Hello hello!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! Tomorrow I am going to have a niece! Guaranteed she will be the cutest one in the world! I wish that I could be there! (I keep telling myself that she really isn’t coming until next week, because I know I will just be thinking about it all day tomorrow!) So this week was a little bit weird! We got really down and depressed because our baptisms fell through and none of our appointments were working out. We would call and no answer... we would stop by...and they were busy or they wouldn’t be there, it gets really discouraging. And it made our attitude not the greatest... So one day we got home a little early because we were just so depressed. That night in my prayers, I just decided to exercise some faith...I prayed really specifically and asked God for things that I knew would happen, specific types of investigators that we would find and things like that! The next morning, I found out that Hermana White had done the exact same! So we both were in a good mood and just knew that the day would be great! We headed out to knock on doors, FOR MY FIRST TIME! And Hermana White says she hasn’t done that for 3 transfers or more because we are always so busy here. Well we found a lot of really good contacts! And we received some miracles for sure! We set up about 5 appointments with contacts. And our one appointment that we had, members agreed to come with us, which is always amazing! So while we were waiting for the members, it starts pouring rain.... we had to find shelter right? So we go to this corner store that was a little ways away, and in walks Winston. He is a member, but hasn’t been to church for about 30 years, and we have been tying to get a hold of him all week! We would call; we knocked on all the doors around where we thought his house was, and nothing. No one knew who he was! Well we found him! We had the number wrong and the apartment number wrong! But he is going to be such an asset! I am sure you will be hearing about him. He is a friend with a lot of other investigators and the reason none of them want to join is because of the succor games they play on Sundays! So we are thinking of starting up some kind of succor game at the church, I’ll let you know how it goes! I’m excited! Well anyway, then on our way home, we found our golden investigators that we both prayed for!!!! A husband and wife, Jose and Mercedes! They are the cutest, and they came to church! God answered all of our prayers and I know that just from the 3 miracles that we received in one day that many other things will come of them! I can’t wait!
On another quick note, we went to the salon last week! And we are going again right after this! It is like 2 dollars and they wash your hair and do it for you! I LOVE IT!! I think that I am going to go every week! Because did I tell you? I have to wash my hair in the Kitchen sink...its pretty horrible, but oh well! haha also I swept up 2 cockroaches this week! YAY such an accomplishment for me! I usually don’t get anywhere near them, and everyone makes fun of me because I always scream! I don’t think that I will ever get used to them! (We might move apartments soon though, hopefully the new one will have less!!! oh thanks mom for the bag clips, now I wont have bugs in my food, because we have serious ant problems too!) Oh also I attempted to make cookies this week! So I was so excited, I got all the ingredients, bought a cookie sheet, and got home and made the dough (which was so weird, the climate really makes a difference!) And put them on the sheet, well guess what, it was too small for the oven!! haha this place, gotta love it! so we ended up making pie cookies, in a pie tin! haha they were still good though, now the Dominican hermanas think that I’m like a chef or something! haha I love it here, I love the miracles of faith, I love having the spirit with me always, and having such great support back home!
Love you all!
Hermana Reay

I hope you like my picture of my washing machine! It is definitely an experience!

Can anyone say humidity?
I CAN!!!
It is so hot here, and it has been raining, which brings on more humidity, but it does hide the sun so it hasn’t been too bad! How is everyone? I hope well! We are just working away here in Gascue...and I love it! We don’t really have time for ourselves at all, but I think that that’s the way it is supposed to be! Yesterday we had church and it was normal....(because of conference...) and it was fast Sunday! I bore my testimony and I felt so lame because I don’t know if it even really made sense, but I think that it was fine because the spirit was guiding me! But everyone here speaks so fast; I didn’t understand any of theirs! But it will come; I talk more and more every day! One of our investigators, Juan Pablo, is getting baptized on Saturday and I am sooo happy for him! He is great! The other investigator Magdalena isn’t though :( her husband said that he would leave her if she joined the church, she wants to anyway because she said that she doesn’t care, but we don’t want her to make the step yet if they really aren’t ready! So please keep her in your prayers! Her family is my favorite! Her son is having a really hard time progressing though because he doesn’t believe the Jesus is the Christ...well if you cant believe that, then really nothing else works, so we have been doing serious studies and focusing a lot on him to try and help him! He is one of the smartest people I have met; he just wants logic and wont go with answers from the spirit! So pray for him too! Our other investigators! Amelia’s family! They are wonderful, I really feel like they are going to get baptized, they will always be special for me because we found them together my first day!
