Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Letter, July 31, 2012

Sent: Tuesday, July 31, 2012 2:19 PM
Subject: Once Upon a Time

My Friends and family,

This week was simply amazing!!!!!! Just when I think it can't get any better and I couldn't be more happy, the blessings keep on pouring down. I feel so humble and truly grateful for this time in Nauvoo and that I am blessed to be with Sister Umphenour. Even if we aren't right next to each other, I receive so much strength and motivation from her. She is a hard worker and I LOVE her. This week, we had some neat experiences together and we both had our own little experiences that were miraculous. Sometimes I feel like we're living in a fairy tale, but really it is just a dream come true. I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY. 

So last Friday, this young man and his parents came into the Visitor's Center. He was about 6' 5", had curly hair, and was extremely fidgety. His parents informed us that they both believed in Yoga. When they said, "We believe in Yoga", I thought they said that they believe in Yoda. bahaha As we went through a tour in the VC, the mom started making connections between the Mormons' beliefs and their beliefs. The young guy was looking around and seemed off in his own little world, but he stayed close by. We taught about the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith and the mom kept on connecting beliefs. Toward the end of the tour, Sister Umphenour and I were looking at each other and weren't sure what to do. It was kind of a weird situation, they had made it clear they had their own beliefs, the son was wandering around and we weren't sure if he had listened to anything we said... so it was just kind of a weird ending, but I felt like maybe the son had actually listened as he was wandering. They wanted to look around the Women's Garden, so we just let them go, then got together and asked what we thought we should do. I told Sister Umphenour that I felt like we should offer the son a Book of Mormon, but didn't know how to go back into the conversation. Right then, the son walks around the corner and comes back to us. He asked if we had anything else we thought we might want to share with him. Say no more! I asked if he would like a copy of the Book of Mormon, he said yes, he filled out a referral card, and he said he really enjoyed learning about the prophets in the Americas and about Joseph Smith. He thought it was neat there were more prophets. I guess he was kind of listening, after all! Almost as quickly as he came back, he was gone again. Elders get to go teach him!!!!! YAY!!!! =)

I was serving in the Log School and this big, happy, laughing family comes in. The senior sister I was serving with seemed somewhat unhappy with their entrance, but I was kind of excited. YAY! It's a big, happy family!!!! As we got into the tour, I pulled out the flash cards with words that are mispelled from the 1800's and they try to guess what they say. I figured I may as well have fun, so I was teasing them a little bit. =) They reminded me a lot of my Ripplinger extended family.  At the end of the tour, I felt like I should tie in the Book of Mormon with the learning theme. I had hardly mentioned it, when one guy raises his hand. He wanted to know what exactly the Book of Mormon was and where it came from. I started explaining and they were nodding their heads and asked a few more questions. At that point, the next tour was waiting to come in, so I stepped outside with them and they kept asking questions. They loved hearing about the temple. Some of them had gone through the open house ten years ago! I was able to testify to this great big, extended family and several of them filled out referral cards because they wanted to have missionaries come teach them!!!!! YAY!!!!!!! 

At Pageant grounds that night, I was walking over toward the seating area with Sister Umphenour, and as usual, we decided we would divide to conquer. The first person I notice is a 70 year old man sitting with an umbrella over his head. (It was raining) =) Sometimes it is hard to know which person I need to talk to when there are a hundred people milling around, but I knew he was the one. I sat down and started talking. He's been to Jackson and LOVED it. He thinks it is one of the prettiest places on Earth. He started asking questions about the Mormons and his wife came back with her own umbrella. She sat down and jumped right into the conversation with questions, as well. We had a really, really nice talk. I got a kick because in the Pageant, there is a man who wants to learn about the Church and the Book of Mormon, but he doesn't want anyone to know that he's curious. They were acting like him. =) Darlene asked me, "So if one wanted to...join your church, how would they go about doing that??" I smiled a great, big smile and told her that if a person were to want to join the church, they would need to have missionaries come visit them and teach them a few of the basic lessons about the Church, they would need to attend church a few weeks and make sure they met the Church standards before being baptized. She nodded her head as she took notes on a notebook!!!!! Then she asked where she might find missionaries and if there are any in Missouri where they are from. I had her right down their address and phone number and told her that missioanries would come right to them. She got a huge smile and she hugged her husband. "Honey! We will finally be able to join the Mormons!!!" As I walked away from that conversation, I wanted to close my eyes and pour a big glass of water on my head. I knew it was hot outside, but did that really just happen?? YEP!!!!! YAY!!!!!! =)

Sunday afternoon, Sister Umphenour and I were taking a tour with a man that was a little less than pleasant. As we tried to talk with him, he was just really grumpy and made us follow him around as he read the display signs. Then he told us he wanted us to show him around the Women's Garden. I didn't feel like it was going anywhere, but Sister Umphenour and I felt like maybe we should go. We walked around and tried really hard to make it a spiritual experience. As we were starting to walk back toward the VC, three young women and a mom passed us. When they said "hello", they watched us intently and kept watching us as we walked past. I felt like we needed to stop, but I didn't want to ditch the man we were with!!!! At the same moment, Sister Umphenour stops dead in her tracks and veers over toward the girls. Go Sister Umphenour!!!!! I knew I loved her! I walked with the man to the doors, said our good byes, and then I ran back over to the girls. The mom is a cast member in the Pageant, the two girls were helping with Pageant, and the other girl (who is not a member of the Church-Courtney) has helped with catering for Cast members for about four years now. They befriended each other and brought her to the VC. We took them on a tour through the Women's Garden and I could feel the Spirit. We talked about God's plan for each of us and how we have no limit to our potential. We tied in the Book of Mormon, as well. Courtney was participating in everything and totally soaking it up. At the end of the tour, we invited her to meet with the missionaries and she said YES!!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!!! I loved that experience because the Lord led us to be in the right place at the right time. Sister Umphenour was inspired to stop and talk with them, everything worked out smoothly, and now this darling young lady (22 years old) is going to take the lessons and she's reading the Book of Mormon!!!! 

