Week 12: Christmas is over...now what?

Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas! I hope everyone has been enjoying this holiday season and having a good time with family!

Monday we had a zone activity, it being a white elephant gift exchange! I got...a pair of socks and a $10 gift card to Coldstone (an elder told me it only has $6.45 left on it haha)! I forgot to buy a white elephant gift, so I just grabbed a roll of toilet paper and gave that as my gift haha! 

Tuesday we had district meeting, and I gave my zone leader the gift card and a few candy canes (he's the poor guy that got my toilet paper roll. And I told him to keep the roll haha). We biked around our area contacting former investigators/potential investigators, and we found potential named Juan, but his English isn't very good so we gave him to the Spanish elders in the area. We had dinner at a recent convert's house, Jerry. Turns out it was his mother's birthday that day, so he bought a HUGE chocolate cake from a place called Claim-Jumper or something like that haha. 

On Wednesday Elder Jesse and l -along with our ward's Relief Society President- visited a potential investigator named Berna and gave her some cash and gift cards so she could by Christmas presents for her son and husband (they are not doing very well financially at the moment). Her and her husband were very grateful for us stopping by and giving them  some gift cards.

Thursday: Christmas Eve! We had dinner at our bishop's house, and three other families had dinner with us as well, we all had great food and a great time!

Christmas Day: December 25th!! Elder Jesse and I woke up early and opened our Christmas presents; that was fun! We now have TONS and TONS of candies and chocolates. Our plan is to give the candy out to people we meet and to other families haha. We went to a member's house -the Harrington's-  and talked to our families through Facetime on the member's iPads, and I enjoyed hearing about how things are back home! Sister Harrington kindly made me a DELICIOUS carrot cake, ahh it is to die for! But you'll go into a food coma after a slice of cake. 

On Saturday I went on a split exchange with one of my zone leaders, Elder Reddish. He took me to English Springs Park in Chino Hills, which is a scenic park, not just and ordinary park. He took me because he knows that I want to improve my skills of talking to strangers, or striking up a conversation with someone. I absolutely loved it, it was a great experience! We talked to many people, and by observing how Elder Reddish would start talking to people, I know what I need to work on! While I was doing this, Elder Jesse was with Elder Roberson, and they taught our new investigator that we got that day, Adrienne! I haven't met her yet, but I look forward to teaching her tomorrow!

On Sunday Elder Jesse and I gave talks on how to become true followers of Christ. One of the things I mentioned in my talk was how Jesus bade the fisherman to follow Him, and how they promptly got out of their boats, dropped their nets, and followed Him. I see this as being an example of how we should follow the Savior. We should do so without any doubt, fear, or hesitation. If we truly follow Jesus Christ, it means that we are completely obedient to Him and His commandments; that we faithfully pray to our Heavenly Father and study the scriptures with real intent; that we honor our sacred covenants that we have made, including attending church and partaking of the sacrament, and also keeping the Sabbath Day. I know that as we do so, the Holy Ghost will be with us more strongly,and our desire to do good will increase, as well as our love for our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and family and friends. I hope that as we begin a new year, you will strive to follow Christ more in your life. I have seen how being obedient to Him has blessed my life, and I know that being obedient and righteous can bless you too. 

I love you all, thank you so much for the Christmas letters and packages that those of you sent to me; I am very grateful!

-Elder Ruiz

English Springs Park, a cool place!

Cool nativity scene at a member's house!

Week 11: John 3:16

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope you all are enjoying the holidays! 

Tuesday I had a...well...interesting experience. Elder Jessee and I were biking down a street in Chino, when a black car with tinted windows pulled up alongside me, rolled down their window, and the front passenger threw a bottle of red Powerade at me and tried to hit me! Thankfully his throw was not accurate, and the bottle hit the trunk of a tree right in front of me, so I'm fine haha. 

Wednesday was our last day teaching at the Chino Adult School for this year. I've come to truly love the people their, they are just so nice, and I always have a good time with them.

Thursday we had a Christmas devotional for all the missionaries in the valley (all the missionaries in the high desert had their own Christmas devotional the day before), so I got to see Elder Ludwig again (we were in the same district in the MTC). The AP's and office elders created a slideshow that had pictures of missionaries from all over the mission; most of them were baptism pictures ( posing with their investigator before the baptism). The service missionaries and the senior missionaries made us a delicious lunch of mashed potatoes, ham, turkey, stuffing; it was like Thanksgiving all over again! 

