Happy Good Friday This Week!

Whats up Mom!

I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED!!!!!!!!!! Hahaha I am super excited  and at the same time a bit bummed out. I don't know yet where I am going but am going to be a district leader and finishing the last 6 weeks as a new missionaries trainer. I am pumped but at the same time pretty nervous because there is a place that has opened up that is very....open..... It is supposed to be an English area but there are some Latinos there so President thought it would be a good idea to make it a Spanish area. I will be in a car. 

This week was a pretty good week. We found a really cool new investigator that knows 7 languages. They offered to give us food. My companion learned how to make yogurt. Homemade yogurt. I don't have the picture but my companion had to keep the pot warm and our stove would be too warm so he put it on an iron that he propped up with 2 t-shirts. I can't believe that it worked out haha. 

Sounds like some good stuff happened at home. I sent the missionaries to everyone down in Mexico. I hope everybody lets the missionaries in! I hope I get an email from Fernanda too. Tell her she should write me or something.

2 and a half months till I go home!!!!!!

LOVE YOU!!!

Elder Ruelas

p.s. please send me the pictures of my shoes on me bed so I can put them on my planner.

Happy 3 Months this Wednesday!!!

Whats up Mom!

Ya so General Conference was SICK! It was the highlight of the week. It was full of meetings so by the end of the Sunday Afternoon session I had to stand up and watch the rest of the conference. I really like the Priesthood session. I also really liked the Saturday morning Session. I have a feeling I am going to have to study this session a lot when I get home. I just got that feeling. (Something that is said in my Patriatical Blessing) It was pretty funny cause I kept on getting trunky cause I would hear the Apostles say stuff and then I would think "OK I am going to do that when I get home." Then I would start to think about going home and what I am going to do and all of this stuff so I had to stop and think about other things haha. What did you think about conference? I really recommend going back and listening to or reading the Saturday Morning session. It was really REALLY good. 

I got your package and I already spent some money. We found some SICK piggy banks and so I got a Glass Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Piggy bank and an Optumis Prime Piggy Bank. I am gonna try to go back and get a minion from Dispicable Me for Isabel. I got Dad's letter too. I haven't had time to write him back though. I am going to try to do that tonight before I go to bed and also to my converts down in the Valley. 

Thank you for signing up for my classes. I plan on going back in the Fall. I need to stay busy and keep working hard. I don't want to start slacking. I am nervous for school but I am super excited! I get to see a whole bunch of girls! haha But when I get home I need to eat Healthy cause I gotta lose weight and look good for the girls at college just saying.

Hey so I had to buy a new SD card because I can't figure out what happened to the one that I had. I was gonna try to send pictures and I did something and now the pictures don't show up on the camera and I can't take any new pictures. 

Love You!!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Your Son

100 Days Left

HAHAHA Everyone loves it here! 

Elder Ruelas

Happy 100 days left on 3/31/2014!!!!

Whats up Mom!!!!!

I love the fact you are counting down for me! I have 14 weeks left, 3 months left, 99 days left, 2376 hours left, 142560 minutes left, 8553600 seconds left! Not that I am trunky or anything. I have already planned out what sneakers I want to buy when I get home. I have already had missionaries start making me trunky music and movies lists haha. I am SUPER trunky. You know....just saying.... I need to get out of this area. I have been here for 8 months!!!!  I am planning on going on an exchange every day next transfer if I am going to be staying in this area. This week was pretty good. It has been the same old same old but we did find a new investigator that is pretty cool. She is super funny. We don't know how much she remembers but she says some pretty crazy funny stuff. We helped one investigator move and it was pretty fun. I was called cute by a half Japanese half  Mexican lady. I think she wanted to hook me up with her twin 28 year old daughters....  Ladies love me! We were moving beds and we also had to put together our investigators daughter's bed. So I have been telling other missionaries that I helped make a hot girls bed haha. I want to see the reactions of other missionaries so that I can give them a hard time for assuming things. 

