Week 9 - S...N...O...W (12/27/2016)

Well after this week, I'm tired of seeing snow. This week we really didn't see much of success due to the holidays and people being gone or celebrating the holidays. We did get to teach a lesson to a girl who wasn't quite understanding the gospel very well and so we taught the Restoration in a much more simpler and visual form. We taught this girl who is 11 the Restoration with a piece of paper. Elder Sarabia pretended that he was Heavenly Father and that we were all his children. The piece of paper represented the priesthood and some of us were prophets. He would hand down the paper to each one of his choice servants aka Prophets, and we'd have that power to baptize, preach the gospel, and share it with everyone. It was awesome. She understood it and we definitely feel that she was touched by the spirit. Later this week we sadly didn't get to Baptize Homero but for sure this Saturday he is. Everything is set in motion and we are excited for it. Now on the other hand we did get two new possible investigators, which is always a good thing. They were people we had contacted and they seem really open and willing to hear what we have to say about the Gospel. So on Christmas day I got to Skype my family home which was really awesome to hear how they are doing and see how it is back home versus here. After Skyping with them we ran to a dinner appointment with the English Elders that live in our apartment and it was really good. We then ran over to talk with Homero and see how he's doing and his family fed us while we were there. We had two dinners that night which was awesome. Afterwards we went caroling as a district. We didn't get to do it on Saturday because the mission grounded all the cars so we couldn't go caroling at all. We definitely had fun doing that and getting to bring the Christmas spirit to others who needed it. Now Yesterday since it wasn't our P-Day we went out to contact people again and we actually had success. We were able to leave some really good spiritual thoughts with people and hopefully have them want to come to church this week. Well that pretty much sums up my week. Holidays are busy here. Oh wait I did forget something. We did have our talent show last week which was really awesome. With both acts we brought the spirit. It was fun doing it and we found out that some changes will be occurring here in the mission and just about everywhere else. This will be fun to find out with the new year coming around. Well Happy New Year to everyone and I'll be hearing from you all next year!! 

Snow

and more snow

and still more snow

Elder Ruesch and his District

Week 8 - Depression...(12/19/2016)

Well not much to talk about in this week. This week was just a little downhill. This week we mainly focused on less actives and getting them to come back to church and we actually got a family to come back which has been really great!! We also have been working with Homero getting to his baptism, but it may not happen due to scheduling conflicts with time and everything. We had it all planned out and something came into the way. We are still hoping it can happen, but we shall see. He has been the best investigator ever and if he doesn't get baptized this week, there is still next week!! This week was rocky so there really isn't much to talk about. The only things I would like to mention is our spiritual experience last night. The institute choir here in Boise was having a concert and we decided as an apartment to go and watch this concert and my gosh was it the best concert ever. The music invited the spirit so amazingly and it was just so strong. Also we our having our talent show tomorrow as a mission and we have another talent that we will be doing. We have two things prepared and not next week, but in like three weeks there will be something to watch. Next week we won't be able to email home and the week after that so this will be the last y'all will hear from me. But the second experience we would like to share is that our car battery died!! So today we had to waste half of our P-Day to get it jumped and then get a new battery. This week has just been crazy, but hopefully we will have a better week to come with more finding! This will be interesting, but I love you all and I hope you have a very Merry Christmas!! Oh and one last thing, we did get snow again this week and this time in the form of a blizzard. That was quite interesting to see. No driving and no leaving the apartment haha, but anyways bye bye!

Week 7 - I'm Still in BOISE (12/12/2016)

So I didn't get transferred so I get to stay here in Boise!! Wahoo!! This area is just so amazing I don't want to leave it. Hopefully I'll be here quite some time. Anyways, this week has just been full of amazing spiritual experiences that I can't describe. Starting off with the spiritual highlight, yesterday the stake had a Christmas program where a choir from every ward would participate. Our branch participated and it was only like 10 of us at most. But we definitely brought the spirit being such a small choir. Then the program proceeded with other such amazing songs as well and it was great. This week Elder Sarabia came up to me and said, " So I have an idea, but you may hate me for it." I was so confused, but I agreed to hear and he wants to enter into our missionary talent show that we have going on as a mission. I was alright sure, what do you want me to do. And he had mentioned that there is this song that he really likes that is approved by the church and I was like uhhh is there sheet music for it and he had said no. So...we ended up listening to it in the car for quite a bit and I picked it out and wrote my own version for it in three days. It is such an amazing song and will be sent after the talent show is over. Aside from that, we had snow this past week!! And I learned to drive in it!! Don't worry, no one is dead and we still have a car to drive. I also got some winter boots too, which are awesome!! I never thought I'd say that about boots, but they are magnificent. This has been a week to definitely remember. Umm we had few lessons this week, primarily with Less Actives and with Homero. Homero finally came to church, now he just needs to come one more time and he can be baptized!! This week has been tearful to because we had to give up one of our investigators to the Nampa mission which made us cry cause he totally was prepared to be taught. But the work is the work, it doesn't matter. I've learned some things this week as to how I can progress at being a better missionary and it is great. One thing in closing that I would like to leave with, is a scripture that I found in my personal study a few days ago. It has really helped in teaching some of our Less Actives so it really does work.  This scripture is found in the Book of Mormon 2 Nephi Chapter 2 verse 4 and it reads, " 4 And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore,thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall ministerin the flesh; for the Spirit is the same, yesterday, today,and forever. And the way is prepared from the fall of man,and salvation is free."

Week 6 - First Transfer (12/5/2016)

Well I really don't have a lot to talk about except for the fact we got two new investigators this week. Which was really awesome, BUT we have to possibly give them to the Nampa mission cause they live in Caldwell...Which makes us sad. :'( But that was a real blessing to teach him because he felt the spirit so strong and he couldn't figure out what it was that he was feeling. He was raised Catholic all his life, but he felt that something was missing when he went there. And when he attended our church, he felt complete, full. It was the most greatest thing ever to hear that. We taught him the first two lessons and he felt the spirit greatly. Other than that that was pretty much the highlight of our week. 

We taught Antonio another lesson, but he doesn't want to pay tithing and he isn't keeping our commitments so we think he won't be baptized this week. Homero is progressing a lot, but he only has two more opportunities to go to church before his baptism. So yea that was pretty much our week summed up. We did go on exchanges this week and I got to lead the area which was awesome. Elder Jensen (who is our district leader and an English speaking Elder) came with me and we went and taught some lessons with Part Member Families and other people which was cool.

We taught Homero a lesson that night which I mainly led cause I was the only one who could speak Spanish... It's awesome that I had the opportunity to do so cause when Elder Sarabia leaves, the area is in my hands and whoever the Lord sees fit to give me as a companion. For now, this Christmas season is a good time to Light the World. Punny...

Anyways we had zone conference this week which was awesome and there was one thing that one of our Zone Leaders said that really caught my attention about my mission call. He said " This is the front lines. We've been placed somewhere, where people know God and what we are going to teach, before we teach it. God has trusted us here in this place, to teach those who are His lost sheep. He has specifically trusted us, to do the hard work. It won't be easy, but we can do it". I thought that was really awesome to hear because a lot of people aren't usually excited to serve in a place that is close to home. The work is hard, but it is really rewarding. Seeing others want to learn about Christ is such a blessing to see in the work here in Boise. It brings joy to my heart seeing others want to learn and come unto Christ. We are doing the hard work, but people want to listen cause they are ready to receive the word. 

This has been my week and I hope you all have a great week this week. I love you, I love you, I love you!! Take care

Love, 

Elder Ruesch