Elder Kyle Reynolds: Life Lesson...When Trials Come, Learn to Laugh!!

Elder Manwaring and Elder Reynolds

Baños Ecuador

Hello Everyone,
Well the hardest part of the mission is for sure the goodbyes. Thankfully it wasn't me saying goodbye to anyone! It was my companion, Elder Manwaring, who is going home. Not going to lie, it is pretty hard being with someone that is ending the mission. Not at all because he was trunky but you get so close to someone even though you know there is an expiration date. It's crazy how fast and how close you can make relationships here like with the people in Ecuador and with your companion. I sure have had so many that I miss and love. But that's life! I will be staying here in Puyo and my new companions name is Elder Peña and he is from the Dominican Republic. This week was obviously a lot of goodbyes and little going away parties for my companion. It hit me...why do we always wait to celebrate!! Why do we put off happiness??! Until the last moments when we are with those we love??? It was pretty crazy when I thought about it... Along with the parties came many...MANY opportunities to grow. So basically this email will be just talking about Thursday. Man that was a long day. On Thursday we had to go to Baños for a meeting and I was able to meet up with Elder...now Bro. Jacobs!!! He is from North Carolina and finished his mission last December. He was my trainer and the one who I spent my first 12 weeks with here in Ecuador! It was awesome!! A BIG shout-out to him and and his parents (Jeff and Lisa) for all that they did for me. They took us to lunch Wednesday in Puyo and then we met again on Thursday in Baños. On Thursday, they took us out to a restaurant and I was served my favorite plate...CHICKEN ALFREDO. That is one thing I really miss eating from the state!! Prayers are really answered lol!! They were so very kind and took the time to visit and treat us out. It was awesome to reunite with Elder/Bro. Jacobs! They also hand delivered a package from home!!!

Anyways, we got back to Puyo in the late afternoon and started to work. No joke...3 appointments in a row with kids. I'll explain that a little bit more. Now in the photos I sent I look pretty happy and content with all the kids...hahahaha. So the first lesson we go to is with a new investigator. So we start by explaining who we are and told them thank you so much for letting us in. They have a little girl, super cute and super playful. We started playing with her a little bit and so she thought "wow, these guys came to play with me! Cool!! Let me bring all my toys in the room" haha. So while she was gathering her toys, we started the lesson. For the next 45 minutes we took turns playing and explaining the gospel. Man what a lesson that was. We went to the next lesson which was with another new investigator and yep sure enough they have a boy from the age of the terrible 2's! Man I could not believe how much energy he had. All I could do was smile and think of the scripture when Christ said Let all the children come to me. I don't know what He did, but He sure did have a gift haha! Then the 3rd lesson...I can't lie, I was pretty drained. Just emotionally and physically. We came into a progressing investigators house with a kid crying his eyes out. I was starting to think that it was maybe our fault that they kids were crying or being obnoxious...haha. But that lesson was another super hard one as I felt as if I was trying to calm a raging sea but instead I think I was making the waves grow bigger. After all was said and done, we went back to the house completely exhausted. My companion said to me, "Elder, I don't want to have kids for a long time." hahahaha And then we start talking about how not only physically we were tried but emotionally. It was funny because earlier in the change we were telling each other about the craziest times when people didn't quite treat us the best. One in specific is when we were spit on and how it was pretty dang hard just to turn the other cheek...but then we came to the conclusion that if someone were to spit on us or call us ugly, we would probably just break down crying lol. We were so exhausted and so we went to bed pretty early that night. I have no idea why I told that story but it was something that has impacted me for the rest of my life lol. I am thankful for trials, especially when you have your companion there to laugh with. I hope everyone had a great week and can find time to laugh and of course have a great time. Love you!!!
Elder Reynolds

On Wednesday, they met up with Elder/Bro. Jacobs. He was on splits with this Elder, who spoke no English!

This was at their apartment!

During our Mother's Day skype, he asked Mom to compile a scrapbook of what the family has been up to while on his mission. He can't open and read it until November 20th...on his plane ride HOME!!