Elder Reynolds in Hanoi

 Xin chào mọi người!  January is nearing its end! Congratulations. I know this month can seem like a drag for many, so keep pushing on. Spring is just around the corner. This week was yet another standard crazy week here in Vietnam. I honestly don't know what to expect the second I walk out of my apartment door for the day.  Preparation Day Fun: Last Preparation Day we went to an American restaurant here named Eddie's and got some good burgers and milkshakes. It was a bit strange hearing a bunch of American music and food again, but also a little refreshing. It was nice to have some french fries in a nice air conditioned restaurant. Afterwards, we went and played at a golf simulator in a nearby mall. For dinner that night, we ate with Elder Vassantachart's father who was visiting for business at a sushi restaurant.  Zone Conference:  Tuesday I had my first zone conference. It was great! We talked about the importance of setting goals and being organized. We are ...

 Xin chào mọi người!  I hope you are doing well and having success. Remember to keep moving forward, even if it means one step at a time! Or one pedal at a time, if you are biking here. This week was quite an adventure. Putting a Friend On-Date for Baptism: We started off strong by having one of our friends accept an invitation for baptism which was exciting. He has a very sincere testimony and works so hard at having a relationship with God. It is amazing to watch people develop and grow their testimony. I'm so grateful God put our friend in our path and I'm faithful all will go smoothly. I hope I get to stay in the area for his baptism, but we will see what happens! Finding at Hutech University: This week we did some finding at a nearby university. We actually ran into a couple of our friends we were actively teaching and got to chat. Coincidence? I think NOT! I really enjoyed finding at the university. At times, the students are a bit shy and don't want to talk. To count...

 Xin chào mọi người!  Hoping you all had a great week and are getting back into the routine of things. The holiday season hasn't ended here in Vietnam yet, as many people are preparing for Tet! I am so excited to be here during this time of year. I'm looking forward to trying lots of treats and learning more about the culture. This week was eventful and fun! We have been working with lots of friends and saw a majority of them come to church which was exciting. During church on Sunday, I was asked to give a short 1-3 impromptu message to share because the assigned member didn't show up. Luckily I had some pre-written Vietnamese talks I wrote during previous language studies which really saved me. The ward translator said she appreciated me speaking slowly and simply, haha.  This week I stomached some cow tongue, intestines and stomach. Fortunately I didn't know what it was before I ordered, but my companion got a kick out of it. Just so you know- if you are halfway done ...

Xin chào mọi người!  They're sending me to Vietnam... it's a whole lot of scooters... Things have been great here in Vietnam. I'm currently sitting in a park after doing my second dance practice with some people we met last week. We're waiting for a friend to meet us to play some pickleball. If I wrote down everything that has happened within the past week this email would be too large to send, so here is a brief bullet point list of the highlights:  -Landed in Hanoi and did orientation. Was told I would be serving in the Ho Chi Minh area. Woo hoo! My Mission Presidency is awesome.  -Met my companion Elder Luân. His English is good but communicating is sometimes still difficult. 😅 I am constantly speaking Vietnamese, which has helped me learn a lot.  -Had first English Activity night and taught about Idaho, haha. The slideshow was already made by someone from Vietnam, and went over all the highlights of things like: Potatoes, sagebrush, dairy cows, and irrigation....

Hope you have started 2024 off strong and ready for a new year! New Year's is actually one of my favorite holidays, because it is a holiday celebrated by mostly everyone on Earth. It's interesting to see how the world unites for this brief period of time, to celebrate a new beginning.  Vietnam : I'm starting off this new year in an exciting way!  As I write this email, I am currently on my way to Vietnam!  I will have a short layover in Seoul, South Korea and then a 5 hour flight to Vietnam. I am so excited to reunite with some of my fellow MTC missionaries and see some friendly faces again! My language skills are far from perfect, I am certainly a bit nervous. Simultaneously,  I am so excited and grateful for this opportunity to start this next adventure and serve in Vietnam. Next week, I should have plenty of photos to share! The Last Day in Bemidji: While preparing to leave Bemidji and head to Bismarck where I would temporarily stay until my flight on Monday, we g...

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...

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 ...