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!

May 18th and May 25th, 2015 updates

[Elder Reed's update from the 18th was short, so I figured I would wait until today's update and do two at once - bonus! No pictures either week though.]

From May 18th update: For the preparation day, the Elders got to play some monopoly. Then, the missionaries will be moving out of the place they were in, so they are going to be doing a lot of painting. From Elder Reed: "my not-so-spiritual thought is to take care of what you have. Make sure that it will survive to the next generation! That way lots more people can enjoy it! My spiritual thought for this week comes from 1 Nefi [Nephi] 6 (the entire chapter - it is 6 verses long). We need to keep our testimony of this book alive and strong (testimony of the Book of Mormon) or obtain our own testimony if we don't have one. There is nothing in this book that doesn't have meaning to us in our day. This promise is also in Jacob [a book in the Book of Mormon] and I will let you search it out, but the point is, are we really converted to this book? I have such a testimony that this book can answer just about any problem you have."  

In another email, Elder Reed said "Thanks for the things that you [Mom] taught me when I was home! I might not necessarily have listened to every one of them, but now I have the grand opportunity to apply them! They work wonders and I still don't know why I didn't listen earlier!!!" [Mom replied that these lessons usually come back once the young one has "flown the coop", as Elder Reed has done, and his Mom is grateful he's able to apply the lessons from his younger years, better late than never! :)]

From May 25th update: "Well, I and my fellow missionaries from the CCM [Peru mission training center] have hit and passed 8 months in the field. When I look back on this time, I find it difficult to imagine I've been here for this long! 

Una noticia: en esta semana tuvimos tres días con 2 lecciones o menos. Fue feo, pero no hay NADA que pude hacer. Recorde la frase de Papa "Mama always said there'd be days like this." Lo bueno es que caminamos por areas que nunca he visto antes. [Rough translation is "News: In this week we had three days with 2 lessons or less. It's ugly, but there was NOTHING I could do about it. I remember the phrase of Papa, "Mama always said there'd be days like this." The good thing is that we have walked to areas that I haven't been to before."]

The weather's changed here in Lima East. Last week the temperature and clouds were the same I'd seen for the last 6 months: hot [temperature] and barely there [clouds]! Then, all of a sudden, the clouds rolled in, the temp dropped about 10 degrees Fahrenheit, and started to sprinkle a hardly-visible-ice-cold-rain. WOW that was different! As long as we kept moving I was fine, but the instant I stopped, the "rain" felt super cold. 

My not-so-spiritual thought .... I remember telling Grandma Reed before the mission 2 things: "You can't find anybody rich enough that could pay me enough money to live in a big, crowded, polluted city" and "that if I had my choice, I wouldn't eat chicken. I'm just not a big fan of chicken." I believe that the God of Heaven & Earth heard this and said to Himself, "now where can I send him that he will be humbled by a large city that eats chicken for just about 95% of the meals?" Peru Lima East was the answer. With that: keep laughing; it makes your day much better!"

Elder Reed also included his spiritual thought in the letter to his Mission President, which he'd copied in his email home, and I don't think he would mind me sharing it here: "The good news is that I have been feeling a little down because there wasn't any real tangible evidence that I was helping the sons and daughters of The Most High here in Perú until Elder Loertscher sent me a pic of an investigator that Elder Moreyra and I started teaching, in baptismal clothing!!!!! It was then that I realized that I really am making some difference here even if I can't immediately see it! I also realized that our efforts aren't ever forgotten or dismissed. I felt so great after that!"

Also, Elder Reed shared that he is having some trouble with his knees and back with all the walking and the heavy bag he is carrying, so any prayers for him would be appreciated. Thanks so much for all your continued support! 

May 11, 2015 update

A "Mototaxi" there in Estaca Vitarte

Preparation day - bowling!

Elder Reed eating at a Burger King - expensive, but "IT WAS SOOOOO GOOD!" :)

Preparation day - cleaning the apartment! :)

Elder Reed said that he wished all Moms a Happy Mother's Day - the family had a great time speaking with him on Mother's Day [especially his Momma! :) ]. 

Here are a couple more pictures Elder Reed shared this week:

Elder Arroyo, me, Elder Horo, and Elder Wilding

Celebrating the success at having opened the accidentally-locked door to the bathroom! :)

Elder Reed shared that he is very grateful he was able to speak with his family in Ohio and Indiana on Mother's Day, as he missed hearing speakers from his "native land". :)  We (his family) learned that he'd twisted his ankle several months ago, but that it is healing nicely. We appreciate all the prayers in his behalf!

