Week 22: Sweetwater, TX

Hey fam,

Well it's been an interesting week. After 10 hours on the bus I got to my new area on Wednesday. I was greeted by Elder Weldon, who is finishing his last two transfers (three months). He looks like Jack Black with a buzz cut. It was pouring rain while I was trying to get all of my stuff into our car. Sweetwater is a very small town with a VERY small branch of the church. In Pampa, we had about 80 people in attendance each week. Here, it's a good week if 25 members show up. Obviously lots of work to do! I have been way humbled in the past couple of days... In my second day here in Sweetwater, I set a baptismal date with an investigator whom had been being taught for a while and Janice will be getting baptized this upcoming Saturday. Way excited and I barely know her. We're working with another young woman who is ready for baptism but her current boyfriend needs to get divorced from his wife so they can get married. It's an awkward situation. While knocking doors, I met THE weirdest guy ever. This elderly indian guy with long white hair answered the door and the first thing I noticed was that his tshirt said "Comforter: The Holy Ghost". So I asked him what his name was and he said "I am Emmanuel, the Spirit of God." At first I thought he was messing with us but he didn't break character. Haha I asked him where he was from and he said Heaven... He continued to tell me that everyone knows who he is; the police know him, the people of the town know him, and the President of the United States knows him. I was a little confused and I began to wonder if this was some sort of vision or angelic figure!!?? But then I saw marijuana on his table behind him and I gave him a card and left...Hahaha Just a funny experience I thought I'd share. My companion is a really good worker and a great example of the white handbook rules. I had heard lots of negative stuff about him but you know me, I am cool with everyone. I decided to try and be the nicest companion he's ever had since he told me most of his companions have made his mission miserable... We started of super good! But the past couple of days have come with some challenges.... Like on the verge of an ET. (Emergency transfer) We can't work with the Spirit if he continues to boss me around and have little temper outbursts... Any advice?? Anyway... make this week great.

Elder Rios

Week 21: Pampa to Sweetwater

I'm being transferred!!!! :( Dang it. So Saturday night we got transfer calls and I'm still training my greenie so I expected us to both just stay here in Pampa. Well, the assistants told me I'm going to Sweetwater (about an hour west of Abilene) and will be serving as DL there. Elder Staples ("Grapas" as I call him, which means staples in Spanish) will stay here and get a new companion. I was pretty upset! I felt as if I have unfinished work here! I was frustrated because we JUST found some great people to teach in Betty, a young man named Austin, Mike who is our downstairs neighbor, and a couple of potentials. Now I don't even get to teach them. But as I was praying that night I remembered: The LORD is at the helm, he knows where I need to be. I'm pretty much done packing and I'll be leaving tomorrow. My new companion there will be Elder Weldon, who is finishing his last transfer in the mish. At church yesterday it was fast & testimony meeting and I haven't missed a month yet of going up and bearing my testimony. A member of the ward Cecilia is leaving to the Airforce tomorrow and so she gave kind of a farewell. I proceeded to follow right after her and no one knew I was leaving yet. So I started off by saying "Well.. This will also be my last Sunday here." And you just hear a distinct *Gasp* from the congregation. I almost laughed. Haha but it's been hard saying bye to the ward and all the friends I've made here. Everyone has told me they cried leaving their first areas and I feel like I'm headed that way! But I've learned what I'm supposed to learn here and had great experiences. This is one place I definitely have to come back and visit... One good thing is my old companion and trainer Elder Arredondo will be my ZL in Abilene! I'll be seeing a lot :) And so I'm headed South for the Winter, Sweetwater here I come. They aren't ready for me!!! Make this week GREAT y'all. 

Elder Rios

P.s. Yes, Sweetwater has the sweetest water. 

Week 20: Pampa, TX

Howdyyy! 

