The best time of my life

Serving as a missionary for the last 18 months of my life, has been the Best.  I know that I have had a lot of really random emails saying that we did nasty service, had a terrible week, everyone dropped us and that I was just struggling but I would never in a million years, trade that for my mission.  Even if someone was offering for me to meet the Prophet.  Being a missionary has really been hard, but as I said a couple weeks ago it has made me really rely on the Spirit.  It has changed me.  Ask any of the members or missionaries that I served around at the beginning of my mission.  I am really different, but I am okay with that.  No, I am not any less hilarious or crazy, but I am more who Heavenly Father wants me to be.  I am this much closer to my divine potential.  I love this Gospel so much, and although I won't always have a badge on my clothes, there will forever be the badge that has slowly stitched itself to my heart.  I know that Satan really tries hard to get us to go against what we believe, but we have to stick with our faith to overcome those weaknesses.  I will save the rest for next week.

This last week was really crazy. Good crazy, and Bad Crazy.

Monday November 9th

We had a normal P-day with not a whole lot of crazy things going on, and we were able to get everything done. Even got the car cleaned!  Then we ate dinner at our Ward Mission Leader's house.  A couple weeks ago, they asked me what is something that I missed from home.  I told them I missed the few times that our family would eat waffles and ice cream.  At the same time... So that night when we walked in the door what was waiting for us? Waffles and Ice Cream with all sorts of nice things to put on top of it.  So that night I ate many a waffles with no shame.  Then we had a really great lesson with our investigator, Millie.  She has so much faith! The last 5 months for her has been TERRIBLE! She is always telling us though, that it is part of God's plan for her.  She has no doubt in her mind that this is the path that Heavenly Father wants for her.  We talked the whole time about faith, and then she said the closing prayer.  In the prayer she never once asked Heavenly Father for anything.  She just told him all the things that she was grateful for.  It was a real testimony builder to me, that gratitude prayers are sometimes the best prayers.

Tuesday November 10th

We had Zone Meeting! I loved Zone Meeting.  Until they asked me to bear my testimony on the things that I learned as a missionary... they let me go before the Elder who is also going home. How kind of them right?  We also were able to see the new Christmas Video that the church will be promoting this season.  It is so good! All these little children telling the story of Christ.  I love that you can see the little light in their eyes, and that they are all so happy! Really brought the Spirit into that room.  The whole time this meeting was going on, our little car was at Pepboys getting a tune up, so after the meeting, the Sisters all went and got Sushi and ate it while waiting for our car.  Then that night we were able to have a lesson with both our investigators, Jordan and Jesse.  It was really good! We taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and Jordan told us that he wanted to be baptized on the 21st! Which is the same day as his brother.  We were so happy, and planned the whole baptism right there.  I was so grateful for their mother who was right there helping us teach the lessons to them.  Such a tender moment for their family.  The best part is that we thought their dad would have a problem with them getting baptized, and he doesn't! He is actually excited that they are choosing this themselves, and that they are following through with it.

Wednesday November 11th

We had a lesson with Lila and Martin (he is a new investigator!)  We were talking about baptism, and Lila told us that she wanted to push her baptism back till the beginning of the year.  It was really sad, but at least she didn't drop us.  She is still planning on getting baptized, but needs to get through these next 2 months she said.  We also did service for our Recent Converts family.  They are having a memorial for her mom, and so we were helping clean up the yard for them.  The Young Men from the ward came, and the Grandma was so happy.  She almost started crying, and she was just so grateful.  We also had another lesson with Jordan and Jesse.

Thursday November 12th

We went to the scripture study class, and it was so great! It was only the 3rd time having it, and there were over 20 people there! It was so great! Most of them were less-actives or investigators! It was so great to be in such a little room with so many people.  When we told people we were going to be having this class, we were told we would need a small room since not a lot of people would show up.  Haha, well I am so grateful that we broke the expectations that we had set.

Friday November 13th

There is a cold that is going around, and Sister S got it.  That morning we had gone and helped clean up the yard more for the same family mentioned above, and it was so great to meet all the extended family.  People could not believe that we were doing the yard for free and that we wanted to help them.  They didn't know what missionaries were, and now they do! It was such a cool moment when Brenda was telling everyone what we did.  She told everyone that we were the Mormons that she always talked about.  It was another testimony builder to me of how important member missionary work is.  The Ranchos ward also had a relief society activity but Sister S wasn't feeling the best, so we came home and she went to bed.

