Quick Pic Week

Mon, June 27, 2011 8:41:58 PM

OK. So, Hna. Rippstein sends her apologies today for no real blog post... But other than that, she is doing great and is working hard even though it has been hard because the families they have been teaching have decided to stop progress so they had to leave them. In her words, "It is very hard to see that. You know the blessings. You know the reality. But they don't have enough of a desire or will to even try to experiment on His words. Ouch."

a "friend" the hermanas found in their room...

a baptism in Esteli

Another Lesson Learned

Tue, June 21, 2011 4:05:56 AM
There is something I've really been learning how to handle here in my mission, and that is come what may and love it. I've been in great areas, with great comps, with great success, and in just the opposite as well. Happiness has never been consistent with great surroundings. Or with a great number of other things. Happiness has come when I feel like the Lord can trust in me because I have fulfilled my part and I have done it for the correct reasons, and when I have been able to do my best and then put my trust in Him. I have also been able to recognize the Lord working a change within me, and I have been able to discover a few talents and gifts that I didn't know that I had developed. I'm loving the opportunity to have this experience. It's really a whole new world! A happier world, full of promise, comfort, and light. I probably sound ridiculous but just so's ya' know, I know that this mission has saved my future life. I highly recommend it. Remember.

HOLY GOODNESS I AM NOW A YEAR OLD IN THE MISSION. HOW DID I GET HERE? I don't feel like I know what I'm doing yet or where I should be and I still have so much more to go!! Time is slipping through my fingers faster than I can hold onto it. But at least I know I'm going to make the most of this last precious bit I have here in Nicaragua. There are miracles to be realized!

Surprise change!

Tue, June 14, 2011 3:13:08 AM
Well..I can't believe it. I got changed. I was not prepared for that. It hit me hard. I believe that I left my heart in Leon; you all know it was my home, full of my family and just overall greatness. It was even harder leaving this time.. especially on such short notice, unexpectedly, without being able to say goodbye to my loved ones. I really don't appreciate that about this mission. But whatever - what's done is done.

Now I am in Esteli. The area I am in is difficult but I feel good because I know that I have been fulfilling every day what the Lord would have me do and that we are working with the spirit. My new companion is Hermana López. This is her last change in her mission and I am her first white companion. Haha that is kind of funny. She is from Guatemala, youngest of 3 girls, and has really learned a lot in her mission. I have a lot to learn from her this change. Anyways, so Esteli.. it is surrounded by mountains.. I'm kind of in a valley; actually my area reminds me a lot of Utah, except Spanish, and poor. But it's cool. The weather - it's not cold like they said it would be. It is more like Managua. My area is pretty poor. This is also my first time being in a branch - we don't have wards here. The church is just beginning here and needs a lot of work. I feel kind of like a pioneer being here right now.. the people that we teach now will be the future leaders that will carry the church to its full potential here in Esteli.

I look forward to bringing forward a few miracles here with my new companion. I know it is possible and I know that the Lord walks with us. I know that God loves us. A lot. More than that I now that God is saving our future lives here in the mission by teaching us valuable lessons now. I know that He has a plan for everything and every moment we live here is a blessing far greater than we could comprehend. Take care & keep up with the prayers! They strengthen me so I can strengthen the people here!

Double Dipper 5am

Mon, June 6, 2011 5:45:56 PM

Hermanas Rippstein and Padilla

SOOOOO this week was exciting. We baptized 2 families at 5am Saturday morning (that was the only hour the two families could do it for some reason, so we got up at like 3:15 to get everything all set. Sweeeeet). It was actually pretty amazing because one of the families were going to postpone again because yet another challenge showed up (like they always do). We accepted that not wanting to pressure them and began to pray and then we just waited with confidence in the Lord. Later on that night (Friday) they called us and said, no. We are doing it tomorrow at 5am. For sure. I personally see that as a little miracle in itself because this family had had problems passing since April when they were first going to be baptized. We were so happy to see these families be able to take this step of baptism. I’m sure that the challenges haven’t stopped but I do know that the blessings will definitely increase. What’s more is these two families are so in love with each other and so supportive that they strengthen each other where the other is weak and are great pairs. I’ve attached pictures of them. These guys have taught us so very much.

