Longest week in the history of EVER‏

Hello Friends and Family:

 

It seems like it has been years since i have talked to everyone. 

 

Well, i didn't really have any crazy cool stories, or some weird lessons.  Nothing really out of the ordinary.

 

This week, we are still trying to share He is the Gift with people and get others to realize that the center of our message is on Christ.  On Tuesday, i was on exchanges with Sister Stout.  She is incredible.  We were sick of tracting and didn't really  have appointments, so we decided it would be fun to go caroling with our little dvd player.  So we did. We knocked on random doors and then we would start singing the second they opened the dooor and then started the video, so they didn't have a chance to slam the door or tell us "No thanks, Ive been saved." hahaha(:  It was genius and it was a lot of fun!!(:

 

We also had a zone conference yesterday on the Book of Mormon.  It was really good.  I learned some really amazing things that helped me realize where i am at with the Book of Mormon and also how i can use it to help me in my missionary efforts.  It has been so hard for me to use the Book of Mormon in teaching.  I am not good at memorizing scriptures, i don't know the references for each topic, and i can't just think of one on the top of my head.  And this transfer, more than ever that has been a struggle and a real stressor to me.  But what i do know is that the Book of Mormon is true.  I know it without a shadow of a doubt.  I know that Joseph Smith translated the Book of Mormon with the power from God.  How could an uneducated boy write such a book? It couldn't be done. It is so detailed and goes so well with the Bible.  I know that it is without a doubt the word of God.  And at the conference, i learned that. That is enough.  My testimony is enough.  Because the knowledge and the memorization will come as i continue to use it everyday.  I can grow in that.  But as i am helping those people i have been sent here for, i know that my testimony can help them, it will get them started and they can't argue with it, because they can't tell me what i know.  It was a real eye opener on how important personal testimony is, and i know that is what President Shumway was trying to teach ME individually. 

 

I learned some really cool facts as well.  Did you know that the word Jesus Christ appears more times in the Book of Mormon then the Bible?  Did you know that an average of 1.7 verses in the Book Of Mormon testifies of Christ?  The Book of Mormon truly is a testament of Christ, and it is critical for us to use and read everyday if we want to return to live with Him.

 

Final thought for the week:  "Are you part of the INN crowd, or one of the STABLE few?" 

 

Have a Merry Christmas!!! I love you all! Thank you for all the love and support i continue to receive!

 

Much Love,

Sister Ritter

 

Pictures:

1) This sums up our exchange. I love Sister Stout.

2)CayBay taught me how to make a swan out of an apple. Skill.

3)My little mission fam(:

4-5) Merry Christmas from the OTM mission and the best district in the world!

 

 

4 Months!!!!

Friends and Fam:

This week was awesome!!! It was super busy and although it went fast, i feel like it has also been forever!(:

 

This week we have been busy getting ready for the live nativity that our stake does.  We have been tracting like crazy trying to share the invite with everyone.  One night, we went to this neighborhood and we were walking around and we noticed this house said, "I love Jesus" on it.  So what a perfect opportunity right?? We knocked on the door and said, "We noticed your house said you loved Jesus. We do too. Can we share a message with you?" Perfect set up. Too bad the guy hated us. hahaha! It was a great memory!!(:  We have actually had great success though.  Along with the nativity we are showing the new mormon message HE IS THE GIFT.  We walk around and bring these little DVD players, and we show them at doorsteps. It is pretty sweet, and we have heard excused like crazy, but some people actually let us in.

 

We did the nativity 2 days in a row.  It was really cool to see.  There was over 500 different nativities from all around the world on the tables, then outside (the best part) there was a nativity with.... REAL ANIMALS.  I got to pet Bilbo the donkey.  The sheep were mean.  It was really neat though! (:  It was fun to get into the Christmas spirit. Performers from Branson also were there.  We got to see Six again, and the Hughes Family.  It was really good!

