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!

FELIZ NAVIDAD!!-Dec 21, 2015

"Hello everyone!!

I'm sure you have already been hearing this from everyone else but MAN I cannot believe it is already Christmas again!! I LOVE being a missionary during this time of year, and am SO sad that it is my last!! Christmas on the mission truly is the best :) 

Ok, so A LOT has happened this week. Like, SO MUCH. We have been so busy we haven't even had time to think! But, I am SO grateful for the Lord's work and the opportunity I have to be a part of it!! 

On Monday we went to the DC temple visitors center and had a blast. Really, if you haven't been to temple square in Salt Lake to see the lights yet GO. Tuesday we had the opportunity to go share the #ASaviorIsBorn campaign at the metro station, and it was SO fun. I loved being able to share my testimony with so many through action! I also just love the true spirit of Christmas and just seeing the joy in people's faces as we even just say hi or Merry Christmas to them, or even just a smile! Little things go a LONG way!!

Thursday an amazing thing happened, so us and another set of elders stopped by at the church to meet up with a member really quick who ended up having to leave super fast, but he gave each of us missionaries a HUGE bag individually of gifts, which was SO thoughtful! With just fun Christmas things and A LOT of food! #hispanicculture. Well, when we were about to leave this random lady walked in who isn't a member of the LDS church and asked if she could get some help. She was running SUPER low on gas and didn't have any money but needed to get home, and said that out of all the places to pull into she just happened to look at the church when we were walking in and was like "oh thank goodness they're open!!" haha. So she came in and long story short she told us her life story and basically expressed to us that even though she has so little she is SO grateful to God for what she DOES have. Well the Elders just volunteered to have her follow them over to the gas station to pay for her gas and were able to have more conversation with her. We all gave her our gifts we had been given for her kids to have this Christmas, and it really was just such a neat experience. Something you can't put into words. Again, sharing testimony through action is the BEST way to

feel our Savior's love as we help other feel the same!!

Friday we had our Mission Christmas Conference which was spectacular!! I wish I could describe everything but the last couple hours we always have a talent show where missionaries sign up and they make a program for missionaries to be able to share the things they love!! Haha the whole Spanish program all asked to borrow traditional clothing from the members of our wards to be able to perform a number FELIZ NAVIDAD. Haha, they asked me to choreograph for it and I did, but.... missionaries+dancing+notime=funny. So I will have to show you all that video when I get home hahahaha :) :)

On Sunday we were able to see our beautiful investigator Sindi be get baptized. It was SUCH an amazing moment, words cannot describe the Spirit that was felt there. She is an AWESOME person, I wish you all could meet her. We were standing in the side waiting for her to get out of the font, and when they opened the curtains to the font you could just SEE the light and warmth radiating onto her and that our Heavenly Father was SO pleased with her with this covenant and promise she was to make with Him. We are so excited for her to be able to be confirmed as a member next Sunday and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!

This past week has been filled with a few practices as well for the performance we will be doing on Christmas Eve at the DC Temple Visitor's Center. I've been helping out with extra sound effects on the keyboard and will be playing that and one of the full songs on it that night. It should be super fun! I wish you guys could come haha. BUT. I hope you have a WONDERFUL Christmas Eve and a CHEERY Christmas with your families this week!! 

I love you all and just remember that our Savior does too! That because he was born he was able to complete all that he was sent here by his Father to do. To heal us all. May we all remember the Spirit of CHRISTmas this week as we celebrate the birth of our Savior and Redeemer!! :)

Les amo mucho!!!

Hermana Riddle :)

PS Sorry for the blurriness on the pics!!"

This last picture shows the comparison from last years Mission Christmas Conference to this years. (The smaller pic is last year) These girls came out of the MTC into the mission together. Hermanas Mugleston, Riddle, and Pettit. Beautiful girls!! 

Here are just a couple of other things that Mariah shared in answer to some of my questions...

"We have been to the visitors center a lot lately, either working there or bringing investigators there. It is nice cuz we are the area that lives the closest to it. (She is like 25 mins away) It is SUCH an awesome tool and brings SUCH a spirit during this season of the festival of lights!! It makes me miss SL temple lights and makes me wonder HOW hectic it must be for the missionaries working there right now.. CRAZY!! But I will have to take you guys out here during the Christmas season cuz it is BEAUTIFUL.

