IT'S A GOOD DAY!

Good Afternoon Everyone,

I hope you all are having a great summer☀️ and enjoying some cooler weather for me. I don't know what I was thinking when I told Heavenly Father I wanted to go anywhere that wasn't cold... but anyways despite the heat, it has been a pretty good week. Since I didn't have much time last week to email, here is a funny story from last week.

We were walking home from a lesson, as we were walking along talking we see this bird on a fence post. We were only 4-5 feet away from it and it didn't even move. We sat there for a minute just watching it and it sat there and starred at us. I started to think "man people say we bring the spirit but that much?...;)". So I decided to walk over and try to touch it. I started petting the thing and Sister Brewster almost crapped her pants she thought it was so funny. (See attached picture) We couldn't figure out what was wrong with it so we picked it up and took it home with us. We put it in a box....ya know how it goes. Well there is a Jewish lady that takes care of animals like that so we go walking to her house. On the way there we here the bird moving around so we open up the box and the bird is sprawled out face down in the box....oops. Now we have this dead bird, in a box, and we are carrying it around. Can you imagine us knocking on people's doors and them asking us what was in the box? Then sister Brewster accidentally drops the box and there goes the bird and everything on the road. We made sure no one was looking and scooped it back into the box. Finally....I just ended up throwing the thing into a ditch. Rip R&B! So there's your funny story.

This week was filled with excitement! Long but good! We traveled to Chico this week to a training meeting for a new test we are going to run and said our goodbyes to President and Sister Weston.
President and Sister Marston will be running the mission in about an hour! I'm so excited to meet and get to know them. It will be a great new adventure.

Thursday we had a pretty rough lesson with some investigators and some other problems so we had a great "bonding time". We filled the kitchen sink up, put our feet in, and laid on the counter and talked till bed time. A girls gotta do what she's gotta do right?

We spoke in Sacrament meeting Sunday....we threw down! It was so good and we had so many compliments. My blunt personality sure did pay off! The Bishop was so happy!

The Nordstroms(which we live with sorta) have two 18 year old boys staying with them from Denmark. Coolest kids ever! We have been having too much fun listening to them talk to us. The investigators are all still progressing and doing well. Never take this Gospel for granted. Transfers next week.


There are about as many Latter-day Saints as there are People in Los Angeles. There are about as many missionaries as there are people in Ogden, Utah. That's like comparing the Empire State Building on top of the Eiffel Tower to a one-story cabin! It's the weight difference between a cow and a baby! That's a gigantic difference. We, the members (the silent majority) can do so much more than we do. "Now, my brethren and sisters, we can let the missionaries try to do it alone, or we can help them. If they do it alone, they will knock on doors day after day and the harvest will be meager. Or as members we can assist them in finding and teaching investigators."(President Hinckley) What will you do? Will you let the missionaries do it all on their own, or will you STEP UP TO THE PLATE, SWALLOW YOUR FEAR, and let the Spirit tell you what to say? The Choice is YOURS.

This weeks challenge: Since it's the 4th of July and we are celebrating our Freedom, post on Facebook why you are thankful for RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. Tag me in it if you would like:).
#sisterreberchallenge

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is truly a worldwide Church. Nevertheless, it is important to realize that the Church could never have become what it is today without the birth of a great nation, the United States of America. The Lord prepared a new land to attract the peoples of the world who sought liberty and religious freedom. This new land was blessed with strong leaders who felt duty bound to establish a government that allowed individuals to worship according to their own conscience. The Founding Fathers of the United States believed that religious faith was fundamental to the establishment of strong government. Many people in the world, however, have forgotten the central importance of religious beliefs in the formation of the policies, laws, and rules of government. Many Americans, for example, do not understand that the founders believed the role of religion would be as important in our day as it was in their day. The founders did not consider religion and
morality an intellectual exercise--they forcefully declared it an essential ingredient of good government and the happiness of humankind.
(The Tradition of Light and Testimony)
Have a great week! A great 4th of July! And have some missionary FUN!
Love,
Sister Elli Reber

Get Excited!

Hey Folks,

Last week I committed you to invite someone to something church related! Now is the time that I follow up with your commitment. Have you done your missionary work this week? If yes, I would love to hear about it. If not, well....Work even harder this week :). I cannot stress enough the importance of member missionaries! YOU ARE KEY in missionary work! Missionary work is a combined effort between members and the full time missionaries.

