Growing up (Week 43)

Happy Monday family!
This week has been amazingly COLD. Winter is officially here in Tarija
and I am just like enjoying EVERY SINGLE MINUTE because I know that I
will never freeze my toes off like this again. So I am just keeping
the smile going and loving life. The cold is so humid and down to the
bone. 5 layers dont do any justice. But the good thing is there are
always things like socks made out of alpaca that can help save the
day. And a nice warm shower. Thank you, nice house.

This past week we went to a place called the Casa Vieja, or old
house that is famous for its wine!! We didnt try any, even though it
was free, but it was so beautiful and I cant wait to send some
pictures. I love Tarija and I love that we can just enjoy the culture!
This past week something really fun happened: So I decided to laminate
my family photos just so that I can be super prideful of my family and
show them off to everyone. So I started with the family that gives us
lunch each day and they were SO AMAZED at how beautiful Ellyn was. My
pensions son even wants to marry Ellyn. I hope its a joke. But
needless, they asked if they could keep ellyns picture and I was like
WHY NOT? And then Hna Morales put it next to her FAMILY PHOTOS. Hahaha
I took a picture of it and youll see it in a few.
Oh, big shout out to GALE VAN PATTEN for sending me a super sweet
card. You are amazing. 
So this week has been one of those growing up weeks. Well, I called it
that about a week ago. So I decided it was time to grow up because I
am almost 20, I have FINALLY found reason to shave each day like it
says in the Missionary Handbook, and I feel kind of old. So I decided
to Budget my money, for the first time EVER, and just try and be
organized. And the whole money thing is going REALLY well. Turns out
going to the grocery store once a week is A LOT better than going to
get fast food each day. WHAT A CONCEPT! (Thanks, Mother.) But besides
that, Ive been losing more things. I left my copy of mission pictures
in a taxi, and the taxi didnt want to let us visit him so I dont have
his contact info (for the record, my original copy is safely en route
to the US… hopefully it gets there). And like it was one of those
moments where I just had to suck it up and just go on with life. A few
days later, I lost my gloves too, but an angel left them out on the
Street for me to receive the next day! AWESOME! So with all of that, I
have been feeling a little bit lost. I see that so many times we feel
like we are trying to get to a better place, but we are just being
pushed farther and farther back. But then something happened this week
that I want to share with you: So I have had more chances to share the
problems my family has passed through. Last night, I spoke to a family
about how even though my dad was sick and suffering a lot at home, I
had the ability to be in Bolivia because I knew that we would be a
forever family. That my family is keeping their promises that each of
us has made with God and that nothing can separate us now. The man we
spoke to was just in awe of the power I had in my testimony. As we
finished the lesson, and invited him to baptism and he accepted the
invite, he also prayed intently for my family. He prayed that they
would be blessed for their sacrifices and have peace. That stuck out
to me that my trials are for a reason. For me to grow and appreciate
that I am imperfect.

A few hours later, we walked up a super steep hill to get home and my
legs were hurting and my back too and I was super cranky and then I
paused for a second and turned around. I saw a beautiful view of
Tarija and I was filled with love for the new view I could see because
I had climbed that hill. Had I not suffered the hard walk, not only
would I have missed the view, I wouldnt have been able to return Home.
It is the same with our lives, my dear friends. The hills may be
steep, the frustration may be too much sometimes, but we must return
Home to our Heavenly Father. He has sent us here to learn, to grow,
and to come to Him with a greater view of who we are. That we can
become like He is and that we, too, can help many others. I know that
we can. In my sisters room, she has a poster of yoda that says DO OR
DO NOT, THERE IS NO TRY. But that isnt true with God. Because He wants
to see us try and try again. He knows that without falling, we can
never rise to greater heights. He wants us to become like our Savior
one day at a time.
I'm trying to be like Jesus;
I'm following in his ways.
I'm trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say.
At times I am tempted to make a wrong choice,
But I try to listen as the still small voice whispers,
Love one another as Jesus loves you.
Try to show kindness in all that you do.
Be gentle and loving in deed and in thought,
For these are the things Jesus taught."

I invite each of you to try and be a little more like Him this week.
Let us all work together and try to find ourselves as we lose
ourselves in the service of others. Ill let you know next week how my
own challenge goes. I love you all, I pray for you, and my
investigators are doing fine. No baptisms set up for this week, but we
need some more help from the Ward. Please pray that we will receive
that help so that the investigators progress.

