Letter from June 12

I am very excited to write you and let you know what’s going on here in Cerro de Pasco. Especially since last week the computer deleted the email I was going to send you. As for this past week, it has been great.  We have been in Huanuco yesterday and today for multi-zone conference.  The conference was awesome.  There were three zones there which is about 50 missionaries and President Ardila and his wife. I was asked to direct the conference.  I usually don’t get nervous in front of missionaries, but there were a lot.  Everything went great though.  It was a great learning experience.  

As far as the zone goes here in Cerro, things are improving.  I told you that a few weeks ago some of the missionaries were a little discouraged and didn’t have the desire to give everything.  With Elder Norris we have been working so hard to lift the zone and be an example.  Although we are still struggling with having baptisms we have seen a ton of improvement and it finally looks like all the missionaries are excited.  We are going to keep working so that we can see the fruits of our labors in these next couple weeks.  I have gained a testimony that the Lord knows where we are going to serve, and why.  He also knows who needs to be our companion.  As I mentioned a few weeks ago, Elder Norris asked President if we could be together as companions, and as you all know he put us together.  Well I received a letter from President this week telling me that he knew that we are friends, but that isn´t why he put us together.  He said that it wasn´t because Elder Norris asked either.  He said that the Lord wanted us to be together and that it was something that the President truly felt.  I am loving it, I am learning a lot. This week we have a baptism planned. The investigators name is Erica.  She is awesome! She is very faithful and hasn’t missed seminary or church for 3 weeks straight.

In other news it snowed a little bit this past week in Cerro.  I was so excited to see snow that I took pictures.  I can honestly say that I miss the snow; I haven’t seen in for more than 2 years. Also this week we contacted a lady and when we began to teach her she mentioned to us that she had been praying all that day since 5 in the morning that the Lord would send angels to her house and help her to know what it is that He wanted her to do.  Well we arrived at about 7:30 and she told us that she had been praying and crying all day to know what to do.  She told us with tears in her eyes, and the spirit was so strong.  We testified that the Lord had sent us and that he wanted her to be baptized into His church to begin a new life and to be able to return to live with Him.  I have a testimony that when we work hard and do what the Lord wants, He blesses us.  I will keep you updated on the lady named Fanny.

Elder Riggs