Proclaiming His Love

Dearest family and friends,

So being zone leader continues to be the journey of a lifetime. i am so grateful for my loving father in heaven who sees it fit to test me and help me see the beauty in small and simple miracles in this life. i also cant express how much i LOVE my sister who is going through the same struggles right now.

So one of the best moments of this week (funny wise) was walking into lunch and seeing the REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY on, with spanish translations. not so surprisingly, the natural man, trash tv loving RJ Risueño was so interested in seeing what was happening with the gossip, but i just stayed calm and asked God for the ability to calmly walk in the room to turn off the tv. Anyway.

So this week was super different. in a good way. So Tuesday night as we were sleeping nicely, we got an emergency call that elder baileys visa papers were having difficulties in Santa Cruz so he was sent to Santa Cruz the next morning. i got put in a trio for 3 days and a little more. it was a really interesting experience. I kind of just put myself in the spot of angel and just accompanied the two companionships i was with and tried to see how an angel would feel if he were called to help these missionaries. and first off, i learned to laugh more. i love these elders. especially my good friend elder Langford. he taught me to laugh and to enjoy myself after a stressful day. But at the same time, it was sad. i realized how hard it is for missionaries to keep the faith. To trust the Lord and to be okay with going forth even without direction. but how grateful i am for being blessed with a great attitude. even though its hard, i keep going. not because i have nothing else to do, but because its the only thing i can do. and i have been blessed to see some fruits of my labors. To keep the joy in my life, I've been singing the missionary anthem:
Called to serve Him, heav'nly King of glory,

Chosen e'er to witness for his name,

Far and wide we tell the Father's story,

Far and wide his love proclaim.

This week i have been focusing on proclaiming His love. on showing people each day just how much God loves them and how everything i teach should relate back to how God loves His children and desires to help them be happy forever with their families. After a hard day in a trio, we went to a ward activity and a good member who goes on visits with us, Jose, came in with his dad. I had no idea whether his dad was a member or not, i just shook his hand and went on with life. A few minutes later, Jose asked us to teach his dad, who turns out to be less active. So we walked in kind of nervous because we were low on time, but I was comforted to know everything would be alright. Within seconds of starting the lesson, both Jose and his father were in tears. I learned of Joses father, Omar, who was baptized in the church, but left his testimony to the side when a storm of struggles hit him. He regretted his decisions, but it was his loving son who welcomed him back to the arms of our savior. Omars wife, and joses mother, passed away a few years ago and they have yet to be sealed in the temple. tears filled my eyes as 19 year old jose pleaded with his father to return to the Savior so that he could have the promise of being with his family forever. Omar committed to make it to the temple soon and he returned to the Savior. He felt His love and his life was changed. My dear family, this is why I do what I do. For moments like these. Yes, the struggles come, and they come hard. But there is no struggle so great that can beat down the knowledge that my family can and will be together forever, through obedience to our heavenly fathers plan of happiness.

My dear family, I thank you for your prayers on behalf of me and my missionary companions in this world. Our work is a great work, and it is your work too. We must work together to share this message of love with everyone. many will reject our message, but the few who accept it will be eternally grateful and eternally changed. I testify of the Living Christ, of whom I represent. I testify this is His work and He loves all of His children and blesses all, but wants them all to be eternally happy. That happiness can be found in the message I share and I invite all to learn more of how they can be with their family forever.

Of this I testify for a dollar!

Elder Risueño