Week 8

1.  Update on investigators, reactivation, new member discussions?
Michelle-she told us that she wants to take a step back from her discussions so not really sure what is going on with her at the moment but we will always continue to meet with her cause she is Rheas mom! hehe ;) we taught 13 less actives this week and we are hoping that they all come to church this coming week, only 2 came this last week, and new member lessons are going really well with Rhea, she loves having the spirit with her she notices a big difference with her life and teaching stlyes by the way shes a school teacher!

2.  What has your mission president been doing to inspire the mission?
 What do you love about your mission president? President Stoker came to our Zone meeting that we had on Christmas eve and shared a brief message and then he talked to us individually and just let us know what our strengths are and why he needs them in this mission! I LOVE president because he has such a big heart, he is a convert himself, he was a Baptist and says that Baptists make the best Mormons...haha hes so funny, he was a convert of a year and then served a mission, he is like our dad our here, our mission parents, they take so good care of all of us and he is aware of our trials and does all that he can to help us on this crazy journey called LIFE!

 3.  When was the last time you saw an answer to prayer?
the last time I saw an answer to my prayer was when sister blume and I were praying to know what to do after p day was over last week, we felt that we should walk main street and so we did and we had so many opportunities to talk to people and invite them to learn, it was amazing to see that with the faith that we have in our savior, he will bless us according to the work that we put forth.

4.  What has been your favorite Pday activity so far?  What are you
doing for PDay today? How and where do you do laundry?  Have you
washed your sheets lately?

my favorite pday so far was with our district, we had a nerf gun war and played volleyball, we are deep cleaning the apartment today and hopefully having a lunch with some less actives, not too much fun planned for the day sister blume and I have been sick for the past two weeks and so we need to disinfect the apartment, we do laundry in the local laundry mat, its like 2 dollars per load and we usually have three loads, but if we cant afford the laundry mat we use the bath tub...and a cookie rack as a wash board... yeah were old school!  yes I clean my sheets every week, that's why we have 2 sets so we can have a set while we clean a set, goodness mom I love you!
:)

 5.  What are some of the local sayings and interesting things people
say in your area? so everyone puts an "r" at the end of a word that ends in the "A" sound so when we read the  BOM they say things like mosiaher and zedekiaher  or the bishop his name is bishop shaw but they say shar and arear and lawr and they say door yard instead of drive way, and they always say "you cant get there from here" cause all the roads are paved according to cattle trails, so not a single road connects to any other road its so weird... and they say "a couple three miles" its like a foreign country here in new England and they all say "im all set" which means im good or im ok thanks though its just the nice way that people turn you down.

6.  Who has been your favorite person you contacted this week?

MY FAMILY!!! it was so good to see them all and I made my mom cry so that was cool! my brothers were there as well so that was nice to see them, it was weird seeing them and talking to them but I really enjoyed the time that was spent with them, its so weird the world did not stop spinning when I left, they have lives too hahah ;)

well the year of 2014 has been a great one I wish you all the best and I send my love and best wishes to all of you....**Christmas was a daze...cause we were high on the SPIRIT!!!!!!!!! that's why I look so funny :) 

 7.  Do you have a goal set for this week?  What is it.

a goal for this week is nephis courage. which is we are out of the apartment from 9 am to 9 pm doing the lords work, we do not come home until we have found a new investigator  (well we wont stay out passed curfew but yall know what I mean)

 8.  Favorite scripture this week?

favorite scripture this week was Alma chapter 1 verse 26 and 27  its all about service and helping others and to not be selfish

 9.  Favorite moment this week?

favorite moment this week was when we spent Christmas with the members of the ward, we had Christmas with 3 families and then we did service at an assisted living in Kennebunk where we live that was neat.

we had Christmas dinner with rhea our recent convert and she got ipad cases for sister blume and I that say "im kind of a big deal" this is me and her daughter violet

we had Christmas dinner with rhea our recent convert and she got ipad cases for sister blume and I that say "im kind of a big deal" this is me and her daughter violet

 10.  How was your walk with the Savior this week?

it went by too fast, I always wish I have more time with my savior, but the time that I did have with him was precious and sacred he helps me through all that I struggle with and I am so grateful for that.

