What to do?

So I might start making themes for my letters just for fun. Like last week could have been something to do with the area because I talked about animals and the clouds and the streets. I'm not sure how long the themes will last, but it's fun to do random things to entertain yourself sometimes.

On Tuesday evening I found this "6-point buck". Since I am so ed-u-ma-ct-ed, I just figured out what that means, I am super smart and I'm learning so much on my mission.

On Wednesday there was zone conference for most of the day. This was super fun and enlightening. For this conference, half the mission was here for most of it, and then we split off for about an hour into our own actual zones. 

nametag switch

On Thursday morning my companion taught a seminary class at 6:25. I put my hair into a bun for the first time on my mission, I thought this was extremely appropriate, and I almost brought a blanket to for this event. We taught the Plan Of Salvation in a way that it made it look like the word "LOVE".

This day was what I called our "Blessing" day because of what wonderful things happened. At zone conference, we were asked to leave the house or apartment by 10 in the morning. This is kinda hard for those who are so used to doing their studies in the morning and for the "greenies" who have their extra studies to do. Anyways, we took this challenge and we were able to knock and talk to three people that we've been trying to get a hold of. Nothing big happened, but we were able to say hi and get to know them, super thankful for that opportunity. 

On Friday Sister Burke and I did some planning.

On Saturday we went to some meetings in the morning.

On Sunday we went to church and some meetings.

But Sister Reynolds, don't you have so much time in the day? What else did you do? Well, you see my friends, this is where the theme truly comes into my past week. I spent the rest of my million hours watching things, reading things, taking stalker pictures of my companion sleeping, taking a pointless video, laying on the couch, posing so I could send you pictures about my fun adventures. I took a picture of all the things I've been reading and studying and doing. Posing was also fun, actresses can be "models" too, especially on your mission.

Why were you doing all that stuff and not going out to the real world? So my companion, Sister Burke, started getting sick the mid-day on Monday during our mission-wide p-day, and has been sick ever-since. She won't believe she's sick, but she falls asleep in the car a lot so I have to drive back to the house. She just has a simple cold, but she isn't resting enough to actual get better. We got a blessing from on of our Elders and it's super cool to have experienced that. Sister Reynolds, why do you keep asking yourself questions and why are you talking in the third person? Well, no one asked me any questions this week, I probably scared you all off seeing that I put it on the long email, but I decided that since no one else did it, I should do it for myself. And talking in the third person is pretty fun, you should try it sometime. It also shows people that whenever people call me Aubrey, that I'm not sure who that is because I'm calling Sister Reynolds by her proper name. Lastly, this email gets pretty lonely sometimes so I have to have a back- and- forth conversation with someone every once in a while. Yes, I am super random. No, I hope none of you are surprised by this. Yes, I am insane. Yes, sometimes I say what's in my head whether it makes sense or not. Yes, you are welcome even though you probably don't care :) :)

So I really would have more for you, but seriously, nothing happened this week, I hope you all enjoyed your week. Houston, please stay safe for me. Everyone, you're amazing and beautiful and wonderful and perfect the way you are, and don't forget it ;) 

Shout-outs;

-CALLING EVERYONE!! So I make these emails for all of you. I would like some comments or suggestions on things that you do or don't like. The only things I won't except is saying to make the email non-existent or cutting out the pictures because I would like my mom to keep breathing. But anything at all, I'd like to hear from you, feel free to email me at aubrey.reynolds@myldsmail.net I LOVE YOU ALL!!!

-So I meant to send this out last week, but forgot, so for the street signs thing, there is one called Chickadee Ct, made me thing of the family member who loves saying that word.

-To the one that thinks that they're a little kid, look at one of my pics, I got a skateboard from a kids meal and I played with it for forever ;p

-In that picture is also some Runts candy, warning to everyone, it turns out its dangerous to tell your best friend what one of your favorite childhood candies are, or he might send you a 5 lb bag that'll take you about 1.5 yrs to finish. (you're amazing Tye)

-So the kids meal was from Kneaders, the first time I've ever been there was with my grandma, thanks for taking me there Nana Bon

-All my good friends, you kept me laughing to myself throughout the week as I had to entertain myself, I thought about you and all our adventures.

-Two more days last birthday boy, you're the best.

-Sister Reynolds :)

Eclipse!

