Aunty Erika (late post)

Erika was due to leave for mission on November 10th. She was due to be an aunt on November 9th. As you can imagine, she was hoping for some possibility of being able to hold and personally meet the baby. Well, her wish came true. Kate Emi was born on November 4th and Erika was able to drive down to San Antonio to meet her on November 5th. Before she left San Antonio on November 6th, Erika left her love behind for Kate by washing all of her new received clothes and hanging them all up in Kate's closet.

First E-mail from the Missionary Training Center

Sister Erika Riggs is in full swing. She has already learned to pray and bare her testimony in Portuguese. She is very grateful that she took Spanish classes in school.

The missionaries normally get up every morning at 6:30 a.m. However, Erika gets up at 6:00 a.m. because her companions (yes, she has 2) want to attend special gym instructions for sisters only. Her companions are Sister Knudsen and Sister Kessler.

She has already run into several people that she knows. Elizabeth, Erika has seen your brother!!!

Unfortunately, protocols for vaccination is slightly different than what I went by when I worked as a nurse. Erika had to get two more shots in the MTC. Sorry, Erika!

First Leg of Erika's Mission -- Texas to Utah

We all got up early to escort Erika to the airport. She did great. Her luggage were under 50 pounds!!! . . . . 42 lbs and 49 lbs. . . . .way to go, Erika!!! I am determined to cherish the hug she gave me. . . it needs to last 18 months!! I am so pleased with her decision to serve the Lord. Thank you to her wonderful friends who picked her up the airport in Utah and brought her to the Missionary Training Center. Natalie wrote to me: "Erika looked beautiful yesterday when we dropped her off at the MTC. She seemed so ready and excited to be there." I can hardly wait to receive her first letter/email to me!! (Sorry, in all the excitement I forgot to bring my camera to the airport. . .)

Missionary Models

This is Sister Riggs' mom and I will be updating the blog for the next 18 months.

There were a lot of requests to see the outfits Erika will be wearing on her mission. The dress code is strict for all church missionaries: skirts need to be between mid-calf and ankle length, blouses need to be modest in style and conservative in color. After talking to several returned sister missionaries, they all gave Erika the same advice, "Just because you're a missionary doesn't mean you can't dress cute." She and her sister Jennae really followed this advice as we all went shopping for her clothes. Erika and Jennae had fun modeling a few of her outfits.

The jumper dress she sewed herself!

Oh Provo...

I got to visit Provo for Halloween and spend time with some pretty amazing people. I am so grateful for the example and encouragement of friends especially my mezz girls. I've lived with these girls for the past three years and they're what makes BYU home. They've seen me at my very best and through my very worst and I am so blessed to have them in my life. Saying goodbye was hard...and I know it's going to get harder still once I have to cut off contact with them. I'm going to turn into one of those missionaries that waits @ the door for the mailman, only I'm not expecting letters from a boy; I'll be expecting letters from my mezzanine girls.  

I flew out of Salt Lake Monday morning and said goodbye to Utah for the next year and a half...or so I thought. As it turns out, my Visa's chances of arriving on time are pretty much nonexistent, and when I got home there was an email waiting for me saying I needed to have my flight changed because I am now reporting to the Provo MTC (Missionary Training Center). Well, Provo here I come...again!

Vive La Visa

Here's a visa update:

 I sent in all my paper work in the beginning of August and have been waiting for my visa to come in the mail. Two months later, a letter DID come in the mail for me and it WAS about my visa...but it was only saying that Brazil changed their procedures for missionary visa applications and I had to resubmit using an online program...GAH! So I overnighted my new application and have my fingers crossed that this new process will speed things up. 

If my visa doesn't get here on time, I will be reporting to the Provo MTC until it comes in...which means I would be able to see Elizabeth! Look for the good in all things right? :)

1 month and counting

I report to the Brazil Missionary Training Center (MTC) on November 11...meaning I report exactly one month from today. I leave the states exactly one month from yesterday. The countdown of days has begun and after waiting over 4 months, I am both excited and terrified to finally reach this marker. My checklist of things I need to do before I leave is getting shorter and shorter.

Two weeks ago I gave my mission farewell talk. My topic was "Who is my neighbor?" It was a surprisingly difficult talk to write, and I had to take a one word answer..."everyone"... and speak for 12-15 minutes! Heavenly Father really helped me with that one and while studying my scriptures I titled my talk "The four little word question" and then went through my personal steps on how to answer that question.

Speaking of scriptures, I completed one of my personal goals I started when I submitted my mission papers. I wanted to read the entire Book of Mormon again before I left on my mission and today I finished! I love the Book of Mormon! It is the reason I will be serving this mission and what I will be sharing with the people of Brazil. It is truly another testament of Christ's love for all of His children and is the means through which so many of my prayers have been answered.