 

 

 

 

 

*** skyping was awesome I loved it, it wasn't hard after wards, cause we keep ourselves busy we don't give our selves time to think about home which helps a lot, thank you for all the gifts that were sent I loved it all and for the love and prayers, I am so grateful to be a missionary it brings so much peace and joy to my heart, each and everyday I strive to become the missionary that the lord has prepared me to be! love you all so much!!

Forever & Always,

         Sister Stuart (riley)

Christmas 2014

This was the first Christmas in the field for our family.  We looked forward to seeing both our sister missionary today.   Checked phones, computer connections, the clock constantly and made sure we were presentable.

Riley was the first one we got to talk to at 1000 am.   She was so happy and laughing.   Her companion and her were there during the conversation.   In the end, Riley and her companion taught the entire family the discussion on the Restoration.    She has grown so much.    I will try and get that video on here, but it is long and not sure the blog will let me add it.

We were able to take a picture with Riley this Christmas with the boys and my heart was full.   We were able to say a family prayer with her and I felt very blessed.  

She is still laughing and loves being a missionary.

Riley wearing the gift Toni sent her, showing it off.  

Family picture

MERRY CHRISTMAS YALL

 1. Updates on Investigators or reactivation efforts? How was your

baptism--all the details and any pictures.

RHEA GOT BAPTIZED ON SATURDAY!!!!! it was amazing! she was glowing when she came out of the water! Michelle is one of our Investigators and rheas mom and she came to church on sunday which was  a miracle cause she told us she wouldn't cause she is afraid of large groups but she came!  we visited alot of less-actives this week, that was cool to do, and we are still looking for new investigators, we have a couple who fell off the face of the earth, but we have now had contact with them so its all good!! they!!! WE ARE HOPING FOR 2 BAPTISMS ON JAN 17

Rhea's Baptism

2. Favorite part of this holiday season?
advent: The Earnist family in my ward do it every sunday in december its a huge family home evening with the ward and we light candels and sings and chill, i love it! 

Riley learning to make bread--she sent the recipe too!!

3. Best part of the week?
rheas baptism! it was amazing 

Filling the font for Rhea's Baptism

4. I felt the spirit so strong this week when.....

Elder McCain confirmed Rhea is sacrament and then sister blume and i were apart of the ward choir and we got to sing in sacrament! jthat was so powerful

Elder McCain and Walker

5. What are a few of your favorite things? (Sound of music)
"when the dog bites, when the bee stings"haha nah just kidding! umm being a missionary and bearing my testimony, and my companion sister blume and when i get letters in the mail!!

"wait...what am i looking at? why are you hanging off the edge of the earth like a bat?" ~OLAF :) so i was kind of hyper the other night and decided to hang from the ceiling..

the elders kinda of are.....ummmm CRAZY this is elder McCain whos eyes are popping out of his head at district meeting, we all went camera crazy!! so these are just random pictures of me and the elders and sister blume

6. Share what you would like us to know this week, thoughts,
testimony, how you are doing, etc, whatever you wants --free form.

this week was a very successful week. sister blume and i have been visisting a lot of people and we switch off who gets sick its so weird haha and we are so excited for christmas, there is nothing better then being a missionary at chirstmas time,

Rockin the Christmas PJS

Stylin Christmas PJS

 

PLEASE WATCH THE NATIVITY BY DAVID ARCHULETA AND THE PIANO GUYS AND BUNCH OF OTHER PEOPLE ITS AMAZING

i love you all so much and cant wait to hear from you all!

SEE YOU ON THURSDAY!!!! :) :) :) :) :)

 

Forever & Always,

         Sister Stuart (riley)

GOOD MORING MY FAVORITE PEOPLE EVER well other than new Englanders! ;)

these are the elders who are in our area
Sister Blume, Stuart and Elder Petersen and McCain
SANFORD MISSIONARIES!! #kindofabigdeal

1.  Update on investigators?  Any new ones?  New members coming back
to church? Details on the baptisms. Rhea is doing really well, we had to move her baptismal date to the 20th because she failed to let us know that she had a drink of tea from her mom so we had to wait 14 days after the incident. Michelle is rheas mom, she isn't keeping her commitments so we are going to start at the fundamentals of the doctrine of Christ to see if that changes anything cause we don't want to drop her, so we are doing all we can to help her progress, Hannah is an RC, recent convert, we have been teaching her new member lessons and she is doing so well, I love to hear new converts pray it is so powerful. we are teaching a lot of less actives because our new mission vision Is to "RESCUE 1000 IN 2015" sister blume and I and I are so excited to be teaching these wonderful people!

