They want to be baptized on August 3rd. Sister Wilson and I saw them on Tuesday, and then Wilson and Brunner saw them Friday on exchanges. They read the Restoration pamphlet and they said they already know it's true. Laquala said, "My new years resolution this year was the find the right church and be baptized." THEN Brunner felt inspired to teach them about the Word of Wisdom and as Joel had a cup of coffee in his hand, he sets the cup down and says, "It must be done." What FAITH these people have!!! Things like this don't just happen! The spirit is a miracle worker! When Wilson and Brunner saw Joel and Laquala and their kids I got to spend the day with Sister Drummond in Booneville! We cleaned the baptismal font to be ready for their investigators baptism on Saturday. Then that night Sister Wilson and I got half price shakes after 8:00 at Sonic with Ashley and her friend. Her friend was distracted and we hardly teached ... oh wow, I mean TAUGHT anything, but then as we are about to leave we talk to an employee and invite her to meet up with us and then her face lit up and she said she and her sister and mom have been looking for a church!! .. And then on exchanges with Sister Moulton we met a man who believes Christ went to India after he was born, and stayed there for 12 years. Source? Undocumented. .. A lot can happen in 1 day.

Sometimes the Spirit Tells You to Get Pizza

I have been doing a lot of self reflection this last week, and have made some 6 month goals because my year mark is coming up!! I want to be better. There are still so many things I can improve on that I'll be writing about to mom and dad. But for now ... here's a story: Last week we had hungry sisters staying at our apartment to help with tornado clean up last Saturday. What better place than Little Caesars? It's quick, cheap, and pretty much everyone likes pizza. There we met Cleveland and his son. Cleveland talked with us about how his family is looking for a church. He said they have heard of Mormon, and have met some Elders, but didn't say much else other than that. After grabbing our pizza, we got his information and asked if we could come next week to teach his family. He very kindly agreed, and gave us his address and number. He is Black and his wife Hispanic, and they have 3 kids. We met Maria and the kids a few days later when Cleveland was working. We did "how to begin teaching" and told them how the gospel could bless their family for eternity. She began to cry. We asked her how she felt. Clenching her fist, she put it to her heart and said, "I cannot explain, I just feel good, I feel happy inside." At that moment I knew this family was prepared and ready to hear the gospel. Since then, I've had the same feeling I did when Sister Butterfield and I began teaching Nathan and Jessica. I just can't wait to see them!! I want to see them and teach them everyday! Saturday at exactly 12:00 we knock on the front door and hear a yell from the back. Cleveland shows us to the back door and as we walk inside, Maria and their three kids were all sitting around at the kitchen table, quiet, and ready to listen. Sister Wilson and I just looked to each other and smiled! As we taught the restoration the spirit was consistent the whole lesson. We rarely experience that, where the spirit is consistent from the time we walk in to the time we leave. Cleveland especially was excited to read the Book of Mormon and come to church the next day, but they weren't able to come because of a family get together that doesn't happen often. Sister Wilson said something so crucial as we drove to our next appointment. She said other families we have taught who are so solid are that way because we saw them as often as we could, we prayed for them everyday, we got members involved right from the beginning, and we loved them. "... all your heart, might, mind, and strength applies to devoting everything to your investigators. I love being a missionary! There are times I feel inadequate, or unsure of my abilities, but it's those times I choose to depend on the Lord that I feel successful.
 

 

Thank y'all for your prayers.

Sister Reyne 

The Tupelo Tornado

Here are some pictures from this week ... I've never been so exhausted in my entire life.

Picture Update!

I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY‏

Sorry if this email is scattered .. I'm a space head anyway, so it's probably expected, but there's just SO much to write about. I'm just going for it!! .. 

Words cannot express how much my testimony of God and Jesus Christ has grown. I can say that I KNOW Christ lives. I KNOW God is in charge and so aware of the details in our life. Something that struck me this past week (being Easter) is when Christ had been resurrected and appeared to Mary, in John 20:17 "Jesus said unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father ..." Christ had to have been in the spirit world. I knew this according to the Book of Mormon that He was there for 3 days instructing others to teach, but in the BIBLE (I'm in the South) it says He had not ascended to the Father! PROOF of the spirit world! People just believe in Heaven and Hell after death!! I just WISH I could convey in words how incredible God's plan is!!! His purpose is all for us! Commandments aren't to stop us from "living life" they are a test of obedience, they are for our safety so we can be led to a better life with the companionship of the spirit. If we keep commandments we can become more like Him, and be prepared to live in His presence.  ... Gosh I could go on and on! 

