18 Months Serving in the Lord's Army!!

Hello All!

Well this is it! I fly home tomorrow and go back to "normal life". I
am so grateful for the experiences I have had on my mission. And I am
so grateful for all those who have helped me through this time in my
life. 18 months really did fly by so fast! One of the biggest things I
have learned is God does not do one thing to get one result. He does
one thing to get many results! I look back in my life and the ways he
has prepared me to serve and mission and there are way too many little
things that can not be a coincidence. I'm so thankful for all the
support and help all of you have given me and especially all the
prayers. Pray is powerful!!! I know this church is true and I know
Heavenly Father loves us and knows each of us! Jesus Christ is the
Christ. He is our savior and he knows what each of us go through. With
him we will never be alone! I love this time of my life. I was hard
but it was the best 18 months FOR my life! I love you all!

Love,
Sister Celeste Riches

1 Week Left....

Hey everyone!

So my goal for this pday is to have fun and I can talk to you all when
I come home! This week has been crazy! Lots going on with the sisters.
Haha! But it's all good, they're happy, I'm happy, we are all happy.
We're out shopping today and it's been fun were over in Claremont so
it's good to be back. I love it here! Anyway. I'll be sending some
pics from the temple trip.

One cool thing that happened was that we have an awesome investigator,
O., and he accepted baptism for May 24th!! I'm so excited for him,
he is at such a good place in his life to accept the gospel!

Love you all!

See you soon!

Love, Sister Riches

Conference and EASTER!

Hello All!

Well, two weeks left! Crazy! Time flies!

So this week I wrote about the temple then later that night we went on
exchange with a set of sisters for three days. This isn't normal but
it went well. I ended up getting her sick which was sad.

So Wednesday we did the usual studies then went to the eye doctors for
the sisters no had her glasses fixed and then we went home and studied
the online manuals and then she rested a bit while I called members
and investigators in Claremont to invite them to my farewell. Then we
went and had tried to find a referral but their address didn't exist.
Then we went and saw A! It was so nice to see her! I was here when
she was baptized. She is since married and about to graduate high
school. Her life is pretty crazy right now. But it was so good to see
her and help her. We then had to bike a ways to dinner which was so
good then had correlation and then went to young women's and that was
fun to get to know the girls more. And then we took the online course
for missionary work and devices. It was good, they're teaching us
safeguards to use that can be applied after the mission to make sure
we are safe, smart, and protected online.

Thursday we had district meeting and that went well. It was about the
safeguards. Then we came back home and had lunch and the sister rested
some more and then we went and saw M. and had a good lesson with
him about covenant keeping using the stripling warriors and the anti
Nephi Lehis. It was really good. Then we went to dinner at the high
councilman over missionary work for the stake and he invited a less
active from our Ward and a friend. It was good! We taught about prayer
and shared because he lives and it went really well! Then we saw
another less active family I taught when I was here before! I love
that family so much! We share because he lives and talked about how
they can share it and be missionaries and we had an awesome
conversation about family history! It was good!

Friday we studied then the sister slept more before we exchanged back
cause she still wasn't feeling too well sadly! Then we went to her
place and Sister w. and I did weekly planning with them. We helped
them with things they needed like if they got stuck on what to teach
someone. It was good. My first time doing that. Then Sister w. and
I were companions again! We had to do some errands for some
missionaries near us and then we started our weekly planning cause all
our lessons fell through! We had a good member dinner! So that was
good! Then we had a good lesson with a recent convert about
conference.

Saturday was CONFERENCE! It was so good! In between sessions we went
to ihop for lunch then for dinner after the afternoon session we
joined the Spanish zone and had dinner at Denny's. We live with the
Hermanas so we were their ride home so we just ate with them. They're
awesome! It was fun! I loved conference! Everything on Saturday was
about marriage!!!! And everything the week before at women's
conference was all about marriage and motherhood. But it was so good.
I learned a lot about how I want to help my family be strengthened in
the gospel. Lots of good things to read up on and study when that
comes in my life. After all that we tried to finish planning and then
had a lesson with J. - a less active- and invited her to
conference and talked about questions she could come with and she
opened up a lot to us about things that were in her mind. It was good!

Sunday was conference again and EASTER! It was so good! I loved elder
Hollands talk! At first I thought it was about how the older son
sacrificed himself for the younger brother cause our older brother
Christ sacrificed himself for us but it changed and the younger
brother was there all the time. Just as Christ is always there for us!
He will always catch us if we start to fall! It helped me understand
and see the atonement better. Then we finished planning and had dinner
with the old bishop and then planned for the sisters and made phone
calls to their district leaders about how we can help them. Lots of
planning. It was hard to focus too with sitting for so long at
conference. But we did it!

