Sunday, March 27, 2011
March 22, 2011
Hi Mom Let's get to those questions: 1. How was your week? It was a good week. On Thursday we had a meeting with President Donaldson (Mission President) and President Mitchell (our Stake President). I always like those meetings becasue both of them are 2 of the most spiritual people I've met. We got some assignments from both of them that should keep us busy. Also, we got 7 referrals this week whcih is almost unheard of. It just proves that when you ask the Lord to bless you with more work and then you go work, he returns. 2. You said you played golf on your P Day last, week, how did you do? Golf last week was awesome. I hadn't played in like 10 months, but I did pretty well. It was a Par 3 course, and I finished the day with 2 birdies on the front and then 5 pars on the back. I was pretty excited. This week we are playing basketball. My zone got challenged by another zone, so we have to go represent the Sweetwater. 3. How did you like the tattoo sleeve? (I sent Ross a St. Patrick's tattoo sleeve as a gag gift) I loved the tattoo sleeve. It cut off the circulation in my arm a little bit, but other than that it was awesome. It helped me play better and now I blend in when I go out in my area. hahah, no, dont worry mom, I dont wear it proselyting. This week was really good. Our investigators told us that they just want to be baptized. We are still waiting for his divorce to be finalized and them to be married. They are really mad at their lawyer because he is taking so long in the process. There are no kids involved, no money, it should be easy. But they are really excited and the bishop is doing a great job at fellowshipping. He personally invited their family over for a FHE last night and then called us to invite us haha. That is how fellowshiping should be. Speaking of, when i get back, i want to start having FHEs again. We had them before, but being out here and going to one every monday night, i miss it. We had another Mission President's Fireside on Sunday. They are really great. There is a missionary choir that sings, different missionaries who perform musical numbers. Then like 3 or 4 recent converts bear testimonies and then President shares something at the end. It is way powerful. I suggest that our stake try to organize something like that. It is a great things for members to bring their friends to so they can feel the spirit. Anyways, after, I got see a lot of my RC (former companions) and other members from around the mission--its was awesome. The LA in IB, Carlos, is turning in his mission papers this week and all of his family is now active in the church again. His little bro, Guillermo, came and told me that he was coming back because of me and Gunnell and his brother's example. It was awesome! Things are going really well. Things are starting to pick up. Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts, I definitely felt them. I LOVE YALL Ross A few notes from mom's email chat with Ross: Mom: Remember when we used to play Fruit Basket Turnover in FHE? Ross: The new version of fruit basket turnover is called "Smoothie". Everyone picks a fruit and when you want to mix everything up instead of yelling "fruit basket turnover", you yell "SMOOTHIE" hahaha its a lot of fun. It was fun when I was 6 and now that I am 21 its still fun ahhaha wow....I just realized that 2 months from today I will be 21 hahahah. Mom: I can't believe you have been in Logan Heights for eight months. Ross: Yeah, I was talking with our bishop the other day and he said that they might as well give me a home teacher and put my name on the ward list hahahah. I would totally be ok with that
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Letter from March 15, 2011
Good week...good week.
1. So yeah my week was good. Things are getting better. It just took some motivating and then just putting my head and doing it. There is a quote in Preach My Gospel that says, "the cure for anything is work.....work work work. What else is there?" or something like that. It's true.
2.Yeah I've met Sister Kratzer. I dont know her too well. But I think I've talked with her a couple of times.(I asked if he has met a Sis. Kratzer who is serving a mission in San Diego and who is from Manhattan, Kansas)
3. Haha T-Bones. I love that place. Tell dad that it is on my list of places to eat when I get back. That will definitely help with shock of being home hahahahah (Two years ago, at the suggestion of a friend, we took the family to T Bones Restaurant in Denison for dinner and it so happened that it was on St. Patrick's Day. We didn't realize that it is basically a bar. Everyone was dressed in green acting wild and crazy. The food was great and we had fun but Gordon was so uncomfortable I think he could have crawled under the table. We still laugh about it)
Well like I said it has been a good week. We got some good referrals. One of the girls we are teaching now said that she loves the church and said, "I think that I was Mormon before this life" hahahah it was pretty cool. So yeah, it just takes putting your head down and working. When God sees that your really trying to do what is right and work hard, you are blessed. I think that's what it was. I just told God I was going to be more dilligent. I followed through and he blessed. God works in patterns. You can find that in the scriptures.
Yesterday and last night I got to work with the Filipino missionaries. There is a huge population of Filipinos in Sweetwater and so we have 2 Filipino missionaries to talk Tagalog and Laotian to them. I went on exchagnes and was treated like a king hahah. Apparently, English missionaries in the Phillipines are more respected than the Filipino missionaries. So when I went to the people's houses they treated me like a king. They made a Filipion delicacy, the served me first they asked me all kind of questions. I felt right at home. It was pretty cool. The delicacy was Pig ear hahahaha it was actually pretty good hahaha. Then we had a Filipino Family Home Evening with all of the Filipino families in the stake. The guy didn't show up to teach the lesson so they asked me if i would do it. I taught the Moses and the exodus story and related it to our lives. Moses in Hebrew means to "draw or pull out". The children of Israel were suffering from being in bondage and so God called Moses to "draw or pull" the people out of Egpyt. The only thing Moses wanted them to do was have faith in God and Jesus Christ and be willing to follow a prophet. SO they leave everything behind and go out into the wilderness. They get to the Red Sea and Moses splits the sea. The children of Israel took that step of faith and crossed the sea. Probably a very difficult thing. Crossing the Red Sea signifies baptism (1 Corinthians 10: 1-2) Then the people were guided through the wilderness by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. (the Holy Ghost). Then God gave them manna from the sky and water from the rocks (the sacrament). Then for 40 years God molded his people into what he wanted them to be until eventually the made it to the promises land where they made covenants based on their testimony (the temple). Pretty cool huh?
