Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Letter, March 25, 2013

Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 6:24 PM
Subject: Quick Update

Hey, I'm sorry to do this, but we only have a few quick minutes to email. I will just send a quick update.

This week, Pat was baptized and it was a WONDERFUL experience!!!! I will send pictures and the program when I get a chance. 

We have been working with one man for the whole six months I've been here and he's never come to church. We prayed a lot to find the right investigator, and we finally found her. She picked him up and he actually came to church for the first time!!!!!!! 

There are lots of good things happening in the next few weeks. It's CRAZY busy! I'll update later.

Love you guys!!!!

Sister Ripplinger

The Lord's Work, Sister Heather Ripplinger's Weekly Email, March 18, 2013

Sent: Monday, March 18, 2013 12:45 PM
Subject: The Lord's Work

My dear friends and family,

In my family's email this morning, they described this terrible blizzard in Idaho. I feel sorry for all ya'll in the artic tundra! Hang in there!!!!!! haha! On Saturday, Sister Benally and I were outside all day and I'm working on my sun tan. Hopefully everyone else will get a little bit of the California sun coming their way....

This week has been really wonderful. One of our investigators is scheduled to be baptized in two weeks and it is really, really challenging for him to live the Word of Wisdom. HE IS LIVING IT, but it is incredibly difficult for him. We are calling, texting, and having lessons every single day to help him keep the Spirit really strong in his life. Sometimes it is hourly texts of encouragement and he updates us, "Still smoke-free"....."still smoke-free".... It is almost like we can feel what he is going through. This is helping me understand how difficult it really is to over come addictions. These people have so much faith!!!! They are changing their entire life-style and preparing to receive the saving ordinances. This man is doing everything within his power and he is praying like crazy. It is so rewarding to see his faith increasing as he realizes that, with the Savior, he can make it. He can keep the commandments. We are so proud of him!!!!!!!

We have been working with a family in the ward and this week, the youngest son was baptized!!!!!!! It was such a sweet experience to watch his dad baptize him and to see all of the ward support there. His grandpa gave a wonderful talk about the Holy Ghost and it was such a blessing to be in that room. The Gospel really does bless families!!!!

This week was kind of challenging and so I asked for a Priesthood blessing from some elders in our district. I was trying to fight off a sickness and was not willing to give up any time to be laying in bed. I know that the elder who spoke was VERY inspired and said exactly what I needed to hear from Heavenly Father. One part really stood out to me and said that there are specific people that I need to findbefore I leave California. I felt the Spirit really strongly and that got me all pumped up to find those people. 

We immediately went out to find this less active member and his friend that he's been wanting to introduce us to. We went to where they were sitting for lunch about an hour earlier, but they were gone. We were standing there in the parking lot and I saw Sister Benally look over toward this group of young people standing by the bus stop. She quickly looked away and I had the distinct impression come to my mind. "Pay attention to what she says AS WELL as what she DOES." I immediately asked her what she was thinking. She responded, "Nothing." Then she looked over at the people again. I looked at her big, brown eyes and asked again. She
responded, "Nothing!" as she started to climb into the car. The Spiritwas strong at that moment and I wasn't quite sure what we were supposed to do, but I popped the trunk of our car and reached in for some pass-along cards so we could talk to the big group. I shut the trunk and Sister Benally looked at me with this terrified look, then took off toward the bus stop. 

I smiled to myself and followed her. As we walked up toward the group, I was praying that we would know what to say and who to talk with. Immediately, one lady with a baby shouts, "I'M ATHIEST!!!!!" Sister Benally started asking about her baby and the lady just opened right up and started talking about what had happened in her life. At one point, she said that she believed in God, but because so many bad things happened, she couldn't believe He was there. We were able to testify and she agreed to meet with us again. MIRACLE!!!!!

Right after that experience, we went tracting and we found two other people that we were able to teach a brief lesson and they agreed to meet with us at the Church and to learn more. MIRACLES!!!!!!!!!!

One evening, we were tracting and walking along the street on the way back to our car. The weather was perfect and the sun was setting. It was absolutely beautiful. I looked over at my precious companion and just thought, "This has gotta be the good life." I feel so blessed.

This week, the ward youth went to the temple and took the family names of one of our investigators. There are about 60 individuals that are waiting for their temple work to be completed. It was an absolute miracle that the man allowed his family names to be done, that he had so much work already connected, and that the youth were able to be part of it all. The young women went over to his house about two weeks ago and we are trying to help the family situation improve. MIRACLES!!!!

