From: Heather Ripplinger <heather.ripplinger@myldsmail.net>
To: Nikki Ripplinger <bnripp@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 1:33 PM
Subject: I am a MISSIONARY!!!!!!
My dear friends and family,
I realize more and more how incredibly blessed I have been to grow up with such a strong family, such strong examples around me, and simply in the Gospel. Blessings have been pouring down. I feel like I am in a huge thunderstorm. The blessings are pouring down like rain, the lightning strikes are incredible miracles, and the thunder is the sound of my choir singing every morning. I have a lot of good news!!!!!
Last week I mentioned that my companions and I were singing in the MTC choir that sings each week at the Devotional when a General Authority comes to speak to us. Elder Oaks and his wife came this week and we sang "Consider the Lillies". It was SO BEAUTIFUL. And it is the first time I've ever seen the men out number the women in a choir! It is so powerful! So..... the very week I came into the MTC, they started passing out applications for a "special MTC choir". I felt like I needed to try and get in, so I filled out the application. Out of thousands of missionaries, I made it in. That special choir is performing in the Saturday session of General Conference!!!
Every morning, we practice from 7:00 to 8:00 and my companions drop me off in the big rehearsal room. I am SOOOOO excited!!!! One of our songs is "Praise to the Man" and at the climax of the song, we break into 8 different parts. I'm singing first soprano, so I get to sing those high notes. It has been so powerful to wake up every morning, hit it hard with the music directors, and pull the songs together. It is so empowering. Especially as I study the Gospel, gain a stronger and stronger testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration, and as I prepare to bear testimony in the very place that Joseph Smith was martyred. President Palmer made sure to emphasize the significance of this opportunity to me. Usually just the elders are able to perform in the Priesthood session and it is rare to have an MTC choir in a regular session. It is truly a once in a life time opportunity. Had I entered the MTC one week later, or left one week earlier, I would have missed it.
Every morning, we practice from 7:00 to 8:00 and my companions drop me off in the big rehearsal room. I am SOOOOO excited!!!! One of our songs is "Praise to the Man" and at the climax of the song, we break into 8 different parts. I'm singing first soprano, so I get to sing those high notes. It has been so powerful to wake up every morning, hit it hard with the music directors, and pull the songs together. It is so empowering. Especially as I study the Gospel, gain a stronger and stronger testimony of Joseph Smith and the Restoration, and as I prepare to bear testimony in the very place that Joseph Smith was martyred. President Palmer made sure to emphasize the significance of this opportunity to me. Usually just the elders are able to perform in the Priesthood session and it is rare to have an MTC choir in a regular session. It is truly a once in a life time opportunity. Had I entered the MTC one week later, or left one week earlier, I would have missed it.
A few nights ago, we had a "Receiving Revelation Through The Book of Mormon" Workshop. We were told to find a missionary we didn't know yet and talk to them for five minutes, then go back to our scriptures and find a scripture or chapter that we feel is inspired to give to that missionary. I paired up with a beautiful sister from Tonga. We spoke for five minutes, and I discovered that she would be serving in the Phillipines, speaking Tagolog. As soon as we began talking, I felt the Spirit and an immediate connection with her. I went back to my Book of Mormon and bowed my head down to pray. I prayed with that sincere intent that Moroni talks about and asked for revelation. I opened my eyes and immediately flipped to 2 Nephi 32. It talks about how angels speak by the Spirit and our efforts can be consecrated to the Lord. As I read it, I got the chills-the powerful feeling of the Holy Ghost. This was the chapter for my sister. We came back together ten minutes later to exchange our chapters. Imagine all of the chapters in the Book of Mormon...all of the scriptures, books, and chapters. We chose the exact same chapter for each other. We cried together as our testimonies of the power of revelation and the Book of Mormon were strengthened.
I mentioned to my family last week that one of my companions was struggling. I have dedicated my heart and prayers to strengthening her, striving to help her gain a testimony-specifically of the Atonement, and doing everything within my power to love her. We've had several tender experiences, but I would just like to share one. We were in class the other night, role playing working with a difficult investigator. She was doing a good job of avoiding the Spirit and asking questions to interrupt the flow of everything. I felt strongly that I was not just teaching a "fake" investigator, but this was an opportunity for me to bear solid and strong testimony to my own companion.