Today wasnt really a P- Day. We had training yesterday and today so our real P Day will be tomorrow. So that our families (aka you, Brooke and Hillary) dont freak out, we still emailed today hahaha. We are going to go play golf tomorrow! ( He knows us so well--we really were starting to "freak out" because we didn't hear from him until four hours past the time time that we usually receive his email)
Well that is all for this week. I love yall!
Ross
In my chatting with Ross, he mentioned that Elder L. Tom Perry and Elder Bednar are visitng his mission in the next few weeks. It is interesting that when Gordon was a missionary (also in California) Elder Perry visited his mission and Gordon was able to meet him. It is coming full circle!!
ReplyReply AllMove...EtheredgesExtrasFamilyFriendsImportantJakeMom-Dad
1. So yeah my week was good. Things are getting better. It just took some motivating and then just putting my head and doing it. There is a quote in Preach My Gospel that says, "the cure for anything is work.....work work work. What else is there?" or something like that. It's true.
2.Yeah I've met Sister Kratzer. I dont know her too well. But I think I've talked with her a couple of times.(I asked if he has met a Sis. Kratzer who is serving a mission in San Diego and who is from Manhattan, Kansas)
3. Haha T-Bones. I love that place. Tell dad that it is on my list of places to eat when I get back. That will definitely help with shock of being home hahahahah (Two years ago, at the suggestion of a friend, we took the family to T Bones Restaurant in Denison for dinner and it so happened that it was on St. Patrick's Day. We didn't realize that it is basically a bar. Everyone was dressed in green acting wild and crazy. The food was great and we had fun but Gordon was so uncomfortable I think he could have crawled under the table. We still laugh about it)
Well like I said it has been a good week. We got some good referrals. One of the girls we are teaching now said that she loves the church and said, "I think that I was Mormon before this life" hahahah it was pretty cool. So yeah, it just takes putting your head down and working. When God sees that your really trying to do what is right and work hard, you are blessed. I think that's what it was. I just told God I was going to be more dilligent. I followed through and he blessed. God works in patterns. You can find that in the scriptures.
Yesterday and last night I got to work with the Filipino missionaries. There is a huge population of Filipinos in Sweetwater and so we have 2 Filipino missionaries to talk Tagalog and Laotian to them. I went on exchagnes and was treated like a king hahah. Apparently, English missionaries in the Phillipines are more respected than the Filipino missionaries. So when I went to the people's houses they treated me like a king. They made a Filipion delicacy, the served me first they asked me all kind of questions. I felt right at home. It was pretty cool. The delicacy was Pig ear hahahaha it was actually pretty good hahaha. Then we had a Filipino Family Home Evening with all of the Filipino families in the stake. The guy didn't show up to teach the lesson so they asked me if i would do it. I taught the Moses and the exodus story and related it to our lives. Moses in Hebrew means to "draw or pull out". The children of Israel were suffering from being in bondage and so God called Moses to "draw or pull" the people out of Egpyt. The only thing Moses wanted them to do was have faith in God and Jesus Christ and be willing to follow a prophet. SO they leave everything behind and go out into the wilderness. They get to the Red Sea and Moses splits the sea. The children of Israel took that step of faith and crossed the sea. Probably a very difficult thing. Crossing the Red Sea signifies baptism (1 Corinthians 10: 1-2) Then the people were guided through the wilderness by a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. (the Holy Ghost). Then God gave them manna from the sky and water from the rocks (the sacrament). Then for 40 years God molded his people into what he wanted them to be until eventually the made it to the promises land where they made covenants based on their testimony (the temple). Pretty cool huh?
Today wasnt really a P- Day. We had training yesterday and today so our real P Day will be tomorrow. So that our families (aka you, Brooke and Hillary) dont freak out, we still emailed today hahaha. We are going to go play golf tomorrow! ( He knows us so well--we really were starting to "freak out" because we didn't hear from him until four hours past the time time that we usually receive his email)
Well that is all for this week. I love yall!
Ross
In my chatting with Ross, he mentioned that Elder L. Tom Perry and Elder Bednar are visitng his mission in the next few weeks. It is interesting that when Gordon was a missionary (also in California) Elder Perry visited his mission and Gordon was able to meet him. It is coming full circle!!
ReplyReply AllMove...EtheredgesExtrasFamilyFriendsImportantJakeMom-Dad
Sunday, February 27, 2011
LONG update!
