Wishin you a hairy Christmas and a HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY new year

Christmas was actually a lot better than i was expecting this year. I was anticipation on being sad that i wasn't with family but being in a BOMB district we had a great time with each other. Christmas morning we got up at 6:30 as usual and then opened presents together. (The Spanish Elders live right across the hallway so we went over there.) Then thanks to my wonderful mother, we made French toast and eggs and bacon and some other things for breakfast! It was amazing. We then went to church had an awesome sacrament meeting, then went home and cleaned up breakfast, called home to family, had dinner and then went out with a bunch of missionaries to go caroling.

There were about 10 of us missionaries who went out. It was so much fun singing to members and investigators! We sang and there was one person who cried because no one had ever come caroling at her house before. It was amazing.

This week was yet another good week in terms of finding and teaching people. We found this one guy names Ase-- pronounced A-sé and he seems like a pretty solid investigator. He wants to read the Book of Mormon but couldn't read the little one we gave him, so we gave him a HUGE copy. He is a great guy. His home smells a little funny. Not in a bad way. Just a, burning of incense that is WAY too strong. But he is pretty cool and i am excited to see if he is actually interested in learning more. 

This week was a lot of tracting, and finding people to teach. But we did take some prettty funny pictures. But before I post those, I want to share my testimony that i know that the church is true. I know that i am not alone in this work. Good is there helping me every step of the way. I just need to reach out to him and let him help me and carry me. Its a lot harder than i expected, giving up everything but as i do so, i find happiness.

Love yall

Reese

Feasting

Christmas Morning!!!

"Look good Play good Elder"

The caroling krew 

Lookie here, a wild Hamilton in its natural environment. Look out. He may look like he is sleeping but he is ready to pounce at any MOMENT!!

I'll be home for Christmas if only in my dreams

So this week was probably the best week on the mission thus far. I absolutely love Clarksville. I love my new companion. I love the Ward. This week we found 7 new people to teach where I haven't found 7 new investigators to teach in the past 2 transfers. It has been a fantastic week! 

On Tuesday so this is a funny story. We went down to transfers and I met my comp elder Taylor. He is from Logan Utah. Same Stake as elder Coburn. He is super fun. Super hard working missionary. He has been on his mission for one less transfer than me. But anyway, We loaded all of our stuff into the car and headed out up to Clarksville. About an hour and 15 drive without traffic. So we get to Clarksville and we think... hmm I wonder where the apartment is. So we just drive to the church cuz I know where that is and we call and text some people but then we get a phone call from our vehicle coordinator who then tells us that we need to come back down to Nashville to get 2 more elders because we forgot them. I'm not exactly sure how we're were supposed fit 4 missionaries and all of their stuff in a, oh did I mention 2017 Chevy Malibu with wifi in it and all these nifty things like lane assist, yaadda yadda yadda... NO WAY! We barely got the two of our stuff packed in there. So we drive back down and shove all their stuff in the brand new 2017 Chevy Malibu with wifi in it and head on our way back to Clarksville.

So our goal for the past week or so was to meet as many people as possible. Ward members, the Ward mission leader, bishop, less actives, investigators and then random people on the street. We worked our butts off this week. There was one day when elder Taylor turned on the light and told me that it was 6:35. I was like... no way the alarm didn't go off yet. He told me it did. I slept right through it. I NEVER sleep through an alarm. I never have. I always hear the quietest alarm. But because we worked so hard the day before I just kept on sleeping.

Some really strange weather patterns have been happening. So on Thursday it was 23 degrees at the highest. Friday was about the same but then on Saturday it got up to 75. Then snowed that night. Yesterday it was a high of 22. Hmm that's confusing. See pics later. 

Anyway there is too much that happened this week to tell but I know that God has a plan for all of us. I know because I need to know that right now with all the stress that is on me right now. I know that God ALWAYS provides a way for us to do the things which he commands us to do. Hmm that sounds familiar. I also know that god knows us personally and that he is always there for us. 

Love y'all. I can't wait to talk to my family this week on Christmas. MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!! 

Reese. 

Pretty cool. Literally. Super cold outside. 

Shout out to Elder Taylor's

Ohhhh boyyyyy. This was not expected.  So transfer calls came this week. I'll give y'all a little time to think about where I'm going. But I'll give the hint. I'm not staying in Murray. 

This week was SO CRAZY!!!! So much stuff happened. I won't get into too many details but we had a general authority come and visit us on Thursday and that is what I'm going to talk mostly about in this weeks letter. 

