We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.‏ March 30, 2015

Dear Family and Friends, 

I am grateful for Jesus Christ. I am grateful for the Gospel He restored. I'm grateful for prophets who teach it. I am grateful we have a prophet today. I am grateful Easter is this weekend and we can celebrate, that Christ lives- and because He lives, our lives can be joyful. 

​I want to talk about some things this week that brought me and others joy.

Arcenio: This week, Arcenio realized that reading the scriptures brings us joy. Reading is not easy for him and he doesn't like to do it. He actually dropped out of college because of how difficult it is for him. We started texting him short passages of The Book of Mormon this week and on Saturday, he was out doing yard work and told us to swing by. He told us "I actually read the text you sent me!" haha. But there is a noticeable difference. We are more joyful, when we read the scriptures.

Sometimes, as a missionary, you bike around in the heat for hours, and there is no one who wants to talk to you or answer your calls. But you know what makes you joyful? Still trying.

This is Jolette. She is 9 years old and comes from an amazing family that I adore. She is also afraid of the water. Fortunately, I spent the last 5 years of my life working with children who have a fear of the water. We are helping her prepare for baptism. We can be joyful knowing that God puts us in the right place, at the right time.

Ramon passed me the Sacrament this Sunday for the first time. All the little steps in the Gospel, make us joyful.

And more than anything, choosing to believe, makes us joyful.

God does not want us to merely survive. He does not want us to just have a "C average" life, so to speak. He commands us to be perfect. And we can do that through Jesus Christ. 

He loves us. He wants the very best for us. 

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

Romans 8:35 and 37

I hope we can all be more than conquerors, through Jesus Christ. I know He lives. I know He loves us. 

-Hermana Ries

p.s. tune into #LDSconf this weekend!!!! It's gunna be so good!!!!! https://www.lds.org/general-conference?lang=eng