Final Stop... LONDON!🇬🇧

Good morning!!!

This week has been super awesome!!!

Thursday: February 16th, 2017
We did a lot of preparation today for the baptism of Maureen! We washed and cleaned out the font on exchanges today and we also got to see a familiar face! Elder Avanesjan(or Mika) came down to visit and we bumped into him at the temple which was crazy! He's been gone for nearly 9 months now and it is just super crazy. He shared a lot about how hard it is to transition back into life and is just something we need to be prepared for.

Friday: February 17th, 2017
Well, Elder Dey and I were on exchange tonight and because he has been recovering from a knee injury and so we didn't do to much. I played basketball tonight against one of the youth and his friends and we made a wager on the game. Needless to say, they had to come to the baptism and church this weekend... :)

Saturday: February 18th, 2017
The greatest day and way to finish my time in Crawley... We had the baptism of Maureen today and it was powerful!!! There were so many tears of joy from everyone and it was just the most sacred experience for all of us and it was amazing! A perfect way to finish off my time in Crawley and to be able to have a spiritual high heading into my last area in Peckham! Dream area and I get to serve with Elder Green who is from Australia! We have had some good exchanges in the past and now we get to serve as Zone Leaders together for at least one transfer for sure! We'll see what God has planned. After Maureen's baptism and the baptisms in Brighton, we went and celebrated with Five Guys again before the exchanges were done! I am so grateful for baptism and the joy it brings to the human heart and soul but more importantly, the spiritual cleansing that occurs as we embark on a journey in following our Lord and Savior into the waters. Sometimes... we must walk the shores of life before appreciating the waters of eternity.

Sunday: February 19th, 2017
Last Sunday in the wonderful area of Crawley and it was a grand one. We had a great church service and confirmation of Maureen where we gave her her own set of scriptures and she was overjoyed at the gift! I still can't believe that I served 9 months in Crawley... went by so quick and felt like a blur. We spent some time having meal appointments with the Hunt's, Ryan's, Stamp's(Saturday night), and Brother Simcock. Still can't believe that this chapter has come to a close and now my last chapter for 11 weeks has begun. I'm so excited for what is to come and what we will be able to accomplish in the time that we have together.

Monday: February 20th, 2017
We had accounting today and then another baptismal dinner where we were able to share Muareen's story and also heat the story of all the missionaries that attended about their friends who had made it to baptism! Also had a tender moment with a phone call to home with President's permission as I headed out into a new responsibility. Crazy to hear the voices of your family over a phone(usually skype) and it was just really nice to hear from them for a short moment. President and I then had some closing remarks from the time we have served so closely together these past 9 months and then we talked about the rest of my mission:) I've loved every minute of being an assistant. It is a pure blessing and great opportunity to learn and grow at such a rapid rate under the guidance of President. I'm going to miss it but with every calling comes a future release and that time has now come and the Lord needs my efforts elsewhere and it just happened to be in London for my last 11 weeks. It's going to be a blast!

Tuesday: February 21st, 2017

Reunion!

#LastCrawleySundaySelfie

Well... first day in the mighty land of Peckham! I've been here a couple of times visiting for baptisms and also exchanges but it is super weird to call it my own area! I still can't believe it really... who would have known? I always told myself it would be the dream to finish here and well... God makes
dreams come true.(but I also know my labors are needed here for the area and for the missionaries) We picked up missionaries and helped them while they were waiting for their companions to come in and then we did some preparation for the night and did some quick planning and then had a wonderful Tuesday night activity with some of the members and friends here that are looking into the church. Crazy seeing a lot of familiar faces and it just feels like home again haha. I'M SO EXCITED! We had our first taste of Peckham already with fufu and Okra soup!!! It burned but it was so good... haven't had African food in a while and it reminded me of the good ol times in Reading with Elder Mayes. So much to look forward to here in Peckham and just getting the rest of the work done that the Lord has prepared for me and my companion to do but also the wonderful harvest that is ready for the zone to gather.

Exotic watermelon..!

Wednesday: February 22nd, 2017
Today we will be heading into the Imperial War Museum together with us and the Kennington elders(we live together)(#4ManFlats) and then we will be doing some sport. If you have any ideas of fun activities you've heard or seen in the South of London, let us know! We are trying to make a bucket list of things to do for the next 6 weeks together on preparation days!

Verses of the Week:
Book of Mormon:

Last Office Lunch

I was in my studies this week in Alma 19 and I found something peculiar that made me think and ponder and I found a gem in the Book of Mormon that President didn't even know about. It was pretty cool to see how the Spirit taught me something there that I've never noticed before. So in Alma 19, King Lamoni and his wife are a similitude to Jesus and Mary Magdalene. There are some similarities of both stories and King Lamoni of course connects with Christ who was down for two days and two nights and on the third day he rose again. While he was "dead", his wife was waiting by his side until he rose(which is similar to Mary waiting at the tomb). Then, when Lamoni finally rises, he stretches forth his hand(similar to Christ stretching forth His hand) and says something to his wife(the queen) and Jesus also says something to Mary. There were a lot of similarities to both sides of the story and this is prior to the coming of Christ so in other words... God is a God who works in patterns to show and prepare the way for the coming and understanding of His Son. A good study to go check for yourself!

Fresher Than Fresh...

Big Joe!

The End of the Three Englandites...

The Hunt's! Such an amazing family!

Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 62:3
"Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is record in heaven for the angles to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you."

I am so excited to finish in a wonderful area with wonderful members, missionaries, and people to find, teach, and baptize in these last 11 weeks! I have some goals and plans set to get things going and we really want to make this zone explode in these last few weeks!!!

February Baptismal Dinner!

Love you all! Talk to you next week with loads of fun pictures and amazing stories to share!!!

#LondonPride!

Love,
-Elder Rivera

Christ's Love is Infinite

Love Day 2017!

Good morning everyone!

This week has been a blast! Moves are finally finished and well... needless to say, I'm super excited for my last 2 transfers! Crazy right... I'll be seeing you all soon enough but there is still work to be done and that is just what is going to get done over these last 12 weeks! Crazy week but full of excitement! Shorter week due to our preparation day being on Saturday so sorry for the shorter email this week but next week will be loads better!

