Monday March 17 - Update from Dublin

As you all know today is St. Patrick's day, and being that it is Monday and P-day we were able to attend the parade here. the parade was so cool and the streets were lined with so much people definately a once in a lifetime opportunity. 

Well My past week was great. On Tuesday we got our first Investigator, it was awesome and we realized that all things happened for a reason, our investigator was late to get to the lesson but because he was later we got to meet several new potentials and set up appointments with them. We meet with him on tuesday and then meet with them on Thursday. It was an awesome experience. 

As days go on it seems to get easier and easier talking about the gospel, people aren't receptive but bringing it back to correspond with the gospel is getting easier. My goal at the moment is to find out how to talk to those with religious backgrounds, since everyone here is Catholic predominately. My studies have been going quite well. On Wednesday we went to get Garda cards and they took FOREVER. We arrived at 8am and got out around 12:30pm. Wednesday we also got to do our first real session of Weekly planning which was very nice and very great experience. My companion has such knowledge in so much and it is great learning from him.

This week has been focused largely on planning on how to work better with members and figure out efficient finding. We have been talking about it lots and devised a master plan to outline all aspects of what we do to meet these goals. We have also been figuring out the area and managing relationships. It is a really good experience.

Exchanges were on friday with the Zone leaders, I was with Elder Scott in Clonsilla ward, and we got to teach two of their investigators which was fun they have quite a few who are golden and are getting baptised shortly. It's crazy to see how many people are prepared for this gospel.

On Saturday we switched back then took a train for an hour to Balbriggan and went to pass by less actives. It was a good experience then one of the families fed us and gave us a cheesecake to take home We have only eaten about a quarter of it if that.

And yesterday was great, my first  Sunday was magnificient I got to meet a lot of people and build relationships with them. Then we had two appointments last night and they both lended up feeding us so that was fun.  

Well hope you are all doing well, Happy st. patricks day and be safe. I know for us we have to be back in our flats at 6pm, because it gets dangerous here.  

My address if any of you want to write letters is  

14 Annesley Bridge Road,

Fairview, Dublin 3
Ireland. 
 
I can't recall what address to use to send packages but if you want to just send them to the mission home which is 

51 Spylaw Rd,

Edinburgh, Scotland
EH10 5BP

I would love to hear from you all.

- Elder James Reece

First PDay of First Area! Monday March 10, 2014

Dear Everyone:

I am officially in my first Area, it is called Baldoyle area and it is in Dublin Ireland, I am told Ireland is alot more difficult then Scotland and I am hoping that, that is the case. I was assigned my first companion and he is my trainer. His name is Elder McCarthy and he is from Colorado. He is really awesome I am learning quite abit about the work from him and he is going home in 2 transfers. This work is difficult, It really is it is a lot of hard work. The Lord has called all of us to this work and I am so greatful that I was assigned in this area I know it will teach me alot of crucial skills and I know that there are people that are prepared to hear the message from me. It is difficult getting used to the area for sure, My companion and I were selected to white wash the area. and as we do so we are focusing mainly on working with the members and seeing how well that goes. I just feel like we aren't getting that much done. We currently don't have any teaching pool, we have attempted to call and contact several people but no success really. 

On other notes the area is very different, very pretty and it doesn't fall below 0, in the past week on Tuesday at the MTC we did in field training all day which was alot of help. On wednesday we woke up at 4:45 and left the MTC at 6am to head to the mission home in Scotland. The journey was long but nice. When we arrived we met all the missionaries and the president. It was really nice to meet him and to be able to talk with him. after that we climbed Pratt's hill and were told why us latter day saints call it Pratt's hill and heard of the story, then we were given time to talk with the lord and set expectations of our own with him there. Afterwards we returned back and heard some housekeeping tips and recieved the things we needed to be safe on the mission and then had supper. After that we found out our companions. My first companion is Elder McCarthy as illustrated above, and I got told I was going to Dublin Ireland mission. The travel here was long it wasalmost a whole afternoon. We left the mission home at 6:45am and landed in Dublin at half 5.Then the Mc Kendricks picked us up and allowed us to get groceries and showed us around the area.

We have met a few memebers of the ward but we have some of them. We have two appointments this evening, two lessons tomorrow, a dinner appointment and district meeting. 

Well I love you, Continue the work you are doing

Good Luck

- Elder James Reece

March 4, 2014 - End of week 2, and into the Field!

Hey:

Today we enter into the field. We depart from the MTC to the mission home in Edinburgh at 6am - so around 1am your time. This two weeks have been great in the MTC. Unfortunately, I don't have much time this morning so can't do a whole update on everything that has transpired. Well just wanted you to know I am heading into the field and our P-days will be Mondays as well. So on P-day I will respond back.

Love you all,

Have a great week,

- Elder James Reece

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.