Monday, October 25, 2010
TRANSFERS!!!
AHHHHHHHH Happy Birthday Aubrey Reay!!! (you are sooooo old!) haha. Today is a good day! Quick funny story, we were in a lesson on Saturday and I was sitting there talking about the Restoration and this little girl comes up from behind me and just whacks me on the head with a broom stick, it was the most random thing ever, and I couldn’t help it but just laugh...Crazy things happen here in Mendoza. This weeks I complete 9 months away from home, and you know what else is this week? TRANSFERS!!! I am getting a new companion and she is from Guatemala, Hermana Garcia. I am really excited, I don’t know her well, but I have met her a few times, she is tiny, 4 foot something... but I think that we will work well together. I am excited to talk to her all about Guatemala, and we are going to make tortillas and yummy food! YAY!!! Guess what else? Best news ever....Hermana Haggard is coming to my zone!!! That means we will see each other every week, and Hermana Batty is staying too... We are going to have a Thanksgiving dinner together and show them all here the wonderfulness of Thanksgiving, and of course a birthday party for someone that is going to be OLD!!!! (Apart from my sister...) I am excited to stay here in Mendoza, because we are teaching some good people and I know that I can help them a lot to progress. Dani came to church and brought more people :) We also had a family home evening at her house and there were about 15 people there!!! We watched ‘Together Forever’, and they were all crying, it was really spiritual! (I really think that that movie is a great conversion tool!) We starting teaching an old investigator this week, Danuvio... he is an interesting guy. His "wife" (that he isn’t married to yet) is a member, but inactive. He had a date to be baptized a longtime ago, but he never got married... well we were teaching him, and can I just say that I know exactly what I DONT want in my future husband. His wife works full time, goes to school, takes care of their child, and she cleans and cooks every meal. She wakes up at 5am to start her day and doesn’t go to bed until 2 am because she is doing her homework...you know what he is doing? Sitting on the couch or in front of the computer, or out with friends!! SERIOUSLY? Wow, so we made a schedule with him and what he has to do every day of every week to help her out. Thank you to all the men out there that actually love their wives and help them around the house so that there can be unity!! Anyways, you can probably tell that I was a little frustrated, but also excited because we are going to help him change! It reminds me of the Joseph Smith movie when the guy from Ireland won’t help his wife, and then Joseph asks him something like "if you can make your wife happy here on earth, do you think she´ll want to be with you for eternity" something like that, and then later in the movie he is beating the rug....anyway there is my little lesson for the week. Have unity in the home and help each other out! I love you all, and am so grateful for the people I have in my life...YOU!
Hermana Reay
Hermana Reay
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Another week!!!!
Hello!!!
Can I just tell you how much I love you all? Every time I open up my emails on Mondays I feel so much love because I have so many emails. I am so happy that I can print them off and read them otherwise I wouldn’t have time to write. How have you all been? I hope well. Things have been better here. We have a FHE planned tonight with the Bishop and his family, which I am excited about. I really do want to get to know the people better here. On Sunday we had 9 people in church which really makes me happy because I didn’t think that we were going to have hardly any. We really are receiving blessings. And do you know why? Because we have been doing our contacts. For some reason it was really hard for us to do our contacts before but now we always have more than 10 every day and we really are seeing the results from it. One of the people in Church was Dani. She came with 2 of her little girls. Her husband didn’t come because he had to go somewhere but she did and she loved it so much, and her little girls had so much fun in Primary. She is even going to go the Relief Society activity that they are having on Friday night. So we are starting to see some of the progress here. I am happy for that because for a while I felt like we weren’t doing anything and that can really get you down as a missionary. But can I just tell you what a blessing it is to be able to read the scriptures and pray out loud? For real it has helped me so much. I am almost done with the Book of Mormon in Spanish, reading it out loud and I understand it, which is great. I am learning so much here in the mission, mostly patience and love. I just want you to know that I love all of you and think of you often and pray that you are happy.
Love
Hermana Reay
Can I just tell you how much I love you all? Every time I open up my emails on Mondays I feel so much love because I have so many emails. I am so happy that I can print them off and read them otherwise I wouldn’t have time to write. How have you all been? I hope well. Things have been better here. We have a FHE planned tonight with the Bishop and his family, which I am excited about. I really do want to get to know the people better here. On Sunday we had 9 people in church which really makes me happy because I didn’t think that we were going to have hardly any. We really are receiving blessings. And do you know why? Because we have been doing our contacts. For some reason it was really hard for us to do our contacts before but now we always have more than 10 every day and we really are seeing the results from it. One of the people in Church was Dani. She came with 2 of her little girls. Her husband didn’t come because he had to go somewhere but she did and she loved it so much, and her little girls had so much fun in Primary. She is even going to go the Relief Society activity that they are having on Friday night. So we are starting to see some of the progress here. I am happy for that because for a while I felt like we weren’t doing anything and that can really get you down as a missionary. But can I just tell you what a blessing it is to be able to read the scriptures and pray out loud? For real it has helped me so much. I am almost done with the Book of Mormon in Spanish, reading it out loud and I understand it, which is great. I am learning so much here in the mission, mostly patience and love. I just want you to know that I love all of you and think of you often and pray that you are happy.
