Reading Stake Conference Weekend!

Hello family and friends,

Roy and Darrin and the Newbury Crew!

This week has been a super busy one for sure. There is not much to write this week but I'll give a rundown to the best of my ability with the amount that we had done. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying life because it truly is the greatest thing in the world. This week was full of meeting from day 1 to day 7 so... sorry for a boring email.

Tuesday: February 2nd, 2016
Today was our MLC day which ended up with a very good turnout in the end and we were definitely ready to head out and continue. The rest of the day was great and we just got right to work once we finished. We had a dinner appointment with the American Family again and that was amazing, again!

Wednesday: February 3rd, 2016
Today we had another meeting... DLC and then we had to clean out a flat from all the rubbish that was left behind and then we headed back home and worked around with some people. We saw Jan and Sarah again and that went super well. They fed us and so it is always nice when investigators invite you for dinner and a lesson!

Thursday: February 4th, 2016
Another meeting and more finding...

Friday: February 5th, 2016
We had another district meeting today and it was the last one for Elder McCappin and Elder De Wilde so we tried going to Rio's for district lunch but the line was super long so we settled for McDonald's (Don't worry... it is actually edible in England) After that, we had weekly planning and correlation meeting and then we prepared for stake conference weekend.

Saturday: February 6th, 2016
Today we went and did some service for a member and actually got to teach his land lady who has had a baptismal date before so hopefully we can help her get back on track very soon and then we finished the day with a Priesthood Session of stake conference and then the evening adult session and oh my... I had a very strong experience there and I wrote it all down but would not seem okay to share for me, sorry=)

unday: February 7th, 2016
Sunday session of stake conference and another great experience, and then after, we had lunch with the Woodley elders and then we had some time to work and finished up the night with the usual accounting on Sundays!

Again, not the most eventful week but it was a very important week full of great things to apply and learn and especially the things I learned through personal revelation and my studies in the mornings! The Book of Mormon truly is a divine book and I just can't get enough of it sometimes... I just love it so much and hope everyone can be able to learn to love it as I have been able to love it.

Verse of the Week:
Jacob 4:8
"Behold, great and marvelous are the works of the Lord. How unsearchable are the depths of the mysteries of him; and it is impossible that man should find out all his ways. And no man knoweth of his ways save it be revealed unto him; wherefore, brethren, despise not the revelations of God."

With that, all I can say is that I KNOW, that Jesus Christ lives... he lives and he wants us all to live with him again but we must be willing to live like he did and do the things that he is asking of us to do each day, no matter how hard it may be. Fear not, doubt not, be strong and of good courage and always remember... in times of trial or struggle, hold the ground that you have already won, even if that ground is limited. (Elder Holland)

I love you all and hope this week will be a great one for you all and hopefully, this coming week will be an exciting one for us all!

P.S I AM LICENSED IN THE UK!!! WHAT WHAT...?
I guess I'll share this story real quick too because it truly was a miracle...

So a total moment of reconciliation with God... so a few months back, Elder Richins and I went to take his driving test and his instructor was totally interested in the church and she was looking for one to join because of some issues that were going on in her current church (I will not name it) but we both had a prompting to give her a pass along card and we both FAILED to do so... and so we were totally devastated at our terrible missionary skills and we were super sad because she was so prepared.

Now here is where things get interesting... I wasn't planning to take my driving test until about April because that was the next available one... however, my companion tells me to check and see if there are any new ones and I'm just like... there is no way there is one... but I do so anyways and turns out... BAM, there 's one the next morning and so I booked it and got prepared for it! Come test time I am waiting in the room and the night before, I prayed for a second opportunity to make amends with God for my failure moment a few months back and oh my goodness.... DOES GOD HEAR PRAYERS OR WHAT...! The same lady walks in and I'm just like... oh please God, let this be my chance... and she totally called my name! (my companion then sings very quietly... "Say my name, say my name" and yeah, basically the whole test, we talked about the church and her desire to find another one and oh my... I totally was super happy and not only did I have 0 minors or mark downs... but I was able to seize the opportunity and share a card with some numbers and address to the local church. SO yeah, God is super good and my soul can be at ease as I fixed the mistake that we didn't take control of last time. So yeah, God is super good!

Love you all,
-Elder Rivera