Elder Caleb Ripley: July 2, 2012

Area: Beitun
Companion: Elder Boice

Hello Momma! How was your week!? Sounds like Celeste, Darci and the girls had a blast! I am super jealous, disneyland and the beach sounds so great :D I got the essential oils and CDs and letters, thanks abunch, I love to hear how everyone is doing! I just got the package two days ago so I haven't had a chance to use the oils too much yet, but they are great thank you momma!

This week was great for us here in Taiwan! Last preparation day we rode our bikes to Da Keng mountain which was great fun! I think i may have already told you that. We also went to an amazing burger place called Hawaii 51! The owners are from Oahu! They love us missionaries and give us a sweet discount. Super nice people. This week has been pretty hot and pretty humid. This was the last week of the move call so trainers were called and one of the Da keng elders was called to be a trainer, which means the other one came and lived with us for 3 days! It was a little crazy with three of us, but aton of fun. We were with Elder Miller! He is the bomb. He is actually from Arizona! Lives on the otherside of phoenix though.

We have recently met a young boy, brother Wang. He is so great. He is about 13 years old, and after meeting with him twice and asking how his reading in the Book of Mormon was going he explained to us in detail Lehi's dream of the tree of life and gave us an explanation about what he thought the things in the dream represented, and the story of Lehi's family up to that point in first nephi. I was so amazed I did not know what to say when he was done explaining to us what he had read! So awesome! This week at church was his first time coming to church and in the middle of sacrament he leans over to me and asks "Can i come next week too"? I said of course you can! He even started his own missionary work and brought a friend to church. There is no doubt he is feeling the spirit in our lessons and his desire to develop faith and follow Christ is evident in his actions. He is amazing. Please pray for him that he will be able to prepare himself to hit his baptismal goal for July 28th! It is kind of funny how we met him. We ran into his dad outside of his house and his dad said hey i gotta go to work but go talk to my son inside, so we did!

This week I have been reading the conference edition of the ensign! I recently read the talk by President Eyring 'Mountains to climb". It is so great. He says that if the foundation of faith is not embedded in our hearts, the power to endure will crumble. He goes on to say that the solid basis for a foundation of faith is personal integrity. Those hundreds of little decisions we make every single day are what build our foundation of faith. He also talks about what we are taught by moroni in Ether 12:6-9, ye recieve no witness until after the trial of your faith. Acting on even a twig of faith allows God to grow it. I testify that I have seen this happen in my life. As I think of the little decisions i make everyday and I begin to make small actions based on my knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ, God grows my faith. I have seen it happen so quickly in the last few months, and I know that anyone who acts in faith, no matter how large or small it is, they will see it grow, God has promised it! Don't forget to continue reading the words of the living prophets! They will guide and completely change our lives.

Also, i got a new companion today!!! I am no longer with my trainer! His name is Elder Boice, and he is from tempe arizona! His is japanese but was born in AZ. He seems pretty awesome. We have only been together for a few hours up to this point, but he is awesome :D I am still staying in my first area, Beitun! More updates on Elder Boice to come.

I was just thinking about it and I am impressed that celeste knew how to say zai jian when i skyped you guys, kind of random i know but i just thought i would say :D Also i read your talk on pray again the other day and i love it! I am sure the ward did to, you are amazing momma.