July 20th, 2015 update

This week, Elder Reed and I were "chatting" through email about the time it takes a letter to get there (snail mail, you know, the way mail used to always be delivered.... ha ha!) - Elder Reed said that it takes a letter between 3-6 weeks to get TO him from the U.S., but that it takes about 15 days for a letter to come FROM him to the U.S. and we are currently waiting to see if that's fairly accurate. We will know by next week. :)

Elder Reed again forgot to include his Mom on the general email sent out [*ahem*] and hopes he will remember next week. :)

One picture that was sent, showing a multizone picture of missionaries - this was apparently taken a couple of months ago:

From Elder Reed's letter this week: "For those in the States, how is the summer treating you? For those below the equator, how is the winter treating you? This week was pretty eventful as transfers were named / called, and I was told to stay in San Borja with Elder Cueva from Piura, Peru for another six weeks! With that notice, we received a call from the Zone Leaders on Friday, and we were told that President Boswell is going to accompany us for 4 hours this coming Thursday (my 10-month anniversary! :) )  I have mixed feelings as I know that having your mission president in 1 lesson is incredibly helpful and nerve-racking at the same time, but for 3-4 lessons! I look forward to seeing him.

This week I was able to witness the active power of the priesthood in the home no less than 2 times. I witnessed the father, the patriarch of the home, exercise righteously his priesthood authority to bless his family member. There is a scripture I like on the topic of Fatherhood and the incredible gift that is the priesthood: Matthew 7:11 - "If ye then, being evil" {I'm not saying you are evil! - it's just a part of the verse!} "know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, which is in Heaven, give good things to him that ask him?"

Now I was very blessed to have been a witness to blessings before, but never before has a priesthood blessing affected me so much so. The recipients not only have a loving Father in Heaven, but are also blessed with a loving earthly father or husband that is worthy and willing to use their God-given gift for the benefit of the other sons and daughters of God. That is what the priesthood is all about: service to others and service to God. I am so very grateful that I am counted worthy to have the Higher Priesthood and can participate in the salvation of so many people all at once. Like a temple recommend, I exhort you all to be constantly worthy to participate in and/or exercise the power and authority of our Creator! The blessings will come! I guarantee it! 

I love you and wish you a great week! Love, Elder Reed"

[This catches up the updates for now - remember to count all your blessings - there are so many!]

July 13th, 2015 update

Elder Reed's update for this week was interesting, as he forgot to send it to his Mom [*ahem*], so she had no idea what was going on! :)

Elder Reed sent a handwritten letter home, but did email the following, with a few pictures:
"Well my week went by pretty fast as it was also my birthday! I am officially 20 years old now!

I just thought I would tell you that this week I didn't have time to write you a big letter... only this one: A...hahaha

Elder Reed"

[Oh, what a funny boy he is! :)  ]

Elder Reed and the birthday he got from his Mission President and his wife :)

July 6th, 2015 update

For the week of July 6th, 2015:

Elder Horo, Elder Gleason, E., Elder Cueva, Me

Elder Reed's family letter shared these thoughts: "This week was one of the strangest and most time-consuming weeks (event-wise) I've had in all my mission. But out of it, we had a baptism and confirmation of a convert to the Gospel. She was truly ready to be baptized. ... E. [names kept private of individuals] eagerly took hold of the lessons of the missionaries (Elder Horo, Elder Gleason, Elder Cueva, and I). . . Her baptism wasn't perfect... started and ended late, and she [had to be] submerged in freezing cold water 3 times [before everything was right], but all the missionaries that had ever taught her were able to attend her baptism! (See above)

Spiritual thought: Doctrine & Covenants 131:6 - If we want to reach our exaltation, serve a mission, or finish our Master's degree, we MUST STUDY. We must also be willing to make mistakes and learn from them. We cannot simply say that "I didn't know" and move on. God gave us our minds and a multitude of opportunities to use them. "A mind is a terrible thing to waste!"

Nonspiritual thought: If I have a bee in my hand and am showing it to others, what do I have? Answer: Beauty. Why? Because beauty is in the eye of the bee-holder.  HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA." Elder Reed then drew a little picture:

:)  Elder Reed's closing thoughts for this week:

"I would like to bear you my testimony of the fast and the spiritual strength we receive when we fast. That when the Lord said, "Prove me now herewith", He meant it! The blessings we receive from abstaining from food or drink for 24 hours every first Sunday of the month are real and real powerful! I don't think we can afford not to fast! With love, Elder Reed"

June 29th, 2015 update

Elder Reed's only picture this week, aside from the photo of the family letter, was this:

For any of you that know Elder Reed personally, this is his **favorite** food! :)  His own words about it: "We got to have Subway for lunch in the Multizona!!!! Even though we aren't allowed to eat lettuce it was the best sub i've ever had!!!" :)  [I guess once you go without something for awhile, it tastes even better, even when there isn't lettuce on it! Ha ha]

Elder Reed also shared this song that he had heard, "Have I Done Any Good?" - https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-07-001-have-i-done-any-good-in-the-world-today?lang=eng - It is an awesome song! Remember, every effort for good in this world DOES make a difference! :)

From Elder Reed's family letter this week: "Hey family! Got a great headline: New Bishop in San Borja! After 4 months without one to act as the head of this ward. Now we need to let him know we are willing and ready to work for him and help him!" Elder Reed went on to talk about cool news and experiences of the week. 