Elder Kliebengat, a good buddy of my Padre, came and learned us up some knowledge. It was the best meeting I have been in on my mission if not my whole life. He basically told us that we need to do better but showed  love, care and concern with it all. It wasn't just "Man you guys are terrible missionaries." It was very blunt, but he told us and promised us that if we worked hard, were obedient, and shared the gospel with everyone we come into contact with them we will be blessed. One of the very blunt things he said was "The things you do on your mission reflect the depth of your conversion. If you are truly converted to the gospel you will be rushing out of the door to go preach. You will never miss your alarm at 6:30. Unless you're sick than that's okay. Get better so that you can continue to preach." This hit me super hard. Sometimes I am scared to go talk to people about the gospel. When we go out to eat or are in Walmart, I shouldn't be afraid of what I'm doing. I need to proclaim the gospel because I know how important it is. 

Another thing he said is "Knowledge is power." So true. Y'all know that already. The more we know. The more we can use it to help ourselves and others. 

Well I had a request from a certain someone to share my testimony. So here we go. 

I know, without a doubt that God lives. I know that he loves us. I know that he has a plan for each and every one of us and sometimes that plan isn't where we want to go. We might not want to take a certain route but we need to succumb to his will. We need to be humble. A wise man once said "Always stay humble and kind." This has been my goal on my mission. Working hard to stay humble. As I have done this I have see the blessings of God pour down on me. A "shower of heavenly blessings" (Dieter F. Uchtdorf) if you will. I know that Jesus Christ suffered for each and every one of us. I know that through him and because of him we will be saved IF and only when we do our part by repenting of our sins; coming closer to Christ; applying his teachings onto our life's. I know that Christ, our older and perfect brother, loves us. 

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is the true church on the earth today. I know that if we study the Book or Mormon we can and will come closer to God. 

Well that's about all for the week. Here you go with where I'm going!!! 

"Elder Maxfield you will be Whitewashing Clarksville 1st Ward with Elder Taylor."

OHHH BOY!!! SO STOKED TO GO BACK TO CLARKSVILLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway. Peace out y'all. Until next time form the good 'ol CV.

Love y'all 

Reese 

Paducah Zone! My arm still hurts from dodgeball last week.

Elder Kliebengat and me

Elder Max-i-field and Elder Burn Burn

I wonder what God wants for Christmas

I've been so happy the past few weeks now that I can play Christmas music!!! I've downloaded soooo much from Scotty Mcreary, Darius Rucker--> Subject line<--, Tim McGraw, Josh Groban, Michael Bublé, and all other classic Christmas music. Yesterday being fast Sunday I really wanted to get up to share my testimony about this special Christmas season, but something told me not to. While I was playing with this idea not to share my testimony during sacrament meeting I listened to SO many great testimonies shared by others. It was really amazing to see 2 recent converts in the Ward get up there and share their conversion story, and for me just to listen today. I know that my testimony was increased by listening to theirs. It was also amazing because there was a steady line of people going up the whole time. No pauses, no awkwardness when no one stands up to talk, it was just fantastic. Now with a ward of about 75 people, that is super impressive. 

So I just have a few things I want to say about this week because not too much happened. First of all it's starting to get a bit chilly outside. I know it can't really compare to my friends serving in Sweden (@noelleyoung) or even Utah (@kaylinyoung) but it's getting cold! I'm really enjoying it. Waking up and just peaking my head outside for feel that 

crisp humid cold air is really great. Something that is really funny about it is that it really does chill you to the bone. Even after a few seconds. And it's only like 40 degrees F. outside. It's awesome. 

Anyway this week was a good one. We were able to visit so many single sisters in the Ward which was so much fun. They are mostly older and love to talk. 

I'm not sure if y'all go to Gospel Principles but this last week was on the Final Judgement. Elder Coburn was asked to give the lesson. So he gave a GREAT lesson! 

Other than that this week was a pretty good one. I'm not to sure how or why it was.... but it was. It was super fast. It's kinda funny. I look forward to P-Day as like a mile marker. It's like I close my eyes on Monday nights and then alll of a sudden, I wake up and it's Pday again. It's great. Today we are driving up to Paducah to play Pakistani with the whole zone. I'm pretty darn excited. I can still throw pretty darn fast but there is one elder who can throw probably 10-15 mph faster than me. He is a Spanish Elder. Elder Berryhill. He is a legend in the mission. Dad you know how there are those missionaries that you want to be exactly like? Ya we have a lot of those in this mission. One of the APs right now, Elder Ty Hinds, is an absolute BEAST. He won state in track for the 100m dash, and is going to play football for Weber state after his mission. He is also a STUD of a missionary. Well of course he is cuz he is an AP... but yeah. There are some pretty awesome missionaries in this mission. 