Yesterday in Relief Society, they announced Veronica's baptism and several of the women gasped and began to cry. It has been a long wait, full of support and love from so many ward members. It made me step back and look at the big picture. So many miracles have taken place and I have to appreciate every single one. It is an absolutely huge miracle that she is getting married next week and will then be baptized.

I absolutely love this work. I love this time to serve as a missionary. I am so grateful for Sister Benally and for the great strength that she has. We have grown so close together and I love her lots and lots. She's not just a companion, but she's one of my best friends. We cherish every moment-the times when we jump for joy and
the times when we are praying on our knees for help. The Savior is right here with us and I feel the Spirit working within the people we teach and interact with. This is the Lord's work. This is His kingdom on the earth. What a blessing to be alive. I love the Gospel!!!!!!!

Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger

Apostle in California, Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Email Letter, March 11, 2013

Sent: Monday, March 11, 2013 12:58 PM
Subject: Apostles in California

Dear friends and family,

 

I would like to share a quote that my mother shared with me last week! "Every experience God gives us, every person He puts in our lives is the perfect preparation for the future that only He can see." -Corrie ten Boom- I LOVE this quote!!!!! This week I really strived to see things with eternal perspective and to get the big picture. It is absolutely amazing how different everything seemed. Nothing changed, except for my perspective. I am so grateful for this time that I have to serve my King and to be a full-time missionary. Heavenly Father really does have a divine plan for all of us and we need to train ourselves to see the "unseen".

 

This week, Elder Neil Anderson, an Apostle of the Lord, came to visit us in California. It was an amazing experience. Our whole mission met in Roseville and we were anxiously seated in the chapel as we awaited his arrival. I could FEEL the Spirit before he even walked into the chapel. It was one of those all consuming feelings where my heart felt like it was going to burst. A few moments later, he walked in with his wife, followed by Elder Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy, as well as President and Sister Weston. He greeted us all, one by one and shook our hand. I will never forget the feeling when I looked straight into his eyes. I could see the Savior through him. He seemed so familiar and the Spirit was so strong. I had been praying all month that I would be able to have a strengthened testimony of living Apostles of Christ when I met him. My prayers were answered. As he stood before us, I listened intently and could just feel the Spirit testifying that he really has been called as an APOSTLE of the Lord. As he spoke, the Celestial Kingdom became more realistic. That place is going to be full of wonderful people and it is going to be well worth any challenges we ever had in life. I want to be the very best I can be and I want to do everything within my power to bring as many people to the Savior. Sister Benally and I were seated in the very front row, so we were literally about five feet away from him the whole time. One time when he looked me straight in the eyes, he said something that left a deep impression on me...it was exactly what I needed to hear. These really are men called of God to serve as Apostles and Prophets on the earth today!!!!!

 

We received a referral from the mission office this week for a woman that was sick and needed a Priesthood blessing. Her relatives in Missouri had sent her information to the office. So we went over with Priesthood holders and she received a blessing. While we were there, she shared that her husband had passed away about six months earlier and she had really been suffering since then. She told us that when he passed away, she felt like his spirit had left his body. She said that no religion had ever taught that a body and spirit were separate, but she felt like that was what happened. She also told us that she knows God answers prayers and shared a specific experiecne she had earlier in life. As she was sharing these things, I just thought about how Heavenly Father prepares people to receive the Gospel. Now we are teaching this precious daughter of God!!!!!!!

 

This week, we went to dinner with a family in the ward and they invited one of their friends that had been baptized about three months ago. When she walked in the room, I almost gasped outloud. My mind flashed back to one of the first weeks I was in California. I was on exchanges with another sister in another area. We were doing service with one of the less-active members of the ward and were talking about her friend that she had kind of thought may be interested in the church. I told the member that she should act on the prompting, so she called her friend right up and we went out to lunch a few minutes later with the friend. During lunch, I tried to help this girl feel comfortable and also testified of the Gospel. That same girl was baptized a month later, and here she was-standing in front of me!!!!!!!! I had no idea what had happened since then, but it was a little miracle to see that she was already a member of the Church and was doing really well!!!!!!!!

 

There is a less-active lady in our ward that everyone has been trying to contact for YEARS. We have been trying to find her, as well. One day, another lesson fell through and we were in that area, so we went over to her house. There was a little girl out in the front, running around and we were excited to see life on the property! We gracefully lept out of the car and ran around the corner to try and talk with the girl, but she was gone! We walked to the front door and knocked...and knocked...and knocked...with no answer. I was thinking, "All right, I know you're in there!!" haha So we went around to the basement door and knocked. After about five minutes of knocking, this older lady came and answered the door. She came and out started talking with us. We started talking about family history, and she was suddenly really interested in the conversation. Now we have been over and few times, she is returning our phone calls, and she is coming to the Relief Society party tomorrow night! MIRACLE!!!!!!