 

So then there was my 4 month mark! Sister Oliva made it so special!  It started with a note i found hit under my clothes that i layed out for the day.  Then after we were done studying for the day, the elders called and sang to me!(:  That was....GREAT!(: hahahah!  Then i went to put my shoes on and another note was in my boot.  We got to the church to help with the nativity and all the other missionaries and Elder Mo goes to the pulpit in front of everyone and says, "Sister Ritter, happy 4 months!" haha! I love my district!  So i opened my scriptures at the nativity, BAM a note fell out.  Then  a little bit later we went to Wendys for ice cream and Elder Mo again stands on a chair and yells, "Attention Everyone. Sister Ritter has been here 4 months. hip hip hooray (X3).  For reals...It was really awesome and special!!!(:  She is a doll(:

 

We also went to Lamberts.  That is like the cool thing to do if you serve around here.  It is such a fun little restaraunt!  Look it up.  They really throw rolls across the room and then bring cans of sorgum around and drip it all over.  Super yum!(:

 

Now for the real message i learned this week.  We have been sharing He is the Gift like crazy.  If you haven't seen it, go on christmas.mormon.org watch it, and share it on all social media! Kay? Thanks!!(:  I've been thinking a lot about how Christ is a gift to me.  At zone training we learned something really cool to go along with this.  They asked the question, "Who is Christ a gift to?" Then had us read 3 nephi 1:13.  It says he was a gift to the world. Well that's cool, but it gets more specific then that. "Who is Christ a gift to?"  In Isaiah 9:6 it says he is a gift to us.  He is a gift to us. But don't you think the scriptures can be more specific than that? Finally they asked. "Who is Christ a gift to?"  In Luke 2:11 it tells us that Christ is a gift to YOU. Yes you.  Christ is the best gift you could ever receive.  Because of Him, we have eternal life.  Because of Him, we have second chances. Because of Him, we can be with our families forever. BECAUSE OF HIM. 

 

#ShareTheGift

 

Love,

Sister Ritter

 

Pictures:

1) "I Love Jesus" house

2)Lamberts

3) 4 months!

4) Me and Bilbo

5) MY SISTAS!(:

 

 

December.

Hey heyy friends and Fam:

 

This week has flown by.  Like i can't believe how fast it is going!

First things first:

This week we taught Kathy (Heidi's mom) and she FINALLY has committed to Baptism!!!(:  She is working toward the date of December 27th!(:  I am so happy i could cry.  She is incredible.  I love her so much.  She is so prepared and she knows all the lessons and has a very strong testimony.  I am so excited for her.  She even came to church this week.  She walked up a member in our ward as i was walking toward her and she said, "This one has been working really hard to get me baptized.....and she is doing a really great job."  It made me so happy.  I know that she knows it is true, it is just getting her to realize the importance of the covenant of baptism. She will be there though, i know it.

 

On Wednesday we had a zone training.  I love zone trainings because we get to see our wonderful missionary friends.  This week it was in Branson, so Cayla took us.  Well, She is CRAZY!!!! We were driving to get on the freeway, but she took the wrong road, so she stopped and just looked around, next thing i know, she was driving across the grass median and totally just cruised onto the freeway and put on her hazards and then when there was a gap she sped up and well....we were on the freeway.  Sister Smith, Oliva, Miner, and I were screaming.  But hey...just another one of those Crazy mission stories.  The training was really good. It helped me a lot and i always feel super motivated to work after those things. 

 

I finished the Book of Mormon this week for the first time on my mission.  Holy smokes is that a good book! I went back through and read all the things i marked.  It is incredible to me how Heavenly Father can speak to us through the scriptures and help us with our biggest concerns.  I love the Book of Mormon.  I love the lessons we can learn from it.  I love the spirit i feel as i read and the comfort i receive. 

 

We also volunteered at the Bishops storehouse! Always a good time.  It reminds me of doing it at home, except it is a little more organized here.  I love helping these people and getting to talk to them.  They are all so humble and nice.  I learn a lot from doing that.   Later that night we went to the Relief Society party.  It was at the Castle, but all of our investigators cancelled except for one, that was a bummer.  But then we got there, and all of them were there except 1 or 2.  What a miracle. It was a really cool reminder that we need to always be positive and not lose hope when plans don't work out. 

 

We also  helped Heidi move this week, in the pouring rain.  That was fun. I mostly played with the kitten she has(; shocker.

 

We also had the Ward Christmas party. Guess who was the lead angel? Yours truly. Guess who forgot to memorize her lines. Yours truly. And finally, guess who forgot to bring a costume. Again...yours truly.  So lets just say i completely destroyed the nativity. ):  hahahaha! It was great. 

