Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 3:30 PM
Subject: The Lord's Sheep
My dear friends and family,
I absolutely LOVE being a missionary! This week was full speed ahead and I'll type as quickly as I can to report everything.
So transfers were on Tuesday. I am now with Sister Nelson and she grew up around Chicago! She has been in Loomis for one transfer before and she's been out on her mission for around four months. That day when we went to the mission office to switch companions, President asked me to be an Exhange/Coordinating Sister so I will be going on exchanges with companionships around my area every once in a while to help with training! I get to help with the mission training and planning, so I meet with all of the zone leaders, the assistants, and President Weston once a month! We received two new sisters in last week from the MTC and I got to go with them the first day to contact and go tracting. I cannot even imagine how they felt coming out and just going for it. I took them to Wal-mart and we chased some people around. haha I figured that if they can contact people bustling around in Wal-mart, they can contact someone washing their car outside of their house. =) It was pretty fun, but I'm still a little in shock myself. That night, I was driving our sweet, red car on the five lane interstate out to our area and that was a bit of a shock. haha! It is not Nauvoo anymore, that's for sure! I kind of love the hustle and bustle of California. The area that we live in, however, is not as busy and crazy. Our house is up on a hill, overlooking a GORGEOUS lake!!!! The leaves are changing colors right now and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. We're up in the hills/mountains and I love it!!!!!
A little bit of background information on the ward I'm serving in. They've had FIVE baptisms in the last TWO YEARS. The bishop and ward mission leader are really, really supportive of missionary work and they are GREAT. I'm really grateful to have them helping in the work. Sister Nelson always has the map on her lap when I'm driving, and she helps us know where to go....I would seriously be lost without her. So the first day here, we dug right in and started contacting people and getting to know ward leaders. She was here for a transfer before, but she didn't know a lot of the members yet, so we've been going crazy with that. I also was going through the area book, looking for former investigators and potential investigators, praying a lot, and seeking help from the members. I feel like a lot of people are prepared here and they're just waiting for Sister Nelson and I to get to work! =) I LOVE IT HERE!!!!
I'll share a few miracles! So there's a lady named Jacqueline that has four children living at home with her and her husband is working in Germany. Missionaries tracted into her a while ago and had been stopping to visit about once a week. However,they never taught her the lessons, so she didn't have a teaching record. We went and talked with her Thursday evening and I could just feel the Spirit pushing and guiding us along. We set up a time to come back and invited them to church on Sunday. So... Saturday night, I was pleading with the Lord that they would come to church and feel welcome. The WHOLE family came and they all knew people their age. All of the kids, knew people from school and the community! They went to their classes and stayed for the whole 3 hours! In the meantime, a young man had just come home from his mission and reported in Sacrament meeting. Afterwards, Jacqueline was asking how her 16 year old son could serve a mission. Sister Nelson said that he had to be baptized first and she said that he had!!! "Like baptized MORMON??" She said he was!!!! So all of the sudden, a mystery was uncovered. The two older children were from a previous marriage and they were both taught and baptized by elders a few years ago. Jacqueline, however, had never been taught the lessons or anything! I was kind of nervous to ask, but I did, "So why haven't you been baptized yet?" She repsonded, "Well, I think I would like to be baptized! I just don't know how to go about doing that. Can you tell me?" Ummmm.... YES!!!!!!! We set up a time to come back that night and we talked about being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, and then renewing baptismal covenants through the Sacrament. We set a baptismal date for November 17th!!!!!!!!!!! =) She's living all of the commandments, she's legally married, doesn't drink or smoke, etc. So we were SUPER excited!!!!!!! She's totally prepared and it was a miracle that all of the information came and that she wants to be baptized!!!!! We're getting the kids records transferred to our ward! It was a total miracle and she plans to be baptized in a few weeks! =)
About two months ago, a family moved into the area. The mom and daughter are less active members of the church and the dad isn't a member. They were just under the radar and hardly anyone knew they were around. A friend of the daughter sent a referral through church headquarters and we went over to talk with them. They're having financial problems and we arranged to have ward members that work with finances help them. We went over Saturday night and two men in the ward gave Barton a Priesthood blessing. Afterwards, he just kind of lit up and we asked if we could start teaching the lessons this week. He agreed and the mom and daughter were absolutely ecstatic!!! I think that Barton could be ready for baptism soon. He's trying to stop smoking right now... =) It was a miracle that the friend sent the referral to us and now the ward is taking them under their wing. MIRACLE!!!!