There was a Mission-wide p-day today. If you see the picture with a bunch of people in blue shirts, that's all of us in the Colorado Denver North Mission. We were separated into teams, and since I'm living in the  Parker area, I was put on the Parker team. It was super fun, we had an awesome flag and an even better chant. During this mission-wide event, there was a lot of interactive games to play, and it was super fun because we all bonded and got closer together with each other. I stole the flag we made, don't tell anyone tho, they'd probably want to take it. My companion tried to take it from me, but I hid it in my pocket and no one noticed or seemed to care that our flag went missing. While my companion wasn't looking, I was able to take a picture for ya'll so you can see how cool we are. We were also given these super cool glasses to see the awesome eclipse.

There was this super cute baby bunny who needed my companion and mine help the other day. Randomly, in the middle of the night, we hear this thudding on the window in our basement room. We find out it was a baby bunny. When the alarm finally went off, we got up, said our prayers, made our beds, then ran up and went to the bunny. What had happen is that he/she fell down the hole that reaches the window to the basement, and there was no way of getting back out. So we had to pic it up and we did a hand off. We saved an animal, so I think my work as a missionary is complete, even though this has happened a bunch before.

On Saturday there was a Stake Activity Day Girls thing and the theme was "There's no place like home" from Wizard of the Oz. The home was representing the Temple and the lessons that was taught to the 7-12 yr olds were about how they could teach different lessons to their family for Family Home Evening. My companion and I were asked to help out. We were asked to teach about Joseph Smith's First Vision and the theme of our room was something about how we can be brave and have courage (the lion from the movie). The little girls walked into our room, we split them up into two groups, and we told them to go find pieces of a puzzle that I had cut up and hidden from the picture of Joseph in the Sacred Grove. There were 10 pieces per group and the girls really loved it, I was told by multiple ones that it was their favorite. The point of that activity was to represent the different pieces of truth that were scattered about the Earth when Jesus and all of His apostles died, then how Joseph Smith was able to help restore the whole truth. It was super fun and I loved being able to work with these kids.

What I've noticed about the town of Parker, is that people kinda have an abundance of money here. I drive by all these house and I look at it and say to myself "Wow, that's really nice and big house, maybe one day I could afford that, maybe, if I'm really real lucky." Then I realize what I'm looking at isn't a house, it is one of the smaller garages in the neighborhood. The street signs are also pretty interesting. I lived in a foresty area before Colorado, and there were street signs like "Woodlands Parkway", "Lake Woodlands", and "Branch Crossing". In Colorado it's kinda similar, there's "Burn Oak", "Burnt Oak", and "Burning Tree". It's pretty funny actually.

On a mission we love doing service. A service activity that I get to do in the area I'm serving in is taking care of horses at a place called Promise Ranch. I did this for the first time on Thursday, and it was a super cool experience for me because of the great love I have towards animals. The thing that kills me, is that for safety purposes, they don't want missionaries to ride any horses. So I get to help out horses and help clean them and help special needs people ride them, but I just get to look and touch. Once I get home, I promise that I will ride some of these horses.

Pictures: On the way back from the Mission-wide p-day, I took pictures with my companion, one of me pretending to be cool, one of the city not too far from me, and one of the direction I was heading towards, aka Colorado Springs, my proof that I'm so close to that area. Sorry for all the pictures of the sky and of all my goofy faces, my companion took them these past few weeks days and finally sent them to me, so I decided to send them here to prove how gorgeous the sky really is.

  

Questions: 

-What's your address? *times 3* Alright goofy people. Every week people ask me for my address and I give it to you and I sent it out in the long email right before I left the MTC. But I'll type it out this time just. for. you. and for the others who have asked. Just so you know, I think even the thought of you wanting to send me something is super sweet so thanks, but you're all still crazy.

Sister Aubrey Kaye Reynolds

Colorado Denver North Mission

1250 Main St

Broomfield CO 80020

United States

That is my official address for the next 17 months, and I promise you that it won't change at all :)

-Does it have to be just general authority talks or can it be BYU devotional talks too? Those talks work too, it is uplifting and spiritual, so it works just like Disney songs work for us.

-Have I worn my wonderful feather jacket my grandma(nana) got me? No, the only jacket I've worn is the one you've seen in the pictures, besides the basement where I'm staying at, it doesn't really get cold.