Sunday: February 12th, 2017
Wonderful Sabbath today! My companions and I all gave talks at Sacrament meeting(hasn't happened often in my mission which was nice for a change) and we all had our own topic we decided to cover and I covered "Finding Joy in the Journey" while my companions talked about "Christlike Service" and "Choose Ye This Day". We also had a really great lesson with Maureen today and she is ready for Saturday! Super excited for her and she is just loving everything about life right now! Amazing to see what the Gospel can do to someone who invites it willingly into their heart and their life! 

Monday: February 13th, 2017
Short accounting today and well... moves! Can't say much right now cause of course it's not published out yet but not to much was changed around the mission. We counted and it was only about 37/91 changes which is pretty good for what normally happens haha. Good things happening though around the mission and in the work. A lot of people getting closer to baptism and even more entering the waters than the years previous! Just stuff to be super excited about!

Tuesday: February 14th, 2017
Happy Valentine's Day! Lots of love from me to all of you! We even had some fun today! We were praying before studies today and I had a thought come to mind in making heart shaped notes for people we contact throughout the day and we gave them chocolate with it. God is good and brings out the creative side of me that I didn't know I fully had there... maybe ceramics in high school did what it needed to do for me haha...(or not who knows) Anyways, had the chance to finally go on an official exchange with Elder Chrimes who used to live upstairs before he headed out to Poole to be a Zone Leader and we had a blast together! Had some pretty good talks about finishing our missions and what we wanted to accomplish and do with the time we have left but also covered some simple goals for what we were hoping to accomplish in the future. Had a pretty clear thought come to mind about giving BYU a shot at walking on for the basketball program which I was trying to decide whether to do or not but seems like a good plan for now... we'll have to see where that goes(still need BYU to say something first and then I can go from there).

Wednesday: February 15th, 2017
Today, we finished up the rest of moves and it is now in the books to be sent out to the rest of the mission this Friday and Saturday! Super excited to share more about it next week!

Verses of the Week:
Book of Mormon:
Alma 13:6
"And thus being called by this holy calling, and ordained unto the high priesthood of the holy order of God, to teach his commandments unto the children of men, that they also might enter into his rest--"

Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 54:10
"And again, be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early shall find rest to their souls. Even so. Amen."

Love you all! Have a great week!

Love,
-Elder Rivera

"What Will You Do Next..?"

Good morning! 

This has been a long week... we've had some trainings with the zone leaders and sister training leaders and they all went super well! President taught us the importance of the Holy Ghost in our own lives and also ways in helping others to know what it will do for them in their lives. 

Thursday: February 2nd, 2017
I was meant to be heading to Peckham today for a roaming exchange with the Peckham elders but I didn't manage to make it there. Sadly... I was waiting in the freezing cold rain and then I heard two announcements go off that the train I was meant to be taking had been delayed and then later canceled due to someone being hit by a train... whether it was an accident or on purpose, no idea but it was pretty crazy to hear that... I ended up staying in Crawley today and just worked with the Crawley elders and we had a blast! First time I've had the chance to work with them and so we went out to a place called Copthorne which is on the way to the temple. Racked up a good 12.6 miles in walking today(might not sound like a lot but for someone who is usually in car... it was quite the accomplishment for myself haha. There's a wonderful video that you can search and check out sometime that I had an experience with titled, "Life's Burdens" and you can find it on lds.org under the media library.

Friday: February 3rd, 2017
Well... my postponed London trip to Peckham was successful today! Literally felt like home when I was working here with the elders. We had an appointment cancel on us and so we took the rest of the evening and contacted on Walworth road for about 2 hours. We met some super solid people and one of the coolest people we met was actually a BMX International Champion that was getting ready for some competitions and she expressed how she always prays to God for help in those and was interested to learn more once she finished her racing tour in Europe areas. Super cool! London just has a special feel to it and it was just a lot of good fun with the elders. As I finished up the night and was pondering on the days events, I had a very distinct thought come to mind and so I wrote it down and this is what it said, "Your personal desire to share the gospel becomes interconnected with God's purpose, when you finally begin to see your brothers and sisters for who they truly are and the potential of who they can one day become." It was a very distinct impression and had to record it because it is so true. You never know who is ready or willing to receive the message but the greatest thing about it is if you see them the way God sees them... all things tend to work out perfectly. (Remember Life's Puzzle)

Saturday: February 4th, 2017
Finished up my day in the wonderful city of Peckham and headed off to Southampton tonight as my companions were down there conducting a baptismal interview and we didn't know whether we were staying or not and so I met them there for the potential baptism and sadly... it didn't go through this time. She is so ready... it was someone I taught for 4 1/2 months while I served in Southampton and she has made such amazing progress but family is a hard thing for her. I got to share some personal feelings and thoughts about the whole situation and it was amazing to see the difference it made. God uses us as instruments if we just ask for Him to do so. I shared some personal experiences from my background as the only member and how hard it is myself, but that God takes care of the one who decides to step out of that comfort bubble and join Him on the front lines of the battle. This I know to be true... God gives the toughest battles to His strongest soldiers. I just know what it's like to have questions... to not know... to misunderstand... to desire... to search... to feel... and to know. It is a journey we all must take(whether you believe it or not) everyone will eventually be backed up into the corner and have to choose where they stand... will you Forget Everything And Run or will you Face Everything And Rise(choose your F.E.A.R)? 

