Fotos with commentary from Elder Reeves

The Trio

Funny picture of us laughing (yes Mom, I know my hair was getting long so...)

.....I got it cut!  First haircut in España.  One of the French teachers cut it and said he would leave it long enough to be able to do something with it but it pretty much just turned into a buzz

Left to right: Elder Gosselin, Elder Prieto, Elder Fica.  Elder Gosselin wanted to buy a fan so they got this picture with him haha

I forgot to tell you that we got 7 new missionaries on tuesday this week: 5 Sisters and 2 Elders!  6 of them are from the Provo MTC and one of the Sisters is from Mexico.  Elder Fica (from my district in Provo) was in the group so its cool to have him here.  Elder Fica, Elder Wright, Sister Sypherd, and Sister Cook are in my district now.  Our little CCM is growing!

Elder Reeves

Week 7

i only have a week and a half left in the CCM... its insane!  i dont feel nearly close enough to being ready to get out to the field.  but at the same time i cant wait to get out to barcelona and be with the people and actually start teaching.  I love the people of spain.  how´s jessica doing?  are you better?  mom and dad thats so cool youve been having such a good time with everyone.  tell parker bronson to email me.  i dont remember his email.  oh and i forgot to tell you that i see President and Sister Moore in the temple all the time.  Today i told them that you say hi and Sister Moore said, "they better say hello!"  haha theyre such happy people.  And thank you so MUCH for the box of candy!  i almost cried i was so excited to have real candy.  You know me too well mom.  Im so glad that i´ll actually be old enough to be on a mission next week because everyone always make fun of me for being the district leader and being younger than everyone.  Elder Hardiman´s birthday is August 1 and he´ll be turning 20 so we´re going to have a little fiesta for our birthdays next week here in the CCM.

 Val, thats hilarious about Sister Martin and Emilcy.  It wasnt Rocky they told me i looked like, it was the Russian boxer that fights Rocky (3rd movie i think).  I said to them, "its because im so buff right?"  They just laughed and walked away.  Obviously they didnt think it was because of that haha but its funny because all of my friends tell me that eric looks like the Russian guy.  i guess its just in our blood to be ridiculously good looking.  haha just kidding.

 This past weekend at the park was the most amazing experience ive had so far.  Everyone was in a companionship with a fluent Spanish speaker except for me and Elder Winkelcotter, we were the only companionship that didnt have a spaniard with us.  But we had faith and we knew the Lord would help us have success.  The first lady we talked to in the metro was way nice and she took a book of mormon.  The first guy we talked to in the park, Oliver, was from France but he spoke perfect english so we talked to him in english.  He said he was an atheist but he´s always been interested about the bible and he had been to Utah before and heard about the church.  We didnt ask him if he would like a book of mormon, he was the one that asked us if he could have one.  He said he had one before but he never read it.  We had an english book of mormon and he said, "i promise you two that i will read this book."  We promised him blessings and told him how happy it would make his life.  After Oliver, people were seriously coming up to Elder Winkelcotter and i asking us if we could take pictures for them.  We talked to 7 different people (3 different groups) just from them coming up to us and asking for a picture.  It was insane.  We found another guy sitting on a bench who was from Brazil but he comes to Spain a lot for his work.  He took a book of mormon in Spanish and seemed really interested in it.  The very last guy we talked to had heard about the church and we gave him a Joseph Smith pamphlet and i shared the virst vision with him.  The Spirit was so strong and i know he felt it.  I dont know why the Lord blessed Elder Winkelcotter and i so much that day but it was amazing to see His hand in the work.  There is no way those people we met were just coincedences.  I know the Lord prepares people for us to teach.  Without His help and the help of the Spirit, we could do nothing.

 This work gets better every single day.  Elder Moss (my friend from bountiful, serving in Chile) once said that this work is the hardest thing he´s ever done but he is the happiest he´s ever been in his life.  I totally agree with that.  And i havent even been out to the field yet.  I know its going to get a whole lot harder but the joy that ive felt so far just from talking to people in the park and having the chance to maybe change their lives and bring them to Christ is undescribable. I love it.  Thank you for all the birthday wishes and for all of your prayers!  I definitely need all the help from prayers i can get.  Love you all.  Talk to you all next week!  Adios

Elder Reeves

Week 6

Hola familia!  How´s everyone doing?  I´m so glad jessica is finally getting better.  You´re still in my prayers.  So yesterday 5 new Elders came and 3 new sisters, all from Spain.  My new companion is Elder Prieto!  There were supposed to be 6 Elders but one of the Elders got hit by a car on his bike about a week ago i think so he´s in the hospital in pretty bad shape.  It´s crazy how many people who are about to leave on missions get hurt.  This Elder was supposed to be Elder Hardiman´s new companion so now we´re in a trio with Elder Prieto.  Elder Prieto is from Vera Cruz, Mexico but he and his family moved here to España 2 years ago.  He´s been studying at a university here to become a mechanical engineer.  And he´s awesome at futbol.  He knows english but we told him we only want to talk in Spanish because we need all the help we can get. 

