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!