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.