Week Ninety-Two:  The Temple Again! [April 29, 2019]

Hi Everyone

This week has been pretty amazing! Our ward mission leader came with us Tuesday to go and visit some of the people we're teaching. It went pretty well and we were actually able to have a lesson with David in that time. The cool thing is our ward mission leader and David probably went to school together! How cool is that!?! 

We had a nice little lesson with Dizi Wednesday. We talked about temples and showed her the video of Elder Bednar and Elder Rasband giving a tour of the Rome temple. We were also able to get back in touch with our friend, Jason Singer. He needed help moving out of his old place, so on Thursday we pretty much spent the first half of the day helping him out. He also got us lunch which was nice! 

Friday we had an unexpected lesson with Brian. Since it's been a while since we last saw him we reviewed the plan of salvation. It's been good being able to meet with him again since he has quite a bit of interest in learning. We also had a lesson with Bob later on in the evening. 

The highlight of the week was Saturday since we got to go to the temple with the Woolseys and Dizi! Both Jason and Dizi loved their first time being able to do baptisms for the dead and Jason even baptized his wife for some people! Afterwords we spent some time with them at the visitor's center and then we went out with our temple group to lunch. It was such an incredible time and it was amazing seeing both Jason and Dizi being able to go! 

That's pretty much it for this week! And since I can't say it in an email Saturday... 

May the 4th be with you! 

Elder Jason Riches

Elder and Sister Jensen, Elder Forsgren, Elder Macdonald, Elder Thornock, Elder Berry, Elder South, Elder Forester, Elder Riches, Elder Drury, Elder Linnell, Elder Rawlings, Elder Pack, Elder Spackman, Elder Turley, Elder Brewer, Elder Bryson, Elder Carter, Elder Goodman, Elder Eggen, Elder and Sister Yates

Sister Fowers, Sister Burks, Sister Pace, Elder Klebingat, President and Sister Nakken, Sister Fitting, Sister Carson, Hermana Kunes, Hermana Hawkins

Week Ninety-One:  A Quick Update [April 22, 2019]

Hi Everyone!

I don't have a lot of time this week, so this one's going to be a short one. We had our interviews this week and they were pretty good! He gave me some tips on how to finish up this transfer so I've been trying to do that. We didn't have a formal lesson with Dizi this week since she still had family visiting, but we were able to talk with her Saturday. She also now has a temple recommend and will be going this Saturday to do baptisms for the dead. Jason will also be going the same day and we got permission to go with them! We're really excited for that! 

We had a few lessons this week. We taught Eddie, David, Sebastian and Jason Woolsey. I don't think that I've mentioned Eddie or Sebastian before, but they are people that we found a while back and are now starting to work with more! 

Wish I had more time, but that will have to be all for this week. 

Until next week, 

Elder Jason Riches 

Week Ninety:  Përgëzime Dizi!  [April 15, 2019]

Hi Everyone! 

This week has been a pretty fun week! We've had quite a few things happen that we're pretty excited about. We had two exchanges this week back to back, so I wasn't even in my area for two days. They were both good though, and I was able to meet a few people they're trying to work with, and we were able to find some people! 

There's been somewhat of a new development with Bob! He said that he wants to learn more in the Book of Mormon what it is that we believe as a church! Before he's mostly been wanting to know the history and stuff. We'll probably be teaching the restoration again, but this time maybe he'll want to get more out of it! That night we were also able to meet with someone named David. He's had a pretty rough life, but he has a strong desire to change and become a better person. We taught him the plan of salvation and taught how it's though Christ we can change. He accepted a Book of Mormon and we'll be meeting with him again tomorrow. 

Another bit of exciting news this week came on Friday when we were able to catch Brian at home! For those who don't remember, Brian is a teenager we met a while back. He's pretty open to learning more, he's just never been home for the last month or so. Also later in the day we had another mini exchange for a couple hours. 

We had a mission tour this Saturday that was really good! Elder Klebingat from the Seventy came and spoke to us. It was such a powerful meeting! I think I took more notes at this zone conference than any other zone conference I've attended! One of the things I've felt impressed to do is use the Book of Mormon more as a tool that will convert people. Since I just restarted the Book of Mormon, I've started marking a clean copy that focuses on Christ and His doctrine as well as reading chapters that focus on the questions of the soul found in Chapter 5 of the Book of Mormon.