UH.. It would take a while to explain to you the responsibilities as STL through email, so I'll just save that for later, haha. We don't travel around too much really, just more meetings and places to be. We switch off driving cuz as STLs that's just how it is. Every other day! Dang I wish we had snow!!! It doesn't even really feel like Christmas here!! It's like 62 degrees outside today!!"

We are so excited to be able to talk to Riah on Christmas!! Can't wait! I feel like a little kid waiting for Santa! :)

BELLA VISTA- Dec 14, 2015

"Hello all!!

I am SO sorry but it's like I never have time to write anymore!!  This week we had transfers, and after being in the same area (Sudley) for almost 8 months of my mission I have left!!! It was bittersweet. I am now in an area called Bella Vista, and I LOVE it so far. President Hunstman has asked me to serve as Sister Training Leader with my wonderful companion Hermana Mugleston (we were in the MTC together) here! We have been having so much fun while working hard and seeing miracles here!!

Last week we went to "El Mirador," if you look in the back of the pic you'll see the flag of El Salvador, which is FAMOUS for pupusas... if you haven't had pupusas I am sorry.. you are missing out!! The the night before I left Sudley we were able to go see the choir performance of Karina (our Recent Convert)'s son in school. I haven't been in an elementary school forever!! It was so cute!!

We had our ward Christmas party this week as well which was super great, we had a lot of investigators and members show up! We were also able to go work in the DC Temple Visitor's Center again, and took pics with the lights!! Not really anything compared to Salt Lake but still SO beautiful!! I love the temple!! :)

Man I wish I could tell you all a lot more, but there's just not enough time!! I have two scriptures of the week: Isaiah 9:6- the reason for the season! And 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 #charityneverfaileth

Show your Charity and Love and do something nice for someone this week!! 'Tis the season!! :)

Love you all! Until next week,

Hermana Riddle :)"

El Mirador-Salvadorian papusas

Riah's last day with her District in Sudley

 

Choir performance at an Elementary School

I knew that Riah had been transferred so this week I asked Riah a bunch of questions about her new area and what happened with transfers. Here are some of her responses to my questions....

"My new area is awesome!! Hermana Mugleston and I are serving together as Sister Training Leaders now!! We have been having a BLAST. We are SO excited to be able to be companions and work together, we have a baptism on next Sunday, the 20th. Her name is ______ and she is SO awesome! Please pray for her! We have a lot of people progressing and SO CLOSE.....

I got to say the opening prayer in sacrament meeting my first Sunday here in Bella Vista, haha :) I have had a LOT of people tell me that I sound Hispanic when I talk haha.. I still don't feel like it but whatever :)

Hermana Peabody and Pettit stayed together in Springlake, Hermana Craner went back to Little River to go kill Hermana Moberly, Hermana McMillan went to Sudley with my old comp Hna Christensen, and Hermana Atkinson and Mensinger stayed together on the other side of Sudley, as well as Hermana Tate and Bliss stayed together in Old Town :) Fun fun!!

I'm glad you were able to talk to Javier and his family..:) Did you not get to take pics with them?

(We were able to meet the Flores family..a family from Mariah's area in Sudley who moved here to West Valley. Javier was the ward mission leader and his wife was the Young Womens President in Riah's ward. It was so good to meet them and talk about Riah, the ward, DC, and how the mission is going. No, we didn't take pics which is not like me at all but I was a little out of it just being a day after my shoulder surgery. We have plans to meet up with them again for a dinner in January so I will redeem myself then)

If you haven't heard about my return date I guess it maybe isn't changing then?!!

We have 6 missionaries in our district. Elder Gosain is our DL, and his comp is Elder Randall. Then we have Elders Purser and Coburn (Coburn was in Sudley with me the past 2 transfers). But yeah, small district!! It's weird!

Um, so my new apartment and area? I would say it's kinda like downtown Salt Lake. A lot more busy place than Springlake and Sudley.. There are a LOT of filthy rich people that live here in McLean though.. This area covers Falls Church, McLean, parts of Vienna, and Arlington! It's not as big as Sudley cuz Sudley is huge but still a good place!! :)

We actually went back to the visitors center on Friday night to help out again and we are going this Saturday as well! We also go with people in our ward during the week sometimes with investigators or less actives to see the lights!! We have been practicing for the concert that our mission will be performing at the visitors center on Christmas Eve, and man I have just gotten thrown on the piano and keyboard for things haha!! But it'll be good!!

Here is a picture of Riah and her new companion Hermana Mugleston. I am sure this is a familiar face to you as Riah and her have served a huge chunk of their missions together in the same areas:)