April 28. 2014 Left my wallet on the bus

I mean, I am going to get this whole letter writing business going. I mean, we will see just how long this will go for. I unfortunately will not have pictures to add into this email, but I mean, sometimes words are nice to read to... so it'll all turn out well

Alright, here is one from last week.

I, uh, left my wallet on the bus this week. That just wasn´t okay. I mean, I paid for my passage and then I started calling some missionaries and members to make good use of the time and I forgot to put my wallet back in my pocket! We were sitting there eating with the bishop and his family when I finally figured out that I didnt have my wallet. I was not a happy person, I had already lost my credit card where we got money from the mission each month and I was not ready for that to happen again. But little by little I just started feeling that everything was going to work out well. So, just so you know, the buses just kind of pass as they please, its not easy to find the same bus twice in a day, especially since there are easily at least 15 that are constantly passing through my area in chichicapa. Anyway, when we got back to chichicapa, I told my companion that I just felt like the bus was gonna pass by with my wallet, and he may or may not have told me how nearly impossible that would be... and so we kept walking and I kept looking over my shoulder feeling like the bus was going to pass, and then I saw a bus. And I told my companion that it was the one, and he told me not to get my hopes up, but uh, it was the right one. and I got my wallet back, and it was really just great, I opened it up, and my mission credit card was still in there. The nearly 400 pesos on the other hand..... well they weren't there. But, I am just really glad I got my wallet with the credit card back. It was just almost a bad thing. I mean, I feel like I deserved the losing the money part because it was an amateur hour mistake on my part, but yeah. all is well. 

Anyway, this week we had the opportunity to go out with a couple of members to go visit some of the less active members. We went with Adan and Veronica. They are awesome. I mean, one thing that has been different here is that if somebody moves houses or needs help, there just isnt always that kind of brothership there where the members go and help out, but Adan and Veronica are awesome. They just sincerely wanted to go see some people but they didnt know where they lived so they actually asked us to accompany them. While we were in the house of one of the members, you could see the sincerity of these two as they shared what they could to help the members out and it was really just exactly what the members needed. We had members that had not gone to church in a long time goon sunday and I am fully convinced that it was just from the decision that adan and his wife made to really be a friend to the other members in the ward. It was just a bit of a learning experience for me. I feel like I can't fully explain everything here, and it may not have the same significance for you guys as it did for me, but it made me see a little better the importance of having that kind of unity and love within a ward and the effect that it had on the other members. 

I love this whole mission thing, its just really great. I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to be out here, and I know that God has been helping me out. 

Anyway, I love you guys! Talk to you later! 

Doctrine and Covenants 136:42

                                   137

Love, Elder Kyle Andrew Rios

April 7, 2014

Hey guys. So, ya know, as normal, I hope all is going well for you guys. I mean, I have been doing pretty good. I am not gonna write a whole lot this week, just the simple stuff.

So this week we went on exchanges. I went with my good friend elder Suares again. He's from Honduras, he's a good guy. I really learn a lot from him. He knows a lot about the gospel and the scriptures and its just kind of astounding. I would like to keep learning about the gospel, I feel like I was just crazy negligent with reading my scriptures before, but I have really started to like it. I mean, the day just isn´t the same if I don´t get to start it out with the normal studying.

 Friday was a really cool experience. Every week we have a ward family home evening and one of the families in the ward is assigned each week to share the message or teach the class, however you want to say it. Anyway, this week, one of the recent converts here named Guadalupe, and her son Hernan had the opportunity to give the class. Guadalupe decided to talk about one of the general conference talks from a couple conferences ago called "I know it. I live it. I love it" by Ann M. Dibb. Guadalupe talked about how taking the decision to be baptized was hard for her because of the pressure she received from some of her friends and the judgments that were being passed because of the person she was before and how the gospel had changed her life and made her stronger and proud of the choice that she had made to make a covenant with the Lord. I really just felt like a proud parent or something there as she taught the lesson. She is one of the strongest people I have known, she always surprises me when she shares a story from her life or something that she had to pass through. I know that the Lord doesn´t make mistakes and that He puts us exactly where
we need to be. 

Saturday and sunday were general conference days. I loved it. My favorite quote was "one should not roam through garbage." I just really liked the guys accent. haha, Elder Urbina and I are the only americans here so we went into a seperate room to watch conference in english. It was our little america, and it was great. I love the english language, in case any of you were wondering. I really enjoyed elder Russell M nelsons talk, and elder Hollands talk. Those were probably my two favorite talks. It took me awhile to understand the importance of having a living prophet and apostles in our day, but now that I understand a little better I am incredibly grateful. 

Anyway, I wrote more than I thought I would. Love you guys. 

By the way, I am thirteen months into my mission. time is flying by. 

Love, Elder Rios

March 31, 2014

We played basketball and soccer today and it was really great. I really just have missed playing sports. I sweated a lot, and the sun was just not helping me out. I felt kind of gross to be honest, but I did not suck nearly as bad as I thought I would after all this time. I mean, I never was the best, but I can say that I am still not the worst. So that's a good thing, right?

Anyway, this last week went pretty good. We ate the almost american hamburgers again from one of the members. I even took a picture of them. I just miss a good burger. And try as they might, the people of mexico just haven´t been able to make a Grade-A, top-notch hamburger. I mean, I guess it makes up for the fact that the tacos that we make aren´t like the tacos they sell here in the taco stands... They sell some really great tacos. And cheap. And, its just real nice.

This last week we had a movie in the park. Or, better said, a movie in the park in front of the catholic church. It went pretty good. And only one person was rude and didn't want to talk to us. So that's a good thing. We had a bunch of people show up and so we are planning on doing it again. We were a little disorganized on it though, we could have done it better. So when round 2 come around, we are going to find new investigators left and right with that.

We also started teaching Claudia and Carlos this week. They are pretty cool. Its a single mom and her kid. They don´t have a whole lot and they have kind of had a bit of trouble financially, but you can see that Claudia does all she can to take care of her children. Its really just a humbling experience to be in the homes of some of the people that we teach. I always thought that my mom was joking when she used to tell me that there were people that lived in houses the size of our living room.

I love being here as a missionary. Sometimes there are days that are stressful, but the Lord is always helping us out and I really couldn´t ask for more.

I love you guys, hope all is well.

Love, Elder Kyle Andrew Rios

Side note: I promise I wasn´t trying to kidnap that iguana.

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...