 

 I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord's kingdom on the earth. I know that the men we call Apostles are truly Apostles of the Lord, Jesus Christ. I know that if we remain faithful and endure well, the Lord will bless us beyond our comprehension. We cannot even begin to understand how wonderful the blessings will be. The challenges on the earth will be difficult, but we can make it! Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can make it. We just have to turn out hearts to Him and follow Him. He will help us along the way. I love this Gospel and I love being a missionary. 

 

Love,

Sister Heather Ripplinger 

 

Fried Pickles, Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Letter, March 4, 2013

Sent: Monday, March 4, 2013 4:19 PM
Subject: Fried Pickles....Mmhhhmmm

Dear friends and family,

I need to get a new phrase to start my letters off, but for this week it will remain the same. THIS WEEK WAS AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will just sum everything up really quickly because we are going to go out and enjoy the sunshine!

Veronica is getting MARRIED in a couple of weeks and then she can be BAPTIZED!!!! She has been faithful and valiant all this time, attending church each week and keeping her commitments. She is getting batized Easter weekend and oh my goodness, we are SO EXCITED!!!!!!!!!

We are trying to use our baptisms as finding opportunities, so we are having our investigators make a list of those people they would like to invite and watching for people that are not members of the church. Then we take different opportunities with ward members to make nice baptism invitations. Our investigators are excited to invite their friends and family and I look forward to seeing what happens. The Spirit is so strong at baptisms and I feel like this will really be a significant way to find new investigators. It is fun to see the expressions of our precious friends' faces when they see their very own invitations for such a significant and special event. OH, HOW I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Steve is doing really, really well still. His whole life is changing and it is so neat to see his countenance brightening up, as well as seeing how everything is coming together. His whole style of life is improving and he is just glowing with happiness. I LOVE to hear him pray or to bear his testimony. Anyone who comes to the lessons with us always rises from their knees with tears streaming down their face when he prays. It is so beautiful to feel the Spirit as he speaks with
his Father in Heaven. We have been preparing the program for Steve's baptism and he isn't really familiar with many of the hymns because he is so new to the whole environment. He asked me to play the piano and sing "When I am Baptized" (a primary song) one night during a lesson. We went over to the piano and as I started to sing the words, "I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain.." I looked over at him and the Spirit just over came me. He is like a living Alma the Younger. He has made so many changes in his life and has truly experienced the Atonement. I had tears pouring down my face and we all broke down in tears. Wow- what a powerful moment.

Barton has been struggling for months. We have been praying for him and one night, we went over for a lesson and he opened the door with a huge, beaming smile. We all just kinda stared at him for a minute. Was this the same guy?? He anxiously welcomed us in and invited us to sit down. Barton is usually very sick and reclined in his chair in the corner. He can't read because the pain is so significant. That night he prayed outloud and he also read outloud from the Book of Mormon. It was a neat experience because he's never been able to do that before.

Veronica set a goal to finish the Book of Mormon before her baptism and she's going to make it!!!!!!! It's pretty neat that she'll have read the WHOLE book before she is baptized!!!! We are so proud of her!

Jacqueline's husband will be here next week!!!! They have been apart for two years and he will finally be able to be with the family again. (He's been working in Germany). Their whole family is so excited for him to come. Jacqueline is just bursting at the seams to get baptized. It's neat to see the excitement in her eyes. She will be a wonderful member. 

One of my strange things that I have come to love in California is FRIED PICKLES. One of our favorite places to stop in and eat at makes them. One day, Jacqueline was kinda sad and I suggested fried pickles. She ate some and she felt better!!!! =) The simple joys of life...haha

We have been working with several less active members, recent converts, and investigators on their family history. It is sooooooo exciting!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel like we are on this great treasure hunt and I love the feeling in the room when they find one of their relatives for the first time. It is priceless.

I went to my last Zone Leader Council in California this week. It has been such a blessing to be surrounded by such great missionaries and to learn from their examples.

