Disastrous Days bring Many Moments of Miracles

So by the title of my email, you are all probably thinking that we had a terrible week.  There were a lot of down hill moments, but then there were so many peaks that I didn't think that we could ever reach.  This week was one were I really learned to rely on the Lord through Prayer, and I know that He was able to give us answers and the Spirit of Comfort to help Sister T2 and I.  Don't worry, I would totally have last week start over and relive that week.  The disasters and all, because I learned too many valuable lessons this week.  

1.Funniest Thing Done: Oh man! The ultimate funniest thing that ever had to happen this last week was probably when we were sleeping outside and there was a cat lurking around.  I think that the Spirit brought to my remembrance that there was a plastic bat in our house that we could sleep outside with.  So we are now always sleeping outside with the bat right in between us. (Thank you sister T for the bat)  Well I was joking with Sister T2 that I was going in the middle of the night to accidentally mistake her as the cat, and start beating her.  So then Sister T2 used her super fast reflexes and grabbed the bat and held onto that so fast! We haven't had to use the bat at all.  Only to hit away the cobwebs that literally appear overnight!  Another really funny thing that happened was we were playing tag with Jason the 5 year old of Oneida, and one of the people that was playing with us grabbed him by the pants.  Next thing you know he's holding Jason, and then he's not holding Jason.  He's holding his pants.  Jason had too big of pants on, and he slipped right out of them.  Jason wasn't embarrassed at all! He was actually really funny about it.  He ran away, and then 2 minutes later he comes running, "BOOYAH! Got my pants back on!"  We all were laughing a lot, and even as we speak I am laughing about it.  Good Thing Sister T2 and I are the only ones in the Family History Center right now.

2.Biggest Blessing or Miracle: I think that the biggest blessing and miracle would have to be the one and only Elder S or as Sidda C and Sister T know him as the Schweeds... Anyways... We had some car trouble this last week, but luckily we were in Rancho for the 4 week new missionary meeting and we were able to call him and he was able to come help us right away. So now we are driving the 4th car in our area! WOOH! I just hope that our Subbie gets fixed and back up to us quickly! That car is the only one so far that Sister T2 and I have felt the safest in on those crazy dirt roads.  Elder S is such a patient man.  He reminds me a lot of Brother Byington from home.  He is just so caring, and still has that joking side to him that you don't know if he is being serious or not.  I love it.  I felt so bad that we had to call him, because he was dealing with a little TIWI situation that happened in our car, he was working on getting my license renewed, and he now is dealing with our little Subbie.  I just hope that he doesn't regret ever asking how else he could help us.

3.Exciting Events:  Oneida and Greg were baptized on Saturday! It was a little stressful seeing as they were 45 minutes late, but better late than never right!? Haha, when they walked in, all the worries of them not showing up melted away.  I was so grateful for the lessons that I had been able to teach them, and for all the things they taught me.  If there is one thing that I have learned from that family that will forever stick with me it has got to be,  that through it all your family will always be there, and so will the Lord.  Too many miracles occurred with them for any of us to ever deny that.  It was so great to see Oneida and her family so excited for the baptism.  I love them all so much, and am so grateful that I was able to teach them.  They are like little drops of golden sunlight that really can brighten anyone's day.  As I mentioned in a previous email, we taught them the Wise Man and the Foolish Man song.  They really wanted to have that sung at their baptism, and it was so precious when the 3 little boys were up there leading the hand motions.  Brad turned when they were heading up to the front and asked me to come, but I told him "No way you know the hand signals! You can do it!"  I love them! They are so innocent and so precious!  

4.Favorite Game: Well  most of the streets are registered into the system as 25, and they should actually be 55 MPH! So we called TIWI, and we are now just racking up the violations because TIWI gave us permission to go the speed limit even though the little box is watching us.  So I feel bad for President H and Elder S because Granite Hills Elders and we are just racking up those speeding violations.  It is not FUN! That voice is one that we have gotten really good at imitating, so that is now our game when we are home.  Who can talk like TIWI!

5.Favorite Food: We had the best tomato and zucchini dish.  It was so good.  I am not  the biggest fan of cooked tomatoes, but it was really good to have it all together.  Then we had pork chops, and potatoes with it! IT WAS SO GOOD! We also had a version of Crock-Pot chicken that was pretty good.  Different, but really good! I was a lot spicier, and they put potatoes instead of rice.

6.Most Challenging Thing: This last week I got what most missionaries call the trunky call.  That is the worst feeling in the world... Sister P has such a happy voice and told me, "Sister Rietz, I need you to be calm and listen to me.  You have some important life changing events occurring soon and we need to talk about them." She then asked me where I was flying home to, and all the details that I could remember.  Afterwards, she said: "thank you. Now forget about this phone call, and get back to work."  That is the hardest thing, because everyday someone in one of the wards or the other missionaries comment on me coming home, and ask how I am feeling.  PEOPLE! I HAVE AGES LEFT!!!

