Week #5 8-25-14

With Elder VanWagoner his companion.  He said these 2 pictures sum up their relationship.  I can see why they get along so well.  Haha!

Ricky's baptism!

Great picture of Elder Rogers taking in the beautiful country.

With the Bishop's son who happens to be wearing a Highland HS Swim & Dive shirt given to him by Bryce Farabee.

Working in the Lord's vineyard.

Checking out the view from the haystack!

This week has been prettty slow! Just visiting a bunch of people and teaching! Except for sturday! That was a good day! Ricky was baptized and it was awesome the spirit was really strong and he is such a champ1 Then we got to watch the ground breaking for the Meridain temple! Elder Bednar gave the dedicatory prayer which was super cool! All in all it was a power day! Then on sunday he was confirmed and he asked Elder Van Wagoner to confirm him and I got to sit in on it! THat was pretty darn swell! Then we just chilled at one of the bishops house the rest of the day because no one wanted to talk to us! Anyways that was pretty much my week! I love you guys so much and I knkow that what I am doing out here is right! Love yay and miss you all!! Dueces!

Week #4 8-18-14

Hey everybody! I love you guys so much and I am thinking about you all the time! I really love it out here! I havent ever worked so hard in my life!

Monday- Was p-day so we emailed and hung out in Nampa the whole time because Elder Van Wagoner had a doctors appointment! That was pretty much all we did!

Tuesday- Was really chill! We went around and visited some members then that night we had something called the "come & See". It is like a tour kind of thing they do for non-members! That was cool!

Wednesday- Was exactly the same except we went on splitz at the end of the night!

Thursday- I went on exchanges with Elder Homer. He is a spanish speaking elder so i kinda just hung out while he talked to everyone in spanish! 

Friday- We switched back and did some service! We got to help these people frame their house so that was fun! I never thought that I would say this, but i miss working.... the mission changed me!

Sat- We had a ward party and played volleyball and football! That was fun!

Sun- We taught Ricky again and he is still getting baptized on saturday! SO i am super excited fot that! But other than that this week has been kinda slow! Hopefully next week will be better! 

Love you all!

Week #3- 8-11-14 (1st week in Idaho)

FINALLY PICTURES FROM THE MTC! 

One of his MTC teachers that he thought looked like Jeremy Traasdahl.

Elder Rogers & Elder Hulet thought this painting looks like them. 

 Look closely at it because it really does.

Posing!

He said this is what he does while he's waiting for our emails.

Elder Hills- looks like Kevin Heart

With Elder Hulet and their Branch President.

Zone at MTC!

Zone at Provo Temple.

Ran into Justin Quackinbush from HHS.

With Elder Hulet at Provo Temple.

With Sisters in their zone.

Cafe Rio at the airport!

View from his house in Melba. 

Hey fam hows it going? Idaho is great and its so pretty! I am in a little town called Melba and it is just like the little farm towns in the movie! I actually think it is the same little town from signs! Our closest neighbor is like 1 mile away. But I love it! The people are super nice and they are ALL farmers! 

Tuesday- I arrived at the airport then went to an orientation meeting where we went tracting for the first time! I LOVE getting doors slammed in my face! It is the best! Then we had dinner and got our companion assignments and off we went!

Wednesday- Me and Elder Vanwagoner went around and visited some people! We met this guy Nate and he is 28 but he looks like he is 15! He is a Catholic and loves the bible! He really wants to know where we think Hitler and people like that end up!

Thursday- We went around and visited more people! There are these members named the Goff's! They give the new missionaries a tooth brush and toothpaste! We also taught my first lesson to an investagator who is getting baptized AUG 23! One month mark baby!!!!! He is golden and never has any questions!  Which is really good because Elder Van Wagoner says I have to answer all their questions because he is baptizing me by fire!

Friday- We went and did some service for this old lady who got evicted from her house! I have never heard someone say the f word so many times in 3 minutes! I wassn't even offended... i was impressed! Then we had zone meeting which was really cool! Just talked alot and i may or may not have fallen asleep! Then we went tracting and met some other people!

Saturday- We went and did service for this lady and we built a waterfall infront of her house which was pretty dope! THen we went on exchanges and i was with the ZL's! We were contacting a referral and they didnt answer so we found this 15 year old girl and talked to her and gave her a book of mormon and stuff like that! She said she wasn't interested so we left and we got about 100 yards away from this house when we heard a blood curddling scream! We turned around and this girl and her mom were walking right at us.. they were mad! So we talked to her and she was mad because she thinks we are devil worshipers and stuff like that! It was great!

Sunday- We had meetings that started at 6:30 then we had church until 4:00 because we cover three wards! Then that night we went and visited all the bishops and one of the daughters went to BYU and so she knows bryce and collin and jared and all those guys from highschool so that was pretty cool!

Well that was pretty much my week.. it has been really good so far! I love you guys so much and i miss you like crazy!  Love You all.. except for Ali! She is the worst kind of person.  (don't worry, this is how Ali & Riley speak to each other and show their love to each other)

Week #2 8-5-14

(Written by Riley's mom)
Week #2 was rough for Riley.  We didn't get the typical weekly email report.  Mostly private exchanges with mom & dad.   He experienced homesickness to the point that he was physically ill and didn't eat much, therefore making it hard to focus.  Through the help of his Branch President, his companion (Elder Hulet), his zone,  many prayers, fasting and letters from friends and family, he was able to work through most of that.  His email to me stated how much he loves Elder Hulet:  "I am just really grateful for Elder Hulet because he has helped me so much since i have been here. I love him so much, we are basically the same person. Mom you would love him because we are both whistlers and yesterday he was whistling a song that sounded so familiar and i realized it was wicked!!!"   What a blessing that Riley had just the companion he needed in the MTC.  We love Elder Hulet too.   Riley wasn't able to send any pictures due to the computer not reading his camera card so we expect lots of pictures next Monday.

We received this special text yesterday (his last day at the MTC) from one of his MTC investigators.  "Hello!  I was your sons' first investigator at the MTC, their district taught me all last week and today.  These Elders are spiritual giants and have learned to love and serve like Christ.  They are brothers and have strengthened each other, and together they have studied prayerfully and diligently to teach me.  My husband and I also saw them serving in the temple.  Your Elders carry their message, the priesthood, and the name of Christ with honor.-  Melissa Rose

This morning, August 5th, he left the MTC and went to Idaho.  He called us when he landed and he sounded wonderful.  He was so excited to be out of the MTC and said he is ready to get to work.  His spirits were high and he just sounded very happy.