Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Hey Everyone!!

Merry Christmas to you all and have a Happy New Year this upcoming week. Christmas week here in the WA-TAC was super duper sick! IT was horrible when it came to finding people and working but when it came to hanging and talking with other missionaries it has been the best week ever. It is frustrating that people don't want to learn right now but at the start of the new year tons of people are willing to learn and talk to us so it will be getting really busy really soon. The mission Christmas party was the craziest thing ever and so much fun. I really enjoyed spending time with the whole mission. Christmas day was super fun. I was on the phone with the fam for like 3 hours and you have all seen pictures I'm sure. The best part of Christmas was spending time with Gary Hind who went through a ton of effort to make us a Turkey dinner and helped us out on Christmas day. He is such a sweetheart and really helped me to remember the true meaning of Christmas. He isn't worried about gifts or parties or anything. Just becoming more like Jesus Christ and that is something that we can all work on in our lives. As we continue to go into the new year the best thing that we can be doing is setting goals to improve ourselves and become more Christlike. As we find things that we can do better and make them happen, we will be blessed more than we can imagine. I love this gospel.

On Sunday we saw our first snow of the year in Poulsbo but it didn't even last all day. It is back to the rainy season again. YAY (: Snow was the coolest thing ever. I am doing good and I love this place so much. I can't say it enough. I hope you all have felt the true meaning of Christmas this year and can carry it through the rest of the year. It is such a special time of year and I love it so much. I hope and pray for you all every day.

Much love,
Elder Trevor Reynolds

Christmas Time

Hey everyone!!

I hope you all have a Merry Christmas this week! I know that I will that's for sure. This last week we have had some really cool experiences that bring so much joy. The new A Savior is Born video is amazing and brings us all closer to the gospel than we could ever imagine. We have it on a flash drive in our DVD player and we get the chance to share it everywhere we go. We were knocking one day and showed it to a guy and he totally felt the spirit and teared up, (They sometimes have correlation but not always) and he actually liked the idea of the video and wanted to share it with others. I guess he helps with adoption from children from South Africa and things and so it really touched him to see children from all around the world feeling the spirit of Christmas. We show it to families and they all smile and say I wish it was longer. It hasn't led to a baptism yet, but I know that seeds are being planted and that there are others ready to be harvested all over the place here.

We are teaching a pastor name is Buck and he is super duper awesome. He is searching for the truth. He told us that one of us is right and he is actually humble enough to find out. He wants to read from the Book of Mormon and talk to us more, but everyone, including him, wants to wait until after Christmas so we are actively trying to find more. Hopefully we will be able to help him prepare for baptism in the coming weeks and it will be the most awesome thing ever. Thursday was his daughter's birthday but we didn't get a chance to go over there so on Saturday we took her a birthday gift and he loved it and he was very appreciative of us doing that for her. He is realizing that we really are his friends and care about him more than just on a church standpoint and he loved it so much.

I am so grateful for the special opportunities like this one that I have on my mission. They make all the hard days worth it. I am so excited for Christmas and I hope you all have the most very Merry Christmas ever. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer and that He brings so many blessings to my life. Celebrate Him this Christmas time.

Love,
Elder Trevor Reynolds

Preacher Teaching

Hey everyone!!

This week was a great one here in the Poulsbo Mission. haha We have done a lot and transfers were this week so Elder Quinton and I have other missionaries serving around us now and it is a lot of fun to have new people around and things. It's great. We had the opportunity to teach a preacher and be able to help him learn and he has asked us to come by again and continue teaching him so that will be super awesome if he accepts those things. It really doesn't feel like Christmas here without the snow but it is definitely December now so I'm really excited. I love this gospel and things are awesome.

We have had the opportunity to start teaching and finding more people that will be taught this upcoming week. It is awesome to see how when we changed just a few small simple things how much better things have gone this last week and we are striving to see similar results this upcoming week as we work harder and are more diligent in all that we do. I hope you are all safe and warm with the snow. I am doing great here. Our apartment is safe and we haven't had any struggles with flooding and we haven't heard much about it but we know that a few other people are in need of some help so this upcoming week we may be helping out a little bit more than we have this last week. Things are so awesome here to be able to help people and see the results of service.

I hope you all have a great week and that things are going great. I know that Jesus Christ is such an awesome influence in each of our lives. He allows each of us the opportunity to become better and become like him in the end. I love you all. Have a great week.

Love,
Elder Reynolds

WA-TAC or WA-POUL

Hey Everyone!!

So transfers are on Tuesday and I'm staying and Elder Quinton my companion is staying as well. Hopefully he likes me? I like him a lot and we seem to get along pretty well. This last week it has rained SO much. It rained for 24 hours straight for the first time in my mission. It sucked. We walked around all day Saturday with umbrellas over our head and our feet soaked and yeah..It was fun though. Gotta love Washington! (:

We haven't been able to find very many people to teach, but then we realized through some pondering and talking that we need to do the little things. We need to be exactly on time to our 5-7's and we need to be doing all that we possibly can to find people. This week I am especially working on my thoughts and being focused on the investigators all the time. It is my first week out of the training program. I'm almost not a greenie after another couple months. Oh how the time flies out here. It's great though.