7.Simple Pleasures: We got a call from Elder S earlier this week.  I thought it was about my license, but it was about TIWI.  For some reason it didn't show that I had logged in, and so for 26 miles our car was registered as stolen. That was a fun one to respond to.  I was like I swear that I logged in, so now we are always worried that it is going to say our car is stolen... But so far we are good.  No more calls about TIWI! 

8.Goals: Find 4 new Investigators! We are really drowning with no one in our teaching pool anymore. So we are on a mad hunt.  A member told me yesterday that we are the Hunters, and that we go to church to get our ammo and run back out to go and hunt people.  It was a nice effort at an analogy, but I just nodded my head and told him, "Ohhh! That is cool to think of it that way." He's such a kind older man.  Hopefully he doesn't tell that to more people, because I don't think people will want to hear that missionaries had ammo, and go hunting...

9.Biggest Smile: We were talking with a Less-Active last night, and were teaching her the Restoration.  Normally we start with God is our Loving Heavenly Father. But for some reason right when we started the lesson, I asked her how the Gospel has Blessed her Life.  That opened up a conversation that I never thought that we would have.  She started sharing all of these super cool spiritual experiences and times where she knows the Gospel has blessed her life.  It was really cool to talk with her, and hear just how much she loves the church.  Then she flipped it to us, and asked us.  I loved talking about all the ways that the Gospel has blessed my life.  Obviously my family was one of the things that I brought up.  We talked about how the Gospel asks us to do a lot of different things, but that if we are obedient then the blessings are overflowing.  I couldn't help but think about how there have been times where I just wanted to give up, and then I think of how my family is able to be together forever because of the Gospel and that there are people out there that really don't know or believe that there is a way to be together forever.  She told us all the blessings that she has seen from missionaries serving, and I was just in shock because there were times this week where I was wondering why I was still on a mission.  This seemed like an answer to my prayer that I had about how we can really bless our families, and other families too.  I know that sounds dumb for a missionary to be saying that, but it is the truth.  I think sometimes it just takes a friendly conversation with the Spirit there for us to know why we are on our missions.

10.Biggest Accomplishment: Getting down the hill without TIWI getting mad at us! I was so proud of us! 

11.Favorite Scripture Story or Ensign Talk Studied: Right now our mission is preparing for Elder Falabella to come and do his mission tour.  That is in September and so he has asked us to study Alma 17-23 and focus on how the people's hearts were changed.  Holy Cow. There is a lot of ways that their heart's were changed, but I would have to say the greatest thing that I am positive changed their hearts is the love that they felt from the messages that they were hearing.  That is how I think some people are when we talk with them.  I have heard a couple times, "I don't agree with what your church believes, but you sure are nice." Haha, that is always a stab in the heart, and also a compliment cause they think that we are nice.  It is amazing that some aspect of the gospel really hits people differently.  Sometimes I think that there is nothing that can help some of the people that we contact on the street, but as our zone leaders stated to me, the Lord is always preparing people, and sometimes the things that we say are just planting the seeds.

12.Favorite Quote: "Even Blind People Clean."-President H This was in reference to the training that was given in Zone Conference last week.  An Elder asked the Senior Sisters how they can clean, because there are really not that many lights in their apartment, and this was President H's reaction.  Everyone in the gym started laughing, and I think it taught us all a valuable lesson that there is NO excuse for why our apartments are dirty.

I am a Child of God.

And He has Sent me here.

I stand all amazed at the love Jesus Offers me.

Confused at his grace that so fully he proffers me.

Be still my soul; The Lord is on thy side.

I know that my Redeemer lives.

What comfort this sweet sentence gives.

Come Follow Me, the Savior said.

Because I have been given much,

I too must give.

I love being a missionary.  It has literally changed my life.  I hope that all are able to feel the love and the peace that the Spirit can bring.  I know all of these songs above are such simple truths that we can learn from music.  They are little testimonies of truths.  I am so grateful for the hymns, and the primary songs that I have known for a big chunk of my life.  I am so grateful for trials, because that has allowed me to see the miracles that always are there as well.  I love the people in the Rancho Cucamonga Mission, and I hope all of them have the opportunity to meet with missionaries and feel the comfort of the gospel.  Have a great week! Pray that we find people to teach!!!

