Transfers and Loads of SNOW!! Jan 26, 2015

Riah's P-day was changed to Tues this week because of the snow storm they received over the weekend.  They were hoping for one more day to be able to get all of the snow cleared out so they would be able to drive.  Her group email was short again this week as she ran out of time trying to get pics and videos downloaded. The pics and videos failed to send so we only ended up with 4 pictures. But..that's better than nothing.  She will send more next week hopefully!  Her emails to mom and dad provided a little more information so I will share some of that on this blog as well:)  Here is her group email..

"Hey all!!

Wow, the past 6 weeks REALLY flew, I can't believe we just had transfers again. Sorry for the quick email last week, but it's probably gonna happen again this week haha!! There's just a lot that's going to have to wait til after I can tell y'all in person :)

So I actually got transferred AGAIN this transfer!! (She lives in Alexandria and her new companion is Hermana Craner-from Arizona..I think) I was only able to spend 6 weeks in my last area but that's ok!! I am excited to be able to take on a new area!! I love the mission! Biggest news of this past week well haha winter storm Jonas passed through and we haven't been able to use our cars for a while because of all the snow.. it started around 1 pm on Friday and snowed all the way through Saturday into midnight.. we got SO MUCH SNOW. I have never seen so much in my life! It's cuz we have no mountains here to catch it haha :)

It was so bad that church was cancelled on Sunday, but we were able to do a mini little sacrament meeting with the other 4 elders and 2 sisters that live in our complex!! It was fun and super different!!

Sorry I'm out of time! More to come next week!! :)"

The following is from the email  that she wrote to me:)

"So, we have had a bit of downtime.. Saturday was SO bad pretty much all the missionaries had to just stay inside. We went outside for a little bit though...HAHAHAHA man I have never seen so much snow in my LIFE. Seriously, this storm was SO much worse than last year! And HA now on the roads (we just barely are allowed to use our cars again today, but just during the day not at night..) there is only like one lane open on 3 lane roads cuz there is just SO much snow, like MOUNDS and no where to put it!! Next week we're supposed to be in like the 50s though so it will probably all melt.. ha but LUCKY we didn't have to dig our car out :) Our complex here where I am (yeah, can't believe I got transferred still!! I'll tell you more about that in a sec) has an underground parking garage so #lucky #blessed #spoiled :)

We helped push some people out though that were stuck in the roads and we trucked it through the snow walking.. we live outside our area cuz they just recently moved since where they lived before was kinda sketch and getting a little dangerous. So to walk to the closest place in our area would have been like 8 miles.. which would NOT have worked, we would not even have been able to make it! So we got permission to proselyte around here, and we actually do have an investigator that lives semi-close so we were able to walk to him and his family's house and talk with people/help people on the way!! :)"

We sent Riah a copy of the two pictures above that a member in DC posted to the DC missionary mom's Facebook account. Here was her response to those pics..and she included the following picture of a car on the side of the road. Wow!!

"HAHA yeah that nieve looks about right.. "

Riah said that the area she is in needs a lot of missionary work. She said that she is up to the task and is excited to help get this area up and running. Hopefully they will be able to find more investigators. She said there are very few right now. Please pray for her and her comp to be able to find prepared people:) 

Here is a picture of all the Hermanas (except 2) on transfer day.

DC!! Jan 18, 2016

Hey everyone, short on time today cuz we are going to downtown DC!

Transfers are this week and my comp Hna Mugleston and I are really hoping to stay together, but we will find out tomorrow night. I love you all and will write more next week!

Alma 37:6- do the small and simple things. You will see great things happen!! :)

Hermana Riddle :)

We had an awesome "Endure to the End" meeting with all the missionaries who will be going home within the next 4 months, and we got to sign a flag that the mission will keep through the three years that President and Sister Huntsman are here, committing to endure to the end and hold nothing back, to give it all we've got!! :)

All 6 of these missionaries are going home on the same day. 4 of these girls are coming home to Utah:)

Even though this letter is short..Jared and I both got some very detailed letters from her this week. She has been having to take care of a bunch of stuff for college, Mexico, Dr appts, tests and such for her diabetes. So.. she hasn't had a lot of time to just take a break and have some downtime on P-days. She said she has never been so busy or worked harder on her mission than she has in the past few weeks! She goes to bed absolutely exhausted every night. She is loving it though. Talk about enduring to the end..I'm so proud of her!

Here is something she shared with Jared this past week..

