Palenque Ruins Feb 17, 2014

 Here are the pictures I promised to send from the  ruins in 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.It was incredible, and I really hope to go back there before the end of my mission. 

February 17, 2014 Letter

So uhm... I mean you guys might be a little disappointed at this, or maybe you might not but I´m not going to write a whole lot today. Actually you´re probably all relieved. But yeah, I am kind of feeling like I got a time crunch thing going here so yeah. So everything is going really well in my area. My companion and I are getting along well, and I have learned that Spanish just gets a little different in every Spanish speaking country. They just have their own way of talking. I don't know if I said it last week but sometimes my companion says things that are swear words where we are at. But in his country they aren't. 

Anyway we have had some fun this last week. We have done everything from taco parties to contacting strangers in the park on valentines day to share the gospel. I mean, all in all, its been pretty good.

 So yeah. That's how that goes. Anyway, I love you guys. Talk to you more next week.

Love Elder Rios

Hebrews 12:1

1 Peter 2:20-25

D and C 38:23-25

Missionary Amber Alert Feb 10, 2014

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

Oh man, I have got to let you guys know, I felt like I was back in the US on Sunday. I mean, it was pretty cool. I had the best hamburger I have ever had in Mexico. I mean, I ALMOST felt like it was summer time on Como Lane, and we were chillin while my dad barbecued... but not quite. Anyway, it was a great hamburger. It’s hard to find a good burger on this side of the border, but I found one. Anyway, I just thought I would share that with you. Never take for granted a good burger. I mean, tacos are great, but sometimes you just gotta fall back on an American classic. 

But yeah, like I said, this week was pretty good. I ate a hamburger, I taught English classes, I went to the temple, my companion and I got a cooking crash course from one of the members and I got to preach the gospel. I can´t really ask for more. We get treated really well here in our ward. The bishop is always helping us out. Monday night he set up a family home evening with a less active family, then Thursday he was the one that took us to the temple. Then the members are always the ones that help us to find new investigators and who bring people to church. Right now our little branch that we have here in Chichicapa has had higher church attendance than the other two wards that are in the neighboring city Comalcalco since it got started up about five weeks ago. It’s crazy to see how fast the work is moving along too. I mean, I don´t know if you guys knew this, but when the Lord wants something done it gets done, and fast. We have been having a lot of success here and I can´t say that it’s because of us. The Lord is constantly putting people in our path and it’s been a blessing. We have transfers next week so we might get changed up. I hope that we don’t get transferred, but we will see. 

This last week we had a baptism. The investigator that got baptized is awesome. He’s a butcher, which is pretty cool. But that’s not what I am going to write about. It’s been a really good experiencing teaching him because he always has sincere questions about the gospel, and he did all he could so that he could know the church was true. It’s definitely dedication to the Lord that not a lot of people have. I learn something different from each one of our investigators, and I love being able to see their lives change as they begin to accept the Lord more and more in their lives. At the end of his baptism, Jose was going to offer the closing prayer, but before he did so, he wanted to say a few words, so he started to bare his testimony about all the things that have happened and how his goal now is to be able to go be sealed in the temple with his wife and son. 

I am glad that I was able to help him out but truth is, he was pretty much already ready when my companion and I went to teach him. The Lord had already been working there. 

Anyway, that’s pretty much all I have to throw into this week’s email. But I love you guys and I´m grateful for all your support. Hope all is well!

Love, Elder Rios

D&C 33:16-17

Acts 22:14-16

Phil. 3:13-16

Jan 20, 2014

Well, it’s looking like a good week here in Chichicapa. I mean, well, nothing too exciting has happened but it still was a pretty good week. I feel good about it at least. Anyway, this week we had the opportunity to see our mission president and we had a district pizza party type deal and we have got to see some real changes in some of the people we teach. Anyway, I will start with the pizza party part. There isn´t too much to say on that subject. The important part is that you know that the Dominos here has two for one pizza on Tuesdays and between six missionaries we almost ate four pizzas. Not the best of ideas, but it definitely wasn´t the worst either. Anyway, so that wasn´t really that important of an event, but the Elders in my district are pretty great to be with.

This last week we all had interviews with the mission president. I think that he does them like every three or four months or something. He is a really cool guy though and I didn’t feel like I really knew him or anything before but now I feel like I do. You can see that he has a real desire to help each one of the missionaries and you can see how dedicated he is to the work. 

