Her group email this week
"Can I just say, I love you all!!
This week was super fun, haha :) lots of fun experiences.. it snowed AGAIN A LOT!! We couldn't drive for a whole day, and we walked about 7 miles in the cold snow trudging that day (March 5th).. still a bit sore but it was super fun and hilarious still! We finally were able to go to church this week after not having had it the past 2 weeks, and it was so good to go again and be able to introduce my companion to a bunch of the members in our ward!
Just to sum up this past week, we went on exchanges with our Sister Training leaders on Tuesday, and I was able to leave the area for a bit to Little River and see my MTC companion Hermana Pettit who was at a dinner we had that night! Speaking of that dinner, aw man, they feed you so much here. After I choked down the last of my food, she asked if they wanted some soup and I told her I was ok, that I was full, but the rest of them wanted it so she kind of got mad (in a joking way) and I had to choke that down as well. Don't get me wrong, the food is SO good, they just give you a lot!! The Spanish culture is so different but I love it so much!! At the end of exchanges we met a guy while knocking doors, and he was from Spain. Things were going well and he was understanding and opening up a lot until his dad, who was drunk came and started taking the conversation down a whole different route. Nothing was really able to come of it except for that they were able to come from believing that we just die and that's it to that there is actually life after this one. It was super cool! The rest of this week we have been blessed to be able to find prepared people to receive the gospel, who I KNOW have been placed in our path for a reason.
Ok two real quick experiences of some of them. So last Thursday we were planning on going to the post office because Hermana Mensinger needed to send a package, and couldn't because it snowed really hard and we couldn't drive, so we went Friday instead. I thought I knew where the post office was, cuz we had been there before, but turns out we got a little lost and got there a few minutes later than planned. Right when we walk in, one of the ladies at the post office starts to help the man in front of us, and he just stands there and says, "No comprendo." (I don't understand). So he doesn't speak English at all. The lady kind of looked a little nervous because she only spoke English and her native Indian language, along with the other lady there. She looked around and I just offered to help and told her I speak Spanish. So I was able to help the man send off his package, (SUCH a cute little man!) and we made some small talk with him. Found out he is from El Salvador (there are a LOT of them in this area) and he gave us his name (Fredis) and address to go and teach him and his family! Thinking back on the experience, I KNOW that God had a hand in all that, and that He just has a marvelous plan. I know that he sent snow for a reason the day before. I know that our GPS glitched and then told us to make a U-turn to throw us out of the way just enough for us to make it in time to meet Fredis. I know that I was sent here to learn and preach the gospel in Spanish for a reason! SO cool!
Ok, second experience.. so we kind of had the same sort of experience with driving but that we were trying to find visitors parking and there wasn't any, so we just pulled into a shop close by and walked to an appointment we originally had set. This was just last night and we found a guy taking the trash out and started talking to him, he is from Honduras, and he has three daughters. We shared a little message and a video with him, and he invited us to come and share more a different day and thanked us sincerely for the visit. He seemed super interested and you could see that he really had a desire to hear more. SO COOL how everything plays out when you are a missionary!
Well, I could go on and on with stories but those will have to be saved for a day further in the future. I can't express how much I enjoy being a missionary, and bringing the joy and happiness that this gospel brings me into the lives of God's children who have not yet had the opportunity to hear it. I love the Spanish language and I love everything about being out here and serving my Heavenly Father with everything I've got :)
I love you all and hope that you have an awesome week! May God bless you in your paths! :)
Mucho amor,
Hermana Mariah Riddle :)
P.S. we were also able to go to the Washington DC temple visitors center this week and watch Meet the Mormons. Such a neat and spiritual experience it is every time we are able to go to the visitors center. I encourage those of you who can to go to the visitors center in Salt Lake and learn more about the church's history and who we truly are and where we come from!! It will be an awesome experience I promise!"
So..like I said in the last post-Mariah got permission to sign on to our Icloud and share pics and videos. Below is a a silly video that she took after walking in the snow. Hopefully Mariah won't mind if I share it..haha:)
Mariah had planned to go the the Air and Space Museum in Chantilly on her P-day this week but she got sick and wasn't feeling very well so they just took it easy. I am sure that her walking out in the snow and freezing cold didn't help the situation but luckily she is feeling much better now.
Some of the funniest pictures came in this week. I guess I will share a few of those too:) We still picture Mariah looking like herself as shown in the first pic but apparently she looks totally different now. Take a look:)
She and her new companion get along really well and it appears that they both have similar personalities. Looks like they are having a lot of fun together but they are also having much success. In her emails to us she mentions many investigators that she wants us to pray for and she also mentions that they have been teaching a lot. So glad to hear that.
To end this post I just want to share one last video that gives us all an idea of the relationship that she has with her companion. So fun to see that they enjoy each others company:)
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