 

One main thing i have learned and realized this week.  I was thinking about one of our investigators and how he is waiting for a "sign."  Well, i was reading the testimonies of the 3 and 8 witnesses and Joseph Smith's Testimony of the Book of Mormon.  I was thinking about how some of those people saw the gold plates, they saw physical evidence and they still fell away from the church.  That is why it is more important to have faith.  Yes, as we receive "signs" or miracles, it builds our faith and helps strenghten our testimony, but without faith, the signs mean nothing.  I have learned a lot about that.  People are always wanting some miraculous sign, but they are lacking faith.  I know that as you have faith, you will receive those signs to verify belief.  I know that Heavenly Father will bare witness to you what he wants to and when. 

 

It was a great week.

Love,

Sister Ritter

 

Pictures: 

1- our "laughing" picture

2-Us and Grandpa(:

3- the only reason i took a pic with Santa, is because i knew who it was.

4- Relief Society Party at the Castle

 

 

Thanksgiving!

This week was pretty good!  We had some really cool experiences, and i learned some amazing things. 

 

First experience.  We started teaching Tristian this week and we taught him the resoration.  We told him to pray about what we were telling him and ask God if it was true.  If Joseph Smith really saw Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  We went back the next day and he said "I have something really cool to tell you.  Last night after you left i was thinking, Noo it can't be true.  I have never seen them, so i don't believe it.  But i still prayed.  And when i woke up, i felt like i was standing and floating on a cloud and i was so happy and it felt like people were singing tunes in my heartstrings. I KNOW it is true."  It was seriously one of the coolest experiences of my life. 

 

The next cool experience was this.  We taught the Sheltons. Finally.  They told us they want to belong in the church.  The lesson went amazing and we are planning on seeing them this week and at all the fun activites we have going on.  They are amazing and so prepared. More on them later.

 

Funny experience of the week:  So we got in late one night because we went to Branson with an investigator and saw the Dutton Christmas show.  So i turned on the alarm like we are supposed to.  Then in the morning, we didn't excercise in the workout room because we were super tired, so we just stretched in our room.  Normally on the way to the workout room i turn the alarm off.  Well Celeste went to work and opened the garage door and pulled out of the driveway.  Then the most loud siren went off.  I booked it upstairs to turn off the alarm, but i couldn't remember the difference between the panic alarm and the false alarm code.  So i just punched one in.  Next thing i know, the security guys call and ask what the emergency was.  I told them what happened and then we went back downstairs.  Then...we hear a pounding on the front door, so i book it upstairs thinking, i bet it is the alarm company. NOPE. It was a sheriff. He didn't believe we were allowed in the house.  And he asked us why our car had an Oklahoma license plate registered in Utah and we were in Missouri.  All the odds were against us at this point.  Frank wouldn't answer his phone because he was flying and we didin't have Celeste's phone number. So he had to call her at work and then she thought it was Frank teasing her.  It was hilarious.  So long story short.  I called the cops on myself. 

 

Now back to business.  This week we have been teaching a lot of the basics.  We call it spiritual CPR.  When you are physically done for, you need CPR.  Just like when your spirit is done for, you need spiritual CPR. that would be Church, Prayer, Read.  A lot of people don't do those things and they are needing CPR.  It is so important to go back to the basics.  and to work and do those things every single day/week.  Then in church we talked about eternal families.  It seems like all the talks were on that and i had been thinking about that since Thanksgiving just passed and i am most grateful for my family.  A speaker quoted a talk (not sure which conference) and said something that really struck me.  "Our families are not ours yet.  Heavenly Father gave them to us to see how we would treat them and care for them.  Only after we are faithful, can we be with our families eternally."  I want to be with my family for eternity.  I want to be with all of you and see you eternally.  So you know how i can do that, and how you can do that? CPR.  That is so important.  If we want to be with our families for eternity.  We need to be faithful in the things Christ has asked us to do.

 

I know the importance of  Church. I know the importance of Prayer.  I know the importance of Reading out of the Book Of Mormon everyday.  I know that my family can be together forever if i am faithful and if i follow Gods commands.  I am and will do everything possible to make sure i am with them forever and all eternity.  Because nothing matters to me more than that. 

 

Much Love,

Sister Ritter

 

Pictures:

All from Thanksgiving (: