Sister Kendra Reynolds: Episode 26: Fall is Here!!!

Our Mission President

~President Newman~

WoooooHoooo!!!! Fall is here!!!
Wow I never want to leave this place, it is so gorgeous! The trees and the area in general is so beautiful! It's funny the more I am out on my mission, the more I do miss my desert roots though haha!!

So on to what has happened!
Remember that LU student, Austin? Well, ya he just wanted to prove the Book of Mormon wrong, silly boy didn't know that this is impossible haha. So sadly, we stopped teaching him but I learned something really cool from him. As we were testifying with him and as he was TRYING to say all these false things about the church, I was able to testify of our calling as missionaries. That we were sent from God Himself to preach His gospel. To dang bad he wasn't listening because the spirit was so strong and Sister Harrison and I walked away spiritually uplifted rather than discouraged. It was amazing.

We have been trying to go out tracting an hour a day and we have seen and heard some pretty funny things haha. I love tracting for this reason, it's like the best pick me up one could ask for!! The things people will say to us sometimes it's like...What??!! Anyways we saw a weed growing in a rain gutter over 2 feet tall, very impressive. Then we walked by this house with super cool Halloween decorations and so we knocked and a lady yelled through the door asking who it was and we gave her our little spiel and she wasn't interested haha. Then a couple of days later we were walking by visiting someone we picked up (a new family to teach!!!) and she was outside with her daughter and we heard her say "Don't ever talk to those girls!" We just chuckled and kept walking, because clearly there was someone else she was talking about lol. Then I rolled my ankle trying to get out of the way of a car because there are NO SIDEWALKS...it's fine, my ankle is fine lol. I can't even tell you how many times I have fallen into ditches!!! Sidewalks are important everyone...Use them.

So we had Elder Christofferson and President Ballard come to the North America Northeast area and speak to us missionaries! It was amazing. I forgot the notes I took at our apartment or else I would share with you but all I have to say is that this church is true. I am so grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that has called prophets and apostles.

So within the past 2 weeks, we have picked up 4 more people to teach!! The work is just exploding this week! But we have dropped 2 so it's still evened out our numbers. We are crazy busy running from appointment to appointment (we are not complaining!!) that we drop dead at night haha. Our days are long because we are ending our teaching appointments at 9:30 5 nights out of our week. Which doesn't seem that late but it is!! Haha trust us! SO...this whole time I have been here, I have been teaching this 17 year old girl and if I haven't shared before but I have had the spirit speak to me over and over again that this is my one person who I am suppose to help. She is AMAZING!! I love her so much! She is so elect, she has a best friend who is a member and this last Friday we were teaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ (my favorite lesson in the whole world) and as we talked about baptism with her she just blurts out her testimony that this is what she needs to do and she is so ready for it!! She told us that she wanted this soon like in a couple of months. Silly girl we can give that to you a lot sooner! We told her that and committed her to baptism on November 9th and she just couldn't believe it! She has been so so happy ever since...just on cloud 9! She has started this countdown and on her mirror she has written all over it "November 9th." Ahh she is amazing and I love her so much.

We also had Zone Conference solely on the Book of Mormon and how it is the #1 thing that will help people feel not only the truthfulness of the gospel but how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us. Guys I can't even begin to express how much I love this gospel. We were encouraged to think about what our life would be without the Book of Mormon. As I thought, I felt like I wouldn't belong anywhere. I would feel and probably be born somewhere else to a different family. I wouldn't have the knowledge of my Savior and of my Heavenly Father like I do now. I wouldn't heave this knowledge that I matter in this world. I wouldn't have the literal and spiritual protection against Satan's power. I wouldn't know that my original home, Heaven, isn't real and that I could go back someday. I wouldn't be able to have any sort of salvation let alone exaltation. I would have and be nothing. I am so grateful for this book. I testify that it will work miracles in your life as you read it and listen to what the prophets teach. I love my Savior!
Have a great week everyone!
Sister Reynolds