 This morning, my companions and i had to run to the store really quick to buy some things and we started talking to this old guy who was sitting on the bench across the street from the store.  We talked to him for about 10 minutes and he was talking for probably 9 and a half of those minutes (Spaniards LOVE to talk.  Its a miracle if you can get more than 5 words in).  So we just gave him a pass-along card and then left because he wasnt listening to anything we were trying to say.  Elder Hardiman and i realized that we couldnt understand anything the guy said.  Thats when we decided we really need to pick it up because we only have 3 more weeks left in the CCM haha.  So we´re going to try to be talking spanish all the time now.

 That´s sweet that Valerie´s going to be a trainer!  There were 2 French sisters that left to your mission on tuesday, Val, but one of the French teachers found out that they werent put with you.  But look for Seour Martin and Emilcy (i think thats what their names were).  Since those 2 sisters left on tuesday, we went a day of just having 8 of us missionaries here in the whole CCM haha.  It´s cool to have such a small group because we get a lot more time with the teachers on our own and we learn a lot faster and better.  Now we have 15 of us and there´s supposed to be more coming on monday!  So we´re going to have a big group once they come.

 Mom and dad, it sounds like youre loving visiting everyone.  You´ll have to send me some pictures.  That´s awesome that youre still doing missionary work every day.  We watched a talk by Elder Holland yesterday about being missionaries and he said "never come home from your mission... When you got the call, it was for forever."  It´s so true how we need to be missionaries our whole lives because we have the only true Gospel on the earth.  It would be completely selfish of us not to do everything we can to give it to others.

 Alright I dont have much time left and i dont have any new pictures for today.  I´ll try to send more next week.  Love you all

Elder Reeves

Fotos in Madrid

A delicious meal at the CCM - and this is a smaller meal

Elder Reeves in front of the Madrid Post Office (crazy!)

Elder Hardiman and Elder Reeves found a baby's head outside a museum...it didn't seem too interested in their message

Con El Toro Loco

Week 5

Buenos días everyone!!  Its pretty funny to think that everyone is asleep right now and it´s 11 here in Spain.  I´m sorry to hear about Jessica.  I will definitely be praying for you.  I know the Lord is watching over all of you and that we are all in His hands.  Ally that´s so sweet that you get to go to Jerusalem in the fall!  You´ll have to write me about it.  and Jaclyn, write me too!

 Alright i want to tell everyone my schedule each day here at the CCM because everyone has been asking me to know more about it.  On regular days (mon, tues, wed, fri) we have personal study in the classroom at 7 am, then breakfast at 7:30, and then personal study again from 8-9.  Our morning class starts at 9 with Hermana Gutiérrez and then we have our afternoon class right after at 12 with Hermana Martínez.  Both of my maestras are so good.  They teach the language so well and they´re so spiritual.  Then we have lunch at 1.  Lunch here is the biggest meal of the day so they just stuff you with the most delicious food as much as possible.  After lunch, we go back to afternoon class with Hna. Martínez until 4.  At 4 we have actividad física and get to go out and play soccer at a court thats a couple blocks away from the CCM, or we can play basketball, ping pong, or even badminton (if thats how you spell it).  Then at 5:30 we have language study for an hour and at 6:30 we have dinner.  Dinner is always smaller than lunch but its always just as good as lunch.  Then at 7:30 we go to guided study with all the missionaries and teachers to be taught how to teach better.  At 8 we practice teaching other missionaries for an hour.  Then at 9 we plan for the next day and then go back up to our rooms, or go up to the cafeteria to have snacks.  Then at 10:30 we go to bed.  That´s my day for every single day.  Except for p-days we get to go to the temple, go downtown and email.  And saturdays we get to go to the park to spread the word and sundays we go to church.  We have devotionals with President Earl on sunday nights and he blows my mind every single time.  He has a huge knowledge of the Gospel and he gives incredible devotionals.  So thats my life for the next 3 and a half weeks!  "Pretty exciting, huh??" - Nacho Libre.  I just had to throw that out there because that´s going to be the first movie i watch when i get back home so i can finally understand all the jokes they say in spanish in that movie haha

 I cant believe i´ll be leaving so soon to Barcelona.  I cant wait to get out there though.  Earlier this week, 2 elders came to the CCM from the Barcelona mission because one of the Elders had to get his visa to leave to his real mission to the Salt Lake City south mission.  He has been serving in Barcelona for 3 months while he´s been waiting for his visa.  The other elder has been in Barcelona for about a year i think and he might be my trainer when i get to Barcelona!  Because Elder Malan (the one who got his visa) will be leaving the same time i get to Barcelona so i might just take his place.  I cant remember the other elder's name but he was so awesome.  It got me so excited to get out to the field.

