More and More Miracles!‏

Dear Family,

 

I can't believe December is here! Crazy!!! I hope you are cherishing the Spirit of Christ that is always so present during this time of year! I want to issue you a challenge that we have been extending to those we teach...to focus on the Spirit of Christ....each day, in a little book or on a notepad, write down one reason why you are thankful for Jesus Christ or how you felt His love that day...then, on Christmas morning you can look back over the little book and see all the reasons and truly be grateful and celebrate the Birth of the Savior and rejoice in all that was made possible on that silent and holy night. = ) Will you do it?!

 

OK...I literally have 6 minutes to tell you about the many miracles we saw...it was a great week but especially and incredible weekend! We extended 4 baptismal invitations and set 3 dates for December = ) We got to attend a baptism for a YSA that Sister Hudson and I had street contacted. We were trying to find a member's apartment one afternoon and were walking up and down the street and stopped to talk to a young man, he was from China. He seemed interested at first but quickly lost interest and said he was waiting for a friend. Well, that friend came running up and rather than being discouraged and walking away...we talked to the friend, Brayd. I shared with him my little Chinese, which is the words to "I am a Child of God." He said he had learned about Jesus Christ growing up. We invited him to learn more and got his info. We had to pass it to the Sisters who work with the Single's Ward and that was that. That was about a month ago and he was baptized Saturday! What a miracle! We were both in tears seeing the whole YSA just embrace him and love him and the Bishop had him over to his family's home for his first Thanksgiving experience in America, and just to see how happy he was and to hear him bear his testimony and hear his story....in China as a child they tried to force him to believe in Jesus Christ with abuse...we were shocked that he would want to learn more after that...but to know now he will one day enter the temple and have a forever family and all the blessings that lie ahead of him....all because the Lord put him in our path and we had faith to open our mouth and say something about Jesus Christ. It was a real tender mercy from the Lord for us to see that. And one of our investigators, Myra, that we also contacted on the street was able to come and she felt the spirit and said she was so excited to be baptized this month! Too cool!

Also...she stood up in Sacrament meeting and bore her testimony and it was SO POWERFUL! Bishop LOVED it and we had so many members coming up to us telling us how touched they were by her testimony and telling us we were doing a great job. It touched so many hearts and helped us gain more trust from our members and helped Myra feel the witnessing power of the Holy Ghost! It was an experience I will never forget!

I am doing good. I had prayed that morning for a reminder or assurance of why I was here, because I have been feeling discouraged and like everything I have been pouring into this work was for not. And then we had 5 investigators at church, Myra bore her testimony and mentioned several times how thankful she was for us and how what we have taught her has changed her life, and many more miracles that happened throughout the day. I was so grateful for those answers to my prayer.

On a mission, more than anything else, you learn that Satan tries to use discouragement to keep you from accomplishing everything and anything. I actually had the opportunity to go and comfort some sisters who were in despair: one who was emotionally exhausted from trying to keep her companion going for so long, and another who was going to meet with the President the next day because she was set on going home. We had a very sacred hour together reading from the scriptures, testifying, and comforting and with the help of the spirit and inspired leaders, they are better and the sister is staying here in the mission = )....When you are about the work of the Lord, Satan truly is always there ready and waiting to say something to you to keep you down or hold you back....but when we put him behind us and like Moses tell him "Nice try, but I know who I am and what great things I can do with the Lord..."...and trust....always trust in the Lord and look to Him....miracles happen....MIRACLES!!!!

 

Heavenly Father truly does love us with all of His heart and He is always there.... I experienced so many tender mercies this weekend and I know none of it was by accident! Just look at your life and see how well Heavenly Father is micro-managing and how much He really cares.

 

I love Him with all of my heart.

 

Have a wonderful week!

 

Love Your Servant of the Lord,

Sister Riggs