I have learned to be patient and just kind of roll with the flow of things. On Friday we had our ward Christmas party. It was a PARTY!! SO many decorations and so much food and it was just super duper good. Elder Quinton and I were asked to play shepherds in the Nativity scenes and we had like 4 lines of talking each and it was pretty chill. It was fun.

Then after we got to mingle with the ward and we had so many people who are supportive of us. We haven't seen the baptisms or tons of huge blessings come but the little things are what matters in this life. I am realizing that more and more each week.

The little blessings that we receive are the greatest thing ever. It is crazy how much they matter. I invite all of you to take a minute and evaluate how you are doing with the little things. Scripture study, prayer, keeping the sabbath day holy, whatever it may be. I promise you that as you do the little things you will see the little blessings more clearly in your life. I know I am seeing them every single day.

I love you all and miss you so much. I hope things back at home are just amazing.

Love,

Elder Reynolds

Thanksgiving Week

Hey Everyone!!

This week was so crazy long but short and slow but fast. The saying that weeks feel like days and days feel like weeks is so true.

This week we got fired from doing service. Literally fired from doing service. It was quite sad. The food bank where we render service each week is sponsored by Bayside Community Church in Kingston. We have been volunteering there for about 2 months before hearing anything about any of this. We were there doing service and it was so crazy busy with donations and food going in and out and flying everywhere. We were working non-stop when the pastor came and he told us that he would feel more comfortable if we didn't do service there because it was a part of their ministry. We don't go there to proselyte or anything. Purely just to do service and because of the light in our eyes he kicked us out and asked us to leave on the spot. It helped me to gain a strong testimony of the light of Christ that each of us carries with us. I know that everywhere I go as long as I live worthy I can and will carry that light with me and it is for all of the world to see. When people see the light that we have within us, it is inspiring to them, they want the same for themselves and that is when we see change happen.

I hope that we can all strive to live more worthily to have the Light shine from within us for the whole world to see. The quote that is on the front of my planner right now says, "Don't shine so that others can see you. Shine, so that through you, others can see HIM. - C.S. Lewis. This quote was sent to me by Momma Reynolds and I put it on my planner to remind me all the time what my purpose is. To allow others to see Jesus Christ through me and we each have this challenge for ourselves. To let others see and feel of the love that Jesus Christ has for them.

The rest of the week was wonderful. We had Thanksgiving and played lots of football, 8 until 11 in the morning with no water. Dumbest idea ever but it was so much fun. Then we had dinner and just spent time with the awesome members here in this ward who are so good to us as missionaries.

On Friday we had exchanges and Elder Stevens our District Leader came here to the Poulsbo 2nd ward and we were companions for the day. We were knocking and had a guy try to tell us that we couldn't be there on his "private road" that he owned all of it. It was depressing. He told us that we don't believe in the same Jesus Christ as him so I asked him if there are two Christ's and basically he didn't have much to say. There are a lot of struggles with people here. They have different beliefs and aren't humble enough to listen or even give it a shot. It is heartbreaking. We had an investigator who is really solid and was on date for December 6th. Nicole is her name. She didn't end up coming to church so she fell off and that made us really sad and it is frustrating when investigators don't keep commitments or anything. I hate it.

This is the last week of the transfer. I have been out for almost 3 months.I love you all and love hearing from you. Emails and letters are so great. I love this gospel and the happiness it brings me so much. I hope you all had the best Thanksgiving ever and will have a great week!!

Until next time,

Elder Trevor Scott Reynolds

Our lessons come from knocking on doors

Hey everyone!!



This week has been kind of a slow one. But I've learned a lot. We are both really young missionaries trying to figure out how to do things here so that we can be most effective in our activities and things that we do during the day. Our lessons come from knocking on doors. We had a really cool experience that testifies how strong the spirit is.

We were knocking on Saturday evening. We were knocking in this pretty spread out housing area and we got there late because we walked and it was just a crazy day. We knocked on this door and introduced ourselves as missionaries from the church and this guy started talking to us. At first he was kind of like eh...I was like wait a second so what are some of your beliefs. Just a conversation starter for us to start talking to him and getting to know him a little better. He told us he was agnostic if I remember right. He told us he just didn't know if he could know that something was actually true without seeing it. We didn't go into the scriptures to explain faith, we just shared our testimonies that if we read and pray to our heavenly father to know if these things are true then he would testify to us through our thoughts and in our hearts. He felt the spirit and told us to come back anytime and talk to him more about it and that he would come to church and things. So he didn't come to church but we are going back this week and will help him progress towards baptism and confirmation. I love how the spirit changes people. When they feel the spirit they open up and are a lot more willing to talk to us and understand and do the things that our Heavenly Father has asked for each of us to do.

The spirit is so strong and can help us each to become better and better each day. I love you all and hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and remember to give thanks for everything. It is this gospel that is amazing. I love it so much and I am so grateful for it.

Love,
Elder Reynolds

The Blessing of Silence

Hey Everyone!!

I hope everything back at home in the snow is going good. Or wherever you are, if there is snow or not, I hope it is going good for everyone. Here in Washington it is rainy and wet and dark every day starting at about 4:30 and until early in the morning too! It sucks but isn't too bad at the same time, because as long as we stay dry, which we do, things are so great. This last week has been good. We had a zone meeting on Wednesday that talked solely on Member Missionary work and the things that we as missionaries can do to help members get more excited and for them to do missionary work so that we can focus on Harvesting and helping people to be baptized and confirmed. Qtip my new comp and I have been doing our best to inspire members and we are going to be working extra hard to find people to be baptized in the next month and a half.

