Okay, so NOW that I sent that other email, I can now talk
about last week haha. Last week was pretty slow, not a lot of work going on in
the area, but we were able to stay busy and carry out some assignments given to
us by bishops from the two wards we cover. On Thursday we had zone conference in
Victorville, it was great. President and Sister Taylor focused a lot on chapter
9 of Preach My Gospel, which is about finding (people to teach). It was also
nice to see other missionaries from other zones that I haven't seen in a
while.
Saturday morning we played ultimate frisbee/basketball with
several nonmembers and 2 less-actives. It was a lot of fun, and the nonmembers
already like us. We don't even share a spiritual thought or anything like that.
We do not want to shove the restored gospel down their throats; they have to be
befriended and fellowshipped first, in this kind of situation.
At 11 that morning we drove to Hesperia to attend the
baptism of Julie Chistiansen, the lady I was teaching while serving in the
Ranchero ward in Hesperia. The Spirit was so strong there! I baptized Julie; it
felt good to be able to exercise God's authority to baptize Julie for the
remission of sins.
She said afterwards that she felt peaceful, and that she
hadn't felt that way in a long time. The ward mission leader Brother Knox asked
me to bear my testimony to those in attendance. I was more than happy to do so.
As I bore my testimony, I took a deep breath, exhaled, and just talked at a
calm, slow pace. It was amazing to be able to experience the Holy Ghost working
within me. It was as if the Spirit was putting thoughts in my head and words in
my mouth so that I knew what to say. I have learned to slow down and listen to
the Spirit when I teach or testify, because how can we hear promptings from the
Spirit or discern them if our minds are racing at 100 miles an hour and are
preoccupied with other things?
That evening we had dinner at the Price's. Brother Price is
really cool; he served his mission in the Midwest, is a retired sherriff, and
is really into martial arts and weapons and stuff. He's got swords and axes and
knives and daggers displayed all throughout his home! And he is very skilled
with martial arts/self defense; he has even trained with masters in Japan and
has legitimate certificates from them of how good he is. He even got to hang
out with Chuck Norris back in the day! He offered to teach us how to throw
tomahawks sometime and how to use a sword. To Elder Wedel and I it seemed like
a good fellowshipping activity. We could invite nonmembers, investigators, and
less-active guys to the activity.
Saturday evening we attended the adult session of the
Victorville stake conference. It was splendid, I definitely had several
impressions/ideas come to mind from the Holy Ghost. Sunday morning we got a
ride from a member to stake conference...IN BARSTOW!!!! I was pumped to go to
Barstow because I have never been in that part of the mission while I have been
serving my mission. Missionaries often say it's the armpit of the mission,
nobody really looks forward to going there. But I didn't think it was too bad.
Definitely hotter though; up there it is 10-15 degrees warmer than in Hesperia
or Oak Hills. And more windy too. But is was worth going there; stake
conference was good; a lot of statements were made by those who spoke that
caused me to think about a lot of things: my mission, my companion, my
testimony, marriage after the mission, raising a family. It was a neat
experience to be able to experience the Holy Ghost affecting me like that. It's
interesting how the Holy Ghost works differently with each of us.
During the week Elder Wedel and I tracted a dirt road...it
was barely even a road. It was very hot and we were smart enough to not bring
water with us haha. It was adventurous trying not to provoke the big dogs in
people's yards haha.
The Holy Ghost is very real. My mission experience so far
has been one of the happiest times of my life, and it wouldn't be possible
without the Holy Ghost. And to have Him as a constant companion (known as the
gift of the Holy Ghost) is one of our Heavenly Father's most precious gifts
that He has given to His children. I consider it an infinite blessing to be
blessed with the gift of the Holy Ghost. The richest man in the world who has
the most possessions will not be truly happy and feel peace when compared to
the poorest person in the world who has the Holy Ghost in their life.
I love this gospel so much. I know it to be true. The Lord's
work and His church will continue to spread to the four corners of the earth,
that all of Heavenly Father's children will have the opportunity to hear of and
learn about the restored Gospel.
I love you all, have a great week and a great Labor Day next
Monday.
-Elder Ruiz
Julie and I at her baptism.
This is the "road" that we tracted.
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