One Month in the Lord's Army

November 18, 2013

Dear Family and Friends!

First of all I want to thank you all for the love and support and prayers you've given me! I love you all. 

This week has been awesome! We were able to meet most of our goals and do better in areas we were lacking. 

Something really amazing that happened this past week is as we were working on contacting 10 people a day (A goal set by our Mission President) we contacted a lady who was going to pick her daughter up at school. I said hello and we started talking. We gave her a pass along card with our number on it so she could call us and we applied what we learned in the New Missionary Orientation of "we will be in that area tomorrow around 2. We would love to stop by and talk with you and your daughter." And it worked! She was excited to have us come over and talk with us. As we walked away she was much happier and more excited. The next day we weren't able to make it to her house at 2 so we called her around 3:30 and she didn't pick up but we still headed over to talk with her, hoping she was home. As we were near her home, we got lost on where her house was located. I saw her across the street walking and waved at her and she ran over to us and we were able to teach her and her daughter! It is so cool to see the Lord's hand as we worked to try and find her and He helped us find her! That was no coincidence she was there at the time we needed her to be! The lesson went well. Her niece is super cute and kept trying to get me to draw her a princess or a pony tail and stuff like that. She's four. 

I love my new bike! It's white and the seat is big so it doesn't hurt when I ride it all the time!! There is a slight hill up to the church and the northern area of our area but it's not that bad anymore. There are a few hills but we don't go that way a lot. It's always fun to ride south here cause that's downhill, north...it's always slightly uphill!

There was a big rainstorm this past week! Well it rained for about an hour. But it was heavy rain. We left our correlation meeting with the Ward Mission Leader and I was so excited cause I felt sprinkles of rain. Thinking that'd be all we would get I was happy. Then as we rode back down home it started getting harder and harder and finally it was enough to drench my shirt!! You could have rung it out and so much water would come out!! I'm very thankful for my umbrella. We walked and got rides the rest of the night. Even though 20 minutes after we got home and then left again it stopped raining. It was fun though! 

It's always a good day when the people we planned to see are actually home and we have lessons! It's been hard recently to catch people when they're home. Lot's of people don't answer their phones. 

This past week I said my first prayer in Spanish!! That was pretty cool. I'm learning bit by bit. It's so nice having the help of the Hermanas and Sister S.. Also the Spanish Elders. I hope to learn a lot more!! Speaking of Spanish. As we ride our bikes we say hello to everyone we see, or try to. As we were riding I said hi to this group of guys and a few ladies (20's to 40's) and one said "Hola mi amour" to me. Umm I knew enough Spanish to ride A LOT quicker down the sidewalk! Haha it was pretty funny!! Crazy people! There are a lot of interesting people here. It makes things interesting! 

Grandma tells me that you are all going to the T's for Thanksgiving. That'll be lots of fun! Be sure to tell everyone hi for me!

We should be getting on facebook soon so that's exciting!

How was S's performance? I wish I could have come. Did you record it at least so I can see it some day? 

I love hearing from you all! It makes my week to have emails to read and letters! I'm doing great and I hope you all are as well!

Lastly, I want to challenge my family (and friends if they want to) but most specifically Dad, Mom, B, T, S, C, and even you S, to read The Book of Mormon two times before I come home! (S. you can read it once all the way through.) And tell me what you are learning from it. I would LOVE to hear your insights! There is a great calendar online to read the BOM in 90 days and even one in 30. It's pretty helpful! 

I love you all!!

Love,

Sister Celeste Riches