One thing that has really stood out to me is the blessing of silence. Elder Quinton and I watched a video about being patient and allowing people the opportunity to let the spirit teach them,. I thought for the last 2 months that I needed to teach people and testify so strongly so that they would be convinced by the spirit. Then I realized, "Where do each of our inspired thoughts come from?" They come from the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost allows people to do that same thing. They have the opportunity to feel and learn from the spirit and I don't even have to say a word. People know that this is true. They know it, they just sometimes don't want to accept it, and that is okay, but my job is just to allow the spirit to be there.

We have an investigator named Nicole. She grew up baptist but is looking for a church. We have met with her twice and are meeting with her again on Wednesday at 3. She is also meeting with the JW's and says she gets this good feeling from both of us. I was talking to our district leader about it last week before we taught her and he said, tell her we celebrate Christmas and she'll be baptized next week! He said it as a joke, but then when we taught her the plan of salvation lesson, she asked us if she can celebrate Christmas and we were like YES!!!! She is on date to be baptized on December 6th! She drinks coffee but she is really interested and so awesome to talk to and to teach. She is the first person that I have taught where I feel like I am teaching her and not a lesson because she wants to know if this is true. My friends and family. If we want to know if something is true all we have to do is ask. If we seek wisdom, ask of God because he will give it to each and every one of us as he has given the answer to me to know that this is the only true Church of Jesus Christ here in the latter days. I love this gospel and the church is true.

Everyone have a great week and starve yourself so Thanksgiving can be full of fatty foods and football! Love you all so much!!

Elder Trev Reynolds

Winter Season

Hey Everyone!!

Things here in Washington are alright. These last two weeks have been awesome but always pretty rough at the same time. The week of Halloween was great and we carved pumpkins at the Bishops house and if you have seen the picture I tried to carve a Book of Mormon pumpkin...but It ended up Book of Momon and I got made fun of. Then Elder Piel left. On Halloween we were at the stake center and we played games as a zone and watched 17 miracles. The spirit was so strong when it comes to the pioneers and the things that they went through so that we can all have what we do have and be happy. It was an awesome day. Then this last week. My first full week with Elder Quinton...it was a pretty rough one. Our numbers have been super duper slim and it wasn't that great because we aren't teaching anyone right now. We have a few people that are potentially investigators and are actually somewhat solid but we are definitely still working on making things better and working harder. We have set goals this week to invite people to be baptized and do better.

We have had some funny experiences too! I have had some struggles. But one thing that I realized big time this last week: If I am happy and go lucky then the people that I am talking to see that. They realize how happy I am and then they have the desire to have that happiness for themselves. It works for everyone too. I recognize that the personality that you carry really does have an effect on people. (I hope I used the right form of effect/affect idk!? Oh well) So anyway. If I am happy then people want to have that happiness too and that is why people are curious about the church and have desires to learn and grow in the church more.

Elder Quinton is a lot more quiet than Elder Piel and taking over the area has definitely been an adjustment but not too bad. This first week together was really rough and definitely a rebuild week but we are looking for great things to come.

The rainy season is here. It sucks but I love it at the same time. Most of the time the rain isn't too heavy so we can walk around in a light jacket and not get too wet but I have had my jacket soak through once after walking around in the rain for a few hours. SO that is fun. I'm getting used to being wet all the time and it isn't that bad anymore. I have heard about some snow in the Utah area and the mountains here are beautifully snow capped and it is absolutely gorgeous. I wish I could capture a picture of it but it wouldn't even do a justice. Things are settling in and becoming more real but I don't feel like a missionary yet. I'm just out here doing what I know my heavenly father wants me to do and I know as we do so we will be blessed.

I love hearing from each of you and feel your prayers. We are way behind on our baptismal goals as a mission but I know we can reach them with faith. So pray for us here. We can do hard things and make accomplishments. Nothing is insurmountable when the Lord is on your side. Love you all!!

Love,
Elder Reynolds

Halloween and Baptisms

Hey everyone!!


Things here in Washington are so amazing. This last week was awesome. Ave MacDonald was baptized and it was so spiritual and amazing. My fist Baptism. Then Halloween. Our Zone all got together from 3-8 and watched 17 miracles and played games and just enjoyed it. Other than that everything is good. I love the mission and the mission life. Oh my new companion is Elder Quinton if you haven't heard. I'm still in the same apartment and everything is the same. Just a new companion and teaching and a few things are a little bit different. I really love it here. I'm out of time for this week. But things are so good and everything here is awesome. I get along with my new comp well and I am even driving already. Hopefully that lasts?!? maybe (: Other than that things are going great. Thanks for all your support.

Love you guys!!!!

Elder Reynolds

Last Week of the Transfer

Hey everyone!!

