Snow...Almost

So yeah, the English way of life.

You see, there are crosswalks everywhere and there are these nice little buttons that you push and you wait for the little man to turn green before you cross the road.

Everyone who is English just waits until there's a nice little gap before they leg it across. But because we are missionaries we are law abiding citizens even if it means we wait for 7 1/2 minutes to go across a road with 3 cars.

Yup. Can't wait until I come back to England and can live the way the English do. #ontheedge #ofthestreet

The English also love their dogs. A lot.. And don't get me wrong, I do too! But they go to all lengths of making sure their dogs feel like people. Enough to dress them up to go for a walk. My favourite is when the human is obviously in a rush but the little dogs legs can't keep up to the human just gives up and either 1 they just swing the dog forward every few feet or they just 2 bend down and pick them up and keep going haha #whatyoulearnatabusstop

CHRISTMAS was amazing!!! Truly I am so blessed. Thank you thank you thank you to everyone who was so thoughtful and generous in extending a warm English Christmas to me. And to the unaddressed letters and packages, I hope that you will read this and know that I am so grateful for your kindness!!!!

I tried roasted plantains and also eggplant. That's what's up.

Also, we were asked to teach primary this Sunday. Boy was that fun! Ha the first little bit of it I just had them all do the human knot. It was hilarious. And then as the elders were teaching the kids broke out into singing Silent Night. I would have joined in but it was all in German. #nexttime

The weather is getting crazier!!! Well, mostly just colder. We did get a little snow though! Sister zulueta was happy about that haha

Some quotes and things

"Why am I even yawning?"

"Because it's language study, everyone always falls asleep during study but I am the happiest!" Sister zulueta

"Elder Cain, you sound sophisticated even with your mouth full of food"

"Holy mackerel! Those are some crazy bananas!" President Ulrich

"People need to break up before they grow up and it takes two grown ups to make a relationship work" Filipino chick flick

Oh, and an update on my driving. I take my practical test on the 21 of January so let's pray that it's not snowing haha

Well, we all know what a good driver I am anyway...

Also, some of the pictures I sent this week are just random of what we do as missionaries, or the places that I see. So it includes exciting things such as bus stops, roads, rubbish bins.... And etc. enjoy!

My two pence

Christmas as a missionary truly is a unique experience. It is wonderful and enlightening in so many ways! There were a lot of opportunities for me to do some thinking and reflecting on things that I have been given and things I have received in these past 9 months. Because really, I have only received and I only continue to receive.

So I wanted to share a little bit of the things that I have learned and have pondered. Hopefully it won't make this letter too long for you to read.

I was asked a few a questions this past week and it caused me a great deal of worry and anxiety. "What have you learned thus far?" And "do you feel as though you have changed since you first came out? If so, how?"

I thought a lot about these two questions. And I think the answers correlate really.

My answer to how I have changed was that I feel as though I now know what kind of person I want to be, in regards to missionary work when I get home. It was kind of a simple answer with not too much reflection and so I really wanted to give it some good thought and to look more into it. And that is what I hope to be able to share with you.

I first thought of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard. The one in Matthew chapter 20. I used to have a problem with this parable because I never understood it. I never thought it was fair. How could the laborers do such a different amount of work and yet be paid the same amount? I just didn't get it! As I got a little older I realised that it showed how merciful and loving our Heavenly Father is to all of his children and I understood it a little bit more. But as of today I believe that these verses mean much more to me than they ever have. Being out here on our missions is about changing into who He wants us to be. And I feel like I am. The laborers who were hired at the beginning of the day worked all the day long.

And throughout the day more and more people were brought to the vineyard.

As missionaries, we are working all day, we are labouring in the vineyard from the beginning! And like wise, we are members of the church from an early age, living the gospel and the commandments for all of our lives.

Throughout the day, and throughout life, people come and join in the work, they enter into the waters of baptism. Whether it is when they are 8 or when they are 93, we are all promised eternal life if we work in the vineyard! If we live the commandments and keep our covenants!

Before, I would say that this was unfair to be paid the same price for the different time lengths of discipleship.

But as I tried to imagine more to the parable I realised how much was gained by those who were labouring since dawn.

They arrived without friendships and left with relationships that will last an eternity.

They shared stories of families and past experiences. Some had talents that they shared with others, while others had the opportunity to learn and strengthen their talents. They worked long and hard, building each other up and changing. Serving one another and learning from the experience of being in the vineyard.

At the end of the day they were all paid the same price, but those who were working in the vineyard from the dawn had gained so much more! They developed as Christ would have them to.

It reminds me of a quote from a talk entitled "the challenge to become". In it he says that he can imagine our Father saying "all that I have I can easily give you, but that which I am he must obtain for yourself".

Heavenly Father can easily pay us a penny. But who we become from working in the vineyard is something that we must do through the experience we gain in living the gospel.

And that is what I have learned. I don't want to go home and say I put in my two hours of work in the vineyard and now I will receive my eternal life. I want to be a laborer in the vineyard from dawn until dusk, becoming more like my Savior every day.

I love you all and hope that you had a very merry Christmas and that you will have an even better new year!!! Loads of love from England, Sister Reed