Week 62 - Fayetteville, Arkansas

Hey all!

I'm low on time so I'll jump straight into the week:

Mo Money Monett strikes again:

 Back in April, Elder Fairchild and I met and taught a sixteen-year-old boy named Tilor in Monett, Missouri. We didn't know how things would turn out with him after Elder Fairchild finished his mission and I got transferred to Pierce City, but...

 Flash forward to Monday and we got a call from the sister missionaries in Monett that Tilor had chosen to be baptized on Wednesday! It absolutely made my day to hear the news. We watched his baptism and confirmation over Zoom last night and wow, it was such a special experience. Plus, I got to say hi to some old mission buddies who went home a few transfers ago (shoutout to my boys Ryan and Brigham!)

 Tilor's had a hard, hard life, but he is so full of charity to his family and loved ones. His choice to follow God and love His children despite all the opposition in his life is sure evidence to me that Lord always comes through.

Transfers: 

I'll be staying in the Fayetteville YSA (UArk college congregation) for another transfer with good ol' Elder Foster so we'll both still be here for our friend Marli's baptism this Sunday!

Razorbacks International: 

One of our friends we're teaching recently came to America from China and speaks mostly Mandarin but lucky for us, my pal Sister Fugal knows Mandarin and she and my other pal Sister Holding just happened to be down here in Fayetteville all the way from Lake Ozark, Missouri exactly when we were hoping to teach our friend. They popped in for the lesson and it was so cool getting to feel the Spirit even when I had absolutely zero idea what either of them were saying. Good stuff 

Canine therapy: 

Charlie will always be the #1 goodest boy but Lupe the chocolate lab makes a good substitute. We have dinner with an older couple in the family congregation every Monday and let me tell ya, there's not much that makes me happier than getting to pet a labrador.

A favor: 

One of my buddies from the Fayetteville YSA named Harrison just left on his mission to the Philippines this week and has been having a pretty hard time his first few days in the MTC. Would you all be willing to keep him in your prayers please? He's an awesome guy and one of my good friends, so I'd really appreciate it.

~

Song of the week: "Ebon Coast" by Andy Mckee

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

Give it a read: Doctrine and Covenants 67

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/67?lang=eng

Scripture of the week: Micah 6:8

He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

~

 I felt the Holy Spirit in all these experiences and I hope you did too as you read about them. I am so grateful for the opportunity I have to be serving a mission for my Savior. I promise you that as you choose to make and keep covenants with Jesus Christ that you will always be able to feel what the Paul called "the peace of God...which passeth all understanding."

Love, 

Elder Rigby

Elder Fairchild and Tilor

The Lake Ozark Sisters and us after our lesson with Zhilin

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

Week 48 - Monett, Missouri

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

Hey all!

Not a lot of time this week but I at least wanted to write something. This week has been a rollercoaster in so many ways. Here's some stuff we've been up to:

- MLC! Learned a ton from the powerful workshops from President and Sister Collins and the APs, then grubbed with some of the Monett vets at lunch. It's crazy how many missionaries I'm friends with that have served in my current area at some point or another. 

- Bentonville and Rogers got totally trashed by a tornado this week. It was so weird driving through my old area on the way to MLC and seeing trees down and wreckage everywhere. 

- Took the most gorgeous one-lane road through the Ozarks back to Monett from Bentonville and felt like I was on the Cars ride but it was actually real. W.

- Went back to that Church-member-owned trading card store and pulled this crazy hundred-dollar Pokémon card from a cheap booster pack. That one's not super spiritual, I know, but hey, it was a tender mercy. It counts.

- Went on an exchange with Elder Wasden, a missionary Elder Bigelow (one of my past companions) is training right now! He's such a cheerful, friendly guy. We had a great day together and I know he's gonna go far as a missionary.

~

Thought: why does God cut us down sometimes?

This is a video based off of one of my all-time favorite stories, "The Currant Bush." It's based off of Elder D. Todd Christofferson's April 2011 talk "'As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten"” which itself was based off of Elder Hugh B. Brown's BYU devotional entitled "God is the Gardener." Both messages are fantastic, and if you love this story then I'd invite you to study them both.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/video/inspirational-messages/2012-01-014-the-will-of-god?lang=eng

God always delivers His people. Stick with Him until the end and you'll be so, so glad you did.

