Week 12

This week has been great! Elder Smith and I had to go to Concepción on Tuesday for an interview and I found out that I will likely be training next transfer! I may, but I´m not sure yet, also be made district leader. Elder Smith is leaving, unfortunately. He´s been great. I think the one thing that I learned most from him was humility and patience. Those are definitely two things that I´ve struggled with, but I have noticed a ton of growth over the past couple of months and I owe that to my trainer. He´s a great missionary and I know he will continue to do great things, wherever he goes. We are teaching a woman named Maribel Ortega. I think I have written about her before, but she is the cousin of un hermano that just left for his mission to Peru Lima East. She has a husband that has some serious drinking problems and has 5 young kids. She hadn´t been attending a church when we met her, but has always been Evangelical, like 99% of the people here. Well, this Sunday she came to church with her two youngest kids. During Gospel Principles, she bore her testimony about how many changes she has seen in her family since we have been visiting her. Her husband, who used to drink every night, has been listening to our lessons, rather than leaving as soon as we arrive. Along with him, her other kids have been listening to us teach her. She has noticed the peace and the love that the Spirit brings to her family. She called us "angelitos." That really means a lot to hear that we have done something to improve someone´s living situation. It´s an honor to be a tool in God´s hands. She is doing great and continues to progress. Lientur wasn´t able to get baptized due to health issues. He has been in the hospital off and on this week, but we have had the chance to meet with him. Spiritually, he is doing great and is ready to make his first covenant with Heavenly Father, but physically, he isn´t able to. However, we were talking with him last night and I felt impressed to promise him something really specific. I promised him that, according to his desires and his faith, that Heavenly Father will prepare the way for him to be baptized on the 7th of September. I firmly believe that. I know Heavenly Father works miracles because I see them everyday. For example, I have Micaela Morgan Wright. It´s a miracle that she puts up with me and somehow loves me. We have also been visiting an inactive member named Arturo Campos. He has elephantitis in his leg, along with some other emotional problems. He has had some bad experiences with some members, so hasn´t been coming to church. Yestday, we met with him and decided to be direct with him and find out how we can answer his doubts and get him to church. We answered the doubt about the relational issues. He wants to show people he is strong, and he can do that by coming to church every week, in spite of what has happend between him and some members. The other doubt we found was that he has to pay for a cab to get to church. So, I told him I´d pay for his cab every Sunday. That means that we will be seeing him and his mom next Sunday. He also made us promise that we would take him out to work with us after church every Sunday. We started that yesterday. To see the atonement at work in all these peoples lives is a miracle in itself. I´m so blessed to play a role in this work. We can all play the same role. Lose yourself in service and you´ll find yourself and the love that Heavenly Father has for you. Oh, we will be getting a new branch president soon, and it may be a missionary because there aren´t many worthy priesthood holders in the branch. We will see. It´s finally starting to warm up here. I hear that it is pretty dry in Texas, so rain for that area will be in my prayers. I also heard about the fires in Haily, ID. I hope everyone there is doing okay. Also, thanks to Elder and Sister Avery for their kind words. I don´t have much time on the computer, so I hope they know that what they sent to me meant a lot. Thank you both for everything you do for my family and for the people of Uvalde, TX. ¡Que tengan una buena semana!

Chau,

Elder Reynolds

Week 11!

