Monday, November 6, 2017

Week 69 - Things are going well

November 6, 2017

To be quite honest not much happened at all this week.

Everything is going very well here. 

We almost had a baptism on Saturday, but the Bishop yelled at my companion and called him useless and told us we couldn’t. Kind of a crappy situation, but we talked with him on Sunday and everything is good (Argentines aren´t very soft spoken people, so its all good hahaha)

We had an investigator, who will be baptized on Saturday, give his testimony in the Sacrament meeting! It was soo cool!!! He’s only 15, but he is literally the most impressive investigator. He shared how he was walking through the streets one night, praying to know what was the truth. He was walking towards his friends house, and when he got there, we were inside teaching the family.

He later that night asked God again for the truth, and he had a dream right after, where he saw us again, and he heard a voice: "I have already told you."

He then shared how his mom does not want him to come to this church, he said, "But anyone who has put his hand to the plow, and look back, is not worthy of the kingdom of God"

It was quite incredible. His name is Geronimo, and if we get the parents permission, he will be baptized on Saturday!

Well thats about all this week, Love you All!!

Elder Ryan

Week 68 - Chacabuco was split!

October 30, 2017
The only really big news of the last week is that the last ward I was in, Just got split!!! Chacabuco was split!!! Elder Amaya called me to give me the news, it was soooo exciting!! In the ward in the last 6 months there have almost 50 baptisms in the ward!! 

Other than that this week has been pretty full of meetings! I have never traveled so much on a bus in my life!!!

This week me and Elder Ortiz were walking around our area and we began to talk. We get along really well, but our visions for the Zone have been very different, or the way we want to lead the zone have not been very united at all... so we started talking. We began from what we both want, or our ultimate goal, which is Baptize.

We both started talking about how a year ago, the Escobar Zone baptized 31 in one month, the record for a LONG time. We want to break it so bad!! And the zone is in a position to do it, we have found LARGE amounts of new people to teach inside the last 6 weeks, which means there is a very large group of people ready to be baptized.

President recently has been using Larry Bird in a lot of his examples for teaching us principles, and we have been applying it a lot here in the Zone, For example; For Larry Bird, every quarter was a new game. It didnt matter if he did really well or poor in the last quarter, he resets his mind and goes hard. The same with finding new people to teach. It doesnt matter if we found a lot of people, or nobody in the last 2 hours, or in the morning, if we dont have a lesson appointment, we reset our mind and we try to find again.

Here in the Zone we have "LarryTime" where we go crazy for like 20 minutes trying to find one new person to teach.

So when me and Elder Ortiz were able to talk about breaking 31, we decided on 32. But we then remembered that Larry Bird was number is 33, so to continue with the theme, we have put this as our goal, and we had a very cool conversation in how we are going to achieve it. Tomorrow in the District meetings we are gonna put our new plan into action... Hope it works... haha
I love you ALL!!!
Elder Ryan

Friday, October 27, 2017

Week 67 - Green!

October 23, 2017

Woow!! This was a great week!

Full of service, work, and GREEEN!!

The Escobar Zone is SOOO Green!!!! Green fields, Trees everywhere, and it doesnt smell bad!! The people here are generally from Argentina (Which is a change from the rest of my mission which has been almost completely full of people from Bolivia, Paraguay and Peru)!!!

Garin is amazing as well, but we are actually working in a neighboring city named Maschwitz. The area was closed from Elders almost 15 years ago, and the Stake wants us to start working towards opening a branch there. About a Month or two, the elders went back for the first time in Years!! Its a cool experience!

The big story from this is the Roa Family. Its a family with 7 kids, 5 of which are ready to be baptized, yet the Dad hasn't wanted anything to do with the Missionaries, and almost is stopping his wife and kids from going to Church.

So on Tuesday, (The Elders haven't had the opportunity to teach him yet) we showed up with the goal to only teach Him!! It took us like 20 minutes for him to come out (We basically were begging  him) and it turned out to be an amazing lesson!! Where he explained he justs wants his kids to behave and act better.