Love, Sister Rietz

We are keeping traditions alive and sleeping outside

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

Baptism and More Baptism

This last week was CRAZY! and we only have a little time to email! I am so happy how this last week was.  We were so busy, and we saw so many little miracles and signs that Heavenly Father loves us.  We were able to contact all the referrals that we had, and then able to really buckle down and see those that we had planned to see this week.  We were able to have a less active come to church.  She always has some reason why she can't come but we told her the Lord doesn't like excuses.  I have learned that the Lord really will make sure that his will is done the way that he wants it done. That being said, this weekend was one of the best weekends of my mission!

We had two baptisms this weekend! The first one was in Apple Valley at 1! It went really well! It was for Brenda who we met one month ago yesterday.  So she got baptized, and it was glorious, and wonderful and we were all so happy! I thought that she was not going to show up, because at 1:00 she was not there. The members were asking where she was, and we told them her grandma was bringing her. But then when we checked the phone she had texted us that her grandma wasn't taking her anymore, so we quickly called a member and they were able to pick her up and bring her to her baptism.  When we walked in, there was just a Spirit of Peace, and Happiness. I knew that all was going to be well, and that Satan had lost another battle.  The baptism was great, and like I said there was just a Spirit of Peace in the room. Then we had 2 hours after that baptism till we needed to head down the hill to UPLAND! Sister T and I were able to go to the baptism of Cris.  She is someone that we taught in Upland and I was able to teach her for 6 months.  She has been taking the lessons for about 18 months, and the only thing stopping her from getting baptized earlier was that her parents said no. So we were able to go down the hill to go see her! She had the best birthday ever! She was 18 for only a couple hours and then she was baptized! WOOT! We also were able to see a lot of people in the Upland 2nd Ward, and people from the Upland 3rd Ward were even there as well.  A lot of people know Cris and are amazed at her dedication to the Gospel. She is always staying strong even in times of utter disaster around her.  I would take Cris back with me to Idaho in a heartbeat!

Well our time is almost up, but neither one of us are done, so we're probably going to email at a different building.  We had to switch cars this morning because our little Corolla was being temperamental so we now have a Subaru Legacy... it is the same color as your Traverse Mom.

anyways, that set us back pretty far.  We had specific instructions on how it needed to be cleaned, and let me tell you that car is C-L-E-A-N!

Love you all! Hope to send another email going into more details!

Love, Sister Rietz

One of Saturday's baptisms

With Sister T2

Our new ride

P-day fun

Ceasing to see miracles

1.Funniest Thing Done: Well you think crazy things happen in the desert? Well crazy things can happen in the valley too... When Sister T and I were out and about in Upland, we tracted into a woman that kinda freaked us out.  When we were walking up to the house, Sister T made a comment about how this looked like a desert house, and that we really needed to tract it.  So we did... And it was AWESOME! We were able to talk with her and we gave her the Upland 2nd Sisters number, and gave her a Book of Mormon.  I think that was the first time that the smell of cat pee didn't burn my nose.  That is how you know there is a lot of homes that smell like that up in the desert.  I am becoming immune to it... But the funniest part of all of this, was when she opened the bathroom window instead of the front door.  She told us that she was just about to get into the shower, and told us to hang on.  So we hung on.  She came to the front door, and the rest was history but incase you are wondering, she was just about to get into the shower.  She told us that multiple times, and it was quite humorous.

2.Biggest Blessing or Miracle:  Well since I was in Upland for last monday and last tuesday we were able to go and see the people that we used to teach.  We were able to see the B family, which was the family from the Ivory Coast, and they came to church, and then kind of dropped off the face of the earth after we passed them off to the Elders.  We were able to go and teach them about the Gospel, and about how the Bible says that we need to make sure that we are not pleasing man, but that we are pleasing God, (Galatians 1:10) and then Sister T was able to pull in the Book of Mormon and talk about how King Benjamin told us that when we are in the Service of our Fellow Beings  we are in the Service of God.  It was really good to be able to make that bridge again with the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  They told us that we could come back, but that they didn't want other missionaries back.  It was kinda sad.  

3.Exciting Events: We have a baptism for Brenda this week in the Ranchos ward, and then we have one scheduled for the 22nd of August in the Granite Hills ward!  Brenda is soaking up everything like a sponge.  She is really committed to changing her life, and she even clarified what kind of tea that she can drink, so that she will be 100% obedient.  She bore her testimony on Sunday, and it allowed the ward to really know who she is, but I think that it also really showed her how much of the Gospel that she believes.  I mean she believes it all, but there is just something about bearing your testimony and realizing that you are the one saying it, and those are things that you really believe in.  We are working with the YSA Sisters to get her involved with them.  She is hesitant, but I think that once she realizes that they are just like a family ward, then it will be an easier transition for her. Oneida is getting baptized on the 22, and we are really excited for her!  But not only is she getting baptized, but also her nephew Peter, and her son Greg!  The ward is really happy for her, and for all the changes that they can see that she is making in her life.  She is really relying on her faith, since she has had a really hard life before she started meeting with the missionaries.  She is reading the Book of Mormon every night with her boys, and they actually remember the things that they are reading.  The other day we were at their house, and Jason the 5 year old told me all about where they were in 3 Nephi, and how they read even though their mom wasn't home.  They are the best boys in the world.  When we first met them, they had really long hair, and now they all have missionary style haircuts, and tell us they are going to serve missions.  Blaine the 7 year old turns 8 in November, and he is counting down for when he will be old enough to get baptized.  It is amazing to see what the Gospel can do for someone and their family.

