The Four C's

The Crisp girls

mujeres jovenes

Happy Kam

Emma!

email 2.24.14

Hello once again my lovely family.  It is good to hear from you all and know that all is well on the home front.  I really do love you all the most and I am so grateful for you.

We were having a ROUGH week, we were just having a hard time.  Our cute Norma and Manuel literally have disappeared...just gone...and we were getting dropped by some of our other investigators, and members haven't been coming out with us...you know the drill.  That is the end of my complaining because this transfer I have adopted the motto from the Temple Square missionaries/Anna, I do not: complain, criticize, compare, or compete!  So I am done now, but I am just going to say it was hard.  

 It is kind of ironic, and perfect, because on Wednesday we had sisters meeting.  Now sisters meeting is the best thing on the planet because you get to see all your friends and have the best training.  And the trainings arent about missionary work, well not directly.  They are about being happy and de stressing and how to be more humble and all the best things.  So everything I feel so feliz after and it is perfect.  Also they always feed us a million different kinds of salads for lunch and we love it. In one of the trainings about being happy the Sister said that if we want to be happy we have to think that we are...and also to make ourselves happy we have to serve to make others happy and then we will be too.  Best advice ever.  Being happy is the best.  

Speaking of being happy, I am so happy.  Last night we had one of the best lessons on my mission.  And that is real life.  We had some drama drama at church with the ward, because sometimes the hispanics like that, and we were tired.  But the good news is we had one sceduled lesson last night and we even had a member to come with us.  Let me rewind for a min.  On Wednesday night we went on exchanges with some English missionaries, good times.  We had a lesson with a potential that the English Zone Leaders gave us.  We had passed by a couple of times and set up a couple of appointments, and I was just hoping that they would be there because we had a member with us, which is always the best.  And guess what it was a milagro, Frank and Waleska were home!  She almost didn't let us in, but her husband insisted, so I was happy.  We ended up having an awesome lesson, mostly just talking about Christ and he had lots of questions about repentance.  Turns out she had taken the lesson in Puerto Rico 20 years ago and he is "Catholic" , but they were both really open and wanting to learn.  So back to Last night, the milagro of all milagros.  We had the same member with us, and Mana Rosen was back with me, which is always a plus, and we were all prepared to teach them the Restoration.  So we go in, get started and have an AWESOME lesson, she is getting it, and asking questions, and asking how she can find out for herself, and peroozing the Libro de Mormon.  I was dying I was so happy.  I haven't had some one really get it that well in a long time, well on the first lesson.  She was so excited!  But then the real milagro came...as we were wrapping up she said that she just had to tell us how big of an answer to prayer and a milagro we were in her life.  She said that ever since she got married a year ago she has been suffering from depression, and before she never had.  Life was getting pretty rough and she had been praying and praying and praying for God to help her, and then we showed up at her door.  Well first the Elders, she said she let them in because of the light they had and when they left she felt happy.  Then when we taught on Wednesday she said before we got there she had just been crying and crying and couldn't stop, but then after the happiness lasted a little longer.  And then she couldn't wait for our appointment because she wanted to feel that again.  It was amazing, I know that we were put in her path, and she knows how good this gospel is, she is already receiving her answer!  Also she prayed at the end of the lesson and said that she is anxious to receive her answer.  A missionary can't ask for anything more.  Heavenly Father is good, he puts us where we need to be, and he sometimes gives us hard times, but the best times are always worth it.  So so so good. 

We also went to Emma Crisps Baptism, she is one of my favorite little humans.  Her family is a very strong family in the ward here and live in our area so we eat with them alot, and Hermana Crisp is my idol and comes out to lessons with us.  We had been teaching her the lessons, because her mom was worried, but she is the smartest little thing on the planet and so sweet, but also has a sassy side, so you know how I love that.  The Baptism was beautiful, and she was so happy.  

We also had a possum in our trashcan, which was very exciting.  It crawled in there and got stuck and we were all too scared to tip it over, because it was creepy looking.  But then Sister Silva (roommate) decided to do the deed.  There was lots of screaming, just mostly classic.  

I have been studying about faith this week and I have really learned so much.  It is so funny how fast and unnoticed my faith can falter, one second it is there strong, and the next it is gone.  I was reading in the PMG under faith, and it says that part of faith is having confidence in the mission.  So that is what I am working on, having confidence in the mission.  Having faith in the Savior that can lead me to hearing the spirit, and having confidence in myself that as long as I am doing what I need to be doing, that I will be led to those that need me and say what Heavenly Father needs me to say.  