The work is continuing to pick up and Stake Conference really helped in motivating the ward to do missionary work. We went out tracting for a day and found a new investigator, that we are super excited to start teaching this week. Our lesson teaching has picked up tremendously since the first transfer. We were able to teach 11 lessons this week, first transfer we were at 3-5 a week. We have stayed busy with all our amazing inactive sisters. This week seemed to be filled with trials for most of them. I am so thankful for the Gospel focused life we have and to be able to share that with them. I learn something new from them every time we see them.

I don't have much time to write this week but I hope and pray you all have a great week. I know this church is true! Make it a great day!

Love,
Sister Reber
Do Missionary work!

I Will Be Following Up With YOU!

Good Morning Everyone!

What an amazing week! Here are just a few highlights from my week.
 
Monday- First time eating abalone. I won't lie, it was really good, different, but good. We ate it at a Non-members home we tracted into one of the very first weeks we were here. "L" is Jewish and "M" is Catholic, but doesn't practice. They are the nicest people ever! They treat us just like daughters and always stop to talk to us if they see us walking around town.
Tuesday- Gods tender mercy of sending us the breeze while tracting hours during the day.
Wednesday- Zone meeting! So many of my questions/prayers were answered! We focused a lot on the good things we have been doing. Our Zone is leading the mission but we have all been here for 3 transfers (with only a change of 2 elders) that we started to get down on ourselves. Although we have a lot to do, we came out pumped and ready to hit the pavement (or in my case dirt roads) again! One quote that I loved from Zone meeting..."We set goals to show our faith. We follow up on those goals to see our blessings." What truth that is!
Thursday- We were able to attend a Relief Society social. It was at one of our members home....and it was a swim party! I was so jealous just sitting their watching everyone in that pool. But it was a lot of fun just to visit and have lunch with everyone. We also had a lesson with the "S" kids that night that went very well. "N" is so excited to be baptized. "A" is super quiet but I was able to talk to her for awhile after the lesson and she really opened up to me. "K" is so close to committing to baptism. She said she wants to be but she is still praying to get an answer. They are such great kids.
Friday- Such beautiful weather. We ended up tracting almost all day.
Saturday- We had exchanges and I stayed here in Palo Cedro. We went to Shingletown and had a great time. The town was having a big celebration and everyone was so outgoing and having fun. We also got to visit with Sister V and hear some more great stories. We did some Personal Progress with "C", and then headed to the adult session of Stake Conference. President and Sister Weston (the mission president) came and spoke. The night's focus was on missionary work and was amazing!
Sunday- the general session was focused on the Priesthood and Womanhood. We came out very inspired. The "H" Family also had a very exciting day yesterday. Brother H was able to receive the Melchizedek Priesthood. Their family was so excited! Afterwards he was able to give Sister H a blessing for her and the new baby on the way! We are so excited for them! We went to their house afterwards and they set up to get their patriarchal blessings next Sunday! What a blessing it is to watch the gospel change their lives. What great weather we have had all week and great experiences!

Having been filled with inspiration this week, I wanted to share a few things that will benefit you, as they have for me. I want to share an experience my Mission President, President Weston, shared with us at the adult session of Stake Conference. He says "my wife and I were traveling home from a meeting a few weeks ago and it was getting late, my wife said she needed something to eat. We went through a drive through, and I won't tell you where. When I got to the window the lady says "the people in front of you payed it forward, now are you going to pay it forward?", I said well how much is it. Before she told me my wife just nodded her head. I pulled out two pass along cards and handed them to her. She said "well what are these for". I said well I want you to commit to me right now that you will invite those people behind me to get on the website on the card. She said "alright, now what's the other one for?" I said that's for you! Will you commit to get on that website tonight?" She said of course."

Family and friends, we are successful as we invite! We don't know what will ever come out of those two pass along cards, but there was an invitation made! As I studied this week, in Doctrine and Covenants 86,
this is a Revelation given to Joseph Smith in 1832. In verse 5 we read, "Behold, verily I say unto you, the angels are crying unto The Lord day and night, who are ready and waiting to be sent forth to reap down
the fields". WE WERE THOSE ANGELS begging to come to this Earth to share the gospel! We are ALL missionaries! Our purpose is to INVITE others to come unto Christ! Yes sharing the Gospel might be scary, but you were born to do it, you were born on this earth, at this special time to SHARE to Gospel.