This week had some interesting moments. I mean, I know at first I said nothing too exciting, but that was just a test to see if you would keep reading. Anyway, we have an investigator who wants nothing more than to be baptized. She has told us that for about two months now, but she hasn´t been able to because she isn´t married to the guy that’s living with her. So, finally this week she told us that she kicked out her boyfriend and that she is ready to be baptized because she is sick of being stuck and not being able to progress spiritually. I mean, she really has put all her faith in the Lord because the truth is that the boyfriend provides everything for her financially. She told us that she knows the Lord will help her and that she needs to make her life right with the Lord. It’s been a learning experience for me to see the faith that she has in the Lord. I know that the Lord will provide for her. She has already seen different trials from her decision, but she knows that the Lord will provide, and I know that He will take care of everything. The Spirit has already made me know that the Lord is doing everything to help her be happy in this life, and in the life to come. 

I am grateful for each day that I have here. Sometimes there are hard days, and sometimes I just don´t quite understand what I should do, but at the end of each day I know that I am where I need to be and that this is the Lord´s work. I am blessed to be a part of it. 

Anyway, that concludes the letter. I love you guys. Here’s some scriptures and some pictures. (I like how that sounds) 

Lamentations 3:22-26

Moises 1:18-20

Love Elder Rios

Oh man, you´re all going to think all I do is eat...

January 13, 2014

Well, Mexico is going great. I really keep loving it down here. It’s definitely different to be in another country but I love it. Everything keeps going great down here for us, the Lord is always opening up more and more opportunities for us. 

Anyway, so I have had a pretty good week here in Mexico. The truth is I don´t have a whole lot to write in the letter because the time has just kind of flown by and I can´t even remember entirely what happened this week or what happened last week. Everything just mixes together. So anyway, one of the things that I remembered that happened this week is that we started teaching English here. That was pretty fun. I told my companion that I was going to speak completely in English... and I did... except for when I had a joke or something funny to say... then I had to speak in Spanish so that I don’t end up laughing alone or something. That would just get uncomfortable. But anyway, the class went really well. We taught the kids that came how to pray in English and how to introduce themselves. So yeah, that was a lot of fun. Now when we are walking down the street and we pass one of the kids they ask me ´what’s your name? ´ or ´how are you?´ but they have an accent so it sounds great. Later in the week we also had some piñatas that the kids got to break and that was fun to see. There is a piñata song that everyone sings during the time that the kids are hitting the piñata and when the song ends that means that the time is up. I tried to learn it, but I already forgot it so I am going to have my companion write it down for me. 

And the last thing I am going to write about here is our branch that we have here in Chichicapa. So three weeks have passed since we split the ward and each week our church attendance has been higher than that of the ward that is still in the main city. We have had a lot of families start coming to church after years of being inactive and our investigators have also been inviting their friends and families to come to church on Sunday and the activities during the week. It’s been going awesome here, the work is moving along. We still have some hard days when we see that some of our investigators are falling behind a bit, but overall the Lord has helped us a lot here.

So, that’s the letter for the week. I hope all is going well for you guys. I love you! Talk to you next week! 

Elder Rios

1 Cor. 15:9-11

D Y C 11:8-10

Well, I mean, we made it to 2014. That’s a good thing. I don’t exactly have New Year’s resolutions, I never really thought about making any... So, my bad. Anyway, we didn't do much on New Year’s Eve. We had to be in our house at 8, and so we got there, wrote in our journals and what not, then we watched a movie called the RM. It was pretty great. I mean, top notch missionary entertainment. We laughed, ate Chicharrones con salsa, and went to bed at about 11. It was fun though, my companion told me he got woken up at 12 by people lighting off fireworks, but I was sound asleep. New Year’s Day my companion made pancakes on our little bunson burner that we have in our house. They turned out really good, and as I was eating I thought to myself "I should probably learn to cook" I can make pancakes... It’s just that I don´t like too... but apart from that I should actually learn to cook at some point. 

Anyway, that was New Year’s Day.

Oh and this really isn't too relevant, but our mission president gave us a microwave, and to celebrate we bought a bag of popcorn and ate popcorn with hot sauce. I would just like you to know that I probably won’t be returning to eating popcorn without it. 

Alright so, this week, we had divisions (well, that’s what they are called in Spanish, there might be another word in English) and so my companion went to another area for a day while the district leader stayed with me in my area. It went well, we were able to teach a lot of people and meet some new people as well. It was a good opportunity for me. I feel like I was able to learn a lot during that day. I kind of needed to have the opportunity to be the one who was in charge of our area. I mean, Elder Morelos and I work together, but I do rely on him a lot. When Elder Castillo, the District leader, and I were teaching I felt like I started teaching better than I was before. I felt like I was acting more on what the spirit was telling me, because I knew if I didn´t than we could miss an opportunity. I guess I can´t really explain it well, but all I know is that I really was able to learn during that time, and it just made me excited for the opportunities I will have during the rest of my time as a missionary. 

