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.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:
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
Elder Risueño
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