The Final Countdown!

I think this was the best weekend of my whole mission. Way too many stories to tell and things to share.

Best part?

Vianey, Ashley, Chelsea, and Nicole were baptized. They had the biggest smiles on their faces. It was beautiful. I was so happy.

The second best part: I got to go on Divisions every day last week. It was so fun to be with the sisters and working hard in their areas.

I had the best moment with Sister Thompson. We were able to help a sister get baptized. Alma didn't want to get baptized until June 20th. She wanted more time, but her husband Octavio wanted her to get baptized with him on May 30th. When I arrived at their area I knew we had a lot of work to do...

We started the lesson and Alma pulled every excuse out of the book. WE tried so hard to help her understand that she would keep learning and growing in the church and that everything would be fine. But she just wouldn't budge. We finally got to a point and I felt like we had lost the lesson and, then I had a feeling to share Jesus Christ's baptism (the video) I looked at sister Thompson as I opened the DVD player and she whispered 'the baptism of Jesus Christ?' I said, "yes", I knew it was right.

We shared the video and everything changed. Sister Thompson asked her if she would like to follow the example of Jesus Christ. She said, yes, so I asked will you follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized tomorrow with your husband? and she said yes.

We all cried. It was the most beautiful moment that I have had in a long time.

We scheduled her interview for 7 o'clock that night and then we called the assistants to arrange it with their zone leaders.

Hermana Alma was baptized on Saturday. The sisters told me it was beautiful!

I love being a missionary. It really is the best. I am sad that it comes to an end this week. I already asked the President if I could stay longer twice and he told me no. I know that I need to come home and do other things. But I am so grateful for my mission and for all that I have learned. I am grateful that the Lord has changed me, I am grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. and for His help in all that I have done here. I have changed 100 percent, and I am so grateful for that. I know that this is where I needed to be for this time. Every minute of my mission has been worth it. I love Jesus Christ and I love his gospel. I know this work is real. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the church of Jesus Christ.

I love you all and I guess I will be seeing most of you soon.

Con mucho amor,

Hermana Riedelbach 

AHHH!

Well, I don't have any time to write today. I am doing well!

In 20 minutes, we have 4 baptismal interviews. So, I am so excited for that. My last Saturday and Sunday in the mission will be the best!

I feel like there isn't a lot to say, because in 12 days I will be talking to you all in person! WHAT!!!

I love you all tons!

Hermana Riedelbach 

Time Goes By Too Fast!

This week was so good! We set 4 baptismal dates!  Woot!

VIANEY, CHELSEA, NICOLE, ASHLEY: They are a mom daughter family! We contacted their Dad in a taxi and he said we could go to his house. He wasn't there, but his wife said we could go in and visit her. So we taught her and we went back again and she loved it!

This week Vianey sat down and said ¨"I prayed and asked if the Book of Mormon is true like you told me to. And I told God that if it was true that I wanted to feel different, and then I did feel different. I took that as my answer. I know that it's true."

Ok. We couldn't believe it. Ashley and Nicole are 10 years old and Chelsea is 9. They are superstars. They are reading the Book of Mormon and praying. They were scheduled to get baptized this week, but Hermana Vianey's husband told them that he didn't want them to go because he didn't work and wanted to be with them. They looked so sad. I can't tell you how sad we were as well, so their date is getting pushed back to May 30th! Please pray for them

MIRELLA: She is progressing well. She isn't married, but we plan on helping her with that! She loves the Book of Mormon and loves going to church! She is dynamite!

I can't believe that the time is going by so fast! Today we moved houses and I started packing for real. It's so weird. I love you all and hope that you all have a wonderful week!

Hermana Elise Riedelbach 

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Well, I don't have a lot of time, nor a lot to say.  I feel like I said everything yesterday when I got to chat with my family!

But, Happy Mother's Day to all the great women and mother's in my life!  I love you all!

We had two investigators come to the Mothers Day activity in our ward on Saturday. And then another one came to church on Sunday! Woot!

Vianey accepted a baptismal date for May 23rd and is so excited!  We are excited as well!

Mirella is super awesome. She prayed in Church yesterday and it was so beautiful! I am so happy for her. Her baptismal date should be coming up real soon... (hopefully we will have progress by Monday!) She is a reference from a less active and now they both are coming to church! Miracles :)

I will continue to work really hard this week and the rest of my mission to see what else we can do to in our area!