Sister Wilson is one of my favorite companions! A lot of my companions are my favorite, just in different ways! I just love Sister Wilson so much! I have never learned so much from another companion. My whole outlook of my mission has changed because of her. She has changed my mission! If you have a vision, if you have a goal, and if you pray about it, GOD MAKES IT HAPPEN! If you are sincere and willing to act on your prayer, He WILL answer! I have seen so many miracles this transfer. I wish everyone could experience the things I have experienced these last few weeks! ... This last week has been crazy busy, but it's a blessing! I LOVE being a Sister Training Leader!! I have never been so stressed in my life, but I have never been so happy! 

This last Friday we went to the Birmingham Temple with Lewis and Laura!! And Jessica and Nathan went to Memphis! Then we had some sisters in our zone stay Saturday night and Sunday because of Stake Conference, Interviews with President, and a zone activity today. Saturday night was the adult session of Stake Conference where multiple wards come together twice a year. Elder Teh of the Quorum of the Seventy was there. He said, "The Lord is hastening His work no matter what!" He doesn't really need us to hasten it. It's not us hastening it. He just allows us to be a part of it, because of the joy and blessings it brings to our life. ... But before I get repetitive. Toward the end of the meeting Elder Teh asked Matt who was recently baptized to share his conversion story. I am convinced that man will be a patriarch one day. His life has changed so much because of the gospel. (Even Ashley who's 18 who was baptized a few weeks ago is telling all her friends that she has never experienced happiness like this being in the church, and she wants to go on a mission!) Matt had mentioned Sister Wilsons name (because she is the one who began teaching him and was there through the whole process up to his baptism) so after his testimony, Elder Teh said, "Sister Wilson, will you bring your companion up with you" We went up and then he asked Sister Wilson to share how she was feeling. Then he asked us both different questions like, what is your purpose in the ward as a missionary? Do you go to ward council? etc. We both answered the different questions. Then he had all the missionaries stand up ... 48 in our stake!!!! Then he had them all sit down and say, well I'm going to have Sister Wilson and Reyne represent you all this evening. It was a cool experience. And then I saw people from Haleyville!!!! 

Yesterday we did a short exchange with some of our sisters and so me and Sister Platt felt like we should see Christinne a recent convert. We went over and her dad who isn't a member was there! He broke down and said how he wants to change his life around. We testified of the healing power of the Atonement (which we had just been talking about in the car on the way over!) and he was like yearning to get a Book of Mormon! Then on our way to a potential investigator we saw Zephania who we haven't been able to get in contact with for a month! He walked by us at the PERFECT time! It was so crazy! He was baptized a few months ago but his mom is not supportive and isn't allowing him to come to church. Because he's only 16 we can't really do anything about it. It was a miracle that he even got baptized! ... Well this letter is WAY too long!!! 

I couldn't do this without the support of friends and family, but most importantly without my knowledge of God and Christ. Sister Wilson and I have been talking about our testimonies alot. Our testimony of God and Jesus Christ has become less of faith and more of a knowledge. 

I love y'all! For real. 

Sister Reyne 

God is Good and Jesus is Real‏

This week has been life changing. I have never felt this close to my Savior. The reality of Him and Heavenly Father is so much clearer. Thursday, April 17, 2014 I had one of the greatest experiences of my life. Taken from the words of one of the Assistants to President Hanks, Elder Munns, here is his "side of the story" :

“We received a call from the Tupelo Sister Training Leaders on Wednesday, Sister Maren Wilson from Saratoga Springs, UT and Sister Analise Reyne from Lincoln, CA discussing their investigator family who was set to be baptized that Easter Sunday. "The wife would jump in the font right now if she could, but the Husband is a little more hesitant." said the Sisters. "Would you be willing to come teach them with us?" they asked. Honestly, how could I pass up an opportunity like that?