Elder Reed's spiritual thought for this week: "This week's spiritual thought comes from. . . the scriptures. :)  John 13:16. Read it & then think of your position wherever you are. Why do you think you are there? God knows you have the ability to do well in your area. He wants you now to use that position for "the perfecting of the saints" in your [sphere of influence]... and maybe even the future saints. Remember that God is no respecter of persons and that he holds everybody in the same respect. As should we!"

Until next time, Elder Reed wishes everyone a great week!

May 4, 2015 update

Elder Reed & Elder Horo - after playing soccer :)

Elder Reed shared a picture of him and his companion after playing soccer on their preparation day. He said, "My team won! ... cough cough... uh, ok, my companion says it was a tough game and it was! Please enjoy your week and have a happy new year!... well when it comes!" [We all have a little ways until the new year, but we can practice counting our blessings each day!]

Here is some of Elder Reed's family letter from this week: "My companion and I have been working for the past 2 weeks without a phone and we are doing relatively well! We haven't yet reached perfection, but we are certainly trying! [Elder Reed then shared where all his companions have been from.] Elder Sands, from Florida USA; Elder Puma, from Arequipa, Peru; Elder Moreyra, from Iquitos, Peru; Elder Vasconez, from Ecuador; and Elder Horo, from Chimbote, Peru.

This week, I had several lessons in fellowshipping. Imagine [that] you have just been converted to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints by 2 young men or women and you feel a great desire to attend church and the meetings and activities, but there is something in the air that doesn't feel right. This something is a lack of fellowship on the member's part. They don't smile at you, wave, or include you in activities or classes and you don't know why. Sound familiar? Whether it is a recent convert or there has been a ward boundary change, it is the same. If we don't put forth our effort [as members of the Church] to show that we are truly members of The Church of Jesus Christ, they won't stay in our chapels for long. Make a noteworthy effort to include people foreign to the ward in all that we do and every aspect possible to build friendships and keep them interested!

That was my spiritual thought for the day, week, and for Sundays in particular. I sincerely hope that nobody was hurt by what I had to say! It is a real problem here and everywhere and I felt the need to pass it along. I also hope you all will do the same in your respective wards! It is a great way to help the work of salvation! Thanks!"

Elder Reed received letters and a package sent by his Mom :) and was really excited about that. [Related to his package, he said, "What joy my companionship has to see that white envelope of goodness..." - I laughed out loud!]

This week we will be able to talk to Elder Reed, and we are all every excited! Until the next update, take care and remember that you are loved by our Savior!

April 27, 2015 update

This week, Elder Reed shared some awesome photos - here you go! I loved his explanations for each photo, so I just copied them here. :)

"The last day that (in order) E. Arroyo, me, E. Vásconez, and E. Maxwell were together in Estaca Vitarte"

"Elder Horo, M., and I under the sign for the chapel"

"Us 3 and her family (HOW COOL WAS THAT TO HAVE THE FAMILY THERE???!!!)"

Elder Reed also shared part of his weekly letter to his Mission President, President Boswell. I thought I would just paste it here, as it is so powerful!

"Oh, Presidente Boswell,
I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that Elder Horo is my companion. He and I combined are relatively new in the Barrio Tilda ( with 2 months cumulative work) but I am UBER excited to tell you that we started the cambio off with a baptism and a confirmation. Both of us think that it is a really good way to start the transfer and I couldn't agree more!

We have been thinking of ways that we could work better with members and we finally came up with talking with the Bishop! Imagine that...l how simple could it be? The good thing is that he is a returned missionary himself. The better thing is that we as the missionaries of his ward have an incredible relationship! We do whatever he asks and he loves to listen to our opinions and ideas to better la Obra Misional en su barrio y en su consejo de barrio. :)

The fact that we even had a baptism this week is a miracle in itself. 1) we don't have a working phone, 2) we forgot to get the keys from a member of the ward for the baptismal interview, 3) we forgot to check to see if we had clothes for her to be baptized, and 4) we had never met her family before and they came to support her at her baptism!

During all this time I was saying in my head that "I will have faith in You [Heavenly Father]! I will just keep going and know that You have this all figured out even if I don´t! Please give me the tranquilidad to continue moving onward!" 

Everything fell into place like clockwork! I have never seen so many answers to one prayer all in a row like that in my mission or in my life! I know that prayers are answered! There isn't a doubt in my mind!

With love,
Elder Reed"

Elder Reed also said that he loves his new companion, E. Horo, and they both served before in close to the same area. Their areas shared the Los Sauces building. So, they came from a rich area to a not-so-rich area and the "LOVE IT! More than Inka Kola!" :) 

That is the update for this week. Remember to count your blessings, for there are always many of them, Heavenly Father is always there helping us!