Saturday November 14th

Sister S woke up feeling more sick, so we let her rest until we had to go.  We had promised the day before to come and help set up for the memorial, so that is what we did.  It was again so great to talk with their family and tell them what we do as missionaries, and why we came on missions.  Brenda's dad is a pastor, so I was worried that he would want to bible bash or something, but he didn't.  We all just talked, and he asked us questions, and we told him what we could.  When we were leaving, they were all so grateful, and you could tell that it had meant a lot to them.  We then went to Jordan and Jesse's house.  The Elders had taught them the Law of Chastity, and they would not stop telling us what they had learned from the Elders.  9 and 10 year old versions of the Law of Chastity were taught with Pokemon cards.  I am not really sure how the Elders related it, but the boys sure got it.  

Sunday November 15th

I spoke in the Granite Hills Ward about the things that I learned on my mission.  I got a lot of quotes from the talk by Elder D. Todd Christofferson titled, When Thou Art Converted.  It was really good! It helped me to get a good base for my talk.  The members all said that I did a good job, but I think that there is a commandment that says to compliment missionaries.  We had dinner with our Bishop's family, and it was so good to talk with their son who returned from a mission not all that long ago.  He gave me some advice, and told me just accept that you are going to feel awkward for a few days.  I didn't even bring up that I was going home, but with another missionary going home in that ward it is inevitable that going home is going to be brought up.  We also practiced singing the song that we are singing at the baptism this coming weekend.  Three Baptisms in three hours.  You won't hear me complaining about that!  We are singing, Lead Kindly Light with a guitar.  It should be good!  Hopefully with us getting our flu shots today, none of us actually get the flu this week.  I really hope that we don't sound like rocks in a blender.  One of the Elders whenever someone hit a wrong note would make the worst noise and pretend to be turning on a blender.

I am so grateful for every single one of you! You have changed my life in some way.  I am sure of it!  have a great week! Stay warm! It is freezing here! The other day I had to turn the defroster on in the car.  Never thought I would have to do that on my mission...

Oh you all should watch the video called The Spirit of Thanksgiving! So great! I love the guy in the red shirt...http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/in-the-spirit-of-thanksgiving-1  He is my favorite.  "my bed.  Cause I don't have one." Maybe I'll start sleeping on the floor so that I can be more grateful for a bed.  It's the little things, that matter most in life.

Love, 

Sister Rietz

Flu shot champions

Moments of Miracles - Take Two

I am so sorry for how long last week's email was.  I was looking at how long it was today and I just thought, "oh my goodness, I am that Sister Missionary that puts every little detail in..."  But I might be doing it again this week, I am so sorry.  Last week was amazing! I can't even really describe how great it was.  Okay we know I can describe it, but I hope that you all are able to realize how great of a miracle each day was.  Let's all take a lap around memory lane.

Monday September 14, 2015

I already told you about that day in last week's email.

Tuesday September 15, 2015

We had Zone Meeting.  It was really good. We were all still so pumped from when Elder Falabella came and everyone has seen so many miracles from when he was here, and also from the mission fast that we did at the beginning of this month.  Oh yeah, I don't know if I said that we had done that.  Oops. Sorry.  But anyways Zone Meeting was about Christlike Attributes.  And Vision, Goal, Planning. Oh good ole' Vision, Goal, Planning.  I have a new perspective on it, and I am trying to figure out how to get it incorporated into our everyday planning.  We also had a lesson with Larry and Rene.  They are so AWESOME! I use that word so much, but they really are so great.  We talked about the Talk from Elder Bednar about "therefore they hushed their fears."  It was really good to get them to talk about things that bother them, and how their faith can help them get over them.  After that lesson, we headed to President Interviews.  I love President and Sister H.  When I was talking with President, I really felt like I could tell him anything and there would be no judgement.  We talked about how important it is to really apply the scriptures to ourselves and to ask questions.  It was awesome.  We were able to study in Mosiah together and just talk about how important it is to look for the small details.  I really was able to learn a lot from President.  After my interview I was talking with Sister H.  We were talking about Brenda and her family and then we decided to go and see them.  We got Sister T2 and the three of us headed to her home.  Where we picked up our second new investigator of the week! Rebecca is meeting with us, and she committed to come to church. This is when the story about the little boy and his pants falling down happened. We then went and had dinner with a Part Member Family.  The mom is pregnant, and morning sickness has taken a tole on her.  We were able to help her out for a little bit, and then we were off to go visit our Ward Missionary.  She is currently Less-Active, but she talked with us a couple weeks ago and told us that she wanted to get active again! We were in shock!!! So we have been meeting with Marcella and her daughter and they are making leaps and bounds.

