Tau Toki Sio Eh

So it turns out that the temple closed for a couple weeks on Saturday so I came back from Vava'u on Friday so we could go to the temple (the group that's finishing) and then everyone went back to there areas but I'm staying with Sister Bever and Sister Paletu'a in the office since I was serving off the island. It was definitely bitter sweet leaving Vava'u, my companion and the other two sisters there (who she's going to stay with) were crying and then all the workers started joking with me and asking me if I was finishing and told me not to cry. It was funny. Inoke was supposed to get baptized but he had some problems still with the Word of Wisdom so I'm excited to hear about his baptism in a few weeks! But it was hard leaving that beautiful island and even though I was only there 5 weeks I'm going to really miss those people!

I just want to thank my Heavenly Father for the many opportunities and blessings He has given me this past year and a half. Tonga has become a part of me--a true home away from home. I will never forget the things I've experienced here, the lessons I've learned, the people, the food, the language, the smiling kids, the warm air, the dirt roads, the broken slippers, the Tongan hymns, the fallen tears, the many laughs, the many prayers, the changed hearts, the unfeigned love, the big spiders, the wandering animals, the wonderful companions I've had, the missionary attire, the black name tag, and most importantly the Spirit that is on this island. They will forever be in my heart. This was all for Him. The One who gave His life for us. I read Mosiah 4 this past week and I invite you all to read it again. The Tongan people truly live this chapter. I hope I can have that type of charity in my life.

I am committing now to all of you that I will do my best day in and day out to continue to serve my Lord for the rest of my life. Although I will be taking off the tag, His name will always be engraven on my heart. And I know that as I continue to keep my covenants I will receive power and help from on high in a world that doesn't seem to believe in such a thing. 

I already know it's going to be a real culture shock going back, haha! But I am excited to reunite with all of you! Hope you have a week full of LOVE and JOY and PEACE. I'm excited to see my beautiful family here in Tonga this week, and hope they can feel a little bit of what I've been able to experience this past year and a half. I LOVE YOU ALL. Thanks for the support and love and prayers!! I could not have asked for better family/friends. 

OFA LAHI ATU KIATE KIMOUTOLU...Tau toki sio ehhhh

<3 Sister Reid

MISIONA MANA

I just need to apologize again for sending such a short email last week. I didn't manage my time very well, but I'm going to try to make it up this week!! This was such a SPECIAL week!! God truly does work in mysterious ways...and it was truly a MIRACLE this week!! 

We met this girl a few weeks ago in 'Otea (the island we cover) and right before we were to leave back on the boat she asked us if she could ask us a couple questions. She then asked us the 3 three questions that is answered in the Plan of Salvation "Where did we come from?" "Why are we here?" and "Where are we going?" We had to get on the boat but I pulled out the lesson 2 pamphlet and promised her that it would answer her questions and invited her to pray about it. We wrote our number on the back but she didn't have a phone and lived in the Elder's area. A week and a half ago one of our members told us she had someone she was related to for us to teach, when we went over we were surprised when the girl sitting there was the same girl we spoke with in 'Otea. We began the lesson and she shared with us that she had read the pamphlet we gave her and that it changed her life. That she has felt like a better person ever since reading it. She shared with us that ever since she saw us that day in 'Otea that she saw how happy we were and how we really cared about what we were doing and she wanted to be a missionary like us some day. THIS GIRL WAS TRULY PREPARED. She had gone to church with her Aunt before and has some family who are members. We committed her to baptism. We taught her all the lessons last week and each day she had kept all the commitments and read the Book of Mormon. It was truly a MIRACLE!! And she was baptized on Saturday!! A couple days before her baptism, Satan was working hard on her. A lot of people made fun of her. We taught her the Word of Wisdom and the next day she shared with us that that morning her uncle tried to get her to drink coffee and made fun of her that she wouldn't but she shared with us that she knew it was an important commandment from the Lord. It was also her birthday last week she turned 16. What a truly blessed week!! I'm SOOO happy for her. Everyone was so impressed when she shared her testimony after the baptism. She cried and said she felt so warm inside. THE FIELD IS WHITE ALREADY TO HARVEST, not in our timing but in the Lord's timing!! THIS IS HIS WORK. I'm SO beyond filled with gratitude and love. She just started school at Saineha (the church's school here in Vava'u) and I'm praying that she will be a light to her parents so that they will want to listen to sometime!

We had Zone Conference this week and President came and it was wonderful. I got to have an interview with him. I'm so thankful for his advice and help! We got to teach the Area Book and I think it went pretty well. 

We have a musical fireside for our two wards this week and our district is going to sing so it should be good!

The finishing date got moved up to the 2nd of February and I'll leave to Tonga probably on tuesday next week so I have about a week left of work and ready to give it my all...DON'T COUNT THE DAYS, MAKE THE DAYS COUNT.

OFA LAHI ATU! God is a God of Miracles!

Sister Reid

This email is going to be pretty short but I just want to share a couple things that have happened this week. 

--we went on exchanges with two of the sisters in our zone this week, it was a wonderful experience!