Sister Benally is one of the greatest blessings of my mission. We are running at a dead sprint and I'm giving it everything I've got. It feels SO GREAT and I am so tired at the end of the day. I LOVE missionary work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And I love working in the California weather. =) LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger

The Lord's Kingdom, Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Letter, February 25, 2013

Sent: Monday, February 25, 2013 1:30 PM
Subject: The Lord's Kingdom

My dear friends and family,

 

The California sun is shining and Sister Benally and I are in HEAVEN!!!!!!! We have been so busy this week that we literally are updating teaching records until 10:20 pm and then we sprint around to get ready and turn the lights off for the night at 10:30. We have lessons scheduled like crazy and we have to make time for tracting and finding new investigators each week. The members are absolutely catching the missionary fire and it is SO AMAZING!!!!! Yesterday in our Relief Society meeting, the teacher was sharing about how she was preparing the lesson on being a disciple of Jesus Christ. As she was studying it, she kept thinking about her neighbors. She and her husband had intended to invite the friends over for Family Home Evening or a ward activity for years now. She felt a strong prompting to finally DO SOMETHING about it and she grabbed her husband and marched right over to the friends house. In front of all the women in RS, she proudly announced that she had invited them over for dinner to meet with the missionaries and they graciously accepted!!!!!!!!! So Sister Benally and I were beaming and all of the women in the room could feel the Spirit. Several of them made comments that they needed to follow her example. Sister Benally and I may have to start going on splits in the evening because we literally can't cover all of our appointments and be available for the lessons that members are setting up. Oh my goodness, I absolutely LOVE missionary work!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

 

"God hears every prayer in our heart- even the unspoken ones." Emma Smith

 

We have been getting our investigators involved in family history and it is soooooooo exciting to see what is happening!!!!! One of our investigators LOVES family history and has been working on connecting all of the family lines for YEARS. This week, we taught about family history and temple work. He gave us permission to take all of those family names to the temple!!!!!! We only looked at the info for about 20 minutes, but already there are over 50 names ready to be taken to the temple! The youth already had a temple trip planned for mid-March and they will be doing some of the names. We are trying to help this investigator feel welcome at church and involved. He agreed to let the youth come to his house so he could help them find some of their own family names to take to the temple that day, as well.

 

We stopped at the gas station one afternoon. Usually, we just pay at the pump, but this day, we decided to go in. My companion went into the restroom, and I was just standing in the little station, so I started talking to the lady at the desk. She expressed that she had been in a bad car accident the weekend before and had somehow been protected, even though the car was totalled. She felt like God had protected her. She had gone through a divorce and she's been struggling a lot lately. She said that she had been praying to see a miracle and then she had the car wreck and was protected. She was testifying of how God still performs miracles today. Earlier in my personal study, I had been reading in the Book of Mormon about miracles still happening. I whipped out a copy of the Book of Mormon and started sharing that chapter with her. She looked at me with searching eyes. I testified that God still loves His children and that she had received an answer to her prayers so that she would know He loves her. We had a quick, but powerful conversation and she gave us her address and phone number. Go figure- she is in the process of moving and she is moving into our ward boundaries this week. =)

 

Steve is doing really well. One of the best parts of my day is to kneel down at the end of our lessons with him and to hear him talk with his Heavenly Father. He is so sincere and genuine. He is truly being converted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His baptism is coming up soon!!! Yesterday in Sunday School, we were talking about prayer and our relationship to God. Everyone was sharing personal experiences about how their prayers were never answered, but they still had faith anyways. Steve quietly spoke up and shared how his prayers have been answered lately. He and his son had some problems a few months ago. He hadn't talked to him since then and was unable to contact the son. Steve started meeting with us and a week later, after he started praying, the son finally called. Steve had asked us where the story in the Bible was about the Prodical son and he started studying it, so he could have patience with his son. Now they've talked a few times and things are slowly getting better. Steve shows up to church in a white shirt now and he is so sweet and humble. Sometimes he says that he believes in the Atonement because he never, ever would have guessed that one day he would be a church attending, praying man with a Book of Mormon by his bed.

 

I LOVE TRACTING. You never know who is going to be behind that door!

 

We've been working with one part member family and they are really struggling. About a month ago, we invited them to go on a date. Yes, to just go out on a date and spend time together. This couple doesn't sit near each other on the couch or hardly talk to each other. Over the last few weeks, they've started sitting by each other and holding hands occassionanlly. This week, they proudly announced that they had GONE ON A DATE together!!!!!!!!!

 

My dear Sister Benally continues to be a great blessing in my life. I love her! She is always willing to do whatever is necessary and to go the distance. She is absolutely amazing. She has such a kind and loving heart, and she is very gentle. She loves our investigators and I love her for that. I feel so much strength from her and I will forever be grateful for this time with her. We might be dead by the end of this transfer...but we'll just keep going and going some more. =) That's what the Atonement is for. We could not do this work on our own mortal strength. There is no way under the Heavens. The Atonement gives us strength to keep going when we're tired, to look for the different route when one doesn't work, to never give up on the investigators, to have faith that there are more prepared, to kneel down at the end of the day and thank Heavenly Father for our blessings, and to give the Lord everything.