One of the people we were able to see was Daniel. He has a baptismal date for Jan. 18 and we have been working with him to help him be more prepared for his baptism. He has already been going to church for a year, and so he was already ready when I got to this area. The thing that’s been hard for us is that we couldn´t figure out what it was that was holding him back from being baptized. Every time we talked with him he just kind of gave really general, vague answers, but this time when we went was different. We had found him by chance and we were on the way to see someone else, but I felt like we should talk to him, so we did. We started teaching and the Spirit came into the room. As we taught he was thinking about everything that we said and then he just opened up to us and let us know what his fear was. I know that the Lord touched his heart in that moment, because as he spoke to us he started finding the answers he was looking for without our help. It was a really good lesson, and now he is excited for his baptism. Before we left, he asked for a blessing. After the blessing, his eyes were a little teary and he told us thank you. 

I know that through the blessing we gave him, he was able to hear what the Lord had to say to him, and that it gave him the strength it needed. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to be here and be an instrument in the Lord´s hands. It’s a remarkable experience to be here as a missionary and I thank the Lord for it every day. 

Anyway, that’s what I have for you guys this week. I love you and hope all is well. 

Love Elder Rios

Jer.9:24, Ether 4:18-19




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Dec 30, 2013 Well, here's to the end of 2013

Alright, well, I mean, another Monday and another Letter. I even thought about what I was going to throw into this letter, so that’s pretty nice. Anyway, I will start out with Christmas Eve. That was just kind of a headache, but it turned out worthwhile. It rained like crazy on Christmas Eve, and so that made transport and everything difficult. The streets get flooded here and it’s not uncommon to not be able to get to someone’s house because all of their land in front is flooded, or in the city the streets can have up to a foot and a half of water. But that’s just life. Anyway, Christmas Eve was the day I had scheduled to call my family, but due to the rain, I couldn't call them from my area. So we had to travel to the area of the other Elders, and look for a place where they had Webcams. I mean, the quality was kind of horrible, but I was happy to see everybody. Later that night we stayed with the other Elders and played a few games. The best one was Jenga, because the loser had to eat a spoonful of hot sauce ha-ha. But don´t worry, I came out victorious! And after that we went to bed... and I slept on the floor... It was kind of nice though ha-ha. 

Christmas morning, Elder Snow made everyone pancakes and bacon. It’s been a long time since I have had bacon and it was top notch. From there we went to talk with the family again, and this time I actually got to talk to them and see them because the internet actually worked, so it compensated for the night before. The Bishop later took us out to eat and we spent the majority of the day with him and his family. Anyway, that’s how my holiday goes. I would say it was pretty good. I hope that it went well for all you guys! 

Anyway, the last part of our week here was purely dedicated to inviting people to church. We taught about the importance of church attendance and the importance of the Sabbath day to almost everybody, if we felt like we should teach someone else something different, that’s what we did. But anyway, we were doing that because we now have a branch in our area. We split the ward and had to invite everyone to the house where we are having the church services now. It turned out awesome, we had 68 people show up, and we were still short a few members. We had only expected like 50, and we thought the bread and water from the sacrament wouldn´t be enough, but all turned out great. 

And to finish this off, I will tell you guys about José. We have just started teaching him this week and he is awesome. His wife is a member of the church and he decided to start listening to us. So we went and we started teaching him and at the end of the lesson he wanted us to keep going and tell him more. He let us know that as we were teaching him, everything just started to make sense, he started to see more clearly the importance of the gospel and the restoration. When we returned the next day we were talking about the book of Mormon, we had left a part for him to read and we asked him how he went. He told us that as he read what we left for him that he was hit hard by what he read. He said that what we teach has already impacted his life and that he wants to be baptized. He told us how at first he started listening to us just for his wife, but that now he knows that it’s true and that he has felt the spirit as we have taught him. 

I mean, it was just remarkable to hear everything he told us. Not because it’s what we as missionaries want to hear, but because as he told us, the Spirit testified to us as well of his sincerity. You could see that the spirit had touched his heart, and I have no doubt that the Lord will keep helping him during this time. I love it here, I really do. It’s something I could have never imagined back at home, I thought this whole missionary thing was more about knocking on doors ha-ha, but it’s truly the Lord´s work, and I am grateful to be a part of it. 

So, that’s the letter I have for you guys, I love you all, and I hope all is well. Here’s some scriptures: Mormon 7:9-10, 1 Thes. 3:7-13

A few pictures of Mi Casa =]

Love you guys!

Elder Rios