Week 2

Before I begin, I want to say that anyone who does not want to
handwrite a letter can go to DearElder.com and write me there.. it's
actually a sweet deal for us cuz we get it the same day and we can
read it and reply to it on Pday.. plus it makes me feel suuuper
special :D

So I've been here for about 10 days which feels like a month in
missionary time.. possibly just a little bit less than that idk
hahah.. I love it right now because finally my schedule is set and
doesn't jump around and is unsure like the first few days usually are.
The work here is hard but good.. There is a lot of time to study. I
need to learn how to plan to study and what specifically much better
than I do right now haha. I'm working on it :) It is hard cuz it's not
exactly my learning style but I am better because of it. The challenge
to expand past what you are is very very good and suuuuuch a growing
experience.We are given so many challenges and tasks and opportunities
and goals that I really rely on the Lord to get done what needs to and
how it needs to.. He's a great guy :) We had been having a few
challenges staying focused and staying in touch with the Spirit and
remember thing that we're on the Lord's time, but then we started to
realize that we would get nothing done and we wouldn't progress and we
would have no idea what to plan or say. We've resolved most of those
things which has been a real blessing and what really helped us stay
in focus was from Richard G. Scott: "Spirituality yields two
fruits.... the first is the inspiration to know what to do and the
next is power or the capacity to do it.. They come together."

This week is the mission president training week - so all the new
mission presidents and their wives - including mine - are here right
now learning. It only happens once a year so i feel especially
privileged to be here for it.. Our district was even chosen to
participate in part of their training. So we went in and one of my
compas and I were placed with a couple that will be serving in
Oklahoma City.. they were AMAZING people; those elders & sisters are
super lucky to have such excellent leaders at their head. Anyways I
learned a lot in that experience. Elder Oaks will be speaking in a
special devotional today and we're so excited to attend. But
afterwards guess what? I GET TO MEET MY MISSION PRESIDENT!! I'm so
excited.. I have to tell you though... today after lunch, we passed
them... and we said hi and I said como estas and it was great and a
second later i realized he was my mission president but they were
already past us going somewhere and what kills me is i DIDN'T EVEN
THINK TO TALK TO THEM!! My goodness I could have died.. Luckily I know
that I get to meet them tonight. They may or may not speak English.
It's all up in the air.. we'll see how THAT goes....

My spanish is actually coming along quite well and i still can't
believe how much 8th grade Spanish helped. I have learned quite a lot
in just a week, as well as many other amazing things.. We had our
first lesson this week and we did awesome! we had a great review and
only a couple things that we really needed to work on. It was a great
experience and we just knew what to say it was great. Well I gotta go
right now but one thing more:

Quiero compartir mi testimonio con ustedes. Yo se Dios es nuestro
Padre Celestial y nos ama porque nosotros somos sus Hijos.. Dios
quiere que seamos exitosos y regresar a el. Dios conoce nuestras
cargas y tambien contesta nuestras oraciones. Esta conocimiento me
ayuda cuando necesito consuelo. Jesucristo murio por nuestros pecados.
Jesucristo es nuestro salvador y redentor. El vive. Dios restauro su
evangelio verdadero a traves de Jose Smith. Yo se que Jose Smith fue
un profeta de Dios y tambien el fue escogido por Dios. Quiero
compartir este mensaje con el mundo! Estoy llamado por Dios. Estoy
mucho agradecido por la oportunidad de servir. Las familias pueden
vivir juntas para siempre.. Tengo un testimonio que las familieas son
central al plan de salvacion y tambien ellos pueden ser felices a
traves del evangelio. Me encanta el evangelio! Yo se que Jesucristo a
restaurado la iglesia verdadero en estos dias.. Testifico que el Libro
de Mormon es la palabra de Dios.. Dios nos ama. Agradezco por mi
familia mucho. Decimos estas cosas en el nombre de Jesucristo. Amen.

pretty sure there are spelling errors but esta bien.. get over it ;)

Love yall! - Hna Rippstein