Pday Wednesday

Hiya family how is everyone doing? : )

  So I have some good and bad news... Me and Hermana Alegrìa are not
companions anymore... They had to do an emergency transfer and so
Hermana Alegrìa had to leave and I stayed. It was super hard for me
and Hermana Alegrìa. We were crying all night and the morning too. My
new companion is Hermana Sosa and she has 2 1/2 more months in the
mission field and has kinda lost all enthusiasm and so far it's been
pouring rain. And I mean POURING rain. We had to walk and contact in
the rain and it was horrible. I have no rain boots are nothin...

  Honestly I'm scared out of my mind. I'm the only one who knows the
area and right now I'm feeling a little overwhelmed but I know that
with prayer and fasting everything will be okay. We are really trying
to find new people to teach and less actives to reactivate but it's
going to take a lot of work and time. I already know our numbers are
going to go slightly down because we are going to be focusing on
finding...

  Today we went to the temple as a district and it was so awesome.
When you don't go to the temple for a while you tend to forget the
feelings that are felt there. But... I made it a point to go to the
temple with a question and I got an answer. I testify of temples and
that we should all make them our goal. Sorry my letter is lame but
it's all I got. I know the Savior lives and this is his church. All
the rest will fall into place.

Another Week - Happy Pioneer Day!!

  I don't have much time today because p.day is only 3 hours because
Thursday is Pioneer Day and we get that whole day off! Woohoo! Me and
Hermana were thinking about going to a parade in the morning, a
breakfast with our favorite sisters Bauserman and Davidson and then to
"This Is The Place". They speak Spanish too. We love them! 😄💕

  Buuuut... I just wanted to share a quick little message with you
guys. It's about the things that go on in the mind of a missionary. As
a missionary, well at least for me and Hermana Alegrìa, we wake up
thinking about the people we teach, we study about the people we
teach, we plan our day around the people we teach and then we go to
bed thinking about what could we have done better or what more can we
do for the people we teach. We pray about them, we fast for them and
I'm also fat because of them. Hahaha guys they feed me so much and
it's ALL SOOO GOOD 😐💔
  Maybe this is just me I don't know but sometimes as a missionary you
feel like the weight of the world is resting on your shoulders. We had
Ward Council yesterday and let me tell you... I can't say much but ...
the youth in our ward.. They are struggling. Our people are
struggling. The world we live in is struggling. As a missionary you
see it and for some reason feel responsible for it. Last night, I lost
it. In my personal prayer I was crying and then it was my turn to say
companionship prayer and I cried in that prayer. Then I cried after
(PS if you are planning on serving a mission you might as well get
over crying because you are so vulnerable on your mission. Everything
makes you cry...) You know the part in Hunchback of Notre Dame when
Esmeralda goes into the church and she starts singing and asking God
to help her people? She says:

"God bless the outcasts hungry from birth, show them the mercy they
don't find on earth. God help my people we look to you still, God help
them where nobody will.

I ask for nothing, I can get by but I know so many less lucky than I.
Please help my people, the poor and down trod. I thought we all were
children of God."

  Sometimes we feel like Esmeralda and feel like no matter where we
look and what we do it's not going to get better. Sometimes we feel
like we have this huge burden on our shoulders as mothers, fathers,
brothers, sisters etc. It is in these moments when we fall to our
knees and plea with our Heavenly Father to "help our people" like in
the song. I testify of the power of prayer. I testify that when we
pray, we pray to a living and loving Heavenly Father in the name of
our Savior and they are right there waiting to help us feel Their
love. They know us each personally and will help our dreams come true.
We just have to trust. The world will fall but when we are built upon
"the rock of our redeemer which is Christ The Lord, wherein if men
build they cannot fall" (Helaman 5:12) it won't matter what the world
does because we have the power to stand as witnesses of Christ and our
God.

  My beloved brothers and sisters, this gospel is perfect. Through
Christ we can be as He is. Our potential has no end because we are all
daughters and sons of God, a true king. I invite all people who read
this to come unto Christ. Know Him and find true happiness.