I don't have a lot of time this week but things are going really good. Tomorrow the 27th is transfer day. I'm staying here in the same area for at least another 6 weeks but I will have a new companion. His name is Elder Quinton. He has only been out for 3 months so thing are kinda crazy. We are both young and we will continue working hard. I will see my first baptism this week. This last week on Monday after the last email that I sent we were knocking downtown...this little boy was with his grandpa and he pulled his pants down and peed on a bush right in the middle of downtown. hahahaha it was so funny. that same day we had a really cool experience with a man named Mathew. We walked passed and he asked what book we were carrying so it was way too easy to be able to talk to him. We taught him the restoration and haven't seen or heard from his since but he is moving to California so hopefully missionaries will find him there! This week has been crazy. Saturday President Blatter called and told Elder Piel he is going to Lacey and going to be Zone Leader and I am going to be here still and I am driving the car and taking over the area...holy cow!! I can't believe it. I don't have much time but things are going good and I will share more next week. Keep praying and helping others to come to Christ. Members are the means for others to come unto the gospel so everyone don't be afraid to open your mouth and share the message of salvation through our savior Jesus Christ. I'll update you more next week!!

Love you all!!

Elder Trevor Reynolds

Poulsbo is Home

Hey Everyone!!

Things here are going just great. My mom let me know that the Box Elder girls soccer team is in the state semifinal!?!? Everyone better be there at Juan Diego supporting them and cheering and sending them to Rio Tinto on Friday!!! That is the sickest thing ever! Good luck to all the girls playing and who are on the team for all the hard work they have put forth I'm super excited to hear next week that they are State Champs!!!!! I wish there was a more frequent mode of contact but hey once a week will do.

This last week I went on my first exchange ever in the mission. I went to the other ward in the same city the Poulsbo 1st ward. I was with Elder Stuart for a day. Elder Stuart has been out since June so he graduated this year too and he is awesome. He is in his third transfer. He is a lot less straightforward with people and so Tuesday was a great confidence builder for me because I had to talk. Elder Piel talks and I don't always have to say or explain as much but with Elder Stuart I definitely needed to do that more. I invited 3 people to be baptized and found 3 new investigators for their ward. It was so awesome and such a confidence builder in talking to people and realizing that I do know what I am talking about. I really enjoy talking to people and helping them understand the gospel.

Then we had a mission tour with Elder Gay from the 70 on Friday. He focused on working with members and finding a vision for your area. I have been praying for that vision this weekend and as long as I am here for longer I definitely will be looking to effectively work with members to accomplish the vision of seeing people baptized here in the Poulsbo 2nd ward. I learned how to overcome challenges better. PRAYER. I think prayer is kind of the cliche answer to everything and anything but this isn't cliche. The power of prayer with faith is so real. We haven't quite caught that vision yet, but I know when it comes it will be clear and will be what is needed here in our area. I love the people here and especially now that I know the members. I love them. They are so willing to help if we remind them and ask them. I am always scared to ask members to do things because it is a burden to them but I have realized that they are willing to do things, Just like investigators who are ready are willing to keep commitments if we just invite. I really love the saying that "nobody can accept the invitation to be baptized unless they are invited." I have realized that people won't do things unless they are asked, but if they are asked to do something, they will be willing to do them.

As a member of the church back at home support the missionaries in every way that you can. We are teaching only a few people so we are working to teach more people and find more to teach so that we can more effectively work with the members. So much happens in a week that it is hard to share so much. I hope you all know that I love you and pray for you every day. I know that this is real. I haven't seen anyone change their life fully yet but I do know that it can and will happen as long as I do the things that I am supposed to and I am exactly obedient.

I also encourage you all to ask yourself the question, "Am I a burden or a blessing?" WE were giving a lesson to a family who has a 9 year old daughter who will be baptized on November 1st. The Pacquettes. They are awesome. Elder Piel shared Genesis 12:3 with them and I realized that it brought up the burden or a blessing principle very well. I ask myself when meeting or interacting with anyone if I am a burden or a blessing in their life and I am striving to be a blessing in everyone's life. I encourage you all to do the same. Just ask if you are a burden or a blessing and you will see improvements like crazy.

I love you all!!!
Love,
Elder Trev Reynolds

Pictures of me feeding some Donkeys and a funny sign that we found about everyone bringing happiness that is kind of funny. (:

and here is a link to some more of the pictures Elder Rey Rey uploaded this week

another great one here in the WA-TAC

Hey everyone!!

This week has been another great one here in the WA-TAC!! This week was my companionship's bike week so we walked a lot!! Bike week just means that we don't have a car. This week me and my comp didn't ride our bikes once! It sucked but I'd rather not ride the bike in this area because the hills are SOO bad. We did a lot of walking and I got really tired but the walking is getting easier every day because we do more and more of it each week. I really like going to work and if we aren't out doing something I feel really guilty so it's good because we always find ways to be busy and working hard.

I bought a golf club so when we are bored at the apartment during decomp at night time we play mini golf and things at the apartment and the feeling is always relaxed and super duper fun. We got haircuts a week ago. My hair was getting so long and now it is so short. My first haircut of the mission was great!! The Bishop's wife who is not professional cut it and she did a good job. My hair hasn't been this short since my freshman year so it's kinda weird but not bad and I'm adjusting well!