On Friday we worked for about two hours at the thrift store, and we found some awesome ugly sweaters! Well, actually they're just Christmas vests...and they're not terribly ugly, but I do think they're hilarious! So the owners were cool with us keeping them; Elder Jessee and I will be wearing them to our zone Christmas party in a few hours haha!

On Saturday morning we went back to the thrift store to help Kaivon-the owner of the store- move some furniture to the other side of town to a guy who had bought the furniture the day before. That morning Elder Jesse and I had worked out in the weight room, so we were a little sore, but after carrying 14 wooden chairs, two dining tables, and two couches up and down 3 flights of stairs in an apartment complex, we were pooped! So Kaivon took us to a local burger joint for lunch. Oh and we also saw an act of theft take place right in front of us! We were around the corner from a grocery store, when I saw a young man pedaling as hard as he could to get away from a store clerk who was chasing him! They exchanged a few curse words during the chase, and it looked like the item the thief had stolen was in a plastic shopping bag. I got pretty ticked at that guy for stealing, and I wanted to yell something at him, but I felt like I should keep my mouth shut, so I did haha. Instead we tried calling the cops, but by the time we had pulled out the phone and were about to dial, they man was already out of sight. Oh well haha. Sunday we were able to have a lesson with three investigators- the Castro children, but other than that nothing really big happened. 

Yep so that's my week there for ya. I hope you all have a great Christmas this Friday! Remember why we truly celebrate Christmas: not for the gifts or for the food, but for our Savior and Redeemer; our brother, Jesus Christ, who was willing to sacrifice himself, that through Him we might live with our loving Heavenly Father once again.

Love you all!

-Elder Ruiz

Rockin' the sweater vests!

Elder Jessee and I cruisin' on the streets! 

Caroling as a zone!

Week 10: Francisco...Fransiscoo...Franciscooo...

This week has been great! Our hard work that Elder Jessee and I have put forth in finding potential investigators/people to teach has finally paid off! Many small miracles and tender mercies from the Lord have happened to us.

Earlier this week we had looked in our area book at an old teaching record of some potential investigators of the time-the Aguinaga family- and we felt impressed to visit them and see if they were still interested. So we stopped by their house and got to meet with Mr. Aguinaga, the father of the family. He said that him and his wife have been going through a divorce for about 5 years now because his wife is SUPER Catholic, and he thinks it's taken control of her life. He said he would love for us to come over so that we could "show her the error of her ways". Obviously missionaries are not therapists or marriage counselors, but we weren't about to pass up a teaching opportunity, so we told him we would come over on Sunday night. Brother Rodriguez-a member of our ward- said he could come with us to our lesson (bringing members to lessons is a bonus; they can help out with the lesson and even bring spiritual power to the room when they bare testimony, it's great!). So we went to their house on Sunday night and had small talk for a while. Then it got to the point where Mr. Aguinaga talked about his marriage and a whole bunch of family problems, why he doesn't want to get divorced and instead try and save their marriage, etc. But here's the best part: it was right then that Brother Rodriguez chimed in and talked about his divorce and the effect it's had on him and his son. And he bore such a strong and powerful testimony of the gospel and how it blesses families! He totally threw it down, the Spirit was just like BOOM! I could tell that he was able to touch and soften Mr. and Mrs. Aguinaga's hearts. It was such an awesome experience! We were able to schedule another appointment with them for tonight at 7:30, I'm so pumped!

Well, it rained a few times out here in Chino. On Wednesday night Elder Jessee and I were riding our bikes down the street to get to a old potential investigator's house, and it was raining so hard that our thighs were SOAKED! I mean so soaked that our thighs were completely drenched, all the way to my underclothes, and I could almost feel wetness in my shoes, that storm was crazy!

Other than that, things have been the same; we're still working hard trying to contact people on the streets and find potential investigators. I thought of our finding efforts like thrusting in a sickle into a field to harvest crops (think of D&C 4:4), and how you don't simply or casually just harvest crops. You have to THRUST in your sickle, with all your might! Do everything you can to get the most out of your harvesting!

Anyways, I love you all and enjoy hearing from you in the emails I receive.

Happy Holidays!

Sign found at the Calvary Chapel.

Chino sunset.

I found my car!  Or at least one that looks like my car.

Week 9: I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Happy Holidays! It doesn't really feel like Christmas is upon us because there is no snow out here haha. 

Transfers were last week, so I got a new companion: Elder Jessee from Riverton Utah. He's been out for about 15 months, so I guess you could say he's a seasoned veteran haha. 

This week I was blessed to see several small miracles and tender mercies that occurred to us this week. We were able to talk more people -while tracting/street contacting- than we usually do. One reason is because Elder Jessee is really assertive when it comes to missionary work, so he's been pushing us as a companionship to work hard to find people. With the new Christmas video that the Church has put out, we've been able to share a short message about the Savior with many people.On Thursday we were able to go on team-ups with Bishop Smith and teach the children of a part-member family. And it was a miracle that for the most part, the kids paid attention and participated. And even their father, who doesn't have much of an interest in in the Church, sat stuck around for the whole lesson; what a miracle! We also invited them to come to the ward Christmas party Saturday night, as well as church on Sunday. They came to the Christmas party, and everyone was glad to see that they showed up. They said they had a wonderful time. 

On Saturday we were able to teach an investigator named Ronnie about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I could definitely feel the Holy Ghost helping me to know what to say; it was an amazing feeling. He truly does speak to those that humble themselves before God, and listen for that still small voice. Later that day we talked to a less-active named Clay Lotz, who's one of the nicest and most genuine people I have ever met. He's a wood craftsman that works from home, so he lives from paycheck to paycheck each month. We talked for about an hour while he was having a yard sale of some of the things that he's built, because he needed the money to pay his bills. It was such a humbling experience to be with him, he just has such a positive spirit. We invited him to the ward Christmas party as well, and also to church. He said he would try to come, depending if he decided to carry on his yard sale into the evening. He didn't come to the party, but he did come to sacrament meeting all dressed up in his suit, and it just made my day to see him come! 

Our ward will be going through a Church process called "bar-belling", where two ward combine their 2nd and 3rd hour meetings, but have separate sacrament meetings. So to see a lot more Mormons in the church building than usual reminded me of going to church back home, where the wards are way bigger haha!

Other than that, things have been pretty chill. Sorry I didn't take a lot of pictures this week; we've been busy haha! I love you all! Make good choices and all that good stuff. 

The smallest acts of kindness can rock a person's world; you never know. 

Adios!

-Elder Ruiz

Elder Jessee and I checking our emails this afternoon at the Chino Hills Library!

Week 8: Sweater Weather

Hello one and all! I hope everyone enjoyed their Thanksgiving and had delicious food! I'll have to make this email short because I don't have much time, sorry. 

The weather has been getting colder, so now it's cold enough for me where I'm wearing a sweater at night when we bike (brrrrr!) For Thanksgiving Elder Gunnerson and I went to a ward member's house and had a big delicious breakfast and watched the beginning of the Macy's Day Parade! And for dinner!...for dinner...we had TWO dinners! I was stuffed haha! But is was worth it because the food was delicious!

Tuesday was our last district meeting before transfers, so we all took pictures together as a zone!

Transfer calls came on Saturday,and Elder Gunnerson was being transferred to Hesperia, his first transfer in the high desert! I'll still be serving in the Walnut Park Ward in Chino, so I'm cool with that. So today Elder Gunnerson and I went to the mission office and got new companions. My new companion is Elder Jessee from Riverton Utah, who's been serving for about 15 months. He seems like a cool guy; I look forward to working with him!

I also got to see Elder Guerra, who is one of my sister's best friends from back home! We were both so happy to see each other; he's a zone leader in the high desert right now!

Anyways, that's all folks! I love all of you and pray for you. Thanks for your emails of love and support!

-Elder Ruiz

Farewell to my "Father"!

Elder Guerra

Zone Picture

Week 7: "Let us talk of holy things..."

Greetings. I hope everyone will enjoy this Thanksgiving week! Always try to be grateful, not just during Thanksgiving. 