I love you all! Thanks for all of the support!  It means a lot!

Hermana Riedelbach

p.s. My companion threw me a surprise party this week for reaching18 months. She followed the Mexican tradition, I got my face smashed in the cake! MORDIDA!!  

Tortillas de Harina y Pastel de Zanahoria

This week was so good!

Thursday: We had mission council! I learned so much. Our President is the best ever, and his wife Sister Morales, she is the best teacher. I have grown to love them as my parents. We talked a lot about a lot of things, but two things that I loved were. Our families, they made a movie with pictures of all our families and I was so taken back about how many families have let their sons and daughters serve the Lord, but then how many families are going to be able to be together forever because of the service that all of the missionaries have given. I felt the overwhelming love of our Savior as I watched all of our families pass by. I love my family and am so grateful for all that they have done for me and all that they have sacrificed so that I could be here.

The Book of Mormon: as a council we all decided that the mission should all read the Book of Mormon and Preach My Gospel in 2 transfers. But as I will have 18 months on Wednesday, I have less time. My goal is to finish it from cover to cover in one month. I have learned so much in these 4 days that I have been reading it again. More than I think I ever have. I read 25 pages today and tonight I will be reading another 25. I am determined to read it a second time in Spanish. My testimony has grown for sure! I learn something new on each page. I love it! I have already received a ton of answers to my prayers.

I would like to extend the invitation to you all. 3 months to read the Book of Mormon. I know you can all do it!

Friday: We had Zone Meeting, I got to go to the other Zone that I am in charge of to help teach the class. That zone is awesome. We all had a great time and learned a lot.

Sunday: We found an awesome family to teach and I am sure that they will all progress. The moms name is Vianey and she is super excited to hear from us and to go to church. We are stoked for our lesson with them Wednesday!

Today: We made flour tortillas and carrot cake with a family in our ward. They are super awesome. It was a good day!

I love being a missionary and the thought that I should be getting on a plane on Monday to come home scares me, I am so glad I extended and have more time here in Mexico, I feel like I still have a lot to do here in my mission, but I know that it all has to come to an end sometime. 

I love you all so much!

Hermana Riedelbach 

A Week Full of Faith

This week may have been one of the most faith-filled weeks that I have ever had in my whole mission.

I wish I had time to detail everything out, but I don't so, here are the main points of the story.

Estefania: We wanted her to get baptized so bad, we had so much faith that she could do it, and well, she didn't know that we knew that she didn't want to get baptized. We weren't really planning on it or anything, and then the President called us on Tuesday night and told us that we needed to do everything in our power so that she could get baptized on her birthday.

AHH.

We had no idea what to do, but we started planning everything, we even made invitations. Then we went to her house and we had the most spiritual lesson ever.  THE SPIRIT WAS SO STRONG and it wouldn't go away. We showed her the invitations and she couldn't stop smiling. AHH, but then it came to the part where we ask her to be baptized. She was so happy. Then she pulled out all of her doubts. Mainly tithing, I said why don't we just pray and ask God if you should be baptized?

So we prayed.

We asked her how she felt and she said that we needed to give her a call at 5pm to find out her answer.

We left, full of faith. (James 2:17) So we told the members, we made decorations. WE DID EVERYTHING. Acting on our faith, right? We spent the whole day planning a baptism.

5 o'clock rolled around and she wouldn't answer her phone. We called and called and called, and nothing.

Her baptism was scheduled for 8:30pm.

8:30 rolled around and still nothing.

8:45 and SHE ANSWERED! But, she said that she still didn't understand tithing, so she wasn't going to be baptized.

9:15 we finish talking to her and trying to help her understand tithing, but it's late and all the members went home.

Even though, it didn't go the way we wanted or how we felt like it would I learned so much and I know we did EVERYTHING in our power to help her get baptized. We didn't fail, we just have to keep trying. We talked to the President about it and he said that we did everything right.

I love the trails that help us learn and to grow. I have never prayed so hard and fasted so much in one week to see a miracle happen. It wasn't the miracle I wanted, but something changed inside of me.

I know Heavenly Father loves us and helps us learn and grow according to what we need and not what we want.