This week I had my hardest working day yet. We got up and we had on schedule 4 member lessons with investigators that all fell through in the morning, so we looked at each other and said, "alright lets go to work then, we gotta find more people to be teaching." We left the house at about 12:30ish after lunch and walked to downtown Poulsbo and went to work. We ended up knocking on doors for like 4 1/2 hours that day. I got home and was so exhausted but we actually found 2 new investigators on that day and it was the most successful day yet!! It was fantastic. Exhaustion always pays off and I realize if I'm not exhausted by the end of the day than I didn't do something right.

I also had my first time in the mission having the F word said to me. We knocked on this door and this guy was really nice and we were having a good conversation with him. He told us that Jesus Christ was reincarnated and all my companion said was No. It took about a half a second and this flipped a switch in the guy and he was scary and devilish!! He looked at us and said get the F off my property right now and don't come back. So we turned to start walking away like, What just happened?? We got about 10 feet down the sidewalk to the dirt road and he opened the door and yelled that no missionaries had argued with him before and that he was going to call the church and things. He used the F word a couple more times and yelled at us to leave and we turned around and left. It was unfortunate because what we were talking about wasn't arguing or anything. It makes me sad to see people not want the things of the gospel but I know that if and when they are prepared we or other missionaries will find them and they will be baptized.

The mission is soo much fun. We also had the Pineapple express come into town. That is a storm that came from a typhoon that hit Hawaii. It was rainy and warm so it was cool. There was some crazy flooding in the area but none of it affected too many homes or anything that we know of. It was taken care of by like 6ish that night and it ended up a really pretty day. It was soo much like Utah weather. I love this gospel and the mission life is now my life and I am doing everything that I can to help others come unto Christ through baptism and confirmation and that is my sole purpose and the lives of people being changed is inspiring to me and I hope that I can continue helping others to do that always.

My comp sings in the shower every day now and it is so much fun to sing country songs. Momma you told me I better enjoy the music while I can...well we still sing those songs. I hear them all the time from other missionaries and especially from Elder Piel. He does well singing and I actually enjoy it.

Things here in the mission are great. Thanks for all your support at home. You are all the best. Love you!!

Love,

Elder Rey Rey

Elder Rey Rey is my new nickname by my comp and District Leader so I'm gonna roll with that for a couple weeks. hahaha love you all!! Have a great week. <3

The work is going forth (a little bit slower, but forth nonetheless)

Hey everyone!!

This week has been a good one even though it's probably been the hardest for me yet here in the mission. Not because of homesickness or anything just because the work has been a little bit slower even though we have still been working just as hard. It's been a really long week too especially because of General Conference. I got so much out of Conference. One of the favorite things that I got out of it is the things that mothers do for us. My momma is the absolute best. She has raised me so well even though sometimes she probably thinks different.

This week was good though. We had a chance to meet a new investigator and his son. His name is D and his son is E. Monday night we taught them and we weren't expecting much. We met them through a member who is having them live at his house. This member had us come over and meet with them as a part of them living at his house. We thought it would suck but we ended up putting D and his son on date for the 24th. They were supposed to come to conference but when we called the member E answered and things got really weird and they didn't come. Hopefully we will be able to keep working with them though. D just got out of prison a couple weeks ago and is looking to be baptized and change his life for the better so that should be really good for us. It was a miracle that he actually allowed us to meet with him and that he is interested and fairly solid.

T is also on date for the 24th and is doing really well she is reading and has desires to change even before we tell her so hopefully as we teach the commandments she will continue to accept and live them. Her dad is a member so that could be a really good influence. Our mission is focused on getting lessons with members in the home with us. We call them Member lessons. We are really focused on getting members with T so that she will feel the love and support that the church can and does bring to people every single day.

We are also teaching a few others but I don't have a lot of time to write so I'll just keep it at that. Keep praying that we can find those 400 more people in a few months! I have faith that we can make it there. I love this work. I have found regeneration through conference to come to work harder and invite people to be baptized and come into this gospel that has blessed so many peoples lives every single day.

I just need to center myself in Jesus Christ and allow God to mold us into whatever he has a desire for us to become and whatever he wants me to become I will allow him to help me get there and do all that I personally can to get there.

A lot of people here seem to think that all we have to do is say that we accept who Jesus Christ is and that we will be saved and we don't have to do anything while we are here. Friends and family, we do have to do EVERYTHING that we can in our power to find our way back to live with our Heavenly Father. I love you all so much. Things here in Washington are amazing and the work is going forth. Keep praying and hoping for missionary opportunities yourself and you will find them. I promise. You all are the best.

Love,

Elder Trevor Reynolds

Elder T uploaded some pictures to DropBox.  I think it pops up with a box telling you to start a DropBox account, but you can close it and move on to the pictures without starting an account.

What a Week

Hi everyone,

What a week! Just kidding that's just how every missionary starts their email. This week has been a good one. We have worked with a couple investigators and have baptisms set for the 10th of October so that will be super duper great!! Things are going good here in Washington.

We had a really cool experience with our Investigator MA. She had us meet her at Dairy Queen for the lesson which was awesome because FREE FOOD, but yeah. So then my comp asked her if she had anything going on and she didn't so we walked to the church like 1/4 mile away and gave her a church tour. "Tours lead to Tisms." A huge saying here. But we gave her a tour and then taught the Plan of Salvation in front of the baptismal font and committed her to being baptized on the 10th! It was such a blessing to have that in front of the font with the spirit there.

