Week 92 - BOOM week!

April 16, 2018

Hola Todos!! 

I realized that I never told you guys who is my companion! It's Elder Martinez from Monterrey Mexico!

This week was pretty cool!! We started trying a new way to work here in the Zone recently, which President Packer had taught us when he came a few weeks back, and this last week was awesome!!

The Elders and Sisters here in the Zone simply applied what we learned, and then went to work!! By Saturday night we had almost 70 people with baptismal dates in the Zone!! More than double than what we normally have.

The way to work is first: Exact Obedience, to have the Spirit. Now that we have the Spirit, we use it to find personal revelation. This Personal Revelation helps us to work more efficiently in our purpose, which summarized is, Find, Teach, Baptize, and Retain New Members. President Packer said if we would do this, and if we make our teaching better, we would be able to baptize 4 times the amount of people!

And the Zone, now 2 weeks in the Transfer, is doing very well with it, and we're seeing some progress that we have never seen before!! It's awesome!!

We are teaching a few families here. The Reyna Family is from Peru, and they are all going to church. The parents need to be married, but their son will be baptized this week, his name is Leopoldo.

We also have a woman Named Diana, who's preparing to be baptized. Her husband, Erico, is getting ready as well, but he's struggling with some things still.

There are lots of others who have been listening to us, but the last one to mention is a active member's husband, Oscar. He's been listening to the Missionaries for awhile, but he hasn't been able to give up smoking. We are starting to work with him as well.

Love you all!! Have a great week!!

Elder Ryan

Week 91 - Pacheco - - Zona Litobam

April 9, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!! I love you soo much!! Thanks for everything that you've done for me!! Hope it was a great day!!

Well, after 6 months they transferred me from Garin, and I'm almost certainly in my last area. I'm so excited to be here!! The Zone is so great! I get to be the Zone Leader of the Mission Offices and the Assistants!! Plus, they called Elder Smith as the new Secretary, so I'm back in the Zone with him!!

This Zone is really pretty! Its a little bit more city than Garin, but it's still not nearly as bad as capital.

The ward is super cool! We have the Area 70, Elder Batalla in our ward!! The ward has a really rich part, and a really poor part (My area is the poor part, and we share the ward with Sisters who have the rich part). And on Sunday at our lunch with some members, they made us BABY BACK RIBS!! They were sooooo good. And I asked the member at the end how she made them so good, the said, "With this sauce" and she pulled out a big bottle of Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ... Oh the tears of joy that were shed!!

We have lots of investigators that we are working with. But the only big story of the week would be Sunday morning. We went to about 5 homes that we had set up attendance, and nobody even answered the door. We were so bummed, until we showed up to church and found 4 of them already there!!

I Love You All!! Have a great week!!!

Love Elder Ryan

Week 90 - General Conference

April 2, 2018

I'm sorry but I only have like 30 minutes to write today!

But Big news!! Francisco and Ludmila were baptized on Sunday!! One of the coolest experiences on the Mission!!

Transfers are tomorrow, so I'll know tonight where I'm going (Or if I'm staying).

There's gonna be a temple in LAYTON!! WOOOOOO! We were watching conference with the whole ward, and they all came and congratulated me for it hahah! (They could tell I live close because I was pretty pumped when it was announced!)

I wish I could write more, but the time isn't enough, Love You All!! 

Heres a pic with our ward mission leader to enjoy!

Love Elder Ryan

Week 89 - Divisions & Interviews

March 26, 2018

This week was a little nuts!! 

I wasn't with my companion for about 4 days due to divisions throughout the whole Zone!! We went EVERYWHERE!

President came on Tuesday to do our Zone interviews, they went amazing! He usually likes to talk a lot, and really dig into the problems, but President Packer told him he needed to be shorter. He only did 10 minutes with each Elder, but it was so powerful and awesome. Just right to the point, and some amazing advice!!

Ludmila and Francisco are going well!! They are seriously so great. They feel like they still need to receive an answer, and they have their baptisms on Sunday! So please pray for them that they might receive it!!

