Week 39: Beef Stroganoff

Last week was wonderful. We talked to a potential investigator, Rosa, on her doorstep and she sat down and we taught the message of the Restoration to her! It was cool; we gave her a Book of Mormon and committed her to read and pray about the Book of Mormon, and she said she would! And she said she would love for us to come back and teach her more. We are hoping to invite her to be baptized if we can meet with her this week. 

We went to the baptism of one of our investigators, Jake, who I talked about last week in my email. There was a really good turnout at the baptism and we all were quite happy afterwards. 

On Sunday evening our ward mission leader came with us for a lesson with an investigator named Julie. We taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When we started teaching about baptism, she told us that her mother (who is not a member of the Church) wanted her to be baptized when she was little, but she never was. What a perfect opportunity that was to then invite her to be baptized! I told her that she can have the opportunity to be baptized, and invited her to be baptized on August 27th. She almost immediately said yes! I am so excited for her. Looking back, I can tell the Holy Ghost guided Elder Porritt, myself, and our ward mission leader Brother Knox as we taught Julie, so that we could say the words that she needed to hear.

Over the course of my mission experience, I have gained a testimony of families; how they are central to our Heavenly Father's plan for us, so that we may be able to learn and progress and forge relationships with others that can last for eternity. My testimony of temples has grown as well. Through making, honoring, and keeping sacred covenants (or promises) that are made in these holy places, we can be together and united with our spouses and our children forever. It is by the holy priesthood of God, which was restored by our Savior Jesus Christ through the prophet Joseph Smith, that makes all this possible. Uniting families through the gospel is such an amazing experience to have as a missionary, and one that I will always treasure. I look forward to the day when I can make those sacred and holy covenants with a worthy and loyal companion within the house of the Lord, to be be together forever. 

Families indeed can be together forever. I know it to be true.

Well, that puts last week in a nutshell. I have a good feeling about how this transfer will go. I love you all,  talk to  you next week.

Elder Ruiz

We found a tree trunk while going on a walk. He's doing a rain dance...

Oh look, a mattress that seems to be quite content next to a young Joshua tree. They must be having a nice conversation with each other.

 It's sad to see people trash the desert like this. Don't litter!