Half Way Done... Well, with the MTC anyway

Hello friends and family,

This week has been an eventful week and I am having so much fun! I cannot believe that I am already half way done with the MTC. Through out the week I always say that I have to write my family that but I always end up forgetting when the time actually comes!

The language is coming along pretty well and I am very surprised! I have learned more in these 3 weeks than I did taking 3 years of Spanish. It amazes me how much the Spirit can teach and help you remember. Universities have stayed at the CCM and studied the process and none have managed to duplicate the process. That's just another testimony of the role the spirit has in learning the gospel and how Heavenly Father helps His servants.

My companion and I are getting along great... A little too good sometimes because it's hard for us to focus. The district is so close and we all really enjoy each other's company! On Monday's we have district volleyball for gym and seriously I sweat more from laughing than I do playing! Most of the guys are more musical than athletic so it's fun to watch them get excited when they actually get it over the net. I am truly blessed!

This week was really hard because for a couple days after P.Day I was really homesick. I missed Jackson and Lilly so much I could hardly stand it. I felt like I completely bombed at Spanish and I hadn't felt the spirit with our investigator yet. I felt like the worst missionary in the world. Hermana Baldwin would tell me after "The spirit was so strong" and I wouldn't feel a thing. We are teaching this man Kevin who thinks his life is perfect, he doesn't need the gospel and just let us in because he wants his member friend off his back. He likes to go to fiestas and partake of life.. A lot! Hahaha! All the others who were teaching him before us (he is our teacher but we treat him like a real investigator) would come in the room after teaching him and be in emotional pieces. They told us before hand that they didn't like him and that he was "difficult". Me and Hermana Baldwin made a decision that we weren't going to assume and just teach him like we didn't hear all of what the others said. I am so glad we decided that before hand. He was for sure not as bad as everyone said he was. He was just a normal guy who hadn't known any better. Most of my district are mainstream Mormons and so I think they had a rude awakening. We taught an amazing lesson but I still didn't feel anything. On Monday we taught Kevin again and I was an emotional wreck on the inside. I was just really sad. The spirit was so strong and I think was because I taught in humility. Kevin told us that he believed God didn't love sinners and I testified with power I didn't know I had that God loved him despite of his sins. I told him that God loves all His children and invites them all to change to live through the gospel of Jesus Christ to find happiness in this life. Hermana Baldwin and I went into an empty classroom and broke down. We are so grateful and humble to be here!

Oh how I love this gospel and praying to my Heavenly Father. I pray for so much and I can feel in my heart that He is listening. I know with every fever of my body that this gospel is true and blesses families. It is the one true way to have complete and pure happiness. I know that my Redeemer lives, that He loves each and everyone of us and that only through Him can we return to live with our Father in Heaven. 

All my love! Hermana Ritter

PS as a side note (this is Nikki speaking) I'd like to share what a small world it is with you. Madi's companion, Hermana Baldwin, is the daughter of a boy I went to school with from K-3 and 5-7 grades. Does it get any more amazing than that? I asked Madi to see if her companion knew anyone in her family named Cade Baldwin who lived in Riverside, Id when he was little. "That's my DAD!!!!!' She replied. Pretty fun coincidence! :)

Week 2 at the MTC

Finally it's P.day!

This past week has been such a blast and I have learned so much. I can teach the Restoration without any help from my language books and carry on a conversation. By no means am I fluent but I know enough to fulfill my purpose as a missionary. Everyone who asks me where I'm going gets so excited for me when they hear Salt Lake City. They always want to trade missions with me hahaha! This week I was a little more home sick than normal because I knew I was missing Lilly's first birthday... If anyone has any pics please email them to me! I miss my chub! 

We taught our last lesson to our first Investigator last week and he became our teacher. His name is Hermano Hernandez. He is such a cool guy and he is tiny! He is only an inch, if that, taller than me and he is so little around! 

OH and I stepped on a bee. It stung me. It hurt. I hate bees. My companion was stung yesterday, She hates bees too now. We both hate bees. The trees here are in full bloom and they are really pretty but the flowers get blown off in the wind. There are bees everywhere!

