August 5th

Move calls!!! :) yeah!!! I can't wait to get move calls:)   

This has been a great last few weeks. It's been interesting to see our president's differences. Because there definitely are Big changes in the way things are run. In short with the new president came with less rules and more trust in missionaries (in my opinion, a very good change) I still feel that there a lot of missionaries who will do their own things but that would break rules or short regardless of strict or not. This transfer I feel all four missionaries in "Bade" learned a lot. I know being with and where I am has changed a lot of my thoughts about... life. There is a quote I feel is very appropriate for some important things I feel all missionaries (everyone actually)  could learn and implant this principle deep in their heart;

"Never let a problem to be solved become more important then a person to be loved"  It all comes down to "just as vital as what you do is who you are" 

I know while on this earth God gives us peace, because lately I have felt his peace in my life and know it's value.
As I have been sharing this great message with others I have seen them change. But these changes are nothing I have done, it comes in a form much to powerful to come from a little man as young as I. This change is something I can't explain without using the words of a man much wiser then I. I can say however that this change is from trusting things on earth to trusting things in heaven. "If all you know is what you see with you natural eyes and hear with with your natural ears, then you will not know very much"     

My goal is to learn to not rely on earthly matters to "choose" what I want to do with my life but make sure heavenly things take a vital part in all my decisions.

Well that's it for this week:)

Love ya'll

July 29th

This week... wow well lets just say this

 

"if you look towards the sky you'll see two kinds of light. light of the day which helps you see things on earth, and light of the night which helps you see things in the heavens. I believe there is a reason starts help a restless soul. God want us to look towards Him for help"  

 

This week is share a poem I wrote:

 

I want to change my life around, 

 from in independent me

But not quite sure the starting step,

 to change that destiny

I plead dear Father help me know,

 the path I aught to travel

I'm awfully lost, the path is dark,

 my shoes are full of gravel

God listened to my childish plea,

 and answered right away

Just give me both your heart and mind,

 and you won't be led astray

He gave me hope and peace of mind,

 then said lets carry on

I gladly took the heavy load,

 in the new a brewing dawn

We started with a few small steps,

 good works or some small deeds

We gave our friends and family things,

 we thought they might just need

We often stopped to move the stones,

 that cause a man to trip

Or even stopped to take the straps,

 for those right at the whip

We worked all day and sometimes night,

 just carrying the frail

Or skipped a meal to feed the poor,

 wher'er we were assailed

But at the end He asked me there,

 to see where we had some

I turned and looked but all I saw,

 was the place where we'd begun

At first I felt the frustration,

 but then began to see

The change was not the path I took,

 but the change inside of me

 

by 

CR 

 

Hope you all enjoy

July 15th

WE HAD A BAPTISM!!! Tao yin hong "Hillary"

I feel being out of Taipei has it's pluses and minuses but I am loving it no matter what:) I Love the fact that no matter where we are we have an awesome opportunity to see miracles. Here in Taiwan they have this saying "yuan fen de hua." I Think the best translation is "if destiny permits" there is no REAL translation for this because it can be used in ten hundred way but I think it stems from a deeply ingrained culture in Taiwan.  This culture is in many ways exactly like the rest of the world. The difference is they use Chinese words and actions to express the feelings every human on this earth has. I have such a firm conviction that we must all be from the same source because of what I see everyday. I love learning, seeing, loving and sharing that showing that love by giving what I know had made me happy and I know can makes others happy. 

Lately I've felt a strong urge to improve my life in a bigger way. I've always thought there was a lower and higher way to live, and always felt I never reached it. I think I've kinda looked at it the wrong way, it's not just two ways it's millions and we are all on a different lifestyle. That's why we are here to make our lifestyle slowly (preferably quickly) better and better. So while in this life, live, look at the stars and always remember I love you all:)   

Well we are in the heat of summer here in Taiwan and I love it;) There are sometimes I feel like I spent an entire day in a new world, one where you are at the bottom of ocean and yet it's as hot as the Sahara dessert. but the plus side is that Mangos are in no short supply:) yeah!!!