Love
Hermana Reay
Monday, October 11, 2010
push on a large boulder
Hello all,
I am just going to apologize right now because the keyboard that I am using is sooooo hard so I am going to try to make this a little shorter. Sorry or I will have carpal tunnel... I miss you all, I want you to know that. This week I had an intercambio and got to be companions with Hermana Batty, it was the best day ever here. I loved it we got soooo much work done and twenty two contacts. I also am down to my last Jody dress because when we have water we don’t have electricity and when we have electricity there is no water, a little bit impossible to wash your clothes. But it’s the mission and I love it. It is extremely hot right now. Today we had a Zone activity and we played volleyball and it was so much fun but I got sooo sunburnt. I look like a lobster...Hermana Batty shared a story with me that I want to share...
There was a man who was asked of the Lord to push on a large boulder. So, wanting to be obedient, he pushed, everyday. Some days he pushed a little harder, some days he didn’t push very strongly. But every day he consistently pushed. Day after day. He tried to mark his progress one day only to realize that the boulder hadn’t moved at all. Not even a centimeter. A little discouraged, but not disheartened he pushed with all his might. It didn’t budge. Finally he started wondering and thought, I have been pushing as hard as I could and doing what the Lord asked me to do. Why isn’t it moving? He asked the Lord, Why isn’t it moving? You asked me to push everyday and I am. The Lord responded, I never asked you to move the rock. I just asked you to push. But now look at how strong your arms have become. I just asked you to push.
I loved this story when she told it to me. Sometimes we feel like we aren’t going anywhere or helping anyone, but the thing is, that we need to push through and be obedient, because really we are the ones being changed. Can I just tell you that right now is really difficult, but I am trying to endure, and I know that I will be the one who learns from this time. If I rely on the Lord and do what he has asked of me. I love you all, please keep me in your prayers.
Hermana Reay
I am just going to apologize right now because the keyboard that I am using is sooooo hard so I am going to try to make this a little shorter. Sorry or I will have carpal tunnel... I miss you all, I want you to know that. This week I had an intercambio and got to be companions with Hermana Batty, it was the best day ever here. I loved it we got soooo much work done and twenty two contacts. I also am down to my last Jody dress because when we have water we don’t have electricity and when we have electricity there is no water, a little bit impossible to wash your clothes. But it’s the mission and I love it. It is extremely hot right now. Today we had a Zone activity and we played volleyball and it was so much fun but I got sooo sunburnt. I look like a lobster...Hermana Batty shared a story with me that I want to share...
There was a man who was asked of the Lord to push on a large boulder. So, wanting to be obedient, he pushed, everyday. Some days he pushed a little harder, some days he didn’t push very strongly. But every day he consistently pushed. Day after day. He tried to mark his progress one day only to realize that the boulder hadn’t moved at all. Not even a centimeter. A little discouraged, but not disheartened he pushed with all his might. It didn’t budge. Finally he started wondering and thought, I have been pushing as hard as I could and doing what the Lord asked me to do. Why isn’t it moving? He asked the Lord, Why isn’t it moving? You asked me to push everyday and I am. The Lord responded, I never asked you to move the rock. I just asked you to push. But now look at how strong your arms have become. I just asked you to push.
I loved this story when she told it to me. Sometimes we feel like we aren’t going anywhere or helping anyone, but the thing is, that we need to push through and be obedient, because really we are the ones being changed. Can I just tell you that right now is really difficult, but I am trying to endure, and I know that I will be the one who learns from this time. If I rely on the Lord and do what he has asked of me. I love you all, please keep me in your prayers.
Hermana Reay
Monday, October 4, 2010
I love, love, LOVED conference!!
Hey Everyone,
I love, love, LOVED conference, the only bad part is that we have to wait 6 months for the next one! It was a great party for us missionaries here in the Oriental Zone. We made treats and I made salsa and it was so fun. I love that we get to watch it in English and at the exact same time as you guys! The translators are really that good that they do it right away! I can’t pick a favorite talk, but there were so many that just applied to my life right now! We also had 2 baptisms on Saturday night and it was great! I was really happy for them! I love to see that change in the lives of these people. We are teaching a family right now; they are really putting an emphasis on teaching families. Well their names are Dani and Rafael and they have 3 little girls. They are wonderful but we were just about to leave them because they haven’t come to church and they hadnt’ been reading. So we thought that we would give them a few days, and then pass by to remind them about the conference. When we passed by Dani was so happy so told us that she had been reading and she got her Book of Mormon and showed us. She has read so much and it was all marked! We were so happy. So we are going to start to focus more on them. I hope that I have really good news about there family next week! I hope that you are all enjoying the fall and the beautifulness that is inUtah right now, with its mountains and cool breeze. Soak it in for me! I love you all, and remember what President Monson said, that “we need to show gratitude for EVERYTHING!!” Love you all!
