Merry Christmas

Hello everyone! What a joy it was to talk to yesterday! You all are growing up so fast! I feel like I don't know you as much because you're all so much older! Accept you Dad! you look great! 

Grandma and Grandpa Rigby!

God bless you both! I have come to understand so much more the Grace of god by all the time and money you gave to me through your notes and gifts through the 12 days . To be honest I gave all that I could away but before I did I enjoyed it as my own and then gave. That filled my heart with the greatest joy I've felt maybe here on the mission. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to give!

Grandpa thank you for giving me a love of music! We sang so much this Christmas season and thanks to the opportunities and advice you have given me through the years, we sounded pretty great! "The singing missionaries of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints" It was an amazing Christmas thank you!

My family

Hello team!I thank you for your enthusiasm as we take on gaining a testimony of our Savior Jesus Christ this year as we read the Book of Mormon. We will be reading a chapter everyday, and I expect all of you to give me updates each week on what you are  learning! I'm going to keep good tabs on you so don't think you can sink under the radar:)

I know that as we read it together, the greater faith we have in Jesus Christ will enable us to push out all doubt and fear! A life where fear has little to none control over us-Wouldn't that be great! We can do this it's a promise from God and God doesn't break his promises! We're starting January 1st get ready! Stockton your the big brother in the house so I've chosen you as team leader! I bet you can get some benefits from that from Mom if you try hard  enough but don't push it too far!

(A copy of the letter I wrote President Lewis)

Dear President,

Hello good friend!
 President we had a fantastic Christmas. What a great time of receiving and giving. I received this Christmas more than I think I ever have. Little did I know earlier this December but I ended up receiving 5 boxes in the mail, 2 sets of the 12 days of Christmas, filled with heartfelt notes and presents. If there ever was a missionary that was loved, it has been me.
 
My father and Grandfather sent me some money. We used that money to purchase toys and candies for the boys and girls of Toppenish who do not have very much. We made 100 little gift bags and put the toy, candy, Christmas quote from Pres. Monson, and a baked good. We thought it would be impossible to get all of them out but we were able to deliver them to all(these were families I had previously met here in Toppenish). The last bag we gave was a precious moment. We went to one of the homes in the Native American housing project. We talked to a young teenage boy that I had met previously and gave him some candies a member had given us. We continued to talk to him and then a little 6 year old girl poked her head around the corner and I reached out to give her the gift and she took it.

We were also able to write a Christmas card to every member of our ward-we haven't gotten the cards out but we'll get them to them by next Sunday. I hope they still take it to heart:)

With some of the other funds we put together a package for our good friend David Munoz and his family. We put a lot of time and effort running over to Sunnyside and buying the gifts( light sabers for the boys, a nice jacket for the oldest, candles and Chocolates for his wife Priscilla, and a white shirt for David) and wrapping them the best 19 year old boys know how. We wrote a nice card and I was so excited because I gave David one of my favorite ties. On a side note what a blessing it has been to have family who can send some money to help these people. I've loved giving gifts! I'm so glad I've been able to play a part in it. 

Christmas morning, before we left for our zone get-together in Yakima, we dropped by the gifts in a big box and knocked really hard at the door. They were home because the cars were there and it was obvious no one had left the home because of the recent snow. We wnet to go pick up the other elders and checked to see if they got the gifts. The box was still on the porch and so we knocked again. We knew we wouldn't be back in Toppenish by 3pm due to Christmas dinner with the Ibarras so we left the present and hurried off to Yakima to insure that the boys would have something to open up on Christmas morning.

Elder Corrington is a happy sharp guy! However, even for him talking to his family was rough. His twin brother went home early from his mission because of some of having a siezure in the field and Elder Corrington feels like he is the only one who can truly help him. Talking to his family reminded him of what a rough time his brother is going through so that kind of got him down.

We went by David's house to make certain he got the gifts and to our absolute horror we find a still wrapped light saber 20ft from the house coupled by the footprints of the the thief. 
It was very unwise to leave the box on the porch, but we felt that God would protect the box to ensure that the boys would have a Christmas-false. We with broken hearts, we picked up the football the thief had left and a plate of cookies a member had given us and walked to David's door. We gave them to Matthew, the oldest boy, who looked very sad obviously having not received any presents, and got back in the car in absolute shame.

However, we have both done hard things, and we were  not going to give up and let Satan win. To make the story a little bit shorter(sorry president), we busted home, got another box, filled it up with some of the gifts my family had given me(one for every boy)and $100 dollars for David and Priscilla and gave the presents to the boys. 
It was amazing to see the boys open up their presents and see the oldest be happy as he recieved his new coat! 
It turns out all of them were in their rooms during the morning and David was sick in the restroom so they did not hear the knocks on the door.

What I loved from this story is that we were able to give more. I was able to give the extra coat that my family had given me to the oldest boy of David's family, and somewhere in Toppenish there is a family playing Star wars surrounded by the scent of lavendar.

We had an important lesson with David tonight. We will solidify his baptism for the upcoming week. His wife does not believe in tithing even though he has shown her the scriptures. he did not come to church because he was sick-promise he's not a faker.

Sergio and Mariah are doing very well. We had a great dinner with them yesterday evening and read 1st Nephi with them in Depth helping them realize that the importance of getting a confirmation that because the Book of Mormon is true this is the path to happiness.

Elder Horsely, my MTC comp., came down on exchanges with me and he taught me how I can improve my language study and we were able to help Carmen, a mother of 5 kids, commit to prepare to be batized in Febuary. It was great-not fake inv. in the mtc anymore.

We were able to help a single mother and her 2 little girls come to church on Sunday. The Reynolds family in our ward is really helping us out!
There are a lot of other people we are working with and we are ecspeacially trying to work with a less active single Mom Jobanna Sanchez to help her daughter be baptized and bring her back to full activity.

I learned so much this week and I was overjoyed singing in the streets and handing out gifts to the children of poor parents. The smiles of both the parents and kids a like made me overjoyed. By the way Elder Corrington and I, make a great duo!This helped me realize that everyday I can bring a gift to every home and especially for a missionary Christmas can be all year long!

For Christmas eve, we went over to the Claytons. What kind great people. He shared the story of how his recently divorced mother in order to improve her self image  filled a piece of paper by writing, I'm a Daughter of God with great worth. I'm thinking about how I can apply that in my own life to change the things that hold me back from understanding how much God loves me and how much I love him and want to serve him.

My New Year's Resolution is...
To come to know who Jesus Christ is!
Let the journey begin!
We felt as a companionship we need to be more accountable of our goals! 

President 2 comments
1. any advice on how we can help the ward and branch to help Jobanna get a job that doesn't work on sundays. She's bilingual.
2. We will let you know if we need you to interview David.

Love you president! I didn't know what to say to you last interview because for the first time in my mission I don't feel like I'm drowning:). Isn't that great! I've been able to poke my eyes out of the water now and not just my nose and see where I can improve to love God more and how!

Training our good friend Elder Corrington is going well. So hard working and dedicated. He feels that his spanish isn't good enough and he needs to measure up to his brother. I've felt/feel some of those feelings. I'm trying to help him understand that as long as we are obedient God will give us the abilities we need! It's funny how God gives you struggles to understand the truths you need to help others!

Merry Christmas!
Love Elder Rigby