Life is great.  I am happy.  I love to be a missionary.  I love to love people and help them understand Heavenly Fathers plan for them.  I love you all.  Have the best week ever!  And don't forget about the four C's!  We are focusing on criticizing this week!  

con amor, Hermana Myer

LOVE LOVE LOVE!

our cookies

a little puppy love

an igloo we happened upon...

A little Valentine's surprise!

email 2.17.14

Hola mi familia!

This week was awesome.  Valentines day is really the best, I am just going to throw it out there again.  We had some pretty classic moments, as always.  We did have a couple of snow days, which is always hard for us.  Wednesday night the snow started and we were directed to go back to the casa, and then it literally didn't stop snowing until late Thursday night.  So we were on house arrest...which is always hard.  We made good use of our time, weekly planning, heart sugar cookies, you know the drill.  But it was rough staying in.  But Friday we got to leave and it was good to get back to the work!  

Friday was the best!  First of all I woke up with Valentines day confetti all over my bed, thanks to my lovely compy comp who couldn't sleep in the middle of the night so decided to do a little surprise decorating...and you all know how I feel about surprises and love, so it was the best day ever. We delivered the cookies that we made to everyone who needed a little love, and also took ourselves out to Panara, becuase Kam wanted to eat something "fun" on Valentines day...We are soul sisters for sure.  I couldn't have asked for a better day!  

This week was a little slow on the lesson front, and with the snow, its hard for the hispanics.  We did have an incredible lesson with one of our less actives.  She is the sweetest girl, she is 17, and didn't get baptized too long ago.  We love her so much, but she is/has been having a hard time acting on what she knows she needs to go.  But she had a bit of a situation at school last week, and was suspended for a few days.  We passed by and she filled us in on what had happened.  We proceeded to have one of the most powerful lessons on the atonement and repentance that I have ever been it.  It was one of the times that I have ever felt so directed by the Spirit to say and share and teach everything that we did.  Repentance is such a beautiful thing, and when you can see people really changing is even better.  It just reminded me of how important it is to live worthy of the spirit and how much we really do need repentance.  

We haven't been able to see Norma and Manuel this week, which has been sad.  He has been sick and the snow cancelled our appointment.  We aren't giving up though!  They are just the best, and we love them so much, We have been praying for them all week, and doing all that we can to help them.  

We had the biggest miracle on Friday night.  Once again the English Zone Leaders from the Midlothian Zone, pulling in with a clutch referral.  They just gave us the mans name, Jose, and his address.  He lives on the same street as Daniela, so we passed by on Friday after our lesson. We met him and his wife, Claudia, and they said they were busy (sigh) but that we could come back on Saturday.  So on Saturday night we passed by and we found out that they are former investigators of the Mechanicsville Hermanas!  They were talking to the Hermanas and were super close with them (they have pictures with them on the phones status) and were so happy when we came back.  They had moved to Chesterfield and lost contact with the missionaries. They are the cutest, and have 4 kids, who all sat and listened to the lesson.  They know they need to change, and want to keep meeting with us!  Hurray for a family to teach!  We have another appointment with them this week, and we are so excited to start really teaching them.  

As always we had a good week.  We are always laughing and just loving every second of our lives.  Really we are.  There are some hard times, and hard things, but its all worth it.  I love being here and I love being with my mana Rosen.  She is just such an inspiration to me, she helps me be better.  And sometimes that is hard, but it is so good.  This week during weekly planning, she said "you really are setting the bar higher for my eternal companion", I am not quite sure what she meant, but she is awesome, and I'm going to keep her!  

Also shout out to the dancing Kate Hansen in the Olympics, she is my inspiration for life!  

I hope you all have the best week ever!  

con amor, Hermana Riley Jane

Happy week of LOVE!

Happy reunion!

District picture. Hermana Wallis is leaving today for good, to go home, and we are so so so sad. Elder Perrault just got made AP, so that's fun. And Elder Pedraza y Burbank are both leaving. We are sad, but happy that Hermana Carn y Elder Grange are staying with us!

Me and my valentine, Jeffery, he told me last night I was his "novia" and I could be his valentine, so that is good news.

email 2.10.14

Hola mi familia!

I must start out with the fact that this week is Valentine's Day week, and I couldn't be happier.  I think Valentines Day is my third Favorite Holiday, behind 4th of July, and Christmas is first, duh.  But none the less I love love, and this week I am going to wear Red and pink all week and I even have pink nails, so happy love!  

