November 19th, 2012

Family!

Its Thanksgiving week! It's my favorite holiday. Why? Because theres good food, I'm with people I love, I love fall colors and the most important, I get to reflect on all the many blessings Heavenly Father has given me.  What am I thankful for?

•                First off, for a loving Heavenly Father who loves me, believes in me and allows me to be part of His work.

•                A mother who has always and continues to support me in the things I do and is always so accepting.

•                Sisters who have been wonderful examples to me

•                A grandmother who is so selfless and is so loving in all that she does.

•                A tia and uncle who make such cute kids and who always had a home where the spirit dwelled.

•                 For loving companions who are so patient and funny

•                For the people I met on my mission who changed their lives, accepted Christ and desired to follow Him.

•                For wonderful friends who've supported and encouraged me throughout my mission

I could go on....I really could. I hope though that not only this week but everyday we reflect on the many blessings God has given to us.  I know we need to develop an attitude of gratitute because I know we'll be happier and it will draw us nearer to Him who loves us.  I can testify to that. "count your many blessings, name them one by one and it will suprise you what the Lord hath done" amen.  I love this work! I love being a missionary. I love coming home so dead tired. I love seeing someone enter into the waters of baptism.  I love life and I love you all. Amo mucho.

November 12, 2012

Hi family!

So..................it snowed :(.  It was horribly freezing outside on Saturday night.  Of course I wasn't prepared because good ol' colorado is unpredictable. It was a good 65 degrees during the day then bam after our 5 o'clock appointment, theres a foot of snow on the floor. Not cool when your car is parked far or when you drive it looks like you're going into space like star wars so it makes you go cross eyed when you drive haha BUT on to good news this past week we had to drive to Montrose, which is about an hour and a half away from Grand Junction, to go to zone conference!  I LOVED it. It was definitely my favorite one I've had on my mission. But let's be real, I probably said that about the other ones too haha.  The theme was "What does God expect of you?" He told us the changes that will be happening to our mission within the next year.  Right now we have about 170 missionaries. Within less than a year, we'll have 250.  We have 22 sisters right now, that number will go up to 70!! Around the world, theres about 55,000 missionaries...it will become 90,000. Isn't that insane?  So what does God expect of us? Bottom line, alot.  "All through the ages the prophets have looked down through the corridors of time to our day.  Billions of the deceased and thos eyet to be born have their eyes on us.  Make no mistake about it- you are a marked generation.  There has never been more expected of the faithful in such a short period of time as there is of us.  Never before on the face of this Earth have the forces of evil and the forces of good have been as well organized.  Now is the great day of the Devil's power...but now is also the great day of the Lord's power..." - Ezra Taft Benson.

  So we are sons and daughters of the most powerful being in the universe.  We have so much potential.  I know theres great evil in the world today but I know Satan's power decreases when we choose to be righteous.  Choose the right. You're giving less power to Satan. Be that light.  I know it's hard when theres so many temptations but God's given us everything we need to be sucessful in this life and in the eternities.  It's a time of testing and proving but its also a time where great and marvelous works are happening within the church! It's exciting. I love being a missionary.  I'm really excited for this week. We have our branch thanksgiving dinner, alot of good appointments and Yazmin's baptism!! Pray for her. She'll need it. I love you all! Be righteous and God will bless you.

October 22nd, 2012

Goooood day!

