The Untitled Post...things are about the same :)

  I can't really figure out how to start this letter. I don't even know what to title this letter as. It doesn't feel like much has happened this week, but at the same time it feels like a lot has happened. I didn't spend much time in my area this week. I focused a lot on my district and helping the Elders in my district strengthen the relationship with the members in their ward. I went on two exchanges this week. I went Elder Tran who is the Vietnamese Elder over the Vietnamese Branch. He is an amazing Elder with an amazing story. Then I did a half day exchange with two sets of Elders who share a ward with each other. I love getting to know the Elders in my District. I know I have said that in the beginning of the past two letters, but I really do love each Elder of my district. We are all becoming best friends and they really respect me as their leader. I am so happy to have the opportunity to help them out and be their friend.
     As far as my area goes... There is the good and the bad. What do you want first? Well Tony and Kim have really been struggling because of Tony's unemployment. We have given him many resources that the Church provides for him use. Elder Grassley and I were the ones that first gave him these resources. Then Elder Armenta and I continued to encourage him to use these resources to help him find a job, but he would never utilize them. Finally I think that it has come to the point where he feels like he is in need of these extra resources and he has turned to us more and more for help. We eventually just took him to a member's home and we sat down until we found a promising lead for him to follow up on. We were successful in finding him one, but I hope and pray that he follows up. I feel like Tony's life is just so hectic right now that it is taking him away from studying and living the Gospel. Satan works in diverse ways, and I know that he is working on Tony and Kim. He is so tricky in making people believe that "If you get this job, and focus on getting your feet set on the ground first, then you can learn and live the Gospel." Which is a completely twisted and backward doctrine. In reality God teaches, "If you focus on learning and living the Gospel, then you can get my feet on the ground." This teaching is a teaching that is has Faith as its underlying foundation, and that is how God works. Satan's doctrine requires no faith whatsoever. I have found throughout my mission that this is the main way that either people fall away from the Church or it prevents them from ever joining.
     Claudie has the same problem as Tony. She is looking for a job and this is preventing her from hearing, learning, and living the Gospel. We haven't been able to meet with her, and she hasn't been able to come to Church due to her job search which seems to consume most of her time. I know that if they can just understand God's doctrine that I shared earlier that they would be able to act in faith and work with us, and come to Church. Then see the evidence of their faith by obtaining a job or some sort of work because of their act of faith.
     Now for the good news. We set another baptismal date with Beth. She is doing well. Her date is for April the 6th. When we first set that date I at first didn't recognize the signifigance of that date. When we were driving back it occurred to me that that is a very special day in the Church. The day the Church was organized. Now that would be a great day to be baptized. We had a baptismal date with Beth and she wasn't able to make it due to some commandment issues. She is working through them though and yesterday talked to the Bishop and things went very well. The bishop feels that she will be able to make it to that date! So that is very good news. We are continuing to work with Beth and pray and fast for her.

     That is about all the news in the past week regarding the people I am working with. This Sunday was Fast and Testimony meeting. I decided to get up and bear my testimony due to the fact that it may be the last chance that I have to do so in the Dunwoody Ward. In my testimony I thanked all the members for being such great examples of the Gospel and how the truth of the Gospel has manifested itself to me in all of their lives. I felt such gratitude for having the chance to sit in each members home and get to know them. I love Sundays, they are my favorite. I love going to Church and being able to feel the spirit that everyone has to offer.

      Well I better get going. I have got a fun P-Day planned out with my district today. I hope that you all have a great Monday. May God be with you!

