10-21-13

Hola Familia!

This week has been a really good one! I don't want to make this sound like every other email you are probably reading, but our week has been focused on members and missionaries all week. Everywhere we turned! It is a really good thing. As missionaries we see the influence and difference of when members are sharing the gospel with their friends. 

This week has also been a lot of focus on the Book of Mormon. And it has been really good. I love it! yesterday at church, one young person from every family in the branch gave a talk on the Book of Mormon. Each and everyone of them was focused on a Book of Mormon story and how it has blessed their lives. It was amazing to see each and everyone of them personally apply it! After, the High Council man spoke on the importance of the Book of Mormon and how it helps us and our children be converted unto the Lord. I too have a personal witness of that as our family read the scriptures together and as i have personally spent time studying the scriptures. 

I am currently reading about the brother of Jared and his experience with the Lord. His faith was amazing! And later it says that someday people will have faith as the brother of Jared. Imagine having the such great faith that we can see the Lord! 

The work is definitely being blessed as we try to strive to be exactly obedient. I have seen the blessings as we have been finding trailers that no one knew existed and teaching people who before didn't really have any desire to talk to us, but some event in their life has brought them to a state of mind of asking questions. If we have the answers, great! There is nothing in the World that having a faith in Jesus Christ is made harder. Our attitude about everything makes a huge difference. 

We had a really awesome lesson where we talked about the love of God and how we, as people need to be going to church for that reason. Just so many cool, different spiritual experiences. Yesterday we were having a lesson and Marlo was saying the prayer. After asking the lord to bless pretty much every type of person in the world, he prayed for his family and for his job, not once did he pray for anything for himself, but totally for other people. I am continually stunned as i learn new things form people i am "teaching". It goes to show that we all need to continually learn so we can grow.

Any way... Back to member missionary work, we had a zone conference that was centered on member missionary work. We were challenged to go back and read Elder Ballard's talk and i really really liked it. The one from conference. the title is "Put Your Trust in the Lord" for me that was an interesting title. Like with obedience or pretty much any other principle of the gospel, it all comes down to putting your trust in the Lord. Anyway, we talked about how/what could help the members we are serving. Remember that: WE (as missionaries) are called to serve you as members in your area. You know the people, the culture, and what aspects of the gospel people are looking for. If you are trying to think of how to share the gospel, call the missionaries in your area, they will be happy to help. I loved when Elder Ballard talked about the "One". it didn't mean invite someone random, but that "one" person who is continually on the back of you mind. I know that I have those people and when he was speaking they came to mind mind as they often do. Start working to have the faith and strength to invite the "one". i Know that is something i struggled with before my mission. Elder Ballard totally got me when he was telling the story about people not praying for missionary opportunity in the fear of actually having one. I know and can testify that when a member works to bring someone to the gospel, and when that person begins to accept it, the person will understand just how much you meant to them to share the gospel with them. We have heard it over and over again in conversion stories of people being so grateful for the person who shared the gospel with them. Go find the "one" so you can be their one. Christmas is about a 2 months away, what better gift for the Savior. (I will get off my soap box now, i might return next week though)

I love you all thanks for the continued support you have shown to me! Have a great week

 

 

10-14-13

Hola Familia!

This week, we have felt really blessed. The Lord has definitely been watching out for us. I have definately witnessed His hand.

The week started out awesome when and appointment went through. You are probably wondering how that is awesome. Well it also managed to mess with our plans for the rest of the day. Because of that we had to really sit and think of where we needed to be, because obviously it wasn't where we had planned. After some thought, discussion, and prayer we finally decided to try someone back who had hung up twice when we tried to call. Obviously this is why what happened earlier happened. As we sat and talked with this lady we found out that someone had been prank calling her house and so she had been hanging up the phone to try to get the to stop. As we sat and explained to her what we did as missionaries she couldn't believe it, as we changed our focus to Christ and how he can help us in our lives, tears came to her eyes, she told us that no one had every really explained things about God to her in such simple terms. She had lots of questions, mainly because she couldn't believe that two 20 year olds girls would give up there life to talk to people about God. As we talked about trials and God, she explain some of the things that were bother her, and we got a chance to introduce to her the Book of Mormon. We also lent her a CD of songs about Christ, which she loved! there was the most powerful spirit there, stronger than I have felt the first time meeting someone before.

