END OF WEEK ONE - February 26, 2014

Hey Everyone

I don't have too much time at the moment to write this email, but wanted to tell you abit about what I have gotten to do so far.

As you all know, I am at the England Missionary Training Centre, and it is very uplifting, our MTC president has a wealth of knowledge and has expressed to us the Love the Lord has for all of us. The food here is awesome and the people are so friendly and awesome accents.

 The stuff I have learnt is incredible and learnt many ways to study more effectively and help me with using Preach my Gospel in a more effective way, this first week alot of people were missing home and we are all supporting one another.

 I will send more stuff in abit, my time is just running down on this specific session because I have to go get my haircut.

 I love all of you guys, and want you all to know how much the Lord loves and needs all of you in this great work.

 The adversary is strengthening his efforts to pull our interests and change our obedience but we can not let him, and through the power of God we can resist and be stronger then him and he knows our strength and he is frightened, STAND UP

 

Love you all

- Elder James Reece

 

PS:

Yeah So the MTC experience is really great on SUNDAY we had meetings all day and I loved it so much, We heard an MTC Devotional about President Bednar tellling us to keep pressing forward, which was really inspiring. Today we have another Devotional this evening and then studies since it is P- Days, So I was told my P-day during my mission will most likely be on Mondays when I am in the field, but I don't know yet. I will disclose more information when I get it.

I want to thank all of you for the love you have shown me and the magnificient testimonies you all have. You have all taught me something that has helped me grow and become the man I am am today and I truly know that this gospel is the Lord's gospel, I K now that he loves us and that we are his children.

 The plane ride here was fun, it was really cool to experience that, to look down and see nothing the whole way :P my sleep pattern toook a little getting used too, I am in my room and ready for bed at 10/1030 everynight, but just can't sleep yet :p, I promise I will take lots of pictures.

 I love and cherish you all .

- Elder James Reece

 

FIRST DAY: February 20, 2014

Hey guys:

I was given time earlier to write but we are free until 4pm where we will be receiving our companions and begin our lessons. Everything is going great, I love my District they are so awesome. This MTC is really small, and there aren't too to many people at it, but the people are amazing. Half of the people I have met so far are serving in Scotland/ Ireland Mission, and the other half are Birmingham. Except two sisters who are going German speaking. So we began with being told how to do things, then we had meetings with our MTC president , talked to his wife, met with health as well as got our photos taken. We have P Days on Wednesdays, and on Wednesday we get to go to the Temple it is so beautiful. I would send photos but they are all on my camera. Well I'll let you know once the work begins.

Love you guys

- Elder James Reece

PS: Below are pictures of me leaving the Ottawa Airport, on my way to the England MTC:



Ottawa airport on the way to the England MTC!

 

MTC Address, where you can write me!

Elder James Thomas Kirk Reece
Scotland/Ireland Mission
51 Spylaw Road
Edinburgh Scotland
EH10 5BP
United Kingdom

Mission home Phone: 44 +44(131)-337-1283
email: james.reece@myldsmail.net

Missionary Preparation and final plans

Hello everyone:

Sorry for the lateness of this blog in preparation for my mission however, through these past months I have  done so much. To all those missionaries who wait for their Visas to begin them, Do not procrastinate. I received mine fast but 300$ later so my advice is that you don't procrastinate on things as well as I was figuring out what to do for my student loans while I am away, and my mother helped me figure it out, I know I was wondering what I would do for it, but the answer to that is interest only. My mom came across it, when she was looking into it for me, so this process is very helpful, so while you are serving a mission if you have student loans to pay off there are ways to postpone it, for me I am paying off the interest which is a reasonable amount of money and not absurd. One other tip do not be lazy, get done the things you need to get done. I will be leaving on my mission in 9 days, I can't believe this time just flew by, that's one more thing I want to touch on is the fact that you may have 100+ days before reporting but it'll be here before you know it, so don't get lazy because before you know it you will need so many things. I report to the England Missionary Training Center on February 20th and I can not wait. As part of my preparation right now I am doing personal study of the New testament but it strengthens me and my testimony, My studies are a lot longer then we normally get so I am trying to get as much done, while using the manuals. If any of you were wondering how an effective way of studying is, it's through the guides along with your scriptures. At the moment my studies are based around Preach my Gospel, and for me I have sticky notes all over my new set of scriptures  and they help me learn and remember the missionary lessons and each colour corresponds with the colour headings within, as I have been growing closer to our Lord and savior Jesus through prayer and scripture studies I have seen a real difference.

So last night I was given the priviledge to eat Scottish food with a wonderful family in my stake who are Scottish and the food was magnificient. as well as Thursday I was able to attend zone conference it was so uplifting and wonderful if you have the opportunity to attend zone conference before your mission, you should totally do it, there is nothing more powerful then a room full of missionaries singing a hymn and sharing their points of view. Your mission president is called and ordained of God to watch over and lead your mission there is a reason for that and you can learn so much from them. This past Sunday i gave a talk in my home ward, as my farewell talk and the topic was on Charity and the love for or savior and I was able to learn alot from preparing this talk, I have one in YSA as well this coming Sunday plus, I have my openhouse this Sunday as well and love you guys

Remember this is the Lords work, we are servants in the vineyard and we must labour with all our might to sow the rewards. He is the shepheard he watches us and watches over us and if we falter he forgives us.