Wednesday we found Ramon (The Dad) in his house in the morning with a bucket of HUGE fish. He tried to hide when we first got there, but we caught him and started chatting with him. We figured out he is a fisherman, and I started talking to him about how my family loves to fish, like my uncles Ken and Randy, and some fishing stories that I've had with my Dad, brothers, and Grandpa Leroy! By the end of the talk, we were able to set up a Fish Barbecue for Saturday Night!

Friday, we got him to let the kids be baptized here in a few weeks and on Saturday, when we went, we took the only active member of all of Maschwitz to the Roa family´s home. This member is ex catholic like the Roa family and he was able to Answer a ton of Ramons doubts about the church and it was SUCH a great turnout!

And on Sunday, we taught the Plan of Salvation, and how Baptism is the Key to their eternal Family! And that they have to be married to be baptized. Ramon and his wife, Librada, accepted to be Married, and tomorrow morning we are gonna go with them to the Civil Register to set up their Marriage for the 24th of November!!!

The change in the Father and the family entirely was huge!!! (The parents did not go to church this week, a few of the kids have chicken pox.....) But it was a cool change to watch happen in one week!

Love Yall!!!

Elder Ryan




















 

Monday, October 16, 2017

Week 66 - 15 months in the capital has come to an end

October 16, 2017

WOW Just a lot has been happening!

Well, since I have arrived to the Mission field, I have been in the Capital City of Buenos Aires. In All of my Zones! But, my 15 month streak (Which is a lot) has come to an End. I have been transferred to Garin, and (My moms gonna like this) Its the first area I have been in that's not on the top 5 most dangerous areas in the Mission hahaha. 

My new Companion is Elder Ortiz from Peru, we knew each other beforehand pretty well, so this should be fun!

First off, Last sunday we went to go see our investigator Lizeth, who was SOO discouraged! We were so upset, we didn't know what happened, so we prayed that she could still be baptized on Friday (Like we had planned). We left her the homework to keep praying and reading the scriptures.

But there was a problem, we weren't going to be able to see her until Thursday, which is a LOT of time for Satan to work.

On Thursday we asked her in our lesson how she felt for Friday. Her reaction was COMPLETELY the opposite of Sunday. She read and prayed EVERY DAY and felt peace for her baptism the following day. 

Did you think that was the big Miracle of the week? Because if you did...
You are Wrong

While it was a Miracle, another bigger one happened.

A Month ago we had to stop working with an investigator, Samantha, who had tried to be baptized, but due to the fact that she lives with her boyfriend in Bolivia, our President who did her interview said that she had to go back to Bolivia to be baptized.

On Friday, she found us in the street and asked us to baptize her, and we had to explain to her again why she couldn't be baptized. So she asked "Well can I talk to your President again?" While normally it takes a lot of work and planning to get President out to an interview, By some Miracle, ;)  He was already at our church doing interviews with some Elders who share the ward with us.

She Passed the Interview! I still am not clear how, But President told us afterwards that she had done all the Arranges, and she was baptized on Saturday 

Miracles.

After Samantha and Lizeth were baptized I felt weird, I literally felt my time in Chacabuco had reached its end, when they were confirmed. Chacabuco has been a DREAM to me, and I have LOVED IT!! These people in this ward Have become my family in a way that I didn't see possible. 
So when I felt calm that my time had come, I was also very sad.

Elder Amaya called me to confirm my feeling, that today I would leave to Garin. I Am so excited to be here! The Zone is great, and I can't wait to serve the people and Elders here, but I have definitely left part of my heart back there in the Villa!

I Love You All!!!!!!!!!!!!

Elder J Ryan


Saying goodbye to Elder Atkinson


Mamita Dalba

Baptisms of Lizeth and Samantha 











 

Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Week 65 - Miracle of Miracles

October 9, 2017

Happy Birthday Kallie, and CONGRATULATIONS JAYD AND KAL ON THE BABY!!!! 
Im SOOO excited to miss another birth ... :( Hahahah just kidding!!! 


