Dear Family!
Once again it is Monday. The weeks really fly. Thanks so much for your emails. I’m so lucky that I can know every single week
what you guys are up to. As usual, I loved
hearing about the mission calls! Wow. I had no clue that Katie
Pendleton was going on a mish. That’s so awesome. Good for her. That’s too bad its Chile ....... J.
Chile and
Argentina
have the biggest rivalry. If Alex
ends up going to Chile
I hope we can still be friends after. J
We had a good week. In
my letter last week it was titled 200. That’s
because our mission has the goal to get 200 baptisms this month and for every
companionship to baptize. This is
something that has never happened. We
are working really hard to get this goal. I testify that this work is real. This isn’t just something good. This isn’t just a way to
meet new friends. This is a sacred cause. The cause of God the Father. Because of the importance of this work there
is lots of opposition. Satan is so
real. He will do anything to stop us
from reaching our goal. He works hard
because he knows we can do it. There has been so much opposition
in this week. When I got here to 9 de Julio the area was kinda dead. We had 2 investigadores. But we are working really hard. This last week we found so many great people. This last week was the deadline to find
someone and baptize them in this month (you have to go to church 3 times before
your baptism). So we worked really hard
to try and get lots of people in church. We also went to Uritrco and Alto Alberdi to
help the sisters and the elders. One
thing that has been really tough for me is the attitude of my companion. He is really negative. He doesn’t have faith in anyone. Sadly it really hurts our companionship. I feel like I do everything alone. But we had a really long talk last night. I think this week will be better. Even when my patience just leaves me I try and
keep the attitude, ok the Lord put me here to help him. I know that I can change his mission. And that’s what I want to do. I don’t just want to think, ok 3 more weeks
with this guy and then he’s gone, ya whoo ( yes that does come to mind now and then
J
haha). Last night he told me, Elder I
have had lots of faith in people for 6 months.
I’m sick of being let down. And
really that’s something hard about being a missionary. But it’s what you got to do. We aren’t
going door to door selling kitchen supplies. This is the Restored Gospel. It’s something we have and they need it. We know it’s true. If we don’t have faith in them, they wont get
the chance to have the gospel.
So I’m sure you are wondering if we had lots of success this
weekend.... We didn’t have the success that we had hoped. But, we still had a little
miracle. Get this. We had 6 people with a baptismal date committed to go to
church. They were so happy, and so sure they would go. We were going to pick them up Sunday morning
to help them go for the first time. One called us Saturday night, out of
nowhere her son who just happens to be a Jehovah Witness showed up and took her
to his house for the weekend. She tried
to stay, but he wouldn’t let her. We
called our other investigadores and they didn’t answer. Our investigadores were
dropping like flies. So we went to
church. I’m not going to lie, I was
doubting a little. We did everything and
everyone fell threw. But I still had
hope that someone would go. Success is a
gift. I was so sure that for the work
that we did that week, fasting, and praying and praying and praying, leaving my
own area to help the sisters and Uritorco, that God would grant unto us
success. And he did. A random guy named Francisco went to church. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, be he
went. I know that it wasn’t just
something that happened. I have faith
that he will get baptized in this month. Please keep Francisco in your prayers.
The sisters also had a miracle. They are kinda struggling
with investigadores too. So we went to there area with a Christmas message and
shared it with a few members. We committed them to bring someone to church. One lady brought 3 friends. It was way cool. What a blessing.
On Tuesday and Wednesday this week I worked with my hijo (son)
in Uritorco. It was way fun to go back. We had an unforgettable experience. My first week with Elder Whetten we received a
great reference. Her name is Monica and
her family owns a carneceria (they sell meat).
The live above their store. Three
months before we met her she left the store for a second and left her 2
daughters (17 and 20) and her grand daughter (1 year) to manage the store. While she was outside the pilot light of a
stove went out and the store and the house filled with gas. The older girls fell into a coma and the 1
year old died. The girls after a week in
the coma woke up. It was really sad for
them. Her family stopped going to
church. Right in the worst moment, we
walked in the store. The first 2 times
she said that she didn’t have time for us. But finally she started listening. We got her
to read the Book of Mormon and that was the trick. But we never really had the greatest of
lessons with her and her husband Esteban. We mostly just stood up and talked while they
worked. Well Tuesday I went with Elder
Whetten to visit them. Esteban asked us if we know how to play the guitar. I knew that was our in. So of course I started talking about Elder
Whetten and how awesome he is. So they
invited us up to the house. Finally! Elder Whetten tuned the guitar and then played
his great Mexican song. The 2 girls were
there also with a friend. You guys have got to hear his voice someday. He has the greatest deep country voice. When he started singing you should have seen
the girls. The only thing keeping them
from getting their hands on him was the table in between us. It was great. I wish I had a good voice like him. I’d trade my good looks and a pair of Jordans J. So
Monica and Esteban are having progress. Slow, but progress. They are going to be leaders in the church one
day. They have tons of opposition with
the family and friends.
I wanted to finish by sharing a scripture with you guys. I
am reading in 3 Nephi right now. I really liked it.
3 Nephi 5:13 Behold, I am a disciple of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I
have been called of him to declare his word among his people, that they
might have everlasting life.
We are all Disciples of Christ. Everything we do can have an effect on Eternal
Life. I love you guys so much. I hope you have a great week. I can’t wait to talk to you in two weeks!
Love Riley
And, Here is a great experience from Riley’s letter last week:
Right after I got done writing you guys last week I went to
the Mission
home for the new DL training. It was
really great. I learned a ton! It was fun to see who the new DLs are. There
were 10 of us and Elder Anderson happened to be one of them. It was great to be with him for the day. He is in an area called Cruz del Eje... Sound
familiar? It’s from my old District in
Dean Funes. He told me something that
made my day. Get this, he said that
while walking down the street the first day, completely lost with his
companion, a lady rides by on her bike and says, hey elders! come to my house. They walk about 3 blocks and get to her house.
Turns out that she is a recent convert. She was baptized about 5 months ago. Her daughter was also baptized. She showed them the pictures of her baptism
and told them that she had just finished the Book of Mormon. Elder Anderson
said, oh Elder Medina was your missionary, looking at the picture. She said, well he baptized us, but my
missionary is named Elder Watts. One day
I had to take my 2 sick kids to Cordoba .
I was waiting on the bus and was so sad
and stressed out. I sat down and this
young man started talking to me. He
taught me about the restoration. Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon. He took my address and promised that other
missionaries like him would go by. Our
family will never forget him. Do you
remember Ana? She’s still going strong. Elder Anderson
baptized the remaining 2 members of the family. It really made my day. It was definitely a tender mercy of the lord
to hear that.
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