Mother's Day! Yay!

I just can't possibly put in to words how great it was to hear and see Mariah on Mother's Day! We had such a fun time talking to her.  She looks great!  We posted some pics and a video on Facebook which I guess I will include here too. But, I also wanted to include a video of her sharing her testimony in Spanish as well.  If you don't know the language I am sure you will be able to feel the spirit of it which is something that Mariah talked about in her group email this week.

Here is her group email from Monday, May 11th (the day after Mother's Day)

"Hello everyone!!

First of all, I just want to start out with... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY YESTERDAY!! I GOT TO TALK TO MY MOM (and family!) !!!! :) :)

We have transfers this upcoming Thursday, and I am pretty sure I will be leaving Springlake since I have been in this area for 6 months.. I'm going to miss it but I am really excited for the new adventures that lay ahead!! :) In that case, next Monday I will send out my new address.

So this week was crazy super busy!! We had a half mission conference last week and it was SO COOL. WE talked about being BOLD and the story of Nehemiah. I don't know how many of you have read that story in the Bible before, in the book of Nehemiah, but I sure hadn't until last week! I'll give you a run down.. So Jerusalem is destroyed by the Persians and there is a need to rebuild the wall. So Nehemiah is the cup bearer of the king and decides he is going to run this project, well long story short the wall ends up being finished in 52 days, and GUESS WHAT? We have a full mission conference where we will be switching Mission Presidents 52 DAYS from the day we had the 1/2 mission conferences!! WHAT?!! So, we are going to REBUILD our wall as a mission, and help a miraculous amount of people come unto Christ and receive this restored gospel! It's really time to buckle up and trust in God like we never have before! To seriously just lay in all on the line and give it all we've got! I am so stoked!! We talked about 6 different areas that our mission can be better bold in: Bold in Prayer, Bold in Obedience, Boldin Scripture study, Bold in Bearing Testimony, Bold in INVITING, Bold in GOALS!! I know these goals are something set specifically for our mission, but I encourage all of you to do the same!! Pray to your Heavenly Father for help and guidance in your life, and ask specific questions.. they will be answered! We need to be Passionate people!!! And you never know.. you may be someone else's answer to a prayer! :)

Well, I don't want to take up too much more space but I just want to share a really cool thing that happened this past week. So one of the members in our ward just moved to the English ward and so the English sisters that live in our apartment complex that we talk to a lot were invited to a lunch with both us and them at her house. When we got there before we knocked the Sisters asked if the member spoke any English and we were like... "Ehhhh, a little!" Well, come to find out yeah it really was only a little. But as we started to talk to her she started to open up to us about some of her doubts and things about the church, and COOLEST THING my companion, Hermana Mensinger had felt like she just needed to study this certain talk from the April 2013 General Conference called, "Lord, I Believe" by Jeffrey R Holland. We had discussed a few points we really liked that morning and come to find out that is EXACTLY what the member needed!!! She was so touched and overwhelmed by the Spirit, and it was SO STRONG in the room! Anyone in that room could NOT have denied what they felt!!  Later when we walked out of the house the English sisters afterwards were just in awe. One of them looked over at me and was just like, "I can't believe it." And I was like, "What?" She said, "I felt that. I didn't understand a WORD you or her were saying, but I felt that. And when you stopped to explain kind of what was going on it's like it was just a confirmation of what I had already felt was going on. I could feel and I KNEW what you were talking about and what was happening through the spirit. I don't even understand a lick of Spanish!!" It was amazing. The language of the spirit is real folks. It's not something I can even DESCRIBE. It is a language of feelings, and speaks to all, if you will just let it in. Doesn't matter what race you are, or what language you speak.. the language of the spirit is available to ALL, and can be understood as we open our hearts and come unto Christ by letting it in. It truly is wonderful.

Well I best be going now, I am excited for transfers this week and for the opportunity I have to be here serving a mission in Washington DC!! I love you all and pray for you! Have a fantastic week!!

