Monday, January 26, 2015

Week 19, January 26, 2015 Being an established missionary


This week has been a lot of work.  I have never been the missionary who knows the area with the other missionary new to the area.  So this week was interesting.  I have had to direct her in driving everywhere, which has been an experience for the both of us.  Its great though.  I like being able to see how much  I actually DO know the areas.  It has also been great working with Sister Lawson.  She is super fun.

This week we committed one of our investigators to baptism.  That was awesome.  She just soaks everything in like a sponge.  She can see how much the Gospel blesses lives and she is super excited.  One of our other investigators is having difficulty with her mom, and being allowed to get baptized.  That's hard on her.  Yesterday we taught her about repentance, and forgiveness.  There are hard things that surround us ALL OF THE TIME. It is difficult to be perfectly obedient to all of Gods commandments when there are so many forces against us.  It is also hard when people don't soften their hearts.  They take the truth to be hard, and don't want to listen to what they know to be right.  At the same time, there is Jesus Christ.  He is just waiting for us to come to him, and load him up with all the things we have,  Not to take them FROM us, but to HELP us be able to continue through life with these burdens.  Oftentimes, we don't have far to go to have him help us.  He REACHES for us.  We just have to choose weather we will grab on.  We are all drowning.  He has life preservers next to us, and we just have to take hold of them.  He will pull us into the boat.  But, if we struggle against it, it is harder to get to the boat.  If we let go, we may be closer to him, but back to where we started.  No matter how far away we are, the life preserver is right next to us, and it is OUR choice to take a hold of his gospel, and come to him.  

I know that as we HUMBLE ourselves and come closer to the Lord, we will be blessed.  The waters of life are more manageable on a boat, with a lifejacket and a guide.  Without the guide, we may be safe, but are lost.  Without the boat, life is rough, and without that jacket we are drowning, but there is always a life preserver.  Take hold of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and allow his love and atoning sacrifice to propel you closer to him.

~Sister Riddle

"And now my [friend, yes, You reading this]would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust‍ in God even so much ye shall be delivered‍ out of your trials, and your troublesand yourafflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day." Alma 38:5

Tuesday, January 20, 2015

Week 18, January 19, 2014 Transfers and the Temple

I'm doing great!  I love my areas, and I'm really excited to be serving my mission.  I love helping people, and learning more about myself. 


This week:
Same old same old, teaching investigators and less actives, helping the Lord to soften hearts and inviting people to come unto Christ. We have a few really awesome investigators, and I love being able to help them experience the ATONEMENT it is the most powerful thing EVER.  I didn't really understand it before my mission, but I am learning to pray more fervently, and to utilize the fact that Jesus Christ LOVES SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!! There are not even words to describe how much he loves us.  SOMEONE DIED FOR YOU. SPECIFICALLY YOU.  whether you believe in him or not, he is there for you.  and its AMAZING.  Use that promise.  Use it to overcome EVERY trial you have, for his yolk is easy (and will guide you forward, along the straight and narrow) and his burden is light (waiting for you to load him up, and carry it WITH him.)

We got to go to the temple last Wednesday, and it was a really awesome spiritual experience.  You really do learn more each time you go, and its such a beautiful peace being in the temple brings to my soul.  There are no words to describe it, but I love it.  I feel closer to my Heavenly Father, because I am in his home, and that is the best experience.

Work hard and stay happy!
I will! I always strive to help others do the same. :)

YES its TRANSFERS and YES I'm STAYING.  I'm kinda bummed Sister Willes is leaving, because my new companion wont know the area at all, and she will rely on me a lot, but I am up for the excitement, and adventure, and can't wait to see what this new transfer will bring!
Matching Mission towels (with Sister Willes)

Proof that there is a God

Befriending the dog that wanders our complex (his name is Solo, porque solo vino)

Cool quote

Zone

I love you MORE!!!!!!

~Sister Riddle

Monday, January 12, 2015

Week 17 January 12, 2015 Miracles Happen


How are you this week?  
I'm doing well, just working hard, trying to be better every day.

Have you had an eventful week? 
We had a referral who was with the elders when they called us, who we talked to him on the phone, them 2 hours later we had an appointment and wanted us to baptize him without any lessons, then 2 hours later he came to see a baptism, so that was cool.

I hope you are staying healthy and working hard!
I am, don't worry. :)

I love you so much!
I love you too! and everyone who reads my letters home!!

How are your investigators?
They are awesome.  We don't get to see them every day like my last area, because they are so far spread, and about 50% of what we do is reactivation.