This week has been fantastic!  We had a really good "zone meeting" (no, not conference just meeting) on Tuesday about things our mission president, President Maynes, wants us to do as a mission.  We're doing a 40 day fast for the month of October to reach our baptismal goal for the month.  Each zone is fasting a different day so that each day our mission is fasting (if that makes sense).  Our day is on Wednesday.  Fasting is actually really hard for me because as you know with my illnesses, I'm always so worn out and fatigued. So when I don't eat...it's even more so so I'm really dragging. I'm gonna be honest..I haven't done it in awhile because of that...it seriously takes a big toll on me but during the meeting I really felt the spirit and had a great desire to find people to teach.  So I was determined I would fast for a full 24 hours.  I knew the Lord would know how big of a sacrifice it was for me but I was so willing to do it because I just want to meet prepared people!  So the next day Hna. Rios and I kneeled as a companionship and prayed to know who of our investigators we should put on date to be baptized.  We thought of Selma, a referral the english elders had given to us a week prior.  As we looked at the calendar, I saw November 18th.  It felt good.  But Hna Rios thought of the week earlier. So we pondered and decided ok let's pray again.  So we did and as we prayed we both remembered that Selma isn't married but is living with her boyfriend. Drawback. So we decided to push the date to Dec. 9th. Awesome.  So two big blessings came that day.  One I wasn't really hungry (when does that ever happen?!) and two we had an appointment for EVERY single hour of the day!  (also when does that ever happen?). So luckily everyone was home and it made the day go by faster.  So we had dinner at 6 with a less active.  Around 4:30ish we went to go contact some potentials cause we had a little bit of time before our appointment at 5.  So we find out their home and they're cooking some BOMB carnitas con tortilla chips, salsa, the works. As they were talking, I'm pretty sure I was trying to keep myself from drooling all over the place because hunger finally hit me.  I don't even remember how the conversation went but they tried to make us eat like 5 times but since we were fasting we kept saying no (dang you satan!) and that we "had already ate" (yes you sometimes have to lie as a missionary but for good purposes!!) so as we were driving to our 5 o'clock appointment is when it started to hit both of us. We had no energy, we were tired, hungry and it was just hard to think. So this appointment was with an investigator.  Her name is Yazmin. She's 23 years old with 3 kids.  Her mom and sister are members but less active. So Yazmin has been investigating the church for 5 years but never committed to baptism.  She's semi-dependable with her appointments but that day she was actually there!  We had planned to share about the book of mormon.  As we sat down on her couch she asks if she can tell us about her experience she had about praying about the book of mormon. Of course we say yes!  So the night before she kneeled and prayed then opened the book to Alma 32 and read about faith.  She really liked it and felt the spirit and knew the book was true. As she was sharing this experience, I was really intuned with the spirit.  It kept telling me to extend a baptismal date...I didn't have a calendar but the date november 18th kept coming in my mind. So I told her "Yazmin...you have a testimony...God wants you to be baptized in result of it and as missionaries we have the authority to know which date God wants you to be baptized and the spirit is telling me November 18th" and she goes "what!! that's so soon!!" And I said "you've been investigating for 5 years though..." and she says "you're right...I know its time" then Hna Rios formally invites her to be baptized and she hestiates and says "I want to say yes but i think of other things and think no." then we said "have faith yazmin." and she goes "ok! I'll be baptized that date." Whaaat!!! I have no idea how that all happened but her telling us about her sacred experience with the book of mormon definitely invited the spirit and from there the spirit guided the lesson COMPLETELY because we did not plan to do that at all.  As I relfected, I thought "wait...thats why November 18th. sounded good ...because that date was for Yazmin not Selma".  It was the best way to end our fast! I loved it. It strengthed my testimony of fasting.  God WILL bless you for your sacrifices. He will not be indebt to anyone.  Selma actually ended up not being home that night....funny how God works. He definitely know what's going on.  I love being a missionary. Such a privilege to witness God's hand every day. Please pray the Yazmin will be baptized! We'll need it. I love you all! Keep seeing the tender mercies of the Lord. They are everywhere.

October 8th, 2012

FAMILY!!

First things first.  General conference was amazing. I bet you're all wondering what my reaction was when President Monson announced the new age for missionaries. Well first he announced the guys and I thought "well that's cool..I like it." and then he started leading up to the sisters. And I thought "....no way....nooooooo.." and then he did it. Announced 19 year old girls can go on their missions. "WHAT?!!?" I completely freaked out. Thank goodness we were at a member's home...yet they still looked at me weird but I'm use to that.  I prayed FOREVER that they'd change the age and they finally do it!!! WHEN I'M ON MY MISSION! I'm not bitter....haha. Ok I'm imperfect, don't judge me. I'm trying not to be bitter!! But it really was a testimony to me that God trusts the rising generation.  That He needs them because "the work is hastening" as Elder Holland said.  They haven't changed the age requirement since the 1960's!! History just happened.  So weird to think that I'm in the "old" generation of missionaries now.  The church is true. His Gospel is being spread everywhere.  Did you notice they mentioned alot the scripture in John 21: 15-17 where Christ asks Peter if he loves Him?  Elder Christensen (who also spoke in GC) gave a talk to us when he came with Elder Cook for the mission tour.  He talked about that scripture.  He talked about why would Christ ask Peter, not once or twice but three times if he loved Him.  And everytime he responded yes and Christ would say "feed my sheep."  Bottom line...what we learn is Christ is saying "it's not about YOU, Peter, It's about my sheep." It's something so important for us missionaries to know. I'm still trying to fully apply it but I'm not gonna lie. It's hard.  Every morning is SO hard to get up..sometimes I don't feel like talking to people...I still struggle with Spanish...sometimes I don't feel like getting ready or wearing a skirt etc.  But then I think...those are all selfish things keeping me from doing what the Lord wants me to do.  "It's not about YOU Hermana Ruiz...it's about my sheep." As a human being the concept of time is so distorted.  Sometimes I really do think I'll be a full time missionary forever but I know I won't be and I need to take advantage.  It's what keeps me going. Every morning I try to wake up at the thought "What can I do for someone today?".  It's helped alot.  Like Elder Hales recently mentioned "feed my sheep" is a call to every christian.  And as Elder Holland so beautifully taught that "the crowning characteristic of love is loyalty."  Are we loyal to God?  Are we following his greatest commandment which is to love Him?  How are we showing we love God? By following Him.  By feeding His sheep.  You don't have to be a full time missionary to do that.  God gives us the opportunity to serve everyday. You'll be happier if you do it. I can promise you that. I love the work. I'm grateful He chose me to be part of it. I'll forever be indebt to Him with the many blessings I've received on my mission.  My heart aches of the idea of not wearing a tag that bears His name...but for the mean time I'll gladly and proudly wear it. God and His Son Jesus Christ live. They love us. Just look at your blessings...it's evidence of that.  Now show your love For them by feeding His sheep.  I love you all. I feel your prayers everyday. I hope you feel mine.

