Site Seeing in San Fransisco

Here are some pictures from Sister Reeves' visit to San Fransisco so she could get her Visa.  If you haven't read the email it's two posts down I believe.  Enjoy!

Soeur Reeves and Soeur Madsen - her companion for the day (ou sa collegue pour le jour)

China Town

Riding the Carousel after contacting the woman who worked there.

Fobbes Island

Alcatraz Island

The Golden Gate Bridge - which Sister Reeves thinks should be called the Red Gate Bridge

Picture of the group that went to San Fransisco.  Each of these missionaries is going French speaking, but they are all going to different missions!

Contacts in San Fransisco

Bonjour ma famille!

Ryan! I'm so excited about your mission call! I hope you don't mind that I already found out. I saw Courtney yesterday and couldn't wait to hear! Barcelona Spain! We'll be neighbors ;). That's great I know you'll love it and there are people there waiting for you.
To let you all know, I'm not leaving on Monday because my visa is not ready. I just went to the French consolate on Tuesday and it usually takes 2 weeks to process so they said when I get it I will get to call home for 5 minutes to let you know the information of when I'm going to leave and then I will get to call home for about half an hour when I'm at the airport.
I went to San Fransisco on Tuesday; it was a great experience! One of the elders joked that in Salt Lake we're celebrities and in San Fransisco we're the plague! ;) It's true that when people saw our missionary tags they would avoid us. My companion for that day was Sister Madsen. She was great, we set a goal to contact 5 people while we were there. We were both so nervous, but my teacher said you can't stop and think about being nervous you just have to go up to them before you have time to think. We gave a pass along card to our waitress, named Valerie, when we ate at Hard Rock Cafe and she thought it was really neat that we were going out on missions. We then walked around Pier 49 and saw a carousel. We had prayed that the spirit would guide us and we would be led to those who were willing to listen. Sister Madsen felt like we should talk to the lady who was working the carousel so we went over and asked her what we could do while we were there and then Sister Madsen told her that we were missionaries and we gave her a pass along card and bore our testimonies that Christ lives and loves us. She really liked that and let us ride on the Carousel for free! We talked to a few other people and didn't have any success; some people are very rude, but I had to keep reminding myself to not take it personally (it's not me, it's the tag). You also have to learn to just laugh about it. We decided to just sit down and watch the sea lions, because we were feeling pretty down. We then stood up on the platform we were sitting on and I joked with sister Madsen that it looked like we were about to begin preaching. A lady kept looking at us and then came over and asked if we could take her picture! A perfect way to begin talking to her! We found out she's from Slovakia and she was just here for a short trip. We explained who we were, gave her a pass along card and told her she could get the video for free. The best part is that she began asking questions! She asked what the DVD was about and what we believed in, so we also told her about the Book of Mormon and that she could get it in her own language. She loved that and we told her there are missionaires in Slovakia so she said the would call the number and ask about missionaries. When she was looking at the card she saw the Mormon.org website and asked if she could look at that to find out more! We were so excited! Of all the people it was the woman from Europe who was nicest. That made us have more confident for when we go to France ;). We felt so much better after that, even though it's hard, it's totally worth it when that one person is willing to listen! I've been praying that she will call and ask to learn more from the missionaries. I'm grateful too that sister Madsen was listening to the spirit. We were able to contact 5 people in all and 4 members came up to us while we were walking around. When we were at the San Fransisco airport waiting for our flight all of us (the 9 missionaries who were there) ended up talking with a woman named April from Orange County. She was there with her daughter and grandson. I offered her my seat and when she sat down she began talking to all of us and asked who we were. When she found out we were LDS missionaries she said she knew about our church and thought we were doing a great work. We talked with her for a long time (not just gospel related things, because we've learned in our classes to get to know people and show interest in them before diving into a lesson and it works). We ended up giving her a copy of the Book of Mormon and when we landed in LA I felt impressed to ask her to meet with the missionaries. I said, "April if you run into other missionaries like us again, will you be willing to listen to their message?" She said yes! I promised her that it would bring happiness to her life and that she would love it because it is about the Doctrine of Christ. I've been praying for her everyday as well.
I have taught 5 lessons in French now! I've gotten good at the first lesson, but I'm still trying to learn the vocabulary for the second one. When I've gone prepared though the spirit is so strong, even if I can't say everything I want to. Last week when I told the first vision and then bore my testimony I began crying because I KNEW and I KNOW that it's true and I do not doubt it.
This has been a great experience and I'm excited to teach others about the Atonement of Jesus Christ and if they will come unto him with faith and repent and be baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and endure to the end they can be saved.
I'm so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and for all of you! I love you so much!

Love,

Sister Valerie Reeves

P.S. Mom I got my lisence and I already have scriptures. The ones you have are my old ones for seminary. Thanks

More MTC Pictures

Sisters Murray and Montes with Sister Reeves outside the Provo Temple

France, Paris Mission

Temple visit with Sister Judd and Sister Boswell

Sister Reeves' MTC District

2nd email

Bonjour ma famille!

 

As I'm sure most of you probably heard I did switch to the fast track.  Last Saturday night my teacher pulled me aside and asked why I had decided to stay, I told him I thought I could be of help to the district and he said that was great because a mission is about help others.  He then told me that there are also people in France waiting for me to help them.  He asked if I was at peace about my decision and I broke into tears.  I told him I hadn't been able to sleep the past couple of nights because I kept thinking about moving to the fast track/advanced program, but I had already made my decision.  He told me it wasn't to late to switch and encouraged me to pray and fast about the decision. 

That night I decided I would switch and then I fasted to make sure that was the right thing to do.  I finally felt at peace!  In fact when I wrote you last week to tell you I had decided to stay for 9 weeks I was crying ha.  I know I made the write decision and everything has been going so well since then.  On Sunday while I was fasting before telling my branch president what my final decision was it was as if I felt some tugging me and saying, "I'm waiting."  I don't know who that person or those people are but I know I'm supposed to go to France and teach them.

I love my new companions Sister Murray and Sister Montes.  Sister Murray and I actually met in the fall because we were both coming and volunteering at the TRC.  She is the sweetest person!  She's 23 and graduated from BYU last year, and she went to France 4 years ago on a study abroad.  Sister Montes is from Mexico and is going to the New York, New York South mission English speaking.  She is hilarious and is working hard on her English.  I miss my old companions but I see them everyday because their room is only a few doors down from us and they have the same P-day and meal times.  I love my new class!  6 of us are French speaking, 3 Portuguese and 1 English/Spanish.  We have an elder from Madagascar and he is hilarious and very helpful with our French!  We are in the international branch, so it's for missionaries from around the world who already know the language of their mission.  We have tons of polynesians and asians and we get all of the sisters who go to temple square.  I was also called as a coordinating sister.  My companions and I are kind of in charge of the other sisters; we make sure everything is going well and report any concerns to the branch president and we also have to go to some extra meetings.  The sad thing is that we miss a ton of class time because we have to go to the meetings to welcome new missionaries and for training.  But I know we'll be blessed and learn just as much.  I love my branch president he's very friendly and one of his counselors, brother Talanoa and his wife, worked in the LA temple with grandma and grandpa Reeves!  They were very excited to meet me and said they feel like I'm their daughter ha.  They didn't know that grandma and grandpa have both passed away so they were very sad.

We got a new MTC mission president this last Sunday and he's amazing I loved his talk.  One of the main things he focused on was 100% obedience, and it really isn't hard if you just keep the commandments and follow the rules.  I haven't had any trouble getting to bed and waking up on time ;).  He also told a story about Collin Black (Nan Sheffield Black's son) about how he opened his mouth and started talking to people as soon as he got to Brazil even though he couldn't speak Portuguese that well, and the first people he taught just got married and baptized and are now going to prepare for the temple.  I thought Nan would like to hear that. 

