January 21

I just sent you a bunch of pictures. We've gone a little picture happy lately with all the                             SSSNNNNNOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW
I'm pretty sure this is more snow than we got in Utah last year. It's pretty magical. I was kind of sad we didn't get this for Christmas, but then my companions and I decided it's probably best because the combination probably would have killed me. I was excited enough about Christmas as it was. I don't think any of us could have handled me being more excited.
Isn't England beautiful in the snow? And the roads haven't been bad at all. One of those pictures is us stuck in traffic on that first day. and did you know, snow days actually exist in England?! They actually get let out of school when it snows!!!! I always thought that was just a myth.... And a few wards cancelled church, but ours didn't.  Today the Horsleys are taking us to visit an old church. I'm excited. the snow is going to make it even more magical.
Sister Cabrera cut my fringe (aka bangs) a couple weeks ago!!! She's pretty cool.  This is her last week. She goes home next Wednesday. Back to Chili where she belongs. She is Chilean through and through!!! I am going to miss her so much. I'm kind of scared for when she leaves. We're all (except her) praying that this snow will continue and all flights will be cancelled next Wednesday so she can't leave :) that'd be pretty cool.
We have a new visitors' centre sister coming tomorrow that Sister Maughan will train, but I'm still not sure what will happen to me next week. I might stay in a tri with Sister Maughan and the new sister, or they might kick me back into the field. Or I might ask to be transferred to Chili. Just for fun.
My companions are pretty great. We probably have too much fun.
The temple in the SNOWWWWWWWW its soooo beautiful!
i'm out of time.
love you all!!!!!
sister reneer

Hello Hello!
Yes, I enjoyed my birthday. It was fairly unique from the viewpoint of a missionary. I had five different companions throughout the day and no single companion that was with me the whole day. wierd. Basically this whole week was a bit strange, but it's been a good week and I don't know that I've ever felt happier. It's exhausting, but I've really been giving as much as I can to doing what the Lord wants me to do throughout each day--which doesn't always mean contacting and teaching. Sometimes it means spending time with a sick companion. But being in a tri and having so many senior couples nearby has made it possible for me to leave the flat quite a bit this week. But I've also loved the time I've spent in the flat with either one or both of my companions. They are the best. Sister Cabrera goes home the end of January. Yeah right. She can't be leaving. England might explode if she leaves.
On my birthday, I went to district meeting with the other visitors' centre sisters and the Elders made me no-bake cookies. Then we ate cheesecake at the visitors' centre and Sister Carpenter drove me home for a couple hours. That's when I opened my wonderful presents from home. That was probably my favorite part of the day. Just being with Sister Cabrera. Then I got to drive with Sister Carpenter to pick up Sister Maughan from Hastings. It was a fun little adventure. And it was so interesting being back in Hastings. It gave me cause to reflect--which I'm basically always doing anyway. But it was interesting how familiar everything looked and how the smells and sights of the flat brought everything back and I could feel those same emotions that had enveloped me those first three months. But I felt them in an impersonal way, just as a memory, not as feelings I couldn't shake away. I've come so far. And I've made huge leaps and bounds since arriving in East Grinstead. I'm a completely different missionary--which means I'm a different person too. I hope you like me when I get home! But if there's anything you don't like, it's God's fault. He's molding me into who He wants me to be. I can feel that every day. Sometimes that molding reallllly hurts, but it also brings great joy. So whoever I am when I get home, it will all be thanks to God (and I guess me too since I do have a special thing called agency....)
We bought Dominoes pizza before leaving Hastings and of course had Texas bbq--which was only fitting for my birthday. So it was an interesting and good day. I've been in the best area for these holiday times. I love love love being here.
This weekend I remembered that serving at the visitors' centre really is "my seaside" as Sister Rodrigues would say when I first got here. I love this job so much. It's similar to working at the MOA but sooo much better. Because I don't have to worry about school on the side and the 'staff' is smaller so I know everyone real well and everything we do can be led by the spirit! That's the best part. Being an instrument in the Lord's hands and saying the things you know He wants you to say is one of the best things I've ever experienced. I'm so grateful that He can use me to reach out and bless His children and to remind them of His love for them.
I enjoyed your report on the English dinner. Sausage rolls are not my favorite either. Mostly the veggies, definitely the potatoes, and the yorkshire pudding is good too. And did you put gravy on everything??? That's what makes it truly British---and also very good.
That's so cool that you're doing a sister missionary prep thing. We did a little mission prep training fireside thing last night at the visitors' centre which was lots of fun.
love to you allllll!!!!!! write me letters :) and have a lovely lovely week.
Enjoy the snow.