We are expecting snow this week!!!! I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!! Also Elder Kliebengat is coming on Thursday! I'm super excited about that as well.

We have been doing so much service for people for the #lighttheworld project! It's been so great going to some elderly people in the Ward who need some help taking leaves or doing other things around the house that need to be done. It is such a blessing for me to be able to help them. 

Transfer calls are on Saturday! So we will find out what is goin on then. I'll report to y'all then:) 

I love y'all! Hope you have a great week. Make sure to find ways to #lighttheworld

Love,

Reese

 Thanks mom! (mom note - I told him to go get a small table top tree. That one does not seem to be sitting on a table)

                When you are a man, you sometimes like to spread shaving cream, all over your face... just for fun. 

Throw back Monday #HILYFE ( mom note again - this is one of his favorite pictures form Christmas last year in Hawaii of Christopher and Kaitlyn)

Mele Kalikimaka is the thing to say, on a bright Hawaiian Christmas Day

Hey everyone! Hope y'all had a Great thanksgiving! Hopefully no one died on Black Friday.... 

Not really too sure what to talk about this week... not too much happened. It was fairly disappointing and unproductive. Thanksgiving was so fantastic!!! But the day before the Paris elder got into a car accident... so we had to go help them out. Drive them around all day where they needed to go and get things done. So that was kinda a waste of a day. 

Thanksgiving was so much fun. Our 12:00 meal was at the Anderson home. That family reminds me of my family! They are so much fun. I ate way too much food at their house so I was hardly able to eat anything at all the other homes we went to... we then went to the Bakes home, then to the Steinfeldts after that! Oh man. Finally by the end of the our time at the Stinefeldts I was starting to be able to eat some more food.  So I ate more. I woke up at 4:00 that morning, with the worst heartburn I've ever had. It was terrible. 

Well I love you guys. Have a great week! 

Love 

Reese 

Burning a tie! It's okay. It was an ugly tie that was sitting in the closet since before I got here. 

Paris' car 

it's not supposed to be cold yet....

There's so much to be thankful for...

Merry Thanksgiving and a happy Black Friday!

There is not other way to be grateful for things than to fight over a bunch of semi good deals! 

Oh boy, this week was full of good things. Elder olsen and I went on exchanges down in Paris Tennessee. We were able to get a lot of work done. We went to visit the people who were baptized last Saturday and they are amazing. Oh my goodness they have such a solid testimony of everything. The whole gospel. It's fantastic! They gave us a present of trail mix! It was simple, but so nice of them. 

We also went and did service for an older woman who calls herself Grandma Nut! She asked me to give her my moms phone number. I got an email earlier this week where mom told me she got a call from a lady (grandma nut) who was nice and loved having the missionaries over. Oh boy she had so much stuff in her home. There was one room just completely full of stuff. We were looking for a door and we couldn't NOT find this door! So I climbed on top of this pile of stuff and she walked in and looked at me and said "Oh! Hi! Did you find it up there?" She is so sweet. 

So far we have had one thanksgiving dinner. The Gs invited us over tonight and that house was crazy. Their home is a double wide trailer with a little.... room? Tower? Something, coming out of the top of the house. It is fantastic! Redneck ingenuity!! Anyway, we went out there and they are such a nice family. Swear words flying because someone cheated at cards, someone else says "shut up the elders are here!" That made me chuckle. A few weeks ago I put a PING sticker on the back of my iPad case. One of the first things that T G said to me was "Do you golf!?!?" About 45 minutes later another one of the guys there said "PING? You golf??" So we talked about golfing for a long while. They said that one PDay he is going to take us golfing. I'm stoked. 

That's pretty much it for the week. I miss all y'all. This will be the 2nd thanksgiving away from home. But my mind will and always is thinking about y'all. I miss wrestling with all the cousins, Carson, Kyson, S

hay, Jackson, and any other cousin who participated in these matches. 

Love you guys!!

Reese 

Elder olsen and I Match! 

Took this picture yesterday. It was on our car. Didn't turn out exactly they way I wanted it to but it's still kinda cool. 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Holy junk it's getting cold out here in da south. This ain't nothin like da Aina weather in Hawaii or even in California. I looked at the weather for Long Beach (@sarahmitchell) and it was like 92 degrees still.... I hate you. But It's November. There shouldn't be crispy grass because it's frozen yet. That's like a mid January February thing... welp. I'm stoked. 

This week was pretty fun! I got some letters from some of my favorite people! Y'all know who you are;) thank you so much. I will write back as soon as I get the chance. 