Wednesday September 16, 2015

We went and did more service for the Part Member family that we went and ate dinner the night before.  We also went and saw a Less Active family WAY out in the middle of nowhere.  Sister T2 always asks me if I am nervous driving out there. I tell her NO WAY! I love going out there.  It is the best!  After we saw the D family, well we didn't really see them.  They were just coming home, and rescheduled for the next week.  but after them, we went and had one of the most spirit driven lessons.  Sister T2 and I had role-played this lesson many times and we had the Relief Society President with us.  I was so excited for this lesson, because we knew that the Plan of Salvation could answer A LOT of the questions that Millie had.  We were talking and then she tells us that the scripture that we just read really spoke to her.  As I said, we were PLANNING on teaching the Plan of Salvation, and then we weren't teaching it.  I was kind of nervous, but I knew that the Lord obviously had a different lesson planned for Millie.  She told us that she knew the Book of Mormon was true, and that the Lord really did send us to come and teach her.  She bore HER testimony about the Gospel, and she told us that she knew she needed to get baptized.  I was floored.  I couldn't believe that she had just told us all of that. After talking with her, we committed her to be baptized on October 24, 2015.  She told us that she would be baptized!!! I was so excited for her, and it just gets better. She told us that she wanted her boys to get the lessons as well, and that she wants them to be baptized as well! I was in shock.  The mission fast and the challenge from Elder Falabella to get the WHOLE family involved was happening right in front of us.  She talked a lot about how she was really confused as to why Christ would only visit those in one part of the World.  It was the perfect door opener for us to tell her about Christ coming to the America's and how he was the Savior for everyone on the earth.  She is so amazing, and so humble.  We are so excited for Millie!  We also started teaching our Less-Active's son.  he is not a member, and is really trying to figure out the church that will be best for him.  It is like the story of Joseph Smith but in the twenty-first century.  He is 9, and ready for understanding.

Thursday September 17, 2015

We had the Temple Trip with all the Sisters in Apple Valley.  All 8 of us... The numbers for Sister Missionaries is slowly decreasing.  But it was a really good session, and I saw the J's from the Arrowhead Ward.  They are looking pretty old, but they are still able to go to the Temple, so I know that all is well with them.  I sat by her in the session! :)  After the temple, we went to this restaurant up here called Itchy Feet.  It was a Hawaiian Themed Sandwich Shop.  It passed the Sister Rietz inspection.  I approve of it.  Then we did normal P-day things.  We then had another AMAZING lesson at Brenda's house.  We got there and Brenda was really flustered.  Her Sister and friend were asking her all these questions and she had NO clue how to answer them.  We were there for over an hour answering their questions.  One answer would bring one more question.  We told them we had to go, because we had another appointment, but they just kept asking questions.  I know the Spirit was able to work through us to help us answer their questions.  There is no doubt in my mind that He was giving us the answers.  We now are working with them, and they are two new investigators.

Friday September 18, 2015

We had a packed day.  We weekly planned, and then had a lesson with just Brenda.  She is so great.  We talked about how important it is to come to church, and she talked about how great she feels when she is at church and how she knows that she is home there.  We also saw Sister L.  She was NOT well at all.  We got there and found out that she had just gotten back from the hospital the day before.  She was on oxygen and not really breathing correctly.  We were calling everyone in the ward asking for them to come, but no one was answering.  We eventually got a hold of the Elders, and they came right over and gave her a blessing, and she said that she was already feeling better.  We sang hymns to her, and talked about when negative thoughts come into her head that she just has to push them out.  The Spirit was really strong, and Sister L was really happy when we left.  We also saw Rebecca.  We had a lesson with her about the Plan of Salvation.  She thought resurrection and reincarnation were the same thing, so I am glad we could clear that up for her.