Well that's it for this week

July 10th

This week has been GREAT!!!! We have met lots of new people including our new mission president. I think it's gonna be a great next year. It's weird to think that I have less then a year and I'll be home chilling on American soil with my. I have never used a bicycle as much in my life as I have this past week I think I could now compete with lance Armstrong and make him start a whole new level. I am so glad I have this opportunity to learn and grow in such a beautiful country like Taiwan. I  sent some pictures of my birthday and such. :) hope you all enjoy :)

June 24th

Well I'm moving out of Taipei:( I'm going to taoyuan!!! It's about two hours out of the Taipei valley. I'm excited and a little nervous. I'll being have some leader responsibilities so i ask for your prayers I can fulfill those in a outstanding kind of way. I have learned a lot on this island. I think most important is the fact that I love these people, I love this language and I love serving God. I will miss all the amazing people I have met in Taipei.  The end of this last week ended up a little crazy because I am moving, I shipped all my stuff out a while ago and now I don't really have anything left to study with. I am also super excited the my new companion is Taiwanese. He will be my first Taiwanese companion YEAH!!!! my Chinese will be the most fluent on island after being with Elder Li!!!! I'm sooo excited!!!! I would say more but all I can say is get out is I hope it all works out:)

 

Well this last week I've been studying a lot about the Taiwanese religious epistemology. I have learned a lot. I hope some day to write a book about it. I think the one thing I learned is "the best part of any situation is your attitude, likewise so is the worst." :) 

 

Keep up the work :) 

June 17th

Well here we are... a week after my birthday and I don't feel any older. :) I hope that it is a good thing. I think the mission is going smoothly. This last week mu jia has been blooming. I've found as we reap sow and continually do what God asks of us we the work turns into the miracle ground we always pray for. We have some awesome Investigators. We had an awesome opportunity to teach a Mister zhou yesterday. I met him on the street with his girlfriend. He gave me his number but at that time he definitely had interest in one thing... it happened to be girl from the green island by his side. Well I called him up and he said he would love to meet with us. A little shocked I set up a time and finished the phone call in the usual Elder Reynolds " bu yao tai shui, hao bu hao" Well last night we met with him and He was GREAT. The spirit was super strong and At the End we shared about baptism and asked if he would be willing to prepare to follow Christ's example and... at this point he said "I'm willing. What date and when?" we almost started laughing. He was so willing to learn about Jesus and see if he really could get an answer to prayer. It was amazing. Well as always it's summer here and　ＢＵｒＮＩＮＧ  Hot and sweaty. :)

 

 

My thoughts:

 

I've found That no matter what I do I can only end up where God wants me. In short God still has his destiny for me. I'm learning as each time you've given more then you thought you could, you reach a point of understanding... one where you know all you've given is not enough. It happens regularly to me throughout me life and now I'm getting the pattern down. Goes like this

 

1. we make a goal

2. we accomplish, fail or miss the goal

3. either way, failure or success we realize we didn't do all we could and can actually do more.

 

Step 3

This is what I wanna focus on. No matter if we have success or not, the truly mature realize after success that they still can do better. That's why every Olympics world records are broken. That's why every year fortune five companies exist. It's all because someone understood after success still comes a realization that the accomplished goal was not the end nor the top. Bad can get good, good CAN get better, better Can get best and best can always get closer to perfect.  Now this may seem simple enough and yes we may all agree this is a true principle, but I want to ask one question. When was the last time you accomplished something? After you accomplished whatever it was did you think you could have done better? Sometimes I find myself so overjoyed in the fact of accomplishment I miss the great learning process that the best of the best use everyday. It all comes in the words "what could I have done better, Even form what I did well." I find I need to ask myself this more. I made a goal of everyday asking myself this andFINDing an answer. I encourage all to do the same.

 

"Never let success be your ultimate failure." Because I promise one be learning about failure from success brings a whole kind of successes all waiting for YOU.

 

 

Thanks  for all your love

June 10th

"The most important part in life isn't isn't if you're willing to work hard to attain, but if you're willing to work hard to sacrifice"

by Chris Reynolds

 

I think as I study every morning I have two thoughts, "will I always be this tired" and "will I always learn this much". I can Honestly say my second favorite (first being left to meet and helping these Taiwanese people) part on the day is studies. I Absolutely love being filled with inspiration and knowledge. I can't think of anything I love more then then true and inspired, genius thinking. I have to admit I have not yet unrevealed the secrets I wished to share last week. But once i get them in fluent English I will post them:)  

 

This last week was great. I got to see Jerry Again. Jerry is like the only Taiwanese I know who has better English then 75% of Americans. He literally could have been born in a America and be teaching high school English for a living. I love the man. Every time I see him it makes me happy inside. He gave me a B-day present that I don't think I can ever re-pay him for. A jian guo zhong xue school shirt with me Chinese name on it. Thanks Jerry!!!! I also got to meet with all our regulars and help them feel the spirit in a new way. I thank God for the positively splendid times I have had serving him.