I haven't checked the mail but I probably got your package today. I can't wait for this weekend. General Conference!!!!!!  It is gonna be super good. I can't wait to see what crazy stuff happens. Tell dad I hope my abuelo is alright. I'll pray for him. Have the missionaries teach a dinner lesson on the Plan of Salvation then commit the 2 of you to re-teach it a week later back to the 2 of you. We have been doing that with the members here. 

Mom I have lost 7 pounds!!!!!!!! I am gonna come back looking GOOD!!!!! You are gonna have to be my bodyguard mom haha. Nah probably not. Maybe when I get to BYU though. Hey so you are gonna have to sign up for classes for me. I won't be able to do it since it isn't my P-Day. 

Well I gotta get going mom

LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy last week in March!!!

Whats up Mom,

Hey so I was trying to load pictures but now my memory card is busted for some reason. Now I can't even take pictures....

I can't believe my last General Conference on the mission is coming up. You are right, these past 2 years have just flown by. It definetly hasn't been easy but I will without a doubt say that these have been the best 2 years FOR my life. I have 3 months left and I am working hard till the end. I have learned a lot but still want to learn more. More than anything I still have 3 more months to testify of the truth.

So this week was pretty funny. My companion fractured his pinkey and we had to go to the doctor a lot. Then we tried to figure out how he can tell the story of how he busted his pinkey on his mission to girls and we couldn't figure anything out haha. Back to a more spiritual aspect, We had a pretty good week. We set a baptismal date to help this man have more motivation to keep trying to quit smoking and keep staying on good behavior. Our zone has been doing super good lately. We have had 2 baptisms and could've had 3 but one was on probation. We have another 2 or 3 baptisms this weekend. We will see how the month finishes. This week we are going to the temple. I can't wait to drive through all of my old areas again. There is a missionary in the zone that I went on exchanges. He is a Spanish elder but he wants to go to English work. I tried to help him understand that Spanish work is where he was called to serve but it just wasn't getting to him. We will see what happens. Hopefully he doesn't change but who knows. 

I can't wait to see Isabel. I have a lot to do when I get home but she will have my full attention. Hey so I was thinking that in my last transfer you could send me my gold watch and a new bottle of the Vicotria Secret cologne that way I can wear it when I fly home....just saying.

So those are the classes I want to take for the fall. Why did you say no to Jazz? I really hope I can get those classes though because I think the schedule will be great! But ya'll can sign up for me right? If not I am going to have to let President know that I need to sign up myself. 

LOVE YOU!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy March Elder Ruelas!!

Whats up Mom!

Dad is getting closer to the temple isn't he!?!?! HAHA We are getting there. 

This week nothing really happened again. We did go to the temple on Wednesday! It was awesome!!!! That was the most peaceful that I have felt at the temple. It was the first time with just my comp and I and it was awesome! Every other time I have gone it is like some social party in the celestial room that just kills the spirit. This time I did not want to leave at all. We got in at like 10:15 and got out at 1:30. When I get home I want to go at least 4 times before I go to college. I prayed about going home early and I can't say that I have received an answer. I got yes and then I got no. I got to go home the last week in June, June 10th, or July 9th. I don't get it. I am still praying about it. Luckily my new companions birthday is in March so I get to go to the temple again. 

Other than the temple I was privileged to confirm the kid that I baptized 2 Sundays ago. He is one of the funniest kids ever. His sister gets confirmed in Spanish and I ask if he wants his in Spanish or in English. He looks at me and says "English, English would be Great!"  We also got back in contact with this family that we couldn't go see. We are gonna work as hard as we can with them. That family is super cool and needs the Gospel in their lives. 

I am staying in the same place for another 6 weeks. Its gonna be hard but I got a super cool companion.

You should send me a picture of the girls that just moved in. Plus are the girls 18 and about to graduate? C'mon mom you gotta do the digging for me since I am not home yet haha.

Well I gotta get going

LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy 3 months or 4 months starting tomorrow:)

Whats up!

Thanks for the package. It was nice getting mail haha. I really liked the quote. Sounds like nothing much happened back home. Nothing happened here either. My new comp is super cool. He is from the San Fernando Mission too. The week was full of meetings. I think I got my answer though as to whether I should go home early or not. I think I am going to stay the whole 2 years. I have 4 months left and I think I need to learn long suffering haha....

