Visit from a member of the Quorum of the 70's Elder Alonso.

Well yesterday was a wonderful day! grin emoticon Got to talk to you guys, my wonderful family!! Sorry about the lag, I don't know why that happened, a bunch of other missionaries had problems with their phone connections as well..

This past week was really good! On friday we had a multi-zone conference with Elder Alonso a member of the Quorum of the 70's. On Saturday we had leaders conference with him as well (double blessing) I learned a lot! And got more excited to be a missionary and do the Lord's work to the best of my ability, He gave us some really good ideas. At the end of the leaders conference, he went up and told us that he felt really inspired to tell us, that we should go to members houses, investigators and to say a prayer and ask for a blessing for them, no teach anything, just leave a blessing for each of them. On Saturday after the conference, we did just that! Its great to see how the Lord leads us to his children in need because that day we went to an appointment but it had fallen through, so we went to go contact a house. A lady opened the door, she spoke q'eqchi to us and she was really receptive and let us in, she told us that her daughter was sick, so we went in, and found this frail little lady, sobbing, and her husband behind her comforting her, it was so sad to see, we chatted a little bit, and asked if we could pray for them, in my mind though I was thinking, "I wish there were Elder's with us to give a priesthood blessing". We knelt down on their dirt floor, and said a prayer to bless them. We finished, chatted a bit more, and then left, We told them that we would come back. We were able to put into practice what Elder Alonso had invited us to do, I just felt so happy that day, and felt like I was a new missionary, with a better perspective, just gotta keep that going! We are finding a whole lot of new people, I need to continue to be diligent smile emoticonWe are doing our best! My companion has 4 weeks left in the mission, which is crazy! Time is seriouysly flying by, I can't believe it! Elder Alonso said we have to be obedient and just need to enjoy the mission because we will never have this experience ever again! which is so true, and makes me sad, I love it here so much!

Well I hope you guys have a marvelous week!!!! Stay faithful and true!
LOVE YOU!
Hermana Riley

Goofing around with my comp.

Multi-zone conference 

My District

Sister Wiecks MTC Companion

My Companion & Elder's from my last Area

Cleaned up real nice

for a special occasion

IT'S MONDAY!!

My Mom (trainer)

Forever sisters

UPS AND DOWNS.

We have ups and downs (and I am not referring to the hills of Coban) yes there are those too. I am learning not to be discouraged and to be patient, because everything happens in the Lord's timing.

I will start sharing my UPS:

We have set a baptismal date with a girl named Ana! she is AWESOME, she is only 13 and she accepted the Gospel. Her older sister is baptized, and she says that she regrets not getting baptized with her siblings but that now she is ready and knows these things are true, an answer to our prayers and fast! she went to the church with us this Sunday, and enjoyed it, I am so excited for her! we are seeing some progress. The baptismal date is for May 30th.

This past week, we gave service to a recent convert named yanette she recently got surgery and she can't do a lot of heavy labor, so we helped clean her house, which was nice because now I am getting good house cleaning skills, you'll be proud of me hahaha

In the ward we got a new bishopric, and the new bishop is GREAT! He is kind, and you can tell is working hard, we went to his house on Sunday to help his wife, who has a new baby in the house, but it's premature of 6 months, and just got back from being in the hospital for 3 months, so we chatted with her to get to know her, and we helped her out.

Le me share my DOWNS:

One day I went with Hermana Rivas (from Peru) we went to visit one of our investigators, but this investigators have dogs that are not very friendly AT ALL!! Let'ls say they are vicious, and it's a gang of three.