October 1, 2012

Hey!!

So first things first....they say birthdays on the mission are the best....and I can testify that that's true!! It was the best birthday I've ever had! I'm not even kidding.  After emailing last week, we went over to Ofelia and Jesse's house.  THey're members (young newly weds) who just moved into the ward...love them..they are awesome.  We just chatted with Ofelia and decided to go to the mall.  Which is only my 2nd time my whole mission I've been somewhere other than walmart hahaha.  So we just went to walk around and we walked past some shoe store and they had TOM shoes displayed. OFelia and Jesse LOVE TOM shoe's and they ask us if we have any.  "Nope" is our response. Then before we could object he asks the worker for a pair for each of us. What??? Yes...they bought each of us TOM shoes.  I bought black ones because I don't have any black shoes (weird I know).  Then they took us out to coldstone...I haven't had that in over a year too haha.  Then we went to dinner with Amber and her family (our recent converts). And she made my favorite!! Carne asada!! So gooood. And they got me a tres leches cake :) I'll send pics next week.  Then they bought us necklaces to remember them.  Then we went to Hna. Melendez (a peruvian lady in the branch) because she invited us over for "torta" because it was her birthday too.  So we show up and she gives me my own torta so I was stuck with two cakes now. But they were dang good!  Then on our way home we get a random text from President Maynes saying "Congratulations on a greek week last week!" and we asked "what do you mean?" and he says "I just looked at the weekly report, you two are doing great week after week!" Haha awesome! What a compliment. He didn't even know it was my birthday but it definitely made my night.  My recent converts from Denver even called me to wish me a happy birthday! I loved it. Best birthday/pday ever. I wish I had more time to write but we gotta go to dinner with our investigator. I love you all! Que Dios les bendiga ;)

September 24, 2012

Family!!

I am a vieja now.  the big 22. How do I feel? Exactly the same I did yesterday.  My companion woke me up with a cake....not an actual cake but one she made out of the container of my injection box hahahahha. Its the most awesome thing ever. And she used matches we use for the bathroom for my candles. Best birthday cake I've ever gotten.  She also made me a pinata...yes MADE me one. I love it!! I'll definitely send pictures soon so you can see the masterpiece :)  I love my compa...I'm so grateful I get to spend my birthday with her.  So today we have some good plans.  We'll be spending it with a young recently married couple in our branch.  He actually served his mission here but never in this area.  Anyways they are the cutest couple ever and sooo cool!  They're going to take us out to do something...I have no idea what but they're sooo kind.  They're definitely "our family" here...meaning we could go to them for anything and they'd help. We love being with them, they are awesome!  Keep feeding the missionaries at home because I am definitely being blessed out here for it (maybe a little too much says my skirt) but i love it.  Then we have dinner with our recent convert amber and her family.  She HATES signing up to feed us because she always stresses out what to make because apparently shes not a good cook (which she is) but I made her sign up on my birthday muhaha. Then after a peruvian lady in the branch, Hna Melendez invited us over for "torta" because its her birthday too! So yeah, I'm excited for today. Feelin the love, most definitely.  So the mission conference we had with Elder Cook was INCREDIBLE!  To be SO close to an apostle was just life changing. I mean it.  President Maynes said "Elder Cook wants to shake hands with all of you." And then he asked Elder Cook if he wanted us to introduce ourselves or state where we're from, etc. and Elder Cook just says "No. I just want to look them in the eye and have a spiritual interview with them." WHAT?! Seriously...my heart just dropped.  Here is an apostle of the Lord with the absolute authority to decern what kind of person I am.  Yeah...no big deal, just read my soul.  I felt like it was judgement day.  I'm serious...I was so nervous and of course I was the first sister he shook hands with.  He greeted me with a smile and said  "hi sister". And that was it. It was over.  Just a second.  But it really made me reflect.  If I was called upon to meet the Lord right at this moment, would I be prepared? Would I feel even worthy to look him in the eye? Intense, I know.  Just read Alma 5. Definitely puts it in perspective for you.  I was grateful for that tiny experience.  We were edified by the spirit of the Lord as Elder Cook, Elder Christensen (presidency of the 70) and Elder Rhodes (member of the 70) imparted their wisdom.  I loved every second. It only lasted 2 hours...felt like 5 minutes.  Anyways it was an experience I'll always remember!  So this Friday is my year mark.  Too many things going through my head so I'll just choose not to think about them haha. I love you all! Thank you for the birthday love. You're all in my prayers.

