How are you guys? I hope all is well in the US of A and that everyone is eating Mac n Cheese. How awesome it is that my sister and I both celebrated our big days the same way! WITH MAC N CHEESE! Love it! I love my sister and I loved reading her letter last week about seeing people change. It definitely is what the mission is all about... but Ill get to that later.
First and foremost, the weather here is CRAZYYY! Uhhh its supposed to be summer here and it is BITTER cold! Nothing was crazier than waking up to water dripping on me from the crazy rain. And cold showers were a lot easier when I sang THERE IS SUNSHINE IN MY SOUL TODAY! Thanks Nana May for the advice. I did have a bucket shower yesterday which made it better. It was nice and warm while the bucket had water in it. We helped a handicapped man build his brick house and while we were mixing cement the rain just came out of nowhere like one of those surprise burps and WABAM! It was pouring. We got to rest a bit, laugh a bit, then get back to work.
Something REALLY cool that happened this week was I got to use my French! No joke! I was talking to someone and somehow French came out and I lost so much of my french, but it was fun! She ended up speaking to me in French, I responded in Spanish, and THEN she spoke in English asking if it was okay if we returned when we had time, but she didnt want to talk about religion. I said it was totally fine, but religion will come in one day! But yeah, trilingual! I will learn French after the mission. Definitely positive. I taught my companion how to say I have lost my book in 3 languages. Fun times!
This week I have definitely learned how to be firm, but not sassy. When I left home, I also left the sass. Well, in the CCM I was a bit sassy, but yeah. I have been more of a pushover now and these people need to know that we are NOT like other religions. That God DOES have prophets today and that they should pray to know its true. Weve seen some miralces in an ex bishop who is less active and we had a lesson about the importance of paying tithing because he didnt want to, and we really laid down the law for love. This week he told us hes going to stop traveling so that he can have a calling and he wants to go to the temple! WOW! MIRACLES! He has made a 360. And its not because of me, its because the Spirit was there. The Spirit converted him. I just had to make sure he knew what we were teaching was true.
So we had ward council, and there was NO electricity. AND everyone from the ward council showed up. It was definitely a first. So we were really sad as missionaries that the one day everyone showed up to help, there was no power. Hna Thorley reminded us that we as members and missionaries were the light! So we had that ward council! We got some light from cell phones and just emulated the love of members and missionaries working together. It was so awesome.
So we went to visit a less active. Hes really sick. He had problems that made his face look really bad. His sister, a returned missionary and super active lady, asked us to visit him. But she felt badly because he didnt want us to come in and see him, but she wanted him to have a lesson. I thought for a bit, and remembered the days when dad was sick and couldnt leave his room and Ellyn and I sang and shared music so that he could hear! I remember those days! I remembered how much better he felt and how much it blessed his life! So I asked if we could sing. And we sang to the door. We sang to his door. He never let us in. He never responded, but we testified that God was close to him. That he was never alone. It was the most spiritual lesson Ive had with a door in my life. I knew at that moment that God loved this man. I found out yesterday at church that he wants us to return and he wants to talk and sing to him again. I love testifying through music. I know music breaks barriers. It goes through doors that separate a missonary and a person sick. I love my mission..
As we were walking to the Casa de los Impedidos I SWORE I saw Jean Val Jean so I knew I had to talk to him. No joke. Like from the beginning when he was working as a slave. And guess what? HE came up to US! Hes a less active who is need of help. He used to be pretty well off man, but sickness overtook him and how he has CRAZY arthritis in his hands and we were there to help him. Im so happy he was put in our way. Im so happy that even though its hard to see people who cant move their hands, or sleep on the floor in the pooring rain, that I am able to help them to live a better life closer to God.
This month we have a goal for 5 baptisms! Hno Rocki, who is paralyzed, will be baptized the 15th! Along with Oscar, a youth, and we are hoping for Hno Gabriel! This youth is so smart and wants to learn and is just so on fire! All 3 went to church this past Sunday and enjoyed it. Hno Rocki couldnt hear anything, but he is such a blessed son of God. And we also have a couple, Carolina and Enrique who we are hoping to get married this month! THEY have made a 360, too, and were on the point of divorce, but the gospel changes lives! They are now praying together and reading the scriptures together! Now, with my sister, I may not see these people baptized. Transfers are the 12th. How sad! I dont know. But if I do, its okay because I have been able to participate in their changes and their growing closer to God.
This Monday I received my family Christmas letter and I loved the message that my sister and I both shared individually. Thatr Christ lives. That because He lives, we live as well! I love the hymn that says the following:
I know that my Redeemer lives.
What comfort this sweet sentence gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead.
He lives, my ever-living Head.
He lives to bless me with his love.
He lives to plead for me above.
He lives my hungry soul to feed.
He lives to bless in time of need.
I, too, share my testimony that He lives! Why is that so important? Because with these simple truths, we build our own testimony! Our foundation is so important. So many Bolivians know that Christ lives! But they dont believe that He speaks to us today through prophets! I testify that He does! That He loves us and He speaks to us individually as well. I love this gospel. I invite each of you to read the book of Enos in the Book of Mormon. Its super short, but so powerful about the reality of Christ. I know that He has fed my soul when it hungered and that He will do the same for you. Enos was a man who was far from perfect, but because he desired a relationship with his savior, he prayed and grew closer to Him. I testify that this is true. That by learning about Enos, you will also learn that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Its another example of Gods love for us. He does have a rest prepared for us if we follow Him. Shortly before he died, Enos said this:
And I soon go to the place of my arest, which is with my Redeemer; for I know that in him I shall brest. And I rejoice in the day when my cmortal shall put on dimmortality, and shall stand before him; then shall I see his face with pleasure, and he will say unto me: Come unto me, ye blessed, there is a place prepared for you in the emansions of my Father. Amen.
I testify that this is true. That by learning about Enos, you will also learn that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. Its another example of Gods love for us. He does have a rest prepared for us if we follow Him.
I love you, I love the Lord.
Con amor,
Elder Risueño
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