For a dollar!
Elder Risueño

10 months! (Week 42)

Hello family!!!

Holy heck! 300 days as a full time missionary?? The days feel like weeks but then the weeks feel like days... Sure is true! I really hope all is well with each and every one of you and I pray for you all when I remember... I still am working on not falling asleep as I pray in the morning hahaha

This week has been AMAZING. I am so blessed to be here as a missionary. We are definitely going into Winter here... Its getting colder earlier in the day and I am NOT ready for that. We don't have heaters here, so we just have to bundle up as much as we can. All I can say is that Im grateful for my super fancy shmancy bathtub shower. I may live there when it gets cold.

Anyway, THE WORK! The work is going really well. We are just seeing a lot of success with the Book of Mormon. We are reading it with our family that feeds us lunch each day and they came to church Sunday. Power. We worked with my favorite old man, Fernando Villegas, and read the Book of Mormon with him and after 3 weeks HE BROUGHT UP BAPTISM! Hahaha LOVE IT! MAGIC! I know I was called here to help bring him to baptism so I am sure hoping the 31st works out for him.

NELY WAS BAPTIZED! Yesterday morning at 7am. It was a super early morning for me, but it was great. For the first time in my mission, I am really seeing people progress as I become a better missionary. I know that I am imperfect, but the Lord works with imperfect people! But I am JUST SO EXCITED to see these people coming closer to God! We even have our great joven, Leo, just loving the church and wanting to get baptized! the 31st is going to be a great day, I think!

So you ready for some other craziness? So president willard, in answer to prayer, called a district leader training meeting and we CHANGED district meetings! They are ALL ABOUT PRACTICES! I hate practices. Even though I practice to live through life with piano. But I hate it. So president told us we need to practice and we really helped and was spiritual and I saw my best friend ELDER WILKINSON. We met right when we received our calls and now we are both leaders together. Love him. So I sucked up my pride and we started practices and we are seeing MIRACLES! the district meeting was a success and we are applying what we practice and we are just sulking in the lords blessings. I love it. Oh, a sister in my district got CHICKEN POX! no joke. Yup. Elder Risueño to the semi rescue.. the sister leader trainers did most of the work because i cant enter their house or visit them...

OH! I BARFED AGAIN THIS WEEK! Sorry, but its a good sick story. So my 10th month mark came and I ate a lot. I bought some delish white chocolate from a less active, a member bought us chicken and fries, I ate cookies, and coke, and oranges, and chips, and more chocolate. So when I got home I was like OH DANG IT. Here it goes again. And it came and went. I was NOT TOO WELL yesterday. But I was like THANKS DAD FOR HELPING ME. I just kept plugging along like my dad. And I made it through. Love yall.

Anyway, special thanks to Mom for the card. I sent her an email April 14th telling her I was going through a hard time and 3 days later she sent me this card cheering me up. PROPS TO KARE BEAR! I love you! You're the best.

And a special thanks to DFM or Dawn Fudge Miller for my books. Brad R Wilcox books are the best. Thanks for your testimony in it. I really just want you all to know something I've studied this morning. A testimony isn't just the light that we carry through the dark tunnels of life, it is the light that carries us through the dark tunnels of life. When we feel like we cant get through the troubles that face us, we know that the Lord is walking with us and will never leave us alone. I testify of that. I testify that as we search for a greater knowledge of our Savior, that it was what will get us through the dark days. As we take that light that we have and share it with others, we will see our light get brighter because God will want us to bless others.

As a favorite hymn says:

Abide with me, tis eventide

thy walk today with me
has made my heart within me burn
as I communed with thee

Thy earnest words have filled my soul

and kept me near thy side

I promise you that our Savior will abide with us only as long as we take this burning within our heart and help those in need.

I love you all and ask that you PLEASE send some piano solos for church or special musical numbers for vocal solos. That are hymn arrangements. People sing in my zone.