So the BIGGEST AND CRAZIEST AND BEST miracle of mission occurred this week. Its a story worthy of a Homecoming talk for a Missionary!! haha

So, if you dont remember, about a transfer ago, my companion was Elder Amaya. He was one of my companions that I got along best with so far here in the mission, and all of a sudden, one sunday, he got transferred in a crazy flash.

So we have both been a little bummed how it ended.

But, Now he is Presidents Assistant, and on Friday they came to our Stake Center to do interviews for the Elders and Sisters. 

The interviews went on forever, and were going on a lot longer than they should of. Then, all of a sudden President Smith told Elder Amaya and Me, "I think its about time you two got to work in the Villa together again, go and work again!"

This was huge because its a rule here in the mission that you can not go back to old areas until like the last month of your mission!

So we headed out, almost skipping we were so excited!!! And right before we entered the villa, we started talking about an Investigator, Named Zulma, who me and him had taught, but just always was way to scared to get baptized. We made a joke real quick "Lets baptize her right now" Turns out it wasnt a joke.

We went to her house, and when she opened the door, she went nuts! She told us she asked God to show her a miracle, she said "God, If you can send Elder Amaya with Elder Ryan to baptize me (Because apparently she got real upset when he was transferred) I will know that i need to get baptized." 

We knew Elder Amaya would only be there for like 2 more hours, so we hurried and set up the baptismal font and everything for her baptism! And it turned out SOO good! President was even there for it, and it was so spiritual. 

After the confirmation on sunday She expressed the peace that she felt, that all of her fear was washed away, and was left with pure joy!!!

Me and Elder Amaya liked this ending better than the last one hahah!! It was such a big miracle for me!! Then to add to the Joy, finally, the Mother in the Ballesteros family was baptized As well (Janeth)!

Well I hope you too are seeing miracles in your week!! They Exist!! it just takes FAITH + DESIRE + OBEDIENCE = MIRACLES

LOVE YOU ALLL!!!!

Elder Ryan


Zulma


Janeth Ballesteros

















 

Week 64 - General Conference

October 2, 2017


HOW CRAZY WAS THAT CONFERENCE!

Never have I felt a conference literally have SO MANY THINGS just hit me!
I loved the powerful testimonies and PROMISES of the Book of Mormon. 

"My dear brothers and sisters I PROMISE that as you prayerfully study The Book of Mormon every day, you will make better decisiones every eay. I PROMISE that if you ponder what you study, the windows of heaven will open, and you will recieve answers to your own questions, and direction for your own life. I PROMISE that as you daily immerse yourself in The Book of Mormon you can be immunized of the evils of the day"  
-President Russel M. Nelson

WOW. I don't know about you guys, but I'm sure this promise will work! Try It!!!

Also Tad R Callister simply proved through the facts of man, and the Spirit of God, the truth of the Book of the Mormon, in a powerful way!!!

I felt so much encouragement from the Quorum of the 12, that YES we CAN DO IT! I felt comforted through their words, as they showed us the vision of our Eternal Potential. Elder Holland lovingly showed us that it is possible, and President Uchtdorf with many others, provided the vision of the Eternities and our families, in our true Home that is with God. That we can reach this goal, through our service to others, and completing our divine roles that we have been given.

I felt the love for our Prophet Thomas S Monson, even though he could not participate with us. Seeing all the sustainings of him, and seeing all the examples of Apostles and Members alike, keeping his invitation with the Book of Mormon, and Testifying of the Blessings that came!

Never has a Conference, to me, felt so great! I saw unity in the Lord, and saw every message blend together in one big answer and blessing in my life! 
Im currently downloading the talks of the sessions, and I invite EVERYONE to review them with me, to be able to apply everything that we possibly can, to go on forward in this world, as more fortified disciples of Christ!

I Love You All!!!

Elder Ryan







Week 63 - Tests of Patience

September 25, 2017


Sometimes the Lord just simply tests your patience.

