Hello hello all you wonderful and amazing people!
I hope that everyone's week has gone the way they were hoping it would? But this week has been good. A couple of highs and lows but that's life right? I have truly brought the Arizona heat to Farnborough.. it's been scorching the last couple of days but today and the rest of the week, we have a chance for more rain and cooler temps so DEFINITELY looking forward to that... But again, this week was full of everything and I'M LOVING IT! We have zone conference this week and I'm really looking forward to that because guess what...(might of said this earlier) but Elder Richins and I get to sing a duet!!! It's going to be so fantastic! We have been practicing like crazy every morning so we don't mess up (but we might, as none of us have sung in front of a congregation before... let alone just a duet) but all is good... haha So pray for us=)
England Sky
Tuesday; August 4th, 2015
We had a wonderful wonderful day! We got to do some contacting for a bit and then we met with Tony. Tony is seriously golden... he reminds me of myself a lot. He's Catholic and again, very religious. We got to teach him about the Restoration and how God has provided us with a living prophet today. His eyes lit up... we asked him how that made him feel and he just told us how happy that thought is and how true it could be because God doesn't change. He's the same yesterday, today, and forever, so if he called prophets back then, he'll call them now. But he just said it would be so beneficial to have someone lead and guide us in the right path. He was just so excited and we extended a baptismal invitation and he said yes!!! So August 29th is the day and it's going to be amazing. He's so awesome and is just so into what we share.
Wednesday: August 5th, 2015
We had District Leadership Council and it took a huge chunk out of our day. So many good insights were shared between the lot. That night we had dinner with the Freeman's and then had a lesson later that night. Now here's where the low point comes in... very low point. The lesson was just a total mess. No focus and a lot of contention between the family. We tried everything we could to keep them focused and also as reverent as they could be but it just failed miserably. One week before, we are cloud 9 and then this week was a total ground zero. A lot more details but I don't want to release what happened. So that night was very frustrating and it was the hardest thing I've had to go through so far...
A little P-day adventure
Thursday: August 6th, 2015
Another day where our time was cut short. We had to head to Basingstoke for district meeting and that again, took most of our day away from us. When we got back, we headed to Eddie's home (a recent street contact) and he wasn't there so huge bummer because he really needs this message. But on our way back into town we met with a Polish woman named Meerka. She is super nice and very interested in what the Book of Mormon is and again, the idea of God calling prophets in the present day. We're meeting with her this Thursday so we will see how it goes!=)
Friday: August 7th, 2015
First exchange of the mission! Elder Redd and myself got to cover Reading for the weekend together (Friday night and Saturday morning in reality) While there, we got another baptismal date! We also had lessons with a lot of wonderful people. Ade, Sally, Tanya, Paul, Andrew, and then Magda. But I learned a lot from Elder Redd and he and I get along so well haha. We are both very special people (the way we act) but our personalities are similar so we had some serious fun together! Apparently I laugh just like his best friend back home in Idaho so he just freaked out and had to give me a hug... it was funny but strange all at once! But he's an awesome guy and a really great missionary.
Elder Redd and I have style!
Saturday: August 8th, 2015
We headed back into Farnborough to exchange back and then had some curry for lunch. We went out contacting after, before dinner I started applying what I learned from the exchange with Elder Redd. We then headed over to Tammy's house for a bodacious barbecue... it was so so so good. We headed home and started our fast (doing a 4 week zone fast for the season of mircales) but the topic for this week is love so it'll be amazing to see the miracles that come from us participating in this zone fast.
Sunday: August 9th, 2015
Another really awesome Sunday! (every Sunday is awesome, lets' face that fact) TONY CAME TO CHURCH and that's not all... HE LOVED IT. One thing he told us after church was, "I loved church today, and the reason I loved it is because it's a very different atmosphere than the Catholic church and also, what I love is that you practice what you preach." Best compliment Elder Richins and I have received yet! So after church we headed to the Hobb's for lunch/dinner and they made us a roast dinner with Yorkshire pudding (greatest thing I have ever eaten, just saying...) but then we got to share a quick message about the season of miracles and then we headed back to the flat for 12 week and then accounting with the district and then the zone leaders. Again though, it seems like every week seems to go by faster and faster and I feel like we never have any time to do anything... but the Reading Zone now has 20+ baptisms for the month of August and the miracles just keep on coming! God is so good to his faithful and obedient servants. We always see the results as we do what we need to do!
This tree looked like it was from Harry Potter so I had to snap it... Oops.
In closing, I've learned so much from the Book of Mormon this week. I've nearly finished it after 2 weeks and I've found so many great things while reading this time around that have helped me stay so positive and always looking for ways to help others and also help myself learn and grow. I invite everyone to read the Book of Mormon with questions in mind every time you pick it up and I promise you as you read it with those questions in mind, God will show you the answers to the questions as you search diligently.
Mormon 9:21
Behold, I say unto you that whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him; and this promise is unto all, even unto the ends of the earth.
Missionary Status (tried to copy Stat haha)
Cheers!!!
-Elder Rivera
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