Cake & A baptisim July 14, 2014

Alright family so, I unfortunately will not be writing much this week. I know I say that all of the time. Its great. So long story short, this week we passed through Apostasy Week. (Apostasy, Gospel Term, When individuals or groups of people turn away from the principles of the gospel). so, that was fun or something. We had some very serious lessons with quite a few people and it was truly just difficult. Anyway, story of the week. So we had that happen and then on Saturday, all of our plans fell threw and Elder George and I sat on a curb for a time and we were just like "well, now what?" And so I decided that we would just start walking down a street, even though we didn't really know where we were going, and so we start walking and My comp says, "lets go see Mario" (who has a cake shop.) Anyway, so we keep on the same road and we  get to the cake shop and a lady stops me. My companion didn't hear so I whistled him down but anyway the lady starts telling us about her husband who wants to get baptized that already was going to church a few months back and is practically just waiting for the missionaries to go over. And so we got their info and such, and while we were saying good bye, the lady reaches in her bag and gives me and elder George each a little slice of cake. It was the best cake I´ve had in a long long time. I enjoyed it.

It was just a real cool experience because we were really just down in the dumps and the Lord picked us right back up. Afterwards we got back to work with renewed enthusiasm and we were just catching fire, it was so nice. It made me think a lot about the scripture in alma 26:27. 

This is without a doubt God´s work. I love my Heavenly Father, and I know that He is watching over me. 

 

Thought I would share some photos of our really short hair cuts &  tire swing!

 

 

Elder George

 



Elder Rios Rope Swing

I love you guys. 

Talk to you next week! 



 

Welcome to the good life July &, 2014

So, I mean, this letter will be pretty short. But it will be good and stuff. Right? Right. We had a good week here in Acayucan. I mean, there was some clogged drain problems you don´t want to know the specifics about, I went to do divisions with an elder from Peru, I got a little sick (not a lot, so don´t freak out.) and threw up in the street like a drunk, and celebrated a nice 4th of July. So, sounds pretty good right? It really was. Well, I wont continue too much with the clogged drain thing, but let it be said that Elder George is brave, and what happened there need not be written. However, if one day you would like me to tell you guys in person I will do it. I will tell it vividly, using hand gestures, facial expressions and e´rrythin. But the divisions were pretty fun, I went with Elder Carmen to his area this last week. He is an an Area called Paraíso, which is a solid two hours away from our area but its a pretty cool place. While we were together we walked on some train tracks, preached the gospel, and all that good stuff. I mean, it was also with him where we threw up. We were on a little side street though so no one saw. Later we passed by the puke place and there was a lady walking up and so as I passed I made sure to talk in a really loud voice and express my disgust at the fact that somebody would puke in the street. So ya know, I didnt make it obvious at all. Elder Carmen got a kick out of it. 

I am proud to be an American. I don´t know if you guys know that, but uh, I am. So to show it, I sang the national anthem periodically throughout the fourth of July, my companion and I ate bacon for breakfast,

I made sure to tell people it was independence day, and we went to eat hamburgers with the some more American Elders. I mean, scale of one to ten, I would put it at a solid 8.7, we lacked fireworks, but hey, that will be saved for next year. Oh and I just remembered, I am now sixteen months into this whole mission deal, crazy right? Not very long ago people were telling me that I still had a lot to go and now all of the members tell me that I am almost done. I am not sure when the transition got made but yeah. and time keeps going by faster. its weird. 

This last week we had the opportunity to go teach one of the members that hasn´t been to church for awhile and it was a cool experience. All of our plans had fell through and Elder George felt like we should go visit her even though she lives kind of far, and so we did. It was the first time I had ever met her, so at first we were just talking and then she said something and a scripture came into my head, so I mean, Missionary Mode got kicked in and I just started teaching about Lehi´s dream. Anyway, after a time we ended up talking about why she hadn´t been going to church. She just opened up and told us everything and Elder George and I just started sharing scriptures and talking to her and it definitely was not us that was teaching. The Spirit took control of the lesson and it was just incredibly powerful. During this time it really just made me think of how God had put us in the right place. We had absolutely no intention of going near the part of the area where she lives that day. We had pretty  good plans and everything that I honestly didnt expect to fall through. Truly God had something else planned. I continue to learn of the truthfulness of this work. I do not doubt the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. I love the Lord and I am grateful to be here as His servant. 

I love you guys, I hope you´re all doing well!