Things have been EXTREMELY crazy since I went back to work in January...hence the lack of blog updates. Sorry! Here are some of his latest letters all in one post. We love our missionary boy who has quickly become a missionary man, as cheesy as that sounds. With each letter we are realizing how much Ross has grown and matured over the past 13 months (today marks 13!). We continue to pray for him daily and know you do as well. Our family is so proud of Ross and his decisions and you can see why as you read these letters...enjoy! Oh and I will say that while Ross has grown spiritually and has matured a ton...he has not gotten any better at editing his letters!! He is in such a rush on Tuesdays to write everyone that he does not bother with capitals, punctuation or even spelling sometimes...and I just don't have the time to edit it all with a little 5 month old needing me, so bear with him!!!
Tuesday January 25
Thursday....the only thing significant that I know is that we have a training with Elder Evans of the 70 from 830-4 and then there is a chance that he could go and work with us that night....but thats about it.......oh yeah! and i hit my year mark! hahaha its pretty exciting, ill talk more about that later.
2. My new companion is Elder Burnell. He is from Utah and is a state championship wrestler out there. He is a pretty cool guy and we get along really well. Im the senior Zone Leader in the companionship now (this is his first transfer as a ZL) so we will see how everything works out..ill talk more about that later.
3. i dont really like either one. Im kind of a steelers fan because of the way they play defense. I like the "shut up and rip the other guys head off" mentality. So sorry mom and dad, im going with the steelers for this one. 34-17.
Well I hear that A&M is tearing it up in basketball right now. Thats always good to hear. The other day me and elder guenette went to a sports medicine facility becasue of his elbow. Turns out it was DR. Chao, the lead doctor for the Chargers. he had an autographed jersey from guys like phillip rivers, LT, Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretszky and other big name guys...its was pretty cool. Anyways, Sportcenter was on and they showed highlights of an a&m game...i got a little trunky but it passed quickly haha
Things are going really good right now. After the exchange with elder christensen things really started picking up in our area. We have a couple that is on target to be baptized this weekend so be praying that it will go through. We found a really cool couple yesterday that are pretty interested, so all in all things are going really good.
Alright so spiritual experiences this week...sit back and enjoy these, i had some powerful experiences. 1) So thurday morning i woke up and just felt really discouraged for some reason. IDK why. But during getting ready and all the way up to my personal study i was not feeling very good at all. Just felt sad and depressed. So i devoted my personal study to overcoming thost feelings. I read in teh scriptures and it principles of the gospel, my call letter and then i read in my patriarchal blessing. I usually read it almost everday and i was just goiing along and I got to a line that i ahve read probably 100 times but it never had it me this hard before. It was talking about how i have been sent to a family of great faith and that and then i read, "Your Heavenly Father loves you." Thats it. That short 5 word sentence i thinked changed my mission. I got so much peace and solace from that, i think i really understood and i saw God reaching out to help me. God reaches to help those who reach for His help. 2) We had interviews yesterday with president Donaldson. For the past couple weeks I have felt like burned out/tired of being a Zone Leader. So yesterday in my interview President says, "How are you?" I let out a big sigh and say, "good" Then told him how i feel. Then, President let me see a little bit of the vision that he has and the vision the Lord has for me. He told me that I am a great missionary. But more importantly, I am a great Priesthood leader and that the Lord sees that. He told me that these times of trial are to prepare me for when the Lord puts a greater amount of responsibility on me. He told me to just let it come. he laughed because i told him that the theme of my mission is, "Come what may, and Love it." It was a really great interview. This next year is going to be amazing! Or in sportcenter terms, its going to be BALLIN!
Well tahts about it! Thanks for everything and ill be thinking about yall on thursday while my mind is being blown to pieces by a General Authority...oh and when i am celebrating my year mark! LOVE YALL!!!!
ross
February 15
Well lets just say valentine's is a little different on the mission. But i still had people tell me they love me. I talked with my friend at CVS (yeah, dont ask me how i have a friend at CVS, i just do) and i asked if he was going to celebrate valentines day, he said, "i'm just like yall really, everyone thinks im weird, but im actually a cool guy. But the girls hate me." hahahahaha i laughed pretty hard.
1. The only valentines gifts i have gotten so far was a package from brooke and a card with a record setting 8 PAGE LETTER from hillary. I guess ill get the rest today.
2. I usually only print the important ones that i know i will read when i am having a hard time. So, i have only print out 1 from dad when i was back in IB. All the other ones, if i want to read them again, i just wait till tuesdays.
3. They are pushing right a long. They need to get married but they are doing great. They love church. I sat next to them on sunday and they were sharing a hymn book singing together like a regular family in the church. it was pretty awesome.
Well I guess that it is at times like this that i was at home. i really wish i could be there but I can't. So i guess ill do the next best thing. Read this to janna, today.
(Ross wrote a beautiful, heart-felt note to Janna. Here is the closing paragraph of his message:)
...Well i guess thats all. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I can feel them constantly. And at this time, know that you have a representative of Jesus Christ praying daily for you. I love you so much. hang in there and "Dont give up, Dont ever give up"
Your missionary nephew
Well i hope that helps. I dont know why i felt like i needed to write it, but ive learned to always foolow impressions, its usually a good idea ha.
