March 27, 2017 - Week 92

Mom,

So the week of spring break, what a fun time you all had. I heard about it from a few different people, and it sounds like you all had a very fun, relaxing time that was also filled with delicious food which is always a plus. You'll definitely have to show me that ice cream sandwich place when I get back. But that's awesome, I'm glad you all enjoyed the time. 

Wow, my last week was like a whole different world too!! I have been in small cities and units before but Choix is a different ball game, I really do love it!! Every Wednesday and Saturday we have to travel out to this other small town (if you can call it that, it's more of just a group of houses) called Cajon. A couple of families who are members live out there and they are kind enough to feed us. It is a couple of hours away walking so it eats up a pretty good chunk of our day, but its nestled right up in the mountains and it's so awesome!! I don't have a cord to my camera, so I can't send pics, but don't worry I will show you all of them in 11 weeks;) Yesterday at church we had a very beautiful service as well. The members here are awesome, although small in number, very strong in testimony and desire to serve. One cool experience this week... we were walking, and a car pulled up and a man probably about 28 years old named Sergio got out and said, "Elders, can you go to the house tonight and give my father in law a blessing and teach him and my mother in law the plan of salvation? I'm a member visiting from Mesa AZ and he is sick." Hahaha we obliged. His family is very nice and they went to church on Sunday. Unfortunately, Sergio goes back to the USA soon but we will continue to teach his family!! We also found a bunch of other new people who are awesome, the people here are very accepting which is nice.

Elder Wood and I are really getting along well too. I love being with brand new missionaries like him, they bring such a powerful spirit with them and I feel like I can teach them some of the things I wish that I would have known when I was new. We spent a lot of time working on the lessons and especially in Spanish. I told him the language is like a giant puzzle... it take a long time, seemingly endless at times, to get all the edges and corner pieces down, but then it all starts clicking, and you start making connections. I like seeing that progress with him as his companion. He has been here in Choix for a couple months already so he is showing me the area and introducing me to all the investigators and everything. We have also had to travel to other areas a lot this week for baptismal interviews, meetings, and all the other stuff. We spend a lot of money on bus fees, haha. 

But I am super super happy and trying to make the most of every second I have left, I'm so stoked for General Conference this weekend!! It will be the last one I have, which is hard to believe, but I'm anxious to hear the inspired messages they have prepared for us. I love your idea of having a couple of questions to look for the answers to. Something I will be doing, and inviting all the investigators to do too!! 

Well, Family, I love you all so much!! You're the best!! I can't wait to hear from you all next week!!

All love,

Ryan 

March 20, 2017 - Week 91

Mom and Family,


Hey family what's up? So I will start right off with the big news on transfers... after 4 months I did in fact have to leave Guamuchil. In Guamuchil I left many many friends and timeless memories that I will forever be grateful for. My new area, and almost indubitably my last area, is a small town in Sinaloa that's close to the Chiuahua border called Choix. Choix is situated up in the mountains and it's definitely really, really pretty. I mean, that's about all I know about it so far, haha I arrived like 30 minutes ago and we still have a lot to do. But I'm really excited to be here, I know the Lord always has something for us to learn with each transfer. My new companion is a missionary with about 2 months in the mission, named Elder Wood. He is from Mesa, Arizona. He is a really great guy and I'm excited to be spending this time working hard with him.

So yeah, that is the definite highlight of the week, haha. Really kinda steals the spotlight from any other thing that we did during the week. But it was a really good last week in Guamuchil with Elder Beecher. We found some really great new investigators, had a couple of baptisms that we had to get ready, for Ines, Maria and Dana. We also had intercambios with some other missionaries. I worked with Elder Chichia, who was my companion for 3 months and was in his last week of the mission. His parents came to pick him up and we had stake conference this weekend, so I got to meet Elder Chichia's parents at stake conference and tell them about how good of a missionary their son is and say goodbye to him before he headed out today.

At stake conference, an Area 70 named Elder Martinez came and talked to us. He gave a great talk on personal revelation. He said that answers to our questions to God usually come in 3 forms, one can be yes, one can be no, and one can be God letting us use our wisdom and feelings to take the liberty to decide what we think is best. President Myers also went to the stake conference and delivered a powerful message about the power of the Priesthood. He is so funny and good at connecting with the people he speaks to.

I really liked the pics from the wedding. Everyone really did look so happy!! It makes me happy to know that the sacred blessings are available to all families who live worthy to enter the temple. We are blessed to have that knowledge. Well, I am going to have to keep this short cause we're not gonna have a ton of time today but I love you all so much. I'm blessed with such a great family!! I hope everyone has a great week, I love you all!!