-How are my clothes/ shoes? They are wonderful! I don't have near enough clothes as other Sisters, but it works for what I need it to. I bought some socks for my shoes so they won't get ruined so easily.

-Have I had much *inserts emoji with rain on the umbrella*? Actually, recently it has rained and stormed a lot and it's so beautiful. The clouds and sky here is amazing!

-Has my 9 year old gotten baptized yet? Sadly, not yet. His family has a busy schedule and there are some basic things we need to make sure he knows before he gets baptized to make sure he knows the decision he's making.

-Can I send you videos and can you watch it? Actually, I think it'd be super cool and amazing to see a quick clip of my wonderful people out there. I have headphones at the library in Parker so I can watch and listen to whatever as long as you send it to me through email.

-Was I able to watch the eclipse? Yes I was! and it was pretty cool!

-Can I read emails throughout the week like I could at the MTC or do I have to have to wait until my p-day to read them? I have to wait until my p-day because besides that, I don't have access to a computer unless I've been given specific instructions that I can.

-Has people asked you to play the piano yet? Actually, a few asked me if I could sing or play. I am honest with them, I tell them that I can play like 10 songs and that's about it, and I might be playing for my companion who can sing wonderfully. There is this ward event going on and they want us to do a number together. Also, as of the end of the mission-wide p-day, they asked if anyone had any musical talent, so I told tem that I could play the flute, so now I'm doing this unknown number in October, and I'm excited!

Shoutouts:

-So... I'm not sure who had the idea of sending me this.. but *laughs* thanks for this phone case? It works perfectly with the phone I have now. It's actually really fun haha

- So last week this area in Pinery had a community picnic, I went and I made this piece of art work on this spinning thingy. The yellow represents me, the green is the one who I send turtle stuff to (not my brother) and who, with one of their jobs, has green stuff all over the place, the blue is for D-man, the black is for the cool starting at BYU this year- they didn't have purple so black was the closest thing I could find, and the white is for both my new friend and the friend I have doing their senior year of HS this year. I love you all and I always think about you. 

-At the Mission-wide p-day even, they had 7 people in each group shoot nerf guns, and to the one who thought they could train me at a shooting range, I was able to win my team a total of 0 points *high-fives*

-Movie theatre man, I just bought some pretzels and I was telling my companion how awesome you were to my family and I with hooking us up, so thanks!

-Crazy flash dude, I got this awesome cape from my ward, and I wanted to show you how cool I am! 

Some more random pictures with my companion

Love Sister Reynolds

Are you okay mom?

Sometimes Sister Reynolds thinks she's funny, like this subject name. My mom would freak out every time my older brother didn't email during his mission, on his regular p-day, and I could picture my mom doing the same. So what happened is today, Wednesday was temple day. What that means is that on Monday I don't have my p-day and it's moved to Wednesday. I didn't know about this beforehand or I promise I would have said something. The temple is outside my mission, but my mission is allowed to go about every 3-4 months, I'll give you a heads-up next time this happens. I love you mom, and thanks for letting me pick on you all the time.

There are lots of rabbits, deer, and horses here. I love it! Apparently there was a bear 2 houses down from the family that I'm staying with, so that's actually pretty cool, but there's been no sign of it since that happened last week. There was also some llamas? I have a picture of it, but that's the only time I've seen them.

So I finally did it, I went to chick-fil-a three times in a row. Once because I convinced my companion, another time I did it with a Sister when I was on an exchange, and last a relief society president kindly took us and paid for the food.

One day during our p-day we (a few missionaries in the area I'm serving) are planning on going hiking or something, so I'm super pumped about that! Also! next p-day is a whole mission-wide p-day. Everyone serving in the Colorado Denver North Mission is getting together and I'm not really sure what we're going to do. It's the same day as the eclipse though, I think. Last p-day I went to Hobby Lobby with my companion and she talked about decorating planners and making some scrapbooking stuff. So I might start doing that, idk.

The sky here is super pretty and I love all these- hills and mountains they call it. I have seen some mountains like the ones in Colorado when I was in Texas, except in Denver I think they call them hills, and the mountains in Texas weren't even a fourth of the size of the typical hill here.

I love kids! I am teaching this 7 yr old who is about to turn 8. Her parents want her to take the missionary lessons before baptism because they really want her to understand the choice she's making and make sure she knows that this is her decision. Her parents are active members and I think it's awesome that they're doing this for her. I am also teaching this 9 yr old boy with a huuuge testimony. He has expressed many many times that he wants to get baptized. His grandparents and many family members on his mom's side of the family are members, but not his parents and he wants to join the church. It's super cool and he's super cute and both of his parents (who are currently going through a rough divorce) have agreed to let him do this. I'm super excited! But sadly he might get baptized in December because that's when his family will be around to see it, but my companion and I and his grandparents think it's best to do it ASAP because we don't want him to wait. We told him to pray about it. Then the 7 yr old girl won't be 8 until October so my companion and I will miss that happening.

So sorry that this is super short!! I'm trying to stay in contact with everyone from my MTC district and trying to answer and talk to all those who are reaching out to me, I love you all!

Pictures;

Temple 5:30am and 9am

Chick Fil A sign

Sunflowers because my companion loves them

A super creepy grandma that I found in the store my last pday

Wonderful animals

The beautiful Sister who I went on my exchange with

More pictures of my family I'm staying with, there is a husband but he's out a lot for work

And there is a picture of what my sister wrote in my journal by surprise one day when I was out and about. I love her! I'm so glad I have one sister who will write to me (love ya tho meg ;p)

Questions I've got from other people;

 Have you gained any weight? Yes, about like one or two whole pounds. 

What has been the worst or hardest part of my mission? So I get up at 6:30 and eat and get ready for the day, at 8:30 my companion and I plan for the day for a half hr, and then I have an hr of personal study, an hr for companion study, and an hr for a study I have to do for the first 12 weeks of being out in the mission field, in addition to that I have 3 hrs of weekly planning on Fridays, then theres also half an hr for lunch, an hr for dinner, and lots of time we use to travel. Then the meetings with 2 bishops, 2 relief society presidents, and 2 ward mission leaders. For me personally, there's not enough time to be able to go out and find and teach people, too much studying. I love studying and everything else and I understand the importance of it, I just wish I had more time in these days. 

Have you ran into anyone yet with drug problems? Not exactly, I have run into lots of people with problems with peaches. Peaches are a huge thing here and it's pretty funny, but they are pretty good. 

Can I help you or your companion in any way? Well, actually, I want to start collecting quotes from general authorities and LDS pictures so I can decorate, so if you feel inspired to, please send me that in the mail. If there are any suggestions for good music or talks from general authorities, I'm allowed to have it on a USB or CD, so if you have anything lying around that'd be cool. Maybe some cool papers for decoration or scrapbooking. My companion teases all the time about how she likes silly stickers. (I don't need any of that stuff, but it would be helpful) On a more serious note, besides what I listed, my companion and I don't need anything, we are absolutely happy and fine. Thanks for asking :) also, sending letters to me would be fun too. For all those who send me something, I'll send you something back with a little extra stuff I've gotten/ done from Denver. It's super cool, but I can't tell you what it is, you'd have to find out for yourself ;)

Let me know if you have any other questions or suggestions you'd like to hear about from me, sorry for being lame in this email.

 

Shoutouts;

-There is a picture of an organ. That is in a house who is building one in their house!! One of 7 in the country. This is to my wonderful player who is a genius at playing (by genius I mean you know more than me) They will have pipes going up super tall behind this crazy machine.

-There's a picture of footballs. that's for my runner's little brother. Before I went out on my mission you told me to watch out if your lil brother asks for this team's stuff, so i decided to take a picture of this from a member's house and send it to you for him and if there are any other fans.

-Boot camp master/ teacher. So in the mornings I have half an hr to work out. Let me know if you have any suggestions for simple things to do. Also, feel free to give me suggestions Mr. Marine and Mr. Runner 

- All those who about to serve a mission within a yr or so, I'm so excited for you to get out here!! It's wonderful!!

- There are Les Mis pictures, a picture and candlesticks, thank you to the two lovely lovely people who were in that with me.

-There is an inside-out chick-fil-a cup that someone taught me to do once when we were on a charter bus together (btw, my mom has yet to unground you) and I want to see you do a better job than what I did.

Most of my friend's bday is this month. So shout out to my mom (who I already mentioned but I can never talk enough about her), my best friend Tyler, to Dylan, and lastly to Kainoa. Because of you three, you make me push myself harder and do my best. Know that I have reached as far as I can because I have the support of you wonderful and fantastic people. I love you and I will never forget you silly boys!!!

- Sister Reynolds