Sunday, January 29, 2012

Elder Reeder - In Osorno!

Jan 28, 2012

Hello Family!

So today is Saturday.... turns out here in Osorno we have P-Days on saturdays, due to the mission of office. So from now on you can expect my emails on Saturdays.

There is not a whole bunch to say right now. The zone is awesome here. We go and play soccer in the mornings. It is pretty sweet. The secretary,historian, financiero, assistants etc. are here. It is really fun. The sector i am in is really awesome! A lot of Elders have died in the house i am in so it is a mess. It is terrible. I wont describe it. But a lot of things are broken, and dirty, and a lot of left over things from elders. Just like the Savior will do when he comes, the first thing we are doing is cleaning the house and getting rid of all the muck! We are going to organize before we create. Furthermore, the house is 30min walk away from the sector. Is really stressful being out teaching and having to run home, plan and doing everything fast. And i am district leader and i have to make a lot of phone calls... so i have a lot less free time.

My companion Elder Mercado is from Cuzco,Peru. He has 4 cambios in the mission. His past few companions have all died, so i guess i am helping him get used to doing things how they should be done. Things are going great. We are teaching a lot, this cambio i took advantage of the 1st impressions i get to make with the members and it is paying off big. Everyone here is getting really excited. I want to be really clear with the members that we are here to work, and things are going to change. Build there Faith etc.

I have the comisario and historian in my district along with the hermanas. So it is going to be fun. We are going to work REAL hard and get bless a lot of people. We live right next the zone leaders so they always stop by. So the plan is to just change the house, and organize everything and LISTO!!! We will be good. The sector is on the verge of exploding. It just needs the right person..... which is ME in this moment. After a few weeks it will begin to need someone else... and so on. So we need to take advantage and do a bunch!

Cool experience. We went to a members house to ask a reference, and he trusted us with his 10yr old son who showed up that moment. We taught him, along with his dad, and he was so receptive he almost cried. It was really powerful. I imagine that Fathers and Sons have the same type of problems growing up, so his dad testifying of how the gospel helped him was really powerful.

Thats all for now! CHAO! Love you all!

Elder Reeder

Monday, January 23, 2012

Elder Reeder - ¡Cambios!

January 23, 2012

Hello Family!

This week was nuts! It was the last week before cambios, turns out that the zone actually went to Torres Del Paine without us.... and I think President did not approve??? So anyways the leaders were calling us and going crazy because i guess they wanted to show President that we work hard or something... We always work hard, but we have made a few changes and this week we met the standard!!! Yeah! Not very many big changes, just some more phone calls, and streching our brains a little bit.

Cool experience. All night long I had been thinking about how i could help people understand why child baptism is wrong. I like to ask people "do you think babies have sins? No. So they dont need baptism correct?" something like that. But i was thinking about the scripture in DyC 20:71 and it says they should be capable of repenting. So i decided id start asking people "do you think babies can sin? do you think they are capable of repenting? so what do you think would happen if one sinned(saying they can) and then they suddenly died? What would happen? Is that fair?". So i got these questions ready, and i got myself really excited for the day. We went outside and first lady we saw we contacted. She said she didnt want anything, she didnt have time(i told her not to worry, i walk really fast, we can multitask) she told me she had a religion( i asked her if her religion prevents her from talking to others) and a mountain of other excuses. Anyways, we just kept walking with her, and i asked her a billion questions. In the end, she gave us her address. It really strengthed my testimony that when people understand the gospel, they accept it! Lately i have felt that everyone understands me but has a lot of pride, so there is no point telling them. But it is our job to just be better teachers. It is not their fault if they dont get it.

The news about the cambios! President Rappleye called me up, and I am going to Osorno to be District Leader. My companion is Elder Mercado, he is latin, and he just finished his training. We are going to be working in a sector called Franque i think thats what its called! hahah but i am excited but i will be able to see the office elders (Elder Himes, Elder WIlliamson) and the assistants. So it is going to be pretty fun being in a city, everything close, go play soccer with the zone, and be able to see people. I see it as a big blessing, and a big resposibility. I am REALLY excited. Looks like i am going to have to improve my social skills.

But this past week has really built my testimony. All transfer long we have just had4-5 lessons with member every week. This last week we just worked a little smarter with members and confirming appointments and we got 11. So.... we made a really big come back. My faith is really strengthed. I already know that anything is possible, but that knowledge has just been confirmed, and i just need to work more with my brain than my legs. "Heart, Might, MIND, and strength". So yes. Revelation rocks.

I love being a missionary. That was cool to read Scotts last letter. It kind of gives me chills because i know how he feels....It is hard not to think about the future because it all seems so exciting! Going home will be great, but at the same time, i dont want to. It is an interesting feeling. Go on a mission and youll know what i mean. Its the smart thing to do. I got here just trusting others (old people have like double or triple your life, their council = life lessons of their whole life. VALUABLE INFORMATION!!!!) So i highly HIGHLY recommend serving a mission. If not, share the gospel wherever you go. If you dont know how, learn. Its our duty, thus we are all entitled to revelation on how we can do it personally!

