Week 39 - Burning UP (7/25/2017)

So this week has been pretty crazy! But crazy good! To start off we had a surprise on our preparation day! We got to see a comic con being held at our Stake Center!! It was awesome since it was all (majority) Star Wars!! I nerded out for a bit. We then went on Exchanges and I got to stay in the area. We had two good visits then called it a night. 

On Tuesday we had a really good lesson with a progressing mother and daughter and they are just so prepared. We taught the Word of Wisdom and wow it was just crazy to see how prepared they are. The mother quit drinking alcohol and coffee about a year ago, before she even met us!! It was amazing to see that the Lord truly does prepare people for the Gospel. We then hit a struggle of finding people home. So we went to English class and then unexchanged after that.

Wednesday we had our District meeting and it went really well. WE then tried to see some people after that, but nothing happened. It was slow. All of our appointments fell through and things kinda went south, but we made the best of it.

Thursday we had another great appointment with the mother and daughter and like I said, completely prepared by the Lord. We then weekly planned and headed out out to visit people. Everything fell through again, but we were able to do some service for some people and then hit up English class again. Reset some appointments with people and then tried contacting, but just ended up talking with a member to end the night. 

Friday we did service for a good chunk of the day. It was pretty fun, but really hot!!! We then tried to visit people, but no one was home. Just seems to be our luck... We then had dinner and after dinner got lucky. We were able to talk with some people and got some good visiting in.

Saturday rolled around and we had a lesson cancelled on us which sucked, but it's okay. We then tried to see some people that we haven't seen in awhile and we did. We attended a baptism and that was just a wonderful experience over all and it was just so touching. We then Ended the night with Agustin coming up with "strategies" (lesson plans) for some of our investigators that we've been teaching. It was just a wonderful experience. 

Sunday rolled around and we had really good sacrament meetings. We also got to bless the sacrament in Spanish which was a real treat. I loved it!! It felt good to be able to bless the Sacrament again. We had a correlation after church and then a dinner. We then had a Stake Priesthood meeting which was amazing! Talked about the Restoration of things and all that comes to pass through modern day revelation! Which was amazing! We then ended the night visiting with our two boys! Good visit there! 

Monday came and like I said this mother and daughter are so prepared!! They had their baptismal interview and they are getting baptized this Saturday!!! We're so excited!!!! We then had some good visits the rest of the day and got to close with an FHE/BBQ! It was pretty fun!! Got to meet some new people and play some volleyball. My team lost, but it's okay. We all left friends, I hope... 

Then today. Got to go to the temple and wow it is always an amazing experience to go through the temple. In closing I would like to share with you some song lyrics of one of my new found favorite songs here in the mission.

"He hears me, when I'm crying in the night, He hears me. When my soul longs to fight. Till the morning will come and the light of the dawn, reassures, He hears me." 

I know that our Heavenly Father does answer prayers. He loves us so much and He loves to hear from us every day! I testify of that to be true. I hope you all have a great day and I love you all and miss you!!!

Elder Ruesch Sosa

 

Comic Con

Comic Con

Comic Con

Majestic Beauty

Week 38 - Summer Days, Summer Nights (7/17/2017)

So this week has been pretty great. We've hit a lot of heat in the area, which is a tad bit un-normal, but it's great none of the less. To start us off with last week. So we had a great few visits with some of the people we are working with and we set up appointments for them so we can come back and see them. 

Tuesday came around and we had our District Meeting and then some other things we had to do. Had to run back into town and get our car checked out cause the little tattle tale box wasn't working. So we ran into town and they had to order a part for us. We then had a good lesson with a Less Active and we got to visit with her for a bit. Had dinner, then we saw one of our other families who is active, but the husband is not a member of the church. We went over and set an appointment for this week. We then went to the English class and helped out in there and called it a night.

