Week 77 March 7, 2016 The First of the Lasts

Hi Everyone!  

How are you this week? 

How was your week!?!?

I'm doing super good.  super pumped to be working hard and finding people to teach!!

we did a lot of finding this week.  we went through our lists and tried to contact EVERYONE!!!

How is Hermana Christensen doing?

 Tell me about your companion! What is she like? Do you guys work well together, or are you still getting there?

she is awesome. not much else to say.  she is the best.  we love working together, and are a perfect companionship, because her strengths are my weaknesses and vis versa.  

monday we had an awesome zone activity, we did a relay race of sorts, and finger painting was involved, and so was whipped cream.  it was super fun. we also played volleyball.  the sparks zone is super huge!!

Tuesday we had district meeting, and then we contacted potentials

Wednesday I was in Fallon for exchanges.  it was super fun.  several companionships went out to lunch, and it was really great to get to know them.  I was sad to leave.  

Thursday was weekly planning then we just contacted more potentials.  there was a cool lady the hermanas met wile on the exchange and we went and talked with them.  they were super nice, adn really wantd to learn more about the gospel.  they dont speak spanish though, so we are going to have a pass off lesson with the elders this week.

Friday was MLC so Hermana Christensen went to that and I was with Sister Keil again.  it was fun.  we taught some really good YSA lessons. then the rest of the weekend we just contacted a bunch of potentials, and had some success from it.  we met some really nice people, and were able to set up a couple of return appointments.

I was able to bear my testimony on Sunday, so that was super good.  I am super happy to be able to be serving here in sparks, and to continue to see many miracles this last month of my mission.

"Our Heavenly Father did not put us on earth to fail but to succeed gloriously."

                     ~Richard G Scott

~Hermana Riddle

Finger Painting

Fallon! I just took a bunch of really random pictures...

Good Morning Fallon!

Week 76 February 29, 2016 PAPERWEEK!!

This week was super fun!!!

so Monday we had a p-day activity, and I learned to play catch with a football.  it was super fun!

Tuesday we had district meeting, and organized some paperwork

Wednesday we had a LOT of service!  we helped a food bank, and then spent some time at the old folks homes! it was a super great day.  

Thursday we did weekly planning and Sister Chesnut, the Mission President's wife joined us.  it was super fun to have her there, and to be able to show her the work we are doing in our area.  when she left, we worked on organizing all of our paperwork, to see how we could help the people in our area.  we did that for the next couple of days, because there was a LOT.  we were able to organize it super well, and are planning on hitting the streets this week, and inviting people to come closer to Christ.

Sunday we went to church, and it was super fun because we (the Elders and us) invited President and Sister Chesnut to come to church, and be the awesome enthusiastic missionaries that they are to help the ward catch the spirit of missionary work.  Sister Chesnut could only come for Sunday school, but it was super fun to have her there.  she loved it so much!  during dinner we practiced with our branch President's family inviting people to come to the Easter activity the stake is putting on!

here's an awesome quote from President Eyring:

"The good works that really matter require the help of heaven. And the help of heaven requires working past the point of fatigue so far that only the meek and lowly will keep going long enough. The Lord doesn't put us through this test just to give us a grade; He does it because the process will change us."

I love you all!  have a super awesome week!!!!

~Hermana Riddle

Week 75, 2016 February 22, 2016

Monday: we had P-day, and we waxed our car.  we have this new spray wax, and it works SUPER FAST!  I wish we would have had this my whole mission.

Tuesday: district meeting.  normal day, we helped one of out members read the introduction of the Book or Mormon in English, and she is learning a LOT.

Wednesday:ZONE CONFERENCE!!! Reno North,  Quincy, and Sparks zones combined together.  I got to bear my last testimony at a Zone Conference.  it was not as hard as I thought.  I think its because I know that I am ready to move forward from the mission. we also had a really fun Relief Society activity where we learned how to decorate cakes beautifully!

Thursday: we did weekly planning!  there was a lot of paperwork, so we just focused on that.

Friday:  I went to FALLON!!  it was super fun.  now I can say I have served everywhere! (except for Quincy zone, but "Home Means Nevada" so its not too big of a deal. (that's the name of the state song for those of you who didn't know.  I learned that while I've been here)   we taught a super powerful lesson to this guy Carlos.  He was baptized when he was 8, and and even though he is an adult now, he STILL has the gift of the Holy Ghost.  It was so cool to see The Spirit testifying to his heart the truth of the message we shared and all of the things he is going through.  :)

Saturday we had Mini Missions!  we had the stake president's daughter and a girl form the vista branch with us.  it was a lot of fun to be able to go and try a bunch of random people!  they are going to be super awesome missionaries.  it was so good to see their fire.

yesterday was the SABBATH DAY!  it was great to be able to feel the spirit at church, and to be able to continue to grow, and learn.  we had a full day, and taught a lot of people.,  it was super fun!  one of the lessons, a returned missionary came with us, she just got back this transfer, we even had dinner at their home for her homecoming.  it was crazy.  she is super awesome, and did an amazing job testifying of Christ.  I hope I can continue to do that ALWAYS!!!

