Elder Kyle Reynolds: Week 1: Life in the CCM

Elder Reynolds and his companion, Elder Philpot
District Leaders!!

So this week has been pretty crazy! There was no other missionaries on my flight..just my luck.. so I arrive in Mexico with my million pounds of jackets on and it is like 80 degrees. It is hot as heck! And everyone spoke Spanish. I know right!? Who knew.... So I get off the plane in Mexico and go through security and all no preblemos. Get my bags and go through customs and then through the doors awaits a bunch of Spanish people with signs... So Im like sweet probably one of them will say Elder Reynolds..... NOPE! I wander from end to end of the Mexico Airport having no idea where to go. 30 minutes later some guy in a suit is like Elder? Si? And I see his badge or whatever and its from the CCM so Im like phew! Finally! I start talking to him and of course.... no English. So I Am getting into this van looking thing with this guy who I just met who doesnt speak a lick of English.. But when I open the door to the van there are other missionaries crammed into the van so I just get in. haha The CCM is about an hour away and no joke.... They drive straight up´like the Bee movie! The part where everything is like perfectly sequenced so no one crashes? Yeah Mexicans are either crazy or really smart haha. So we get to the CCM and unload all our stuff have to do all the medical stuff and what not... Oh and may I see Mexico is beautiful!!! So that night we had a devotional and its all in Spanish of course so I didnt really get anything out of it... I come home to meet my companion and he is the chillest dude ever! We are the exact same. He plays volleyball, basketball, although he does play soccer.. But he is a straight athlete!! It was so awesome during our gym time we go to the gym first to lift weights, then go play basketball or volleyball and ball it up. He is way awesome. His name is Elder Philpot. The rest of my roomies are way cool too. We have a redhead in our group named Elder Duke and he is from Boise ID... Classic Boise Idaho person hahahah And then there is Elder Gerber (blonde) who is pretty cool too. We have a blast all the time. The CCM is a fiesta all the time! haha it sounds like it because I guess there is a Mexican holiday right around this time and they shoot fireworks no joke alllll night, then alll day and even in the morning!!! We get up at 630 and hear a firework and look at eachother like what in the world??!! haha So anyways the first day we have been warned by everyone is the worst day... That picture with me and my companion sums up pretty well what the CCM is doing.. Learning Spanish is like trying to drink that 5 gallon bottle. We show up to class and there is no English words.... It is the hardest thing ever. Our teacher Hermano Martinez is the coolest teacher around. Speaks extremely fast spanish though. He is way into bottle flips and dabbing so out of no where when we are studying or whatever he grabs someones water bottle and flips it and makes it then dabs and just walks out of the classroom. haha He is super funny. So yeah the first day is the roughest day in the entire world! We go to classes alllll day with no down time. And the thing is... The next day we teach the first lesson to an invetigator. SUUUUUPERRRR stressful. It is hard but good that the instructors speak strictly spanish. I am behind because literally everyone in my district took 2 years of Spanish... Freakin french... haha So funny story... Like the second lesson we taught our investigator we were talking about the atonement and my companion says... La Expiación es Jesuscristo muerto para nos pescados.... Which means the atonement is Jesus Christ dying for our fishes!! hahahahah And then the very next lesson he says.... El Espíritu dar nos la pez..... Which pez is LIVE FISH... and what he meant to say is paz which is PEACE...! Oh man our investigator was just cracking up and my companion was like ooookay! How many ways is there to say fish in spanish!!!!!? He is a really funny guy. It is a blast here at the CCM. People say to just get to Sunday and then it will be good...... I say enjoy every single moment!!!!! I have been having so much fun here with the other Elders. Of course I miss home and all you guys but I love serving our Savior. Which brings me to spiritual stuff!! The most important stuff!

I just want to say first... THE GIFT OF TONGUES IS REAL!! I am not bragging about myself... But I will boast of my God. I am not trying to pretend like I am fluent... but I can read Spanish now and can teach the first lesson really good and the other lessons I can kinda stumble through them. By day 4 me and my companion were writing our lessons in english and using our basic gringo accent and vocabulary able to teach a lesson. It is insane. I can understand the gist of what they are talking about and can answer questions. The gifts of the spirit are a real thing. I know that God qualifies who he calls. (1 Nefi 3 versiculo 7) Who knew that in 1 week Elder Reynolds could hold a conversation with a fluent Mexican and can teach them (not elaborate but just basics) of all the lessons in Preach My Gospel. I still cant believe it myself. My turnaround point was about on day 3 when I was studying all day and well into the night of the language of spanish... We have set times to do companion study and personal study and language study but those first 2 days were just all language study for me... They told us to learn the gospel more than learn the language... I was like yeah okay how is that supposed to help me teach cause you cant teach without knowing how to speak spanish!! So me and my companion decided to try it out and take time to study the Book of Mormon in English... no spanish. The next day I couldnt believe it.... I could understand the things people were saying and everything!! The book of mormon has power and I know it is true. It is the base of our religion and if thats true than everything else in our Church has to be true. I can read the Book of Mormon in spanish and understand the words.. Not just cause I know what it says in English because I read it alot... But i know the verbs and literally the direct meaning of the words... I am so blessed. I am so grateful to have the Lord on my side. There was a broadcast last night from the Provo MTC and Elder Holland was speaking and he told about after Jesus died and they asked Peter what should we do? Peter really didnt know what to do so he just said lets go back to fishing. So they went fishing and caught nada. Some person on the beach called out and said cast your nets on the other side... The apostles and Peter being very pessimistic but decided to and their nets were so full they could not pull them up... Peter realized who it was on the beach and exclamied ITS HIM!! So he jumped out of the boat saying to the other guys I dont know what you guys are gonna do either row or do whatever but I am going in now! So he got to the shore and sure enough it was Jesus. Jesus being so patient with Peter, said Peter do you love me? and of course Peter said Lord of course I do!! Jesus asks again Peter, do you love me? Peter kinda being like... um yes! I do love you! The Lord asks a third time and says Peter..... DO YOU LOVE ME??? And Peter is kind of confused and says again yes... Then Jesus says FEED MY SHEEP! I didnt call you and this church is not just for when I am on the earth! I need you to guide it and I need you to drop your nets and come follow me and feed my sheep! I need you Peter!! You cant go back to fishing... You can never go back.. I need you. He related that to us not just missionaries but to everyone.. Do you love me? Then feed my sheep. He needs us to help me. He needs us. And I know that the best way for me to do that was to drop my nets and go on on a mission. People are waiting... And the reason they dont have the gospel is because they know not where to find it.... No worries.. Elder Reynolds is here!!! I am fulfilling a prophecy as every person shall hear the gospel in their own tongue... How great of a privelege it is to be a missionary and to serve God. I am so thankful to be on his team and to be able to help this great cause. To save my brothers and sisters so that we may all have peace in this life and the next. Build your testimony always. Pray with all your might. RELY on him who has died for us. There is no way in heck I can learn this language in one week... But i am... What a miracle and blessing.

I love you all. Feed his Sheep.

Elder Reynolds

Oh and lol me and my companion are district leaders! Totally spaced that!