January 23, 2012

Hey everyone!

So drum roll......I am staying in Bella Vista...Arlington Virginia for at least another 6 weeks. Cheeeeeyup! Im not gonna lie, I was shocked, but also really stoked. By the end of this transfer I will have officially spent basically half of my mission in this ward. I feel so blessed and so humbled because I have gotten to know some of the best people in my life. The members are so faithful, and truly understand the beauty and truthfulness of the gospel. They love the savior and they are always ready to go out and share the gospel. The last months of my life have been so crazy, I have learned more out here, in the last 8 months than I did the last 4 years and I am grateful for it. I was thinking about it and I never knew what the gospel was until I came out on my mission. I feel so blessed to be able to say now, that I know what it is. It is truth, it is the light along the pathway back to our heavenly father. it is our guide out here in this world. Because of the gospel, I know what my purpose is, who I am and who I want to be. I know what is most important and it is loving others as God does, it is serving others and doing the best that i can to be like Jesus. I love it! How blessed am I everyday. How blessed are we to be able to have this knowledge and to be able to share it with others! I love you all so much.
Cubo
RR

ps..shout out to:

The barnes family! you are all the best. Love you tons.
Petersons! I cant believe how big everyone is. Miss you all.
Ashley- HAPPY BIRTHDAY>>>LOVE YOU LIKE NONE OTHER
GrannyJO-get well, love you.

January 17, 2012

So last week we had a baptism and it was incredible.

His name is Roy (de mexico). This guy is sweet, we met him on December 8th and he was baptized on January 8th. The crazy thing is that in October he was baptized in a Chrisitian church. Roy's whole life he has been searching for the truth, searching for God and the way he could be closer to him. I have never met someone who has wanted so badly to know the will of God and to do what God wanted him to do. I asked him once why he liked reading the scriptures and he told me because he likes knowing what God wants him to do and he likes feeling close to him. He then asked us if it was normal for someone to just barely meet the missionaries and want to be baptized so quickly, its crazy but we were able to tell him yes...because it is true. People are converted so quickly to this message because it is the truth, because they feel the holy ghost and they know and Roy was no exception. He was looking for the truth and because he was looking and willing to accept it, he recieved his answer. January 8th was the best, Roy was so stoked and happy because he finally felt right, he finally found the place where he could be happy and feel the love that his heavenly father has for him. I am so humbled to have been able to meet him and share with him this gospel...man, its sweet. The gospel is true. I love you all.

Cubo
RR

January 9, 2012

Just pictures this week, but I still love you all.
Cubo
RR

January 3, 2012

Feliz Ano!!

This is going to be a short email because I don't really have too much time. I cant believe a year has already passed since I left Hawaii and decided to go on a mission. This last year has flown by which to be honest, I am grateful for it. I was thinking a lot this new years about how much it is my least favorite holiday, but something is different this year, This year, I am stoked! Its crazy because right now, this year, I have the opportunity to just focus on the lord, on his will and on becoming a better person. I get to focus on being more loving and being more like Jesus Christ. In my whole life I don't think I have ever felt this much love towards the Savior and God. I am so grateful for the growth that I have had this year. And now I am stoked to throw away the bad things from the past and start over. It is so sweet with every new year we get to better ourselves to start over fresh and so, this year, that is what I am going to do...start over, be a better, kinder person.Be more sharing and more giving, love more and be more focused. I love this gospel. I know it is true. Love you all.
Cubo
RR

December 27, 2011

Hey everyone!

Here is a short little email because I don't have too much time, but this year I can truly say that I learned what the true meaning of Christmas is... After I got off the phone with you all we went out and decided to knock doors. About an hour into knocking, we got let into an apartment, of a family from Bolivia. We decided to read with them from Luke 2 about the birth of Jesus and then we sang The First Noel. Afterwards, they invited us to stay for dinner which consisted of a whole turkey leg, 2 potatoes, a yam, and a salad for each person. It was so incredible because you could tell that they didn't have much and yet they were willing to give what they had to two strangers who knocked on their door, Christmas night. I was and am so humbled. Humbled and blessed to get to know these people, to learn from them and to love them. Jesus Christ lives, he gave us the greatest example and the greatest gift. Love you all.

Cubo
RR

December 19, 2011

Hey Everyone---

So this week was kind of the same as most weeks...

We went to work, knocking doors, and teaching people.

I had a crazy little experience knocking doors though, a man opened his door and said to us, "there must be a God, two beautiful girls at my door", to which I responded with a "well, yea, there is a God and we are actually here to share about him". Then things changed...he said "oh well I am sorry for you. I have one thing to say: I am an atheist". Then he went on to say some rude things which I wont write. It was really an interesting thing for me to see, I mean it just hit me really hard in that moment, how sad and empty it all seemed. How hopeless it must be, to live a life not believing that there was not anything more than just this. I am so grateful that I know that there is more, that is life is but a trial in the grand scheme of things and that not only eternal life lies beyond this, but eternal happiness. I know that God is real, that he exists, that he loves me. I know my purpose and I am so blessed to have this knowledge, to know that I can be with my family forever, and recieve true and lasting joy. I guess that was the only thing I wanted to share with you all...that I know and that we are lucky to have this truth and understanding.

I am so stoked to get to talk to you all on Christmas, its gonna be good. I love you all.

Cubo
RR