Thanks Mom!!!

Hey Mom and Den,

Thanks a bunch Mom!!!  The G's helped out great.  A little big...but I guess that's okay.  So I got the letter and the packages on Saturday.  They were awesome!  I was kinda shocked to hear about Nicki getting busted!  I don't think I'd do something like that though.  My stupid ideas usually involve more fireworks and less police.  haha  But...anyways....things are ok.  I called the mission office and they are going to try to get us out of the Butter's A.S.A.P.  but with our bishop out of town it may not be for a little bit.  It's weird staying there.  I've never stayed with anyone who wanted nothing to do with the missionaries.  Anyways, as for our dinners, I had a small council with a few of the "mission moms" in our ward (especially Sis. Flink) and they are still going to feed us some of the time.  They were appalled to hear about no member dinners, so as soon as the bishop gets back they are going to talk to him.  So, yes, there are some awesome families out here making sure I'm being taken care of. 

Anyways...Faith is still on date for August 14th and life is just chugging along.  I've referred to Elder Wirthlin's talk, "Come What May, and Love It", so that's been a source of help. 

I love you guys!
Elder Lance Ririe

Hey Hey Hey!

Hey Mom and Den,

Well, it's been a rough week.  Things are good numbers wise; we are finding and teaching but our ward mission leader just canceled all of our dinner appointments for the month because he said that its ineffective.  So that's frustrating, as well as Bro. Butters has been getting worse about everything; complaining about everything that we do and he's been withholding our mail.  So I'm very frustrated as of late and not having zone leaders that care is rough too.  I did FINALLY get the package last week though.  It was awesome!  You guys are great!  Helen, our recent convert as of about a month ago is now having us teach her granddaughter and she should be baptized here pretty soon.  And Dean received the priesthood yesterday.  Its so cool to see all these little blessings that happen around us all the time.  So its things like that that help me realize why I'm here and that I can be a part of something so great.  I love the people out here and just how great they are.  Lots of great things going on.  Have you guys talked to Futi at all?  Just been thinking about them lately.  I think I'll always reflect on how I met them and how much they helped me in gaining a love for the gospel because I applied it so differently with them than I ever had before.

Well, I hope things back home are going awesome.  I'll write back to the kids when I can.  And there should be a little sum'n sum'n for the Nerm in the mail.  Nothin much, just a little sum'n.

Love you guys tons!

Love,
Elder Lance Ririe

Whoo!

Hi Guys!

Well, Kathleen was baptized Saturday and it was awesome!  Really good baptism.  Her brother, who is pretty anti, ended up coming and he like it so that was good.  Still coming along with Elder Sorenson.  He still doesn't talk much and if I do something that bugs him he completely shuts down, so I've tried talking to him about it but it stays quiet most of the time....which makes this transfer feel a lot longer.  But our district leader is pretty good about things so we'll be going on exchanges for a day this week to help break the silence. 

Umm, as for other people we are teaching, we found a great little family, the Turnidges.  They have four little kids who are amazing.  And the dad, Doug, he's a less active member who wants to come back to church.  His fiancee, Amanda, is amazing.  She soaks up the gospel like a sponge.  The only hiccup is they aren't getting married until August of next year so she can't be baptized until they are married, which is a bummer.  But they're great!

Umm, so that's really it for what's been going on here.  Just keep me posted on how everybody is doing and such. 

Thanks a bunch!  Love you guys tons!
Love, Elder Lance Ririe

Happy Late 4th!

Hey Mom and Den,
Yours is the first one I'm responding to today so that you can have a big long email!!!  Well, our 4th wasn't anything special - just out and about trying to find more people to teach.  And it's been super hot lately - ugh!!!  Not fun for me - I'd much rather it be 65 or less all the time, but hey, when I rule the world one day!  I'll change that then! 

