Gall-less

Enfermita, on the couch, with my box of sunshine! YAY

Sugar cube temple with Sandra and the kiddos. They think we are fun!

email 5.19.14

Well folks, I am officially gall bladder-less.  And things are looking up.  I am so excited to recover and just be even better of a missionary and not sick anymore!

This week has been great.  Really it has been.  I have felt so much love from so many people.  People at home, people in the ward, my compy comp, my roommates, even President Wilson!  Everyone has stopped by, called, sent letters, packages, ice cream, you name it.  I have felt my Heavenly Fathers love for me through his servants.  So thank you everyone!  

We even got to do some missionary work this week, and saw miracles, like always.  It is funny how he even blesses you when you sleep for three days straight.  

We have been teaching these two cute little brother, Wilmer (11) and Jordy (9).  We found their family through a member, and the parents have had no interest, but the boys love the lessons.  They have both prayed and have received answers that this is the true church (through dreams) and want to be baptized so bad.  It is a little tricky though without the support of the parents and them being so young, so we have been taking it slow and trying to get the parents involved.  They have been begging their mom to take them to church, but she is always "ocupada"  but finally she agreed to let them go if we got them a ride.  This was Wednesday night, so we were a little crazy.  But we promised her that someone would pick them up, and the boys were so happy.  Surgery shenanigans happened and before we knew it, it was Sunday morning...and we didn't find them a ride.  It was 9:30 and I just said a little prayer and called our cute member Oralia and by some miracle she answered and agreed!  Then I called Belkis, their mom, to confirm, and by another miracle she answered and the boys were already getting ready!  It was the best, the boys came and they loved church, they want to be baptized and so now we just have to get the parentals!  We are so happy.  

This morning I read the talk that Richard G. Scott gave at general conference and it is one of my favorites.  It talks about how we just have to love people, and then share with them our simple testimonies, and how our testimony has helped us in our lives.  He talks about how we need to trust God's children, and when we trust them, they do amazing things.  I was just overwhelmed with gratitude once again for the time I have to be a missionary, to learn how to teach, how to love, and how to help other accept the gospel.  I love being here, and I know my Heavenly Father is looking out for me!  Remember be good, and share your testimony of the atonement with everyone.  I love love love you all!  

xoxo Hermana Myer

Gallbladder Free! 5.16.14

Hi everyone!  Thanks for all your prayers in Riley's behalf!  Her surgery went great yesterday.  The surgeon called me right after to say everything went perfectly  and she was in recovery.   Then the mission president called me later to say he had talked to her and she was good.  And then later Riley got to call me to tell me herself!  I know I just talked to her for mother's day, but I was so wonderful to hear her voice and get her all to myself for a few minutes.  She wasn't in too much pain, but I'm sure the next couple of days will be challenging.  Her and her companion will stay in for the next few day and then take next week a little easy.  They have a plan to study, make calls, schedule, and get Riley well.  Riley's sweet companion got on the phone and promised me she would take good cared of Riley!  So cute!  Love these girls and the great work they are doing!  Thanks for all your support!  Have a great day!

God is always Listening

Ruben and his favorite missionaries.

Ruben with the Mendez family!

email 5.12.14

I think it was last week, when my dear friend Anna said in her email, "God isn't always on time, but he's never late!"  She is an inspired little one.  That is exactly how I feel this week.  We saw so many miracle, I know I always say that, but it is true, Heavenly Father has really been looking out for us this week, and he was not late!

This week was so happy.  Ruben got baptized!  He really did, and it was perfect, I couldn't have asked for anything better!  I love that boy.  He is so good, and he wants to be better and now he has the tools to do it.  So fun.  On Saturday we were running around like crazy people, and there was a giant rain storm.  But everything was just falling into place, Heavenly Father really was helping us out.  Ruben got there early, and was super nervous.  But he got ready and we even managed to get a couple of pictures and then we started in.  It was simple, and perfect.  He was baptized without a hitch.  Afterward we had a little fiesta because it was also his birthday, complete with a giant cake and pizza.  And the best part was the surprise futbol game that we played after in the gym, that Hermana Hiebert and I had already planned, which ended up being perfect because he told us he was sad because he just wanted to play futbol on his birthday but he couldn't because it was raining.  #inspiration.  He was so happy.  He came to church on Sunday and was confirmed, and stayed the whole time and learned and made friends.  It really was perfect.  We also had 6 other investigators come to church, that is an all time high.  Carolina and her 4 kids were there, which was the happiest.  Her and her 9 year old daughter Ruby are going to be baptized on the 7th of June, and they are so happy.