Dad oh my gosh, I got your dearelder the other day about the killing of our little mouse friend! HAHAHA I have never laughed so hard! We were on our way back from a Zone conference in a Gwa Gwa (van/bus thing....CRAZY!) and I was reading it and it was hilarious! You need to like write a book or something! I didn’t know you had such a way with words! I felt like I was there! haha thanks for that! I’m glad you finally got him! And send me pictures of the basement I would love to see it!!! Ok one more story...you know my Russian ring? I always wore it on my thumb because at home I wore another ring on my middle finger and it was too big for all of my other fingers...anyway, I just got used to having it on my thumb, so I kept it there and I have a tan line from it and everything....well we were talking to this lady the other day, and she was giving US a big lesson about the importance of a man being with a woman! We were just like ok....then the next day we taught this other guy and he kept looking at us funny, and then he finally asked me about my thumb ring, I took it off and started explaining about it and where I got it and stuff, and then he was just like, why is it there? And apparently if you wear a ring there it means you are a lesbian (sorry if I am offending anyone!) so apparently people have been thinking that about my companion and I this week! I immediately took it off and have it on my middle finger, but I feel bad, I hope no one thinks that about missionary companionships! ooops! haha
Oh jk one more story! The other day we met with Wendy...she has been an investigator for a while and she is kinda flaky but she loves institute and comes to church. Well this was the first time that I had met her...I wasn’t really talking much, but I just got this really strong impression in my mind and it was the baptismal commitment sentence over and over and so finally I just stopped them in the middle of their conversation and said "sorry I don’t really know you and you don’t know me but the spirit is just telling me that I need to ask you to be baptized..." and I explained that my heart was pounding and I just couldn’t deny it, and I knew that she knew this was the next step that she needed to take! Awkward! She just stared at me for a minute and then said that she felt the same pounding in her heart! AHHHHHHHH so she is having a baptismal interview this week! We don’t have a date set yet, but we will! The mission is soooo amazing! I love it here! Things have been hard, the living conditions and the Spanish, but I think that that just all takes some getting used to and when you remember your real purpose, those things don’t matter. And if it is really hard, take it to God and He will always help you to become stronger! That is something that I love about Him! I love this work, I am so thankful for all the things that I have because of my membership in this church! I love you all so much!
Hermana Reay

Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble: and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

What in the world....I didn´t even know anything about Weston! Send my love to him, I will keep him in my prayers and I hope that all is well! :( I need his email! Real quick before I forget to tell you, Gabriella didn’t show up to our appointment :( I was super sad especially because I was by myself with my teacher! (And she’s pregnant; I’m probably the only missionary in the world that can say she’s had a pregnant companion!) But I guess its ok, I need to get used to people not showing! I hope that she can find some other missionaries soon! So I am in the Dominican Republic, like the actual part with the people! I can’t even believe that it finally happened! I am so happy! I have a companion! Can you believe it? And...She’s from UTAH!!! YAY! Her name is Hermana White and she is from Tooele! She is the greatest, she goes home in June and I am her first American companion that she’s had, and she is sooooo ecstatic, because I guess there are just so many things that the Dominicans don’t understand about our weird Utah ways, and we are going to cook food instead of just beans and rice every day! So that will be good! Its so much fun! We live 2 blocks away from the Ocean, and in the morning we go jogging at a little park there. The ocean is gorgeous, and if we go early enough we see the sun rise! It’s my favorite time of day because as soon as the sun is up, and you feel the humidity mixed with the heat, its pretty much torture...IT IS SOOO HOT HERE! Our apartment is pretty nice, we live with 2 other Dominican Hermanas, and they are loud and LOVE to cook, and the kitchen is about the size of a bathroom so its tiny. But its fun getting into the culture, part of the house is outside, and we have a balcony and stuff, I will have to take some pictures and send them to you next week! Especially of our washer! It is soooo weird, you have to put your own water in and then drain it and take out the clothes and put them into a spinner? I don’t know. I have yet to attempt that! Also can I just tell you how much I hate cockroaches? I got up to go to the bathroom the other night and I turned the light on and then about 10 of them, HUGE