We ended up going back over last night and teaching her about the Restored Gospel and prophets. Again the Spirit followed and it was strong! She again couldn't believe that the leaders of the church were voluntary and that the church was teaching the same thing all over the world in different countries. It is funny, because we go on a lot of tangents, because she has a lot of questions. There is no better way to teach than addressing peoples questions and talking open and honestly with one another. She is so awesome and definitely just looking for more in her life.

Other than that there were many things that happened this week, but one other especially close to my heart was Leti. We have been talking with her quite a bit and the other day we went over and she was struggling with some homework, normally i would help her, but I had never taken the class before and didn't know how to use the program. We didn't want to distract her and so we just told her aabout prayer and how it can truely help us with anything. She asked us to pray for her that she could have help on her homework, so we did. We then encouraged her to pray and left. The next time we went by she had received a witness that prayer really works, she took our advice and said that it helped a lot and then she told us that she was planning on coming to church this Sunday and then she came! It is amazing what happens when people realize that they can talk to God and that he really does care.

So many other things that I could say, but I don't have the time as if i was sitting face to face with you all. But I have been Studying about Unity and the importance of being United in a common goal. As I study this i am in the war chapters of the Book of Mormon, and if anything witnesses to me about the importance of Unity with God and with one another it is those Chapters. Staying close and Unified with God makes us the winner, every time. As we try to be more like Jesus we automatically become more in Unity with God. He love us and he answers prayers, i have seen it, I know it to be true.

The other day i was asked if i personally believed in miracles. As an answer to that i replied absolutely!I God is watching out for us. love you all, and hope that you can find time to draw yourself closer to Jesus Christ. It will benefit you more than any other way that you could spend your time. As we get closer to him we can see the smaller miracles happening all around us. Have a great week!

Hermana Ray

We are supposed to change our toothbrush every 6 months (I think....), So, on October 10, 2013, i changed my toothbrush! Ah! What happens to time?!

10-7-13

Hola Familia!
Well, it was a short while since we all spoke last, but it has been a good few days. especially conference (that goes without saying). Life here on the Royal Slope is good. Busy because harvest is coming to a close and everyone is working to get their crops done. As a result we stay busy contacting people and trying to offer the help and service we can to this community.

Conference was really really good. I seriously just sat and absorbed the words. I loved that we had the chance to listen to the prophet and all the apostles. I honestly don't remember all of the talks, but what I do know is i can't wait to get a conference issue of the ensign to really study them and learn even more.

One specifically that i remembered was the talk on meekness. I don't remember everything that was said but i do remember that it was about being meek. Meek is one of those words that i hear often at church but it has never really sank in. as a result, i am going to start to study it. Hopefully as i study, it can sink in and start to become a part of me. I can't think of anything better.

Honestly i enjoyed seriously everyone of the talks at conference. I sat and enjoyed them scribbling a few notes. Everyone seemed to touch on various topics that related to almost everyone i know including myself.

I also remembered in a talk about imagine if the Savior were personally walking there beside you and put his arm around you. I think of how many times a friend or family member has put there arm around me and how it just makes you feel so good. Now to imagine the Savior of the world, someone so well known to the world and someone that i have a personal relationship with to put his arm around me. It made me smile just sitting there thinking about it.

Elder Nelson- "A child is never to young to learn and an adult is never to old to change" 

Family i love you all and hope that this conference you were able to hear answers to questions and receive a witness of the truthfulness of prophets and the inspired messages that were delivered. God live and he has sent those messages because he loves us and wants to help us out in this world.

The area is going pretty well, one really cool experience. We were outside making  some phone calls in between sessions of conference and we got a phone call from a number we didn't recognize. Answering made our day. Pedro, the man on the other side of the phone we someone we had run into probably like 4 weeks ago. It was really late one night, our plans had fallen through, it was too late to go anywhere else, but too early to go home. We didn't know what to do, we found a house off to the side of the road so we stopped. Outside we found a man (Pedro) who was carrying in some food. We sat and chatted for maybe 5 or 10 minutes and he said that he never knew where he was going to be because his work changed his location every couple of days between the 3 cities. He told us to try and call him later. He then walked us out to our car to make sure nothing would happen to us. Well we called him the next week and he was out of town. We told him to call us when he was in Royal. Well when he called us the other day it took us a while to realize who he was. He then said, I do really want to learn from you and change, work is just so crazy. It was really cool, after all that time, he had called us. His desire to learn and change had not faltered over that period of time.

