Elder Field Returns Home!!!!

And just like that, he is home!!

Elder Field Will Forever Remember These Last 2 Years. Peace Out Cali, It's Been Fun!

Wow 2 years are over already.... I can't believe that we are here alreadyt.... In some ways 2 years has flown by and in others it felt like it has crawled. But in all reality 2 years is 2 years. Time is time. It passes like it always does. But it's all about how you perceive it.

Before I go any further let me tell you of a really cool miracle I found out about this week. Do any of you remember a Daniel Robinson from my last area? The guy who drank so much freaking beer our first lesson?? Well guess what. He actually is getting baptized this coming Saturday! To be 100% honest I didn't have the greatest expectations for him getting baptized and neither did my companion, but we both just decided to give him the best shit we could give and look at him now. He has given up drinking, smoking, and all his drug problems, that an I'm pretty sure he was dealing drugs. Haha so he gave it all up. So that's super exciting! Guys people can change. The Atonement of Jesus Christ is real! So, cool I was able to be a part of his changing his life. Missions are the coolest thing ever. 

This week was good, filled with a bunch of trying to get all the assignments I have been assigned to do done haha. All while trying to teach Preach and baptize ya know? ;) I'm organizing a musical number for some conference tomorrow, I was asked to teach in zone conference, I am helping the Zone leaders and the sister training leaders out with tech problems regarding power points and videos, helping with making a video for the Zone this last week, writing my talk for my homecoming (which by the way is super messed up that I have to write it on my mission, it's messing with my mind 😂😂😂) and getting family history started for the new converts, making sure they are in good hands before I leave. Setting up appointments for Erik down in San Mateo with his missionaries. It's just been crazy haha! But it's better than it being slow for the last little bit. It's good though, I love it! 

Man, I guess this is the part of the email where I get to reflect on the past 2 years...... I will first start of by saying, if there is anyone reading this that is pondering about a mission. Do it. No ifs ands or buts. Just do it. You will not regret it. It’s hard, it's difficult, but it's amazing. I guess I will just end with my testimony. I know this is all true. It's all real, it's all so very very real. The Book of Mormon is real! You can find out for yourself! Read and pray. Go to the guy with all the answers. He will tell you what's true and what's not. Joseph Smith is and was a prophet. He saw what he said he saw! I know that he saw God the father and God the son at 14 years old! That's the same age as my little brother! And I know it's true because I read and prayed about the book of Mormon, and the experience I had while in Carthage jail, the feeling I felt was super strong and I know it was God telling me it’s true. I will add my testimony to the one elder Holland bore on 2009 of the October General conference. 

"Now, I did not sail with the brother of Jared in crossing an ocean, settling in a new world. I did not hear King Benjamin speak his angelically delivered sermon. I did not proselyte with Alma and Amulek nor witness the fiery death of innocent believers. I was not among the Nephite crowd who touched the wounds of the resurrected Lord, nor did I weep with Mormon and Moroni over the destruction of an entire civilization. But my testimony of this record and the peace it brings to the human heart is as binding and unequivocal as was theirs. Like them, “[I] give [my name] unto the world, to witness unto the world that which [I] have seen.” And like them, “[I] lie not, God bearing witness of it.”

                I ask that my testimony of the Book of Mormon and all that it implies, given today under my own oath and office, be recorded by men on earth and angels in heaven. I hope I have a few years left in my “last days,” but whether I do or do not, I want it absolutely clear when I stand before the judgment bar of God that I declared to the world, in the most straightforward language I could summon, that the Book of Mormon is true, that it came forth the way Joseph said it came forth and was given to bring happiness and hope to the faithful in the travail of the latter days."

And I leave you those closing words in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Peace out Cali, it's been real. I leave those I love that I have labored for to you. I will be back! Love ya! 

The closing of this chapter of my life is sad, but I'm excited for the next. Who wants to join me? 

