New Companion.

Introducing to the Walters area... Hermana Clement!

 

Hermana Clement is from San Diego, California. She has been serving for almost a year now, and she is a killer missionary. I am so pumped to be working with her!

Already in our short week together, I have learned a ton. We have been trying new things in the area and it has been awesome.

 

It has been quite an eventful week. We have been trying to build up our friendship with members in the ward and find new people as well. We are so busy and it is great! There hasn't been a dull moment.

 

Like I said, Clement and I have been working at getting to know each member in our area really well. We decided to make cookies for a bunch of them with a cute little note (made by crafty Hermana Clement). We left the cookies on a bunch of members and investigators porches, and had a blast doorbell ditching. Well apparently this isn't a common thing in areas like this. One member told us she thought that we were robbers, another called making sure they were really from us haha. It sure is a different environment here than in Utah and Cali. Despite the fact some people thought it was a little sketchy, we loved doing it!

From doing this, we also had a miracle with our investigator who has a baptismal date! For the past week and a half, we haven't been able to get ahold of her. We had tried calling, texting, going to her house, etc... all with no success. We decided we would leave some cookies at her house too. We had planned on leaving them on Thursday, but weren't able to get over there until Sunday. When we pulled up to her house, she was outside with her husband! She told us that her phone has been broken, then asked us when we could come back! So we have an appointment set to see her this week! We are so excited!

 

Saturday, our ward mission leader and his wife invited Clement and I to go to a birthday party/FHE at their house. They had invited six member of the ward, three of which are less/inactive. We decided to go because we don't know these families at all. We hung out with a bunch of senior citizens and it ended up being a blast! After having a really great lesson, we had a feast. Each couple is from a different place, so we had food from Peru, Mexico, Chile, and Equador. Talk about heavenly!

The couple that is from Peru brought a dish that had potatoes in it because apparently that's a popular thing there. I was sitting next to the Hno that brought it, and he started talking to me. I had another awesome experience with the word "papa" (which can be potato, pope, and dad depending on where the accent is). He asked me how old my dad was, but because I was eating potatoes, I thought he had asked me how old my potatoes were! We eventually understood each other and had a good laugh.

 

We have been tracting like it is nobodies business this week trying to find new people to start teaching. This is always the best because you meet some of the most interesting people, as well as some of the coolest people.

One night, we saw a guy sitting on an electrical box and decided to go and talk to him. When we first got there, he had music blasting and he didn't seem that excited to be talking to us. He gave us his information anyways though, for us to refer to the English missionaries. The next night, we were knocking in the same area where this guy lives. We were knocking the doors of the same apartment building, but had his apt number so we wouldn't run into him again. Right when we were at the door across from his, we shows up and starts talking to us. He sat down  on the stairs and he starts asking us all sorts of questions. Turns out, he is a really cool guy and is working to change his life around. We were able to give him a short version of the restoration, and we gave him a Book of Mormon, which he was really excited about. That night we went there planning to basically avoid where this guy lives, but sometimes God has something a little different planned. It was really cool!

 

I am so happy to be out here sharing this life changing message! The people in Houston, Texas are some of the greatest people I have ever met and I feel so privileged to be able to be here with them!

 

Love,

Hermana Rupp

4 Months.

After 18 weeks, I am finally done with all of my missionary training! What a process it has been, but I am so grateful of my trainer, Hermana Ordonez, and all of the other great people who have been helping me out!

 

Last night, we got the news that after nine months in the Walters area, Hermana Ordonez will be moving on! I will be taking over the area tomorrow and getting a new companion! It should be pretty exciting!

 

I also hit my four month in the mission field mark this past week! Time is flying out here!

 

It has been another great week!

 

Taking members to lessons is always so good because they can share their testimony and sometimes older people really don't love listening to a bunch of young people, who haven't really had a ton of life experience. So on Wednesday, we decided to take a member of the ward that we have brought many times before to lessons. It ended up being quite interesting!

We had a really great lesson on family history. We asked this sister to share her experience with it and she did, but then she moved onto other things. She began to tell our investigator that she had recently found out the "mysterys of God" while reading in the scriptures. She then informed us that after a lot of studying, she knows that Christ will come in the summer. Sister Ordonez and I just smiled, were a little shocked.. and moved on quickly! We had a good laugh about it later on.

 

One of the members in our ward is from El Salvador and is seriously a chef. She cooks like a champ. On Thursday, she invited us over to her house to learn how to make the best thing I have tried so far... Pupusas! It was so much fun, so hard and it will take a miracle to be able to ever make them without this lady there haha.

 

On Sunday, we had another Mission President Fireside! It was AMAZING and exactly what I needed to hear. The testimonies of recent converts are some of the most powerful things that I have ever heard. Elder Bednar once said that sometimes the spirit works by bringing things to our remembrance, and that is what it did for my that night. I was able to remember why I decided to serve a mission and reminded that this is exactly where I need to be right now. It was really cool.

 

We have seen so many miracles over here. I know that the Lord is hastening his work right now and that His hand is in everything just like we are taught in Jacob 5:72. We are never alone in the Lord's service!

The church is true!

Love,

Hermana Rupp

Rain, Rain, Go Away.

Miracle of the week:

 

About three weeks ago, we got a referral. We tried contacting the lady a few times, but she never answered. When we finally did meet her, she didn't seem too happy to see us and told us to come back another day. We decided to try again and we were able to set up an appointment with her. When the day of our appointment came, we got to the door and knocked a few times. Nobody answered.

We thought, "Well obviously she isn't interested.. she probably just set a time with us to blow us off" (terrible attitude, I know.. I have been humbled). While walking back to our car, she opened the door and invited us in.

