The Awkward Life of Hermana Ritter

Hi everyone! I hope you are all enjoying your Memorial Day and the start of the summer... Well summer for Arizona started a month ago... Hahaha. Have all the fun I would be having on the lake for me and listen to Beyoncé and Lady Gaga for me aight ?!

I don't even know where to begin... I guess we can start with the worst day of my mission which was Monday. THE WORST. So there is the 15 year old boy with no arms that I met at an ice cream shop a week or so before that Monday. He was super friendly and asked all about mission life. Fast forward one week, We went to go translate at this Drunk Driving Seminar and I had fasted so hard the day before. I prayed so hard for the gift of tongues... Anyways it was at Granger High School which is out of our area so we had to get special permission. Well we had gotten there a little early so we were out in the cafeteria talking to people and just you know... Doing the missionary thing. Well the kid with no arms was talking to a police officer and so I went up to go talk to him. I said hi and he looked at me funny and I asked him if he remember me and he said "Yeahhh." I felt awkward so of course being Madi I started cracking jokes and it just got more awkward so I said see yeah later. The class ended up not needing us so we went to another class to see if they needed us and they ended up not needing us also. We decided to just sit in and listen. You know learn something. So the boy with no arms ended up being in that class. I went and I sat down next to him and asked how he was. He scooted away and started cussing. I told him to please watch his language, he's sitting next a missionary after all right? He continued to scoot away and cuss and so I got up, walked around and then sat down in the seat next to my companion. Well the boy ended up leaving. I had been so relieved because when he was there he kept staring at me, glaring and acting all weird. It took all my power not to look that boy in the eye and say "didn't yo mama teach ya staring is rude!" But I didn't and I continued to smile. At one time he asked Hermana Alegrìa who our mission president was. So I'm guessing he was a member... Probably less active idk... Well the kid returns and he's standing in the doorway. He points at someone and the girl gets up to go talk to him. He says no I want the girl in the bright pink, which was me. So me and Hermana Alegrìa get up and go to talk to him. HE JUST LAYS IT ON ME. He says "I just want to let you know I'm reporting you to your mission President. You were glaring at me and my friends and you are suppose to be a representative of Jesus Christ and represent him in an awesome way. I'm going to report you, you're a terrible missionary, I hope you go home and stay there because your shouldn't be on your mission. I hope you and this church goes to hell." He also cursed at Jesus Christ and said some other things that were.. Well... Sounded anti-Mormon. For those of you who know me well, you will be surprised to know that I didn't sock that kid right in the face or tell him he can take his opinion and stick it where the sun don't shine. I didn't. I just took it. Turned the other cheek.Afterwards, we had an appointment with a less active and right as we pulled into the driveway I broke down. I haven't cried like that since who knows when. I couldn't stop, it was so embarrassing! Hahaha. That kid really got in my head and stayed there til about Thursday.

Being in the field my testimony has been tested, stretched and questioned. But I do have one. As missionaries we have a huge target on our back and it's because people see our name tags and think we are all of their bad experiences with the church. I'm sure that boy was just hurt and I was a target, who knows. Is if weird to say I still love that kid even after he was mean? Sometimes we mistake our testimony being tested with the thought that we don't have one. I thought I didn't have a testimony when I questioned my reason for being here on a mission and what I know to be true. That's ok! Isn't Heavenly Fathers invitation in the Book of Mormon, to ask if these things are true? It is! (Moroni 10:3-5) the fact of the matter is... Conviction is a lifetime of searching, progressing, diligently obeying the commandments of God and asking in fervent prayer if these things are true.

My invitation this week is if you feel as though you don't have a testimony or your testimony is weak... Go back to the basics. Read the Book of Mormon all the way through and pray to know the truth. Even if you've been a member your whole life. The Book of Mormon and it's invitation to know God should not be accepted and merely experimented on once. It should be a constant search for knowledge from God. Pray nightly and pray with intent. Go to church and actually listen. Don't sit there on your phone Snapchatting or Facebooking. It's your salvation and it's up to you whether you get the best in this life and the life to come. Doing these things has changed my life and the experiences I have had in my mission.

