Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving pt.2

Monday: Little bit of a weird preparation day... We only had it until 1 and then we had a normal missionary day from 1-9. So we went and had a combined comp study with the Pleasant Valley Elders! 

Tuesday: Last district council of the transfer was great! Had discussions about the missionary purpose and also the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Had a lesson with our friend Gloria, who we put on date for Dec 18th, so hopefully everything works out so she can be baptized on that day!

Wednesday: Had a lesson with our friend Max and our friend Jaison, we shared the restoration with Jaison, and answered the questions that Max has about the Book of Mormon. They're both a little tough to get a hold of so hopefully we can stay in good contact!!

Thursday: Thanksgiving!!!! Had all morning to call family because of the half preparation day in Monday, so that was nice! Then we went and had Thanksgiving with the Stevenson's and their family, had great turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes etc. All the good Thanksgiving food!! We had to be inside by 6, so we just did Facebook work and sent happy Thanksgiving texts to people we're teaching and members

Friday: Thanksgiving pt. 2! The Tuimaualuga's had us over for dinner and they had family come over for a second Thanksgiving because their family Thanksgiving apparently wasn't too good lol... so we had turkey, ham, potatoes, Mac n cheese. They also had Taro which they called the "Tongan steroid" because it's really popular and that's all the eat in Tonga lol. 

Saturday: We attended a baptism in Oxnard and our friend David came, and Gloria was going to, but she wasn't feeling well. But it was good to have David there! Then Brother Hays took us to dinner at "Chester's" a really good Chinese food place! 

Sunday: Had lunch with the Hataburda family and I had no idea that they lived in Brigham like 12 years ago, so it was fun to hear some stories! Then we went finding a lot, and had a nice member visit with the Rossini family! And then we had a departing missionary testimony meeting! 

Pics: 

1. Cool turkey hat

2. Talking to the fam 

3. Cool statue 

4. Lots of snowmen 

5. Cool quote

Just Another Week

Monday: For our district activity we played volleyball and it was super fun! Then that night we had a great member visit with the Arellano family

Tuesday: District council is now on Tuesdays so that's a little weird, but also good cause it gives us a spiritual boost going into the week, we talked about having the faith to find new people to teach and I gave a discussion on obedience and it went pretty well! Then had an exchange with Elder Hokanson and did lots of finding in his area so that was fun!!! 

Wednesday: Had a good lesson with Margaret, she still doesn't have a desire to come to church, so we're gonna have some fellowship come with us next time and hopefully a friend will help her want to come! Then we called Alexia, just someone in our areabook that missionaries have had a hard time getting in touch with and set up a visit for Friday so that was awesome! 

Thursday: Had a lesson with our friend Gloria, we taught the rest of the Restoration and she believed it and believes that there is one true church, then we had a lot of finding time!

Friday: Had a lesson with Enrique a young father, and he seemed to understand the Restoration, but his wife is heavily involved in another church so that'll be a little rough. We gave him 3 Nephi 11 so hopefully he feels something while reading that! Then had a fun member visit with the Westons, then had a lesson with our friend Alexia, introduced the Book of Mormon, and how we got it. She said she'll read it so that's good!!! 

Saturday: Had a personal purity zoom with President and Sister Carter, talked a lot about why it's important to remain clean, how we can stay clean, and how to become clean if we're not. Then we had a the opportunity to give someone a blessing and that was a great experience. 

Sunday: David came to Church, and stayed for Sunday school which was about prophets and the spirit was so strong so hopefully he remembers that feeling and wants to come back! Other than that it was a pretty regular Sunday! 

I encourage all of you to post your favorite scripture on social media!!! 

Love you all, hope you have a good week!

Pics: 

1. Exchange with Elder Hokanson

2. Windy Wednesday 

3. Squirrel chilling

4/5. Caught a lizard

Robbery and Rain

Monday: For our district activity we went and ate at Raising Canes and that was fun! Then we went to the church to email and call family. Then that night we went to go to a visit and our bikes were stolen... we put them in the church Sunday night into Monday, the seminary principal said that they were there when he locked up Monday morning, and we didn't check to see if our bikes were there when we showed up at 1pm on Monday so sometime between 7am and 6pm Monday they were stolen

Tuesday: walked all day, because we couldn't go to the mission office to get a new bike, and while we were walking it down poured on us, which is unusual but it was fun to walk in the rain for about 10 minutes then we called some Elders for a ride. Did Facebook work til it cleared up then went out walking more!

Wednesday: Got different bikes!!!!! Zone Conference was super good!! The 2 main topics were using the Bible WITH the Book of Mormon more, and using members in all aspects of missionary work(finding, teaching, baptizing etc.) So I invite everyone that made it this far in the email to be a part of missionary work in some way!!

