December 12th, 2011

So Colorado is doing wonderful.  We're actually in the ghetto part of town since we're Spanish speaking but the funny thing is is that it reminds me of Chula Vista.  Seriously, I feel like I'm at home because there's just tons of taco shops everywhere and little houses with random colors painted on it.  It's still freezing here but it hasn't snowed in a week, thankfully.  The roads are still icy and we hate it because we slip every other step....so scary but it's not scary in the car so we're good.  There's geese EVERYWHERE....it's like pigeons in San Diego except these birds are huge.  Anyways enough about random stuff.  The work is going great.  We actually saw alot of miracles this week...the Lord really has blessed us.  We;re having a hard time finding new investigators so on Wednesday we had a fast for it.  It was a pretty slow day and it was 8 at night (the hour we kind of dread because we feel bad it's "late").  We had plans to see a family but last minute Hermana Thomas told me that we should go visit Juana (who wasn't in our plans) who was an old investigator.  Well we went to go visit and she invited us in and we taught her about the importance of reading the scriptures and she said she was interested in hearing more so she was a miracle for the day.  The next day we went to go visit Theresa who we taught lesson 1 (the restoration) last week.  We extended the baptismal invitation and she said no but I felt the Spirit telling me to tell her to read 3 Nephi 11.  So when we came to visit her, we followed up and asked her how her reading went.  She said she loved it and that the chapter was a baptismal invitation and she wants to get baptized but she doesn't know when but she wants to prepare.  WHAT?!?! We were blown away.  I mean, I knew she had the potential to be baptized (like everyone does) but we were not expecting that.  Such a tender mercy.  So this week we'll be extending her her baptism date for January 8th.  Love it!  She even came to church yesterday and stayed all three hours.  She even took notes of all the scriptures that were mentioned in the lessons so she could study by herself.  She is AWESOME.  It was a bit nerve racking since it was testimony meeting and then for Gospel Principles and Relief Society they taught about the Spirit world and the final judgement....seriously?? talk about being straight forward and scare people off but thankfully she liked it alot and she said that alot of her doubts were answered.  Sooo great!  
  So after we taught her, we went to go visit a couple of referrals that we received.  A woman answered and let us in and we talked about prayer and how the Gospel can help strengthen her family.  Her daughter has a cleff lip and will be going through major surgery soon.  So she said she wanted us to come back and her husband is interested too.  Yay a family!  ANOTHER tender mercy.  So of course we said a thank you prayer to Heavenly Father.  We taught the Limones family (a less active family) and we taught them the importance of praying out loud.  The husband does NOT like to pray but we taught out of Joseph Smith History where it said that Joseph Smith felt anxiety when he prayed but if he had never done it, we would have never had the blessing of the restoration.  It was all becase of his sincere prayer.  We all knelt and said we'd each say a prayer so the husband wouldn't feel uncomfortable...well....he actually said a prayer!  How awesome, right?  It was all Heavenly Father.  I know it because it's His work.   
  The members really are great...so kind...so loving and always willing to feed us.  I feel like they're all related to me.  It really does feel like home.  Hermana Thomas and I are still trying to learn how to teach with eachother.  I'm still not comfortable in Spanish and she doesn't like akward silences...well they aren't awkward, they are just silences but she feels awkward so she doesn't pass it on to me.  So it's just weird but we really are aware of it and we're trying to be better at it.  Last week our numbers were horrible but this week we had alot of success.  Not necessarily in numbers but our attitudes changed.  Hermana Thomas was just worried to be a trainer and also for the area because all her investigators were baptized so we didn't have any after.  And all last week I felt like we knocked on doors and noone answered for us, so I kind of felt uneasy because I didn't want my whole mission to be like that.  So to say the least, our hope was lacking.  So we decided as a companionship to pick a Christlike attribute for the week and focus on it.  We write scriptures of that attribute each day of our planners to remind us.  So for Weekly Planning, we changed our attitudes and our desire changed as well.  It's amazing how much desire and hope can do for the work.  We saw major miracles and we are eternally grateful for them.  The Denver 1st ward is going to be booming!  We have faith and hope in it.  I'm grateful for my companion, for the ward and for the opportunities the Lord has blessed me with.  I love you all and hope you're staying safe.

December 5th, 2011

Hola familia!