Thursday we drove up to Tremont, Mississippi for this appointment. It was us, the Sisters, and their ward mission leader. The lesson started pretty crazy as during the small talk there was a knock on the door. The wife began to tear up immediately. They opened the door and it was the State Family Services. This woman's Mother had filed a case against them saying that they were abusing the children (they clearly weren't the Grandma is just a little psycho.) The lady from state services was accompanied by a couple police officers which really made things interesting. After about 10 minutes of questioning, the people left. This is where the Sister Missionaries really shined because normally when someone cries I just kind of sit there awkwardly. They however, went and put their arms around this woman and consoled her. It was great.

After this, it took us a few minutes to get things back into Gospel mode. Eventually it did though. The Mother continued to express just how much she loved "her church" and how if she could she would be baptized right that second. I began to question the Father of the Family asking him what his thoughts and feelings were about it. "I have enjoyed everything I've heard, and I feel it is good. I just don't feel like I know enough quite yet. I don't feel ready" We kept trying to tell him that he was indeed ready, and he didn't need to know more but he wasn't hearing it. It was one of those lessons where you couldn't seem to get it pointed in the direction that you wanted it to. I have seen time and time again on my mission where we have lessons like this, and there is only one thing you can do. I bowed my head and offered a silent prayer asking Father in Heaven to bless me with the direction and words that needed to be spoken to help this man be baptized on Sunday. I had come to the realization that nothing I could say would cause this man to get baptized. It had to be the Spirit. So, I trusted that my prayer would be answered, and began to speak. I do not recall what was spoken, but I do recall this man's reaction. The Sisters had a lesson with the Family previously, showing them a picture of the double mirrors in the sealing room. "Lewis, do you remember how you felt when we discussed this?" The Spirit slowly began to mount. The Sisters did phenomenally, stirring him to a remembrance of what he had learned already. The Member then stepped in and powerfully discussed the opportunity this man would have to hold the Priesthood, and to give his children blessings. "You are losing time, my friend. You'll be fine if you aren't baptized this Sunday but that is time that could have been spent with the Priesthood Power in your home."  After the comments of the member, I stared at the Father and said, "You've heard the words of each one of us. We know you will be blessed as you are baptized this Sunday with your wife. You must find this for yourself, however. Will you (as we knelt down) ask God in the presence of His representatives, if He wants you to be baptized this Sunday?" He accepted the invitation. Kneeling there, 4 missionaries, a member and this investigator Family the Spirit was poured out abundantly. I prayed with all my heart during the prayer that this man would receive his answer. I cannot recall another experience like this one in my life. The Father asked, "Lord, will you show me....." His voice trembled, the Spirit had pricked his heart. He didn't even finish the prayer. I looked up and just saw he and his Family hugging each other. "I'll do it." he told his dear Wife. What a beautiful sight this was. This Family was indeed baptized this Easter Sunday in Tupelo, Mississippi.

As soon as I realized that nothing that I could do would cause this Family to be baptized, and relied on the Lord the Spirit poured out abundantly. Indeed, "that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God" 2 Corinthians 1:9" Elder Munns

I literally felt the presence of the Savior during this experience. I feel like I can pray differently now. I can never and will never deny the power of prayer. If we set expectations, if we have faith, and if we have a sincere desire we can know through the holy ghost, the presence of God. 

AND! Jessica got baptized!!!! And Nathan baptized her!! .. There were 6 confirmations in church this Sunday!!!! How many people can say they witnessed that! Ponotoc, or as I call them, Ponnietaco Sisters had 2 baptisms, and then Jessica, Laura and Lewis were baptized this weekend. And the Elders had 1 baptism. And this week we were only in our area Monday to prepare for Zone training, Tuesday for Zone Training and then we weren't back in our area until Friday. Is is ALL God! As Sister Wilson says, "I love Heavenly Father, He is so nice!" 

There is no other explanation for this week, than to say, God is good, and Jesus is real!