Love,

Elder Rigby

Week 47: I almost died - Monett, Missouri

 A lesson in promptings from the Holy Spirit:

Me: "Man, I gotta use the bathroom but there's nothing for miles out here. Guess that silo in the field over there isn't a bad spot."

Voice in my head: "There's a snake in that field. Don't go in there."

Me: "What? ...Nah, I'm just being paranoid."

Voice: "No, there's definitely a snake in that field."

Me: "That's crazy talk. I'm gonna go walk through the field."

Voice: "Bad idea."

Me: "Oh well."

*thirty seconds later*

Huge black snake right in front of me: "Hey."

~

Hey all!

Week three in Monett and I'm still alive. We've seen a lot of cool miracles here lately, one of the coolest being that our friend Tyler accepted a date to be baptized on June 22nd! Please pray for him as he's preparing to take this step towards the Savior.

I went on two back fo back exchanges this week! The first was with Elder Ceb, my trainer from way back when and now one of our fearless APs. We found some cool new people to teach and had the most nostalgic day ever. Love ya Elder Ceb.

The second exchange was with Elder Evans out in Lamar, Missouri, and we saw some crazy stuff out there. First off, their apartment is totally infested with brown recluses. Not fun. After our arachnaphobic sleepover, though, things turned way better. From miraculously finding one lady after being prompted to drive a half an hour out of our way to finding another dude in a torrential downpour to going Walmart public contacting for our first time ever and finding a super humble lady there, our day was bonkers in the best kind of way. Plus, we almost got struck by lightning. That'll happen out here.

Other than that, here's some fun stuff:

- Set up a booth at the local farmer's market and a random guy bought us a huge plate of cookies so we shared with the Jehovah's Witnesses 

- some Church members in Monett own a trading card shop so we visit on pdays pretty often. Elder Fairchild bought a deck for Magic: the Gathering and the kid running the store comes out to lessons with us sometimes so he gave him like seventy bucks worth of free stuff. W youth. 

~

Thought:

"Yes, but not right now." I've been thinking a lot about that line from The Inconvenient Messiah lately, and I feel it's helped me gain greater insight in my pursuit of self-mastery.

I used to say "no" to half the thoughts in my head and it drove me crazy feeling constant guilt over things when they weren't bad at all—the timing just wasn't right. Now, I see the blessing that it is to show God I'm willing to put him first. If the ability to wait is as important as I believe it is, then thank goodness that our Heavenly Father is merciful enough to help us to grow it. 

So yes, I'd like to head to the movies sometime; yes, I'm down to play some Mario Kart; yes, I wouldn't mind a nice, long nap—just not right now. Not while I'm on the Lord's time. I can endure waiting for those things because I know that as I turn Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit, Jesus Christ will help me do it.

James 1:2-4; 5:11:

"My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."

"Behold, we count them happy which endure."

~

Hymn of the week: found it! Here's a recording of that song I wrote about last week:

https://uk.churchofjesuschrist.org/2022-how-can-i-keep-from-singing-the-tabernacle-choir-at-temple-square

Cool sermon: Exercising Our Spiritual Muscles by Elder Juan Pablo Villar. Wanna hear a cool conversion story? Listen to Elder Villar's. 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2019/04/52villar?lang=eng

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

~

Jesus Christ is real! He knows you. Following His Gospel is the way to come to know Him. 

Love,

Elder Rigby

Week 46 - Monett, Missouri

Hey all!

Week two in Monett! It's been an adjustment for sure, but God has so much in store for this little town. He's taught me a ton already through my experiences with Elder Fairchild and the good people of southwest Missouri. 

I hadn't realized it before, but I think I got kinda Cookie Monster about missionary work at some point. "Me want find new people NOW! Me want convert baptism NOW!" type deal. To that end, Elder Fairchild's been an awesome example of patience for me. Sometimes, being a successful missionary means being active in our waiting.

Doctrine and Covenants 123:17:

"Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed."

~

Cool stuff this week:

- Mother's Day! I love you, Mom. Thanks to all the other "moms" in my life who have been there for me too. You're awesome.

-  Me and three other Elders in my district got asked to sing "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" in an a capella quartet for zone conference this Friday! Wish us luck. 

- Met a bunch of cool people from Burma/Myanmar that all moved to Monett for work. One guy we talked to actually messaged a bunch with some Karen-speaking missionaries in Minnesota over Facebook, so he might pull up to church this Sunday!