Same day in the Visitor's Center. Two old women named Ellen and Helen came in. They both were asking golden questions. Ellen said she believed that everyone needed to be baptized to go to heaven, but she knows several people that she loves who haven't been baptized, some of which have passed away already. We talked about proxy baptisms and she completely agreed with the idea. Sister Umphenour showed them the scripture in 1 Corinth 15 about baptisms for the dead. They were shocked and I felt the Spirit come. Then they asked if we believe in baptism by immersion. We do and they agreed because it seems like that is how Christ was baptized. Although I know they felt the Spirit, they weren't quite ready for missionaries. We thought they might come to the Sociable/fireside that night, so after the program, we looked for them. Sister Umphenour spotted them, and we quickly walked over to them. Long story short, we asked if they would like a CD of the music from the Pageant, Helen asked if the missionaries HAD to bring everything they wanted, we said they did, she said..."Oh you girls are persistent. =) Don't give up on me just yet. We'll be back for Pageant this week and maybe God will have convinced us by then." hahaha We were ok with that and felt it was right. They'll be back and I got a kick out of those two darling old ladies that are best friends with names that rhyme. =)

Monday morning, Sister Cook and I started to take a very sweet, sincere man and his two daughters on a tour. The girls are really young and I could just see sincerity in his eyes. We discovered that two missionaries had stopped at his door and left a Book of Mormon, while also mentioning that he should come to Nauvoo. So he came. We taught him the first lesson in front of the statue of the First Vision and explained the Book of Mormon. The Spirit was strong and we were able to testify of Christ and the Atonement. I could see that he was hurting inside. I later found out that his wife had left shortly after the youngest daughter was born. Sad... =( Sister Cook left for a few minutes with the little girls and I was able to talk to Thurman about repentance, baptism, and the Holy Ghost. He said that when the missionaries came to his door and while he was in the VC that it was like a whole different world. He felt peaceful and hopeful. I got his contact information and elders are meeting with them on Thursday!!!!!! =) I have a feeling he will be baptized within a few weeks. He is so pure, sincere, and seeking the truth. I love that little family.  

Alright, last miracle that I have time to write about and perhaps I should pinch myself. I'm still kind of in shock that this all happened. Yesterday, a lady named Joanna walks in with a man that introduces her to me, tells me that she's felt the Spirit, took one lesson from missionaries along the way on their road trip, and he doesn't know what to do now. Well I didn't know what to do either! haha I took her over by the First Vision statue. After a few moments of talking, she said that she just feels the Spirit so strongly. I asked her what the Spirit was telling her to do. She said she felt like she needed to be baptized. Without thinking too much, I pulled out my planner with the baptismal interview questions. I told her that in order to be baptized she would need to be living the Gospel standards and would need to attend Sacrament meeting at least a few times. She told me that she's been attending a Sacrament meeting over the last few weeks, she stopped drinking alcohol because she wants to be closer to God, and she has been reading the Book of Mormon. She doesn't smoke, drink coffee, or anything like that. She was paying "tithing" in her other church and believes it is good to thank God by giving ten percent. She has a solid belief in Christ and God. We went over all of the baptismal interview questions, talked about repentance in preparing for baptism, committing to God and herself on one other commandment. Her husband passed away a few years ago and she was just so amazing!!!!! I could feel the Spirit so strongly!!!!! I took her over by the Christus and we sat down. I asked what she remembered from her lesson about Joseph Smith and the First Vision. She believes the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that Joseph Smith is a prophet. So we read in 2 Nephi 31 about baptism and she had tears flooding down her face. I also told her about the blessings of the temple. We had a great big hug and just sat in silence. It was incredible. So .... she's on a road trip and isn't sure when she'll go home because she feels like she doesn't belong anywhere. I told her that she needs to pray and ask God what He wants her to do because she needs to get established somewhere in a ward. She and the man that she randomly met (who actually happens to be an excommunicated member) started walking up toward the temple and I ran up to President Gilliland to ask what I should do!!!! haha So I have Joanna's contact information and everything. They're in Nauvoo for a few days and I guess we'll figure out what to do now! Baptism in Alaska? Maybe she'll stay in Nauvoo for a while or go up to family in Minnesota. She'll have to figure a few things out before she can be baptized, but...still!!!!! It was so exciting!!!!! Last night I had a dream that she was baptized in the Mississippi River. =) haha 

I absolutely love being a representative of Jesus Christ. I love seeing people change for the better- seeing the hope in their eyes when they feel the Spirit. This has gotta be the good life. =)

Love,

Sister Heather Ripplinger