Before I close I just want to say a few words letting you all know how awesome my mom is. She is one of a kind. I love her, and I know she loves me. You want to know why I know she loves me? Because of her ACTIONS. Her kind words, her worries, her cares, I feel like with how much she cares about me there is just NOT enough room in her heart for ANY MORE, but guess what? There is!!! My mom is a superhero. I love her with all my hear and I want her to know how appreciative I am for all that she has taught me, and for being the example to me that NO ONE ELSE on this earth could have EVER set for me. I will be eternally grateful for her and her genuine, kind, fun personality. Thanks for sharing with me mom ;) I LOVE YOU!!

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Riddle :)

PS this is a caboose in Herndon, VA that we couldn't pass up to take pictures by :)"

Mariah shared with me some of her personal goals in which she will choose to be BOLD. I know I am her mom but I just know that she is an AMAZING missionary! She truly loves her Savior and has such a strong desire to bring others to Christ.  She is continually striving each day to be obedient so that she is deserving of the blessings that come along with obedience. 

If any of you know me well you would know that I cried when I read that last paragraph in her group email.  What a sweetheart! I really am not deserving of how kind she was about me in that! Before I go on about how great she is and how she made my Mother's Day extra special I want to share the video of her testimony in Spanish that I was talking about. Here it is!

So..for Mother's Day I was completely surprised to receive a letter and gift from Mariah!  Like, how in the world did she have the time to think of me specifically!? Here is what she did...

Mariah sent me a really nice letter that included the pic below of her ready to eat Cinnastack pancakes from IHOP. (IHOP is one of the last places that she and I went together to eat before she left on her mission).  In the letter she said that she made the "sacrifice" to go to IHOP and order the pancakes so that she could take a picture of her there. She sent me a gift card to IHOP so that I could go and get some Cinnastack pancakes (which are my favorite) and "share" a meal with her.  WOW Riah!  That was so thoughtful.  A way to share a meal and have her close to me when she is so far away.  I feel so blessed to have such a special daughter. I'm going to take a pic just like this one below and send it back to her when I go there:)

Mariah has transfers this week and thinks that she is going to be transferred to a new area.  She has been in the same area for her whole mission so far so I'm excited and nervous to see what awaits her.

Here are some of the pics that we took on Mother's Day! Hope all of you Mother's had a happy one!

 

May 4, 2015

Group email from May, 4 2015

"Hey all!! Man I can't believe it's May.. What??

This week was SUPER awesome!! We had a sisters conference as well as a zone conference so lots of things that just got me SUPER pumped to preach the gospel and go do more work!! I love this church!! Man, I am so glad I have so much time left to dedicate to my Savior! With how fast these first 7 months have flown by though I dunno.... :(

Transfers are coming up this next week on the 14th of May and I am feeling like I'll be leaving, almost 100% sure I'll be transferred to a different area. I am going to miss Springlake, but it was fun while it lasted! Hopefully I will get sent back here and be able to finish up my mission in this area!! Right now one of our investigators, Luis, was really progressing. But some super difficult trials came up in his life that has taken him for a turn. He still loves meeting with us but you can tell he is in desperate need for the gospel in his life right now. Please pray for him!! Also, we met a guy two weeks ago as we were just walking out in the parking lot of our apartment complex. His name is Diego, and he was just picking up something from a friend real quick so he doesn't live in our complex, but long story short we had to transfer him to the elders but he said that once he received all the lessons why not be baptized?! He was super interested and I KNOW we were supposed to run into him that day!! The Lord really does work miracles!

This past week we have been going through our investigators and really just focusing in the ones who are wanting to listen and saving the ones who really don't for the future missionaries... :/ It sad how many people don't understand the full magnitude of this gospel and the joy it can bring!!! BUT there are SO MANY people that God has prepared in our path that are ready to hear and accept His message. It's our job as missionaries to find them!! That is why it is so important to pay attention to the Spirit and recognize when it is trying to tell you something, and ACT on it even if it doesn't make sense in the moment! Cuz something good will always come out of it!

That was one of the things we really focused on this past week in Zone Conference, was the role of the Holy Ghost in our lives and our purpose. A scripture I really like is in Hebrews 11:6-

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."

God is a rewarder. We need to lay claim on the promises God has given us. Because how can we receive the blessing of a promise we don't believe is possible? You just can't! That is why it is so important to have Faith. Not only Faith. Because faith by itself is nothing. We must have faith IN something in order for things to come to pass. We MUST center our faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. His enabling power to heal us and lighten our burdens IF we will just put our faith in him. (Matt 11:28-30-read it :))

Quote of the week:
"As a human, we are in the "practice of" celestial life. :)"

Les amo MUCHISIMO.

