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Howdy Hanoi!

 Hello, xin chào, 大家好!

Happy Spring Break!! I have seen some photos of people going on trips and getting ready - be safe! I'd love to see what you are all up to and any photos you have. Just don't mention anything to me about Dune Part 2! ;) 

It has been another great week here in Saigon in the Tân Sơn Nhất area. The week was pretty standard, but I have some good stories.

Transfer News:

Yesterday was the day we are notified of transfers (when missionaries change areas/change companions they are with). I was told I will be going up to Hanoi and serving with Elder Vassantachart, who I shared an apartment with when I was in Thảo Điền. I am excited for the new adventure and new people to meet!

Preparation Day: The 30 Shine Experience

Last Preparation Day, my companion Elder Tolley and I really needed some haircuts. So, we hopped on our bikes and headed to the nearby barber. On the way, my bike experienced tire deflation for the 3rd time this week. We slowly walked our bikes to the nearest repair shop we could find on maps. 

While walking the bike to the shop we planned on, an older man on the street noticed my tire and told us to turn around and go to a tiny shop that we just passed by. We turned around and sure enough, there was an old man who did bike repairs sitting on the side of the road. He quickly identified the problem with my tire and said it would take him about an hour to fix. Elder Tolley and I took a look around and saw a place to get haircuts: 30 Shine. Elder Tolley heard 30 Shine gave really bad haircuts. With the next hair shop being about a 20min walk, we just decided to settle for 30 Shine and see what would happen. 

The price of haircuts was 120k, which is a little pricey, but we still decided to try it. After a short wait two female workers came up and took me and Elder Tolley upstairs, where they then took us to opposite sides of the salon. (Whoops). The worker then had me lay down on a big table which had a hair washing station on it. Little did I know I was about to get the 30 Shine experience. 

Once I laid down to have my hair washed, the worker (without saying anything) pulled down my tie and took it off and then unbuttoned my top button on my shirt. Ah! It was quite surprising because I thought I was just going to get my hair washed. Then she turned on the table - and it was a giant massage table doing my back while she was washing my hair. I just started laughing. I couldn't believe what was happening. 

After washing my hair for a bit she suddenly started massaging my face. This just made me laugh harder - and the worker was not happy with me. She kept asking me why I was laughing and I had no idea how to explain to her. Then she sprayed my face with this liquid that really burned and got a pore-sucking machine and got everything on my face there could've been. Following the pore treatment she put a wet towel over my face - which was nice - until she turned on the shower head hose and sprayed the rag and waterboarded me. I couldn't stop laughing still - while being waterboarded. 

After the waterboarding she started massaging my shoulders and then did some of my chest. Then, she popped some bones in my fingers I didn't know I had, and then she moved down to do my feet. Fortunately, I said "No, no please it's okay, haircut only - haircut only" in terrible laughing Vietnamese and she said alright. 

The haircut was good. They did a fine job. It was all I wanted anyways. How would I rate the 30 Shine experience? 30/30. 

Miracle After 30 Shine Experience:

After getting waterboarded Elder Tolley and I returned to our bikes - where out of nowhere, a member from our branch appeared from a nearby alleyway. She said she was walking down the road when she saw our bikes getting repaired. It was an answer to her prayer because the next day she was going to the hospital to get her back examined. She really wanted a blessing, but didn't know who to ask. When she saw our bikes, she knew we would be there and could help. We were able to give her a blessing and bring her some comfort for her upcoming stay at the hospital. Once again - it has shown me there truly are no coincidences in God's plan. Had my bike not broken, and then went to 30 Shine, she would have never seen us.

Escape Room Part 2:

After getting the bike fixed we met up with the rest of the district and did another escape room. This one was super fun because we had to escape a cemetary, but the ghost could actually chase you. You had to hide from the ghost and if they saw you, you could lose time to solve the escape room. Unfortunately, we still did not escape the escape room. We are going back again today though to finally beat it ;). It was pretty fun. When you are running through the dark getting chased by a ghost you find out how much unity is in your district really quick. (RIP to Chị Mai getting sacrificed to the ghost). 

Be A Missionary Day:

Saturday was super fun! We had a zone wide activity where young single adults who were interested in going on missions got to join us for a day. We had Anh Hưng and he did an amazing job! Vietnamese missionaries are the best!! 

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I am going to wrap up this email here - on a slower week I will answer some more of the common questions asked to me! 

Love you all, thanks for reading!

Anh Cả Reynolds

Blog: 

reynoldsinhanoi.blogspot.com

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/KXNEyuJ6epdKQtAq6


Missionary Day!


Third time's a charm

The TTân Sơn Nhất Branch!



Blast from the past: My Study Abroad Cohort Ended up in the BYU Business Magazine!



My Mom's reaction when I said I was going to Hanoi:








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