Monday Nov 24, 2014

Hey Everyone, so as you know from last week's post, this week we had a baptism, It was such a wonderful experience and our friend Gavin was extremely excited, which is nice to see. He is such a stellar example to all of us and he teaches us so much.

I am so greatful to be able to learn from not only our leaders, companions, but also to learn from those we teach and those we meet on a daily basis. I am so greatful for the love of these people I have been priviledged to gain throughout my Mission. 

I also felt like stating guess what, this week marks 9 Months on my mission :) It is so exciting. However this time has just flown by way too fast, I have seen many miracles and have been able to feel sad many times because of those who don't accept the gospel but I know that the Lord has a great work for ALL of us to do, together. I am greatful for that knowledge and greatful for all of the experiences I have they have all brought me closer to me heavely father and showed forth his love for me and showed me his love for all of you and all of them who are yet to join his one TRUE church.

On Thursday, everything went as planned for the Baptism, and there was a great turnout, It was interesting, because on Thursday we didn't have much success, and got some harsh rejections when out talking to people but the Baptism made everything worth while. I know this church is true and I know that you will find more happiness then you have ever before known if you but heed the promptings and teachings of Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost.

My studies this week as District Meeting was focused on the use of Preach My gospel, I used Preach my gospel much more in my studies.

This week I have been studying in Preach my gospel and doing some of the different application things at the end of the chapters. And since that I have really realized how much benefit they give unto us. I have also come to realize better on how to use companionship study to be Effective, I find my studies to be decent but companionship studies usually not the greatest. We will be implementing alot more role plays though which have been doing alot of good, 

I am not writing a whole ton this week because I am so busy but Just wanted to talk about abit of things. So the baptism was great Elder Parry Baptised him and I confirmed him, which was a neat experience. I am so greatful to be worthy to hold the Priesthood and participate and initiate these ordinances. I am greatful that the Lord has allowed me this priviledge to help others and greatful for the chances I have to make a difference.

We met some cool people, Will be following up this week, Oh on Saturday we were chapping and we were invited in to teach about the Book of mormon so that was exciting, We have been getting fed nicely. and have alot of appointments and the work is progressing, It was funny yesterday

We chapped this street, rejection after rejection, then a man talked with us and he was super excited. The Lord is with us he just makes us work for our blessings I am greatful for that to teach us endurance and to have faith in him. 

Well that's all that is being written this week.

Wait I just forgot I had 2 cool experiences yesterday. One of them I looked everywhere for my keys and couldn't find them for 3 days, and during sacrament meeting I prayed to find them and instantly a picture Of the chair at the house that holds my other suit jacket showed me where they were. I went home and behold they were there. Also That morning in companionship study I looked at my companion and said I feel we need to prepare a lesson, I was thinking it was for Gospel Principles, but low and behold we get to church and no priesthood teacher, Therefore because I had a copy of the ensign I got assigned to teach which was really fun, My companion then looked at me ad said I guess it was the other lesson you needed to prepare. 

It was a neat experience.

And shows me how much Heavenly Father cares about all aspects of our lives, whether it be instructing us we are to prepare to be called upon or finding our keys.

I love all of you, 

Live Long and Prosper.

Elder Reece OUT.

Also just before I go I just wanted everyone to know, that if there is ever a time when things aren't going great or I am struggling, I will not lie to you all and tell you things are fine. I am greatful that I can be completely honest about things and I don't want anyone thinking that this is a cake walk it isn't you are tried more then anything, you experience spiritual highs and spiritual lows, but IT IS WORTH IT.

Love you, keep your head up high and I would love to hear from all of you about your lives and about how things are going. 

E-mail me.

Attached will be photos of the baptism and companionship photos.

Love you

- Elder James Reece

Monday Nov 17, 2014 - Gavin's baptism, investigator from Kenya and studying Alma

This week in Leavenmouth area has been good. I am not going to talk too much this week though because we are going to see Falkland and I am not feeling the greatest today.