We had to pass off an investigating family to the new bike Elders and that was really hard. I absolutly love that family. I wish I was on a bike just so that I could teach them. They have been through a lot and the Gospel will without a doubt bless them and bring more Joy and Happiness to their lives than ever before. Their house is one of the few places where I feel at home. I realized how much of a perfectionist I have become though haha. I just need to let the missionaries work and whatever happens, happens. I just really want the best for them. 

Ya I bought the oil vials. I bought 2 just in case I lose 1. I am going to the temple again this month. But hey I have to get going cause we still have to go shopping. 

LOVE YOU!!!

Elder Ruelas

Hola from Iowa!!

Whats up Mom,

Ya so I am going to go home July 9th. There is this missionary that had to go early because of a bum knee that he has. He really wanted to stay the full 2 yrs, but absolutely had to go home and he was really sad.

So this week was pretty good. The Zone is doing awesome. The zone has a ton of baptisms for this month. Our week was kind of slow, but we did find this really cool new investigator. He is really smart and most of the words he says I have no clue what he is talking about. We wants to be like and Astrophysics  He is sooo cool though. We also taught this less active member that hadn't been to church in 15 years and he came to church yesterday. It was funny because he made bogus excuses like how he was blind and he can't go to church but we just told him that he doesn't need to see to feel the Spirit and he just stopped talking and said that he was going to go to church this Sunday and he did.  

Ya so that was pretty much it. Sorry it took so long. Missionaries want to just talk to me. I guess I am popular for once haha!

LOVE YOU!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Cold in Iowa :(

Whats up Mom!

I hope you are feeling better. Tell Isabel I say Hi.  She has made my planner cover. This week was alright. Elder Shuar and I are staying together! We are super excited and are planning on celebrating everything. We gotta have fun. Hey so what did you tell President Wilson? Watch he says June 17th....just saying. 

Hey so I am out of money. The missionary that was using my bike paid me $250. Can I use the money he gave me? I have no money at all. 

Love you!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy one week less :)

Whats up mom?

So have you written the letter to President Wilson? June 17th sounds really good right now haha. I got your letters. I really liked the pictures from Angelica. I put them on my new planner. It is obviously going to be the best planner in the entire mission. This week was alright. We had a bit of a scare with one of our families,  luckily now everything is going better.  I really like this family mom. They make me feel like I am at home. 

I make a pretty good New Years card huh? It's good to hear that everyone got theirs. We have another awesome investigator and I want them to accept the gospel, but they have take the step! It is really frustrating! UGH!! Tithing is real. It is a commandment of God. I can't wait to go home and pay tithing. It is the best way to recieve tons of blessings. I have to get going mom.

LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Happy 2014!!!!!!

What's up mom!

This week was pretty slow. A lot of our families were still out of town. We started to teach a family. We get along great with the kids. I haven't even taught this family and I love them to death and I want them to have this gospel right now. It stinks though cause they didn't come to church. The worst thing about being a missionary is that when you get attached to a family like this and you want the gospel for them SO bad and they just fizzle away. Other than that nothing really happened this week.

I am excited for the Sausage. I don't want Jerkey, just send me Sausage. Thanks haha. I am glad that I am not home for that cold weather. Thankfully it is only like 30 degrees. Mom, always share your testimony. When you don't, your testimony doesn't grow and when you do share your testimony, you help others increase theirs. Don't worry if everyone is sad and you are happy, my comp and I were told this week that they were grateful that we are always happy. There is a Sister missionary here that is pretty cute. We go home at the same time and are going to BYU.  

Gotta go. Sorry this letter isn't that long

LOVE YOU!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Our last email in 2013!!!!

How is it going mom?

I can't believe we Skyped like 5 days ago. It feels like so long ago. I was getting ready to call again haha. Not cause I am home sick or anything but it is more for advice for my investigators. I was walking over to the phone at night then realized Oh Yeah I Can't Just Call haha. I loved seeing Isabel. 6 MONTHS left haha. The way she said Bye made me laugh so hard. I wish I was home haha. Tell her I say "Hi" back. 