Sunday: February 5th, 2017
Definitely without question... the most spiritual sacrament meeting I have ever had! Pre mish and on the mish. It was fast and testimony meeting today and it was POWERFUL!!! Our friend Maureen got up and bore her heartfelt testimony and even asked the entire ward to pray for her as she embarks on her journey to becoming a member of the church. Funny thing about it... a member dropped her a note explaining what the fast and testimony entailed and she somehow "misread" it(it was just the Spirit translating the words for her heart) and thought it told her to bear her testimony. Super cool! Then... the most amazing thing happened... 6 other sisters in the ward(all converts) immediately one by one, got up and shared their experiences and personal testimony and witness of the truth that they received from God about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith. All of their testimonies were perfect for her and she just had some amazing connections from there on. Elder Wright and I were the only brethren to share their testimonies. You know it's God telling you to share your testimony and experience when you're sitting there(not planning on saying anything cause these sisters were just doing amazing) and all of a sudden it's like your heart just wants to jump out of your chest, it starts pounding like crazy and you instantly have thoughts like, "Get up there and share your testimony and personal experience as a convert." "Are you sure...?" "Go now..." "Okay, I'll do it! But help me know what to say." You get up there not knowing what you're going to say and God just does what He does best and that is filling your mouth with the words you needed to share and the pure testimony you needed to bear. I felt so much love from God and it helped strengthen my own testimony once again. Only 3 more fast Sunday's left in my mission and the opportunity to share your testimony like that doesn't come very often and I've committed myself to share it every fast Sunday for the rest of my life. Your testimony is the only thing that grows the more you give it away. Interesting huh? So share your testimonies often with everyone around you... you never know who's life you might touch or even CHANGE because of what the Spirit gave you to say.

Monday: February 6th, 2017
So we spent the night at president's on Sunday evening so we could receive some personal training and spend some extra time with them. (Blessings...) He helped us learn a more effective way to plan that will help us out with life beyond the mission and it was amazing! We also had our personal interviews today and I got some seriously good counsel on finishing my mission strong and just making the most of the time I have left and also got a few insights on what is next for Elder Rivera these last two transfers, still not done but an idea of what the Lord wants next. (Another blessing)

Tuesday: February 7th, 2017
We had MLC today and crazy enough... today was my 19th MLC in my mission.... whoa. I think the only thing I can say about today was that I had one of the most spiritual experiences I have ever had and it is worthy to share with you all. There is one of our senior missionary couples leaving at the end of the month and we sang to them before they left, one of my favorite hymns, "God Be With You 'Til We Meet Again." Now, here is where the experience came into play. As we began singing... it started like a little tingle but as we sang and the missionary's voices got louder and more tears were falling... you could literally feel the Spirit of the Lord present in the room. My body was electrified(don't know how to explain it really...) but it was like my whole body was just amped with electricity through it. It was something like I've never experienced before and it felt amazing. As I write this... I can feel some of those same feelings that God has said helps us know when the Spirit speaks with us. If you look at Galatians 5:22, it says that, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law." So if you ever have experienced these feelings, ask yourself where those feelings come from and then ask yourself what you're going to do next because of that.

Wednesday: February 8th, 2017
Round one of ZLT today and it went super long... we had to cover a bunch of stuff and practiced a lot! We also talked tonight about moves and started planning and prepping for the coming weeks and well, it's exciting!

Thursday: February 9th, 2017
Round two! Same thing, covered question asking, role of the Holy Ghost, and then cliff hangars! Then I had a crazy flashback moment as I was waiting at the Oxshott station for my train to Guildford. 18 months ago, Elder Richins and I sat down at the very same station the night we were called to be zone leaders. It brought back a ton of good memories with my trainer and the experiences we had together. I sat there and literally just reminisced about the memories but most importantly, I reflected upon just how much has happened, how much I've changed, and how much I've learned about myself and the Savior. There are special moments you have with God when you're all alone. I literally had the train station to myself and the two of us just had a moment of reflection. With 3 months to go... He had me just reflect upon what has happened to me but the lesson that came was... "With all that you've learned, all the opportunities to lead I've given you, the skills, talents, and gifts I've given you, all the knowledge my Spirit has granted you, what next? What are you ready and willing to do next for me? This isn't just about your mission now... you have 3 months here to finish strong, but I'm talking your future here elder. What are you willing to sacrifice for your future success in my work? I have work for you to complete when you get home but I need you to be ready." Uh... okay. Yup. Sure thing. We'll see what happens when I get back but this lines up with a portion of my patriarchal blessing. Again, life's puzzle is being put together one piece at a time.

3 Elders plus Burgers and Fries= Five Guys?

Friday: February 10th, 2017
Well, I spent the day with the Guildford elders and we had a blast! There were lots of hills in Guildford so my legs were shot but hey, worth it. I decided to treat the elders to Five Guys! Now... I told myself I'd eventually get myself Five Guys in England to compare to the one in America and well... I was surprised at how SIMILAR it was! Almost identical in taste, shape, smell, everything! Took me back to America for 30 minutes while we were there. So good... good experience for sure but I probably won't do that again until home.


Saturday: February 11th, 2017
Headed to London today because Elder Wright had a doctors appointment. The rest of the day... well, a relaxing Preparation Day to take advantage of and just rest. We've all been exhausted from this week... it starts to catch up with you and well, your body just feels it. It's alright though, anything for God!

Verses of the Week:

Book of Mormon:
Alma 9:26-27
"And not many days hence the Son of God shall come in his glory; and his glory shall be the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace, equity, and truth, full of patience, mercy, and long-suffering, quick to hear the cries of his people and to answer their prayers."
"And behold, he cometh to redeem those who will be baptized unto repentance, through faith on his name."

Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 49:26-27
"Behold, I say unto you, go forth as I have commanded you; repent of all your sins; ask and ye shall receive; knock and it shall be opened unto you."
"Behold, I will go before you and be your rearward; and I will be in your midst, and you shall not be confounded."

Have a great week!

Love,
-Elder Rivera

Life's Puzzle...

Diners...Brownies...Friends, what more could you ask for?

Good morning everyone!!!:)

This week was fun! Finally tried an exotic meal that I was encouraged to try from Brother Jones before I came to England... so I can check that one off the list. We had some solid teaches and really fun exchanges this week and the mission just continues to flourish and flow naturally! Loving it and having so much fun! Hope everyone is doing well and that life is treating you well with whatever you are currently doing or will be doing this coming week!



