1-09-12

Mom,

It’s great to hear about the Missionaries that are in my homeward. Where are they from? Its weird to think that there are missionaries every day in all parts of the world doing what I am doing. I couldn’t really imagine it before, but as a missionary i get to understand more of the role it has in the church and yes the importance it is to share the gospel. I feel horrible not talking to my buddies like I should. I have received about two letters from everyone, but for me it’s difficult to send letters. I have about 50 letters piled up to send, but haven’t done it yet haha.
First off I want to say thanks for all the little reminders you and the family give me to get me more excited about the work. I find it difficult to get excited to teach and such. I know the way to drive a missionary is to read study and ponder about the atonement of Christ. I have changed my studies around with a few other things to try to get a really good hour of study. I went to a meeting the other day for the mission and there were a lot of things that we are going to be changing. I don’t know if that’s normal in a mission, but I feel like we are always changing things. President wants us to study the lessons more to be able to teach with more clarity and power and also he wants us to study the doctrine of Christ more. I feel like I am always trying to change things and I can never find what’s best. I feel like the Coast of the Colombia is all the same as the work goes. I do like my ward here in Ciudadela, Barranquilla. It’s the first ward I feel like it’s a nice home ward with families and such. The other places I have been have been single people who attend the wards and the other part of the families is not members. A ton of people here think that the church is just another church like any other. They come to listen and leave or they don’t understand really what they have. I am so grateful for the ward that I was raised in and the one you are all attending at this moment. The church is so strong there. Has the ward changed a lot? For the first time last week I had thought about your e-mail and all that you told me and I got shocked, but more scared because I know a lot will have changed in these two years and I am beginning to see it. My companion says he has fear to go home in a week or so. The thing is I love it here! Even though there are things of Colombia that really bug me. Even though I feel like the mission isn’t perfect and we need to do a lot more. I love the Life of a missionary. I have never felt or tried to feel to search for opportunities to feel the spirit or to make such a difference in the life of others that at first it was different, but now it’s my life, it’s a mission for the Lord. There have been so many times I have fallen, I have struggled, but every time I fall I can see that I push through it and become stronger. I fall I humble myself and I get stronger. So many times it’s happened, but I know that The Lord is making me into something not only for this life, but for after this life. You read in the scriptures and it tells us that we are meant for eternity and it’s outlined in the gospel for us to help us realize how we can to it to live forever. Sometimes I have felt that I could do a mission all by myself, but it’s impossible that’s why we have families and companions. I don’t really have someone these days following up on how I am doing and how I am progressing, so it’s difficult to see how it’s been for me. I would like to share with you the goals I have selected, but really I have already shared them with you, but I have been so well at trying to complete it or maybe I just haven’t see the changes and I need to be patience.

Repent(atonement)
Relation(holy ghost)
Service(pray search)
Time(obedience)

Out of all the things that I have learned from my mission and that it’s a lot, I feel like these are the four most important things I can do as a missionary. I also want to better worship my heavenly father mas. The thing is I have a lot of goals, but yes I would like the help from you all too. Like I told you before I don’t really have anyone whose is on me trying to push me to the limit and although I want to its deals with a lot of faith on my part, but also encouragement. So many times I feel like I need to have the spirit with me always and sometimes it hit me like it did you mom, and I wonder why I don’t have it with me always, but the one thing that I have noticed is that when we look for it we can find it always. It’s just the matter of taking that time and knowing how to follow its promptings of even the smallest things. I want to be more persistent and the work at what I am doing with my investigators and the people we meet every day. A lot has changed with the work here so I am in a process again to try and fix things. I love the time with other Elders to learn and hear how they pull through things they experience and it’s great. I have met a few new elders that are gringos here that I want to meet up with after the mission. I even found a job I can do and I want to do it after the mission. I want to work with Elder Smith at Catalina Island at a Boy Scout camp for one summer hahaha. I want to remind me of a few things from scouts and also learn how to sailboat :) haha. Anyways that’s in one year, but I am just happy where I am at for now and will continue to keep moving. Tell everyone I said hey and love them and will see them in 11 months.....I am not TRUNKY, but just the time is going by really quickly. Keep me posted always on what’s new. I can’t believe some of the things that are happening in Murrieta, but it’s always great news.


Love,

Elder Ridley