Other than these two families, our other few fams fell this weekend so the majority of our efforts again is searching and putting baptismal dates. One guy made me pretty sad because he has big goals in his life but he is missing the big key part and can’t see it. He has forgotten the Lord´s hand in all things. One thing we are studying a lot right now is the purpose of this life, to be able to apply the things in the lives of folks better. I’ve thought a lot about that one talk that speaks about how we really only have 2 gifts in this world. One is time. And the other is agency - or rather, the ability to decide what you want to buy with your time here in the world, whether that be eternal blessings or just temporal (temporary) distractions. There are some things we have to do, promises (covenants) we have to make to the Lord such as baptism and the ordinances of the temple, and the rest of it is improving yourself, and striving to grow to a point where you can obey every single commandment He has given us. The commandments lead us to a better quality of life. We make the promises and then spend the rest of our lives trying to honor those covenants we made with Him. It is between us and the Lord. ANY thing, big or small, that gets in the way of our obedience to the commandments and trust in the Lord is taking us away from those eternal blessings. There are no excuses. It doesn’t matter what happens. The Lord really does see it as black and white.

My first district leader told me a story of an elderly man who was in a battle with some sort of cancer in the knees. His life was a very difficult one and did not have very much at all. He came to realize his responsibility to the Lord who loved him and was baptized to be cleansed of all his sins. This man would walk the very large distance between his shack of a home and the church every Sunday that he physically could - unable to afford any mode of transportation. He tried to lift up others whose arms hung down, to strengthen others in every capacity that he could. He would even pray on his cancer-ridden knees as much as he could in hopes that he would be able to live long enough to be able to go to the temple and receive the ordinances there. My district saw this man and then others would share their excuses as to why they could not even pray on their own, expecting to be justified. ´There’s just no time. I´ve got a cold. I came home tired. My foot hurt.´ Etc. So on and so forth, as creative as they get. But they continue saying that ´the Lord understands. The Lord knows I have faith.´ etc. He told me he always thought to himself in that moment.. No. I DONT think the Lord will understand. I do NOT think you will be justified by that. Things like that are left up to the Lord to judge, and not us, however it is just so very sad to see things like that. I do not believe that the Lord justifies ´faith´ without action to back it up. Sure it is hard to develop. Sure, I have a LONG way to go. But I know I will get there. Anyways. So yea, just sharing a bit of what we have been learning. Follow the commandments. All of them. You will later see the blessings of such actions. And they will be better than anything you´ve got right now, especially the things you have to ´sacrifice.´

Sorry for the speech today. We have just had a lot on our minds recently. I personally feel a lot of comfort in knowing the Lord´s plan. I know I don’t know everything, nor am I perfectly developed OR better than anyone else at all. But I know that the Lord is guiding me right now and I know that one day, somehow, I will get to where he wants me to be. He is preparing each of us for something that we can’t see just yet or even comprehend. Lesson at a time we become stronger. I also would like to extend an invitation to read/listen to D. Todd Christofferson´s talk this past general conference and study it. It is amazing. I love it. I love you guys. The church is true. Be good.

I’ve also attached a picture of Nephi´s street, here in León. Yes. I’m serious. It’s a whole street named after him. Neat, huh?

After the trial of your faith...

Mon, May 30, 2011 7:27:45 PM

Well, ever since 7pm last night just about every little thing that could go wrong or be messed up has done so. At first I was irritated and everything, but now it just amuses me more than anything. It's even kind of funny. Kind of a bummer though for the one day you have to destress and relax. But we can at least count on something really awesome happening soon, because if it wasn't the case, we wouldn't have all these problems right now. Just trials. I will take some trials so that I can get some good rewards later.

We are teaching many investigators, including 5 families, 2 of which are really really awesome and should be baptized this weekend. One of the families that should be baptized this Saturday? They were going to be baptized in April, but then the wife´s aunt died. And then a lot of complications happened so it has been difficult to find them, y'know, just one thing after another, one of the complications being the perilous sickness of the husband´s father. We reput a baptismal date for them this week now (the 3rd date they´ve had now), and they were all set to come to church on Sunday - when the wife gets called that another of her aunts has died. And she called us and she was like... that's it. I'm getting baptized this weekend. FOR SURE. So that's pretty interesting. The other family is one that my comp was teaching before but she dropped them because they were not progressing. Turns out all they needed was a little time to see the difference in their lives and they have been progressing steadily ever since they invited us back to continue the lessons. They are so excited to be baptized too. I love finding families as special as they are. They say that Hna. Padilla and I are like their own daughters and they are always giving us food and fruit drinks. Love it.

When life stinks, look for the good parts. There are always more better parts than crappy parts. You just have to actually open your eyes to see them. I hope you guys are trying to do your very best every single day. If you aren't, fix it. I'm so happy. The mission is amazing and truly indescribable.