Quick Week.

This has been the quickest week of my life! I have heard that mission time is weird, but haven't really experienced it until now!

 

Events of the week:

 

- We got to do a service project at the church's peanut butter factory! First, let me just tell ya that you haven't had peanut butter until you have had this stuff. I died and went to Heaven. It was a super fun time! Big companies from around the world send volunteers to work here, so I met some really cool people. Since  sister missionaries go by "sister", some people thought we were a bunch of nuns haha so that was fun.

 

- I had my first zone conference! My mission president and is wife are the best.. I learned so much from them! One thing though that I am still having to get used to is role playing. We role play all of the time here and had to do it for 2 hours that day! It is the worst because it is so awkward, but in the end it really is beneficial.

 

- Our ward had it's monthy FHE. Our bishop taught the Plan of Salvation and it turned out really well. We had 2 investigators come and they both felt the spirit really strongly!

 

- Tracting, tracting, tracting.

 

Once again, I also saw a lot of miracles this week.

 

- One of our investigators had told us that she will be ready for baptism AFTER she sees one. Hermana Ordonez and I kinda freaked out.. because there are no baptisms planned in our ward, so we didn't know how this was going to work out.

Well on Saturday, our ward had booked the entire building for an FHE, but apparantely another ward didn't get the memo. A ward from another building had booked a room in the church for a baptism! This investigator came to the activity that night, so we were able to take her to watch it. It was the coolest thing ever. As she watched this young girl be baptized, her entire countenance changed. There was literally a light in her eyes after. The spirit was so strong.

Tonight, we will be going to see her! We are praying that her heart has been softend and that she will be prepared!

 

- On Wednesday, we were teaching the same investigator as mentioned above. In the middle of the lesson, her grandson came in. He began telling us how interested he is in our church and The Book of Mormon. We talked for about 5 minutes, then he left. About 10 minutes later, he came back and asked if he could sit in during our lesson for a few minutes.. well he ended up staying for about a half hour and then invited us to his house another day. Our investigator was SO HAPPY. She started to cry when we told her how interested her grandson is (We talked to him in English and she only speaks Spanish, so she didn't understand).

We went back 2 days later and taught him again. He absorbed everything up and agreed with what we talked about. He has even been reading The Book of Mormon!

It was incredible.

 

- Members are so important in this work. I have heard that before, but now I know it! A recent convert here is so golden. He is 22 and such a disciple of Christ. He has been inviting his friends to activities and talking to people about the gospel. He brought one of his friends the the FHE on Saturday. Theb yesterday, took us to the house of this friend. We were able to teach this friend and his girlfriend and they have agreed to let us continue teaching them! We are really excited.

 

- Contacting 25 new people each day has been quite the challenge this week. There never seems to be time, but God always provides away when we put in our effort. One night we still needed to contact 21 people and it was already past 8. We prayed for help and it was delivered. Normally contacting 25 people takes about two hours. That night, we talked to 21 people in less than a half hour. It was such a tender mercy.

 

- At church yesterday, we had 7 investigators! It was amazing!  

 

I have the strongest testimony that God is in all of the details! The church is true!

 

Love,

 

Hermana Rupp

I Believe in Miracles.

As the words to a popular song go, "I believe in miracles." 

Nothing describes this week more perfectly than this. I have been praying to see the miracles that are placed before me and it has been amazing to see the results! 

Some have been small and simple...

Our mission has a goal that each companionship talks to 25 new people each day about the gospel (That is potentially over 16,000 people each week within our entire mission). This has resulted in a lot of tracting and also my first door slam! But most importantly, there have been a ton of little miracles each day that come from doing this. A lot of people invite us to come back and share a message (that doesn't mean that they actually let us though haha). We have also had people approach us that are members of the church that have just moved here and don't know where the nearest church is! It has been crazy to see how the Lord directs our paths.

Another small miracle happened at church yesterday. We had two investigators show up.. and we haven't even challenged them to come to church yet! One of them is an eleven year old girl who came with her neighbor and we have only taught her once. The other called us that morning and told us she wanted to go, but she needed a ride. Thank goodness for members who are so willing to help out and bring a stranger to the church! Members seriously make all of the difference. It was really exciting and they both really enjoyed themselves. 

Other miracles have been unseen at the time...

Hermana Ordonez and I decided to go and visit a lady in the ward. When we got to the house, her 12 year old son sat in the family room with us playing on his computer, then her husband walked in and talked to us for a little bit. After talking for a bit, we shared a quick message based around 1 Nephi 3:7. We left the house after not really thinking anything of what had just happened.

Turns out.. we experienced a miracle that night. 