My trip to Colorado was short but awesome.  Awesome because me and my companion (a English sister) were sitting on the plane waiting for everyone to load up.  We noticed that there was an empty seat between us so we were wondering if another missionary was going to sit between us or not so we were trying to see who our "victim" would be.  It ended up being a random girl around our age and she was visiting her brother for Thanksgiving in Salt Lake.  We jus talked about like for the first 35 minutes but we somehow got to talking about the church and we totally taught the Plan of Salvation to her...pamphlet and all.  We gave it to her and gave her a Mormon.org card so she can check it more.  She was really receptive and nice.  Who knows what effect we had on her but I hope down the road it will help her.  We found out later when we got off the plane that her parents were sitting infront of us and they're pastors in the Baptist church...haha oooooops.  But anyways we got off and got to meet President and Sister Maynes.  I knew it was a pivatol (spelled that wrong whatever) moment so I tried to look the best I could and right when I gave my handshake, the first thing he said to me wasn't hi, or how are you or anything but he looked in my eyes and said "we need you." Then he shook my hand and that was it.  I really felt the spirit.  The rest of the day we had an orientation about our cars, cleaning, etc.  It was sooo hard to stay awake but I had woken up at 2:30 in the morning but it was soo nice to be able to sleep in a real bed and have a nice hot shower by yourself.  I forgot what that was like.  I loved their house, I felt super comfortable. 

  The next day was transfers meeting and I met my new companion/ trainer.  Her name is Hermana Thomas and she is from Las Vegas.  She's been out for a year (on Thursday).  She's awesome at Spanish and she makes me feel comfortable so I'm grateful President Maynes blessed me with a great companion.  It's always nerve racking to meet your new companion.  We are serving in the Lakewood stake in the Denver 1st ward. She's actually been serving in this ward for her entire mission, crazy huh?  So all the members love her.  We seriously have dinner every night with members.  They love us...they are all soooo nice.  They all remind me of Nana.  And they cook amazingly (except when we had to eat seafood soup...ugggh) but i'm not use to MExican food anymore...weird right?  I have massive stomach aches every time I eat at a members house.  According to a little old lady she says I eat like a bird and I'm anorexic...WHAT?!? First time I've ever been called that.  It's because I ate a whole carne with like 5 scoops of rice AND a quesadilla. but I couldn't eat 5 scoops of ice cream after.  They just LOVE feeding us til we can't breathe.  And I'm serious about that.  So if the missionaries don't want seconds, it doesn't mean they don't like it, you just served them tons!! I totally know how it feels now.  So don't pressure the missionaries, NANA. haha but we are soo grateful for members feeding us. 

  I taught my first lesson last wednesday on the Restoration.  to an investigator named Theresa.  She bore a poweful testimony of Christ and when my companion recited the first vision, I felt the Spirit so strongly.  We extended to baptismal invite but she said she doesn't see the importance of baptism but she wants to know more.  As we extended our commitment to her, before we could even finish, she said SI CLARO QUE SI!  So I'm really hopeful of her.  We'll see her this week.  We talk to alot to less actives.  Most of them don't like opening the door for us but its okay.  It snowed last Thursday and its been freezing since!  It literally hurts my face when we walk but honestly I love it.  I love it because I know what I'm doing is true.  I would do anything to make the work progress.  I just hope people we contact can feel that.  They are always surprise when they see us at their doorsteps and ask us "you still work in the snow??" yup! we still do. 

  We had a general authority do a mission tour this weekend.  His name is Elder WIlson of the 70.  So we had zone conference with him yesterday and it was soo cool to be edified for 8 hours and be on a personal level with him.  It was definitely been the answer to my prayers because I've been struggingly with feeling confident in myself.  Mostly in my Spanish...my companion says that its great but I don't feel like it so I feel embarassed and don't talk.  It's an ongoing battle but we had a segment in zone conference about opening your mouth.  It really hit home and its something I need to have faith in the Lord with.  So it's my goal :)  We had stake conference this Sunday so it was a bit overwhelming at first but everyone is soo nice.  I really like the ward/stake.  Anyways I'll try to send pictures soon.  I love the Gospel, the work and the Lord.  So don't worry about me freezing my buns off.  It's awesome.  Here's my new address:

7160 W Cedar Avenue Apt 1

Lakewood, CO 80226

So send me letters and packages :) hehe.  I love you all lots.  You're the best and you're in my prayers.

