January 19, 2010

Dear family,
Hey how are ya? man you guys got a call from Sister Helen Bush???? Man she is so awesome! we gave her a large print book of Mormon the other day and we put our address and phone number in there for her to remember ys by, so i gave her your number and grandma's address, she came to church on Sunday and said.... " I talked to your Dad last night Elder Riding!" i was like what??? What did he say? haha i was really surprised but really excited. She is so awesome! Man i love her to death. I have to send you pictures of her, she is already getting prepared to go to the temple. Man that is so awesome that she called you. She does have such a strong testimony, she was at our baptism again this last weekend. I got to baptize sister mildred tucker on saturday. I think Sister Dent told you a little bit about it already, but yeah it was quite the experience. I got one thing to say "Holy Roller!" haha so everything goes great, the talk is awesome then we get down into the font, and i explain everything and then i say the prayer take her under.... Then as soon as she gets up she just raises her hands up and starts to like ball crying! then she kinda sinks back down into the water then i worry that she got scared cause of the water, or she got hurt or something! so i hold her and like grab her and say its okay its okay i got you!! But she is just like balling and frailing about, then i like carry her over to the steps, i was just so worried that something terrible had happened and that it was going to make a terrible impression, and she would never wanna come back to the church. Then she gets to walking out of the font as i carry her over there, and she gets out and Sister Dent wraps her up in a towel and she just is still crying and saying "Thank you Jesus, Thank you Jesus!!" I had no idea what was going on. So i slowly make my way to the changing room, and bishop comes in and stops me and asks me if im alright, i say NO! haha he tells me it is a pretty common southern thing especially in the black community. I was just shocked, and freaked out. haha The spirit was gone for me. hha I get all changed and come back into the relief society room, and just sit and am just taken aback. haha I had no idea what was up. But Mildred comes in and just smiling. I guess that is just how they feel the spirit and wanted everyone to know it. It was Pretty CRAZY. haha But she is way awesome, then after her confirmation she gives Elder Taylor and I big hugs.... ( which is not allowed) but we couldnt do to much to stop her, she just grabbed us. haha So it was a real good week. We had Zone conference as well. I hope everyone had a great week. I love you guys so very much. Oh i have a question, how did our family come across the church? like do we have pioneer heritage? i would love to know. I just have never known, but if you could let me know i would love it! Im doing great out here and our zone is being blessed! we are going to baptize a Hispanic couple and get them married as well. Im a wedding planner/missionary?? haha I love you guys so much have a great week yall!

Love Elder Riding