 

I LOVE THIS GOSPEL. I know that the Lord's kingdom is on the earth and that Christ leads the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through a living prophet. I am SO excited for General Conference in about a month!!!!!!!! We get to hear from our prophet, President Monson, as well as other leaders of the Church. I LOVE being a missionary and I am deeply grateful for the Atonement. I love my family and I am grateful for all of your support. Keep praying for those missionary experiences!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the Lord's work-it is real and it is really important!

 

Love,

Sister Ripplinger

Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Email Letter, February 18, 2013, Missionary Life!!!

Dear friends and family,

 

Time is just FLYING by and I can't believe it. Sister Benally and I are working like crazy and I absolutely LOVE her. She is always willing to do whatever is necessary and there are several days when we just eat a quick sandwhich in the car between appointments because we don't have time for a full lunch hour. She is willing to sacrifice everything and I love her for it.

 

Steve is doing REALLY well. This week we had a ceremony where we threw away all of the items he owned that were not in line with the Word of Wisdom. He showed up at church in a white shirt this week and just really happy. He is AMAZING!!!!!! He gets baptized in two weeks! He is such an example to us because he is so willing to do whatever is right.

 

We had our zone conference this week and it was AMAZING!!!! I loved it. President and Sister Weston have so many wonderful insights and they teach us by their examples. At the end of the conference, all of the missionaries leaving in the next three months bear their "departing testimonies". I wasn't even thinking about it. When my name was called, my heart kind of stopped. I went up and bore my testimony. As I looked out over my fellow California missionaries, my heart was full of gratitude for everything I've learned from them, for the experiences we have had together, and for all of the work that has been done. I'm not leaving Cali yet, but that made reality hit me a little bit. I am really grateful that I get to finish up hard with my dear Sister Benally in Loomis. We are going to run at a dead sprint all the way!

 

This transfer we get THIRTY-ONE new missionaries!!!!!!!! I am really grateful to know that I am staying right where I am. Today we are telling a lot of the elders good-bye that are getting transferred. There will be a LOT of new missionaries in our zone, which is really exciting. I can't believe a whole transfer has gone by already!!!!! There are a lot of exciting things happening in the missionary work!!!!! I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!

 

All of our investigators are doing really well. We have some baptisms coming up in March and it is really exciting to see all of them so excited for it. I'm grateful for this time to be with Sister Benally. I LOVE HER. I love this area and I love the people in our ward and that we are working with. I love it!!!!!

 

I hope that everyone has a wonderful week!!!!! We have but one life to live. Live it up!!!!!\

 

Love,

Sister Ripplinger

Sister Ripplinger's Weekly Email Letter, February 11, 2013

From: Heather Ripplinger <heather.ripplinger@myldsmail.net>
Subject: LOVING the WORK!!!!!
To: "Nikki Ripplinger" <bnripp@yahoo.com>
Date: Monday, February 11, 2013, 3:22 PM

My dear friends and family,

This week has been AMAZING!!!!!!! I only have a few minutes to write
because we have a big Preparation Day plan to go on a hike, so this
will be quick.

Steve (our new investigator that's getting baptized in a few weeks) is
doing GREAT. He's living the Word of Wisdom and just soaking up the
Gospel.

We pickd up a new investigator named Dacoda (pronounced Dakota) and he
is doing really well. The Astle family invited us over for dinner with
him and we taught the Restoration. Then he came to church this week
and we're meeting with him again tonight. He has been looking for the
truth and he's totally prepared!!!!! I'll update you more next
week!!!!

We have a few more investigators set with baptismal dates this week
and it is SOOOO exciting!!!!!!!! Everything is finally coming
together.

I LOVE Sister Benally sooooooo much!!!!! We are running at a dead
sprint to the finish and working our hearts away. We are busy teaching
all day long and have to make time to find food, at this point. Members are
on fire and really excited about inviting their friends over for us to
teach. It is kinda cool to see that fire of the Spirit catching within
them. They have the missionary spirit and this work is moving forward
like crazy!!!!!!!!

I LOVE being a missionary. I'm really grateful to hear that Elder
Ripplinger, my brother,  is doing well...I'm not surprised. He will be INCREDIBLE. I love this Gospel and I'm just giving it absolutely everything I've
got. I love this work. I love my Savior. I love the people here. I
love my companion. I LOVE LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a great week!!!!!
Love,
Sister Ripplinger