Well this week was pretty good. Yes i am saved. No more pills, so everything is good. This week I had the a pretty cool opportunity to go and see someone in the hospital that isnt a member but wanted to see us. She was a former investigator but dropped us because she didnt like my former companion. She just had her baby (2 months early) and she had to have her uterus taken out and had to have some kind of back surgery. She called the friend that refered her to us and told her that she wanted a blessing. We went and gave her one and after we got done, she said that the baby was jumping up and down inside of her. Pretty cool. So last friday we went to the hospital to see her and she said that she was happy to see us. She had been struggling and she needed some help. She said she remembered how we told her to pray and so she has been praying up a storm. But she left the hospital yesterday, with her baby, and everything is all good now. pretty cool the way the spirit works.
Also, i got to see a kid that me and elder gunnell reactivated in IB. He came up to me and gave me a hug and told me that he missed me and that he had a surprise. I asked him what it was and he said that he was turning in his mission papers this week!!!!!! I freakked out! This kid didn't like churcha dn loved playing soccer and drving his car. Me and Gunnell worked with him and he started coming to church on a weekly basis for the first time ever ( he is like 23). Since i left, he has gotten the melchizadeck PH and goes to insitute every week! He loves the church now. I asked him how it happened. he said, "before, when the missionaries came over, it wasnt my time. But when you started coming, it was my time. Its something God wants me to do" AHHHHHHHHH, FREAKING SWEET!!! He told me that to pay he has to sell everything. I asked him if by everything he meant his car. (he as put so much money in this car he has. He calls it his baby.) and he laughed and said, "yep. Even the car. Im selling it soon." hahahaha i cant believe it. Everytime i think about it i get all excited. Now, his family is going to get sealed in the temple and i might get to be there! (because we baptized his sister)
So yeah, this week was pretty good. Keep me updated on janna. I LOVE YALL
ross
February 25
ha well im glad to know that janna is doing better. That is a load off my mind.
1. we do some cooking. But we have been so busy this transfer that i think we have eaten at our house like 4 times in 6 weeks. We are literally running around all the time. So we usually just have to grab something quick.
2. The past few weeks we have been playing basketball down in the ghetto with a couple of other missionaries. Then at night after planning, i lift some dumbells that we have and stretch a little. But other tahn that, we dont do much.
Well like i said, Im glad to hear that janna is doing better! In my personal prayers at night ahve been pleading with the Lord to help her. Every day, i would tell God to save her. at the beginning i asked, but that turned into telling the Lord to save her if it was his will. Like the doctor said the God wasnt ready for her so he kicked her back down. its the truth! There were also a few more prayers in her behalf. The Rodriguez family (the on that i sent you a pic of and that i said was the next bishop) have been prayering for her every night. We had a lesson with them that night and i hadnt told anyone about the situation but once again i felt prompted to talk about it with them taht night. I started crying (like only the 2nd time that has happened in a lesson) and after the lesson, he gave me a hug and she shook my hand and told me everything was going to be ok. God would take care of her. Every night we went over they would ask about her and then pray for her at the end. It was a tough week, but im glad everything is turning around.
thanks for everything you do! I really appreciate it! LOVE YALL!
ross
A side-note to Gordon:
Hey dad. Sorry for spending so much money lately, but we ahve had no time to eat at our apartment. Also, i need some extra cash to buy quarters for my laundry and to buy some laundry supplies and other things. Thanks dad!
Tuesday January 25
Thursday....the only thing significant that I know is that we have a training with Elder Evans of the 70 from 830-4 and then there is a chance that he could go and work with us that night....but thats about it.......oh yeah! and i hit my year mark! hahaha its pretty exciting, ill talk more about that later.
2. My new companion is Elder Burnell. He is from Utah and is a state championship wrestler out there. He is a pretty cool guy and we get along really well. Im the senior Zone Leader in the companionship now (this is his first transfer as a ZL) so we will see how everything works out..ill talk more about that later.
3. i dont really like either one. Im kind of a steelers fan because of the way they play defense. I like the "shut up and rip the other guys head off" mentality. So sorry mom and dad, im going with the steelers for this one. 34-17.
Well I hear that A&M is tearing it up in basketball right now. Thats always good to hear. The other day me and elder guenette went to a sports medicine facility becasue of his elbow. Turns out it was DR. Chao, the lead doctor for the Chargers. he had an autographed jersey from guys like phillip rivers, LT, Peyton Manning, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretszky and other big name guys...its was pretty cool. Anyways, Sportcenter was on and they showed highlights of an a&m game...i got a little trunky but it passed quickly haha
Things are going really good right now. After the exchange with elder christensen things really started picking up in our area. We have a couple that is on target to be baptized this weekend so be praying that it will go through. We found a really cool couple yesterday that are pretty interested, so all in all things are going really good.