I love you all! Have a great week!

Hermana Riedelbach

Back to Palenque!

This week was full of surprises! Good ones and bad ones :)

On Tuesday, the President called me and told me that he had a favor to ask of me. He told me that he needed me to go back down to help the sisters in Palenque. I accepted, and my companion and I headed out Wednesday morning. We traveled 7 hours by bus and arrived in Palenque Wednesday night. I was able to work with Sister Lowe and her companion Sister Mancilla from Colombia. It was so much fun, but a lot of work. I was able to show them around my old area.

Palenque is a little hard to figure out because the houses don't have numbers. So, Hermana Lowe and Mancilla couldn't find a lot of our old investigators, we were able to show them around the area. My companion worked with Hermana Solis and Hermana Pérez. It was a lot of work, but we learned a lot. We headed back Thursday and then got to our area Friday morning.

Me and my companion

Saturday Estefania had her baptismal interview and well, because of some doubts that she had we will have to postpone her baptism. But, we went to one of investigators houses Saturday morning and had an awesome lesson! Her husband was even there and they really want to progress. They both came to church yesterday and the Bishop went to visit them with us last night. They are amazing. I know that they are ready. Nancy's brother is a Bishop here in Coatzacoalcos and he went with us on Saturday. He really is the best person ever. An Elder told me that he was the best man in all of México. I fully believe that. He is so humble and willing to help out. He changed his life completely when he got baptized, and has an earnest testimony of the Gospel.

Things are going well here in Tesoro. We are opening this area so it's a lot of work, but we have a lot of fun doing it. The members here are truly golden, I have met a lot of people during my mission but these people are full of love for everyone, and do anything and everything for us and our investigators.

Something else that is super cool:

When I was in Villahermosa I got to go back and work in Lindavista. I got to go see Casandra and I got to go visit a less active family that we activated in the church. We just happened to get there on the best night, The brother Esdras, had just gotten his mission call! I can't believe it. He got called to Chihuahua. He even let me open his mission call for him! Don't worry, I glued it back together so that he could open it the next day with his family and friends. This is what missionary work is about. I am so proud and happy for him, he will make a great missionary!

Well, I hope you all have a fantastic week! I love you all so very much :)

Hermana Riedelbach 

Celebrating with Ice Cream!

So, this week was super awesome! We got a notice that the President was going to be coming to our area, but we didn't know what for. They told me that we had to be at the Stake center Thursday at 10am for District Meeting.

We show up and start our classes and in walks the President and Sister Morales, the assistants, and some of the secretaries from the mission. WHAT!? I got so nervous. After class, we had Zone Conference for 5 minutes and then they announced that they would be working with us in our areas. I have to admit I was so nervous, but it all went so well!

They saw the apartment we just moved into last week and told us we have to move again. I hate house hunting. After that, we went out and starting working with the President's daughters. We helped a man clean a field, and we talked with everyone that we could find. When Sister Morales got there we just starting street contacting. We talked with everyone, It was so good! We had so much fun, and I felt so good. We didn't teach one lesson that day, we just talked with everyone.

We ended the night with Meet the Mormons, It's so good! Then the President took us to our area. On our way, Sister Morales told us that we do our work very well! We were so happy! Then on Saturday they call us and tell us to meet them at Dairy Queen at 5:30. When we got there they told us that they wanted to buy us ice cream because we are a great pair of missionaries that are really good at contacting! They said that we were the best! We felt so good about all that we had done the last couple of days!

We are going to have a baptism on April 22nd! I can't wait! her name is Estefania, she has such a desire to change and to be a part of this church! I wish I had more time to write about all the things that have happened! I have so much to tell you and no time. But, I guess we will have time in less than 2 months! :)

I love you all,

Hermana Riedelbach

TESORO!

Well, I am officially in VERACRUZ. I have now served in every state of our mission. CRAZY. Today I also hit my 17 month mark! AHH. I can't believe it.

I am in Tesoro which means Treasure! It's a really great area! Both myself and my companion were put here new, so it's been a week full of getting lost and trying to find our way. But, you end up learning a lot about your area that way.  :)

My companion is Hermana Zuñiga! She is from Sonora, Mexico, she is awesome! She is so funny. Hermana Pasley was her trainer.