Hasta luego,

Hermana Riddle :)"

We received this photo on the cloud and she put a caption on it saying that a member that she ate with that night cut the watermelon wedges bigger than their faces!  You can't tell in the pic but she said that it was seriously bigger than her face:)

Here are some other photos that came through from that day I'm pretty sure they were singing. We get a lot of videos of these two singing. Fun times:) Enjoy!

 

Busy life just gets the best of me and I continue to get behind with this blog.  Luckily for me Mariah writes some awesome group emails that share a lot. Something that is not included in this group email is that Mariah has been sick with stomach issues for the past few weeks. She has been taking some medicine and keeping in touch with the mission doctor so hopefully they'll be able to figure out whats going on.  Please pray for her!

April 27, 2015

Group Email April 27, 2015

"This week was super great!! We had a tornado warning last week here so we had to go take shelter for a bit, so that was fun!! It was raining SO hard!! Hmm let's see what else.. man, SO much happens in one week!! It's so crazy!! The weeks just BREEZE by!!

This past week I have really been able to see the effect the Book of Mormon can have on a person. If you haven't read it yet, DO IT. And if you have, DO IT AGAIN! And again and again and again!! God works in mysterious ways, a lot of times He answers our prayers or questions of the soul with the scriptures! Especially the Book of Mormon!! It is impossible to express how much I have seen that this book has blessed my life... I just want that same joy and happiness for everyone I come in contact with!! I encourage those of you who have gained a personal testimony and strong conviction that this book is true, to share it with your friends, family, coworkers, etc. Let's flood the earth with goodness!! :) And if you haven't quite gained that testimony yet, partake of the goodness!! I promise you will receive a witness and your life will be CHANGED. I know mine has!! :)

Yesterday we also had a SUPER great regional conference where both Neil L Andersen and Robert D Hales from the quorum of the 12 apostles spoke, as well as Linda S Reeves. It was AMAZING. Like basically, when Robert D Hales spoke I felt as though that was one of the reasons I came on my mission, and God knew it. I NEEDED to hear that talk and those words from a servant of the Lord. He talked about the future and raising families in love and righteousness. One of my favorite lines from the entire thing was "NEVER RAISE YOUR VOICE in your home, or your will find yourself in darkness." He talked about how the 62 years of him and his wife's marriage they NEVER raised their voice at each other, not once, and how happy they were! That pierced me to the soul. I know that in this day and age Satan is trying his hardest to attack the family unit and what the family is all about. He is distorting the perception of the family so rapidly and so sneakily that many don't even know it has hit them. I encourage all of you to BE LOVING. Towards everyone! Including and especially family. I know I have had my own trifles and arguments with family members, but as I have been on my mission and have come closer to my Savior Jesus Christ more than ever before, I have seen what PURE, true, GENUINE love can do and how if we all just had that same love our Savior has for each and every one of us how different this world would be.

On that note I just want you to know I LOVE YOU ALL. And I don't just say that I mean it!! :) Each and every one of you!!!

1-Here's a pic of a member we have become pretty close to, but she's leaving to Mexico for 3 months so won't get to really see her for a long time!! And oh man, the trees in the back?!! You just got a glimpse! Virginia is SO beautiful!! :)

2-We also went on exchanges last week, we have English Sister Training Leaders now, so it was interesting!! Basically I just spoke Spanish the whole time and didn't really have a companion who could do the same!! But it was fun!! We tried to visit some people who could speak English as well so it could be a bit easier.. haha :) #spanishprogram"

Christ will heal us all:)

So..first off here is Riah's most recent group email..

"Hey everyone!!

How are you all??!! How are things going?? And I really mean it, I wanna know, so tell me!! :) (I'll know if you did or didn't.. ;)) I figured if I am giving you an account of my week every week.. so it doesn't get boring I'd LOVE to hear how you are all doing!!

