Hello Family!
Wow! What a week! I really am
just blown away every week and in such awe at all that happens. The
mission really is such a roller coaster! Don't be surprised if I get
home and sleep for a year after my mission! Ha ha! I am so exhausted
every day but it's the best kind of exhaustion there is!
So I had the honor and opportunity to sing for Elder M.
Russell Ballard on Sunday! He came here to our mission! I sang at the
fireside he gave for investigators of the church. I sang with three sisters
and four elders and we sang a very difficult but beautiful arrangement of "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I was soprano one all by myself, and it was
quite high, but I loved it! The spirit was incredible! He is the third
apostle I have had the honor of singing for! I was standing right in
front of him! Ahh! It was so cool! Even cooler was that yesterday I had
the privilege of being taught by him for two hours! He is so wonderful and
has such a sense of humor! He gave us great counsel for our work and the
blessings that will come to us throughout our whole lives because of
the chance that we have to serve the Lord full-time, and because we made
the choice and the sacrifice to do so. I got to shake his hand and he
blessed me in this work as I thanked him for taking the time to be with
us! GOOFY GUMMIES!!!! I loved it!!!
Ready for MIRACLES!!!! Sister Tanner and I have six
baptisms set for this month! Yesterday we added a new investigator who
wants to take lessons and committed her to be baptized on September 1st on
our first visit!!! Oh, August will be wonderful! Our first baptism is this
Saturday...a mother and daughter getting baptized together and they have
had their interviews and we are good to go and putting the program
together! I am so excited and as I talked with Sister Taylor after her
interview I just saw a light in her countenance that wasn't there
before! There is no greater feeling of joy than to see someone accept the
gospel and make significant changes in there lives and see the light of
Christ and His love fill their hearts!!! We are teaching four mother
daughter relationships and three of them have baptism dates! Incredible!
I had a shift at the San Diego Temple and met so many
who were drawn to the beauty and spirit of the temple grounds. I met a
whole entire family that I sent the missionaries to. We talked for 45
minutes and became friends. I took a picture of them in front of the
temple and thought how wonderful it will be when they are baptized and
come to the temple again someday to be sealed as a family forever! I
hope that is what happens!
Sorry this week is short...but miracles are happening
all around and I am amazed every day at this errand of angels that I am
on. I am so glad that I listened to the promptings of the Lord and made
the sacrifice to come and be here to find His children and bring them
the greatest happiness and hope that they never knew they could have!
I hope all is well at home! I pray for you each day and
am grateful more and more and each day passes for my family that I have
been blessed with! I truly love you with all of my heart!
Be good...stay faithful....serve the Lord...TRUST HIM!! More than ever I
am in awe each day at the perfect timing and will of the Lord...and how He works everything out to the finest detail..because He knows you, and He knows your needs, and He wants to bless you....so never doubt or
fear...only be faithful and trust....He WILL work it all out if you do
your part!!!
LOTS OF LOVE!!!
XOXOXO!
Sister Riggs