How are you and Sister Willes doing?
We are doing great.  I love my companion.  We work well together, and are really seeing blessings from being equally yolked to each other, and the Savior. (Matt. 11:28-30)

This is an awesome quote:
"Never let a problem to be solved become more important than a person to be loved". ~Thomas S. Monson.
Cheryl, one of the ladies in our ward, told us that "Sometimes you have to hit smack flat on your face to knock some sense into ya."  In some ways this is true.  In other ways, it is our choices that lead us to falling, so if we catch ourselves before we start to fall, we can choose to be different. 
I love my mission, and I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.  I'm learning so much, about myself, about others, and about my Savior, Jesus Christ.  The miracles that occur when people let the spirit into their lives, its just a privilege to be here witnessing them.

I am so excited to see the blessings that the Lord will continue to pour upon us, as we become more and more focused on our purpose. (PMG pg1)
~Sister Hermana Riddle

Sorry I didn't write much today, P-day is short because we are going to the temple on Wednesday.

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Week 16 January 5, 2015 Nephi 15 in 2015


Mission Christmas Party

This week has been great.  It has been hard with the holiday season, but exciting nonetheless. We taught several lessons, and on Sunday we taught 4 in members homes.  That was awesome.  With the holidays we've had to switch our schedules around a bit, but its been good.  We have been getting out investigators slowly but surely to a point where they are excited to hear the gospel. I also got to attend a baptism in the Tongan ward.  that was cool.  I cant believe how the time is flying now though.  In some ways it feels like I've been here for forever, But in others, I look back and realize how fast the transfer is going.  Its amazing.  I love watching the spirit work in me and in the people I teach and to see their desire to learn grow.  Its so powerful to be a part of this. 
One thing I have studied this week is being like Shiblon.  (Alma 38)  being obedient and focused on the work is so important. 
Also, if you read one verse a day for this whole year, you will finish the first 15 chapters of the book of Mormon by the end of the year.  I want to invite everyone who is reading this to do that.  Its really amazing what reading even one verse can do for you.  (today is 1 Nephi 1:5 because its January 5th)
love you ALL!!!!!

~Sister Hermana Riddle

My visiting teacher at BYU!

Week 15 December 29 Feliz Navidad, Prospero Ano y Felicidad




This week has been super crazy.  We have been going around with Sister Higgins, helping her prepare for baptism by having her join us in lessons.  She has been growing her testimony a lot.  There have been hard forces working against her, but she knows what she desires in eternity, and she is sticking to it.

Nathan is crazy prepared, and we were able to teach all 5 lessons in 1 week.

Christmas was fun.  We got to have a party with our mission president, and 3 zones.  We even helped sister Dudley hand out food to people in her apartment complex. 

I am so blessed to be a missionary here in this area.  I know that I was called here for a reason, and that I am needed here at this time.

I know that My Savior lives, and I hope for something better after this.  Not after my mission, because I know nothing can compare.  I have faith and I hope for the life to come.  The plan of Salvation is REAL.  Whether or not you believe in it, it is still there.

Moroni 7:40-48

Remember this as the new year comes closer.  its important.

~Sister Hermana Riddle

PS.  I wrote this especially for You.

Week 14 December 22, 2014 MIRACLES and Christmas




My new area is really good.  Its hard to be covering such a large area though.  Luckily we have a car.  I probably won't use my bike until summer.  We cover 2 areas, but its good to see 2 sides of town.  For the most part, I only use English.  I still sing hymns in Spanish and pray personally in Spanish, and the other day I was able to give someone a pass along card in Spanish, but not much else. 

This area is amazing though!  We have 2 people preparing for baptism this weekend.  One of them was a referral and we met with him for the first time last week.  it is amazing to see how the lord prepares people to receive his Gospel.  I know that if we put in the effort to feel the spirit, the Lord will bless us.  Without the spirit, there is no way in our right minds we would have invited that boy to be baptized a week from our first meeting.  The Lord will bless us if we put in the effort,and if we have the desire to follow his will, even though we have our own free agency.
I just wanted to bear my testimony of how powerful PRAYER can be.  The Lord wants to hear from us always.  We need to be always aware that he is there, and that the ATONEMENT is always available to us.  We can use the atonement for anything, whether its a physical pain, a spiritual pain, or even an emotional pain.  We are never truly alone.  The Lord just doesn't want to bother us, so he follows at a comfortable distance, waiting for us to turn around and come to him.  We need to make that choice though.  If we want to continue to struggle, we can keep going, and he will continue on that same path behind us.  Everyone has the opportunity to turn to him, but we choose what we want in the long run. 
I also wanted to wish every single one of you a VERY
MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
And remember, you cant spell Christmas without Christ. 

(and in Spanish mas = more, so... MORE CHRIST!!)
~Sister Hermana Riddle
Christ is the Gift of Christmas.  #DiscoverTheGift #EmbraceTheGift

#ComparteLaDádiva #ShareTheGift