-Elder Ryan Romero

Another End of a Transfer

Has it really been 12 weeks since I came into Dunwoody? Where has the time gone. It seems like yesterday I was driving down up the I285 with my new companion coming to my new area. Now the time has come, the end of the transfer. This Morning around 9AM we got the call from the AP's telling us what is happening. Are you ready? Drum roll...... ta ta ta ta...... I am staying and training. Elder Armenta is leaving and training in another area. We were not surprised that this was going to happen. We are having 16 new Elders come in this transfer and only about 5 leaving. So we both figured we were going to be training. Also, that is what the AP's told as at the start of this transfer when they told us that they had to pull a few strings to keep us here another transfer. Now I am going to go into my rant about how much I love Elder Armenta. 
     Elder Armenta and I have become best friends over the past 9 weeks. We have become so incredibly close. I have always wanted a best friend and I feel like I have that in Elder Armenta. He is the nicest coolest kid I have ever met. He has been such a good example to me about how a missionary should be, but more importantly how a disciple of Jesus Christ should be. He is constantly looking for opportunities to serve other people whether it be making my bed while I'm in the shower, or taking up someone's garbage can to their house, or writing a note to a sick member telling them how great they are. He is consistently representing Jesus Christ. I am so sad to see him go. I don't know how I am going to survive without him. I know that God need's his help in other parts of the Atlanta Georgia Mission. His affect that he has had on me and the Dunwoody ward will be one that will stay forever. 
     I don't really know what the next six weeks have in store for me and my new companion. Sometimes I get nervous being a trainer. I feel like I still need to be trained. I do like having to be an example to a younger Elder though. It helps me strive to continuously be a better missionary. I am excited to learn about my companion's life and learn all about his interests, and talents. People fascinate me. Everyone has a story and I love hearing them. I hope that I can be to my new companion what Elder Armenta was to me. I hope that I can be a strong example of Jesus Christ for him to follow. I hope that I can help my new companion grow as much as possible and have myself grow in the process. 
      There is a lot of work to be done in the Dunwoody area. A lot of seeds to sow, and plants to harvest. I have a feeling that this next transfer is going to be a good one. The Dunwoody area is ripe and already to harvest. I am so glad that at least one of us is staying in the area to maintain the relationship with the members. Dunwoody is a powerhouse of member support, you just need to know where to find those key members. I and Elder Armenta know who those people are, and I am going to teach my greenie who they are also. I am so excited to take him around the area and introduce him to all the amazing members of the ward. I am so excited for him to meet Brother Asper and be awed by his Gospel knowledge. 

     Regarding the work over the past week in the area, things have been pretty good. Beth did not get baptized on Saturday. Somethings came up that are preventing her from being baptized, personal things. Nothing too serious, but they did prevent her from being baptized on Saturday. She should however be baptized fairly soon. We still have a strong relationship with Beth and she still has a strong desire to be baptized. There are just a few things that we have got to work out. 
     The best news from the week is that we regained contact with Tony and Kim! Turns out that they didn't get antied. Their lives have just been incredibly hectic due to Tony being out of work. When we drove into their apartment complex Tony drive in right behind us. We were so excited to see him, and surprisingly he was excited to see us. We went inside and sat down and talked with him and Kim. You could just tell that Kim was a nervous wreck from everything that has been going on. I had a feeling that I should ask Kim if she'd like a blessing, and she said yes. So I gave her the blessing and she got up with tears in her eyes because she was so grateful. It was truly a miracle that we got to see them that night. If we would have gone a minute later or a minute earlier we would have missed Tony and probably wouldn't have gotten into see them. It was so relieving to know that they still love us and still want us to come by. 

      Well I have got to get going. I am glad to be staying here another transfer I am excited for what the Lord has in store. 

-Elder Ryan Romero 

A change of pace

This week was a very tough week for me emotionally, but I have to say that I have grown so much this week because of the trials I've faced. It has made me look back on the past Seven months. I have asked myself, "Am I giving all of myself to the Lord?" My Mom sent me a letter and attached one of my friends letters to it. Reading his letter really inspired me. From this point on I am changing the way I am going to do missionary work. I am losing myself in this work.

 

     I realize that in my letters I need to give more information about what is actually going on out here. So I'll start and tell you about the ward. This ward was really struggling at first with the missionary - member realationship. This ward is mighty in its potential. I have met the most amazing people in this ward. When I first got into this ward I wondered why the missionary - member relationship was struggling. When I got into this ward I made it a goal of mine to have a relationship with every member of this ward. I have to say that my comanion and I have succeeded in doing this. As we strengthened the relationship with the ward we realized why the relationship was struggling in the first place. The past missionaries never took the time to get to know the members. We'd visit members and they'd say, "This is the first time the missionaries have stopped by. I really appreciate you guys thinking about me."

     This ward has completely turned around. I have made lifetime friends in this ward that I will never lose. The Aspers are like my second parents. Brother Asper is my Georgian father. We have grown so close. He has taught us so much about life and the Gospel. He has been an inspiration in my life and I truly feel that I was supposed to meet him. I truly feel he has changed the course of my future just from meeting him and getting to know him. I will never forget the Aspers. I will never forget the people of this ward. There are so many amazing families.

      I will tell you about about one more family. The Wombles. Brother Womble used to be a baptist preacher. I have to say, he is the most amazing team up out there. This man knows his stuff about all the Churches around the Atlanta area, because he had one of them. When he speaks he speaks with power. He has no fear. His example to Elder Armenta and I has changed the way we think, and truly made us better missionaries.

      The members of this ward have grown to love the missionaries, and we have grown to love them. I still look back when I first came into this area and thinking, "I am going to be so depressed here, not even the members care about us." Dunwoody was truly the area that no missionary wanted to go to. I'd have to say that it is now one of the stongest area's in the Atlanta East zone. The members are excited about missionary work, they want to give us refferals, and they trust the missionaries. I am very proud of the work that my companion and I have done in this area (as you can tell haha).

