February 10, 2014
Missionary
Amber Alert!
So,
did you read the subject line there? Not to freak you out or anything, but we
had one of those this last week.... But I will get to that. So I haven’t
written in two weeks and I feel like something isn't quite right in the world,
but I am writing you guys now so don´t even fret. I feel like a whole lot has
happened, and the worst part is that I couldn't possibly describe it all in an
email... Maybe if you just want to take a pen and a piece of paper you can
write down your questions and in a little more than a year I would be more than
happy to answer your questions personally.
Anyway, for those who don’t
know, last week we spent the day at some ruins in a place called Palenque. It
was awesome, you can see so much that is related with the book of Mormon and it
helps you to see a physical evidence that Joseph Smith was a prophet and that
the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It was an amazing experience, the bishop
took all the missionaries in our district and we were there all day. I kinda
sorta forgot my camera this week so I won’t be able to put any pictures, but there’s
always next week. It was incredible though, and I really hope to go back there
before the end of my mission.
Alright, now I will
tell you really quick about the missionary amber alert. So, Friday, it
turns out our cell phone wasn't working, and we didn't know. It was turned on
and everything, but we couldn't make or receive calls or texts. I thought maybe
nobody wanted to talk to us ha-ha. But anyway, Saturday morning, my
companion and I were studying and I just kept hearing somebody yelling
'buenas!' which is what they do here instead of knock on the door. But I
thought that surely it wasn't for us, it was probably for our neighbors because
none of the members ever come to our house. Anyway, after about twenty minutes
of hearing that, I told my companion we were going to see who was yelling. So
we walked out of our apartment and down the stairs and there at the gate are
four members of the ward. I just kind of stood there surprised. It turns out
that our district leader had tried to call us all day the day before and since
he couldn't he called the bishop Saturday morning, who called all the
ward. So the whole ward was looking for us, some of the members had cried and
thought we had been kidnapped, and when the members had asked our neighbors,
our neighbors had said we never returned home the night before.. so yeah.
Everyone was freaking out ha-ha. But now we fixed our cell phone and what not
and life is good. My companion afterwards, since he is new, was stunned by how
much the members take care of us. They really watch after us as if we were
there own kids.
Alright anyway,
getting onto the next topic, so there has been a huge change here in the pueblo
of Chichicapa. My companion got transferred, and I got a new companion. Not
just a new companion, but a brand new companion. I am now training a new
missionary. His name is Elder De La Cruz and he is from the Dominican Republic.
He just started his mission and I am going to be training him for the next
little while. He´s kind of a funny guy, I won´t lie to you. The man knows how
to crack a joke. But that has been a crazy change. When our district leader
told me I was freaking out and I just kept thinking 'How am I going to teach
someone else how to be a missionary? I don't even think I know how to do that!'
but everything has gone really well. I am actually really excited and the Lord
has made me see that He had already prepared me to be able to fulfill my responsibility.
It has been an awesome week. We have placed four baptismal dates with our
investigators which has more than I have ever placed in one week. It was
actually like within four days, but it was crazy. The Lord has been blessing us
left and right. I love this whole mission thing. It's been an awesome
experience, and I just hope that I can do all that the Lord asks of me during
this time. Anyway, as you guys know, I love you and I hope all of you are doing
well. I will keep you all in my prayers.
Love, Elder Rios
D and C 35:24-27
D and C 123:17
Hebrews 10:35-39
