3-28-2011

Buenos Dias Mis Amigos y Familia

   This week has been great.... It was been pretty cold this week, which makes the work a little harder. Especially because many of the people here do not like to let you into there home, so most of are lessons are just standing out their front door. There were a few days that I would pray right after we had knocked on a door that someone would answer and just let us in for a few minutes to teach so that we could escape the cold.... We weren´t very lucky on many occasions because it was also a weird Holiday so many were gone. One day in particular Hermana Wilde and I had been working in an area that was pretty far from our apartment. We didn´t have a lunch appointment, and we didn´t want to lose the time to walk back to our apartment to make something so we just stopped in a little restaurant and ordered some pizza (which is not even close to as good as the states... most of the time is just comes with cheese and green olives) while we were eating Hermana Wilde was telling me a story and all the sudden she just squints her eyes and looks at the wall behind me. I turn my head to see inches from my head a NASTY GIANT (ok it wasn´t that big) COCKROACH.... YUCK!!!! This was the first cockroach I had ever seen in my life. We left shortly after because my skin was crawling... I had to get out of there. While we were walking Hermana Wilde was telling me how stunned she was that I had never seen one before.... She tells me everyday how shocked she is at the sheltered life I led. I am so grateful for the circumstances that I was able to grow up in. :)

   On a Spiritual note I have a few challenges for all of you this week/month.  With General Conference in a few short days I want everyone to think of a question from their heart. Something that they would like answered by the Lord.  I promise you that if you go into General Conference with some thoughts on your mind... Through the General Authorities and the Spirit your questions will be answered. Also, my mission is starting a challenge this month to read the Book of Mormon in 66 days.  The reason being that that is how many days it took Joseph Smith to translate the Book of Mormon.  What a great challenge, and it will better help us to understand some of the work they experienced during his translating of the Book of Mormon.  Well that is about it for me this week.  I hope you all got some good laughs, and that you will consider that challenges that I have suggested.  I will talk to you all next week.  Enjoy Conference... I know I will because I get to watch it in ENGLISH.. YAYA!

                                                 CHOU,

                                                       Hermana Ricks

3-21-2011

Hola Mis Amigos y Familia!

   Finally I get a normal week in the mission.  Nothing really grand happened.... Wait what am I saying everyday in the work of the Lord is Grand!!! However, this week was very normal. We had success on some of days, and others we had people hiding from us. One day Hermana Wilde and I were out tracting and I just started busting out laughing... She looked at me a little weird for a second wondering where the sudden amusement   come from. I told her how I just realized we were like the Mary Kay ladies... Once they get your name and number they never leave you alone. Haha The difference is instead of teaching people how to minimize wrinkles we are showing them how to prepare for their eternal salvation, and it doesn´t even cost anything. I think that sounds like a killer deal don´t you... It´s amazing how many people won’t even listen to the message. Oh well, we will find the ones that the Lord has prepared now.  

   Oscar got baptized on Saturday!!! The baptism was amazing. However, I could really see Satan working his Magic trying to make sure things didn´t work out. In the end God prevailed like always. Oscar looked so happy. I am really hoping that he will turn around and try to do the work for his wife.  It is a little harder here because the closet temple is in Chile. Well the work is coming along great. I love the gospel. I will talk to you all next week.

                                Adios,

                                      Hermana Ricks

3-13-2011

3-13-2011

Hola!!!

   Wow this week has been nuts.  I have never ran so much in my life!  Our District had really high goals this week, and Hermana Wilde and myself were determined to reach every single one.  We were the only companionship in our District to do so... WOOT, but my feet can definitely tell.  They can rest in 15 more months I have work to do and so little time to do it.  Sometimes when I get really tired, and just want to rest I remember a talk by Elder Holland where he said not to waist a day, an hour, or a minute of your mission.  This time is sacred, and it will be over before you know it.  I totally feel that way.  I am determined to put 110% into my mission so that I can truly feel like I did everything I could for the Lord in my short time here.