I was talking about Christ's life on the earth and had just began speaking about the Garden of Gethsemane ( a place that is as sacred as a temple to me). She cut me off and asked, "But wait, how do YOU know that Jesus went there or what He experienced?" It was then that my role play was over and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost took over my words and began pounding from my heart out of my mouth. I don't remember exactly what I said, but something like, "I know because I HAVE BEEN THERE and the Spirit of GOD testified to me, testified in my heart and in my mind, in such a way that my entire body felt like it was shaking that Jesus Christ had been there. He suffered there and bled from every pore. He prayed so earnestly and it hurt so badly that He DOES know exactly how we feel when we are lonely, sad, feel betrayed, or just need to know that there is hope.
Because He experienced those feelings for Himself. He loves us so much that he gave His LIFE for us." I could feel the Spirit burning like a fire inside of me. My companion's role play attitude of a difficult investigator, suddenly lifted away. She put her head down and began to sob. Because of the experiences that she, personally, is having with the Atonement, she is going to have a strong testimony later in her mission when she is required to bear testimony of the Savior and His Atonement. A HUGE part of our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them develop faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. She is experiencing personally what it means to be forgiven and to forgive herself, what it means to know that He paid the price for all mankind, and that He knows her perfectly.
I know that it is strengthening and deepening my testimony significantly to see the changes that the Savior has made in her. The changes that He has made in ME. I didn't know what to expect in my companions when I came on a mission. I didn't know that I could LOVE two sisters as much as I do. We have been together for about two weeks STRAIGHT. 24/7. And I LOVE THEM. so much. I can honestly kneel down and pray at night and tell Heavenly Father that I have NEVER been even irritated with either of them because the Savior has helped me see them as He sees them. Love them as He loves them. I know that I've got a lifetime of learning and a lifetime to develop the pure love of Christ, but when you have the Spirit ALWAYS, nothing bugs you. President Palmer taught me that. When you have the Spirit, nothing will bug you. The hard part is just making sure you always have the Spirit. =) The good news is that Christ is always there with His hand extended and He wants to bless us. We just need to ask for it. And be willing to work for it.
I was talking about Christ's life on the earth and had just began speaking about the Garden of Gethsemane ( a place that is as sacred as a temple to me). She cut me off and asked, "But wait, how do YOU know that Jesus went there or what He experienced?" It was then that my role play was over and the Spirit of the Holy Ghost took over my words and began pounding from my heart out of my mouth. I don't remember exactly what I said, but something like, "I know because I HAVE BEEN THERE and the Spirit of GOD testified to me, testified in my heart and in my mind, in such a way that my entire body felt like it was shaking that Jesus Christ had been there. He suffered there and bled from every pore. He prayed so earnestly and it hurt so badly that He DOES know exactly how we feel when we are lonely, sad, feel betrayed, or just need to know that there is hope.
Because He experienced those feelings for Himself. He loves us so much that he gave His LIFE for us." I could feel the Spirit burning like a fire inside of me. My companion's role play attitude of a difficult investigator, suddenly lifted away. She put her head down and began to sob. Because of the experiences that she, personally, is having with the Atonement, she is going to have a strong testimony later in her mission when she is required to bear testimony of the Savior and His Atonement. A HUGE part of our purpose as missionaries is to invite others to come unto Christ by helping them develop faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement. She is experiencing personally what it means to be forgiven and to forgive herself, what it means to know that He paid the price for all mankind, and that He knows her perfectly.
I know that it is strengthening and deepening my testimony significantly to see the changes that the Savior has made in her. The changes that He has made in ME. I didn't know what to expect in my companions when I came on a mission. I didn't know that I could LOVE two sisters as much as I do. We have been together for about two weeks STRAIGHT. 24/7. And I LOVE THEM. so much. I can honestly kneel down and pray at night and tell Heavenly Father that I have NEVER been even irritated with either of them because the Savior has helped me see them as He sees them. Love them as He loves them. I know that I've got a lifetime of learning and a lifetime to develop the pure love of Christ, but when you have the Spirit ALWAYS, nothing bugs you. President Palmer taught me that. When you have the Spirit, nothing will bug you. The hard part is just making sure you always have the Spirit. =) The good news is that Christ is always there with His hand extended and He wants to bless us. We just need to ask for it. And be willing to work for it.
