Second Letter

Dear Family,

 

For starters, I got dear elder letters from grandma annie, mom, and niki. So if you had any concerns, it worked. I also got grandpa pauls package filled with goodies. It feels great to feel loved. Also, shout out to Mili and Uncle Beau...HAPPY BIRTHDAY! For Mili's bday i celebrated with a scone for breakfast. For beaus bday I wore his tie that he gave me. I love you both. Oh, by the way, I love those byu shorts. Well, this is techniquely about the end of my third week here and life as a missionary is a rollercoaster. I feel Satan attacking me all the time. I had a little bit of minor anxiety problems in my life before the mission but satan is trying to make things so much worse. Sometimes I feel like the walls are closing in and Im trapped. It feels hard to breath and I'm scared I'm going to snap. My heart starts to ach becuase I begin to miss my loved ones. All of this happens at once and it is one of the most horrible things that I have ever felt in my life. I feel like satan and an army of those following him are coming down on me when this happens. It isnt a very fun time. I get really scared when it happens but I pray for Heavenly Fathers help. Satan must REALLY not want me out here serving a mission because I have never felt this attacked all the time. I telling you this so you can keep me in your prayers and to tell you that I love you all so much. Satan knows that and is trying to pull together whatever he can to hinder my mission. But I've been learning that Heavenly Father truly does love me and I've never before been so humbled in my life. What satan doesnt realize is that every time he tries to come at me with some kind of attack I'm only going to turn to my Heavenly Father which will only make me stronger! I know other missionaries have felt similar ways that I have felt so I know I can get through it. I take it as a sign that there is some great work that needs to be done in my life. If there wasn't, satan wouldnt be trying so hard to frighten me. I'm sorry I dont have a lot of time to write a longer letter but I'm trying to type as fast as i can haha. I love you all and hope that you all are doing great and are receiveing blessings. If i could go back in time I would have given all of you longer hugs before I entered the MTC and said I love you more. It brings tears to my eyes right now just thinking about it. It seems like I cry a lot  these days haha. I love you mom and can't wait to call you on mothers day. I also get to call you in about 3-4 weeks before I go to Argentina. I miss your blessings Dad! Zach and jack, I miss you so much and just know I think about you! Thank you for the pic jack. Oh and zach, i still havent gotten a letter from you!...Its called dear elder .com homie! Love you. If you want to know a little more of how I'm doing have Niki call you because I put a letter in the mail to day that I was able to write a little more. Once again I love you all so much and have so much more respect for those that have served missions. I am so blessed to be a missionary because I grow closer to my havenly father every hour of every day! Love you again mom, so much. Everyone please keep the letters coming. It really helps me.

 

Love, 

 

Elder Ian Nobmann Riddle #22

First Letter

Dear Everyone,

 

This is my first email as a missionary and only have 30 min to write so I'm sorry if it isnt that long or there is grammer errors. To start off, thursday is my p-day and the day i will be able to write. Also, if you want to send me letters, write them at Dear Elder .com so that the MTC will print them off and put them in the mail box rather than me have to wait until next thursday to read any responses. But, you can write me letters too. Niki, you can write me at Dear Elder .com but if you do, I also DEMAND hand written letter:). I dont know if how Dear Elder works so Im sorry. I also dont know if I can use dEar elder once im in argentina. 

 

Well, on to the good stuff! First of all, i miss you mom, dad, zach, and jack. I love you all and hope you are all doing great. Iloved the game day mission bags. I read every letter and felt so loved. Niki, I miss you and love you to, I just put another letter in the mail for you today:). Shout out to my boys in May Hall. Miss you guys and you better write me especially if anyone else has received their mission calls. So, Ive been here at the MTC for 1 full week and 1 day. The first few days were the hardest days of my life! I'm dead serious. From day one I have really only been spoken to in spanish. On my 3rd day my companion and I had to teach a guy pretending to be an investigator a lesson only in spanish. Dont stress out future missionaries because the Lord will help you out so much. I've learned that the gift of tongues is so real. During my companion and my first lesson the spirit helped me speak better spanish than I ever had before. I bore my testimony to him about the spirit and felt the spirit so strong it was amazing. The words just flowed off my tongue. My companion, Elder Jubitz, and I make a pretty good team. When we teach together good things happen. We're still getting to know each other and its hard being with someone 24/7 but I learned some of my personal weaknesses through my time with Elder Jubitz. Oh yea, he's from The Dalles, Oregon...that was for you Aaron. 

 

There is so much I could tell you all but I have so little time. Elder Jubitz and I have taught Daniel Fri, Sat, Mon, Wed, and today will be our last day with him. Yesterday we actually asked him if he would like to be baptised and he said yes. It was such a cool feeling. Elder Jubitz and I were teaching him and Elder J was talking to him but I gotlost so had no idea what he was saying but felt the impression that we should ask him to be baptised. So when Elder J was done I asked him and he said yes. I know he's only an actor but it was an amazing feeling!

 

I miss all of you guys so much but these two years are to put away what our desires and serve others. One of my favorite terms in spanish is "olvidarse" which means "forget yourself". I will have the rest of my life to do what I want. Now is the time to love others and serve them to the best of my ability. The day you enter the MTC be ready to work hard. It is hard work but it is the Lords work. Once again love you all. Especially my familly, Niki, and shout out to the two birthdays boys that i missed. Oh, and there is a letter in the mail for you mom, dad, zach, and jack.