So this week was pretty great!! I know I say this all the time but it is SO crazy how fast time passes!! I get to talk to my mom in 3 weeks!! (Woot! :) )

So last week we were challenged by our district leader to share the Book of Mormon with anyone and everyone we can. One thing that makes it kindof hard is that once I get talking about the Book of Mormon, I just want to throw up my whole heart and soul onto them and just WATCH them to see if they will read the book!! Because seriously, that book has changed my life more than ANY OTHER instructions I have been given in my life!! It is SO amazing! I have seriously been able to come closer to Christ and gain more of a personal relationship with him and a testimony of his love for me through his words in the scriptures :) One scripture I LOVE LOVE at the moment is in 3 Nephi 17:5-7.

"And it came to pass that when Jesus had thus spoken, he cast his eyes round about again on the multitude, and beheld they were in tears, and did look steadfastlyupon him as if they would ask him to tarry a little longer with them...And he said unto them: Behold, my bowels are filled with compassion towards you...Have ye any that are sick among you? Bring them hither. Have ye any that are lame, or blind, or halt, or maimed, or leprous, or that are withered, or that are deaf, or that are afflicted in any manner? Bring them hither and I will heal them, for I have compassion upon you; my bowels are filled with mercy."

(I added in the italics and bold :))

I am so grateful for my Savior, and for all he did for me, and continues to do as I accept his will and apply his suffering and atonement in my life. If you haven't done so, I invite you to do so now. CHRIST. WILL. HEAL. US. ALL.

I leave this with you in his beloved and sacred name, Amen.

Until next week!!

Hermana Mariah Riddle :)

We have been teaching the Morales family for awhile now, and some of the family members are members of the church, but yesterday we were able to see Michael, the youngest son, follow the example of his Savior, Jesus Christ, by choosing to be baptized and confirmed a member the church and partake of the blessings that are sure to flow as he stays faithful. He's such a funny kid!! He's like a little teddy bear I swear!! So cute!! Here are some pics of the event :)"

 Aww..look how cute this little guy is! It is so neat to hear about all of the things Riah is doing and actually see that the work she is doing is making a difference in families:)

In Riah's last email to me she talked about the importance of missionary work and how it really is all about helping others to "Come unto Christ". Here are some of her specific feelings about the missionary work she is doing, she says that missionary work.."is all about helping ALL to come unto Christ, and helping them "move on to the next ordinance" as president Riggs likes to say.. That is something that is the hardest in the Hispanic culture is retention. They forget what they once felt/once knew because they start working or other things and start distancing themselves from the church. Which is why whenever we can get a less-active even to church to "move on to the next ordinance" and partake of the sacrament it is magnificent! I seriously love being a missionary! It's hard because Hispanics are always working, but we do have quite a few members who like to help out. And there are some that invite themselves to help a lot, which is so good! Members are KEY in fellowshipping investigators, activating new converts and reactivating inactives.. It is just hard to get it all set up and make sure everyone is in the same page! That is why I LOVE when someone just calls us and offers their home for a family night and tells us that we can just invite someone or something, it takes a lot of stress off!! :) which I am sure you guys are already awesome at that.. :)"

Hahaha..I am glad she thinks that we are awesome at that but I have to admit that even though the missionaries spend a lot of time at our house, I feel like we could do so much more as member missionaries. We all can do so much more to help them out. Just hearing from her what a great role the members play in the overall success of missionary work just makes me want to do more.  I mean, we all know (in our heads) that we need to do more but do we really feel it in our hearts? And does that feeling cause us to move? Its only fair that if I pray for the success of my daughter on her mission, and if her success is dependent on the members in her area, I'd better get on board and start helping out more at home so that the missionaries here can have success as well:) 

Mariah was also so excited to hear that a recently returned sister missionary from Virginia won the Ms Virginia pageant.  If you haven't heard about it there is an article about it in the Deseret News. This cute girl had never been in a pageant and she viewed it as a way to continue her missionary work.  She was the ONLY one who wore a one-piece swimsuit in the swimsuit competition and her goal was to "Champion modesty"  Well, she surely did that!  Interesting topic of conversation for Mariah as she is serving the people in Virginia.