A Couple Weeks to Go...

Hola....

So I have about a week and a half left of being here at the MTC.  We should be getting our travel plans either tonight or tomorrow.  I'm so excited but so sad to leave my district.  I seriously love them so much.  We did the math and approx. 600 hours (or more) we've spent together.  Crazy, right?  I feel like I've known them my whole life!  I found out that my branch president knows my mission president! They are dear friends and both worked for CES as institute instructors here in Utah.  He said that he's a gem and one of the greatest people he's ever met (which is a big deal because my branch president is good friends with some of the apostles).  So it makes it that more exciting to finally meet him!  My branch president has a scripture for EVERYTHING....seriously he knows the scriptures inside and out.  It's amazing.  He's taught me so much and most of it through casual conversation.  I love the spirit here so much.  Three more elders were added to our district because their visas didn''t get in.  They actually happen to be our zone leaders so they hopefully get their travel plans tomorrow too.  They were in the 6 week program but it'll probably end up being 9.  Poor things.  They''re all going to Mexico so I try to teach them all that I know...which isn''t much.  I know...I''m a disappointment. It''s distracting to being writing this because there are chinese speaking elders in the computer lab right now and they keep shouting random sounds (which are apparently suppose to be words) so I feel like I''m in Asia right now. Nice.

      This week we had Brother Heaton talk (again) at Sunday night devotional and it was about tithing (again).  He said he's never repeated a talk ever but he felt really prompted to give the same talk again.  He said if we wanted our converts to be long time faithful members of the church, they HAVE to be honest tithe payers.  So it''s crucial as missionaries to really stress and teach clearly the law of tithing.  It's not about the money but it's about the faith in Heavenly Father.  I know if we all pay our tithing that the windows of heaven will be poured out upon us.  Miracles happen, I have witnessed it in my life.  I actually taught the law of tithing to our investigator this past week and shared an experience that I had with tithing.  You could tell the Spirit testified to her the importance of this ancient divine law and she fully committed.  Tithing is a privilege.  Please have faith in Heavenly Father when you pay your tithing.  I promise you'll gain a testimony of it.  I'm grateful that I have a strong testimony of each principle of the Gospel.  Was it easy? Of course not but as I showed faith, Heavenly Father definitely showed me that he does not break his promises.  Just trust in him! It''s no wonder that faith is the first principle of the Gospel.  Anyways I have to go now.  I love and miss you all.  I''ll write as much as I can, I''m just a little backed up...but I appreciate your letters!  I''ll let you know next week when I leave! Amo!

ps.

totally forgot thanksgiving is this week....eat lots of good food for me...i''m kind of nervous what we''re gonna eat here.  blah. oh well i heard they treat the missionaries very well here during holidays so no worries.

Shame on me

This is Jackie talking. I forgot to post her last weeks email. So this post has two emails from Sis. Ruiz. I'm so sorry to all her stalker fans!

Buenos dias!

Let me just say, time is going by so fast....I feel like I just emailed you yesterday.  This week has been going great. Sister Dalton (General President of the Young Woman's program) came and spoke on Sunday during Relief Society...it was the best talk I've heard so far in the MTC.  She was definitely the answer to my prayer and I'm grateful for her faithful example.  We celebrated (as much as we could) halloween on Monday.  All the sisters in my district wore ties (that we borrowed from the Elders) and we were Elders.  Creative, right?  Except I like to think I looked like the 5th member of The Beatles (with my haircut).  Anywho we went "dressed up" until after lunch where Brother Heaton (the adminstrator of the MTC or some important guy like that) told us it wasnt appropriate to wear ties on Halloween but we can wear ties any other days.  WHAT?!? Why would we wear ties on an other day other than halloween?? We were all confused so we just took them off.  We did get alot of compliments though so I guess that's good.  I don't have much to write since my days here are pretty repetitive and it's hard to remember what I did because I forgot to bring my journal with me.  I do have my schedule though and I wanted to share it just so you know what I do on a daily basis because not alot of people know what goes on at the MTC (unless you're an RM).  A regular day is as followed:

6:30- Arise and prepare (except I get up at 6 because theres a billion girls in the morning trying to take showers)

7:00-7:40- Personal Study Time (we can study the scriptures, preach my gospel, etc. in the classroom)

7:40- Breakfast

8:10-9:10- Personal Study Time (again)

9:15-12:15- Classroom instruction (This is where one of our teacher comes in for three hours...either Hermana De Leon or Hermano Tidwell.  This is the time we teach our "investigators" for an hour, then the second hour we usually do grammar or learning a specific skill that would help our investigators progress or we read the Book of Mormon outloud as a class.  It varies each class time)

12:15- Lunch

1:00-4:00- Classroom Instruction (another 3 hours with our teacher)

4:00-5:00- Language Study (pretty self explanatory, no?)