2.  What was the BEST part of your week in the field?
the best part of the week was when we were at our district meeting... we have an hour lunch afterwards and all of the elders in our district and then sister blume and I literally quoted the entire movie NACHO LIBREA!!!! hahaha it was awesome I love our district!!

this is what happens during 12 week training at 8 at night...we get bored.

our nightly routines... were so cute :)

3.  Favorite scripture of the week and WHY?
the scripture of the week is Dallin Hunts mosiah 20:11 sister blume and I were praying the other night for ways to find new investigators and she came to me and said lets read this scripture and it was the one that my mom sent to me and it was dallins favorite missionary scripture so I started to cry and told her about the whole expierence and I told her the phrase "fight like a dragon" and we both cried and then that became our goal this whole month is to "FIGHT LIKE A DRAGON" to go out and to find those the lord has prepared for us to teach! man the church is true! (that's for you uncle larry)

 4.  Best service opportunity this week?
this week we had the opportunity to work with santa bills workshop, they do a workshop where families donate all of their old things they don't want or use anymore and they have the people who don't qualify for toys for tots or the salvation army, to come and do their "Christmas shopping" for their children and It was such an amazing experience to be apart of, to see the less fortunate people come and are able to have a Christmas for their families, it broke my heart to see how many people are having a hard time with Christmas, I am so grateful to know that jesus Christ is the spirit of Christmas!

5.  In what ways do you feel you have grown the most since being out
in the field. I am not a shy person hahah I talk to random people I don't even know and im pretty sure they think im crazy! its so funny to see the looks on their faces ahaha! I have for sure noticed the confidence that I have for myself and for sister blume, our district gave us a hash tag name! its #KindofaBigdeal so now we say it all the time, sisters are pretty cool!

6.  How are the 12 days of Christmas going?

great! we love it, I reminds me of when we did it back home, sister blume hid the other package cause I really wanted to open It but I cant find it anywhere...yeah shes pretty awesome!!!

Another kid drawn to Sister Stuart, he loves DC Comics

 Rapid Fire

1.  Weirdest food eaten this week or coolest place went to eat?
weirdest thing I ate this week was haddock!! its a white fish but guess what I LOVED IT!!!!! man the sea food out here Is AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!! yall know me and I think im kind of in love with fresh sea food! oh and I had lobster at the farrers home for dinner last night, they are a wealthier family in our ward, they live right by the ocean its pretty.

 kyle douglass sent me a package that contained 1 piece of every single kind  of candy that smith and Edwards has

2.  STRONGEST testimony-strengthening experience of the week was....

when I was the one who extended the baptismal invitation to rheas mom, the spirit was so strong and I don't even remember what I said... I knew that the spirit was speaking through me! it was so cool!

 3.  The "MOST unexpected moment" I had this week was....

when the elders in our area got transfer calls.....that was sad elder Petersen in leaving us and becoming district leader in Vermont (lamoyal)

 4.  My companion and I bonded over....
oh man.... a lot of things...she reminds me so much of my sister!! (toni) it is mind blowing!

Sister Blume and one of her Funny Faces

Taylor Swift how cool

5.  This Holiday day season--what do you want people/family to know most of all?

THAT JESUS CHRIST IS THE GIFT OF CHRISTMAS PLEASE VISTIT CHRISTMAS.MORMON.ORG! DISCOVER THE GIFT, EMBRACE THE GIFT AND THEN SHARE THE GIFT!!!

Forever & Always,

         Sister Stuart (riley)

It's been a month and 4 days

I hope she wasn't texting and Driving and Taking this picture

1.  Updates on investigators--pictures please on some of those
baptisms.   Any new converts and new families bringing back to the
fold?
 Rhea is getting  baptized on the 13 so excited for her i will get pictures i promise, and we have 6 potentials right now and we have 3 refferrals we need to contact so we are hoping for new investigators

 2.  What are you doing to stay warm?
well i wear all three of my fleece lined leggings and 2 pairs of the socks grandpa and grandma gave me and i put hand warmers in the toes of my boots cause i haven't purchased snow boots yet, and then i wear both of my coats and head bands to keep my ears warm and then a scarf for my nose!