We taught her The Restoration and the lesson was AMAZING. Everything just clicked with her. The spirit was so strong, so we invited her to be baptized at the end of the lesson. She said yes! We invited her to read The Book of Mormon and pray about it to know if it is true for herself. She told us that she already felt like it was just in that moment, but that she would do it.

Talk about someone that the Lord has been preparing! It was such a special experience.

 

Crazy experience of the week:

 

Since yesterday (Monday) was a holiday, we weren't able to e-mail and we had a lot of extra time. Sunday, we made plans with a set of Elders in our district to go downtown to the zoo. Everything was set in stone and planned. It ended up being the craziest day of my mission.

 

5 AM- We woke up an hour and a half early so we could do our laundry, go shopping, and clean the car and apartment. Turns out, we woke up an hour too early. We were done by 7, so we went back to sleep until 8.

 

9:45 AM- We get a call from the couple planning to give us a ride to the zoo. They tell us they are on their way. Two minutes later, the lady planning on picking us up tells us that she is sick and won't be able to. We start calling people and finally find another member who is willing. Things are still good.

 

10:00 AM- We get picked up and head off. It starts to rain. We figure it will pass. It always does.

 

10:30 AM- We get to the zoo in one piece. It stops raining. We have two hours to blow before the Elders will be getting there. We decide to go on a walk around a nearby pond.

 

10:45 AM- It starts to pour. Luckily we have an umbrella and we run and take shelter under nearby trees.

 

11:00 AM- It isn't just pouring, it is dumping now. The trees and umbrella aren't doing squat. We are drenched and freezing at this point. We are stuck though because there is no other shelter nearby.

 

11:15 AM- The rain lets off just a bit, we are already soaked.. so we decide to make a run and find the nearest shelter. We find an covered, outdoor amphitheater. Turns out it is also a hotel for hobos. We run to it and find about 13 homeless men hanging out. We decide to stay, because the rain gets crazy again.

 

11:45 AM- Still hanging out with our homeless friends. They are all great for the most part besides the creepy one asking us to come warm him up and the other who starts changing his clothes in front of us. We get a text from the elders telling us that their ride cancelled and that they won't be coming to the zoo anymore.  

 

12:00 PM- It is still raining, but we decide it is time to move on. Since the elders are no longer coming, we decide to make a change of plans and go and find the museum. We get lost.

 

12:30 PM- We find our way back to the zoo parking lot and find a little café. Never has something looked so promising.

 

1:00 PM- The rain FINALLY stops and we find the museum. We have a grand old time.

 

4:45 PM- We call our ride home to confirm that she is going to be there for us at 5 like we had talked about. Turns out she isn't coming after all. She changed her mind and had forgotten to tell us= we were stranded in downtown Houston with no way to get back and we had an appointment at 6.

We start calling as many ladies in the ward that we can think of. Problem is, most can't drive. We finally make something work out with a recent convert and another girl who are YSA.

 

5:00 PM- Our appointment at 6 cancelled. Tender mercy because there was no way we would be back.

 

5:45 PM- They get there and pick us up. An hour later, we finally made it back alive after getting lost a few times downtown.

 

IT WAS QUITE THE DAY.

 

So many great things are happening here!

 

Love,

Hermana Rupp

Happy October!

 

This is one of my favorite times of the year! It sure is different here in Houston than Utah though. We welcomed in the month with weather of a whoppin' 102 degrees. Houston heat is real.. I still feel like it is summer!

 

It has been an eventful week! So many trainings, exchanges, GENERAL CONFERENCE, and USU beat BYU (ward members are the best and make sure to keep us updated). Basically nothing went according to plan, but everything turned out a lot better than we could have imagined!

 

Monday night, a cute family in our ward invited a nonmember friend to their house to have an FHE. They invited us to come and give the lesson. When we got there, we waited for a while and the friend never showed. This really discouraged the family, who has been trying to invite people to learn more for a while now with no results. They felt as if their efforts were wasted and pointless. It is so important to realize that when we as members do missionary work, the success is in the invitation! We have done our part when we have invited, the rest is up to the other person who has their agency.

 

Tuesday, I went on a day exchange with an English sister. For the past almost four months, I have been praying out loud only in Spanish, so when I had to pray with this sister in English.. I had the hardest time! I would add all sorts of Spanish words in between the English.  I literally stuggled praying in my own language. I was pumped.

 

Wednesday, we were teaching an investigator about the resurrection. We read the promise given in Alma 40:23 which talks about everything being restored to it's proper and perfect frame. I know that this is true with all of my heart! I have been blessed with having in my life, a little sister who one day, thanks to the Atonement of Jesus Christ, will be made whole. I felt so blessed to be able to share this with others. I know that this is a sure promise for everyone!

 

Saturday was day one of conference! It was awesome. So many lessons learned and prayers that were answered.

The night before, our golden investigator told us that she was only going to come to both of the morning sessions. She showed up, loved the first session, and decided to stay for the afternoon as well. In the second session, she was able to listen to a talk given in her own language (Spanish) which addressed EVERYTHING that she needed to hear. It was a miracle.

 

This same investigator has also been having some worries with her health. We decided to ask her if she would like one of the Elders to give her a blessing. In between conference sessions that same day, she received her first blessing and it was so perfect. Being able to listen to what was said was such a great testimony builder for me. The words which the Elder spoke were only things that God could have known.. we had not told him any of the details of her concerns or worries, but they were all addressed. It was amazing. The spirit was sooooo strong.

 

This morning I had quite the experience as well. I was in our apartment doing some laundry, when I all of the sudden stepped on something that crunched. I thought it was probably just a leaf or a wrapper.. but nope. IT WAS A COCKAROACH. I stepped on a cockaroach with my bare feet. I literally almost had a heart attack.

 

I am so grateful for the chance to be serving! I love it out here!

 

Love,

Hermana Rupp