Dear Family,
Well did you all survive Thanksgiving? Have you all come out
of your food comas yet? I hope your hearts and homes were filled with
love. I prayed in the morning to be encompassed with love and to have
opportunities to lift others so much that I wouldn't have time to ache
for home...because I was feeling a little homesick...and the Lord
answered my prayer. It was such a wonderful day and Sister Hudson and I
were able to do a lot of good in the homes we were in. We shared our
testimonies throughout the day and messages of gratitude for the gospel
and the love of the Lord. I had an incredible personal study that
morning that left me in tears as I learned a little deeper of the
Savior's love and just how closely I am working with Him right now, and
how much He really is depending on me to bring His brothers and sisters
He suffered for individually back to His presence. He truly has
commissioned us...and we promised. I cried with gratitude for the
opportunity to be a missionary right now and was so thankful I made it
here. My time is short today but maybe I will share further insight in a
future letter.
We had a couple of amazing talks in church on Sunday about
overcoming adversity and I just want to share a couple of things I
thought were profound..."A Kite can't soar without the opposition of the
wind....When we be-moan our adversity, we are second-guessing our
choice to come here to this earth and accept God's plan...Trials are God
showing His faith in us....Abraham had to learn about Abraham (in
trials we learn a whole lot about ourselves)...We are here to prove
ourselves. Will we follow the Lord no matter what or just when
everything is going right? Trials are our chance to become like God and
Jesus Christ and without the trials we cannot do so. ...The color in our
life comes from overcoming trials.....We are like the horseshoe...some of
the metal can't take the heat and get thrown on the scrap pile. We
should say, "Try me in any way you please Lord, but don't throw me on
the scrap pile." Our trials are our chance to put on our own divinity."
I hope there is something in there that can bring comfort to
your hearts if you are feeling you are in deep waters. The Lord loves
us...He is there for us. He will give help in times of need.
I love my Savior and am so thankful for this season to share His spirit with others in even greater abundance. Let us not forget the
greatest gift of all!
All my love,
Sister Riggs