For a dollar!
elder Risueño

Facing the Fears (Week 41)

Mothers day was awesome, but super bittersweet too. I was so grateful
to see my family and talk to them, to receive counsel, and just enjoy
life. It was awesome seeing my sister and just saying goodbye because
its the last time well talk as shes a missionary... sad day! But I
really realized that even though the connection was bad and such, that
my weekly email time is SO AMAZING. I love each of you that is reading
this email. Youre reading it because we have some sort of relationship
and you want to know how I am doing in my life. Well, I have the same
feelings for you guys. Frequently I send emails out to some of my
regular email people to see if they can give me an update on YOU GUYS
because I always wonder what is going on in your lives. So, if youre
reading this, I invite you to take like 5 minutes just to hit reply to
this email and write me something! Itll get sent to my mom, probably,
who can forward it to me! And then I can respond! I just want to know
whats gone on in the past 10 months of your lives!

Anyway, on to this week!

So Monday we went hiking to a waterfall! SO AWESOME. I forgot my
charger today, so sorry mom. PICTURES NEXT WEEK! I PROMISE TO
REMEMBER! The moment of that hike taht was the best HAD to have been
when I tried to outsmart a slippery rock by just walking through the
river, then slipping in the river and falling. Even though my camera
and phone got wet, EVERYTHING WAS OKAY! Just saying, I love the
blessings I receive from being a missionary! hahaha. We got some pizza
as a zone, and I bought the comp some ice cream. LIFE WAS GOOD.

We also moved houses...We are WAY UP on the hill and we dont have much
service! DANG IT! But its fine and life is good. We have a BATHTUB,
which is super high class so its nice.

I got to teach a lady named Carmen Mendez who has cancer and reminds
me of dads problems, but shes a lady. So its a little switched, but I
really felt like I was called to teach her. She is progressing, but is
super sick. There is no better feeling than looking at each person in
the eye, and saying, I know how you feel. No joke. But shes awesome.

Nely didnt get baptized this week due to some problems, but this
coming Saturday we are hoping for her baptism!

Im in a new ZONE! Its called Zona La Viña which transfers into the
vine. If anyone wants to look up Jacob 5:72, thats where our name
comes from. zones should be named after wards that are in the zone but
president changed it due to revelation! our zone is going to work in
the vine of God so that we can bring our souls unto him!

We had TRANSFERS THIS PAST WEEK! And Elder Zavaleta and I will be
together for 6 more weeks! I think he was a little sad, but whatever!
I know he loves me! He just doesnt show it as naturally as I do. I was
called as District Leader and Ill explain what taht is... So we have a
senior and junior compaionship at the basic level of missionary work,
and then in charge of 2 or 3 other companionships is a District
Leader. Thats me. I help train, support, and uplift these people. Let
me tell you it is the scariest thing of my life. I never thought I
could be a leader. I am disorganized, a people pleaser, like yall know
me. But that doesnt matter. The Lord has called me into this position
and I will become it. I have my fears. We all have our fears. God asks
us to be humble. In the spanish scriptures, it definies humble as
moldable. I dont think humility only means accepting our weaknesses,
it also means accepting the type of person we can become as we let
Christ mold us. And thats what I have done. My companion told me that
I have a lot to improve on and that came as no surprise, but I want
each of you to know that we all need to improve. We all have our
struggles and our fears, but we need not let those fears become
obstacles. They are ladders that help us reach our Savior, Jesus
Christ.

Theres a cheesy EFY song that I love that goes like this:
So Ill face my fears, Ill give up my pride,
The choice is mine thats how it needs me
Trusting in (Gods) love, I feel a change inside,
Then I can see that (He) was just waiting for me.

Thats right. Hes waiting for us to take the step. We just need to give
up those thoughts that are stopping us from helping others. Trust in
He who went through it all for you. Give it to Him and let him mold
you into the person you can become.

There was much more that went on this week, but I feel like this will
do. I love you all and pray for you daily.

For a dollar!
Elder Risueño

Mother knows best (Week 40)

You guys,

I am so happy for this week. That’s right. Lets all breathe a sigh of relief because RJ is in a good mood and his sassiness is down a lot. I’m actually working on humility so that I don’t sass at all. I’ve been keeping it down a bit, but sometimes I get frustrated. its usually when my comp gives me a hard time for eating so much. whatevs.

So this week has been amazing. Nely is on for her baptism this Saturday. But PLEASE pray for her. She still is smoking and stuff a bit and she needs to be clean like this week. But she is so ready to go. She makes my life; I will have SO MANY stories to tell y’all about her after the mish. They’re fine to share here, but super long. Anyway, YAY NELY

We have a young man were teaching, Leo, who goes to church on his own, goes to seminary on his own, and has only gone to church twice. He went the first time, we got to know him and he was like I WANT TO GO TO SEMINARY. And went. it took forever for him to get there because he lives in timbucktoo, but he wants to get baptized. We just need some support from the parents because the youth that get baptized and don’t have support from their parents don’t do to well at times...