I loved General Conference! I felt the spirit and have a ton of new goals that I have made for this year!

I know this is a lame email, but not a lot happened this week! We had to move today and figure all that stuff out, it's taken most of our day therefore, I don't have any time to write! Next week I will have more for you, promise!

I love you all!  Have a great week!

Hermana Riedelbach

Ahh! Transfers!

I don't have time to write today! Sorry! I am being transferred, I am going to Veracruz!

I also got called as a Sister Training Leader, it's like a sister zone leader. AH, I am a little scared, but if the Lord calls, I must go!

PALENQUE will always have my heart! I loved it there so much!

I love you all so much!  I'll write more next week!

Hermana Riedelbach

p.s. Enjoy General Conference! I will be enjoying it here! 

The Big DAY!

HELLO!

How are you all???

I am so good!

ELIZABETH AND SHIRANI: They got baptized!! It was a beautiful service, the sun shone so bright and they looked so good all dressed in white! It made me so happy to see them changing their lives. We have been working so hard with them. They had their baptismal interview this week and we were so nervous. They were scheduled for 6pm and at 5:45 Hermana Elizabeth had not returned home yet. We were panicking and I turned to my companion and said 'We need to pray, specific prayers always work' the funny thing is that we said the same thing to each other, at the same time! WE prayed and not even five minutes later she walked in the door. We were so happy!

It was such a great testimony builder for Shirani as well. They passed their interviews with flying colors and were baptized and confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints!

Other great news! Watermelon season is here! We bought a huge watermelon, I am sure it weighed more than 15 pounds. It was HUGE, and it was only 60 pesos. WHAT? I ate Watermelon every day! It was so good! To celebrate our baptisms and the other ones that took place on Saturday as well, we made quesadillas with watermelon water and ice cream for the other sisters. Then we took our mattress and put it on the roof. It was so pretty to star gaze. I love being here and doing what I am doing!

The picture of the sun is the sun we see every day when we exercise in the mornings at 6:30. The view is amazing, right? I love MEXICO!

We are working so hard to find those people that are ready to be baptized! We have some good appointments set up and we hope that we will be able to find them and help them get on the right path..

I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week! and enjoy Women's Conference!!

Hermana Riedelbach

SOY MORMÓN!

Hello from Mexico!

This week was so good! We had Zone Conference this week! It was so good! The theme of the conference was the Plan of Salvation. I think I need to say that my mission is the best in the whole world and that my Mission President and his wife Hermana Morales are the best! I love them, and I learn so much from them!

Hermana Martinez and I ready for Zone Conference

Traveling to Zone Conference in a Cambie

At Zone Conference, they talked about how we are the Great and Noble ones that Abraham talks about in Abraham Chapter 3:22-23. And that we were part of the creation. We each had to think about a talent that our Father in Heaven has given us and then think about how we could have used it in the creation.

Example: Singing- Someone had to write the songs that the birds sing each day. How cool! We were part of that!!

We also got to watch Meet the Mormons! It was so good! I cried and laughed, I am so happy to be a Mormon! We also got to practice teaching The Plan of Salvation. I felt the spirit so strong as we were teaching Hermana Claudia (the Presidents daughter). I know that the Lord created this plan for each and every one of us! I know that Jesus Christ is central to that plan and that without him and His atonement we wouldn't have anything. I love him and am so grateful for all that he has done for me.

We also had a super great District Meeting this week! It was on tithing and the Law of consecration. I learned so much and am so grateful for this time that I have to consecrate myself to the Lord. I hope you can all do it too! (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2010/10/reflections-on-a-consecrated-life?lang=eng) I loved studying this talk! READ IT!

Doing the ruins in style!

SHIRANI AND ELIZABETH: They are super excited for their baptisms this week! Their interviews are tomorrow! Keep them in your prayers, please!

I think that's everything that happened this week! Hermana Romero and Hermana Magaña went home today! I am super sad that they are gone...but, I learned so much from them, and I know we will always be good friends!

I love you all so much!

Hermana Riedelbach

P.S.

Look at the size of this watermelon!  and we bought a bigger one today!  

I Already Know That It Is True!

