No Blog Letter This Week

Since Mason is traveling to Argentina today we didn't get blog letter, but I do have some pictures! We were able to talk to him during his layovers and he is doing super good and is so excited for his next adventure. I'm just pulling them off an SD card so I don't have any stories to go with them. 

Missionary night at the Nationals vs Phillies

Playing Ultimate Frisbee, dove, and... missed.

Arlington

The Lincoln National Monument and The Washington Monument

He was there during the Governement shutdown, so he wasn't able to get the full experience of Washington DC sights. 

The White House 

The George Washington Masonic Temple 

Letter 10/21/2013

Family and Friends, It is official I will be heading to Argentina October 28, for those of you who do not pay attention to what day it is today, that means I will be heading to Argentina in exactly one week. I still have not fully begun to understand it all, and I honestly don't know what to expect when I arrive in Argentina. But my hopes are high, and I am so excited to get there.

 

This week I have been battling a Sinus Infection, It seems like at this point I am on the winning end of it. But the Sickness sure as not given up without a fight. I got so antibiotics, and as long as I am sufficiently drugged I am okay. :)

 

Random Note: So I have had a couple times where I have had to eat a dinner, or eat something I would normally never eat. But I am a guest in these peoples homes, and they are kind enough to feed you so, you eat it. But the worse one by far is Seviche, it is this raw fish, lemon, onion, octopus, thing. If any of that sounds good to you guys well let me be the first to say it is baaad. So we go to a members house and guess what...SEVICHE! It is there, and I manage to eat it. We got to the next members house: SEVICHE! Yes that is two members in a row, both serving Seviche, except the second one has Muscles in it. I couldn't do it. I took a couple of bites, and said I was sick (Which is not a lie). My other companion followed suite. Unfortunately my other companion who was not fast enough to think had to eat all the Seviche, He came home, and threw up. He ended up vomiting in the middle of night as well. Poor guy, he was not happy.

 

So we have been working with a less active for a while, finally she is coming back to church. She also has an unbaptized 9 year old daughter we have begun to teach. She is such a sweet little girl, and reminds me so so much of all the cousins back home. We have really high hopes for this family, and really expect it to be a new start for them.

 

I love you guys so much.

Love,
Elder Mason Paul Reid

Letter 10/15/2013

Hello!!

What a crazy and wonderful week. Two of the biggest things I want to talk about First: The Baptism, and Second: Seeing Arlington and D.C

 

Baptism: Okay so the day is Thursday and we have not had contact with our investigators for a few days, we try to call them but they don't answer, and they are not home when we stop by... so we are getting nervous.  Cause they need their baptism interview. So Thursday at 12 is the baptism interview, but we hadn't had contact with them in a while, so we show up to their house and they answer and just like Hispanics say: Oh yeah we got your calls, and we are just getting ready to head out. We are just thinking to ourselves: are you kidding me? Answer our calls. But to them it wasn't a big deal they new what time the interview was. So now the day is Saturday, Baptism begins at 5. But there is this thing called la hora hispana, It is kinda like Mormon Standard time. So now you have Mormon Standard time and la hora hispana, so basically things start 30 minutes after they are scheduled and its just not a big deal. 

So 5:30 rolls around, everyone is there waiting for our investigators who still haven't arrived. We gather as missionary's and say a quick prayer, go outside to the parking lot, and there they are just pulling up. Non-chalantly just like they had arrived at 4:50. ha ha ha but no, it was such a beautiful experience. I have never really felt anything like the joy I felt when I watched them go into the water. I could only smile, and the ward accepted them with open arms. The Sunday following they received the Holy Ghost, they both got callings, and the husband got the Aaronic Priesthood. And our ward is awesome so they got welcomed so well. They are going to prosper in this gospel.

 

Arlington and D.C: Such a good experience, I have always wanted to see the Tomb of the Unknown soldier, it is so so cool. I loved it. I also got to see Abe Lincoln Memorial, and the White house. It was kinda funny with the government shut down it says all monuments are closed, and their are police all around, but people don't care. They go into monuments anyways, past the barricades and tape. And the police just sit their talking to each other, not enforcing anything, it was kinda weird to see. But as missionary's we obeyed the rules and stayed on the outside of the monuments.

 

Visa news: I will be heading to Argentina sometime, some people say the week of the 28th I have heard a lot about the 22, But I have NO IDEA. All I know is I am a missionary, and I do what I am told to do. :)

 

I love you all so much.

Love,

Elder Mason Paul Reid

D&C18:15-1

Letter 10/7/13 Manassas Park VA

Family and Friends! How are you all doing? Boy oh Boy it has been a crazy week. I got my visa, we got to watch conference, and we have a baptism this coming Saturday! Oh the miracles!

 

Visa: I am still not sure the exact date on when I will be heading to Argentina. My companions are bummed, because we wanted to stay together until I killed them. (killing just means I was with them in their last transfer), But nope, they will die without me. My MTC Companion also got his Visa, I am not sure who else in my district got theirs, but I suspect quite a few. I am so EXCITED! but also a little nervous.

 

Conference: Well for us we watched conference in the chapel at the church. I have never gotten so much from a conference EVER! It was so so good. My favorite talk was by Gerald Caussie, and his story using Les Miserables was Awesome! I enjoyed Uchtdorfs talk as well "You can get up now" That is so inspiring! I loved how this conference was all about getting back to the basics, Just your basic Commandments, 13 articles of faith, and family. It is so inspiring that in our ever changing, and deteriating world our church, our belief is still just teaching, and living the basics. A lot of the talks used action words, so many said :take up your cross and walk, Yoke up with the Christ. I loved it!

 

Baptism: We have a husband and wife baptism this Saturday, We have been working with them forever, and now I believe they are ready. I am so excited for them. They are such a cool family. It took them a while to finally accept it, but I know it is going to stick. They are going to be good, strong members of this church.

 

Well Family, Until Next time. Smile, be happy. I love you all.

Love,

Elder Mason Paul Reid

1 Nephi 4:7-9

"The reason I am e-mailing on a Thursday" Letter 10/03/2013

Attention! Attention!

I got my Visa to Argentina. I will be leaving sometime close to October 20.

That is all.

Elder Mason Paul Reid