Today we hung out with the Spanish sisters! It was fun I got my
haircut and then we went shopping! I got some cute new clothes! Now
we're just at the church chilling and writing! It's been good! Tonight
we go on exchanges yet again! But I love all that I learn from them!

I love you all! I know this gospel is true and I know Christ lives and
He loves us! He is always there for us! We need to find Him so He can
help us even more in our lives so we can receive more of the blessing
He has in store for us! The atonement is individual and infinite!

Love, Sister Riches

Find Him, Because He Lives

Hello All!

This week has been awesome, crazy, and tiring!

On Wednesday we had a good lesson with a recent convert who taught FHE on Monday! We shared because He Lives with him. Then we went on exchanges. I stayed in azusa with Sister T. and sister w. went to Covina. 

Thursday morning when I woke up I was not feeling well. I had stomach pains and I felt so weak so I texted sister w. what was going on and she said she was experiencing the same thing! So I rested until about 3pm and I had a temp ranging from 98 to 99.7 throughout the day! We taught three lesson and had a member dinner so it was great! Then we exchanged back. The elders also brought me some sprite and Gatorade! It was so nice!

Friday we slept in cause we were so sick! We woke up at 9 and went to a meeting with the high councilman over missionary work with the other missionary leaders in the stake and then we came home a died again until 6pm when we left for a lesson. It didn't help it was so hot outside! We had two lessons then went on exchanges with the YSA sisters! Sister B. who is brand new came with me in Azusa. 

Saturday I felt better! Still a little weak but was then super congested! We did service for a member helping to clean out an old house they inherited and it made me gag so many times but it was so fun to help them! Then we got ready for he day and age lunch and then studied and then went to the women's conference. I was able to help her with some things she has been struggling with being new to the mission and that was so nice! Sister w. and sister H. picked us up and took us to the conference and then we stayed together for the rest of the night till we exchanged back. We went to dinner at Marie calendars and a member bought our dinner. We joined a group of 6 members who went there after the conference it was so nice! Then we exchanged back! :) 

Sunday was pretty good. I was dying! My head was so congested and it was so hard to look happy and alive at church! But it was okay. I went home after church and slept. Then we went to our dinner with the bishop and his family and then we got ready to do exchanges again! I went to Claremont!!!! It was so great! They live with the Z's now, I love them!

Monday I pretty much had no voice! We went out and worked! I loved it! We saw the H's and helped them out around the house. And sister A. gave us a ride down there so I pretty much saw all my favorite people! The H's have been in and out of the hospital so it was good to see them. Sister H. started to cry when she saw me it was so sweet!! I love Claremont, it is seriously home to me! Then we saw Sister S. and she loved seeing me! It was so sweet! Then we saw the z's, S. and c. That was such a good lesson! They want to be baptized which is such progress from when I served there! Socorro wanted to baptized but c. was wishy washy and J. is coming to it. And then we saw one of their investigators and taught him then went and Sister m. She's so sweet, she was excited to see me too! I love this Ward! Then we had dinner with the Z's and then went finding and just talked as we walked together. Then we exchanged back!

Today we went to the la temple! It was great! We almost didn't make it! We set the alarm to wake up at 3am and we were supposed to leave about 3:40 to pick up the sisters to take them to the church at 3:45 to get there by 4 and leave at 4:15. So sister w. felt like she needed to get up that it was past 3 but she was like no it's not the alarm will go off and then she heard it vibrating and she looked and it was 4:10!!!! She screamed sister riches get up its 4:10!! So I jumped out of bed- were in bunks and I'm on the top and I pulled my pony tail out and started throwing my pjs down and rushed to get ready and sister w. was talking to the sisters and they said the van we were meeting was going to pick us up at our pad so we rushed and got ready in 15 minutes! And sister w. felt terrible she started crying on the phone with the other sister cause we didn't want to miss the temple! Then on our way to the temple we thought we were going to the 6:30 session but turns out we were trying to make it to the 5:30 session and we got off the freeway at 5 and the sister driving us said if you miss the 5:30session don't wait for the other session go do initiatories or something. This like killed us cause it is sister w's last time going to the temple and she goes home in 4 months so it was this time or later and I didn't really care cause I can go in three weeks and so I was praying even harder we would make it on time and we did! Prayers are answered! I started praying we would make it when my feet hit the floor this morning and didn't stop till we were in there sitting down waiting for the session. It was so great! Then we hung out with the Claremont sisters and napped and shopped and emailed and went to 21 choices and frozen yogurt place and contacted these two awesome girls! 