Today is the 3 year anniversary of Olivia's passing and I just want to bare you my testimony that I know I will be with my best friend again. I will see her and we will take naps and eat all the apples and peanut butter we want in Heaven. I miss her so much and there are days where I feel like I came go on... But with the help of my loving Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ I have just enough strength to do what They would have me do. I know that through this gospel and the teachings of Jesus Christ we can change our lives for the better and know true happiness. God, our Heavenly Father, loves us and wants only the very best for us. I know Joseph Smith was called of God and translated God's word, the Book of Mormon, which is another testament of Jesus Christ. God's power is on earth again and it is found in the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints with Jesus our Savior at its head. I love the message I share and being a missionary. I love all of you!

Hermana Madison Ritter

First Companionship dinner! We have always had a dinner appointment so yesterday was our first dinner

Selfie with Leslie :)

36 inch pizza for district meeting. Por que no? :)

Hola from West Valley City, Utah!

Hola from West Valley City, Utah!

I blinked and this week went by so fast... A lot happened this week and I can't even tell you half of it because it was told to us in confidence by our investigators but let me tell you a thing I learned real fast... I don't know what it is about the name tag but when people see it the flood gates open. People tell you stuff that not even their spouses or parents or family know. CRAZY! I have such an unconditional love for these people and I can't help it. Why don't they come with a sign that says "Caution, you will love me for eternity and can't sleep because you think of how much you love and want to help me."? I think we need to start making them... The members too! The stories I hear and the faith that these members have. It's such an example to me!

As you all saw I got my bike and can I just say how much I love hills? -_- but! It keeps me in shape with all this good food. My skirts are a little more loose. Oh and triumph... We woke up everyday this week and ran a mile. For those of you who know me we all know that that was  God working miracles in my life! This one night me and Hermana Alegrìa were so tired and we were biking up this huge hill and I noticed her helmet was on backwards. For some reason that was so funny to me and I couldn't stop laughing and fell off my bike hahaha. Into a fence... Saturday night we were also really tired... You know missionary life... And I pictured myself running full speed and then just eating it! Completely falling on my face. Yeah when you're a missionary dumb things like that are so funny. Don't know why...

I am having so much fun out here and am learning so much about myself and my Savior Jesus Christ. This has been such a testimony builder for me and God is shaping me into the woman that I am destined to be. The Spanish is coming along... But I don't demand perfection, only improvement. Tonight I am actually translating for a Drunk Driving seminar for the community and I am so nervous.... We fasted yesterday and then I woke up not feeling well this morning. I am so so so nervous but I know with my faith I can be able to at least speak so they know what is going on. It's a work in progress alright!

Guys, this gospel and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know it and would be a liar if I denied it. I challenge everyone to read the Book of Mormon and mark every time it references Jesus Christ. It is ANOTHER testament of Jesus Christ our Savior and with the Bible gives us the plenitude of His gospel. I love all of you! Thanks for the support!

Hermana Ritter

Companionships that dress in unity, teach in unity ;D hahaha
we always end up matching and we are both too lazy to change!

Does anyone else think I look like a midget in this pic? Kasey I got you package!
Thank you so so so much for the clothes! I love them all and they fit perfect!
I was jumping and screaming when I saw it :)

Look how cute me and my companion are ;D totes adorbs.

So this is Chezba hahaha. I can't take this picture ROFL.
She took my iPad during church and was taking pics on photo booth
hahahahahaha!