   The part of my mission that I am currently serving in is like SLC just picture it 50-75 years ago. Most of the buildings are run down, none of the sidewalks are in good condition, and there is litter everywhere. Something that I find really humorous though is how divers Mendoza is as well.  In the span of 10 seconds you can see a sports car pass, and car you can’t even believe is still running pass, and a horse and old beat up wagon all one right after another. Also, in Argentina people have all sorts of weird jobs just so they can keep their people employed. One of the jobs I find interesting is that men sleep over at construction sights just so no vandalism happens.  We have another building being worked on next to our pench, and we woke up earlier this week to hear a man sleeping on our roof.... WEIRD! haha I was a little freaked out for a second, but once Hermana Ochoa (another Hermana living in our apartment) explained the situation to me I busted up laughing. I love this country, but there are definitely times that the Neil Dimond song I´m proud to be an American come to mind. Also, those who know me well know that I love the 1980´s film Laybrinth featuring David Bowie.... in this film there is a place called the Bog of Eternal Stench, and if any of your body touches the waters of the Bog of Eternal Stench you will smell for Eternity. They have the Bog of Eternal Stench in Argentina except it is called a Sequia. They are about three feet deep, and run along all the streets. Sometimes they are fine, but more than twenty times a day you will smell they most faul stench of your life. Ha Ha It creates lots of interesting conversations between me and my companion. :) I am starting to understand more of what is being said, but I know that I still have a really long way to go. The Lord is helping me all along the way, and I know that he will give me the tools I need to teach his children.

   Awesome story for the week.... So on Sunday Hermana´s Roas and Ochoa called us after church and asked when we would be back. We let them know that we had a dinner appointment and that it would still be a few hours. They informed us that they had a surprise for us. Hermana Wilde and I just look at each other wondering what it could be because there really isn´t much you could do in the mission as a surprise. Well we quickly forgot about it and enjoyed our time with the Mendoza family. They are the greatest family ever! They are willing to do anything to help the missionaries. When we got home the other Hermana´s had us close our eyes and on the count of three we opened them... there on the table were Hermana Wilde´s Book of Mormon, Debit Cards, and Documents that were stolen the week before. Once we realized what we were looking at we both just started jumping up and down screaming... We immediately asked them how they go them. They told us that earlier that morning a man went to the church doors and started knocking a Sister that was there opened the door and he started asking her for money. She thought he was a little odd and went to talk to the Bishop. When she returned a bag filled with Hermana Wilde´s stuff was all that was there. They gave it to the other Hermana´s thinking it belonged to them.... Crazy huh!? I truly think that this whole experience has been a blessing from Our Father in Heaven. He brought this man into our lives so that we could help his feel the Holy Ghost. I hope he continues thinking about the feelings that have been stirring in his heart. I feel like the perfect ending to this story would be if we could get him baptized.... Time will tell. We may never see him again, but it is comforting to know that he knows where to find the truth. Speaking of Baptism I have my first one this Saturday with a sweet 68 year old man named Ocar. He is the sweetest thing ever. He lost his wife a few years back, and new that our message was true when we first started sharing it with him. The church truly is amazing!

   Well this week really has been amazing. I can´t believe that I am already half way through my first transfer... time is passing way too quickly. I love you all and will definitely talk to you next week. 

                            Con Mucho Amor,

                                         Hermana Ricks

3-4-2011

 Hermana Ricks arrived in Argentina

Sister Lindahl , Hermana Ricks, Pres. Lindahl

Elders and Hermana Ricks in Argentina

3-7-2011

Marlene Ricks  to me

show details 11:24 AM (23 minutes ago)

Hola Mis Amigos!!!

