Guatemala Dos

Well a couple days ago we were paired with the Latina Hermanas and we
went out and contacted real people in a park (rather than people just
pretending to be investigators and such. Much different!) and let´s
just say it was a humbling experience. Haha! I actually understood
more than I expected to and we placed 3 Book of Mormons and a lot of
other materials but still.. I have a LOT of work to do. We have one week
more until we speak only spanish - for everything. For now we can
still have a few meeting in English and talk to our companeras in
English. It´s going to be hard I think to conversate solomente en
Espanol, but it will be good practice for sure. Also when we went
contacting we got to go on the 'Chicken Buses' which is what they
call them because we are packed into them like a bunch of chickens
haha. It was a crazy ride but we got to see more of the city and such
and it was pretty neaaaat.

A typical day starts at 615 or so.. we get ready and go work out for
about 45 minutes then shower and get to breakfast at 8. Then it´s
class till lunch, then companionship study till dinner, then class
till 915, which is when we plan, then write in journals and go to bed.
That´s like a typical schedule though, without all our teaching appts
and special events like devotionals included. It was interesting
because last night they played a devotional from the MTC, and it
turned out it was Elder Oak´s talk - the same one from when we were
actually at the MTC. We tried to find ourselves in the crowd but we
forgot where we sat. We did however see a lot of the elders from our
old district though - that was funny! The deja vu was crazy. However
it was amazing to me to see how much I learned even though I´d just
heard that talk... I compared the notes from both times and they both
led in completely different directions. It is an inspiring talk and it
was about the fundamental principles of the LDS church and a bunch of
other things. Excellent.

The food continues to be good, and filling! I still love the bread!
Today we had some really, really good rice and I want to know what
they put in it because it was simply delicious. Oh thats another thing
about our schedule which is cool. We get 10 minutes after every meal
to go to the bathroom/brush teeth or whatever. Mom - tell Dr.Levin
that she should be proud because I brush my teeth about 5 times a day.

We also got to go to the temple today - first time since coming on the
mission! I love temples, and I hope everyone can get the chance to go
sometimes soon! The people in Nicaragua do not have a temple - YET!
But soon, I´m sure of it. Temples are the ultimate goal, because it is
there that we can become sealed together as families forever. That is
the goal that we must have as individuals and for the investigators.
The miracle of the Atonement and all the blessings of the Lord are
incomprehensible, but the Lord has given us ways to know that they are
true. I know that the church is true and that it is the living gospel
of Christ that we are proclaiming to the world. It is weird to think
that I just celebrated my 1 month anniversary on a mission. It feels
shorter and longer at the same time. I love you all and I hope you´re
making life magical! Yours,

Hna Rippstein

Wed, July 14, 2010 4:58:04 PM

Well i've been in Guatemala for a week and it's awesome! The weather is soooo gorgeous and not like Houston at all. No muggy-ness and I actually even use blankets in the night because it gets cool. YAY.

Okay sorry I don't have a whole lot of time this week; for some reason they cut our 30 minutes down to 20 minutes, which is unfair but oh well! Life is unfair and you can choose how to take it. You make your own happiness.

What do we eat? We have meat with every meal, as well as either beans or rice. the food changes up a lot though and it's delicious. I absolutely love the bread. Next monday we start contacts on the street - it is already so humbling to be contacted by the Latino missionaries here Idk how it's gonna go on monday! My spanish is slow but it is coming. I think I mostly just have a problem hearing with conversation and such. The spirit is so strong here and the Latina women are great examples to me. It is amazing what you can learn from everybody.

I have learned you really can't do anything without the spirit in your life and that working on that is hard at times. This is a life long church and it is full of work. It is by work that you get the sweetest success. you don't grow close to your family by being born into it once. You grow close by staying together and working together instead
of ignoring problems. It's about getting through your struggles and being there when the going gets tough. The greatest relationships come about through the sweat and tears and pushing on to the end. It is the same with our relationship with God. We work to return to him; it is not easy but it is worth it. I know this church is true and that it has brought great peace to both my life and the lives of countless others. till next time! LOVE!

Provo MTC Wrap-up

Courtney called home from the Salt Lake City airport on her way to Guatemala. It was wonderful to talk to her--she sounded very happy and excited about the next step on her journey. In the call, she mentioned that she had sent home pics from the Provo MTC. A few days later this package arrived, and in true Courtney form, there were PICTURES!

After looking through all of them, and considering my lack of computer expertise, we're going to take this kinda' slow--so here are just a few pics from her 2 weeks in Provo. It's at least a little intro to her new world and those she spent the most time with there.

Last phone conversation--on the way to the MTC--Talking to Mama!

Grandma and Grandpa Barnes dropping Hna. Rippstein off at the Provo MTC

June 16, 2010

1st day in Provo MTC

Nicaragua, Managua North Mission

HERE I COME!

