Hard Work - 4th of July and the HEAT!

Dear Familia y Amigos, 

 

This last week was very great but then again its always great in the mission field! Let me start off with HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM on Wednesday! Imagine me singing to you Happy Birthday and giving you a BIG hug!! 

So Monday we had to do a member split with some members because we had a noche de hogar and lessons at the same time! The noche de hogar went good I taught that with Hermano Reyes (not the one I went to the temple with but another one) and then Elder Bowes was going to teach the lessons. They all fell through but that's OK sometimes that happens! 

Tuesday we taught some lessons and did some finding and found a new investigator! 

Wednesday was a GREAT day! We had an activity with the ward and we had Carne Asada and there was A TON of food! I've never had so much good Latino food in one place before so we got stuffed! Then we went and worked. Nobody was really home because there were so many activities going on. The highlight of the day is we taught Carmen and Isaac and they are ready for baptism!!!! They stopped coffee and are reading and praying and they want to get married!! So we asked them the baptismal interview questions to make sure that they are ready and we taught them the law of chastity and tithing.  Then we asked them when they would like to get married and they told us well whenever you want! So we said how about this next week they said yes! Then we asked them if they'd prepare to be baptized on the 15th and they said yes!!!!!!!!! We are sooooooo excited!!!!! Then we taught a part member family and are hoping to get them all coming to church and to get them all to be members! Then when it was time for fireworks you would think there was a war going on there were so many! All we had to do was go outside and all around us there were fireworks! They were cool ones too but we had to work through that! 

Thursday was a biking day. We taught a few lessons as well so basically a normal good day!! 

Friday was a great day we had lessons and weekly planning good day! 

Saturday we had a soccer activity and Carmen and Isaac came!! We taught a less active and nobody was home or had to reschedule so we did finding! 

Sunday we had church and only Carmen and Isaac came but that's OK. It shows us that they are really ready to be baptized. I don't know if I told you all the story about them but Isaac has been in contact with the church for years. He first heard about the church 20 years ago and then kept having encounters with the church.  He knows it wasn't a coincidence. He was taught by other elders in February then moved to our boundaries with the Reyes (Not the ones from the temple but great members!!) family. At first they didn't think that the church that we go to was the same as the other elders but we had a pass off lesson with the other elders and now they know its all the same. Also, they weren't really sure about getting married but now they want to get married and be baptized! It's so amazing to see this change in them! But yeah they came to church :-) Then we taught Sunday school the principios del evangelio (sorry I forgot that in English) class and we taught some less actives. I say heat because recently its been super hot over here in the 90's and higher! That's OK though we work through the heat and more people are home when it's hot outside so it's good for us! Anyway that is what it's like over here in California! I hope you all are doing well and are having a great Summer!!!

Que les vaya bien

Love, Elder Reisner

Elder Lerma (behind), Elder Allworth (in blue), Me and my model pose

ME and our zone leader Elder Eddington :)

Fake Mustaches from McKenzie

Masks

Alleyway

Chinese balcony for Romeo and Juliet

Cool building

Cool building take 2

Cool building #3

Paper Lanterns

The sign says it all

"Dragons in the street" sing to Dancing in the street

See signs like this every day

China Town

C-Town

Town of Chinese

LA China Town

China Town #2

Bad haircut #1

Bad haircut #2

Bad haircut #3

the line

Sad about the line

The good side

Hard work and blessings

Well dear family and friends, this last week was super great as always!

We started off the week with teaching and finding a new investigator! He is a former and has been picked up and dropped many times so we'll pray for the best! 

Tuesday we had a pretty busy day and we were able to find 2 new investigators and teach a few lessons. We also started teaching Juan's mom. So, with teaching her and Juan I think that will help them both get a testimony and be baptized!! 

Wednesday we knocked into a part member family that said we could come back! Then we had meetings and taught lessons and helped the Young Men's President do visits to less active members.  

Thursday we taught and found a new investigator again we found a ton of new investigators this week! Also something cool that happened is one investigator actually called us and wanted to be in contact with us! They were taught before but now they want to take the gospel seriously! 

Friday was crazy! We had a lesson with Emmanuel early in the morning then he asked us to come back and teach him again! We taught him 2 times in one day it was crazy! He is struggling and we gave him a blessing.  Then we had weekly planning and talked to Nati, Hermano Mercado's sister. She wants to learn more but she was going back to Mexico. She said she would come back soon so we may teach her again! Then we had a tour with Silvia and she said she would come to church! Then we talked to the part member family. The son doesn't have baptism records so that's why the hermano isn't active. So, we will probably have to get the son re-baptized. The mom was close to being baptized but she had a conflict with other missionaries so we'll see what we can do to fix that mess!! Then we had dinner appointments which we have a lot now that our ward mission leader made a calendar for the ward.  