Friday: January 27th, 2017
Elder Wright and I had the chance to be in a duo today as Elder Cloward headed off on a roaming exchange to Oxford and he was excited about that. I don't blame him... when I was in Reading, we headed up to OXford a couple of times and the city is just beautiful to walk around and also see the old English style buildings and such. Especially Harry Potter exhibits from where they filmed parts of the movie! Pretty sweet stuff. Anyways, along the day and throughout our travels and time making some administration calls for errors on the accounting system, we again had some deep talks about life... I don't know how the two of us are always the one diving into these deep talks. They don't happen very often but both times we've been together, the conversation just geared towards that direction. We both are on our final 6 & 3 months and so of course, a lot of our discussion was about goals for the future and what we wanted to do with school, family, friends, dating, etc. But... it was a good chance to see where both of us lined up and where we wanted to be come the end of our missionary service and where we want to pick things up when it comes May and August. I've always noticed this about ways God has worked with me and it is through putting figurative "puzzle pieces" together in my life. I've seen it from day one of joining the church and I've seen it along the way of being on my mission. Every little puzzle piece fits somewhere and the best thing about life, not only do you hold a key puzzle piece for your own picture but you hold a puzzle piece for someone else and they likewise for you. Funny how that works. We each play a part in helping each other complete "life's puzzle" and it'll be fun to see what pieces continue to come together and who helps put those pieces in their rightful place.

Saturday: January 28th, 2017 

The Famous Haggis...

So today was just great! Elder Biddle and I had the chance to have an interesting exchange. On Friday we had Haggis for the first time and well, the challenge was accepted and we dug in to the Scottish delicacy. Needless to say, it wasn't too bad actually. I'm happy I finally had the chance to try it but I've heard it if it's not made by the native Scot's, it won't taste the same. Elder Biddle and I made the trek out to an investigators home today which was about a 50 minute walk one way and another 50 back. We walked about 11.07mi total and all I can say is that I have not walked this much since the first 6 weeks of my mission. It killed me... haha. My legs were dead and my body was just exhausted. Glad I had the chance to "wake up" so to speak to not using a car for everything once again. I guess that's what being in a car for 18 months of your mission does to you though. I guess I'm just not fit enough for the streets... :(

Sunday: January 29th, 2017
All 4 of our baptismal dates came to church today! New record for all 3 of us throughout our mission of having that happen in a single weekend! Super sweet! The talks in sacrament were all about well... the blessings of the sacrament and the love of God. In second hour, we had a discussion about the role of the Holy Ghost and the importance of having it in our daily lives. He made a statement that most Latter-day Saints live far beneath their privileges of having the Gift of the Holy Ghost and taking advantage of the Sacrament Prayers' promised blessing of always having the Spirit to be with us. However, he explained that now, beyond the mission, and throughout life, you need to learn to how recognize the Spirit's voice and drown out all the voices of the world that make themselves loudly known to your ears. If you do, 3 things happen. 1. You hear God's voice. 2. The Spirit testifies of truth to your heart and mind. 3. You can know whether the course you are taking is pleasing unto God. We

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must study things out in our minds and if we do, then God can tell us if it is right when we ask him if it is. If an answer doesn't come however, God is saying in effect, "Look, I trust you enough to make the decision and I'll be backing you up the entire way. You know what you should do to move forward." Crazy enough, he then looked at us 3 elders and he goes, "brethren, when you get home and start dating and fall in love with a worthy daughter of God, you better kneel down and tell God your plans and ask if it is right... this is one answer God WILL give you when you ask cause He knows how important that decision will be for the rest of eternity." Basically, moral of the story is... Ask and Ye Shall Receive... :) 

Monday: January 30th, 2017
Normal day at presidents.... we were going to start moves but time wasn't our friend today so we'll have to begin this Sunday after church because the rest of our week is pretty stacked on our end and also President's.

Tuesday: January 31st, 2017
Elder Katieli and I had the chance to be on our second exchange today and it was fun! We made brownies for some investigators and well, I'm happy to say that my first time baking brownies turn out super tasty.(thanks to Betty Crocker Brownie Mix:D) We had a fun lesson with Jack and Arcadia today as we taught them the 10 commandments using the fun interactive hand signs to remember them! Then we had dinner at Toby's with all of us and it was so good! Jack and Arcadia made a slap bet that he couldn't finish the King Size plate. (Slap bets... HIMYM TV show for those that know it) They are just doing so well... 8 days without smoking and man... we are excited for the 18th!:) Keep them both in your prayers! Elder Ribeiro and I had a chance to talk for a bit today as we were uploading some videos for the Harvester article and we both came to the conclusion that we had 99 days left in England... WHAT! We both freaked out and talked about how fast time has gone... we had an exchange about 7 1/2 months ago and we both had 9 months left... and then we talked again at another meeting in which we had 6 months left... and then today we realized we had 3 months left...

Malo Lava Sui Fua! (Samoan)

we're both excited... who wouldn't be. I was actually nervous at one point and I asked for some advice from President and he just boldly told me, "Stop worrying about it because it'll be the most amazing experience you'll ever have." Then in my head I'm over here like... wait, I thought that was supposed to be these 2 years... and then he saw the puzzled look on my face and goes, "Going home is something to be excited about, something to anticipate and be anxious for because the rest of your life begins the moment you step off that plane and are greeted by those at the airport. That's when the real mission begins and that is something to look forward to!" Wise words... 

Wednesday: February 1st, 2017
Well... today welcomes February!!! A month of Love and what better way to show our love for the Savior than by bringing souls unto him. As a mission we have 75 people on date to be baptized throughout February which is amazing!!! It's been pouring these last couple of days so outside is pretty muggy and wet and canceled our plans of going golfing today. Next time maybe...but we are doing well! Things are going super well here in England and I am really excited for what is to come... a lot to look forward to and a lot to be smiling about!

Verses of the Week:

Book of Mormon:
Alma 4:19
"And this he did that he himself might go forth among his people, or among the people of Nephi, that he might preach the word of God unto them, to stir them up in remembrance of their duty, and that he might pull down, by the word of God, all the pride and craftiness and all the contentions which were among his people, seeing no way that he might reclaim them save it were in bearing down in pure testimony against them."

Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 39:23
"And again, it shall come to pass that on as many as ye shall baptize with water, ye shall lay your hands, and they shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost, and shall be looking forth for the signs of my coming, and shall know me."