"The mission really is a fight, but it is SO rewarding. I have loved every second, the good, the bad, and am ready to take on more! The more the Lord gives me the stronger I know I am going to become going through it. There are a lot of times I feel on the verge of crying, because I REALLY don't want to leave my mission. A few tears just tolled down my cheek at this moment actually. I have put SO much love and effort into everything here and I feel as though the reason WHY behind all of the things I am doing, filling my day being super busy running around and trying to help as many people as I can all stems back to that love I have for them."

Here are a few more pics of our happy missionary. 

Sorry!! Jan 11, 2016

Hey everyone, I know this is like the shortest email in history I've ever sent haha but I don't have any time left!! This week has been great and we have been able to see so many miracles, as always! It's the little things that count!!

Transfers are next week and my trainer goes home :( We've been able to serve almost our whole missions out here together (well, not as companions haha) so it'll be sad!!

Look for a miracle this week!! :)

LOVE YOU ALL.

Hermana Riddle :)

El dia de los Reyes Magos was last week so we got  a mini rosca from an investigator who made it for us :) (you have to cut it slice by slice and whoever cuts into the little plastic baby Jesus on the inside has to make tamales haha :))

Oh and sorry it's so blurry the lighting was bad...

Here is some other info that she sent in her email to me...

We had MLC (mission leadership conference) this past week and a lot is changing. First of all, Transfer meetings are now banned worldwide, so um, president Hunstman was 6 months ahead of the game haha #inspired man. Second, we have now a new rule that we can't use iCloud photo sharing at all cuz it is getting out of hand with some missionaries.... :( I know it is kind of a bummer but it'll only be 3 months so yeah. Then we had a lot of other things change for our mission but not too drastic in affecting things at home... OH. Except for yeah I guess that Hermana Pettit talked with Sis Anderson in the office and we are for sure confirmed going home the 22nd of April... so, with that being said I should be getting my info and papers to fill out this Wednesday for my flight plans cuz we have a meeting for those of us who are going home within the next three transfers that they do every three transfers. The meeting is called the "enduring to the end" meeting, and it just happens to fall on the week that we would be getting our flight plans so I'll have to let you know for sure. That is so weird that the church or mission hasn't said anything to you yet though!! We haven't formally been told even though either so yeah...

They have a baptism scheduled for Feb 7th.  She said they are crazy busy and teaching a lot of people right now! She and her companion have been sick this past week but they've just been plowing through it. She also said this..."We have seen so many miracles but also CRAZY things lately.. Satan is REAL and is trying HARDER today more than ever.. he is getting stronger and stronger in his influence on people and it is just so sad. But we have been able to help a lot of people!!"

Hello 2016!! Jan 4, 2016

Hey all!

This week was absolutely amazing. Time is FLYING. Aw man, we have so much work in our area there is literally no time to just THINK. But we are grateful for all the blessings the Lord has given us and the miracles we have been able to witness firsthand!

This past week we had interviews with our mission president, which went super well and we also went on exchanges with Hermanas Pettit and Peabody, who have both been my companions before! PLUS I got to go back to Springlake, my first area, which was super fun!! Didn't get to see any of my people but still good to be back in the area for a day :)

This past week we started the New Year off with a bang and  had a new years "party"/activity and played a volleyball tournament with our zone that got super intense, as well as watched Ephraim's Rescue. If you are in the mood for cheesy and a reality check then this is the perfect movie for you. I can't believe how much the pioneers TRULY sacrificed in order make it here to follow God and make it here to the Salt Lake Valley.

Speaking of sacrifice and the New year, what are YOU willing to sacrifice in order to make this year better? What are you willing to let go of from the year 2015 that is going to make you stronger this year and more capable to reach your full potential? This morning we did an activity with a recent convert in our ward (Angel) and the 1st counselor from the bishopric (Dany), which trust me from the picture below, Angel doesn't normally look like that hahaha we died when we saw this picture... but the activity was where we wrote all of the things we wanted to let go this year from 2015, tied it on a balloon filled with helium, and LET THEM GO. Time to start fresh!! :) I am so grateful for this new year and the opportunity we have through Jesus Christ to START OVER and reach our full potential! Let's make 2016 an awesome one!! :)

Love,

Hermana Riddle :)

PS we took a picture for the end of 2015 and were supposed to take a 2016 one the next day but we forgot.. so.. happy goodbye 2015 everyone :)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Dec 28, 2015

"Hello everyone!!

