Still on the up and up!

Dearest family and friends-

It has been another great week here in the San Gabriel area. Weather is a nice 80 degrees mostly sunny! haha I only know that because I saw a thermometer and the sky!  Anyways this last week on Tuesday we had a tour with Reuben that was good and he wants to meet with us again next week! We also knocked and tried to find new investigators.  Wednesday was a great day! We had Zone Conference we have 2 zones of missionaries there. We went through Ezekial 37:1-15 with President Becerra and it talks about a valley and he compared it to our mission because the mission is in the San Gabriel Valley.  It was so cool how he broke the scriptures down and explained them to us! We also had some role playing learning how to plan better and Sister Becerra talked to us about relieving stress. We also celebrated the birthdays for March April and May because we have zone conferences once every 12 weeks. We also heard from the president of the East Los Angeles stake which is the stake the 2 zones of missionaries cover. He said he has a goal to have 150 baptisms in the stake by the end of the year right now we have 46 so I think it will really be possible! We also talked about bike safety and car safety.  We got the cleanest car award! It wasn't hard since we got a new car haha! Anyways we also had a question and answer period with president Becerra. We watched some movies and practiced inviting investigators to baptism and to church it was a great conference! Then we had a lesson with Mauricio and Rosa two of the three on the tour last week.  We invited them to be baptized on May 20th and they said yes!!!!! We were so excited! Then we knocked on doors and had a lesson with a less active family.  Thursday we did some service and had a lesson with the people we had lunch with last week. Their names are Marta and Francisco they were really interested and now they are officially investigators!! We then knocked and had some lessons with different less active families.  Friday is bike day and weekly planning. We did weekly planning and then we knocked on doors and visited some less actives as well.  Saturday we had another great opportunity to do service!! We did a project for  Mormon Helping Hands. We painted a fence at a school where kids with disabilities go. It was a great experience because it was an opportunity for the church to get noticed as a people who like to do service and help people! We visited a bunch of less actives and got fed by one of them unexpectedly! It was a good day! Sunday we had church and Rosa came!!! Her boyfriend was working so he wasn't able to come. Rosa's cousin also a member brought a lady who was investigating the church and wanted to meet with missionaries. Another lady we talked to came that wants to investigate the church but needs to talk to her husband about it. We also had some less actives who haven't been for awhile came as well it was a great church meeting! We then studied and had 3 o' clock dinner with some members knocked on some doors and visited some other less actives it was a great Sunday! Oh and Juan we talked to him Saturday and he said he wanted to come to church and that he was going to read the Book of Mormon!  YEHA!  The work is progressing it is so great!! We are having a noche de hogar tonight and are planning a big one for the ward. It is going to be Lehi's dream and it is going to be a really fun activity if we can get the members involved and have everything going as planned! Well that's all for this week. I love you all!

Love, Elder Reisner

A tender mercy from the Lord

Buenas Tardes! (good afternoon!)!