Saturday September 19, 2015

We literally drove everywhere inviting EVERYONE to Stake Conference.  We made little handout reminders and everything.  Only like 2 people were actually home.  They both said that they would come.  That night we had dinner with the D's. They are the most sarcastic family.  When we asked if there was anything we could do to help their family they said, yeah leave.  I was like ummm okay.  They were just kidding, but I didn't know that right away!  Stake Conference was really good.  There were 2 men from the Quorum of the Seventy there.  I just can't remember their names.  But they were instructing everyone on Ward Council.  It was good.

Sunday September 20, 2015

We went to Stake Conference, and the new Stake President is Bishop E.  He is really nice, and I totally called that it was going to be him.  I called it the night before, and then when they said his name, I looked at Sister T2 and she just had a lot of no way, how did you know!!

We also saw Sister F!  She is back from Rehab, and has been sober for 39 days! I was so excited to see her sober! I really couldn't stop smiling, and she talked about how it was a combination of things that made her go, including all the times that we would go and see her.  I am so grateful for the Gospel, and how it really is the thing that can help people get active again.

This was our week in a nutshell.  Well, a big nutshell.  I love being a missionary.  I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and how it really can be the answer to so many questions.  I am grateful for the Priesthood, and how it can bless everyone's lives.

Love, Sister Rietz

Sister Amber Rietz

6541 Woodruff Place

Rancho Cucamonga, Ca

91701

TIWI. Enough said

Okay. This week was pretty great! We had Zone Conference which is always way great, and there were a lot of really good training that actually apply to the kind of missionary that I want to become.... and then TIWI got introduced. TIWI Look it up.  One of the best, but the WORST things that have ever been introduced in the mission.  This little box not only tracks what we do---> stopping, starting, accelerating, turning, speed, and lots of other things, but it also has a GPS system in it... BUT the GPS isn't something that we can access... It is there so it can know where we are, and what time we get into the car, and everything.  Also, it "yells" at you in a monotone voice if you, turn too sharp, speed, accelerate too fast, don't have your seatbelt, and also if you forget to log in... then it says, "No Driver. No Driver. No Driver." haha, yeah it may have said that to me a couple times.  I think that sometimes it is pointless, and not many of the missionaries like it, but I think that it will be great! *no sarcasm included* But I did get this card with my name on it, so that is cool, and when I scan the card in, it says Driver Logged In. SO that has been the most interesting stuff that has happened. 

Other interesting things have been that we are running out of people to teach! Our last investigator is getting baptized this Saturday! I am so excited for Oneida!  She was just telling us how amazing it was all the things that we knew, and how she never knew them even though her parents are members!!!  Her son Greg is also getting Baptized, and we had the lovely pleasure of teaching him and his 2 younger brothers the Law of Chastity!  It was a struggle, and those boys are patient, and totally like sponges soaking up everything that we taught! One of my favorite things about that lesson was when they asked me to teach them the Wise Man, and the Foolish Man song.  They were cracking me up! So the M Family now has a video of me attempting to teach the song to the boys.  I need to get a copy of it, but they really got into the rain and the floods part.  They are all so great, and I am so happy for them!  Speaking of great, we have some AMAZING Sister Training Leaders.  I love them to death! I was talking with them, and you know that no matter what you say to someone, they are going to listen and actually care! Well that is exactly how I felt when I was talking with them.  They are amazing, and I am so grateful for Sister C and Sister A.  They just listened to me, and it was the BEST thing that could have happened today.  They are really on the Lord's Errand. 

Brenda is doing so GOOD! hahah, she is going to be either an excellent full time missionary, or an excellent member missionary. Or maybe both! She was talking with us yesterday during our lesson, and she was telling us about this bracelet that she got.  She said that at first she didn't know how to put it together, and that she just was staring at the bracelet, and then BAM it hit her! She said that as she looked at the bracelet, she realized that different parts of it reminded her of the plan of salvation that Sister G and Sister E2 had taught her. She explained it to us, and it really did make so much sense! It was not a stretch at ALL! She gave us the bracelet, and it is now on my desk back home.  I love it!

I love being a missionary, sorry this email is so jumbled and crazy, but that is my life right now.  This week we have to go down the hill for the trainer and trainee meeting, and I can only imagine how many times TIWI is going to get mad at us.   Let's hope only once! 