Thanks for all of your love and support. Keep working hard in whatever you are doing. Don't forget that God is there and that he loves you. And as Elder Holland said, "If the bitter cup doesn't pass, drink it and be strong." I love you all and pray for you!

Hermana Ray

The other night we got home and my sheet had just gotten out of the dryer. When my companion came back into our bedroom this is what she saw!!!!

10-2-13

This week and a half has been awesome. we had a temple trip today so
our pday was changed to Wednesday. Suprise! But it was all really
good! I love going to the Temple. We had to drive through Pasco to get
to the temple and i couldn't stop thinking of the memories and the
experiences there. It is no joke that your mission becomes a part of
you and every area you serve. I am definitely becoming a better
person.
This last week has been really good. We had a lot of work to do and
that is a good thing. There has been some crazy storms up and so the
work schedule of the farmers has been changing a lot. Anyway, one day
we had such an amazing experience of getting to show 3 guys the church
building and talking about Christ. Every single one of them talked
about feeling the Spirit and have been very accepting of many of the
things we teach. I hope they can start to see that taking action and
trying to change will help them. It was just a really cool experience.
Along with that, we have really been working hard to have members in
the missionary work. And every time we have had a member with us the
Spirit has been so strong and it has been a really great experience
for me, i hope it has been like that for them as well. The power of a
personal testimony from a "real person" is just so awesome. They
instantly have a friend who has shared one of the most important parts
of their life with them. It has been really good.
General Relief Society Meeting was pretty awesome. The importance of
promises is huge, especially when they are promises with God. But one
part that really stuck out to me was when the story was told of the
hike and how the girl was so excited to hike to the top and ended up
being the last one up. For me that was a huge girls camp flash back. I
remember being put at the back and wanting to be up front running up
the trail but it has been recently that i have recognized the
blessings form being in the back of the group. Never before would i
have thought that being in the back would have helped me to grow and
be a leader. but that is exactley what it did. it taught me how to
observe and look at others to see how i could help. So, mom, thanks
for helping me be the person i am by putting me at the back of the
hike. that talk was like a reflection for me, and it was really cool
to hear.
I also had the awesome opportunity to talk with a man, who turned to
me and said, now i have a question. then he asked me a question and
about faith in Jesus Christ. He talked about his saving power and if
it was more of a solution than modern medicine. It was and interesting
question, but luckily i have seen the blessings of faith combined with
action. I know that whatever is Christ's will could be done. no
questions asked, but i also know that faith usually requires action.
It is hard to explain, but to be able to open up and express what i
know to be true, with no fear. I know that it was Christ who has
helped me to this point in my life. God loves us. He wants what is
best for us, but just like parents, that doesn't mean he will just
give it to us. Don't give up, continue to work for it, He won't let
you down. have a great week.
Hermana Ray
I know this has been short but I love you all

9-23-13

This week has been a pretty good one. The storm that we had last week was a lot bigger than we originally knew. I guess during the seahawks game on tv that night there was a tornado warning watch and we found that out like  or 4 days later... But there wasn't an actual tornado so that is good. the accompanying town had winds up to like 80-90 miles an hour.
This week was pretty good! Can't complain when i get to have so many spiritual experiences and help people grow faith in Christ.
I have been reading in the Book of Mormon (surprising right?) and I finally got to the point where Christ has come to the Americas!! So excited, i will soon get to read about Christ's teachings in the Book of Mormon that testifies of what he taught in the bible. I love looking up cross references that take you to verses that are almost word for word in the bible and the Book of Mormon. I have especially been focusing on the blessing of having the ability to understanding what i am reading. I have run into many people who can't read here or people whose reading skills are very minimal, and although i can't say reading is my favorite thing, i am say that i am grateful for my ability to read an now can see it as a great blessing. Something i think i definitely took for granted up to this point in my life. But slowly by slowly i am learning from the Book of Mormon.

Also cool experience form the Book of Mormon. Today was when Christ came to the Americas. When he came there was a voice that came and it came 3 times before the people understood it, but it wasn't the voice that changed. Every time, the voice was the same, it was loud or thundering, but it says the third time the people did open their ears to hear it. So, the Lord and Heavenly Father are always willing to answer, sometimes we just need to be willing to listen and "opening our ears" to be able to receive the answer.