This week I realized something really important. It doesn´t matter how hard you are working, if you aren´t teaching things simply and if you aren´t teaching what is most important, you´re not going to see people progress. Two things that we haven´t been stressing enough that we should have always been stressing are reading the Book of Mormon and going to church. If people aren´t doing those two things, they aren´t going to gain a testimony of the veracity of the things we are teaching them. I don´t doubt that if people do that with an open heart and true intention, they will realize that what we are teaching them is true. I know that because I know these things are true because I´ve done those things and have received my answer and I´ve seen what it has done for me and my dad and, as a result, my family. I tried to explain that to my companion on Saturday. He was having a rough time, really worrying that he doesn´t have a strong testimony and with some other things. I told him to think about what the message he is carrying does for other people. He doesn´t understand fully. He´s been a member his whole life, so he doesn´t truly understand what this gospel does for people. I can´t begin to explain for myself what it does, but I do know that is saves lives, it gives purpose, it brings hope, it carries peace, it changes futures for the better, it brings families closer together, and it brings the love of God and His son Jesus Christ into the lives of all those who simply try and find out for themselves if these things are true. I see so many people who reject the church and what we teach without even picking up a Book of Mormon. Just pick it up and read and and pray and you´ll see for yourself why we have left everything we love behind to be here so far away from home. It´s real. We had a musical presentation this week about the life of Joseph Smith in Lota, which is just north of Coronel. There were a ton of poeple there, but unfortunately I think only 2 of our investigators showed up. But, those two have made so much progress and I have grown to love them like my own family. It´s truly amazing how much music brings the Spirit. It was so powerful. The choir (me and a bunch of other missionaries and a few members from San Pedro) were singing El Espíritu de Dios and on the last verse, the entire congregation joined in. It really was beautiful to see so many people gathered to honor the importance of what Joseph Smith did for us. If he hadn´t suffered all the tribulations and trials he faced, if he lost himself in this great work of our God and sacrificed everthing, including his own life, I wouldn´t be where I am right now. Many of you wouldn´t be where you are right now. We wouldn´t have the church of Jesus Christ restored on the Earth today and we wouldn´t have the priesthood in our lives. Joseph Smith was a great man and is a great example to me. His love for God and his understanding of what it means to sacrifice yourself for the very Being that gave you life is incredible. I´m grateful for the life he lived. I´m also grateful for my wonderful, gorgeous, spiritual giant of a girlfriend, Micaela Morgan Wright. I love you, Micaela! No matter how difficult life may be for you at any given time, you can always know that your Heavenly Father loves you, that Christ has suffered those very pains, and that you have a boyfriend that will never leave your side.

Chau!

Elder Reynolds

Week 10!

Great week. We have a conference with the mission president early in the week and found out that Elder Smith and I will be working more with the members. Before, we were focused on investigators, but now we have the chance to spend more time with the people that are going to be there for the future members when we aren´t. Members are so important. Every member has the responsibility to share what they know. We have so many blessings from this gospel and it wouldn´t be right to keep that a secret. People deserve to know and that is a key part of missionary work. So share what you know! We had 17 lessons this week. That´s the most we have ever had here. We have been really focused on loving the people we teach and as we have done so, I´ve felt the Spirit more throughout the day and in our lessons. We have been practicing for a musical presentation we will be having in San Pedro this coming Sunday. It is about Joseph Smith. We practiced the entire thing yesterday and it was amazing. It´s crazy how much music can bring the Spirit and how much it can teach us. The entire time I was thinking of how important it will be to get people to this performance. It has the potential to change these people´s lives. That isn´t an overstatement, either. It´s that powerful. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet. I know that The Book of Mormon is the word of God, and I know that this church is the church of Jesus Christ, that He is at its head and that He guides it through President Monson. I don´t doubt that. I know it. We may have a baptism this coming Saturday, if everything goes according to plan. Lientur Torres is preparing himself to make his first major covenant with his Heavenly Father. He has progressed so much and has overcome so much. It is truly humbling to play a part in this moment of his life. To see someone use the Atonement to piece their lives back together and to make it more than they ever could have imagined is beyond description. So everyone knows, Correos Chile, which does all the mail here, is on strike, so it will take a while for any mail to get here or there. I´m extremely grateful that Heavenly Father has put Micaela Morgan Wright in my life. I know that sometimes she is worried about me, but I want her to know that I love her more than she can possibly imagine and that will never change. I know that she is the one I´m going to spend eternity with and I know that Heavenly Father put her in my life to make me better. She is an incredible example from me and I look forward to learning from her each and every day forever. 