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder - Believing Is Everything

Jan 16, 2012

Hello Family!


This week was really crazy. We have been finding a lot of people to teach lately, the problem is that we arent teaching a lot with members. Which is the most important thing apart from getting people to attend church to see what it is like.

Anyways, Friday night we had only 1 one lesson with member. (Normally we have like 7 or 8 by then)... so things arent looking very good. As far as finding new investigators we were doing great! So as we were calling in numbers my district leader repeated to me what he has before about working with members etc. He just told me he believed we could do, and i told him we would figure out a way to do it. So then i got thinking, i just looked at our plans for the next day, and i just started thinking "well what if this" or "what if that" and really stretching my imagination, instead of stopping every thought with doubt/logic. So i got everything planned out. The next day we made A BUNCH of phone calls to set up and confirm appointments. By the end of everything according to everything set up, we were set up for 9! In one day! I have never done that in the mission. Long story short, those 9 funneled into 3 because people werent home. But it is a lot better than 0!

What i learned from this is that the first step to any type of miracle/success is believing. Not doubting. Believe and Do. It may take you a while to figure out how you are going to do it, or the best way, but dont doubt. Have faith.

But this week has been REALLY tough. Probably has been one of the toughest ones in my mission. But we have been really diligent, and being focused on working helps me to repent. So it is good. I know Heavenly Father loves me, because when i am thinking about things i shouldnt, he takes my mind off of it by occupying it with more important/stressfull things. So it is good! I got the package! I also got the contacts! I remember DR. King. I ran into his car.... I am still sorry about it. I am going to be a driver when i get home.

I have been reading my journal lately. Well just today before writing this! Hahha but it is way funny... this one time i played ping pong with a house full of drunk men. They like motioned us into their house (we were going to teach) and lo and behold, all were drunk. So we played. I beat them all with both write hand and left. We played on their dinner table. They were all chanting "gringo! gringo!" hahaha it was one of the funniest things ever. They all gave us hugs, i think a few kissed me on the cheek. But it just helps me to be grateful for all the blessings and knowledge we have, and i also realized how we are all children of heavenly father, and he loves us unconditionally everyone no matter what we do. My journal is awesome! I encourage all to write in one no matter how hard it is to write, you wont regret it!

Elder Reeder

Monday, January 9, 2012

Elder Reeder - you know sometimes i spend like 5-10min. thinking about a subject that grabs your attention....

January 9, 2012

Hello Family!

My internet is really slow right now. It is a little bit ANNOYING!!! ARGHH!!!! But at least we have computers, and technology..... and e-mail.... So its ok.
Well this past week has been REALLY AWESOME! The first half was great. We had our zone conference with President, interviews etc. and I had a good interview. Afterwards was great because i felt like i had repented thus giving me SPIRTIUAL POWER!! YES! Haha all this week we have gotten so many spiritual promptings.

Heavenly Father has a great sense of humor. Many times this week we showed up to peoples houses at the exact moment they do. Then we get in and teach them. It has been awesome. 3 times this week we were walking down the road, and i just feel like knocking a house, saying a certain thing at the door, and boom we are in and teaching. All in like 10 seconds. So basically when we repent and start following the spirit, life rocks. I wonder what following the spirit is like after the mission....what is better than a new investigator?

I have been thinking lately... I know i only have one chance to be a missionary, and that motivates to do the very best possible. But i have been thinking lately. You only have onc chance to live your life. To live your dreams. You only have one yesterday, one today, and one tomorrow. There is only one. You only have one shot, one opportunity to make every day amazing. Are you who you want to be? Is your life everything you have dreamed? I have only one shot to be a missionary. I have only one shot to live life. Today, tomorrow and for eternity. If you are not living your dreams, whos life are you living? Are you satisfied with it? If your not living your dreams and it is not the best thing every, reevaulate, make the changes, and live it! You only have one chance.

We need to have more faith. We need to belive more, or DO more. I think we just need to believe. Faith without works is dead, and vice versa. Works without belief is hollow. Theyre like scissors. (ELDER DAY!!!) Or playing a game of soccer, you cant just hope to win and do nothing. And you cant just play but not expect to win/give your all. BELIEVE THAT GOD EXISTS, BELIEVE IN MIRACLES. Our religion is based on a miracle, that Jesus Christ was resurected. So why not do simpler things such as heal etc. other miracles. Either the BOM is true, or its not. If we arent experimenting them, we dont have enough faith!!! BELIEVE!!!! (Moroni 9:20)

The other day our investigators Mom flipped out because she got bugged that we passed by so often. She sort of exploded and said she doesnt want us to come back, or baptize her daughter.... We tried explaining but she sort of threw a fit and didnt listen to anything we said. What i learned from this; one, if she would have told us earlier how she felt, we would have eased up. So let people know how you feel. Teapots explode. Two, we are adults, we should not just angry and frusturated and not listen to anything. That just doesnt make sense.

Hope thats a good experience!!! Hahaha it sure was fun. I just said "Well at least we have a clear answer. Now we can go find someone else." Because i have been getting bad vibes for a while. We are free haha!!