We are teaching another lady in timbucktoo and she didn’t go to church yesterday so we went to visit her and she had read her chapter from gospel principles so she wouldn’t fall behind. GOLDEN. only thing is she isn’t married... and doesn’t have money. dang it. But I still love her. Yay carmen.

Fernando, the old man who loves me and just is my grandpa, doesn’t want to accept a baptismal date, but he still wants to learn. So Elder Risueño is going to go super loving on him and receive all the angel
help he can get to help this viajito get baptized. But hes awesome

Yesterday my comp and I counted 4 investigators at church and 8 less actives. Oh what a blessing. I just was so amazed and grateful. This week the new sisters come to take a lot of our investigators and we are going to live in timbucktoo, but it’ll work out for the best... prayers please.

So the story I want to share with you is about my good drunk friend... so my comp and I were walking late at night and we found a drunk man crying so we went to help him. Now, I know that drunks never remember what we teach them, but I love them. It’s something that just warms my heart. So we were talking to him and he told us he could never go back to Christ because he had too many sins. I told him that it is not the quantity of sins that matters, it’s the quality of the soul. It is not what we have done, it is what we can do. That’s grace. And we said a prayer and I Felt prompted to have him repeat GOD LOVES ME. And he did. Then he said, how do I know God loves me if my own parents don’t love me. Knife to the heart.

I thought of how blessed I have been. My mind flashed back to my biological mother, Jennifer, who may have had some trials in her past that caused divorce, but she decided to take those trials and
mistakes, and let them REFINE her, not define her. She supports me to the day and writes me each week. She may not have been my 24 7 mom, but she sure didn’t let Satan define who she is. She has let the Lord define who she can become.

Then I got to thinking about St Karen, who is the definition of the perfect mother. When my dad proposed to her, I was 3 and had wet my pants on her dress, possibly marking my territory claiming her, and so she had a big wet spot when she got engaged. That started our relationship. She took two kids who weren’t hers biologically and made them hers. I cant explain my love for kare bear. She has been my friends friend, she has sassed me out when I sassed her, and she has loved me more than I can imagine. She takes my weekly I NEEDs and sends them to me. She answered her phone each time I went to the
testing center before I took the exam to tell her I was freaked out and was going to fail, and answered again when I Called to tell her I Got an A. Haha. She is the reason behind the piano skills I have. She
started the lessons with Peggy and continued them with Nancy. As I look at the missionary I have become, i cant help but think of Karen and dad. But without Karen, my dad would not have been the same. Mom, you are amazing. You are my life. If you could have any slogan, it would definitely be MOTHER KNOWS BEST... TAKE IT FROM YOUR MUMSY. (That’s the hymn for this week... hahaha) Because you are always right. And I take it from you. Thank you for doing everything for a dollar
and just being the best mom I could ask for. I am a momma’s boy and will forever sit on your lap when you’re on the couch. I have no shame.

In typical RJ form, I wish to close with a famous phrase of my moms, but changed to fit her.
Ill love you forever,
Ill like you for always
As long as I’m living (and after because we were sealed as a family in
the temple)
My mommy you’ll be.

I went to tell that drunk man that since god loves him it is sure that his parents love him too. The awesome thing about life is that there is no absence of love, it is but a covering of love. Sometimes we just have to dig a bit deeper to find that love hiding somewhere.

I love ya’ll and can’t wait to talk to the fam bam this Sunday.

For a dollar.
Elder Risueño

Love yall! (Week 39)

Hello family and friends!

Wow this week has been an awesome week of miracles and changes and just things that just remind me how awesome this work is. Yes, I am in a third world country with so many different ways of life, but I love what I do. So I am going to try and remember as much as I can and do in an order of when it happened:

Monday we went to tour Central and I am in love of where I live! I also weighed myself and I am officially 10 kilograms heavier than when I left on the mission! HOLY GOODNESS! Thats why I still have 15 months left to lose those babies. So after I weighed myself, I bought an ice cream and started my diet... till Thursday.

That night we found a FAMILY to teach! You guys, I have been family deprived for a lot of my mission so it was an awesome moment. Its weird because during the day we wont have a lot of success but at night God just gives us Christmas presents that make me happy.

