Feliz Ano Nuevo

Dear Family and friends,

Well I think I may be starting to get a hold of this! I still definitely have challenges but I feel I'm starting to see the bigger picture. I read something very insightful this morning in 3 Nephi 9 that quite greatly extended my perspective

 20 And ye shall offer for a sacrifice unto me a broken heart and a contrite spirit. And whoso cometh unto me with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, him will I baptize with fire and with the Holy Ghost, even as the Lamanites, because of their faith in me at the time of their conversion, were baptized with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and they knew it not.

 21 Behold, I have come unto the world to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin.

 22 Therefore, whoso repenteth and cometh unto me as a little child, him will I receive, for of such is the kingdom of God. Behold, for such I have laid down my life, and have taken it up again; therefore repent, and come unto me ye ends of the earth, and be saved.

My goal for 2017, "My Missionary Year" is to leave myself and follow Christ. I feel that this scripture describes how I can do that! I need to put it into my hard head that I don't know what's best for me! I don't know what to do! But God does!:) I need to trust in him like I trusted my Dad while hunting as a little boy-listen over the radio very carefully and do my best to follow his instructions. I know sometimes I'll mess up by just like my Dad came and found me one day when I was lost, all scraped up from manzanita, my Father in Heaven will save me if I just follow his instructions-following his son.

This isn't a light commitment to me. I should've done this a lot sooner and this saddens me because I could've helped the people I love so much more by truly trying to follow Christ; However, that is the miracle of the gospel that WE CAN CHANGE! I will leave all my personal desires and weaknesses and try my hardest to trust in my Father by giving all I have to follow his Son. He loved others, every moment he had was given in love to someone. I pray I can begin to do the same. My companion needs me, the members need me, and Bridgeport needs me to do this! I can not let them down.

Elder Nelson and I are doing pretty good. I'm worried about him he's kind of sad because things are going pretty slow. He has only 8 months left and I really need to help him make the most of it. I know God has given me him so I can learn from him and help him!

Well we are working very hard but geez things could be going a little better. With our investigators things aren't going so great. Jose Hernandez a really nice guy who we were lucky enough to meet and share the message of the restoration with dropped us yesterday sadly and we have not been able to contact some of our other main investigators/contacts. I believe this has much to do with the holidays so things will get better! 

We did though meet some very cool people this last week! We met Rick! I very kind man in his 40's who is all about listening to the Spirit! He doesn't have a church right now and isn't all about organized religion but today we are going to teach the message of the restoration with a really nice elderly Brother from the ward named Brother Garin. It will be a great success we had some great role plays this morning! I'm excited!

Also we found a really cool Hispanic family! I don't know all their names but we stopped by their house a couple days ago shared a tiny bit of the plan of salvation with them and left them with a pamphlet. We will be coming by tonight as well!

We also met a man named Diego while he was shoveling his driveway. We gave him a restoration pamphlet and testified that God loves and because he loves us he has restored his gospel! I could see in his eyes that he wanted to listen. We may not find success very often but one person like Diego a day or even 2 or 3 or 4 is worth giving our all.

We also met a Saul and Antonia they are an older couple that we will be visiting tomorrow that is intrigued by God's plan for us. Saul and I are pals. It's funny that I may not speak the best Spanish but God helps me make a lot of cool friends!

Oh one more thing this week on new years eve we were invited to eat some tacos at this mans house while he was cooking a bunch of meet for a party later that night. Luckily enough one of his friends, Marcario, was one of our potentials we had given a Plan of Salvation pamphlet a couple days earlier. Marcario started talking about the plan He said. I read the book and we have a purpose here! We  talked a little bit more and asked him some questions almost like a miny lesson and all this time he was cooking and I was just sitting in a camp chair enjoying some fantastic Tacos it was great!

In order to make this week more effective we are going to get the members more involved. For example, we will put more effort into getting members to come with us-so important it makes the gospel so much more real to the investigator and it strengthens the member-two birds with one stone. 2 we are really trying to put emphasis on helping this less active family fellowship another family. It's really interesting the work is all connected.

It sounds like the baptism went really well I'm so proud of all of you! Madsen that is so great you gave a great prayer. Stockton I'm so proud of you for being who you are and worthy to be apart of that sacred ordinance. It's a step to salvation! It's a big deal! So proud! Emma I'm so glad you sang I bet it was just beautiful!

Thank you for all your little emails. Stockton I'm so glad you're finding a little more joy and hope! I pray your ankle with whatever it comes to gets better eventually. Stay strong my friend. This is a trial of faith miracles come if we stay faithful-I need to remember that too:) . Madsen you're an incredible person!!! A saw that pic of you playing basketball you look 10/10 keep it up you're top notch! Emma I am overjoyed that you sang this week for Maleck's baptism you are the best and I loved how you did your hair by the way!

Maleck wow. What can I say you have taken that step.You have chosen to follow Jesus keep following him and he will make you so happy. I thought about you all of Saturday and how happy I was that my little brother was choosing to follow Christ! I wish you could come out here with me and tell these people to follow Jesus we could really use your help! You are going to grow up to be such a great missionary! I'm so proud that I'm your older Brother!

Dad HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!! I'm sending you a little something I love you so much!

Love,

Elder Rigby