God is Good,

Cheers!
-Elder Riley Field

Elder Field Gets A 30 Minute Long Sermon About How He Is Going To Hell

Hey friends and family!

Haha yeah....... Let me tell you this story before I say anything else. I was reading a really awesome talk one day while eating dinner. (We didn't have a dinner that night.) It was called Becoming a Consecrated Missionary. I was all pumped. I like to read it when I need some good motivation. Well, I was super pumped, ready to go, we picked a street and wen to go tract it all out. We knocked a few doors. There was this one house that had this really cool rock path way up to the door. I was so pumped. We knocked on the door and he let us right in! Gave us water and then gave me a 30 min sermon about why I'm going to hell and how we worship a false Jesus, and how every Mormon will NOT enter into the kingdom of heaven....... yeah....... that was rough hahaha we just finished the sermon. I wished him a great day and told him he was a beautiful child of God and then we left, BUT we went outside now that all of our finding time taken up. While walking to the car we found a really awesome Spanish referral for the Spanish elders so all in all we found a new gator just not for us

Anyway, this week was pretty good. Just a lot of finding and trying to get back into the new normal with only 1 companion again. It was amazing how quickly we got used to 3 people. So, we are getting back in the swing of things. but we are still doing some teaching. We had some sad things happen this week. Steve Meza who was super promising dropped us this week D: doesn't want to learn. That and James Voorhees we had to drop..... it made me sooooo sad!!! D:D:D: But hopefully in the future he will be ready to progress. But we are just trying to get out and find a bunch of people. 

The Minnier's are still doing amazing. Working on their family history right now!!! So excited! Joe is doing the same. We are going to get them to the temple as soon as their records show up. :D WOOOOOOO!!!

I guess the time has come to let everyone know..... Yes, I'm coming home in 2 weeks. So, if you’re my friend and you want to come hear me speak in church, I will be speaking June 17th at 408 W 1300 N, Pleasant Grove, UT 84062 (I don't know the time..... haha... hopefully I will find that out soon) But that is one of the reasons I'm trying to get out there and give it my all and why my emails are lame and short now.... I really have loved my mission. I’m so incredibly sad that it's coming to a close.... but I know my missionary service doesn't end in the field. It will continue back home. God is so good, and I have learned so many valuable lessons. I have learned how to work. And to find joy in the little things. But I know it's not over yet. And I'm going to keep working as hard as I can until the last minute. :D I love you all!!! Have a wonderful week!!

God is Good,

Cheers!
-Elder Riley Field

Elder Field Has Now Memorized The Paw Patrol Theme Song

Hey friends and family! 

No, Elder Field has not been a naughty missionary. Whenever we go to a family's home and the have little kids, they always seem to be watching Paw-Patrol. Especially the Minnier's son Cody. He loves that show. So sometimes while we are visiting them and teaching them a lesson Paw-Patrol is on in the backround. So needless to say, I know all the characters and their theme song. So, you could kinda say I'm a pretty big fan now. ;)

Anyway, this week was a good week. We had a lot of good lessons along with some good finding opportunities. We weren't able to teach Joe this week. He was up in Montana visiting some family, but he is back now and we are excited to get to work with him. We were able to go see the Minnier's a few times and explained our plan to get them to the temple as quick as possible. Steve said he really wants to see what they look like in the inside. So, when we told him he would get that chance he was pretty excited. So, we have them started on family history. Looking for some good names to take to the temple. 

We had a lesson with our new investigator Steve Meza! Turns out, he is actually pretty solid!! I'm super pumped. He wants to come to church more and learn more about God and Jesus Christ. He has no religious background what so ever so it's cool cuz we are starting from the ground up. We talked about prayer and our relationship with Heavenly Father. He is really digging it and Is having some cool experience with prayer. I'm happy for him!

So sad news..... I will be losing one of my companions...... Elder Koelliker will be heading home. He has had some struggles. I love him to death and I wish him the best! 