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder -

Hello Family!

You all look really good in the photos! It makes me happy! Also Casey Smith and Brian Falor wrote me! SWEET! Hahah that was awesome. I will try sending a letter back if you could get me their addresses mom... I am going to mail Daniel, and i just few other letters too.

Well this past week has been really interesting... The plan was go to Las Torres del Paine up North, but a tourist kind of lit the place on fire... so it is closed and WERE NOT GOING! So we came back to Porvenir early on Saturday. I really dont enjoy holidays because we can only work with Appointments, otherwise we have to be inside due to all of the drunk people. (Although they are really fun to talk with) And I dont like being inside... i feel like in a box. I also feel like i should be working, because i should! So it has been stressful saturday and sunday.

On Friday we had our zone conference in Punta Arenas. President Rappleye talked about the progress/vision of the mission. It was pretty sweet. We worked in Elder Bassets sector for a while.

Well i figured i would just begin to share more of what i am thinking/feeling lately. In church i was thinking and... well people ask me all the time "why is there so much bad in the world? why does god allow it? why is everything so injust? why is everything so bad?" just questions like that.... There are a lot of answers. But just thinking about it has deepened my understanding. I also here a lot of things that people tell me "my way" i do things how i want etc.... Everybody thinks they can just do things however they want. I want to ask everybody. If everybody just did want they wanted, did things their way, what would happen to the world???? What is hapenning now. Destruction, murder, rape, and every other bad thing. The Natural Man is an enemy to God. Now, i know a lot of us feel like "well what can i do about what is going on in the world?" We cant take away peoples agency. So what can we do? HOW DO WE FIX THE WORLD WITHOUT WAR ETC.??? We teach, and we dont just teach anything, we teach of Christ. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh unto the far but through me" Christ is the way. His gospel is the ONLY thing that will give our lives happiness, meaning, stability, and every good thing. We must purify ourselves, and then help others to do the same. We must become like the savior... but how can we become like somebody we dont know?? We cant. We must first come to know him. We must have an accurate, correct image of who he was like, then strive to be like him. So how do we come to know him? The scriptures. Apply and pray about them. What you feel is sacred. Nobody can tell you how you feel but you. So i guess those are my thoughts....

I had a cool experience the other day. One of the members here slipped into drinking again for 3-4 days. He has been out of work, and has not gone to church for 2 weeks. He has been sad that nobody has visitied him or said hello for christmas. So this was the 4th day we passed by, this time he was sober and hungover. He told me he didnt want to go back to church because he felt ashamed. Then he asked me why is it so unfair? Why do you feel shame etc... I told him that "Hermano, Jesus Christ was perfect. He was perfect, he didnt mess up. Not once. And what did the world do to him? They crucified him. The son of god. Our redeemer. Do you know how much shame he suffered?" something like that. And he just burst out crying and praying to Heavenly Father for forgiveness and WOW what i felt, i felt the love of heavenly father for that man. I felt the spirit so strong. I could see that he was being comforted and i could feel it. I know that he loves us, and he forgives everyone if we repent and change.

So that was really cool. I think i will share more experiences like that from now on! Happy birthday matthew! I love you all! The book of mormon is true! If you ponder the circumstances of the how it was written and everything, and how perfect everything lines up, along with reading/feeling/applying it becomes very clear that it is true. Then the rest of the claims (JoSmith, God, The Ressurection) go along with it. READ IT!!! Even if it is just a desire to belive...let it grow within you. Alma 32:27

Elder Reeder :)

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Elder Reeder -

12/24/11

Surprise!

So they switched the P-Day to Saturday instead of the normal monday. We are only working with citas fijas this weekend, o sea, it is better to use our pday today, when everyone is already drunk, then to try and proselyte. So surprise email!

I am not sure what i will say since i will skype you all later.......Hmmm....... well i strongly urge everybody to remember the real reason for christmas. Behind all the materialism... our savior jesus christ. His life, ministry, and atonement. I hope that everybody goes to church on christmas to take of the sacrament. How could we fail to remember our savior on the one day the world has set apart to remember him? Let us always remember him, and follow him.

Our week has been really good! Simplicity is the ultimate sofistication. We have been planning more simply, less plan A,B,C,D etc.... We do as much as we can in the time limit, then we fill out the area book, and go to our personal things. If we dont finish, we finish it up in the morning. It has been a lot better. We have actually gotten way better results out of it. I think stress and not having a little time for yourself can make the spirit go away.... So naturally doing things more simply (it is different for every companionship), and being able to follow the spirit is more effective. Elder Uchdorfs talk is really good. There are a lot of members who have a lot of excuses...mostly i am too busy. What should be our highest priorites? If your running and you are tired, are you going to speed up or slow down? I make the mistake of speeding up. I go crazy and try to study like a mad man and use all of my time effectively. The other night i just decided to eat and get ready for bed. It was a lot more tranquilo and i have done so for the past few days. The results: I am less tired, i am not stressed, i feel the spirit. Like i could try to cram studying etc. at night, but i can just do it in the morning.