This week we taught a lesson with one of our progressing investigators. My companions and I had asked her what she read in the Book of Mormon and she asked about the multitude that were pressing forward to the tree of life. The Spirit took over that lesson and my companions and I were following the promptings. I felt the moment come to invite her to be baptized, but I felt like I needed to wait just a second. At that second, Sister Baird invited her to be baptized. Our investigator was hesitant for a moment and I felt like I should share an experience. I never even thought of this before, but I shared something to the effect of... "When I was baptized, I entered the water in my white clothes, and my dad came down the stairs from the opposite side. As I looked up into his eyes, he extended His hand toward me. Jodi, Jesus Christ is extending His hand to you right now. He wants to bless you with forgiveness and the Gift of the Holy Ghost to comfort you always. He wants to help you. Will you take His hand?" We all started crying and Jodi agreed to be baptized.
My testimony is deepening. My faith is Jesus Christ is growing. My ability to listen to and act on promptings of the Spirit has sprung this week. I also must add, that we must endure the refiner's fire, if we expect to be all that Heavenly Father intends for us to be. Wednesday night last week I went through that refiner's fire. I was getting really confident in my ability to bring the Spirit and testify. One of the trainers of our teachers came in and started listening to me. She said I had applied every one of the principles, then laid of a list of critiques of how to become better. This trainer was not what I call a "Christ like teacher", but she got her point across. It kind of hurt....a lot! I knelt down that night by my bed and I prayed HARD. I prayed that I could receive the Gift of Teaching, the gift of bearing testimony, and of being able to take criticism and apply it.
The Savior healed me that night. The next morning, after much conversation with Heavenly Father, we taught Jodi. Without that change made the night before, I know that we couldn't have taught like we did, and I, personally, could not have done what Heavenly Father expected of me without that change. When Christ fell down in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed earnestly. He sweat drops of blood from every pore. Let our weaknesses, sins, or trials be like those drops of blood. LET THEM GO. Do all that you can, then turn them over to Christ. He paid the price so that WE wouldn't have to go through this life alone. He is there. We just have to let Him help us. Like my dad extended His hand to me when I entered the baptismal font, Christ ALWAYS has His hand extended. Will YOU take His hand and let Him help you? I bear testimony that your heart aches can be healed, if you will alllow Him to heal you. Your sins can be taken away and you can become perfected in Christ.
The Savior healed me that night. The next morning, after much conversation with Heavenly Father, we taught Jodi. Without that change made the night before, I know that we couldn't have taught like we did, and I, personally, could not have done what Heavenly Father expected of me without that change. When Christ fell down in the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed earnestly. He sweat drops of blood from every pore. Let our weaknesses, sins, or trials be like those drops of blood. LET THEM GO. Do all that you can, then turn them over to Christ. He paid the price so that WE wouldn't have to go through this life alone. He is there. We just have to let Him help us. Like my dad extended His hand to me when I entered the baptismal font, Christ ALWAYS has His hand extended. Will YOU take His hand and let Him help you? I bear testimony that your heart aches can be healed, if you will alllow Him to heal you. Your sins can be taken away and you can become perfected in Christ.
One more thing I better mention. There actually is a leadership position for sisters in the mission field. I didn't know it existed, but I am learning a whole lot about it. Yesterday, President Palmer asked me to be the Coordinating Sister, which is basically the female Zone Leader. I do the new missionary training with the zone leaders, attend branch council, and make sure all of the sisters feel loved. My heart has grown ten sizes too large. =) I have to rely on the Savior because I can't do everything on my own. I had to memorize five songs for General Conference Choir, I am learning the missionary lessons and learning how to be the best teacher I can be, and I get to love the sisters with all of my heart. I am truly learning what it means to rely on Jesus Christ and to love like He did. And I am so incredibly happy. So fulfilled. I feel as though I have been purified, and I know that I will continue to do so. All of these experiences makes me realize that Heavenly Father's plan for us is beyond our comprehension. I had so many expectations coming into my mission, lots of high expectations. All of those expectations have been exceeded. I realize that I can completely turn my life over to Heavenly Father because He is perfect and He knows ME perfectly. He's got the perfect plan. =) TRUST HIM.
See ya on Saturday in General Conference!!!!!!! =) The PROPHET and APOSTLES are speaking!!!!! And the missionaries will be singing. I am so grateful to be part of this army. The army preparing the world for the second coming of our Savior. I love my family. I love my friends. I love my companions. I love being a missionary. I love the blessings that have been pouring down.
I love you!
Sister Ripplinger