3. Besides the people and missionary work, what do you like most about serving?
I love the smile that it puts on my face, i haven't been this happy in a long time and i love being accountable to my heavenly father each night, my prayers have never been so long in my life i have to set an alarm at 620 in the morning so i can get up and have time for my morning prayers! its wicked

4.  What was your favorite thing that happened at church yesterday?
All four of us missionaries bore our testimony and i lead the music in sacrament meeting, oh our elders are elder pertersen from Washington state, and elder McCain from Nebraska they are pretty awesome! 

5. Describe today's "feeling in the air"
its a tad bit FREEZING!! haha just kidding but for real! the feeling in the air is happiness and joy and thankfulness and excitement to go out and work! this is the BEST FULL TIME JOB IN THE WORLD just sayin ;)

6.  What was the last thing you cooked to eat?
spaghetti which was Friday so the day we had the break in 

7. If you had 3 extra hours each day, how would you fill them?
Getting to know the people of the ward a little better, and studying "our Purpose" and studying what else i could do to have a better "set-apart heart" 

 8.  What is something new you learned about Sister Lundin/Sister Blume
this week?
mom sister lundin in tonis companion i made a stocking for her and toni haha oh goodness... i only have sister blume as my companion everyone :) and i am so amazed how big of a heart she has and i want to have that for myself

Her first craft project

9.  My first thought this morning, as I woke up was...
LETS DO THIS THING!!! those were my exact words and i said it out loud too hahaa 

one of our investigators sons had an airsoft gun he let me hold it, it was huge!!

 10.  I felt The Lord guiding me the most this week when...
we experienced the break in and i called 911 right away!!

 Rapid Fire

 1.  I had the most fun this week when...

we watched the Christmas devotional on sunday night it was beautiful i loved Richard j maynes message!

 2.  I feel closet to The Lord when...

i am accountable to him each night during my nightly prayer

 3.  I felt the Spirit swell within me when...
I read the book of Mormon all the way through in 3 days, that was my goal was to read it in a week and i did it 3 days, and i had a question in mind it was answered in a million different ways! how neat it that!

 4.  I was so excited when...

we got the news that we could watch the Christmas devotional

 5.  My most humbling moment of the week was when..

my savior guided me through a traumatic experience with my companion

 6.  My favorite SERVICE opportunity happened when..

we are volunteering at the old brick museum here in town and we get to do tours for the town and its amazing how many people thank us for our service just doing tours and being missionaries, its a cool thing to know that people really do appreciate missionary work!

 7.  I could believe it when...

SO I CHANGED COULDNT TO COULD BTW... because i had a feeling you were gonna be in charge of something to do with missionary work, it was just a thought that popped into my mind that my mom would a great missionary right now and i happened!! hehe lovers you, and i laughed so hard that the librarian here literally asked us to move to the back of the library..oops!

 8.  I love learning new things everyday.  Today's "new thing" was...
the D&C sections 11-14 are all the same verses!
 9.  If I were granted one wish, I would want it to be...

10.  I love serving a mission because....
it brings our the person my heavenly father created me to be!

Forever & Always,

         Sister Stuart (riley)

HOLA WORLD

Welcome to Maine

1.  Update on current investigators?  Any new ones?​

here in Kennebunk we only have two at the moment and one of them has a baptismal date on December 13 

2.  Tell us everything about your new companion--name, where she is from, how long out,  so she will be training you?  (Take a picture)

I am loving it here in Kennebunk, Maine  as you know I was transferred here because sister bounforte who was in the mtc with me got really home sick and felt she had other things to do in her life as a 24 year old, Sister Blume is my new companion she is from Clinton, Utah her family just moved to Hooper though her parents are Trent and Rebekah Blume, they have 6 children and two were adopted, she graduated form Clearfield High School in 2013 and took a couple classes at WSU. this week has ben amazing, Sister Blume has such a big heart and loves anyone she comes in contact with, and we work really well together! she has been out 8 months and she will be training me for the next 9 weeks!

