My favorite Pictures from this week!

Hermana Riddle and Hermanna Pechetto

me with Ada'n 

Yasmin, Susie, Diana, Me, Yessica

Wow, it's been a month!

WOW!! I can't believe its only been a month since I was set apart.  IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER AGO!!

 

Monday we had p-day, and I finally unpacked everything.  There is SO MUCH smoke here.  I forgot to mention that.  the first week there were fires in California, so, there's smoke sometimes.  on Monday it was really bad.

Tuesday we had district meeting.  we talked about joseph smith, and we watched a video on elder Holland's testimony of the Book of Mormon.  we had lunch with Hermana Lopez, los Elderes (Corado y Arellano), the Elders (Christensen and Jetton), and the Zone leaders (Williamson and Twitchell).  4 of them don't speak Spanish, so that was fun.  then I had my first interview in the field with president and sister Hermansen.  they are super nice.  we taught Filemon and he is trying to stop smoking on his own! :)  then we went to read scriptures with Diana and her friends.  she thinks I'm super cute. :3  that's what I think of her too.  I love when she prays for "the mormon girls that take us to church, and knock us in the door"

Wednesday we had a service project all morning.  it was kinda cool, cause we were working alongside about half the mission.  we cleared trees, picked up trash, and removed graffiti from a huge park.  we ended up studying most of the evening, because we didn't get a chance to in the morning, and no one was home for appointments

Thursday we had a very full day of proselyting.  we had weekly planning all morning, but now that I know our investigators better, It was a lot more productive for me.  we contacted a bunch of less actives that stopped talking to the missionaries last transfer.  then we taught Filemon again.  he still has doubts, but the only way to resolve those is if he goes to church and gets baptized.  Then we visited with Marcelo, and then with Stefani, to talk to her about patriarchal blessings.

Friday we did a lot of stuff.  I had to do an online segment of adjusting to missionary life, we had to get the oil changed in the car, and a lot of studying.  finally we went to teach Yasmina,.  when Diana came home, we asked her if she wanted to get baptized.  we told her she could get baptized in 2 weeks, and she is pretty excited about that.  then we tried to contact some potentials, but we ended up just visiting with less actives.  we went with Alvaro to teach Nelson and his kids, and they all want to be baptized.  then we went to Ernesto's house, and his whole family was having a fish fry.  Hermana Simmons and I split a whole tilapia.  I got the HEAD.  yes, I'm in Nevada, but I ate a fish head.... somewhat.

Saturday the grandkids were over, so that was interesting.  they were really excited about us.  I looked out of our door, and the little girl ran to grandma and said "I saw a missionary!!!"  in the afternoon we taught Diana and Helen the Restoration, and then they came to a baptism with us to watch.  They loved it.  Helen kinda wants to get baptized too now.  then we took them with us to watch the women's broadcast, since they are old enough, and they liked it, but not as much as the baptism.  but they had ice cream after, so that kinda made up for it.  

Sunday we had church, and we went to classes with the Spanish speaking group. I enjoyed church much better than I did when I was little, cause I actually understand what people are saying now.  Sacrament meeting is in Spanish through translation that a few members do (through headphones).  then we had a missionary meeting, where we went through the directory, and learned about each family.  we had a hard time finding people this Sunday, but we contacted a potential with Jessica (a Spanish speaking RM), and visited with Diana, and taught her about the Plan of Salvation.  Her dad is concerned about her decision, since she is only 8, but I can tell she has a testimony.  

That's it for this week.  I will have been out on my mission (MTC included) for 1 month this Friday, but I was set apart a month ago today.

First week in Carson City

September 22, 2014

A LOT has happened this week. 
Tuesday i had to be at the airport at 4:30 am.  I know the Lord blesses his missionaries, because my alarm didn't go off, but I woke up at 4:20 and got ready in time to catch the bus, and didn't miss my travel group.  After arriving in the Reno airport, with all its slot machines, we met our mission president and his wife.  They are super nice.  after being in meetings all day I got my companion, and my area assigned.  My companion's name is Hermana Simmons.  She's awesome.  then. 2/3rds of our mission (how many people were at transfer day.  president said that's the most people of the mission he's ever had together, usually all the far away town have their missionaries shipped out to them) went out to dinner.  There was a couple there who asked what church we were all from.  The elders talked to them, since I was too excited to even say anything.  SOMEONE WAS ASKING QUESTIONS!! :D  I live at a member's house, and they are super nice.

Wednesday started the hard work.  We cover a large area, so we drive, then walk around neighborhoods.  (don't worry dad, my bike is locked up safe at the house).  We went around to a lot of our investigators, introducing me to them.  We had dinner at a member's house, and they fed us SO MUCH FOOD.  it was crazy.  At one point, I think I got dehydrated.  It wasn't that hot, but it is a lot dryer here than in the MTC.  I was fine though.  I also found out that the one Elder in my MTC district who was also going to Reno, is not only in my zone, he's in my district! :D  someone I know!  YAY!  overall it was a good day.

Thursday was another day.  we had our weekly planning session.  Then we taught one of our progressing investigators.  We even extended a commitment to be baptized! and he really wants to be baptized.