This week was great! We were able to have our Zone meeting this week and we learned a whole lot! I am so grateful for our President and the constant revelation that he receives. He has asked that we teach all of the members that we can the Law of Tithing. I absolutely love the way he has asked us to teach it. When I get home I will teach it to you all. He focuses on the spiritual blessings that we can receive as we pay our tithing. It has made me think really hard about all of the choices that I am making and that I have made in the past. Will I be ready to pay tithing when I go home? YES, because I have learned here that it is so worth it. We can't progress to be like him without paying our tithing. It is impossible! I know that if we all pay our tithing that everything will work out.

In other news:

SHIRANI and ELIZABETH: are so excited for their baptisms! This week we had a super powerful lesson with them! We read 3 Nephi 11 and we talked about Christ's power and the most important doctrines that he taught. We talked a lot about him and his atonement, but most importantly baptism. After we read we kneeled with them and we asked Shirani (9) to offer the prayer and to ask if these things were true. She smiled real big and said 'Why do I need to ask? I already know that they are true!' I felt the spirit so strong in that moment and even stronger when she said her prayer.

We then asked her Mom to say a prayer and to ask the same thing. The Holy Ghost couldn't have testified stronger than it did in that moment. After we asked them if they had received their answer and they looked at us and they said yes! They are so excited for their baptisms and we are too!

Yesterday, we went looking for some contacts that we had made throughout the week and we couldn't find anyone. But, we had a backup plan, another contact that we had made a month ago. We went to look for him, he is never home. We got to his house and my companion knocks on his door for eight minutes, that is such a long time but,  I had the thought and feeling that we needed to wait. Finally, I said let's go,  and right then he walked out of his neighbors house! We couldn't believe it.

His name is Julio. He is very active in his Church, but he has a real desire to know if these things are true! He has a lot of questions,  I don't know half of the things he is asking, but I know that they aren't big doubts, if we can get him to cultivate his faith he will know these things are true!

I am so thankful for the constant guidance of the spirit! I know our Heavenly Father loves us! I know that he answers our prayers! I love you all and hope you can all have a great day!

Hermana Riedelbach 

Such a Good Week!!

This week, I think was one of the best weeks I have had on my mission. We worked so hard. We taught 47 lessons and found 10 new investigators! We were able to set 2 baptismal dates! I feel so good! I am so tired, but these are the weeks that my spirit feels so good!

This week we worked so hard to be obedient and because of it we had so many spiritual moments! I wish I had time to write about all of them!

ELIZABETH AND SHIRANI: They are planning on being baptized on March 21, 2015!! They are a mom and a daughter. They are going through a hard time in their life and we came right in time. This week, my companion and our STL went on exchanges and visited them. They challenged them to be baptized and they accepted. Two days later we went back to visit them and they weren't so sure about their baptism. We talked about the Holy Ghost and then taught about the First Vision. I was a little bit nervous because I wanted the spirit to be there and her daughter was screaming and crying. I tried to think of anything that I could do to calm her down and nothing worked. Then, I remembered that I had a cherry sucker in my bag. As soon as I took it out she got real quiet.

We were able to teach the first vision and I don't think the spirit could have been any stronger. It was pure silence and peace. I didn't want to interrupt it, I bore testimony and then went on to explain the Book of Mormon, but something told me to challenge them to be baptized again. I challenged them and they accepted. I was so happy! They are amazing!

On Sunday, we went to their house to pick them up and nobody was there. I started to get a little sad, then our phone rang, It was them. They said they were outside of the House of Prayer. WHAT? They went all by themselves.  Awesome!

The Lord truly blesses us when we work our hardest and are obedient to the commandments and to the mission rules. I love being a missionary and am a little sad that it is starting to come to an end. I know the Lord loves each and every one of you and I do too

I hope you all have a wonderful week!

Hermana Riedelbach

Rockin in Palenque!

This week started out a little rough. It rained and rained and rained. We couldn't find anyone in their houses or if they were home they all seemed a little busy. I was so nervous because we had two baptisms planned for Saturday and if there was rain we wouldn't be able to have them because the river gets too dangerous.

We did the only thing we could think to do PRAY. When we started praying, I am not even joking the sky was black. The next day we woke up and it was bluer than blue. I had to go take a picture of it.  The Lord is so good to us!

Blue Skies!