This week was extremely difficult. We had plans for 4 people to be baptized, and by Saturday 3 of them had fallen through. The WHOLE week we were looking so hard to find new people.. And literally we couldnt find anybody new. It was just difficult.

Saturday, and investigator we have had for a Long time, Katerin, was finally gonna get baptized. We had the Church ready at five o'clock.... and she didn't get there. The Sister Missionaries who share the ward with us also had a baptism, but the person to baptize herdidn't  show up, so I hurry a jumped in to do the ordinance. 

At 6 I changed really quick, and we headed off to the Villa to find out what happened. After lots of searching, we found her and her family and got them to the church at about 8:20, and with my already wet clothes, we were able to pull off the ordinance! Stressfull!!!!

Anyways it had already been very frustrating the whole week, and Sunday morning was no different. No One was at home, or ready to go to Church when we went by, even Katerin wasn't home for her Confirmation.... We were VERY stressed out at this point.

So we get to Church, feeling like garbage, and while we were singing the first Hymn, all of a sudden a bunch of investigators started showing up!!! 12 Investigators came, which is the most in my whole mission up to now! And the last ones to get there, Was Katerin and her Family!! So she was confirmed!!!

Later on Sunday, a member that lives outside of our area, but still lives in our ward invited us to a barbeque, and asked that we shared a message about marriage. So we went looking for people to invite, but nobody, once again, could come. So we decided to only stay until we shared the message due to the fact that there was no investigator there with us.

So the Family that invited us are recent converts of about 2 months, and live in another area in the Chacabuco Ward. We got there, and they had invited their WHOLE family of like 5 or 6 brothers and sisters and their individual families. After we shared our message ALL of them wanted to hear more, So we took down their Addresses and information. 9 OF THEM LIVE IN OUR AREA!

So long story short, The Lord Tried our Patience this week haha 

LOVE YOU ALL

Elder Ryan

CCM Trio


Elder Haynie and Elder Atkinson

Baptism of Katerin














 

Week 62 - To do more, you have to give more

September 18, 2017


HAPPY BIRTHDAY STINKER!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU SOO MUCH BRYNN!!!
Have a great day!! And go to the temple now that you can!!! Love ya Sis!!!

This week was a very good one. We had lots of Baptisms fall through, but the progress in ALL of the investigators has been seen!

Were hoping to see lots of white in the Zone this weekend!!

We have 2 investigators, Zulma, and Lizeth, who have been getting SO close to their Baptisms!! Literally they have changed so much, and we hope to help them do it this weekend!!

We also this last week found Cristian (One of the Ballesteros family members who didnt get baptized) and we discovered that he didnt get baptized due to fear of people seeing his baptism. So we did the arragements, and he was able to be baptized and confirmed last weekend!!

Finally, Bruna. We found Bruna through a member, apparently she has been going to church for a while now, but nobody thought it necessary to tell us. Hahaha. Basically we were able to contact her, an have a lesson about the Plan of Salvation. After the lesson she began to cry, she told us a year ago one of her siblings died, and she couldn't wait to share with her family where he is! Now she is excited for her baptism!

That's about it for the week. It was a little crazy with meetings! Elder Amaya is President's new Assistant! And he held a lot of meetings this week! We are trying to Double what the mission has been doing recently, so we're trying to change our mindsets, and raise the mission. D&C 4 tells us the field is already ready for the harvest, but only those who put all of their HEART, MIGHT, MIND, and STRENGTH will see the blessings.

So to do more, you have to give more of these things. The promise is already there. There are people ready right now! Everywhere!!

Love you all!!! Have a Great week!!!