I had some pretty cool opportunities this week. The work here is still slow and will probably be slow until the millennium, but on Tuesday Elder Olsen gave me a call and asked if I could help out with a baptism down in Paris! D and A, who I taught about 3 weeks ago down there on exchanges with Olsen, were getting baptized and since A is blind and confound to his wheelchair, they needed some help with getting him into the font. So I was able to help

out with that! Such a great experience. The spirit when there is a baptism especially of a convert is very sweet and different that any other time in life. It's great. 

I did have a pretty great dejavu moment this week. It happened when we got the call that this man in the Ward was in the hospital. I will say he is pretty darn stubborn in... pretty much everything he does and refused to let us help him do some work on his property. (Oh he owns about 6 acres of land and his house is pretty much exactly what I want) a few weeks ago we went, as an elders quorum, to cut up some of his trees that had fallen down. Those who helped me about 2 years ago, woah.... It's been that long, know what I'm getting at. So these pieces of these trees were sitting out in front of his house, so we took the chance to help him out! We went and split the wood on Thursday and it was so much fun! Thank you eagle project for teaching me how to split wood! 

I hope y'all, this week find a way to draw closer to your loving father in Heaven. I know that as you try and do so he will pour out his love to you. 

Love 

Reese

Zone meeting on Tuesday! Elder Olsen and I are in the MMA stare off. Elder Rock has got the chair. Sister Monson is peacin' out, Sister Steinman is confused and sister Ashment is freakin out.

Woah bruhhhh Deja Vu....

His fingerprints are everywhere I just slow down to stop and stare, open my eyes and man I swear... I saw God today

This week was another good one. I am finally getting the hang of this thing called missionary work. I'm not going to say that I'm good at it just yet because I'm not. Haha but we are working with a lot of less active families who have needed to be pushed a little bit. This past week, with some part member families we had good solid lessons about the Book of Mormon. We extended a firm invitation for them to read the Book of Mormon, to truly ponder it in their hearts and then to ask God if it is true. If they do that, then they WILL come to know that this is all true. That Jesus Christs church has been restored through a Prophet. That HE lives, and through Him we are able to make it back to our Father in Heaven. 

I am seriously SO SICK AND TIRED of serving around people who are going home!!!  A few days ago I was thinking about going home next Wednesday just like Elder Tracy is, (not going home, but that my 2 years is up) and going to see my family. But then I was like... oh wait. HA!! You've still got 18 months bud!! Haha it was funny. I laughed a little. 

On Wednesday when we were out knocking doors, we knocked on this one door and thins college girl answered. She was... how you say.... drunk. It was so funny trying to carry a conversation with her. She was like "Guys! You'll never guess but I have Mormon friends! Ya they are on their missions.  When do you guys go on your missions!?!?" I was like.... "We are kinda on it right now?" Then she flipped out and was like "NO WAY!!!! That's awesome. Good job guys. Give me a pamphlet to read or something and I'll read it." So we did! Haha she hasn't called us yet but I'm not really expecting her to remember us visiting her. Haha 

Anyway HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! We have to be in our apartment by 6:00 tonight so not too much stuff will be done today. Love and miss y'all so much. I can promis you that not a day goes by without thinking of you. 

Love 

Reese

We tryina thug it out ere but we are missionaries. Hannah, that pose is for you. 

I'm gonna leave this world for a while; and I'm free, free fallin...

This week was one of the hardest yet best weeks on my mission. Not defined by success but by a change in me. My desire to work. 

So, starting on Wednesday I went on an exchange with Elder Olsen over there in Paris. Yes. Paris Tennessee. Home of the little Eiffel Tower. Anyway, I went down there and I made a new friend. Elder Olsen and I got pretty close and we were able to become pretty darn good friends after this exchange. We were able to go tracting for a little and we handed out 3 Book of Mormons out of doors. After that we then went to the most solid referral, ever. She was so awesome and told us her life story. She grew up in Dresden Tennessee which is just south of Paris. She was abused both sexually and physically. She saw her dad kill her mother. She then got into drugs and that sort of lifestyle. Living on the streets. But then a few years ago she said she had an awakening. She all of a sudden didn't want to do any of the stuff anymore. She was still addicted but wanted to be happy. She prayed to God and asked for help. She found Him. She was able to develop a love for him and find happiness. But now she wants more. So she seemed out the Book of Mormon. I'll update you in a few weeks about her;) --Again. This is while I was down in Paris. Not my area. I wish tho. 

Father in Heaven has answered my prayers.  I have been sent on a journey that I have been told is super hard. And I am living it right now. I keep getting out of the saddle and trying to do it on my own but it doesn't work like that. I need to stay in the saddle and trust God. Trust that he knows where I need to go. 