ones, scattered! EWWW. They have all kinds of weird things here! We were once teaching this lady outside of her house, which is pretty much a shack behind another house and there is garbage everywhere and bushes and trees. Well I couldn’t really pay attention because I kept hearing something in the bushes, yeah a huge Rat came out later! Its crazy here! But I love it! We got to the Mission office on Monday and met the Pres. and then our companions, and guess what happened next? Scott Kitchen called! haha he is so funny, he has called me a few times, just to make sure that I am doing ok, Hopefully I will get to see him before he goes home because he is in an area that is pretty far from here I guess, but he was hilarious he said, "Oh my gosh Edna! I can’t ever call you Hermana Reay, you will always be Edna!" He just cracks me up. Oh I didn’t even tell you about where I am... They kept me in the city; our church is the same place as the mission office. So I am really close to the temple and the tourist attractions, and everything. Its safer and busier, we get a lot of contacts and its gorgeous. Our area is called Gascue (pronounced like gaskway) and there are only Hermana´s here. We live in the Colonial Zone which is the oldest part of the country so all of the buildings are old and there are a lot of ruins and things. Its cool! Oh everyone that we meet is super nice! Everyone wants to hear about the gospel, they are totally open; I am so lucky to be in a mission like this! Everyone thinks that I am Latino...they don’t believe me when I say I’m not, and if they don’t think that then they think that I am Chinese! What is that? Do I really look Chinese? haha its funny what people call us on the street! We’ve had some crazy experiences because we are both American, some inappropriate people, but we just ignore them! One of the weirdest experiences, we contacted this lady and then ended up teaching her the first lesson, and then asked if we could end with a prayer, so she said sure come inside. So we went inside her house and sat down, but her and her friend didn’t. Whatever...so then we asked whom she would like to say it and she said oh my friend will. Then they both started chanting! SO LOUD and breathing really loud between sentences and she put her hands on our heads and started shaking them and oh my gosh soooo weird! She was asking the demons to leave and the Holy Ghost to come, I don´t know sooo weird, and it lasted for 5 minutes! My neck hurt! haha my companion said that’s never happened to her before! well I don´t have that much more time but I will just tell you about a couple families. One of them the mom committed to baptism on the 17th and now we are just working with her kids, they are really hard; one of them doesn’t believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God?? But they came to Conference!!!! And he really liked it and we have an appointment with him tonight! They would be such an asset to the church because they are amazing! I don’t know what is going on a lot of the time, but then something will just come out of my mouth when I need to get a point across, and we have really connected! He is progressing so much! I love being able to help these people. Another, the Rodriguez family, they were a reference and we went and taught them 2 times and they came to conference too! They liked it as well.... I think I will always remember them because they are the first people that I actually taught a lot of the first lesson and shared the story of Joseph Smith! My Spanish is already improving and I love it here! Conference was WONDERFUL!! I can’t wait to get the Ensign of it! I can’t pick a favorite talk, but what is cool is that 2 people spoke that I recently met, Elder Anderson and Viñas they are both presidents of this area and they spoke to us in the CCM! So that was cool and did you see the program on the Dominican Republic between sessions on Sunday? Yeah well that was my home where I lived for 6 weeks, the temple is so pretty! Well I love you all so much, and think of you often! Read D&C 58:3-6 those really helped me out this week when I wasn’t feeling a little frustrated. I love the scriptures, there is always some comfort and direction in them. Have a great week. Adios

Hello All...
How is everyone!? I hope good....I only have 4 more days here in the CCM and I cant believe that the time has finally come for me to head out into the field. Apparently we start working the same day...I don't really know much about how it is going to work...but we'll see! The east mission is the first to head out and we meet at a Chapel with the President and get our assignments. The only hard thing (well actually I'm sure there will be MANY) about next week is that I don't get a Pday!!! My P-days will now be on Mondays, so you'll just have to wait... :( I am so nervous to head out into the field, but I am excited for my spanish to grow! I really know that it will as soon as I get out there, we are doing so well here, and I actually get a lot of compliments on how well my spanish is....eeeek we'll see! I can't decided if i want my first companion to be native or not! Its scary, but whatever happens is supposed to be!