José and Nicolás have learned so much and are so prepared! My companion and I are so happy with all the work they are doing! They passed their interviews and bore the most beautiful testimonies.

The day of their baptism was so beautiful! The sun was shining and everyone was happy! A lot of people were able to come out and feel the spirit! I am so happy for them and the choices they are making in their lives!

This week our branch decided to have a Valentines dance and they asked us to be in charge of the decorations. All week we made tissue paper balls and paper hearts decorate our House of Prayer. (the chapel..that isn't a chapel..) It was so funny when we got there I was the tallest person, so I had to climb up 15 chairs stacked together to hand the rope that the balls were hanging from. Hahaha.

Valentines Decorations

The dance started at 6pm...so when 6pm rolled around nobody was there...But, we finally got the party going at 7:30pm. Sometimes I think these parties are the missionaries worst nightmares. We all felt so worldly being in the middle of a dance with loud music and ahhhh! Going home is going to stink. It turned out so well. A lot of less actives were able to come, along with investigators to enjoy the night!

All in all, it was a great week! Thank you so much for all of your prayers! Have a wonderful week and don't forget to fast and donate a lot this Sunday!

Palenque District

Ruins with members

The Relief Society Pres. and I

Making Lion House Carrot Cake at a members house (we don't have an oven)...YUM!

I love you all!

Hermana Riedelbach!

What a LOVELY week!

This week was so great! I got to go on splits With Hermana Vargas. It was so fun. I learned a lot and we laughed a lot.

NICOLÁS: He is progressing so well! Yesterday he committed to living the Word of Wisdom and the Law of Chastity! He is so ready for his baptism this Saturday!

JOSÉ: Is doing just as well as Nicolas. They are both so pumped and were able to go to a baptism this past Valentines day! It was such a marvelous day and a beautiful baptism with a prayer answered!

It all started Friday night. The clouds came out and we all got nervous. Because our chapel is being remodeled we have to have our baptisms in the River. Because the rain is bi-polar here we never know what is going to happen. Friday night it started sprinkling a little bit. So we all prayed and it stopped. Then when we woke up on Saturday morning the sky was black. I called the sisters. (Their windows don't go to the outside...we live in apartments) and said Pray, it looks like it's going to rain. We all said a fast prayer and in an hour the whole sky was blue! We couldn't believe it.

The spirit was so strong in the baptismal service and everyone was so happy! The best way to spend Valentines day, showing God that we love him so very much! I am so very grateful to know that Heavenly Father knows and loves each and every one of us. and that he answers our prayers! I love him.

Heavenly Father is so good to us. This week we went to talk to Antonio and when we sat down and a lady said to us. 'HEY! Are you from the Church of Jesus Christ?' Yes! Yes we are! She said she was a member from another city who had just recently moved here. She then told us that her aunt is very interested in hearing our message. I couldn't believe it. I believe they will be our next baptisms for March. She also has a daughter that is 9 years old, and she too is very interested in listening to us!

Please pray for them! I love you all so much have a wonderful week! And go to the temple! PRAY and choose the right!

Hermana Riedelbach

P.S. I promise I am not that chubby in person! Nor am I bald. 

YE OF LITTLE FAITH!

This week was so good!

JOSÉ:  I don't know if I have told you all about him? He is a friend of a member here in our Branch. She brought him to church, and he said that he is ready to change his life. We are working hard, hard with him. He has already been to church three times! How great right? This week we went and taught him and we put a date for 21st of February. I really thought he was going to say no, like the last time..

YE OF LITTLE FAITH.

He said YES! We are so excited! We are working hard to teach him all of the 5 lessons so that he will be prepared to enter the waters of baptism this next Saturday!

NICOLÁS:  He is also a friend of a member...well actually our Branch President! He just showed up last Sunday! So we went and visited him twice this last week. Last night we went with the Branch President and his wife to visit him. We taught him the Restoration. It was so good! The President was able to testify about the things we taught and also share his own conversion story and help his friend out.

We got to the part where we are supposed to challenge them to be baptized and I had my doubts...

YE OF LITTLE FAITH

We followed exactly how our President taught him and he as well accepted to be baptized this 21st of February! Our president has asked us to focus more on the Holy Ghost. So we always ask.

'How do you feel?'