Am I a Southern Story Teller Yet?‏

The reason for obedience is the way that God has to work with us in order for us to show our willingness to follow Him. Through obedience we can become like Him. Because we aren't perfectly obedient, we have the Savior, Jesus Christ. But as we strive to become like Him we show that we are comfortable enough to live with Him someday. I have looked at obedience so differently up til this point. It's so simple. God commands us to do or not do. If we love Him we keep His commandments. If we love Him we truly want to live with Him again. Sister Wilson explained it as, "Obedience is the mechanism God has to work with in order to bless us."

This past week God has truly blessed us for being obedient. So rewind back to December. Before I came to Tupelo, Sister Butterfield and Sister Hernandez were "carol tracting". They met a nice lady, but didn't set a return appointment to go back and teach. Fast forward to February. Sister Butterfield and I were at our favorite Tupe' town laundry mat. We meet a lady who has never been to our favorite little wash place. She only went there to wash a huge blanket that wouldn't fit in her washer and dryer. As we start talking to this lady Sister Butterfield realized she had met her before! We ask if we could come back in a few days to visit with her. Because of her busy schedule we were only able to meet with her once before we were both transferred, so we told Sister Wilson and Sister Stahle to go visit her.  .. Now it's April. I'm back in Tupelo. Little did I know, I would be the one teaching her with Sister Wilson. Last night we called her, and she told us to come back later that evening. 

We taught using the "timeline" of the Plan of Salvation. We opened with a prayer, and what some people do in the south is after every phrase you state in a prayer, they will say under their breath, "Thank you Jesus." "Praise the Lord." It's so funny! I love it! Delores has been baptist her whole life, but even the basics we taught about Jesus Christ, the spirit was able to teach her. She had never heard about the Pre-Earth Life and even when we taught about the resurrection of the Savior she said she had never known these things. Sister Wilson, like a BOSS pulled out the Book of Mormon, briefly explains what it is and has her read a scripture about the resurrection of the Savior. The spirit was so strong! And when we told her about the celestial kingdom she acted as though she's always known about it. She didn't say, "Oh I've never heard of this ... My preacher says this.."  I can't even explain it! It was one of the coolest lessons on my mission so far. She said she wants to go to the celestial kingdom! She loves God and Jesus Christ. She truly has a desire to follow them. She told us she wants to start reading the Book of Mormon every day. We showed her mormon.org and and she even asked us to bookmark the website. Everything I've written doesn't even do this experience justice. 

Rewind back again, but just to this last Saturday. The young women and young men had a yard sale/bake sale/car wash to raise money for camp. Of course there were going to be lots of people to meet there so us and the ZL's went! It was one of the funnest days on my mission! The Lord provided for us! I could just cry. We were out of our area on exchanges and in Birmingham for meetings from Tuesday afternoon til Friday afternoon. We should have the highest numbers in our zone being leaders. We shouldn't use the excuse of ... well our numbers are gonna stink because we aren't in our areas all the time. Well God provided! Within 3 hours we gave out a whole box of Books of Mormons, got 12 new investigators, had probably 50 contacts, AND we got to wear "regular clothes". It was so much fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to Sunday ... Ashley was baptized!!!! Church was amazing!!! Jessica AND Laura who are getting baptized this weekend shared such strong, simple, beautiful testimonies about their conversion of why they believe we have and need the priesthood and why we need a prophet. They were the ones in class openly giving all the comments! Jessica has come such a long way from when Sister Butterfield and I started teaching her. Nathan has changed! He has the priesthood! And next year we're coming back when they are sealed in the temple!!! I love them so much!! It's God! It's the spirit! I mean, with Ashley when I first met her 2 weeks ago, she told us for the first time that she finally felt like God was there and she could talk to Him and He answers. She never had had that before. And now 2 weeks later she's baptized?!!! She's 18. She's such a brave soul. It was heartbreaking because her mom wouldn't support her and come to her baptism, but she knew it was the choice she needed to make. God told her what was right. You can't argue with that! I KNOW the gospel is on the Earth! ALL of it! I just can't contain myself!!!! ... Sister Wilson and I always just yell in car about how true the gospel is! It's hilarious! I'm pretty sure Tiwi (our car babysitter) has cameras in it and people at Church Headquarters are just dying laughing at all the crazy conversations and crazy things missionaries do. I'd like that job! Speaking of being in the car ... funny story .... Caitlin, Liz and Kelsie got me 3 barbies. I wasn't sure why because when I got the package I didn't get a chance to read it for a few days. Well Sister Wilson decided to stick one of them out the window as I'm driving. So I told her to try and stick the head out and close the window so she could get some fresh air ... well her head and arm and leg flew out the window. Yesterday I read the letter. It was Liz. I'm sorry. 