Saturday was AMAZING!! Why you may ask? Well when Elder Betty and I were companions we helped a less active family to be reactivated. They now have callings in the church and are super active!  They invited Elder Betty and I to go to the temple! They weren't sealed yet and they took the classes and were prepared! So I got permission to call President Becerra and he said I could go to the Temple on Saturday!! Elder Bowes had to stay here while I was at the temple!  The temple was so great! We went through the Endowment Session and the Sealing they did both in one day and it was in Spanish. It wasn't hard to understand it was different and I may have even learned more in Spanish than in English! So that was the highlight of the week!! :-D They are the Reyes family and I love them to death! They invite us over every week to eat and I'm really close with them!  I know that this really is what missionary work is about! This is a convert family they were baptized 5 years ago and now they are an eternal family!! When we make the sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father we can be together forever! I know that eternal families are important, I am so glad I am sealed to my parents and I know that families are forever!  Saturday we also had lessons when I got back to the area.  

Sunday was a MIRACLE! We had 5 INVESTIGATORS AT CHURCH!! It was soooooooooo great!! I was so happy and all the testimonies that people shared were amazing the spirit was so strong! We had lessons and found more new investigators as well!!! So in total we found 6 new investigators DOUBLE the amount than before!! I know that this is only possible with the Holy Ghost as our guide and through our obedience and diligence to the gospel. Heavenly Father has prepared people everywhere to receive the gospel we just need to find them through constant effort! I LOVE this work I LOVE the gospel!! I know that this is my divine calling to be here and to be a missionary. I am so glad I can serve our Heavenly Father!

 

Que les vaya bien!

Love, Elder Reisner

Well this week was just A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!

Dear Familia y Amigos, 

 

This last week was super duper good!! On Monday we had a potential scheduled that wasn't home but because he wasn't home we actually were able to teach a random guy named Tom and help him. He said he had drinking problems and wanted help so we said we were there to help him! He said he would talk to his wife and get back to us to tell us if he wanted to be taught or not.  Then we went to an investigator named Karen. She is ready to be baptized but the thing she is missing is going to church. She knows The Book of Mormon is true but she isn't as sure anymore because she hasn't been taught for 3 months by the missionaries.  Then we went over to some members house and scheduled a noche de hogar.

Tuesday we went by former investigators of the area that hadn't been taught for years. We went to this one little place and found 4 potential investigators!! Then we went finding and went by other formers that said to come back another day.  We then went to an area that I had only been to once and went by a man's home named Alvino. He said we could come back another day.  Then we went to Hermana Chavez's house and taught her parents they are pretty old. The lesson was mostly us listening to a story about a dog. haha Then we taught Juan he is doing good. He stopped coffee, he is reading every day and praying the only thing is he doesn't think that he is ready and he hasn't been coming to church! :-( We know he's ready we will just love him and try to help him and not force him to be baptized.

Wednesday we did finding and found some good potentials.  We also taught Carmen and Isaac they said they want to get baptized but they aren't married and don't have enough money to get the marriage license. We had correlation and then we did more finding and visits with the young men to the less actives of the ward.  

Thursday we taught Emmanuel he wanted to be baptized right then and there in the lesson! We told him he needed to prepare and he then committed himself to go to church and be baptized!!! Then we taught a youth in our ward and did some finding and ate with the Reyes family.  Then we taught Alvino he said that last time he was taught by missionaries he wasn't ready but this time he is ready and he wants to learn and know more! Then we checked by some members to talk with them.  

Friday was a good day! We had a lesson with Karen at 11 she said she would go to church and read and pray daily!  Then we had another lesson with a youth in our ward.  Then we did weekly planning.  Then we had a lesson with Silvia about the Plan of Salvation she reads all the time and learns a lot she is still thinking it all over though.  Then we had dinner with the Bishops family it was yummy Chiles Rellenos!! :-) Then we talked with Hermana Quack a less active in our ward.

Saturday we biked and we taught 2 less actives and found some really good potential investigators!

Sunday we had church and Elder Bowes got to speak.  We also had a lesson with Patty and Sergio they are investigators that live out of our mission and we just got permission from President Bacerra to start teaching them! We also taught Maria and a lady named Sonia.  Sonia has been prepared by the Lord to receive us! She already feels the feelings of the Spirit. She said this is a nice feeling I want my husband to feel this too! It was a great lesson!!!! Then we did some finding and we went by some less actives to invite them to a noche de hogar.  