-Sister Reneer

January 7

haha I'm excited for you to celebrate my birthday. Christmas crackers are totally British--at least for Christmas, but they'll work for my birthday too :) You definitely should try to have a traditional English roast dinner, which basically means that everything is roasted. Roast potatoes, roast vegetables (carrots, parsnips, onions), yorkshire pudding (which isn't anything like pudding), and then pour gravy over everything. That's the traditional English Sunday/Christmas dinner and it is sooo good. I will need to get some recipes and things before I go home. And for pudding (which is English for dessert) you could have apple crumble--with custard if you can find that in that British store.

love you all lots!!!!!!

sister reneer

December 31

hello hello!

well, i already told you about my awesome Christmas when I talked to you on Tuesday. It was such a good day. being a missionary on Christmas is the BEST!!!! (granted, it could be the worst if you have no where to go and end up knocking doors all day BUT that didn't happen to us) It was fun to be involved in the ward carol service in the morning and to see all the excited children...and teenagers...and adults. Spending Christmas with our investigators was soooooo wonderful. They prepared a lovely meal and we had Christmas crackers with cheap crowns and silly jokes and we had party poppers and watched a MoTab Christmas concert with Audra McDonald and then we got to talk about the birth of Christ from the Nephites side of the world. What better way to spend Christmas than by serving the Lord by serving his children and talking about his gospel?

After being with them we worked in the visitors' centre for three hours, which wasn't really work, because I got to talk to YOUUUU. That was pretty cool. I can't believe how tall Luke is :( I'll have to sit on his lap when I get home because he'll be too big for mine. How was the rest of your Christmas? I'm glad you had a good rest of the week and didn't feel too sad about it all being over. I was worried about that too, but it's been okay. I was starting to get worn out by all the excitement anyway, so the end came at a perfect time. and it's not like we have any down time to think about it much anyway. There is always more to do and something new to be thinking about and planning for.

After the visitors' centre on Christmas, we went to the Bells (an awesome member family) for some Christmas dinner left-overs. Bishop and his family were there too which was fun because I like their kids. Children make Christmas so magical. When Bishop went home, were were also able to have a lesson type thing with the Bells and it was soooo good. This gospel brings so much joy even in the midst of trials and heartache and imperfection.

I was so exhausted by the time Christmas was over. It was a busy busy full day of constant excitement and it was soooo much fun but so exhausting.

So now that I've written an email that makes it sound like my life is just perfect and awesome, let me just remind you that it's not. Missions are hard. but life is hard. so I guess this is good preparation for the rest of my life. I still worry about the future and each upcoming transfer. which is silly, because it always turns out great. the Lord is in charge and I know his plan is perfect.

thanks for being great and being good.

I hope you have a super last day of 2012 and that your 2013 is just the best year yet.

I love you all lots and lots and lots and lots!!!!!!

Love,

Sister Reneer

December 17

blessings blessings blessings. I'm at the temple for another transfer!!!! There are so many reasons this makes me happy. And I really felt like this would happen even though it didn't completely make sense and I was so scared I'd find out I was leaving, but it feels soooo right to be here. And I also feel quite certain that this will be my last transfer here. Sister Yapi has been shipped off to the other side of the mission to Weston-super-mare and Sister Maughan has returned to the VC from Hastings. So I'm still in a tri with Sister Maughan (who is British) and Sister Cabrera (yay! I get to stick with her to the end!) Sister Howard has gone home which is sad and we have a new visitors centre sister from Finland. And so many fun activities and concerts planned and time is just flyyyyying by. It gets faster each transfer and each transfer I can't imagine it getting any faster and then it does. What the heck?!?!?! perhaps because the second coming is almost here. 21 December, I think? I hope you are all prepared!

This ward has exciting things happening including lots of guys preparing for missions. It's amazing to see how the gospel truly can change someones life. People who didn't even have a testimony and weren't living a For-The-Strength-Of-Youth life just a year ago are now preparing to go out and serve the Lord and preach the gospel and change lives!!! I admire converts so much. They have such a fire and they are amazing missionaries.

We only got a bit of snow one morning and it melted by mid-day :( but hopefully we get more. The frost is amazing, though. It looks like snow. I've never seen such thick frost. The entire world is clothed in a blanket of white. It's so beautiful. And cold. soooo cold. I'm definitely counting my blessings of working inside for the next two months. God's plan is perfect!

I love you all and can't wait to talk to you via skype sooon soon soon.

Happy Christmas!

God bless us everyone!!!!!