I Love you all! Im sorry my letters are short, but just do everything you guys can to feel the spirit daily!! LOVE YALL!!

Elder Ryan

Week 88 - Visit from Elder Packer

March 19, 2017

Quite a cool week!!

On Wednesday, we had a visit from Elder Packer, of the Seventy. He is one of the counselors in our Area Presidency. 

Me and Elder Christensen had to wake up at 4 am to get to a meeting with Elder Packer and all the other Zone leaders, before we started the special conference. To start the meeting, Elder Packer and Sister Packer came and shook each of our hands. Sister Packer asked me where I was from, and I told her Kaysville. She asked me which Junior High, and I said Centennial. She then told me her son teaches there, and sure enough Mr Michael Packer was my 8th grade history teacher. hahaha he was one of my Favorite teachers!! I never knew his dad was a 70 and that his Grandpa was an Apostle!! (Boyd k. Packer)

The conference was very good!! He helped us see the missionary work from an Apostles perspective! And he taught us the importance of having the Spirit here in the work! You could just feel the excitement to start changing, and find new ways to work even better in the missionary work!

Later on Friday we had FHE with a member family and with our investigator family, Francisco and Ludmila. We found them a few weeks back and they are progressing so well!! They are the best! We're not sure when they'll be baptized, but they can in any moment! In the FHE we talked about temples, and how they are lights to all! It was a very cool lesson.

Saturday we had an activity with the Elders quorum where me and Elder Christensen Taught everyone how to make Tacos. Francisco came, it was super fun!! 

Love Y'all!! 

Have a Great Week!!

Elder Ryan

Week 87 - Rodrigo's Baptism

March 12, 2018

Hello Everybody!!!

My mom is little upset with last weeks short letter, so I´ll try to write a little more;) 

This week was a little different, I think I only worked with Elder Christensen for 1 whole day! We did lots of exchanges! On Wednesday I went with Elder Dominguez, one of our assistants, in his area.

Later on Thursday and Friday we were in exchanges again. 

The big stories are on Sunday!

Rodrigo was baptized! But there was no power nor water. We had to baptize him in about 1 and a half feet of water. So I had to baptize him on my knees hahaha. But it was a cool experience!! 

Love You All!! Have a great week!!!

Week 86 - The Work is Good

March 5, 2018

Happy birthday, once again, to my Mom!!! Love ya!!!

Theres not to much to write about, everybody is going well in the Zone, and all the investigators are continuing to progress!

We've been having lots of fun, Finding, Teaching, and now here comes the baptisms!!

I know this email is gonna seem like really short, but I can only say that me and Elder Christensen are having a ton of fun!! And we're having a ton of fun in the work!

Plus, I'm so sorry ma, I didn't take any pics... oops

Love Yall!!!

Love Elder Ryan

Week 85 - Transfers - Staying in Garin

February 26, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOTHER!!! (On Thur) I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, AND I PROMISE THIS'LL BE THE LAST ONE I MISS!!

I was not transferred from Garin, I'll be here for 6 months now! Elder Christensen was transferred, and President Smith called me to say "Elder Ryan! Do you like having an Elder Christensen as your companion?" "Yeah President, I do"

"Great, because you´ll now be with the OTHER Elder Christensen!" hahaha 

So Elder Christensen, from my group, and the very first Elder that I saw in the Airport in Salt Lake, is now my Comp!!!!

This week was so much fun! Just so much contacting, so many people just coming out of the blue to be able to be taught!!

We found this family, Francisco and Ludmila, who we were able to get to Church with their 2 little kids!! They were married the day after we found them, and we are so excited to keep teaching them!

Also we have an investigator named Rodrigo who will be baptized here soon! This last week he had some big personal problems that he was able to overcome, and finally he recieved his answer about  the truth! He told us; "I was thinking all day that I needed to pray and ask. At night I was watching TV, and the lights went out. I thought "well, guess I've gotta pray then." He went and gave a huge prayer, asking God if he needed to be baptized, and right when he said amen, the Lights went on, and he had this big feeling just hit him, that it's what he needed to do!