Also me and mana Rosen are staying in Chesterfield!  yaya! we had transfer calls yesterday, and we were a little on edge, but God is real, and loves us, and has more work for us do to together, and we are Thrilled!  

This past week has been great!  For whatever reason the work has been a little bit slower, but all the more faith building experiences, so hurrah for those!  We really do love those.  

Things are going swimmingly with Norma and Manuel.  I really love them.  They are learning so fast, and they truly want to know.  They are truly searching, and they just get it.  We had two awesome lessons with them this week and brought the Relief Society President to one and the Elders Quorm president to the other.  This ward rocks at friend-shipping and coming out to lessons.  I just want them to feel as much love as possible, and help them to feel their Saviors love too.  They couldn't come to church yesterday because Manuel got super sick, but they are still on their way!  

On Tuesday we had our spanish meeting, witch is always the best.  It is a special meeting just for spanish missionaries.  We have training and talk specifically about our work, and also we get to see all of our friends!  It was the best.  Everyone is doing well, and Hermana Sevilla y McBride had great news for me!  Ivan is getting baptized on the 22nd of February!  He is the one that lives with Flor y Jose, and his sister is a member, and I just couldn't be happier for him.  He is one of my investigators that I was really able to start seeing the change in him, and the happiness that the gospel was bringing, and i was super sad when I left.  But it is all good!  

I read this awesome talk this week that Sheri Dew gave at BYU once upon a time, and it changed my life.   READ IT!  http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=984

I have been thinking/learning/studying alot about our potential, and how great it really is.  We have been chosen to be here, to share the gospel, to be the Servants of the Lord.  I have just had my eyes opened to how much we can achieve, and need to achieve.  Sometimes I get worried that I am not doing everything I can to live up to that potential.  But I think realizing how much I am capable of, and how much my Heavenly Father loves me is the first step to trying to reach my potential.  Its funny, I have known these things forever, but its just starting to make sense.  I love thinking about the fact that was divinly created and put on this earth for specific purposes, and now I just need to work my tail off to figure those out and do what i need to do.  And we really do have all the things on earth to help us figure that out.  por ejemplo, scriptures, prophets, church, prayer, and mostly patriarchal blessings.  How lucky are we to have all these things.  Mind.  Blown.  Also read these scriptures. Romans 8:16,17, 2Tim 1:9.  

Yesterday we had ward Correlation as usual before church, it was the one Sunday of the Month that all the auxiliary leaders and all the missionaries meet together.  It was truly a sacred experience.  We didn't talk too much about missionary work, but we talked about families in the ward that were struggling in one way or another.  The spirit was there, and you could feel the love that all of these leaders have for these people.  They are all so involved in so many people's lives, and wanting to serve to badly.  It was so neat to be a part of that meeting, and to really feel a part of the Lord's work.  The ability to love love love every human is really a God given gift, and I am so grateful for it.  And I am grateful that I have these awesome examples to look too to know how to do it.  

We are so busy, and so happy.  I love being a missionary.  And I love you all very much.  I know that the Lord has his plan for each of us.  Have the best week ever, filled with lots of love!  

xoxo Hermana Riley Jane

The Plan of Happiness

Twinning at zone meeting with Hermana Walis. She is the best ever and leaving us next week, we are very very very sad to see her go!

Just lunch at BOJANGLES, yes it is real, and it is fried chicken, and I felt sick, but we just had to, it is called BOJANGLES... how can you not?

It snowed again, so we shoveled driveways!

Compy comp love.

email 2.3.14

Hola mi familia, este semana yo he sentido muy muy muy feliz, y porque no?  Estoy aqui haciendo la obra del senor, y este vida es la mejor.  Hay bastante cosas que son muy feliz!  Ojala ustedes estan teniendo la misma gozo en sus vidas.  Si no, orar para tener mas felicidad, porque es la mejor sentimiento en todo el mundo, y hay mucho para compartir!

I just love spanish and life.  I am serious, I never new I would love spanish this much, but I do!  

This week has been great.  I am just happy.  There is so much to be happy about.  We were driving in the car with the sister training leaders this week to go to zone meeting and it was sunny (still freezing) and bright and I just thought, why not be happy, it is just so silly not to be!  