 

I am so excited to eat the Peanut M&Ms that I received for my birthday:) Thank you all for the great love and help!

June 3rd

Taiwan for a Birthday month! :) Well as we enter the month of June I start my 12th month on a mission!!!! :) one year and I'll be home.. I can honestly say I dread that day! I love the people and most important I love the relationship I've developed with my creator! well before I get to philosophical I just wanna start by saying MANGO season is in!! I am sooooo happy!!! I love mango's! I can't say there is anything I love more than a good mango, some Taiwanese pot stickers and a beautiful sunset with some time to contemplate!!! I'm also in love with the rain here;) it rains about everyday and is super hot, it's basically God saying I love you Elder Reynolds... :) well time to start some thoughts I've been mulling over lately.  

 

SO here I am in a Taiwanese public wan K e-mailing back to America. I think People don't really understand what it means to be a REAL missionary. I know there are a lot of people that have gone on missions, but I suggest less then half of those know what being a real missionary means. I know it would be impossible in one sentence to say what a missionary is... but I'll try in best way possible to give you a peak into the "Real Missionary" life.

 

Real Missionary

first I'll start with what people think a real missionary

 

"You wake at 5:30 because you want to study Chinese, you know in just an hour you'll be out running and sweating in the heat of summer. You think about all the thing you must do that day and lessons you'll teach, you say a prayer pacing for you know kneeling will just strengthen the need for sleep. You finish breakfast and already could End the day, but you know it's only an sixth of the way done. You shower and change and fit a few minutes of setting up things you'll need for the day, doing dishes or just the things you never have time for. You then start study time. You drink a quart of water so you don't fall asleep..." I feel like although this is very "good" missionary there is still a "best"!

 

I have found as I let more of God's spirit dwell in me I am reached to a new level. This level is a new kind of life, it's where waking up early is more of a blessing. It's not just attitude (though that is a part) It's about reaching a new level of living and changing your being from a Jim Johnson or jack smith to a  George Washington or John Adams. It's a change from caring about how you live to what you live for. It's a change that only you can feel and may take others a while to care about or even notice. But as long as you endure it does bless everyone around you.  It's changing from influencing on or tens to thousands. You must put your head on a new level. This new level is not like anywhere that's ever been touched before that's why it's changes you, transform you into a new a complete new being.

 

I think this a little vague, This week I'll do my homework and come back with a better explanation.

 

Well that's all this week. :) 

December 25, 2011

  Hey Family:) sorry I called at a really bad time yesterday. Next time I'll work that out better. How's Christmas? I miss you all sooo much!!!!! I think when I hear Family/iphone 4S the thought of my family finally conforming to my only wish for them three years straight was... was more then I could bear. I got super homesick!!! Well what did you all do for holiday season? fun things I'm guessing??? I'm worried when I get home everyone will be married and in college and holiday season will be boring and we won't do anything fun:( But who knows... maybe by then Megan will be engaged... ;) SO I this week was christmas in Taiwan, not really different from other weeks here. It was freezing and we had a ward party that we sang sang the 12 days of christmas missionary/chinese version. just all the things that happen on a mission:) We had a great investigator i've been meeting with for months who stopped meeting with us, he completely fell off the earth. I'm worried he died:/ but we also have a few that are getting really close to baptism as well:) Know this holiday season that I love you all like a fat Boy LOVES cake. miss you all.   Lov eyou all hope to hear from you soon   Love Elder christopher martin james Reynolds

