Dear Sister Rippstein...

For an excellent song click HERE




"Dear Sister Rippstein:
You are hereby called to serve as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Nicaragua Managua North Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months.

You should report to the Provo Missionary Training Center on Wednesday, June 16, 2010. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language. Your assignment may be modified according to the needs of the mission president.

You have been recommended as one worthy to represent the Lord as a minister of the restored gospel. You will be an official representative of the Church. As such, you will be expected to maintain the highest standards of conduct and appearance by keeping the commandments, living mission rules, and following the counsel of your mission president. As you devote your time and attention to serving the Lord, leaving behind all other personal affairs, the Lord will bless you with increased knowledge and testimony of the Restoration and of the truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Your purpose will be to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. As you serve with all your heart, might, and strength, the Lord will lead you to those who are prepared to be baptized.

The Lord will reward you for the goodness of your life. Greater blessings and more happiness than you have yet experienced await you as you humbly and prayerfully serve the Lord in this labor of love among His children. We place you in our confidence and pray that the Lord will help you become an effective missionary.

You will be set apart as a missionary by your stake president. Please send your written acceptance promptly, endorsed by your bishop.

Sincerely,
Thomas S. Monson"



Wow. Okay so I guess I'm going to Central America. I'm apprehensive about food, living conditions and weather but I assume that's probably pretty typical. Other than that I'm totally thrilled and excited and looking forward to it. They eat iguana eggs...... (click on the 1st & 2nd videos HERE )



and worms and stinky cheese and guinea pigs and a whole lot of other stuff I don't want to say out loud because I don't want to jinx myself. I was reading on the Nicaragua mission page that someone said that Nicaraguans are very hospitable and in regards to drinking and eating, he said to just do it, get sick, pray for death, get over it, and enjoy the rest of the mission. It's all part of the experience. hahahah! oh goodness. It also is 80-95 degrees year round, and huuuuuuumid. It is a tropical wet/dry climate which means its dry like Nov-April, and it's raining constantly other than that. But, it's going to be beautiful. Too bad I can't touch the water. Oh well. The mission will be hard, but that's okay, I can do hard things.


Church Growth Report in Feb 2010:
"Missionaries serving in the Nicaragua Managua Mission report that the mission will be split this summer to create a second mission. The mission has seen tremendous success over the years and continues to show impressive results. Missionaries report that 60% of converts have been retained over the past year, much higher from previous years. Hundreds of baptisms occur monthly and the amount of growth has overwhelmed currently mission leadership for a nation with over 64,000 members, 100 congregations, and high inactivity. Nine stakes and six districts currently function."

My mission will be new right when I get there! Well.. not necessarily new but it's been split. We might open new areas even who knows. how crazy!


"You are scheduled to participate in phased training. You will be trained at the Provo MTC for approximately three weeks, after which you will travel to the Guatemala MTC, where you will receive six weeks of additional training. This split-training opportunity will aid your transition into the culture and enhance your learning of the Spanish language."

.........so I'm going to Guatemala for a time as well!! I feel SO privileged to be able to participate in phased training. Not many missionaries have the privilege to do so and I'm sure it's going to help oodles with my Spanish.


As far at temples go, there is not one in Nicaragua, but there is one in San Jose, Costa Rica,

and currently the Nicaraguan stakes are in the district of the Guatemala City, Guatemala temple.

However, I was looking online and it looks like 3 temples should be dedicated while I'm on my mission.

First, anticipated in late 2010 or early 2011, is the San Salvador, El Salvador Temple (look Kerri!!)
Next is the Quetzaltenango, Guatemala Temple, anticipated sometime in 2011.
And finally we have the Tegucigalpa, Honduras Temple, expected in 2012.

I don't know if I'll be able to attend any of the temple dedications or if I'll be able to visit any of these while on my mission (I highly doubt it, though I may get to go to dedications who knows), but they're all just popping up next to each other now. Nicaragua needs to be next hahah. At least I should be able to go to both Provo and Guatemala City Temples though!

I know the Lord will protect me and help me through the things that are hard. I will finally be able to learn the Spanish language, which I’m thrilled about, and I will probably have Spanish companions as well. I know that the Lord has called me there for a reason. To challenge me, to help the people there, to spread the knowledge of the Gospel, and so on. I’m so relieved to finally be able to have a specific time frame and place to prepare for and I feel good about my call. I’ve never been outside the U.S. before. This is going to be different. I’m looking forward to this experience and I know I will come out stronger and hopefully wiser, having helped many along their way. Even though there are mixed feelings on the surface, I know I was always meant to go. I love the Lord, I know the church is true, and I am excited to teach and help others.