"The Provo MTC District"

Courtney and her 2 companions: Hna. Roney and Hna. Nelson

Hna. Roney's family lives right behind the temple. So nearly everyday, she would joke about "walking home"....Of course she never did, but it did add some fun here and there!

"GQ" Shot of the elders in "The District"

One last pic of "The District" in front of the

Provo, UT LDS Temple

Guatemala!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

So... I have arrived. I was in airports from 7:30am yesterday to 11pm - our flight had been delayed 2 hours or so. I had a first class flight for the first one - but I've never had 1st class before so I didn't know it was anything special. Everyone else poked fun at me after I told them I'd had no idea hah. My bad.

My first experience of Guatemala was coming up over it and instead of looking like a city down below, it looked like we were flying over stars. It was different. Then my next real Guatemalan experience was getting through customs and then we went outside like what's going on and then this legit school bus drives up with black flames going down the nose and some Guatemalans were like alright lets go!! Then we rocketed over to the CCM which is pretty sweet - The temple is right outside my window. My compa, Hna Phillips, hasn't arrived yet. Last we heard, they were delayed by 4 days or something crazy, so we'll see.

For breakfast I had a cooked plantain, beans, bread, melon and other stuff I don't really recognize. Last night it was chicken & rice. It is good. I'm looking forward to my time here, though I hear the mail situation can take time. I get Dear Elders like a week or so later or something, I don't know. I don't know how it all works much just yet cuz it's been a crazy ride.

I miss the MTC and the elders that grew to be my brothers, but I'm super excited for this opportunity, especially since if I'd gone straight from Provo into a place like this I'm pretty sure I'd have died cuz it would have been too much of a shock to me; I'm glad to have this buffer. The people are so warm, open and kind and the Spirit is strong. I know the church is true! Choose the right and never let your situation get the better of you!

Love, Hna Rippstein

Week 3

Well we got our travel papers on Monday; we will be leaving the MTC on Tuesday the 6th. Our flight leaves around 10 or something and we have a 4 hour layover in - TEXAS!!! WOOO!! My companeras are not pleased. Let's just say they aren't huge fans of Texas. I can't imagine why. By 8:30 on Tuesday night, I will be in Guatemala. That is another country. It blows my mind that I'm going out of the country! Crazy. Anyways...

I actually have loved the MTC a lot. I can understand why people might complain but I like it a lot! I'm sad to be headed out so soon but it's okay. I'm stoked for the new change that will be taking place. I will miss our district and zone - we have wonderful elders, heading out to Honduras, California, Spain, Mexico, and other places in Utah. But I know we will stay in touch so that is cool; they have influenced my life very much and I know they were called to be here in this place and this time for a reason.

I met my mission president last week - it was Mission President Training week at the MTC, and the general authorities were all around, along with both my companera's mission prez, and mine. We had a little bit of time after an amazing special devotional by Elder Dallin H. Oaks to meet them. We were also selected as a district to participate in training for the couples that were here. We were paired up with an awesome pair headed for Oklahoma - those missionaries are getting one top-notch mission president! It was kind of interesting to see how nervous a lot of the mission presidents were about meeting missionaries and teaching them. Anyways so both of our presidents are natives, but mine (President Arredondo) speaks english, unlike my companeras'. What's kind of funny is mine is from Guatemala and theirs is from Nicaragua, and so they're just switching places. I am so excited to get to know my mission pres and his wife further - they were so cute helping each other with their English at times and they are so eager for the opportunity to be mission presidents. Their faith is absolutely incredible and I was so happy for that opportunity

I forgot that the 4th of July is coming up... I got a package from Melissa with flags in it and a lot of patriotic stuff and I was all like.. "I know I'm leaving the country, but that seems like a bit much..." and eventually I realized why aahahahah!! Last night some people were lighting premature fireworks which was cool. Looks like we'd have a pretty amazing view of the fireworks from our bedroom over BYU stadium. It is Hna Roney's favorite holiday and she is excited about it.

It is kinda funny being at the MTC though cuz I imagine all of my RM friends when they were little 19 year olds going to the MTC for the first time. But there are some elders that are just.. wow. They put you speachless because you can really tell they've been prepared to be here. My spanish is coming along well although I am wondering a bit how it's going to work in Guatemala when we're thrown into solid Spanish 24/7. I think we'll be okay though; we taught our first few short lessons yesterday in Spanish and it went okay so that was nice. We've had a lot of amazing teaching opportunities this week and I have learned a lot about how to teach and a WHOLE lot more about the gospel. My testimony grows each day, especially in the Book of Mormon. That book is just grand, let me tell you. I love it. I am learning more each day and I'm so grateful for the things in my life that have led me to this point.

Love you all and stay strong!!

Hna Rippstein