SIGNING VISA PAPERS

HELLO EVERYONE!!!

This is going to be a short letter because I have to get ready, we are leaving in a few hours to go on a one day vacation to the Capital (just kidding) I get to go there to sign visa papers, since I am living here I must have the proper documentation and I am required to travel to the Capital to sign the papers WOOPTY DOO! well it is a very long long drive to Guate 10 hours to be exact (one way) that will be fun....I leave tonight at around 11pm, I get there tomorrow morning, we go to the Embassy, sign the papers and then turn around and come back right away. I will return late Tuesday night or Wednesday really early. I hope it will be a comfortable chicken bus hahaha.

Yesterday we didn't have much success having investigator at church, only 3 people showed up... (comparing to the previous Sunday). The people already gave up on their New Years goal hahaha (broma) (JK), things are going wonderful with Amarilis (hija de Midlreth) she now has a baptismal date for the 7 of February, but it could be sooner, because she is so prepared. I love her so much.

Guess what?! I got robbed yesterday! okay not really, I was in Sunday school, I left my rain jacket and black sweater on a chair, went to RS and then realized I left them back in the other class, I went back to the room, and they were gone! I couldn't believe it, I checked the whole building and it was nowhere to be found, someone stole them frown emoticon made me sad, I loved that jacket, but I'm trying not to focus so much on the material item, it just makes me sad that someone would break one of the 10 commandments and steal...Oh well, I know that no one is here because we are perfect but we are here to become perfected in Christ, and that means that we all still have a long long way to go, I know people do the best that they can and sometimes we will fall short and thankfully we all have the Atonement to help us repent and do better. It reminded me of your purse situation, I am just going to pray and see what happens. But other than that things are going well! the training is going well, I love training! I am learning a lot!

So that was my week.
I love you guys super much !!!!

Hermana Riley

HAAAPPPY NEW YEAR

Well this week was pretty good, I can't believe its another year aaaaaaahhhh!!!!!!! everything is going by too fast!! This girl (not so little anymore) is really enjoying her time on the mission, its fabulous!

Well my experiences last week: Hermana Blanca came back from her trip!!!! ( I missed her food, cooking at home is definitely not the same, and a lot more boring)

Last Monday night our appointments fell through, I was like.. oh no! what are we going to do?, "its late and I don't know who we can visit" so I prayed to the Lord to figure out what we could do, and then a few thoughts came to my mind, one of them was to visit a member that we haven't been able to visit (because every time we stopped by she was never home) This time when we went, she was home! her name is Mildred, we saw that her house was unorganized because she was moving things around so we asked her if she needed help and she said yes, so we helped her move the rest of her stuff and organized it (this was a miracle, because every time we visit we always ask if there is something we can help her with and every time she says "No thank you", ( she likes doing it herself) but this time we were able to help!! It was an answer to my prayer and we were able to help but the miracle was when we asked her how her daughter is doing ( she is not a member) she told us that her Daughter wasn't doing to well because her husband died. We asked Mildred if we could go visit her daughter with her so the next day we went, we planned to talk about the Atonement, and the Lord knows and understands our suffering so as we talked with her she told us that she felt this message is true and wanted to get baptized because this will help her move on with her life and heal her wounds and she said that the Lord has a purpose for her and has been planting the seed all of her life. IT WAS A MIRACLE! it was so wonderful to hear that from her. We are now working with her almost everyday helping her out, and it has been a blessing for me and my comp.

On a less spiritual note, this new year we ate a ton of food (more than on Christmas) and I finally got to try ponche at Hermana Blanca's, it was delicious, besides that and the fireworks it was a pretty normal day, but the streets were also dead, and there wasn't a lot of action going on.

Now back on a more spiritual note: yesterday was a Sunday of miracles.....

The start time for our Branch this year is 8:00 am which means we as missionaries have to work fast to bring all of our investigators.
Well... this Sunday we were late.... ( for the very first time mind you) But we have a very good reason... we were bringing A LOT of investigators, we went to pick up 4 people which is more than average, and then 4 more people showed up by themselves, SO PEOPLE GET THIS.... that makes 8 in total (record breaking for me and my comp.) IT WAS A MIRACLE!, and there were also a few less actives that we've been working with that haven't been in a while, I was so joyful although we missed the sacrament,(but I asked for forgiveness) We enjoyed the miracle the Lord has blessed us with, starting off the new year right, and seeing some promising things for this month!

So that sums it up for this week, other than that we are really trying to work with the investigators that are progressing so that they can reach the goal of baptism. I'm so excited! I hope all turns out!, thanks for all your love and support!!! I never take it for granted, and always give thanks to the Lord smile emoticon

Love you all so much, super hugs and kisses!!!!
Hermana Riley

FELIZ NAVIDAD!