WATCH THIS!

http://www.mormonchannel.org/watch/series/mormon-messages/abide-with-me-1

I love this mormon message.  It really always hits me.  Not sure why, but probably because we all need those reminders every once in awhile.

Also, really really love this talk from the last General Conference that the Church had: 

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2015/04/on-being-genuine?lang=eng

Love you all, have a great week!

Love, Sister Rietz

My Preach My Gospel book is getting a little hammered!  :)

Sister C and I telling Sister A how to take our picture at Zone Conference

Vampires, Zone Conference, Upland Beautification Project

1.Funniest things done: This last week I met a vampire.  Her name was Mary.  She took my blood.  She was really nice.  She is going to be the person that determines my fate as a missionary.  Okay just kidding, but when she brought out the needle to take my blood, there was this little boy sitting in the chair next to me, and  his face just got white and I knew he was going to freak.  I just smiled at him, and then he just got wide-eyed, and looked like he was going to pass out.  He asked if it hurt, and I told him nope.  But I lied.  Yes, I lied to a little boy.  It hurt like the dickens, cause she had to dig.  But Mary knows what is up, and I didn't even get a big bruise.  So three cheers for Mary.

2.Biggest Blessing: Having an awesome Zone.  Everyone has been praying that I would be okay, and then the Spanish Sisters told me they fasted that I would be alright.  This Zone is amazing, and I love every member of it.  That normally doesn't happen for me, I normally have a problem with at least one missionary.  But it is not because of who they are, it is just because i have short comings.

3.Latest project: Prepare for transfers.  They are this next week, and I have no idea if I am staying, or if I am going.  I have been in Upland for 6 months almost, and that is a long time.  I could be here for longer though because of doctors, and I just became companions with Sister N.  But the Lord always has a different plan for us than what we plan.  So I am just trying to make sure that Sister N knows the area, the area book, our investigators, the 15 names list, and that I have 100% confidence in her that she can do it if I leave.

4.Most exciting events: I GOT TO SEE SISTER T!!! We had Zone Conference on Thursday, and since Rancho is her zone, and the building we were at is in Rancho she just so happened to be there.  It was great! I loved seeing her, and there may or may not have been some tears that fell from our eyes.  I also got to see Sister M! I was in heaven seeing as those are the only companions that I have had that are still out on their missions.  Sister and President H were making jokes about the 3 of us, and we told President that we know what our "transfer doctrine" (what happens at transfers) is.  He told us that when he is asked for something he does what Elder Bednar taught him.  Go the complete opposite way.  So I have a feeling Sister M, Sister T and I will never serve around each other again.  haha, but it was worth a shot telling him.

5. Favorite Game: I got in a pretty intense staring contest with this little Indian girl in the doctors office.  I lost.  She was good. Too good. She probably had glass eyes or something.  She never blinked!

6.Favorite Foods: We ate Tongan food at Zone Conference.  It was really good, but unfortunately we are not all up to eating the amounts of food that the Tongans were dishing up.
7.Most challenging thing: Working in Upland for the Upland Beautification Project.  We were spreading Mulch, and painting buildings in this housing district.  It was amazing to see the families that lived there come out and really help us.  They were so humbled that we wanted to help make their duplex look better.  I am now friends with a boy named Joey, and a girl named Denaja.  They are so cool, and we were able to spread mulch like complete champions.  They were a crack up too. They told me a white girl like me really works hard.  They seemed surprised.
8. Simple Pleasures: See above.

9.Goals: Have more faith.  Have more Compassion.

10.Biggest smile: I saw a tennis court that was not locked up! Normally the ones we pass have locks on them, but because someone forgot to lock it, I was able to connect with Trevor cause he is in Boise playing tennis.  I prayed on the court that you would do good Trev!

11.Biggest accomplishment: Not passing out on the table while getting my blood taken.

12: Favorite Quote: "You are like a mule.  A straight up mule.  Except you are white, and mules are black." -Denaja my friend who is totally awesome!

I love you all, and am so stoked to skype on the 10th! I hope everyone had a (not sure what she meant to put.  The sentence stops short at "a". - The Mama)

Tennis court love<3

Goodbye Hesperia! Hello Upland!!

