Letter 03/31/2014

¡Tenedor Libre!

I have to keep this email relatively short. I am in Rosario and when we end here we are going to head over to a tenedor libre (in translation that means a buffet). Yes, a buffet of all the best Argentinian and of other countries foods. We will see what they have from the good ole U.S. of A. But I am looking forward to some Empanadas, Milanesas, Supremas, Pizza Casera, Fideos, and all sorts of amazing food. 

This week has been a fantastic week, really tranquilo, nothing too big happened. We did get destroyed by a storm. It hit very unexpectedly and happened to soak every companionship in the Rosario zone, with the exception of Villa Diego. I am pretty sure the big man upstairs was playing a prank. It got us right as we were coming out of a lesson. We began running to the pench, and it was raining so hard you couldn't see due to the water. It was crazy!! When we finally made it back to the pench, we were more water then human. 

Before we left our lesson we were doing a normal lesson, that turned into random trivia about the church. It was really fun, and we are planning on doing a family home evening with a jeopardy like structure of church trivia. Complete with prizes and everything. It should be a pretty fun experience. 

This week I had a thought as we were getting a ride home after lunch from a member. I was so happy to get a ride home, because I was not looking forward to the 25 minute walk home with a full belly (it is a normal thing to have to do). However, this time the member gave us a ride. It really made my day. I don't know if I have already talked about celebrating the small victories, but I challenge you all to do that for this week. Notice the small little blessings, the small little good things that happen and really enjoy them. 

I had more that I wanted to share, but I have to get off here. So I will talk to you guys next week! I love you all so much!! and I hope you are all happy!!

Love,

Elder Mason Paul Reid

Letter 03/24/2014

¡Buenos Días De Argentina!

You know those weeks when everything fails, when really you had no success, when you feel like everything you did was for nothing. Those weeks when you walk around defeated, and just depressed...Well this week was NOT one of those weeks. 

This week was actually a wonderful week. I don't know where to start in this letter, but I will say that the Inactive that we challenged to come to church for 4 weeks. He did come again this last Sunday, and by his own personal choice. He has been watching and listening to the general conference from October and is doing so wonderful. 

We programmed 3 people to be baptized and we are very happy with them making it to their date. One of them is the sister of one of our Recent Converts. We have been teaching her and her mom for a couple of weeks. This last week we taught a lesson and her other brother was there (we met him for the first time), we asked her if she would be baptized. She said that she wasn't sure. She has been reading and praying, but she hasn't gone to church. She wanted to go to church before getting baptized. So we invited her and told her we would walk to her house to take her to the church. We also gave her a blessing. When Sunday came we get to the house and she comes out, but she doesn't come out alone. The brother decided to come as well...SO AWESOME!! Well, we get them to the church and by the end of it, they wanted to come back. She said she wanted to be baptized. I am so excited for the 19 of April, and the brother is not very far behind from being baptized himself. 

All in all we had 6 investigators in the church. One of which is the grandma of our recent converts, we watched The Testaments with them and her, and she ended up crying (such a good movie). We are hoping to get her a date to be baptized today. 

So yes, this week was a wonderful week. We have seen a lot of miracles, and I am excited for the rest of this transfer. Sometimes the day doesn't seem to have enough hours in it. 

As always I hope you are all happy. I pray for you, and I know the Lord is real and hears our prayers.

I love you,

Elder Mason Paul Reid

Letter 3/17/2014

Mis Queridos,

This week has been an absolutely wonderful week!

My new companion is from Peru. He is 20 years old, and has 6 months on his mission. I dont have a photo for this week, but don't worry, next week I will be sure to send you guys them. 

As for being district leader. I am really enjoying it. It gives me more of an opportunity to serve and help the district. I am definitely not the perfect leader, but I am enjoying the opportunity to grow and learn. 

It has rained so much this week especially Friday. I made the decision to walk really far away from our pench to a place that only had dirt roads and at that point muddy roads. It was fun, but we ended up soaking wet even with our umbrellas. We passed by a recent converts house and he wouldn't let us leave until we took his jackets to use for the day. My feet ended up so wet and muddy that I didn't want to stand in one spot for to long or I would grow roots like a tree. It was a good day. You have to enjoy all the parts about being a missionary even walking in the rain. 