It was so good to call you guys!!! Although it went so fast, but it was good to hear everyone, it felt normal as if I had been talking to you guys regularly. Don't worry mom, it didn't make me sad, just felt so much love for you guys and happy that everything is going well :) I'm glad you think I'm doing well in Spanish haha it was my goal to be pretty fluent before Christmas, just now got to refine a few things haha

The family that got married se llama familia Poot Pereira, husband and wife, they got baptized Sunday morning (yesterday) and confirmed the same day, I spoke in the baptism and talked about enduring to the end, they are so wonderful, I love them so much, they planned to get sealed the following year in January (the end of my mission, maybe I can get special permission to attend!)  We found them one night heading to an appointment and we contacted them on the street, they were just arriving to their house, we saw them and the first thing my Companion and I thought "ooo a family!" so we went and talked to them and that's how we started it all, they actually have a background in the church they have family members that are members, so they knew a little bit. 

The members here are nice and sometimes helpful. We just have to gain more trust with them, the new year is about to start so we are going to make a better plan of action! Thanks for the advice mom! . I feel like the work has slowed down a bit because I'm still starting out, and figuring out the ropes of our area and the mission, but now we are going to kick it into high gear and turn on the turbo! haha 

The district I am in is great, and the zone is cool too, we have some good zone leaders, I am making some good friendships with the missionaries and the members and investigators. 

Today for p-day we had a "sisters only" activity yep just the girls, we talked, played sharades and watched the errand of angels, it was fun and cool, during our last District meeting we had secret santa, so we all got gifts, the Elder that had my name gave me a wrapped  watermelon and that was my gift, one Elder got footy pajamas, it was so funny!!  

Christmas was pretty good, we did a lot of contacting! sharing the message about El es la Dadiva and we carried along the video with us to show people (but we only showed one person) haha The streets were so quiet especially on the 25th, it was pretty much dead! Which seems to be the tradition here in Guatemala, everyone is pretty much recovering from celebrating the night before. On Christmas eve at night we ate with la familia Aguilar 

and then we went to another family's house, we had tamales and hot chocolate and grapes, from what i saw i think its a tradition to have grapes yep people here only eat grapes during the holidays and apples too and those that are low income only splurge on grapes for Christmas eve.  At night, we got back to our apartment I had bought apple cider so we did some brindis haha and celebrated, at midnight when we were asleep we were awaken by   the fireworks HOLY GUACAMOLE they were so loud!! and lasted up until 4 in the morning, (another tradition, people burn a lot of fireworks right at midnight)  there were huge bombs (actual fireworks that explode in the air and sound like bombs)  I think they gave me a few heart attacks haha also at night I played the role of Santa and put out the stockings and presents and on Christmas day, I made fancy hot chocolate for my comp then we opened presents (my companions says thanks for the presents) it was fun for her to be able to open a few presents, I LOVED OLAF! Thanks Mommy, I took some pics,  I got to talk to you guys! :D that was awesome, we then did a lot more contacting, and only had a few lessons at night. Surprisingly we didn't eat a whole lot. And yes That was our christmas.

The miracle we had was the baptism, and it was  wonderful.

Things are going great here, and pumped to work harder and be better. I love you guys so much!!! Thanks for all the support, you are the best mommy! and daddy too, and the boys! haha I have una familia CHILERA jaja Thank you guys for all that you do! 

I hope you guys have a happy new year WOOT 2015! here we come! 

CON TODO MI AMOR DE LAS ETERNIDADES

Hermana Riley

My bestest Christmas Gift

I LOVE THIS FAMILY

DECEMBER 28TH 2014

P-DAY WITH THE HERMANAS

MY VERY OWN CHRISTMAS TREE

(I MADE IT)

SANTA CAME AND FILLED OUR STOCKINGS

CHRISTMAS MORNING

THE DISTRICT DOING SECRET SANTA

GIFT FROM SECRET SANTA

A WATERMELON

I LOVE OLAF!

MIS PATOJITOS LINDOS!

I LOVE THIS FAMILY

GETTING MARRIED

CHRISTMAS WEEK

I love fotos! haha 

 My week this past week was pretty slow. Not many lessons, but that doesn't keep me from being happy!!!!

 I love my comp. we are working well together and are a great team. The training is going well, I am sharing all that I can, my goal is to get her ready so that she can train when I am done.

 We had a big miracle this past week! There is a family we are teaching, and on Wednesday I received a phone call and it came as a big surprise, the couple told me that they were getting married, and wanted to get baptized that Saturday, it was amazing!!!  So They got married, but they have yet to be baptized because the "Hermano" needs to be taught a few more things, but they will be ready hopefully this coming Saturday. They are so excited! they really want to be a family for eternity. I just have so much love and happiness for them, when they get baptized I will cry, they are really special :) Remember I told you that we find many couples living together and have no desire to be married so to find someone willing to make that commitment is very important and special and I am so grateful and humble to know that as Missionaries we can help people improve their lives to prepare them for the eternities.

 Well this week is Christmas, YAAAY (because I get to talk to you)  its kind of weird because it doesn't feel like Christmas, maybe because there isn't christmas music playing twenty four seven, neither is there snow on the ground, I feel like those two things really help the christmas spirit  but  spreading the gospel and talking about Jesus Christ does too.

