Stepping Stones

 

 

So for this week:

 

We had exchanges this week. It was super last minute and I was worried about it, exchanges are really stressful. But it actually ended up being really fun and super helpful. I love the Sister that I got to spend the day with. She's just the best! Of course there's always miracles on exchanges. At the very end of the night we contacted this kid and by kid I mean teenager. He expressed that he really wants to change, he's had a really rough life and done some rough things, and really wants to change from all of that, and wants to know why he's here. It was pretty cool because the gospel can answer all those questions.

 

Most of the big miracles actually happened just yesterday. We were walking around contacting and earlier we decided to knock on all the doors that have stepping stones in the yard. So we knock on this door, a lady answers and lets us in. She goes to get her husband and so we re-introduce ourselves as missionaries and he says that he's a super inactive member and he's not on the roster. And then invites us over for dinner, as long as we don't get preachy on him haha. So now we have a dinner with them soon! That was the first miracle.

 

The second one happened after we were at a members house for a little longer than we should be. Sis. Smith needed some advice for her special diet. Me and Sis. Walker felt unusually calm about spending that much time there. Usually we don't like to just sit there.

 

We work our way back to the car and on the way there was a guy watering plants and we started a conversation with him. I don't even remember what was said or how we ended up talking about the gospel. All that I know is that it was 100% led by the spirit. I do remember after some conversation he mentioned that people our placed in our paths and he mentioned that it was serendipity. He told us that while he was watering his plants he was just praying and asking what to do in his life. Then we walked up and started talking to him. It was the most amazing contact of my whole mission. He was kind of a rough looking guy and towards the middle he started crying and just couldn't stop.

 

This miracle was a real witness to me of why I'm out here. Because you never know who is in need of a little help. You can't really judge them from the outside, you have to get talking to them. And you never know when someone needs your testimony or even your smile. I'm so grateful for the chance I get to be a missionary, and to be able to share the gospel with everyone I meet.

 

Well I hope ya'll have a great week!
P.S...Enjoy the pictures of our little friend, Freddy!



Meet Freddy!

Sisters, umm, I think we have a visitor!

 

 

I LOVE You!

Happy Father's Day Den!  I love you!

Well first of all we had an awesome baptism. It was one of the most powerful baptisms I've ever been to. This investigator is definitely one of the elect. She just soaked in everything. She went through some rough patches but she finally made it to her baptism. I don't think anyone has ever been so happy to be baptized! I'm so excited to be able to watch her testimony grow. She has so much potential! She's one of my favorites! And President and Sister Miller came all the way to El Paso, basically for the baptism. Which meant a lot to everyone! They are just the coolest people. Some of the nicest people you will ever meet.

This baptism really helped me realize why I'm here. For a long time I didn't think that baptizing people was really necessary for me as a missionary. I thought it was just for pushy people who like bragging about numbers. It's not about numbers at all. It's really about giving people the opportunity to receive blessings and happiness. haha that's really what baptism is blessings and happiness.

We've been doing a lot of contacting lately. And we've been enjoying it! It's not a pointless chore. We've been blessed to see a lot of fruit from our labors so to speak. We got 3 new investigators last week! I'm excited to continue teaching them all. Most of them have been pretty prepared, so they're real easy to teach.

Sometimes when we get bored walking we'll start rapping. haha I wish I had a tape recorder to share these raps cause I don't remember them at all. I may have to invest in one. Cause they always seem super genius when we say them haha. You're probably just shaking your head right now.

Last night we had dinner with our Bible Study friend. She's the one who initially turned us down. She didn't even take our card. And now she's feeding us dinner! It was interesting to see the difference in her from when we first talked to her and she was a little cold. And now she says we're going to keep in touch. We aren't teaching her, I'm not sure how open she is at all. But she's really friendly! We have a new friend in the neighborhood haha plantin' seeds.

Well that was pretty much it.... Or that's all I can remember at this point. My memory is getting a lot worse haha. But it's been a huge blessing to see so many miracles lately. I know that it's from all the hard work we've been doing. And especially how obedient we've been. Obedience really does bring blessings. It's really hard to believe if you just hear about it though. You have to try it for yourself to really understand. That's how I learned! Amazing miracles come from obedience though. I've noticed by obedience to the smallest things come the biggest miracles. So keep all the commandments. Even if they don't seem like a big deal. They're a pretty big deal.

Well I love you all! Keep on keepin' on!

Love, Sis. Ririe

Crazy Little Fortune Cookie~

 

This week was a pretty good week. I turned 1. Which was actually kinda really bitter sweet. I don't want my mission to end. I'm thinking about becoming a Mormon nun. haha jk. I've just seen so much growth in myself and so many miracles that I don't want it to end! This work really does make me happy. It's not even work. Me and Sis. Walker always talk about how awkward we're going to be when we get home because we don't want to lose the growth that we made. So be prepared I'm gonna be awkward to the max! And proud of it.

 

We had a baptism this week and it was pretty awesome. Just like all baptisms are. This lady was so excited that she was finally baptized, she was just so happy. That's what I love the most about baptisms, is seeing how happy people are. I also love seeing how their testimony has progressed and how much they love the gospel. They have like a greeny fire about the church. It's great!

 

This week we also had an interesting experience. We were out contacting and we talked to this lady. It was some good conversation we asked her if we could give her a Mormon.org card, her reply was "no thanks, been there done that." People rarely turn down a card so it was kinda weird.

 

On the way back to our car we passed her house again and she came running out and asked us if we'd like to come to a Bible study later that night. We told her we would. I was actually super nervous all day. I thought there was going to be some hard core bashing. Well there wasn't at all. It was actually really nice, and there were a lot of ladies there that we were able to talk to about the church and about what we do. I think the study was technically on the book of Joel but I don't remember.

 

Well. This same lady who invited us to the bible study called us a few days ago, and told us that she would like to feed us sometime!! We never saw that one coming. She went from not taking a card, to feeding us. That's a pretty big leap! So I'm way excited to see what happens at this dinner. I really think she felt something at the study and wants to know a little bit more.

 

This week is going to be super awesome. We have another baptism. It's for someone I've come to love so much. She loves the church so much! She's watched every Mormon message there is, and she even watched both Districts. She is definitely one of the elect. She has so much potential! I've been able to see her progress in just the 3 weeks I've been here. I'm so excited for this Saturday! No one is more deserving of being baptized than her!

 

I love being able to see how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ really does bless the lives of everyone that tries to live it. Of course no one is perfect, but as long as they strive as hard as they can to do what they're supposed to they will be blessed. Cause that's just how it works. That's how the cookie crumbles. I love this gospel so much! I love the opportunity I have now to be able to share it with everyone I meet. I just love being a missionary!

Oh yeah! Another cool little story. So we had zone conference yesterday, and they're always cool meetings. The spirit there is always so amazing and I always learn so much. One thing I got out of it was being happy and positive and how missionary work is 90% attitude. So on our way home we were talking about this and how we're going to be happy no matter what now. Well when we walk around we like to look on the ground, you can find some of the best things! (we found 3 spiderman masks!) I always look for lucky pennies. Anyways there's always good stuff on the ground. haha it's not as bad as it sounds. Anywho I was looking at the ground and I noticed a piece of paper that looks like a fortune and it was!!! (sidenote: I love fortune cookies a LOT!) The fortune said "Don't pursue happiness. Create it!" It blew all our minds that the random ground fortune went exactly with zone conference. Crazy tender mercy!

I love you all!

Sis. Ririe