A few days later, we were talking with the bishop. We told him that we had visited this family and that they all listened to our message. The face of the bishop was priceless. He was literally in shock. We learned that the father is an inactive member who has not been receptive to the gospel in years and he has refused to listen to the missionaries. The son has also never listened to them missionaries before either. It was really cool. The Lord definitely softened the heart of this family that night. 

Then there were big miracles....

On Wednesday, I did my first exchange! My companion for the day was Sister Roe, who is an English missionary. After not having much success contacting people we had appointments with, we decided to go tracting. We went to the door of one house and a man answered... and he didn't speak English. I started freaking out. Each time I have gone tracting, I have had a companion who could help me speak and understand the people who we come in contact with.. but not today. So I went for it. In that moment, I experienced a miracle. 

I spoke with him about the church in Spanish and when he spoke to me, I understood everything perfectly. 

This also happened at a couple of other doors that we knocked on.

Since that time, I haven't been able to speak as clearly as I did that day and I can't understand a lot of things still, but I know that day I experienced a tender mercy and a miracle from our loving Heavenly Father. He was aware that I was terrified and so uncomfortable with the fact I might have to speak in Spanish that day without Hermana Ordonez, so he helped me out more than I could ever ask. It was such a special experience.

"It is by faith that miracles are wrought... Wherefore, if these things have ceased wo be unto the children of men for it is because of unbelief." 

Moroni 7:37

We are surrounded by miracles every single day, I know this now.

 Be believing and have faith! 

Love,

Hermana Rupp

Holy Ghost.

Hey everyone!

It has been another great week in the mission field! 

Houston has finally given me a taste of that heat everyone talks about. It has been about 109 everyday with lots of humidity. Luckily people shower us in water bottles.

I have had such a fun week! Lots of lessons taught, appointments cancelled, doors shut.. the whole mission experience. 

We have 5 investigators right now, 2 of which we got this week. They are all such incredible people. 

I just wanted to share two experiences from this past week that have to do with the Holy Ghost. The gift of the Holy Ghost is such a blessing. I have always really taken advantage of it's companionship, but these two experiences have really made me realize how special it is. 

Our car broke down so we needed to walk to one of our appointments. We were walking through the parking lot of our apartment complex when some lady starts walking towards us shouting. At first, I was pumped because I thought maybe she was approaching us to ask us some questions (we aren't allowed to tract in our apartment complex or talk to people about the gospel unless they come to us). I learned really fast that wasn't the case.

Right when she got to us, I felt terrible. The spirit completely left. 

She began asking if she could use our phone. I told her that I don't have one (which probably seems crazy since everyone has phones these days). She then held out a folded us piece of paper and asked us to take it and give it to the next person that we see. We told her that were were in a hurry and had to get to an appointment, so we couldn't take it. She continued to insist that we take it, but eventually realized that we wouldn't. Eventually she walked away really irritated with us.

I don't know what was on the paper. I don't know what would have happened if we would have taken it... who knows, it could have been completely harmless. What I do know is that I never want to feel the way I felt in that moment. 

This lady wasn't scary.. she was short and the size of a toothpick. What was so scary was having the spirit leave. 

The other experience I had was really beautiful. Hermana Ordonez and I were at a recent converts house (a mom and her 8 year old daughter), just going over one of the lessons. I asked them to think about their baptisms and how they felt. Immediately, the spirit filled the room as I was able to see how baptism and developing a relationship with Christ has truly changed their lives. The mom began crying as she told about how special it was to see her daughter being baptized and how when she came out of the water, she felt completely clean and light. It was so special (and of course I started crying.. I am turning into my Mom haha). In that moment, the spirit testified of the truthfulness of this work. It was the sweetest feeling in the world.

I am so grateful for the power of the Holy Ghost. I heard a talk in the MTC where the person said we should never do things where we know the spirit will not be able to preside. It is so true.

The spirit is such a blessing. It testifies, comforts, guides, etc. We should ALWAYS strive to be worthy to have it with us. 

Houston is so great! I feel so blessed to be here. 

There are so many miracles everyday and the people are so prepared for the gospel!

Love and miss you all.

Love, 

Hermana Rupp

Staying at the mission home.

Lindsay and her companion Hermana Ordonez.

Arriving at the airport.

Houston.

I AM BACK IN AMERICA AND HAVE MADE IT TO HOUSTON!

Week one in the mission field has been such a blast!

Let's start with how much I love it here. It is so green, the people are great, and humidity is real (but it's the best!) 

Southern hospitality is a real thing too! Then add Latino culture to that and you have the nicest people on the planet. 

I am serving in a place called Walters. Our area, plus 2 others, make up one big Spanish ward.

My companion is great! Her name is Hermana Ordonez. She was born in Peru, then moved to New Jersey when she was 12. So basically, I am serving with a professional Spanish speaker and it is such a blessing!

