Two Years Coming to a Close - Mar 9, 2015

So... This is really weird guys. In two short days I will be back in my native land... I´m really excited! This last week has been super weird. The closer the homecoming gets the more nervous I feel. I mean, I´m leaving a chapter of my life behind. Its been such an incredible experience, and something that has marked the difference in my life, and now its going to change rapidly. Its really really really weird. 

This last week I got transferred. I spent my last week in a new area with Elder Dimas. It was kind of weird, but it was necessary so that President could put the new zone leader in my spot to get to work with the missionaries so they can reach their goals for march. Anyway, I am in Ciudad Pemex. Its a tiny little place, but I kind of like it. 

This last two years has gone crazy fast, and they were a whole lot different than what I used to think missionary work was. I remember leaving home and expecting to knock some doors and talk to strangers, but I didn´t understand that I would be a instrument in the hands of the Lord to bring His children the everlasting gospel. I don't think I can ever forget what I´ve felt as I have seen people change their life and embrace the gospel. I can´t forget what I´ve felt as the Spirit has testified through me in order to touch the heart of someone seeking the truth. I guess with words I can´t due justice in explaining how this time has changed my life, but I simply leave it by saying that I know that I have spent this time in the service of my God, and I wouldn´t change it for anything. I love the Lord and I love His gospel. 

 Love you guys, I´m excited to see you all!

Love, Elder Rios

Here goes the last transfer!

Alright guys so my last transfer just started. That's kind of weird!

 This week went pretty good. We did a few exchanges and a few baptismal interviews. Our zone is doing really well this month so that means we have been going back and forth quite a bit, but that's a good thing.

 We got to go to Playa Larga, which is long beach in Spanish. I think I already commented about how I find that kind of funny, and later we went down to the most southern part of the mission again. I went and saw the mexican border.. I literally could have swam to Guatemala. Did I say that right? Is it swimmed? Swam? Swum? okay that last one was just getting ridiculous, but honestly I really don't know.

 Anyway, Today is transfer day and quite a few missionaries in our zone got transferred so we will see what the new team is like. I`m pretty sure they will be great. I think one of our areas got closed though.. sad stuff.

 Anyway, on Friday, we had Nahums baptism!!! It was awesome! He is a rock-star. After he was baptized he wanted to share his testimony and everyone was really touched by it. After the baptism, when we were all getting in the trucks to go back to the city, the branch president came up to us while we were talking to Nahum and said "It looks like we have a future leader here with us." The guy is a rock-star. On Sunday when he was confirmed you could see the excitement, and the joy in his eyes after receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost.

Anyway guys. I love you, I hope you are doing well. Here`s some pictures. Ones of the Border, the other one of the baptismal service. There were four people baptized in total. 

Good Week, good times. Feb 2. 2015

Hey family, so I mean.. lets get the negative stuff out of the way first... I got attacked by a bird. I mean, it was gross, my shirt got stained, lets just leave it at that.... (I´ve got a picture).

 So this week was pretty good. I knew it was gonna be a good week from the moment I saw the Union Pacific train pass through Pakal-Na. I mean, I don't know what one of my dads trains was doing down here but it made me proud to be an american.

 This week we have been working really hard with one of our investigators named Nahum. When we started teaching him he told us that he wasn't really sure if there is a God or not, but that he really would like to get to know. This week we have had some awesome lessons with him. We have been inviting him to pray and read the scriptures and we gave him a painting of Jesus Christ. From last week to this week there has been an awesome change in him. The prayers he offers are incredibly sincere, and it was so good to hear him say in his prayer "I´m still not sure what to believe, but I am becoming more convinced that you exist, and I ask that you help me to keep learning." The Spirit is working through him and its just one of those things where my testimony gets reaffirmed. This is the Lord´s work, that's all there is to it. Without Him we could do nothing. 

We have had some great experiences this week, and I wish I had the way to explain it all, but it mean it suffices to say that I am happy to be a missionary, and I am happy to share the blessings that I have received. 

I love you guys, and I hope all is going well. 

T-t-t-transferred

Alright, so guys, I got transferred. I am now in an area called Pakal-Na. Its just outside of the city of Palenque, in the state of Chiapas. Aparently, ´Pakal´ was some Mayan God, and translated means "King of kings" and Na means "house" so my area is "The house of the King of kings"  or something like that.. Pretty cool right? 

Anyway, I got here last Wednesday night, my new companion is Elder Jimenez. He and I are the Zone Leaders here in the Zapata zone. Its been pretty sweet. On Thursday during my first day working here in the area, I almost got bit by a dog, we got drenched by the rain, and I slipped and fell on my butt.... I love Pakal Na. I really do. Its just a tiny little place, and I mean, I love it. 

