Biking, Baptisms, Service

This last week was so CRAZY! Sister T and I biked EVERYWHERE! It was awesome.  Members would ask us if we needed rides, and we turned everyone down.  I am SO close to 1400 miles, and I want to leave this area with over 1400 miles.  It isn't nearly what we would bike in Hesperia, but we are racking up those miles.  I was able to add back my miles into the odometer, and it feels so good to see those numbers on it.  It reminds me of all the craziness that has happened these last 9 months; wrecking, cutting my leg (with Sister M), wrecking again (with Sis. E), biking up Jenkins and Joshua, teaching  Samantha and her husband, biking to Peach Street to get to the K's, racing Sister M down Newhall Hill, reaching 1000 miles, biking in BRUTALLY hot summer heat, contacting people on the street, sharing He is the Gift, seeing peoples reactions when they see that we bike in skirts, wrecking AGAIN (with Sister T), allowing my love for biking increase all the time, and SO much more.  I will forever remember all of these things, and how they have helped shape me into the person that I am becoming.  

There are miracles all around us, and we just need to look for them.  That is something that Heavenly Father has taught me this last 9 months.  This week we had our days packed to the max, and then all of a sudden things would fall through, and we would be scrambling to keep using our time effectively, and then we would meet with people that we have had a really hard time getting in with.  This week wasn't the greatest in numbers, but we were able to visit with a lot of people, and follow up on a lot of family mission plans.  Missionary work our Ward is really taking off, and it makes us really excited seeing the members get excited about it.  One thing that I think has made members really excited, is planning for Candy's Baptism.  She had her interview yesterday with President M (2nd Counselor in the Missionary Presidency), and when she walked out of the room I just pictured her as a member of the Church.  I didn't view her as someone who is learning about the Gospel, I viewed her as someone that is LIVING the Gospel.  It was so awesome, and she is really really excited.  I can't wait till the 21st, and to see her all in white.  It will be a precious moment that I will forever remember.  Moments where you watch someone go into the water is so emotional, and so spiritual.  I remember the Spirit at Samantha's, Denise's, Andrew's, and Violet's, Cheyenne's and at Allie and Amber's.  That Spirit is something I will never forget, and something that I will take with me always. 

1.Funniest things done: I found this piece of corn on a stick, and I think that it was really old cause it looked like the corn we throw in the field to let the pheseants eat, but anyways I wanted a picture with it, and then people saw us, and honked at us.  It was just funny cause of the timing and everything.  Okay, it wasn't that funny. Sorry.  This is now weird. OH WELL!

2.Biggest Blessing: Our ward council is working on getting everything in line for the baptism, and some major building and scheduling conflicts came up. But the ward was able to figure it out, and now we are having the baptism, and a homemade ice cream party after! I am so excited!

3.Latest project: Getting more investigators to progress.  We are starting to see people not progress at all, and it is hard cause every time we pray about it, the answer is not to drop them yet.

4.Most exciting events: Brad P came to Ward Conference, and then the Stake President talked about him.  He told everyone what great faith Brad had and how he was setting that example for his family.  It was great!

5. Favorite Game: Impersonations of other missionaries.

6.Favorite Foods: Vegetables with olive oil, and salt and pepper baked in the oven.  Best way to eat Veggies!!!
7.Most challenging thing: Not having the B Family come to church.  They told us that there is no such thing as a true church, so they will bounce between the LDS church and their Bible Church.  It also is getting more and more hard to communicate mormon/religious terms to them when they barely understand english, but they refuse to let us bring someone that knows French.
8. Simple Pleasures: Seeing James B (9 year old from Ivory Coast) dancing to the primary songs that he got when he went to church. It was so precious, and it made us smile, and laugh so hard! 

9.Goals: Find, Teach, and Baptize everyone in the Upland Area.
10.Biggest smile: Muddy-Buddy Pancakes.  This is why missionaries get fat.  Cause we crave things, and then we just eat them.  Or you watch your companion eat them.  I am not eating desserts right now, and this last week members gave us: girl scout cookies, cream puffs, popsicles, and tons of cookies.  People we are trying to not gain weight!!! but it still makes us feel good when members say that we can just go bike it off.  If only it actually worked out that way...

11.Biggest accomplishment: I have been praying to understand the scriptures more, and this last week I learned so much from my personal, and companionship studies.  The Lord answers prayers for sure.

12: Favorite Quote: "I know you were sent to my door to take me to much better places. Thank you so much for helping me find Chirst and get in touch with Heavenly Father."- Candy.

Officially 9 months IN California!

Crazy thing, she asked on Mormon.org for us to come to her.  No one ever does that, and so it just made it all the more awesome!  She is so solid, and awesome.  I don't think I can ever do justice for how awesome she is.

I love this work. I love this ward.  Pray that I don't get transferred in 2 weeks.  That I stay here!!! I would be so sad if I left this area.  I hope you all are doing well! Love you all so much! Tell everyone that I say hello!

Service Project at Cris's House. Companions who shut each other in garbage cans, stay together.  Hopefully! *fingers crossed*

Found this Corn-cob on a stick on the ground, looks like I found lunch!

Love, Sister Rietz