My Quote of the Week:
It doesn't matter what you know in your mind... if your heart isn't on the same page.

Have a great week!!!

Love,
-Elder Rivera

"Our Lives Passed Away Like As It Were Unto Us A Dream..."

Good morning!

This week has been one full of miracles and bunches of fun! We've been out far west and had some good fun in the beautiful city of Plymouth again! I hope everyone has been able to enjoy your own week and that everything is going well for you all! Here are the adventures of this week! Nearly closing off January already... weird huh?

Mission Accomplished farewell for Elder Stile (Temple Missionary)

Thursday: January 19th, 2017
We had the Western Zone Conference down in Poole today with the remaining 4 western zones and it was very different compared to the one in the east. Revelation just changes things here and there so we adjusted to what needed to be a tad bit different with role plays and added presentations and practice. Following the conference, we took the journey out to the far west in Plymouth for exchanges with the zone leaders and I also got to roam with the other Plymouth elders. Plymouth is always quite the road trip... we were all starving but we didn't stop for food for some reason haha. We actually made it a fun ride as we shared our own personal conversion stories.(funny how 3 elders(including myself) have almost an identical story of how we got introduced to the church and how we later ended up joining and coming on a mission. God works in patterns though right?

Friday: January 20th, 2017
We had a pretty sweet day! We started off by banner contacting in town with the rest of the district in the freezing cold Plymouth weather...(we tend to choose the best times to face windy and cold days haha. The life of a missionary though, you work rain or shine, cold or hot. Elder Watkins had a doctors appointment in the afternoon so we had to head to the hospital for a bit while he gathered some stuff from there and then we went knocking for a bit around a potential friend they've been working with and along the way... we saw a house that had a USA flag on it and I was intrigued to knock on it cause who doesn't love talking about America? Little did I know that a man was about to pull up into the driveway in a 59 Ford Thunderbird..! It was one of the nicest sights of my mission haha. He imported it along with a Chevy Nova from Cali. Such beautiful old cars... Dad you would've loved seeing them! It was like hitting the car shows again for sure...

'59 Thunderbird

Saturday: January 21st, 2017
We headed back home last night from Plymouth and stopped off in Poole and then finished our journey back to the land of Crawley in the morning. All 3 of us needed to finish some scholarship essays before the deadlines and so we received permission to pound those out and get them submitted... it took forever. It really made me evaluate what I actually wanted to do with my future when I return home. Time is quickly passing by and I almost feel like Jacob where he says, "our lives passed away like as it were unto us a dream." But rather in the context of my mission. Day by day... all I want to do is continue to grow and learn more and prepare myself for whatever the Lord is going to bring my way come May. 

Sunday: January 22nd, 2017
What...a....day...! So our friends Jack and Maureen both came to church today and they LOVED IT! Again. Maureen was well taken care of by the members of the ward and we tagged along with Jack since it was his first time there. Throughout the meetings, Jack was intrigued and just very interested on a lot of what was going on and in Elder's Quorum, I had the chance to share an experience with him about an answer I received from prayer back on November 16th, 2014. It was such a powerful and sacred experience that I rarely share it with anyone but I felt impressed to as we were discussing the difference between what is real and what is imaginary. It helped me remind me of just how amazing God is and how He works which each of us. After church, we had lunch with the Hunt's and Maureen and that was great! We had a pretty powerful lesson after as well about the Plan of Salvation and needless to say, there were tears and all sorts of emotions going around as we talked about the blessings of the Plan of Salvation for our families, both lived and passed on. It was amazing to be able to see just how she connected with the family so well and we were all just so open to discussion and insights and the Spirit was tangible in the lesson among all of us. We finished off the night with Jack and Arcadia  and oh my goodness, they have changed so much! They just told us how much they want to make changes and get ready for baptism and just how they want to do it together as a team and they just really really want to do it!

Monday: January 23rd, 2017

Bowling Alley Teaches in Hollywood!

Normal Monday with President! We helped take down the Christmas lights(a small delay haha) but then we accounted and went over a view things. I tried to sneak it out of him on what was going to happen with us 3 assistants this transfer on whether we were staying or if it was my time to head out but he just had a giant grin and said, "We'll see what the Lord has for the future." President's most famous line when it comes to that type of question... Good things are happening throughout the mission though! for the first time ever, we hit the Mission Vision as a mission on average of Baptismal Dates throughout the mission and also on New Friends found throughout the week. ELSM is up and moving and the Lord is leading the way! 

Tuesday: January 24th, 2017
One of the best exchanges I've had in such a long time... Elder Jensen and I had the chance to work together for the first time in 4 transfers and we didn't hesitate to get the job done! In the early morning we saw Jack and Arcadia and taught them the Word of Wisdom and after, she threw her coffee away without question haha, it was amazing to see that. Instant results! We headed back and did some study and lunch before we headed off to visit a member and his non-member fiancé. Sadly, they flogged us and we talked to a guy named Graham which was fun. He was 76 and an ex detective which was fun to talk about but then he said he loved watching American football and that he went to a couple of super bowls in the past... EASY! I took a picture out of the Lombardi Trophy in London that I found and I used it to talk to him for a bit about football and then we shared a bit of a what we believe and he has met hundreds of Mormon's before but just isn't at the point of learning yet but we had a super good conversation in town. we decided to leave and head off to some referrals we received from some other missionaries from a few weeks back and although she wasn't interested... we found 2 new people and also set a return appointment with a former we ran into. Funny enough, My companions called Elliot earlier that morning and tried to set a time but he said he was to busy but then we bumped into him and set a time. God just gives people more than one chance in a day to set a time I guess hah. This message must really be important. To finish off the night, we saw Maureen again with Brother Mann and the lesson went SUPER well. We talked about the organization of the church and the importance of Prophets and Apostles in these last days.(Amos 3:7; Eph. 4:5, Eph. 2:19-20; Matt. 16:18-19) 'God is the same yesterday, today, and forever' so would he not work the same way he once did? Of course... we talked about how God will always work this way and to pay close attention to what churches actually have living prophets and apostles in the organization that the Lord Jesus Christ established himself when he was on the earth. He called 12 Apostles and also Seventy others to go out and preach the word of God to all places that they may go, covering the globe. She sat there and you could see all of the light bulbs just clicking for her... she then said towards the end, "It all makes sense... and it helps remove so much confusion that I've had as I've searched in other churches. It just makes sense." I then asked her what she understands about the things we've taught recently and also previously and why they make sense and she just immediately said. "That it's true..!" She is such an amazing woman and is truly a seeker of truth and God is granting her answers to some of the deepest questions no other church was able to offer her about life and also the fullness of the understanding of Christ's doctrine. "Upon this rock" means the rock of divine revelation... which means that the rock upon which Peter was being built was divine revelation and the receiving of the priesthood the keys to the kingdom to bind on earth and in heaven all things and would receive living revelation through the Holy Ghost. It's amazing how although you go to teach others, you're the one who still learns a ton too from the Holy Ghost throughout the lesson.