 So this week my preparation day is Tuesday instead of Monday so I hope nobody is freaking out! haha Anyway this last week has been amazing!! So, Monday we didn't really have that much going on and we were mostly finding people once our preparation day was finished.  Tuesday however was an interesting day. We met this guy named Reuben last week that I forgot to tell you about. He is a great investigator! He actually came up to us and asked us if we were Mormons.  Of course we said yes and then he said he wanted to ask us some questions about what we believed and to come by on Tuesday.  We actually gave him to the English elders because we thought he spoke English and not Spanish. We were wrong he is from Cuba so he speaks both and so we get to teach him!  When we arrived he said let me go get the papers and I thought I was going to have to take a test or something!  It turns out he was just taking notes on what we believed he then said he wanted to learn more and so we are going to give him a tour of the church tonight! We also went by a potential investigator's house named Juan and he was home so we taught him the first lesson and he wants to know more! He also accepted a Book of Mormon and said he would read it!! It was a very good day! Wednesday was even better though! We were going by names of former investigators and we were walking down a street.  Then we saw these Hispanics who came up to us and started talking. Then they invited us to eat some yummy carne asada with them and we basically shared the restoration lesson with them. I bore my testimony to them and they wanted to know more as well! We then went to the church to meet our Young Men's President Hermano Reyes and do some visits and lessons with him and the young men.  While we were getting ready three people just randomly showed up for a tour of the church!!! It was kinda nerve racking because I have never given a tour before of the church. There is a certain way to do it so you can have a lesson with them and a member present. Thankfully and unthankfully everyone that's active in the ward is there on Wednesday. So Hermano Lopez was able to do the tour with us but we couldn't use the room that has a picture of the Savior getting baptized because it was being used.  We like to use that room to talk about baptism and invite the investigator to be baptized. So we improvised and used the primary room. Thankfully our primary room has many pictures of the Savior so we incorporated that he is the center of our church.  We taught them the restoration and they wanted to learn more AND they said they were going to church on Sunday it was sooo exciting!!! Definitely a tender mercy from the Lord! Then Thursday was jam packed full of lessons and no time for anything else it was great!! Then Friday we had weekly planning and went tracting and found some potentials to go by later.  Saturday was HOT it was like 95 degrees! All we had that day was finding activities with maybe a few lessons so we hit the pavement and we were going everywhere! We were looking so hard for investigators we actually got kicked out of a trailer park and an apartment complex haha! Well, it's funny now!  What happened is the manager of the trailer park kept getting calls from someone that we were soliciting and trespassing. So the manager said I know your not soliciting but this person won't stop calling me so can you please leave? Next we knocked on an apartment manager's door  that told us to leave as well. But yeah we still worked hard! Then Sunday we were excited for our new investigators to come to church.  They had a ride but then they called us at 6 to say that they couldn't come. It was sad but at least they called and if they called that early it was probably for a good reason! We also had some appointments with members. We are trying to help the members help us so we can really get the work progressing.  I personally think it is going super well and this area will be super busy for us by the time we are done! Then yesterday we did service and some finding. It was great to serve one of the members! We were taking some wood out of his yard and throwing it away, we also demolished a dog house that was pretty fun! Today we went to the Los Angeles Temple!! We got up at 4:00 a.m. to get ready and leave and make it to the 6:30 session because of all the traffic! I took pictures but I forgot my cord so those will have to wait until next week! Tonight we have 2 appointments, a tour with Reuben and a lesson with a potential that I think will be a new investigator named Kristie!  I hope everything is well with all of you!!!

Love, Elder Reisner

3rd Week is the Charm!

