Hello to one and all!

Hey Family!

 

First off- Welcome to the family Kristoffer!!! You couldn't have been more lucky than being placed in my mom's house. She is AH-MAZE-ING! And yes, please please please protect my amazing little sisters, both of them. Mel, you better not try and pull anymore of that fancy business you used to try (Yeah- you know what I am talking about. You, me, driving a boy home. Remember?)- now you'll have Kristoffer to answer too. :D Anyway- Welcome!

 

I love this area. It has really been struggling for awhile now. But as we drive down the street and meet with various people I can just feel the potential that is here. The two wards that we cover are both having challenges with their ward leadership being active in church. Because of that Sis. Affleck and I have decided to focus most of our efforts right now on building the ward from the bottom up. We went and visited with a lot of less-active members and with a lot of members that are tetering on the verge of going inactive. These people are all so amazing but somehow get lost in the shuffle of unstable ward leadership. There is one family, the Shen Family, that the mom and three teenagers have been baptized for a year and a half now and are already inactive. The Elders have tried to go visit them before but the family hasn't even let them inside the door. We went and visited them yesterday and we found the daughter outside with the dog. It was perfect because we were already face-to-face with her and she couldn't really deny us. We were able to sit down with all three kids and talk to them about prayer. It broke our heart when they said that they were baptized because they finished the lessons and the missionaries said baptism was the next step. That always breaks my heart. But we had an awesome lesson that ended with one of the daughters praying and us being able to set up a follow-up appointment. This is an amazing family that somehow fell through the cracks. A lot of the times as a missionary I feel like the search and rescue people on the boat- throwing those lost in sea their lifeline- reading, praying and going to church. It is amazing. I love seening new people come into the church through baptism, but I also LOVE watching less-active members come back and qualify once again for the Celestial Kingdom.

 

Speaking of amazing less-active members!! I found out the other day some miracles that have been happening with some less-actives that I helped bring back in Tanzi. There was one sister that Sister Howard randomly called one day and then we started meeting with her. She had been inactive for 9ish years and was living with her boyfriend. Long story short I found out that her boyfriend just got baptized and they are planning on being sealed in the temple next year!!!! And another less-active member we started teaching went to the temple a couple of weeks ago and did baptisms for the dead for the first time. And last but not least another now active sister's niece got baptized a couple of weeks ago! I love teaching less-active members. There is so much joy in helping them find what they once had again. I love being a missionary!

 

I know that this truly is the church of Jesus Christ here on earth today. I know that it is through following the teachings of Jesus Christ and His chosen leaders that each and everyone of us can have unbelievable happiness. And there is no expiration date on repentance. Jesus Christ is always there waiting for us, not matter when or where or for what reason we have been brought to our knees. There is still so much that I don't understand about so many aspects of Jesus Christ's gospel- but I know it's all true. The Chinese translation of "gospel" is "fuyin"- good news, glad message. This truly is the greatest and gladest message there ever is. Share it! Recently we have been inviting all of the members that we visit to make a list of all of their friends, aquaintances, family members, anyone they know that has not yet received this good news. And then take that list to the Lord and ask who it is that He is preparing right now to hear it. And now I am extending that invitation to you. I know that if you will do this you will see miracles. The Lord is preparing people everywhere to hear the gospel- but He needs our help. Please help us misisonaries help them!

 

Again, I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior and Redeemer of the world. And I know that although I am not perfect, He is allowing me to wear His name on my chest. And I am so greatful for that.

 

I love you all so much!

Sister Amy Reece