Wednesday: January 25th, 2017
We picked up a few more new people today was we waited for Elder Wright to return from his exchange down in Weston. Elder Cloward and I decided to have lunch at Toby Carvery because it'd be quicker than trying to cook food ourselves at the flat...(go figure haha) Then we had a few flogged appointments, five actually... and then we saw Arcadia and boy! She hadn't smoked in 16 hours! crazy miracle! She mentioned how on edge she was and how she wanted to bunch us all at one point but we were super okay with that haha. We finished the night by watching the Worldwide Missionary Broadcast which was a repeat of the last one for the missionaries that weren't in last years and also a few new things that came from our leaders. What better way to finish off the day then by diving into McDonald's for dinner?(best missionary diet ever...not haha) but he had fun with the Crawley Leadership for dinner and then headed home to finally relax and gather a well needed rest.

Thursday: January 26th, 2017
We sadly can't play basketball today cause they are re-waxing the gym(which is okay) so we will probably just relax a lot today! Which is what I need as I slept pretty crooked the other day and my back has been pretty sore because of it haha. I literally feel old... no offence to anyone out there but the mission takes a toll on the body for sure.

Jack wanted to be a missionary for the day!

Verses of the Week:
Book of Mormon:
Mosiah 24:14
"And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders , that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions."



Doctrine & Covenants:
D&C 32:10-14
"Yea, open your mouths and they shall be filled, saying: Repent, repent, and prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths straight; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;
"Yea, repent and be baptized, every one of you, for a remission of your sins; yea, be baptized even by water, and then cometh the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost.
"Behold, verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and remember that they shall have faith in me or they can in nowise be saved;
"And upon this rock I will build my church; yea, upon this rock ye are built, and if ye continue, the gates of hell shall not prevail against you."

Quote of the Week:
"I'm part of the fellowship of the unashamed, the die has been cast, I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made- I'm a disciple of Jesus Christ. I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. my past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future is secure. I'm finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colourless dreams, tamed vision, worlds talking, cheap giving & dwarfed goals. My face is set, my gait is fast, my goal is heaven, my road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions are few, my guide is reliable, my mission is clear. I won't give up, shut up, let up until I have stayed up, stored up, prayed up for the cause of Jesus Christ. I must go till he comes, give till I drop, preach till everyone knows, work till He stops me & when He comes for His own, He will have no trouble recognizing me because my banner will have been clear." 
-Unnamed


Have a great week!

Love,
-Elder Rivera

Moments Are The Molecules That Make Up Eternity...

Hello everyone!

Another preparation day has arrived! This week has been AMAZING!!! We had one of the best weeks as a mission but also our own area has flourished with success! We picked up 2 more baptismal dates which gives us a total of 4 now! Each of them are doing great and progressing well towards their big day! We also had our first 5 zone conference of the mission(we like changing it up a bit) and it was insanely packed to say the least. We had 110 missionaries join us in Crawley which is over half of the ELSM in one place at one time... crazy enough, we made it work and the conference went super well.

White Christmas came a bit late...

Friday: January 13th, 2017
President joined us today a portion of our day which was pretty sweet! He came and joined us for lunch at our flat and then we headed off to teach Maureen together. We taught her about Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and she was very pleased with the answers to the questions his story brought to her. President explained very simply about how the need of a restoration was required and also that the miracles of God have not ceased among the children of men. I had a humbling experience today as we taught her and as I testified of Joseph Smith's First Vision and I am grateful to know that this event is true. I may not have been in the Sacred Grove with Jospeh Smith but I know with a surety that this is true and because of that, God is still speaking to us today through Prophets and Apostles that are called of Him. He has given us the Book of Mormon to know and discover for ourselves these truths that we may also be a witness of the truthfulness of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ upon the earth once again. Following our lesson, we headed back to our flat with president and we had companionship study together where we went through some of the scriptures with our 'master teacher' in the mission. I've learned so much from him in the time I've served around and with him... over 18 months, my knowledge of the scriptures has grown so much because of his example and his simple teachings of doctrine. With the background he has of seminary teaching, he is really good at ensuring that an understanding of his students(missionaries) takes place while he teaches and they go away learning what they needed to learn for that day. To top off the wonderful day... ENGLAND HAD SNOW!!! The first time we've had snow back since December 2015. The three of us were like little kids as we may or may not have had a snow ball fight briefly as we synced our iPads at the end of the day... oops. What missionary doesn't want to have fun in the snow when it doesn't drop down very often in England?

Saturday: January 14th, 2017
So after all of the snow, England wasn't to much in panic mode of an inch of snow so that was a relief to everyone I bet. We had some service today with the Hunt's and the Cooper's. We helped the Hunt's gather the pieces of their shed that they are having built in their backyard. Among the driving from place to place(which was about 40 minutes) Elder Wright and I had a long conversation and pretty deeply to about how our missions are literally the stepping stones to everything else. We reminisced in the moments of our missions and how they will help us in the future when we return home which is pretty soon for all 3 of us. Elder Cloward was asleep in the back so the two of us just kept talking on the way. It's an exciting time to think about when it'll come for all of us. The future is as bright as your faith and I'm super excited. I know that time I have left will go super fast... especially with the new missionary schedule we have and the busy schedule we have this transfer. Crazy to think I'll see all of you in 3 1/2 months... where has the time gone. I say this a lot... but my mission has taught me so much about myself but also what I want in life. Serving a mission has been the most rewarding experience in my life... in many ways. Not only have I had crazy spiritual experiences but I have had the chance to serve with so many wonderful missionaries over the past 18 months. It started with an awesome trainer in Elder Richins, to the many leadership opportunities that came after that with the others. God has put so many things in my path to be able to learn and grow and I've been grateful for every hard moment of my mission. It's been a blast and I'm glad I still have some time to create more experiences and gather stories to share with all of you upon returning back.

