I've got a wise guy for my new companion - 4.28.2014

No, really. His name is Elder Wise, and he's totally amazing! Last night we were talking about some of the stories he has about his missionary work and I was crying because I was laughing so hard! This is going to be a great transfer. :-)

Last Monday we went to the Zoo, but that was after we did our e-mails, so prepare yourselves for an onslaught of pictures of animals!

Getting a new companion is always tricky, because I developed a system with Elder Rytting that worked for us, but now I have to see how Elder Wise functions as a missionary, so I've got to develop an entirely new system! That's okay though, because he's been out for 15 months, so I just go along with what he does and it works! He works a lot harder than I do, so I'm hoping after this companionship is over that diligence will have rubbed off on me.  :-)

Other than the zoo, there's really not much to report this week. Just a new companion, still working with investigators and less-active members, and being a missionary! Sister Barnes is training a new missionary, Sister Eaton, who just got here on Wednesday. I've realized how much I've already missed back home in the short 6 months I've been out (because of what she has told me), and how much more I'm going to miss in the 18 months I still have left. That's okay though, because I'm understanding so much more of what life really means and what things are important. Music is fun, and I still plan on doing that for my career, but I love learning about the Gospel so much more. Movies are fun, and I quote them a lot (as most of you know), but scriptures are so much better to quote. Good books are great, but the best book is the Book of Mormon. I finished the book of Alma this morning, and am understanding so much more. Captain Moroni was a boss! The scriptures tell us that "if all men had been, and were, and ever would be, like unto Moroni, behold, the very powers of hell would have been shaken forever; yea, the devil would never have power over the hearts of the children of men." I've read that scripture many times and have always wanted to know what kind of a man Moroni was. I found the answer in the verses preceding those.

1. He was a strong and mighty man.
2. He was a man of perfect understanding.
3. He was a man who did not delight in bloodshed
4. He was a man whose soul did find joy in the liberty and the freedom of his country
5. He was a man whose heart did swell with thanksgiving to his God
6. He was a man who did labor exceedingly for the welfare and safety of his people.
7. He was a man who was firm in the faith of Christ.

These qualities are not very hard to posses! We can be like Moroni and shake hell every day!

--Elder Riggs