What a great week it has been this week! Let me start off with Monday - we were finding people and we found Jose! He is from Mexico and he is interested in hearing la palabra de dios (the word of God) he has a family in Mexico so he likes our focus on families. We taught him the first lesson on Monday. Also, about Martin he moved to Pamona :-( but he will be taught over there. We told the missionaries over there about him.  Tuesday I had the opportunity to go to Pasadena because I went on exchanges with our District Leader Elder Larson he is from Arkansas. We were finding people in his area and it's a beautiful area but you never want to go downtown! We taught one of his investigators and it was a pretty funny experience. We talked about temples and then we asked him if he was ready for baptism and he said I don't know. Elder Larson was asking him the baptismal interview questions and when he asked if he was married he said not all the way. So Elder Larson was freaking out because this is Tuesday and he was going to get baptized Sunday!! Elder Larson called other missionaries to see what to do because his family was living in Mexico. He wanted to know if it would be ok since this man (can't remember his name) didn't live with his family they said it'd be ok. Then Elder Larson said it was ok and we had a member say that the man should get married by law first. The man said oh I am married by law just not in the temple! haha! So yeah everything was good there! Then I ate real authentic Mexican food for the first time at a member's home in Elder Larson's area. We had carnitas it was super tasty because those members both work at restaurants and know how to cook really well!  Wednesday was a normal day but the highlight of Wednesday is that we got a referral from the English elders.  It is a man by the name of Alfredo because he speaks Spanish. We went over and shared a message about families and he said he would want to learn more! It was so great! Thursday was Elder Betty's turn to go with Elder Larson so it was me and Elder Chadwick (Elder Larson's companion) in San Gabriel and since I'm assigned there I had to drive! I was really nervous about the driving part especially because I haven't driven since January and I have never driven in California where there are A  TON of crazy drivers! It turned out good I drove well and we had lessons and found 5 new potential investigators so it was a good day! Friday is weekly planning so there isn't much else that went on. We were finding people and found 2 potential investigators that said we could go back though! Also, it was really cloudy and we had lots of rain on Friday! Saturday was a crazy day! After studying we went to this lady by our house named Miria (meer ee a). She has a family and we read the introduction of the Book of Mormon with her and she wants us to come back so there's investigator number 3! We also went around everywhere knocking doors that day! Sunday we had ward council and church it was a good meeting. We also knocked on doors and visited less actives and members for referrals.  Our goal this week is to go by members and get referrals because if a member gives a referral and helps with the lessons and stuff it goes from a 1 in 1000 chance of someone getting baptized to a 660 in 1000 chance! It will be a lot more helpful if the members can give referrals. So, if the missionaries come by give them everyone you know their names as a referral it will really help!!! This upcoming week we have Zone Conference and get to go to the LA Temple so I am super excited about that!!

Love, Elder Reisner

R.M. (returned Missionary ?)

by my apartment

missionary and palms

did I just go to China?

What?

A new sister missionary, Me and my Comp and the mission pres and his wife.

Elder Reisner is handsome.

Week 2 in the mission

Well, this week has been a really busy work week. We have been knocking on doors and contacting people like crazy!!! Monday night we had a noche de hogar (family home evening) with one of our investigators Artenio with a recent convert who set the whole thing up it was so excellent!  On Tuesday we were contacting and teaching some less active members. We are having a temple trip the 24th of this month to go to the Los Angeles temple I am super excited! We are taking some less actives and recent converts to go do baptisms. We thought that was fulfilling our purpose more than if we just went to do a session so we are excited about that! Wednesday we got a new car for our area it is a red 2013 Toyota Corolla it is so nice.  We also knocked like crazy on Wednesday!  Thursday we had the opportunity to help the Chinese elders because they were teaching a single woman and could not find a man to go and help them. So we helped them and the lady actually accepted a baptismal date! It was really neat except for I couldn't understand anything they were saying!  I got to meet my new bishop.  He is a really neat man he is so funny especially because he speaks some major spanglish! haha He speaks perfect Spanish he just talks like that so we can understand him. Well so I can because my Spanish is still coming along. Then Friday was a most excellent day. We had a mission conference and the reason why is our mission president told us that our mission is going to double the baptisms! We had the Assistants the Mission Presidency a recent convert and some senior couple missionaries speak. It was so spiritual and so uplifting!! I know that our area will be able to double the baptisms because there are people always searching for the truth and we will be able to find them! The recent convert who spoke was Paula. She is President Becerra's daughter's friend and was introduced to the gospel by the Becerra family. She just talked about her conversion and how the missionaries really helped her to come to know the truth of the gospel and now missionaries are working with the rest of her family! President Becerra said on April 6th almost 200 years ago is when a group of Saints gathered together and started the LDS church in Arcadia. That was one of the major reasons for the meeting. I thought that was so great to know and be there for this meeting! The senior couple bore their testimonies. Sister Becerra talked about how we stand out to people and how people convert just from the sight of seeing missionaries.  The other members of the mission presidency talked about miracles and being hard at work wearing yourself out every day by working hard. One of the members of the mission presidency all he did was knock on doors every day all day I thought that was crazy! Then we sang the mission anthem which is called Arcadia United and this is how it goes.