So the big news is that one of Our friends, Gavin is being baptised this Thursday which is exciting, He is Irish and is so awesome. We have come to love this man and see the changes in his life that he has made, It is a joy for both of us to have this baptism and for my companion it's his first Baptism which is for someone he worked with and gets to witness it. He is so greatful for all that the Lord has done in his life in bringing him to this truth which is amazing to witness and he loves everyone so much. He has come a long way and I am overjoyed to see him at this level. His whole family is said to be here so that will be good for him and he sees himself as the one to be the spiritual example for his family in bringing them back to a knowledge of God, so that is wicked.

The rest of the work is going okay, we found what we thought to be solid potentials and when we went back for our return appointments they weren't there, but we will contact them and they will be interested I know they will. One lady was from Kenya, and when we talked about the Book of Mormon she asked why is it that she had not heard of it yet, and was intrigued because of it. She had traveled to the Holy Land, and has explored where Jesus walked but was disappointed because it's modernized now. She is a potential though which is exciting.

We also were walking down the road doing a program and when we walked by a man called out and asked us how work was, we chatted a bit  then we were about to depart and we saw a man beckoning for us to come in.  He turned out to be a less active he was new to the area and wanted to get his life back in order, we are working with a lot of people who have fallen away and they are making a lot of progress in trusting the Lord again which is amazing to see.

My studies this week were good, I studied the doctrines associated with several of the principles of the Lessons so that in Preach my gospel each subject has a blurb after it I am going through the Blurbs and finding the Doctrine and looking for scriptures that refer to those points of the doctrines. I also studied the Ensign, and it was really good there was a talk on Modesty and talked about the blessings of Modesty being 1. Holy Ghost can dwell with you, 2. Stronger ability to resist temptation and to remain chaste 3. Can be instruments in his hands. The Lord wants us to be there to do his work, He doesn't need us but he gives us the priviledge to be apart of it. 

I studied in Alma this week as well, I am currently in 23: and 18-22 are so great as a missionary they teach you how to teach, how to do everything but also show you the importance of working with the Locals. I have learnt alot from it.

We were in caves last week for P-day which was fun. 

I do apologize there aren't many photos of my companion and I but it's hard to get them with it only being us sometimes doing things. 

Next week you will see photos from Gavin's baptism though.

- Elder James Reece

November 10, 2014 - A real 40-day fast, investigators, castle visits and a super strong testimony

So as you can see this week has been great. It has been a trial and has been hard, alot of self reflecting, discipline, and changing but it has been great.

The work here is going forward very strong, and last week was just one of those weeks, and even though the darkness is over alot of people, people are coming to see the Light, and are being brought forth. 

I wanted to talk about one of the people we found this week. He was walking down the street and my companion felt prompted to talk to him we found out he used to be an atheist. 2 months ago, he was going about trying to prove that GOD sis not exist and during this search he found God. This happened two months ago, he had started reading the bible but didn't understand it but he recognized that God sent us to him and even more interesting is he lives in a scatter flat right, and as We were going through our former investigators I found the address he lives at, we had a former from 4 years ago living there, and we had planned to contact them but hadn't had the opportunity to do so, the Lord really does GUIDE my footsteps and lead us to do his work when we are willing to sacrifice everything for him and be Exactly obedient. It was a testimony builder for me for sure that the Lord Prepares people always. The miracles and purposes of God are endless and I have witnessed so many miracles and had so many experiences, NOBODY can convince me he isn't there. I know GOD LIVES I know he is there with every FIBRE of my being, with all my heart  I Know that I have a heavenly father and that he is in control. I love this gospel so much and am so greatful for the priviledges the Lord has seen fit to give unto me in these days.

During my studies this week, I continued to focus on Sacrifice and for the fifth time I read a consecrated missionary- Tad R. Callister, MTC devotional. It is such an amazing talk and I have focused largely on purifying myself, consecrating my performance and becoming sanctified and along with that there is a BYU devotional called " Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ" and combined these two talks showed me and my companion ALOT.

Becoming a consecrated missionary is illustrated in D&C4:2 

see that you serve god will ALL of your heart, might, mind and strength, 

That is exactly what is needed to become your full potential we must seek first the kingdom of God then shall everything else fall into place.

I can't really talk to much of what I have learnt but, I have been doing a 40 day fast of all things that could detract from the spirit, and since we both started doing this it has only brought forth miracles, Sacrifice shows the Lord what you are willing to do for the things thou desirest.