This past week was amazing, as is every week on the mission. In the moment sometimes (only sometimes, haha)  it does not seem so great but looking back on EVERYTHING I can honestly say I am SO grateful for ALL of the ups AND the downs I have had on my mission thus far, and have been able to see that I really am truly blessed to have had the opportunity to gain a testimony of my Savior Jesus Christ and come closer to Him as I serve as His representative. This past week with Christmas I was able to reflect on how grateful I TRULY am for the wonderful family and friends and friends' families whose interaction and love  I have been blessed with in my life. I could not express to you in words how much love I feel for each and every one of you and how much you truly mean to me! You are all incredible!! :)

This week with it being the week of Christmas as well we were given many opportunities to render service to our fellow men. Whether it was talking to someone on the street, visiting someone who is lonely, or just providing a simple thank you and a gift for the amazing people we are surrounded with and have been able to get to know has made all the difference. It is true when they say that "when you lose yourself you find yourself," because really, we all are sons and daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us so much. I hope you all have come to know that, to have truly been able to FIND yourself and recognize that you yourself ARE a beloved son or daughter of the one and only God. He loves us so much, in fact, that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to be born upon the earth, and provide a Savior for us. Christ is only one who can bridge the lonely gap between God and man, who suffered so much pain and sorrow so that we, WE, all of humankind, could be saved from all the unnecessary evils of the world. Our Savior's birth will always mark a special place in my heart, as every Christmas I am able to reflect and remember the miracle of His birth and the role it plays in all of our lives. For this is when the earthly life of our beloved Savior and Redeemer of our souls began, and because of this, we celebrate.

I love you all and hope you had a Merry and Miracle-filled Christmas. Look for a miracle in every day, I promise you they are there!!

Until next year ;)

Hermana Riddle :)

PS on Christmas Eve we sang as a mission at the DC Temple Visitor's Center and it was a BLAST. The audience was filled and the Spirit of CHRISTmas was definitely felt!! I'll include a link below to the video that was recorded by a member who was there. The second (set of pics are) just pics of all of us in the mish who came out into the field together :)" Wow! They will have a lot of sisters leaving in April!

The above pic was taken at the temple program..click on links below to watch the video of them singing. Mariah is playing the keyboard in the first half so watch for her there!

Part 1 of Christmas Eve program at DC Temple Visitors Center

Part 2 of Christmas Eve Program at DC Temple Visitors Center

Riah said that she really enjoyed talking to the family on Christmas. She said that she didn't realize it until it was happening but it was really something that she needed. Just a little boost that helped her to continue pushing forward to finish strong.  Below are some things that she shared in her letter to me.. 

"The rest of Christmas was great!! We were able to have a good Christmas Breakfast earlier in the day, and Hispanics celebrate Christmas on the 24th so we had a Christmas lunch type thing that day.. haha we had SO many people that wanted us over on the 24th but we couldn't cuz we had to leave at 3:00 to be at the visitor's center on time to rehearse and have a little snack and stuff before we performed... it was fun though!! On Christmas we went around and dropped off the cookies and treats we had made to investigator's and members and had a really good lesson that night!! We went to an investigator's house and were able to meet another family that lives close to them that are their friends and share a Christmas message with them. The spirit was super present and we also had a member and a less active that came with us so it was really good!! I love Christmas on the mission, you really are able to just focus on the true meaning of Christmas and serving others!! :)

Haha with skyping everyone I think that yeah everyone has changed, they all seem so much older, it is SO weird how time passes so quick and how much can actually change in so little at the same time!!

We were actually able to go to a dinner last night in the house of someone that we ran into at church that's in the English ward from our same building who just happens to be in town that got home from his mission 6 months ago and knew Hermana Mugleston in Highschool. His family moved out here like a day or two after he left on his mission.. he's going to BYU provo though. We were able to talk to him a bit about what it is like to adjust coming back home, and he just said it's weird cuz everyone is so much older, and you kindof feel like you are on laughing gas for like a week just feeling like you are in the right place, but not in the right place at the same time cuz it's just such a weird adjustment. I'd have to explain that more after but pretty sure that's what's gonna happen to me haha...."

We received a bunch of pics this week including some beautiful pictures of the DC temple at Christmastime:) See below. Also..I think she was a little spoiled for Christmas. Thank you everyone who remembered her at this time of year. Thank you for your support! I will be working on another blog soon about all the interesting things we found out from her in our Christmas call. Such a blessing to have been able to talk to her:)

Pics of her apartment and gifts...

Cute video and pics of them opening their Christmas jammies!