The moral is be simple, dont overcomplicate things. Focus on what is important. Dont look for complicated solutions, just appreciate the simplicity of the gospel and life! If we all wanted to we could just fill up our schedules with a billion things! Our self worth is not based on how complicated our lives our. Our priorities should be 1.God 2. Our Family 3.Our Neigbor (MISSION WORK!) 4. Ourselves.

I have been doing a lot of thinking. I see a lot of young members trying to accelerate through life, trying to get ahead, trying to get to where their parents are in very short time. In order to do so they try to work more and gain more money. They sacrifice time with the family, time with Heavenly Father, and time with neighbors, and time with themselves to get ahead in life. This is absolutely not necessary. This will not give us happiness. The sources of our happiness are with Heavenly Father and our family. So what if you are not where your parents are? So what if you are going to college and living in a tiny apartment? Work what is necessary for your basic needs... but rememember what the most important things are. Ask yourself i you are really happy? Why do we work? Why do we work extra? Will doing so really make us happy? Will a cool new jacket etc. make me happier than my husband/wife? The answer is no.

I am really glad that i am a missionary so i can think these things over before i commit to anything. But those who are having problems, just trust the promise of our savior. "Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? For your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you."

If he is our priority, we will be his. If we set apart time for him, he will for us. Have faith and focus on the things that really matter. OUR SAVIOR AND HIS GOSPEL!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Love,
Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder - I love getting doors slammed in my face!

12/19/11

Hello Family!

So it looks like the email i sent last week didnt send. So it is attached down below.

Wow i cant believe so maný of my friends are getting home! That is crazy! Hahaha but Iv still got a good 8 months! YEAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!! I am pretty excited. Sometimes i wonder what i am doing in chile and it all seems kind of crazy, but then i think "i wouldnt be anywhere else" so as crazy as it is i love it. I still feel like i am in a dream. I really love being in the mission. It is like i am living my childhood dream. I dont really like to think about being done...

Well anyways this past week was good. My new companion Elder Basset is magical. He isnt doing much but just his presence is a lot different. Like when we teach it is really powerful. Like BULLSEYE in peoples hearts. A lot of people are beginning to progress who werent. I dont know if it is because of him, because i am wearing contacts now, because i got a bunch of animo from being in punta arenas with the zone, because of my new found energy/attitude. I DONT KNOW but it is awesome!

I have been pondering a lot.... In the sermon on the mount Jesus Christ teaches blessed are those who are persecuted in my name. I have been thinking about this a lot. Now everytime i get a door slammed in my face i say "thanks i need the blessings" hahaha!!! Like as a missionary you cant lose! Everything is in your favor. Even if i walk around, and get nothing done, get rejected a ton, i am receiving a TON of blessings!!! I feel kind of selfish. I try so hard to share them with others but they dont want them! Sometimes i even just give people candy or cookies or something just so i dont keep all the blessings to myself. Like well be in the street and i say "hey elder lets go get a door slammed in our face, lets get some blessings." with a crazy smile and he just looks at me like i am crazy. The worst thing that happens is rejection. But i actually really like it. The harder they slam the door i believe the more secure the blessings are. I just smile in the doors when i see people getting ready to slam it... it is like i get excited hahaha!! But this new attitude i have aquired thanks to REVELATION is awesome. Everything is enjoyable. You cant lose. The worst thing you can do is nothing. You just have to see the bright side of everything. The lord chastens those he loves. So the lord REALLY loves me hahaha yes!! Hahaha my companion thinks i am crazy. We have a good time. He sings and we are practing singing O holy night the nsync version. Hahaha it is awesome.

As far as for christmas.... we are going to skype the 24th at 3:00 chilean time. I dont know how that converts :p. There is also a possibility that we may be going to torres del paine either this week or the next. I think it will cost like $40 around there... but i think i am good.

Nobody goes to church! I have the gift to get people want to be baptized, but if they dont go to church they never will! Everyone accepts fecha but it is useless unless they want it bad enough to do it.

I have been thinking... I am almost 100% positivie i want to be an entrepenuer, engineer, or some sort of business/marketing degree. I got a sweet revelation in church.

I believe that it is all..... That would be REALLY cool if you sent me more digital photos through email of me having fun with friends. I would definitely appreciate it. Also i would love it if you could some home send conference talks, byu devotionals etc. on really cool stuff. There are discourse on joseph smith. Stuff like that i listen to at night. Joseph Smith is the man! Read the BOM and youll know he is prophet!!!! I really liked that business articles about missionaries hahaha! It is sooooo true. I feel like i can just talk to anyone about anything now and keep my cool. I dont know. I practice contacts in the mirror when i am bored... hand gestures etc.... I got new jeans and a shirt for christmas! I am going to open them later.

Also i am thinking about getting leather scripture cases!!! So i got to come up with a cool design.... if you could send me a bunch of church art through email that would be sweet! Also more quotes! I have all the quotes glued in my study journal! I want more!!!! But as far as photos... there is a way cool one of the tree of life by greg olson. I am thinking moses parting the red seas... elijah with fireballs.....the anti nefi lehis burying their swords... peter walking on water.... just cool photos! Get some really ones! That you could classify as "epic" Shauna you decide if they are cool. Like the greg olson is waaaay awesome. Something like that. I have no idea I am way excited!

