Buenos Dias; 23.May.2011

Dear Family,
Sorry not a lot of time this week. The most important thing to say though is that I love you all. I love being able to read about each of your lives and what you are learning right now. It's hard not being all together, but we wouldn't be learning as much as a family.
That reminds me of a talk I listened to this week that Elder Robles wants me to have Luciano listen to. The talk is amazing. It was on trials. At one point he spoke about how to face trials in life. He said the best advice he could give was to not face the trial alone, to go to others and ask for help. He mentioned how in our families we are all blessed with different gifts and talents and that we need all of those gifts and talents working together so that all of us can conquer the trials of life and continue forward towards eternal life. We all have different talents and abilities ad we need to rely on each other or else life's challenges will become overwhelming. Just like David said, we need to learn from each other. I am excited to be able to counsel with all of you when I get home and have to start making difficult decisions. I am glad to have you all as my friends!
Another thing that I really liked about that talk was this quote: "The trial of trials is the trail of no trials". The true test of our faith is how faithful we are when we don't have trials forcing us to be. One of my recent converts, Italo Inanami, mentioned to me this week that he didn't like that the Book of Mormon has so much fighting and death. I had to explain to him that all of that happened because the Nephites and Lamanites were slow to remember their God and be faithful during times of prosperity.
I don't know if I have told you all this recently but I love my Mission!! I am learning so much. I fell that I have really started to learn and grow a lot ever since I have been a trainer. Elder Crowder left me last Monday and I got Elder Hartman. He came in with Elder Crowder so he is still very new and I am still a Trainer. I am really learning a lot about what David talked about: Humility and trusting in the Lord. It is so nerve-wracking to walk into a home with a person for the first time and not have any idea what you are can say to be able to help them accept the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. But it is so comforting to walk out of a lesson and look back and see how God lead you through the lesson. A I trust in God to give me what to teach, the lesson just flows. We had such a good lesson with a new lady last night. I felt the Spirit stronger in that lesson than I have in any other lesson on my mission. Her name is Alison. She is from Peru. We contacted her about a month ago, cut her grass for her on Saturday, and taught her with Eduardo and Andrea yesterday. The lesson went so well. She is coming to Church on Sunday with her husband and three daughters, one of which already knows Andrea from High School. A big challenge for me now is learning how to teach with my companion, who is still learning the language. But he is great. I love being with him.
Well I am late. I gotta go. I love you all. Please take care of yourselves and Mom, say hi to Stuart for me and tell him I will see him soon and that he can't get married until I get home ;-D
Love you all,
Elder Reece

PS- This is me and Elder Crowder. Hopefully I will get a picture with elder Hartman soon. Love ya'll.

23 May 2011 - Less than a year left on my mission! AH!

Oh family, how I love you all!

Thank you so much for all of your letters. There were exactly what I needed today. Oh! This has been a crazy week! It is definitely rainy season here on the island, and boy, when it rains it rains. We woke up this morning to a down pour and just a minute ago it started pouring again. But this is no rain like I have ever seen before. We have been lucky though and each time it has started to pour we have been indoors or heading indoors. Knock on wood though!

This morning Sister Gandolph and I went to my recent convert's house (Harmony) to do facials. It was way more intense than we thought it was going to be, but was enjoyable none the less. At the end they offered us some lunch, which I thought would be harmless enough. I was enjoying my safe, small bowl of rice when Harmony offered my this piece of something that looked like a cooked piece of fruit of some kind. I decided I didn't want to ask what it was so I just took a bite- and it didn't taste to bad actually. I was just going to innocently eat it when Sis. Gandolph asked what it was. Yeah- we shouldn't have asked. It was none other than pig skin. Yep, pig skin. Not the meat, straight up pig skin. I have been pretty lucky so far on my mission and haven't really had to eat anything too crazy- until today. But really, thinking about it now I guess that isn't as crazy as somethings I will probably have to eat next year during their huge, long, New Year's celebration. Harmony said I didn't have to finish it, but I knew I wouldn't be able to look myself in the mirror if I woosied out. :D

Miracle of the week: Sis. Ganolph and I really being blessed with the gift of tongues. The Lord is truly blessing our companionship. I have been out 3.5 months now, and Sis. Ganolph has only been out 7 and we are able to understand everything we need to. There is a lot of, "can you say that again"'s and "i don't understand"s, but in the end we are always able to figure out what is going on. The Lord prepare a way for us to accomplish all that He asks us to.