This week we have been teaching the Plan of Salvation, or Plan of happiness as I like to call it, and then this sunday was all about it too!  I had some new revelations about it when we were teaching it to our 15 year old investigator Daniela.  She is a sweet heart, and wants to be baptized, but her parents are not on board...yet, so we are praying.  But anyways we were teaching her the plan of salvation and I realized how much we learn about our individual identities through it.  How really divine it is to be Children of God, and how much value we have.  There is nothing like telling a 15 year old girl that she has value and God knows her, and has his plan specifically for her, and that she can find her identity through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  She knew that what we were saying was true, she felt it, the spirit helped her, and she wants to be baptized!  Best.  Day.  Ever.  Also we have been going to Young Womens because there are two sets of Hermanas in our ward, and it is the best.  I love love love the youth, they are so inspiring and it is so neat to help them understand these simple truths.  

Also the good news is that Mana Rosen and I went full out twinning to zone meeting, and it was a big hit.  We sometimes mostly always are semi matching or coordinating and all the missionaries just die over it, so we thought we would show them what it really means to match.  

We are still teaching Manuel y Norma and they are reading and coming to church and progressing!  We are just praying that they keep coming along.  We really love them.  We had an awesome lesson with them on Saturday night.  Our cute member Meya Crisp came out with us, and her 13 year old daughter Bethany (who is literally a scriptorian and plays the organ, self-taught) wanted to come too.  They are just adorable and the lesson went perfectly!  Manuel is super philosophical and deep, which is good, but sometimes we have to bring it back to the simple truths, and Bethany was perfect.  She has the most pure, undeniable testimony, and wasn't shy to share it, to adults, in spanish.  She is everything that I want to be. 

Church was awesome yesterday.  We have the best obispo ever, he just works so hard.  He is white, and hilarious, and tries so hard to run the ward.  I am beginning to understand a little bit more what a big job it is to be a bishop.  Those are just inspiring humans!  Also Elba came to church yesterday! She has been an investigator forever, and her kids, Corina y Said were baptized about 4 months ago.  After they got baptized Elba hasn't really come to church.  But yesterday she came!  It was the best ever, I even shed a tear.  We are still working with her, but she is the sweetest woman, and I love her.  

Mostly I love everyone.  There is just so many things to be happy about and grateful for.  I am so grateful for you, mi familia, for your support and love.  You are the best ever.  Keep working hard.  Have the best week!  Luke, no se precoupe, I am praying for you and your finals! 

love, Hermana Riley Jane

i love loco i love loco i love loco

Sandra, her daughter Corina, and mana Rosen and I making the LDS singles account. Classic.

Her son Jeffery.

email 1.27.14

Hola!

We had another great week!  This one was a little more rough that we have had together, but all so good, we have been able to see so many miracles! 

First of all is is FREEZING, well not today, but last week it was.  It snowed one day, and stayed on the ground for 4 days after and it was just bitterly cold.  They do freak out about the snow and the cold, and when I say snow i mean like maybe 3 inches....and the closed all of the schools all week!  It was nuts.  But it was really cold.  What I learned this week was that my cute little hispanics don't even open the doors when it is cold.  So that made for a hard week.  You would think that they would just let us right in, but it has been quite the opposite.  Kinda funny if you think about it!  We only had to stay in one night, when it was actually snowing, so that was good.

Like I said, the week was filled with miracles.  Our investigators, Manuel y Norma are progressing like crazy.  We were able to see them 4 times last week and they came to church again for the second week in a row!  We couldn't be happier.  He told us how grateful he is for us for helping him understand where he came from, what he purpose is, and what is going to happen to him after this life.  He was thanking us for the peace and the tranquility that we bring to his house.  I about cried.  That is exactly what we want to do as missionaries, so to hear someone recognize that and feel it and need it, it was one of the highlights of my mission.  

We also had a really awesome district meeting this week.  We talked all about Charity, and how it really is something that we need to pray for.  I know that i need to dedicate more time and effort into praying for charity. But hermana rosen brought up a good point, she  said that sometimes what we really need to do is recognize the opportunities that we are given to be charitable.  That night we had an appointment with a less active member, and I got to put all my new knowledge to the test.  He was really angry, not with us, but with the church.  As I tried to not be frustrated, I just prayed and prayed and prayed to have charity for this man and try and understand his needs.  I am so grateful for the Savior and for the Charity that he lets us borrow from him, because I really always need it.  

Last night we had one of the best nights!  Yesterday in church they changed the whole young womens and relief society presidencies.  It was a very emotional day for everyone, they had been the same for about 5 years, so you know how that goes.  But one of our Recent Converts, Sandra got called to be the 1st counselor in the relief society.  We are just so happy for her!  She was baptized about 7 months ago and is just on fire.  She really is an inspiration and we love her.  We visit her every week still and they are some of my favorite times.  She just gets it, and she has so much faith and trust in Heavenly Father.  Last night we went over and talked to her a little bit about her new calling and shared a scripture.  And then she started talking to us about he desires for an eternal family.  She has two kids, who are the best, and she is just wanting that next step.  So naturally we tell her to first trust in the lord and in his timing and in his plan, and secondly we make her an LDS singles account.  She was so excited!  It was the best.  

