October 12, 2015 President Reynolds

Where to start? What an incredible week! So one thing I haven't reported on is the new mission president. President Reynolds is awesome and there's no doubt that he's the man with the keys right
now! And he's very "out with the old, in with the new", which will change the mission if we hop on board. He wrote a new standards of conduct manual which we received a week or so ago which a lot of missionaries aren't too excited about but that generation will either change or die out (so to speak). In fact, sitting just outside the new trainer meeting on Saturday, I realized that President is building an entirely new culture of missionaries here - hardly a single new trainer has been out for more than a few months, which is unheard of!

Now, if you are wondering why I was sitting outside the new trainer meeting on Saturday..... ELDER BODEN IS TRAINING!!!! This week has just been unreal. Elder Boden and I have progressed so much together, especially recently, and it was incredible to sit down together on Friday night and reflect back on how far we have both come. It's so fun to be progressing spiritually at such a rate that allows you to look back three months and realize that you are a different person.

Oh and also serving in a different area. Since I first saw Jamaica six months ago, the Lord has turned this into one of the least productive areas in the mission to one of the most. It's been a tender mercy to have been able to observe and be a witness of that miracle. It will be sad to leave it. I feel as if I have grown to be part of the work here. The last week has just been filled with experiences that have made me realized that I have grown to be part of the community here, that I love the community and it loves me. Apart from a lot of rejection and ridicule and opposition here, there are so many people that stops us on our way because we are friends, and because the message we share has brought them happiness and in a few cases saved their lives. Jamaica is a hard place to make a life. Walking down the street most people you see are miserable. There are a lot of hanging heads to lift and a lot of tears to wipe away and in my last week here more than ever, the Lord has blessed me to see just what we've done in the last six months. In addition we have a few investigators that are ready for baptism. I'm a little sad that I won't be here to see that happen but not too much - God really has spoken peace to me about the fruit of our labors. I know that God's hand is in this work. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Elder Sirrine