Mom,
I have great news and a lot of information that I want to write in the little time that I have. First off all I did today for my p-day is prepare for the following week. I went shopping to buy some food and I bought food to cook something for my companion and I because we had nothing. After that I had to do a little cleaning and I washed my clothes. This transfer was really weird because I left a day earlier than normal because I needed to fly in a plane. I don’t know if you all know, but when I travel from city to city it is usually in plan. It depends, I go by bus sometimes too. Anyways I went to the office for one night and slept in the house where the elders sleep from the mission office. I got to see elder Maughan, we didn’t talk much because he was busy doing other things, but it was good to just see him and how he has been doing. The next morning I went to the bus station, at that point I still had no clue where I was going and who my companion was going to be. I don’t understand, but it’s always I secret or something. My new area is in Ciudadela, Barranquilla. My zone is called "El Carmen". My companion is named Elder Martinez and he is from Bucaramanga, Colombia. I am not training a new Elder. The Zone Leaders from Monteria thought that’s why I left one day earlier was to train a new elder, but I am not. My companion has his last transfer with me. So in six week I have to know the area really well and the members and the investigators because he will be gone in 6 weeks. I feel that this transfer will be good for both of us.....we have already started off really well this past week. YES I RECEIVED YOUR THREE BOXES OF CHRISTMAS. I had to open a lot of the gifts that were food because I wouldn’t have had space in my bags to leave from Monteria. I will send some photos next week to show you what I have opened up so far. I Loved the reeses and the starbursts!
I am sad to hear about Grammy, but I am glad to hear that the situation is taken care of and that you and dad have less stress now. I have so many people that I have written letters to I just need to take the time to figure out to send them. I will try to do it this transfer. I will need to take out a lot of money to do it, so tell dad so he won’t question me about the money. I feel I am learning how to control what I spend and be better at being cautious. The mission does a lot of things.
I was glad for the little time I had to write to Breanne and Erik. Erik tells me he can’t wait to be able to talk again like old times. It’s been a change for sure to have my new best friends be people I hardly know, but as a companion we grow in ways a lot different than I would with my friends normally. Not completely different, but just the situation.
Elder Martinez has shared a lot of things with me he still wants to accomplish on the mission with his goals for this transfer and I hope I can help him with all that. You will get to meet him in a few more weeks. He understands English, but speaks only a little.
Mom I am grateful for your understanding of my situations and how you always are trying to brighten my week and keep me on track of what I am doing. I can say as a missionary we don’t know everything. Even though at times people come to me with their life and I have to help them. I had an experience in Monteria about three weeks back that reminds me of simply those types of situations. It was in the morning of a Sunday and my companion and I Elder Camarena went to pick up or walk by to invite our investigators to go to church. As we were walking, there was a group of people who were drunk...this is in the morning too.. Anyways I walked by and one of them grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. At this point I was shocked and a little scared not knowing what to do because he would not let go and he wasn’t normal. The man had his head against my head and told me something. Whenever someone’s drunk they usually never lie and they tell the truth, but he told me he wanted to stop drinking. I was just wanting to leave and go get out of there, but I took a stand and I with one word I said "Jesus-cristo" or Jesus Christ with surety and clarity. It was the first thing that came to my mind and when I said it I knew that’s all I needed to do. As he let go of my hand I felt different...it impacted me to the point that I felt a strength I hadn’t felt in a long time. I felt compassion for the man. I felt a hurting inside and I felt a love from both sides. I felt if from Jesus Christ and from this man. I am coming to understand more and more the power of the atonement and the power it has to do many things. It’s the drive that I have now and the love that I have for my savior for all that I will do from that point on. I don’t know Why I didn’t tell you all this when I experienced it, but today I felt it was the right time.
I am so grateful for all that I have been able to do up to this point and I will strive to be better and do better from here on out to search for those types of moments. The thing is I haven’t been searching for them. I am going to LOOK UP more and see those moments and recognize what really is happening. Mom, thanks for everything. Tell the family hi and that I pray for them every night and many times for personal needs. Keep in touch.
Until next week.
Elder Ridley
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