Kevin, thank you so much for you testimony on the Book of Mormon. Right now all of our investigator's are really struggling to read The Book of Mormon. Sis. Gandolph and I did a special fast yesterday to help us be able to know how to help them. We use Moroni's Promise with investigators, but you helped me see today that we can, and need to, use it more effectively. I wish so badly that you and I could just have a couple hours to sit down and swap mission tactics. I know there is so much that you are learning that would be able to help me so much, and I would hope vice versa. But alas, that is not God's plan. :D

David, thank you for your talk on humility. That is something that I am really wanting to acquire right now but am not doing a very good job at. There were some awesome scriptures that you shared that I will be going back to look at.

This week Elder Jay Jensen of the seven presidents of the Seventy will be coming to speak to our mission. I am really excited to go to the meeting and receive inspiration on how I can better help my investigators read and how I can become more humble. I will try hard to remember to report on my discoveries next week.

Julie! You graduate this week. Ah! Be safe and be smart. I love you!

I love you all tons!

Your Sister, Amy Reece

16 May 2011 - Into my 3rd transfer!

Hello to one and all!

First off I want to say that Mom and Julie, yes, you should be dissappointed in the missionaries. Those Elders should have give full attention to Travis. If an investigator is at church, especially stake conference, they should be the missionaries first priority. The investigator's should always be our first priority. I wouldn't be too hard on the Elders though. Just don't forget Travis. Invite him and the Elders over if there is time in your crazy life, or personally call the Elders and tell them you have a referral for them. Poor missionaries, they have a lot to learn.

Okay, now that that is said and done- hello! This has been an interesting week for me. I have learned so much this week already from my new companion. Sis. Gandolph is an amazing missionary! I learned this way that not everyone does missionary work the way that Sis. Howard did. There are some things Sis. Howard did that I am going to try and carry on in my mission, and some things that I have already decided are not the way I want to do missionary work. Some people think it's weird that we missionaries move around every couple of months and switch companions, but I know that is exactly how the Lord wants it. Every area and every companion have something that I need to learn. I can't wait to see what the rest of my mission is holding in store for me.

Mom, thank you so much for your thoughts/quotes from Stake Conference. I really liked what you said about the difference between having a testimony and being converted. I dont' like to admit it, but sometimes I think I fluctuate between the two- even as a missionary. Right now I am really praying and studying hard to continue to become converted to the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am learning that it is a life long process, but something that we should constantly be working at. We can never become too converted.

I love the Book of Mormon! I started it again when I got on island and I should be done by the end of this month. I love reading straight through it. There is so much on each page that I know I don't get it all. I found a few verses this week that I really liked. In 3 Nephi 11:37-38 the Lord tells us twice that we need to repent and become as little children. We know how important this is by His repeating it twice, right in a row. In Jesus The Christ James E. Talmage says that the Savior doesn't tell us to be childish, but rather childlike. He doesn't want us to be immature, rowdy, and proud. He wants to be humble, submissive, and willing to learn. Are you childish, childlike, both, neither?

I can't believe that Julie is graduating from high school this week! My little sister is all grown up. And not only is J finishing high school, Mel is starting. Ah! Have fun with all of your graduation/school ending festivities. Be safe!

Kim and Sean, if I am not mistaken your anniversary is this week, isn't it? 6 years!?!? I feel like it was yesterday. Wow, it is definitely time for you to have a baby! :P

Well, I think that is all I have to share this week. We are getting into typhoon season here on island so it has been rainy and cloudy this week. But still hot! It's so weird! :D

I love you all!

Sis. Amy Reece

9 May 2011 - The start of a new adventure

Hello everyone!