Arcadia United

 

1. A sacred commission given from on high,

To put the world behind of God alone to testify,

Pray without ceasing our faith to exercise

Always do good works and joy will be our prize

 

Chorus:

Arcadia united to serve the living God

We wear his glorious armor and

Tread where others trod

We teach the poor in Spirit who live in darkness still

We testify of Christ our Lord, and thousands do his will

 

2. Act firm in office learn thy duty well 

Teach in righteousness the Spirit of truth we'll tell

Charity will not fail us then serve with all our heart

might mind and strength to-act well our part

 

Chorus

 

3. Christ has restored His church on earth to show,

The straight and narrow way on which on earth all men must go.

We declare His message showing love unfeigned,

preparing the world for Christ's millennial reign

 

Chorus 

 

So, it was a great conference! Saturday we rode bikes all day! It was great I'm sure it made my bottom quite beautiful! haha (Best TwoYears reference) Sunday was also good we had a baptism!! It wasn't one of our investigators it was an 8 year old girl in our ward. We really got to bond with the ward members so now hopefully they'll help us in doubling the baptisms! Well that's all for this week I hope you're all doing well!

Love, Elder Reisner

P.S. pictures are where I live(palm tree) and funny signs I see every day! I'm literally in China speaking Spanish!

First week in the field

Hello! Well, I am officially in the field! My first area is San Gabriel it is one of the biggest areas in the mission and includes 6 cities within it!  Tuesday I met President Becerra and the Assistants to the President they are really great missionaries! We went to the top of one of the mountains here and saw our whole mission from on top it was really neat.  Then we went to the mission office and got a tour, then we went out to lunch at a place called Rudy's it had some most excellent Mexican food! Then we went to the mission office got some training and met our trainers! My trainer's name is Elder Betty he is from Idaho he is a great trainer for me and knows a lot of Spanish.  We have about 6 investigators right now but some of them aren't really progressing. Their names are Arte~no (ar ten yo), David, Karen, Thomas, Ernesto, and Daisy. I have only met Arteno and Karen the rest we havent been able to visit.  So, this week we have been doing a lot of finding and teaching less actives to try and reactivate them. We have found 4 potential new investigators and I really have hopes for this man we met the other day named Martin. We found him while we were talking to the mother of some less active boys (she is active though! :-) she said we should try her upstairs neighbor and so we did and that's where we found Martin.  The others I am not so sure about because we haven't had a chance to revisit them.  Also, this general conference was simply amazing as a missionary! There were aspects of each and every talk that I could apply to what I am doing here and now.  Some of the insights that I got is that I need to replace fear with faith, families are super important, and that when I am feeling down and discouraged I only need to remember to talk to my Father in Heaven in humble prayer and remember that I am a child of God.  I also learned many things about teaching the gospel to investigators that I am going to try and apply when we go to teach them.  I would love to hear anything that anyone has learned from conference.  I haven't really met any members of our ward yet but the ones I have are super great!  I have already eaten some authentic food that a lady from El Salvador made us they were called Papusas and were super delicious! There isn't too many weird things here but there are a couple of weird food items the Assistants to the President told me about.  Also, Friday we had some training with the assistants and President and Sister Becerra that was most excellent! They have this new program for incoming missionaries that helps them so that they aren't so greenie like. I like it so far! We actually get an extra hour to study as companions so I like that a lot! Well my time is almost up so I love you all and I hope you learned something great!

Adelante! (basically keep moving forward)

Love, Elder Reisner

First day in Arcadia, CA

So, we went to see Shane's parents and I forgot to bring my e-mail and password with me to post Elder Reisner's letters so surprise 2 posts today!!  I made it to Arcadia safe and sound!  It is a beautiful place - lots of palm trees and really neat architecture.  Anyway I am going to a really fruitful area and I am SUPER excited!  President Becerra says my Spanish is good already but don't worry I still have a long way to go before I am fluent!!  I love everything here already it's so great!!  Flight was good we ate some great Hispanic food it was yummy!!
Te amoa vosotroy
Elder Reisner