5:15- Dinner

6:20-7:10- GYM time

7:45-8:45- TALL (a computer program that helps us with our language study)

9:00-9:30- Daily Planning Session (we plan for the next day as a companionship and discuss the things we need to work on etc)

9:30-10:30- Personal time (to prepare for bed), Companionship Prayer and Bedtime!

The days vary...sometimes we have gym time in the morning or in the afternoon and Tuesdays we have devotional and Thursdays are our pdays so we only have one class those days.  Then Sunday is a completely different schedule since it's the Sabbath.  So as you can see, they keep us pretty busy but you are constantly reminded how important the work is and what a privilege it is to be at the MTC, and it definitely is.  We're still adjusting to being a trio, it's a little harder to teach with 2 companions but it's okay, we're working at it.  Sister Dalton said "If you're not being tried, then you aren't progressing" It was something I really needed to hear because it can get difficult at times but you also have to remind yourself that trials are a part of life and they're blessings in disguise.  I promise I'll write more next week.  Szandra Boleska, I am getting your letters and thank you sooo much! I just don't know how much postage costs for Switzerland or where ever you are.  Jacko, thank you so much for your letters...I am getting them, I'm just so busy on Pdays but I hope you got the ones I wrote last week.  Cam, thank you so much for the halloween card!  I'll write you.  Mole, I'll write you too...tell deegs thanks for the orange drawing!  Everyone else, I'll write back to you today!  I promise.  Thank you all for your letters.  Mail really does brighten up a missionaries day.  Sorry to all your RM's that I never wrote back to....totally know how it feels now.  My bad.  Oh! and Tia Mary!! The pumpkin bread was THE BEST!!!! I LOVED it! Thank you so much...I love my little zelayas.  Tell Nana that I did get her letters! They were an answer to my prayer.  Tell her I love and miss her and I'll write her today too.  I miss San Diego weather right now....forreals I'm freezing here and it hasn't even snowed yet.  My companion (since she's from Colorado) told me that her Dad said they just had 8 inches of snow.  NOOOOOO.  Dang it.  It's okay because I know there's people out there waiting for me there and apparently need to hear my testimony in Spanish.  Well I love you all and you're all in my prayers.  I leave here in 3 weeks...I'm gonna be a real missionary in 3 weeks (sometimes I feel like I'm not a missionary since it's the MTC) but I'm excited! Till next week, adios!

Con amor,

Hola!

