Hello Dear Family and Friends,
I hope you all
had a wonderful 3 day weekend and that you are happy, healthy, and
well. I just thought I'd pass on this great picture of me and some of
the amazing sisters I serve with at the Mormon Battalion Historic Site =
) It has been another great week full of miracles in the mission field.
I have a few experiences I would love to share....
The first is with our golden investigator from Hong
Kong China, David. Remember last week how I said he was so great and
excited and that he wanted to meet on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday?
Well last Wednesday, our second lesson, we taught him about who he was
before he came here, his purpose on earth, and the Atonement. I bore
personal testimony of the first time the Atonement became very real for
me and shared with him the feelings I had as a 17 year old and having my
life change with the diagnosis of Juvenile Diabetes. The spirit was so
strong as I went back to that time and recalled the fear and the pain,
but remembered the sweet comfort of the spirit as I plead for my Savior
to be with me and comfort me. Sharing that testimony lead to us inviting
David to be baptized. He said yes! I then sang "I Am A Child of God"
for him in Chinese. What a sweet experience that was...he said with a
smile, "Wow that is very impressive..." (my Chinese didn't offend him ; )
). We knelt and had a closing prayer and he thanked Heavenly Father for
the experience he shared with "Sister Robbs" ....ha ha (that's
me)...too precious. THEN, we met with him again on Friday and he said,
"I need to talk to you about my baptism." My companions and I looked at
each other warily and he told us that he had been talking to his other
friend from China who loves in Georgia and is also meeting with the
missionaries and was working towards being baptized on February 2nd. He
said he was asking him why he was getting baptized and what does it
mean, etc. He also said the institute teacher asked him if he was
getting baptized to please the missionaries or because he wanted
to.....we were worried about where this was going and thought he was
going to say he wanted to wait...but he went on to say that as he was
talking to his friend and telling him why he wanted to be baptized that
he just felt so powerfully in his heart that this is what Jesus Christ
would have him do! Then, he just looked at me and said, "I know this is
what I want to do. Will you ask me that question again?" I smiled and
looked him in the eye and asked, "David? Will you follow the example of
Jesus Christ and be baptized by someone holding the proper Priesthood
authority of God?" Before I was even able to finish he said, "Yes." What
a sweet and tender spirit David is. He said yes the first time probably
more in faith....and then he continued to ponder it and think it out
and the spirit was able to confirm in his heart it was right and he
wanted to commit to his baptism with that surety behind it. I LOVE this
young man! So much faith. He comes to each lesson with written out
questions and their corresponding verses from his reading in The Book of
Mormon. Last night as we taught him the gospel he asked a few questions
and said, "Yeah this just helps me understand for when I am a
missionary someday." I stopped and looked back and forth excitedly to my
companions and asked him, "You want to be a missionary?!!" He said,
"Yes I think I would like to when I finish my bachelor's degree." We
said, "Wait...how old are you?" He responded, "18." WOW!!!! That made me
just want to cry! We really are so blessed to be able to teach this
amazingly humble and faithful son of God. We seriously walk away from
every lesson in awe. What a miracle he is.