My comp and I are good. We had a pretty good week. We set 3 baptismal dates. One of the ladies I feel very strongly that she will get baptized. For some reason when we were teaching her she just reminded me of another sister. It was crazy. She really wants to as well but we will see. We also set a baptismal date with another family. They just need to get baptized already. Everybody already thinks that they are members. Otherwise my comp and I are good. He is making ceviche and I am making gorditas for New Years Eve. I am really excited for tomorrow. 

Tell the ward I say what's up. 

Gotta get going. LOVE YOU!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Merry Christmas!!!

Hey whats up Mom?

I got the box you sent me. Yes I shared. I haven't bought any shoes and I used about $8 to get shampoo and deodorant. I haven't bought food cause I am hoping to receive food from the members this week. I will tell you everything Wednesday. I only have like 30 minutes to email. I am not sure If I will be able to Skype because everybody that we know of with a camera is out of town. We will see.

Elder Ruelas

Your favorite child

A week and 1 day left to our phone call:)

Whats up Mom,

Dang the other day I got a letter  from Bishop Clove and he sent a picture. One of the Sister Missionaries in the Ward is a cutie haha. Put in a good word for me ok? Just kidding. It is pretty crazy though to see how much the youth have grown up. I saw Daniel and Seth and pretty much everybody. It is Crazy. I am a little nervous to come home. Everything is changing and it is wierd. Last week was a pretty crazy week. We had transfers and a lot of good missionaries left our zone. It felt like we were losing family. My comp and I loved our last zone. Luckily some more good missionaries came in. We even got some more sisters. Thankfully they are cool. The deer sausage was amazing. If possible can I get some more. Yes, I got the CD. It is awesome. That is the church music I like. 

We found a super cool family.  They are Mexican if you didn't realize that. That family is super prepared. The questions they were asking just left me in awe. I really hope they progress. The family, the ones we have been teaching for about 3 months have just been hitting a point where they aren't progressing. We don't really know what to do anymore and it sucks. I love that family SO much. The other missionaries have found so many investigators lately. It is amazing. This week they found a family of 12 and ended up finding a total of 18 new investigators. CRAZY! Today I got an email from this member down in the valley that was a bit less active but we would always take out to visit with us. He is going on a mission now!!!! I am super stoked! I haven't baptized a lot of people on my mission but that has made my mission. Don't get me wrong I am still going to work hard to find, teach, convert, and baptize. Other than that my week was the same old same old. This week we have 3 exchanges planned. I have a feeling that I am going to be very tired. 2 are back to back and then 1 on Friday. Hopefully all goes well. I still can't believe I have basically 6 more months left. I can't say that I have received an answer yet as to whether I am to go home early yet or not. I want to but I know that at the same time I am supposed to be here. I was thinking though that I can just go home the week after my Birthday. That or just go home the week of my birthday? Think about it and I will keep praying about it. 

Hey when you say shoes does that mean 1 or 2 pairs? Either way I don't know when I will be going down to the mall. Plus just a heads up I might need to use the credit card to buy groceries. I have $9 left with 2 weeks to go still this month. Hopefully I can get some of the members to help an Elder out haha. My comp doesn't have money either haha.  

Elder Ruelas

LOVE YOU!!!!!!

 

 

 

16 days till we get to talk to you:)

Whats up Mom!

It is super cold out here. So much for sunny California. They forgot to mention that even though it is sunny, it might still be cold. Luckily I have my warm jacket. I plan on buying a scarf. I can't believe I am saying it but some of the missionaries have been wearing them and they make it look really cool. Stuff that I thought was dumb are starting to look cool. I am doing a slight comb over. I just need to lose weight and I would look better than a GQ Model. Pshh who am I kidding I could be 400 pounds and look better than a GQ Model. LOL I went to the mall today and Mom I was about to go crazy when I went into Footlocker. I wanted to get 3 pairs of shoes. I had to walk out but Mom these shoes are really good. There is a pair called Nike Air Presto Lunar. I really want a pair of Blue ones and also this other pair that are Lime Green and Pink. It is mainly Black don't worry they are for men. There are another pair called Nike Rosche Runs. These shoes are nice. Super simple shoe and they are super comfortable. There is this pair that are Grey Black and with an Aqua sole. What is nice is that these shoes are cheap compared to everything else. The first pair are $100 and the 2nd pair are $70. 