Riah also mentioned in her last email that she had to stay in one day this week because she was sick. She said that she has been having some stomach problems and that food in general isn't settling well. She called the mission Dr and he had her get some medicine to help that she is supposed to take for 2 weeks. She says its frustrating when she gets sick because it makes it hard to focus. She wants to be out teaching so please pray for her to get better:)

April 6, 2015-Trip to DC and thoughts about Conference

The craziest thing happened this week!  Mariah sent a quick email to me in the morning and said that she was headed to DC so she would email a little later in the day.  Next thing you know, about 2 hours later we get this Snapchat from McKayla's friend Kason who was in DC for Lacrosse. See pic below.

I was like WHAAATTT? That is just crazy! Kason told us that they stopped off in Arlington before heading off to the airport and he was just walking on the main road and saw some sister missionaries in the distance. He thought, "Oh that's cool!" Then he looked a little closer and realized that one of them was Mariah. So..he got his snapchat ready, booked it over to her and put his arm around her (OOPS!!) and said, "I need to take a pic with you!" and then he just snapped the pic. Right after he took the pic he said, "Now, I'm going to send this to Kayla!" and that is when Riah realized that it was Kason! Hahaha. Kason said it all happened so quick and Riah said the same thing.  She didn't have any time to think. She said that she thought it was just a random person coming up to her to take a picture with a sister missionary. I guess there were some other kids with him and they were all like "You're Kayla Riddle's sister?"  They also told Kason that he shouldn't have put his arm around her! He just said it was all so sudden and he wasn't thinking. No harm done. But wow! Such a small world!  The crazy thing about it was that she can only go to DC to sight see once every transfer. So, it was weird that she just happened to be there at the same place, at the same time as Kason was in DC.

Before I go on, here is what she had to say in her group email.

"Hello all!!

Don't have tons of time today, but it's so good to be here another week in the mission, especially in having easter weekend with General Conference!! I love the leaders of the church! Such inspired men!!

Ok, so AGAIN. So much happened this week, it is just so impossible to give an account of it all, so I will just have to save lots of stories and things for after my mission :) Ha

Welp. We went to the Arlington Cemetery today and it was an AWESOME experience!!! We went and saw the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the Changing of the Guards. It is awesome, those men are incredible.

One thing I would just like to touch on before I go is the subject of "grace". President Dieter F Uchtdorf, the second counselor of the First Presidency of the Church really went into depth and a different perspective of this in general conference than I have ever tried to wrap my mind around.

There are two HUGE things he addressed happen through grace. 1-the gates of heaven are unlocked, and 2-the windows of heaven are opened through grace. We should know of God's grace and try to do our best to understand it if we intend to inherit it. God does not just want us to stop at salvation, that is not the end of God's aims for us. He wants us to become like Him. An "unlocked gate" is not enough, we must choose to ENTER it in order to receive the blessings inside. Are we comfortable in our own deeds? In DOING the things we believe to be right, but just doing them and walking around mindlessly? Or do we realize our own helplessness and confess our faults--do we shed tears of gratitude for what He did?

It is my hope that I am more like the latter. I know we are all natural men, and we tend to do things according to our own will and pleasure, whether they be good or bad things. But there is always a BETTER. That better is SUBMITTING ourselves to God and aligning our will with His. "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak... grace is what enables us to overcome sin." For it is by grace we are saved, AFTER all we can do. (2 Nephi 25:23)

I promise that as we come closer to Christ through fervent prayer and scripture study, we will never be able to fully comprehend the magnitude of God's grace, but we sure can attain it by trying our best. If you don't feel like your best is enough, keep trying, because your BEST will ALWAYS get better :)

I love you all and pray that you will have a marvelous week ahead of you!! Remember that He lives, and He is here for YOU. #becausehelives (go look it up if you haven't seen the video, I promise it will pull at your heart strings, I know it does mine.. ;))

LOVE LOVE you all!!

Isaiah 1:18

Until next week,

Hermana Mariah Riddle :)

PS here are a couple pics of us at the Arlington Cemetery today.. the one with the 4 of us is the Herndon English Sisters that live across the way from us, and we are at the colosseum :)

The second one is just funny :) Pretty blossoms in DC!! You bet I ripped my skirt for that picture.. whoops!"

