Week Three in Carson City

a LOT has happened this week.  its been crazy!!!

Monday we went to Costco in Reno, cause we had to go to the mission office and stuff, and a member took us, so that was fun.  we also visited a little LDS bookstore (knock off Deseret book) and that was super cute.  after a few lessons, we had a silly string fight with Diana! That was so much fun.  she is so excited to be baptized.

Tuesday we had District meeting, and sister simmons and I role played introducing the BoM.  it was hard for her to do it in english.  :)  we had a few good lessons, and had a blessing given to one of our investigators, to help him be more ready for baptism. 

Wednesday we studied all morning, and did our car inspection.  that was cool.  it was a great day.  while we were at lunch, one of our less actives called and told us he was having a hard day.  we went over to his house, and he was able to feel the spirit with us, so strong that he ended up coming with us to all of our lessons that day!  it was awesome.  Diana doesn't like new people so that was interesting, but it was still good.  then Ernesto took us to dinner, and he and Alvaro came to another lesson.  after that, they both left and we went to a relief society service activity, which ended up being cancelled, so one of the ladies said "well, let's wait here for a minute see if anyone else is going to show up, then we'll decide where we are going, then all head over to baskin robbins."  it was really funny.  after that, we went to coordination.

Thursday is where the week got really fun.  brother Hash, who is in charge of church tours in our ward, had the mission president come down, and he had hermana simmons and I help him.  he and hermana were companions, I was a member, and president hermansen was our investigator.  it went well though.  he really liked the church tour.  then as a zone, we watched Meet The Mormons

EVERYONE NEEDS TO SEE THAT MOVIE!!!! IT WAS AMAZING!!!   I didnt have a favorite movie before thursday.  TAKE EVERYONE!!! especially those who are NOT members.  it is a great tool to erase mormon stereotypes.  and the stories are just beautiful. 

after the movie, we went back to our lessons.  we planned diana's baptism.  Alvaro took us to dinner, and we were with his friend.  she told me that I looked like her friends.  Jessica and Jordan, who she knew in utah.  Then she toold me their last name, and I was shocked.  She knew my COUSINS!  so then she was texting them and it was just really funny.  They both came with us to a lesson where we watched the Joseph smith restoration video, and I had her bear her testimony.  that was a really cool experience (even though she didnt speak spanish, and the whole movie had been in spanish)

Friday was interesting, because Hermana simmons had to go to a leadership meeting in Reno.  I went with sisters ingsong & torres.  after a morning of studies at their house, we went to a members house and did service.  we lifted firewood, and moved it to a different spot in the backyard.  then we went to teach Diana.  it was cool to combine our schedules.  when hermana simmons came back, we went to dinner, and then with Alvaro to visit an investigator.  Then we got together with Alvaro, and invited Ernesto to come and learn an awesome lesson we can teach to people about the plan of salvation.  Basically, if you change some of the names in Mosiah 24:9-17, its the plan of salvation.  Amulon is Satanas (satan) the king is God, and Alma and his people are you and your friends.  but after the Lord speaks to them, alma is Jesus Christ.  Satan puts guards over us, to subjugate us, and not let us reach out to God, but if we continuously have a prayer in our hearts, "tomorrow (lords time) he will ease our burdens" and he sends Jesus Christ at the front of this people to show us the way we must go.  it was so powerful, and I learned a lot.  Hermana and I were spiritually wiped, and we still had general conference ahead of us.

GENERAL CONFERENCE!! i cant believe its already been 6 months since the last one.  we went to the first session, at the church, went to lunch, second session (with investigators) then visited Diana.  Alvaro helped us go over the baptismal interview questions, but she was really shy.  then we had dinner with Ernesto's family, then contacted some people that Alvaro knows.  its Awesome, because the two of them are like a companionship.  

Sunday was pretty much the same schedule, but after the second session (the last 2 talks were my favorite talks of conference), we sat down as a group again, hermana and me, Alvaro and Ernesto.  we talked about the story of christ walking on water, and how missionaries are walking on water, but investigators are in a huge boat of worldly things (SS Satanic).  there are member missionaries on that boat, bringing their friends to the edge, and they and the missionaries are helping them to jump into the waters (of baptism) with their eye centered on christ,so they can walk across the water like peter, not doubting, not wavering, and coming unto christ.  it was again, really powerful.  those two are amazing.  then Alvaro came with us to visit a less active family, then to Rex, the same investigator from friday.  he had a rough 48 hours without us.  he had been drinking all day.  we talked with him for a long time, about how satan lives in the bottle, and how he wants us to be miserable.  we need to chose to turn to christ, who is always with us, even if we deny him.  then he took us to his kitchen, and had us flush some drugs.  that was a really powerful moment for me.  I have only known him for 2 days, but, I was so proud of him, that I cried.  i'm also still sorta in shock, cause that was the first time i've been that close to things like that.  Rex also dumped one of his beers.  which made my cry proud tears even more.  it was a beautiful step for him to take.

I'm so glad that I've already been able to help people on my mission.  I hope I will always keep the "New Misisonary Spark" i've been told I have, and that I will doubt my doubts before I doubt my faith, and always keep my positive attitude.  I hope that my positivity is contagious, and that Everyone will have a good week this week. :)  until then

~Hermana Riddle

Hermana Riddle and Jessica and Jordan's friend