Love, Elder Rivers. (Rios)

 

June 30, 2014 Independence week

 

So, Friday is really just getting close guys. I mean, my companion and I already found an american flag to go take a picture by and we decided that we are going to go eat hamburgers with some of the other elders. Its gonna be sweet. I gotta admit, I have become more patriotic here in Mexico. I just love the United States. On Saturday we had a Zone Conference with President Morales, and so he was looking through all of our planners to see if we are using them effectively and so he started leafing through mine and after like two seconds he says "Graffiti" and just hands me my planner back, so I looked through to see what he was talking about and he had looked on the page for July 4th which I had written on just a bit. I will throw a picture in for you guys to see.

 

This week has gone pretty well. I learned something incredibly obvious: that  you can make toast on a frying pan. I mean, its really simple but I hadn´t ever thought about it. Anyway, I am a little wiser now. On Tuesday we did divisions and I was with Elder Nisbet for the day. That was pretty fun. I really am just down with having American companions. I speak a whole lot of English, and Spanish too. And then there's some spanglish that always gets thrown in but its just all great. Anyway, I feel bad because I have hardly taken any pictures in this area.

 

I gotta get some of the house to send you guys and my companion and I havent taken a picture on my camera yet so I dont have one to send you guys.. Well I will try to acquire one right here in the little computer place though. 

 

 

Yesterday we had a really cool experience. We went to teach an investigator named Miriam who has a baptism date for the 19th of July. We taught her about the plan of salvation and she really liked it. Anyway, she had not yet prayed to know if the Book of Mormon is true so we did something I had never done before. I got the impression to invite her to pray and ask right in front of us, and while she said the prayer I was kind of doing my own little mini prayer and pleading the Lord to help her feel the truthfulness through the Holy Ghost, and after a few seconds the Lord just told me pretty much that I need to calm down and trust that He would do His part. So after the prayer I looked up and Miriams face was just beaming. She had a huge smile on her face and I asked her how she had felt during her prayer and she told us that she had received her answer and that an overwhelming feeling of peace just came over her and she just knew. It was a remarkable experience and I know that its not anything that we could have taught, its only something that is made known through the Holy Ghost. I know that the Book of Mormon contains the Word of God, and that Joseph Smith was the prophet of the Lord called to restore the Gospel over the earth. I used to think that was just a cliché mormon saying when they passed to give their testimonies, but now I know with a certainty that it is true, and that that knowledge is to be shared. I am grateful for the oportunity to be here as a missionary. Its fun, its hard, its a definite learning experience,  and I know that its where the Lord would have me be. 

Love you guys, hope all is well. Love, Elder Rios

2 Nephi 2:5-8

I love America you guys! June 23, 2014

I love America you guys!

 My companion and I are already planning to go American on July 4th. We are going to buy Root Beer and probably eat hamburgers and stuff. It´ll be great. 

All American Burger! Yum! 

& lots of Root Beer!!! 

Anyway, things have been going good up here in Acayucan. Although blazing hot. This last week was crazy busy. I spent three days outside of my area with different companions due to a chain of reunions and sorts that just came up out of nowhere,but I am glad to finally be back in my area. 

 We have really been focusing on contacting here in the mission. We have had some fun experiences with that. There have been a few people that have accepted us, but there are other people who tell us that their name is Hernan Cortes (who was one of the conquistadors that came to mexico shortly after Christopher Columbus) and then yesterday somebody told us that he personally knew Joseph Smith loved the teaching of David Smith (whoever that is) When we told him that there is not David Smith he yelled at my companion that we needed to go ask our pastor about David Smith because he is a real person. It was really kind of funny/sketchy. 

 Things have been awesome here, The time is just flying by and I am hoping that we can get the area jump started here because not too much is happening. I feel that we are doing something right though because the Lord has blessed us and has really started introducing us to new people. 

Anyway, I love you guys. Talk to you next week! 

Elder Rios

Transfered! Acayucan is a cool place =]

Kyles last two emails to the family. I find it funny that he left out the fact that he is now a District Leader. Man I love his modesty!

June 9, 2014
So, uh, I got transferred guys. I am in a new place called Acayucan, which is in the state of Veracruz. It seems like a good area so far. I have only been here about five hours but I am really excited. I will get you guys some photos next week!  

Anyway, this last week in Chichicapa went really pretty well. We had some hard times with some investigators, but we also had some success. There are two investigators that are finally going to be baptized after all the time that I was there to work with them. I am sad that I wont be able to see the baptism, I was really close to the family, but I know that I am needed elsewhere. I remember that I was once told that not  everyone I meet here would immediately accept the gospel, but that they would later be led to the truth through the seed I had planted during my time teaching them. I have said it before, but truly the Lord puts us where we need to be when we need to be there. Sometimes, we miss the opportunities if we aren´t ready, but whether things turn out well or not, there's a lesson to be taught. 