4.Favorite Game: Who is my companion going to be!? When we were sitting in the gym waiting for the news of who was going to be our new companions, all I could think was how much I was going to love her.  I joked with the AP's that I ruined the other 2 people that I trained, because one got sent to Brazil and had a bomb thrown at her, and the other got sick. Haha, but my new companion is Sister T2.  She is from Riverton, Utah. and is the 1st missionary in her family to come out.  She is really great, and I have loved getting to know her.  She is wanting to be 100% obedient, and it is really good because there is always room for improvement.  I love her lots! We have already sent goals of how we are going to have the best transfer ever! I just hope that I break the curse of only having companions for 6 weeks! 

5.Favorite Food: Smores.  We had them 3 times this week.  It must be a popular thing for people to want to make for us.

6.Most Challenging Thing: Studies.  For some reason this week, I have had the hardest time focusing in studies.  I am doing better, but it takes a lot of little prayers through out studies to really be able to focus.

7.Simple Pleasures: Teaching Brenda this last week.  She is so humble, and really wants to become better.  I love her so much, and her desire to change.  Another simple pleasure is going to the D family, and just talking about her life.  She is so interesting, and had taught us so much!

8.Goals: Get Brenda Baptized, and into the YSA!!!

9.Biggest Smile: When President H made little jokes through out the trainer meeting.  It was really funny because he would randomly throw them in, and see if people were paying attention.

10.Biggest Accomplishment: Taught a really good lesson about setting goals to our Ward Mission Leaders Family.

11.Favorite Scripture Story or Ensign Talk Studied: One of my friends was talking about this talk by Elder Christofferson, called Recognizing God's Hands in Our Daily Blessings there was a quote that he said that goes along with this pretty well.  "Though I suffered then, I am grateful now that there was not a quick solution to my problem. The fact that I was forced to turn to God for help almost daily over an extended period of years taught me how to truly pray and get answers to prayer and taught me in a practical way to have faith in God."  I really think that I need to turn to the Lord more, and really put my line in the water, and that will open the gate wider to become the missionary that I want to be at the end of my mission.  The whole talk is right here: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2012/01/recognizing-gods-hand-in-our-daily-blessings?lang=eng#listen=audio 

12.Favorite Quote: "I was just getting into the Shower."

I love all of you so much! Thanks for the emails, letters, and pictures.  I love being a missionary, and seeing the light of Christ touch each one of them.  Even if people don't listen to us forever, at least they will be thinking of Christ and God for a Second.

Love, Sister Rietz

Waiting for our new companions

Sister T2 and me

This is the Lord's Work

I love being a missionary.  I love the stress, the happiness, and even the mornings when you wake up feeling like you recieved zero hours of sleep.  Another missoinary mentioned that I looked like I had been hit by a train, and it made me think about one wonderful morning when Dad asked me if I was going to school like that, and then ever so kindly reminded me that I looked like "Death warmed over".  Haha, but I read this awesome quote (see quote in bold teal below)and I know that none of the things that are happening now are that big of a deal..... well the work is a big deal, but the exhaustion and the stress and all of the other round bumps that we hit are just small, and not something that we should get caught up in.  
"When we LOVE the Lord, 

OBEDIENCE ceases to be a burden.  

It becomes a DELIGHT." - Joseph B. Wirthlin

Alright now onto the new and exciting things.  There is a new transfer, and new and exciting things happening here in Southern California.  Let me just put some rumors aside right now. 
Yes I am an "Old" missionary now.  My Mission Mom went home today, and is probably with her family right now.  No one is going to know who the crazy but loving and inspiring Sister M is... Until they meet me! I am not letting her memory die! Haha!

I am training a new missionary this Transfer.  There are 29 missionaries coming in.  They actually just got to the mission office 6 minutes ago... Haha, so Sister T and I are going back to the car that I drive to get my overnight bag.