Hermana Baldwin and I got called to be Sister Trainer Leaders which is the equivalent of a District Leader for Elders! The first thing that we both thought at first was how we were going to handle the Hermana in our district who has an issue of flirting... really bad. She has a list of all the emails she has obtained from Elders and insisted on reading it to us the other night LOL. She also loves to tell stories and they all start out with "So me and my ex-boyfriend". Hahahahaha! Me and Hermana Baldwin are laughing right now telling our families this! She cracks us all up and we love her so much even though she can be a bit of a challenge! Anyways, we prayed about it and decided that we weren't going to say anything until after the boys she was flirting with left for the mission field. 2 days later they were gone and she is doing so much better! We were both glad that we waited and listened to the prompting of the spirit.

Speaking of promptings.... Monday night me and Baldwin decided that we were going to set our alarm clock early so we could do some exercising before our day. The next morning the alarm went off and I immediately felt this feeling that something bad was going to happen. I kept thinking "Don't go outside, stay in the house." When we all started to get up at 6:30 to get ready another hermana from the room next to us came in and asked if we were ok. Turns out her and another sister in her room had the same exact feeling as well as all the girls in my room. Everyone had set their alarm clock earlier and no one went outside. I am so grateful for the spirit and the protection that it provides! Who knows what would have happened had one of us ignored those promptings!

Hermana Baldwin and Hermana Fisher might have talked me in to going to BYU-I with them. I never thought I would say that! We all want to room together! They are such great girls and it is always a good time! I'm lucky to call them sisters! We three get along so well and Hermana Baldwin is just as clutzy as I am but she says I play it off just a little better. I tell her I have a lot of experience being the awkward uncoordinated one! One of the Elders said "I don't know how you are so good at volleyball because you can't even walk without hurting yourself." 

I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve a mission. It is truly where I am suppose to be. I have never been more exhausted, frustrated and happy all at once! I know that my Savior died and lived for all of us to return to live with our Father in Heaven. I know that through the prophet Joseph Smith, God's church was once again established on the Earth today. I know that the Book of Mormon is that most correct of all books on this Earth and that with the Bible they are the full gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that God is a loving Heavenly Father and wants evey single one of His children back in His arms. I LOVE THIS GOSPEL!

Until next P.day!

Xoxo, Hermana Ritter

Having some fun with my fellow Hermanas...

First P-Day!

Holy cow I cannot believe that I have already been at the CCM (MTC in Spanish) already. It´s amazing how much I've grown in just this short amount of time.

Who is your companion?

Mi compañera es Hermana Baldwin. She is from Idaho Falls, ID and she will be serving down in Phoenix, AZ! Surprise is in her mission so you might get to meet my first compañera! She has an amazing story and is the coolest ever. All the girls I stay with are kinda... well a lot more girly than I am so I kinda struggle to relate to them... They like to talk about boy friends and wedding and naming their kids and I'm like... Volleyball? Hahahaha. I kinda knew before I went on my mission that this would be a problem since I wasn't raised like most Mormons. But I love them and I am working really hard on just listening to them and being genuine about it LOL!

What has been your biggest spiritual Ah-ha moment so far?

Here at the CCM we have practice investigators who you learn about, teach and come to love even though they aren't "real" investigators. We were teaching the first lesson in "Preach My Gospel" and it goes over how loving our Heavenly Father is, modern day revelacion and the First Vision when Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His son JesuCristo. I was reading the first paragraph and last paragraph that describes the purpose of the Book of Mormon. I have been struggling with my testimony for a while and reading the part where it says "The Book of Mormon testifies of our Savior JesuCristo and that Joseph Smith was called of God"... Well something like that. My heart burned with the spirit of God and I can never deny that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was called of God to translate it.

What has been your biggest struggle so far?