CCM group 


Cristian's baptism 


Exchanges with Elder Atkinson


Tennis 








 

Week 61 - Elder Atkinson has arrived

September 11, 2017

Two BIG announcements. One, my new companion here in Parque Chacabuco 1 is.... Elder Esquite from Guatemala. He's a 3 year convert, brings a ton of spirit to the lessons, AND the dude can use a Rubix cube like none other! (He has like 7 and they are huge)

ALSO. In the Zone we only had 1 Elder who was gonna train, and 30ish new Elders coming in. So, through lots of fervent prayer, WE GOT ELDER ATKINSON IN THE ZONE!!! HAHHA

Tuesday his trainer, Elder Ojeda, went to the mission home to find out who would be his companion, and at night I was at the church in a meeting. We share the chapel with Elder Ojedas ward. When I came out of the meeting I saw Elder Ojeda, and he was just grinning and hiding his companion behind the door.

Hahaha It's been so fun having him here the zone!! I'm excited for this transfer!!

The only big story of this week is that, while contacting, we got into a house where there were two couples, but neither one married. We talked about baptism and marriage with them in the first contact, and when we came back a day later One of the couples, Vladimir and Soledad, got engaged with my CTR ring, and the other told us they still need to think about it. But after they went to church on sunday... It looks pretty set up for sure. The other Couple is Miguel and Jimena.

Its been quite a week!!! hahah

I love you all!!!

Elder Ryan


My Argentine buddy Elder Pereyra 

Elder Atkinson 




 

Week 60 - 10 Transfers Checked Off

September 4, 2017

So yup, I have now finished 10 Transfers in the Mission.

Today me and Elder Cunha sent Elder Rodriguez in his taxi to the Mission Home, and now I'm waiting to see who will come and be my companion here in Chacabuco!

This week was NUTS. Elder Rodriguez was doing a lot of things because he is going home, and so I was in Divisions the whole week! One day I went on divisions with Elder Sherman (Who is from a completely different Zone) so it's been a little weird.
Elder Sherman works in the Villa 31. The Villa 31 and the Villa 1-1-14 are the two biggest villas here, and in one day I worked in both!! So I can check that off my list of things to do in Life.

As a zone we had to do 11 Baptismal interviews, and BOY was it crazy!! We were running around EVERYWHERE on Friday trying to help out, but it was only Me, and the two district Leaders in the Zone, so it was a fun day.

Juan de Dios was Baptized also this last weekend! He was a straight miracle as well! We found him two weeks ago with a member. He had already been to church, Simply the Elders always thought he was a member. Now he is officially.

I'm SOO excited for transfers, I've been really stressed managing the area alone, so this is gonna be good!!!

Love You All!!!!
Elder Ryan



























 

Week 59 - Success Follows Work

August 28, 2017

This week, honestly, I can't remember anything that happened it went by so fast.

My new Companion is Elder Rodriguez from Panama, but we are also in a trio and training an Elder from Brasil, Elder Cunha.

They're both really great!! And I'm enjoying myself a lot. It is weird knowing that they are only my companions for 2 weeks, and running the area because they both don't know it.

We were able to find a lot of people and help them get going with the Gospel.


We have a few different people who are all investigating right now! Samantha, the girl we found last week, has a baptismal date for this weekend, also her family is coming to church now.

Zulma is the mother of a few recent converts, and she is also preparing to get baptized this weekend. We have been working with her for a LONG time, but she has had a very rough life, so its been a process, but she started reading the Book of Mormon last week and began to cry.

We also have two others for this weekend, Lizeth and Juan. They were both miracles basically. Lizeth came from Peru, and she has gone to the church, but left it behind. She's now progressing very well.

Juan is cousin of a recently baptized family who we found last week. The family basically prepared him, taking him to church and everything, just preparing him for us. Miracles haha

I was reading a lot of the missionary stories this week in the Book of Mormon, with the thought in mind, "Many missionaries believe its natural to not have success, considering there were times when there wasn't success for the missionaries in the scriptures"
Reading all the stories I realized something, All of the missionary stories where there was a lot of difficulty in having success, ended with bringing many to souls to the truth. BUT, it all followed work and following the counsels of the Lord!

You can apply this to everything really. Yes tough times will come, in the family, work, school, church, emotionally, physically, any type of way, but that doesn't mean you have to lose! With work and the Savior EVERY challenge is beaten. Maybe not at first, but always in the end.