Ok so this week has been all kinds of emotional...I have felt every emotion from wanting to turn into the incredible Hulk, to being so happy i could've burst! Its great! First off, mom after I got back from the temple last week (after I had emailed you) I got the Package, and 6 more letters! It was soooo great! So last thursday was so great I got 12 letters and a package! I was definitely Reina of the CCM! haha So thanks! I'm sure it got here earlier but they just brought it over that day! The package system is great in my mission! SO send more! hehe
So last Thursday night, one of my Hermana companions had a neat opportunity and we got to accompany her through it...Her father died in 2003 so we went to the Temple and did baptisms for the dead and one of the Elders stood in for her Dad and it was such a neat opportunity. Since we were there we did some baptisms as well, and I LOVED it! The font here is so beautiful! And I haven't dont baptisms for such a long time, so it was really nice! I wish you could all come here and see how beautiful the temple is!
I wont talk long about my Hulk experience, but of you that know me really well, you can probably imagine how hard this was for me! So I am with 2 Elders almost 24/7 and one of the Elders, lets just say, is the hardest person I have ever had to get along with. I look up to his companion so much, because he has so much patience with him! He sortof has mood swings like a girl and makes me want to cry sometimes by the mean things that he says. I think that it is hard for me because I knew that there would be challenges with my companions, but I never thought that one of them would be a 19 year old BOY!! anyway, I am pretty much counting down the hours until tuesday because of that...It seems to get worse and worse by the day, and I was starting to become more and more angry, about to burst!!! but I share this experience (with not much detail sorry) because I really have grown so much through it.. and I have prayed harder than ever.... Yesterday I was in the process of Ignoring...haha...and I was reading the ensign that mom sent me, and the article was just what i needed... and it shared a scripture that I feel like I had never heard before... D&C 78:18 "And ye cannot bear all things now; nevertheless, be of good cheer, for I will lead you along..." It is amazing right? So i decided after reading that that my problem wasn't going to get any better if I was Hulk angry about it, so I went back to my room, and I prayed and prayed about it and after I finished I just laid in my bed and about 5 minutes later I just got the strongest most peaceful feeling and I knew that God was happy with my decision and through that feeling I gained some patience. In Preach My Gospel there is a quote by President Monson that says "Life is full of difficulties, some minor, and others of a more serious nature. There seems to be an unending supply of challenges for one and all. Our problem is that we often expect instantaneous solutions to such challenges, forgetting that frequently the heavenly virtue of patience is required." I don't know why I felt like I needed to share this with you guys but, Patience really is such a heavenly virtue, and it really makes you happier! Life is hard, not just for missionaries, so maybe this can comfort you as well in some way!
Ok so the University! We finally got to go and this was the BEST part of my week! At first it was really hard for me because I was with 2 latinos and they were speaking SOOOOO fast! But it was all worth is because guess what? We ran into that girl! Her name is Gabriella! She was soooo excited to see us, it was great! At first we were just talking to her, and I only sorta knew what was going on, but then I just cut in and asked her if she had a chance to read from the book of mormon, she said she did! She read some out of Nephi with her little brother, he's 10. She stopped though and has been looking for us ever since because she didn't know what our church believed in about the bible. So I am soo happy that God led us directly to her! This University is HUGE! and we ran right into her after we had just finished passing out all of our pamphlets! It was definitely meant to be, I expressed to her how excited I was that she tried, and bore my testimony again, about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and committed her to reading the introduction and moroni's promise at least! I hope she reads more! I know that she would LOVE church! We hugged like 5 times before finally saying goodbye and she is going to meet us again tomorrow! I have been preparing all week with ways that I can help her! I just love this! I can't believe that that is what I am going to be doing every day! I will be so happy to see this city and walk around instead of sitting all day!
I LOVE this work, I love this gospel and I am so happy that I am part of this "marvelous work and wonder" and that I get to help the stone from the mountain roll forth in the Dominican Republic! I love you all! I'll write again in 11 days!
Te amo mucho,
Hermana Reay
p.s. on sunday we have a devotional talk from Elder and sister Oaks (a DVD) but they were amazing! I just love them! And then we watched that movie about President Monson! He is one of the most amazing men in the history of the world, I am sending you the DVD because its only like $2.50 here and probably $20 at home! Love you, mom I am writing a letter with all the answers to your questions cause I gotta go! Love you! And I wanna hear from WES!!!! ahora

Hello!!!