Sister Blume and Sister Stuart

3.  Tell us about the area you are serving in?

I am in Kennebunk, Maine and its the cutest town, we just went to the tree lighting with some members in the ward, we have a set of elders and sisters as well as sister blume and I in the area, we are all kind of a big deal ;)

4.  Favorite Companionship study this week? HE IS THEH GIFT!

we studied the new Christmas video on Christmas.mormon.org Is amazing please go and watch it and #sharethegift

5.  The funniest thing (spare not details) that happened this week.

haha the Zone leaders and District leaders called us the moment they knew that there was a new sister in the area and sister blume told them I was kind of a big deal and they said well she has a spot on the pride bus we will roll out the red carpets and send the limo right over, there are some shades in there for ya! haha it was soooo funny! 

Thanksgiving Dinner--It was good we knocked doors all morning and then had THREE whole Thanksgiving meals that same night.  It was the most food I have ever eaten.  I was so sick afterwards, haha. 

6.  The most challenging thing this week.

getting transferred, I felt like my heart was ripped out of my chest, 

7.  What did you do to overcome that challenge?

I called president stoker and told him I was having a hard time so he drove all the way to maine to give me a blessing and pray with me.

8.  I felt the spirit the strongest this week when...

president stoker knelt in prayer with me and my new companion 

9.  Now that it is getting cold--how do you do tracting?

we never stop the work of the lord so we still go out walking on the streets and knocking doors! 

First Snow Storm in Kennebunk

10.  Tell me about something you learned about Yourself this week?

that I am Ridiculously Bold and confident when it comes to teaching the gospel, I love how passionate I am when I teach, but that's only because I have a wonderful companion who has my back I love her!

Rapid Fire:

1.  You had an emergency transfer--how did you get there?  Were you able to get everything back into your luggage?  (Remember you have extenders on a few pieces)  we drove to the mission office and did a mini transfer meeting and then we drove 2 hours back to maine, oh trust me  I was jumping up and down on my luggage to get it all to fit haha it was funny, btw my handles broke in the MTC the elders were a little tough with them when they helpled me load them in the busses so I have no handles on all my luggage..sorry mommy I love you ;)

2.  Favorite sight seeing moment (what you get to look at each day)

the city is beautiful it like off of a cute hallmark Christmas movie

3.  I laughed so hard when...

sister blume burped on accident and I belched back to her and she hugged me cause she loves burping...man the lord really knows me :)

4.  I am happiest when..

I can see the atonement of our savior jesus Christ change people lives right in front of ,me

5.  I couldn't believe it when..

I was in Maine cause that was my guess for my misson call opening!

6.  Something that touched my heart immensely this week was...

when president stoker told me that my heart and smile was going to bless the lives of Maine because he had a different place for me to go but the lord told him no, she needs to be in Kennebunk, that really toughed my heart when he told me that the lord told him that I am supposed to be here in Kennebunk maine! I love the Mainers

7.  My favorite scripture this week is...

 D&C 88:80 it tells me in my patriarchal blessing to look at this from time to time so I did and is says: " That ye may be prepared in all things when I shall send you again to magnify the calling whereunto I have called you, and the mission which I have commissioned you." it helped me realize that I have a purpose as a missionary 

8.  My favorite part of the teaching process is...

The KNOW FEEL DO, we us it to help us plan our discussions, what we want our investigators to KNOW at the end of the lesson, what they need to feel in order to know that what we are teaching is true, and what we are going to have them DO (invitations or commitments) in order to know that this is what the lords wants them to know.

9.  I am learning new things everyday.   Today's new things was... that I am NOT inadequate, and that I am truly converted to the work and to the lord.

10.  I felt so blessed this week when..

I woke up yesterday knowing that I was going to church to partake of the sacrament, it means so much more to me as a missionary then it did back home, I am grateful for that.  I wish I was able to hold my parents in my arms when I am having a hard day but I feel your prayers so thank you!

Forever & Always,

         Sister Stuart (riley)

1st Transfer

First Emergency Transfer-Riley was able to send an email that she will be transferred on November 24th to Sanford Maine.  

1.  Update on your investigators.  Any new ones?
we have one new one his name is mike he is catholic and called us cause he us unhappy with his religion so we will teach him tonight!

2.  Most spiritual moment of the week.
when president stoker gave me the news at stake conference that I was being transferred I knew that before he told be because during personal study that morning heavenly father told me that I needed to prepare to be with a sister who will need me this week. 