So I didn't know I was going to email at this time but there was last minute changes so I don't have any of my notes (again) with me so this might seem like a random email.  I've been doing great here at the good ol' MTC.  I'm an old timer here...it's weird to see the new missionaries come in every Wednesday.  They look so fresh and eager when they get out of the car....little do they know that they're going to have the longest day of their life.  You really don't have any idea what you're getting yourself into.  I've been told it's like drinking water from a fire hose and it's totally true.  It's so overwhelming at first but as the weeks go by, it doesn't neccessarily get easier, you just realize that you can do it with the Lord's help.  It's getting easier to teach as a trio.  Companionship Inventory is SO essential...it helps us so much.  We've been teaching more united and we can see our progress because our investigators are progressing as well.  We just commited our third investigator for baptism yesterday (yay)!  Our other investigator is a little bit more complicated.  I extended the invitation to be baptized and he replied "Oh, I've already been baptized in my church....but thanks."
  My companions told me that my face was priceless....I mean I was not expecting that reply at all so I was kind of shocked and didn't know what to say.  It doesn't help that we were 5 minutes over our time limit so we just said we'll discuss it in our next lesson.  I told you that our "investigators" are our teachers....well they investigators that they act as are their own investigators/ converts when they served a mission so they know exactly their needs.  We as missionaries just need to find it.  Everything we do here in the MTC is focused on the needs of God's children.  The Gospel truly is for everyone.  I can feel the spirit through me as I testify of it's truthfulness in our lessons.  It's weird to think that you can feel the spirit so strongly in a role playing activity.  My testimony does strength every day.  I've thought alot about the promptings of the Holy Ghost this week.  Whenever you receive a prompting, PLEASE just follow it.  You NEVER know what the outcome is going to be and sometimes you don't even know you're being prompted but I promise you the Holy Ghost will give you comfort and peace when you follow them.  Listen closely, we live in a world where theres so much noise but I know if you pay attention to the voice of the spirit, you will be blessed.  I read something in Preach my Gospel that I really liked it and it says " A teacher of gospel truths is not planting something foreign or even new into an adult or child.  Rather, the missionary or teacher is making contact with the Spirit of Christ already there.  The Gospel will have a familiar 'ring' to them."  I love that.  We are all children of our Heavenly Father and he has given us a light within us.  We are His light and His light is in us.  That didn't make sense but it did in my head so go with it.  Anyways, it's starting to get freezing here.  Can't feel my face or hands half the time but it's okay, I don't need to feel them anyways.  I finally saw Dillon or I mean, Elder Doria last week and today at the temple.  I get my flight plans next week, I can't wait to go to Colorado!  I love the MTC, but I'm ready to meet the people I made covenants with in the premortal existence.  I love and miss you all and write me on dear elder.  I was popular the first week here and that's pretty much it.  Til' next week, amo!

Hola familia,

Soo....noone emailed me today.....cool.  It's okay though because I just came from the temple so I feel happy!  This week has flown by...it's weird to think I'm leaving here in 3.5 weeks.  I sometimes forget that I'm not going to be in the MTC forever.  On Tuesday, while Hermana Varley and I were eating lunch, we heard our names being called on the intercom.  We totally thought we forgot our scriptures somewhere because usually they call you up if you get your visas or you forgot something.  We both don't need visas so we just assumed we forgot something.  We went and got a notice that we'll be getting a new companion.  Yup 5 1/2 weeks in the MTC, and BAM we're a trio.  I really think Heavenly Father seriously gets a kick out of doing things like this to me.  Our new companion is Hermana Garcia and she is from Farmington, Utah and she'll be serving in the Arizona Phoenix Mission.  Yup she's Mexican and is also learning the language....just like me.  Except she looks more Mexican than me (who doesn't?).  We're still adjusting to being a trio because me and Hermana Varley get along so well.  We came to the conclusion that Heavenly Father thought we needed more stretching to do in the MTC so he gave us this opportunity.  It's funny because every Sunday and Tuesday night devotional, they always talk about companionships and how we should love them and their differences.  To be honest, I didn't pay too much attention to it just because I didn't have ANY problems with my companion.  Seriously, our companionship inventories aren't very long because we don't have problems with eachother.  I really think me and Hma. Varley were BFF in the pre mortal existance or something.  It's just been different having a third companion to worry about it, but she has lots of great qualities and I know Heavenly Father put us together.  Companionships are greatly inspired....you can see it all over the MTC...I love it. 

         We commited our second investigator to baptism! Woo!  His father passed away when he was 9 so we really stressed on Eternal Families and the Plan of Salvation.  When we extended the invitation to be baptized, he quickly said "si claro que si!!"  I got so excited...I know it's not real and it's kind of a nerdy of me, but can you imagine how it's going to be out in the field?!  Our other investigator said she might get baptized....she just wants to know for sure if our message is true.  It is...duh! Just kidding...but seriously, I do want to say that sometimes :)  The devotionals this week were amazing! On Sunday Brother Stephen Allen (whos a director @ the MTC or somethin like that) and he spoke about hymns.  I LOVE hymns.  I'm pretty sure I feel the spirit the most when I'm listening to hymns.  We would sing different hymns that can help us become better missionaries/ better disciples of Christ.  So we sang: Be thou humble, Choose the right, I am a Child of God etc.  After we sang each hymn, he would explain how we could apply it in our lives.  Hymns are like scriptures.  Pay attention to the lyrics you are singing, especially the ones about the Savior.  The Spirit always touches my heart and I reflect on the Atonement and what it means in my life.  Hymns are definitely my favorite and I encourage all of your to memorize your favorite hymn and to hum or sing it whenever you are facing temptation or an evil thought is clouding your mind.  As a missionary, all the songs in my head are hymns and it helps me SO much because it always invites the Spirit.