Meanwhile, while we were at the mission tour, our good friend Dizi was baptized in the California, Irvine Mission! We heard that it was a great service and that lots of her family was there as well as some members of our ward. We talked to her later in the evening and she was so happy! We were able stand in the circle as she was confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! It's been a long time coming for her, but she's made it to this point! We're so happy for her and all the blessings that are in store for her! Përgëzime Dizi! (Congratulations Dizi)! 

That's it for now! Until next time, 

Elder Jason Riches 

Picture: Me, Elder Pack, Elder Spackman, and Dizi. 

Week Eighty-Nine:  Spiritual Feasting [April 8, 2019

Hi Everyone! 

This has been a pretty spiritual week for me personally! Tuesday morning we were able to go to the Los Angeles temple! Even though it was really early in the morning it was a great experience and really helped me to feel the Spirit! I can't wait until I'm able to attend the temple more frequently than every 6 months! 

We've been able to see Dizi a lot this week! Wednesday she had her baptismal interview and passed! We've also officially finished teaching her all the lessons so now everything will pretty much be review. Also after our Thursday lesson Dizi gave us two containers of apple juice which was a real blessing for Elder Pack since he really likes juice! Last night we also saw Dizi at a fireside. Elder Pack almost made her die of laughter from the different things he was saying and doing. 

We had kinda an unusual coincidence. We sent a referral to somewhere in Nevada and the sisters who cover that area gave us a call to find out more about the person we sent. The weird thing is, the ward they cover is called the Valley Vista ward, which is the same name as our ward!

Jason is still continuing to prepare to go to the temple! He has some names so it's just a matter of time now. We taught him a bit about temples and showed him the video of Elder Bednar and Elder Rasband giving a virtual tour of the Rome Italy temple. 

General Conference was incredible! I don't remember ever enjoying a conference so much! There where so many talks where I was able to feel the Spirit, two of which were the ones given by our prophet! I remember all the years before I came out conference seemed like a chore, but now I feel that I don't want it to end! I encourage all of you to study the talks that were given and seek personal revelation from them! 

I hope all of you have a great week! 

Elder Jason Riches 

Week Eight-Eight:  A New Transfer Begins [April 1, 2019]

Hi Everyone! 

It's been quite the week! Monday night was pretty much Elder NeSmith saying goodbye to Dizi and Jason. Dizi's farewell was perhaps the saddest thing I've ever seen (the sisters who were there are in agreement). After that he said goodbye to Jason and we got a picture with him and his family. 

Tuesday I said goodbye to Elder NeSmith and hello to Elder Pack! We came out in the same group and graduated the same year which makes him the closest companion to my age! When we got back to the apartments he had to do some laundry and we met a lady named Shela in the laundry room who we talked with for over an hour! Apparently she's had a lot of run ins with missionaries in the past and they've helped her a lot! We also talked with a guy named David for a while and he was open to us coming back! 

Wednesday we talked for a while with some workers who were filling a big hole in the ground. It was pretty deep when we started talking to them and by the time we left it was almost filled back up so it must have been a long conversation! Also on Thursday we had our most focused lesson we've ever had with Bob! We won't be meeting with him this next week, but we're still good for the following week. 

We had our first district council this last Friday so we had fun getting to know everyone in the new Camarillo district! Also that evening we had a lesson with Jason (Woolsey) where we went over tithing and fast offerings. 

Saturday was pretty eventful! In the morning we did a service project painting a house for someone who some of the other elders are trying to work with. Later on when that was done we went to have a lesson with Michaela, but she dropped us when we showed up . We also had a lesson with Dizi, but her daughter and son-in-law showed up so we decided we would continue the lesson after church on Sunday (which we did). On Sunday we had a nice conversation with a potential named Ignacio. However his wife was not as nice as he was and didn't want him talking to us. To finish of the evening we went by a member (who's name is also Jason) and had a pretty good lesson with him and his daughter. 

That about wraps up this week! With going to the temple tomorrow and General Conference this week, I'm sure that this week will be great! 

Have a good one! 

Elder Jason RIches

Pictures

Us, Dizi, and the Sisters

Us and the Woolsey family