3.  Funniest moment of the week
when I thought a tree and wood weren't the same thing... im such a dits

4.  How are you holding up in the weather?
I am doing good right now, its only freezing haha but I heard that your nose hairs freeze here! 

5.  Favorite companionship study this week?
we did "12 week" which is for new missionaries and it is a guide on how to help with home sickness

Rapid Fire

1.  I know my Heavenly Father loves me because.......
he gave me the opportunity to be his servant in his vineyard at this time in my life 

 2.  One thing that I have learned from each of my companions that will
help me be a better missionary is.... to let it go, and laugh it off!

3.  I was so excited when...

I taught a lesson without my pamphlet!! the spirit really does teach through us!

 4.  One way I am feeling blessed as a missionary is...
I can feel the love and prayers from my family! 

5.  Since it is Thanksgiving at least here in USA,   5 things I have
grateful for... I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and for the plan of salvation knowing that I can be with my family for eternity , I am grateful for family history, and for the my sisters example to me she is my everything and my best friend I can do this because she can do this! and I am grateful for this experience of  being a full time missionary! 

We were with a member in the branch who takes care of Mr. Marriott's boats and houses! it was a beautiful day! love these sisters!!
Lake Winnipesaukee

Week 3 (Second in the Mission)

Sister RILEY STUART

1. Updates on investigators and any new ones (just use their first names)
we have mike, latisha, pat and lea, bill and Brenda, monica, Julie,
tyler, Katelyn, haley, jon and jo, Edmund,  and chuck. they are all
doing so well and they continue to progress we are super excited!

 2.  How are you all three getting along?
we are getting along well, its weird teaching lessons with three of us
but its easier, i love these sisters they are truly amazing!

3.  What was the best part of your second week in the field (since
last week wasn't so great)?
OH BOY! haha it was an amazing week we stayed pretty busy axcept for
Saturday we had all our plans cancel and so we knocked doors for 4
hours that was hard, but other than that is was such an amazing week,
the best part though would have to be having dinner at the temples
home, they have this HUGE house on the lake, its lake Winnipesaukee
and it was really good food and then we tought the plan of salvation
to some members to practice.

Fall in New Hampshire, Riley's favorite Season

 4.  How do you make contacts?
we either knock doors or use refferals or formals from the area book,
but its mostly through members!

 5.  Tell us about your ward/branch?
our branch is so small only about 40 to 50 come to church every week
and the Romneys pop in every so often so that's pretty neat, its a
small branch but i like it, it reminds me of woodruff!

 6.  How much time online do you get each P-Day?  What do you do on Pday?
about and hour or and hour and a half, on p days we wake up and do
personal and comp study, and then we clean and then do emails and then
go shopping if we have the time cause its a 45 minute drive to the
store, and then we play ping pong with the branch misisonaries haha i
suck at it....its like impossible to be good at it. and then we have
been going to the lake and just sitting on a bench that the Marriotts
( yes the ones who own the Hotels) have dedicated to the missionaries
on the lake and we write in our journals or letters. and p day ends at
6 pm then we are right back to work!

7.  Funniest story of the week?
so Sister Davis was born in japan and she cant speak Japanese but i
asked her if she could read Japanese and she said yes, and i said but
you cant speak it? and she said yes, AND I BELIEVER HER!!! a day went
by and she came to me and told me she couldn't read it, UGH  they
tease me all the time, i am a rusty blonde!! hahahha

 8.  Favorite teaching moment this week?
when we tought Brenda about the atonement cause she doesn't think it
will work for her but she then realized that it can how neat is that?
pretty dang neat if i  do say so myself!!

9.  Most spiritual moment of the week?
hmmm probably when sister brown and sister davis said a lot of nice
things to me in companionship inventory! i never knew how good of a
missionary i was until they had told me all the things i had been
doing well and doing right! i was feeling discouraged and inadequate
and then they are just so amazing and said wonderful things!

Sister Davis and Sister Brown

10.  What is your district like? How far apart are you etc.
our district is so cool haha they have weird harry potter dreams like
they think harry potter has something to do with the second
coming...ummm Elders are weird! we are all about 30 to 40 minutes away
from each area

 Rapid Fire:

1.  Something I learned about each of my companions?
they like to tease me a lot which i love cause it reminds me of home
and how often my mom and dad and bros tease me cause i am a blonde!
hehe and dang proud of it yall ;)

 2.  My favorite study session this week centered on.
the gospel of jesus Christ,

3.  I feel closest to The Lord when...
i teach his children that he really does love each and every one of us

4.  I was especially happy when...
i got 3 whole letters from KYLE DOUGLASS!!!!!! love that man with all
my heart i cried in the post office!