 

      Elizabeth has talked to her husband and it sounds like that things are becoming less tense between them and the Church. We are hopefully going to have dinner with her, her husband, and the Aspers this Wednesday night. If it happens it is going to be fantastic. She is ready to be baptized, we just need to make sure that her husband is okay with it.

      We had one of our new investigators come to Church this Sunday. His name is John. He is a really nice guy, but a little rough around the edges. Those are my favorite kind of people though, because you can truly see the Atonement work miracles in their life. John is a Veteran, but very young. He was injured a little while back and is now just going to school and looking for work. I am so excited to watch him progress and watch his life change. I hope that he continues to meet with us, and continues to come to Church.

      Tony and Kim haven't talked to us for awhile. They were progressing so smoothly but now we can't seem to get ahold of them. I am fairly possitive that they got antied by one of their friends... Hopefully we will be able to get in contact with them somehow. We have knocked and called and knocked. No answer. Pray for them.

      We have not been able to contact the Roldan Family since Christmas. It is the same story with them. We have tried everything. We have tried calling, knocking, leaving notes on the door, trying to communicate through the children. Nothing. I know that they still love us. I know that they still have a testimony of the Church. I know that the reason that they are being like this is because they are just so extremely busy during this tax season with their job. I just hope that things work out in the end.

 

       That is all the news that I really have from this past week. I know that my mission is making me grow. I don't feel like it is turning me into a different person, but a better person. There is a difference. Brand New and Thrice are still going to be my favorite bands when I get home. I am still going to want to go to rock concerts and wear band t-shirts and buy band posters. I still love snowboarding. I am still going to love the outdoors and math haha. Those things have not change, in fact I love those things more. Everything that I have had a love for has just grown in these past seven months. But I have developed new loves. I love the scriptures. I love learning about the characteristics of God and Jesus Christ. I love the 12 apostles (of the N.T. and modern day) and their attitudes and teachings. I love serving my neighbor. I love sitting down with people and hearing their story. I love old people. Haha that sounds really weird I know, but retirement homes used to be my least favorite place to go. Going there and seeing home bound people is quite honestly one of my favorite things to do now. The people that I have grown closest with out here on the mission have been the old people. Haha. I love God. I truly love God with all of my heart. Every breath I take has been given to me by him, and I love him for that. My new loves have not replaced my old ones. They have not made me into a different person, but a better person.

 

      I hope that this letter makes up for my past depressing informationless letters. I will try to make them better.

 

I love you all so much. I love hearing from you all and I hope that everyone is doing well.

Gaki at Stake Conference...she never smiles for pictures, must be an African thing

 

-Elder Ryan Romero

     

 

 

Ups and Downs

     This was a very interesting week. It was a good week, and a not so good week. First I'll tell you why this week was good. It was good because we got a promising new investigator. Her name is Elizabeth. She walked into Church last Sunday and found us. She has been in contact with Sister missionaries in temple square for some time. She is very interested in the Church and really wants to know more. She says that she wants to be baptized and ever since her decision she agreed to be baptized good things have been happening. She was an answer to my prayers.
      The Sunday that I met Elizabeth was a very difficult Sunday for me. The Roldans aren't able to come to Church anymore due to their new work schedule. Tony and Kim seem to not want to talk with us anymore, and our other investigator named Claudie went to another Church with her friend... We didn't have anyone at Church. I remember that morning praying that God would have just one person to be at Church. During sacrament it didn't seem like anyone made it, at least no familiar faces. Then after sacrament Elizabeth came up and introduced herself. She was truly an answer to my prayers.
      Now for the bad, Elizabeth's husband is VERY against her meeting with the Church or having any affiliation with Mormons. He is so serious about this that he has threatened to divorce her if she was baptized into the Church. We are not allowed to go over to her home to teach her because of him. Luckily we have the Asper's home to teach her in. We were able to teach her twice over the last week. Both lessons were very very good. She really enjoys meeting with us. On Saturday the night before Church she texted us and said that she doesn't know if she will be able to continue meeting with us due to her husband. She didn't come to Church this weekend, and we don't know if we will be able to see her again.

      I know that God gives us challenges so that we can grow. I know that my mission is going to just get harder, because God knows that I can endure more. I must carry my own cross, and go through my own garden. I must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, looking towards him in all that I do. I must have faith that I will find success in this area, and that we will baptize someone. Sometimes it feels like the well here is dry, but I know it's because I'm not digging deep enough. I don't know what God has in store for me, but I have to have faith that whatever it is, it is for my good. It reminds me of D&C 122: 7 when Joseph Smith was in Liberty Jail, "And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good." I know that my problems are very small in comparisons to Joseph's, but I know that the hard things that I face are for my good.

I love you all so much. I hope that anyone that reads this has a good week. I'd love to here from you.

-Elder Ryan Romero