If we have taught right they will always describe the Holy Ghost. So then we explain the Holy Ghost and read some scriptures. We then ask

'would you like to have these feelings with you forever?

and they usually say yes. We then ask

'And starting when?' and they usually say

' Well, right now!'

Then, we read with them Matthew 3:16-17 explaining what they need to do in order to receive these feelings forever. And then we ask them to prepare to receive the Holy Ghost by being baptized. AND THEY SAY YES :)

I really do believe in revelation. Our President is always trying to help us be better and do better. Asking in this way is really divine revelation. They always begin to understand the importance of being baptized and the blessings they will receive afterward.

I am so happy and can see the hand of the Lord in our lives each and every day! I love you all so much! Have a wonderful week!

Hermana Riedelbach

P.S. Maybe this model can help some of you missionaries :)

15 Months Down, Only 4 More to Go!

WELL, this week I will officially hit 15 months on my mission! WHAT? I can't believe it! I am getting so old!

This week has been so busy! Hermana Romero, another Sister in our area got really sick and the had to go to Villahermosa to have a surgery. She had stones in her Gall Bladder. So, we have working double time! We have been busy seeing all of their investigators, which left our area a little sad and lonely.

This week we came to terms with some things and we decided that we needed to drop some investigators, one of them being Francisca. She flat out decided that she didn't want anything we had to offer. It was sad and hard, but I think we felt it coming. Our plans for this week are to talk to as many people as we can so that we can find a lot of new investigators.

We had a neat experience on Saturday! We went to visit someone that I had contacted in Dec. with Hermana Wonnacott, when we got there her kids said that she was busy and that we should come back later. Then, a teenage boy walked out of their house and started to talk to us. He told us to come in and then he said wait, I have your book! (WHAT?) I have been reading it and I really like it! (at this point I am sure he is confused.) My companion says 'The Book of Mormon?' and he said yes! He went and pulled out The Book of Mormon and we sat down and talked to him.

We have an appointment with him tomorrow! José from last week came to church again and we have two appointments set up with him this week! We have a lot of faith that we are going to find those who are ready to be baptized!

I love you all and know that The Book of Mormon is true. We went to the ruins again today and I could feel it in my bones! Something about being around them testifies of everything!

 I love you all and I am so thankful for all that you have done for me!

CON MUCHO AMOR,

HERMANA RIEDELBACH!

Opposition In All Things

This week started out so good! We were able to make two baptismal dates and find some good people! We had some real powerful lessons and everything for us and the Sisters was going so good!

Then, as we all know, there is opposition in all things. All of our dates started to fall and investigators started having doubts and everything went downhill! I don't say this to be sad because I am actually really happy! But, I just want to testify, as we are hastening our work so is Satan.

I learned so much this week! We have so much more work to do here in PALENQUE! There are always more people to find and more people to help. Despite the things listed above, we had some great moments this week! Things are looking good! We worked hard and I have a feeling that a miracle is about to come our way!

As of now, Francisca is ready to be baptized this Saturday, she has some major doubts though. BUT, we will continue to work with her and hope for the best! PRAYERS AND FAITH!

On Saturday, we received a reference from a member, he came to church yesterday! His name is José. We have an appointment with him tonight, and I think he is golden. He wants to change his life. WOOT! BLESSINGS!

I know my emails are getting super short, and there aren't any pictures...Next week, I promise that my letter will be longer and more detailed.

I love you all and can't wait to hear back! hint, hint :)

Hermana Riedelbach

A Good Week!

Hello All!

How's it going? Things here in Palenque are going just fine! This last week we worked hard in spite of the rain every day! After a while, my raincoat stopped working so I walked around in a trash bag to protect myself! :)

This week we worked so hard to get some dates set and to get investigators coming to Sacrament meeting! Well, we got half of that accomplished! We had 4 investigators at church yesterday! I can't tell you how excited I was :) We are hoping that some of these people will choose to get baptized this month and the beginning of February! We also had some less active members that came to church yesterday as well! I think you could call it a pretty successful Sunday!

MARIO: He is 17 years old, kind of a punk! But he is so great! He understands that it's important to be baptized, but he wants to receive an answer before he makes a choice. So right now he is praying and reading the book of Mormon!