Anyway, that's all from me this week!! Love you all and wish you all a wonderful week!

Here is a photo of us right here right now because I forgot to take pictures this week :]

God is Good,

Cheers!
-Elder Riley Field

A diagram I wrote up for an investigator

Elder Field Is Still Here Knocking Doors!

As you can see I can't really think of a more creative subject line. so that will have to do for this week! Anyway, we were able to see some freaking awesome things this week! FIRST OFF!!!

STEVE AND CHRISTANA MINNIER AND JOE CHANDLER ALL GOT BAPTIZED THIS SATURDAY AND WERE CONFIRMED YESTERDAY!!!! Oh man I love them all so much! They are all so good!! The baptism was amazing, the spirit was so strong, and there were a ton of members there to support them. It just was fantastic.  The week prior to the baptism was horribly hectic...... lessons canceling, many times thinking "man I don't know if they are going to make it to Saturday", but alas it all worked out and now they are officially members of the church! And they are all so happy!!! We had a chance to talk to them a little bit after they were baptized, and they were all just so happy.  They all were glowing with the radiance of a new soul committed to follow Christ. It was so good. Anyway, we aren’t done yet with them. Next stop is the temple and we are going to start preparing them to take ancestor names to the temple!!!! :D

The rest of the week was good, we were crazy busy as always. We were able to finish our first "family mission plan" experience. I don't remember if I told yall this but, we are going around to members of the ward creating family mission plans.  We did one with the Trevino family, who actually were taught and baptized by a couple of really good missionary friends. But we sat down with them and they were so enthusiastic about the entire thing!! They loved it and came up with some really solid ideas for a mission statement along with some really good ideas for a plan. I'm so pumped to go visit other members of the ward. I just hope they are excited as the Trevinos were! :D

Other than that, we were able to pick up a few new investigators this week. One named Steve M. and the other named Louis. So hopefully we can start meeting g with them regularly, because we are running low on the investigator department hahah.... I guess that's a good problem to have right now. :D But I'm pumped to get back out there and knock a bunch of doors. It’s strange but at the beginning of the mission I hated knocking doors, but now it's almost therapeutic. Whenever I'm feeling down or I'm just not up to do missionary work that day, I always ask my companions if we could knock doors for like 30 mins and afterward I feel great and am ready to get back to it. It's awesome!

Anyway, I think that's all for me! I love you all and wish you the best of weeks! God is real, Jesus loves you, Joseph Smith was and Is a prophet, and the Book of Mormon is the work of God and is the actual historic account of the people who once inhabited this land. And I'm every so grateful for their stories.  

God is Good,

Cheers!
-Elder Riley Field

Elder Field Is Still Going

So, I had my Skype call yesterday, and I really have no motivation to email haha. I know I didn't talk to friends on that call but hey, I hope you all understand, I love you all lots! We had a great week though! We had some awesome lessons with our investigators. Joe chandler and Steve and Christana Minnier all passed their interview and they will be baptized this week! Really excited about that. But if you want more of an update y’all can email me haha!  I would be more than happy to provide. I just don't want to type it all up right now haha. Love you all lots.   Talk to you next week! 

God is Good

Cheers!
-Elder Riley Field

Elder Field Is "GOING THE DISTANCE!"

Now with that subject line I realize you can draw 2 different references from it. Just so you all know it's not from the Hercules movie, but it's absolutely the one from the band Cake. :D 

Friends and family this week was a wonderful week! A very long and stressful week, but a good week none the less. We got Transfer docs yesterday! I will be staying here in woodland while getting another companion. D: goodbye zebra companionship. It was wonderful while I had it! We could contact ANYONE! Except those that spoke Punjabi........ surprisingly there are a lot of people who speak that here in woodland..... crazy..... Anyway, back on topic! My new companion is Elder McGladrie! And I actually just got a phone call while typing this from the mission president and found out I will be receiving an additional companion!! Hahaha Elder Field will be in a trio this transfer!!! His name is Elder Kalicher? I think that's how you spell it? I'm not sure. I have never met him before, but this was a last-minute change, so this should be fun. What I thought was going to be a relaxing p-day is now going to be spent trying to make our apartment a 3-man apartment. It's gonna be a tighter fit but I think we can do it :D maybe..... hahah...... 