But the best part about the week was definitely Sunday. Due to the fact that one of our inactive's came to church. We had gone to his house that Saturday to visit, we talked about the church and forgiving others due to the fact that he had some hard feelings against some of the members. I asked him if he had the faith to act and to test God. He looked at me and said "are you going to ask me to go to church again?" I looked at him, and felt the spirit so extremely strong. I looked him in the eyes and said "No, I challenge you to come to church 4 times in a row. The next 4 sundays. Without missing a single one." I promised him as a representative of Christ that Christ would give him the blessings he needed and that he would realize he needed this church. The spirit was so strong. He committed and was at church the next day. It was his first time attending in 10 years. We have been visiting with him for about 2 months, he has become one of my favorite people in this area. 

This week has been a wonderful week. I hope all of you are doing great. The Lord is real. 

Love,

Elder Mason Paul Reid

Letter 03/10/14

Hola mis queridos amigos.

So I figured I would start this letter out with the news about transfers. I will be staying in My area for probably one more transfer. But I will not be with Elder B. I am going to be with Elder B. (a different Elder B.) I haven't met him yet. Tomorrow I will meet him. I am also now District Leader. I am pretty excited for the new opportunity, But at the same time nervous for the new responsibilities. But I am sure it will all be good. 

This has been a really good week. Sometimes week six can be difficult, but we worked hard, and got a lot of work done. This next transfer we should see at least two baptisms, if not more. 

With it being week six yesterday we went around saying goodbye to some of the people that we teach, we didn't know which one of us was leaving, so we both said goodbye. It was weird to do it. I have only known these people for 4.5 months. But they have become like my family. I love them so much, and to think that I was going to have to leave them, was really hard. I love the people, and they have changed my life. So staying in this area for at least one more transfer is something I am okay with. 

So I have a funny story. We where walking to an investigators house that lives about 30 minutes away from the pench. We get about half way there and I see this pit bull walking on the other side of the street. I looked at him, patted my leg, and he came trotting over. He ended up walking with us to the cita, and then waited for us outside, and continued following us. He followed us for about 45 minutes. I named him Jensen. He would go off and do something and I would pat my leg, and he would come running over. We ended up going inside of a lesson for a long time, and he left. But I plan on finding him again. I liked Jensen, Elder B. didn't like him as much. But I thought he was a good little pup. Good little Jensen. 

So all in all it has been a great week. I am doing wonderful. I hope everything is going good over there. Koral sent me the birthday wishes from everyone, Thanks so much you guys! It was a great Birthday!

Love,

Elder Mason Paul Reid

Letter 03/03/2014

FELIZ SEMANA!!

Yes that does translate to Happy Week!!

This week has been a really really great week. It has been full of different things, full of new experiences, but all in all, really really awesome. Busy, but awesome. 

I had a wonderful time celebrating my birthday. The people here are so nice, and really opened their hearts up to us. We had two families who celebrated my birthday. They made cake, and some food. Just really nice people. I love this area! 

The other Elders that lived with us had a baptism this week, but the guy getting the baptism, was an older, bigger gentleman, that was missing a leg. So I ended up performing the baptism seeing as how I was the biggest one to help the guy get in and out of the font. I got him into the font, and got him all ready, but the bishop got nervous and decided to enter the font, just to secure him a little more. So the bishop jumped in and it was kinda funny to see him in his church pants all soaking wet. A great experience all in all. 

Yesterday I was in church, and the bishop announced that we would have the baby blessings for one of the families in the ward, (Baptized in January) So I thought, wow, awesome. Then he announces I will be giving the blessing to their little boy, he is two years old. I hadn't received any notice before, and was really nervous, but I said a prayer, and got up, and did it. It was a wonderful experience, I never thought I would give a baby blessing before I was actually a father, but I was honored to give it, and the spirit was so, so very strong. 

This is going to be a little short, but I had a wonderful week. It was busy, but it was wonderful. Next week is transfers so I will be emailing Tuesday. I dont know what is going to happen, but I know the Lord does, so I trust his will.