I got a bulls eye my last night in Hesperia!

One of my favorite families

Just a little shopping cart fun

Our backs

Silly missionaries!!

Sister K

Well, there is a new chapter in the book of Sister Rietz and her mission life. It is called Upland.  I am really excited, but REALLY sad at the same time.  There were transfer calls Saturday, and then Saturday night, we found out that there were even more missionaries leaving then we thought.  It was really sad, because our ward lost 3 missionaries.  Both Sis. E and I left, and also Elder O left.  It was a shock that Elder O left, because he was told on Saturdayafternoon that he was staying, and then Sunday he got a call saying he was leaving.  Our poor ward is going to be going crazy.  Well along with transfers means a new beginning.  I loved my ward in Hesperia, and there are SO many families that I cried saying good-bye to.  It was a struggle, because this is the only ward that I had ever known, and being a third of the way done, that was a LONG time to stay in one area. I have been transferred to Upland, which is in the Valley.  I am sad to leave the Desert, but from what I hear Upland is a "rich" area... so I was told I was going to get fat, because everyone will feed me steak and potatoes "rich man" style... Not really sure what that means though.

My new companion is Sister C2 (not my MTC roommate).  She (from what I hear) is a hard working, diligent, obedient missionary.  That is exactly what I have been praying for, and when I heard that, I just wanted to cry and sing praises to Heavenly Father for being so awesome, and listening to my prayers.  I also have been praying to stay on a bike... WHICH I AM!!! My goal is to get 150 miles this transfer.  We shall see if that happens or not.  My old ward-mate Elder R is friends with Sis. C2, and he said she is awesome, and just what I need after a really tough transfer.  When we met each other, and we hugged I could feel the love that she has for me instantly. It was awesome!  When I was saying good-bye, everyone was telling me how wonderful it was to get to know me, and they were going to complain to President that I was leaving.  

Sis. E is going to Apple Valley... Her new companion is Sister C (My MTC roommate)! I was just in shock, and couldn't believe that they were going to be together.  It was crazy! I really hope all goes well for them.  It could be a tough transfer, because they are whitewashing into the ward.  Their district leader is Elder O though, so they will be fine.  I really know no one down here, except Sis M, whom I saw for like an hour today.  She is training again, and I know that she will do awesome. She is staying in Ontario, so we aren't super far away, but we won't see each other until the Christmas Devotional that is in December.  

This past week was super crazy! We met Elder Golden of the Seventy.  It was a good meeting, but he kept talking forever, and we went 2 hours over, and had to cancel a lot of our appointments.  It was frustrating, but some of the stuff he said made me want to be a better missionary.  I really hope that I can step it up, and reach that potential that I am sure is there somewhere.

So we found out why they whitewashed the Sisters in our ward, and put Elders into it... It was too Dangerous for Sisters to be on Bikes in the evening.  Once the sun went down, crazy things would happen up on the Mesa.  It was annoying thinking that no one was gonna like the Elders, but I am sure that all will work out, and I pray those Elders can help our Investigators get Baptized. 
Sis. C (MTC) and I were talking last night, and we decided that we thought saying goodbye to our families was going to be the worst goodbyes, and that none could compare. Well now I am realizing that there really is a different love that I have for those in Hesperia, that can compare to that love for those around us.  It was a love that made me really really strive to help draw them closer to Christ.  We decided that amount of love for those people, is what makes it so hard to say good-bye.

1.Funniest things done: Freaking out when I was still going to be on a bike! The Elders thought that was the weirdest thing that I would pray for.  I told them it was because I love biking.  Everyone in the ward felt bad that I was not going to be in a car.  No one understood why I wanted to stay on bike.  Everyone would say, "ohh, I am so sorry you don't have a car."

2.Biggest Blessing: Knowing that there is a God there, who knows EXACTLY what we are going through, and that He loves each one of us SO much!
3.Latest project: Learning my new ward! Saying goodbye to Hesperia!

4.Most exciting events: Transfers.  I also was able to see Sis. M at the transfer meeting, which made me really happy!