We have had some really cool experiences here. During Harvest we do a lot of acting on faith because honestly it is hard to have set appointments because work schedules are totally dependent on the crops and the weather. The Lord is on our side and leads us along. The people here are super humble. Especially a lot of the field workers. I look at many of the people here and see their humble circumstances and am grateful for my parents who provide for me and encourage me to go to school and chase my dreams. Yet i have also been taught to work hard. Which is good, because the missionary work here is a never ending adventure.

We had a really cool experience this week with a church tour this week. We met Elario when his firend Eleno brought him to a lesson. He had many questions and opinions and we had a great discussion. We invited him to come see the church and come to the English classes there. He agreed and although we didn't actually get into the church, we had a great discussion with him. Our branch President told him about the Book of Mormon while we went to go grab some things and even though we were outside being eaten alive by mosquitoes (seriously my legs look like i have chicken pox.) we had a great spiritual experience. He said that since the last time we visited with him, about a week, he had had 4 dreams about our church and he figures that means something. He is excited to learn more and is super awesome. he even said if we ever needed help cleaning the church or is our car broke down and we needed help to give him a call.

Life is full of these little miracles if we are looking for them. i know that to be true. Thanks to all who send their love and support. it all helps. I love the Gospel, i Love our Savior and i Love all of you!! Have a great week!

Con Amor,

Hermana Ray

9-16-13

Hola Familia,
It has been another week full of walking working hard, and running from dogs...
Monday after i emailed we got to go on a tour of the Jerry Allred's
Dairy. It was actually really interesting. I am such a nerd. It was
fun, we got to milk a cow, i am pro.I am trying to embrace the farm
life. It is actually going pretty well.
We have had some great lessons and i have been thinking on the power
of a testimony. As we sit there and talk to people about beliefs and
about how we can grow our faith in Christ, it is reflected back to me.
If I have that faith in Jesus Christ than i can help them increase
there own faith. This week it has been the power of the Restoration of
the gospel. Twice this week as we were talking about the first vision
and telling of Joseph Smith's experience, they were actively
listening. One specific experience as i was telling the story and
holding a picture of the first vision. The lady we were teaching was
shelling green tomatoes, and she was putting them into a bowl. During
this time, she kept missing the bowl because her eyes were glued to
the picture of Joseph Smith seeing God and Jesus Christ. It was
awesome. It just makes so much sense to me that we would have a
prophet now. I love telling the first vision. Ironically i am much
better at telling it in Spanish and to tell it in English i have to
translate it in my head. The gospel is true! We are so lucky to have
the same church that Jesus Christ established when he was on the
Earth. I am so grateful that God loves us enough to let the church
come back to the earth and to call some one to lead and guides us.
One other great thing that is happening is the last few weeks i have
been getting compliments on my Spanish and i feel like i can have an
almost normal conversation. The just as i think that, i am humbled
enough to talk to someone that i can't understand at all. But i love
the Spanish language! Yesterday i became the translator in Relief
society, because there is a sister in the branch that doesn't speak
spanish, here husband has a calling in the branch and she is awesome
and goes to everything in Spanish and knows all of the women pretty
well, but i was asked to translate so she could understand and respond
to questions. It was pretty cool.
I know, i know, the only thing any of you really want to read is about
the dogs right? It isn't all that exciting. This week we just haven't
had luck with the dogs. One day we had one jumping all over us,
nipping at my hands, jumping in and out of the canal getting us all
dirty and no one knew who he belonged to!! ugh.... The next day, my
compaion got bit by a different dog, and it was at a place we have
been many times!! What in the world? Ya, luckily he didn't get her too
good. Then later that night we almost got bitten again! A dog being
chained up here is like being in arizona all summer and not swimming.
(Rare) To top it off, the day my companion got bit we got locked out
of our house! (and we don't get phone service at our house..) It was
such a crazy and adventerous day! we managed to break in though.
Hermana Heninger and i never fail to find adventure.
I also got to speak at church on Sunday in our English ward. Bishop
asked us to speak on how conference has changed our life.... At first
i thought he was kidding. We are both here because of the announcement
made in conference. But while i was trying to figure out what to share
i was thinking about how Grandpa calls the conference Ensign the
urimum & thumum. And then i got into the story of the Liahona. And i
decided that conference is like our liahona because it is guidance
given from the Lord, but it will only work according to our faith and
diligence. If we are actively looking for guidance from conference and
are faithful and obedient, we will find it. If we treat it like it is
just another thing to watch on tv, then thats what it will be. Buckle
up get ready, conference is coming. so excited!
I love you all i hope you are having as great of a time as i am! We
had a crazy storm last night that put all the power out in othello,
which is the neighboring town. It was crazy. horizontal rain and
lightning and for like 3 hours straight! So fun. Love you all, have a
great week and remember to be awesome!
Con Amor,
Hermana Ray

9-9-13

Hola Familia!