Today is the start of a big, new adventure. This morning I took Sis. Howard to the mission office so she can fly home tomorrow. While there I picked up my new companion- Sister Meaghan Gandolph. She is so great. We haven't had much time to get to know eachother yet but I already love her! She is a sweet little thing from one of the Carolina's and is an amazing missionary. I am so excited to learn so much with and from her this move call. I am sad to see Sis. Howard go though. And not just go to another area, but go-to-America go. Ah! I only have one more year till that is me. Crazy!

Well this week was so great. Like I said last week, it was an insanely busy week. But so good! We were able to see for amazing girls enter onto the straight and narrow path back to the celestial kingdom with us. I love being a missionary! There is nothing great than being able to take a step back and look at the eternal perspective of the work that I am doing right now. I am so so grateful that I am able to give this time to the Lord to help bring His brothers and sisters back to Him. Ah! I love it!

Okay, I am going to attach a couple pictures in a minute but I will give you a little info on them first. The first two girls are Sydney (Lu Xin Ni) and Zhang Qun Wen. Sydney is a sweet little 16 year old girl that we have been working with for awhile now. Qun Wen is a 22-year-old teacher at a boarding school. I love them both so much! The next lady is Harmony (Wu Cui Ping). She is an amazing 3 week baptism. She has been searching for the gospel for years but as D&C says was "kept from the truth because she knew not where to find it." I love her and her cute little family! The fourth girl Is Xie Yi Zhi. She is a young little mom that married an inactive son of a really inactive mother. When they moved in with Sister Cai (the older lady in the picture), Sister Cai said Yi Zhi and her husband had to start going to church. That was mother! It was so cool to see Yi Zhi get baptized on Mother's Day with her cute little family there. All four of them are so solid in the gospel! I am excited to work with Sis. Gandolph to help them during their first few months as members. Ah! It's so great!

Besides always being on the go and constanly busy this was a great week! I love love love being able to be here in Taiwan. As I was talking to mom this morning and telling her a little bit about Taiwan I realized yet again how amazing of a little island this is. The people are so confused about who God is. That breaks my heart, but also gives me the drive to work extra hard to help them understand the true nature of our Eternal Father and His Son, Our Savior, Jesus Christ. Even the people that we find who are Christians don't have the correct understanding of who They are. We all, each and everyone of us, have such an amazing responsibilty to share with everyone the great truths that we are blessed enough to know. One of my favorite sections in Preach My Gospel is at the end of the first chapter. There is a two page spread of amazing missionary work quotes from various church leaders. I invite (ha, such a missionary thing to do :D) each of you to look at thos quotes and then set goals and make plans for how you can apply them in your lives.

I love you all so much! You are all such great missionaries! I would love to have members like you in my wards. Mom, I am so glad to hear that it was a recent convert that you had over for Mother's Day! And Kimmy, what ever happened with the friend that you took to church a couple weeks ago? You're so great!

I still can't believe Kimberly and Sean are going to have a baby. I think that is a crazy thought than me being an aunt! :D I am so excited to bring home my little niece or nephew cute little Taiwanese clothes. Yay! I just really excited for that!

Mom, Julie and Melanie it was so great to talk to you this morning! Kim, Sean, David, Rachel and Kevin- I am sad I didn't get to talk to you, but it sounds like you're all doing amazing too. You all sound so happy and ready to start the adventures that are coming your way. Remember to never be to proud to get on your knees and pray for help!

Well, I am going to close my letter for this week. I love love love you all!