Oh yeah, did I mention that Sister T and I are companions again!? Haha, well just till tomorrow but still! We are staying with the Redhill Sisters in Rancho, but then we were talking with the AP's and we were telling them we didn't know what to do tonight, and they said we could go work in UPLAND!!!!!!!!!! GAH! I am so happy! Hahaha, so I am back in Upland with Sister T! #dreamteamreunited She is training as well, so we will get to see each other in a couple weeks again at the 4 week meeting.  I could not love this transfer doctrine call anymore.  When Elder B called to tell me who my temporary companion was, he told me that I was going to like it very much... And then he paused. I am pretty sure it was just for like 20 seconds but it felt like forever.  And then he said you will be with.... (more pausing) SIster T! I may or may not have jumped in a circle and screamed/yelled in happiness. She is one of those Sisters that I know she was a saving grace, and a Best Friend in one.  How lucky to have her as my companion for 24/7 for 12 weeks.  Well make it 12 weeks and 2 days! Upland Better Watch Out! We are coming for you!

Sorry this email is so crazy! I am just running out of time! This last week we saw so many amazing things happen.  We were able to see Oneida this week with her Boys! They are so awesome.  When we were teaching them the Plan of Salvation the Spirit was so strong and they were all getting it.  I have never met a 5, 7 and 9 year old that has never heard the Gospel but has these experiences where you know the Lord has been preparing them. I can't wait for Oneida and Greg (9) to get baptized on August 22! It is going to be awesome! We went over last night and told them Sister G was getting transferred.  When we were there Brad told me that he had a lose tooth, I jokingly told him to pull it out.  Not 30 seconds later I feel him tap my back and blood coming out of his mouth.  Haha, he got the tooth out.  I guess that we really do have an influence on those boys!  They are too cool for school! Haha!g\

We also saw Brenda and had two amazing lessons with her! She is just so awesome! We taught Gospel of Jesus Christ and Plan of Salvation.  She is getting it all, and I just love her enthusiasm for the Gospel.  She is such an example to all of us.  She is still on track to get baptized on August 8th! And so that is super great! She came to Church, which is such a blessing because if she missed last Sunday then we would have had to push her baptism back.
You all are amazing people.  I was reading a talk this last week called Quick to Observe. You all should read it.  It really changed my perspective on a lot of things.  Good Ole' Sister C had me read it a couple weeks ago after exchanges, but I think that it was time for a refresher.  It is super good! Read it!
As a representative of Jesus Christ, I testify to you all that there is a living Prophet on the Earth.  He is there to lead and guide us, just as the Prophets of Old.  Why would the people have a prophet and there be no need for us to have one.  I testify that He is called of God.  I know this is the Lord's work.  His hand is in it more than I think we sometimes realize.  Times may be tough, but as a less-active was telling us: "He is always there, even when I make HUGE mistakes.  He is willing to let me back in, and He will still love all of us. I love the Savior." When she said that, she just started bawling, and I realized that she was finally getting the things that we had been teaching her.  It was such a miracle, and she told us that we are the one's that have helped her see God's Love in her life.  I know missionaries make differences in people's lives, but members make just as big of a difference, if not more.  I am so grateful for my ward members here.  They are all so great, and such a great example to me that the Lord will never let us do this alone.  He will give us companions, and others to help us.  I know that the same Priesthood Power that Christ had is here on the Earth today.  I know that same Priesthood is held by the Elders, my Dad, my Brother, and so many other Righteous Men in the Church.  It allows us to be blessed everyday of our lives.  I can't imagine the world without it.  Actually let me take that back, I can. But it would be miserable and sad.  I know that our Faith is sometimes all we have, but that Faith allows the Atonement and His Grace to work in our lives.  Our Faith will never leave, unless we let it.
Remember,  "When we LOVE the Lord, 

OBEDIENCE ceases to be a burden.  

It becomes a DELIGHT." - Joseph B. Wirthlin

Have a great week! 

Love, Sister Rietz

Apple Valley Sisters

 District in the Valley of Apples.  (this is our Boy Band name, and we are going to be famous one day)

Tripanionship take two. Trusting the Lord. Filipino Humor

1.Funniest Thing Done: Well there are a lot of really funny moments being a missionary, but when you have a companion from the Philippines (Sister E2) things are just a little bit more hilarious! There are so many things that we all say that are hilarious and just great... But then you add in her adorable accent, and suddenly you are just laughing your head off.  Some of my favorite things that she has said, "What Ever Major Loooooossseeerrr!" 'Sister can I haveeeeee.. Please?! I am just poor Filipino..." "and I was like what the heck." "oooouuuu Sister G you got a love letter" "What will we tell President when we all have colds from the rain?" "Stupid Americans." "We have refrigerator, microwave, and toilet in the Philippines. We aren't stupid." So I just realized that these were not funny to you all, but they are really funny when you hear her say them.  She gets on these weird rants about things.  I am learning that I need to have lots of space on my camera to capture her saying all her great little phrases.  I will try to get as many videos this coming week.

