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

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