Being cold and having colds

Hello everyone! This was an action-packed week. We started off with exchanges on Monday until Tuesday night. I stayed in Rock Hill with... Sister Hofer, from my MTC district! It was really fun. She is great. She served in Burlington, too, so we could catch up about the people thee. It was a great time. We even got to bike a little. The weather that day was beautiful too, even if it did go back to being icy cold the rest of the week. 

Wednesday was interviews, which is always good. On Thursday, Sister Heywood came down with a miserable, raging cold that we didn't want to spread, so we mostly stayed inside. But on Friday we had to go back out because we had our special zone training on Friday. It was really good. Basically we are really putting the emphasis on listening to and observing our investigators. The church is also testing out a new way of finding online referrals. We're hoping to see the uptick in investigators pretty soon, which is exciting. 

Speaking of investigators, we had another miracle on Sunday when a member from Pineville walked in with her friend, who lives in Rock Hill and is looking for a church. Well, we know the one for her! We were able to meet with her that Sunday. We can already tell the gospel will bless her life so much and we are excited to keep working with her. 

Sunday was also a stake conference that included a regional broadcast that came from Salt Lake City. Elder David A. Bednar was one of the speakers and boy was he great. He talked about repentance and how a part of it includes having real intent. Of course Jesus Christ has paid for our sins, but we really have to make the effort to turn away and try to never look back. Repentance is less of what you DO and more of what you BECOME. 

Hope y'all are having a great week! Do everything you can to keep the Spirit with you! 

Love, 

Sister Reay

"Cold" to Serve

What an amazing bike week it has been folks! And VERY cold. It's unusual for South Carolina but we've had the highs in the 30s and lows in the teens or below. I know it's not Idaho but it's still something, especially when you're riding bikes in a skirt. Thank goodness for warm leggings and cozy hats. It even SNOWED on Wednesday, though it was just little flurries too small for the camera. Wow though. Pretty neat experience for an Arizonian and Californian. 

We've had a pretty exciting week! The mission leaders went to a special training on Thursday about this new program our mission is testing out. As part of that the sister training leaders from another zone came and "observed" us for a night. Now I know how the missionaries on "The District" feel. We're going to be trained on the same thing this Friday. We are so hyped. 

The elders had a baptism scheduled for Saturday, but when we got there the heat was completely out of Church, including the water heater, so it was rescheduled for Saturday. It ended up working out great because more peolple were able to come. It was an amazing baptism service. Baptisms always are, but this one felt very special. The Spirit was so strong. I was glad I was able to be there. 

I assume most of you heard of the passing of President Thomas S. Monson, the prophet. It was pretty sad since he was "my" prophet for a long time growing up. But it just makes me remember how blessed we are to have the restored Church of Jesus Christ on the earth. There is no confusion, no uncertainty, no spiritual darkness. We just move calmly forward with faith that God will guide His church. 

Hope y'all are doing well with your New Year's resolutions. If not, there's always tomorrow! Stay warm out there!

Love,

Sister Reay 

Super neat frozen fountain

We are just too cute

Bowling with the district

New year, same great work

Happy New Year everyone! This is the first time in a long while that I have slept through New Year's Eve haha. But a curfew is a curfew even if it is a holiday. 

I know I didn't write much last week, but some great things happened that week! We had zone conference the Friday before Christmas and it was so much fun. Imagine a bunch of missionaries standing around a piano, banging elementary school percussion instruments together, and belting out "I'm Getting Nuttin' for Christmas" and you have a pretty good idea of how it went. Also we played NCCM Jeopardy, with gospel and NC trivia questions and the final jeopardy challenge: lassoing President Alexander. Luckily our zone leader came in clutch for that. We spent Christmas Eve with the bishop and Christmas at a member's house. Thanks for all the Christmas wishes!

We also had a Christmas Eve miracle! After church when only the elders and bishopric were there a woman drove up to the church and started talking with them. Turns out she really wanted God more in her life and was looking for a church! Since she was a single woman the elders referred her to us and we were there within the hour. We are working with her now and it is great! Miracles everyone. 

Well this week is New Year's so I might as well say a few words about making resolutions. In the mission we actually do it everyweek, except we call it "Set goals and make plans." And it gets sort of repetetive for us, but when I think about it, I really hope that it's something I can take home with me. Setting a goal, or making a resolution, is all good and well, but without a plan to put it into action it's pretty much meaningless. Anyway, I've made a couple of resolutions to work  on and I hope y'all do to! Now go out and make it a great year! 

Love,

Sister Reay