It has been a good week. We have been on the road a lot with maleck and b-ball. Wednesday we were in manti and Friday we were in Juab. He is playing well and learning a lot! I think we are down to 4 more games.
Tuesday after school, I came home and crawled into bed and read a book. Hurrah.
Thursday I watched Steele for 3 hours- super fun! At 7 I went to the girls’ b-ball game. Gia and Julene were there so that was fun.
Today, dad and I went for a walk, I cleaned house, made bread, cooked a roast, and watched a movie with dad- perfect day.
Dad has a training meeting here for the young me at 9:30. I made overnight French toast for everyone.
I am super sleepy, but maleck is with some buddies- Ryder and cooper urie.
We received a cute email from Lily. She is a sweetie! Brother and sister jones sent a thank you note for the Christmas gift. Their card expressed their love and admiration for you!
Hermana Rigby,
I'm sending this from mom's computer since I am home. I thought about the concerns you shared about losing some motivation and your finding it a challenge to keep working hard. I agree with Pres. Jones in his understanding that your definition of work is a bit different than the average missionary. That being said, this is what I feel the spirit has guided me to share with you (and myself as I have needed this message as well).
Elder Soares shared a message to students at Ensign College and I feel I was inspired to land on it while on my morning run. His message was about receiving guidance on what we should do and the importance of receiving guidance from the Holy Ghost. You are seeking for answers and this is likely the key to your finding such.
You need guidance right now so it is time for you to humble yourself before Heavenly Father, pour your heart to Him, and pray in the name of Christ about your concerns and your weaknesses. Then as President Nelson taught, "Then LISTEN. Write the thoughts and record your feelings and follow through with the actions you are prompted to take."
You know the song, - pray, he is there, speak - he is listening, you are his child, his love now surrounds you. Sing it and then fall on your knees.
There is always a period of BURN OUT in everything we do. Especially when the work is hard in every avenue - physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and so on. It is time for you to close this chapter of your mission and prepare yourself for the next. In doing so, you must figure out what the next chapter is all about. Only you and Heavenly Father can figure this out. It is time for you to pay the price to go to Him and plead through word and deed - HIS direction. He can give you the answers through the Holy Ghost.
Here are some lessons about how the Holy Ghost works and how to connect to heaven through the Him:
Elder Soares taught, "The Holy Ghost is the conduit of the power of the Lord - used to inspire God's children. If we are connected with Him, the Holy Ghost can and will reveal to us what we need to do."
Mornoni 10:5 - By the power of the HG we may know the truth of all things.
Nephi taught, "If ye enter in by the way and receive the HG, it will show unto you all things what you should do."
Pres. Nelson "Stretch beyond your current spiritual ability to receive personal revelation, for the Lord has promised that if thou shalt seek, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things, that which bringeth joy."
Emma, I too have lost some of the joy of working, of serving, of living. We must connect or reconnect to heaven to receive guidance, especially in this challenging world or during this difficult time. Elder Soares said about this fact, "Perhaps this is one of the main tasks we need to accomplish as we face mortality. To know how to receive and recognize the promptings and guidance from the Holy Ghost."
So my message is this - The Lord is always willing to reveal his mind and will. He wants to help us. It is up to us to do our part to receive His spirit and direction. I need it and so do you. And typically when we receive it, our abilities and desires are motivated and we are elevated to accomplish His will.
"Be not weary in well doing for ye are laying the foundation of a great work. And out of small things proceedeth that which is great." - D&C 64:33
Pres. Nelson, "If we do the best we can, the Lord will bless us according to our deeds and the desires of our hearts." DO YOUR BEST (and realize DO is a verb that requires actions, like getting out of bed on time and doing, doing, doing throughout the morning, afternoon, and evening).
All promptings from the spirit will "Entice us to do good continually." So we should always be seeking the spirit and striving to be worthy of His companionship through both thought and action. Seek to live worthy of the spirit, then ask Him for guidance and He will provide you direction that will fill the pages of your next chapter. Elder Soares shared, "The help we receive from Heaven will come as a customized insturction for our specific needs." Heavenly Father is aware of your specific need(s) and he will prompt you on those things which ye should do.
A couple of other thoughts:
Do not passively sit and wait for every prompting before you act. Understand the lesson of Nephi as he returned to obtain the brass plates. He was "led by the spirit not knowing before hand the things he should do." I promise that if you act on the things you know to be right, that you will be guided as you ACT(actions of getting out of bed, contacting a person across the street, holding a door open for someone, giving your companion a hug, highlighting the positive in one's life, avoiding contention in a Christ-like way, opening your mouth, praying in someone's home and blessing their lives, and so on). Be a light for both the righteous and those who live in darkness.
As you sit at this crossroads in your mission, you have 1/3 of the race left to run. Just think about running the 8 laps of the 3200 meter. You have now completed 5.28 laps and you now have 2.72 laps to go. Remember how difficult laps 5 and 6 were? These are often the ones where you are tempted most to slow your pace because it is tiring. It is natural to slow down, but soon you'll complete lap 5 and then lap 6. You will then see lap 7 wiz by and lap 8 always becomes a blur. Then it is all over as you quickly recover. Your eyes look to coaches, then to teammates, then to parents. Was my time good enough? Are they proud of me? Did I run as fast as I could? What were my splits Dad? Almost always, if there is doubt in the performance it is found in the slower laps in the middle to latter part of the race that could have been a second or two faster.
DO NOT DOUBT HOW FAST YOU HAVE RUN TO THIS POINT IN YOUR RACE. JUST PLEAD WITH GOD FOR HELP TO MAINTAIN YOUR PACE! YOU ARE RUNNING A SOLID PACE EMMA, SO KEEP IT AND DO NOT SLOW DOWN. Find a way to recommit and new ways to serve and become motivated. This is where the Holy Ghost will provide you answers so connect to HIM! Seek him diligently and ye shall find. Prayerfully read and study D&C 4 again and discover a gift that needs to be obtained. DO NOT HAVE REGRETS AS YOUR FINISH LINE WILL SOON BE IN SIGHT.
I am at the turn cheering you on and there are many seen and unseen doing the same! I love you to the moon and back so keep your pace!
Love Dad
January 30, 2025
We had a really crappy Wednesday (maleck is really struggling in basketball, and I had one of those days when I just couldn’t get the tears to stop). So this morning we went to the temple at 6:30! We had an amazing experience!
Please pray that maleck can have a good game tomorrow!
Emma, I hope you have had a good week. You have all the tools to help you handle what lies ahead- use them and embrace the adventure!
We are all rooting for you. I know that there on the other side of the veil who are watching over you Emma!
Love you so much!
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