Elder Caleb Ripley: July 23, 2012

Mother Dearest,

       This week was great! Pretty warm except for yesterday, we got some good rain and super loud thunder. The fact that my haircuts get better as my chinese gets better still proves to be true. This haircut is not too bad! Lesson learned this week-If you push forward and continue to work dilligently despite letdowns in life/your mission, you will always find success and be satisfied with your efforts! You gotta choose to be happy everyday no matter what is happening, because you don't have time to be sad and think about yourself, some else might need a smile or some help that day!

       We had Zone conference this week which was awesome. President Bishop talked alot about repenting and forgiving. If we are constantly repenting and forgiving we are constantly improving ourselves! We receive spiritual strength and confidence as well as strengthen our relationships with others and the Lord. What a great blessing it is to be able to repent and be forgiven! After zone conference we went on companionship exchanges with the zone leaders which was pretty awesome. I always learn alot from exchanges with our leaders out here.

       Our investigators are doing pretty good. We set a baptismal goal with one of the young men we have been meeting with,jia mao. We set it for august 11th! He is such a stud. There is nothing better than following up on a commitment with an investigator and finding out they have been reading or praying or whatever it was, and when jia mao says he is going to do something, he does it! He has been praying and reading the book of mormon quite often! Also, our investigator Park is already in 2 Nephi! They are both so great, I can see them changing and feeling the spirit as they continue to do the basic things we have all been asked to do many time. Read, pray, and go to church! Austin came to church yesterday dressed up in these white pants with a white button up shirt that had black pin stripes, and a black skinny tie, he is such a stud as well. I love teaching these guys and watching them develop their own relationship with God and study the gospel! Please pray for them that they will continue to progress and eventually be able to recieve the wonderful blessing of baptism.

Yu an's baptismal goal dropped this week which is a huge bummer. He was doing so well, but he has been going out of town so often that we have had trouble getting a chance to meet with him and his parents, and he hasn't been to church for awhile. Please pray for yu an as well that he will be able to continue to come to church and that his grandparents will let him be baptized, because they are really against it right now. It is sad when we run into people who do not desire to recieve such a blessing as baptism, but it is even more sad when we teach someone who desires to be baptized but can't be!

I would like to hear from Nik Huff if you have any letters from him :D Also, a friend of mine from the MTC, Kelly Warner, wants to go to BYU Hawaii when he gets home from his mission, so if he does go we will probably room together. His mom might email you soon about school stuff so if she does don't be surprised!

Well I hope you have another amazing week Momma, miss and love you! -Elder Ripley

more pics from the hike