Hermana Reay
I love, love, LOVED conference, the only bad part is that we have to wait 6 months for the next one! It was a great party for us missionaries here in the Oriental Zone. We made treats and I made salsa and it was so fun. I love that we get to watch it in English and at the exact same time as you guys! The translators are really that good that they do it right away! I can’t pick a favorite talk, but there were so many that just applied to my life right now! We also had 2 baptisms on Saturday night and it was great! I was really happy for them! I love to see that change in the lives of these people. We are teaching a family right now; they are really putting an emphasis on teaching families. Well their names are Dani and Rafael and they have 3 little girls. They are wonderful but we were just about to leave them because they haven’t come to church and they hadnt’ been reading. So we thought that we would give them a few days, and then pass by to remind them about the conference. When we passed by Dani was so happy so told us that she had been reading and she got her Book of Mormon and showed us. She has read so much and it was all marked! We were so happy. So we are going to start to focus more on them. I hope that I have really good news about there family next week! I hope that you are all enjoying the fall and the beautifulness that is inUtah right now, with its mountains and cool breeze. Soak it in for me! I love you all, and remember what President Monson said, that “we need to show gratitude for EVERYTHING!!” Love you all!
Hermana Reay
Monday, September 27, 2010
I am STOKED for conference!
Hello all,
Can I just tell you I am STOKED for conference! I don’t know if I will be able to wait until Saturday! There are only 5 Americans in our Zone so we are going to have a party! haha, it will be fun, and I am still with Hermana Batty so we are going to have fun together, also Susan called me and told me that she is going to come to our building to watch it with us in English!
It is really hard to whitewash an area... there are a lot of empty spaces in our day and we don’t know the times the people are in their houses, and we don’t even have a map to know what the streets are. But can I tell you something great? We have 3 baptismal dates! I am so happy! A recent convert, Mercedes, her granddaughter lives with her, (Keysi) and she would never go to church before when the elders are here, or even listen to them. But we just invited her to sit in our lesson and to church and she really REALLY wants to be baptized now! She is so excited! Keysi is getting baptized on Saturday night after conference, and so is another little boy that has been going to church for 3 months, he is soooo excited too! We also starting teaching the niece of a member and she really wants to be baptized too, it really pays off to work with members! The people in this ward are great! Its really really big! The sad things though, are that there are about 600 members in this ward and over half of them are inactive! So we made it our goal to work with the inactives a lot and try to reactivate them! The hard part also though is that a big chunk (hehe to those of you that get it) of those people are Haitian and they don’t speak Spanish. Its hard, I want to talk to someone about setting up a branch or something in French because there are enough members that only speak it! Oh well we’ll work our hardest!
This area is still in the "city" but it is soooo different. I don’t even want to imagine what the country is like, because I have already seen some really sad things. There are a lot of shacks with tin roofs, and almost every child that I see is just running around naked with dirt all over them. It’s sad, and they don’t have showers and it’s just a hard life. I really look up to these people for ALWAYS living like this. We are so spoiled in the US.
Speaking of the US, its pretty funny because almost every Dominican thinks that the US consists of New York and that’s about it. They all think that I am from New York! haha it’s pretty funny! Well I am thinking of you all and I love you all! Pray for me!
Hermana Reay
Can I just tell you I am STOKED for conference! I don’t know if I will be able to wait until Saturday! There are only 5 Americans in our Zone so we are going to have a party! haha, it will be fun, and I am still with Hermana Batty so we are going to have fun together, also Susan called me and told me that she is going to come to our building to watch it with us in English!
It is really hard to whitewash an area... there are a lot of empty spaces in our day and we don’t know the times the people are in their houses, and we don’t even have a map to know what the streets are. But can I tell you something great? We have 3 baptismal dates! I am so happy! A recent convert, Mercedes, her granddaughter lives with her, (Keysi) and she would never go to church before when the elders are here, or even listen to them. But we just invited her to sit in our lesson and to church and she really REALLY wants to be baptized now! She is so excited! Keysi is getting baptized on Saturday night after conference, and so is another little boy that has been going to church for 3 months, he is soooo excited too! We also starting teaching the niece of a member and she really wants to be baptized too, it really pays off to work with members! The people in this ward are great! Its really really big! The sad things though, are that there are about 600 members in this ward and over half of them are inactive! So we made it our goal to work with the inactives a lot and try to reactivate them! The hard part also though is that a big chunk (hehe to those of you that get it) of those people are Haitian and they don’t speak Spanish. Its hard, I want to talk to someone about setting up a branch or something in French because there are enough members that only speak it! Oh well we’ll work our hardest!
