Elder Rivera... Welcome to Southampton!

Elder Oh (our district leader)
and Elder Lika (my new companion)

Hello everyone!

So as today is moves day, I will be emailing you today so for those who I maybe missed yesterday, no worries cause today is the day! With transfers happening again, I am sad to see Reading go but now I have been moved to Southampton in the Portsmouth Zone. I'll still be a Zone Leader and my new companion is Elder Lika and I am looking forward to working here. So we did the new travel system that the brethren have instituted and so I got to travel all ALONE! It was super weird but it does make life easy for everyone else not having to worry about moving everyone. But yes, Southampton is super beautiful and I have a feeling there is going to be a lot of success over here! We shall see how things go in the future but, happy to see a new zone and a new area and looking forward to working with a lot of new faces!

Tuesday: February 9th, 2016
Today we had our Specialized Zone Training and it went super well! We also had interviews all day with President Gubler and wow, I learned a lot again from him and the presentations that were given during the training. We also had the privilege to go to dinner with the President and Sister Gubler after our interviews. We went to this grill place called the Sizzling and it was super good! But great day overall.

Wednesday: February 10th, 2016
Today was kind of a blur if I'm being honest... But it was Elder Baum's birthday so we gave him a good surprise and had lunch with him and Elder De Wilde. After we did a lot of potential finding and
stopping by referrals and then later that night, we had a lesson with Jan and Sarah and it went super well. We could definitely feel the the Holy Ghost working within them and we just had to pray that they would recognize what both of us were feeling.

Thursday: February 11th, 2016
Today we had exchanges and it was the my last opportunity to be on one with Elder De Wilde before he headed home. It's super crazy to think that when he first came into the zone, he had six months left and now... He's heading home, time flies!!! We went to McDonald's to celebrate our last exchange haha.

Friday: February 12th, 2016
We got to go on exchanges with the assistants again and I got to work with Elder Clark again. He is such a stud missionary and it's crazy to think he only has one transfer left too. We went and had some great lessons with a family and stopped by a friend as well but they had family over and we couldn't teach them that night which was sad cause I was looking forward to that one. Anyways, after, we had accounting that night so lots of phone calls for the rest of the evening.

Saturday: February 13th, 2016
Today was moves calls and during study, we got the call from President telling us that Elder Mayes and I had some changes and that I was going to Southampton and that he was going to train a new zone leader from his MTC group. Super sad to leave because we had a ton of fun but we know it was the Lord's will for us.

Sunday: February 14th, 2016

Nothing like my favorite American
Chocolate bar for Valentine's Day!

Valentine's Day and the Sabbath. Two of the most significant days out together. Gods love for his children is so great... I got to give a talk about how the Spirit works with us in teaching and helps us truly show our love for the Lord by serving him and his children and how teaching by the Spirit is so crucial. I also had to begin packing so it was a crazy time there until it was time to account for the rest of the night.

Monday: February 15th, 2016
More packing and we took Elder De Wilde out for lunch to an American Steakhouse Restaurant and it was super delicious! I had a nice Pit Boss Ultimate Burger!(a burger with bacon, pulled pork, and then a giant hamburger patty) SUPER GOOD! Oh, and a root beer, can't forget that!:) we also had a good final lesson with the twins before I headed out and they are set to be baptized hopefully next week!

Anyways, as you can see, a lot has happened this week and it has been crazy! This week we have a zone conference with a Elder Johnson (mission tour) and we are super stoked for that! We will get to also have an MLC meeting with him the coming Monday which will be sweet! The more prepared we are the more we will receive from one of the Lord's anointed! Can't wait!



Verse of the Week:
Omni 1:26
"Yea, come unto him, and offer your whole souls as an offering unto him, and continue in fasting and praying, and endure to the end; and as the Lord liveth he will be saved.

"If you keep my commandments, ye shall prosper in the land."
One day...One day...!

I love you all and hope you have a great week!

Love always,
Elder Rivera