Faith Removes Mountains (Oct 17)

Hey y'all!

I don't really have a whole lot to talk about, but we had Zone Conference this Friday and it lasted all day.  We had to be at the church for car inspections by 8am and we didn't leave until 4:30pm.  The Conference was so good though...President Stone went over some more mission rules and we learned more about working with members and inviting people to be baptized sooner.  We are supposed to try and invite people to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized during the 1st lesson!  If I weren't on a mission myself, I'd say that's crazy and way too soon.  But I've seen it work and I've done it myself.  The Lord really is in charge of this work.

After Zone Conference, we went on exchanges with the STLs.  Sister Miller stayed in our area with Sister Woodruff (who apparently used to serve in the Sunset Ward in the past!) and I went with Sister Matheson to the Green Hills area.  I love Nashville!  I was so happy to be back downtown.  We went with a recent convert named Pam to a lesson and the person we were expecting to meet with was t home but someone else was so we ended up teaching her instead! It was a wonderful experience and blessing to hear Pam give her passionate testimony of the Book of Mormon.  Sister Matheson and I surprisingly had many things in common as well, like knowing the piano, organ, and dancing for many years when we were younger.  The exchange was really fun and I was able to learn a lot.  

One of my favorite quotes to share with people, is by Bishop Richard C. Edgley, about faith: "When the disciples asked Jesus why they could not cast a devil out as they had just witnessed the Savior do, Jesus answered, 'If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove' (Matthew 17:20). I have never witnessed the removal of an actual mountain. But because of faith, I have seen a mountain of doubt and despair removed and replaced with hope and optimism. Because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of sin replaced with repentance and forgiveness. And because of faith, I have personally witnessed a mountain of pain replaced with peace, hope, and gratitude. Yes, I have seen mountains removed."

I absolutely love that quote.  Faith is the first principle of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Faith and Charity are the foundation of everything in the gospel and they enable us to access the power and blessings of heaven.  This gospel is not here just to make our lives better, it is to change us into better people!  And this time as a missionary has helped me gain a testimony of change through faith and repentance.

Lots of love,

Sister Ririe