It's time to trust my instincts; close my eyes, and leap...

Oh... Oh dear. What a crazy week. I think I always am saying  that but it's true. Every week in the mission field is a crazy one. But I love it. 

We started off this week remembering that we don't have anyone to teach. After Saturday we only have one investigator. WILL!!! HE IS ON DATE!!! Mark your calendars yall. June 3rd!! That's his date! He needs to quit smoking and drinking! He also needs to come to church! So a lot of things but we have faith that he will make it. I love that guy. He is awesome and will be a great member of the church. 

Pause... 

Transfers are this week but no need to fear! Elder Fast and I are staying together for another transfer! I'm really excited. The past week had been really good and we are becoming better teachers the more we practice and.. Actually teach people haha! But around the zone, My home boy Elder Taylor (When I was back in Clarksville 1) Is now my zone leader with the one and only ELDER JESSOP! I can't even explain how excited I am to go on exchanges with them. Oh. And now the zone leader area is in Clarksville 1!!!!!! So I'll get to go on exchanges in my old ward!!!!!!!!!! SO STOKED!!!!!!!!!

Play....

We also began going around, working with members asking them for referrals! Tracting just does not work in this area. The people will not listen to us so we are really trying to focus on gaining the trust of the members so that we can get them to share the gospel with their friends. People will not listen to you here if they do not know/trust you. So that's why it is KEY that we need to work through the members to recieve referrals. And guess what. It's working. We have received 8 referrals in the past week. So many we have not even been able to contact all of them. We are going to continue to be working with the members and contacting these people as fast as we can!! 8 referrals is more referrals than have been given in a LONG time. I'm so happy that the member here trust us. We keep getting compliments on how sincere we are and how much we care. I love this branch. We are going to make a ward! ;) Hint hint.... 

Well anyway I am so happy that I get to stay here. I'll be honest I've thought a lot about other places that I would rather serve. I've thought about how stinking hard this area is, but I gained understand that I am needed here. I love it here. I am so happy that we were able to have some baptisms this week!!! Nick and amber were baptized yesterday. The service was super weird. It kinda fell apart but the baptism was done! It happened! Barely! But it happened! It was a great. 

That's about it! We worked really hard this week. And that's all there is too it. 

Love yall!! Lots of pics 

Reese

The district 

So I helped fix a car. But I was first in white shirt and tie. Those are now ruined. Mostly my pants and the shirt. The tie is okay. But this is from only 15 min under the car. I was in pros for the other hour... Oops lol

Post baptism shake:30

Blocking in the Curtis's 

Take you up and down these hallers and hills. Let me show you how country feels

Okay. First things first. 

CHRIS GOT HIS MISSION CALL!!!!! MY BROTHER!!!! HE IS GOING TO AUSTRALIA!!! I'm so excited for him!!! Anyway  (Mom edit- Sydney North Mission to be exact. Leaving August 16)

This week was honestly a tough one. We are working our butts off to no avail. We are "Finding constantly, talking with everyone, working with members" and haven't been able to find anyone. I'm not going to complain too much because we are having 2 baptisms this Saturday but after that we won't have anyone to teach. Literally. We will be down to one, count em, one investigator. But we are making plans to have the members introduce us to people and really focus on working through the members specifically the youth. 

Honestly that is pretty much all that happened this week. We went out and Tracted, walked around town, went and helped a member put in his speakers into his car when we happened to stop by. So I now know how to put in door panel speakers. It's super easy by the way. 

Transfer calls are coming up this Saturday. I've come to the point where I just do not care where I go or what I do. I'm just excited for anything. I'll be happy to stay to help the work progress here, but also a change is always good. I absolutely love my mission. I can't wait till Chris goes out to Australia. He will get an aussi accent and I'll have a southern accent. Well, not really. I can speak banjo, Southern twang, and a soft accent but I also have my, little Elder Maxfield normal California accent. I do have lots of pictures from this week so stay tuned. 

Love yall! 

Reese 

Sunsets are starting to get pretty again 

MOFORD reunited 

3 zones 1 conference

 

 CHIPOTLE IS MY LYYYFFFEEEEE

Golden hubcaps means you had one of the Cleanest car. 2nd transfer in a row!!!! 