~Hermana Riddle

Week 74 February 15, 2016 Slow week...

Hi Everyone!  

this week was a little slow with the work.  Hermana was sick for a few days, but we still were able to make the area better to be able to dive into it this week. We were also able to go to the temple this week, which was AMAZING!!!!! the temple is such a beautiful place.  I was able to feel the spirit so strongly.  you learn something new every time that you go!  no wonder the prophets always tell us to go to the temple often!!

I am excited for the week ahead, and I hope that I will be able to see many miracles unfold.  we've gotten a lot of referrals in the past week, so we will see what happens this week, and how they will receive the Gospel!

Hope you had a happy valentine's day yesterday! (remember, Christ's love is the strongest,  most important, and the most lasting)

I love you all!

~Hermana Riddle

Sparks Zone!

Hermana Christensen and me!

The Temple!

Valentines Day Breakfast!

Week 73, 2016 TRANSFER WEEK OF DOOM (doom makes it sound so much more exciting)

How did the transfer go?  Are you liking your new city and your new companion?

Como estas?  Estas usando tu español mas?  How has Sparks been this week? How is Hermana Christensen??? How is the ward, or wards?

When you write, tell us how the new area is, where your companion is from, and what kinds of things you’ve been doing this week. Have you witnessed a miracle this week?

ok everyone get ready for this one!!!

so Monday went well, did laundry, emailed, visited with a member who we have been teaching temple prep to.  its all good. Monday night, we are gearing up to start packing, and sister short steps on something as she is pulling out her suitcase, and her knee wiggles in its place (she has had bad knees her whole life basically) and I'm in the other room packing the clean laundry, and I hear a *CRASH-THUD!!!* "OWWWWW!!!!!!!!"  so I run in, get the phone call our mission president, and go get ice for sister short. (the office is pretty much closed because its 5:15, but we caught them right in time.)  they hang up and call mission medical,  I call the bishop (we have dinner at his house scheduled at 6)  and ask him to come give a blessing.  sister short's wrist is killing her, and her knee is also hurt.  the bishop and his wife come over, (sister short's been on the floor 30 minutes) and they bring our landlord.  they give both of us blessings.  mission president calls back and says we need to pack up all our stuff before we leave for sparks, and the bishop has to decide if we need to come in immediately (or, 90 mins from immediately) or if we can wait until the morning, but we still have to bring all our stuff (remember, we haven't really started packing)  the  bishop calls brother murphy, our ward mission leader, and has him come assess( he is a certified EMT)  so he comes with his wife, and leaves comes back with a splint from the fire department.  they move sister short to the bed, while the bishops daughter comes, and we ask another sister to come help.  shea starts throwing all of sister short's desk into a suitcase.  tonya brings us dinner from mcdonalds.  AJ does the dishes that we hadn't gotten to during our pday time.  sister short is in a sling, Stacey and torrie are helping shea, brother deleeuw is bringing boxes.  tonya helps me pack.  the murphy's leave.  bishop and aj pack stuff in the car as it is packed.  torrie tonya  and Stacey help me get all the way packed.  everything is in the car, its 9, we calm down, I have sister short take the ibuprofen that brother murphy told her to take, we go to bed.

2am, I give sister short more ibuprofen (brother murphy said to)

6 am we wake up, 

I make sister short breakfast, update the records that we still have, and pack the binders, my companion, and the bikes in the car.  she takes a little more ibuprofen, and we head out(after swinging by the deleews and thanking them for everything) I totally cant see out the back. :P  so much stuff 

we go to the mission office and talk to the people there.  president's at the airport.  we have the office missionaries help unpack my stuff from the car, so I can see and drive safely around sparks.  we go to an urgentcare.  they have a 90 min wait.  we drive 15 mins out of sparks where there is no wait, they xray sister short, and she has fractured her wrist.  we go back to the mission office and grab lunch.  its about 3pm.  transfers is a swing by drop off system now, so that happens, and our companions come into the office to get us, since we are still eating. I'm in a trio with sister Kashow and sister Keil.  we take my stuff back to the apartment and sister short leaves with her companion Sister Barker.  we go to dinner with the elders from the vista branch, elder Wheeler and Elder Arellano

Wednesday morning we pick up sister Pearson, and we are a quad-panionship for the day.  it was crazy.  3 phones, all of sparks, 1 car, 4 missionaries.  we have dinner with the elders again, all 4 of us.  it was fun.  we pick up my companion.

Thursday Sister Chesnut brings us donuts and chocolate milk, to welcome me, sister Christensen and siter Keil to our new areas (sister kashow and keil live downstairs)

our apartment is messy and still has stuff from the previous 10 sets of sisters in it, and so sister chesnut tells us to clean it all.  we do that all day, but we had a pretty awesome appoiontment in the morning. (the elders were at the church so they did studies in the room, and we taught alejandro, a super prepared guy! :)  it was his first time meeting with missionaries and he told us he would ask for Sunday's off!!!) 