My favorite thing here at the MTC is when I get to teach the lessons.  We do a lot of role playing, but you forget that and act as if these people are real investigators and it's amazing how you can be guided by the spirit!  Sister Montes and I taught a man named Bill on Tuesday and we had prepared a lesson for Salafaia (a Saomoan girl) who ended up not being there.  Our lesson ended up going in a different direction since Bill had a different background, but because we had gone prepared we knew what to teach him.  It was truly amazing, the words just came out of my mouth when I wasn't even planning on saying certain things, and Bill was really touched; he just lost his wife and he asked us what some of our favorite scriptures from the Book of Mormon are, but I wasn't sure which ones to sure, then all of the sudden without me even thinking I said, "Read Alma 40-42!"  I got so excited with a huge smile on my face and told him that I knew those scriptures would help him and bore testimony that they helped me when we lost Emily.  Even though this was all role playing, it was also real!

On Tuesday night Elder Gong of the 70 spoke to us and told us that when something good happens it is the Lord not you.  Sister Montes and I both agreed that that is so true.  We weren't the amazing teachers, it was the spirit, but if we hadn't gone prepared the spirit wouldn't have been as strong.

Next Tuesday I have to go to San Fransisco to sign my visa at the France Consolate.  Sadly I'll be gone all day, and the signing only takes 30 minutes.  But I'll do what sister Murray did this week and teach people while I'm there.

Also sister Murray and I are teaching for the first time in French tonight!  Please pray for us that it all goes well.  The good thing though, is that we really do teach with simplicity in French since we don't know huge words. ;)

I saw Calvin this week and Annie Swenson (who's a teacher), Amanda Young came into the MTC on Wednesday, and I also got to see Michelle Carter Foust!

And Mom my pills arrived yesterday!  Thank you for helping me with that.

I also need the addresses of Brother Collier, the Trupps, the Finlays, and all of our family members!

Thanks I love you all!

 

Bisous,

 

Soeur Valerie Reeves

 

P.S. My new MTC box number is 303 and my departure date is now January 31, 2011 (crazy!!!)

A sneak peek at the MTC

Here are some pictures of Sister Reeves while she was in the Missionary Training Center

Sister Judd (1st companion) and Sister Reeves

Pointing to President and Sister Reeves' picture

Elder Sheffield and Sister Reeves in front of the Provo Temple.  Elder Sheffield is serving in the Arizona Tempe mission, Spanish speaking

Sister Reeves with her class in the fast track program.

Sister Reeves with Sister Murray, Sister Montes and her new Zone Leaders Elder Jarvis and Elder Fuenzalida

Sister Reeves' first zone leaders Elder Belo and Elder Su

Elder Tagg and Elder Eric Nordstrom standing next to Sister Reeves is a cousin to my (and Valerie's old) roommate Rycee.

1st email - Bonjour ma famille!

 Bonjour mère et père et famille!

Wow it's crazy that I'm in the MTC! I have so much to tell all of you! Yes Elder Kyle Sheffield and Elder Jeff Moss were there to greet me when we came up to the curb! I didn't know that you aren't allowed to hug cousins so when I jumped out and gave Kyle a hug he kind of went stiff and said "I don't think we're allowed to hug."  I was told later that even if your family members are here you have to shake their hands so as to not confuse other missionaries.  The first day we had a lot of meetings and we had to teach investigators who came in (role play of course) but we were told to take it seriously and it's amazing the spirit that you can feel.  We didn't get back to our rooms until 9 pm and then we had to unpack.  I didn't even have time to read my scriptures or write in my journal :( because lights had to be out by 10:30. 

I would say Thursday was the most overwhelming day, finally yesterday we had time for our personal and companion study!  Which was so nice!  Before that it was just learn, learn, learn.  Which is great, but we didn't have any time to ourselves to take everything in.  Starting next week we'll have set times for studying (personal/compation/french).  I was interviewed yesterday by Sister Grabrielle to see if I could be put on the advanced track.  All of it was in French!  She asked why I came on a mission, what blessings I have seen in my life, and if I knew what I would be doing in the advanced track (which is only 3 weeks instead of 9).  She let me decide what I wanted to do, but I only had 10 minutes to decide!  She explained that the advanced track would only be in English and I would have to finish studying and learning French on my own.  It was a hard decision to make!  She left me with my companion, Sister Judd, to decide.  I was praying so hard in my heart to help me decide.  If you want to know, I'm staying here the full 9 weeks.  I love my companion!  and she doesn't know any French yet!  I looked at all of the blessings that would come from it.  I have been able to help her and in fact all of the missionaries in my district ask me for help.  Our teachers always speak in French and it's amazing I've already seen how good I actually am.  Sister Judd told me it was my decision but she would definitely miss me (because she would then be the only sister in the district) and it's so good to have the support of a companion!  She gives me such good advice and is so sweet!  She's from Pleasant Grove, Utah.  After I decided to stay I felt so good about it and I know it will only help me be even more prepared.  Sister Judd told me to think about what my motive was for wanting to get on the advanced track, was it because I am advanced or was it because I just want to get out of the MTC?  On Thursday night we had a lesson and the teacher was telling us that our mission has already started.  It doesn't start when you get to the mission field, and to tell you the truth that is how I felt.  I was so anxious to get to Paris that I wasn't thinking about how much the MTC will help me.  I'm so grateul I made this decision and I know I'll be blessed for it.