- a member family's dog followed us around this neighborhood we tracted and we found a lady while the members' dog peed on her porch. MPL? 

~

Alma 26:3

Thought: "How Can I Keep From Singing?"

I know I said I wasn't gonna do a song of the week anymore, but man, I just love music so much. I'll make it a hymn/Christian song from now on though. 

Anyways, I had a million different plans all going for what I could write about for this week's thought, but when I thought back to this song I felt prompted that this was what I needed to share. Honestly, I've only heard "How Can I Keep From Singing" once, but man, Isaiah 12:2/2 Nephi 22:2 deserves a callback for this one. The minute it came on the Church radio station, I knew this song was a message from my Heavenly Father of how much He truly cares. And, when we express our gratitude like this song does, we show God how much we care about Him too.

I don't have a recording, but look it up if you can! I promise it'll brighten your spirits like it did mine. 

~

"My life flows on in endless song;

Above earth's lamentation,

I catch the sweet, though far-off hymn

That hails a new creation;

Through all the tumult and the strife

I hear the music ringing;

It finds an echo in my soul—

How can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?

The Lord my Saviour liveth;

What though the darkness gather round?

Songs in the night he giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm

While to that refuge clinging;

Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth,

How can I keep from singing?

I lift my eyes; the cloud grows thin;

I see the blue above it;

And day by day this pathway smooths,

Since first I learned to love it,

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,

A fountain ever springing;

All things are mine since I am his—

How can I keep from singing?"

~

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

Cool talk: "Continue in Patience" by Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2010/04/continue-in-patience?lang=eng

My new address is 107 Circle Dr Unit A, Monett, MO 65708! I love writing letters, so send me your address and I'll try to mail you one soon. 

Love,

Elder Rigby

Week 45 - Monett, Missouri

 Hey all!

Week one in Missouri! 

~

 

Flashpoint: Monett is like a parallel-universe Bentonville. If Bentonville didn't have the insane cash flow it gets from Walmart, it would be Monett. Also, a solid one-third of the town speaks Spanish and we have no Spanish missionaries for forty-five minutes, so we'll take any creative ideas we can get for how we can help these folks receive the restored Gospel en español.

The fairest of them all: My new companion, Elder Fairchild, is a great guy. He's temperate and soft-spoken and we get along well. He's on his last transfer before he finishes his mission, so I'll be killing him off (mission slang) in five weeks. 

Duplex lords: man, we're spoiled here. For unknown reasons way too convenient for us to question, we two Elders get to live in a three-bedroom two-bathroom duplex directly across the street from our local church building. Shame we're never in it cause we're always out working 

That'll happen: well, apparently some kind of tornado or high winds blew past a quarter mile away from us today. From what we've heard so far, the worst of it in our town was a few trees knocked down and a clean hole punched in the local McDonald's sign, but it sounds like some other areas got hit pretty hard. 

Victory for the dodgeball boys : good news - all three of the teenagers we'd been bringing to youth night in Fort Smith are getting baptized this Saturday! Please pray for them as they're preparing to make this special promise with God. 

~

Thought: The Sabbath Day.

Following last week's theme of promising blessings, I took a page out of Elder Shields' book and made a quick list of the blessings God promises us for keeping the Sabbath Day holy. Here's what I found in a few minutes:

"Make the Sabbath a delight," and you will...

(Isaiah 58:14)

- delight yourself in the Lord

- be caused to ride upon the high places of the earth

- be fed with the heritage of Jacob thy father

(Doctrine and Covenants 59:13)

- experience fuller joy

- be more fully kept unspotted from the world

(Preach My Gospel: a Guide to Sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ)

- feel joy and peace

- be spiritually nourished

- be physically refreshed

- feel closer to God

- build a deeper relationship with the Savior

(3 Nephi 18:12)

- be built upon His rock

(Doctrine and Covenants 59:16-21)

- receive the fulness of the earth

~

In conclusion, come to church. Look for Jesus Christ there. Also, please invite all your friends to come with you. I promise it will always be worth it.

~

Song of the Week: I follow the missionary music standards, but thinking up a song that I liked back home every week is starting to get a little distracting. I'm probably gonna discontinue this one for consecration's sake.

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

~

Love you all! God is real and good.

- Elder Rigby