September 17th

Buenos dias!

 

Denise and Victor got baptized yesterday!!! So many people came to support them.  Their friend who lives with them and their son (who has no interest in religion at all) came to church and their baptism! Awesome, right? My favorite part was when they bore their testimonies at the end.  They sounded like PROS...seriously...as if they were aleady members...they were just glowing.  Denise related her conversion story.  About 3 years ago her and Victor were having alot of problems with his divorce from his ex wife and they just wanted to go to a church but they didn't want to go to ANY church...she wanted to go to the right one.  So a couple of elders knocked on her door and she began taking dicussions from them.  Something came up and they had to move across town so they lost contact with the missionaries and so much was going on, she didn't want to call to get a "new" set of missionaries so she kind of just pushed it away.  So earlier this year, she prayed to Heavenly Father, saying if the mormon church was the way to go, to send some missionaies again to her house in the next two weeks.  Well guess who knocks two weeks later? My trainer, Hermana Thomas and her companion.  Miracle, right? Then she says this: "I know it took me a while to learn...but I know it's true...I know it."  AHH seriously its moments like that that make my heart burst with joy!!  They're converted.  Baptisms are my favorite..the spirit is undeniable.  It's because its a true ordinance.  I'm grateful we have the priesthood on the earth.    Definitely the highlight of this transfer.  They are now part of Christ's true and living church.  I know it.  We also got a less active to church yesterday!  She hadn't been to chuch in over 20 YEARS!  Miracle.  God has blessed us so much. Transfers are tomorrow.  Both Hermana Rios and I are staying together. Yay!  Well my birthday is in a week...I'll be expecting some love from all of you...love meaning just a letter telling me how you're doing.  Haha seriously though. I miss you all.  Also shoutout to Jenessa...CONGRATS!!! Best decision you've ever made.  You're going to love the mission so much!! I feel like I just opened my mission call again haha. Just remember there are SPECIFIC people waiting for just YOU to hear the gospel. I can testify that's true. 

 

Ok well i love you all! Choose the right. Be safe. Don't feed the missionaries too much.Seriously. Amo.

September 4th, 2012

How are you all?  I'm so great!  We had zone conference this week with Elder Robbins of the 70.  Can I just tell you how I love being up close and personal with a GENERAL AUTHORITY?! I love being a missionary. We spent like 4 hours with him just learning and soaking in all of his knowledge :).  He also had a fireside for less actives, investigators and recent converts the night before and we were able to bring 2 of our investigators.  They LOVED it.  He basically taught the message of the restoration and at the end he extended the invitation to be baptized haha love it!  A quote that my mission president said during the fire side was "If you know who you are and you know who God is.....things will be different."  It's true!  Don't ever forget the simple truth that you are a child of God.  In Zone conference, Elder Robbins said "Your obedience will be tested by your sacrafice...partial obedience is disobedience" Bam. I loved that.  So I started a new book of Mormon reading where I highlight in orange- the commandment, blue- the promise blessings, pink- the things we shouldn't do and purple- the consequences...there are SO many. I started in the book of Mosiah and King Benjamin's sermon is all about that.  God is so simple.  IF we do this THEN he will bless us. That's it.  I also loved that he said "you are enrolled in the Lord's university.  You are enrolled in patience 101, humility 101, diligence 101...etc." haha so true.  Ok so have I bored you all with my excitement of zone conference?  I'm sorry...I really am a nerd with this stuff but you have to remember...this is my life 24/7...Gospel stuff!  Just preparing me for the eternities right? So yesterday we had a great FHE with Amber (just got baptized last week)and her family with Denise and Victor (invesitgators who are on date to be baptized the 16th).  Denise and Victor made us some BOMB carne asada...let me just tell you...for a white girl she can cook some good mexican food.  She's great!  So the elders came over too and we all ate and talked, had a good time.  Then Hna. Rios and I taught a lesson on how to make our families and homes celestial because both of their biggest goals is to be sealed in the temple as a family forever.  After we played a game by the elders and then it happened.  Elder Moreno (who is a greenie) asked Denise to say the closing prayer.  Ok so Denise has never prayed out loud before...ever. She just gets really embarrassed saying the prayer so she always says no.  Elder Moreno had no idea that it was a huge obstacle for her so when he asked her, she didn't really say anything.  We sang the hymn and right after we bowed our heads and closed our eyes.  To be honest, I was thinking why she hasn't rejected yet.  There was a long silence so I opened my eyes and saw her struggling...so I shut my eyes and said the most DESPERATE prayer of my life.  then I hear her say "dear heavenly father" my heart has never been so filled!!  Do you understand how big of a hurdle that was for her?? We've tried EVERYTHING.  I've prayed EVERYDAY non stop to know how to help her overcome this fear because I know prayer is essential and she was getting baptized in two weeks.  I felt so relieved.  She took a huge step in faith.  I was so grateful for Heavenly Father's help.  Sometimes I have to remember I can only do so much as a missionary and that I need to leave it up to God.  He is always willing to help, we just have to put our trust in Him.  We have an appointment with her tonight!  So I'm exciting to see how it goes.  Ok well that's it.  Oh I forgot to tell you one of our tracting experiences.  We went knocking like 3 weeks ago...of course it was a day where it was like over 100 degrees and as we were walking on the dusty roads in the trailer parks, we were having no success.  As we saw one trailer, we thought...hey this one looks good...let's knock it.  So we do. Remember we have to be all smiley and perky so people will be interested.  A man opens the door who looks like Thor.  His trailer is super dark and his eyes are squinting because of the sunlight and he has a disoriented look on his face meaning he just woke up.  As we say "Hi sir! We're so sorry...did we wake you up?" Grant it, it was like 2pm but we were smiley and perky and trying to joke with him.  He just gives us the dirtiest look and  just slams the door.  Haha it was so awkward. We just laughed our heads off and just continued walking down the dirt road.  We didn't really have so called success but we had a good time.  I love those times. I feel like a real missionary. Anyways I hope you have a great week! les quiero.

August 27th, 2012

This last week was hard but definitely worth it!  Every week we have a weekly milage allotment and we got cut short A TON...we only had 260 miles for the whole week....which is nothing here in Junction because everything is so dang far.  In Denver every week we had almost 600 and we would only use like 270 IF that...and we were able to go everywhere and get the work done easily.  Not so much here. But nonetheless we worked.  Also...we were by walmart which is a good 15 mins away from our house on Saturday...and we thought well maybe we should take advantage and do some shopping so we dont have to come and drive on pday...well it's a rule that we only shop on pdays.  As me and my companion were sitting in the car of the parkinglot of walmart, we debated and said "well God understands that we don't have miles and we're trying to save them for next week." As soon as we said that, I felt a tinge in my heart...I knew I was justifying it.  We even got out of the car and started walking towards the entrance when a voice in my head said: "Hermana Ruiz...you can't teach people to be exactly obedient to God, when you're not doing it yourself." Dang. I felt guilty, and so I told my companion "hey you know what, let's not do it...I know God will bless us for our obedience" so we got back in the car and continued working.  How grateful for that LITTLE decision I made to be obedient to one LITTLE rule in the white handbook.  Today we received our mile allotment for the week and its 339!  almost 80 more miles from last week!  I don't know how that worked because we didn't have any "roll over" miles but I know we were blessed for our obedience.  The decisions we make in life, whether they be little or big are always important.  I'm grateful for the little lessons I learn here on the mission. Also Amber got baptized yesterday!! It was definitely a really stressful baptism.  Things kept going wrong (dang you, Satan!!) but it ended up being a success.  We took some pictures that I'll be sending home this week so I hope you enjoy them.  So many people went too!  I was really surprised because its a branch and wasn't expecting so much support but I'm so grateful.  The sister missionaries in the branch haven't baptized at all this whole year so I'm so grateful God is blessing us with great investigators like Amber.  Next is Denise and Victor who are preparing to be baptized the 16th of September!  So exciting. 

  We have zone conference this week with Elder Robbins from the 70!  Also a special fireside that he's doing with less actives, recent converts and invesitgators so we're pumped to hear it.  We just found out the apostle comes here September 22nd!  Best birthday present ever. No joke.  Ok well that's all I got, I love you all. You're great!

August 20th, 2012

My 2nd week in Grand Junction has had its ups and downs...I really miss my old area.  Let's just say transfering was alot harder than I thought.  It was especially hard yesterday because one of my investigators got baptized and I wasn't there to see it.  Selfish, I know. Believe me, I know Satan is working on me.  It was a rough day...until I was sitting in sacrament meeting with our tiny branch.  I sat next to Denise and Victor whom I love and adore.  They're both investigators and we just put them on date to be baptized on September 16th and they accepted.  They came up to me and told me that they wanted me to teach them how to pay their tithing....what?! They aren't even members yet and want to pay tithing.  Talk about the faith they have.  Hna Rios and I were so excited and gitty, they totally thought we were weird but I guess it makes sense.   They've been progressing so well.  Amber, our other investigator, gets baptized this Sunday the 26th!  So pumped.  She is incredible.  Progresses so fast.  It helps that her husband is reactivating in the church so they're just doing great.  Everytime she feels a temptation or knows she shouldn't be doing something she says "DANG YOU SATAN!!".  She's hilarious.  We're going to do her program in English because she understands it better.  I haven't been to an English baptism in forever.  Hna Rios tells me shes so grateful I can teach in English and I tell her I'm so grateful she can teach in Spanish haha. We balance eachother out alot.  In my set apart blessing, it mentions that I'd master the language quickly so that'd I'd be able to teach better in English.  I thought "Ooh..maybe President will switch me English."  If only the mission was that easy.  That would of been great my first transfers when I was struggling with Spanish but now that I actually can speak, He sends me here to Grand Junction to teach in English to these people...crazy right?  I just had to wait for that blessing to be fulfilled and it's true.  My testimony is so much more bold and powerful now in English and I know it's because I was doing it in Spanish before which was a struggle but with patience, the Lord helped me.  He always fulfils his blessings and promises if we're faithful. I can definitely testify to that.  Even though I've been a brat and have been missing my old area, the Lord still blesses me...so many miracles have happened here and I've just been to busy looking at the past but I know I'm sent here for a reason. With all my heart. Well I'm off to go learn how to make tamales with Denise, Amber and Valeria (a member)...hopefully Nana doesn't hate me too much for doing that...I promise I'll make them with her when I go home :) Keep being faithful, the Lord will bless you for it!...even if you're a brat like me. Love you!

August 13th, 2012

My new area is so different from Denver.  Its so desert looking....and a bunch of mountains.  It's about 5 hours away (mas o menos) from Denver so I'm right next to the Utah border.  We ride a van to get to different areas of the mission.  My new companion is Hermana Rios.  She was born in Mexico city but she came to the US when she was 10.  I LOVE her.  She reminds me of all my favorite people mixed into one person.  She's a hard worker and we're just so excited to serve with one another.  Her last companion (who was an english sister than turned spanish because we were short with spanish sisters) was SUPER disobedient....actually apparently 95% of the zone is.  Which is super sad.  I felt the difference too when I first arrived.  They would do horrid things and it makes my heart ache that these missionaries would waste the Lord's time.  But I know that I was sent here to help the area.  I received a luke warm welcome from the branch...makes sense since they don't trust missionaries but Hna. Rio's and I prayed alot to know what the Lord would want us to do here.  So we made awesome goals...we have a great vision.  On Wednesday I met a lady named Denise.  She's actually american but married to a mexican so she likes going to the Spanish branch so that he can understand better.  So we teach her in English and all of our lessons with her have been powerful.  She's a really doubty person...meaning she thinks she has no faith yet we teach her things like the word of wisdom and that same week she stops drinking coffee and alcohol...talk about faith, right?  As I was teaching her, I felt the Spirit testify to me very strongly that I came here specifically for her.  We just have just a strong connection and as I reflected back on my set-part blessing, it said "you will master the language quickly so that you can teach better in English."  I thought...well that's weird...maybe God will switch me English speaking.  But I know my prayer was finally answered this week...I can testify more fully and boldly in English (thanks to my spanish..if that makes any sense) and I know she can feel the spirit too.  The missionaries have tried putting her on date to be baptized but she always said no.  Well Hna. Rios and I prayed to know which date and we told her September 16th and she finally said yes!  We also but another lady named Amber on date this week for the 26th of August!  We are so excited...we're already seeing the tender mercies of the Lord.  Also one of my investigators back in Denver gets baptized this Sunday (the 19th)!  I'm just so happy.  I love being a missionay.  It's been a tough week, I'm not gonna lie...I'm just so use to knowing the area...not needing a gps...knowing the members...serving around obedient missionaries..always having something to do.  I mean here...the work was bad...and Hna Rios has only been here for 6 weeks but because of her last companion, they never worked so she doesn't know alot so I feel like we're white washing...we get lost every hour haha it's fun.  I'm grateful for this challenge...I've learned alot this week and I hope to stay in this area with Hna Rios for 3 transfers.  But who knows...well God knows but you know what I mean.  Ok I love you all a ton. I need your prayers!  You're always in mine :)

July 23rd, 2012

Hey family,

  This week was sooo great.  We had interviews with President and he always says the things I need to hear.  It's like he's inspired or something.  He told he that I'm most likely getting transferred.  I only have two options either Grand Junction or the other side of Denver. I'll find out for sure in two weeks.  I'm excited but I'll have random punch in the gut feelings because I really will miss these people.  I love them a ton and we just keep meeting new people to teach and I already love them alot.  That's the sucky part of being in an area for awhile.  It has its pro's and con's.  

  So like I said before, we've been meeting new people.  Yesterday we finally met a lady named Carmen.  She was a referral from some historic center in Utah.  She had gone with her family and was interested in the Book of Mormon so we stopped by like a month ago but we only met her husband and daughters.  They are AWESOME.  So these past few weeks we've been teaching mostly their daughter Sandra who's 13 years old. She's incredible.  Well yesterday we finally met their mom Carmen.  She asked alot of questions about us as missionaries, what we do etc.  I bore my testimony how I love being a missionary....that it's always been my dream.  She asked us after what we are studying and Hna Pare' said she's going to med school to be a doctor.  Then she asked me and I told her I have no idea...that I can't decide because I'm not really passionate about anything in particular.  She stayed quiet and said "you know..I think you would serve God for the rest of your life if you could....I can just feel the love and joy that you have from being a missionary." I was kind of shocked she said that....that a nonmember who knows nothing about the chuch could feel that.  It was one of the biggest compliments I've ever received.  I was grateful she felt that because it's true.  I totally would serve God in this way forever. And I will. We're getting kicked out of the computer lab so I gotta go. I love you a ton. Til' next week.