We have a 3rd companion, Sister Buswell, she is so funny and friendly, very short (whereas sister Judd is 5'10"1/2.  Sister Buswell is going to Tahiti, so she is in a different district, but we're in the same zone and branch.  We have a great branch presidency, I'll be interviewed by him personally on Sunday, but I was interviewed by his counselor (I can't remember his name!) and it was neat.  He told me he could tell that I had been prepared in very special ways and he loved me testimony (we all had to share ours when introduced), and he also reminded me to stay focused and remember why I'm here.  Our branch meeting, or sacrament meetings are all in French and every missionary has to prepare a talk every week, so no one knows who is going to speak!  They do this so that when we get into the mission field we will have pre-prepared talks if we ever need to give one at church.  This week it is on the Atonement.  I haven't finished writing mine yet, but I'm excited,  I've come to understand the atonement so much more everyday as I grow and learn throughout my life. 

I love you all and miss you, but I know there are people waiting for me in France!

Bisous,

Sister Valerie Reeves

P.S. If people could use dearelder.com that would be great, because I get those everyday of the week, whereas I can only read emails on my P-day (which will start to be on Fridays starting next week) and that takes up my time to send an email.  Thanks

Also thank you Sully for your letter!  That was great to receive on Thursday!  It is so nice to receive letters.

Thank you Greg and Brittany for the hat! I love it! (I'm guessing it was from you)

Ryan I ran into Elder Seamons, Elder Clegg, and Elder Moss again, they're all anxious to find out where you're going

Love you!

Off to the MTC!

Sister Reeves entered the MTC on January 12, 2011 

Here are some pictures of her leaving California to fly into Salt Lake and some more pictures the day she reported to the MTC

Last picture of Valerie with Mom and Dad (President and Sister Reeves) for the next year and a half.

Dropping Valerie off at the Long Beach airport.

Eric, Sister Reeves and the Bourgeous family

Lindsey and Sister Reeves

Jessica and Lyla (We took Valerie out to lunch at Costa Vida before dropping her off)

Sisters Reeves

Ryan

Ryan's good friend Elder Jeff Moss and our cousin Elder Kyle Sheffield were waiting outside to escort Valerie into the  MTC.

Au revoir Soeur Reeves! See you in 18 months!

If you want to send a letter to Sister Reeves here are her addresses (use the MTC address until January 31, then use the France address).

Sister Valerie Melinda Reeves
MTC Mailbox # 303
FRA-PAR 0315
2005 N 900 E
Provo, UT 84604-1793

Sister Valerie Melinda Reeves

France Paris Mission

23 Rue du Onze Novembre

78110 Le Vesinet

France

Previous Pictures

Sister Reeves has sent me some more pictures from the night that she arrived in Utah (before going into the MTC). We went to Uncle Dave and Aunt Vickie's house with Jessica and Reid, and Jen and Nyall.

Jessica, Sister Reeves, Reid and Lyla

Cambria and Sister Reeves

Nyall, Jen, Kate and Cambria

Dave and Vickie

Cousin Jaclyn

Roommate Christina

Ryan (who has been called to the Spain Barcelona mission!)

Elder Sheffield (cousin)

Ryan was super excited to see his friends Elder Ben Belnap, Elder Jeff Moss and Elder Kyle Sheffield

We will update this picture in about 18 months

Me (Allyson) et ma jumelle