Dearest Family!
It was great to hear from you all! I'm happy that you are all doing good. Sorry that I didn't write last night, we got into Santo Domingo a little late, and we started working on numbers and things and the time went right out the window.
Mom, you asked to tell you a little bit about what we do on Sunday! Well, usually we get up, study a little and head out to look for investigators to take to church with us. Then at church, we do whatever is needed! If they need people to speak in sacrament meeting, the missionaries! If they need a teacher in a class, the missionaries! It is pretty sweet, we have the chance to learn all sorts of stuff! Now, I'll be prepared if they ever call me out of the audience to speak at home, ha ha.
After church we usually run (almost literally) home to cook up some grub! Elder Chinchilla and I have been experimenting with our cooking skills, and we invent some pretty good stuff! You would be proud of all the food I like now-a-days! Anyways, then we eat and prepare to take the numbers from the zones in the south. We take all of their "key indicators" and their progressing investigators that have baptismal dates...so that takes a couple of hours. Then we go running out the door to the visits that we have, then at 6:00 we have Branch Mission Meeting, and then its off to Santo Domingo! When we get to Santo Domingo, we have to put all the info in the computer and send it to President and to Salt Lake...quite the process. So that's a Sunday for us. :)
I just about died laughing at what you told me about Spencer (his red trousers)! Who would have thought? Well, I don't know what it is about the mission that does that, but I might have that same trend....ha ha.
I wear my clothes a little more snug now as well! I'm still betting on a
Marshall-Burt wedding, but I guess that only time will tell!!
Last week was a good week! We checked some missionaries' houses, and we had interviews! This transfer we have interviews with President, so we did that on Wednesday. I was the last person for him to interview, so he did his normal questions and then we just took time to talk. It was really fun to share some experiences with him, and to talk about my personal progress in the mission. President shared an experience that was really special to me, he said "I know that I have put some heavy responsibility on your shoulders, but the Lord called you. When I received the revelation to call you to the office, it was one of the most clear revelations I have received." It really made me realize that even though sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed, the Lord never assigns us to do something that we aren't capable of doing. He then told me that even though I couldn't see it now, that he was sure that my family was receiving the blessings right now, and that one day, I will see the blessings! I know that he wouldn't have told me that if it wasn't true, and I am extremely grateful that the Lord is blessing you, and that makes it all worth it.
Last week was a good week! We checked some missionaries' houses, and we had interviews! This transfer we have interviews with President, so we did that on Wednesday. I was the last person for him to interview, so he did his normal questions and then we just took time to talk. It was really fun to share some experiences with him, and to talk about my personal progress in the mission. President shared an experience that was really special to me, he said "I know that I have put some heavy responsibility on your shoulders, but the Lord called you. When I received the revelation to call you to the office, it was one of the most clear revelations I have received." It really made me realize that even though sometimes I feel a little overwhelmed, the Lord never assigns us to do something that we aren't capable of doing. He then told me that even though I couldn't see it now, that he was sure that my family was receiving the blessings right now, and that one day, I will see the blessings! I know that he wouldn't have told me that if it wasn't true, and I am extremely grateful that the Lord is blessing you, and that makes it all worth it.
Like I said last week, I really have been focusing on the attributes of Christ,
and more specifically humility. I had an interesting experience that
taught me a powerful lesson. I have always asked myself, how could
Satan rebel against God? How could he, being one of the chosen ones,
living in the presence of his father, choose to rebel? I knew it was
because of his pride, and his desire to have the glory, but I still couldn't
quite wrap my mind around it. The experience I had is simple...Last
week we were in the office when someone commented on a project that was
done in the office, and another Elder said, "Thanks, I did that!" Well, in
truth, I had done it, and in that moment, I felt something extremely
strange. I felt a little bit frustrated that someone was taking credit
for something that I had done. In that moment someone turned the switch
and DING--DING--DING. I realized, that is how Satan fell. It really made
me think about myself and people in general. The natural man is
prideful. The natural man wants all the glory. The natural man wants
the attention. But, the natural man is el enemigo de Dios, y lo será siempre jamas! (Sorry, I really don't know how to quote scriptures in English any more, but it's how that natural man is God's enemy, and will always be.) What I learned is that it doesn't
really matter if we receive the congratulations, the thanks, or the
"glory". What matters is that we do what our Father has commanded us. I
know that if we aren't humble, like a small child, we
cannot be worthy to live in the presence of our Heavenly Father. But at
the same time, if we are humble, we will be able to further develop the
attributes of Christ and we will be able to truly be His disciples!
That's my story for the week. :)
Anyway, we have a few investigators that are progressing, and we feel good about their progress. I'm loving life here in the mission! I love my companion, my area, I just love that I still have time to serve the Lord and the great people here. The church is true!! Keep the commandments, and be happy!!
Love,
That's my story for the week. :)
Anyway, we have a few investigators that are progressing, and we feel good about their progress. I'm loving life here in the mission! I love my companion, my area, I just love that I still have time to serve the Lord and the great people here. The church is true!! Keep the commandments, and be happy!!
Love,
Elder Reeder
Elder Riley Ted Reeder
La Iglesia De Jesucristo De Los Santos De Los Últimos Días
La Misión Santo Domingo Oeste, República Dominicana
La Iglesia De Jesucristo De Los Santos De Los Últimos Días
La Misión Santo Domingo Oeste, República Dominicana
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