-sister ruth reneer

December 10

December 10
How many missionaries will our ward have? (Note from Marne': Currently our ward has 24 missionaries in the field and 9 with calls preparing to go) We should be in the New Era!!! Just kidding. I would be so embarrassed. Because it's not a race...I'm curious about all my friends. Do you happen to have heard if anyone I know from BYU has decided to go?  How about Susannah Crump and Haley Giblette? I want them to get sent to England London South so I can be their trainer :)  That would be sooo cool! I got a letter from Camille Dahle this week with an adorable announcement. My goodness. I hope it's a lovely wedding, as I'm sure it will be. WHY IS EVERYONE MOVING ON WITH THEIR LIVES?????
What are your Christmas plans? I would tell you mine, but I'm not sure. I won't know till tomorrow morning, so I'll have to tell you next week. I have no idea what will happen. A few weeks ago President told me Sister Yapi and I would probably leave, but that was logic speaking and who knows what will really happen. I would love to stay here for so many reasons. And I have lots of people "praying" for me to stay, so we'll see what happens. Everyone take piano lessons and learn to play!!!!! It makes people like you when you're a missionary :) I feel like I really do contribute quite a lot to the visitors' centre and this area. But missions are teaching me so clearly that I am never irreplaceable. If this were a real job, I know they would keep me and I might even be proud enough to consider myself as indispensable at the visitors' centre. But as a missionary, I know the Lord can take me out of any area and that area will be just fine. Because this isn't my work, this is His. Ya I make a difference and people want me to stay, but they'll be just fine if I leave, because whoever replaces me is the person that needs to be here now, not me. It's pretty humbling, and kind of scary, and kind of cool. Missions have a way of showing you who really is in control. And it isn't me, it isn't the other missionaries, and it isn't even President.
Oh, dear. look at me being one of those missionaries that sends home sermons. no. I wanted to be the one who sends home cool stories. hmmm.
Friday we showed the Mormon Tabernacle Christmas concert with SISSEL!!!!! It was sooooooo phenomenal. Her voice is like magic and gold and all things wonderful. I have missed musical nourishment for my spirit. It was soooo lovely being able to watch that and filled my soul with such peace and happiness and I haven't even felt much anxiety over transfers since then--and before that I was already freaking out about transfers...Because change and uncertainty scare me. But right now I'm okay. Maybe because I'm just not letting myself think about it. I'm pretending like I'm going to be with Sister Cabrera and Sister Yapi and the visitors' centre forever. That's be pretty cool.
It is so cold here. Another reason I love being at the vc :) So cold. It snowed a bit one morning and it was very beautiful, but then it melted and we were sad. I'm hoping it'll snow tons tomorrow night to stop the flights because I don't really want Sister Howard to go home. But that would be sad for her so I actually don't hope that happens because I don't want her to miss her sister's wedding.
Well, as always this is super scattered and I'm out of time.
Love you all loads!!!!!!!!!
-Sister Ruth Reneer

December 3

Yesterday we had stake conference which was wonderful. It was fun because I got to see a few people from Eastbourne. I wish they had all been there, but it was so fun to see the few who were. I also talked to a missionary in my zone named Elder Martin and found out he is from Heber! So I asked if he knows the Hickens and he said, The Hickens? like THE Hickens who practically own Heber? or something like that :) he knows all the Hicken boys and I felt so proud to say that I'm a Hicken. That made me happy. I also have connections to Elder Holland and Mit Romney here at the visitors' centre that I should tell you about.
The Carpenters, as you know, are the directors of the visitors' centre. I found out a few weeks ago that Mit Romney is Sister Carpenter's cousin. So they were very disappointed about the election.
The Terrys are another senior couple at the visitors' centre. They are soooo wonderful. I hope you get to meet all these wonderful people some day. Elder Terry's sister is Elder Holland's wife, Patricia Terry --and apparently she taught him everything he knows :) They often talk about 'Jeff' and tell us sometimes about that family.
This has been an exciting week with lots happening. But being a missionary is sure exhausting. I know I'm supposed to enjoy the moments because they disappear so fast, but I honestly feel like there isn't even time. I enjoy moments, but not like I did in Provo. Because there is always the feeling that I'm a missionary and I need to be making the most of this time I've been given so don't stop and enjoy too much because you've got to keep working and doing stuff! and I'm always worried about the next transfer, which I know is stupid and I shouldn't worry about it, but I do because that unknown is scary. Future trials are scary. So maybe pray for me to have more faith and more courage to love. Because sometimes loving people scares me too because I know that eventually I'll just have to leave them too. I don't like pain. But I guess I should take a line from the brilliant Flint Lockwood, "It's okay...it's just pain." haha ya.
We had a lighting ceremony at the temple last night to turn on our Christmas lights. It's not quite temple square, but it's beautiful in its own way. We had a nice little program and I think angels must have been helping with the music because everyone said it was good but there's no way it was because it was soooooo cold. We had the program outside because there were so many people. I played the piano for the soloist. The songs were kind of hard, but with practice I got them down and it sounded so lovely when we practiced inside before the performance. But then I had to play on this dinky, short keyboard in the freeeezing cold. literally. I'm sure it was below freezing. by the end of the first two pieces my fingers started to hurt so bad and then I just kind of lost feeling. And the amps were weird so I couldn't really hear myself playing, but apparently everyone else could hear. I never want that experience again! But I guess it makes a pretty good story. and like I said, I think there must have been angels helping out because everyone said it was lovely.
Our tree in the visitors' centre is sooo beautiful. I'll need to send you some pictures. It's so exciting that it's Christmas time. I just set up a little tree in our flat as well. Yay for Christmas! and yay for skype....
I hope things are going well for you all. Remember I still love letters :)
I love you!
Ruth