It again has been another great week of learning and growth. The Lord has helped me out more than I ever could have imagined.

The work here is slow but steady. Harvest is in full swing. It is a great thing, you are all welcome for the apples that come from here in Washington. Crazy thing happened the other day. We have been having some good storms this week, one of them had thunder and lightning like an Arizona storm and i was in Heaven... except when we were running down a hill full of puncture vine (like the thorns we get in our backyard, they are everywhere here!) being pelted by dirt. Good times, laughing the whole time we are running. Anyway after this rain storm, the next morning we woke up and were going to go for a run, until we looked outside and couldn't see all the way down our driveway! Granted our neighbors houses aren't super close, but we couldn't see anything in any direction. it was weird... surrounded by a white mist rather than being able to see farms for miles.

As i am learning the ways of rural missionary work, the Lord has surely blessed us. We find ourselves working and working and a miracle or spiritual experience always follows. sometimes we don't recognize it right away, but it always happens.

We have continued to get to know everyone here in the ward as we are here. Even people who aren't members of the church recognize us a new and ask us what happened to the Elders. It has been a good experience being in a town where everyone knows everyone. We were knocking doors in pretty much the only neighborhood there is here and many of the people who talked to us knew exactly who the 3 members of the church are in that neighborhood, where they live, and how nice they are. It was cool to see that the light of Christ and their example can help others see that light.

It seemed like everyone we talked to this week was talking about how the world is in a very sad place and all the wars and unfairness in the world right now. They said that if everyone was like us and out doing hat we are doing that this world would be a much better place and that more people need God in their life. DING! DING! DING! winner! i just want to tell them they are exactly right and we have a message that can help them do that! They don't quite connect the dots yet but they are moving in the right direction.

Yesterday was really good. we had a regional broadcast where Elder Hales and Elder Perry spoke and i got the important parts. Everyone that spoke stressed the importance of Family Home Evening and tithing. It was mentioned in all 4 talks. I sensed a theme, and if i am picking up themes in Spanish, you know it must be important! And it is true, we can receive blessings for doing these things in our lives. I can't say that i was perfect or that i was always happy to be at family home evening, but looking back up to now i can see how strong our family is and i bet it has something to do with always growing up knowing how important family is.

Later we taught a lesson in English and Spanish... At the same time. Owen, Darone, and Andres met up for a lesson and Darone is like the middle man. Andres understands maybe 30% English and Owen know maybe 3 words in Spanish. Darone speaks a jumble up of both so we took turns teaching parts of the Restoration in English and Spanish. It was definitely an interesting experience. 

We also go to teach the Plan of Salvation yesterday, and I Love the Plan of Salvation. It is a different view on the world, but to me there is no other way to view it. It really does give me hope for what happens after this life and my purpose here on the Earth. TO learn and grow and try to be like Jesus Christ. The man we were teaching had lots of questions, you could tell that he was thinking and evaluating his life as we were teaching him. it was so awesome. God is seriously like the ultimate puzzle master. to look back and see how our day was planned and how things literally fall into place and give us the strength and encouragement in our efforts. I am grateful for the opportunity i have to serve him and learn from people from all over.

The last little experience i want to share is about the power of a question. We had the opportunity to sit and talk to a girl about our age and as she began to ask us questions and we were open and honest about our answers (even if that meant that we had to say we didn't know) she began to open up and both chances we have talked with her, the questions get more and more gospel related as she becomes comfortable with us. I never would have thought that answering a question as simple as what i did before my mission or where i have served or simple questions about the missionary life could open people up to asking questions like how can i have a desire to go to church or how do you know what is actually right or what is just a belief and what you should follow? It as an awesome opportunity that kept me on my toes and caused me to reflect on what i know to be true.

I will leave you with a quote that i fell in love with this week. probably because i lifeguard or something.... "If you are drowning in the events of life, do not fear because your lifeguard walks on water"

I love you all! Have a great week! Love the Lord and Always Smiling!

Hermana Ray