This week was our week without the car so I did a lot of walking and carrying heavy books of Mormon in my bag. My back and legs are sore every day. Oh well. (: It is awesome to walk. We rode our bikes two or three times this week but our area has a lot of hills so riding bikes sucks way bad. We make it like a quarter up the hill and just quit and walk. Yes, I'm still very lazy. We knock a lot. One day we had 6 hours of finding time which is where we are out talking to everyone and knocking on doors and things. It's sucky but also really good.

I've almost been gone from home for a month!! The mission is good so far and just keeps getting better. I'm short on time or I would share more. I love you all. I'd love to hear from each of you individually. Let me know how things are going. Letters are great and prayers for our 800!! WE need and want that goal and you can help.

This work is so special and so great. Let me know what I can do to help each of you in any way that is legal and within the mission rules.

Oh, and in our mission we can wear crazy socks anytime so if you see a super sick pair of socks. Send them on up. (: I love cool socks and actually bought a few last week.

Love you all, you really da best!!

Elder Trevor Scott Reynolds

First Week in Washington

Dear Everyone,

This week has been a crazy one. It's crazy to think that just a week ago I was sitting in Provo Utah in the MTC in a classroom full of computers and now I'm sitting in a church house in Poulsbo Washington in the family history center typing this email today. I love Washington. I'm in an area about an hour and a half north of Tacoma I think? Idk I'm still trying to figure out how Poulsbo is first before I extend my realm of understanding. It is a "mini Seattle" as my companion called it the other day. It is rich and lots of people aren't very humble but they are nice to talk to even though they aren't very interested. We had a lady argue with us for half an hour about how we are wrong to worship on Sundays because it isn't the Sabbath. The county I'm in, Kitsap County, is said to be one of, if not the most, atheist counties in the entire country. It is crazy to see how many people have different beliefs! I love it so far though.

We have a car every other week. The other half of the time we are on bikes or walking. We had the car the first week so we'll see how this next week goes. Having a car was really nice because in my area there are a lot of steep hills that on a bike honestly will suck. I'm excited for those days though where I'm dead tired and can just keep pushing and be tested because I feel like it's too easy right now. Our area is huge. Yesterday my companion, who is Elder Piel from South Jordan Utah (which is crazy because he's my second straight companion from South Jordan and they don't know each other) and I went up to a small city called Port Gamble which was super pretty and I experienced my first "Washington rain" and we were totally soaked. It was fun though and soooo pretty. All of Washington has really pretty areas but Port Gamble and the rain is definitely what I pictured Washington to be like.

Here's a little more about Elder R's companion from another email: 

My companion is Elder Piel. He went to Herriman high school and lives at home out by the Oquirrh Mountain Temple. I know that isn't exactly how it's spelled but oh well. He is really nice and he pushes me to be better every day. I'm glad he is so smart so when we knock on the door of some crazy people's houses, he knows what to say and how to say it so that I don't look stupid. I love it. 

The first few days here were crazy. Tuesday morning we had to be at the travel office at 3:30 in the morning. We didn't go to bed on time either cause we were packing and cleaning so honestly...it was a long day Tuesday. We got to Seattle at 10ish and we kinda went sight seeing. We then went to transfer meeting where the entire mission was there. A LOT of missionaries where we did some really crazy things. If i wasn't a member of the church and I walked in...I definitely would think that this is all a cult. hahahahaha it was cool though and the mission has the best culture that fits my personality perfectly. We say the recitation or D&C 4, The Standard of Truth, 3 Nephi 3:15, The missionary purpose, followed by we are the WA-TAC and we baptize. When the entire mission comes together we sing Amazing Grace and we did at transfer meeting and wow...this gospel is so true and having so many people with your same purpose. It is special and I love it so much. (you can see what Elder R is talking about in this YouTube video of the same thing back in November 2014)

We then headed up to Poulsbo even though I didn't even know which area I was going to...but the drive was good. It was cool to drive down the freeway. Many of the new Elders have zone leaders and are in foursomes but it's just me and my companion. I'm in the Poulsbo 2nd Ward in the Silverdale zone of my mission. We have a pretty big area with lots of doors.  We got doubled in. It sucks kinda but leaves open a lot of awesome opportunity because we have no expectations. For those who don't know what being doubled in means...it means that my comp has never been in the area that I'm in now and neither have I so we know absolutely NO ONE. We also had stake Conf this Sunday so we didn't even get the chance to meet anyone from the ward. Which kinda sucks but things are going so great. (:

My companion and I get along well and we really enjoy laughing and things together. The first couple days I wasn't myself but now I am and it is great. I love teaching and talking to people about the gospel. Our mission definitely focuses on Baptism. Please pray for us as a mission to be able to find and have 800 people baptized by the end of 2015!! It is such a special opportunity for people to enter the waters of baptism and feel of their saviors love. We pray about that in EVERY single prayer we offer and it would be awesome if you will do the same because as we invite people to be baptized they will feel of the spirit and be willing to enter the covenants with their father in heaven. I have a testimony he will bless all of us including you as we do this.

Me and my comp have two people on date for baptism in the next three weeks. (: Hopefully they can keep commitments and prepare themselves for that very special day. I love you all, I pray for you every day. I love this gospel. I love the Wa-Tac!! Where we Baptize!