Alright so spiritual experiences this week...sit back and enjoy these, i had some powerful experiences. 1) So thurday morning i woke up and just felt really discouraged for some reason. IDK why. But during getting ready and all the way up to my personal study i was not feeling very good at all. Just felt sad and depressed. So i devoted my personal study to overcoming thost feelings. I read in teh scriptures and it principles of the gospel, my call letter and then i read in my patriarchal blessing. I usually read it almost everday and i was just goiing along and I got to a line that i ahve read probably 100 times but it never had it me this hard before. It was talking about how i have been sent to a family of great faith and that and then i read, "Your Heavenly Father loves you." Thats it. That short 5 word sentence i thinked changed my mission. I got so much peace and solace from that, i think i really understood and i saw God reaching out to help me. God reaches to help those who reach for His help. 2) We had interviews yesterday with president Donaldson. For the past couple weeks I have felt like burned out/tired of being a Zone Leader. So yesterday in my interview President says, "How are you?" I let out a big sigh and say, "good" Then told him how i feel. Then, President let me see a little bit of the vision that he has and the vision the Lord has for me. He told me that I am a great missionary. But more importantly, I am a great Priesthood leader and that the Lord sees that. He told me that these times of trial are to prepare me for when the Lord puts a greater amount of responsibility on me. He told me to just let it come. he laughed because i told him that the theme of my mission is, "Come what may, and Love it." It was a really great interview. This next year is going to be amazing! Or in sportcenter terms, its going to be BALLIN!
Well tahts about it! Thanks for everything and ill be thinking about yall on thursday while my mind is being blown to pieces by a General Authority...oh and when i am celebrating my year mark! LOVE YALL!!!!
ross
February 15
Well lets just say valentine's is a little different on the mission. But i still had people tell me they love me. I talked with my friend at CVS (yeah, dont ask me how i have a friend at CVS, i just do) and i asked if he was going to celebrate valentines day, he said, "i'm just like yall really, everyone thinks im weird, but im actually a cool guy. But the girls hate me." hahahahaha i laughed pretty hard.
1. The only valentines gifts i have gotten so far was a package from brooke and a card with a record setting 8 PAGE LETTER from hillary. I guess ill get the rest today.
2. I usually only print the important ones that i know i will read when i am having a hard time. So, i have only print out 1 from dad when i was back in IB. All the other ones, if i want to read them again, i just wait till tuesdays.
3. They are pushing right a long. They need to get married but they are doing great. They love church. I sat next to them on sunday and they were sharing a hymn book singing together like a regular family in the church. it was pretty awesome.
Well I guess that it is at times like this that i was at home. i really wish i could be there but I can't. So i guess ill do the next best thing. Read this to janna, today.
(Ross wrote a beautiful, heart-felt note to Janna. Here is the closing paragraph of his message:)
...Well i guess thats all. Thank you for all of your prayers and support. I can feel them constantly. And at this time, know that you have a representative of Jesus Christ praying daily for you. I love you so much. hang in there and "Dont give up, Dont ever give up"
Your missionary nephew
Well i hope that helps. I dont know why i felt like i needed to write it, but ive learned to always foolow impressions, its usually a good idea ha.
Well this week was pretty good. Yes i am saved. No more pills, so everything is good. This week I had the a pretty cool opportunity to go and see someone in the hospital that isnt a member but wanted to see us. She was a former investigator but dropped us because she didnt like my former companion. She just had her baby (2 months early) and she had to have her uterus taken out and had to have some kind of back surgery. She called the friend that refered her to us and told her that she wanted a blessing. We went and gave her one and after we got done, she said that the baby was jumping up and down inside of her. Pretty cool. So last friday we went to the hospital to see her and she said that she was happy to see us. She had been struggling and she needed some help. She said she remembered how we told her to pray and so she has been praying up a storm. But she left the hospital yesterday, with her baby, and everything is all good now. pretty cool the way the spirit works.
Also, i got to see a kid that me and elder gunnell reactivated in IB. He came up to me and gave me a hug and told me that he missed me and that he had a surprise. I asked him what it was and he said that he was turning in his mission papers this week!!!!!! I freakked out! This kid didn't like churcha dn loved playing soccer and drving his car. Me and Gunnell worked with him and he started coming to church on a weekly basis for the first time ever ( he is like 23). Since i left, he has gotten the melchizadeck PH and goes to insitute every week! He loves the church now. I asked him how it happened. he said, "before, when the missionaries came over, it wasnt my time. But when you started coming, it was my time. Its something God wants me to do" AHHHHHHHHH, FREAKING SWEET!!! He told me that to pay he has to sell everything. I asked him if by everything he meant his car. (he as put so much money in this car he has. He calls it his baby.) and he laughed and said, "yep. Even the car. Im selling it soon." hahahaha i cant believe it. Everytime i think about it i get all excited. Now, his family is going to get sealed in the temple and i might get to be there! (because we baptized his sister)
So yeah, this week was pretty good. Keep me updated on janna. I LOVE YALL
ross
February 25
ha well im glad to know that janna is doing better. That is a load off my mind.
1. we do some cooking. But we have been so busy this transfer that i think we have eaten at our house like 4 times in 6 weeks. We are literally running around all the time. So we usually just have to grab something quick.
2. The past few weeks we have been playing basketball down in the ghetto with a couple of other missionaries. Then at night after planning, i lift some dumbells that we have and stretch a little. But other tahn that, we dont do much.