Relating to my compañera and the other sisters that we live with. They are the farthest from me in anyway possible. 3 of the 4 of us play volleyball and that is about the only thing we have in common. My compañera keeps forgetting that I'm her compañera and not the other Hermanas. It been hard having to adjust to other.. women. I just talk so differently from them and more... I don't know.. We just all have a different sense of humor. They are all such white girls! Hahaha.

How is the food?

Right now I am so grateful that I grew up in AZ. I MISS KENDRA'S COOKING SO MUCH! All we eat is Mexican food. My compañera is really struggling with the food right now. She hardly eats anything and I'm over here grubbing! Ain't nobody got time for that! Haha.

Are you doing well with the missionary struggle?

Yes, I am coping well. The first night I was not homesick at all. Everything was so busy and there is so much to take in that I was out! Slept like a rock and on a rock I might add! The mattresses are so very terrible here! Hahaha but we are all used to it by now. The second night I fell off the top bunk of my bed and woke up holding my shoulder. I lost feeling in it for a good 15 minutes until it really started to hurt. I took some Ibprofen and laid back in bed. That's when I was really homesick missing everyone. I wanted a blessing so bad from dad and Randy. I cried myself to sleep that night. Then after 2 days of it hurting I finally went to the doctor on Saturday and he wanted some x-rays done. I was cursed to an arm sling til then. It was humiliating. 

On Monday before I went to go see the doctor I asked all the Elders in my district to give me a blessing. The spirit was so strong! The x-ray place was closed on Monday so I went yesterday. No broken bones thank goodness! But they probably think I tore something in my rotator cuff. That doesn't stop me from playing ball though! Now I'm just taking extra-strength Ibprofen for it. The director of the CCM totally cracked a joke about me in his devotional and everyone turned around to look at me. I just waved and laughed hahaha. I'm known as the hermana who fell off the top bunk at the CCM! LOL. I'm famous!

What have you learned this week?

This week I have learned my objectivo. Here at the CCM they don't teach that it's all about the baptisms. They don't teach that in order to be successful you must master the language in 6 weeks. What they do teach is that your whole life for the next 18-24 months is getting to know, love and apply the gospel to your investigators life. I never knew I could love something so much until we finished our 2nd discussion with our investigator. All you do on your mission is pray and think about how you can help your investigator come unto Christ..

Plans for next week?

Wake up, Spanish, practice, Spanish, read my scriptures, Spanish, practice, Spanish, pray, Spanish. I might be able to get some sleep and some meals in between hahaha! ;)

Do any of your teachers speak English?

They do but not very good. On the first day you go to your first spanish class and there is not one word spoken in English. I was so overwhelmed I wanted to cry but I didn't! The rest of the hermanas in my group did LOL. Not me.

We have an hour of gym time everyday and all we do is play volleyball. There is this kid who I play with that played for Mesa High's boys volleyball team. A couple of the other Elders are really good too. It makes me miss Tuesday nights and playing with mi Padre! Tell the guys I miss them! Anyways they all like playing with me because I tease them and don't get all mad when they try to hit. LOL. Plus I can actually rally with them.

I can pray and bare my testimony in Spanish now. Shout out to Mr. Wright! I miss you and am looking forward to you emailing me!

Yo se que la Iglesia De JesuCristo De Los Santos De Los Ultimos Dias es verdad. Yo se que Dios es muy amorado. Yo se que JesuCristo es nuestro el Salvador y que Jose Smith fue llamamiento de Dios. Yo se que familia es eternal. Amore mi Salvador y mi Dios. En el nombre de JesuCristo, Amen.

My accents weren't working on my keyboard but there are some accents in there LOL.

Translation:

I know that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. I know that my God is very loving. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that Joseph Smith was called of God. I know that family is eternal. I love my Savior and my God. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Until next P.Day I love you all!

Mission Call!

Sister Madison Ruby Ritter: You are hereby called as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You are assigned to labor in the Utah Salt Lake City West Mission. It is anticipated that you will serve for a period of 18 months. You will prepare to preach the gospel in the Spanish language.