   Wow I have had the craziest week.  My traveling started on Monday Feb. 28th.  We had 9 missionaries that were all scheduled to leave for Argentina that same day.  Everyone had a straight flight to Atlanta, and then to Buenos Aries. I however, had to fly to Denver, then meet up with then in Atlanta and we would all fly down together. If all went well we would be arriving in Argentina the next morning.... Unfortunately there was a big storm in Georgia so we all ended up missing our connecting flights. We wouldn't be able to fly out for two more days.  At this point it was like 11:30 P.M. so the church just put us is a hotel that was close.  The next day we went back to the airport to figure out what we were going to do.  The Atlanta Georgia South Mission President ( President Satterfield)  came and picked us up. We were going to stay at their house for a day then catch the flight tomorrow. It basically felt like I was one vacation for two days.  We went on a few nature walks, and watched Book of Mormon movies. I found it humorous that my mission was starting with a vacation as opposed to being thrown into to the field like I had always expected... I knew my time would come. The next day we said goodbye to our Georgia mission Mom and Dad and boarded the plane.  10 hours later I was walking around the Buenos Aries airport without a clue of what was going on. Luckily we had Hermana Brown with us who was really good with her Spanish and translated whenever we needed. I boarded another plan and was headed to Mendoza.  I don’t know if the church felt bad for my situation, but I sat first class. It was fun, but I would never spend the money for it. My stomach did a leap of joy as we landed in Mendoza. I was finally here. I met Sister Lindahl ( President’s wife) and we became fast friends.  I got to the office and met my Companion Hermana Wilde she and I were meant to be together! We have so many similarities I love her to death. I am the first greenie she has every trained, so she is a little nervous, but we are both the type of people that just go with the flow so things are going to be great. We have already gotten a bunch of new investigators, and we have a lot of great goals for our time together. I am so grateful for her. The people here have been pretty good for the most part. I don´t understand over half of what they are saying, but they are willing to keep repeating and helping me till I get more of the Language down. The ward is especially nice. Everyone came up and greeted me at the end of Sacrament Meeting. I can’t tell you how many kisses I have received since I have been here... That was something that I was warned about, but didn,t really understand until I experienced it. Every Woman you greet will kiss you on the cheek. I have already had two guys pull me in and kiss me as well (they were both old, and a little smelly haha :)). I need to get firmer with my handshakes so they understand that I can’t do that... to them it is just normal. My pench (apartment) is actually the nicest one in the mission, but there are already things that I have come to appreciate in America that they don´t have here. Some are: carpet, couches, water pressure (our shower just drizzles, but I am grateful for it!) all condiments (mustard, ketchup, soy sauce everything is diluted so it doesn´t have a ton of taste at least the things I have eaten so far) toilet paper (they don´t have any in public restrooms... so I don´t use them haha)among many other things. I have loved my experiences so far and am loving being a missionary. I can´t wait till I have the language a little better and I can really express to these people the love I have for my Savior.

   So my crazy experience for the week. Well the whole week was crazy, but this definitely tops the list.  I had been in Argentina for less that 24 hrs. Hermana Wilde and I had taught a new investigator that morning, and she was so touched by our message that she wanted us to go teach her Boyfriend after lunch. On the way to his house there was this guy walking behind us. I looked back at him a few times. I got this uneasy feeling, but didn´t say anything to Hermana Wilde because she had told me yesterday that theft wasn´t really a problem in this area, and that she had not had any problems her entire mission. About a minute later the man runs past Hermana Wilde and tries to take her bag. She was holding on to it while pleading ¨Mi Biblia! Mi Biblia!¨ hoping he wouldn´t take it. The next thing we know he pulls out a gun and points it at us yelling ¨Teno Arma! Tengo Arma! Dame Sus Cosas!¨(I am armed! Give me your things) She immediately handed over her stuff, and the man was gone. We spent the next few hours at the police station, and then had to go to the mission office to file out a report at well.  All the Elders where teasing me saying it wasn´t fair that on my first really day in the field I go robbed at gun point, while some of them are leaving in a few months, and still don´t have an experience like that to talk about. The story gets even better.... The next evening. Hermana Roas, and Hermana Ochoa (the other sisters in our Apartment) were on their way home when the same exact thing happened to them in the exact spot. We are pretty sure that it was the same guy as well. However, this time the situation was a little different. Before he took their things he just stood there. Hermana Roas knew something was keeping him possibly the spirit we don´t know. When she asked him why he was doing these things, and told him that we had nothing and that we were just trying to spread the Word of God she could tell he had something going on inside of him. He told her that it was for his kids and that he had no other choice. He let then keep their cell phone and scriptures. Hermana Roas gave Him (Nahuel he told them his name earlier on) the money and invited him to come to church. Before he left with tears streaming down his face he hugged both Hermanas begging them for forgiveness and then he was gone.  We couldn´t believe that this had happened. None of us feel that he will bother us again. If any of us see him we hope that the spirit has continued to testify to him, and that maybe he will open his heart to Christ.

   Well that was about it this week. No big deal. Haha ya it was nuts.  I´m sure my experiences over the next few weeks will not be nearly as exciting, but I think I will be ok with that. Ha Ha

              Chou,

                  Hermana Ricks