Week 52: a haiku - Pierce City, Missouri

Unseen mosquito

Destroyed me while I played hymns

Begone, dumb insect

Hey all!

Technically it's a senryu but whatever. Seeing as how I've eaten eight cheeseburgers in the last two days, I think my diet has more room for improvement than my wording. 

~

 Aaaaaaaaanyways, hope you're all doing well! Here are some miracles from our week:

- Our friend Kent was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! He's an awesome guy and I'm happy to say that Pierce City Branch has embraced him wholeheartedly.

- We also got to head down to Bentonville with Kent and two other members for a departing devotional from our mission leaders, President and Sister Collins. Man, I'm really gonna miss them. On a brighter note, while we were there, Kent bore testimony of his conversion to a soon-to-be-baptized friend of a sister missionary I went to high school with! Shoutout to Sister Hale from Campo. 

- While on exchanges, Elder Wadsworth and I were blessed to meet a member family with eighteen children, fifteen of whom were adopted foster kids from high-profile trafficking and abuse cases. For privacy's sake I'll limit the details, but a brief conversation the mother of this special family taught me a whole lot about the true meaning of "Christ-like" love. And get this: one of their adopted daughters is about to leave on her mission! 

~

Friends to pray for:

- Norma: her wedding's this week and she's on date for baptism in July!

- Tilor: bad news is he got hit by a car and he's in a wheelchair for a while. Good news is he came to church anyways and brought his mom and sister too! Last Sunday was his mom's first time leaving the house in five years.

Back by popular demand, the songs of the week: 

"Brand New Colony" by The Postal Service

"Where Love Is" (General Conference 10/2021)

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/music-from-october-2021-general-conference/2021-10-where-love-is?lang=eng

Note: In my mission, we generally stick with hymns and music directly published/licensed by the Church. I throw a contemporary song or two in here every once in a while just cause they get stuck in my head, but for these two years it's hymns for me, baby. 

Google Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sk1refRidSszyYk7

~

Thought: "Small Acts of Service" by Spencer W. Kimball

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1974/12/small-acts-of-service?lang=eng

"Hell is frozen in self-pity." Service, on the other hand, is the ultimate defense against spiritual stagnation. God's commandments prevent human misery because, when we follow them, we turn outwards; we become instruments in Christ's hands to "clear a channel for the river of God's love."

“If we are not careful, we can be injured by the frostbite of frustration; we can be frozen in place by the chill of unmet expectations. To avoid this we must—just as we would with arctic coldness—keep moving, keep serving, and keep reaching out, so that our own immobility does not become our chief danger.”

So keep moving! Don't stop. Life is a race, but "taking a break" from daily personal prayer, daily study of the Book of Mormon, daily Christlike service to others is not like taking a water break. Don't take a breather from living your covenants. It could be spiritually fatal. 

 As in all things, Jesus Christ is our exemplar. His consistency of character throughout His life is a perfect example of how you and I can "live after the manner of happiness." We may not be perfect, but, thanks to our Savior and His Atonement, we can always be faithful. 

The Gospel works. Trust the process.

Love,

Elder Rigby

One Year! - Pierce City, Missouri

Hey all!

First off, shoutout to all my Rigby cousins at the beach right now! Love you guys! I miss you all so much but I've got Grandma and Grandpa Rigby helping me out here in Missouri so I'll be good. 

But yeah, week one in Pierce City! This place is way more rural then the other areas I've served, but the members of the Church here are totally amazing. Bringing members out to our lessons has never been easier, and someone has us over for dinner almost every day. Also, a crazy amount of them are from Gilbert, Chandler, or Mesa, AZ. Small world, right? 

 

And man, Elder Handley is a super interesting guy. He joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints three years ago, he came out on a mission despite opposition from his family, he's a state champion 300m hurdler, and he's a college graduate. Cool comp alert 

Side note: I think there was some kind of typo with the "we's" and "you's" in my email last week, but oh well. That'll happen.

