Nothing Went as Planned.

It has been really interesting looking back on this past week. Nothing really went according to plan, none of our investigators came to church, we weren't able to teach too many lessons, etc. That being said, it has been one of the best/most spiritual times of my mission and I couldn't be happier!

It all started on Monday, with the Balasco family. It was my first time meeting them and it was an incredible experience. We had planned to go there and teach them about the word of wisdom, but after talking to them, we felt like we needed to read in The Book of Mormon. We decided to start from the beginning.. 1 Nephi 1. As we read, I felt like things weren't going all to great. There wasn't a ton that I could apply to their situation, especially in Spanish. When we finished the chapter, I learned a really important lesson; that I am not the teacher. 

We started talking about what we read and the dad, Jose, put his hand on his heart and said, "I don't know what it is, but I feel different right now. I feel something inside." We bore our testimonies with all of our hearts that it was the spirit that he was feeling, testifying that the things that he was reading are true! 

As the week went on, it was really hard to keep in contact and to see them because they are really busy. It was so important that we did though, because they had a baptismal date which means that they needed to come to church in order to be baptized on the planned date. We visited them on Wednesday for about 5 minutes, then set up an appointment to see them again on Saturday. When we got to their house though, they had forgotten and weren't at home. Sunday came, church started and they didn't come. 

Dryden and I were both a little discouraged. We had been praying, fasting, using members to help us, etc. and they still hadn't come. As I sat there and thought about it, wondering what more we could have done, the words of President Uchtdorf came to my mind. 

"I think God knows something we don't- things that are beyond our capacity to comprehend! Our Father in Heaven is an eternal being whose experience, wisdom, and intelligence are infinitely greater than ours. Not only that, but He is also eternally loving, compassionate, and focused on one blessed goal: to bring to pass our immortality and eternal life."

We had done our part, but even then, sometimes God has a different plan in mind, something far greater than what we can understand. I know that! 

We also had a very humbling experience with another one of our investigators on Friday. Earlier that night, we decided to tract a really nice neighborhood. The houses were massive, they had doorbells, and they were all decorated beautifully for Christmas. Dryden and I couldn't believe how fancy things were. Just the night before, we had been tracting in an area where people literally lived in sheds; the comparison of the two areas is unreal. 

After about an hour of knocking, we went to visit the Machatos, who live in a tiny, little trailer. Hno Machato began expressing to us just how blessed he is. He told us how he has been given so much... his home and his family; so what more could he ever want? 

I thought of how just minutes before we were in a neighborhood where the houses were about 8x's the size of that tiny trailer and yet, this man was grateful.I am so grateful for his humbling example. There is nowhere else that I would have rather been that night, than in the house of this incredible family. 

I know that God is aware of the needs of each of his children and that He has a plan and that He is directing this work! 

Love, 

Hermana Rupp

Pictures.

Saying goodbye to Pedro.

Saying goodbye to Berta. (She was supposed to be baptized.)

Lindsay with a recent convert she loved. 

Lindsay and her new companion. 

Lindsay dying after 4 Thanksgiving meals. 

She stuck seafood in a napkin so she wouldn't have to eat it! haha. 

More Thanksgiving...

And more Thanksgiving...

Goodbye Walters, Hello Tomball!

Saying goodbye to Walters and the people there was sad, but I am so excited to now be serving in the Oakcrest area, located in the beautiful Tomball, Texas! 

Tomball is so cute and I love it already! It has some parts in the country, and some in the city! One of my favorite places here is a place called "Old Town Tomball", which reminds me a lot of Logan (which is my favorite place in the entire world). It's the best. 

There are mostly trailer parks here, which is great because a lot of Hispanics live in them. It has definitely been super humbling to see the different conditions that people live in though. Some of the people we have seen literally live in campers. Everyone is so grateful and happy here, no matter what their circumstances. I love it. 

I am serving in a pretty small ward, but the members are solid!

My new companion is Hermana Dryden, from Las Vegas! She has been serving for less time than me, so speaking Spanish is a treat! She is an awesome missionary and I am pumped to be serving here with her! 

This week has just been a lot of getting to know the members, investigators, and the area. I already love the people here. I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve here! 

Love, 

Hermana Rupp

Here is Lindsay's new address:

1011 Village Square Dr. #535

Tomball, Tx 77375

Happy December!

HAPPY DECEMBER!

 

It truly is the most wonderful time of the year and an even greater time to be a missionary! Especially with the initiative "He is the Gift". If you haven't had the chance to watch the video, DO IT! Nothing helps to bring the spirit of Christmas better than that!

 

It's been a good week! In fact, I couldn't have asked for a better last week to spend in this area. That is right, I am being transferred! Tomorrow I leave Walters! I have loved my time here SO MUCH, but I am excited to go and share the gospel in a new place!

 

Our week was full of great things! Let's start with Thanksgiving. Seriously, I am so grateful for the people in the ward here who decided to let us come and crash in on their holiday. It made it really easy being away from home.