Well I love you all! And go watch Because He Lives! At helives.mormon.org! It's amazing! I know Christ lives and because he lives we can have his help no matter what! 

Love, Sister Riches

PS. For anyone who can make it, my farewell is April 19th at 6pm at the church building on 614 W Foothill Blvd Arcadia, CA 91006. It's where all the missionaries going home bear their testimony and everyone can be invited!

My crazy week!

Hello Everyone!

This week has been crazy! Today is pday because we had interviews with
president on Monday then we had zone meeting in tuesday to help
everyone get the new iPads. So here is a short summary of what's been
going on in my dying days!

Monday we had transfer day and we were in a quadpanionship then we had
FHE at the V's- a member in the ward. I love them! They helped us
(and still do) so much when I was here before! It went well.

Tuesday we were still in a quadpanionship and did service in Glendora
to water trees on the mountain that burned when I was there before!
Then we planed for the sisters in our zones. How we can help them and
activities we can do with them. We then took one of the sisters to the
office to pick up her trainee and then took them home. We then were in
a trio cause the hermana that was with us in our quad was training
too. So then it was just a trio- we were in a trio to help a sister
who was having some problems with her companion. Then we had our saint
Patrick's day dinner at Panda Express and watched a guy get fired. It
was so sad. Sister w. ran after him to give him a Because He Lives
card and he wouldn't take it cause he's not a believer. So sad! He was
crying and everything. Then we had correlation and saw a less active
family.

Wednesday we took the sister back to her area and made sure things
were cool. Their district leader met us and gave her a blessing and
blessed their apartment. It was nice. Then we were finally a
companionship! Sister w. and I! She's awesome! Such a strong
missionary! She's from eagle mountain Utah. Wednesday then we saw
J. who I taught when I was here before. She's doing okay. Has
kinda fallen away more. But she should be coming to the women's
broadcast Saturday! Then we did a lot of finding and talking to
people.

Thursday we had MLC - Mission Leadership Council. It was really good.
The sisters had to be there at 9am then we met with the elders at 10.
It was good. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and gaining
confidence and our responsibilities as leaders. It was really good!
Then it was time to turn in our iPads! Since I go home in April I
wasn't supposed to get one so me and sister a. were so sad so we
went to talk to one of the senior elders about something with her car
and then our companions came running down the hall and told us we were
going to get iPads! President called the Mtc to get special permission
for the leaders going home in April to get iPads! So it's been a
blessing! So the meeting lasted until 5pm! We were there from 9-5!!
Then we went to dinner with the F's. It was so good! Then we a
relief society birthday party activity and that was fun! The theme was
UP and it was so cute! We got relief society bottle cap pins! Then
they played clips from up! It was so weird! We didn't watch of course!
Then we drove to Rowland hieghts to do studies in the morning with the
sisters there and they live forever away!! So we just slept over and
then studied with them in the morning it was good!

Friday was good. We studied then drove home and picked up Krispy Kreme
on the way home! Yum! Then we weekly planned and that went really
well! Then we went to see M.! I first taught him when I was here
before and he has since tapered off coming to church. But we're
helping him come back. Then we had dinner at the K's - the WML.
That was good. Then we had a lesson at the church with our
investigator C. It went really well! We talked about the last
part of the Plan of Salvation so the after life. It was great! She is
committed to baptism and now we are helping her pick a date. Friday
night we exchanged with the Glendora 3rd sisters. I went to Glendora
with sister R. I love her! She was my sister training leader when
I was in Pasadena. Friday was the first time I biked in a while!

Saturday, sister R. and I went out to find! It went well. There
wasn't many people home in the morning but we went park contacting
later and then we were invited to a birthday party at the park! Some
members were celebrating their nieces birthday! It was such a tender
mercy. I biked all day! Saturday night we exchanged back.

Sunday was church! It was so fun to see everyone! Surprisingly I
remembered a lot more names than I thought I would! And people
remembered me. It was good church meetings. Then we had studies and
planned what we were going to teach the two zone meetings and then had
dinner with the Z.'s. They're such a cute family and then we went to
contact a referral and she was super nice! We had a really good
conversation about each other's beliefs. Then we went to the Easter
music fireside at the stake center and a less active family joined us,
the F's. It was really good.