But, anyways, other than it being really hot and having a nonexistent 4th things have been good.  Kathleen is great.  Her baptism is gonna be Saturday at 4 and we're super stoked for her!  I love hearing her talk about how she knows that the church is true and that she loves the feelings that she gets when she reads and prays.  It's just awesome! 

Elder Sorenson is still pretty quiet.  He doesn't talk much or help much in lessons, which gets frustrating, but he's a really good kid.  I' glad to serve with him.

There are some things that I could really use ....some new G's.  Mine area falling apart - lots of wear and tear....mostly tear.  Otherwise, maybe a new pair of basketball shorts.   But that's really all I need.  I got a letter from Uncle Shane so I'm starting to write him back.  Hopefully I get to finishing it before too long here.  Other than that, that's just what I'm up to.

Well, I love you guys tons and I miss ya'll even more!

Love, Elder Lance Ririe

New Companion!

Hey Mom and Den,

Things are good.  I didn't get transferred, so that's a bonus.  And Helen and Dean's baptisms went great, except that they printed the wrong last names on the program.  Whoops!  But they were so happy afterwards.  I'm getting a new companion, Elder Sorenson.  I guess from what I hear he's a little different, but he tries hard and that's good.  And has fate would have it, more leaders that don't like me too much, but I don't give them much thought - other than that they frustrate me at times.  Things here continue as always though.  We have another lady on date for baptism on the 17th.  She's awesome!  She was raised Catholic and absolutely loves the Book of Mormon.  The more she reads it the more she says, "That chapter is just was I believe!"  So we're excited for her.

Sorry this one is a little short.  Lots of packing to help Elder Nelson with.  I love you guys and I'll try to write a real letter later this week. 

Love you tons and miss you even more!
Love, Elder Lance Ririe

Things are good!

Hi Guys!
Things are good.  Did Den get his card?  It sounds like Hawaii was fun, at least it sure looked like it from all the pictures that got emailed to me today.  My knee is holding up ok.  Haven't been biking too much unless you count the Butter's exercixe bike.  Elder Nelson's bike was stolen so we are walking most of the time.  But good news is I'm losing a little weight now.  Elder Nelson is doing a little better every day.  I think that things will get a lot better after transfers, which are like next week.  Whoa!  Where did all the time go?  As for the baptism last week, our mission leader postponed it because it wasn't announced in Sacrament meeting, but then it didn't get announced again yesterday.  But we're going to go ahead anyways because they're ready and I donn't want to explain why they had to wait to get baptized again.  Hoopfest is this weekend.  Kind of exciting.  I'm no where near it this year, unlike being in the middle of it last year.  But if I get the chance I'll try to get permission to go down for p-day and maybe get a t-shirt or something.  I loved the package and the cookies were awesome!!!  But my favorite are still the peanut butter ones, but really they're all good...mmmmm good!  And I'll keep all that stuff in mind when it comes to my homecoming talk.  I probably won't even mention the indian reservation, which having since happened that story has been blown WAY out of proportion since missionaries talk! 
I love you guys and I hope this week goes great!
Miss you tons!
Love, Elder Lance Ririe

Poor Elder Nelson :(

Hey Mom and Den,

Well, let's start with the good news!  We have a teaching pool now!  Well, with at least two people - and they are both on date for baptism!  Helen and Dean.  They are both awesome!  Helen's son was baptized down in the second ward (where I was this time last year) a few months ago and has since then convinced his mom to take the lessons, which as been awesome.  So they are on date for the 19th.  We are stoked about that!  And the bad news - I've sat around the apartment for most of the week due to my companion being super sick.  We aren't really sure what is wrong with him, but he's been sick since last Sunday - so it's been over a week.  The mission doctor told us it was probably just acid reflux but we don't think so seeing that he hasn't been able to keep anything down for ten days now.  So I've been going crazy around the apartment.  I wrote some letters but ran out of stamps, so I'll be getting more today and sending those out.  I got your mail!  They finally fixed the address problem.  Our new address is (see side bar).  So there ya go!  I'll send more later.

Love ya tons!
Elder Ririe