Well like i said, Im glad to hear that janna is doing better! In my personal prayers at night ahve been pleading with the Lord to help her. Every day, i would tell God to save her. at the beginning i asked, but that turned into telling the Lord to save her if it was his will. Like the doctor said the God wasnt ready for her so he kicked her back down. its the truth! There were also a few more prayers in her behalf. The Rodriguez family (the on that i sent you a pic of and that i said was the next bishop) have been prayering for her every night. We had a lesson with them that night and i hadnt told anyone about the situation but once again i felt prompted to talk about it with them taht night. I started crying (like only the 2nd time that has happened in a lesson) and after the lesson, he gave me a hug and she shook my hand and told me everything was going to be ok. God would take care of her. Every night we went over they would ask about her and then pray for her at the end. It was a tough week, but im glad everything is turning around.
thanks for everything you do! I really appreciate it! LOVE YALL!
ross
A side-note to Gordon:
Hey dad. Sorry for spending so much money lately, but we ahve had no time to eat at our apartment. Also, i need some extra cash to buy quarters for my laundry and to buy some laundry supplies and other things. Thanks dad!
Monday, January 17, 2011
Letter from January 4, 2010
(What did you do for New Years Eve?) Well when it hit 12 here, i was asleep. But is was up when it hit 12 in TX so i thought of yall and then went to sleep. We had to be in our apartment at dark because things get a little crazy. People were shooting their guns in the air (or at people, idk) during the night. But im in the ghetto, what else is new.
(Did you find someone to tailor your new suit?) Yeah Im going to have a member do it. She is one of the members here iin Bonita 3 that is trunky for me to get off my mission and come back and go to mexico. The nearest Jos. A Banks is in La Jolla where the temple is. Its pretty far drive and we dont have a lot of miles.
(What did you do with your Christmas money?) Last tuesday, i bought a new pair of shoes (go figure), a under armour sweateshirt and a pair of sunglasses (they were only 10 bucks, dont worry). Ill send a pic next week of the stuff.
Well now that i dont have teh MCRD stories to tell you, i guess my emails will be pretty lame. But oh well.
This past sunday we had a baptism. This lady is so cool. She is the mom of one of the members here and all of her grandkids call her "Grandma G" so thats what i call her. Everytime i see her im like, "hey Grandma, hows it going?" haha she likes it. But i had a way cool experience before. When church started, she wasnt there. So i went out and called her and she said that she had gotten called into work (she is a nurse) because of some emergency, so she said she would call me later. In church i was feeling kind of disappointed because i didnt feel good about baptizing her since she wasnt at church. Then during the sacrament, i had an overwhelming good feeling. i was thinking to myself, "how could i be feeling ahppy. She isnt at church." then, after the sacrament, i got a call from her. She told me, "elder little. I know this is satan trying to stop me from getting baptized. Im not going to let him do this. I will be at the english ward at 1." And she was. So she was baptized that night. It was just a simple spiritual experience that boosted my testimony immensely. the Lord knows each of us and wants us to be successful. This was just one way the Lord showed his love for me and i thanked him right after i got off the phone with her.
Thanks for all the prayers. We still have a long way to go to reach our goal, but it is achievable. I know that with fasting and prayers and diligent work on our side, we can achieve this goal. Thanks for everything! I feel the love every day! Love yall!
love
ross
(What did you do for New Years Eve?) Well when it hit 12 here, i was asleep. But is was up when it hit 12 in TX so i thought of yall and then went to sleep. We had to be in our apartment at dark because things get a little crazy. People were shooting their guns in the air (or at people, idk) during the night. But im in the ghetto, what else is new.
(Did you find someone to tailor your new suit?) Yeah Im going to have a member do it. She is one of the members here iin Bonita 3 that is trunky for me to get off my mission and come back and go to mexico. The nearest Jos. A Banks is in La Jolla where the temple is. Its pretty far drive and we dont have a lot of miles.
(What did you do with your Christmas money?) Last tuesday, i bought a new pair of shoes (go figure), a under armour sweateshirt and a pair of sunglasses (they were only 10 bucks, dont worry). Ill send a pic next week of the stuff.
Well now that i dont have teh MCRD stories to tell you, i guess my emails will be pretty lame. But oh well.
This past sunday we had a baptism. This lady is so cool. She is the mom of one of the members here and all of her grandkids call her "Grandma G" so thats what i call her. Everytime i see her im like, "hey Grandma, hows it going?" haha she likes it. But i had a way cool experience before. When church started, she wasnt there. So i went out and called her and she said that she had gotten called into work (she is a nurse) because of some emergency, so she said she would call me later. In church i was feeling kind of disappointed because i didnt feel good about baptizing her since she wasnt at church. Then during the sacrament, i had an overwhelming good feeling. i was thinking to myself, "how could i be feeling ahppy. She isnt at church." then, after the sacrament, i got a call from her. She told me, "elder little. I know this is satan trying to stop me from getting baptized. Im not going to let him do this. I will be at the english ward at 1." And she was. So she was baptized that night. It was just a simple spiritual experience that boosted my testimony immensely. the Lord knows each of us and wants us to be successful. This was just one way the Lord showed his love for me and i thanked him right after i got off the phone with her.