FRANSISCA and TANIA: They are two sisters, Fransisca came to church yesterday and loved it! She said she just felt like part of the group! They are having trouble recognizing their answers. We have explained what the Holy Ghost is a bunch of times and how they will receive answers. They have some hidden doubt and we have yet to get to that point...but we are working on it!

MARGARITA, SOLEDAD, JOSÉ, AND ALFREDO: They are awesome! We found them this week and we are so excited to be teaching them! We invited them to come to church on Sunday and they said they would come and guess what? They (ok, Margarita and Soledad) actually showed up! We only visited with them for 15 minutes! We were so happy! We have an appointment to visit them tonight! Wish us luck!

These are all of our progressing investigators! We are hoping to get them all baptized here soon, but we will see how things go!

This Saturday we had interviews....that was quite the show! The Assistants forgot to tell us that we would be having interviews that day...so we get a call at 10am on Saturday saying that we needed to be in Zapata (an hour away) at 10am...haha, we showed up two hours late. We missed a little bit, but we were able to be interviewed and to play a little bit!

I hope next week we will have some more exciting news! I love you all and am so grateful for all that you do for me! Have a wonderful week!

Hermana Riedelbach

p.s. I forgot my camera in the house...so pictures next week??

I am Grateful for the Holy Ghost!

Well, not much happened last week. We spent all day Monday and Tuesday in Villahermosa.

In our mission, the new missionaries write us a letter and then read it during the Welcoming Meeting. Then the President gives us the chance to choose our companion by revelation. He has a list, but he would like us to receive our own personal revelation. When we know who our companion is, we raise our hand and he lets us know if we are right. I was so nervous, I had been praying ever since I knew that was how the President assigns those sisters we would train.  I was praying that I would be able to choose correctly. When we walked in we hugged all the new sisters,  there was one that was taller than the others,  I laughed in my head...what if the President puts us together.

When she got up to read I felt really calm but didn't really pay much attention, and then she stopped talking and I just felt like it was her. I put my hand up and the President said 'Muy bien Hermana Riedelbach. How did you know?'

The Holy Ghost told me. :)

It's a little different having a new companion, but I am enjoying teaching her and trying to be better so that she can learn and grow as well. Her name is Hermana Lazaro! She is from Mexico City. She is so great, she has a big desire to help all those around her. We are learning and growing together. I am so grateful that she is my companion and that we get to work together!

While I was in Villa I got to see Hermana Pasley! I missed her so much it was so much fun to catch up with all the sisters! I also got to see Hermana Vazquez she will also be training this transfer! I am so proud of her! Below is a picture with me and my hijitas!

I love you all so much! I am praying for you all and wish the best for you!

Hermana Riedelbach

What a Weekend!

Well, this week transfers happened... The mission office called us on Saturday and told us that we would be the same. So that's pretty cool, Sister Wonnacott and I were happy.

Then on Sunday we are eating lunch and the Zone leaders walk by and say 'Are you sure that you don't all have transfers? Because I just talked with the assistants and they told me that Hermana Wonnacott is being transferred....' WHAT??

So, I call our Sister Training Leader and she calls the assistants, they tell her that Sister Wonnacott is being transferred to Villahermosa. So, right now I am in Villahermosa because I had to come and drop her off, and wait for my new companion. I have no idea who it is going to be, because she is a new sister and I will be meeting her tomorrow to start her training. I am a little bit scared about that. But I know that if that's what the Lord wants, that's what I'll do. Like Nephi, ' I will go and do what the Lord has commanded'.

In other news! Antonio got the priesthood on Sunday! I am so proud of him. He is so happy and he keeps talking about going on a mission! Which makes me even happier! This last week we have been meeting with a family and I am so excited! I think that the two daughters will be getting baptized here shortly!

I was so sad to say goodbye to Hermana Wonnacott, I learned a lot from her! She is amazing and funny. One day we turned the mission into StarWars...I don't think we stopped laughing especially because our zone leader makes the perfect chewy...but don't tell him that! I will miss Hermana Wonnacott and her desire to work!

I am excited to see what things my new companion and I can accomplish this transfer! We are going to work hard and do everything that we can to be obedient and to baptize!

I love you all!

Hermana Riedelbach

P.S. I'll need lots of prayers this transfer!