~

Cool story from this week:

 Two days ago, we went to a random park in Purdy to study and, when we saw a lady sitting there alone, decided to sit nearby her. She called out to me by name when we got close and I recognized her as a lady Elder Fairchild and I had met in Monett a month earlier when she moved in with a new roommate. This lady had since been kicked out and was now homeless in a completely different town than I met her in and, naturally, we just happened to show up in the very moment she was pleading with God for whatever help He would give. 

 I testify that miracles really do happen. The Lord knows the complexities of His children's lives and trials. He knows yours, too. 

 We're meeting with our new friend in the park again tomorrow to follow up on her inspired decision to read and pray about the Book of Mormon. Please keep her in your prayers!

~

Hymn of the week: "I'll Go Where You Want Me to Go" (October 2016 General Conference)

This is my favorite version of my favorite hymn:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/music-from-october-2016-general-conference/2016-10-ill-go-where-you-want-me-to-go?lang=eng

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sk1refRidSszyYk7

Friends to pray for:

- Kent: His baptism is this Saturday! Please pray that he'll have the strength to stay away from cigarettes!

- Tilor: An awesome teenager I got to teach in Monett. He's 110% golden, but his domestic situation is just horrible right now. Please pray for him!

- Juanita: Our friend from the park in Purdy! Please pray for her as she reads and prays about the Book of Mormon and looks for a safe place to stay!

~

Thought:

“Our heavenly Father is more liberal in His views, and boundless in His mercies and blessings, than we are ready to believe or receive. … God does not look on sin with [the least degree of] allowance, but … the nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more we are disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls; we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders, and cast their sins behind our backs."

- Joseph Smith

Man, halfway there. Not really sure how I feel about that. This first year in the field has been so special to me. I don't really know how to put it into words, so I feel the best I can do is share my testimony.

Jesus Christ is everything to me. He is my Savior and my Healer, my song and my shepherd and my dearest friend. He is my shelter from the storm and the sunshine in my soul. 

Turn to Him for everything and He will give you everything. Exercise faith unto repentance and He will make you an instrument to bring your family home. Such is the privilege of a missionary.

Love,

Elder Rigby

Week 50 - Monett, Missouri

 Hey all!

Hope you're doing well. I would write you back individually if I could, but I hope this'll do for this week. 

 It's been a pretty good week, and while summer means the days are getting hotter and the bugs are getting buggier, it also means there are more people at home to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with and more daylight to be out sharing. The fireflies are always a nice bonus too.

 Stuff we did: 

- Transfer week! This time, I'll be saying goodbye to the promised land of Monett and heading next door to shotgun Pierce City, Missouri with Elder Handley! Plus, we were roommates for three months back in Bentonville, so this'll be nostalgic. 

- Found a chill couple and felt inspired to check how much they understood our lesson by having the wife teach her husband the whole story of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon and she taught him the whole lesson like a champ. Legendary. 

- Became a gameshow host for our brand-new Monett Victory Prep (MVP) training calls. Every Thursday night, we help our missionaries hone their skills through games, practices, and competitions, and to the victors go the spoils. In this case, that's Throw Throw Burrito, collectible bobbleheads of The Rock, a full-scale Lego Infinity Gauntlet, and four hundred pennies in a plastic bag.

~

Thought: 

"This is the great latter-day work of which we are a part. That is why we have missionaries; that is why we have temples—to bring the fullest blessings of the Atonement to faithful children of God. That is why we respond to our own calls from the Lord. When we comprehend His voluntary Atonement, any sense of sacrifice on our part becomes completely overshadowed by a profound sense of gratitude for the privilege of serving Him."

- Russell M. Nelson, "The Atonement"

 Jesus Christ is the source of all solace. We may have forgotten Him when you came here, but I testify that He has not forgotten you. Learn of Him, exercise faith unto repentance, and do the things you have seen Him do, and you will never be led astray. 

~

To the missionaries reading this:

For the one-and-a-half to two years you serve, your voice is amplified. Use this time to let your example be a converting influence in the lives of the people who are most dear to you. Send out some emails. Call your family on P-day. Write a letter once in a while. It's worth the effort.

