Christmas Temple Trip!

Nativity Scene at the Visitor Center

The Reading Zone!

Hello everyone!

Can you believe we are already 11 days from Christmas! That is totally insane... but I'm loving it. So this week was a great one. I managed to snag food poisoning from dinner so my stomach wasn't doing well and my appetite has just came back to me! We had our Temple trip this week to and it was so amazing! I learned so much from the temple and also President Gubler. It was a well needed trip and I also managed to gather some thermal garments so I am super warm now haha!

Tuesday: December 8th, 2015
So again, today was a really good day until dinner came around. I was fine all night and then yeah... enough said there.

Nuff Said!

Wednesday: December 9th, 2015
I was sick all day and not feeling well. I woke up super early and puked and then puked again and so I was stuck in the flat all day until we had a lunch appointment. I slept at the members home and then we had to go to Elder Richins drivers test. He passed so I got to sleep while we drove to Reading. When we got home I passed out after taking some medicine and drinking Powerade to replenish all my lost nutrients haha.

Thursday: December 10th, 2015

Fall makes it look so nice!

So to celebrate my 5 month mark (not intended) we got to go to the temple for our mission Christmas present from President and Sister Gubler. We got to have our temple endowment session and it was so wonderful! It was the Reading, Staines, and Portsmouth zone with us. There was truly so many things I learned that day and the Spirit confirmed so many answers I had from my blessing and also personal questions I had. Like I said, it was a well needed trip and I felt so much better! Glad food poisoning only lasts a couple of hours so I was happy! I can't believe the next time I'll be able to go through the temple again will be a couple of months! It's sad but it just makes the time in there so much more valuable and sacred. Always be in the temple if you can because that is where you will have answers to questions that you wouldn't be able to find anywhere else. I love it!

MTC Group Temple Pic!

Friday: December 11th, 2015
Today we were on exchanges with Woodley and we had great day. Elder De Wilde and I went contacting around the University and we met a lot of good people. One was Steven who was fairly interested and then we went and visited Sybil who was just baptized two weeks ago and she is doing so well! She looks so happy! She is a true definition of change and what the gospel truly offers people who accept it. But it was a very well rounded night.

Coca Cola Truck in Reading!

Saturday: December 12th, 2015
Before we exchanged back we had a crazy lesson with this lady named Jenny. She is a Quaker and had so many good questions regarding the Book of Mormon and how it relates to the Bible and how together they come together to bring the fullness of the gospel. She also asked questions about the Priesthood and also of how Apostles are called and if they receive revelation and we just got to answer so many questions that we wish everyone would ask. We exchanged back after that but before that, we had some Mexican burritos for lunch and then we headed home. We had some lessons and then we had a lesson with the Bakers.

London Temple at night!

Sunday: December 13th, 2015
Today was a good day in church and then we had our typical accounting and then we also watched he Christmas Devotional.

Verse of the Week: 3 Nephi 14:14
"Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."

This was a great week and I truly learned so much this week and can't wait to see what this week brings but I love you all!!! Happy Holidays!!!

Talk to you all next week!!!
-Elder Rivera