With much love,
Elder T Reynolds

My Address is:

20371 1st Ave NE
Apt. D12
Poulsbo, WA 98370

Hopefully I didn't miss too much even though I missed a lot. I'd love to hear from everyone. Love you all lots!!

Here's a pic with more at this DropBox link

Tacoma Narrows Bridge from Gig Harbor in Tacoma. Prettiest thing ever. I love it!!!













As Elder R mentions, he attended Stake Conference.  Follow this link here are some pictures on the mission blog of all the missionaries in the Stake getting together for an ice cream party.

The real adventure begins

We got a brief email from the Mission President and his wife letting us know Elder Reynolds along with 26 others had arrived safely in Tacoma:

Dear Parents,

Just a quick note to let you know that your missionary arrived safely in Tacoma today.

We took the new missionaries to see the Puget Sound (photo attached). From here they will have a great lunch. Then they will be interviewed, given a brief orientation, and meet their first companion, who will also be their trainer. After a wonderfully spiritual meeting where the departing missionaries will share their testimonies, they will be off to their new areas. It will be a full day for them.

We are thrilled to welcome them into our mission. Please feel free to contact either of us if you have questions or concerns. You are also invited to check out the mission blog at: http://www.calledtoservewa-tac.blogspot.com.

May the Lord bless you and your family,

President and Sister Blatter

Almost done in the MTC

Everyone!!!

The MTC has been such a great experience. This week was kind of a rollercoaster. Half of my district and really even half of the MTC probably is sick. One of our elders, Elder Nibley got really super sick and found out today that he has brochiitis and had to go get perscriptions for antibiotics. I got a little bit sick but just a small small cold and I'm doing absolutely fantastic now.

Our district and zone are all really close and know each other really well. Half of the zone left early this morning to go to the Denver, Colorado mission. The rest of us are still here until early tomorrow morning. I leave the MTC at 3:35 tomorrow morning. I don't fly out of the Salt Lake Airport until 8:30 tomorrow morning. I arrive in Washington at 9:32 Washington time so here in Utah it'll be like 10:30. I am so excited. 

The MTC this week was really good. Me and my companion have been teaching two investigators. One of them committed to baptism this week and it was so crazy to see the change in her life. Her name is Nicole. She has a testimony of the bible and really enjoys reading and finding things out for herself. She has started to read the Book of Mormon and gain a testimony of it. The last time we ever get to meet with her was Friday and she prayed for us and it was really cool to see the changes that she has made. The other investigator we never really got anywhere with but his name was Jordan. He had trouble beginning to pray but I think he definitely is learning better.


We have had troubles with Elders in our Residence (dorms) staying up really late and a couple i heard got sent home for using silly string and making a mess of buildings that are dedicated. It is so cool how the spirit works so strongly in all of these buildings. We heard a cool fact the other day, that the MTC is the only place on the planet besides a temple that you have to have a temple recommend to get into. So it is so special here.

I have made lots of friends here at the MTC and seen some from here at Box Elder too. There is 8 of us I think here at the MTC right now. (: The new friends are all awesome and we created a group email with our whole MTC zone to stay in touch so hopefully that actually works out for us. Who knows if it will but it was worth a shot!







I had the opportunity on Sunday to bless the sacrament for our ward because me and my companion were called as sacrament coordinators. I forgot if I already shared that. But it was a really cool experience.

I don't know how ready I really am to get out in the field but I have gained a testimony that if I put my trust in the lord and have all of my heart and being in this work then I will be blessed for it and the words will be put in my mouth even though I won't remember what I even said. I love you all and miss you dearly.
Things are great and just getting better. There are struggles and the saying is so true, the days are long but the weeks are short and quick. I love this gospel with all of my heart.

With love,

Elder T Reynolds


Elder Reynolds drops his pictures into a dropbox account. Here is a link to all the pictures he uploaded today. If it asks you to login or create an account, you can just close that window without setting up an account and go to the pictures: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/u3tbayiunva692z/AADVCnU1_yBLVK235cMQ4gqja?dl=0

Pictures from the MTC

Elder Reynolds uploaded some pictures from his camera late last week.  Here are a few of the highlights.  We tried to piece together the names from different pictures and Elder Reynolds' letters home.  Hopefully we have them right.

Elder Reynolds and his companion Elder Jordan Devenberg

"Elder Kitchens is our District Leader.  He's the funniest kid ever!"

There are a few pictures of these four.  We assume that they are roommates.  Elder Reynolds, Elder Devenberg, Elder Reyes, Elder Partis

MTC District: Elder Hampton, Elder Stapely, Elder Bird, Elder Kitchens, Elder Nibley, Elder Cooper, Elder Partis, Elder Reyes, Elder Reynolds, Elder Devenberg 

Study Time

a fun shot of the whole district: Elder Stapely, Elder Reynolds, Elder Hampton, Elder Devenberg, Elder Bird, Elder Cooper, Elder Nibley, Elder Partis, Elder Reyes

Elder Reynolds begrudgingly took items his mom kept telling him he would want...some of the growth we have already seen comes in moments like these: "Then my bed where I sleep.  Mom, thanks for sending me with that blanket (:" 

Elder Reynolds has run into 7 other Elders from Box Elder.  Here he takes a picture with Elder Dylan Thompson

The First Week

Hello everyone!!