It was about the best week I've had here on the mission so far! I got to Skype my family on Christmas, two days off of working (not that working is bad), plenty of snow, AND still got lots of teaching done. Plus it was my birthday yesterday, so I am now 20 years old! Pretty exciting. I got lots of gifts this last week so thank you all! My tie collection has tripled in value. Haha It was also a member of the ward's daughter's birthday so we had a little party last night and I got a princess cake...Haha!
The work here in Pampa continues! We are teaching a young woman named Angelica who is doing great! She's been taught by missionaries for over a year and hadn't progressed so we started over with her and she's getting everything now! Let's hope she continues toward baptism! On Thursday we were heading out of the apartment to start our day and a lady flagged us down and said she needed help with her car. She was stuck in about a foot of snow.. And she was late to a doctors appointment. So I lifted the car with one arm and problem solved. Just kidding. Elder Staples and I had to push her Toyota Camry out of the snow by rocking it back and forth and throwing some rocks under the tires. After we got her out she gave us her address so we could stop by and get some hot chocolate later that night. We're hoping to start teaching Pamela on our follow-up appointment this week. It was a great opportunity for service! It's pretty neat to see the Lord just put you in the path of those prepared to receive the gospel. Quite humbling.
Well Happy New Year to you all and let's make some ATTAINABLE and ACHIEVABLE goals for 2013!! Heard that in church yesterday...Haha Make this week GREAT!!! 

From Texas with love,
Elder Rios  

P.s. Yee-hawww

Week 19: Pampa, TX

¡Feliz Navidad! 

What a crazy week it's been! So we went on exchanges on Tuesday after district meeting, I went north to Perryton. I was supposed to come back Wednesday morning but there was a bad snow storm so they didn't let us drive long distances and I was stuck in Perryton. The same thing happened again the next day so I ended up being in Perryton for four days...nuts! I've never been so glad to be back in Pampa hahaha My companion got presents sent to him from his family a couple of weeks ago and I was like ..cool. But just on Saturday I got four packages full of presents!! I'm so excited to open them. One package didn't even have a return address or card, secret Santa? Haha But thank you to those who sent me presents!! Definitely made my day! So today and tomorrow are basically days off. We're not supposed to go out and proselyte so we'll be doing a lot of basketball and disc golf with my district. Haha I'm way excited to call/Skype home tomorrow! Everyone should just head over to my house in the evening Haha jk Dad :P Well this is gonna be a short one so I have more time to write everyone back, Merry Christmas everyone! I'm gonna be 20 years old on Sunday O_o Nooooo! Hahaha 

Much love from Texas,
Elder Rios

Week 18: Pampa, TX (4 months down, 20 to go)

Howdy y'all 

      How are you guys enjoying the Christmas season? It's my favorite time of year! Because my birthday is just five days after Christmas..:) (That was a hint) Haha Everything is going good out here on the mish. Losing weight, learning Spanish, making lots of new friends, etc. Sounds pretty fun, right? Haha 

     Okay so there's this old lady (77 yrs old) who's grandson is a member but she refuses to get baptized. She LOVES the missionaries though, she has pictures of the Elders who have been here for the past two years. I'm her favorite cuz I'm from CALIFORNIA. Holler. Anyway, she is the sweetest/meanest lady ever. If she doesn't like you, she'll straight up tell you. And she doesn't care about her language she uses around us and she will not call us Elders..because we are not older than her. Hahaha We love her though! Okay, so Monday her grandson Joey came out teaching with us, he's 17. While we were out, the grandma called him and said she was calling 911 because she was having a real hard time breathing. Being on the other side of town, I pulled a Fast & Furious and got over there as quickly as I could. The ambulance arrived shortly after and took her to the hospital. We accompanied Joey there. While they were running tests on her we could hear her yelling at the doctors being ornery. Haha Turns out she was poisoned by some plant outside her house. It was a pretty crazy night! Just thought I'd tell you about it. Ha 

     Friday we had the ward Christmas party (I bet Paloma Valley ward's was bomb) and it was pretty sweet. Two former investigators showed up randomly! We had dropped them last month because they weren't keeping commitments and now they want to continue progressing towards baptism. What a miracle! The Spirit of love and charity is all around, perfect time to teach about Jesus Christ. Although the presents are great and all, let's remember who was brought into the world this Christmas time. He set the example for us and it is our obligation to try to be as he was, perfect. And through Him, we can do ALL things!! Phil 4:13 Make this week GREAT!!