"We have a member here who reactivated himself back into the Church and is seriously preparing himself to enter the temple and serve a mission. He is at the age limit (25) and is in contact with [the mission president] to get himself ready." [How cool is that?!] Elder Reed said that they had a Multizona conference [several Zones of missionaries meet together] in which over 80 of the over 200 missionaries attended. He was able to speak with his mission president to see if there was anything else they could do to help this young man prepare to serve, and the mission president said (after Elder Reed's explanation of what they were currently doing), "He will be just fine. Keep doing what you're doing." :)

During the Multizona conference, Elder Reed shared some instruction they'd been given. "every night, we are to kneel and pray as a mission [at a specific time]. That way, we can be more united in our efforts of Salvation." Awesome! Elder Reed and the missionaries were also told that the mission president had read in his guidebook that missionaries should be in their respective wards serving for 6-8 months, and that hasn't always been happening there. [They were transferred more frequently than that.] Elder Reed then calculated that he could potentially only have 3 areas for the remainder of his mission. He has been out for over 9 months now - time surely flies by!!

Elder Reed's spiritual thought: "Read Doctrine & Covenants 60:1-5, 61:1-4 & 22, and 62:4-8. What is important to the Lord? What isn't? Remember that God gave us each a brain and enough juice to make our own decisions. The God of All won't always lead us along by the hand. Sometimes we need to make up our minds and just go! God wants us to be dependent on Him, but not dependent for everything. That is the reason we have working minds and prayer, to be wise servants of our Heavenly Father! :)  God loves you, and so do I, Elder Reed"

Until next time, remember that we have the agency of choice, and we can choose good! :)

June 22nd, 2015 update

Elder Reed shared some photos this week, and some exciting news - he was able to attend the dedication of the Trujillo, Peru Temple! This is the second temple in operation in Peru, and there was a third announced as well, in Arequipa, Peru. What a wonderful blessing to be able to attend that! The missionaries got special permission to go, and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful experience!

Some photos from Elder Reed:

Multi Zone Pday with Santa Patricia (that's my Zone) and Surco

Picture from the Towers of Limatambo

Me from the 18th floor

Emergency meal that my pension bought for us!

From Elder Reed this week:  He said that he had "a long week in terms of miles/kilometers walked, but also in that I got to look a little into the future and even into the eternities!" Elder Reed had received a call from his District Leader and, as he seemed way too happy to be calling about something bad happening, he wasn't too worried. His District Leader had invited him to the sealing in the Temple of a family that he and a former companion had taught - what a wonderful blessing! Elder Reed said that he was so excited for this family, that they were making covenants that would bind them for all eternity, and he said that he caught a glimpse of the importance of marriage and choosing a worthy spouse. He was able to witness the beautiful event and feel the Spirit of the Lord testify of the importance of eternal marriage.

Elder Reed also got to take part in the dedication of the Trujillo, Peru Temple - here is a picture:

Elder Reed said that he got to see Pres. Dieter Uchtdorf, Elder David Bednar [and Elder Reed said "they were actually here in Peru! :) :) :) ], and the Area 70 Presidency of the Peru area. He was very excited to get to see them in person, but he said even more exciting is that it was explained that each new temple dedicated has a connection with the first temple built in this dispensation of the fulness of times - in Kirtland Ohio. [His own home state!] :)  He had a week filled with many blessings!

Elder Reed's spiritual thought relates to temples: "My spiritual thought this week comes from Elder Juan A. Uceda who said that if we don't have a temple recommend, we should get worthy to receive one. If we can receive one, but cannot attend, you at least are worthy to enter the Holy Temple of our Lord."

Until next week, remember to see the beauty in the world all around, Heavenly Father is speaking to you!

June 8th and June 15th, 2015 updates

June 8th update: [Elder Reed's younger brother (who is 16) was able to serve on a "mini-mission" for one week, where they are set apart to serve with the full-time missionaries in an area and to experience real-life in the mission field. When I sent Elder Reed a picture of his brother and the two missionaries he would be serving with outside a local LDS church building here in Ohio, he sent this photo and said something like "I haven't seen a chapel like that for a long time! all the chapels here look like prisons! they all have bars in their windows and heavy-duty security doors!" - wow!]

"Me in San Borja in the same capilla as Los Sauces... again!!!"