Friday there was a "train the New missionary" meeting in at the mission home.  then we had lunch.  One of the ladies at the restaurant mentioned my name tag, and I gave her a little passalong card with our phone number on it.  I probably should learn how to street contact.  we didn't do much of that in the MTC.  Later we had a lesson with an investigator and his two kids.  the little boy, Ivan, I can tell, wants to be baptized.  he just doesn't know it yet.  he reads the BoM at school while waiting for his mom to pick him up.  he is so cute!  he reminds me of Eric.

Saturday was a little harder by comparison to my easy first week.  we went to morning program, at the church (which, is walking distance away from where we live)  and exercised with some of our zone. only problem is, morning program starts at 6 am.  gross.  it was a lot of fun though, and I would love to go again.  I just need to get usec to getting up that early.  we went around to a lot of our investigators again, but didn't really teach a lot of people, which is why today was harder.  but we had stake conference, and that was really cool.  I was so tired by the end of the day though.

Sunday we had stake conference.  there was a special meeting for all missionaries, and their investigators/CREMAS (conversos recentes, menos activas) turns out the general authority was in fact a convert.  it was Elder Lawrence.  one of Elders corado/arellano's investigators came, and sat on the other end of the room from them.  elder corado tried to get hermana simmons to translate for him, since he didn't speak English.  I speak better Spanish than her (just a little bit) so she told me to do it.  I translated about half the meeting.  I know the Lord was helping me because there is no way I could have done that by myself.  we had several investigators come to church.  filemon, who we committed to baptism, and 2 little girls, Diana and Helen.  they are amazing at reading the BoM  we read 1 Nephi 4 with them, and the next day we read 1 Nephi 9 and 10.  we had a HUGE meal with the Lopez family.  apparently they always feed us WAY too much.  and then some.  they are super fun though.  then we talked to almost all of our investigators, and went home.

its been a great week.  I cant wait for the next one! :D

Hermana Riddle

Arrived in Reno, next stop Carson City

President and Sister Hermansen, Nevada Reno Mission.

Twenty three new Reno missionaries.

My companion and trainer, Hermana Simmons, on our way to Carson City.

On my way to Reno

Her flight to Reno is on Tuesday, September 16 at 8:45 am.  She has to be at the main office at 4:30 am ready to go.  There are 13 elders and sisters flying with her.  She said she was allowed to call from the airport for a minute so we should be ready to hear from her around 7:30 am.  

She called and she sounded very happy to be on her way to Reno.  She was the only Spanish speaking missionary in her group.  All the others seemed to know each other, and she wasn't sure if she had a companion on the trip.  We were able to talk for a few minutes, but they ended up changing the gate number on them.  It was great to hear how happy she was and ready to go!

MTC

Hermana Riddle has asked that I update her blog.  She has been unable to access it from the MTC, so here it is...

She entered the MTC September 3 and was very excited and nervous to go.  By the time we reached the sidewalk for her to cross into the MTC, she couldn't wait!  I sent a form letter for her to fill out with some general information and this is what she sent back.

Her companions name is Hermana Pechetto. She is from Uruguay, but grew up in Layton, Utah.  They are staying at Y View MTC and there are 4 sisters total in her apartment.  Her P-Day is Tuesday, so she only will get one.  She has enjoyed teaching "investigators".  She has been surprised by how long the classes have been, but they have kept very busy.  In the first 48 hours she ran into at least 7 people she knew.  She thought the food was "campus cafeteria food, but not bad".

She thinks her companion is awesome.  She grew up speaking spanish at home and english at school, so she sometimes forgets to speak spanish around her.  She says she speaks with an Argentinean accent.  She will be serving in Las Vegas.  Only one elder from her district was going to Reno.

She had the chance to go to the temple on Tuesday.  As she was finishing the session ready to leave, she turned around and heard the temple worker telling Sis Riddle to go to the dressing room.  It was Grandma!  She was so excited.  She gave her a big hug, and grandma says she wasn't sure she would let go.  That was a highlight.

Her birthday was Sunday September 14.  She turned 20!  she received several packages and she was excited about that!

Final countdown

I know I said I would write Monday, but I didn't really get a chance.  :P  I have been so busy these past few days, its crazy.  I have been buying all sorts of last minute stuff, and finalizing all kinds of legal stuff.  Spending as much time that I can with family.  

My mom has been my companion since Friday afternoon, when I was set apart, but she has me go "on splits" with my sister, so I spend half the time following her around instead.  

8 hours is a long time to be in the car.  My Stake President allowed me to watch disney movies, but I made sure we watched Frozen in spanish, so I could get "language training" in.  

I had a great time at my open house on Sunday, which mostly consisted of extended family on both sides of the family.  

I'm really ready to enter the MTC (or CCM as they call it in Mexico) though. I think i'm just ready to have structure.  Also, it will be a lot easier not to be tempted by electronics when I'm in a place where no one has them.  Pretty sure I watched about half of Thor in the car ride with my siblings.

Anyway, not sure when my Preparation day will be in the MTC, but I will write again when it comes!!! :)