A Tough Week

My dear brother and sisters of God,

This week was not so accomplished and it was really hard! We got cancelled on a lot this week and we had exchanges too. Exchanges are where you switch comps for a day and have a sleep over with the Sister Trainer Leaders. I got to spend the whole day, night and morning with. Sister Bauserman who Hermana Alegrìa also trained. It was really cool to talk to her. We both don't know the area really well so we got lost and then it started to pour on us. But over all it was a good experience. This week we were also not very obedient with zag erring up and exercising... Yeah I could totally see the consequences to that disobedience. I looked at this picture that I will attach to this email and gasped. Let's just say I got up 5 minutes early and was out the door by 6:30. Never ran with such intent in my life. No one in the history of the world did sit-ups as vigorously as I had done this morning. I am not about to be fatty Madi but all this Hispanic food. I can hardly take it! I'm so hungry all the time and they always have ice cream afterwards... COME ON! Talk about Mosiah 3:19 and the natural man. I'm about to be a fat man... Well woman... Hahaha. These Hispanic women offering me 5ths and 6ths... Who am I to deny them? So for anyone who has asked me to measure my waist so they can make me skirts... Is it alright if I request elastic because.. Well... My weight might fluctuate LOL.

So one really cool thing that also happened this week besides waking up as a missionary everyday was I got to meet Elaine S. Dalton. Me and Hermana Alegrìa were flippin' out. We were the greeters at the door before and after. So when everyone was leaving after they finished their brunch we handed out Jenny Phillips CDs and necklaces. We were so scared she would leave after everyone had their chance to get a pic with her. We checked every 5 minutes to see if she was still there. During her talk she looked directly at us and said she was proud of the sister missionaries. I felt like she stared right into my soul! Wowzah! It was an amazing experience. Her talk was on the worth of a woman. One thing that I like that she said was "Your body was custom made to fulfill your destiny that God has for you." Pretty cool thought right? Then I actually got to take a picture with her! So awesome.. Stay in tune for pics.

Skype was really ... Different experience then I thought. I thought that I was going to be so sad today and homesick but I feel like it empowered me to be a better missionary. As missionaries we are promised that through our obedience all of our loved ones will be blessed and I know God keeps His promises. It was so good to see all of you! All 4 of my moms! :) God has been too kind to me for blessing me with such angles in my life.

Who ever said Salt Lake City wasn't a mission was lying because it is so hard here. The people we run into are either anti-Mormon, in active and want nothing to do with the church, members, members who claim they are Mormon but don't keep any of their covenants or come from a foreign country whose never heard of the church. There is this one family who we were teaching who the mom is in-active and the spouse is catholic. The mom just had surgery and is really sick so we were thinking it would be a good idea if she received a blessing for the sick. Well we knock on the door and the dad opens the door and starts telling us not to come back because HE is catholic and we are bothering them when his wife is so sick. He had gotten a hold of some anti-Mormon literature and had read it... He said kept saying I'm catholic and we just wanted to say uhm sir... We are not here for you this time. We are here for your wife because she needs the priesthood but we didn't... Yeah we aren't really welcome there anymore... Which was sad because we love them and wanted a blessing for the mom...

I have grown to love these people so much it's ridiculous. My prayers are at least 10 minutes long. When you read in Enos about him praying for days... I can feel for him because I think of every single one of them and their needs. The ward is great and they have such great hearts. I love their culture and their smiles and how no matter who you are you are welcomed in the family! For Dia de Madres they had gotten a Mariachi singer and played Mariachi music all night. They also had Hispanic cultured dancers preform the dances of the culture which was so cool! After the dancers they started playing worldly music and both me and Hermana Alegria Were both like "Get us out of here because we are about to break out dancing." Ugh... I just love these people! Although things don't go as planned its important to always look at the blessings God has given us!

The church is true guys I promise. But don't take my word for it! Find out for yourselves!

With all my love and soul,
Hermana Ritter

The other sisters in our district Sister Joseph and Ashcroft.
English speaking the one to the left of me is from New Zealand Ed!

We heart attacked a lady who has 5 kids and her husband just up and
left back to Mexico 2 years ago. She's an amazing woman!