From Elder Reed's family letter this week (June 8th): 

"I got transferred this week! I was sent to San Borja in the Santa Patricia Stake here in Peru Lima East. Here there is nothing to compare price-wise to Tilda in Vitarte [the place where he was before]. Everything here is 50% more expensive! Here there is no dust, there are very few, if any, semi trucks, and just about everyone here has a college level education. With that title comes a tougher time for the missionaries getting in the door, but the converts and members are strong!

This last week was interesting as my new companion, Elder Cueva (from Piura, Peru) and I are relatively new to San Borja and we spent a lot of time getting lost and asking people for directions. Side-note: That quote Dory [from "Finding Nemo"] makes about "What is it with men and asking for directions?" doesn't apply to us. We ask everyone we can find." [I LOVE it!] :)

Elder Reed also shared that, while at their Zone meeting, they were talking about how there will be 3 birthdays in their zone before the next transfers in mid-July - Happy Birthday!!! :)

Elder Reed's spiritual thought from this week's letter: "There really are people waiting for you. We had several lessons which, as my companion tells me, were radically different in that the people, for some reason or another, really opened up to me. Like those cheesy TV commercials say, 'If it worked for me, there 'has got to be some way that our Heavenly Father wants it to happen to you.' Ok, I changed a couple of words and practically the entire phrase, but I hope you understand my meaning: That God will let it happen to you, just be patient!"

From the June 15th update:

A new look - with a size 0 cut - I'm glad he didn't keep it this way! ha ha

"COOOOOL CAR I SAW!!! ... the first i've seen here in almost 9 months"

  

"Me, Elder Cueva, a member and Elder Farfan from the Perú Chiclayo Mission (he helped us for a couple hours Sunday!)"

From his family letter: "We here in San Borja don't have a ton of investigators, new or otherwise, with whom we may share the Gospel, but we have been stretching ourselves to get the Word in their lives. Almost everyone says, "I'm too busy right now to listen to you right now; why don't you come back another day?" We have even contacted people who have rudely said "No" and various other things to us, but that is not the point of why I share it! I share it because I have a strong testimony as a "sembrador" or "sower of the seed". They might not listen to you in that moment, but I promise you that if they reject you, give you nasty looks, and slam the door in your face not wanting to hear more of the Gospel, that you will be blessed. Why? Because you have done your part. You have raised your voice. You have warned or tried to warn that person of what awaits them if they don't repent. This seed that you have tried to plan might takes years to find soil fertile enough for it to grow or you might just have thrown the seed to the sizzling blacktop of the street in midsummer. (Alma 32 - scripture reference)

Spiritual thought: Nothing that we do is discarded... No good action goes unblessed with our Father in Heaven. Don't be afraid to share what you know. Missionary work doesn't only happen here in Peru or only when there are missionaries with name tags speaking, but every day, every hour, and every second that we set an example as believers We have what we need. The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. Now it's your turn to share what is for all! It might seem scary at first, but I bear my testimony to you as a personal representative of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that words will come if we but open our mouths. 

Remember the Lord always, 
Elder Reed"

June 1, 2015 update

Elder Reed shared some of his weekly letter to the Mission President: 

"Presidente,
This week was a draining week. Our numbers weren't quite as good as we could have hoped, but we won't let that get us down! We have even set new goals that are going to start to better our existing problems. We changed cuartos, sanded, painted, and cleaned, and moved everything. Several nights in a row we came home, planned, did what needed to be done after and plopped right down on to the bed. We were so tired. It is probably a good thing that we didn't go to the sealing of our members, due to time, but I was very, very pleased that they (to use their words exactly) "finally" get the covenant made!

Other than this we have also been tying to help better our ward council. Our bishop is very apt and ready to listen to our suggestions and those of the member of the Seventy that came for the Vitarte Stake Conference! Wow, have I seen a great change in the way our ward works! It is great when the leaders want to do the right thing!"

From Elder Reed's family letter:

"This week was pretty interesting... we sanded, painted, cleaned, and painted and repaired and sanded and moved everything out of our old apartment. I think I got sick from all the paint fumes and paint particles that I, out of circumstance, inhaled. I also saw a massive shift in the weather here in Peru. In 2 days the temperature dropped about 10 degrees Fahrenheit and started that misting thing that I had described in my time in the CCM. Yesterday, Sunday, was the only day that you could actually see the sun. It felt really good! :)

We all, collectively, killed another rat that we found in the new apartment we have. We are/were paying a good amount of money to have a rat rent the area too! [Ha ha] The rest of the utilities and rooms were free! :) :)

My spiritual thought this week comes from President Boswell [the Mission President] and tithing, but it can apply itself to a lot of other things. We shouldn't wait until we have used 90% of our income to pay for the 10% of tithing we owe to Heavenly Father. It is much more difficult to pay in the end and not in the beginning. Faith is an action word and I believe that Nike put it just right: "Just do it." The Father of All knows just how to succor His children and we should know that he wants to bless us. We should follow the commandments simply because we love our Father. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Enjoy your rat-free week! Love, Elder Reed"

"Our new small room!"

Poor rat.... 

Until next time, remember to count your blessings!