So the second set of miracles has to do with my Health.  For the past three months I have been having really really bad stomach pains, and some other funky side-effects.  I had tried everything in the book to fix myself up, but to no avail.  Finally the mission nurse decided it was time I go to a specialist.  He didn't know what was wrong, but started down a list of tests to do to find out.  Last Wednesday I had an endoscopy (where they put a camera down your throat to see what is going on in there), and they found nothing.  I was super super discouraged.  I was just so tired of being sick!  It is not fun to be sick as a missionary.  But then I decided that I had to stop being so sad about being sick.  On Wednesday morning when I woke up I just decided to give it to the lord.  I was not going to waste any more time worrying/complaining/whatever, I was just going to accept that this is my challenge, and I was going to go forward and keep working and do all I could to be the best missionary ever.  And then Wednesday afternoon the ball started rolling.  I made an appt to get an ultrasound for the next day.  Check.  Then Friday morning the Dr. called me and told me that I had gall stones, and I needed to get my ball bladder out asap.  Later that day I set up an appt with a surgeon and bam just like that, all my prayers were answers.  They found the problem, they found the solution, and bam.  All I had to do was submit my will to my Fathers, and he blessed me, immediately.  It was amazing.  

And the best part of all, was I got to talk to my mom yesterday!  And my whole family, but most importantly my mom.  She is the best example I could ever ask for.  I want to be just like her when I grow up.  She loves me and she has taught me how to love.  She is self-less and charitable and kind and patient and good.  She is just good.  So all in all, we had a good week.  We are happy and soon to be healthy, and I love to be a missionary.  

Funny of the week:  Sister Bennett thought that "light" brown sugar meant that is was diet brown sugar.  Her whole world just came crashing down around her.  We all about died.  

I love love love you all!  Have the best week, and remember to be good!  

xoxo Hermana Riley Jane

Life Changers

Meet Maria Ramos, she is one of my favorites. She is the best member missionary. She is leaving to go to El Salvador for a  onto so we are sad.

Trying to teach the law of chastity to the minos, it went better than the picture gives away!

email 5.5.14

This week was full of life changers, new insights, you name it, I am changing it.  I guess that happens when an apostle comes to talk to you and you sit in the 3rd row.  Pretty cool.

First things first Ruben is getting baptized this weekend and we could't be happier.  He is so awesome and so excited to take this step twards his new life, and he just makes me want to be better.  Cristian, sadly, has decided that he does not want to be baptized yet.  My heart is breaking.  But it is okay, we are still working with him, and we are hoping we can get Ruben to baptize him when the day comes, how fun would that be?  We are excited for this weekend! 

Okay so most importantly we heard from Elder Bednar, Bishop Davies, and Elder Robins.  And It changed my life.  It was so neat.  Before they came we were assigned to read three of Elder Bednar's talks to prepare.  So the meeting went like this: 1.People stood up and told him what they learned from the talks/discussed those points.  2. People stood up and asked questions. 3.we discussed how we were being taught in the meeting and how we could apply that to our teaching.  They were all very real with us, and very straightforward.  The best part was I left the meeting feeling like a good missionary, I mean yes, I found alot that I could improve, but all in all I am doing a pretty good job.  It was so happy.  I am just going to bullet point some of the things that stood out to me the most. 

     1.We don't always need to know what we are going to do/say, just get up, go out, and do sometime, the spirit will guide.  

     2. if you want to help people, observe, listen, and discern, use the spirit, it works.  

     3. When you go home, you should feel weird, and you should feel weird for the rest of your life.  Always be peculular.  

     4. He talked about praying for God to do stuff for us.  But we really need to be praying to faith to do things for our self.  He talked about never praying that those who were not at church this week that they can be here next week, but rather "GO NOW AND GET THEM"  the only thing we should be praying for is that we don't all go to the same house.  That one was fuerte.  

     5. Get out of the way, let the spirit work through you.  Stop looking internally, and move aside.  Separate what you want from what God wants.

     6. if you follow simple promptings, self-reflect, and make goals you will never fall away.  

     7. if you love the gospel you can be sister/elder Bednar some day

     8. He said that the best indicator of weather or not we will make it into the Celestial Kingdom is the weather or not we hold a current temple recommend.  

     9. He asked us to consider if we have become a missionary, or if we are simply on a mission.  Are we converted?  Or just have a testimony.  He said that conversion happens when we do what we need to do to act in faith on our testimony.  

     10. Receiving revelation is simply, stop over thinking it, don't be surprised when things make sense.  

     11. The most important thing he said to me was that we simply need to be good.  

We are working hard, we are acting in faith, and we are trying to become converted.  My motto for this transfer is going to be: Live your life to serve the Lord.  I am happy to be a missionary, i love to be a missionary, and most importantly I love to be a disciple of Jesus Christ!  I hope you all have a great week!  Just be good! 

xoxo Hermana Riley Jane