    On Tuesday we had Elder Donald L. Hallstrom of the 70 come.  He was great!  He talked about the legacy we are establishing right now for our children and future generations.  He said "When I see you all...I don't see just missionaries...I see your children".  He also said that who he is, how he thinks and the desires of his heart are shaped because of his mission.  My mission really will shape not only my life but for eternity.  It really made me reflect what kind of missionary I want to be.  I've already made that decision a long time ago but saying it is alot easier than doing it :)  I want to be a great missionary because I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and I want to serve them to repay just a lil of all the blessings they've given me.  i'm also doing this for my future children....they deserve it because I KNOW they are God's elect.  Serving a mission is the best thing I can be doing right because it's not only beneficial for the church but for myself as well.  I hope you are well! I love you all so much and pray for you. 

Love,

Familia!

It has been a great week, as always.  The MTC does has its ups and downs but its mostly ups :)  I went to the TRC last saturday (Jack you should volunteer...I think I go every Saturday at 10 or 11) and I loved it!  At first me and Hermana Varley were super nervous just because we were teaching someone other than our teachers.  They've changed the TRC since that last time I volunteered which was like a year ago.  When I went, I would pretend to be either an investigator or a less active and I would have a whole story set up for me.  Then the missionaries would teach me based on my needs.  So thats what I was expecting, but its actually members of the church and they aren't role playing.  We basically leave a spiritual thought and it's more focused on trying to know what the Spirit is telling you.  So we had two appointments.  One was with a girl named Bertha, she's from Mexico and is studying at UVU.  She had the Ensign magazine next to her and I felt prompted to ask her about it and we ended up talking about General Conference and what a blessing it is to hear it twice a year.  Then we taught the Kitchen family.  They are actually serving a mission but their mission is serving as volunteers at the MTC, cute huh? They are both returned missionaries so we talked about the blessings of serving a mission.  The lessons were definitely inspired by the Lord because together as a companionship we only prepared on teaching some of the Restoration.  But we ended up not talking about that at all.  I love how the Spirit works! So we LOVE the TRC. It's so less intimidating, for sure. 

I went to the temple this morning and I remembered Jeff telling me that their breakfast was good so my district and I ate there.....yup Jeff was right...bomb breakfast...we ate actual eggs today! I forgot what those taste like.  So I'm glad atleast one thing Jeff told me was right :)

So every Sunday and Tuesday night we have MTC devotionals.  Tuesdays is usually when General authorities come so my companion and I always join the choir hoping we could get good seats....that's basically the only reason because we both have horrible singing voices.  We just mouth the words...especially on the really high parts.  Theres a camera that films the choir and we always try to avoid it because its SO distracting seeing your face on two huge screens and then I forget the words and just look dumb.  So we've sang every week and never had the camera on us....until last Tuesday.  Yup zoom close up of mine and my compa's face....BUT it's okay....because Elder Richard G. Scott from the Quorom of the 12 was here! An apostle saw my face! Yup, I'm famous.  I guess its the only time thats acceptable to have my face that big. 

Enough about my face, Elder Scott's talk was AMAZING!    He really stressed on listening to the promptings of the spirit and writing them down so you won't forget.  What I really liked is when he said "The Lord will help you grow slowly on your mission".  It gave me so much peace because I've been kind of struggling with my own expectations.  I know I have to grow into the "mantle" but I'm just so dang impatient! I want to know everything! I know...ridiculous. I also loved when he was silent and I'm observing the room full of missionaries and he says "there is great power in this room.....I can feel it".  Goose bumps! He also somehow tied in marriage....I've actually received alot of counsel on marriage....never thought I would on my mission but that's the church for ya :)  Elder Scott always counseled us to find a quiet place to pour our your heart to the Lord.  We should all be doing that! As insignificant as we are, He wants us to converse with him.  Take time out of your day to talk to Heavenly Father.  He is always willing to help.  I know that He lives.  I can feel His hand in my life, more than ever and it is a privilege to be one of His servants.  I love you all! Keep writing me...I might take a while but just know I appreciate it so much. 