Family and Friends, I testify to you that if you open your mouth in a good and positive way, that miracles will come! I want to COMMIT YOU, THIS WEEK, to INVITE someone! Here are a few ideas, you may not think to be missionary opportunities, invite a friend to a ward function, invite a less active or non member over for dinner, share a gospel cd or song with someone that might need it, when a friend is over invite
them to have family prayer with your family, invite someone to church, or invite them to meet with the missionaries. I KNOW that as you pray for missionary opportunities, miracles will come. Take every
opportunity to share the Gospel.

Family and friends, the field is white already to harvest! I will be praying for you and your experiences, I hope to hear some awesome stories next Monday! They will come, if you put your faith in your Heavenly Father.

Love,
Sister Reber
"Those family and friends of Sister Reber's, THEY HAVE GUTS!"....to share the Gospel!!

Verily I say unto you my friends, fear not, let your hearts be comforted ; yea, rejoice evermore, and in everything give thanks. (D&C 98:1)

READ YOUR SCRIPTURES!

Family and Friends,
What a blessing it is to be out on a mission! I am so thankful to be here in Palo Cedro inviting others to come unto Christ! What a blessing it is! I feel so blessed! Here are just a few things I am thankful for this week!

-Service Opportunities! When you are in the service of your fellow beings you are in the service of your God! As I am able to work along side so many women,that have gone through so much, I have seen my
testimony grow as well as theirs! So many miracles, if only I had time to tell them!

-My family and Friends and their support! What more could I ask for! I was asked this week to write my testimony about the temple, as I pondered on my experiences I was blessed to know that one day we will
all be able to love in Heaven together with our Heavenly Father and his son Jesus Christ.

-The Atonement! That makes it possible for us to live with our Heavenly Father again! For the blessing of being able to be forgiven of our sins.

-The Creation! For this beautiful place our Heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, has given to us! Just look around!

"...it is important to frequently “count our blessings”--and anyone who has tried this knows there are many--but I don’t believe the Lord expects us to be less thankful in times of trial than in times of abundance and ease. In fact, most of the scriptural references do not speak of gratitude for things but rather suggest an overall spirit or attitude of gratitude.
When we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in the midst of tribulation. In grief, we can still lift up our hearts in praise. In pain, we can glory in Christ’s Atonement.
In the cold of bitter sorrow, we can experience the closeness and warmth of heaven’s embrace.
We sometimes think that being grateful is what we do after our problems are solved, but how terribly shortsighted that is. How much of life do we miss by waiting to see the rainbow before thanking God
that there is rain?
Gratitude is a catalyst to all Christlike attributes! A thankful heart is the parent of all virtues. "
(Grateful in Any Circumstances)
Thank you all for everything! I love you all! I pray that no matter what you are going through, good or bad, you will feel your Heavenly Father's love!

Love,
Sister Reber

 Turkeys at the church!

 Rebar and Bruce!

Love You All!!!!

Family and Friends,

What a week! I had the chance to invite my first investigators to be baptized this week! And two out of the three excepted! "N" is an awesome 9 year old that is so excited to be a member of the church! He just started scouts a few weeks ago and is already getting a bunch of awards! Yesterday we sat by me in church and one of the Elders got up to bear his testimony, he talked about the Book of Mormon, and "N" grabbed his and waved it in the air so the congregation could see it! It put a big grin on everyone's face! He is so excited to get to the
point of baptism.


His sister, "A", is 11 years old. She is super quiet but always asks great questions. We are excited to get to know her better. Their sister, "K", which is 16, didn't except baptism, but I know she will eventually. Kayla loves Sister Brewster, Sister Brewster is definitely here for her! It's been awesome to see the different people each one
of us bonds with differently.

As this week has been filled with sad news from family and friends, I want to bear my testimony of the Plan of Salvation. I know that during this life we are going to go through hardships, trials, and tribulations. It's part of our Heavenly Fathers plan, to help us grow and to show our faith! We will one day be together for eternity. I know that we will ALL have a second chance, our Heavenly Father has given us a plan, through the help and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, to make it back to live with him again. "To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold On. Keep Trying. God Loves You. Things will improve."-Jeffrey R. Holland


Family and Friends, I love you all! I pray for you daily, I know that our Heavenly Father is watching over each one of us and does not give us any trial we cannot overcome. I know this to be true!

Have you prayed today?

Have a great week.
Love,
Sister Reber