07-20

WOW!!!! To think that you guys are going mountain biking RIGHT now!!!!! I love you all so much and feel your love every second of the day. :)  I was reminded of you all the other day as we had a HUGE sister´s conference, where all 51 hermanas that are here came to the mission home and had a reunion with President and got to have a fun Skype call with president Newsome.  I was the cook.... Yes, you heard it right.  Elder And Hemana Hill (Senior couple) solicited me and i was the cook!!! Haha. I made enough bread for EVERYONE times 10, made deep fried chicken, pulled apart salad and mixed everything together, it was loads of fun. I love The Hills so much!!!!! All of the sister missionaries were chattering away and it totally reminded me of a big stake conference or something, watching all the sisters bond together as we, The only 8 elders there, tyred to keep out mind occupied with other things as the sisters are so stinking distracting! Haha. that sounds bad but we really do have to like avoid them like the plague.  It is so interesting to me how much i have changed on the mission... I think i tell you all that EVERY time i write home, but it is so true, I am completely changed.  The qualities that i have attained here are priceless and cannot imagine how hard it would be to live without them.

I LOVED all of the pictures of you guys on vacation!!! You all look so good!!!! I love Colorado and i know you all had a great time there despite my absence.  :)  all is well here in Buceo 

Hey!!! email me quick... I have to leave the office and then i will be back in like 20 minutes to answer ALL the questions you send to me. :)  K? K.

Love You,

Talk to you in a bit,

Elder Reay

Second Email:

YES!!!! we have a baptism the 27th. :)  She is like 80 years old, but she is super prepared to hear the gospel. :)  It was quite a miracle that we found her actually, Because i found this list of "Buenos Contactos" on the computer that an elder had made when they were in Buceo, so i printed it off and then called EVERY name on the list that had a phone number and tyred to set up charlas with them.  She was on that list. :)  So when i called, she was kinda surprised to hear us tell her it was the missionaries. I asked her if she had talked with the missionaries before and if she would be ok with us coming over the next day, to which she warmly replied, "Oh you precious young man, come on over!" haha!!! My companion was trying to listen in on the conversation because he could tell i had found someone that was listening.  I had called about 20 people before this one and so it was quite a change to hear someone accepting. :)  I set up a charla and we put a baptism date the first day. :)  She has come to church 2 in our ward and once in the other ward (Because she wanted to hear the sacrament meeting but couldn´t make it to our ward.) And now she is doing fantastic as far as progress goes.  

My favorite meal here has been... The meal we had yesterday, :)  Haha, chicken salad. :) Everything was home made and delicious. :)  But that probably didn´t answer your question.... my favorite Uruguayan food is called Churi-pan. haha. :)  It is something i will probably make back home, you toast bread, bake then fry split hotdogs (Churizo is better), Then heap a bunch of stuff on top like bacon, lettuce, (That's right... i just spelled lettuce right without spell check. ;)) mayo, and all sorts of stuff. :)  haha.

I am getting allong with my companions just fine and dandy. ;) Still have some personal flaws i am working on, i am finding that i am quite judgmental and not as easy going as i thought i was with the little things. :)  But i am learning. Those are some of the things that i am so glad i am learning on a mission. They will really help me in my marriage, helping me deal with my own pinkness and helping our relationship grow strong. :)  Haha. I hope that makes sense. It did in my head.

Ok here are some other random answers. :)

Yes i did get your package with the sweaters and they are amazing!!!! Mom you out did yourself!  haha. i am lookin´ good as a financer. :)  Thank you so much. :)  I am currently doing a work out routine with some of the elders in our house, we are bulking up pretty fast. :)  haha, i am gaining a butt and some thighs in case you were wondering, unfortunately i am growing quite a gut as well. :)  Haha but we are doing "The Biggest Loser" here in the offices. :)  We will see how that goes...  I am enjoying my time here with my new comp, Elder Powell, he is a superstar in football and i am finding out just how little i knew about football. :)  haha. He is helping our area as far as missionary work goes, he is super animated to baptize here.  

That Hermana that should be getting here soon, the one dad sent me a picture of, i don´t know her name but i think it is Hermana Coon?  Is that right.  I pulled up a list of the missionaries in the Argentina MTC and she was the only one that was from AZ, but her picture was ALOT different online.  Anyways i am happy to watch over her and i´m sure she will feel quite welcome when she gets here.  don´t worry.  I love this calling as a financier, i am learning so much!  I was never very good with the whole finance thing at work or at home but i feel much more prepared to have finances of my own when i get home. :)  Dad has always been quite a role model for me in that aspect... He is always able to keep our family well supported and spoiled as well. :)

I am working on translating my patriarchal blessing.  It is REALLY fun and adding so much to it´s meaning.  It really has made me look and SEARCH each word and understand it´s meaning and intentions.  There is so much power in those beautiful words.  I am so thankful for the priesthood, Life here would be pointless without it.  I am always striving to keep myself worthy of the priesthood and can´t wait to live in the eternities working side by side Dad, Braden, My Grandpas, My Heavenly Father, My Brother Jesus Christ.  We will all be working by the same authority and power and working to build the kingdoms for our wife's and children.  I Love this gospel and LOVE the priesthood.  I thank my father in heaven everyday for the opportunity taht i have to serve him in such a full capacity.  