I am staying in East Lancaster and my companion and I are going to be staying together for 1 more transfer! We are super excited! I haven't gotten a package from Deseret but did you get that CD? This week was a pretty boring week. We had a lot of meetings so it was kind of long, but it was fun. We had a fun transfer with the missionaries, but we will see who comes in. It will be really fun cause last transfer my comp and I were together, not as companions but as District members. We had fun so we will see what happens this transfer. 

I also want pictures of Chiquis' Baby. 

Take care of the Family. 

Love you!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy 1st week in December:)

Whats up mom?

Thanksgiving was awesome. We got invited to 6 dinners but only had time to go to 2 of them. We even got a Christmas set up for us. Yes I got your boxes and envelopes. I really like the TIES that the ward families have sent. Tell everyone Thank-you! How many are supposed to be coming? I got 3 in 1 day, 1 the next and 1 today. So did you get me anything in Chicago? Stop talking about yourself and talk about me! haha jk, but seriously, did you get me anything. I don't want any candy or Jerky. I NEED to lose weight. I have dads letter on my desk. I just keep on forgetting to send it.....

Trust me mom when I say that nothing really happened this week. Tuesday we had exchanges with the AP's. The only good thing that happened was the lesson, but when I asked him how he thought the lesson went, all he said was that the lesson went too long and that was it. Wednesday was a good day because we were able to do service for a member that is really cool. They have a lot of old stuff. Her sons are into martial arts and they are Black belts so they had a ton of swords and Bamboo sticks. Thursday was Thanksgiving obviously, and it was a Bomb. I am trying to lose all the food that I ate. They also gave us a lot of food to take home. I don't have to buy groceries this week. Friday we went on exchanges with some elders that are like an hour and 30 minutes away. It was fun. Kinda rough though just because we had to lift their spirits. We will see what happens. Saturday we had a lesson with our family that is right at the borderline of getting Baptized, they just need to make the decision themselves. We had a pretty good lesson. We will see what happens. They have a desire to learn and get baptized, but they just want to know more before they make a decision. Very confusing. Also on Thursday we had a Turkey bowl and it was super fun. I ran over an Elder, but don't worry he is fine.

I heard about the death of Paul Walker. Crazy.  

Anyways I gotta get going. Email me back if you get this email today.

LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy Thanksgiving Week

Whats up Mom!

To answer your questions first. Yes I went to little Cesars. It was a long day on a transfer. And last week we only had 3 dinners. This week minus today we have dinner. I might be using the card again because I am out of MSF. Transfers are on the 10th of December. I feel a lot better compared to last Sunday. It was BAD last week. This week wasnt that great. We did have some good lessons but a family didn't come to church and their baptismal date was dropped. Lets just say I am just focusing on my investigators and that is it. I checked in as to when I will be going home and it should be July 9th. If you want me to go home no later than July 5th, you have my permission to call President and talk to him to get me home earlier. I have no clue what I want for Christmas. Some Jordans, ties, a girl? what? Hey and also I might be buying some pictures off of LDS.org because we have an investigator who is really struggling right now and we need to make his room a bit more spiritual.

This week is going to be crazy! We have 2 dinners on Thanksgiving. It is going to be fun. Last week we had a super good lesson with a family. They kept on asking questions about forgivness. They didnt meet their date but they are still progressing. We also had to give talks in church. Mine was about the Atonement and I shared how I had to say the Sacrament prayer like 7 times. They didn't tell us until 5 minutes before church started. Well that is all that happened. 

Have fun in Chicago. If they have some good Chicago Bulls stuff grab me some PLEASE!!!!!

Trust me mom I am celebrating my last everything. I am having fun!

LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

8 weeks left of 2013 :)

What's up mom!