Thursday: Pretty regular missionary work day. Lots of finding, and had a member dinner with the Tuimaualuga family, and a great visit with the Peterson family!

Friday: Had lesson with our friend Gloria, we called her and she wanted to meet in 10 minutes. We hadn't been able to get a hold of her so that was a miracle!! Taught her the Restorarion and she enjoyed it and agreed to meet again!

Saturday: WALK DAY!!!! Went on an exchange with Elder Walsman and it was so fun! Got to know him and had a lot of people to talk to, just not a lot of success, but it's all good!!! Did a lot of walking, and had a couple member visits that went good!

Sunday: Regular day, just went on splits with a priest named Rovey in the ward(he just came with both of us) that was pretty fun. Enjoyed fast and testimony meeting, cause we had Stake conference last week! 

Love you all, hope you have a great week!!

Pics: 

1. Rain

2. Cool sky 

3. Humming bird

4. Exchanges

5. Zone Conference

Week3

Monday: Halloween was great! We had service for a lady in the channel islands area, we cleaned out a room in her house that had been poorly taken care of, so it was a little disgusting. Then we had a district activity, where we played signs, and other party games which was fun. Then chilled inside because we weren't aloud to go out. We had a mission zoom about family history, a zone challenge of calling, posting on Facebook, and other things as a competition to keep us working even though we couldn't go out. Then President Carter told some fun stories from his ancestors on another zoom!! 

Tuesday: We had a nice lesson with our friend Margaret, who has been reading the Book of Mormon, praying a lot, and seeing answers to those prayers, we're just working on getting her to church! Stopped by Israel, who is someone that is interested but super busy right now. We shared a scripture with him real quick then he had to go. 

Wednesday: Had a lesson with a returning member, Sister Sanchez. Who is the sweetest lady, and loves visiting with us. We're trying to get her to meet with Bishop so she can attend the temple! We talked to a lot of people, and not a lot were interested. But we keep trying and eventually we'll find the one!

Thursday: We had weekly planning, and we're able to assess where our friends are at, and how we can best help them progress. We had a great member dinner with the Lassen family and got to know them! 

Friday: District council we talked about praying with faith, and the role of the Book of Mormon and it was super good! Then later that day we did some Facebook work and I was talking with a man from Nigeria who is interested in the Book of Mormon, so we texted with him about it, then sent him the missionaries number in Nigeria! We're gonna ask him if he reached out later today and if not, we'll have the missionaries there reach out! 

Saturday: Had our Friend David come to the Saturday session of Stake Conference and that was awesome!! He said he enjoyed it, so hopefully he continues to want to come to church!!

 

Sunday: Stake conference was great! The talks were centered on the covenant path, and the blessing that come from attending the Temple! Along with how staying in the covenant path will not only bless individuals but also families!! 

So I encourage all of you to attend the temple! I know as you do you will see the blessings that come from it, and the amazing comfort that you'll be able to feel in such a crazy world!! 

Love you all, hope you have a good week!! 

- Elder Reynolds :)

Pics: 

1. Quick ice cream run 

2. Cool sky

3. Love this book!!

Happy Halloween!

Monday: Pretty good preparation day! We carved pumpkins as a district, and did all the regular Monday activities. Then that night we had a nice member lesson with the Hachtman family!!!

Tuesday: Had a apartment inspection and they found cracks in the gas lines to the top burners of our oven, so they turned off the gas, so we went without our oven for the week! Then had my first combined comp study with the zone leaders. They shared "Overcome the World and Find Rest" and these questions from it

"First, what does it mean to overcome the world? Second, how do we do it? And third, how does overcoming the world bless our lives?

Wednesday: Had a great dinner with the Bell family, and found out ways we can help a couple of the ward members! Also had a lot of finding time!
Thursday: They came and fixed the oven and we made weekly and monthly goals! Stopped by Margaret, a nice British lady were teaching and shared the restoration with her, she liked it and we're going back this week!
Friday: Interviews with President were awesome. President and Sister Carter talked about not being casual in anything we do, and also about using the Bible with the Book of Mormon more! We also had district council and that was great! Talked about Christlike attributes and ways we can us them to find! Learned a lot from both.
Saturday: We used the car for the day, and were able to visit some less active/interested people that we normally couldnt talk to wituout biking all day lol. Then we had the Trunk or Treat for the ward and that was super fun!!
Sunday: Pretty normal Sunday, had some member visits talked to a lot of people while walking around!

Pics:
1. Trunk or Treat decorations!!!
2/3. Cool views
4. At the trunk or Treat
5. Elders Starkey and Brian, who gave us a ride!!