Love,

2 Weeks

So I've survived two weeks....well technically I'm in my third week because the MTC counts weeks wrong...so when I entered Wed. the 28th that was my first week even though I was there only half of the week.  This week went by way too fast....but slow at the same time.  Seriously I have no idea how
this time warp thing works here at the MTC.

My Spanish is coming along....we are now teaching two investigators and one of them commited to baptism! Yayuh....except she's just role playing....and shes my teacher but still...its excited.  Its funny the things we (missionaries in the MTC) get excited about here...for example tonight we get to go to sleep at 9:30 because our building is having a planned power outage...everyone was SO happy...seriously..it makes me happy everyone is as lame as me and wants to go to bed early.  I get up at 6 every morning and I'm totally fine through out the entire day....I know Heavenly Father is blessing me with good health because I honestly thought I'd be DRAGGING by now but I'm not.  The church is true!!

Anyways so on Sundays, they pick two missionaries to speak in Spanish at sacrament meeting ....but they pick your name on the spot. Jeff told me that they don't pick the newbies because our Spanish isn't proficient so they pick the ones who are about to enter the field so I wasnt worried about it (I'm not gonna lie...the thought of being randomly called terrifies me).  So I'm just chillin there at sacrament meeting and one of the counselors in the presidency says "we will now be hearing from Elder Lopez........and then after we will be hearing from Sister Ruiz" WHAT?!?!?! I'm pretty sure my heart stopped and I looked around with a crazy face.  I'm pretty sure I was sweating bullets.  So I got up there and gave my talk about how understanding the atonement can strengthen your faith in Christ.  I don't even remember what I said but apparently I did well because people kept coming up to me and telling me.....or they felt bad for the white mexican...whatevs.

Then a couple days later, we have a solo Elder in our zone (which means he doesn't have a companion because his companion left to the field so he has to be with either a set of elders or a set of sister missionaries) so he asked us to take him to the TRC which is where us missionaries teach members of the church (more role playing). The other set of sister missionaries were suppose to meet him there so that they could teach.  Welp they never showed up!! So we got pushed into teaching a lesson that we didnt prepare for AND with advance spanish speakers.  Heavenly Father really likes throwing me under the bus. He's hilarious.  But in all seriousness...I am glad I was given those opportunities because it has helped me become more confident, not only as a Spanish speaker but as a missionary.  Being a missionary really does take your out of your comfort zone 90% of the time.  But I love it.

So Julie B. Beck who is the General Relief Society President of the Church came and spoke to us for Tuesday night devotional.  It was awesome.  She talked a lot about temples and how the work is moving forward and how we are evidence of that.

The MTC is really an experience like no other.  We basically do the same thing everyday and literally you're studying your brains out for 12 hours and you're so exhausted but then you go to devotionals or sacrament meeting and it's SUCH  a relief and good reminder why you're out here serving.  The mission is NOT about me....this is the only 18 months I have that I will ever get an opportunity to solely serve others.  Satan does try to make me feel selfish but the Spirit ALWAYS wins.  I love being part of the work.  I thought I'd feel different wearing a nametag but I don't...it's feels normal and I feel missionary work runs within me.  We had a devotional on Sunday and it was about tithing.  It's so important to pay tithing...think of all the blessings not only you will get but the church! Just do it!! Or like a member of the audience said: "pay yo tithing or else the Holy Ghost will slap you upside the back of yo head" - 1 of 4 blacks guy in the MTC. It's true. Anywho I miss you all and love you so much! I pray for you and know that I think of you. Thank you for your letters!! Please send more via dear elder because its free AND i only get 30 mins. Amo!

My First Week

So I survived the first week of the MTC!  Forreals, I feel like I've been here FOREVER.  But in a good way.  I've never felt so busy in my entire life...study study STUDY and more study.  So Jeff told me that we would be teaching our first investigator 3 weeks in.....yeah we taught our first investigator the SECOND day we were here...I was TERRIFIED!!! They didn't give us any spanish lessons or even English lessons...we kinda were just thrown in.  Luckly I have the bomb companion! Her name is Hermana (Kara) Varley and she's from......COLORADO! Ironic, no?  So she tells me all the time how Colorado is the best state ever and I'm gonna love it so much :) She's serving her mission in Toronto Canada....yes Spanish speaking.

