So here I am in the city of Mauston, WI. It's a very small city in the Adams-Friendship ward. My new companion is Elder Uppencamp from Provo, UT, and he's only been out for 2 transfers, so he's WAY green! :-D It's going to be so fun having him as a companion because of the "greenie fire" that he has. I hope by spending time with him it rubs off on me so we both can have the same enthusiasm and excitement for the work! I just hope I can keep up with this kid! ;-)
My friends, I must tell you that I miss you all. Missions are a very difficult thing to go through emotionally. We get to an area, throw ourselves into people's lives, completely change them in a way that can only be defined as eternally, then we must leave. Their lives are forever altered in a way that brings them more joy and happiness than can be described by language. The thing is, there's a reverse side to this coin. As the missionaries enter lives to change them, the people enter the missionaries' lives and alter them too. Each of you has touched my life in some way, and I will be forever grateful for the influence of my friends on my life. I've come to learn that God has a plan for our lives that He orchestrates perfectly. I would not have become the person I am today without all of you. He is shaping me into a better man by using people like you. I hope this week you'll take some time to reflect on the people in your life who mean the most to you, and let them know that you are grateful to be their friend.
Also, seeing as Fathers' Day was yesterday, I wanted to give a big shoutout to all of the fathers that I have come to know and love. You have a big job, and I commend you for your efforts. I think of how much I love my dad here on earth, and why I respect him. He is a hard worker and knows that when there is a job to be done, he needs to be the one to do it. I learned that we can't wait for others to make things happen in our lives; we just need to go out and be the ones to make it happen. I love you, Dad, and I look forward to giving you a hug when I come home.
There's a Mormon Message about this that I just love. The quote at the end of it really makes me think of the relationship that I have with my Heavenly Father. He truly does love us and care about us. He does so much for us. What are we doing for Him? The 5th commandment in the 10 commandments says to "Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land that the Lord thy God giveth thee." I'd like to change that a bit to make it say, "Honor thy Father and thy Mother..." As we honor God, He blesses us. We are His children. He loves us infinitely. I am now a witness to His love, because I've felt it, and because I've felt it, I'm changed. They say that you become like who you spend time with. If you want to become perfect, spend more time with Him by reading the scriptures, praying, seeking Him out. He wants you to have everything that He has. I know that He and His love are real.
~~Elder T. Riggs
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