Invitations!

Alrighty people of the email list. It is that time of week again! You guys are probably sick of me by now emailing you guys every single week. But that sucks don't it. You guys signed up for it or are part of my family and are obligated to recieve these. Congrats!

This week has been very productive actually! We had exchanges with the ZLs on tuesday and I felt like I learned more from this exchange then any of my other ones I have had. They both came down to LakeView because I guess they wanted to? Idk exactly why but it ended up working. We had 2 different services that day. Kind of typical for Lakeview. We went over to Jack's house and helped pull more weeds in his yard. We kind of discussed how we have been doing service for him for a long time and I guess we are not supposed to make weekly services a thing unless they are progressing. Which sadly, Jack is not.

Even though we absolutley love working with jack every week because he feeds us and we have awesome conversations, he has not progressed at all towards babtism and becoming a member. So the ZLs wanted to have a conversation about the gospel wiith Jack to see if they can start something out of it. So pretty much the whole time Elder Jensen talked about the gospel and pretty much straight up asked why he has not been babtised. So we might have to inform Jack that we have to start doing maybe every other week instead of a weekly thing. Just because it is not worth our time if he is nor progressing.

Next was the more engaging part of the day. We went over to this lady named Jasmine's house. We have done services for her and her mom before. but this time I had a goal. I have been sucking at extending invitations after services and I wanted to try it because Elder Sparks kind of pressured me into doing it. So Elder Sparks and I go and help paint this house and at the end I go up to Jasmine and ask if she wants to go to church with us on Sunday. Which she responded with "I will be out of town but I would love to learn more because I am curious" So we told her a bit about my favorite book The Book of Mormon and invited her to read it. We also set up a lesson to start teaching her on the 25th. I was so stoked because this was one of the first invitations I have extended after a service and it worked! So I have been extending invitations and asking who do you know questions! This is the first person we are going to start teach in the last little while.

The next day we went over to Phyllis's house. Now your probably thinking, "Tysen, what is the difference between going to Phyllis's house and going to Jack's house? They are both weekly and Phyllis does not sound like she is progressing." Well for one, the missionaries have been going to Jack's house for years. He has just been letting them come and then feeding them for a long long time. Phyllis however, we have not been going for as long and we see progression while we are there. At least from when I have been there in thise 3 or so months in the field I have seen major improvements in Phyllis's life. While in Jack I don't see much improvement besides that he uses us to talk to someone because he does not get out much.

Thursday we actually did not have a single service which is weird for Lakeview! We did a lot of contacting and we did go over to Bob and Joyce Cheeseman's house for a member lesson which was kind of sick. But nothing else really happened that day as much.

Friday we went over and visited brother Perry because he really likes the missionaries and he is a single retired man and needs the company sometime. We were there just visiting for a little while and it was fun to get insights about some of the people he ministers to.

Saturday was super cool too. We were asked if we could come help wash windows at this lady named Denise's house and so we go over there and at the end I asked her if her or anyone she knew could use an inspirational message about Jesus Christ and so she I guess was curious and asked me if I could send her our church building address and so we were hopeful that she would come to church but I think we have an in with her. Maybe this invitation thing is what I needed to have been doing all along. I guess my second transfer is the time to learn these things before I am like halfway in the field.

Anyways, that was the most exciting part of this week. I know you guys are going to ask about Christmas and yes, we still have a Christmas countdown going in our zone group chat and in case you were wondering there is 69 days left until Christmas! Like 3 months. I have not had the chance to get eggnog in the last little bit but Elder Green was telling me he wanted to get some when he comes to Lakeview for P-day so I am going to try to get some just for you guys. Not for me at all.

Personal study and such

I have been doing a lot of different things for my personal study this week. Chevy and I find it funny to read through the old testament and see how strange the culture back then was compared to now. Like I am not going to tell you to go read this but if you would like to i am just going to warn you, the daughters of Lot are some weird ladies. Like holy cow. Anyways, another thing I have been doing is going through the general conference talks so I can understand them better I have found that if I go through them 2-3 times I will remember them. I invite you all to go read President Nelson's talk again about overcoming the world. It is a banger!

Questions for this week:

What is your favorite all time general conference talk? I might go listen to them if you send them to me!!

What is your favorite Old Testament story?

How can you help further gather Israel?

I love you all and I hope you have a blessed week! You are all amazing! Until next time I bid thee a farewell.

Elder Reynolds

Pictures:

Chevy and I getting our finding lines in! (Literally)

Jesus ministering to the Nephites

A deer wind chime that I was given after a service because I hit my head on it and I said I liked it!

The ZLs sleeping after a long day of services in Lakeview!

Chevy and I with Gracie (Phyllis's sheep)