To the Greatest Family Ever,
I CANT BELIEVE I HAVE A YEAR!! It really is so crazy. It has gone so fast. It still doesn’t seem real that I have a whole
year in the mission. I really feel like
I just need to spend this whole hour thanking you all. Thanks so much for all that you do. I really couldn’t do it without you all. I loved reading your emails so much. I loved
hearing the story about the trolley in SF. I loved Alex’s talk and I loved hearing
a little bit about the Olympics. Thanks for the party that you threw in my
honor. The cake looked really delicious and the shirts are way sweet. If my
guess is right Dad designed them? You are the best Dad.
I was really blessed this week because it was excellent. I’ll
start from the beginning. Mom, I loved your print out and read later letter. To
be honest it answered 2 prayers. First mine, and then later Alfredo Chacon! (The
man that got baptized Saturday). Tuesday
we were talking about the spirit and he asks the question- “When I started
going to church and started talking with the missionaries I felt so happy and I
knew I was feeling the spirit so strongly. Right now I don’t feel that way. I don’t know why I am not feeling the
spirit so strongly.” I basically just
told him word for word what mom told me. It was so awesome. When he started going to church he smoked, wasn’t
married, didn’t pay tithing and fought with his wife. He has since made a 180 degree change. Of course he felt way different at first. He went from bad to good, as President McKay
put it. I talked about being willfully
guided and how the Lord wants us to choose for ourselves. He wants us to be able to change who we are. I also added a scripture of my own. D&C
58- The Lord shouldn’t have to tell us everything we need to do. We need to be anxiously engaged in a good
cause. It was a great lesson. I love it when the investigador understands
100% what you want them to understand. So
thank you mom!! You deserve the credit
for that one.
I’m not going to lie I still haven’t eaten at McDonalds yet.
Tomorrow we should be getting our money for the month so I will probably eat
there this weekend. It’s actually pretty
expensive and with the dollar rising they just keep jacking up the prices. This week we went in to downtown because my
comp has been sick for a little bit and had to get his blood tested. While I was waiting I weighed myself. If I told you how much I weighed you wouldn’t
even believe me. So I won’t even say anything. But I’m not fat, just look at the
baptism picture J.
I want to send some pictures really bad of my area but I
still haven’t taken any pictures. We never bring our cameras or money just in
case. I know that I will be perfectly safe here (not to mention it helps being
6’ 7”) and we don’t go in the poor areas at night. But I’ll take pictures as
soon as I can.
On July 27th I actually did do something to
celebrate. Remember the Chacon Family that got baptized this last Saturday,
Andrea is the name of the mom. She had
her birthday the 27th. So I bought a dulce de leche chocolate
strawberry ice cream cake and we brought it to their house. This is one of the
best parts- while I was buying it, guess what was on TV. The opening
ceremonies! We were way lucky because it was showing Turkey
so we just waited a few minutes and watched USA . I saw Jake and Sean, and
Lebron and Durrant. I couldn’t help but feel so much pride for our
country. I really love the USA . But it was really great to be with the Chacon
Family right before they were baptized.
And now the Baptism. It was definitely the best baptism I
have had my whole mission. There was tons of support from the ward, which was
really great. First the little boy Franco that is 11 was baptized by his uncle.
Alfredo (the dad) and his daughter Violeta asked me to baptize them, so I
went next. Then my comp baptized Andrea
last. It was really special. I can tell that they will be really strong in
the church. Last night we were talking
about how they will get callings in the future and will be able to serve. We
asked them what they thought about that. Alfredo opened up his Book of Mormon
and turned to Nephi 3:7 - I will Go and Do. He read it with this big smile on
his face haha. They really are so special. I feel so blessed to be a part of
their conversion. I really was the one that benefited the most from this experience.
Well guys I still can’t believe I have a year. It has gone
FAST, and slow at times. But really fast for the most part. I am excited for
the time that I have and for the experience, but I am kind of scared for how
fast everyone says this last year will go. I just hope that I can learn everything
I need to. I really don’t want it to end. I am being so blessed out here. I
really owe it all to you guys. You are the greatest family that somebody could
ask for. I hope that you all know how much I love you. Before you know it we
will all be together again.
Have an Excellent Week!
Love Riley!