Also, this last week there was a really big fire in the Cajon Pass.(Look it up on the Internet... IT IS CRAZY)   Sister E2 and I were out in the Ranchos area (we left Sister G with a member, because she was sick), and we saw all the smoke.  So we decided to drive as close to it as we could.  We didn't get that close, cause our area was still not that close. Sister E2 was so excited because she loves fire.  She just kept saying, "We are going to go see firemen work!!! WHOOO!" We never saw the fire, but we got some sweet videos of the smoke.

2.Biggest Blessing or Miracle: We have been trying to get more people to teach, but that hasn't been the best this last week. But we did get a referral for a guy that lives 3 houses down from us.  It is super great that we can walk there, but he is always either pulling out of his driveway when we are walking up, or he isn't home.  We are really excited because the first time that we talked with him, he was so happy to see us.  It took us awhile to get the referral, but we were able to contact him as soon as we could.  He has so many questions! I love it! Another Miracle: Oneida's Son Greg who is 9 told us that he wants to get baptized the same day as his mom. That was such a surprise, and shock to us, because she said that he would probably not really want to do it. That religion wasn't his thing. But when we were talking with him, he talked about how He loved church, and couldn't wait for Sunday. They also are all reading the Book of Mormon every night. Last week we promised that the Lord would bless them if she made the point and effort to read every single night. She told us that her mom is telling her reading the Book of Mormon every night is not that important, and Oneida told her mom: "Too many blessings are coming from the Lord, I have to read." Her mom is a less-active and is the kind of person that gets offended and then quits coming to church. I love that Oneida is able to realize the blessings of reading the Book of Mormon.

3.Exciting Events: We are now in a tripanionship! There was a Sister that President called me and asked if I would be willing to have another sister with us.  I was kinda worried, and then I realized that the Lord was just showing that he really trusted me, after all the other things that I was stressed about.  I am so grateful for the reassurance from Heavenly Father, and from President H.  I know that it is only for last week and this coming week, but it has been really good so far, and I am sure that this week there will be lots of videos, and pictures taken where we all look ridiculous... haha, classic missionary poses, awkward door approaches, and maybe a smile/normal face from time to time. eh... who am I kidding, that isn't going to happen.

4.Favorite Game: Puddle Jumping! or getting the Corolla stuck in the mud... I love to puddle jump.  It is so fun.  Yesterday we were out and about aaannnddd there were a lot of streets that were flooded.  Since half of our area is dirt roads and then when the rains come, and the floods come then the roads go away, and it all becomes mud.  I am making a petition to get us a truck.  There is no way that if the rain continues, then we will only be able to work in a couple areas of our wards.

5.Favorite Food: Filipino Food! except sometimes I don't know what Sis E2 is making me.  I have had some weird food just in the last couple days.  I have had fish soup, with some lemon and rice and onion.  It was surprisingly good... Although it was smelling weird.

6.Most Challenging Thing:  Knowing that one of your best friends is leaving the mission and that she won't be at the mission office at transfers, to give me a big hug, and ask how I am doing.  I love Sister M. Saying goodbye to her is really the hardest thing.  I am not going to be able to call her by her first name it will always be Sister M to me.  I was promised that I would make a lot of good friends on my mission, but I never realized how good of friends they would be.  It gives a whole new meaning to having friends that share the same standards and goals in life as you.  She was one of my hardest working companions, and she was the only companion that lasted more than 3 transfers.  She was such an example to me, and the things that she taught me will not only stick with me on the mission, but for ETERNITY! I would go back in a heart beat to the day that I met her.  She was the one sister that when I saw, I was hoping would be my companion.  She had this long flowy hair, and she was wearing a white shirt with black birds on it, with a royal blue skirt.  She was the one that taught me to not wear dark blue, and black.  She taught me how to contact people, and share my testimony of the restored gospel with others.  She was the one who never gave up on me, and I am so grateful for that.  From the Beginning to the End, Sister M is one of my BEST FRIENDS <3, and someone that I know I knew in the Pre Earth Life.  Family, I can't wait to see you, but I would go back to 14 months ago to when I met Sister M, and start it all over again.  I LOVE YOU SISTER M!

7.Simple Pleasures: Rain! It helped with the fires, and it made our area the new Disneyland.  I think that I am going to start charging people to come here to good ole' Rancho, and Granite Hills. I LOVE THE RAIN!

8.Goals: Get 3 new Investigators this week! Prep for TRANSFERS!!!