        

We have been getting so many fun pics and videos on the icloud. Not sure if Riah would want everyone to see all of the videos, they are so silly..haha, but I have posted some of the pics on Facebook.  It has been so nice to be able to see what Riah is doing.  Anytime she takes pics on her ipad they come through to our photo stream and we are able to see what she has been up to that day. AMAZING!  Makes us feel so much closer to her!:)

March 30, 2015- Gracias a Que El Vive

My busy crazy life has again gotten the best of me and I am getting so behind on posting updates to this blog. This group email says everything that needs to be said.

"HOLA MIS BONITOS AMIGOS!!

This week was super awesome :) Weeks go by so fast, but there are always so many things that happen that it just isn't possible to explain everything!!

This week a bunch of missionaries are going home.. we are losing 2 awesome missionaries from our district, but that's ok, they will go on to do great things!! We are also losing one Spanish Hermana, which means we only have one native Hermana left in the mission.. haha! The rest of us Spanish hermanas are all gringas!! :)

Anyways, yesterday we were at the church for 8 1/2 HOURS. Haha, church starts at 2 and goes till 5, but we got there at 1 because Hermana Mensinger and I randomly got told that we needed to be part of this musical number for the Charla Fogonera (recent convert/returning member fireside) that night.. yeah. The Spanish program does one separate from the English, but it is super fun!! So we did the song from the band "lower lights" called "Brightly beams our Father's mercy," but in Spanish.. go look it up! Elders Rascon and Bigelow in our district had one of their CDs and Elder Rascon just kindof figured out the guitar part and I figured out some chords on the piano that day... we practiced forever and it ended up working out!! We'll have to film it sometime..

I love being a missionary!! If any of you are even CONSIDERING it, GO! It is the best decision you will ever make! I will NEVER regret my mission. Never ever. I have seen way too many lives change through the knowledge of the restoration of the gospel and through Christ's everlasting Atonement. I encourage you all to go look up the video "Because He Lives." It is the new Easter initiative put out by the church, and it is AMAZING. I will never be able to repay my Savior for all that he has done for me. I will never be able to express how grateful I am for the greatness of God's plan, and for the opportunity I have to learn and grow everyday, and to have come to a knowledge of the beautiful simple truth of the gospel and what it contains. I know I am not perfect. We all make mistakes. That is the beauty of His plan. We do NOT have to suffer or feel guilt for the things we have done... that has ALREADY been paid for, through Christ. All we have to be willing to do is accept him. Accept what he has done to make it possible for us to feel the relief and eternal joy that comes from his divine example and sacrifice for all of us.

It is my prayer that as we choose to follow his example and not only learn more of him, but come to know him personally through prayer and by living in the way he would live, that we will bring ourselves closer to him and feel of His love for both us and everyone else. I pray that as I continue in my mission, that I will be able to see people in the way that Jesus sees them. That I will be able to give that IMMEDIATE love, care, and compassion that each and every one of God's children deserves.

As general conference comes up on this lovely Easter weekend, I invite all of you to ponder your relationship with Christ, and ask God if He will but answer your prayers in how you can become closer to Him and align your will with His. I testify that He loves, He lives, and will continue to do so forever and ever, and can witness to that in the name of Jesus Christ, in whom I represent, Amen. :)

I love you all, and I thank my Heavenly father for the relationship I have with each and every one of you individually!! I pray that you will have an awesome week filled with the love and remembrance of our savior and what he has done for each of you personally!

((Mosiah 2:17))"

We have a little joke in our home about the song "Love at Home". Sorry, but it is one of my least favorite Hymns. I just don't like the tune:/ When I was younger I used to listen to a version of it that was not particularly great and so when I listen to it now I always think about that version.  So..our family made up a different tune to the song so that I can handle it a little better when we sing it haha. I wrote to Mariah and actually told her that I didn't really mind the version of it that they sang at the General Womens Conference and this was her response to that...

"The General Women's conference was STELLAR!! SO much revelation received!! Yes, the conference seriously made me feel like "I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!!" That version with Love at Home really wasn't too bad ;) The video with the families singing "The Family is of God" was a little cheesy, but cute ha :)"

Mariah also shared something that she has learned on her mission in being able to internalize the things that we are taught by the spirit and then in turn, be able to share those things with others.  A huge part of that is just writing things down as the spirit confirms and reaffirms.  Here is what Mariah had to say about what she has learned..

