Thursday, November 7, 2013

What a week!

Hello Family! 

Oh my goodness, it sounds like you all have had one crazy week. I am glad to hear grandma seems to be doing better. I had a little scare there in my  heart. I am so grateful for the priesthood and the faith of the people present. I was just listening to a talk this morning by Dallin H. Oaks about the Power of the Priesthood and the importance of Faith in the blessings that are given. I will be praying for grandma and a full recovery. :) I love you grandma! It sounds like your week was quite exciting and eventful. I am glad you all got some good candy!

Well right about now my face is super numb. I just finished having my root canal about an hour ago. The good news is...Dr. Lecheminant is basically a saint for taking care of me so well. I feel like he gave me the best of care and he is an awesome dentist. I am so grateful for the medical help that we have. What a blessing it has been for us in Utah as well as in Texas. This week flew by...it seems to be happening lately. There were a lot of wonderful things in it. One of those things was on saturday night. I don't think I have ever loved "Fall back" time change so much. 9 hours of sleep as a missionary. You could say it was a celestial blessing. :D It was a beautiful thing. Normally I would have taken that as a chance to stay up an hour later, but not this year! 

We had zone meeting again this week and so on tuesday, we went to Mission Leadership Training. It was filled with a lot of good counsel and things we could do in our zone. We planned for zone meeting on Wednesday. Halloween on Thursday. Zone Meeting and Exchanges on Friday and Saturday and then Sunday was Sunday. We did squeeze a few fantastic miracles in the middle of all of that. :) 

We had a beautiful lesson with EEA. Elisa, Eugenio y Alfonzo on Wednesday about Family History work and the purposes of Temples. I know it is kind of crazy for them because they aren't members yet but that is what we felt we needed to share with them. It was so sweet because while we were teaching them. I asked if they had any questions. We read about Elias (Elijah?) and the hearts of the children turning to their fathers and then we read about the temple work in the Doctrine and Covenants. Alfonzo told us. I didn't know this but you have showed me and if it is in the Holy Book (talking about the Book of Mormon) then I know it is true. I feel it is. He asked if he needed to do the work for each one of his ancestors and we said yes. He was thinking a lot. I know he felt it. We invited them to keep learning and take the steps of action in Mexico. Alfonzo told me...Hermana, You have lead us on the path and got us here. Now it is up to us to act on that. It is time for us to decide to follow or not. It brought comfort to me because at times I have wondered why they aren't accepting or different things but when it comes down to it. I know that I have done everything in my power to help them accept the Gospel and it really is up to them now. Heavenly Father knows why they didn't get baptized here. Maybe it is so their whole family can accept it there. They do have like 14 kids. They are so special. I love them a ton. We sang Para Siempre Dios este con Vos. Hasta Ver. :(:) but Happy too.

We ate enchiladas with them on thursday morning and went to go collect some pecans. It didn't work out so well but it was good to be able to be with them and show them our love. I am going to miss them a ton. They are really like family to me. I hope you all get to meet them one day.They invited me to come stay with them in Mexico for a month. haha :) I would love to take them up on that!  We were feeling a bit sad because we had lost them...but then a super special miracle was right around the corner...

Raul: My first transfer here in bear creek, we knocked into this woman and then ended up teaching her and her husband a bit about what we do as missionaries. We were never able to share the restoration with them but did give them a book of mormon and invited them to read. WE tried to get back in touch with them but never could get a hold of them. Last Saturday on exchanges, I told hermana draper. Maybe we can just try this house. We have talked to them before. We knocked and ended up talking to Raul. He said they had been busy but that we could come over the following friday. We went on Friday and it was a beautiful experience. His wife, was there but about doing things in the house and taking care of the grandkids. We tried to get her but she was busy. :( We ended up teaching Raul the Restoration. The spirit was so strong. We did the vision and the power of the heavens just came down and was present. Raul after a bit of silence said. I didn't know this happened but this is how this church was formed. He went on to express how the people probably don't like Joseph Smith because they feel like he is a big deal to us but that Joseph Smith doesn't want to be worshiped that He was just trying to help us follow Jesus more. He said, and if that is what he did...I welcome it. I bore my testimony of the truth of the message and he was almost in tears. He told us of the joy  that he felt in that moment as we talked about the message of the restoration of Christ's church. He understood perfectly what we explained. It was so beautiful to watch it click with him. He said he would read the book of mormon and that he would pray to know. He said, thank you so much for sharing this with me. I needed it. We invited him to be baptized. He told us that he would study and let us know. I feel it though. He is very prepared. It was probably one of the specialist? is that a word? I don't know. It was one of the most incredible lessons I have had. (Sorry, sometimes the sentence structure doesn't sound right to me- I don't know how you would say it though....hahaI think I'll probably need english classes when I come home) We have a cita with him tomorrow and let me just say. I CAN'T WAIT!

Well, time is up. I love you all a ton. I am so grateful for each of you and your prayers and support. It is a huge blessing to me. I can't help but get chills and tear up a little bit every time I sing Las Familias pueden ser eternas. I am grateful for my wonderful family and for all the blessings I have been given. I know that this work is true and life changing. I know that God loves each of us so much. I know that His plan is perfect. I know that Jesus Christ is our savior and through His Atonement we can be perfected and over come our bad natures. I love my mission.

Be safe. Keep praying. Grandma...Get better. We have lots to do when I come home. :) I'll be here..off finding the tens of thousands. Remember who you are and to whom  you belong to.

Love your little Hermana Rife

Alfonzo, Eugenio, and Elisa with Kynsie
(I hope that is Kynsie's tan line on her feet and not just dirty feet!!!)  :D


"My Texas necklace from Hermana Crandall's Mom!  So sweet of her."

Halloween 2013
Kynsie had told her little sister and niece in one of her letters a week or so ago that she thought she would dress up as a missionary for Halloween...
and I guess that is what she did!!! 
:D

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