Thanks for all the prayers. We still have a long way to go to reach our goal, but it is achievable. I know that with fasting and prayers and diligent work on our side, we can achieve this goal. Thanks for everything! I feel the love every day! Love yall!
love
ross
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Letter from December 21, 2010
December 21, 2010
1. It has been raining since about Friday of last week. Crazy, because SD has been in a draught for the past like 2 years. I was thinking and I figured it out. God knows that I can't work well in the heat so when I get here he makes it cold so that I can perform well. haha
2. I was able to get my 12 days box and I love it. I am going to wear the tie to the Christmas gathering. I have the manger scene next to my bed. I am trying to stay away from all the cookies and candy (trying to lose weight again). And the A&M ornament made me trunky when I heard it...but its still on the tree hahahaha
4. This week is going to be crazy. A lot of missions kind of take the holidays off and just slide into the new year. But when your mission reports are reveiwed each week by the missionary exectuive council (the 1st presidency and the qourum of the 12) in their weekly meeting, you cant really afford to take off for the holidays. So we just keep pushing. We had training yesterday and today (our real pday will be tmw). We have the christmas gathering thrusday, eve on friday and christmas on saturday....crazy week. The prophet set a goal for the mission to get 100 baptisms in January. Something our mission has never done.
Well this week ahs been kind of rough. The rain has been depressing, i miss that big texas sunshine. But Sunday made it all turn around. At the MCRD, me and another missionary got to serve the sacrament to some Drill Instructors and other marines. This time though was special. There were 3 men in there with us. One was a company commander (one of the guys that runs the show at the MCRD, he is a member) the commander over the lawyers in the marines (he a member) and the financial commander (non member). It was a great experience and we got to teach the financial commander a little bit. It was pretty cool being to teach someone that you know could kill you in 10 seconds....kind of exciting hahahahah But also on Sunday, it was a missionary sunday. We got to sing in church and basically we ran the meeting, under the direction of the bishop. The last speaker, Elder Jardine (our DL) spoke and he started crying. He shared a real touching story about how his sister is pregnant and that he baby has a very rare disease. Only 3 out of every 1000 babies have it. And out of those 3, 2 of them live through the labor and only 1 lives to the age of 6 months. It made me think about how lucky i am that i have 2 healthy nieces at home waiting to see me. But that made me miss yall. But, at the end, another tender mercy happened. The 1st counselor in the Bishopric got up and shared his testimony and thanked the missionaries for everything we do. He then said, "hermanos (because nobody calls us elders), ustedes tienen una familia aqui en la mision. Todos de nosotros somos su familia. Ustedes tiened 300 hermanos y hermanas aqui en la capilla." I almost started crying. Every member after that came and gave us a hug (well the men....and a few old ladies) and invited us for christmas and told us we were their family. One old lady shook my hand and said "tu eres mi hijo. tu eres mi hijo ahora" I almost cried again.
That is what christmas is all about. Its not about gifts, or decorations, or the food, or how good everthing looks. A lot of the time we get so caught up in everything that we lose focus. We run from store to store house to house, trying to get everything done. We just need to slow down and relax. Spend time with the family. Dont worry if you are going to get the newest hot toy or the newest dress or clothing style. In 10 years that wont even matter. But in 10 years and even in 100 years, what will matter are the experiences you had with family. To tell you the truth, i dont remember every christmas morning, i dont even really remember what i got last year. But what i do remember is 2 things. Caroling to less actives and home teaching families, and doing the manger scene or watching the nativity every year. Those are the memories that we keep. At this time, as a missionary, i have the great opprotunity to help people remember this and that every year we receive a gift that we cant give. The gift that Jesus Christ gave us when he atoned for a sins. He made it possible for us to actually enjoy this life.
Christmas is all about Christ. This Christmas has probably been the most special to me so far. Seeing the joy on peoples faces when we talk about Christ. Finding those lonely people on the street and helping them realize that they arent alone. That is where its at. I guess ill end this testimony by telling yall how much i do love everyone. I love yall more than you can imagine. And i know, that yall love me more than i can imagine. I love this gospel and i know that i was called at this time to SD to help those people realize the gift of the Atonement in their lives and help them except it by entering into the water of baptisms and allowing God to bless them. The church is true and the book is blue.
I love yall so much ! Merry Christmas!!!!! and I will talk to yall on SATURDAY. That was the fastest 7 months of my life!!!!!! LOVE YALL Y FELIZ NAVIDAD
Ross
1. It has been raining since about Friday of last week. Crazy, because SD has been in a draught for the past like 2 years. I was thinking and I figured it out. God knows that I can't work well in the heat so when I get here he makes it cold so that I can perform well. haha
2. I was able to get my 12 days box and I love it. I am going to wear the tie to the Christmas gathering. I have the manger scene next to my bed. I am trying to stay away from all the cookies and candy (trying to lose weight again). And the A&M ornament made me trunky when I heard it...but its still on the tree hahahaha
4. This week is going to be crazy. A lot of missions kind of take the holidays off and just slide into the new year. But when your mission reports are reveiwed each week by the missionary exectuive council (the 1st presidency and the qourum of the 12) in their weekly meeting, you cant really afford to take off for the holidays. So we just keep pushing. We had training yesterday and today (our real pday will be tmw). We have the christmas gathering thrusday, eve on friday and christmas on saturday....crazy week. The prophet set a goal for the mission to get 100 baptisms in January. Something our mission has never done.
