Pi Day

Pulled off the field,

Laid down to rest.

Work is honored,

Obedience is blessed.

This has been a very busy week, lots of ups and downs, but ultimately ending the week higher than when I started. We went on two exchanges this week, and we had an 8 hour zone conference (which, by the way, was phenomenal).

This past Friday, on my parents' 21 anniversary, I was caught sick! I say caught because Thursday night, I received a call from Sister Burt (she had known previously that I was sick), and she asked that I stay home to rest the following day. I'd never received such a call before, and I tried to play off the sickness with some humor, but Sister Burt saw right through it and wasn't going to let me off the hook. So Friday, I had to rest. That was a tough pill to swallow. 

I had to learn humility. As much as I wanted to fight it, to disobey, I had to humbly accept it. While stuck at home, I was determined to study, to learn, to minister to other missionaries, to work the area book, to clean the apartment, to write in the journal. I did not get very far into my to-do list before the Spirit told me that I just needed to sleep. The most productive thing that I could do was rest and obey my mission leaders. Not being able to work on Friday also showed to me how much I really wanted to work; I no longer worry about whether or not I have enough conviction. I just want to go out and get it done.

For the past 7 weeks, I've been riding around in a Chevy Silverado; this week, our Silverado was transferred to a small city named Vanderhoof. We now have a 2016 Nissan Rogue. Needless to say, President Burt has made very clear the time and attention we need to give to the new vehicle.

Until next week!

Elder Reynolds

The Spirit of Elijah

"I have to live with myself and so,

I want to be fit for myself to know

I want to be able as days go by

Always to look myself straight in the eye.

I don't want to stand with the setting sun,

And hate myself for the things I've done.

I don't want to keep on a closet shelf

A lot of secrets about myself,

And fool myself as I come and go

Into thinking that nobody else will know

The kind of person I really am.

I don't want to dress up myself in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect.

I want to deserve all men's respect.

But here in my struggle for fame and pelf,

I want to be able to like myself.

I don't want to look at myself and know

That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.

I can never hide myself from me

I see what others may never see.

I know what others may never know

I never can fool myself, and so

Whatever happens I want to be

Self-respecting and conscious-free."

-Edgar A. Guest

Perhaps not an original poem this week, but it is one of Elder Whitley's favourites.

The Spirit of Elijah has seems to have descended in Prince George! Elder Whitley and I have felt that we should try to integrate family history more into our finding opportunities and in our teaching appointments with members, and we've been seeing a lot of success! Shortly after our shift in finding, we received a lesson in church about family history and how to search for records. Then Bishop announced that ward council this week will be focused on how to more effectively use the family history centre. Today, we just watched the new Easter video that the church will release next week, and the end of it has a bit of a family history shout-out.

Clearly, we need to keep the momentum going here.

This week, we have zone conference, as well as two exchanges with different companionships. I'm anticipating each of these events to be highly nature-changing. Don't be surprised if I have to change my name next week!

Do some family history this week! There's no reason not to! Familysearch.org. It's all free.

#Hallelujah

-Elder Reynolds

James 2:26

"The tumult and the shouting dies;

The captains and the kings depart.

Still stands thine ancient sacrifice,

An humble and a contrite heart.

Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet,

Lest we forget, lest we forget."

-Rudyard Kipling

Transfers have come and gone! I will be staying up here in Nechako for another transfer, though Elder Driscoll is going down to Vancouver. I will be joined by Elder Whitley! This is surely going to be a transfer to remember! We have zone conference coming up the second week in March, and General Conference to close the transfer.

The Sister missionaries that I started my mission with have all gone home. It's a sobering thought, and is a reflection of the brief time which I've yet to spend in the Canada Vancouver mission.

Arold and Erica, who were baptized last week, are the children of Mark and Jackie, who were baptized just three months ago! They've been just a pleasure to work with; it's so much fun to be with them all, and Jackie is a great cook, so we get fed every lesson!

This week, I've thought a lot about James 2:26- "For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Faith is compared to a body, and works are compared to a spirit. The body, without being filled with a soul, is lifeless. But what of the reverse?

Our spirits came to earth so that we could learn and progress. God wants us to learn from this mortal experience. If we weren't given this opportunity, our progression would have reached an eventual end and would have been halted. A halt in progression is sometimes referred to as damnation in the scriptures.

Thus, as the spirit without the body is damned, so works without faith are damned also. That is to say, if we work without faith, our work will not progress, and only in progression comes true and abiding joy.

That's just the doctrine of Elder Reynolds though.

Happy Leap Day!

-Elder Reynolds