November 17, 2014

Hey Mom,

 

So this week we went to Albania again for mission conference. We got there the night before and went out with some of the elders for dinner. It's so nice to be with different people. We slept in Tirana with the sisters there and then drove to Durres the next day since there's a chapel there. The best speaker wasn't the main one. We slept in Tirana again and drove back to Skopje the next day. 

I finished reading Jesus the Christ. A fantastic way to spend 800 pages. I'm happy though because now I can read more scriptures during personal study.

Language classes are going well. The other day I translated the phrase "too gay to function" into Macedonian and Elder Krajnc gave me a man point. I didn't even know he knew what those were or how to give them. He's been holding out on me. 

By the way, apparently it's never too early for the opposition to start working against us. Remember how I said I wasn't worried about there being anything anti-mormon online? Yeah I was wrong. Online and on tv. Apparently there was an hour special on the other night about how we're here illegally. Which is pretty rich considering the church is the most rigorous rule-following organization ever. I can personally testify and reassure anyone who wants to know that through the amount of things I have signed, pictures I have taken, trips to visit our lawyer, Elena, or to go to the ministry building, that I know that we are here 100% legally. If we didn't care about the law we would be tracting and have a better meeting place, probably. 

On a personal note, I don't know how anyone gets by in life without prayer. This morning I didn't have time to pray and I feel like I'm going to die. Be grateful for prayer and that Heavenly Father not only is willing to communicate with us but has commanded us to pray. 

 

"Choose to converse with your Father in Heaven often. Make time every day to share your thoughts and feelings with Him. Tell Him everything that concerns you. He is interested in the most important as well as the most mundane facets of your life. Share with Him your full range of feelings and experiences.

Because He respects your agency, Father in Heaven will never force you to pray to Him. But as you exercise that agency and include Him in every aspect of your daily life, your heart will begin to fill with peace, buoyant peace. That peace will focus an eternal light on your struggles. It will help you to manage those challenges from an eternal perspective.

Parents, help safeguard your children by arming them morning and night with the power of family prayer. Children are bombarded every day with the evils of lust, greed, pride, and a host of other sinful behaviors. Protect your children from daily worldly influences by fortifying them with the powerful blessings that result from family prayer. Family prayer should be a nonnegotiable priority in your daily life." -Elder Richard G. Scott

Love you all so much,

Sister Riddle