 This week has been amazing and I'm glad that we are following the Spirit to find and teach those people that Heavenly Father has prepared for us. I am so glad I can be an instrument in His hands and be one of His servants and devote all my might mind and strength to serve Him. I thank you all for your love and support and prayers!!!

Que les vaya bien!

Love, Elder Reisner

Me encanta San Gabriel

Well hello again family and friends!

 This last week was another great one! 

Here's why - on Monday we had a great preparation day! We had carne asada for dinner and played with water balloons! We also had a noche de hogar and did some finding.

On Tuesday we had some lessons and we also had a meeting with our ward mission leader. He is so great he just returned from a mission himself  7 weeks ago! We also did some finding.

Wednesday was a great day we picked up three new investigators! Also, we taught 2 lessons and did it all in one hour! We did a pass off lesson and got 2 new investigators and then we had a lesson with a lady named Maria. She wanted to know about our church but didn't want to commit to anything which was sad. The third investigator was a former investigator named Karen she wants to get baptized but only by her cousin that lives in Utah.

Wednesday we taught some lessons and did some finding.

 Thursday we had District Meeting and then we found this New York pizza place in our area that we went to. It was SO GOOD! The owner said it was New York cuisine in the LA scene haha! We also had an exchange with the Zone Leaders Elder Lerma came to our area. He was in San Gabriel before and wanted to check in on some of his formers but they were not home. We also taught Arturro and we taught a less active and we talked with our ward mission leader.

Friday we had weekly planning and we had 3 lessons it was a good day.

Saturday we were supposed to have an activity but we didn't. We did have some lessons and some finding it was good. Then it was transfer calls so Elder Betty left and I'm staying here in San Gabriel. My new companion is Elder Bowes and he is from Manassas Virginia!

Sunday we just visited all the members so Elder Betty could say goodbye. We had 2 dinners - it's crazy how much we get fed these days by members!

Well that is all for this week I hope you all have a good week this coming week because I know that I sure will!

Love, Elder Reisner

 

 

Another week already?

Hello family and friends!
It seems like just yesterday when I wrote my last letter.  Time is flying by too fast which I don't want it to because I wish I could be on a mission forever!!
Monday we had a great zone activity with water balloons! We then had a great Noche de Hogar!!  It was about The Plan of Salvation and just talking about basic things it was great!
Tuesday we did some finding and taught Arturro he says he will read The Book of Mormon but he won't come to church.
Wednesday we had District Meeting and I went on exchanges with one of the missionaries in my zone named Elder Resabala.  He taught me a lot of stuff and we taught 4 lessons and had 2 dinner appointments.  I WAS STUFFED!! We had tortas at the first house (mexican sandwiches) with beans, salad and rice. At the second house we had chicken, beans, rice, tortillas and flan AND another pastry.  We were so full we thought we were going to throw up!!!  Then we taught a Preach My Gospel class at the church.  It had about 15people which in their branch that is a lot of people showing up for a class!!
Thursday we had lunch and talked to Hermano Mercado.  We also did a little bit of finding.  Then we had a lesson with a recent convert named Jasmine.  We also had a lesson with Marlene she is one of our investigators.  We had dinner at a less active members house that night.  Then we taught Juan.  We taught him about The Word of Wisdom and he said he would stop drinking coffee right away which was his only problem  with The Word of Wisdom.  So that was good!!  We also had interviews with President Becerra - I asked him how I could be more effective.  He asked me if I was obedient, if I studied well and if I tried my best.  I said yes and then he said "Your being effective Elder I'm not worried about that.  Elder Alworth (our District Leader) was impressed with your work ethic." Then he gave me ideas to do better finding because a lot of people aren't interested in our message.  He told me to ask the people who are not interested if we could leave their home with a blessing.  A lot more people may be interested in that and then you ask the people exactly what they need and specifically pray for their needs.  He also said to also leave a blessing on their home.  President Becerra told me they are going to feel something.  Then after the prayer you ask them how do they feel?  Ask them if they'd like to feel that again and then you come back and teach them.  You specifically teach their needs which they have already shared with you and you blessed them with.  It was sooo cool!!!  I am so glad President Becerra is my Mission President!!
Friday we helped some people move and then we did weekly planning.  Then we had a lesson planned but the lady wasn't interested.  So, I decided to put President Becerra's idea into play and we left a blessing on her and her home and she said we could come back! We'll see how that goes!  Then we checked on a former investigator and they said we could start teaching them again!  We also taught Silvia and it was a crazy lesson!  She has a lot of questions and hasn't read the Bible before and so she doesn't really understand the wording in The Book of Mormon.  We then taught some less actives and one of them asked us to bless their home so we did that as well.
Saturday we did some finding and some more finding.  Then we went to a Stake Activity because we had 2 investigators that were going too!  It was Broadway in the Este de Los Angeles (east LA) and that was fun!  They did little parts from different plays and all the wards participated except for our ward. :-/  It's because our  young men and young women didn't want to do it.
Sunday we had a meeting and our bishop said that because nobody did anything for the Broadway thing that we're going to have a ward talent show.  He said we need to have more fun in our ward and he wants the missionaries to do something for it!  We then did some finding and taught Maria and had dinner with some members.  I had carne de lengua which is TONGUE! It sounds gross but actually it tasted really good!!  Then we taught Juan - we invited him to be baptized for sure on the 24th of this month and he said YES!!!  It was soooo cool!  He is really ready - every time we ask him to do something he does it!  He has been prepared by the Lord and it is one of the Lord's tender mercies that we have the opportunity to teach him!
So yeah everything is going well this week is looking super great!  We have a lot of appointments already scheduled and we are teaching more than ever before!!
I love you all!!
Love, Elder Reisner  