During companion exchanges on Thursday, I was paired up with Elder Broadhead (who I came out here to CA with), and that night we taught Leo and Zoey Lin, whose mother was baptized a long time ago in Taiwan, but she became inactive once she came to America because she didn't know where the local ward met. However, some missionaries recently came into contact with here, and so she wanted them to teach her two kids (13 and 16, respectively). They came to know the Book of Mormon is true, and desired to be baptized. While we were teaching them in their house, I could feel their sweet spirits, they just seemed so...kind, so meek, and have a strong desire to learn more about the gospel. I think these are attributes we should all desire to have and work towards. On Saturday they were baptized by Elder Broadhead and his companion Elder Smith. I asked Leo how he felt afterwards, and he felt happy. It reminded me of when I was baptized, and how I felt then. We should always treasure our baptism as something sacred, and strive to live worthily of the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because they are not in our ward, we were not able to attend the sacrament meeting where they were given the Holy Ghost, but I bet it was a neat experience for them.

On Friday we met with an investigator named Angie. We re-taught her the Restoration and accepted our invitation to be baptized! I think many good things will come from her; I believe the Lord has prepared her heart to receive the gospel. 

"The weather outside is frightful..."... well actually it's not; it is quite enjoyable. Still too warm for me though.  I still prefer being able to walk in the snow; that's probably the one thing I miss from home right now, the snow!! The trees are still green, and in the afternoon the temperature just hangs out in the 80's, so we have some pleasant weather down here right now. I just really miss a REAL winter!

I borrowed a classical guitar from one of the the counselors in the ward bishopric because I've been wanting to perform a musical number for district meeting tomorrow, so I've been practicing since Friday. And it's been so long since I've played guitar that my fingertips are raw from practicing so much!

So yeah, that's what's happening out here in So-Cal! Read the Book of Mormon; it is ESSENTIAL that you build and strengthen your own testimony, because you can't go on for the rest of your life living off of/using someone else's testimony. You must become fully converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ! This is my challenge to you all, I promise it will bless you. 

Love you all!

Elder Ruiz

A few of us Elders chillin before District Meeting last Tuesday! And yes, there are more than just us four in our district. 

Week 6: "Real men pray!"

Hello hello, hope you all are doing alright! This past week I had some really cool experiences! And the weather has been getting cooler, which makes me even more happier! Almost time for sweater weather haha!

Last Monday all the missionaries in our zone played volleyball at the stake center, it was great, we all had a blast. Wednesday I had to attend a 4-week meeting for greenies (so called because we've been in the field for 4 weeks now), and while there I got to see Elder McClaws and Elder Ludwig, who came out here with me and were in my district back at the MTC! They seem to be doing well; Elder McClaws is whitewashing an area up in the high desert, and Elder Ludwig is serving in Ontario (the city in America, not Canada haha).

On Thursday one of my zone leaders, Elder Reddish, was my companion for a companion exchange. It was different than my last exchange though because with this one I was basically acting as the senior companion since we would be staying in my area, and I'd be showing him around haha, and since I'm a greenie and he's been out for more than a year haha. Anyways, he taught me some helpful tips about street contacting, and we were actually able to talk to several people who actually didn't mind talking to us! We were even able to had out a few pass-along cards with our contact info!  

Friday night was very special to me because I got to anoint someone with oil and give them a blessing for my first time! I was nervous at first because I wanted to make sure that I said all the right words, but once I got to the blessing, I just let the Spirit take over, and boy was is a wonderful feeling. It's like I wasn't even talking, it was the Spirit talking through me! I felt so much peace afterwards; it was an experience I will never forget! 

Saturday my companion and I had the opportunity to briefly talk to a pastor from another church, who was having an estate sell of his recently-deceased mother's belongings. He was kind and let us take some Christmas decorations home for free haha! But somehow we ended up promising the other men there that we would make them cookies on Tuesday haha. 

Last night we had a teaching appointment, and as we were biking to the family's house, out of nowhere is started to sprinkle, and after 20 or so feet it was raining HARD! by the time we got to their house, Elder Gunnerson and I were both soaked haha! During our appointment with this family, we were able to commit 3 of their little girls to being baptized on December 19th, yay! I'm very excited for them, especially for their Kimberly, the oldest of the three, who has a strong desire to be baptized and learn more about the church! 

So, things are looking good out here in Chino! Thank you for the emails you have sent me, and for your love and support! Love you all!

Elder Ruiz

Reunited!