District Pday!

 Hello Everyone!! 

This past week was a crazy but good one! Last pday was district pday and we went to the New York Aquarium, which was way fun! We also went and walked the board walk near the aquarium so that was a good time! 

We also had an in person lesson! It was honestly so nice not to have a screen in between us and just be able to meet with people in person! Most of our lessons are on zoom or phone call because it's either more convenient for people or they don't feel comfortable with covid. Which is nice because you don't have to worry about travel time and can fit in a lot more lessons but sometimes I just want to talk with people in person. 

We got to do some service this week as well! On Saturday we went and cleaned up the shore line and I saw the Statue of Liberty! We also helped our ward plant a small garden behind the church! And I got asked to speak in church on Saturday night so that was exciting. I have never planned a talk out that fast in my life haha. I spoke on Elder Gong's talk from conference, "Room in the Inn". You all should read it because it's amazing! 

Just an update on a few of our people.. I think I mentioned before a lady that we're teaching who is so ready for baptism but has been waiting on her second vaccine, she came to church in person on Sunday! And it was the best thing ever! She is supposed to get her 2nd shot today so if all goes well we can maybe move up her baptismal date. Right now it's for may 22nd so we'll see. Also another one of our friends is on date for the 23rd so that's exciting! 

This week as I studied I read in Helaman 5. I wanted to share verse 30 with all of you... 

"30 And it came to pass when they heard this voice, and beheld that it was not a voice of thunder, neither was it a voice of a great tumultuous noise, but behold, it was a still voice of perfect mildness, as if it had been a whisper, and it did pierce even to the very soul"

As I read this I pondered how the spirit speaks to me. The spirit usually is not going to speak to us loudly, we need to make sure we are ALWAYS listening so that we can hear the Holy Ghost testify to us of the things we should do. I invite all of you to recognize the Spirit more in your life! And find how the Spirit really speaks to you! 

That's all for this week! Hope you have a wonderful week! Love you all! 

District Pday! Aquarium

District Pday! 

Spring here is BEAUTIFUL!

Not the best picture, but the statue of liberty! 

 Service on the shoreline! 

 A fun sign at the mall by our apartment that we found on a morning walk! 

Baptism Week!!

 Hello everyone!!

This week was a great week! So so so many miracles! One of our friends Sidney was baptized and it was so awesome! I only taught him a few times before he was baptized but I'm grateful to be part of the rest of his journey and the things to come now that he's baptized! We also had some sister's from Connecticut call us and tell us one of their friends had moved to Staten Island and that they needed to pass her off to us. We got in contact with her and she came to church this week so that was awesome and such a miracle! Also another miracle... I saw Facebook really work! I decided to really start using Facebook and just embrace it and one of the people I started messaging this week came to church! So Facebook missionary work really does work! haha. We also had exchanges on Wednesday! I went on exchanges in the Chinese area in Brooklyn. It was like I was in a whole new world and the culture there was amazing! I had such a great time with Sister Morris and learned so much! But didn't understand what was going on half of the time because it was Chinese most of the day 😂 Also while on exchanges, my companion put one of our friends Tiffany on baptismal date for May 23 so that was some exciting news to come back to! 

Also just wanted to share a little spiritual thought for this week.. 

We had a sister's call with the sister's in Brooklyn and they shared an article called, "Let's Talk About Confidence", By: Lynzi Clyde. I encourage all of you to read it because it really helped me! But I just wanted to share a short quote from it that I loved. "Rely on Christ. Read your patriarchal blessing. Spend more time in the scriptures than you do on Facebook. Let yourself feel embarrassed. Keep learning and keep growing. And remember, what you look like and what what you achieve have absolutely nothing to do with what you're worth." I just loved this article and if any of you are struggling with feeling good enough, I suggest trying these things(: and never forget that you're worth more than you could comprehend, to your Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. ❤

That's about all for this week, but the work goes forward and I'm grateful to be here in Staten Island!

Love you all and hope you have a great week! 

Sister Reynolds 

Sister Barnum and I got donuts from a sweet member!

Pictures from exchanges with Sister Morris! Tried some new Chinese food

Our friend Sidey's Baptism! 

The district!(yes we're the only sisters haha)
 Elder Virchow Elder Fullmer Elder Covey Elder Little Elder Fanning Elder Kelley Sister Barnum

 

First Full Week in NY!

Hello Everyone! It was another crazy week here in New York! I have officially been in New York for 12 days now, which has felt like way longer than that haha, but it's a good time for sure! Last p-day (Monday) we went to a place called Snug Harbor and I'll attach some pictures from that. It was a fun time! This week was just lots of lessons and finding. We have some awesome people we're talking to and teaching and I've seen so many miracles here! We do have a baptism for one of our friends on Saturday though so I'm excited for that coming up! We also had zone conference this week and I learned a lot from that! We focused a ton on involving members and asking for referrals so hopefully that's something I can focus on and get better at! I also had New York pizza for the first time this week so that was exciting! 

This week as I studied I read a BYU devotional called "Stand Forever", By: Lawrence E. Corbridge, and I just wanted to share part of what I loved from that.. 

"Of all the problems you encounter in this life, there is one that towers above them all and is the least understood. The worst of all human conditions in this life is not poverty, sickness, loneliness, abuse, or war—as awful as those conditions are. The worst of all human conditions is the most common: it is to die. It is to die spiritually. It is to be separated from the presence of God, and in this life, His presence is His Spirit or power. That is the worst."

"Pay whatever price you must pay, bear whatever burden you must bear, and make whatever sacrifice you must make to get and keep in your life the spirit and power of the Holy Ghost. Every good thing depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in your life. Everything depends on that."

I encourage all of you to do or change whatever you need to, to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. I know how much it has blessed my life and how much it can and will bless yours! 

Love you all and talk to you next week! 

Sister Reynolds 

Here are some fun pictures from this week..

1. Snug Harbor last pday

 

2. NY pizza! 

3. The beautiful blossoms! 

4. Just some random pigeons haha 

Made it to New York! First Area - Staten Island

 Hello Everyone!

I made it to New York! My companion and I are over the Staten Island 1st ward! So I live in a town called New Springville and our area is the whole island. A couple sets of elders cover the island as well. My companions name is Sister Barnum and she's been out for 9 months, so that's exciting for her! She's super fun and we've had a great time together so far! We are teaching some awesome people! Two are on date for the end of this month I think so that's exciting! For sure a good area and there are such awesome people here on Staten Island! I came into this area at a good time I would say. 

General Conference this weekend was so great! One of my favorite talks was the one by, Elder Rasband. He talked about miracles and how all of us receive miracles from our Heavenly Father. It's not about the magnitude of the miracle, but rather that it's from our Heavenly Father and that's really all that matters. Another talk I really liked was the one by Elder Bednar about how important it is to teach correct principles in the Gospel and we are to govern ourselves based off of those correct principles. I can't wait to go back and watch and read all of the amazing talks given by our Prophet and Apostles!

Feel free to email me! I would love to hear from any of you! Have a great week!

Here's a few pictures from this week!

*Me and sister Barnum painted some Easter Eggs! 

*Yummy Easter Breakfast we made! 

*Easter tradition-resurrection rolls!

Sister Alison Reynolds - Saying goodbye before and at the Salt Lake City Airport April 1, 2021

Saying goodbye before and at the airport: