January 30, 2017 - Week 84

Mom,

What it do familyyyy?? Thanks so much for writing me, I love to hear about all of your lives and the fun things you´re planning and doing. We have a pretty amazing family!! Also, wow what a crazy wedding season you´ll be having in May. I had no idea some of those people were even engaged! I want some pics of each of the engagements. Big congrats to all of them, Travis, Colin and Hadley Faught.

This Sunday was also really good for us too. One of our investigators who went had some really great questions about the creation and purpose of the fall. She is a lawyer and a really thorough learner. She always keeps us on our toes with her well thought out questions, but it is fun because that leads to good learning. She´s had some really unfortunate things happen in her life, and one of her biggest concerns is if God even exists. So far she's had a great conversion and we´re excited to keep working with her. The other new ones are a 22 year old electrical engineering student who is reading the BoM, and a family. 

We had a satellite transmission on the missionary work from Salt Lake with some of the Apostles. They talked about some very important topics, and they also made some big changes in things that have been in place since the dawn of time haha. Such as what key indicators we will be keeping track of, and the missionary daily schedule. David A. Bednar talked about how we learn precept upon precept, line upon line, and the changes were so great I just always am so amazed at the apostles' revelation and how it runs the church,

Wow, I really loved the wedding video!! Everything seems so well done, and I almost feel as if I was present in the wedding, haha. What a blessing to have such a happy family and to have it growing, and all the great people that we become friends with in so many diverse ways! I feel so blessed to have you all as my family!!

I love you all, next week when I write you guys I will almost definitely have a new companion, and although I don't think its likely, I could be in a new area! Change can be scary, but it brings new and exciting things in one´s life. I hope you all have a great week and keep in mind how much I love you and pray for you each day!! 

Love,

Ryan

January 23, 2017 - Week 83

Mom,


How's everything going back in the homeland fam?? So yeah, to answer your question, yes riding in the back of a pickup is one of the standard forms of transportation here in this area, 'cause everything is spread out with no buses really. So we´re allowed to ride in the back of trucks because it is so common, haha. But don't worry we´re always safe. haha. But how have ya´ll been?? And so what's your verdict with the photos?? Have a aged or do I look different than I did since you last saw me? I see pics of you guys and everyone looks so good and happy!! Dad has lost so much weight and I think he looks better than I've ever seen him!


We heard plenty of Donald Trump's inauguartion here. Just about every house we walk into people will ask us about him and what we think of him. It's been like that for probably about a year now haha. I hope Trump does a lot of good for the country, which I hope he is capable of doing. Who are the big names he has in his cabinet btw??


I was thinking to myself how crazy it is that Alyssa is already old enough to go to prom, but then I remember that she's going to graduate soon and that she's like 18.5 haha. I also heard that Tiffany Marshall got her mission call to KC, or at least that's what I think Gma told me. This week we will go to Los Mochis to see a worldwide missionary broadcast with some of the apostles. I'm really excited because there we will see many of my friends who are in other areas, and also hear the impeccable guidance of the apostles. This week I studied a talk from Neil L Andersen about the missionary work, and it is really such an important work that the Lord guides. I think back to the many missionary opportunities we had as kids. Travis, Stuart, Robert, Ladamien. some were baptized, others weren't, and I don't even feel like we were the most important part in any of those but I still feel happy to know we shared what's most important to us.


I would love to hear how it goes in your studies of the gospel. Your thoughts, cool things you read or heard, and how its going with the Living Christ. This week we watched Special Witnesses of Christ that came out in 2000 with the Living Christ. Here the work is going well. Our main investigators are Paola and Jorge, Rosalina, and Daniela and Angel. Lots of work to be done but that's why we´re here!! Haha. Also, kinda random but I totally hadn't heard that Gma and Gpa are extending their mission until August! Looks like I will be able to go to Ukraine to see them when I get back lol.


Well, family, its great to hear from you all!! I love you all so much. Hope you have a great week. Take it easy!! Lots of love from Guamuchil


Love,

Ryan

January 16, 2017 - Week 82

Mom,

Wow, what great news with your eyes. I told dad this, but from the little that I've been able to observe from the process with your eye treatment, it´s been so amazing to see the rapid progress that you've had. What a great testimony builder that God hears and answers our prayers! That makes me so happy to know that you keep receiving great news! And how was the rest of the trip? What a wet winter you all have had, we need to average out the moisture that you guys have received along with the cold weather with the dryness and heat we have had here in these months, lol.

So this week was filled with many great and fun moments. Something that has been so great to see is how excited and motivated the members have been to help us out with our investigators. The work with the members, and really with the investigators, I feel like is way different here in Mexico than it is in the states, but in any case... we´ve really really worked hard with some of the members with us with our progressing investigators and you wouldn't imagine how its changed our relationship with the members, our sensitivity to the spirit, the level of effectiveness with the lessons. So when you get a chance, work with the missionaries in whatever way you can, it will bless your life, their lives, and the investigators!!

One of the many great experiences we had while working with the members this week, happened while we were working with an elderly man in the ward named Brother G. As we finished a lesson with one person, he told us he´s been meaning to visit an old investigator of our that he wanted to check up on after a recent surgery she had. She is a very devout member of the apostolic church, and had no real interest in investigating the church when we previously taught her a couple months ago, but was always very sweet with us. While there, she told us that something had been eating at her for the past few days since she was studying Matthew and read about the commandment that Christ gave to be baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, something that she hasn't done. We cleared up her doubt on that issue, and she is now reading the BoM, and has committed to be baptized. What a blessing!!

Well, the thing is that many things happen to us every day, some positive, and others challenging. As I studied the life of President Gordon B Hinckley in these weeks, one of his most recognized attributes is his optimism. It´s something I would like to develop more in my life too. “This time, like all times, is a very good time - if we but know what to do with it” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

Well, Family, I feel so great here, I really do. Life is good!! And I have a great family back at home whose love and support I feel every single day in my life. I hope you know I pray for your well being every day too!! I love you all so much and hope you all have a great week!! 

Lots of Love!! Ryan 

January 9, 2017 - Week 81

Mom,

How's it going back there?? You haven't perished in the Northern Nevada floods yet?? I'm sure that many people would love to escape to the weather here for a couple weeks. I don't think we´ve had a day colder than 75 in the whole year of 2017!! I'm still trying to protect myself from being sunburned, haha. But the work is going great here. It was really nice to finally get back to a somewhat normal week after all the craziness of the holidays. 

We were able to find a lot of new people in this week because everyone was getting back from vacation or the guests were leaving. We found a middle aged couple named P and J, both who are suuuuuper cool. I'm super excited to be able to keep teaching them. Eva continues to progress towards her baptismal date this month and we went back with an investigator from earlier and he seemed repentant and showed up at church yesterday for the first time ever!! So it was a week of many pleasant surprises and blessings. Elder Christensen and I get along so well which makes everything 10x more enjoyable. I am dreading the day that we have to be separated, haha. 

Other news here... The Mexican government has raised the prices here in a a lot of things such as electricity, and gasoline (which are all government owned here) which raises the prices in everything, which has obviously caused a lot of strain on a lot of people and there's actually been a number of riots. So the people have been pretty frightened and many people have asked us why such unfortunate things happen and its given us a great opportunity to teach them exactly how one can find peace and joy in the middle of the commotion of the world, all the while their are also specific blessings and commandments to help people in their economic well being. So that is the big news and how it´s affected the work here. We´re obviously hoping that everything will work out well for the people here. 

It sounds like Gma and Alyssa´s Disneyland trip will be pretty legendary. I'm curious to hear the review of Disneyland done in a hotel. I'm sure they'll have a great time. Are you guys pretty much staying put for the next little while, excluding the Utah trips?? I hope that being back to reality in 2017 is treating you all really well!! This year will be an incredible one, I'm sure of it!! Well, I love you all so much and hope that you're doing great! Have a great week!!

Love,

Ryan 

January 2, 2017 - Week 80

Mom,

Happy 2017!!! Happy new year to everybody!! How did you all ring it in?? The other night Elder Christensen and I were talking about what we had done on New Year's Eves in the past, and I told him about how fun the Disneyland and Rose Bowl one was in 2014. Legendary, really. This year, we had to be in the house early, we bought some snacks and just kicked back and had a good time. But anyways, I hope you all had an awesome new years and are ready to take on 2017!!

So for the rest of the week... Well this week there was a lot of people who were either out of town, or had family visiting from out of town. We actually met some really awesome members who came in from various parts of Mexico and even a couple from SLC who came to visit their daughter-in-law´s parents who live here. But aside from that, it did make it difficult at times to get in the door with people and have effective lessons. But even with that, we saw some great blessings and found some incredible people. One of the ladies we found, Eva, went to church with us yesterday and really enjoyed herself. 

On Thursday, as we were passing the house of a family who is seriously investigating the church, we saw an ambulance outside. Natalia, has been taking care of her sick mother for the past few months, so it was obviously alarming to us. As we passed by, they beckoned for us to come in and informed us that her mother had just died and asked us to go in and try to comfort her. A task that we did not at all feel qualified to do, but we obliged. We saw Natalia holding her mom in her arms and obviously very emotional. It was sad to see, and we have given them some time with the family. But it was sad, but I definitely felt a peace knowing that they will see their mom again one day and knowing exactly where she was. 

With the new year, I do wanna make some resolutions and try to stick to them. A lot of them will have to be really personal and others will be more mission related, a little weird since my life will change drastically halfway through the year, haha. I would love to hear some of your resolutions though, Mom. As far as my concerns and the best thing that's happening in my life... I would say biggest concern is just how to deal with the very delicate situation of Natalia's family that we have right now. The best thing in my life is probably that we have a lot of great investigators and seeing how the course of their conversion will be.. that's really exciting for me!! So now with everyone, its gonna be back to reality soon right? I imagine its both relieving, exciting, and a little sad all at the same time. When does everyone go back to school?? 

Hope you all have a great week, and that you enjoy whatever time you have left on your vacations!! I'm praying and thinking of all of you often!! Have an incredible week, love you all so much!!

All love,

Ryan 

December 26, 2016 - Week 79

Mom,

I feel like Im getting bonus time talking to you guys today after seeing your faces, hearing your voices, and talking to you yesterday!! What a blessing it was to do that and I think its very safe to say that that was the best Christmas present I could have received. 

I was so happy to see that all of you are all so happy, and continue to excel in so many things in life. I'm glad that you could all see that I am also very happy here too!! What more can I say? Life is good! After we hung up, sister Quintero, (the lady whose house we were in yesterday that you met) surprised us with having her table served with dinner for all of her family and us!! We shared a message of the wise men following the sign of the star of Bethlehem and how we can continue to follow the path that will lead us to Christ today. Her husband is not a member but very actively involved in the church, so we´ve been working with him to try and resolve his doubts as well. All in all, an incredibly faithful family and I made sure to express my gratitude, and that of you guys as well.

This week, looking ahead, we´re going to try and start really strong coming out of the gates in the new transfer. We have a good pool of investigators that have been going to church, but the search never ends. The search for good investigators can be a tiresome one, but most definitely rewarding. But I hope to have good news on how its gone for us in the weeks to come. 

If I remember correctly from the announcement that y'all sent me, the open house will be on the 30th?? How many are you expecting, or preparing for with that? I imagine it will get a good turnout, but maybe less than what Lauren's was because it's only drawing from one pool of Fallon associates. Also, I hope you all find some good time to do cool activities amidst all of the wedding open house preparation. When are you going to Disneyland?? 

Well It was great to talk to you all, I too am also on cloud 9 still. I love you all very much and hope you know that!! Have an awesome week!!

Love,

Ryan