Friday is MLC so the missionary leadership of zones, districts and sister training leaders all have to go. we have morning program and we have to split into 4 teams, because all of the leadership from the east side was there. I'm in another trio with Sister Keil and Sister light for half the day.  we sang at the old folks home and ate lunch at costa vida.  sister Christensen comes back, and we do weekly planning.

Saturday we had breakfast with the stake president as a zone.  that about 26 missionaries.  it was Sister Christensen's birthday, so the sisters made her a makeshift piñata it was HILARIOUS!! :)  we had a lesson with a guy who wants to get baptized on Saturday, but we aren't sure if he's ready yet. (and we hardly know him) 

Sunday we had church it starts at 10:20 and is a backward schedule, with sunday school first, the relief society, and sacrament last.  (the youth go to the classes with the prater ward in English)  Sister Christensen plays the piano all day, and we teach gospel principles.

we have dinner, and a fireside that went really well.  I was able to calm down a lot after that.  its been a pretty stressful week, and I've just been running on adrenalin the whole time.  I am excited for this week though, we get to go to the temple! :D

hopefully my week this week wont be quite as stressfukl, but out apartment's better, and so am I.

until next week!!! Love you!!

~Hermana Riddle

ps.  sorry its so long. :P

Sister Christensen is from Arizona, and she is super cute!!

Week 72, February 1, 2016 Sparks!

Were you snowed in to town this week?

Or did you still do some traveling?

I believe it is transfers?  Any news???? Can’t wait to hear what your next experience is going to be, or if you will be spending more time in Lovelock? Or if after so many months you will be moving on to a new adventure???

This week we went to Winnemucca for our usual Tuesday meeting, but when we got home, Sister Short was starting to get a cold, so we spent all day Wednesday inside, and I cleaned the apartment. (you can't leave your companion).  then, right about when Sister Short was feeling better, I was getting sick!  so we pretty much spent all week inside.  it snowed a little (2 inches) one of the days we were inside.  Lovelock is funny because if it snows everywhere it won't snow here, but if it snows here it won't really snow anywhere else.  After Church on Sunday the Young Women had New Beginnings, which was AWESOME.  Their theme was "Follow the Yellow Brick Road."  We were able to support these girls as they recommitted themselves to doing Personal Progress.  it was really cool, because I have seen how much Personal Progress helps others!  Everyone does different things that all help them grow.  I have heard a lot of different testimonies about it recently, and I'm excited to be able to continue to progress! (I might even try to earn it again!)

WE HAD TRANSFER CALLS!!!  Sister Short will be going to the Peavine and Mogul wards (Mogul is where I was at last year).  I will be going to the Sparks Vista Spanish Branch, East area. my companion will be Hermana Christensen.  I am really sad to be leaving Lovelock, but I am super excited to be able to have a new adventure!!

~Hermana Riddle

Week 71, January 25, 2016, Teach People and Baptize Converts

How are you?

I'm doing really good! :)

What happened this week?

well, we had a really cool worldwide missionary broadcast at 10am MST on Wednesday.  Missionaries in Hawaii were watching it at 7am, and missionaries in Finland were watching it at 7 pm.  All the missionaries in between were watching it live in their own time zones, and everyone else watched it when they woke up.  IT WAS SO COOL!  it was in a part of the conference center, but also showed clips of a training given by different members of the Church Missionary Department to a group of missionaries serving in Ogden I think.  I learned so much!  

How has the weather been?its been good, not as cold, so that's nice, and its getting lighter at night all the sudden, so that's also a plus.  it means we can be more productive during the night hours.

How are you and Sister Short doing?

we are doing pretty good.  we are definitely learning a lot from one another, and growing closer to our Heavenly Father, and our Savior.  We are also slowly becoming more unified in all that we do. 

How is the work?

the work is going good!  we are working on teaching more people.  one of the focus points of the Broadcast was FINDING, and the different ways that we as missionaries can go about doing that, and how we can make those ways more effective.  things like working with less active members and part-member families, working with members, and asking everyone "whom do you know..." questions to help hasten this work.

What is your goal for this week?

I am really excited to be able to apply the commitment pattern with people.  I've been saying all week that whenever the Lord asks us to do something, he ALWAYS promises us blessings.  That was one of the trainings from the broadcast, so its something really important that I need to get better at doing.  especially since it is an entire chapter of PMG!

Any travel happening this week?

there was more travel last week, with 2 trips to Winnemucca and a trip to Reno and back.  This week we are just going to Winnemucca, and out to Unionville, which is a tiny little town that is part of our area.

This week should be pretty good!  I am excited to see what miracles will happen as we plan for them and strive to achieve them!

~Hermana Riddle