September 28, 2011

Dear Family,

So we had a sick experience last monday at the temple with an investigator, her name is Marilee. She is so incredible, so faithful. She has always had a strong faith in God and in the Bible. She originally had a baptismal date for the middle of September she fell out of contact with us for a couple weeks. Last week though we saw her and she told us about how she had a concern with the plan of salvation. She has always felt that there could only be a heaven and a hell, and nothing in between (Im not gonna lie, that seems so sad to me, I know that God loves every single one of us because we are his children, he would never want us to suffer.) Anyways, so we took her to the temple visitors center and watching finding faith in christ, then we went and taught her the plan of salvation again. We talked about how much the Lord loves us, how he sent his son to provide a way for us to return, we talked about how he would never want to lose a single one of us, how merciful he is and his plan for us is. After we shared all of this we asked her what she thought, the spirit was so strong she said, pienso que este es real y...voy a bautisarme. October 9th Marilee is going to be baptized she has a true testimony that this is the gospel of jesus christ, that God loves her and has a plan for her, she knows that through baptism she can live with her father in heaven again and with her family forever.

Oh how merciful the Lord is, how giving and loving he is. I cannot get over it, I think a lot about why I came out here on a mission, it was to give back to God what he gave me and the ironic thing is, I find that I cant do this work without his help. I will forever owe him, because without him I am nothing. He is always giving, always providing the way for me to progress, to be better, to do his will, I am so humbled by him. Its so crazy to me to think about how blessed I have been since I have come out here. I have gained such a greater perspective on my life, on the things that I want, the person that I hope to become. I am truly blessed. I love you all so much.



Cubo,
RR

ps..some pictures....temple, Me and Mysha, my MTC district, Hermana Balsley y Yo (we got free pizza one night)

Sept. 19, 2011

Aloha Family,

Let me just start off by saying, man I miss Hawaii! I woke up three days ago to go running and it was 49 degrees outside....I mean really, already, its only September...how I pray this winter goes fast haha. I made it through my first transfer and am stoked that I get to stay here in the city for at least another 6 weeks. It is just so sweet to be living where I live, so close to WashingtonDC and to the heart of Arlington, I really love it. So this past week, we have been working really hard, trying to find solid investigators. Its hard because so many people are willing to listen to us(Si, pasense, quiero eschuchar las palabras de Dios, quiero escuchar), but when it comes to actually acting and coming to church or praying they lose interest. That's so sad to see because they have the answer right in front of them, all they have to do is pray, or read, or come to church, make a small commitment, try it out and...they just don't want to do it. It has really made me think super hard about how important it is to progress in this life, to work hard, to know the truth and to have a purpose. Life is so easy to get caught up in, the things that are unimportant are made out to be "so vital" by the worlds standard. When we take a step back though and think about what is most important, it is not work, the beach, having a nice body, being better than other people, partying..The important things are the gospel, the relationships in our lives (families and friends), the person that we become. Life is more than the world, more than the vain, repetitious things, we are human, so its hard to see it, but there is so much more joy and happiness to come. Now is our time to prepare ourselves, to learn and to grow and to better ourselves, we cant take the good things forgranted. I am so grateful for this new perspective that I have gained out here. I am starting to know who I want to be and who I need to be. I love the people out here, I love speaking spanish, I love knocking random doors of different people and just learning something every time, I love silly people, I love being exhausted because I haven't napped in months, I love that somehow I am still waking up at 6:30 in the morning, I love how blessed I have been, I love this gospel, I love Jesus Christ so much its almost silly. And I love you all.

Cubo
RR

September 12, 2011

Family-

This week has been a really long week haha. So yesterday we were suppose to have a baptism of this couple, Luis and Carmen, we have been teaching them since the second week I got out here. They are so incredible, however, they just werent ready. It is interesting, one thing that I think I have learned this week is that there is huge difference in having faith and acting on your faith. You have to have them both, have faith, read the scriptures and then keep the commandments, go to church be willing to have not just your heart open to the gospel, but follow it. I have faith that they will get baptized, its just a matter of them truly committing. On the other hand though, Sunday (their date to be baptized) we went out and tracted for about 3 hours and found 8 new investigators...so sick. It just goes to show that there are people out here in this world that want to know more, they are willing, they just need to be found. Another thing that I have really been pondering lately is the concept of Eternal life...its such a huge concept, but I dont know, it amazes me. My perspective of life has changed so much in the last 4 months and my reasons for doing things have changed too. I think I have come to see that the person I become here and the skills I attain they are coming with me in the end. This life is so much more than being a great surfer, having a great body, being really good at watching tv, or mountain biking or skateboarding...those things, I dont think they will mean that much in the end. I think it is the knowledge you attain, the love that you have for others, the strength that you have, those are the things that I feel like are more worth developing...granted I still want to have a great body and be really good at bodysurfing and I enjoy all of those things haha. I guess I am just saying that I have come to see that there is so much more than this, this life is just a small part in the plan. When I explain this life I think of the word "prueba" or trial in spanish. This life is a trial, a test, to see what we are going to do and if we do well, do all that we can, become our best selves, become closer to our Savior, we are going to be able to experience the most unattainable joy, a joy that here we cant even imagine, the best high ever(gullp). I just know there is so much more and I know that I want to do all I can now to always progress, to become who I am supposed to be. I ponder a lot about who I want to see up there in the "los cielos" with me and you know it is all of you. The thought of a single one of you not there makes me sick. I picture it now, its just like hawaii, with hukilau and pounders as my backyard and a golf course as the front yard and a nice little cheap beach house...and all of you there with me, my family, my friends, everyone I love or have come to love...I want you all to be there. I just know that now we have to do all that we can so we can all live in Hawaii together for eternity haha:)
I love you all and am missing you all.

Im about to get out on my bike and tur it up out hurr in Virginia haha
Run dem' streets.

Cubo,
RR

September 6, 2011

This week...lets see, I don't even really know where to begin. So we have an incredible new investigator, her name is Ana. She is the sweetest woman ever. She never lies and is like the only investigator I have ever encountered that actually calls us to tell us she needs to cancel or move an appointment back (the other investigators just don't show up or don't answer the door haha). Anyways we taught her the first lesson on Saturday night and the spirit was there so strong. We were sharing with her the story of Joseph Smith and as I started to talk about how he prayed, I shared the first vision. As I was saying it, she started reciting the first vision when Joseph saw Moroni...how incredible, she knew the words of Joseph smith, they had touched her heart, she is ready. She then said that the verse in James 1:5 is a scripture she had been looking for, for a while. It is so amazing, she is looking for the exact same thing Joseph was looking for, the exact same thing every person in this world is looking for, for the truth. She now knows how she can receive an answer, how she can find the answer. It is so humbling to be apart of this great work, cause truly that is all I am, a part of it. The Lord has a plan, he knows who needs what and how they are going to get it, all I can do is try to be as obedient, focused, faithful and willing so that he can mold me into the tool that he needs to do the work. Its interesting to think about this, but I had a thought that hit me the other day, right now, I am exactly where I need to and am supposed to be in my life. How crazy is that, to know, to know that the Lord has set aside this year and a half for me to be right here in Virginia. Its so funny cause sometimes, I think if I had it my way, I know I would be in Hawaii, but somehow, I ended up here, somehow, through it all, I made it out on a mission (even when I wasn't so stoked to do it). The Lord allowed me to find a way around myself and my thoughts and got me on this mission. I am humbled. I love you all so much. Thank you for being my family and my friends, you are all so dear and important to me.
Cubo,
RR

ps..Shelbs, shelbby, shelbster! I need your address..porfavor. te quiero mucho