Well that's pretty much it for the week. I got some cool pics this week tho! 

I love all y'all. 

Have a great week

Reese 

This was a referral that we went to go visit down in Paris. This was like... the boonies of the boonies. This was in the middle of nowhere. That trailer is about 7 feet off the ground. Why? I have no idea. There are ladders going to the doors in the back. 

I found Waldo. 

Take your cat and leave my sweater cuz we have nothing left to weather in fact I'll feel a whole lot better if you'll think of me

We used so many miles this week.... oh my goodness... We had to drive to Hopkinsville to go to Zone Conference and it was over 50 miles one way. So we ended up using 120 miles total that day... we weren't too happy but it was super fun to go see all my friends and fellow missionaries over there. It was a little sad because there were a few missionaries like Elder Adair who I probably won't see again...he goes home in 3 weeks now. He and I got pretty close even though we only knew each other for a few transfers. 

It's also getting a little strange as I get closer to my 6 month mark, getting to know other missionaries becomes a lot easier. For example, WOAH! Side note. Example just auto corrected to "exams please." Those should never go next to each other. Never. Anyway, for example, Elder Briscoe and Elder Sanders serve nowhere near me, I've only met them a couple times and we are good friends! Like, I don't know it's weird. It's kinda like when we were at school and you really didn't know anyone for too long and you got to know them really well. Or you just clicked with other people and things kinda just happened. That's what is starting to happen with me. Other elders and I become pretty close after really only seeing each other a couple times. 

I guess I should probably tell y'all about what's going on here in Murray. Not much. Not too much... it's going to be a pretty tough area. It was interesting, the other day ago we were in Wendy's getting some food and I saw this guy looking at us. I thought to myself Oh no. He is going to do something to us... But I sit down and start eating and he walked over to us and had a really nice conversation with us! He asked us how the people were treating us, if they were accepting our message and so on. He didn't want to hear about our telefilm because he is a baptist but he was concerned for us. Things like that make me feel so much better about working in the south. Even if people don't wanna hear your message, they want you to help someone. 

That's pretty much it for the week. Hope y'all have a good week!

Love 

Reese

Saw some, how you say, Strange Clouds

Last time I will see my good buddy Elder Adair

The fall festival on Saturday!! There was a chili cook off and we were the judges! SO MUCH GOOD CHILI!

#PaduchaGold!! Zone pic 

Yeah the view I love the most, is my front porch looking in

What an interesting week! I feel like I always say that but that's how it is down here! It was SUPER hard finding people to talk to. We are trying get into contact with people who are on our roster who haven't been contacted yet. Most of the people who haven't been contacted are college age students. So we went around and tried to talk to them. We didn't get a single door opened. We then noticed that there were no cars parked at any of the doors including the ones around them. Also no one was at school. We then remembered. Fall break. No one was home. 

So! That was pretty much a bust but we did have some pretty cool experiences this past week. We got to do a lot of service. There is a family in the Ward who can't get to church because the wife has alzheimer's or dementia  and she can't get around. He has a hurt back so you know how it is dad. Can't bend lift or twist. So we went out and helped him clear brush, like branches twigs sticks, and put them into a huge pile which will later be burnt. This pile is hugeeee. Like 4 foot tall x 20 foot long. And there is still more stuff to put on it. It was awesome to be able to help him out. 

He is also getting very lonely so we just sat and talked to him for a while as well. We hardly said a word. I actually tried to say, "well we gotta go." But he just kept on talking. So we just listened and listened. He is such a nice guy. We will probably be going out there to help him out every other week or so. 

Yesterday after church we went and visited a lady in the hospital. She isn't in our ward. She is in Calvert city's branch. She has had a pretty hard life of probably drugs and smoking and other things. She has the nicest heart and wants to do good now even though she is suffering the consequences from the thing she has done in the past... she has chronic bronchitis and y'all know. Ain't nobody got time for that. But she also has pneumonia. So she wanted a blessing. So we went and talked to her for about an hour. She told us straight up she is very lonely and was so appreciative of us going to talk and give her a blessing. That warmed my heart. 

Well that's pretty much it for this week... Something weird is happening though. IM HAVING DREAMS! I haven't dreamed in such a long time. I guess because I don't have a phone to entertain me anymore, my mind can do that by itself! It's awesome. Last night I had a dream about Derek and for some reason I was down there in Bolivia. And a few nights ago I dreamed I was back in Hawaii with Hannah and Sarah and others . So that's fun and sad at the same time.... but ya! Have a great week y'all! 

Love ya! 

Reese

Temple pic from Wednesday... its the best one we got...

I almost bought this for Pa the other day. 

Nuff said.