December 11, 2011

Well this week has been great!:) New companion and such :) like heaven!!!!! Still in tian mu... but hey someones got to be here. The work is great, we have three investigators close to Baptism, and my Chinese is slowly getting better:) I think soon I'll be... well good enough to communicate everything I want to say at anytime. That's my goal. Thanks to a glorious God totally possible. :) I had the awesome opportunity to be sick this week and feel the loving powers of sleep in my life... who knew what I was missing the past six months. Well alas the sleep time is over and Good hard work is back in order (I still feel somehow I didn't get enough sleep in that day.)   This week we went up to wen hua nabian. Its a college up on the giant hill. Once there the temperature dropped to undesirable with winds and rain, then on top of that high school got out... well let's just say the dreaded nightmare of a white man is high school girls. we stepped of the bus and no sooner then flies come to a picnic they were upon us!!! They were on me and my comp and there were millions of little munchkins jumping on us asking where we are from or to draw us a picture. Well of course the next hour of Buses was just packed full and rain made us look like well... walking black men... minus the Asian girls ;)

November 27, 2011

Well this week I was on exchanges. Everything was pretty cool till the night time. The Elder I was exchanging with is going home this week so he was having a lot of people taking him out to dinner. We went to dinner at an all you can eat restaurant, that night we literally felt like bags of meat. The apartment even smelt like meat. So we showered like a hundered times and stayed up all night trying to remove the meat from us... ;) well the next morning we decided to go running down to the track so we could run at our own pace (little did we know that neither of us could run with that much meat in us.) Well when we got outside the meat smell didn't go away... We thought "oh crap, in two years we will still smell like this meat" Well as we started running we saw a man drinking beer, every few seconds he would bend down and pour some into his Dogs mouth. Well I've seen crazier here. But as we got closer this nice BIG pit bull smelled what he might have really seen as to big meat patties... smell included. I am glad I can run. For this dog booked it like no drunk dog can. I fear had he not been drunk I would be in the belly of a dog right now. :/    well all kinda workes out we took another way home  

November 20, 2011

HELLO ALL!!!! Well this week has been crazy!!! My Chinese is improving. I'm almost done (this week Wednesday) (this is gospel and communicating words, around 1,000) so then I can start on phase two. (just normal stuff) THEN CHARACTERS YEAH!!!!  Although I won't lie I already started both the characters and normal words... oops got excited. ;) This week has been cooking week, I've cooked a ton like no ones business. From blueberry muffins to white sauce and noddles. I feel as though maybe I might account to be something someday other then the dishwasher. Well this week we got our new toilet... now it's been five and a half weeks without one. I never realized how much a toilet meant to me at 1 in the morning when you have to...well ya that. But cannot because toilet doesn't work and cannot leave the sushe. So as you sit in agony wondering when six thirty will roll around, I find the Christlike attribute of patience lacking some. Not only does the lack of toilet effect night hours but the stench accumulated over days of plugged toilet starts to leave a imprint on you body. Well alas the nightmare  with it's dreaded attacks on humanity is over. I am now a free man. I honestly believe using the restroom is like the atonement. Nothing can feel cleaner then being free of burdens form inside you. :) Well thanksgiving is coming up... who knew? lol they don't even really know what that is here so chances of me doing anything.. slim :( I wish I could say I had my own plans but as of late me spare time has been snuggled up with our new toilet admiring the sun like shine and quite river-like flushing sound coming from it. SO maybe today I'll come up with a briliant plan that will blow missionaries to kingdom come. :)   Peace be unto all and to all a very good night.

November 13, 2011

Wow it's American time in Tian mu area. I have seen more Americans here in Tan mu this week than my life... alright well more like my whole mission. :) This week the American school is doing a festival and all the American schools in Taiwan came. SO Tons of Americans or ABA's (American Born Asians) when I went on exchanges (One day with a different companion because my comp is District Leader) We went to an appointment over by the school. Within minutes me and my Taiwanese exchange comp. were flooded with girls and boys 15-18 all trying to talk to us. I never felt more famous yet completely alone in my life. LOL Later that day I met a guy named Wang. He seemed cool at first but soon I regretted the existence of myself.  He was half drunk and chewing binglong. soon I had rain stains all over my shirt. (binglong is a red chewing drug)   Anyway got to go:)   LOVE you all   Love Chris

