Best Christmas Ever!

"I think about these words when I’m with missionaries at Christmas time.  They are like the wisemen, who left their homes to follow a star, not knowing exactly where that star would lead them.  For these missionaries, that light as brought them here, to the Washington Yakima Mission.  We are all on this journey, we are all following His light, and doing our best to share that light with others.  I feel surrounded by His light when I am with these seekers." Sister Ann Lewis
 (Thanks to Sister Lewis for the pics or this post and her enduring testimony)

Dear Family,

*I have a lot of Christmas cards to write to all of you so don't be offended if I only write to you for a bit. Love you all!

We just went to dollar tree and spent 156 dollars with the money that Grandpa and dad sent. Thank you so much! I have gotten to know many families while being here in toppenish and we've kept very good records so we thus were able to go over the records and pick out some families with some needs in order to give them a small gift-we will be making 100 bags for 100 kids with a little baked good, candy, a little toy, a scripture, and picture of Jesus

Mom:

I do not know when I will be able to talk to you on Christmas. I will call you on the 24th to set up a time. I will try my best to have a member contact you to set up a more set time. I received the package and I'm so happy mom. I'm so grateful for all the presents and ties.There are so many families here torn by the natural man and the devils constant taunts, and here I am in Toppenish with my whole family and even friends from home still supporting me tremendously 17 months into my mission. Last year I thought I might get forgotten a little bit this Christmas season just because it's a long time. Oh no false!

Mom I read your instructions I'll do that. I wish I could just grab you and give you a big hug of grattitude for all the love you've put into my Christmas. I love you!

Dad

Thank you!

Grandma and Grandpa Rigby

I don't know what to say. All the time and resources you two put into these 12 days of Chrsitmas fills my heart to the brim. Grandma I look at all the time you took from the wrapping, the coloring, the little phrases on the cards, and the very thoughtful gifts. I love you! Thank you! Thank you! 

I'm so thrilled right now! We are having a tremendous Christmas season and seeing miracles! 

David and his boy Albert are doing great and progressing very well towards baptism on the 30th of December(we wanted to move the date back a little bit for no rush in preparation and so we could have more people present) He loves temples and the eternal perspective that families can be together forever. What saddens him is that his wife is still not supporting him. Pray for my brother David he needs prayers!

Sergio and his girlfriend/wife(we're working on that one) Mariah and their 5 kids

Daniel(8)

Anthony(4)

AJ(4)

Sergio Jr.(2)

Vida(6 months)

Very eventful week for this great couple! I discussed last week how we had a lesson with them more focussed on Sergio and his needs. This week we had an amazing hour with them. Sergio had irritated a member of the Gang he's struggling to leave and this irritated his girlfriend and so he decided that he'd move out for a time. We heard this news so we bumped up our lesson an hour and called Sister Reynolds, the relief society president, and ran to their house to the rescue. She was incredible. We walked in and she immediately put her arm around Sergio and started talking about what a special family they have. She then rotated to rocking their 6 month yr old baby girl and bearing testimoiny how our father in heaven will help them. 

Sergio has never felt real love. The only support he's ever received was from his "hommies." I'm so proud of Elder Corrington because at the end of the hour he offered to give Sergio a blessing of spirtual protection. The greatest miracle is that he called up the irritated gang member and it looks like he doesn't want to beet him to a pulp anymore-great news! The whole family came to church yesterday and because there is 7 of them the Nye family took 2 cars to pick them up.

 As you can see, the members here in Toppenish are doing incredible. I'm loving making all these friendships! I love them! I've lived in toppenish for nearly 6 months-it feels like my second home!

I'm loving life as a trainer! Elder Corrington sure showed up to Toppenish with so many tools. When we sit down with our investigators(english ones for now so far:) ) He connects to them so well. I know for a fact he was sent to help out our good friend Sergio. We have good laughs together and he's so humble and grateful for the help I imperfectly give. During the week he hessitantly told me to use nicer tone. He's doing so well it is easy to forget sometimes he just got here.

Each and every week we discover how the Book of Mormon is such an effective tool. My goodness I could have never imagined. On of the struggles we have as missionaries is we share the restoration and people often times simply take it as just a beautiful story. This frustrates me:) However, we have discovered that we can step into a home, have a very brief small talk conversation, pray, help them understand that we all, including them, have sinned and have problems, and we are there to help them bring their lives more according to god's will and eventually make a promise with God to love him always. Then we will share, God has given us a tool to help us become clean and overcome our problems-the book of mormon. We'll begin reading first nephi likening them to lephi, how they like Jeurusalem need to repent(change). Prophets invite us and show us how to come closer to Christ/change. There wasn't many prophets for a time but now there is! Pray about it like Lehi prayed!-A long rant I know but I love this

Jamie's Baptism was incredible. So many people came(remember she is a foster child at has been apart of a very active family since she was 2). I felt as if the angels were shouting for joy as she received the holy Ghost. She just sobbed as she shared her testimony it was beautiful!

Our Christmas caroling is also still going strong! I'm loving this crew! 

Love Elder Rigby