Aug. 22, 2011

¡Hola! Mi Familia
I wanted to reply quickly to what you had written me. First off, I did receive your package. Yes, all the items I received, thank you for that. The scriptures you haven't sent, I don't want you to send to me because I have no way to send them. I can't talk with past members or investigators of my old areas. I can only communicate with them through the mission mail called "POUCH" nothing more. I have the address of the family Gutierrez. Just send it to them with a little note saying from the Ridley Family. If you want you can go on online and type it in English then have the internet translate your note. That's an idea, but really all you need to do is send it their way and it should be fine. I have the e-mail of the Hermana if you want to talk with them..... reginarios@hotmail.com.
About the seminary records, I didn't have any idea what they were doing. They wanted to see them, and I said ok, but after they said that I would need to transfer them back and that it's super easy, but they didn't know how and now it's been over a month to try and do that. Thanks though for checking that out. Yes just let me know.
Cartegena, Colombia
Barrio el Prado
Conjunto Residencial los tamarindos
Bloque 1 apt 201
Many things are in process with the mission. This week we had a conference in the stake center all day in Monteria. One of the things that is really a problem is the distance between the member and the missionaries spiritually. I admit that I am at fault with that too because I have not been applying it, but this conference helped me to realized more the importance again, because I knew the importance at one point, but a lot changed when I got here and I am slowly applying what I can when I can. The idea is to have more references and by doing that we need to pass by the member house. Not only pass by but also teach them the importance of the gospel is to them and how they can help others receive those blessings. Then that leads to a NEW INVESTIGATOR :) So this I will be in my plans to do weekly. One way that easy to do this in the states is because the families eat meals and dinners with the missionaries. Here they changed to having lunch with the missionaries because it's easier, but even still the families are not all there and the mom cooks us food and leaves to do other chores. They are more busy here than ever and I don't understand! All I know is I am going to do my part to teach and share my testimony when I can. We also watch an amazing video from Jeffery R Holland speaking to the missionaries. We watched it with all my zone. The amazing thing is I was in the MTC when he gave it. It was so powerful then and even powerful in a small church in Colombia with my Latino Elders :) It brought back so many memories of what I have experienced in 9 almost 10 months. I have more still to go and I am so excited for what I am going to accomplish for the Lord. Not only here, but also what plans I have for the future. You talked a lot about the things in the future mom and how we will look back on our lives and see the bad mistakes. I am more grateful for those moments because its got gave me to overcome and I know I can with my Savior. I am more excited than ever to see how my life has been , but more how I have changed and what I have become. I know what I will become because it is told to us if we do "right" in our lives. The time is going by fast here in Colombia and yes, I do at times wonder if I will complete all that is required of me with the time I have left. I do know that if I focus on the little things such as what I need to complete in the day, week and then month than si I will have completed things for the Lord in that time period. Right now, the little town of Monteria is in a progression but I am enjoying my time here and yes it is very different from Cartegna and Grandma knows best. The people here are like family to everyone and they are more humbled. No Ena Diaz didn't get baptized. She has many difficulties in trying to attend church because her mom has Alzheimer's and can't attend every Domingo and so we are trying to work with that so she can be firm after here baptism to attend church. Some things that I was wanting to write for a long time and ask and share is.....I want to know how eveyone is doing with their covenants? How is it (baptism/temple)? I have seen more of the importance of the covenants we make with our Father in heaven and at time we forget and I want to ask how is it going? I have come to the understanding more of this and thought about how it is more important to fulfill the covenants of my parents. The covenant that you both, mom and dad made in the D.C. Temple over thirty years ago. I want to promise you all that I will complete that and will make sure that your family is eternal. At times I feel like I am praying for so many things beyond myself and also during the week I wonder where I am at and I find myself forgetting who I am. I Know I can lose myself even more, more as time goes on..... I would like that you explain to everyone that write me from now on until the end of my mission and this includes all my family as well to call me Elder Ridley and not my other given name. I love it here and I love Spanish because it has helped me learn the gospel all over again by simple basic words. I want you to know to mom that I love you and am grateful for what you do for me. Tell everyone I said hello and to stay busy with things to do, but also complete the little things such as reading daily and praying and preparing for the Sunday/sacrament. With all the love of a Elder

Elder Ridley