November 4, 2011

  Well this week I had some.. new experiences. I met a man from New York, and he rocks socks, hi name is Kyle. :)  He has the coolest accent and is here for study thing. He loves chilling with us missionaries and always tells us about his old Job at ABC news. It feels weird knowing Me and him get along, I feel so missionary like and he... well definitely New yorker. He starting coming to church and said he will meet with us which is good. Last night we went to a fireside at the "bo" (mission headquarters). Kyle came and met an Asian member...needless to say I feel even if he had interest before in the church, he has no doubt he wants to investigate now. On the note of strange love...So I realized this week how much I'm gonna love being home. Being tall, American, bluish eyes and finally being able to speak some Chinese it's hard to know who really interest in the church of having creamie babies/ having a American friend. I feel the spirit might be my only tool for this one. But there are so many people baptized who fall away after the American missionary who baptized them moves away. I am so so grateful for the people here though, they are all so great and work so hard. This week are new investigator from a few weeks ago decided to become Golden. He is like a grandpa to us. So very old but may I add wise like none other. He is a Medical doctor and still is practicing at the ripe old age of 63.  Every time we meet he just wants to tell us about some new law in Russia or such. So very cute. :) We also have a college Kid meeting with us who is increasing rapidly. :) He is trying to smoke less and overcome some big... well other challenges;) Well that's about it :)   With love   Good old little me

October 30, 2011

Well today is Halloween, last weekend they had a Halloween party and little kids (like probably close to thousands) walked the big downtown streets of tian mu going from shop to shop. It's more like a city holiday then anything else. there were tons of families out and all had cute little Asian children dressed up as something crazy or weird. It reminded me of how much I love America and cannot wait till I can see the CLEAN beautiful streets, hills, mountains and such. I miss wonderful white snow. :/ Alas life is life and moving on is the only option.   This past week I got to baptize Xu wei teng. It was so cool coming out of the water and seeing his happy face and getting a wet hug im the water. He is a good guy and loves his wife very much. I am so grateful for his example, he just makes me happy. Yesterday I got to confirm him in church with the a few members of the ward. very cool. I am so glad God gave us the gifts and blessings he did.   Last week me and my last comp had to use that old ladies bike for a while... well lets just say God really doesn't like his missionaries using members bikes. She needed to bike back monday but my old comp took the bike lock keys to his new area so we couldn't unlock it. we got the keys wednesday (by now our mmber friend was not happy:( ) and thursday planned to take it to her. Well in the morning during studies she call SOO many times. (we can't answer the phone during studies) I was on exchanges with the Zone leader and he was a little frusterated with the lady calling so much. Well anyway ended up we didn't get it to her until let that night and I think she is forever, never going to allow missionaries to use her bike. This week was start of new transfer. I'm still in tian mu. It's really hard. I could use prayers. I love tian mu and am glad I have the chance to stay and work with my old investigators. So I'm not sure how to best describe how beautiful tian mu is. Every week we get to go wen hua which is a school far up in the mountains! when we are there we look down and ... wow. beautiful!!     Love chris

October 23, 2011

  Well this past week I went to blow my nose before bed and there was a GIANT cockroach in the bathroom.  (about 3 inches long and 1 wide, that's just the body) I went and got my companion. We got a small plastic cup and as it ran up the wall I used my Jedi like reflexes and out the cup over it. Well it didn't like being in the the cup very much and started to bounce all over my cup and the wall. I started screaming for the cup was shaking violently and my companion was only laughing. I then threw the cup with little Mr. roach into the toilet.  my companion not realizing I had thrown the cup to (its a clear small plastic cup) flushed the toilet. Well needless to stay our toilet is still clogged. the next hour I spent with a giant cleaning glove on with my hand up a toilet trying to see if we could where the cup got stuck... no success. :( My hand then received a lot of Mr. clean and probably is cleaner now then it ever was. well right now no toilet. :(   This week My companion packed all his stuff and shipped it down to his new area. he also sent his bike so we  borrowed a members bike. Now he is 6"8 and the bike was for a 5"5 person... or shorter. lol needless to say it's been cute. Well two days ago we were biking and were late for an appointment so we had this genius idea of him holding the back of my bike and id help pull him up the hill..... I don't need to say what happened after that. Cuts and bruises and lots of memories. :) Well this week has been good. I've been able to communicate a lot better. People actually talk to me and never know I can't speak chinese, so I can't say God doesn't still perform miricles. ;)   This week I get to help baptize an investigator:) He is really cool and has a cute family. His wife is a member but les active, so this is good. :)    Well taiwan is starting it's cold season. Lots of rain and really cold!!!! no fun when soo Humid. This week i got contacts:) crazy!!!! I spent an hour putting them in. But now I'm pretty speedy:) Yeah!!!!