Amo.

July 9th, 2012

Buenos dias,

This week was great!  I was worried because last week due to 4th of July, they moved our Pday to Wednesday so I was scared it was going to affect the lessons we teach but I prayed my butt off and God helped us (por su puesto).  Our lessons were so spirit-filled, I loved it.  I always feel like I'm fulfilling my purpose as missionary when people tell me "you guys always come when I need you."  Thanks to the spirit, we can do that.  I'm so grateful for prayer and fast.  On Sunday I fasted for two new investigators and at 7 o'clock we found them! Their names are Susana and Sarah...they're super awesome and so easy to talk to.  I'm really excited to teach them.  We have an appointment with them this Saturday so pray for them!  We had a lesson with Melissa last week and I asked her how she's been doing since her baptism.  With tears in her eyes, she says, with a shaking voice, "well...since I've been baptized...my siblings have been meaner to me...they make fun of me that I didn't really want to get baptized but  I promise (she starts full on crying) that I really did want to get baptized!"  My heart broke for her.  Even though she's 10 years old, Satan is working on her.  Life doesn't get easier after baptism, actually I think it gets harder.  The difference is that we have the light of the Gospel and the gift of the Holy Ghost.  Melissa told us that before her baptism, when her siblings were mean to her that she would hit them but after her baptism she felt like she couldn't do that anymore and instead she'd pray or read the Book of Mormon.  Incredible, right?  We didn't even suggest that she do that, she just knew to do it.  I love it.  I truly love her and her family.  Actually today they're taking us to buy new shoes.  Why? I have no idea but they want to so I guess they love us too haha.  They came to volleyball which was a success because alot of less actives and investigators came.  It was great!  Volleyball is such a celestial sport ;)  Alright I can't think of anything else to write...my mind is blank, I'm sorry.  I love you all and til' next week.

-Hermana Ruiz

July 2nd

Hey everyone!

So this week was so ridiculously crazy and busy but it turned out so well.  We planned a "noche misional"  basically a ward activity to help the ward members do missionary work.  So we organized and did EVERYTHING...on top of regular proselyting...it was rough but the activity turned out great!  We started with a dinner and after we had three short workshops (since we had 6 missionaries in our ward, each companionship was incharge of a workshop).  Hermana Pare and I taught how through the "small and simple things" (Alma 37:6) we can do missionary work like inviting friends and neighbors to volleyball every saturday at the gym, movie night, english class, inviting them to dinner etc.  I shared my experience with Caitlin and how I invited her to the ward talent night and she later come to church then took the discussions and got baptized last Easter.  All I did was invite her to the activity and as a result she progressed.  How easy it is to do missionary work, right?  I also said that the first person to invite her to Sunday dinner was my mom...I said "If my NONMEMBER mom can do missionary work, you can do it too."  They all gasped everytime I said it...so funny.  I hope it motivated them.  The other elders do object lessons and role playing.  Each workshop was like 15 minutes max.  After we all gathered in the chapel to hear our mission president, President Maynes, speak.  We prepared "goodie bags" for each member with books of mormon, pamphlets, mormon.org, photos of christ, a card and letter and they all wrote their testimony in the book of mormon after President Maynes' talk.  We closed with of course "called to serve".  It was a great experience and it took alot of work but it was so worth it.  We NEED the ward members in order to be sucessful in missionary work.  I can't stress the importance of that.  I attached a photo of our room.  "Pedir con fe" means "ask in faith" and we did it with mormon.org cards and yarn we found in the church, pretty good, right? 

  We also had an AMAZING lesson with Nancy one of our investigators.  She's 25 with a lil 4 year old boy and she lives with his Dad but they aren't married....and he has no intentions to do so which means, it's hard for her to get baptized since she's breaking the law of chastity.  We decided to have a lesson with her at the temple on Friday and we brought Hna. Razo, a member with such a solid testimony...single mother of 2 boys.  We talked about marriage and families and read "A proclamation to the world" and shared some scriptures.  She really liked it and it was great because there was like 3 other weddings going on. Awesome!  And it's impossible to NOT feel the spirit on the grounds of the temple.  You can feel it.  I prayed alot before the lesson that she would accept a baptismal date (she never likes to commit because of the whole marriage thing) but I felt very prompted to extend August 5th.  So we did and of course the first thing she said was the marriage thing but Hermana Razo came to the rescue and said "don't worry about it....just accept it and have the faith that the Lord will provide a way for you to be married so you can be baptized. Just let it happen because it will." It was PERFECT.  Nancy accepted! So it's going to take alot of work but it's going to happen!! I'm so excited. 

