Graduation, Birthday, TEMPLE!

Hey!

Sven is an official college graduate.  Sweet!!!  How was it?  Do you feel smart and professional now?  I hope so!  I hope everything went well, and that you guys all enjoyed a good steak dinner for me! 

Also, Keagan, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! I know you can't read, and don't have a clue who I am, but I hope you have a great birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

This week has been an extremely interesting week personally.  I feel like I have learned more this week than quite possible any other week in my life.  I know I have said that before, but I really do feel that way!  I'll jump right into it.

Ever since I got transferred to "Pueblo B", things have been a little bit hard.  I won't lie, I was quite frustrated to be staying in the same zone.  I wanted to get out, see different things, meet new people, all sorts of selfish desires.  Well, this attitude had been in my mind, and it was really effecting me as a missionary.  Well, the words of an apostle changed all that.  In the April Liahona, there is a talk by Elder Bednar that talks about the atonement.  If you haven't read it, read it!!  It was inspired for a missionary in the Dominican Republic, I think.  The part that really struck me, to my heart, was when he talks about Nefi.  He talks about when Nefi's brothers tied him up and were making violent threats against him.  He then mentions how Nefi prayed to the Lord, and instead of asking the Lord to change his circumstances, he prayed to have the strength to change his circumstances.  Wow.  I had been transferred from a great area to a super hard one, and in all of these things, I wanted the Lord to change my circumstances.

Well, I realized that what I really needed was the strength to change my own circumstances.  I need to work as hard as I possibly can, but I also need the help of the Lord to change this area!  This has led me to think about things completely differently.  When we have a challenge, or hardship in our lives, do we pray asking the Lord to take away our problems?  Or do we pray to be strong enough to overcome them, and to learn from them?  There are countless examples from the scriptures mentioned in this talk.  I challenge you to look them up, study and ponder this talk.  I know that it can really help each of us! 

Exciting news for this week is that I will be going to the temple this Wednesday!  Wahoo!  I can't even begin to describe how excited I am to go to the temple.  I haven't been since September!  Wow!  What a great way to celebrate Keagan's birthday?!  Ha ha

Well, for now, I don't have a whole lot to say!  I don't really know what the plan is for the phone call....I'm assuming that we will do the same as last time.  I will call Dad's cell phone again right?  I hope that is the plan...if not... I'll call the other numbers that I know!  ha ha

I hope you all have a great week!

Love,

Elder Riley Ted Reeder