Merry Christmas :)

Elder Rios

Week 17: Pampa, TX

Howdy partners!!
     Well.. It's officially freezing now. (For me anyways). This morning it was 8 degrees and some snow on the ground. It's not so much the temperature that makes it cold, it's the wind. But I'm still going out to play some disc golf in a little! :D Got some members to play with us. So my week was pretty normal.. I have been doing my best in training Elder Staples and showing him how it's done in the TLM (Texas Lubbock Mission). He's still quiet and awkward, but progressing. Literally everyone we talk to tells him to "loosen up". Hahaha We taught a lot of lessons last week, most to recent converts and less-active members. It felt so good seeing my greenie teaching, because he is a reflection of me and he's a pretty dang good missionary already! Just quiet. Ha I love Sundays here on the mission. You feel the Spirit so much stronger as a missionary and I'm all over the place too! Yesterday I taught the Sunday School lesson in Gospel Principles, gave the "missionary moment" in Primary, then translated a whole lesson into English in Priesthood. By the way, my Spanish is improving each week, I love it. Just extra powers of being an Elder. :) We're going to focus on finding new people to teach this week so lots of knocking..yayyy. Haha I'm also holding my first District meeting as District Leader tomorrow.. With my mission president in attendance. Haaa O_o They would do that to me! But I will just use my swagger and skills to impress ;) Love you all and thanks for the letters!! Keep 'em coming! And if you're not writing me, .. shame on you. Jk Here's my address again: 

1601 W Somerville St
Apt 714
Pampa, Texas 79065

Make this week GREAT!!!! 


Elder Rios

Week 16: Pampa, TX

Holaaa!!
So sorry I didn't email yesterday... We had a mission Christmas party in Lubbock so it was six hours driving round trip, and we were there all day. So today is our P-Day haha Everything is doing pretty good with training my greenie and being District Leader. My new companion is Elder Staples from Coalville, Utah. He's 21 and VERY shy. He just admits to having a not very social personality. You all know I'm the complete opposite of that...:) So it's a bit frustrating at times but I'm doing my best!! It feels so good being in control of my area. I call the shots and make the plans haha I took my companion knocking in the ghetto (had to break him in somehow), and I found him getting stuck a lot so we've got some work to do with him... I feel like a pro at tracting now. So just doing a lot of training this last week, nothing too exciting. We found a guy to teach named Dave, or as he prefers, "Drummer Dave" haha Hope that goes well. Seeing all of the Christmas lights and decorations is making me a little sad not being home..:( But I'm trying to stay busy and not think about how much fun you all are having enjoying the holiday season. Haha We've gotten some pretty cool presents already and we even got lights to put on our apartment! Plus a little Christmas tree. I'm coming up on four months out and I'm kinda glad it's really flying by. That just comes from making the most out of everyday and always making sure I have something to do. Becoming a trainer and District Leader I've seen so many more blessings in my life. My gospel knowledge has increased and I'm able to remember scriptures better and teach way better. My Spanish is pretty dang good now that I've been forced to speak it since my new comp doesn't know any. I've learned to trust in the Lord for whatever comes my way. He doesn't throw anything at you that you cannot handle. The question is, are you willing to rise to the occasion..? Hope you are all doing fantastic and make this week GREAT!!

Love,
Elder Rios

Isaac's Baptism

Some of the district in the Panhandle Zone

Thanksgiving dinner at home

Thanksgiving with the Alonzo's

My first "greenie" Elder Staples

Texas pride

MORE Texas pride