How is everyone doing? Life is just grand here in the Caribbean! :) But my week has been a little interesting. Last week all the Latinos came, so there is a lot more Spanish than before! But its good, but it did take my companion from me yet again. I feel like I am such a burden to everyone here, but we make it work! I only have 12 DAYS LEFT?!!? I can't believe it! And I can't believe that my brother is in the MTC in Provo, and that my best friend is married!! WHY!? :) jk I was thinking of you all so much this last week! I don't really know much of what to say, other than we are starting to get into the doctrine a lot more. It’s been great. I am learning SO much here. We still have the Spanish lessons of course, but the way that we speak isn't as important as answering their questions and being able to bring the spirit really fast! I love learning that. They tell us to share experiences too. And of course I love doing that. Its funny being the only sister...because of course I always want to be talking and sharing stories and usually I can pull out a picture to back it up or something. It’s great...Whenever we teach I am the one that does most of the talking. I feel bad, but at the same time it is really good for my Spanish! I am learning a lot and can have conversations...but their accents are INTENSE!! They leave out half of their letters...ahhhhh it makes me soooo nervous! What I try to do every day is share a story with my Hermana Vasquez, something about my life, and it helps me to learn new words and use past tense (because honestly they have like 500 tenses!! AH) Spanish is soooo difficult, but I know that it will come and I will be SOOO glad that I can speak! I love hearing from some of you, it is great to receive letters and all the kind words! Thank you! I love you all so much, in two weeks my letters will be more interesting! :)
Love
Hermana Reay
Oh p.s. I met my mission president today! He is soooo short, his wife is taller than him, but he is sooo nice! He just walked up and shook my hand and asked me if I knew Elder Kitchen, and that he said hi! Oh and a few days ago, Hermana Hoye, the Hermana that I wrote to in my mission, sent me a card with some cookies welcoming me and telling me they cant wait to meet me! My mission is going to be great! The people here ROCK! loves! xoxox

Hello hello....
How is everyone? Things are going well here... It’s been a great week. The language is starting to click, its so weird, things that I learned a few weeks ago are now just making sense, but its great! Most of it I have to owe to my lovely companion, Hermana Vasquez... We have been through a lot together. It’s hard being the only girls in the midst of all these children! ;) Well I will tell you about the highlight of my week. Tuesday (one of the elders got a package with really good cookies and he shared them..yummm..but that’s not it!) we went to the university again, it was awesome! We were talking to this girl and she was so sweet because she was so patient with my horrible Spanish, and we gave her a pamphlet about the Restoration, and she promised to read it...Well we walked away and were talking to another girl, but I kept looking back and thinking of this first girl, I just had a really strong feeling that we should go back and talk to her more and give her a Book of Mormon. So I finally conveyed that message to my companion (with a lot of hand motions!) and we went back, and I spit it out that I had a really strong feeling that I needed to give her a Book of Mormon and tell her about it. She was like Why? I told her I didn't know but that it was really important that she at least read the introduction and know that all of the things in my life that bring me happiness are because I am a member of this church, and I wanted her to know for herself! haha, she was so sweet and said she had just barely started there and didn't know anyone. She asked us how often we go there, and we told her every Tuesday. So next week we are going to meet her at the same time in the same spot! I really hope that she reads the pamphlet and some of the Book of Mormon! I know she could be comforted because of it!
Well that was my favorite thing...mostly the rest of my time is still consisting of studying, reading, listening, sitting, eating, headaches, and sleeping of course! But it’s a good life here at the CCM, the temple is right outside my window and there is good company everywhere you go! Our teachers have been teaching us a lot this week! Mostly about how to be the best missionary and to follow all the rules! So I am going to strive to do as they say, I know that is the only way that I can reach my full potential and do what the Lord wants me to do!
Another thing I read about this week were the wise words of Lehi! He really loved his sons so much even though they had murderous hearts. It got me to thinking about how awesome parents are and how much they love and support their children through everything no matter what! I have this story that I found about mothers. It tells about how this little girl prayed to know if the church was true and she asked God to send her an Angel to tell her. Well she lay in her bed and waited. She fell asleep, but then woke up because her mom was in her room, praying on the side of her bed, crying and thanking God for sending her daughter to her family and asking him to bless her and help her to know the truth and live a good life so they could all be together again after this life. Well after the mom left, the little girl felt God tell her "I sent you your angel!" I love you mom, and dad! You guys are the Angels in my life! Because of the way you raised me, I am here! I love learning and growing and you were the ones who planted my seed, now I'll go plant more in the DR!
Love you all! Good luck getting ready Wes! I love you, you'll love it!
Hermana Reay
My email is denareay@ldsmail.com.