Our district is tiny (I'm assuming because we're in intermediate) and it consists of Elder Massey (from Yuciapa,CA), Elder Shirley (from somewhere in Virginina) , Hermana Pack (from Vegas) and Hermana Clark (from Bountiful, UT).  We get along so well and we laugh ALOT.  Maybe more than we should but I mean it's seriously what keeps us sane.  Our teacher is Brother Tidwell from Colorado (woo) and we just found out that our "progressing" investigator we've been teaching all week (4 lessons) is our other teacher...so that was intimidating.  Her name is Sister De Leon from Guatamala.  When we taught her, she would look at her phone and yawn and look bored.  Good times especially when you get frustrated with yourself when you cant for the life of you think of one word to bridge your sentences in Spanish.  But we taught full and complete 45 minute lessons all in Spanish!  Our second lesson bombed because we (or maybe just me) was SO focused on sounding proficient in the language that I wasn't listening to what the spirit was telling me.  I totally broke down in front of my district (it was a very solemn mood because everyones lesson was not so good) and that night I prayed so much that I would know the language of the Spirit.  The next day my companion and I taught so clearly and it just flowed SO well.  There you have it, I learned a very valuable lesson.  The language of the Spirit speaks to ALL children...I needed to not focus on myself and my weaknesses but I needed to focus on the needs of my investigator.  It's crazy how much you think about, worry and love your investigator....even though they're just playing a role and already a member.

So watching General Conference was AWESOME!! loved it.  On Sunday night devotional we sang a rendition of Called to Serve....seriously the spirit was so strong.  I knew Heavenly Father was so proud and grateful for all of His missionaries and that he definitely watches over us.  I am among those noble and great spirits that were reserved to do such an important and marvelous work.  I am so blessed!  A mission (or the MTC atleast) was NOT what I expected at all....I quickly realized that a mission is HARD and I can't do ANYTHING without the Lord's help.  Learning about the Gospel everyday for HOURS is such a blessing.  I love it...I truly do.

Im not sure what else to write.  I think of you all often and smile.  Thank you for all your emails, I can't print them out or write you all back as I only have 30 minutes so send me letters! :) Oh I know how to say "Our Purpose" and Joseph Smith's first vision in Spanish. Que suave, no? Apparently I can teach in Spanish too....who would of thought?! It's funny because me and Hermana Varley always say "Man if we were called English speaking, we would tear it up!!" but then we had the opportunity to teach in English at a workshop yesterday and totally couldn't find the words in English....ha funny how that works right?  I was definitely called to speak Spanish speaking and the gift of tongues is REAL.  I will send pictures home so you can see that im alive and well :) I love you all so much and you're always in my prayers.  Don't worry about me, I'm doing the greatest work possible so I am beyond happy!

ps funny things that have happened:
-my skirt was tucked in my garments after i used the bathroom and my companion could NOT stop laughing...seriously...embarassing luckly no elders were around.

- in a dicussion we had with a bunch of missionaries...they kept saying that Joseph Smith had his first vision in 1827...forreals?!?! I even know its 1820....ay elders. gotta love them.
- theres a big fan in the computer room where we use programs for our language study and some elder FARTED infront of it and the fan was blowing right in our face....and theres no windows.  So I had to smell that for like 15 minutes....yup lucky me.

Anyways I gotta go! I love you and keep writing me! my district is jealous that I get like 3 letters a day :) gotta keep my reputation.

amo!

She's a Goner

Miranda Mercedes Ruiz is now officially Hermana Ruiz, representative of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I am her sister, Jackie, and I will be updating her blog...weekly, hopefully.

She stayed up here in Provo with me right before she reported to the MTC. She was so ready, didn't even tear up when we said goodbye. She probably wouldn't have even noticed if mom and I had stayed in the car and drove away. She wanted the tag really bad.

Just in case you don't know me, this is me below. Hermana Ruiz and I spent some time alone together before we picked up mama queen from the airport. We went to Temple Square. It was good alone time and I'm grateful to have spent it with her.

Before she left, she took some good pics with lots of family and friends...

This is the exact time she got set apart as a missionary. Cute idea.

We will miss you, Miranda, but we know 18 months will fly. Feel free to leave comments and I will email them to Miranda.