Elder Reynolds in Hanoi

Hello all, and Merry Christmas! I hope you were on the good list this year and got all your presents!  If you got some coal, send it this way - we could use it for some heating!  This was a pretty standard week of teaching, contacting, and serving. Friday we had the opportunity to serve in the food shelf. One woman recognized me as a missionary as I was helping her shop. Her eyes lit up as she explained to her young child who we were and briefly explained all the good interactions she had with them in the past. Due to the food shelf being run by multiple different church organizations, there is a rule for no proselytizing while working. There are some other things I  technically  could have done to try and find her - but I know the Lord has a plan, and at a minimum, my small act of service was just another seed planted for the next missionaries who find her.  Alma 37:6 from The Book of Mormon puts it best:  "Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto

Shores of Red Fish Lake To the Tune of Hawaiian Christmas: Jiikendam Niibaa-anami’aa Giizhiigan is the Ojibwe way, to say Merry Christmas to youu! ________________________ Hello, Xin chào, 你好, boozhoo, and MERRY CHRISTMAS! Hope you are having a very Merry Christmas and enjoying the holiday. The Volkswagen  This week was full of driving and trying not to slide off the roads in the icey mornings. We got a new 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan last week and it has been interesting. Our vehicle coordinator, (the person in charge of giving vehicles to people) said although we don't have snow tires, the tires we have "should do" and "will be fine". After sliding around on the dirt snowy roads and ice, I can confirm they have done "fine".  Whenever we try to refuel the car, the gas cap refuses to open. We have searched both the manual and online. There is not button inside the car, outside, or digital to open the cap. (Das Auto). Last week when running late to District

Hello, Xin Chào, and boozhoo! Hope everyone has had a good week and ready for the next!  GOOGLE PHOTOS IS WORKING! Go check it out for all of my photos. Enjoy the captions.  https://photos.app.goo.gl/ KXNEyuJ6epdKQtAq6 This week was full of strange and bizarre experiences. I think those two adjectives would be the best way to describe some aspects of missionary work. The situations you find yourself in can be quite interesting. Native Taco Story: This week as we were doing contacts, there was a series of signs that pointed to a taco stand. They looked official enough, the handwriting was good, so we followed them to someone's house. On their house, past the 3 big reservation dogs was a sign on the door that said "Come on in! :)". So, you walk in. 50% chance of Tacos or 50% chance of something else.  Upon entering the house an old Native Lady was there preparing the most delicious Native American Tacos I have ever seen. They were $8 each and we only had $5 on us. Despite t

Hello everyone! Happy December!  This past week was normal busy missionary work. We have been going into new areas and finding new people to teach, which has been fun! I really love meeting new people and hearing their stories. Some people have grown up here their whole lives here and never left. Some moved here to start a new life. Although I'm not in the most "international" part of the world, you certainly still meet people who come from very different walks of life.  I've found missionary work to be pretty unique. So far, being out just barely around 3 weeks, I have learned the importance of relationships. Both a relationship to God and those you teach is critical. As we strive to see and interact with others as Christ would, we see them as fellow children of God. I'm certainly no expert, but I strive daily to try.  I really like a scripture, Ephesians 2:19, which states:  “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the sai