So don't just accept that a situation is bad because it looks like it is, Fix it. God gives us scriptures, Prophets, church leaders, church on Sundays, temples, families, many many talents, and Knees to pray. We have more than what is necessary.

I love you All sooooo Much!!!

Elder Ryan


































 

Week 58 - Punched in the Gut

August 21, 2017

So I wasn't literally punched in the gut this week... But it sure felt like it!
This week really was very good, it just took an unexpected turn to finish. 

The whole week we were able to work really well and get a lot done!

One miracle is that a woman contacted me in the street saying "Hey, Elder, last week I just came from Bolivia, and I was supposed to get baptized, but I havent yet, can you help me"
Her name is Samantha, and we are planning her Baptism for this weekend!!!

Also Edgar and Roberto Ballesteros were baptized!!!

Anyways, at the end of the week there was a big situation we had to handle, and I ended up in a trio with Elder Cunha and Elder Amaya. Elder Cunha is from Brazil. Anyways the whole weekend we were together, and it was actually really fun!! 

Sunday night the assistants called for the zones numbers, and they also had another announcement. A lot of Zone Leaders went home early today due to college starting, and they had to do some changes so that all the zones had zone leaders.

Elder Amaya was sent to be a Zone Leader in Jose Leon Suarez 1 (My last ward) and it was hard. Honestly the news was just so sad, especially with only 2 weeks left in the transfer. 

This morning I said goodbye, and it was the first time I cried because of a companion leaving me.

Elder Rodriguez, from Panama, is now my companion, and still we are a trio with Elder Cunha.

Its been a rough weekend, but im excited, Elder Rodriguez is a very good Elder!!

Love you All!!! 

Elder Ryan

ps I can't use my pendrive, so I'll have LOTS of pictures next week

Week 57 - Field Trip!

August 14, 2017

Alright, this was a weird week. Two big things: One, I've gotten really fat in the Chacabuco Ward, way too much free peruvian food. And I left the mission to Santa Fe, Argentina this week.

Wow this week flew by! From Wednesday night to Sunday Night I was in exchanges. So I wasn't with Elder Amaya much, except for at night when we would get back together in the apartment.

The only big and AWESOME announcement with the teaching is the Ballesteros family!! Theres 5 in the Family, Edgar and Yaneth are the parents, and the three Kids, Roberto, Jenifer, and Cristian. Edgar, Cristian and Roberto will get baptized this weekend, they were able to come for the 3rd time yesterday!! 

The problem has been the Mom, and the daughter Jenifer. The mom works in the Hospital, and the daughter (Shes 15) prefers to study math than talk to us, we`re still working on helping her.

But this last week in divisions with Elder Bellus, we taught the family the 10 commandments, and we taught them pretty strictly in how they are. The mom, Yaneth, Asked us why she couldn't get baptized this next weekend as well, and we explained its because she has to go to church first. 

After the lesson she started marking a bunch of verses about the Sabbath Day, and even though I wasn't at church to see it, she went!!!!!!

I'll now explain why I didn't go to church on Sunday as a missionary (Yes unbelievable sinner that I am)

So, Sunday was the National Voting day in Argentina, and its Mandatory that every citizen votes, and that they vote in their city of residence. There is an Elder in our zone, Elder Ojeda, from Santa Fe, and he, and all argentine missionaries, had to go home yesterday to vote. And I was asked to go with him for the ride! hahaha.

So at 4 am we left in a taxi for like a 7 hour drive to Santa Fe, and I found out that Argentina does have a pretty side. We passed through a Ton of green Valleys filled with rivers and trees! It was an awesome break of the City. Santa fe was like a Small Buenos Aires. Afterwards we came back and got home at about 7pm. 

The Bishop of my ward then called me and told me to come over to the church so that he could bless the sacrament for me :)

And thats how I left the mission... haha

Alright, Love you all!!!! 
Elder Ryan