Love You All!!! Have a Great week!!!

Elder Ryan

Chau Elder Christensen. Hola Elder Christensen!

Week 84 - Elder Christopherson Visited the Mission

February 19, 2018

ELDER CHRISTOPHERSON VISITED THE MISSION!!!!

He served as a missionary here in our mission underneath his mission president, Elder Richard G Scott!

It was amazing, and he talked totally in Spanish!! He spoke perfect Castellano (argentine spanish) yet he still spoke as he always does! The latinos were so excited to hear his real voice in their native language.

He spoke of the organization of the 12 and the 70, and answered many questions. The common answer to almost every question, involved one way or another, the Book of Mormon.

As he finished, he left a blessing over the Mission, and I don't remember the whole blessing, but one thing he promised was that all of our prayers would be answered. And I can testify that the blessing was real!

The rest of the week was boring in comparison, but I can testify to all that there are living Apostles today. Shaking Elder Christopherson hand you could just feel that this man has something powerful with him!

I Love You all so Much, and I'll let you guys know next week how transfers go!!

Elder Ryan

Mi Lineage (Elder Smith - son, Elder Vega - grandson, Elder Campbell-Great Grandson)

The Frias Family

The entire Buenos Aires North Mission

Week 83 - EFY for my FIRST TIME!

February 12, 2018

This was a very... Crazy... Week! But its was so cool!!

So at midnight Monday night, the assistants called us to tell us that we would be going to EFY  the following day! (My first hahaha)

So with The Assistants, President and Sister Smith, and one of our District leaders we headed up to the campsite for the Church, and we spent the whole day Tuesday teaching the youth how to be missionaries now! They were all youth from my mission so I was able to catch up with lots of members that I had met! We were able to get over 800 references of their friends and family!! It was Great!!

Thursday we had Interviews with President! It took the WHOLE day, but the private moment with President is always just so great!

Friday we had a marriage! Ruben and Elsa's daughter (My converts in Jose Leon Suarez) was married finally to her Boyfriend, Diego! They still have some trials to overcome, but it was a huge step, and we were able to see Ruben and Elsa!!

That's about it for the week. We have been reading the Book of Mormon as a mission, and I realized that it's always to focus more on it, and I Love the focus it gives you in you're life, and helps you just realize what is important!

I Love You All!!!

Have a Great Week!!

Love,

Elder Ryan

President giving his sermon

The Campsite (So pretty)

The Elders at EFY

Dying in the HEAT

Deborah and Diego's Wedding

Week 82 - Air Conditioning and Some Wise Words of Advice

February 5, 2018

18 Months ago, President Smith announced that every apartment would be getting Air Conditioning. Well that came true for almost every Missionary, except me. BUT TODAY, That long wait is over!! Hhahaha I´ll be sleeping with a Blanket tonight!! hahahah

Anyways on more important matters, the work here is going good. Me and Elder Christensen are trying hard to get to work with the whole Zone. 

There wasn't a lot of work this week with investigators, but lots of progression with the Recent Converts. We decided to go and figure out why some of them had stopped coming to Church.

After learning about some of the frustrating reasons of why they don't come to church, I started to see the pattern of EVERY fallaway from the church.

Stop Reading Scriptures, Stop Going to Church, Stop Praying, and Satan then puts an idea in your head, the idea that maybe it's not true. And then you find out a possibility that some little thing to do with the Church isn't true, and Satan takes it over.

On the other hand, those who constantly Read, Pray, and Go to Church, have God's power. When one does these things with all diligence every day and week, instead of seeing possible faults in the Church or leaders, they see the UNDENIABLE fact and spiritual truth of all things.

Satan's ideas and conceptions are simply unclear. When one starts to fall away, they become unclear with everything and fall into his traps with ease. But when one Holds to the Rod with all their might, they see the world as it as, as clear as day!

It's not confusing why it's like this: If you go closer to the darkness, you will see less, and will often have to guess about what is the truth. If you get closer to the Light, everything will be clear unto you!! 