CHAO!

Elder Reeder


Hello Family!

So i am thinking for skype we are going to do it the 25th at 4. Chilean time. I dont know how the times works out, and i have no idea how skype works.... So let me know next week!

This past week was allright. I am a little frusturated. My companion Elder Rainey is leaving, and Elder Basset is coming here. He is from utah i dont remember where.... But we are here in punta arenas. Turns out that they sent us my package and everything through a plane to por venir... they never told us... so it is there i just have to go claim it.

But yeah since i have been my energy has gone up a lot being with the zone etc. There is a member who told us these way cool missionary stories. Of how his mission president would always say "all i ask is more" more in spanish is màs. Their mission in santiago would just chant "mas, mas mas mas" hahaha it was a cool story. Lately i have just had stuck in my head "yes". Sometimes i dont want to talk to people, because i dont believe. But i know i just need to have faith and do it. Last night we had like 40 contacts to do. It was the end of the week. We had like 10 minutes to go inside. My companion said oh lets head to the house. At this point there were like 5. We were going to end the week not finishing..... I said "no way!!!" "were getting these done!!" My companion didnt agree buti convinced him. I said HAVE FAITH ELDER and we just went crazy and ran around talking to as many as possible. We got home like 7 minutes late. but we got them done! The elders of punta arenas showed up like 30 min later. Coincidence?? Yeah we were supposed to do them. That is the spirit.

I am a little disappointed with myself about the last cambio. I know a large large part of my success depends on my attitude and my faith. I just realized that yesterday... I just need to remember. Dont doubt, just believe and do. Just do it. Just get it done. Have faith. Dont say no, say yes. Yes Yes Yes. We need to have a vision that is bigger. That is all.

I love you all. I dont know what else to say. The members here are awesome, all really christ like. But they all come to late to church.... They are sort of weak. They need help! If you arent going to church, you need to read the book of mormon. If you have read it, you need to understand it. You need to understand the circumstances it took to write it. How perfect it is. Think about it. Ponder it. If that book wasnt true we wouldnt have a religion. Everything depends on IT. If it is true, joseph smith was a prophet, and this is the truth.

How do we have knowledge of God? The bible. The scriptures. Who wrote the bible? The prophets and apostoles. Who do we know the bible/prophets are legit? If what they say/write/prophesy comes true when you do it. For exp. if you keep the commandments and get blessings. If their propheices and teachings come to pass then you know it is true. There can only be so many coincidences. You must read it. You must understand it. Then you must experiment and apply it. Try out what it teaches, then you will begin to see how it changes your life, then you will know it is true. You cant so a cake is bad without trying it. Or food. Dont judge. Dont be prideful. If you have not done so do it again! If you have already done it and experience the tender mercies of god. Then REMEMBER. I know the BOM is true and ANYBODY who reads it sincerely, with true intent will know. I had to read it twice. You will know at some point it is true. Whether by the blessings and praying and accepting. Or when we Jesus Christ shows you at the judgement bar. Everyone will know. You cannot afford to not find out.

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder - Choose To Be Happy

12/5/11

Hello Family!

So i was laying in bed last night looking through all the photos on my iPod (im a creeper :p) and haha wow it made me so happy. I have been reading my journal a lot lately. I have had some great spiritual experiences reading it. It helps me remembers things... and have more faith. But i have so grateful for all the things i have been able to do in my life, and all the people i have been able to meet. I love it. I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!! Hahaha... ahh man. Just so many funny things. It is crazy how well i can remember things just from reading.... So write a journal! Also mom i think i left one at home in a notebook thing please dont throw it away!

Good news! As far as chirstmas we are going to be using skype this year! With video and everything!!! We havent established when... but i imagine around christmas time. We could even have a big video conference!! That would be nuts! My packages and stuff are waiting in punta arenas. Im gonna go get it next week. And mom you should just email President Rappleye and let him know. I think i get out the 18th or the 19th. Im sure they wont mind either way... Hahahah ELDER DAY IS GOING TO DYE!!!!! Oh man that is crazy. I keep seeing him everywhere. Haha.

I dont mind being isolated. I am getting along with my companion just fine. Sometimes i feel like i need to be the batteries in the companionship, and make sure we are doing things effectively. We just have to be humble and do things how they are. Keep a good attitude. Pride is not a problem if you know how to control it and where it comes from. In Ether 12:27. God does not give us weakness so we get prideful and condemn ourselves. Rather so we are humble and learn, and improve. Pride comes from feeling inferior, from self insecurity. When someone gives us advice you tend to feel inferior than that person, you then try to exalt yourself and tear the other person down. Thus covering up your sins, exalting yourself, and failing to learn/repent. The first step of repentance is RECOGNIZE. Pride is controlable, but not for everyone. We have greater light so we should know how to control it, but if another person doesnt know how we should be ready to share "the word of truth by the spirit of truth" (Dyc 50) because "if it doesnt edify it is darkness and it is not of god". EVEN IF IT IS THE TRUTH IF YOU SHARE IT WRONG IT IS NOT OF GOD!!!!! Constructive criticism can instantly become Destructive criticism. Things i am learning studying....