Loves,

Sister Amy Reece

Buenos Diana: 3 May 2011

Dear Family,
Life is so good. I love you all. I'm glad you are all enjoying life. As for my part, I am enjoying it as well. I am getting prepped for this next Transfer. Tomorrow morning Elder Robles leaves me and will fly out on Thursday. By the way , Mother, he will be trying to get a hold of you, either through Facebook or phone. So expect to hear from Roberto Robles. Then tomorrow I will meet my new companion at Transfer Meeting.
The exciting news for this Transfer is that I already know a little bit about my companion. I don't know who he is yet but I do know his last area: Provo MTC. That's right, I will be training this Transfer. I am really excited but super nervous. It will be an exciting change for me. The companion I have had with the least amount of time in the field was my trainer, Elder Lauck. When he was with me he had already been out a year. Since then they have all been old in the mission. I don't know what it is like to work with a Greenie. This will be an interesting experience. He should be flying into Florida in about two hours. I don't know yet if I will still be District Leader as well.
Well next week I will be talking to some of you. We have gotten permission from President Hale to Skype again. Mother, would that be possible for you? I will probably ask one of my members to call you during the week to figure it all out. Like usual, I will only have 30-40 minutes to talk, so if there is anything specific you would like to talk about, plan ahead.
Amy- congratulations on the baptisms. That is so great. I hope everything goes smoothly with them. When does Sister Howard leave and when do you get your new companion? In your next letter to me, will you tell me what things you liked that your Trainer did and what things you wish she hadn't done? Your memory is a little more fresh about your trainer than mine is ;-D Love you.
I enjoyed reading your letters today. Something that Mom, David, and Amy all talked about were trails that come in life. Even though my trails are small right now, I am still learning how to cope with them. This experience will be vital for me in my coming life. Up to this point we have been a very blessed family. It will be interesting to see what trails God puts in our path. Like Mother said though, I feel confident in our testimonies and ability to face trails with an eternal perspective.
One of the funnest things that happened this week was la Cena Internacional (International Dinner) that our Ward had. I will be sending pictures to you little by little. Many countries were represented there. The members brought food and entertainment from their mother-lands and we all enjoyed ourselves immensely. I took pictures with almost every country so as I send pictures you will start to meet all of the great people that I am working with right now. I plan on being with them for many months longer. What was great was that Brother Italo Inanami(one of our recent converts) went and had a table set up with Brazilian food. It was probably the best food there. We were really happy he was there participating. It looked like he really enjoyed himself. His ex-wife and her husband came up from a ward further south to help him decorate and serve the food. Their table looked great.
Well I cant think of much else to say. I am excited to be able to talk to you soon. Take care of yourselves and continue living the great lives you live.
With love,
Elder Reece

2 May 2011 - 4 Baptisms in one week!

Yep, that's right. We have four baptisms this week! I am so excited!
Two are in one ward and two are the other so we are having to do some
fancy work to get them all baptized but its all worth it! I will be
try hard to send pictures next week after the baptisms. I wish I could
tell you everything all about them, but that would take way too long.
:D But I can tell you that they are all so great and all really need
the gospel in their lives. It has been so cool to work with each of
them and see the various obstacles that they have had to overcome in
order to be baptized. The Lord really does allow each of us to have
trials that will make us grow. I love being a missionary and being
able to see the Lord's hands in the lives of those I work with/among,
but also in my own life. Like Kevin said in the letter he sent to the
ward, as missionaries everything we do revolves around the Savior. I
love that because He is also changing me. I am really coming to
understand what I have always been told- the more you bear your
testimony, the more it will grow. That is such a simple but amazing
formula for strengthening each of our testimonies.

Well, today was spent shopping the some of the street shops in
FengYuan. Sis. Howard has about a bazillion little nieces and nephews
that she hadn't found souveniors for yet. It was really fun (but
exhausting) to take some time to walk through the little shops that we
ride past everyday. A really cute member from the ward spent the day
with us too. She is so great! We're getting her preped to go on a
mission next year. :D

It sounds like you are all doing so great! The crazy month is over for
the college students and just starting for the students still at home.
It is so crazy how different America is than Taiwan. Everything about
the way we do school is 100% different. I love being able to
experience another culture.

I want you all to know that I love Jesus Christ. I know there is no
way I could wake up each day and do the things I have to do unless I
had the help of my Savior. I learn eachday through studying, teaching,
discussing and just living all of the distant reaches of our lives the
Saviors Atonement can reach to. I feel blessed beyong measure to have
been born into a family that was and still is strong in the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. When ever I am asked, I say with gratitude that my
family is "Mormon Family". I love you all so much!

I don't know when exactly I will be talking to you next weekend, but I
can't wait. It is going to be a fast and crazy week. We have Sister's
exchanges, my birthday, four baptisms, all of Sis. Howard's goodbyes,
and then transfers. Wow, I just got a little nervous for all the
changes happening. Yikes! It's so exciting though!

Loves!
Sister Amy Reece