I bought the suit today. I went to Walmart just so that I could get it cheap. It looks pretty good. I am getting the pants fitted tomorrow by one of our investigators. I didn't get the sunglasses. It is kind of a pain to get  out of the Zone. We have to spread the visits to the mall apart. We will see what happens next week or the week after. I got the Beef Jerkey. Tell Dad that my Companion says THANK-YOU!!!!!! We have only finished 1 pack. We are trying to watch what we eat so that we can loose weight. I had food poisoning yesterday. I was so weak yesterday and I was freezing in church. It was bad. We had 4 investigators at church so I had to stay but I was in so much pain. We ended up just sitting outside in the foyer. We had to set an example for the members to show up to church no matter what. Plus there was a nurse at church that has very pretty eyes......they are blue!

Right now we are trying to help this family that is so close to getting baptized but they have just hit a wall. We don't know what to do. We are trying everything. Will you and the family please pray for them. I love this family so much and really don't want them to fall away.  Lately we have been finding a lot of families to teach. We are teaching a total of 4 families. They are all super solid. 

Angelica was right, I am not going to notice the house when I get home. I can't wait! 7 1/2 months. CRAZY!!!!!!! Can you believe it? I bet you can't wait! haha. I can't believe Polanco is going to get baptized. Tell him congrats. Hopefully he keeps it going and goes to the temple. 

Sorry I haven't gotten you pictures lately. I keep on forgetting my camera in the apartment on Mondays. Don't worry I am having fun. My compa and I are doing work and we have fun all day everyday.  

Tell everybody at church I say "Hi". I appreciate the letters from everybody. I am going to try to write Angelica and Dad back today if we have time. 

LOVE YOU!!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy 15th Week :)

Hey whats up Mom!

This week was alright. We did a ton of exchanges. Luckily they were with decent missionaries. I did my first Baptismal interview. It was a kid who lost his records so he has to get baptized again. The missionaries teaching him made me mad. Lazy and disobedient. I am definitely going to see how the missionaries are before I give them referrals. Some missionaries are turning into a pet peeve. Anyways that is my rant for the day. We also had a lunch with our investigators that have a baptismal date and it was super good! They cooked Columbian food and it was a bomb. Too bad they don't know the rules and kept us there for 2 and a half hours. It was a bomb! Then we had to go translate for stake conference. Our Stake President does not like missionaries so he did not say anything about missionary work. Thanks for helping us out Stake president Translating was fun though. It was a good to see how good my Spanish is haha. 

Hey so how is your missionary work going? Are the missionaries helping you look for opportunities to share the gospel? Do they leave things with you to hand out? Are they good missionaries? Are the Sister Missionaries hot? :)  Anyways the missionaries better be good. They can have fun but they need to be obedient and work. 

Tell the Garridos Good Luck!  Since I don't have to get ya'll any gifts, can I just buy myself stuff? haha jk

Well I gotta get going. 

LOVE YOU!!!!!

Elder Ruelas

Happy 14th Week!!

Whats up Mom!

This week was good. We had just about no time to work but we still went hard this week. We set 3 baptismal dates for this family from Columbia. They are super solid. They even came to General Conference. I think they are living the Word of Wisdom since they were falling asleep during the Sunday afternoon session. They are Columbians, you know their addiction to coffee haha. Other than that nothing much happened. Oh ya our investigator that has Skitsophrenia is super solid. He also came to General Conference. 

Conference was great! I really liked Elder Dube's talk about working hard and then when you are finished you can take a break. I also really liked President Monson's talk on Sunday Morning. The Spirit was really strong, especially the song right after. President Thomas S. Monson truly is the Prophet living in these last days.

I sent a box home. We had to leave the Zone this morning so I took some stuff that I don't need here on the mission and sent them to you. There is the Paco and Maria in there for Isabel, A Spanish Book of Mormon for Dad (his name is engraved on it), a Spanish Book of Mormon for you (I don't know where to get it engraved), the purple ring is mine that a member gave me, the Green Lantern comic is Bryan's (I believe there is 3. 1 is mine and the other 2 are for Angelica and Bryan). I am still working on Lucy's. I also used the Credit Card today. I bought a shirt and sweatshirt at the Swap Meet. I had to get some California stuff haha. 

I gotta get going mom. Give Isabel one BIG hug and kiss for me.

LOVE YOU!

Elder Ruelas

P.S. what the hey! I am in the single digits now until I get home! haha!