This area is still in the "city" but it is soooo different. I don’t even want to imagine what the country is like, because I have already seen some really sad things. There are a lot of shacks with tin roofs, and almost every child that I see is just running around naked with dirt all over them. It’s sad, and they don’t have showers and it’s just a hard life. I really look up to these people for ALWAYS living like this. We are so spoiled in the US.
Speaking of the US, its pretty funny because almost every Dominican thinks that the US consists of New York and that’s about it. They all think that I am from New York! haha it’s pretty funny! Well I am thinking of you all and I love you all! Pray for me!
Hermana Reay
Monday, September 20, 2010
MENDOZA WILL BE GREAT!!!
Hello all,
I don’t have as much time this week because we are running late, so we have to cut down on our internet time! But wow!!! I am totally, I mean TOTALLY in a new area. It is so different to be out of the city. People actually live in houses here! And I can see the stars at night because there isn’t as much air pollution! But I already love it! My area is a lot smaller, and I swear half of the people are members! And the thing that I love the most is that they are all so willing to go out with the missionaries. They love us and they all want to go! We have whitewashed the area from Elders, so it has been funny to see the look on the people’s faces when Hermana´s show up at their door. We already have a baptismal date and we are going to set a couple more tonight. It has been wonderful! I love it when there are people that are just so ready to receive the gospel! Oh and the Elders that are in my old area called me and told me the Daniel is getting baptized on the 25th!!!! I was so happy! Really if I don’t baptize anyone else for the rest of my mission I am fine! Susan also wrote to me today and told me that the kids were confirmed, and Mario and Brian received the priesthood! They are so cute. I really don’t miss my old area at all.... (Sniffle...)
Ok my comp, Hermana Polanco. She is wonderful and always really happy, and chill about everything. Can I just say something though....she speaks SO FAST!!! I know that I am going to learn so much from her, and my understanding is definitely going to skyrocket! I am excited for that! She really wants to learn English too so we are helping each other! It will be really fun, we are going to work hard and dig into the work here in Mendoza!
Today was really fun; all of the missionaries that could, got together at a big park and played games! IT was soooo hot, I am totally sunburned, but there was soccer and football and we played Frisbee, and just had a good time! And I am sooooooooooo excited for conference! I cant believe that I am going to have my second conference here in the DR, it really shows me how fast time is passing and I just cant believe it, I am just going to try to enjoy every second and show as much love as I can for every person that I come in contact with! That really is my purpose here I decided because if they can see the love and feel it, the rest will fall into place! I love you all so much! You are the best!
Hermana Reay
I don’t have as much time this week because we are running late, so we have to cut down on our internet time! But wow!!! I am totally, I mean TOTALLY in a new area. It is so different to be out of the city. People actually live in houses here! And I can see the stars at night because there isn’t as much air pollution! But I already love it! My area is a lot smaller, and I swear half of the people are members! And the thing that I love the most is that they are all so willing to go out with the missionaries. They love us and they all want to go! We have whitewashed the area from Elders, so it has been funny to see the look on the people’s faces when Hermana´s show up at their door. We already have a baptismal date and we are going to set a couple more tonight. It has been wonderful! I love it when there are people that are just so ready to receive the gospel! Oh and the Elders that are in my old area called me and told me the Daniel is getting baptized on the 25th!!!! I was so happy! Really if I don’t baptize anyone else for the rest of my mission I am fine! Susan also wrote to me today and told me that the kids were confirmed, and Mario and Brian received the priesthood! They are so cute. I really don’t miss my old area at all.... (Sniffle...)
Ok my comp, Hermana Polanco. She is wonderful and always really happy, and chill about everything. Can I just say something though....she speaks SO FAST!!! I know that I am going to learn so much from her, and my understanding is definitely going to skyrocket! I am excited for that! She really wants to learn English too so we are helping each other! It will be really fun, we are going to work hard and dig into the work here in Mendoza!
Today was really fun; all of the missionaries that could, got together at a big park and played games! IT was soooo hot, I am totally sunburned, but there was soccer and football and we played Frisbee, and just had a good time! And I am sooooooooooo excited for conference! I cant believe that I am going to have my second conference here in the DR, it really shows me how fast time is passing and I just cant believe it, I am just going to try to enjoy every second and show as much love as I can for every person that I come in contact with! That really is my purpose here I decided because if they can see the love and feel it, the rest will fall into place! I love you all so much! You are the best!
Hermana Reay
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