Also other things i have been thinking about.

Stress enough to get things done and to know what you need to do. But anymore is not necessary.

Begin happy is a choice, a personal decision. Just like begin offended.

Dont overcomplicate things. Keep it simple, do what you need to do, and enjoy life and have fun!!

Dont get desensitized to loving, enjoying, and being happy! Be crazy! Be Real! You are a person! Do all the smart things but fun! The gospel does not turn us into robots, but quite the opposite. People who know how to have fun adn be happy, but in a really healthy righteous without drugs kind of way!

Dont be embarrased for loving anyone. Thats is the gospel! Live it!

Put yourself out of your comfort zone and you wont miss out on anything. Do it full heartedly and have fun!

Soooo.... do what is right and CHOOSE TO BE HAPPY!!! Enjoy life! That is why we exist! The next questions (How to have fun and not be disrespectful :p......???)

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder - Needs to get a life

11/28/11

Hello Family!

Hey Mom tell Scott and James i totally want in on the club! Haha that is awesome they started one. That'll be real exciting.

I havent gotten my contacts yet. The thing is that we will get our packages and stuff (if they are there) when we go in to Punta Arenas. So in like 2 or 3 weeks more. More contacts would not be a bad thing!

Crazy story, I was walking in the street the other day and I said "dang i am sick of wearing glasses i want my contacts" and the next step I took, my lense fell out of my glasses along with the screw... I lost the screw. So all that day i walked without my glasses and not seeing anything. But luckily i just tied a not with string in the hole so now i got glasses again. It is a little ghetto hahaa.

That is cool to hear the news about everybody! Super crazy! Dad I got your last email that is all pretty interesting about where I am at! We definitely need to depend on the spirit, not experience.

Well i feel like i dont have a whole lot to talk about. Lately we are teaching a lot, and finding a bunch of new people. What we really need are people with baptismal dates and people going to church. So that is where we are going to try and focus.

Mom and Dad! So i know that you need to get registered sometime soon? Correct? Well i guess i need to start think about a major.... blegh.... but it would be cool if you sent me like a list of job descriptions and careers and the majors that go along with it. My companion has got permission from president to start looking at classes etc... he has a cambio more than me and is already doing all this. So i figured maybe i should be.... You probably shouldnt show others this but in my patriarchal blessings it says "acquistion of knowledge, science, social interaction, language and culture...." something that will "expand my natural talents and abilities and interests through opportunities in the future to continue your education.".... it also says "you will help change the life environments of people by helping them to overcome burdens and difficulties in their lives." so like serving my fellowmen. It says i will "express myself in music and art, in written and in spoken word in t such a way to draw others closer to Heavenly Father and to the beautiful and wondrous creations at his hand".

So a career where i can be social, creative, incorporate my personality the things i like into, and i dont know what else. Language and culture. It basically says i will have a postitive influence on people of many lands, so i figure i will travel?? I am not really sure. But if you could look into some careers like a list.... I am thinking something like either Business, Public Relations, Sociology, Psychology, Advertising, Someone who talks to people about their problems, a news man, i dont know. I thought about being a news guy. That would be sweet. I could just show people the truth and what is really going on in the world. Investigate things and make it know. Travel. I am just thinking.... i need some ideas. Something i where i can expand my talents and interests!! Something i will enjoy that will be a good career where i can incorporate my energy and creativity!

So that is that. I really need help. Send me a whole bunch of documents so i think this through and get it out my head please!

Things are going good here! We are working really hard to get a baptism! I love you all!

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder -

11/21/11

Hello Family!

First off. Thank you family for supporting me. I love you all. Thank you for letting me serve a mission. Thank you realtives who helped pay. I love you all. I am really grateful for all the blessings that have come from this.

This past week was good! We had to go in to Punta Arenas so we lost 3 days of our week basically due to the schedule of the barcasa. It is always like that. So we try not to go in unless we absolutely have to. (NOT COMMON)

Oh yeah Elder Rainey... he is from southern arizona hahaha... I messed up writing that. I got the halloween packagae with the peeps a while ago... was that the package? The envelope thingy? I got that. The contacts i have not gotten. I havent gotten the Christmas stuff either. I just bought a watch for like 5 bucks in zona franca. It was a good deal so no worries about a watch. I also bought 2 mini Preach My Gospels. One in english, one in spanish. So that will help me drop some weight for future travels, and convenient for taking to meetings etc. :) The next time we go into Punta Arenas i will talk to the lady about cases... they take a while but they are really cool. Im not dying with glasses, but they are kind of annoying... The screw has come out a few times, but i alway screw it back in with a pen or something pointy. So I wouldnt know.... i would rather just get my eyes fixed when i get home and stick it out now.