I also went through Preach My gospel and took a principle and focused in on it and Found the Doctrines to explain each point straight from the Scriptures.As I have done that it has strengthened I feel my teaching.

This week we had many Spirit led lessons, and they were incredible, the Spirit was very strong and me and my companion have been able to truly see how we are nothing, it is the Lord who speaks to people through us, we just have to act in righteousness and be strictly obedient and Miracles come.

Incredible.

We have had many lessons this week, and had 2 investigators attend church which was big for us and all together this week we were able to achieve 5 investigators at church with three teams. The work in the Kirkcaldy ward are going great the Lord is hastening his work and the field is white already to harvest and if you are willing to thrust in your sickle ye shall reap your rewards :)

On Thursday, which was our P-day we went to Aberdour, and attached will be some photos it was beautiful. throughout the week we had great lessons and those who were struggling are beginning to progress so the work is going strong. I Love you all, 

I love you

Live Long and Prosper,

Elder Reece Out- :)

- Elder James Reece

November 3, 2014

So just to start off I am not Going to lie to you and say this week was great, but It was difficult. It has been a very very difficult week for me, but Looking back this week was GREAT.
That may sound sort of redundant But I Have learnt alot about my faith, about me and about the Lord this week. I truly have, and if it was just rainbows and daisies I would not have been able to do so. I am so greatful for the many difficulties I have experienced and the many challenges and trials I experience daily here.
The Work is much harder here then it has been the rest of my mission. It has been relatively easy to find and to teach in my other areas, but here is such a struggle.
I am greatful for that, And I am learning alot about depending on the Lord's Timing.
As you have heard the area has seen miracles I have seen miracles here, bu I have also seen heart wrenching reality.
I'm not talking bad about this area, because I absolutely love the people here and love everything about it, As I have been here, it has been hard because there is a shroud of darkness all around this land, and it pains me to see it. On busses sometimes you see parents mistreating their children, or druggies riding the bus and seeing the destruction the substances have caused in their lives, but I think the thing that pains me the most is seeing the Lack of Belief here, Alot of the people I talk to on a daily basis, Believe that there is NO God. They believe that this is the End. And it pains me to see people in that state, the religious beliefs have gone so far out in left field that young children have no belief at all and he way their morals are, are really hard to see.
Children wit no understanding of who God is, defiling his name and cursing it, and grown people being able to not know God or even have any desire to know if he is there. It is just like in the Book of mormon, This people have become so wicked that for them to believe they need a sign.
It is just so hard to see, But It is not going to stop us, As we see there are people who do believe in God, they are few and in between but there are people with a belief and those that do want to believe but just don't know how to go about finding out if he is there because noone has taught them that.

It is challenging and I am just so greatful to have this gospel i my life To KNOW that GOD is there, he is my father, he LOVES me and he LOVES you, he wants what is best for us and knows what is best for us. We are all children, he is the parent and he sees the dangers that lay in front of us, he knows the pains and the difficulties that we are needed to go through to become strengthened and he also knows the things which are Bad for us. As we follow the subtle promptings of the Holy Ghost which we recieve after being baptised and recieve the gift of it by the laying on of hands, He helps us know what is good and what is bad. If we go through trials and seek the holy ghost he will strengthen us and teach us many great and powerful things pertaining to the kingdom of God, likewise if their is danger and we listen to it's promptings we will also be protected by the Holy Ghost from any dangers whether temporally or Spiritual dangers.

I know that it is MY DUTY and my Priviledge to be able to share with this nation the things I KNOW to be true, and the blessings that have come to me because of my belief and by righteously exercising the things we are commanded to do.