Christ is the light of the world, and if anyone denies it, or has doubts of it, only need to come a little closer to see how clear it all is.

Read your scriptures daily!! Nothing is more important in your day, Nothing! Pray Every Day!! The Lord should be your most trusted friend!! Go to Church!! Life's hard, and we pass through lots of things, take advantage of the opportunity to be lightened of your burdens.

You're not going to be perfect. Life will be better. 

For all those who are failing in some of these categories, or who may have some other bigger problems, to be honest it doesn't really matter. What matters is that you start NOW. 

I know that all these things are true, and I hope everyone who reads this feels the need, as I do, to come closer to Christ's light, and see how the world is, not how we "think" it is.

I Love You All!!!!

Love, 

Elder Ryan

Week 81 - President Smith and Superheroes

January 29, 2018

Well I have had a few requests to share the story more in depth from last week, when President did divisions with us. Since nothing big happened this week, Ill share the whole story.

So President advised us a few weeks before, that after we had our Zone Conferences, he´d be going out to work with the Zone Leaders.

So Last thursday, we had Zone Conferences from 9 in the morning until 3, and then we were supposed to go to only one appointment with President at 4 in the afternoon. But, the conference didnt end until 6, and so the appointment feel through, but President still wanted to do something, so we told him to come with us to our Family Home Evening with a Member family and a part member family (Roa) That we had been teaching.

President drove us in his car over to the members house (On the way we ran over a soccer ball that some kids were playing with...). When we got there.. nobody had shown up yet... so we left President with the members and ran out to find the Roa family.

We finally got there 30 minutes later, and had a lesson. LESSONS ARE SO NERVE RACKING WHEN YOUR MISSION PRESIDENT IS PRESENT. Anyways the objective of the lesson was to Invite one of the kids, Pedro, to be baptized. He hadnt wanted to be baptized yet because his Aunts are really catholic and are viciously against the Church.

When we got to the point of inviting him for that very weekend, President stepped in and said,

President: "Pedro, Who is your favorite super hero?" 

Pedro: "Batman"

President: "And what does batman do?"

Pedro: "He fights bad guys and does good"

President: "Yeah he is really Valient no?"

Pedro: "Yeah he is"

President: "Do you think Batman would be scared of doing what he knows is right? Even if others said bad things about him?"

Pedro:  "no"

President: "Thats right Pedro, and by being baptized you will be like Batman, and another super hero, who is even greater. You will be Like Christ. Did they say bad things to Christ as well?"

Pedro: "Yes"

President: "Youre right they did, and you will be Valiant as he was, and follow his example"

Pedro then accepted his Baptism. It was a very cool moment. It was like watching Michael Jordan come out of retirement hahaha. 

Afterwards President took us back to the apartment, and me and Elder Christensen almost died of just pure nervousness with President in one of our lessons.

So yeah, theres the story haha

Also, Mauro, Rosa´s husband, was baptized! 90 years old!!!

Week 80 - New Prophet!

January 22, 2018

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRIFFIN!!! I KNOW I HAVEN'T MET YOU YET BUT I LOVE YOU THE SAME BUD!

So, I'm not sure how many were able to watch the announcement on Tuesday, but how great it is to have a Prophet!! I hope all are looking to have the spiritual confirmation that he really is the chosen Prophet of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ! 

This week was a lot of work, and it just feels so good (Well my body hurts, but the spirit no haha)

On Thursday President came out on divisions with us!! SOO CRAZY!!

We were supposed to just go to one appointment at 4, but we had to miss it due to a meeting, so we took him to a Family Home Evening with the Roa family and another member family. I've been teaching the family since I arrived here in Garin, and they've slowly gone about being baptized. With President we were able to put the Baptismal Date for Sunday with Pedro, who for some reason had been very against it. And on Sunday, he was baptized!!

Keep going Strong, Love you All!! 

Elder Ryan

 Birthday of A Converts Granddaughter

 Baptism of Pedro Roa

Lunch at a member's house with Ruben from Jose Leon Suarez