Elder Reynolds

Week 9

This week was great. Elder Smith and I have been changing some things and we have seen the blessings from it. There are two groups of missionaries in Coronel. One companionship works with members and the other with investigators. We work with investigators and usually don´t have much time with members. But, this week we spent more time with less active members and it has really meant a lot to them. They see that we love them and they want to help us. It´s really not possible for us to do for the people here what they deserve without the help of the members. We won´t always be here, so it´s important that the members love and support each other. We have three people preparing to be baptized this month: Margery, Lientur, and Matías. Margery is in her 30´s. She is a nurse and a mother. She has two daughters, who we have been teaching as well, and one son (his name is Benjamin, too). She is on fire. She came to a family home evening in the chapel the other night and many of the members thought that she was already a member. She wants what is best for her family and has seen what the gospel has done for her other family members (she is related to Angela and Lientur). Lientur is 65 and is the father of Angela Torres. He has made a lot of mistakes in his life and is doing what he can to right those, but they still haunt him a lot. He comes to church when he can, as his health isn´t too great right now, and we have been visiting him frequently. He´s making a lot of progress and knows what he needs to do. It´s amazing to see a man who has been humbled by his past take the steps he needs, the sacrifices necessary, to right his wrongs and to fix his relationship with his family, those that mean the most to him. The family is central to God´s plan for us and I know The Lord is proud of Lientur and the steps he is taking. Matías is an 18 year old. He is doing well. He came to church for the first time in a long time yesterday. He has a strong desire to know what God wants for him at this time in his life and is experimenting with the ¨homework¨ we are leaving with him. As he does so, his faith in God grows and he comes to a greater realization of his potential as a son of God. We are focusing on these people in the moment, doing all that we can to serve them and help them strengthen their relationship with their Heavenly Father and we hope to help them participate in the blessings of baptism this month. There is no greater happiness than serving others. I sent this in an email to Micaela, but I want to share it with everyone: ¨One part in the Savior´s life that I love is, after He bled from every pore for all the afflictions and sins we would ever experience and commit, rather than seeking comfort for himself, angles went and comforted His apostles. In the hour of the most pain he would ever experience, he denied help and instead was more concerned about His disciples. He turned outward when we would have turned inward. We are so unworthy of His love and His sacrifice for us, yet He is always there for us, his arm extended toward us to pick us up.¨ I hope everyone thinks about this. I know that it has been a humbling experience for me. Congratulations to Caitlin. Micaela told me that she was recently baptized. I can tell you that you have made the greatest decision of you life and I´m glad that the love of my life was able to play a part in it. I know she will be a huge blessing in your life. She has brought me so much happiness and is such an amazing person. I love you, Micaela Morgan Wright!

Chau!

Elder Reynolds

Week 8

This week was great. We had another all time count of lessons. I´ll be honest, it´s not the easiest thing to be around someone 24 hours a day, but I´m learning to stop thinking about myself and start thinking more about the people I´m here to serve. It has been another cold one. It´s amazing how cold a city on the coast can get. I think the most important thing I learned this week, or experienced this week, and partly last week, is just how real the priesthood is and just how grateful I am that the Lord trusts me enough to give me that authority. We have been teaching the father of my third baptism (Angela Torres). His name is Liantur Torres. He has been really sick. The first time I saw him, I honestly thought he was going to pass away soon. He couldn´t even sit up in his bed without being in an incredible amount of pain. He would cough until his face turned purple and his daughter would have to give him some oxygen from the tank next to his bed. Well, Elder Smith and I gave him a blessing of health and the past two weeks he has been walking around like he was never sick, has been to church two weeks in a row, and is taking the lessons. He also has a baptismal date for the 17th of August. Another example is a woman from Santiago staying with a member family. The first time I met her, she couldn´t get out of bed. She has serious cardiac problems. She has been told that, if she gets sick, there is a possiblity of her passing away. We gave her a blessing of health. We visited her last night and she got up under her own strength and came and talked with us in the kitchen. She expressed her gratitude for what we do and how we helped her. She has great faith in God and has put all her trust in Him. She cried as she told us how grateful she is for everything Heavenly Father has done for her. I told her that we were sent here for her. I know that´s true. Every single missionary is here from specific people. God knows the needs of His children and has sent us here as an answer to their prayers, as an answer to their needs. I know I am here for Elizabeth. I´m here to bless her. I´m here to let her know that God does hear her and he does love her. I´m humbled to be a tool and His hands. There have been a few more temblors. Elder Smith and I were walking to lunch one day and the power chords just started shaking violently. That was a little worrisome haha. Other than that, everything else is going great! We had our first cambio since I´ve been here in Chile. I´m staying here in Coronel for at least 6 more weeks and so is everyone in our house. Thanks to all those who are writing me, once again. I love hearing from you. Your words mean a lot to me. Micaela Morgan Wright is still absolutely amazing and is an inspiration and example to me. I love her with all my heart. She is doing great things in the Austin area and is the greatest missionary I know. I know that she is blessing the lives of the people living there. ¡Espero que cada persona en mi vida y que esté leyendo mi blog tenga una buena semana!

Chau!

Elder Reynolds

Week 7!

