Week 40: (Dusty) Road, Take Me Home

Last week was more windy than usual, and it's been getting warmer. I'm just glad that I'm not having to tract at the top of our mission in Baker haha. 

Elder Porritt and I are still looking for more people to teach. Our investigator James called us and told us that he was in the middle of a "domestic dispute" and cancelled an appointment we had with him. We are still going to try and teach him, but we have dropped his baptismal date for August 27th. On the other hand, we had a great lesson last night with our other investigator Julie. She came to sacrament meeting and Sunday School, and she asked good questions about fasting (that's what the lesson was on for Gospel Principles yesterday). We went with our ward mission leader to her home yesterday evening and taught her some commandments (obedience, prayer, studying the scriptures, and keeping the Sabbath Day holy). She readily and happily accepted all the commitments we extended to her. She is progressing very well and is absorbing everything that we teach her. I am very happy for her. I am still amazed at how the Holy Ghost helped me in that lesson. There were a few times when Julie had a question about something, and almost immediately I would think of a quote by someone or a scripture that answered her question. It was awesome! It's incredible to see how the Holy Ghost guides us through gospel knowledge. I know it's moments like that that help me understand why we are commanded to study the scriptures, not just as missionaries, but as members of the Christ's church. Because, like it says in 2 Nephi 32:3-5 :

 3 Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost;wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold,the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

 4 Wherefore, now after I have spoken these words, if ye cannot understand them it will be because ye ask not,neither do ye knock; wherefore, ye are not brought into the light, but must perish in the dark.

 5 For behold, again I say unto you that if ye will enter in by the way, and receive the Holy Ghost, it will show unto you all things what ye should do.

So, it is by feasting in the words of Christ that we are directed as to what we should do in certain situations. Wow, what an awesome opportunity to be able to experience that!!

On Wednesday we performed some service at an elderly member's home with our ward mission leader. We were tasked with removing a mound of cut pine tree branches and twigs, and also disposing of junk that was underneath the brush pile. The pile was maybe 10 x 35 feet around, and about 5 feet tall. We broke branches into twigs so we could put them in  contractor garbage bags. And our ward mission leader brought a chain saw and we cut the larger branches into logs small enough for the member's fireplace for the winter, and we made a log pile out of them. I'm guessing the three of us felt masculine at some point during that afternoon haha. 

On Saturday our district leader Elder Jessee (one of my companions from Chino) came to our area for exchanges, and my companion Elder Porritt went to Elder Jessee's area for the exchange. Man, it was like Elder Jessee and I had a family reunion or something haha! He is such a goof! But so am I haha, so we had a great time together that day; lots of laughs and several neat experiences we had that day. I'm going to miss serving with him and around him once he goes home and finishes his mission, this is his last transfer.

I had a few personal experiences with the Holy Ghost during these past two weeks. Those experiences have strengthened my testimony of the reality of the Holy Ghost. It has certainly increased my belief and faith in the Holy Ghost. As you carry out Heavenly Father's will for you and keep his commandments, you will be able to feel the Holy Ghost more strongly in your everyday life. These things all tie back to the principle of obedience, and it is obedience that made the Savior who he was.

I would type some more words or experiences from this past week, but I have to go now and get a lot of things done today. Have a good week!

Elder Ruiz

No, we are not men in black. We are men...in white...with black name tags. We thought it would be interesting to trade glasses for the day haha.