Wednesday strolled around and we had a really good appointment with our most progressing investigator by far. It was so amazing as we got to teach baptism and why it is necessary with the right authority. As we got on talking, they already explained what baptism was and why it was needed. They beat us to it. We then had dinner and from there tried some people, but they weren't home and so we went to our appointment with another investigator. We were going to read a chapter with him, but instead we ended up reading 15 verses of the chapter and went on to explain a little bit of the Plan of Salvation. This week, we'll be going over that with him. We then tried some more people, but to no success. 

Thursday rolled around and we weekly planned and we got a call that the new part for our car was in and that we could go get it replaced. So we went after we planned and we spent hours in there. Apparently when they got the part in and turned our car over, it blew out one of the main fuses and our car had to remain overnight. My hate for the tattle tale box, immensely increased at that point. We ran late to dinner cause we had to get someone to pick us up. We got to dinner and ate, then went to an appointment with our Ward Mission Leader and it went really well. Our two boys are really progressing. Had the English class and then we correlated with our Ward Mission Leader. 

Friday! We had another good appointment with our really progressing investigators and it went really well. We brought the Bishop with us and he helped us out with it. Before we left they called and said our car was ready. We asked Bishop if he could take us and he said that he could cause he needed to be in town already! Perfect timing! Had lunch in town and our tattle tale box still isn't working. Stupid thing. We came back and tried some people and we talked to Suzanne who has been investigating the church for awhile. We then went and had dinner. Got some referrals and we tried some people, bu nothing exciting. We then finished the night with Agustin. 

Saturday and Sunday! Saturday we contacted all day and we had some good success. Met with some Less Actives and talked with them and invited them to church. On Sunday we did the exact same thing and contacted all day after church. We were nearly dead cause we attended Four Ward Councils in two different buildings. We did a lot of running back and forth. We're tired, but we are alive. 

This week was pretty awesome and We are looking forward to the more weeks that come in this transfer. Next week our Preparation day has been moved to Tuesday. I don't know when I'll be writing home, but I will write sometime that day. I love you all and Miss you all!! Hope you have a fantastic week!!!

Elder Ruesch

The District

Me and Elder Jones

Me and Elder Jones

Elder Posadas, Elder Conner, and myself

Week 37 - Fiestas!! (7/10/2017)

To start out with Transfers... SO I have stayed another transfer here in Declo and I received a new companion. Elder Jones!! He's been out as long as Elder Posadas. So far, this has been a great three days. We've been enjoying this area and a whole bunch of things will be coming up this transfer. So to start off with last week. The fourth of July was pretty awesome, but not very productive. Everyone was partying and hard to catch them. We tried, but to nothing. We had dinner and ended the night with a family in one of the Declo wards who was really happy to have us over. And the best parts is, they would love to do splits with us!! It's awesome!! We then ended the night there and had transfer calls!! 

Wednesday rolled around and Elder Posadas went around saying his goodbyes to the members and investigators in our area. It was really hard for him to say goodbye, but when I leave, it'll be tons harder. I'm going on my fourth transfer here!! This will be pretty fun!! He said his goodbyes to a lot of people and we then came around to Thursday!

Thursday was transfer day! We got into Rupert and from there I was in a trio. We just hung around Rupert cause it made no sense to go back to Declo and stay there when they would be coming back real soon. We then got our companions and off to our areas we went. Helped Elder Jones unpack his stuff out of the car and then we went to work. Showed him around and got him acquainted with a few of the people we are working with and trying to work with at the moment. Then ended the night and came back and he unpacked and settled in. 

Friday, we went to work again and tried to see as many people as we could! We got to crash a family reunion and say hi to a family that we've been seeing in the area. We then talked with another family and then another family. Up until dinner. Had dinner and then had a good lesson with our boys Rigo & Adan and taught them the first two points of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was great!! We then met with a family that we've been trying to work with. The husband was the only one home so we got to talk with him and to see if he was ready for Declo Days! Then we called it a night.