6.Favorite Foods: We ate the most delicious peppered pork chops, with a Greek salad.  It was super GOOD!
7.Most challenging thing: Knowing that there will be 4 Elders in my old ward, and 75% of the people we visited were single sisters.  I am interested in seeing how the Ward will help the Elders, so that they can still see them.
8. Simple Pleasures: Hearing everyone tell me they really Love me, and that they are going to miss me.  It is always nice when someone talks all positive about you!
10.Biggest smile: When Sis. K told me how important I was to the Lord's work. When she said that, I just started crying right there in the hallway at church.  She is one of my favorite people from the Ward.
11.Biggest accomplishment: Writing out 3 pages of whitewash notes, and helping them realize how far their area was, I gave them street by street instructions.  It was time consuming, but totally worth it!

12. Worst Food: Eating the Bread that was in our freezer.  It was completely freezer burned, but when it is transfers, it calls for not buying food, and being smart and eating everything you got.
13. Amount of Miles Biked: 22 miles.
14: Favorite Quote: "You and Sister C are not allowed to tell President about my relationship with Peru... the llama from the Zoo.  We have a very special relationship." -Elder N.

Well, there is much to do. And I have so much Unpacking to do... It is not going to be fun unpacking, but neither is ironing clothes, so I will choose the lesser of the two evils.  I gotta buy food, and get familiar with my new area.  My companion goes home in 6 weeks, so I have to learn the area really well so when she leaves, I will be able to not get lost.

I hate the phone, I love the phone

Hello to everyone around the World! (because my email I realized is going to 3 different continents)

Anyways, let me go off on my Sister Rietz Rant and then I will proceed.  We have a phone that we share so that members, less-actives, investigators, and apparently now 911 can call us.  So yesterday, I had the phone in my bag.  The Phone made a weird beep, and then I realize that the numbers 911 are on the screen.  I quickly hit back, and thought that I had cancelled it in time.  Apparently NOT! As we are riding with the member who's house we ate dinner at, the phone rings.  I answer it, and the lady on the other side proceeds to tell me they had a hangup 911 call from this number.  She asked if we were all okay, and where we were.  We told her that we were fine, and that there was no reason to send police after us.  She didn't seem convinced that we were okay, and she asked a million and a half questions before she knew that we were okay.  We were fine!!! GAH! I have had the phone in my bag like 10 times, and at least 3 times it calls 911.  Oh well, I guess we know that the phone works, but I think that the phone company should not have a button on it that says 911, and if it gets bumped and after 30 seconds there is nothing happening, it will call it.  Annoying but then again it is a blessing to someone I am sure, just not Sister M and I.

This past week was full of meetings!  We had Zone Meeting, and then we also had Zone Conference.  I loved both of them.  They were full of things that we were trying to work on.  I am so grateful that the trainings were given to show how much improvement there can be in my life as a missionary, and as a member-missionary in a long time.

There were so many good quotes, and these are a few of my favorite ones:

• "Things that take longer to grow, live longer."- Boyd K. Packer
• This was in regards to some less-actives and investigators taking longer to accept the Gospel, and want and have the desire to Follow Christ.
• "The Gospel doesn't change the reality of life.  It changes our perspective."-Pres. H
• People can live in the same exact circumstance, but one might have more hope, love, and positive outlook than others because of the knowledge they have from the Gospel.
• "Unoccupied minds, are workshops of the devil."-Elder L
• We need to be focused WHY we are on a mission, and not let our minds ever be unoccupied, because that is when the devil works on us.
• "Unless you know someone's name and face, you cannot know their hearts."-Unknown
• "People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care."-Unknown
• Both of these quotes are about how important it is to remember those that we meet on the street, at church, and all the others that we interact with.
• "Faith is not us working harder, but us believing more."-Pres. H
• We all can have more Faith, and believe in the Faith that we have.

These were all things that I really needed to hear, and they are all so true.  I loved Zone Conference, and wish that there was another one soon.  They come every other or every couple of transfers.  While we were at Zone Conference, Sister H, was asking me how my leg was, and she seemed worried about the way it was looking, so she said that she would talk with Pres. H, and see what she can do.  I really hope that he doesn't transfer Sister M and I.  That would make me Sad! I really love the area that I am in, and I would be so scared that my new companion wouldn't be able to ride a bike.  I am in some of the best shape of my life, although the scale seems to differ.  Haha, but for reals I am used to the elevation, and the heat now.  We don't even use our A/C anymore.  We are hot, but the air feels just as good outside as it does inside, so we just open the windows and the balcony door, and let the good ole' hot High Desert wind blow in.  The air and sweat makes for a homemade A/C.  Gross, but so true.  