An even better week in San Gabriel!!

Dearest family and friends, 

I thought last week was good but this last week has been even better! Monday we went hiking to a waterfall and then had a noche de hogar with a family.  Tuesday we had a pass off lesson because the other elders had an investigator they were teaching that they thought he lived in their area but he actually lives in our area! His name is Emmanuel and he was found by the English speaking elders. What happened is the English elders live in the same apartment complex and they just talked to him one day. They don't speak Spanish and he doesn't speak English. They got his information and sent the other elders over that could speak Spanish. Emmanuel said that the English elders came to talk to him and they spoke perfect Spanish!! What a miracle!! We're teaching him now and he has a baptism date set for July first!! We also talked with a member who was having a Pastor come over so we could talk to him about our church. He was scared of us so he left!  Wednesday we ate with members and we had a lesson with Arturro who is an older man that we are teaching.  We then had a meeting with our new ward mission leader Hermano Schleske. He is from Mexico and served a mission in Kentucky. He finished his mission about 5 weeks ago so he knows what he is doing and he is ready to help us make this area working even better than it is! Then Thursday we had district meeting and we talked about all the Christlike attributes. We talked about purifying ourselves by taking out all the things that distracted us from the spirit and fasting to find them. We want to fast to receive answers about the things that take away the spirit for 40 days. (note from mom - he is not fasting for 40 days just specifically fasting for some answers) I just started that but I know it will help a lot! Then I was on exchanges with Elder Alworth our new District leader. He taught me a lot of things and we were able to teach one of our investigators and one recent convert. We also contacted some people and one man just lost his wife. Elder Alworth said that our message has the peace that he needs and he just started to cry it was so neat! Then we also had a noche de hogar and taught some less actives and then we found some pretty sweet potential investigators that night!  Friday was the bestest day ever!!!! We had weekly planning and then we had 6 LESSONS IN A ROW!!!!!!!! 1 with a member and 5 others we didn't have time to do anything else! We almost had 7 but one canceled on us but we probably couldn't have taught them anyway because we were so busy! We also had 3 new investigators that day that we are now teaching! This one couple Fernando and Maria said that we are exactly what they need right now because they are having some problems and they know that our message can help them get through their problems!! Saturday we helped some members move they are sadly moving out of our area but staying in the ward. We then studied and tried contacting some potentials. Then we played soccer and we were hoping that Juan would show up but he didn't.  We then had to finish weekly planning because literally on Friday we had no time to finish! Then we went to Juan's house and taught him the Plan of Salvation. He understands everything and is a super humble guy and wants us to teach his mom he is reading and is coming to church. We really think that he will be ready for Baptism on the 17th of this month!!!!!!!!!! We then went and tried to see some old investigators and potentials and check on members to see if they were bringing their friends to church again.  Sunday we had a meeting then we went to go get Juan and we woke him up for church.  We also taught primary that was fun! Juan didn't come for Sacrament Meeting but he was there for the rest of it. Also Patty and Sergio were there as well!!! We then went to some potentials who were not home and then we had dinner with some members. Then we went and taught the man who was crying on Thursday. He appreciated our visit but he wants to think about things some more so we left him with a Plan of Salvation pamphlet then we went finding.  So, everything is going extremely well! I thank you for all your prayers and support!! I love you all and I hope that you have a great week!!!!

Love, Elder Reisner :-)