When we got there I was only able to see one and it was laying down, this people don't have door bells or anything of the kind so the customary way to let them know you are there is to yell BUENASSS!!! it is like saying GOOD AFTERNOON!! or HELLO!! (and that's how we get the attention of the people), Well....that one dog started barking, and walked towards me. No one from the house came out, so I yelled again BUENAASSS!! and that only got the attention of the other 2 dogs so I guess that wasn't a good idea hahaha, the other two dogs came running out and barking! HOLLY COW! they ganged up on me! And were growling roughly, my heart was pounding, but I stood my ground, I didn't want to run and really couldn't because I was standing on a gravel hill and didn't want them to chase after me and bite my legs off. I bent down to pick up a rock and threw it at them, they got caught by surprise (and it usually works, to get them to go away) they stopped for a bit but they just got more mad, and one of the dogs sprang out! With my catlike reflexes I stuck out the umbrella I was carrying and it bit it! At this point my heart was racing, I shook my umbrella away, and that was our escape, we started walking away fast! Holy cow it was crazy, if I didn't have my umbrella with me I would have been the equivalent of chopped liver to them or Chao Mein if they were feeling like chinese food, and then I would have had to travel to the Capital to get rabies shots, so grateful that didn't happen. Unless I feel a super strong impression to go back to that house again I don't think I will be going back and risk my life (because those dogs live there, and attack anyone that walks by) it just reminds me of Cerberus the three headed dog that guards the entrance, except these not only have three heads but 12 legs too.

Anyways we continued our proselyting and we found a woman, she was somewhat receptive and we tried to talk to her (she was alittle bit older) but she was so aloof, not even listening, all of a sudden she said, I don't have time for this, I'm really busy, and have a lot of things to do and she walked away, we got rejected big time, but it was like whatever, we knew there were others to find, and one day she will have another chance to accept or maybe not. That was a crazy day to my crazy week!

About my area:

Here in Coban, you take the bus to travel, and it is super sheap 1.50 in quetzales for the ride, they have taxis too but its more expensive. Where I live we have the plaza near by, there is Dominos, subway, mcdonalds, pizza hut, pollo campero, and some others.

In my area we have a lot of hills! So its "leg day" everyday haha recently it has been hot, but this last week its gotten cooler which has been a nice change of pace smile emoticon The bread here is ssoooooooo good! I am addicted to sweet bread, but dont worry, i dont eat a lot of it, every once awhile, I know very well the side effects of sweet bread hahah. The members here are nice, i still got to get to know them a little bit more, and we have hermanas that help us out during the week to accompany us. 

This week a 70 is going to come named Elder Alonzo, I am really excited!
I am also super excited to talk you guys on Mother's Day.
I LOVE YOU SUPER MUCH!!!!!! I hope you have a fabulous week!
Hermana Riley

SAYING GOODBYE TO MY LAST AREA.

HOT HOT HOT

Hello!

It has been HOT! it has hardly rained at all, and there is sooooo much dust, I get it in my eyes, and it's not a fun experience....Well last monday we did a noche de hogar, with the family that gives us lunch, and we made mexican food, it was delicious.

PLANTS COVERED IN DUST

This week has been pretty good, but I have never felt so exhausted in my life, Mission life is starting to catch up with me unsure emoticon but just gotta keep going. Right now we don't have any baptismal dates, we really are learning to develop more patience right now, and developing more faith for what the Lord has in store for us.

ONE OF THE MANY HILLS WE

WALK EVERY DAY.

The work continues and we put our efforts to find new people, and to help our investigators progress to arrive at that moment to make covenants with Heavenly Father. Last Friday had divisions again, and I went to Santa Cruz, its like next door to San Cristobal. It was a good day, a member accompanied us and brought her granddaughter, she is sooo cute! ( see picture) AND! the highlight of my week, was opening my package, I loved everything inside! thank you! thank you! The candy is delicious, the minnionaries are so ADORABLE! my fave part hahah Oh yeah my companion says MUCHISIMAS GRACIAS, she really enjoyed the puzzle card and the candies smile emoticon

Today we went to a park reserve, it was really pretty and took some photos (which i already sent smile emoticon ) That was my pday today smile emoticon I enjoy looking at nature, I feel like I'm more of an outdoorsy person now, but the bugs are still my enemies haha

Not that I'm counting or anything but I have 8 months on the mission, almost halfway! can you believe it!! time flies by, and I can't believe that almost everyone else is back from the ward, its so crazy!!
I love the mission, especially here in Guatemala, it's the best thing in the world, would never trade this experience for anything!

Well I hope you guys have a great week, happy b-day to Quinn
LOVE YOU GUYS!
Hermana Riley