  Yesterday Melissa got confirmed and received the Holy Ghost!  It was fast and testimony meeting and she decided to bear her testimony!  Her parents came to her confirmation so it was so powerful to see this young girl bear her testimony infront of her parents.  I loved it.  She's incredible.  Last week at transfers, we received a letter telling us an apostle is coming the week of my brithday! HECK YEAH.  Apostle, birthday and year mark.  What up.  Alright that's all I have for this week.  I also attached another photo of my 9 month photo...it freaked me out a little bit...you're welcome.  Well I love you guys. Be safe. You're awesome.

Love,

June 25th, 2012

Familia Linda,

This week was awesome!  First off, Melissa got baptized yesterday!!! It was an incredible baptism.  Her mom who is less active gave a talk on baptism and bore her testimony saying how proud she was of the decision Melissa made to be baptized and she knows she's on the right path and she thanked us for teaching her and was so grateful for us. SO POWERFUL.  Melissa was in tears...It was such a spiritual moment and right after Hermana Pare' sang/played the piano for her as a special musical number.  Annie Cardenas (her 9 year old church friend) gave a talk on baptism....she was so cute!  She did awesome.  Then the big moment....she entered the waters of baptism!  She was so nervous and she picked Elder Woods (an elder serving in our ward) because he looks like a vampire (she's 9 remember.. haha).  She glowed the whole time and the whole week I prayed that the Spirit would confirm to her that she made the right decision and I KNOW she definitely felt that. We had bearing of testimonies after and her NON-MEMBER dad went up and gave his!  Can this seriously get any better?!?  IT was such a powerful experience that I was physically exhausted after...feeling the spirit super powerfully can do that to you ya know!  Then after the baptism my two ex companions called me telling me that they're in Denver...they've been serving over the mountains for the past couple of months so I was able to see them again.  Then to make it better...they slept over so it was a huge sleepover.  I loved it! Transfers is tomorrow and they're going home so that's why they're here.  And yup...I'm still staying here in the Denver 1st ward....transfer #6.  Ok well I love you guys. Have a great week!

June 18th, 2012

FAMILY!

This week is my year anniversary of going through the temple!  And Guess what I got to do?  Go to the temple!!  Like I said last week, a less active Hna. Limones is receiving her endowments.  We were able to go this past Saturday and it was so spiritual.  It was very different from going with all the missionaries like we usually do.....maybe because it wasn't 6 O'clock in the morning and I wasn't dead tired.  We went at 2:30pm and as we were waiting for the session to start and alot of members in our ward went.  As I was sitting listening to hymns being played, I couldn't help but feel the immense influence of the spirit warm my heart.  I see all the members every sunday but it was VERY different to see them at the temple dressed in white.  They all looked so heavenly and pure.  I saw them as they really are....children of God.  They're potential...everything.  I absolutely loved every moment of it...I was so grateful I was able to go to the temple with the ward on my year mark of getting endowed.  The temple really is the house of the Lord.  Go there often.  Take advantage of having one so close by.  The temple is the ultimate goal and the only place on earth we can recieve a fulness of God's blessings.  Always strive to be temple worthy....it's worth it. 

  This coming Sunday is Melissa's baptism!!  It's the last day of the transfer, what a blessing, right?  She is sooo ready and excited.  She went to church with the Cardenas family (fellowshippers) and during sacrament meeting we received a text from Melissa's mom saying "we're behind you"  and my first thought was "wait were not driving..." (ok I'm an idiot sometimes) and then I came to my senses and looked behind us and there they were!  Melissa's parents sitting in the back row!!  I KNOW it was through Melissa's example of keeping the Sabbath Day holy that her parent's finally came to church.  Example is power.  Power is fueled by faith.  Faith is an action.  It's so easy....a 9 year old can understand that!  The Gospel is simple, life is hard.  It's cool because this Sunday Hermana Thomas and Spencer (my ex companions) are going to go to the baptism....they go home two days after.  Crazy.  That makes it 3 of my compa's that are home.  Que sad.  I'll miss them.  So it's the last week of the transfer aka wonder week!  We gots some good goals and I know we're gonna reach them..I'm excited. 

  On Friday we had a lesson with Cori, a recent convert and she was telling us about how her daughter Dana loves praying.  She's 2 years old and it's so cute to hear little kids speak Spanish...I have no idea why....also I'm kind of jealous of them because they speak better Spanish than I do...dang.  Cori was telling us that Dana was praying one night and was blessing all these people...including my trainer Hna. Thomas (she served here for almost a year so Dana basically knew her her whole life)  and she also said "hna luis"....Cori was realling confused and asked "your uncle luis?" and Dana said "no mama...hermana luis!!" then Cori realized that she was praying for me! Hermana Ruiz but she can't pronounce her R's very well so it comes out luis.  So cute, right? See if a two year old can pray, you can too.  Well that's all I have for this week.  I didn't write down any quotes...I sucked but I'll do better this week.  I love you all. I pray for you every night....I mean it.