Love and Prayers,

Ryan

March 13, 2017 - Week 90

Mom,

What's good family?? Wow, yeah, 90 weeks does sure sound like a lot. With the ones I have left, I most definitely want to make the most of them!! So this week you will be going back out to VA for Jerry`s wedding?? That should be a lot of fun. Who is going to be there out of all of your siblings? When was the last time you made it out to Virginia? Grandpa wrote me and told me that they're heading out in the week too, that will be a lot of fun. I want some pictures of all of the festivities!

So this week there were a few families of investigators who attended church with us which was so awesome! What was even better was that the ward went on a temple trip to Hermosillo this weekend, so a couple of members were able to share their thoughts and experiences. One family who went got sealed to their kids and shared powerful testimony of their sealing and the truthfulness of the restored gospel, which had a fantastic impact on the families that were there listening to these things. Our investigators were among them, and they were particularly intrigued by it. Their baptisms will be the week after General Conference! Another family was a part member, less active family. They hadn't gone to church for 7 years because of things that had happened shortly after their baptism. But they went, and their experience was a positive one, the members of their family that aren't members are also preparing to be baptized with our other two investigators. I'm super stoked to see their progression.

Today we got together with a couple of elders from a neighboring city and we played 3 on 3 basketball. It's safe to say that basketball outside in 95 degree weather isn't the most comfortable experience, but it is pretty fun! It made me excited to go and play with my friends when I get back. I think I might need to get in a little bit better shape though, haha. After, we grilled up some meat, got some handmade tortillas and made guacamole, which I finally learned how to make haha. It was super fun though. I don't know where I will be next week, because this is the last week of the transfer, but I sure would be happy to stay here in Guamuchil!! I'm loving it here! But whatever happens, happens! Come what may and love it. 

Well Fam, I hope you guys are all doing well. I miss you guys and you're always in my thoughts and prayers. It won't be too long before we`re reunited, which makes me really happy; everyone just keep working hard! Haha. Well, I love you all, have a fantastic week. 

I love you all,

Ryan 

March 6, 2017 - Week 89

Mom,

Wow big news with the BYU acceptances!! Congrats to all who got in. What an exciting time!! I mentioned to Alyssa that Fall 2017 is really creeping up on us, it will be such a blast to be up there with all of the siblings, and so many cousins! So yeah, big congrats to all of them, I'm really happy for them. That's awesome that you guys got to have some time with Lauren free of any of the added stress of studying. 

So will Grandma and Grandpa be coming home for both Colin and Jerry´s weddings? That'll be really fun for you to go back home. When was the last time you were there? I can testify of that, after spending so much time away from home, it's true that there is no place like home, haha. But things here are moving right along... Every few months I look back and reflect on the ways that I've improved or how things have changed in my mission.. I realize that one never stops learning. Many times it feels like I've finally got everything figured out and then I realize that there's still so much to learn, haha. The key is to just always be looking for ways to be taught and to learn, and it will come!!

Here we are working with people who are continuing to progress very well.. We should have 2 people baptized right at the beginning of April or the end of March. We had a cool experience on Saturday...Our investigators study out of town, so we only get to see them on the weekends, but we went to their house on Saturday to set up an appointment for the night time, and we ran into the man's sister in law. We talked to her for a bit and she told us that she would actually be really interested in going to church too, mostly so that her kids can have a good base. It is cool because she's been seeing the changes with her in-laws and subconsciously wants the same for her own family. I am thankful because both Elder Beecher and I were able to testify to her that the faithful example of loving parents really can have an infinite impact on the lives of the children, because we were both fortunate enough to have benefited from such examples in our lives. 

Other than that, we are also working with a part member family that recently lost a family member, and have had some bad experiences with other members of the ward in years past, but they are opening up to the idea of going back to church. This week they told us they were going to go, but at the last moment had to cancel. They treat us super well, and are always willing to help us and they really get us rolling on the ground with laughter haha. So I really do hope the best for them and am excited to see their return to the church. 

All is very well here.... We have a guaranteed 2 more weeks left here in Guamuchil, and I wanna live up every second of it! I really do love it here. Oh and thanks for getting everything lined up with the apartment... I'm relieved to have everything all but finalized so really, thank you for doing that. It's so nice to know that everything is great back at home and that you all are well. I'm excited to hear about all of your lives! I love you all and feel very blessed to be apart of this amazing family!

Have a great week, all love!!

Ryan