Monday we had interviews with president. So we went out finding in the
morning and then studied the digital age missionary pamphlets and then
had interviews. We gave two on the sisters a ride to their interviews
and then after interviews it was time for dinner. We bought a really
good pizza and shared with the Hermanas. We also set up 6 appointments
in the thirty minutes it took to wait for the pizza! Then we went to a
pass off lesson with the elders and sadly she wasn't home. Then we
went to fhe and taught about the priesthood. It was a really good
lesson.

Tuesday we has two zone meetings. We taught about 20 minutes at both.
We went to our zones and then left 10 minutes early to pick up some
lunch and then drive to hacienda heights far far away and then taught
there and helped them with iPad set up! It was good. I learned a lot
from teaching. Then we had dinner and then correlation and finding
after. It was a good day.

Today is pday! And we went to diaso which is a Japanese dollar store
with sister R. and V. They're so great! It was so fun! Then
we did grocery shopping and traveled back! It was a good day!

As you can tell we are always helping the sisters and I love it! I
learn so much from them! I won't be with sister w. for the next
three days cause we'll be on exchanges! Crazy! But I love it!

Love you all!
Sister Riches

P.s. The temple trip is on Tuesday so I'll have pday on Tuesday not Monday.

Death in Azusa

Hello All!

This week has been pretty crazy! I don't even remember what happened
this week. Let's see...

Monday we went on a hike and it was awesome! I think I wrote about it last week?

Tuesday we did some service for a person we met on the street and it
was a really good day! We visited with a less active- G. and that
was nice. Her son joined us. Then we saw E. in the evening and that
was great, I love her!

Wednesday we did service at friends in deed. It was really good. Then
we went to a lesson and taught C. He is golden but we're going to
have to pass them off to the elders. Sister G. came with us and
she did an awesome job. we only had a little bit of time because he
was late but it was really good. We then had dinner at the H's and
it was really good. Then we went to go find some less actives.we ended
up visiting with C. - a less active- and that went well she's
really sweet we just talked and friendships do her.

Thursday was all right. We had district meeting and it was good. I was
really overwhelmed about how little time I have left on my mission.
We then went to see a less active and she's awesome. We then went and
did service for this lady we met on the street and read mail to her.
She asked us about our church and were able to talk to her a little
bit about the restoration. It's been great to use service as a finding
method.

Friday we did weekly planning. That went well as always. all of our
lessons canceled and so We went to go see G. again. The elders
gave her a blessing on Thursday night. Then we went and saw N. We reset 
her with the baptism date of April 18. That was really good
we're able to get to know her a lot better.

Saturday was a long day. We had breakfast at the G's and then
went to the C's and finish studies. And then we had lunch with
them. Then we went to see our investigators but no one was home. So he
went to the park and we contact this lady who was in the middle of a
big patch of grass. And it was awesome she is Christian and she knew
the meaning of the atonement and she believes that Christ is the son
of God does not believe in the Trinity. There were so many
similarities between our beliefs and hers. She's awesome. We then
talked to a guy who is flying his drone around the park is was pretty
crazy. Then we went to dinner with D. M, We went to panda in and
it was really yummy. We had shrimp and neither sister A. or I
like shrimp but it was really good it was honey almond Shrimp. It was
like dessert!

Then Saturday night we were planning and then sister I. called at
9:05pm and asked if we had gotten a call yet. Transfer calls start at
9pm! We hadn't so we asked her to wait to tell us the news. Turns out
that the assistants called us and I'm transferred to AZUSA!! 5 weeks
left and I'm going to Azusa to die there (aka finish my mission) and
I'm a sister training leader which is the equivalent of a zone leader
except were over all the sisters in 3 zones. We have 12 sisters we're
over. Im companions now with sister w. who also was trained in
Azusa and came back! Crazy!

Sunday was pretty good, we had choir practice then sacrament. It was
good. Said bye to people and the R's came! 4 investigators at
church! Which was awesome! Then we had lunch at the N's. They're
awesome! I love them! I'm going to miss the Pasadena Ward. Then we
went over to Claremont for M's baptism! It was such a good
baptism! She's so awesome! She bore her testimony after and she did a
wonderful job. I gave the talk on baptism. It was so great to see
everyone and to be there for her! Then we went to the Despedida. Sadly
we didn't make it in time for any of the testimonies but it was nice
to be there to take pictures and say bye to sister w, and Sister
K. Crazy to think I'm next!

Well, I'm here in Azusa and it's been good. It'll be great to be back!
I'm super excited!

Thanks for everything you all do! I love this work and I'm going to
work hard to the end!

Love, Sister Riches