Let me tell you something right now and I am going to be completely honest. I was so disappointed when I read that to my family. I actually almost said out loud that I didn't want to read it. All of my friends were being called to all these cool places like Italy, New Zealand and Brazil. How come I got stuck with Salt Lake City Utah?! What, am I going to tell Mormons how to be more Mormon? That is super lame! My dad is going to spend all this money to send me to Utah? Seriously? The next night was my ward trunk or treat and everybody who asked me where I got my mission call started out super excited but as soon as I said Salt Lake City Utah I got a "Ohhh.. Well that will be fun." or "Oh well how nice."

I haven't prayed to my Heavenly Father like that in years. That prayer was at least 15 minutes of letting my frustration out, crying my eye balls out and being angry with God. I was furious, I was hurt and I was disappointed. Nobody wants to serve a mission in Utah! I laid in bed for what felt like hours thinking and listening. I hardly slept that night. But the Spirit of comfort that I felt was beyond description. Now I am a very blunt person so when I get answers they are straight to the point. Usually when I write them down I bullet point or number them. This is straight out of my journal when I had written the following Tuesday:

1. Madison bringing souls salvation and teaching them about their God and Savior is not lame. No matter where you serve I am not lame. I would never call you somewhere that I won't need you. Trust me.

2. You know I will make this worth your time. Although you may be teaching others you also learn so much that you can't learn anywhere else.

3. Jeff Ritter, your dad, was called to Denver, Colorado on his mission. That's not Italy or Brazil. He did not turn out lame. Boy, is he such an amazing example isn't he?

4. I called you where my prophet and apostles are. So not lame.

5. This is said a lot and I know you have heard it over and over but it is true. It does not matter where you serve but who you serve. My sheep are everywhere. My children are in Salt Lake City and they need the gospel too. They are not lame.

I have been thinking about these answers for the past 2 weeks and I came to one conclusion. I didn't sign up for this because I wanted to go somewhere foreign and cool. I didn't sign up for this to impress people with where my mission call was. I'm not in it for any of those worldly things. I am here because of my journey, the answers to my prayers and the fact that I love this gospel. No matter where I was called I have the most important job. I submitted my papers because I want those who don't know my Savior to learn about Him and love Him just as much as I do. I want them to know that they are a child of God and that they can be with their families forever. Most importantly I want them to feel the love that their Heavenly Father and their Savior Jesus Christ feel for them. I know that my mission call is where God needs me the most. He has never let me down in the past and there is no way He would let me down now. Watch out Salt Lake City! Hermana Ritter is coming your way!

XOXO, Madison

You Are Not Alone

Before you read my post, watch this video. Her bravery amazed me and I applaud her for being as brave as she is and sharing her story. I apologize for some of her language but her intentions are so very honorable.