There is another family of a mom (Veronica), and two daughters (Taina and Giovanna) that have been working toward baptism. Missionaries have been teaching them for quite a while now. We've committed them to baptism and we're trying to figure out when it will work because there are a few little roadblocks, but they're on the way and will probably be ready in a few weeks!!!!!
Another lady named Judy.... she's also been "taught" for quite some time now. On the teaching record it looks like missionaries stop by and visit with her a lot and sometimes read from the Book of Mormon. This week, we've been taking ward members and teaching the lessons. I think she'll be ready for baptism in a few weeks, also!!!! She's about 70 years old and she's darling. =)
Another lady named Nancy! She was found tracting by missionaries earlier and they've stopped to chat a lot with her. This week we went back to contact her and I found out that she dated a Mormon when she was younger and he gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She's been reading in it and is interested in understanding it more...she was just waiting for missionaries to talk about them being Mormon or something!!!!
Something else that I forgot to mention is that we live with a lady that is NOT a member of the church. =) She is absolutely wonderful and she treats us like we are her own children. She came to Sacrament meeting last week and we've started saying family prayers together this week. =) At night, Sister Nelson and I go to her grand piano and we sing hymns. Mama Rose comes in and sits on the bed by us and I can just feel the Spirit. She's a good, good woman!
I feel so blessed to be serving here. I love being a missionary and I'm so grateful for the people we've been blessed with to teach. Miracles have been happening and it's so neat to be part of the Lord's work. He's been preparing these people for a long, long time. I'm loving the area, the people, the red car, the life.... this has gotta be the good life! =) I was excited to hear the announcement of the new ages for misssionary service. I think it will be absolutely phenomenal. There is a lot of work to do and a lot of people are prepared. I think that 19 year old girls will be just as good as anyone. =) I love being a missionary! I'm grateful to have the Gospel in my life and for the direction that it gives me in my life. I am grateful that Heavenly Father is patient with me and has a plan for me. I know that I could not do anything without my Savior, Jesus Christ!
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
Subject: The Lord's Sheep
My dear friends and family,
I absolutely LOVE being a missionary! This week was full speed ahead and I'll type as quickly as I can to report everything.
So transfers were on Tuesday. I am now with Sister Nelson and she grew up around Chicago! She has been in Loomis for one transfer before and she's been out on her mission for around four months. That day when we went to the mission office to switch companions, President asked me to be an Exhange/Coordinating Sister so I will be going on exchanges with companionships around my area every once in a while to help with training! I get to help with the mission training and planning, so I meet with all of the zone leaders, the assistants, and President Weston once a month! We received two new sisters in last week from the MTC and I got to go with them the first day to contact and go tracting. I cannot even imagine how they felt coming out and just going for it. I took them to Wal-mart and we chased some people around. haha I figured that if they can contact people bustling around in Wal-mart, they can contact someone washing their car outside of their house. =) It was pretty fun, but I'm still a little in shock myself. That night, I was driving our sweet, red car on the five lane interstate out to our area and that was a bit of a shock. haha! It is not Nauvoo anymore, that's for sure! I kind of love the hustle and bustle of California. The area that we live in, however, is not as busy and crazy. Our house is up on a hill, overlooking a GORGEOUS lake!!!! The leaves are changing colors right now and it is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. We're up in the hills/mountains and I love it!!!!!
A little bit of background information on the ward I'm serving in. They've had FIVE baptisms in the last TWO YEARS. The bishop and ward mission leader are really, really supportive of missionary work and they are GREAT. I'm really grateful to have them helping in the work. Sister Nelson always has the map on her lap when I'm driving, and she helps us know where to go....I would seriously be lost without her. So the first day here, we dug right in and started contacting people and getting to know ward leaders. She was here for a transfer before, but she didn't know a lot of the members yet, so we've been going crazy with that. I also was going through the area book, looking for former investigators and potential investigators, praying a lot, and seeking help from the members. I feel like a lot of people are prepared here and they're just waiting for Sister Nelson and I to get to work! =) I LOVE IT HERE!!!!