Well I feel like I just talked for an hour straight without breathing. Am I a southern story teller yet?

Back in Tupe' Town‏

This week has been one of the most incredible weeks on my mission so far!!!! AHHHHHHHH! I can't even begin to explain! We are working so hard and having so much fun! Where to START? Always a struggle. So on Saturday I knew I was being transferred out of Huntsville because President Hanks asked me to be a Sister Training Leader (like a Zone Leader, but Sister version .. and without the priesthood ha) ... Wednesday comes around. On the way to transfer meeting we are talking about who we think our companions would be. I said I would love to be Sister Wilsons companion. We get to transfer meeting. The slideshow of new companionships comes up, Sister Wildings' comes up first, so I say goodbye to her, and then I walk to the back of the chapel as we're instructed. Slowly people standing in the back of the chapel are being called to who their new companion will be, and go to sit with them. Then Sister Wilson and I are standing by each other. Our picture comes up together that we will be serving as STL's in Tupelo! WHAT? I was JUST there last transfer? 

We have been on fire!!!! We have had some AMAZING lessons! A family wants to get baptized! I met them for the first time. The Sister started teaching them almost a month ago. They already talk about wanting to be sealed in the temple! We had a lesson with them about priesthood and had Matt who was just baptized a few weeks ago come with us. His testimony was so beautiful. I asked Lewis why it's important to be baptized by the Priesthood. He said, "Well, if you're not then you're just going through the motions." The spirit was so thick when Sister Wilson then asked him if he would follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. He just looked at her for a minute in silence with his eyes filling up with water. He said quietly, "yes." We invited him to talk with Laura his wife about a date for them both to be baptized. ... AND THEN Jessica who I taught before with Sister Butterfield is getting baptized on Easter!!!!! Nathan has been to the temple! He was baptized for his grandpa and great grandpa! We met with Ashley who's a senior in Highschool! She knows our ward mission leader who owns a cell phone covers store. So I asked, Oh how do you know him? She said, "I'm addicted to cell phone covers" Brother Hooper is awesome! He's the one that invited her to church 2 weeks ago. And then Sister Wilson and Sister Stahle who was here before me started teaching her. We saw her again yesterday and she told us she wants to be baptized! God is so good! So many miracles! Conference was amazing! My favorite was Lawrence Corbridges'. I got to watch the Saturday morning with the Nathan and Jessica. SO COOL! The change of when we first met with them to teach them about the Restoration. Now they know about conference and are watching it on Saturday?!!! Then Ashley came to the Sunday morning and we had a potluck at the church. It's so fun seeing people again! ....   

AND I got an email that my dad is going to get a donor transplant! With what they have been through with insurance, it's a miracle! So many good things happening here. And Tuesday is MLC and then we're doing exchanges til Thursday, then Friday Ashley is getting baptized! I can't believe I'm back in Tupe' Town!!!

Please pray for Elder D that he can find someone at least willing to listen. He is having a hard time in his area. I only had a hard time last transfer for 6 weeks not really finding anyone, but he's been out almost 6 months already?! .. That I can't believe. 

I love y'all! Thank you for your prayers. I couldn't do it without prayer and without the atonement of Jesus Christ. 