My mission president is AWESOME. He and his wife are seriously the nicest people ever. Him and and his family moved here from California. He has 6 kids from ages 19-6 and they are the coolest. We got to stay in the mission home with them for the first night, so we really got to know them. 

I have only been here for 5 days and I have seen so many miracles! I thought that I would share one of them.

On Friday, I met one of our investigators, Bertha. She is a sweet lady from Mexico and her husband passed away about a month ago. She is really just a solid lady. 

We were teaching her for the 3rd time that night. After it was over, I invited her to be baptized. She began saying that she wasn't ready and wanted more time to study and learn to know if it was true. She then told us it felt right, but she still wasn't sure. 

Fast forward to Sunday.

Bertha came to church for the 3rd time. We went to Sunday school together ere taught a really great lesson about Christ and charity, the spirit was really strong. At the end of the lesson, the teacher asked Bertha to give the closing prayer. She was really nervous, but she did it. During her prayer, she said, "Heavenly Father, thank you for letting me be here. I feel something developing within me and I don't know what it is. Please help me to know." And then she began to cry. The spirit was SO strong and Bertha was feeling the Holy Ghost confirm the truths of this gospel to her. It was amazing.

Other exciting things that have happened this week are:

- I bore my testimony in sacrament meeting on Sunday. It was terrifying.

- Our car broke down, so we were stranded for about an hour and a half

- A 22 year old recent convert blessed the Sacrament for the first time on Sunday. He also wants to serve a mission in a year. HE IS AMAZING. 

I am so excited to be here in Houston! So many people are prepared to receive this happy message!

The church is true! 

Love,

Hermana Rupp

Part 2

I thought I would just send this to give a little more detail of my week since the e-mails I send back are so lame. 

Houston is a lovely place. Really green. Really hot. and really not that humid. I love it.

The first night we got here, the sisters got to stay in the mission home with the presidents family. They are awesome. They fed us so well and just took great care of us!

The next day, I met my companion, Hermana Ordonez. She is really cool. We live in a really cute apartment complex. Apparently, it is a little sketch though. Last month, 2 cars were stolen at gunpoint in the parking lot hah. But it is probably the best in the area. 

I am serving in an area called Walters. It is really close to the airport and the mission home. 

One of my favorite things to do is to go tracting! I love being able to talk to people in english and spanish. I love going to all of the apartment complexes to do it too. Pretty sure that half of the people we talk to have been totally wasted or high, but they are really nice. One of the people that answered the door was this big black dude and across his chest the words "Thug Life" were tattooed. haha it was really funny.

I also saw not one, but FOUR cockroaches in one house. You betcha I almost had a heart attack and died. It was so terrifying.

The Spanish people feed us SO MUCH. I literally am going to turn into a hippo out here. Thank goodness for morning workout time. Despite the fact I hate working out, I know I need to to make sure I don't turn into Aunt Marge (Like my HP reference haha)

I still don't understand Spanish at all. and can't really speak it. But the people are really nice and helpful. And gospel Spanish vs. just everyday conversation Spanish are totally different. I didn't learn to have normal conversations in the MTC haha.

I am not going to have to be a biking missionary! We have a car.. which is probably good because areas can be huge. But last night, our car wouldn't start.. so we were stranded for about an hour and a half outside of an apartment complex. 4 People came and saved us eventually though. We won't have a car until ours is fixed.. so that will be interesting to see how that works. 

We helped a Latino family set up for one of their kids birthday parties on Friday. Latinos go all out. It was at an apartment, and they still got big bouncy slides and tacky party favors. 

On Sunday, I met my ward. There are 6 missionaries in this ward (2 in each of the 3 areas the ward is made up of). It is a good ward, with nice people. A lot of the families are inactive though. The bishop is a little crazy I think though. He is some old, white guy. In the middle of sacrament (he was talking at the pulpit) he yells to my companion trying to figure out who I was. Then, later he was blessing a baby.. and he gave it the wrong name. It is very interesting haha!

I also bore my testimony. I figure it is better to just try even if I make a fool of myself with Spanish. I am glad I did it. 

We are teaching some really great people. One of my favorites is Pedro. He was baptized in June, so we are going over the lessons again with him. He is awesome. He wants to go on a mission in a year. And on Sunday, he passed the sacrament for the first time. He is 22 and hilarious.

We also are teaching Bertha. I think that she will probably be baptized soon! Well at least commit to it. She has been feeling the spirit like crazy. It is awesome.

We had 4 investigators at church on Sunday, so that was really cool! 

That's about all that is going on down here! I am really excited to get to know more people and to serve here. It will be really fun!

I hope you all have a great week.

Love and miss you all!

Love,

Lindsay