"One thing I used to struggle with was being able to relay over info I had been taught through the spirit. In order to do missionary work I have to be able to do that! Something that has helped me a LOT recently is some advice from Pres Riggs. Every time I am listening to one of the church leaders (even if it be in sunday school, anywhere I am able to receive revelation) I make a note of it to the side that says "TO DO:" and whenever I feel something testified to ME SPECIFICALLY that I need to change that wasn't word for word I make a note to the side saying "Mariah note:" it has helped so much!!

She said that they have been inviting people like crazy to listen and watch General Conference.  Her last words to us before conference were these..

"I WANT EVERYONE TO WATCH GENERAL CONFERENCE. I love it so so much, I am SO excited!! :)"  

I am so happy that she has such a love for the Gospel and that she loves hearing from our Church leaders. What an awesome thing it is for us to be taught at the feet of the Prophet of God and His Apostles. I am always so excited for General Conference just like she is. 

Here are some cute pics that have shown up on our Ipad recently.  Can I just say that I LOVE technology?!!

Below are the links to the Easter Video that was put out by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  One in Spanish and one in English.  This is the video that Mariah was talking about in her letter. Please take the time to watch the video if you haven't had a chance. I promise you won't regret it:)

Gracias a Que El Vive

Because He Lives

March 23, 2015-Visit to the Air and Space Museum, Big bug!!

Group Email from March 23, 2015

"Hello all!

So basically I can't put into words everything that happened this week, it would just take way too long.. but it was a super awesome spiritual-filled/ fun-filled week!

So to start out with the fun stuff--(don't get me wrong, it's all fun ;) ) This past week, in a nutshell, we were able to go to the National Air and Space Museum in Chantilly and it was SO AWESOME!!! Everything is REAL there!! They even have the EXACT space shuttle, "Discovery" that has done 150 million miles in space and took its last flight in 2011! Oh my so much cool stuff! We also got a new car this week, they are selling our old one :( The new one is a white 2013 subaru...Then a few days ago we almost got hit from a car that wasn't stopping rolling backwards down the road into us! We literally came centimeters from it! The Lord had a hand in that one!! And then to top it all off we had a HUGE bug in our apartment 2 days ago and were up for like 2 hours trying to get it. I dunno if any of you have seen a "silverfish" but that is what it was.. it looks like a huge centipede/spider thing with a bunch of long hairs and like 50 million legs!! We finally found it and the English sisters came over and killed it cuz I just couldn't, neither could my companion..

This we also had a conference about flooding the earth with the Book of Mormon, and that is what we have been challenged to do better as a mission!! It is so awesome, all the technology we have been blessed with as well as missionaries! I feel so blessed to be serving here in this day and age!! It's really cool cuz in our zone every time someone hands out a Book of Mormon or a Miracle happens we send in "miracle texts" and the zone leaders send it out to everyone in our zone. It gets us super pumped to share the gospel!! :)

One thing I really learned this week: So I had an interview with the mission president (Pres Riggs) a bit ago and he asked me how I felt about having an iPad on my mission and why I think they are giving missionaries iPads these days. My initial response was, "Well, to hasten the work!!" He then told me,"That's what I thought too, until I went to a conference for mission presidents this past week in Salt Lake..here is the real reason..." He then went on to explain how the world is getting so wicked and people are wasting so much time--and/or doing things that are not uplifting/good for the soul/helping anybody with technology. He shared a quote at the conference by Elder David F Evans regarding missionaries who said: "For many, this is the best chance--and, for some, the final chance--to develop righteous technology habits...You are dealing with problems that will not go away until the Lord comes again." WOW!! I am so grateful for the opportunity I have at this time to learn how to make proper usage of technology, and how to help others come unto Christ through it. Because that is our ultimate goal by the end of this life right? To be able to return to our Heavenly Father again. So why not start using ALL of the resources God has given us for the better, and to accomplish this purpose rather than to using those resources to distance ourselves from it?

I hope that all made sense, but I really just had my perspective widened and a reality check on what really is important and what isn't in life.

Welp, sorry this is so long, but I better get going now! I love you all, and I REALLY REALLY mean it!! :)"