Lill´ Tid bit of info:  :)  I love being here because i have honestly not heard the F-bomb for over 8 Months!!!!! I cringe at the thought of it now, where as before, i was so immersed in it that i was NUMB.  I have regained my virgin ears and even a virgin mouth. :)  I am focusing on talking more "Christlike" and avoiding all of the bad habits i have in English. 

Love You all.

Elder Reay

07-13

WOW!!! fully suspended and everything??? Dad, you had better be careful with that thing, i just might want to try it out when i get home. ;) haha. I hope you guys enjoy the peace and quiet of telluride, and that you take advantage of the time with family and time away from the craziness of the world. I know that i thoroughly love being cut off from the world for two years.  It is so beautiful to be immersed into the gospel like this.  I mean, i read, eat, and breath doctrine ALL day long. Even when we are in teh offices we are talking about investigators, talking about doctrinal subjects, talking about the mission and how amazing it is to be living in such a historic time.  I was blown away at the broadcast and am now witnessing the effects of the change, one of the office elders has a cousin serving in Canada and we received news that by the end of their next chance, EVERY missionary will have an Ipad.  That is crazy.  We have a ways to go before our mission is incorporated, we are expecting next year some time but haven´t been advised anything for now.
I love being in the offices and got my new companion today. :)  ahah we had a special change so that we could train my companion before President Newsome shows up. So now it is me, Elder Ha, and Elder Powell.  Elder Powell is super cool and i am stoked to work with him, he is from Utah, played a year for BYU football and is super focused on the work.  I hope to see some big changes in our area.  For the rest of this change, (5 Weeks or so) we will be in a trio.  Elder ha leaves this next change and he will be helping around the office training Elder Powell and Me to be PERFECT financiers so that there are no kinks in the system when the new president shows up.  

Can´t wait to see some photos of your vacation, keep me in mind and more importantly in heart. you know that i am with you and that i enjoy the love shared between our family.  Keep the bond strong and keep the love flowing.

I love you all and hope you are enjoying your time in TELLURIDE!!!! ride it up for me. ;)

Elder Reay

07-06-13

First off, :)  Yes I miss America ALOT!!!! But I stinking love this country! ;)  Yesterday, I had the national anthem and all the classics playing in the office. :) Ha-ha. Had to represent the blood that’s in me. :)

I did receive the money that Brother Rice has sent me, what a nice little gift. :) Ha-ha. I received two envelopes with some cash and card in it and it made me smile as I remembered all the birthday cards and graduation cards FILLED with money. :) How sweet it is to have people from my home ward writing me and filling me in on the little gossipy things that are happening, keeping me informed and showing their immense love for me.

I miss Francis and Edison so much!!!! They are such good family friends!  I have FOND memories spent with Edison at fathers and sons and joining them after they downed couple of elk on their hunts. He is such an amazing man and I can’t wait to talk to him in Spanish. :) Ha-ha. I am so stinking amazed at how much love is shared between family friends, we are constantly looking out for each other and trying so very hard to help one another out.  There is something special about the Valdez family; they are just such special people!  I hope that they can see the blessings of god in their life’s and pray that they are leaning on His understanding and His divine assistance.  

I hadn’t heard anything about Brittney and her difficulties with the kids or anything until this morning.  That was a pretty big shocker.  I hope that everything turns out ok and that they can maintain control over the situation.  I love our family so much and it is hard to hear all the trials that are being lived, but thank you so much for keeping me informed as it is really hard for me to be so far away from all of the details.  I am praying for the entire family continually and know that the lord will bless us. :)  

I did receive a package yesterday!!!!! Filled with goodies and trinkets. :) So nice to have a family that likes to spoil me. :) :) :) I know that you are all enjoying your summer and I barely remember the HEAT seeing as it is FREEZING here. :) Ha-ha. We have had some cold days but thankfully the past two days have been really really nice. You are all living the 114 weather as I bundle up and head out into the streets. Well protected with thermal garments, slacks, a white shirt and tie, a sweat shirt, and a big jacket to top it off, (Unless there is rain, then there is an extra rain coat over the top.) ha-ha. But I do vividly remember showing up to Uruguay in SUPER hot conditions.  Our house in minas didn’t have any type if AC, we had a fan.... and that was heaven. :) Ha-ha. SO many wonderful memories of running home on a late niter after a lesson had gone over a couple of minutes.  We would run home so that we could be in the house before the curfew and as soon as we got threw the door, we sat in front of the fan and planned for the next day.  Both of us sweating up a storm. :)  Now, we get home and I throw my corn bag in the microwave for 4 minutes and then let it sit on my frozen feet until they warm up. :) Ill tell you what, that corn bag makes sleeping SO much better :)  ha-ha, Right before I go to bed, I heat it up again and throw it in my bed, warms me up to the point that my body can heat itself all night long. :)

I have to get my letters sent off today, so they should be getting to you.... oh I don’t know, a couple of week s probably. :)

JJ your letter to me in my package was amazing!!! I love you so much and miss your "Daddy like humor" that always took my laughter to the next level.  :)  I loved Braden’s reply in the Jacuzzi. :)  He as well has Dad’s wonderful humor. :)  

I am so thankful to have a family like you.  You are all so awesome and I love each and every one of you. :)

Love Logan T Reay,

Elder Reay

Jacket turned inside out.