Well this week ahs been kind of rough. The rain has been depressing, i miss that big texas sunshine. But Sunday made it all turn around. At the MCRD, me and another missionary got to serve the sacrament to some Drill Instructors and other marines. This time though was special. There were 3 men in there with us. One was a company commander (one of the guys that runs the show at the MCRD, he is a member) the commander over the lawyers in the marines (he a member) and the financial commander (non member). It was a great experience and we got to teach the financial commander a little bit. It was pretty cool being to teach someone that you know could kill you in 10 seconds....kind of exciting hahahahah But also on Sunday, it was a missionary sunday. We got to sing in church and basically we ran the meeting, under the direction of the bishop. The last speaker, Elder Jardine (our DL) spoke and he started crying. He shared a real touching story about how his sister is pregnant and that he baby has a very rare disease. Only 3 out of every 1000 babies have it. And out of those 3, 2 of them live through the labor and only 1 lives to the age of 6 months. It made me think about how lucky i am that i have 2 healthy nieces at home waiting to see me. But that made me miss yall. But, at the end, another tender mercy happened. The 1st counselor in the Bishopric got up and shared his testimony and thanked the missionaries for everything we do. He then said, "hermanos (because nobody calls us elders), ustedes tienen una familia aqui en la mision. Todos de nosotros somos su familia. Ustedes tiened 300 hermanos y hermanas aqui en la capilla." I almost started crying. Every member after that came and gave us a hug (well the men....and a few old ladies) and invited us for christmas and told us we were their family. One old lady shook my hand and said "tu eres mi hijo. tu eres mi hijo ahora" I almost cried again.
That is what christmas is all about. Its not about gifts, or decorations, or the food, or how good everthing looks. A lot of the time we get so caught up in everything that we lose focus. We run from store to store house to house, trying to get everything done. We just need to slow down and relax. Spend time with the family. Dont worry if you are going to get the newest hot toy or the newest dress or clothing style. In 10 years that wont even matter. But in 10 years and even in 100 years, what will matter are the experiences you had with family. To tell you the truth, i dont remember every christmas morning, i dont even really remember what i got last year. But what i do remember is 2 things. Caroling to less actives and home teaching families, and doing the manger scene or watching the nativity every year. Those are the memories that we keep. At this time, as a missionary, i have the great opprotunity to help people remember this and that every year we receive a gift that we cant give. The gift that Jesus Christ gave us when he atoned for a sins. He made it possible for us to actually enjoy this life.
Christmas is all about Christ. This Christmas has probably been the most special to me so far. Seeing the joy on peoples faces when we talk about Christ. Finding those lonely people on the street and helping them realize that they arent alone. That is where its at. I guess ill end this testimony by telling yall how much i do love everyone. I love yall more than you can imagine. And i know, that yall love me more than i can imagine. I love this gospel and i know that i was called at this time to SD to help those people realize the gift of the Atonement in their lives and help them except it by entering into the water of baptisms and allowing God to bless them. The church is true and the book is blue.
I love yall so much ! Merry Christmas!!!!! and I will talk to yall on SATURDAY. That was the fastest 7 months of my life!!!!!! LOVE YALL Y FELIZ NAVIDAD
Ross
Letter from December 28, 2010
December 28, 2010
Well this probably will be a short email, because me and another missionary have a nice trip planned to one of the nicest malls in California to spend our Christmas money hahahaha naw but really, I don't have a lot to say.
Well it was way good to talk to yall on Saturday. I wish I had more time, but it was still great. Next year will be even better when I get to skype. It was cleared by president for sure so I will find a member in May and skype yall on mothers day. I am already trunky for that!!! hahaha
Christmas is the best on the mission and it helped really understand the importance of the atonement and of everything else.
Last sunday was my last sunday at the MCRD. Our ward changes times to the morning, so i got transfered from the MCRD. Before we left, Elder Griffith, the military relations missinoary, gave me a really cool military coin taht has the armor of God on it. It was up their on my best christmas gifts.
Well thats about all for this week. Sorry it is so short! I will have more next week for sure. Tell everyone that i love them!!!!
Love
Ross
Well this probably will be a short email, because me and another missionary have a nice trip planned to one of the nicest malls in California to spend our Christmas money hahahaha naw but really, I don't have a lot to say.
Well it was way good to talk to yall on Saturday. I wish I had more time, but it was still great. Next year will be even better when I get to skype. It was cleared by president for sure so I will find a member in May and skype yall on mothers day. I am already trunky for that!!! hahaha
Christmas is the best on the mission and it helped really understand the importance of the atonement and of everything else.
Last sunday was my last sunday at the MCRD. Our ward changes times to the morning, so i got transfered from the MCRD. Before we left, Elder Griffith, the military relations missinoary, gave me a really cool military coin taht has the armor of God on it. It was up their on my best christmas gifts.
Well thats about all for this week. Sorry it is so short! I will have more next week for sure. Tell everyone that i love them!!!!
Love
Ross
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)