Everyone at Zone Conference were judging our zone because 2 Elders are on crutches, I had the bandage on my leg, and then another Elder pulled something in his leg, so there were limping Elders and then me who has zero limp, all around.  Everyone and their dog seemed to know.  Apparently the news about Sister M stitching my leg got around to the other Zones in the High Desert.  They were talking about Car Safety, and how we need to make sure to report tickets, and accidents to the car coordinator.  He just had to add in that Sister D was going to make him also add in "Bike Safety" because Hesperia A Zone was falling off their bikes left and right.  I didn't even have an accident, I just cut it on my bike, and it required stitches. 

Speaking of bikes, we didn't bike that much this week.  I think that we biked 45ish miles.  It all just seems to blend together now, how often we bike.  There were no days that were cloudy, or overcast, but we had a lot of service projects inside so that was nice to be out of the Sun.  We painted a ladies house, and I am now a "professional painter" according to her.  I would not hire me to paint, but whatever, we can't deny service.  We painted our names on the wall, and had to quickly paint over them before Julie saw them.  Julie paid us by giving us a facial.  She is a make up consultant, but that make up and my face hate each other.  I looked like a painted doll.  It also took too much work to make myself look like it was a natural look.  I think that I will stick with my natural look, and not go through the hour of torture.  I have so much respect for those women that do their make-up perfectly everyday. Kudos to you.  

Moon and I also wanted to have a secret weapon for when we play the J's in tennis in the mornings.  We found these awesome shirts, and we had faith that these shirts would help us win.  We needed more faith, because they destroyed us, 1-6, 0-6.  I still love tennis, and we will win one of these times.  We won a week ago, and then that must have been our peak, because we are on a fast downhill to Loserville.

We are still working with David, and we are so excited for him.  He has almost conquered his Word of Wisdom issues, and he loves to go to Addiction Recovery, and is so excited for the time that he will be all done, and able to be a member.  At times I think that we should just drop him, because he talks about tons of nonsense, and then he will be spot on with the questions that we ask him.  These past few lessons, he has been pretty much teaching us the lessons because he has had them so many times, and tomorrow we are going to start going over the baptismal questions.  I am so excited, and am praying that I don't get transferred before the 6th of September.  I would be so sad, and hope that President H would let me come back for his Baptism.  Kathy is having a really hard time.  In my interview on Tuesday with President, I asked him what to do, and he said that we will know what we need to do, but the answer will come to us at the correct time, and right now might not be the correct time.  That is not exactly what I wanted to hear, but I know that it is true.  She is back to smoking a ton, and it has been hard to help her stop.  Sister M and I were both praying about what to do, and we both got the impression to drop her, if she can't keep her commitments that we made with her.  She has been keeping them so far, and so that means we can still meet with her.  We had two investigators drop us, but they have dropped us before, so we didn't feel too upset about it.  But we did get a new investigator on Tuesday Night.  His name is Wayne, and I think that he was drunk or high when we talked with him, but he had to many questions, and we were able to clear up some things that he thought we believed.  We also learned that he is Best Friends with our other investigator, so they want to have lessons together.  We have one with them tonight and they have been reading from the Book of Mormon, so I am hoping they have questions so that we can help them come to understand the truth of it.  

I love all of you so much! Sorry this email is kinda super boring.  But it was a kinda super boring week.  Transfers are in two weeks, and there is a rock in my gut telling me that Sister M will be leaving me.  She has that feeling too, so pray that we will be together at least one more transfer.  I love the Gospel.  I love Jesus Christ, and know that I can never fully repay him, but that we must do all we can to show how grateful we are.  I love Hesperia, and all the crazy people that are in this City.  I hope all of you are having a great week!  Good Luck to Trev and Kristin in their Soccer Tryouts.  You will rock it!!! Lewiston and Walla Walla clan, get oxygen masks, so that you can breath not smokey air.  I love all of you, and love getting your emails, and letters, and packages.  Thanks for all of them! They make my day! Literally!!

Stay Sweet!

XOXO

Love, Sister Rietz

Sister M and I in our Awesome Shirts!

Painting our Names like Rebels on Julie's wall