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| Fun Bus |
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| Elder McClure's Release Letter: "It's official" |
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| Last Visit to the Mexico City Temple |
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| Christmas Spirit |
I love this season of thankfulness, of joy and of
lots of food eating. To be honest … over
the years I’ve come to find that I love Thanksgiving more than any other
holiday and it’s not just for Black Friday that comes afterward. With it being less than a week away from
being gran’ ol’ Thanksgiving, I’d like to say some thank yous. Starting with my parents who were so patient
for 18 years hoping that one day I would make my own decision and decide to
come on the mission. Obviously if it
wasn’t for them I wouldn’t be here. But
I can tell you how over these past 2 years I’ve learned that Mom and Dad are
just about always right. Before the
mission I would have denied that fact with all my energy and soul … but the
mission has really humbled me and opened my eyes. My parents are not perfect, but they are
pretty close. So thank you,
parents! You’re the best!
Also, thank you Dave, Erin, Shawn, Brennan, Kacie,
Carson, Emma, and Joely for being my family who I have been able to trust and confide
in. Each one of you has played an
important part in helping me discover who I really am. Thank you, friends and neighbors, youth leaders
and teachers, all you who coached me and taught me and spent time with me and
have written me during these 2 years.
Thank you for your prayers and support and friendship that will last
more than this lifetime.
Thank you to all the members here in Mexico who went
with us to teach our investigators, be a friend to them, help us do ward
activities and make others feel welcome.
Thank you for your time and love.
Missionary work wouldn’t exist without you. Thank you to my converts for putting up with
me in your houses as I’ve struggled to teach you gospel truths in Chafa Spanish. Thank you to my
companions who were with me 24/7 and worked hard with me preaching the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. And, thank you Presidente y Hermana Valadez and
President and Sister Mecham for being my mission parents and guiding me with
love as I have been a representative of Jesus Christ and sought to do His
will. Thank you to all of you for
playing a role in my life up until this point.
I am who I am thanks to you, and truly I am very grateful.
As bittersweet as it is, I am very excited to be
returning home after serving a 2-year full-time mission for The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints. My time
here in Mexico has been eye opening and very rewarding. It truly has been one of the greatest
blessings in my life to be able to serve as a representative of Jesus
Christ. I have worked the hot dusty
streets in the southern part of Mexico City preaching the Restored Gospel of
Jesus Christ to all in my path. I have
witnessed miracles and great changes as these beautiful Mexican people have
listened to and experimented upon the message we as missionaries bring. I have
seen hope restored, faith increased, and families healed through the atoning
sacrifice of the Lord. I, too, have
witnessed a great change in myself as I have applied all that I have taught in
my own life. I am still me, Riley
McClure, but I have been changed and have felt to “sing the song of redeeming
love”. The experiences from my mission
are very sacred to me and I will forever hold them close to my heart. As this era in my life comes to a close, my
missionary spirit will continue on. I
will forever seek to be an instrument in the hands of the Lord.
The Book of Alma, Chapter 29
O that I were an angel,
and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the
trump of God, with a voice to shake the
earth, and cry repentance unto every people!
Yea, I would declare
unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of
redemption, that they should repent and come unto our God, that there might not
be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.
But behold, I am a man,
and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord
hath allotted unto me.
I know that which the
Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I
glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that
perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to
repentance; and this is my joy.
And behold, when I see
many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is
my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea,
even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm
which he extended towards me.
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| Saying Good-bye |
This
is the final email from Mexico, but we will post another entry with photos of
Riley’s homecoming next week.
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