(Super) cool speech: "Depending on the Lord: Gospel Insights from a Musician" by Ray Smith, a BYU saxophone professor and the director of BYU's premier jazz ensemble:

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/c-raymond-smith/depending-lord-gospel-insights-musician/#byu-header

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sk1refRidSszyYk7

~

Love, 

Elder Rigby

Week 49: The Last Dance - Monett, Missouri

 Hey all!

The time has come. It's Elder Fairchild's final full week in the mission, so we're gonna hit this town with all we've got. We've seen some awesome miracles in good ol' Monett this transfer, and I'm excited for what's on the horizon.

Right now, part of our calling is to challenge the misconception that the Monett Zone is...depresso. We want to help our fellow missionaries see what an incredible and unique blessing their time here can be. In order for this to happen, the same basic steps that are found in every conversion story need to be taken:

1) Faith in Jesus Christ and His Gospel

2) Obedience to His commandments and repentance when we fall short

3) Hard work with a good attitude

If there's one thing I've learned so far, it's that I am utterly dependent on God out here. Nothing happens without His help. It's like I'm a little kid and God lets me hold onto the steering wheel while He drives. The gathering of Israel operates 100% on renewable energy—the pure power and pure love of Jesus Christ. 

Moses 1:10

"...Now, for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed."

~

Here's some fun stuff that happened this week:

- found a cool guy from whose entire extended family is part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints back in Mexico City! He told us that two of his cousins are obispos and that his grandmother made him read the Book of Mormon when he lived with her as a boy one summer. He has tons of questions for us, so we're meeting with him tomorrow!

- found a couple who almost joined the Church back in the '90s but fell away for various reasons. The wife lost her faith in Christ completely as a result of the next church she went to, but now she desperately wants to believe in Him again. You let the right people in your house today, my friend. We're having dinner and a lesson with them tomorrow too. 

- stumbled across what might have been my very first garage sale on my mission after a full year of tracting (finding people to teach by going door-to-door) every Saturday. It was worth the wait though, because Elder Fairchild and I both got sweet Lego sets for ten bucks each. All it took was over two hours of washing musty legos. Worth.

- I've had a little bit of trouble sleeping this week and it was especially bad a few nights ago, but after pleading my case with the Lord and reading a chapter of the Book of Mormon, I slept like a rock for the rest of the night. My favorite verse from my 3am study was Helaman 5:41:

"41 And Aminadab said unto them: You must repent, and cry unto the voice, even until ye shall have faith in Christ, who was taught unto you by Alma, and Amulek, and Zeezrom; and when ye shall do this, the cloud of darkness shall be removed from overshadowing you."

~

Photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/2sk1refRidSszyYk7

(Christian) song of the week: "Trust" by Johnathan Ogden

Cool BYU speech: Finding Wonder In Remote Places by Janis Nuckolls

https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/janis-nuckolls/finding-wonder-in-remote-places/

~

Thought: "Sir, We Would Like to See Jesus" by Elder Robert. M Danes

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2023/10/13daines?lang=eng

Who is God? What does He look like? What is His personality?

It seems much easier to picture God as some amorphous, incomprehensible force of mercy and justice than it does to picture Him as our Father sometimes. I don't recall His face or remember the sound of His voice, and I don't yet comprehend all the reasons why He sent me here. I want to, though. I really, really do.

What I do know is that our Father in Heaven is more than just a divine rule-setter. He wants us to come to know Him for who He really is, so much so that He sent His Only Begotten Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to show us what He is like. 

There's far more I'd like to say about that statement than I have time to write and you have time to read, but to show how prolific this doctrine is throughout the entire standard works of scripture, here's a few references I found:

- Matt 7:22-23 (3 Nephi 14:21-23)

- Jeremiah 31:33-34

- Hosea 2:19-20

- 1 John 2:3-6

- Philippians 3:10

- 1 Nephi 22:25

- Mosiah 26:23-24

- Alma 6:6

and

John 17:3:

"And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ have bodies and personalities. Follow Jesus Christ, live His words, and share His Gospel, and you will come to know Them personally.

Love,

Elder Rigby