 This last weekend at the park was way good.  The first girl we met in the metro on the way to the park spoke english and we gave her a Book of Mormon.  We seem to be having a lot of luck with the first person we talk to on the metro.  Then in the park we talked to everyone we could.  Mostly everyone wasnt interested but we handed out a lot of pass-along cards.  Another cool thing we do in the park every weekend after our time is up talking to people, all of us missionaries get back together and sing hymns for about 15 minutes.  A couple people always come up and listen to us sing, so a companionship goes out and talks to them about the Gospel.  It´s really cool.

 I´ll try to send some pictures later today.  I hope everyone´s doing well and i´m praying for all of you.  Love you all

Elder Reeves

CCM and Sol

Elder Reeves' view from the CCM

Plaza in Sol (where Elder Reeves spent his preparation day)

street in Sol

Elder Wilson, Elder Reeves and Elder Forrest

Elder Reeves in front of the Cathedral

One of the places where the Elders play soccer ever day (Elder Wilson is in the pic)  Elder Reeves also wanted everyone to make note that soccer is now one of his favorite sports! (or futbol)

Another view of the temple right outside the CCM

Olive Tree

Elder Hardiman and Elder Reeves

Week 4

I cant believe ive already been out for a whole month.  Im already running out of time left on the mission.  Everyone says that time doesnt exist on the mission because it never seems possible how fast time goes.  Im sure everyone who´s been on a mission can agree with that.  This week has been an awesome week!  Last saturday we got to go to a park in the middle of Madrid and talk to people.  This park is huge!  They switch up all the companionships each trip to the park so i was in a trio with Elder Wilson and Elder Rigtrup.  The first lady we talked to, I think i understood maybe a total of 3 words... and we talked to her for about 20 minutes.  Haha but each person we contacted, i started to understand more and more.  It was hard to think of what i wanted to say when we were talking to people but us three missionaries worked together to get the message across.  We got one referral on the way to the park in the metro which was a really cool experience.  The girl couldn´t really understand spanish very well but we talked to her about the Book of Mormon and tried to give her one but she said she couldnt take it right then.  She wrote down her number and gave us her name, Nana.  We dont know if it was her actual number but we were excited anyways.  We contacted about 12 different people in the park but every single person shut us down and wouldnt listen about the Church.  It was definitely a learning experience and it was good to practice listening to Spanish and speaking it.  It was awesome.

Today we got to go to the temple again.  Yes mom, we get to go every week while we´re here at the CCM which is a huge blessing because i wont be able to go at all once i get to Barcelona.  A temple worker came up to me and Elder Hardiman after the session and asked if we wanted to be witnesses for baptisms.  We said we´d love to and we witnessed for at least 450 names and it was all in Portuguese (or however you spell it).  Each person was baptized for about 40 people.  It was way cool.  I felt bad for the guy who was baptizing because he was the only one there to baptize.  I think his arm almost fell off by the end.

 Elder Hardiman is a great companion.  We work really well together when we´re teaching.  He gets homesick a lot though and he thinks about home all the time.  Im trying to encourage him and help him and i think he´s getting better.  I love him.  We´ll only be together for about 2 more weeks though because there are 10 native Spanish Elders coming and President said he´s going to try to put all of us with a native companion which im SO excited for.  It will help a ton with spanish.  There were 4 Elders and a Sister who left the CCM today.  They all got here last week with the rest of us but they could already speak Spanish so they all left out to the field this morning.  Elder Tirado (the one i traveled with) was one who left so now im the only one here going to Barcelona.  I cant wait to get there.  But i would probably die if i left the CCM right now because i still have so much to learn with Spanish.  This CCM is so sweet.  Oh by the way, did Jon and Leah move here to Spain??  Because there´s a teacher here that looks like Jon´s clone.  He´s just a little shorter but its pretty weird when i see him and i almost call him Jon and give him a hug. Haha im just kidding but its crazy how much he looks like Jon.  I´ll try to get a picture of him and send it.

 Mom and dad im glad you guys are adjusting to real life but im sorry you had to leave this awesome full time missionary work.  Val and I are the lucky ones now being out on missions.  We got to watch a video last night that was a talk from Elder Holland last year at the Provo MTC. He talked about how the work isnt easy and it´s not supposed to be easy.  It wasn´t even close to being easy for Christ, so why should it be easy for us?  He said we have to go through a little bit what He went through because we his disciples and his representatives.  The talk made me just want to go out and talk to every single person i see.  I love this work so much and im growing to love Spain more and more every single day.  I know this is the Lord´s work.  I feel His love and His strength every day.  Love you all.  I´ll send some pictures throughout the day.  These emails take forever to send pictures so you have to do a couple at a time.

Elder Reeves

Los Fotos

Dear Missionaries, families and friends

I just wanted to get off something quickly so that you would have a picture of when you got here and so your parents would know you are ok.  We will send the formal pictures that we took yesterday, as soon as they are developed.

Pres. Douglas Earl

Madrid Spain MTC

French Group

Geest Group

Reeves Group

Wilson Group