October 26, 2009

Dear Family,

How you guys doing? man that is so great about little Landon Gaining weight! i was able to see the pictures that Dad had sent me last week. I tried from a different computer. He looks just like his Uncle Michael. haha And cute little Ash holding him. haha Man sounds like quit the week. Im being careful Mom around people so i dont get sick, my immune system is pretty good now. Something that i have noticed lately that i think my sickness and surgery and stuff i had when i was home really helped me to learn was all about mental toughness. Cause with all my head pain and that i have become really mentally tough. Where if i want soemthing there really is nothing to stop me, im realizing that now, like we went biking my companion and i to save miles in our car this last week and we biked about 26 miles, i did almost the whole thing at probably 85 percent speed. i was going all out because i just had it set in my mind that i could go and get us to our appointments quick my companion kept asking me after how do you go so fast? We stop at a light and then it turns green and you just take off and i cant even get close to you. haha its all in mental toughness i just have the thought in my head that i want to sacrifice go as hard as i can to show the Lord that i will do all it takes while im out here. That is one thing i have been trying to teach my Son alot is about sacrifice, that we need to look for things tat we can sacrifice all the time. Because the lord just wants to bless us. And he has we have found some real cool people. We are still struggling a bit just cause we had baptized all our people last transfer but we are looking in all different ways to find it. LIKe i told you guys before like almost each day of each week we have a hispanic family here feed us, and so one day i was thinking just how we could get more member referrals, because knocking doors all day just is not effective. So as i was thinking each dinner appointment we go to we are going to bring a few book of Mormons with us, and we are going to challenge the family to give them out and to invite someone they know to hear the lessons. I felt really great about it when i thought about it, so i know its what the Lord wants us to do right now. Also i had a really great experience this last sunday when we were having gospl principles class, the teacher is this american sister who served her mission in Los angeles spanish speaking, she teaches thye most amazing lessons, as i was thinking durin her lesson this last week it was just so very spiritual cause everyone in the class was bearing testimony and giving personal faith building experiences that they had had in there lives na dthings that really had touched them, and then i thought to back when i was home and how i would go to class with mom and just how it was different, it may have been just because of the teacher... I mean my old boss David was the teacher so i dont know... haha Jk But it was just so very spiritual and i thought to myself this is how it needs to be each meeting we have in the church, it should just be such a very uplifting spiritual experience that truly strengthens our faith so much that our hearts are truly touched. That is what all our meetings should be like. Bearing testimony and saying how nmuch the gospel has blessed us, make it a spiritual experience to change peoples lives. I want to always try to do that in my lessons here as well, make them so very spiritual, that was my goal for this transfer i told the Zone leaders here, was to become a master teacher! haha Teach so powerfully that the spirit is strong and have enough faith sufficient for it to be there to help touch hearts that it will get deep inot the hearts of people so they will recieve a testimony of it, that is what will hold them strong through the rough times of this life. I got to give the whole Zone a training along with the Zone leaders this past week in how we need to be diligent and having the Desire to do all that the Lord asks and to serve with all our Might mind heart and strength. I just put my whole heart into it, and did my best. That is all i know how to do is give it my heart and pray that the Lord will help me, then will he make me mighty in speech. Thanks ad love you so much. Im really enjoying my time with my new companion he is a little shy, and struggles at times but im using every minute to hlp him out to learn the language and help him be the best he can be. I work him to death haha he comes home each night and Konks out at like 9:45 after we get done planning and i start to call my district haha. He has a good heart and has the desire, he will go far. This truly is a sacred chance the Lord has given me, this mission will change his life, and i get the pleasure of intruducing him into it. Im doing ALL i can to make sure we have success, we are sacrificing working talking to everyone. I want this so bad i cannot describe all the experiences i have had on my mission, but i just know so deep inside of me that it truly just burns that this is true, and that we have such a great work to do and that i know that my body may not let me do some things because of physical weakness but my spirit and my faith in my savior will allow me to do they i know i can move mountains if i just have the faith. I can do anything if its his will. Helaman 10:1-5 its a really good set of scriptures i felt like this a bit this wek. haha I love you guys so very much. Mom i hope you got my card, i sent some pictures for you guys as well. I pray each day and night for yall, i have realized just how truly amazing of a family i have, i love each and every one of you so very much. Take care of eachother, and please get out and share what we have, reach out to our neighbors, lift up, inspire. And most of all perspire. haha Take care i hope you have a great week! tell grandma that i love her so much. Im happy she got to go to the temple. That is way exciting for Rebecca as well! she will be Great! Tell everyone hi and that i love them.

Love always,
Elder Riding