"We recieve no witness until after the trial of your faith"

Now on to my studies.
This week I have been instructed largely both by my district Leader and from on High on the subject of SACRIFICE and I have been studying alot in Doctrine and Covenants and thinkig alot of the SACRIFICES the saints Gave in the beginning of the church, and Sacrifice is so important. There is a quote I have always said, I got it from somewhere and I am sure I am saying it wrong but  it is, " Anything that is worth anything to you, is worth Fighting for"
And that is where sacrifice comes in. As a missionary Sacrifice is everywhere in your life. First you sacrifice increase in education or getting on with a job and everything to Serve a mission, then when you are out if you let him God will show unto you the things you need to sacrifice to become better. Sacrifice brings forth the Blessings of heaven, and as we sacrifice we show our LOVE for God and Jesus Christ, we show our true desires and strive to reach them.
Through Sacrifice the holy spirit is Constantly with you and the more you surrender to God the More he can lift you up to fulfill his purposes and reach your full potential.  I am so greatful to be able to sacrifice to become a more consecrated missionary, to purify both mind, heart and body and to see the result of the hand of God in your life.

In district meeting we talked alot about what are we willing to SACRIFICE? And I want you all to ponder upon that question, what are you willing to sacrifice to accomplish the purposes of God?
We then were asked to prayerfully consider 5 items in which we want to sacrifice to become better, and the instruction given by a friend was about a 40 day fast. So what you do is you pray Earnestly/ fast to know what behaviours are bad thatyou do then the next day you kneel down and you commit to GOD that you will not do any of those things, then you constantly reevaluate and if you fall short you recommit and continue through.
I have learnt alot about the importance of monitoring progress, as illustrated in Chapter 8 of PMG it is a quote by someone but it says "when performance is measured it increases, but when performance is measured and recorded the amount of growth increases." which just shows how important it is to EVALUATE.
I know that that is someting I struggle with, It is hard for me to Evaluate myself and xet goals, but I guess it is better to overcome that now than it is to procrastinate to what is changing.
In the article it tells us as we do, do this fast though IT WILL BE HARD, it will be challenging but that God is with us every step of the way.

Sacrifice Purges us from the worldly things and makes us i the world but not of it. It purifies us, teaches us OBEDIENCE and REAPS BLESSINGS.

GOD WILL REFINE YOU THROUGH YOUR TRIALS AND YOUR AFFLICTIONS AND THEN us just like the Prophet Joseph Smith are promised. " Thine Afflictions shall be but a small moment, and if thou wilt endure them well thou wilt be exalted on high"
We must bear with patience our afflictions, and I think that is the hardest part, Bearing them with patience.
As I was watching the Doctrine and Covenants Dvds there is a short video maybe 20 minutes about Zion's Army and it talks about it in the end of it how God needed these men to go through these things to prepare them to help lead his church as apostles.

Always Remember Job, he loses everything and he thanks the Lord and bows himself down to him and says " The Lord has given these things, now the Lord has taken away" what great faith was exerted by Job Brothers and sisters. We too must be like Job, and declare that it is to be the Lord's way not ours.

Along with that I focused alot on The Book of Mormon and recieved alot of focus on members. And where I am it is hard the distance to members is quite far, but I have seen success in the past from working with members and it may not come from etting referrals but as you do all you can to strengthen the members the Lord puts those who are prepared in your Path.

I was reading i Doctrine and Covenants section: today and I was hit hard by something I feel I should share.
it's verses 10 and 11 and I think this applies to all people. "
10 Behold thou hast a gift, blessed art thou because of thy gift, and blessed art thou because of thy gift;. Remember it is Sacred and cometh from above.
11 And if thou wilt inquire , thou shalt know the mysteries whic are grea and marvelous; therefore thou shalt exercise thy gift, that thou mayest bring many to the knowledge of the truth, yea convince them of the error of their ways."

It talks solely on our Spiritual and temporal gifts bestowed on each of us they are all different but all necessary to help others, I love that alot.

This week has been alot of finding,
One of our investigators asked Elder Parry to baptise him though which is great his date is set for 3 weeks from now, and Elder Parry hasn't had a chance to baptise yet, so he was asked to. I was asked to participate as well, so that is exciting, Other than that we found some people, had many fall through appointments, strengthened people declared the word to all people we met and hopefully got them thinking of God, because as stated at the beginning the dark ominous cloud is over here and makes it hard for those that have a belief to say it and makes it hard for those to even have a belief, but the light is shining through and We are off to work.

Oh yeah almost forgot, Moves call came in. Elder Parry and I are staying together in LeavenMouth.

Love you all

Live Long and Prosper

Elder Reece Out.

PS. I would attach photos but my camera died.


- Elder James Reece