I want you to take a moment and throw out religious, political or any back ground you have obtained. Since tonight I am posting about women, that is who I am assuming is my audience as well.
       First and most importantly I want you to say to yourself "I am a human being, no matter the choices I make, and I deserve to be respected and loved". It does not matter how you live your life or where your life journey has lead you, you are WORTH IT! It does not matter what anybody tells you or what you feel you deserve, you should be cared about and treated with dignity. If you don't believe in God then believe me when I tell you that there is one, you are His Daughter, He only has your best intentions in mind and HE LOVES YOU. He would never want anyone to hurt you or for your life to be miserable. Rape was not your choice or fault and was NEVER in His plan. Sometimes bad things happen and because he lets all His children choose their own destiny, one of His other children chose wrong and affected you in a way that makes God shed tears. You are precious beyond any comparison and you are LOVED.
      Second, you are strong enough to move on with your life. If you need help there are rape councilors that are more than willing to help you every step of the way. My favorite place to go when I feel like I can't go on is my Savior Jesus Christ. He loves you and knows exactly the pain you are going through. He helped me get rid of the pain when my best friend Olivia passed away due to someone else choosing to drive under the influence. Bad things happen but He has felt every single moment of hurt you have felt and He can help. There are those who can help you.
      Third, do not be afraid to stand up for yourself and put your abuser/offender where he should be. He deserves to feel the consequence for his choice. There are plenty of people in the world that would be more than happy to help you with that! I want you to know that if you don't get justice in this life, God will surely make his life a literal HELL when he passes on to the next life. I can promise you that.
      Last, goes out to the rest of society especially to men. No matter how "slutty", "trashy" or "demoralized" a woman can be she is still a human being and deserves to be treated as such. She deserves respect and should never, under any circumstance, be taken advantage of. It does not matter if she is sober or black out drunk if she does not give you permission to have sex of any kind, no matter what hole on her body you want to violate, it is rape. It is wrong.
To those who haven't had to endure the pain of rape/abuse there are ways we can prevent it as women.
      1. Try not to go anywhere alone especially if it's a party, club or a night on the town. If you are going alone say to the grocery store or happen to live alone always be aware of your surroundings. Bad things can happen at anytime, whether day or night, and it's not always a guy in a trench coat or a dark and hooded weirdo. Always proceed with caution.
     2. Know your limits and never pass it. This means drinking or smoking or anything that would cause you to loose control. If you are going to get black out drunk do it with a bunch of girl friends that you trust in one of your homes. Never ever under any circumstances except a drink from a stranger or go home with him. Promiscuity leads to terrible situations so do everything in your power to avoid them. If you see a woman being approached by a man and she is clearly not able to make good decisions then go up and ask her if she is okay. Then ask the douche bag trying to take advantage of her to get lost and get her a cab. We can prevent so many rapes by simply looking out for our fellow women.
     3. Always have your best interest in mind. Think about it. If it's a guy that you have never met and don't know, would it be in my best interest to home with him tonight? No matter if you are under the influence or not you should always think about your safety first. Is walking alone in this dark ally really the best decision for me? Instead maybe I should take the lighted sidewalk where there are more people and public. Is it in my best interest to be so under the influence that any bad in this world will probably happen to me? Have enough respect and love for yourself to always have your best interest in mind.
     4. Never give out your personal information to someone that you hardly know. If they can use that to track you or find you then you probably shouldn't give it out. Now I'm not saying to not have fun and take a chance by giving that cute boy your number. Just be cautious when giving it out. Be safe on the internet and always be cautious.
     5. Modesty never hurt anybody. Men are VERY visual and thoughts can turn into an action in a second. Present yourself with dignity and self respect. This simple prevention can save so many women. Your body is your greatest treasure so treat it like such! :)
     6. Be wise when it comes to your sexuality. My preference is sex under the holy bond of marriage but if you do not share my same beliefs at least be smart when you are having sex. Do not go home with a random guy you met at the club or go looking for trouble. Try your best to keep yourself safe. Being promiscuous is a risky choice so be very very careful ladies! Again have your best interest in mind.

Stay safe and never forget that I love each and every one of you! Together we can prevent rape. Remember that even the smallest light can illuminate the darkest room!
XOXO, Madison

P.S If you are looking for help the website to find a rape councilor

in your area is http://centers.rainn.org/. Also, if you need any additional

help, find a nearest member of the Church of Jesus-Christ of Latter-day Saints

and they can help you find a counselor in the church as well. Go to www.lds.org.

Help is always available! XOXO!

Papers Are Submitted!

Finally! After the count down coming to an end, my papers are officially submitted! It is all thanks to my Savior and Heavenly Father because with out them I would have had the change of heart that lead me to my mission. I just wanted to post a short observation I noticed and I think will help me make better decisions in the the future. When you get interviewed for your mission the Stake President asks the same questions that he asks for temple recommends. The Spirit was so strong! So here is just a couple of things that I noticed during my interview the President Rolfe:

-    When President Rolfe said an opening prayer for the meeting I was instantly comforted, calmed and reassured that I was exactly where I was suppose to be. I could not get the huge smile off my face after he said that prayer. The Spirit took my breath away.
-    The fact that I could say "Yes" to his question "Do you obey the Word of Wisdom?" almost brought me to tears. The Word of Wisdom is a constant battle for me and to able to say "For now I am conqueror" was an amazing feeling. I felt like my heart was going to pop it was filled with so much joy.
-    The next question he asked was "Are you obeying the Law of Chastity?". The feeling that I could say yes with no doubt in my mind and no guilt because I have never broken it is indescribable. Even when I felt like I couldn't take it anymore I showed Satan who's boss on that commandment and it felt great to acknowledge that!
-    The opportunity I got to look back on these past 3 years and all of my life's challenges I have had to overcome made me grateful for my trials. Yeah, I probably would have served a mission anyways if I hadn't made the mistakes I have but because of those mistakes I can look the people I am teaching straight in the eye and say "I know following Christ is going to be hardest thing you will ever do but He will make it worth your while. He has never let me down and I know He won't leave you behind either."
-   Because of how I feel about my Savior Jesus Christ and my Heavenly Father, I can not deny that this gospel is true. When I said "I have faith in my Savior Jesus Christ and God the Eternal Father" my heart started to patter and my eyes swelled up with tears. My body grew warm and I could feel my face turning red. The relationship I have with Jesus and God is the most precious and beautiful thing in my life. I feel their love as I obey the commandments and learn love through action. This process and journey has truly been the greatest blessing. I hope I can constantly feel what I felt today for the rest of my life!

Thank you to all of you who read my blog and have loved me through my bad times and during my good. I could not be the woman I am with out the blessing of having you in my life. Until next post!
XOXO, Madison

Prayers of The Heart

The past week has been so very stressful and it will continue to be stressful for who knows how long. Through all the chaos and difficulty I realized one thing... God knows the desires of my heart and wants me to be happy. I am going to tell 3 stories that is proof God answers the prayers of your heart.

1. General Conference was this weekend and although we need to listen to it no matter what I felt as though I needed it now more than ever. Something about conference relaxes me (partly because I never get dressed while I am watching it) and it comforts me when I am feeling inadequate for life's challenges. My manager had scheduled me to work 11am - 7pm on Sunday so I was sad that I was going to miss Conference and not be able to spend time with my family. A lady at  my work was asking about my plans this weekend and I said I don't work Saturday but I work Sunday. I didn't tell her about Conference or that I prefer not to work on Sunday. On my break she walks in and says "Madi would you like me to take your shift on Sunday? I heard you saying you were going on a mission for the Mormon church and I know Mormons don't work on Sundays. I don't do anything and all my husband does lately is watch football anyways." God had answered my prayers through Carol (my co-worker) and it almost brought me to tears. If you are reading this, thank you Carol for listening to your gut and helping me grow stronger spiritually.

2. Society seems to be taking out all of it's demoralization on women lately and as a woman I was feeling like poop. Sometimes you forget just how divine you are to God's plan and that you are a Daughter of a King. To Elder D. Todd Christofferson I am eternally thankful for how you nourished my testimony this General Conference. Your words inspire me to be a better woman, sister, daughter, and friend. If you haven't already, no matter if you are a member or not, listen to his words and it will give you the strength to become the best woman you can be. Once again God answered my prayers even when it was a silent one in my heart. It was EXACTLY what I needed to hear and has given me an push to try harder and enjoy life. (http://www.lds.org/general-conference/watch/2013/10?lang=eng&vid=2722266089001&cid=5)

3. I worked so much last week and have so many things due in my classes this week. One assignment I was stressing about the most was my Unit Test in my Math 121 class today. I had been studying all week but I still felt unprepared and I had to finish the essay that was due in my English class that I was suffering writer's block with. 10 minutes before class was suppose to start he emailed everyone saying that class was cancelled giving me an extra hour before the test to study and give me an extra 2 days to work on my essay.

A favorite scripture of mine is found in the Book of Mormon in the Book of Alma Chapter 37 verses 6 and 7 and it reads:
" 6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.

 7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls."

I pray that we all find joy in the simple blessings that make life delightful. Until next time

XOXO, Madison