I'll share a few miracles! So there's a lady named Jacqueline that has four children living at home with her and her husband is working in Germany. Missionaries tracted into her a while ago and had been stopping to visit about once a week. However,they never taught her the lessons, so she didn't have a teaching record. We went and talked with her Thursday evening and I could just feel the Spirit pushing and guiding us along. We set up a time to come back and invited them to church on Sunday. So... Saturday night, I was pleading with the Lord that they would come to church and feel welcome. The WHOLE family came and they all knew people their age. All of the kids, knew people from school and the community! They went to their classes and stayed for the whole 3 hours! In the meantime, a young man had just come home from his mission and reported in Sacrament meeting. Afterwards, Jacqueline was asking how her 16 year old son could serve a mission. Sister Nelson said that he had to be baptized first and she said that he had!!! "Like baptized MORMON??" She said he was!!!! So all of the sudden, a mystery was uncovered. The two older children were from a previous marriage and they were both taught and baptized by elders a few years ago. Jacqueline, however, had never been taught the lessons or anything! I was kind of nervous to ask, but I did, "So why haven't you been baptized yet?" She repsonded, "Well, I think I would like to be baptized! I just don't know how to go about doing that. Can you tell me?" Ummmm.... YES!!!!!!! We set up a time to come back that night and we talked about being baptized, receiving the Holy Ghost, and then renewing baptismal covenants through the Sacrament. We set a baptismal date for November 17th!!!!!!!!!!! =) She's living all of the commandments, she's legally married, doesn't drink or smoke, etc. So we were SUPER excited!!!!!!! She's totally prepared and it was a miracle that all of the information came and that she wants to be baptized!!!!! We're getting the kids records transferred to our ward! It was a total miracle and she plans to be baptized in a few weeks! =)
About two months ago, a family moved into the area. The mom and daughter are less active members of the church and the dad isn't a member. They were just under the radar and hardly anyone knew they were around. A friend of the daughter sent a referral through church headquarters and we went over to talk with them. They're having financial problems and we arranged to have ward members that work with finances help them. We went over Saturday night and two men in the ward gave Barton a Priesthood blessing. Afterwards, he just kind of lit up and we asked if we could start teaching the lessons this week. He agreed and the mom and daughter were absolutely ecstatic!!! I think that Barton could be ready for baptism soon. He's trying to stop smoking right now... =) It was a miracle that the friend sent the referral to us and now the ward is taking them under their wing. MIRACLE!!!!
There is another family of a mom (Veronica), and two daughters (Taina and Giovanna) that have been working toward baptism. Missionaries have been teaching them for quite a while now. We've committed them to baptism and we're trying to figure out when it will work because there are a few little roadblocks, but they're on the way and will probably be ready in a few weeks!!!!!
Another lady named Judy.... she's also been "taught" for quite some time now. On the teaching record it looks like missionaries stop by and visit with her a lot and sometimes read from the Book of Mormon. This week, we've been taking ward members and teaching the lessons. I think she'll be ready for baptism in a few weeks, also!!!! She's about 70 years old and she's darling. =)
Another lady named Nancy! She was found tracting by missionaries earlier and they've stopped to chat a lot with her. This week we went back to contact her and I found out that she dated a Mormon when she was younger and he gave her a copy of the Book of Mormon. She's been reading in it and is interested in understanding it more...she was just waiting for missionaries to talk about them being Mormon or something!!!!
Something else that I forgot to mention is that we live with a lady that is NOT a member of the church. =) She is absolutely wonderful and she treats us like we are her own children. She came to Sacrament meeting last week and we've started saying family prayers together this week. =) At night, Sister Nelson and I go to her grand piano and we sing hymns. Mama Rose comes in and sits on the bed by us and I can just feel the Spirit. She's a good, good woman!
I feel so blessed to be serving here. I love being a missionary and I'm so grateful for the people we've been blessed with to teach. Miracles have been happening and it's so neat to be part of the Lord's work. He's been preparing these people for a long, long time. I'm loving the area, the people, the red car, the life.... this has gotta be the good life! =) I was excited to hear the announcement of the new ages for misssionary service. I think it will be absolutely phenomenal. There is a lot of work to do and a lot of people are prepared. I think that 19 year old girls will be just as good as anyone. =) I love being a missionary! I'm grateful to have the Gospel in my life and for the direction that it gives me in my life. I am grateful that Heavenly Father is patient with me and has a plan for me. I know that I could not do anything without my Savior, Jesus Christ!
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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