5.  The first thing I thought about this morning was....
ITS SNOWING!  hehe Christmas is coming i cant wiat

6.  The strangest thing I ate this week was...
GREEN FOOD but it was fantastic

7.  I laughed uncontrollably when...
when we were knocking doors sister davis was trying to act like a
Gazelle and she was like whats that deer lookin thing that jumps
around with its legs all weird and i sad "A Kangaroo?" haha yeah they
wont let me live that one down!

8.   Something I wished I had understood BEFORE coming on a mission is...
How to teach with pamphlets!! they are amazing cause in the MTC they
don't teach you how to use them so when i got out here i was teaching
with PMG and it was so hard so JT and Justice if your reading these.
STUDY THE PAMPHLETS!! they will give you a ton of them in the MTC

 9.  My testimony was strengthened when...
each and everytime that i testify of the atonement because i have used
it so much in my life i love sharing it with others and teaching them
how they can use it

10.  I couldn't believe it when...
we are obedient and follow all the mission rules that the lord just
keeps on sending you those promised blessings! i just cant believe how
much he really love us

Additional thoughts sent today:

i came across a song its in the hymn book but alex boye was the one that i heard. its called when faith endures:

I will not doubt i will not fear, gods love and strength is always near, his promise helps me to find a piece of strength a piece of mind, i give my father willingly , my trust, my prayers, humility, i give the father willingly, his spirit guides his love is sure, the fear departs when faith endures.

i love that because when our faith is strengthened we know that all of our fears and doubts disappears, he is our comfort and we if we give our whole heart he will give us his full attention, life isn't easy and our savior jesus Christ knew that and that's why he suffered the atonement, president spencer w Kimball "Very frequently people think they have repented and are worthy of forgiveness when all they have done is express sorrow or regret at the unfortunate happening, personal suffering is a very important part of repentance. one has not begun to repent until he has suffered intensely for his sins, if a person hasn't suffered, he hasn't repented."

i know that i have been through so much in my life before serving a mission and i have most defiantly been through a lot as a missionary, i fell to my knees one night sobbing because i was disobedient to my savior, and i suffered for it, i knew what i had done was wrong and i sobbed because i was ready to be done, i wanted to badly go pack up and go home. but i felt the hand of my savior pull me from up off the ground and he held me, he knew that that was what i needed... i know that we only feel a small portion of what our savior felt, but i know that he is right beside us as we suffer, he had no one on his side as he suffered the pain that we would one day have to face, i know he is there and i know that when we weap, he weaps with us, i know that when were are hurting he is right there hurting with us, brothers and sisters, the moment we think think we know all there is to know about the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the exact moment heavenly father tells us that we don't know enough, i invite you to really focus on the atonement and to really come to understand what it really is and what the savior really suffered through all because HE SIMPLY LOVES US.... how grateful i am to be an instrument in the lords hands, to do his work and to be his servant in his vineyard, i promise that as we strive to become more like him we will come to know the path we are to take which leads directly towards him, i want you to know that i love this gospel and i love that i am a full time missionary i love that this is my job to go and to teach and to bring others unto our savior, i hope that even though you aren't full time missionaries that you are still recognizing that member missionary work is how we find those the lord has prepared for us to teach. i love my savior and i love the work i was called to do. i say all of these things in the name of our savior jesus Christ, amen.

Received this email and pictures from a Sister Kari Lucas who is in the area Riley is serving.  

Lucas Family

Greenie Meal with Sister Davis and Brown

Stephanie,

She is doing fine. She had the flu last week along with a cold, but she seemed all better when they were here for dinner.  My 7 year old daughter, Sarah, said sister Stuart is her favorite.

 Sister Stuart asked if I would email the green dinner pictures to you. She  is a great missionary. They practiced teaching the Restoration lesson to  our family after dinner the other night. She is so fun! 

Green Eggs and Ham Anyone

Thank you for
 sharing her with us!!

 Take care,
 Kari Luca

Riley loves nature this is the Sun and the Clouds at Sunset

s