As far as my release date, i am sure that the mission will be cool if you want me home on for school. Maybe you should call someone? ill ask elder Galovich and let you know. But other elders have done it. I have no idea what to study....i know parents begin sending classes etc to their sons at a certain time in the mission so they can register. i will ask to know when... I havent heard anything about christmas yet. But Mom I sort of want to focus now more than anything.... i dont want to think about going home. I dont want to worry about school. I can do that later when I abosolutely need too... the lord will make it all work out. But i dont have very much time left and I want to stay focused and not be thinking about the future. Just here and now. :)

We are finally following the spirit again. I have been so concerned about my companions opinion that I havent had my own. So now i am going with my gut, and taking personal decisions before consulting my companion and asking his. It is working out a lot better. If my companion isnt guided by the spirit, at least i can be. And vice versa. Thats why were two! We are both really smart so we can do things the logical way, but we should depend more on the spiritual side.

The members here are great. The people too. I like to ask them questions about history etc... and they love talking about it hahaha... then i get their address and set an appointment. Hahaa. The people here are really cool. Just relaxed.

Lately i have been studying how to better communicate. I have been thinking. There are 2 key fundamentals. Verbal Communication, and Body Language. So i am trying to improve these so people really know how i feel. Sometimes it looks like i am angry when im thinking etc.... i need to be careful with the message i send with my body language. So Dad if you could send some cool document on that, like what actions mean what things that would be cool. Exp. Raising eyebrows is postivite? Stuff like that. So i dont give people the wrong idea of how i feel/think. I am improving it and it is making big results already but i want to master it!!! YEAH!

"I FIRMLY BELIEVE AND WILL GO TO MY GRAVE SAYING THAT MISSIONARIES...NEVER RISE IN THEIR ENTIRE LIFE ABOVE THE STATURE THEY CARVE OUT FOR THEMSELVES IN THE MISSION FIELD."
--- Pte. Henry D Moyle (on his death bed)

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder - ¡¡TIERRA DEL FUEGO!!

11/14/11

Hello Family!!!

This week has been awesome. It seemed that everything in our plans impolded, like every day, and everything collapsed in on top of his but we just kept of working and working and working..... and we had a good week! It gets to the point where I just get sick of it all, and just want to work. Like my companion was like " Elder lets go around so we dont have to go up this hill" My response was like Elder lets just do it come on! Hahahaha... Patience and diligence pays off.

Before I forget anything.... For Christmas. I have been thinking... i plan on getting some leather scripture cases here, a mini pmg, maybe an ipod case, my watch broke playing soccer so i need a new one(do i buy a cheap one and get a nice one when im back? or do you pick one out for me and hopefully i like it...??), I want the book "Lectures on FAITH" SEND IT TO ME PLEASE!! looks really interesting, i am think about maybe new glasses frames.... i dont know how i would go about doing that..... or better yet lasik after the mission??? Or free college? EH?? EHH??, i would actually like to send a bunch of things home in a package but that would be expensive.... things i dont need that mean things to me that i dont want to throw away. More music is always good. I will keep on thinking.... Dad you should send me a lot of cool deep doctrine things... i have learned alot.. but i want to learn more. The gospel is soooo cool. This isnt all??!! I wrote things down but i cant remember ugh!! Send me OREOS! and Mac and Cheese! KRAFT

Well my companion is Elder Rainey! He is from Idaho, the south part by mexicoish. He has a cambio more than me in the mission. It is pretty sweet being someone who knows what they are doing again. We get things done really fast. We can teach by the spirit. Its awesome. The closest missionaries are 3 1/2 hours away by boathouse. You have to cross the magelan strait and sometimes it can be really rough with the wind. We are on an island "tierra del fuego" half of it is connected with argentina. We dont go to meetings, the barcasa only does one trip leaves punta arenas and comes back every day. Things can be complicated if we need to take out money/travel..... So we are basically in the middle of nowhere.... But everyone wants to come here. So i feel pretty cool haha! Its warm and windy. Good combo, were next to the port its way cool. EVERYONE WORKS in this fish factory its nuts. THey all have like the same shift until 6 they work. So until then there really arent a lot of people. One investigator we have speaks english is chinese and is like the boss. Pretty sick. I want to make sushi but i need a recipe,... i have no idea how. OK i do but not completely. The laguage is the same.

So that would be it. Something interesting i learned..... Desire--->Think--->Talk--->Do----> Become. Virtue=Deepest Desires, what you do when noone is around. Your desires are manifested through your thoughts, conversations, actions, and what you become. We will ALL truly be given according to our desires, whether you think they are one thing or another.... :) Think about it.

Dad i think the number one thing that got me to serve a mission was realizing everything i had that others dont. Imagining people in the world who dont know the gospel. Having experience the miracle of repentance, the tender mercies of the lord for myself, then comparing that with others really motivated me to go. Also for the savior. His atonement was for nothing if nobody is baptized. He suffered for all of their sins, but it was for nothing..... It requires faith, but i was actually excited to leave... but it is not always the same.... Be positive, but help them understand.

LOVE YOU ALL TIME TO GO!!!

Elder Reeder

Elder Reeder - Esta en Porvenir!

11/7/11

Hello Family!