9.Biggest Smile: We have a member that is dying of cancer that I have told you all about. Well she wants her daughter to be raised in the church, after she passes away. So we have been working with the Bishop and Relief Society President to find her an LDS family. Well Bishop just found a family that will take her! WHOO! The family has 5 kids, and they love Brie already! She is so excited too, because they have a horse, and dogs. They are filling out the paperwork for joint guardianship so that if she dies the daughter will have legal guardians to take care of her!! We were so relieved when we heard about it! It seriously has been giving us stress this past few weeks! When we got into the car after hearing this we just yelled "Thank you Heavenly Father!" It is so amazing to see how Heavenly Father uses us to help others! It is such an amazing blessing for everyone involved when you listen to the prompting and when you act on the opportunities that are presented to you!! 

10.Biggest Accomplishment: Not really getting all that stuck in the mud! Haha, we only were 30 minutes late to dinner, and the roads were all washed out.  But other then that, it was great!!!

11.Favorite Scripture Story Studied: The Tree of Life.  It is kinda how weird how much we can compare it to our lives.  You all should study it, and ask yourself how it can apply to you.

12.Favorite Quote: "Did you know that there is no Hell? They tell us there is one to scare us, and then we get scared. So we can LIE!" -Sister E2  (One of our first days with her she told us that it was ok to lie because there isn't a hell! We just doubled over laughing!)

Also, got this cool email to everyone in the Mission from President:

Dear Elders and Sisters:
Sister H and I love you and are proud of you. Our mission has focused on reading the Book of Mormon each day and drawing closer to Christ. We know the Book of Mormon will give us comfort, build our faith, and draw us closer to our Savior. That is so important for each one of us. We have heard so many testimonies of the blessings that have come from the Book of Mormon. Thank you for your faith and effort. Faith and diligence invite miracles. They also lift our spirits and give us peace.
We have also focused on Preach My Gospel and setting companionship baptism goals. We know this will give us focus and purpose. We have seen blessings come from these things.
Last week's key indicators were all higher. In fact, much higher than previous weeks. We hear about and see good things happening. This is the Lord's work. As we join with Him, we see His hand and blessings in our lives and in our work.
California Rancho Cucamonga Mission Last Five Weeks Key Indicators Report
Last week we had
7 Baptisms
81 Baptismal Dates
86 At Sacrament Meeting
123 Member Presents
82 New Investigators
Each one of these numbers represent one of our Heavenly Father's children. Someone He loves and someone you have helped draw closer to Christ. These are the best numbers we have had in a number of weeks. Our averages are moving up. That is a blessing from the Lord. Of course we can and want to do better, but we are progressing and the Lord is blessing us. We know that focusing on the fundamentals: Book of Mormon, Preach My Gospel, the Missionary Handbook, and seeking to baptize by setting companionship goals will give us purpose and direction. We will grow in testimony, and we will be able to share the Spirit with others. If we can connect them to the Spirit, we will see more miracles and we will feel joy. Please read Jacob 5:75--it is true.
Sister H and I love you. We are proud of you. Have another great week. Sister H would like you to also read 1 Nephi 17:3. She testifies that principles with promises are very real. I agree with her.

Love
President and Sister H

So cool right?!

I love being a missionary.  So grateful for all of you, and the testimony building experiences that you all have had.  Continue being amazing.  I know the Lord blesses all of us! He only wants to bless us, but we have to do our part first!!! I am so grateful for Family Home Evening, and all the times our family was together.  Those are the times that I know helped my testimony a lot.

Love, Sister Rietz

Sis E2 and I got really board reading the Ensigns while Sis. G slept.  

It is raining outside, A LOT!

We found some toilets on the side of the road, and sat on them.

Obedience brings blessings...then floods

This last week was CRAZY! Seriously, we have been raising our level of obedience, and blessing came flowing in. And then our Kitchen Flooded. TWICE. We got kicked out of 4 homes. We are now singing at a Missionary Homecoming. We are in a Talent Show. We got Stuck in the Mud. 

1.Funniest Thing Done: We got home the other night, and something was different about our apartment.  There was not anything different besides the fact that there was a HUGE hole where our dishwasher used to be.  Our landlord came and got it, and left us the note telling us to not use any HOT water.  So we thought that we would be smart and heat up some coldish water, and then we could wash the dishes that we needed.  We put it in pans, heated it up on the stove, then were about to wash our dishes, we realized that we were both stepping in water, and it was spreading more and more. So we did some detective work, and realized that the plug/knob was not turned all the way off. So we turned it off, and finished dinner really quickly, and then we realized that water was still coming out and flooded the under sink area and went onto the floor again. We then stopped and cleaned up as much as we could. Since we only had one small hand towel we asked the elders if they had any extra towels that we could borrow. They said yes and gave them to us. They did mention to us as we got the towels from them that they were dirty. Gross. So we cleaned up the rest and went to bed. The next morning we realized we still have all of the water that we were heating up in the pots. (we had turned off the stove when the kitchen started flooding the first time). We put it down the drain thinking nothing of it. And then the floods cameagain. We missed ward council completely and were a few minutes late to church because of it. To wrap up the first adventure: we have no dishwasher, can't use the sink, and all of our dishes are dirty. If the dishwasher doesn't come back tonight we might have to become very inventive to clean our dishes. I am thinking that the shower/bathtub might be the next best place...