This week I have been studying about repentance some more.  Sometimes I get scared and a little overwhelmed, that maybe I am not doing everything that I need to be doing.  Or maybe I don't remember all of the things that I need to repent for.  I always need to remind myself of how merciful Heavenly Father is.  I have been praying to receive that confirmation that I am doing what my Heavenly Father would have me too, that he is proud of me.  And I have felt an overwhelming amount of Love.  He really does know us and he really does know what we need.  I know that as long as we keep trying and trying and trying, that we will receive the blessings that we are promised. 

Alyse and Mckenna- thank you for you letters, it is always the best week when I get letters from my sisters.  I love you two.  Thank you for your love and support. 

love, Hermana Riley Jane

email 1.21.14

Hola mi bonita familia!

This week has been LOCO, and I really love loco.  Also I received the Bournes Christmas Card, and I about died of laughter, and once again it has been confirmed that Eliza and I are soul sisters, and we have a happy life full of spanglish ahead of us!   

But really this week has been the best.  Full to the brim with milagros.  Every time we turned around there was something else awesome happening.  

So last week we were looking for a less active family in our ward, but naturally there was only a building number, and no door number, so clearly we decided to knock the whole building.  So we knock the first door, and they let us right in.  They had millions of questions and just wanted us to stay forever and teach them all the things.  They are the cutest little family, and their daughters look like dora and boots, so that is just perfect.  We were just beaming and so excited.  Later in the week we had another lesson set up with them, and Hermana Crisp, who is my idol and a member in our ward, was going to come with us.  But at last min she couldn't come, so we decided to call hermana Henderson, another awesome member and she agreed.  But when we got there they weren't there and we were really sad, but Hna rosen said we should try and see some other people, as long as we had a member with us.  So we attempted a few others that we had been trying to see, and finally one of our investigators let us in!  Hurray, her name is rosita.  And we had the perfect lesson, hermana Henderson was just perfect, exactly what rosita needed.  We know that she was supposed to be in that lesson with us.  And we also reschedualed the lesson with Alex and Roxanna, and Hermana Crisp came, and it was perfect too.  So the Lord has his ways! 

Also we found 2 other very prepared investigators.  Well the english elders did, they knocked into them, and gave us the reference, so we went and visited them.  Their names are Manuel and Norma, they are an older couple and they have all the questions.  All the ones we want them to have, and they are just eating it all up.  We have had two lessons with them, they came to church, and last night we had a noche de hogar (FHE) with them at a members house.  That was the best.  Do that!  He is very educated, and kind of asked questions that are hard, mostly because his vocabulary is so large, but we have had members with us, and also the spirit and he is just loving every second.  

We have just been living up the missionary life, and we have been so busy.  Running here and there, but I have been learning so much.  We have been very blessed.  

I have been reading the bible for personal study, and other things too.  Genesis was hard for me, but now i am in Exodus, and it is starting to make more sense.  It is amazing that if we have the faith, we can really be vehicles for the power of God.  

Hermana Rosen and I have made a goal to be more like Women of God.  There is a quote by MARGARET D. NADAULD, that says "Women of God can never be like women of the world. The world has enough women who are tough; we need women who are tender. There are enough women who are coarse; we need women who are kind. There are enough women who are rude; we need women who are refined. We have enough women of fame and fortune; we need more women of faith. We have enough greed; we need more goodness. We have enough vanity; we need more virtue. We have enough popularity; we need more purity."  So we have split up the words and we are working on one or two every week.  Last week we worked on Tender and Kind.  It is sometimes hard to be those things.  But I thought about all the tender and kind women example that I know, and I just want to be like them.  Mandy Bourne is one of those examples, being able to see the way that she treats her children, just makes me want to be a mom some day.  I am still working on it, but good thing to think about!

We had an awesome week.  I know that Heavenly Father is here with us, and is helping us always in our work.  He wants all of his children to be happy and to receive all of the blessings that they deserve.  And honestly I think I am just starting to skim the surface of those miraculous blessings.  He is just too good to us.  I am just so happy to be here, doing his work, and learning.  

I love you all very much.  I loved the pictures of Sharons baby, he is too cute!  that is just so exciting.  I hope all is well there.  Keep being the best!  Les quiero mucho!

con amor, Hermana Riley Jane