Oh another funny experience, last night we were trying to figure out where some members lived and so we asked this random guy. While we talked to him there was this drunk guy that joined the conversation. The drunk guy wanted us to teach him, but I gave him a pamphlet to read and told him we would talk to him later. So once we were about to leave, we shook the peoples hands, and as Elder Jimenez shook the drunk mans hand, the drunk guy says "You are beautiful. Beautiful like a grassland animal." I´m not sure if it was a compliment or not, but the drunk guy said it with with all the sincerity he could muster... that doesnt change that it was weird though.

We have had some success finding new investigators, the Members have been really helpful. This week we found an investigator named Jose. He went to church with us and is pretty excited. After church I think he just wanted to spend the rest of the day with us because he asked "Now where are we going? Are we going to preach the word, or what?"

I´m really excited for my time here in this area. It will most likely be my last area, which is kind of sad to think about but I am determined to work my hardest and trust that if I do my part then the Lord will do His. I know that it is His work and without heavenly help, there is no way that we could do it. I love you guys! Hope you´re doing well!

Sat December 6, 2014

Uhm...

Alright, so this week was super busy guys. We had a leadership council meeting on Tuesday, then a District Leader meeting on Thursday, and in between we had a bunch of other little things that did not allow us to have a whole lot of time in our area this week but with the time we did have, we had some really great lessons!

 We are teaching a family of four. Its a daughter, her parents, and the grandma and they are awesome! They have been investigators for quite awhile I guess and the missionaries had stopped visiting them because they were not  progressing much, but on Thursday we went and taught them about faith, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end. It was a really awesome lesson, everyone felt the Spirit and they were amazed. We invited them to be baptized and they committed themselves to start preparing themselves to be baptized! 

Anyway, sorry I don't have a lot of stuff to write this week you guys but I love you! 

I will write you all again Next week!

Sat November 29, 2014 I did it!

So I mean, I don't know if anyone remembers but at the beginning of my mission I discovered that my last name (Rios) should have an accent (Ríos). I mean, that's just how it is, English robbed me of my birthright. But after quite a time, I was able to get a name tag with the accent in my name. I feel accomplished.

 Anyway, this week has been really awesome. We have been working with a new video that the church just released called He Is The Gift (http://www.mormon.org/christmas) and it has been pretty cool. We have a little portable dvd player and we use it to teach people. You guys should all go watch the video, its really cool. President had me make another video with it and we are going to start showing it in some of the Churches to try to find more investigators. I had never made a video before really but it turned out really good. Well, I mean, I think so at least, I am going to show it to President Morales tomorrow so we will see how it goes! 

This week was really awesome! Monday and Tuesday we were super busy with the new missionaries that got here to the mission so I didn't actually change companions until Wednesday and out of the few lessons that we have been able to teach together they have been really great! I am really excited for the rest of this transfer I know it will be a successful one! I know that this is the Lord´s work, and that its necessary that we look to Him to know how to do the things He has asked of us. Without revelation, we would be lost. Revelation has always been fundamental in God´s plan and its marvelous to know that He communicates with His children and tells us the things we must do. I know He is my Father, and I love Him. I love serving Him, and even though I may not understand all things, I know that all that He does is for my benefit, and all that He has me do is to help me learn and grow. 

I love you guys and I hope all is well! 

Here's a picture of my name tag and my companion and I took a quick picture... so there ya go!

I did it! Sat November 29, 2014

I did it! 

So I mean, I don't know if anyone remembers but at the beginning of my mission I discovered that my last name (Rios) should have an accent (Ríos). I mean, that's just how it is, English robbed me of my birthright. But after quite a time, I was able to get a name tag with the accent in my name. I feel accomplished. 

Anyway, this week has been really awesome. We have been working with a new video that the church just released called He Is The Gift (http://www.mormon.org/christmas) and it has been pretty cool. We have a little portable dvd player and we use it to teach people. You guys should all go watch the video, its really cool. President had me make another video with it and we are going to start showing it in some of the Churches to try to find more investigators. I had never made a video before really but it turned out really good. Well, I mean, I think so at least, I am going to show it to President Morales tomorrow so we will see how it goes! 

This week was really awesome! Monday and Tuesday we were super busy with the new missionaries that got here to the mission so I didn't actually change companions until Wednesday and out of the few lessons that we have been able to teach together they have been really great! I am really excited for the rest of this transfer I know it will be a successful one! I know that this is the Lord´s work, and that its necessary that we look to Him to know how to do the things He has asked of us. Without revelation, we would be lost. Revelation has always been fundamental in God´s plan and its marvelous to know that He communicates with His children and tells us the things we must do. I know He is my Father, and I love Him. I love serving Him, and even though I may not understand all things, I know that all that He does is for my benefit, and all that He has me do is to help me learn and grow. 

I love you guys and I hope all is well! 

Here's a picture of my name tag and my companion and I took a quick picture... so there ya go!