Sunday: January 15th, 2017
What a Sabbath! Maureen came to church and she LOVED it! It was like God knew she was coming or something... our lessons today and the talks given were all about prayer and Joseph Smith and the Restoration of the Gospel. Coincidence? I think not... We sat down with her at the end of the block and just asked her how she felt throughout the day and immediately she said, "Yeah, I'll come back." It was an awesome day for church and we also sat down with Brittany later on that evening and covered the blessings of obedience to God's commandments and the importance of what that obedience will do for us in our lives. I spent a lot of time pondering and studying my Patriarchal Blessing and thinking a lot about what it says about me currently and also what is to come for the near future post-mission. I look forward to receiving those promised blessings that will come from my service in the mission field! There is so much to take in every time I read it and a lot of it makes me nervous at times but then I realize that God has specifically given that to me personally as my own scripture and that brings a lot more comfort to me.

Monday: January 16th, 2017
Well... today started off super well with accounting as our mission had the highest number of new investigators at 253 during our Harvest Week. After the normal accounting with the Zone Leaders... we got a message from a missionary and then we received an assignment from President to go check out what was happening. Sadly, the situation was not a good one and the hardest time for both of these missionaries were upon them. One was in the right and the other in the wrong and sadly... by the end of the evening we were helping one pack their bags and he was coming home with us and then off on a plane the next day. However... in the evening hours after preparing for our conference the next day, we got a text in the late hours of the night asking for us to meet with one to talk. I had the chance to have a one on one conversation with this missionary and well... it was a tender but intense moment for me. I knew what the situation was going to cause and the result that was already in place but I did everything that the Lord would have me do in that moment to spark some hope and help for the future of this missionary's life. My mouth was filled... my heart was in pain for this missionary and all I wanted to do was help but the Lord had a course of action that needed to be taken and so it was done. I've had to many moment like this on my mission and it gets harder and harder every time... the only good that comes out of it is knowing how to better handle more situations that I'll most likely run into in the future in whatever circumstances may come about within the church and also in family life, parenthood, marriage, etc. They are great learning experiences but they are hard in the moment to really gather yourself and try and be a Christlike leader in the hardest of moments. I know that they'll be fine though. Rough day... and no sleep.

Tuesday: January 17th, 2017
So, on 4 hours of sleep we had our conference today with the 5 zones as I mentioned above and it went super well! We had zone breakouts after lunch and as we bounced around to different zones, we had a fun activity in one of them where we played a game where you could only ask questions to each other and give a response in the form of a question. Let me tell you, that was super hard but it really helped you to know how to ask really good questions and answer using questions. Later that evening, we had the Ryan's join us for a teach with Maureen and also two other friends that we have been working with for a while now and Maureen is still solid. We taught the Plan of Salvation and it rang true to her. She said it made so much sense about a pre-earth life(which is something she never really focused on) and also the reality of God having a body of flesh and bones along with His Only Begotten Son who are two separate beings. She loved it and we are continuing to see her growth in understanding and also the working of the Spirit upon her heart as she draws nearer to her big day of baptism into the Lord's true church!

Wednesday: January 18th, 2017
Today... well, I cleared out a bunch of junk that was within my suitcases that I didn't really need and I relieved myself of the pain of doing that later on. Basically today is a day on the computer as I need to do scholarship essays still and get that done before the end of the month. Yay..! It's exciting but when you haven't written a proper essay in over 18 months, you just really get to a point where it's hard to be diligent in doing them.  We'll be traveling to Poole tonight for our next Quad Conference with the Western Zones which will be super fun! The drive to Poole is always nice so looking forward to spending time there again! We'll also be down in Plymouth this weekend for exchanges so looking forward to being out in the far far west again(for maybe the last time) so it'll be loads of fun!

I left at 19 but still counts... :D

Verses of the Week:

Book of Mormon:
Mosiah 4:9-10
9 Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend.
10 And again, believe that ye must repent of your sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would forgive you; and now, if you believe all these things see that ye do them. 

Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 27:15-18
15 Wherefore, lift up your hearts and rejoice, and gird up your loins, and take upon you my whole armor, that ye may be able to withstand the evil day, having done all, that ye may be able to stand.
16 Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, having on the breastplate of righteousness, and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, which I have sent mine angels to commit unto you;
17 Taking the shield of faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked;
18 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of my Spirit, which I will pour out upon you, and my word which I reveal unto you, and be agreed as touching all things whatsoever ye ask of me, and be faithful until I come, and ye shall be caught up, that where I am ye shall be also. Amen.

It has been a good week in England and in the mission field! Hope you all have a great week!

~Love,
Elder Rivera

"Time Has A Wonderful Way of Showing Us What Really Matters."

Hello everyone!

If this doesn't define out MTC group, I don't know
what else will...ELSM 2015-2017

This week has been crazy! Moves week never seems to get easier and you would think that after doing it for 5 times now, I'd be used to the chaos that goes on but I guess not... This time around, everyone in England decided it'd be nice to have train strikes all week so that meant that all of the missionaries coming in and leaving would have a harder time with their travels. Fun right? It was good though! Half of our MTC group headed home this week which sparked a moment of reality for myself and I had to really gather myself and realize that time has actually flown by as fast as what it has felt like. I mean... 18 months has gone by and I have 4 months left to serve in England and it is actually quite scary now... We have a lot of awesome things happening this month with some Zone Conference trainings and also interviews with President again which I'm looking forward to. On January 25, we will be having another Worldwide Missionary Broadcast where we will get to here from the Missionary Department leaders and they'll get to explain some changes that will be taking place to all the missionaries in the world. (We already know but things could change come that time) Something to look forward to!

