Elder Kyle Reynolds: Finding Joy in our Labors!

Heavenly Father sent us this family of 12 that I LOVE very much!!

This week was a great week to be a missionary! So this was the first week of full work. Well almost...because the other weeks there has been at least one bus ride but this week (on Sunday) we had to come to Quito for a class because Elder Garcia is ending the mission. But we had all week to work and it was super great. So what I want to focus on is this family we found. Their names are Isabel, Juli, Dario, David, Joselin, Juan, Carlos, Maria, Iri, Ingred, Anai, Tatiana, Ikel haha I made a goal to get each one of their names down and I achieved it! But we found this family from only contacting doors and in the streets. We contacted the husband a few weeks back and contacted their house and told us to come back. We were a bit stressed on Saturday because we were praying for new investigators to teach....and Heavenly Father gave us 12 of them!!!! Oh man it was so nice to see all the kids and the parents gathered around on our little sermon on the mount. They don't understand much. I am not going to lie...but what I LOVE is they feel it. I feel like I am teaching a primary class because of so many kids! But they are all so excited to be listening. I don't know if it is just because this is the first Gringo they have seen speak some Spanish or because they are actually interested in what we share haha but we will take what we can get!! The first visit I was like "Let's take a picture!" And then they said "Okay!!" And from then on we have taken a picture every single time we have been there. We had a ward celebration for Mothers Day and it was supposed to start at 6:00 and this family of 12 showed up at 6:15! And there was no one other than the leaders of the church and us missionaries haha. I was thinking to myself...man this is going to be embarrassing...but slowly more people started coming and more started talking to the family and soon enough it was truly like a ward family. Man, I love the unity in this little branch of ours! I can truly testify where true joy comes from. I remember in Alma when it was talking about his joy in his labors and then he started writing about his joy when he found out about his brethren and their success and that his joy was full. Yes we can have joy when we have success in our own lives, but our joy is FULL when our loved ones have success.

I think a lot about parenting...I don't know why haha but being a missionary I feel a lot like a parent. Maybe I am doing the mission wrong lol. Anyways I see advantages and disadvantages of being a parent. Super, super stressful I can only imagine, but there is an opposition in all things. So with that stress comes a fullness of joy also. Man, the mission is great. It teaches so many great things and puts me or anyone in the optimal position to learn. I know its not the mission that is changing me...it's Christ. I am so glad to be serving. To be changing. Its a privilege and I know each one of us can also be changed. I love you all so dearly. Thank you for your prayers and support. Keep on keeping on!
Elder Reynolds