The MTC is such a crazy experience but I love it. The first day was so weird and I was wondering why everyone was telling me and welcoming us as Elders to the MTC. I now understand their thinking. I am so excited for Wednesday to welcome all the new elders and sisters who are deer in the headlights and it will be the only week that I am here on Wednesday so our whole district decided we are going to welcome everyone with the dork dot to the MTC. hahaha

My companion is Elder Jordan Devenberg he is from South Jordan and we get along really well. He reminds me of Corvin Arveseth but he's a lot more shy than Corvin will ever be. He follows me around more than he leads so if I want to do something I totally can do whatever I want. He is way cool and nice to get along with though. Our district is all going to different missions. Two are going to Vancouver, Washington. Elder Reyes and Partis. Elder Partis is is Grandma Reynolds' ward in New Mexico so small world for sure!! Elder Hampton and Elder Kitchens (Our district leader) are going to Cleveland, Ohio. Elder Nibley and Elder Cooper are going to Fort Collins, Colorado I think?? (: Elder Bird and Elder Stapely are going to Tacoma, Washington as well. They are way different and shy than me and my companion but we all get along so well.

Everyone I talked to when i first got here didn't say anything but Welcome to the MTC but I plan to scare missionaries Wednesday cause it will just be way funny. The first four days were super jam packed with classes and just working like crazy. It didn't settle down until Saturday and Sunday and then we have P-day today that is so helpful to be able to relax. I definitely have lost my sanity but I have also become more sane and come to know the gospel more clearly and simply than ever before. Everyone around seems to love the MTC but is definitely ready to get out into the field and talk to real people instead of teaching mock lessons and fake investigators who try really hard but just don't seem to make it real enough. We are teaching Staci and Jordan and Staci is really into Christianity and has committed to baptism really easily. Jordan is the total opposite and doesn't even know if God is real. He didn't pray but he said he might this week so hopefully when we meet with him again he will share with us that he has prayed and kept his commitment. It is so cool to see people change.

Me and the district can't ever stop laughing and we have to split ourselves up for study time so that we can actually get something done. We all said we think that we knew each other premortally because we all got along from the first time we met each other which is way super duper cool! Preach My gospel and the other missionary resources are so cool and so important to everything that you do as a missionary and I am learning that. Anyone preparing to serve a mission study it. I wish I would have more before I came but I'm working on it every day.

Yesterday was fast Sunday so we didn't have breakfast or lunch available and for the first time in my life I had no problem fasting which was super cool. I bore my testimony on the ability of helping the people that we can even though we can't help everyone the one's that we do help will feel of our spirit and be converted themselves. I have learned to just get over myself and focus on others because as I do I will find myself as long as I am not looking for myself. The concept shared by Elder Bednar in an MTC devotional on Christmas a couple years ago. Such an amazing talk and changed my entire outlook on my mission. I am so excited for these next two years.

I have seen five other elders from Box Elder here, Jordan Merrill, Dylan Thomson, Jake Glover, Eric Butler, and Taylor Cannon. It was cool to see how much they have changed as they have been here. Dylan leaves today or tomorrow which is way cool for him! The rest of us still have a little longer I think. I don't know about Elder Merrill yet but it is cool to see them.

Send candy and cookies (: Just kidding! I would love to hear from all of you though and hopefully I'll be able to reply. I love and miss you. Feel free to email or mail me anything anytime. I have heard using Dear Elder is a lot better and talk to my parents and I'm sure they'd be willing to help you find me and get things to me. Thanks for all the support.

Love,

Elder Trevor Reynolds

First letter home via the mail 9/5/15

9/2/2015

My first day in the MTC is complete! It's been a day full of crazy emotions and lots of busy classes and just kind of weird stuff. We first got in and I had a missionary take me all the way around. He took me and I got my tag and missionary card that I won't use until I'm in my mission.

We then came to my residence is what they call it and all they other guys suitcases were here. Elder Brown, the missionary that helped me told me to grab my ID card and key to my room and scriptures. I went to my classroom and met my district! We all get along super great and it is so much fun with these guys! My companion is Elder Devenberg and he reminds me sooo much of Corvin Arveseth! They have very similar personalities! We then went to meet the mission president and they all spoke and we sang "We'lll Bring the World His Truth" from the children's songbook and changed the words to "We are now the Lord's missionaries" and I almost started crying. The spirit is sooooo strong!! Everywhere here has such a special spirit.

Then we ate dinner at 4:15!! It was way too early for me!! But the food was pretty decent. After dinner we came back and got unpacked. It wasn't too bad and was pretty easy and stuff. Our room was pretty packed but it was good! Then we went and did this weird investigator thing but the spirit was really strong the whole time. I shared a little thing for part of the investigator lesson. I know it won't make any sense but it is what it is!

Then we went to a little tour and met our zone and zone leaders and they're really cool! I'll tell you more about my district as I learn more. My P-day is Monday so I'll be able to write again then. I'm loving it so much so it is good. I love you ALL so much!

Oh hey mom! Grandma Reynolds called this morning and told me about Carlos Partis and he is my district and he is a cool kid! Call her and let her know I know him when you get this! I love you All!! 

Best wishes from the Provo MTC

With much love,

Elder Trevor Scott Reynolds

Mission setting apart pics