Monday, September 29, 2014

So Much to Write, So Little Time

Hey y'all!

It has been a busy week full of miracles here in the Fairfield ward.  We basically had everything from exchanges to awesome member miracles to movies to teaching nearly all of our investigators at least once (we only missed Honorio who was still out of town), it was a crazy busy week.  We had one day where we didn't do anything except rush from appointment to appointment to appointment... it was the best thing ever. :)

We taught Alice twice this week, and she committed to baptism!  November 1st will be a wonderful day. :)  She came to all three hours of church and although she couldn't hear very well she started tearing up during fast and testimony meeting and loved how so many of the members took an interest in her.  I don't think I've ever met someone so sensitive to the spirit - she is so prepared, and we love teaching her!

One of our ward members, Sister LeBlanc, had an awesome member missionary miracle this week. We went out to eat Monday night with her and her family, and for some reason or another we had a lot of problems with our order. But our waitress was so helpful in working through everything with us, and when we were in the car leaving Sister LeBlanc turned to us and said, "Do you have a Book of Mormon with you? We need to go give her a Book of Mormon." Of course we had one with us, and she wrote her testimony in it and ran back inside and gave it to our waitress. When she got back in the car she exclaimed, "I love doing that! I love the feeling I get!"  It was amazing - and it goes to show that it's not only missionaries that can feel the spirit of missionary work - members can feel it too. :)

We also met with Colin - we pushed his baptismal date back to October 25th so he could be baptized with some of the other primary kids.  We're still trying to get the family to come out to church more consistently... hopefully they'll watch some of conference this week (we're trying to work out a session that we could come watch it with them) and come to church with us next week.  

Jamie is doing well.  She's still praying for her answer on whether or not the Book of Mormon is true, and she keeps telling us that she feels like it's good, and so it won't hurt her if she studies it.  We're trying to help her realize that that might be her answer.  She's super sweet, and we love visiting her.  We're hoping to watch some of conference with her, too. :)

We saw Melody and Chris this week too, and right now they are a bit frustrated... they feel like they are kind of in limbo while certain circumstances make it hard for them to get married.  But they are still strong in their decision to take a leap of faith at the beginning of the year and get married so Chris can be baptized soon after that. :)  He already refers to himself as LDS to anyone that asks.  They are so strong in their testimonies, and I admire their faith.  Yesterday Chris came to church without Melody and stayed for all 3 hours.  He was initially planning on just staying for Sacrament Meeting, but ended up staying for all of it and said that he was so glad he stayed - that he really needed it this week.  I'm so glad that he's starting to gain a testimony of church attendance!

We also were able to meet with Jacob and Mayra, who we haven't seen in a while.  Jacob is really struggling with having lost his job, but they recognize that Satan is trying to keep them from coming back to church by placing all these obstacles in their path.  We shared the Mormon Message "Lifting Burdens" with them and encouraged them to remember their Savior in their time of trial.  They were able to come to sacrament meeting yesterday, and it was great to see them there. 

I don't know if I've ever told you about John, but he's another investigator that we have here.  His wife Sina is a member, and John has been investigating for a LONG time.  I've only met him twice, and this week we were able to actually sit down and have a lesson with them.  We decided to start over and teach the first powerful lesson - the restoration - and it went really well.  The spirit was so strong and John told us that he would actually read and pray and ask God if it's true.  He already thinks that it is true, but he hasn't had the courage to ask God the question up until this point.  We're so excited to work with him as he seems like he is finally ready to spiritually progress!

As a mission we got to see the movie Meet the Mormons before it comes out in theaters.  And I would encourage EVERYONE to go see it - it is amazing. :)  Although it was a bit weird to be sitting down... watching a move... for an hour and a half... Something about being on a mission for over a year has made it so I get a little fidgety when I sit down with nothing to do.  But I wasn't the only missionary feeling that way!  haha. :)  But the movie was great - we laughed, and we cried, and it was great.  Seriously - go watch it when you have the chance. :)

And we also went on exchanges this week - I got to go with Sister Meyers to the Singles Ward.  And I met a sister there that my cousin Alex had helped to reactivate while he was serving in this mission - Amanda Allred!  So tell Alex that she says hi. :)  It never ceases to amaze me how open young single adults are to the gospel - we went to a college campus to do some contacting and to invite people to church and activities and FHE and institute and LDSSA... I guess it doesn't hurt that the singles ward has so many things to invite people too... but most of the people we talked to were at least interested in coming to some activities.  I suppose that's an age where people are naturally looking for truth, and for friends, so social activities from our church help to draw people in. :)

Of course the General Women's Meeting was amazing, and it made me SO excited for General Conference.  And it made me want to go to the Temple again.  I love being reminded of the covenants we make in the temple, and of the love that our Heavenly Father has for each of His children.  I love being a member of this church, and having the opportunity to share the truth that I have with other people.  I love feeling the love that our Heavenly Father has for the people I teach.  And I love getting to share that with others!  In short - I love being a missionary. :)  And I love y'all, and I hope you have a great week!

Sister Ririe

Romans 8:2


"Satan would rather that you define yourself by your sins instead of your divine potential. ... Don’t listen to him." - President Uchtdorf

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