March 14, 2016 - Week 38

Dear Family,


What's going on homies?? How are things back at the ranch? It sounds like you guys have quite the busy schedule going with report cards, and concession stands, and planning summer trips and things of every sort. I also heard that there's a potential trip to Tampico, MX this summer for you mom? Gosh, you would love to see how Mexico is, and I would love for you to be able to go to Mexico so you have an idea of how things are. After all, you will have spent 4 of the last 5 years of your life with your sons living there. But anyways, that's cool that you´re all good and that your eyes are steadily improving.


This week had it´s ups and its downs, but the ups were super sick. We should be baptizing Raul this Saturday and he´s been learning really well. Yesterday at church he came up to us and asked us if he could pay tithing if he wasn't a member. It was really humbling for him to make a true sacrifice and have such faith with so little time in the church. We helped him fill out the tithing slip, and then promised him that he was going to be blessed for his sacrifice. We had 6 investigators in church with us yesterday, including Raul. Two others are named Oscar and Maria, and we started teaching them on Saturday, and invited them to church and they showed up. Oscar is 26 years old and was actually going to get baptized like 7 years ago, but had to go into the Marines so decided not to. He has been seriously looking for a change recently and had a great time at church. We were super excited to start teaching them.


We had another missionary activity this week, and we organized like 5 or 6 games Minute to Win it style, and invited all the members of the branch to come. A lot of them did come, and it was really fun. My companion is really good with cards, and he knows how to do some magic tricks too so we did some of those. We also played a variation of cup stacking, 6 saltines in less than a minute, card towers, and throwing ping pong balls into cups. The kids and members had fun and we did too. The branch is really looking up, and we had 7 less active members come to church yesterday. Lots of times they just need to know that they're missed, and have someone pull their ears a little bit to be able to go back to church.


So it sounds like you guys are going to have quite the summer, haha. Hawaii, Arizona, and possibly Tampico? Sounds like it should be fun. I will have to add that to my list of vacations that you guys took while I was on my mission then afterwards, all the RMs in the family can complain about how the family only goes on vacation when we´re on the mish. Haha I remember that Dad and Tommy talked about that. In all honesty, I'm in support of it as long as you send me pictures of it all. Also, what percentage do Lauren and Tyler make from the snack bar? I remember that it was some margin. Thanks for all the updates on all that, also have they made a med school decision yet??


Well that's about all for this week. I'm glad you guys are doing good and seeing the blessing of the Lord in your lives. He gives us all we need to be happy and we just need to trust in what he tells us. The church is true! I love you all, and we´ll talk more in week 39 !!

All love,

Ryan

March 7, 2016 - Week 37

Dear Family,

Another week back writing you all, and it always brings a smile to my face to have a little piece of you guys during my week. It sounds like everyone´s good and it makes me very grateful to know that you´re seeing improvement with the eyes. It really is a huge testimony builder of the power of a faithful fast, and the promises of the lord. Pretty touching experience to see how far you´ve gotten this month, when things weren´t looking too good (pun totally intended) and now things are looking better. (Yes, that one too) Well, in short, we can all be eternally grateful for a Heavenly Father who has each of us actively on his mind, and cares for each one of us perfectly. 

This week went really well for us. Things really seem to be coming together and meshing well with our investigadores right now, and we are really excited to be teaching them and working with them. Edgar and Angel came to church and participate a ton during the classes, it´s pretty cool. We also are teaching this man named Raul who came to church as well, and if all goes well, will be baptized in a week and a half. He´s super nice and sells bread for a living. He always offers us some of his bread that he makes in his house. We´re also teaching 3 middle-aged women that are all super nice. Aurora, Guadalupe, and Alma. We find it convienent to leave her chapters of Alma to read because she has the same name of 2 great prophets. But its not as big of a coincidence as you would think, Alma in Spanish means soul. So its all a little confusing haha. But we´re moving along well in the work and excited to keep finding new people, because that's always part of the process. 

This week we´re planning on having a missionary activity in the branch here. It's kinda interesting being in a branch as a missionary because we have to literally put the branch on our backs sometime, including conducting the meetings, doing all the visiting and home teaching meetings, bless and pass the sacrament, and give talks. Although we have to work really hard in a lot of areas, it´s rewarding because we develop really great relationships with lots of the members. We´ve worked hard and reactivated 3 people here recently, including an RM named Samuel. But we have a long ways to go in the branch, but we´re seeing improvement.

I'm super glad to hear from all of you. I still haven't gotten your package but we only get mail once a month, so it could have arrived by now. I will defintely let you guys know though. Keep me posted on the presidential election and all other news, and I don't know if you snapped a pic of my missionary plaque, but when you get a chance I would love to see it. Thanks for ll the love and support, know that I reciprocate it on this side of the border for all of you. I love you all very much and we´ll talk more in a week.

Love,

Ryan