Sister Reyne

We Found Waldo‏

It has been an incredible week! The best last week of a transfer on my mission so far! It has been so much fun! 6 weeks of finding and finding has paid off! It's kind of like that Where's Waldo game. It has been dang hard, but oh so good! We found another family to teach!! I can't explain how it happened. We were walking to another appointment, and I just said, "Hey let's go knock this door." It had to be the spirit, because it was so random. As we are walking up my thoughts were,"They are just going to tell us to go away." Three kids come to the door and just stare at us ... what felt like 3 minutes later their mom comes to the door. She wanted us to come back the next day when her husband would be there too! As we walk up to the door, their little girl says, "dad the Bible people are here!" My thought was, "Shoot! He's going to chew us out and tell us to never come back." But he opens the door, and is the friendliest person. He said they would have to reschedule because they had another Bible study that they spaced, but invited us in for a moment. The spirit kept telling me, you need to stay here and teach them NOW. As he left the room for a moment, Jes (the wife) tells us to sit down. Wes (husband) has a friend who's Mormon that gave him a Book of Mormon when they were in the army together. Jes said she doesn't like that the church they go to now doesn't have fellowshipping with each other (they didn't feel welcomed at first) and she wants to volunteer, but no one will do it with her. ... Of course I have to contain myself! I am smiling so big! We ended up talking more about the Book of Mormon, the restoration and set up another time to come back. Seriously, one of the greatest miracles of my mission!

 

I could go on forever!

 

Love y'all!

It's Gods Way‏

Huntsville is so different from all the other places I'm been. People weren't born and raised here. They ain't suthun. I miss my southerners! All the engineers live here close to the space and rocket museum. Transfer calls are this weekend AGAIN! How does each transfer go by faster and faster. It's not ok! On another note .. WE FOUND A FAMILY TO TEACH! We also met this lady from Nigeria. She is beautiful and so is her accent. We also tracted into the same person twice. That was embarrassing. I almost want to a third time just for fun.

Friday we went to the Temple. I've never learned so much as I have this last time. It truly gave me strength and a push and rejuvenation! I'm convinced it was because of President Hanks email to us all the Monday before. 

It's the last week of the transfer. I have a feeling I'm staying in Huntsville. I hope I don't move again! This week is going to be THE BEST! I can feel it. Why? Because we have a divine purpose to invite others to receive the restored gospel. It truly is God's way! 

PS You can see President Hanks blog by going to http://albirminghammissionhome.blogspot.com/

Like a War Eagle

I can't even begin to explain the jolt and impact of strength and clarity I've received this past week. It's been dang hard, but God knows what WE need. Of course we aren't out here to find out what WE need. We are out here to help other find what THEY need. But in return we truly find out how much God truly desires for US to find Him just as much as the people we teach. We had Zone Training this last week and I got to do some training. I LOVED it! I needed that! I am going to be honest. I have never wanted to come home from my mission until this last week. It's been HARD. And I haven't been as positive, or kind, or as grateful as I should be. I've definitely learned a lot about myself this transfer. It's cool how I learn something completely different each transfer. Last transfer my testimony was strengthened more than ever. God knew I needed that to get through this transfer. Being a missionary, a representative of Christ, this is real life! We are inviting people to the live in the presence of God eternally.

Now for some funny stories. On Saturday, Sister Wilding and I decided we really need to do service, and we were dang sick of finding all day. And it happened to be nice outside. (Speaking of, we made up a rap ... I'll tell you about that later) So we went to a random door and asked if we could do some service for him by cleaning out his gutters. He was extremely confused at the fact that we just wanted to do service. No "catch". He figured out we were Mormon and proceeded to tell us how we were wasting our lives away. He said our core beliefs are true, and we are some of the nicest people. But he said he had "been there and back", that there is a God and there is a Christ, but no Joseph Smith. Long story short, we were HIGHLY offended by his language and what he told us. But that experience just led me to an awesome personal study the next morning! I read in Doctrine & Covenants. Basically God is only going to show us what we are prepared to receive! AND this Friday we go to the Temple! It's going to be a special one. 

All in all, I'm hanging on every day. Endure right? It means to have a brightness of hope as President Hanks explains it. It may be hard in the moment, but it's worth it in the eternities. 

And for those Hot Rod fans, I feel like a war eagle. .. not like an Auburn fan, because I prefer elephants, but really I have more strength and a stronger testimony than I sometimes realize. And it's only through the Atonement of Jesus Christ that that is made possible.

Love y'all,

Sister Reyne 

 

 

I'm out of control. I don't know. 

Me & Sister Wilding

 For Chad