This is Marlene. She served a mission in Venezuela and then went in-active.
She totally like you mom! (Amber)
So we told she could be our mom and we gave her something for Dia de Madres.

Selfie with Socorro :)

Companionship photo shoot ;D we took these for our moms Hahahaha. 

Perfect setting with the piano and the roses! ;)

These are the necklaces we got from the Elaine S. Dalton devotional.
They say "As His Daughter" :) totes wear it errrrrday.

Hola, como estan?

Hola, como estan?

I woke up today thinking it was Sunday and not p.day because this week went by so fast! Once my companion told me it was P.day I got out of bed like it was Christmas morning! Thanks everyone for all the emails and support. It really means a lot to me.

So I had my first baptism and it was a really cool experience. Her name is Soccorro and her son that also got baptized is named Javier. She has 4 other children and is a single mom because her husband is in jail. I love them so much! Although I didn't teach them the whole time and didn't find them and felt a little awkward while we were all taking pictures because I felt like I didn't deserve the baptism... It felt great! But I think the best part is not the baptism... It's the next day when they receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost is a GIFT from our a Heavenly Father and is our constant companion. He is the one that gets us to the temple which is our ultimate goal. Baptism is the gate and the Holy Ghost helps us stay on the path to eternal life. Oh how I love being an missionary.

The language is still really hard and I get frustrated a lot but my philosophy is this: I can either look like an idiot and sit there in silence orrrr I can still look like an idiot but try my best and let the spirit make up for my inadequacy. I didn't come on my mission to learn Spanish. I came here to invite others to come unto Christ through faith in Jesus Christ, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and preserving until the end. Spanish is simply a tool. I'm still feeling like the gringa but through the Atonement it's unnecessary to hold onto these feelings.

So this week was really hard for us. We are getting to the point where all of our investigators are either getting baptized or being dropped. We dropped ALL our investigators because they just we're not ready... It really was sad... We still have the volleyball family but we could never set up a specific time with them and when we would go to visit they would not answer or was not home. We have knocked so much this week and nobody hardly answered. Tuesday was really hard for me. I was home sick like crazy and I was so sad... Kinda pathetic really once I think back on all my blessings. Basically I had an emotional break down. The fact that Lilly is starting to walk and has two teeth now! I feel like I'm missing everything. But, no matter what Lilly is going to grow up and I'm going to have to start my own life. My life right now is my mission and I love it. It's the best choice I have ever made. We also got a new bishop and he's a gringo so the ward is having a little trouble with that. Sunday was the worst day I've had in my whole mission. Both of us companions our getting frustrated with ourselves because we are both changing and learning. We are great at being patient with each other just not ourselves. But we are working on it. I have come to love my companion and admire her for her patience and testimony. She is such an awesome trainer!

My family, my brothers and sisters and friends. I testify that God lives and that He loves us. He loves us so much that He sent His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the ultimate price. I know that our Savior loves us each individually. He died so He could know our hopes, our dreams, our pain and sorrow. He loves us and through Him all is possible. I know Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Through the prophet Joseph Smith we have the restored gospel. I love this gospel and can honestly say I have the best job in the world. That's being a missionary. It my prayer that those who read my email can feel the love I have for them and will be able to feel the love their Heavenly Father and Savior has for them. Alma 36:27. Read it, ponder it, and pray about it.

All my love,
Hermana Ritter

Ok and the video is us in the front of an inactive members house and she didn't answer but her dog was out front. This is just 30 seconds of this but before this video Hermana Alegrìa tried calling her to take a pic with her for like 10 minutes Hahahaha. So funny... So awkward now that I think about it... Hahahaha I'm dying right now! Oh well.

The one in the red is Soccorro and...
Javier... Is not in this pic...
I don't have one with him...
What the.. :( I just realized that...

Comp pic when we accidentally matched :)