The last Saturday in Chichicapa was great because we had an excellent activity. We got all of the  members involved and made a video of the progress in chichicapa since we started the little  branch there. It was hard for me to say good bye, but I hope and pray that I may have the opportunity to see  many of these people again. I really just need a teleporter or something from star trek. Someone should really get on making me one of those. Maybe my brother mike can do it. I think he's a pretty smart guy. 

Anyway, I love you guys. I wish I had my camera to send you pictures!

Love, Elder Rios

 

 

June 16, 2014

 

So, I thought I would have more time to talk to you guys this week but that's not the case. So sorry about that, but I love you guys and I hope all is well. There's a lot of hills in my area. So that's weird, but life is good. Love you guys

Elder Rios

Well, I mean, whats up? May 26, 2014

Anyway, we have had a pretty good week here in Chichicapa. I can not lie to you guys, I did enjoy it. I mean, it started off with my paying a missionary to eat hot sauce and it ended with one of our new investigators going to church. I mean, what more can you ask for?

So first with the hot sauce thing. So us missionaries frecuent a place that is called the ´Carboncito´. They make some real good tacos there, actually I am pretty sure I sent a picture of the tacos once. Anyway, so they always serve three different kinds of hot sauce, one thats like a guacamole, one thats like a mild type hot sauce and another one thats really just kind of too hot for me. Anyway, all of the elders in our district were there eating when I said, "I would pay somebody 200 pesos to eat a spoonful of this stuff" I was just kind of thinking out loud, but then Elder Flake gladly accepted. It was really funny. We took video of the whole thing. At the beginning of the video he was explaining what it was he was going to do but then he saw that the waitress was coming and he kind of freaked out and said "I think she knows what we´re up to!" and quickly eats the spoonful of salsa. Within seconds he was all red and sweating, but he said it was worth it haha. It was a memorable moment for sure.

Anyway, later in the week we did divisions and I went to work with Elder Smiley. That was pretty great because I got to speak English ALL DAY.  I love english. But yeah, thats about all there is to that part of the week. On Thursday we did some service and after nearly cutting my companions finger off with a shovel (okay, it really wasnt that bad, it was more of a scratch) we had the opportunity to teach a family of five people and it was Awesome. I mean, first they told us a pretty funny story they had heard about Joseph Smith being a Catholic, but after we explained the first vision and everything the spirit was really strong and all of the family committed to praying about what we had taught. 

On saturday, we took an investigator, Sandra, to a baptism. Her little nephew David also went with us. I gotta be honest, the whole time I was worried because there was a kid who kept screaming, but at the end when we talked with Sandra about it she had really liked the baptism, so did David. David told us he wanted to be baptized haha but he only is five so we told him that he would have to wait. But yeah, the next day Sandra went to church and everything and it was just great! I mean, we have had a bit of a dry spell here in Chichicapa, but it looks like we were able to get things going again. The Lord has been truly helping us out here, I can not lie to you guys. This whole mission experience has just been great, and I am experiencing new things every day and the Lord is truly helping me to learn and grow. I love you guys and I hope that you are doing well!

Talk to you next week! I will try to send some photos next week! 

Love Élder Kyle Andrew Ríos

In Mexico, Monday is Lunes May 19, 2014

I mean, so here I am on the computer once again.  I´ve got a sticky keyboard and I´m low on time, but I mean, the letter will be great.. or something like that. Anyway, this week was pretty good, thats what I always say right? But it really was.

 

 I mean, tuesday, we had interviews with the president. That went good, I really do like President Morales, he really does all that he can to help us out even though I feel like he doesnt have a lot of time because of all the missionaries in the mission. 

 

On wednesday my companion and I were in the house ALL day and I had not idea what to do with that much time. We were told not to leave the house because of some fair in Comalcalco where everyone gets intoxicated... so we were at home and I slept a good majority of the day. It was just weird. I got incredibly bored. It was kind of good to relax though. 

 

Alright, in later new, our area, chichicapa got flooded the day that we were in the house. Which was a good day because I mean, we were in the house, and it probable discouraged all the drinking that normally happens with the fair that was going on. But thursday we went out in the rain and helped one of the members whose house was surrounded by water. 

 

 

This week, we have really had some great experiences with the Book of Mormon. As we have read it with our investigators who havent been keeping their reading assignments, the spirit has been incredibly strong during the lessons we have had. We have had a rough couple of weeks in chichicapa, but I know that we are going to be able to find the people that the Lord has prepared to receive the gospel. 

 

Anyway, I love you guys. I will talk to you next week!

Isaiah 54:4-5

Mosiah 5:15