We were fed so much food. We literally ate at four different houses, and when Hispanics serve you, they give you enough food for like 12 people.

With each family, we played something called "The Glad Game". The purpose of it was to find something to be grateful for in each circumstance, no matter how hard it may be. It was so fun!

 

On Saturday, we were able to visit with our miracle family. As we got talking with them, Jazmin (18) told us that she had prayed about our message. She told us that she had gotten an answer, that she felt as if it were true and that what they were doing and the changes that they are making are all for their good. It was AMAZING. When we pray with faith, God will truly give us the answer we are looking for.

 

On Sunday, we had a huge miracle. As Sacrament began, we had NO investigators or nonmembers in church. A half an hour later, we had ten investigators show up! It was so cool!

 

I am so grateful for the people that I have met here. My time serving here in this ward and area has changed my life. I couldn't have asked for a better way to start my mission!

 

Love,

 

Hermana Rupp 

Pictures

Shoe problems. 

Lindsay and her companion at the Houston Temple.

Miracle family!

An investigator and her brother at their Thanksgiving dinner party. 

Her district.

Some more investigators.

Happy Thanksgiving!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

I love this time of year so much because it gives us a chance to reflect on just how much we have to be grateful for!

Normally for me, Thanksgiving has included eating, Black Friday shopping, no school, etc. Being a missionary here in Houston though, has really given me the opportunity to "count my blessings" and to focus on the things that really matter.

I have so much to be grateful for. I wouldn't ever be able to say all that I have been blessed with. I have the best family and friends, and most of all, I am grateful for the knowledge I have of the gospel. I talk to people every day that don't know that there is a God and that He loves us more than we can ever comprehend. This has been one of the greatest opportunities for me to share this with others. There is nothing better in the world.

Looking back on this week, I have found a lot of things to be grateful for as well!

About two weeks ago, Clement and I were tracting. We had the feeling that we should go a certain way to go back to our car. We met a lady who told us that she would love to have us come and teach her and her family! On Tuesday, we finally were able to visit them and teach them. We had a really great lesson, which ended the daughter and her mom telling us that they believe everything that we taught and that they wanted to be baptized! We experienced a huge miracle with them that night, and continued seeing them throughout the week as well. 

A few days later, the elders in our ward had a baptism. The mom told us that if she could get out of work early, she would bring her family. The baptismal service began and they didn't come. After the actual performance of the baptism though, we received a call from her telling us that she was at the church! She came and brought with her four of her kids! 

The same night as the baptismal service, we had a ward Thanksgiving dinner. We invited all of our investigators to come, but we weren't too sure if they were actually going to show up. We started the night off with 7 investigators and ended it with 16 (Including their families)! It was such an exciting night!

We have been teaching this family that we found in an old teaching record. We have been visiting them for a few months now and not much progress has been made. On Friday, we were able to visit the wife, who told us that she believes everything that we have been teaching her!
Yesterday, we were finally able to talk to the husband who told us that he is looking for a church for his kids to go to and that he is really considering our church. We then learned that he has been researching the Mormons A LOT. Unfortunately, he hasn't been using the right resources to learn more about us.
 Elder Neal A. Maxwell once said, “Studying the Church … through the eyes of its defectors is like interviewing Judas to understand Jesus. Defectors always tell us more about themselves than about that from which they have departed.”
Nothing is more true than that. The good thing about this was that we were able to learn a lot of the doubts that he has and what is holding them back as a family. We now have more to work with in order to help them progress!

Clement and I had the chance to go to the beautiful Houston Temple! I haven't had the chance to go since before I left on my mission, so it was the best. I am so grateful for the spirit that can be felt there, and the things that we are able to learn! 

I am so grateful for the chance to serve a mission! I feel so blessed everyday to be a part of this work and to be able to work with the people here in Houston!

Love,

Hermana Rupp

"I hope you like the heat!"

When I got my call to serve in Houston, Texas, everyone I talked to would say,
 "I hope you like the heat!"

So coming here, I was prepared to melt into a puddle after hearing everyone's comments. What I didn't know is that Houston gets freezing cold too! I may be a Utah girl, but that doesn't mean squat when it comes to chilly weather!

It may be getting cold here, but things are just as great as ever!

In this past week, I got to go on two exchanges and both times, I left my area. One of the places I went to is called "Fifth Ward" AKA "The Bloody Nickel". You can learn a lot about this place just from the nickname that it has been given. I had quite the experiences there.. with dogs, people, and some bad juju. My time there was a lot like things you would expect to happen in a scary movie. It was the craziest, funnest exchange that I have been on!

Other than that, we have just been working hard with our investigators and potentials that we have. We have also been working with those who are inactive and less active. It has been so much fun getting to know all of these people!

Our mission president has been stressing the need to invite people to be baptized sooner, so that is exactly what Clement and I have been doing. Sure enough, we are seeing results! The Lord is truly hastening this work!