Beautiful People,
So, a long time ago (or like basically yesterday/5 months ago) someone asked me what keeps me grounded? What, in all of life's craziness, keeps Sister Reynolds down on the earth and content and hopeful in an ever changing life? It's a big question and definitely hard to boil it down to one thing but I surprised myself with a pretty quick answer at the time, Gratitude. Life gets crazy folks, people do things you would never expect, you have to work with circumstances that are less than perfect, and if you choose to focus on the craziness you will go crazy. Life is also beautiful! There are miracles happening everywhere, there are sunsets every night, there are cute dogs who will love you around every corner, and there are people everywhere who love you and want to help you! If you choose to focus on the goodness then you will be Happy! Having a true attitude of gratitude gives you
real peace in life,it allows you to see through the doom and gloom and realize that you have God on your side and you cannot fail! In the spirit of having an interesting week filled with lots of challenges
but so much more goodness and Thanksgiving of course I wanted to write a bit about what I am grateful for. Now let's be real, if I were going to include everything I would spend my whole mission here at my iPad so we'll keep it to maybe the top 500 things!
I'm grateful enough for a Heavenly Father who knows me personally, loves me no matter what, and allows me to feel that same love for people around me. He has been, is, and always will be right behind me and guide me to be the best person I can be. I love having the opportunity to serve people and feel that same love for them and be able to be Heavenly Father's hands physically here on earth. I'm also grateful for every one who has shown me that same love! (That's you people!)
I'm grateful for challenges that stretch me. Now, no I am not really that stoked that Vanessa called us 6 days before her baptism a couple hours after we asked her to live the word of wisdom and completely dropped us and said we didn't love her and asked us to stop asking her to change and just accept her how she is. BUT I am grateful for the comfort and spirit I felt after one of the most fervent prayers I have offered in my life in her behalf. I am grateful for the chance I had to learn from my companion while she comforted me. I'm grateful for the testimony I have gained of the word of wisdom in my life and the strength that comes from upholding that standard even when others don't want to live it! I'm grateful for the connection with the spirit I've felt as I try and know what Heavenly Father wants me to do for her. It hurt a lot, but I have learned how to be a more effective
missionary. I know that God knows us and the trials we go through and gives us those trials to come forth as gold (Job 23:10).
I'm grateful for the opportunity to have the chance to help the people I love here in Ohio to build eternal families. We had the chance to go see Marilyn's son Shane get baptized on Saturday. It was so amazing to be able to remember her baptism just a few months ago in July and to feel the happiness she felt as she saw her son take that same step. I love them and know they will be together forever!
I'm grateful for the temple and the peace I feel there and the power that comes from being inside the temple and knowing that I am close to God there!
I'm grateful for my family and for the strength of their testimonies.
I'm grateful for sage wise friends who continue to look out for me even if I semi abandon them for 18 months.
I'm grateful for leaders who love, lift and inspire me to be better.
I'm grateful for mashed potatoes and home made cinnamon rolls.
I'm grateful for Frosted Flakes.
I'm grateful for functioning cars and technology!
I'm grateful for hoodies.
I'm grateful for music.
I'm grateful for bikes and bike racks.
I'm grateful for Mormon messages, and cheesy videos to entertain me on Preparation Day.
I'm grateful for my heroes in life!!
And I am grateful for all of you!!
Life is good, find those tender mercies from God this week. Give your mom's hugs and don't be afraid to tell people how much you love them! I hope you all see the true joy in being alive this week!
Sister Reynolds
So, a long time ago (or like basically yesterday/5 months ago) someone asked me what keeps me grounded? What, in all of life's craziness, keeps Sister Reynolds down on the earth and content and hopeful in an ever changing life? It's a big question and definitely hard to boil it down to one thing but I surprised myself with a pretty quick answer at the time, Gratitude. Life gets crazy folks, people do things you would never expect, you have to work with circumstances that are less than perfect, and if you choose to focus on the craziness you will go crazy. Life is also beautiful! There are miracles happening everywhere, there are sunsets every night, there are cute dogs who will love you around every corner, and there are people everywhere who love you and want to help you! If you choose to focus on the goodness then you will be Happy! Having a true attitude of gratitude gives you
real peace in life,it allows you to see through the doom and gloom and realize that you have God on your side and you cannot fail! In the spirit of having an interesting week filled with lots of challenges
but so much more goodness and Thanksgiving of course I wanted to write a bit about what I am grateful for. Now let's be real, if I were going to include everything I would spend my whole mission here at my iPad so we'll keep it to maybe the top 500 things!
I'm grateful enough for a Heavenly Father who knows me personally, loves me no matter what, and allows me to feel that same love for people around me. He has been, is, and always will be right behind me and guide me to be the best person I can be. I love having the opportunity to serve people and feel that same love for them and be able to be Heavenly Father's hands physically here on earth. I'm also grateful for every one who has shown me that same love! (That's you people!)
I'm grateful for challenges that stretch me. Now, no I am not really that stoked that Vanessa called us 6 days before her baptism a couple hours after we asked her to live the word of wisdom and completely dropped us and said we didn't love her and asked us to stop asking her to change and just accept her how she is. BUT I am grateful for the comfort and spirit I felt after one of the most fervent prayers I have offered in my life in her behalf. I am grateful for the chance I had to learn from my companion while she comforted me. I'm grateful for the testimony I have gained of the word of wisdom in my life and the strength that comes from upholding that standard even when others don't want to live it! I'm grateful for the connection with the spirit I've felt as I try and know what Heavenly Father wants me to do for her. It hurt a lot, but I have learned how to be a more effective
missionary. I know that God knows us and the trials we go through and gives us those trials to come forth as gold (Job 23:10).
I'm grateful for the opportunity to have the chance to help the people I love here in Ohio to build eternal families. We had the chance to go see Marilyn's son Shane get baptized on Saturday. It was so amazing to be able to remember her baptism just a few months ago in July and to feel the happiness she felt as she saw her son take that same step. I love them and know they will be together forever!
I'm grateful for the temple and the peace I feel there and the power that comes from being inside the temple and knowing that I am close to God there!
I'm grateful for my family and for the strength of their testimonies.
I'm grateful for sage wise friends who continue to look out for me even if I semi abandon them for 18 months.
I'm grateful for leaders who love, lift and inspire me to be better.
I'm grateful for mashed potatoes and home made cinnamon rolls.
I'm grateful for Frosted Flakes.
I'm grateful for functioning cars and technology!
I'm grateful for hoodies.
I'm grateful for music.
I'm grateful for bikes and bike racks.
I'm grateful for Mormon messages, and cheesy videos to entertain me on Preparation Day.
I'm grateful for my heroes in life!!
And I am grateful for all of you!!
Life is good, find those tender mercies from God this week. Give your mom's hugs and don't be afraid to tell people how much you love them! I hope you all see the true joy in being alive this week!
Sister Reynolds
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| the Sciolin Lake District at our first District Meeting together |
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| Someone thought it would be a good idea to let Sister Reynolds be in charge of piano at Shane's baptism and Sister Williams likes taking stalker pictures #what |
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| sometimes we bike in the rain... |
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