Then: We got stuck in mud for a minute. or a couple... Almost had to call the elders to come pull us out. So glad we were able to grab traction and get out because we would of never heard the end of it.  We have come to the conclusion that our little Corolla and mud do not mix well.  So glad that I didn't have to get out and push... That would have been the worst. 

2.Biggest Blessing or Miracle:We met with our investigator Oneida and talked about baptism. We asked her to be baptized on August 22 and she said that she would if her boys were here.  (they were in the system) We promised that if she worked towards this baptism date she would get her boys back sooner than she thinks. The elders then had dinner at her house that night (which we didn't find out about till later) and promised her the same thing! Then we get a text the next day from Oneida saying that she has her boys back! We were so ecstatic!! Seriously, it was such a miracle and we all knew it!!! Blessings come from those promising blessings which we promise to others. So amazing to know that Heavenly Father is just waiting for us to open our mouths so that people can act and receive those blessings! She also texted us on Sunday morning to bring a Book of Mormon for each of her boys!!  

3.Exciting Events:  After we saw Oneida on Thursday we went and tried a potential/former investigator who had met with some sister missionaries a year ago, moved to the Bay area and then moved back two weeks ago. We met with her and she expressed how much she missed church and meeting with the missionaries. We got onto the subject of baptism and asked her to be baptized on August 8. She said yes! So amazing! We set two baptism dates in just a few hours! We were so happy! This was definitely a moment where we saw Heavenly Father opening the windows of Heaven, and pouring down the blessings.

4.Favorite Game: Not really sure.... Sorry.

5.Favorite Food: BBQ Sandwiches.  They were so good! Homemade Bread, and home grown animals...

6.Most Challenging Thing:  This last week we went to go see a less active and to go say hi.  She was in the shower but her daughter invites us in to wait for her mom to get dressed. After ten minutes of waiting the less active tells her daughter to ask us to leave and come back later. When we did come back a few days later she was completely out of it and got mad at us and the member we had brought with us. She said that we embarrassed her by reading scriptures that she didn't understand and bringing someone to see her.  She could not understand what we were talking about she said that we crossed the line.  We felt so bad for the lady that we brought with us.  She was so excited, and we just hope that this experience didn't dampen her missionary desire. This Less Active is usually very nice and had asked us to bring people in the past but, it was the worst. Easily the worst lesson we ever had.

Then: We have been helping a drunk lady get sober and she was walking around without any pants.... or underwear.... Yeah fun memory right. NOT! We were like, “ You need pants on!” She was so out of it, that she didn't know that she was flashing the world. Sorry to put that picture in everyone's head.  We are just really stuck as to what to do to help her.  She says so many times that she wants to change, but then when it comes down to actually changing, she won't do it.  I hate that she is always saying one thing to us, and then telling something different to her Visiting Teacher, and then something even more different to her Husband.  So frustrating.  One day she will get over this.  I just hope that she doesn't get hurt.  Alcohol does terrible things to people.  DON'T DRINK! Please, it is the worst.  It does terrible things to people.  It messes with people, and they do STUPID, STUPID things.

7.Simple Pleasures: I MILKED A GOAT!!! The members we had dinner with had a goat, and when we asked if there was anything we could do, they told us to milk the goat.  It was awesome!  I also got to go be with Sister C for a day, she was my STL, and I went on Exchanges with her.  It was so great!

8.Goals: Meet with all of our Investigators this week!

9.Biggest Smile: When we set a Baptismal date with Oneida, and then one with Brenda a couple hours later.  It was awesome!

10.Biggest Accomplishment: Getting 2 new Investigators, Setting 2 Baptismal Dates, and Flooding our House 2 times.  Apparently all good things come in 2's. 

11.Favorite Scripture Story Studied: Captain Moroni.  He is such an amazing example.  He led an army when he was just a little lad himself.  He must have been really really respected if people were willing to listen to him.  

12.Favorite Quote: "Sorry the only mail we have it a bill for you... Wait, it really is a bill! I am so sorry sister!"-Elder Dreher

Well have a great week! Be safe! Remember who you are! Don't Procrastinate the day of your Repentance! I love all of you so much! I am so grateful for towels, the Atonement, and pickles.  Not sure in that order though! 

XOXOXO, Sister Rietz

With my MTC buddy, Sister C

Hanging with the goats

Mystery solved. (From Amber's mama - I couldn't figure out how to rotate this picture.  My apologies to your neck.)