 Dont really have any plans, I think we might contact all day, and well call you guys, im so excited, even if its just 40 minutes I can't wait!! I LOVE YOU GUYS! haha Really not much has happened.... OH WAIT!! Last tuesday we had zone conference, and President Curtiss and his wife and the Asistents came up for it, it was a special christmas conference, it was really neat. Learned some good stuff and then afterwards we had a big lunch, served turkey, mashed potatos, veggies, bread, tortilla, salad, then we had dessert, slice of cake, a mini cheesecake and a mini pumpkin pie, it was sooo delicious, celebrated the birhtdays of November, December and January,  we also got a little present, they were foot tights, we also received christmas gifts, I got a stocking with candy and we all got cool shirts with the name of our mission on it, i will send a picture, (my camera died that day so i couldn't take pictures) afterwards our final gift, was... They played frozen for us, so I we watched in spanish with english subtitles. Thats probably the bajillionth time watching it, but it was still good (its better in english haha)So that was our zone conference, pretty neat :) 

Hmmmm what else? what else?.... well, Hermana Blanca asked me to ask you, to give me the recipe  for stuffing (but I told her that you just buy it from the store haha) but she wants to know how to make it. And lets see.... So we can call the 24th or the 25th, I wanna talk to you guys the 25th because that's when all the exciting stuff happens, im just not sure, either the morning or the afternoon? hmmmm, okay, Call me at 12 pm (1 your time) on the 25th, 

EEEEEEEEEE can't wait.

Thats all for now, LUB YOU GUYS LIKE NO OTHER!!!!!!! Hugs and kisses to all!!

Hermanas in San Benito

My Companion and I

During Branch Christmas Party

OUR FAVORITE P-DAY ACTIVITY

WATER BALLOONS!

FAMILIA AGUILAR AND ME

SINGING FELIZ NAVIDAD

MY COMPANION AND I

MY BIRTHDAY TREAT

NEW COMPANION!!

So last monday we, hna martinez and I traveled to Coban, we left at one in the afternoon and arrived there at around 7, it was in a public bus, we hardly had to carry the luggage, because the elders helped us load and when we got to Cobanthe assistants came and took the luggage for us, when we got to Coban it was SO COLD! I wasn't prepared but thankfully I brought a sweater. When the asisstants came, i was so surprised because they were driving and the car they were driving, was super nice! (I feel like I've been away from civilization that I get impressed by the small luxuries of life hahaha) it was some sort of grey truck, but it was nice! we got dropped off at the apartment of the hermana leaders and we stayed there over night, they ordered us pizza while they went to finish their day. But it was so cold, i didnt bring my warm socks, and was suffering a tad bit, thankfully i had a long sleeve, pants and a sweater. we stayed there over night, i got to cuddle in a lot of blankets haha Woke up in the morning and holy goodness I got to take a hot shower for the first time in like 10 weeks, it was soooo nice, i didn't want to get out haha we arrived at the church and i saw an elder from my district in the ccm so i said hi and we started talking about the first few months of the mission, it was cool. We then had a training for the trainers and then the new missionaries came and we greeted them ( i didnt know who my companion was still) had a meeting with the nurse, the financiers, presidente and his wife, had a lunch. I said goodbye to my trainer it was a bit sad. I then found out who my new companion is, her name is Hermana Perez from mexico, she is 22, pretty quiet, but ready to work, its great, the first week went well, but it was pretty slow, trying to figure out everything. The trip back to Peten took way too long, this time it was a bus with just missionaries we left at 3pm and didn't arrive until 12 at night, it was a long journey!!! For my birthday, i opened a present you sent and the card, it was super cute and thanks for the shoes!!! My day was pretty normal, before i woke up i heard firecrackers (they usualy go off when someone has a birthday, i don't know if they were for me or someone else, but it doesn't matter haha) I got texts from some of the members and missionaries, And that night there was a district (stake) christmas activity, it was really neat, and i got to sing with Familia Aguilar (hna blanca) because they needed someone to sing the english part of the song Feliz navidad haha but it was cool, it turned out well. Today at lunch the Zone leaders bought me a desert and all the missionaries sang happy birthday to me at pizza hut, and an elder learned how to make a balloon dog and gave me one, this was at pizza hut, it was very sweet and thoughtful. I love the month of december it is so special, and to celebrate the birth of Jesus makes it even more special. Dont worry im not discouraged, I made a promise to myself that I would never get discouraged because there is no need to. And to always try to be happy and smile even in the most difficult moments. I am excited to work even harder. Something I heard in Districtt meeting is Since Heavenly Father gave his only begotten Son for us, what will we give to Heavenly Father? Really makes one think. Got a lot of work to do, to get those baptisms to bring these people closer to Christ. I like the e-mail that sister Johnson sent, its pretty neat idea. Thanks for the love and support! and I love reading all the emails you guys send!!
Mucho love and hugs and kisses!
Hermana Riley

NEW COMPANION!