Tuesday we had music classes! We had 6 people show up and it was AMAZING! I feel like they learned and I saw their eyes like I KNOW WHAT IM LEARNING and then I realized that God was helping me. Lets be real, I really miss accompanying beautiful voices. I MISS IT! But someone has to teach these people how to direct music and how to play piano! I got this. It was awesome. I love music. I love teaching.

But before that we taught Nely, the old lady who is a little loco, and she ASKED US how to be baptized! YES!!!! Thats what we love to hear! so lets get ready forMay 10th because she is going to be baptized!! LOVE HER!

Wednesday I had ANOTHER intercambio with Elder Bailey... Well get to that a bit later.

Thursday was CHRISTMAS!! I got packages from Auntie T, Mom and Dad, and Aunt heather and Gma Dawn!! Well, not packages from them, but packages with stuff from them! YAY FOR GIRL SCOUT COOKIES AND DOUBLE STUF OREOS! and easter eggs! One of which included a dollar from Mom! FOR A DOLLAR! And with ties and colorful socks, and just EVERYTHING I need! Even a book from Dad! Oh my gosh, you guys! I did share. My diet when on pause from that day, but I shared with my district! I made Easter Bags with easter eggs and some jelly beans, a girl scout cookie, and an oreo! The gringos thank you especially! THANKS GUYS! Lets be real, the missionaries in the office tell me I receive the most stuff and I just say I CANT HELP THE FACT THAT IM LOVED! but really, you guys are the best. I love you all! Thanks for whatever token of love you send. 

Saturday we taught Carla who is a MIRACLE! So she lives over the river and through the woods and the way we found her is a long story and just a reason that God loves her. So we finally got to teach her and invited her to church with her husband and daughter and it was awesome! It was a miracle and I was freezing to death. STINKING WEATHER IN TARIJA!

Sunday we went and tried to píck up families and stuff, the family from Monday didnt come. Dang it. BUT we did get a recovering alcoholic to come! YES! and FIVE people came because they just felt like it! Including Carla and her daughter, Nely and her grandson, and a young man we havent even taught! MIRACLES! MIRACLES!

Sunday night we had 0 lessons for the day, we were told that sister missionaries are coming so we are practically starting over again, and we were kind of roughed out. BUT we found another man in need of our love and needed God. I LOVE THOSE PEOPLE! He will progress and I cant wait to see what happens!

So wednesday way fast before I bore you guys out: 

So Elder Bailey came to see the area and what were doing and I told him the news in the morning: WE WERE GOING TO TEACH AN ATHEIST. 2 gringos going to this. We had contacted the guy the day before and wanted to know how he could find out if God existed THEN AND THERE. So I told E. Bailey it was time to pray and study. So we did. And as we shared, something amazing happened: Elder Bailey found a lot about love and shared it, and I had just felt from God that I needed to love the man more than anything. So we planned and left. Turns out he didnt want to talk to us, and we were kind of bummed, but kept going. We felt really strong about what we had felt and knew someone needed it. As usual, it happened in our last lesson. We taught the same lesson to less actives. We read them the following scripture:
7 Beloved, let us ^alove one another: for ^blove is of God; and every one that loveth is ^cborn of God, and knoweth God.

 8 He that loveth not ^aknoweth not God; for God is love.

 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might ^alive through him.

I want focus on verse 9..It is well known that Jesus Christ suffered in Gethsemane and was crucified in Calvary so that we might live again after death, but it is forgotten by many that he suffered in Gethsemane adn was crucified in Calvary so that we light live again here and now. In the moments of despair when we think all is lost, we must remember that the strength we receive is jsut a prayer away. Through Christs atonement each of us is eligible to take part in His everlasting grace as we follow his commandments. I testify of this. Thats why I have changed as a missionary. As we taught, the Spirit whispered to us that so many people are not focusing on the life we have to live today. That as we love with all we have, and as we share that love with others, their lives change as they see Christ in us. I invite each of us to follow Christ example and not just be loved, but to love. 

Savior, may I learn to love thee,

Walk the path that thou hast shown,

Pause to help and lift another,

Finding strength beyond my own.

Savior, may I learn to love thee--
Lord, I would follow thee.

It is my hope that we can follow the Savior a little bit more as we love a little bit more.

FOR A DOLLAR! and with love,
Elder Risueño