We had an exciting week and some awesome miracles so hope that you enjoy!

Thursday: January 5th, 2017
Today we had MLC and we had the chance to go over some of the changes that would be taking place among the missionary schedule! I am so excited for the chance to learn how to schedule things differently and at our own will now! A little more power in our hands and we can grow up just a tad more than we already have! Super nice! 

MLC Leadership January 2017!

Friday: January 6th, 2017
We started a new tradition where following MLC we will also do a training for the Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders and today was powerful. President basically went away from the agenda we produced(pretty normal haha) and we were totally fine with it. He conducted basically a heart to heart moment with all of us and didn't stop until he felt the Spirit tell him to stop. Within the next 3 hours, we talked about a baptismal goal for the mission, personal experiences, and a few leaders shared some personal testimonies which brought the Spirit into the room! It was a well needed heart to heart moment which got us all pumped and ready to go! Later that evening, I had a small talk with President and his wife and just talked about that little moment of reality hitting me that my time in the mission field is quickly coming to an end. He reiterated something he has told me before and it was that there is nothing to be nervous or concerned about when heading home! It's an amazing time and one of the best and it's something to look forward to with great anticipation. He also mentioned to just have fun and enjoy the time I have left. I swear... he is just full of some of the best wisdom you could look for.

Saturday: January 7th, 2017

MTC Group's Last MLC Together!

We had a pretty solid weekly planning today and set up plans to accomplish the mission vision weekly and also to baptize this transfer. I set a baptismal goal before I left to England on how many people I wanted to help receive the blessings and joy I have found in my own life 3 years ago and I have 4 months to get 2 more. Right now, we have some solid people on date and they are just wonderful! 

Sunday: January 8th, 2017
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK! #1
Alright so this was literally the best day of my mission... I know I say that a lot but it's because every new day literally brings that statement! We had a teach tonight with one of our friend's Maureen and along with us, we had a member of the ward join us to help us out. We sat down and had good conversation about her life and her husbands for a bit with just natural things and bike riding and stuff. Then we jumped into the lesson and after the prayer, this member just started right off with asking question after question about her beliefs and wow... it opened her up a ton and then we went into the Book of Mormon, and then the Bible, and then the Book of Mormon again. We covered a portion of the Bible in John 3:1-5 and we talked about the baptism of water and of the Spirit(also known as the baptism of fire). After he explained a little bit of the scripture, she just paused and was like, "wait... it's so simple and right there. Wait, this means that every other church out there only performs half the baptism. It's right there... so clear and plain! How did I miss that?" It was INSANE! All 3 of us elders just started laughing in amazement with her and were blown away by how the Spirit literally taught her right in front of us. Then we proceeded to add another witness of it from 2 Nephi 31:13,17 and she was just loving it! Literally one of the most powerful lessons I have ever been in and it was amazing to see how the Book of Mormon and the Bible come together to truly correct the misinterpretations of scripture and false doctrines that are taught throughout the world today. A testimony builder for myself for sure.

Monday: January 9th, 2017
18 month anniversary today... weird enough haha. We went to president's and had our usual Monday routine and then prepared for the coming days training meeting for the new missionaries and trainers! Tonight we said our farewells to those that were departing which is always the hardest part of every transfer, especially when you realize that this time, it was your MTC group leaving... time flies...

Tuesday: January 10th, 2017
We trained the trainers today which was fun again. We had a couple that have already trained but we also had some new ones that haven't trained yet that were among the mix. Tonight we also said our farewells to those that were departing which is always the hardest part of every transfer, especially when you realize that this time, it was your MTC group leaving... time flies...

Wednesday: January 11th, 2017
It's always exciting to see new missionaries and the excitement that they. By excitement, I means nerves on end... haha! I know how they feel though... even though it was 8 months ago, I can still remember our bus ride over from the MTC and then our assigning meeting... funny being on the other end of things now giving the training but also seeing their reactions and knowing exactly how they feel! We had a powerful lesson with our friend Brittany tonight with the Cooper's and we talked about our true identity and relationship with God and also about baptism and repentance tonight. We promised many things in the name of Christ to her that if she would do them, God would answer her tonight with an unmistakeable answer. The Spirit in the room was strong as we left and committed her to baptism if she found it was true.

The Mann! (Jake)

Thursday: January 12th, 2017
HIGHLIGHT OF THE WEEK! #2
So we woke up this morning to a text from Brittany which said in effect, "I'm sorry for texting you so late(11:40pm is late for us sleeping missionaries) but I had to tell you what happened. As I prayed tonight, I felt something different than just the peace and calm feelings that normally come. I felt as if I were somewhere else, my heart started pounding super fast and I also felt like someone was with me and the moment I started praying about (personal subject) I immediately began to cry and felt so great. I also promised God I'd be baptized after my birthday!" It was a crazy thing to wake up to! So intense! This is just evidence that God knows His children and WILL answer them when they pray with a sincere heart, real intent, and having faith in Christ.(Moroni 10:3-5) I love being a missionary and seeing God's hand work right before our very eyes. God is real and does indeed hear us, we must be ready to listen when we pray though so we don't miss the still small voice and the whispering of the Spirit.

It has been a very eventful week full of just about everything! Wouldn't trade any of these experiences for anything else because they have helped me truly see that God does indeed live and is at work with the children of men. It's just amazing to see it all come together one puzzle piece at a time.

Verses of the Week:
Book of Mormon:
Jacob 6:11
"O then, my beloved brethren, repent ye, and enter in at the strait gate, and continue in the way which is narrow, until ye shall obtain eternal life."

Doctrine and Covenants:
D&C 20:37
"All those who humble themselves before God, and desire to be baptized, and come forth with broken hearts and contrite spirits, and witness before the church that they have truly repented of all their sins, and are willing to take upon them the name of Jesus Christ, having a determination to serve him to the end, and truly manifest by their works that they have received of the Spirit of Christ unto the remission of their sins, shall be received by baptism into his church."

Love you all and hope you have a great week!
-Elder Rivera