This new investigator that we have was from a referral. We were told to stop by her house and offer her some service. We went to her house and as we pulled in she could hear our truck. She came out and she did NOT look happy... so I was a little afraid what was going to end up happening, But it turns we were able to chop some of her wood. So, it has been really cold lately... and I think the coldest it got here was -9 degrees and it was FREEZING! So since it was so cold and EVERYONE in Idaho has a wood burning stove here, they go through quite a bit of wood when it gets that cold especially this early in the year. So it has been cold and you should probably have quite a bit of wood to get you through the entire winter. We were doing service for this grump of a lady and we were chopping what little wood that she had and she was almost out and it is only November!!! We being so service minded lately we got it in our heads that we were going to go find a trailer and not go back to her house till our truck and this long trailer was full of wood. We finally finished cutting down all the wood and all that fun stuff and showed up at her house with this huge trailer and our small pickup maxed out on weight overflowing with nice pieces of heavy cherry and apple wood and elm trees. We pulled up to her house she once again heard our truck and came out and was looking a little more mad now then the first time I saw her, but we didn't say anything but "SURPRISE!!!" and her face went from angry to tears pouring down her face. She gave both of us hugs and was so grateful for our good deed. She let us in and told us her story. She said that she doesn't have any family. Her husband is in prison for life for murder and her son died around this time of year when he was 13 years old. He was in a head on collision with a logging truck and her cat that she had for 20 years had died 2 weeks ago. She was going through a rough time and she said that she was NOT interested in the gospel at all and in any kind of religion. She said it makes things too real. We told her we weren't going to say anything about the gospel and we do but she doesn't really notice because we just threw it into the conversation. She is really enjoying our company and she said this is really what she needed. She actually said she considers us her grandkids. She doesn't have any kids so she likes to think that we are her grandkids.
Service is such an amazing thing in this life. As my family knows I have always been one to do service and the reason I love it so much is because it's a chance to help anyone who needs it and it makes you feel so good! You have no idea how much people love little things like shoveling their walk or taking the newspaper to their door or randomly raking someones lawn and you don't get to see what their reaction is or hear about it all you know is you just served one of your brothers and sisters. I STRONGLY feel like service is the way to someone's heart. It is a sign of love and compassion for them. We need to help our brothers and sisters in this mortal journey. and if they don't want it respect that, but it never hurts to ask. just saying...
Christmas
We spent the first half of our Christmas opening presents and we were able to have a good time calling home and reading Luke 2 with them! It is one of my favorite traditions, but we spent the second half of our Christmas at a member's home! It was fun to spend Christmas with them and be able to eat with them! They made us menudo and I didn't really like it. The texture was the worst but it cost a lot of money to make and so I made myself eat it. Just to be kind. Elder Stuver had 1 bite and didn't like or eat the rest of what he took! I'm lucky I have such a strong stomach! It is something that I will never want to eat again... but it was a good experience. We just watched a bunch of church movies with them!!
They are an awesome family and have been out of jail for 3 months and they have stayed marijuana free for 145 days! I'm super proud of them! I am Doug's Sponsor and I council with him on addiction recovery so I go over the 12 step program and talk about his addiction and how he can overcome his addiction and not want to crave it. They are an awesome family and we love doing work with them! We eat at their house every Saturday! She is a pretty good cook when it isn't cow stomach... haha but they are progressing so much!! Right now we are trying to get them to quite smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee. We really want Doug to advance in the priesthood so we are really focusing on them right now. They want to be sealed in the Salt Lake temple so we are trying to find a temple picture of the Salt Lake temple so they can have a picture of their long term goal!
Well that is really all that happened this past week! I love this area so much! I'm so thankful for everyone's support and prayers! Try to always remember that we should always remember through the year the birth, the death, and the resurrection of Christ. and always keep him in our thoughts.
Love, Elder Riley
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