The other incredible experience I had this week took
place at the Battalion. I had finished giving a tour and all of the
families were members of the church, but I noticed one man who kind of
snuck in alone and wasn't sure what his story was. So after the tour I
struck up a conversation with him and found out he was moving here from
Colorado for his job. He mentioned the decision would have to be a group
one....so I inquired about his family and he said he had one daughter
and one son ages 21 and 23 and that it would have to be a group decision
because his son was special needs. My mind caught hold on that comment
and the spirit prompted to stay with that topic. I learned that his son
was autistic. I testified to this great man, Mark, how I knew that his
son was a very special spirit and that he (Mark) must be an incredible
and loving father to sacrifice so much of his time and attention and own
desires to be able to take care of his son. I told him how much that
meant to Heavenly Father to do that for his special spirit. I told him I
was positive he could feel and notice a difference in their home
because of what his son brings to it. He said that he did indeed. As I
walked with him through the courtyard he asked me what was on the other
side of the building. I said, "Oh well let me show you. We have a
beautiful art exhibit here right now with paintings from the life of
Christ." I took him to the pictures and as he looked I asked if he
recognized any of the stories depicted. He said no. I asked if he had a
religious background and he said he went to Catholic school when he was
younger. I said, "Ok so you have read The Bible?" He said, "No actually I
haven't. They didn't encourage us to read The Bible. They actually
discouraged us because they said we did not have the knowledge to be
able to interpret scriptures, so we left that to the priests (or
preachers) and those who had the calling to do so." I was so surprised! I
said, "Really? That is so crazy to me. I don't know what I would do if I
couldn't read the scriptures. You see, we know that we are all children
of God and that we have the light of Christ within us. It's His Spirit
that helps us to feel truth and discern between right and wrong. As we
are baptized we receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and he then is able
to be our constant companion. Through him we can receive personal
revelation for our lives and he can also teach us and confirm to us
eternal truths. I have received some of my greatest answers to prayer by
reading the scriptures. They have comforted me and helped me to feel of
my Heavenly Father's love. That is what He intended." I then asked, "So
you don't know these stories?" He said, "No." I excitedly asked, "Well
can I share one of the stories of my favorite painting?" He said yes and
I took him over to stand in front of the painting by Liz Lemon Swindle
of the woman who reaches for the Savior's hem to be healed. I shared
with him the story and he was in awe. I then told him why it was so
personal to me and told him of my incurable "issue of blood" (my
diabetes). I told him my testimony of the Savior and His Atonement and
why I was so thankful for what He did for me.....because part of that
Atonement was him overcoming physical death and be resurrected. Because
of that resurrection, I know that the time that I have here and that I
have to deal with my diabetes is not forever. I read with him Alma 40:23
"The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect
frame." I testified to him that the promise was real for his son. As I
finished, I didn't even have to ask him, he said, "So how do I learn
more?" (He was holding a referral card in his hand) A little shocked and
speechless I pointed at the card and said, "Well you can fill that card
out for me!" He also asked if there was a place he could go to receive
instruction. Oh my goofy gummies I was so excited. I got his information
and said goodbye and immediately called to find out who the
missionaries were who would be taking care of my new friend and his
journey in the gospel. I found out it was 2 Elders from mys district!
So, I get to keep in touch and hear about how it all goes. I asked Mark
if I could send the missionaries to his family in Colorado so they could
learn with him and he said that he first wanted to do this alone, and
if it was right he would then share it with them. WOW!!!! The Visitor's
Center's and holy ground! I am so thankful for that sweet experience.
One
more I wanted to share was yesterday...I had a mother and daughter from
China on my tour and afterward, I asked the daughter, Alice, she liked
about the story. She said she was very moved by their faith and belief
in God and that everything would be alright. (She's 14) I knew I found a
great one...most people say the bulls or the talking pictures ; ) I
talked with her and her mom and thought I should sing "I am A
Child of God" in Chinese for them...I don't quite have it memorized and
was sad to discover I had left it in my apartment, but I tried to sing as
much of the 3rd verse and chorus I could remember...it was very broken,
and missing a few lines but as I sang sweet Alice began to cry. Her
mother joined in her tears and then I think she was embarrassed and
tried to leave. I kept talking to them and testified of what she was
feeling and what her spirit was recognizing. I gave them a Book of
Mormon in Chinese and promised as they read they would feel that same
spirit they had felt today. It is amazing to see how every experience in
your life is for a purpose...a greater and wiser one than we often
realize. Who knew 6 years ago when I traveled to China with the BYU
Young Ambassadors that I would be teaching and meeting so many children
from China that I would be able to connect with and sing a sweet
testimony too? Who knew that 9 or 10 years ago when I was in an honors
choir learning a Traditional Chinese Folk Song about a Jasmine Flower,
that I would be able to use that as a missionary tool to soften hearts
of those from China I met?? Heavenly Father did! There is more where
that came from but I am out of time! = )
I
love being a missionary. What a sacred work we are about. I love my
Heavenly Father with all of my heart and I pray you all will follow the
promptings He blesses you with to share the gospel with those around
you! You don't need a name tag to do it!!! Go change the world!!!
Love you with All of my Heart!!!!
Sister Riggs
