Subject: Conquistadoras
My dear family and friends,
This week has been wonderful! I realize that sometimes I am trying so frantically to share all of the details about the Lord's tender mercies and in the process, may confuse you. =) haha SORRY!!!! So I will be in Nauvoo until October 10th, then we will all go to our new mission assignments. We will find out where we are actually going about ONE week before we leave. So that part will remain a mystery for a while longer. If anyone receives revelation for me, please let me know! =) In the meantime, we are in the Referral Center several hours each day and we are gradually getting ready for the next phase. I'm studying my heart out, trying to come up with creative teaching ideas, and to know that Preach My Gospel inside and out. I've been teaching a couple of people over the phone because the missionaries in their area aren't there yet and it is a HUGE blessing to me. I love to see their personalities light up as they learn about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Thurman is absolutely amazing. He is making GREAT progress and is absolutely golden. He has such a pure and good heart. I prayerfully give him a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read each day and he spends about 2 hours reading and studying every morning before his girls wake up. He went on a picnic the other day with some neighbors and their kids. He had just read Alma 36, took the Book of Mormon with him on the picnic, and shared the chapter with all of his friends. They were super interested and all want their own copy of the Book of Mormon and to hear about what the Latter-days Saints teach. He's already a missionary and he is just waiting to get baptized!!! Woohoooo!!!!! He and his little girls came to Nauvoo this week and it was sooo good to see them!!!!
Sister Christensen is a blessing in my life! I'll call us the Conquistadoras because we can't be the Conquistadors and also because she's teaching me how to conquer the world. She's already served in Oregon during the winter and she has VERY useful experience and advice that I'm learning from. I am striving with all of my might to be a powerful missionary and I am striving to learn everything I possibly can from my amazing companion. I love her already!!! She is LOVING and CARING. I LOVE THAT!!!! =) She loves people that just makes everything else work great. She was out in Carthage most of the summer, and there is a significantly different feeling when she's around. You can just feel of Heavenly Father's love for His children when she's around! We have already had many good memories and I feel like we've been friends for a long time. This morning, we woke up early and met the Teamsters (senior elders that work with the horses) at the barn. We helped bring the horses in from the field, watched all the horses park themselves in their very own stall and chow down on their grain. We had a blast out there and I absolutely LOVED being around horses again!!!
This week has been packed full of good memories and lots of missionary work. We've had some mice in the Visitor's Center this week...so that's been hilarious to be part of. Elder Anderson and Elder Watts were chasing one mouse around the floor and it scurried into the women's restroom, right behind Sister Gustuvson. I ran in to try and save her, the bathroom doors were flying open as we tried to get out without a mouse running over our feet, we escaped, and eventually Elder Watts saved the both of us. Those little mice move quickly! haha
We've been calling on referrals a LOT lately. There have been some international referrals or people that only speak Spanish, so Elder Anderson was calling on some of those. He spoke Spanish as a young missionary and 40 years later, he's using it to serve people all over the world! It was neat to help him call someone in Argentina and hear him suddenly start speaking Spanish as a crazy lady on the other end of the phone start talking really quickly. He geared into the conversation, she ACCEPTED, gave him their address in ARGENTINA, and the conversation was over. (Keep in mind that people were talking in the Call Center, static was terrible on the long distance call, and he spoke Spanish 40 years ago.) He finished the phone call, took a huge, deep breath, stood up, pulled off his suit coat, and said, "Holy cow! It is REALLY HOT in here!!!!" hahahaha I was SO proud of him. I could feel the Spirit as he was talking to her in broken Spanish.
Now her family is going to get the missionaries! Yay!!!! He called several other international referrals, too. The work is going forward! =)
I called a lady in Missouri that is an "ordained minister" for her church. She was VERY nice and started chatting away with me. She was SO nice. When I told her that I was a missionary, she exclaimed, "Oh my goodness! Do you ever come to Missouri?!" I told her that there were probably missionaries in her area and she informed me that she had an extra apartment space that she would be willing to let missionaries stay in if they ever needed a place, she would love to feed any of them that needed meals, AND she wanted to know how close by they were because.... she wanted to have the missionaries come talk to her congregation. ....!!!!!! She said that she's been studying the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and she felt like God wanted her to join "us", so she wants her own congregation to convert, as well. That aught to keep the elders over there busy! =) It was a really INCREDIBLE conversation and I never cease to be amazed by how prepared people are. This is OBVIOUSLY the Lord's work and He has a really, really good and detailed plan. A perfect plan. The work will go forward with power!!!!!
Two people that I found tracting in Burlington went to church with the elders this week!!!! Woohoo!!!! I'm really excited to hear about those people and I was especially grateful for the opportunity to tract.
I included some pictures this time!! This is my lovely Sister Christensen....I love her! She's from Colorado and graduated from cosmetology school. Did I mention that she is wonderful? =)
I LOVE being a missionary!!!!! I love Sister Christensen. I LOVED being around the horses this morning and I'm so grateful that the Teamsters treat us like queens... =) The temperature lately is absolutely PERFECT. Life is really, really good.
I KNOW that Heavenly Father loves us. He lets us struggle and become stronger, AND blesses us with miracles and tender mercies beyond measure. Like I enjoy singing...Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven! Elder Golden shared something with us last week that I would like to share. This was deeply profound to me. "The temple is not a house of the Holy Ghost. The temple is a house of the LORD." Think about it. I was also reminded that the Holy Ghost purifies and sanctifies us. It is important to feel the Spirit frequently and constantly. When was the last time you remember feeling the Holy Ghost? When was the last time you received a prompting? If it's been a while, I invite you to read from the Book of Mormon every single day for the rest of your life, but start with every day this week. =) KNEEL down in prayer every morning and night. After you say everything that you feel like saying to Heavenly Father, STAY ON YOUR KNEES. Stay there and wait. There is so much work to be done on the earth. I'm confident that you will receive revelation. Go to the temple regularly and make sacrifices to go. If you aren't worthy to attend the temple, GET WORTHY. You need to have the Spirit's influence in your life! You will come to know just how much Heavenly Father loves you, how much the Savior loves you, and you will realize how precious you are in the sight of your Father. Have courage and be of good cheer. =)
Love,
Sister Heather Ripplinger
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