Hermana Ritter

Let's Get This Party Started - Transfer #3

  Holy guacamole! Transfer #3! And I'm not getting transferred! Me and Hermana Alegrìa are staying together for another 6 weeks! Woot woot.. Woot woot! We are having so much fun out here. Hermana Alegrìa is such a good example to me and we honestly love this are so much. We thought one of us was getting transferred but we were so excited to find out that we are both staying! We are working super hard! :)

   This week was really great but for some reason... We went to Temple Square a lot and for some reason... Every time I watch God's Plan for the Family I'm crying at the end. I guess as a missionary it's so much easier to see the eternal perspective. We took Michael to the temple and showed him the movie. The spirit is always so strong with the last video clip when you see the daughter getting married and how all the family members have all these different relationships with her. Ugh, I cry like a baby. But what I love the most is being able to testify of the things that we watch. This is a gospel of happiness and love. God wants our families to be together forever and through covenants we can return to live with him.

  Saturday was Patricia's baptism and it was such a beautiful day! She was so excited and ready. The talks were so good and then I always love when they take those steps into the font and turn around and look at you. When you grow with them and help them know their Savior that look says it all. All the excitement and happiness in their eyes for the future. It's the moment that makes being a missionary all worth it. You share a special bind between them that can never be broken. I love these people so much and when it comes down to it.. They are worth it. The homesickness from missing my family, the exhaustion at the end of the day from being in the sun on a bike, gaining 15 pounds because you eat so much Hispanic EVERYDAY, the struggle to keep your eyes open to study in the mornings just so you can teach them in the Lord's way and every door slammed in your face. ITS ALL WORTH IT.

   I love our Savior Jesus Christ and for a short 18 months I get to represent Him. My calling has power to change lives and it is through this calling that I see a change in myself as well. There is nothing like it and I hope every young man and woman aspires to be a missionary because it's the best job in the world! I hope every one has a good week! Until next P.day! Remember who you are what you stand for!

Hermana Ritter

Patricia's Baptism

Michael 

Taking the Trax for the first time

I saw this picture and I said "Oh my goodness, my moms are going to love this picture. I can just see it on the wall." Hahaha.

Happy Birthday Socorro!!!

Last Week in Transfer #2

  Honestly... What the heck with the time going by so fast?! I can hardly believe it and getting all your emails from home. Everyone is growing up, moving on and changing the world! I love it! Please don't be afraid to tell me about your life or anything you need help with. Even though I'm in UT I can still pray and fast for you! Shoot me an email!

   I love these people so much and it's so bad for my health but soooo good for my soul! Last night we visited the Duarte family and me and Hermana missed them so much. We helped Hermana Duarte cook and just talked with them. Sometimes missionaries forget that they are teaching people and not just lessons. The other day we found a family that asked us to teach them and when we could come back on the FIRST visit. They just barely moved from Las Vegas and I know that it wasn't a coincidence. Then we had a baptism on Sunday for this little girl we have been teaching with her less active mom. She had to be baptized 4 times because no one told the ward before that our baptism was after theirs. I was about to fight somebody. She was shivering because the water was so cold and she had to do it 4 times! I was so frustrated... You just love these people so much you want the very best experiences for them. I tell every single family we are teaching that I will come back for them after my mission. They are just so close to my heart and a part of my soul.

   I have so much gratitude for my Heavenly Father and Savior Jesus Christ. This really is their gospel and it changes lives. On Tuesday we were teaching Lucia about the Plan of Salvation and how she has a purpose in this life. We got to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and seriously... So powerful. My favorite part about teaching is when I look into someone's eyes and tell them this gospel is true because I know it to be for myself. I looked into her eyes and I told her "Lucy, your Savior Jesus Christ loves you." BOOM. In that moment you could see I light bulb go off in her head. One thing that she said that will always be in heart was after she said "It's crazy to me that a person can love me that much."

   Guys, this is why we are serving our missions. This is why we need to share our beliefs with others. This is why as members of the Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter-day Saints we are examples. Through us people can know their Savior Jesus Christ and the power that He can bring into their lives. This is a gospel that when applied into our lives we have light and knowledge to help be the best that we can be. It is through he Savior that we can "be perfected" (Moroni 10:35). We find ourselves when we loose ourselves in Christ. I know with out a doubt that this gospel true and it is His. This gospel... I can't help but smile when I'm sharing the peace it brings to the soul. I love you all so very much and hope that this letter was what you needed to hear! Until next P.Day!

Hermana Ritter