Anyway, this week was a great week! We were able to reset Steve and Christana Minnie's baptism date for the 19th! They are going good! Steve is still pushing through is problems but is doing super awesome. He just wants to get baptized so bad! Man, that guy is awesome! So, they are doing great.

We had a lesson with Trayvone! It was a great lesson on baptism! He even accepted a baptismal date which is super awesome! He is getting baptized in August. It's a little far out but he definitely needs that time to really learn and study. We aren't sure how much he is retaining. So, we are going to take teaching super slow. He is a way cool kid who is just looking to change his life. He has had some hard circumstances growing up. But the one thing I know will help is the gospel. It's a gospel of change! It truly is!! I have seen so many people change while on my mission. For the better!!! I love this gospel for that fact alone. It seems to be the only thing that can bring lasting change and happiness for all time and eternity. Man, everyone needs the gospel.

Joe Chandler’s baptismal date needs to be pushed back so we are also pushing his back to the 19th of May! so we are shooting for 3 baptisms on the 19th! I really think they can all do it! I'm so proud of all of them and how much they have grown since I have first met them it’s so cool!!!

Emma is....... *Sigh* being a 16-year-old girl..... haha she just is fighting the spirit so hard.... she doesn't want to admit that she has felt the holy ghost and received answers. But we are still working with her. I'm praying my guts out lately for some sort of direction with her. We just can't seem to find anything that clicks...... but hopefully the new elders will bring in some good perspectives and fresh ideas! We will see! They both are in their first year of their missions so hopefully we got some great new insights! 

Anyway, I think that's about it for us. We have been just working hard and trying to find more and more people to teach. That and work with our members in helping them become more missionary minded. We came up with an idea! We are going to help every family in the ward come up with a family mission plan!! To start off we are visiting them and sharing a super powerful spiritual message and then having them come up with a Mission statement for their family mission plan. So, because I didn't want to ask anyone to do something I wouldn't do. I created my own mission statement for my member missionary work. It's -

Riley, Lovest Thou Me? Feed my Sheep

Now I’m not sure if it's an official statement, but I like the phrase. It comes out of John 21. Go check it out. It's my FAVORITE chapter in the 4 gospels. Along with checking out that chapter, go read "The First Great Commandment" by Jeffrey R. Holland. It will change your life friends, I promise :D

Anyway, I'm still coming up with the plans for my mission plan but it's a work in progress. I have ideas just not concrete things. 

But I think that's all from me! I love you all! I love being a missionary! Even though I'm entering this last transfer I'm super excited just to give it my all, and not look back. I will try to email every week but if I don't send a mass email it's because I'm lame and really didn't want to. But I will try to send something!! even if it's a dorky picture or video hahaha. Which I might have one this week, so we will see! The gospel is true!!!! The Book of Mormon IS THE WORD OF GOD! And Joseph Smith IS a prophet. Had a run in with a guy who tried to contend me on the Joseph Smith's validity of being a prophet. Man. He is. No one can convince me otherwise. I know what I felt. I know the feeling I felt while reading the Book of Mormon. I know the feeling I felt while I sat in Carthage Jail as a kid. I know the joy this church brings. I know that this is all real!!! I say it all the time but the biggest blessing that has come to me on my mission has been the fact that I have realized how real this all is. It's not just stories, or things that are made up. Guys, God is real. Jesus really did die for us. Heaven is real, which means Satan is for real. This world is a battle for our hearts. It's my prayer that we give them to god and follow his divine plan for us. I know these things are true. In the name of Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.

God is Good,

Cheers!
-Elder Riley Field