--Our investigator, Inoke, came to church! And has stopped his drinking/smoking and is preparing for baptism!

--Ward members are starting to give us referrals and we're trying to help the missionary work moving in the ward.

I love you all so much. I know God lives and he loves us!

Have a great week!

Sister Reid

Jesus Christ--the source of pure HOPE

Just a little bit about my area: we cover two wards as well as an island that we go to once a week! The area is the main city in Vava'u so there are quite a few people...the area is large and has lots of hills so it's a good work out everyday! We have a couple investigators we're working with. One of which is a 13 year old boy named Pita. His brother is a member but his dad is the pastor in the Church of Tonga. He has the sweetest heart ever and we've had some wonderful lessons this past week. He really wants to be baptized but we're working toward the dad. Inoke, also wants to be baptized but he's struggling with drinking/smoking and so we're working a lot with him!

I got to fly to Tonga for a day this past week for the MLC which was weird going back for a day and flying by myself haha but wonderful! I learned so many new wonderful things!

A couple things the Spirit taught me: 

-NEVER FORGET why we are here! (whose name do we wear?)

-Be True to what we Know (who are we when no one's looking? <--true testament of character)

-Give our whole heart and will to God!

-Jesus Christ is the source of pure HOPE

-Repent daily and change!

I love this Gospel and I love the missionaries in this mission! I love the work and I am grateful for this life that God has blessed us with! We were created to have JOY! Remember, God loves you. He knows you. He hears and answers prayers. Be patient in affliction, because our trials refine us! Have courage. Be Strong.

Love you all with all my heart! 

Sister Reid

HAPPY NEW YEARS--2017

Another new year has begun! My heart is overfilled with gratitude for the blessings God has given me this past year as a full-time missionary--it honestly has been the BEST year of my life so far. To be honest, I had a little bit of a hard time letting go of this past year...I laid awake in bed on Saturday night reflecting on all the tender mercies of the Lord in the past year and thinking about all the endless possibilities awaiting me this new year...I've been praying a lot and have received a lot of hope and my faith has been strengthened and I'm excited and I'm looking forward to all God has in store for me this new year!! 

I'm LOVING it here in Vava'u...we're covering a little island out here, 'Otea, and it's SO beautiful!!! I'll send lots of pictures next week! My companion is so cute! We've been doing a lot of door knocking this week and talking with the members trying to build up the teaching pool!

Sorry this is short, but I LOVE you all so much! Hope you have a wonderful week <3 

Ofa Lahi Atu,

Sister Reid

MERRY CHRISTMAS--I'm going to Vava'u!

So this is a quick little email just to say hope you all have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS aaaand my last transfer starts today and guess what? I'm moving to Vava'u tomorrow! We spent the morning packing up (my companion is moving to Havelu and is going to be the new STL here...so proud of her and gonna miss her like crazy :)..and Elders will be taking over our area...which I'm a little sad we're both leaving). 

Vava'u is a group of islands up north (about a 30 minute plane ride) and I'll be serving in Pouono (which is like the main city) and I'll be driving a car there. I'll be companions with Sister Masima (I think she's from Hawaii and has been out for about 3 transfers) but I'll meet her tomorrow and let you know more next week!!! 

Wish you all the best!! LOVE YOU!!

Sister Reid

Happy Holidays

I just love our investigators right now. They're so wonderful and I feel so happy every time we get to go and talk with them! I'll tell you a little about each of them:

Alisi--she's 89 years old (I told you about her last week) but we're planning on her baptism for this week! There are a few complications with her daughter not wanting her to be baptized...but we're getting that figured out. A lot of her other children are members and... she is so wonderful!!

Ma'u--I wrote about her a few weeks ago (we taught her on her birthday)..we're still teaching her but she was sick this past week so we just visited her. She's so so cute!! She wants to come to church so bad but they've been busy with the Christmas program in their church so her mom said they can't come. But I'm excited to keep teaching them this week!

Taleta--her husband passed away last year and her son is a member but less-active...she has responsibilities in her church she doesn't want to leave but she really wants to listen to learn more. When we taught her about the temple she had a lot of questions and we set up a time for her to go with a few of the members to the temple this week and sit in the waiting room. I'm excited for that!

Brittney--she's 15 years old her mom is less-active but doesn't want to come back to church but they've been being taught for quite a while now...and she's super shy to go to activities and stuff but she finally came to church yesterday!! I was SO happy!

We have some less-actives we're working with, a lot of them who are trying to stop smoking. 

There are several others we're working with but those are just a couple highlights...I love this work so much! Even though it's not easy...mentally one of the hardest things I've ever done...I'm so so blessed to be able to help in the Lord's work. I love my Savior and have felt more of His love as I've reflected on His life a little more this past week. 

We're having a mission Christmas party this week and each zone is doing some singing. I'm excited for that. I'm looking forward to a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! 

Best wishes to you all...you're in my thoughts and prayers...the Savior loves you and because of His sacrifice we can overcome our weaknesses and shortcomings...love you all...keep lighting the world...

--Sister Reid