This week was great. It was definitely the coldest one, though. We have found a lot more people to teach, more than we have ever had. Elder Smith and I have been doing all that we can to be obedient to the commandments and rules that we have a missionaries and we have seen a ton of blessings from our efforts. I think my faith grows everyday. Everyday I´m more sure that what we are doing is true. As I realize that, it motivates me to work even harder. We have been teaching an 18-year-old named Matías. He is a really good guy and wants to do the right thing. His family members seem interested, too. That´s really important. I love teaching families. One of my biggest dreams in life is to have all my family accept the gospel and participate in all the blessings that are waiting there for them. My dad has already taken that step and I have faith that the work I do here will work miracles at home. This gospel is about families. It´s about blessing each and every member of the family and the family as a whole. It´s about living together forever. I have a strong testimony in the ability we have to have an eternal family. Giving that blessing to others is one of the greatest feelings I can imagine. Just to see people progress and experience all that I´ve experienced as a result of accepting the gospel reminds me why I´m here. We recently started teaching a woman named Maribel. She is the cousin of a member who just left for his mission in Peru this past week. She has five kids and is such a wonderful woman and mother. However, her husband has a drinking problem. She was telling us about it last night. She said that every night, he goes out and spends his money on alcohol, rather than spending time with his family. Many times, she told us, he comes home and yells at his family. Seeing her pain as she told us about all these things was really difficult. I know that we will do all that we can do to help her and her family build a better life. She deserves it and her children deserve it. No one should have to experience that. We saw a lot of miracles this week. For example, yesterday Elder Smith and I were walking home with about 10 minutes left in the day. We needed two more contacts to reach our weekly goal of 50. I told him that The Lord would put to people in our path on the way home. As we approached a corner, I had a strong feeling that they would be right around the corner. We turned the corner and there they were. It´s little things like that that really strengthen my faith. I know that we are never alone. We also taught a man named Cristian yesterday during church. He showed up to church to meet with us and tell us that he wanted to change his life (his history sounded exactly like mine) and that he wanted to be baptized. That was an experience that words can´t really convey. I´m just so blessed to be here as a tool in the Lord´s hands. Everyone should know that Micaela Morgan Wright is the most amazing, beautiful, intelligent, funny, and caring woman (besides my mother and grandmother, of course) on the planet and that I don´t deserve her, but for some reason she still sticks around. Also, I love my family very much and wouldn´t be here if it weren´t for them. Also, I was talking with Elder Smith this week and realized how blessed I am to know Dr. Bradbury, Dr. Sainsbury, and Cindy Lancaster. They have opened many doors for me and I´m truly grateful for all that they have done and do for me. Have a wonderful week, everyone!

Elder Reynolds

Week Six

It has been another really fast week. We taught a total of 14 lessons this week, which is the most we have ever done. It´s funny, I thought that, because I would be in South America, that people would be more receptive here. That´s definitely not the case. There are plenty of people here that don´t want to listen to what we have to say, and some are really clear about that. But, the people we are teaching are so great. They have already made a huge impact on my life in a short amount of time. We are teaching 3 families right now and all of them are making a lot of progress. One of the families has a son named Jesús. He is a beast. I´ve never seen a child that is so close to God. We taught him and his dad the other day and he said the closing prayer. It literally sounded like something out of Isaiah. The problem is that a lot of the men here work a ton, including on Sundays, so they can´t always make it to church. They sacrifice a lot for their families. I really do admire that and hope that I can show that same kind of sacrifice for my family one day. For some reason, a lot of the Chileans, at least in the rougher parts of town, think that we are either Germans or Russians and apparently, from what they say to us, they don´t like Germans or Russians very much. I got my first kiss on my mission this week. I gave 200 pesos to some really drunk guy and he kissed my hand. It was magical. It really has been a great week. I´m growing to love Coronel and Chile, as well as the people here. As I do, I find greater joy in this amazing work. Service to God and others really does bring the greatest happiness in this life. I was reading Alma 7 and Mosiah 3 recently and it made me think about how much God and Christ love us. I can´t comprehend the sacrifices that have been made for each of us and how the people in our lives show the same characteristics. We are who we are today because of what has been given for us and because of those people who have made those sacrifices. I know the only way that I´ll gain a greater understanding of the love Heavenly Father and Christ have for us is by becoming a Father. I look forward to that awesome responsibility. I know that the mission is preparing me for that. I´ve also learned to be a little less prideful this week. Sometimes, because I´m older than most of the missionaries, I feel like I don´t need to listen to what they have to say. That´s definitely not true and I´m learning that. We can learn something from everyone. I think a good exercise is to look at the people in your life and figure out what they are there to teach you. Everyone in our lives can teach us something. It´s up to us to find out what that is. I hope everyone is doing great. Thanks to those of you who have been writing to me. It means a lot. 

Elder Reynolds