Saturday!! DECLO DAYS!!! It was pretty awesome!!! They had a parade and everything and food, and music, and all sorts of great things!!! We saw a lot of our investigators!!! It was awesome!!! We then went and tried seeing some people with success we did catch people home!!! Great day, just really hard to explain it!!

Sunday rolled around and we had a great sacrament meetings!! All good things that we learned. Had dinner and attained a whole bunch of referrals!! We then had a meeting at 8 and it was wonderful!! This week was pretty slow, but really good!! I'm loving this area and I am excited for this transfer to come about!!!  I love you all and I miss you all!! Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Ruesch

Selfie

Saying goodbye to Elder Posadas

Parade highlights

Parade highlights

Parade highlights

Train at Declo Days

Week 36 - Date ?? (7/3/2017)

This week has been a really good and crazy week. So to start off with last week. We were playing soccer for Preparation Day and it was hot! Then all of a sudden a random storm comes through and it starts to rain far off in the distance. So we took our activity to the church and as we were closing, it was raining in Declo!! Crazy how it became hot and then raining. 

Well Tuesday came and went. It was a tad bit crazy that I only remember two things from it. We had a good lesson with a family who is a Part Member Family. The dad is the only non-member. We watched the Prince of Peace with them and they liked it. It was hard to keep the kids focused cause they are all so little (the oldest is 9). It was difficult, but the dad did open up to us. Then from there we went to English class and it was good that we were there. We had to do some translating.

Wednesday. Had a good District Meeting and it was pretty cool. We then went out proselyting since we were out of miles, we were having members drive us to places. We had a good lesson with a mom and daughter. We had ward missionaries there and we taught the plan of Salvation. We closed the lesson and the mom asked if we could stay for a little bit as she asked us some questions. The Ward Missionaries did an excellent job of answering those questions. The spirit was so strong in that moment that we asked if the daughter could come back as we had a question to ask both of them. We asked them if they would be baptized July 22nd and they both accepted!! It was awesome to see and feel how powerful that spirit was. The daughter was so excited she went off running and screaming saying "I'm going to be baptized!" It brought so much joy and peace to my heart to see that excitement. And I know as well the mom was excited and could feel that same peace. We then went from there to another house and visited with a family that just got home from Utah. We invited them to church and hopefully we'll be seeing them there. We then went and knocked on some doors with a youth and had no success. We then had dinner and from dinner we went to mutual. We taught missionary work to the youth and got them excited to go and prepare. Elder Posadas also talked about Honduras and cooked some food from his home country. It was really good. 

Thursday rolled around and we went and did service for an investigator. He was taking out his carpet and he needed help so we enlisted ourselves. We spent quite some time there that we lost track of time. He also left the Mexico Germany game going to and so we also got to hear how that went. Sadly, Mexico lost ;'( It was disappointing, but we got the carpet all out. His house looks so different. We then saw some people and had a good lesson with our two boys who are progressing so much. We took the Primary president with us and wow they were blown away with how great they are and they're knowledge of the Stories in the Book of Mormon. It was a really great lesson there.

Friday came around and we were disappointed so much. All of our appointments fell through and we were just running around trying to see people. And same thing with Saturday. We had no success those two days and they were pretty hot days too. We did a lot of walking those two days.

Sunday rolled around and we had meetings left and right. We lost our day to meetings. But we had a great dinner with Agustin and his family and we did some role plays of missionaries and door contacting. It was pretty fun and we asked Any (wife) and Victoria (daughter) if we could share a message with them next time we come by and they said yes!! So we are excited about that!! We are going to get this done!! 

So this week was fun and I look forward to this week! We have transfers this week and we don't find out till tomorrow what happens. Hopefully I can stay another transfer with Elder Posadas! We've got a lot of good going on here and I'd hate to leave it!! Well anyways, Enjoy your week everybody and enjoy the Fourth of July!!!

Elder Ruesch Sosa

Candy looks like Idaho

Bowling score. Elder Ruesch v Elder Posadas