In case you dont know I am here in Porvenir in Punta Arenas. The same sector Elder Day was just in with Elder Rainey. I am with Elder Rainey! It is pretty nuts hahahaha! It is the farthest south zone/sector in the world, so I feel pretty cool. Getting here was nuts. We had to leave Valdivia at 6 to get to Pto. Montt at 9 to take a plane in the morning. ALL of the buses were full. I tried to get on one with out a reserved seat, but we got owned by the driver. All the buses to Osorno (half way) were full also, but out of nowhere this guy asked if I needed to go to Osorno and i said ya. So he took me on his bus. I had to travel alone. Kind of freaky. Well the bus took 2 1/2 hours mas o menos, and I sat next to a big lady with a screaming/crying toddler girl. It was compelety full, people standing in the aisle and everything. Really hot. I opened my window but the guy in front of me got bugged, so i shut it. Really hot, long ride. I arrived in Osorno at 930 around there. The assistants were waiting for me luckily, i didnt have a phone, the plan was if you can in osorno, take another bus to pto. montt from there, but basically no phone, no connection, the plan was to use a pay phone and call when i got there. Hahaha I was super glad. I spent the night with the Assitants, elder himes, and elder williamson (the office elders). Their house is super nice hahahah wow! But yeah then I went with the mission couple to pick up a bunch of NEW elders and an Hermana. They dropped us off at the airport and i pretty much supervised everything so we got to punta arenas. The plane ride was sweet, the patagonia mountains are SOOOOO COOOLLL!!!! We got to punta arenas. Everything is really dry. Not so green. There are a lot of wholes in places and constructions sites, and destroyed things. It is like the end of the world. I saw Elder Day in the airport it was sweet! He was leaving. But yeah all kind of overwhelming but i got there, said a prayer ( kind of weired out from the boat ride and everything) but i am here! I feel weird with glasses, so hopefully my contacts come!!!

Ive met Ricardo. He is awesome. TELL SCOTT I WROTE HIM!!! But ill send him another. But i had no idea where he lived in Washington. But he should send me a big package with all that bank he made hahaha. Tell him hi. Things are going to take longer to get here yes... .and they havent come. As for christmas.....I dont know.... there are super cheap things here in Punta Arenas,,, so maybe ill look around. So maybe just money?? I am worried about buying too many things here, because there is a tarif tax if you bring too many stuff from here. But i dont know how they would know if come with something, and leave with the same thing, but better.... I want to get leather scripture cases, a mini PMG, and i dont know..... I havent seen penguins yet, it is really nice combo with warm weather and crazy wind. I FEEL POWERFUL RAAHHH!!!! Hahahaha. I think we are just cocos. Normal. I havent been told hahah but it doesnt matter.

Lately my studies have been nuts. Haha i am learning just so much everyday thinking like an investigator with a lot of doubts.... today i studied this big talk on intelligences and why their has to be an atonement. i had thought about this before, but there was a talk that totally confirms it! pretty nuts. I am grateful for the opportunity to study and receive revelation for others. You learn A LOT!!! It is amazing.

Ok Dad for your message, it will be short cause my comp is waiting on me!!!

What will happen if you go on a mission? What will you get? Why should you do it? Well.... there are a billion reason. An infinite ammount. I have a testimony of the gospel. I thought i did before, now i realize i knew nothing. I know the gospel is true. I have seen sooooo many miracles and things. The lives of other people, a literal live witness of what happens if they live the commandments and if they dont. 2. I am smart. I am a smarter, better, nicer person. I am learning how to become like our savior. I have learned I am a son of Heavenly Father. I know that he loves me. I know if I love him, i will do everything he asks me, and that he is 10000x smarter than i am so will do it. He has made me far more a man than i could every be without him. Serving a mission is a commandment. It ends there. More reasons.... it was the whole life of Jesus, it was the whole life of the apostoles, of every apostol. HOW ELSE CAN WE BECOME LIKE HIM IF WE DONT DO WHAT HE DID??? 2 Nefi 31 11-14. 3 Nefi 27:21. If there is no mission work, the atonement is worth Nothing. How do you feel about that??? (Have them make a big list of all the blessings they have...... write them on the board, then have them think of the very worst moment of their life. Now have them imagine they didnt have the gospel. How would you feel in that moment without that knowledge???? There are people who feel like that every day of their lives.... they are miserable. Put yourself in their shoes. THEY NEED THIS!!!! IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT YOU WANT, IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT YOU GET, YOU GET SALVATION, BUT IT DOESNT MATTER. That is selfish. You are spoiled, why do YOU deserve all this, and not them???? He who finds his life shall lose it, he who loses it for me will find it. I promise this is true. It is unexpainable to say what my mission means to me.... but before i had no idea what was going on in life... i thought i did. But i just get it now. JUST DOOO IT. Dont be selfish, show you love the savior, you are in debt. YOu shouldnt be thinking about what you can get, but what you can give. WAKE UP!!!!

You may want to edit that so it sound a little nicer. But I know the gospel is true. Teach them what they need to know.

Elder Reeder!!!