"I Nephi being extremely large in stature" 

When youre trying to work with an investigator..... This is a real text we got lol 

Oh look at that... Malibugatti 

We gotta give this world back to God

Elder Reese Maxfield's Level Chart
Desire to Serve: High
Faith: High
Stress levels: High
Tiredness: Very High
Knowledge of what he is supposed to do: Not a Clue
Where does he need to go: No Idea
Is he Hungy: Always

That basically describes my week! We are officially down to 3 people
we are actively teaching now!! YAY!! I wonder how many people are
teaching less that that. I certainly hope not too many. It is okay
because all three are on date or are getting close. The rest of our
time is spent tracting or trying to find a place TO tract.

We have been trying to find places out in the sticks to teach people.
If you look up Morgantown KY you will notice that the "City" is tiny.
There are not too many doors for us to knock on. so we have to go out
into the backwoods to talk to people. It is fun! Very pretty
especially now with spring being here. We tracted for about 3 hours on
Saturday, knocked on 13 houses and talked to 4 people. So much fun!...
Yes sarcasm. Haha but I really have learned so much about how to talk
to people about literally nothing. Its great! Everyone here is so
willing to talk to you about their dog, their Cousin who is in the
military, their family, guns and politics.... but not the Book of
Mormon! and you know what. That is okay. I am a firm believer in
building trust with people we tract into for future missionaries. I
pray that someone who I talk baseball with or cars or whatever with
may one day see some people with white shirts and ties walk up and
wonder... Hmmm those last guys that came by were pretty cool. I wonder
what they believe?

I absolutely love my mission. I love elder Fast!! He is awesome! I
have learned so much from him. He has been struggling a lot and I have
too. We have been able to talk to each other in ways that we both
believe no one else in the mission could. we needed to be companions
together at this time. Its awesome.

Welp really not too much else happened this week. Just preaching
repentance and baptizing converts. You know.

Love Yall! Happy Birthday to KAITLYN MAXFIELD!!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

Love,
Reese

A super nice house we knocked on. 

Before

After

Wendy's after zone meeting

You'll be amazed at what you find if you take a look through my eyes

This had to be the best conference I've ever listened to. So quick back story before I spill it all. 

This week we had the chance to go to the temple! It was awesome. Before we went, last week President Stone sent out an email inviting all of us to go to conference with a question. We had interviews with him right after the temple and he asked me what my question was. I had been trying to figure one out but I just couldn't! I went to the temple seeking for a question. Not an answer! Isn't that funny haha. But I went into interviews and was honest that I couldn't find a question. So we just started talking about things and then I figured out my question.  I'm sorry but this entire conference was directed to me and no one else. I'm sorry that you guys may have not got too much out of it because they were pretty much saying "Reese, you can do better in this way, or you need to do this" haha isn't it amazing how everyone feels like that at times? 

We had exchanges this week! We went out to Hopkinsville with the Zone Leaders which was fun! Elder Rowland and I Tracted for about 6 hours. Straight. Which isn't the most fun but we got a lot of stuff done. We don't typically find a million new investigators and baptize every week and teach 30 lessons every day(shout out to anyone in Brazil) but we found a couple of new ones. We also ran into some people who don't even know who we are but poured their heart out to us. We talked to one guy who had been molested by their priest. Another who had just had twin daughters where one didn't survive past 19 weeks. He said he could fit her in the palm of his hand. He then went on and talked about all other 5 deaths in his family that were recent. 

It amazes me as missionaries that we just want to share what Jesus Christ taught and people open up to us with their deepest worries, fears, questions, sadnesses. It's  so hard to see this sometimes. We want to help them but they just won't let us. People don't really want to talk to the Mormons out here. But that's okay. "Every knee shall bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is the Christ" 

Anyway this week was defiantly a good one. Very difficult however. Elder Fast got sick again and I had to invite him make sure to follow the diet the mission nurse gave to him. He wasn't too happy but he followed it and is now better! I'm so happy that he is feeling better now. He and I both want to do missionary work. But you can't do it if you are sick!!! 

So my 11 month mark is hitting tomorrow. I've been a missionary for 11 months. Wow. Where does the time go? Anyway. 

Guys I love my mission. It has changed my life. It will continue to change my life. I'm so happy that I have the chance to serve here in Morgantown (Nowheresville), KY. But that's okay. It is very small. Culture shock yes but I love it. The people are kind. "Everybody knows everybody. Everybody calls ya friend. Don't need no invitation, kick off your shoes come on it. (Unless it's the Mormons) 

Welp love yall! Keep, I don't know haha, doing good things? Yeah. That. Keep doing good stuff! That is good! Yes! Okay. 

Love y'all 

Reese 

Am i back at home????

So elder Fast is a bit taller than me.

So I fixed the problem. 

The district! 

Elder Olsen! 

What the heck am I doing in Nashville? Huh... wow.