June 24, 2013

Wow this missionary broadcast sounds pretty crazy! I knew some missionaries could use that stuff but does this mean all missionaries will? I think it would be too weird to go on my facebook...President Bishop goes home this week and he said when our new president, president Blickenstaff, comes that he will announce some exciting new changes to missionary work so I am guessing it has something to do with the broadcast you are talking about. That post from twitter or whatever was pretty funny, wonder who thought of that! That is a super crazy story about that kid that is looking for his birth family. So he is a member and served a mission? That would be really crazy if he turned out being related to us! If he was pretty good looking he probably has some Ripley blood in him :D
We still have not gotten ahold of that investigator, he just dissapeared! Huge bummer..but like 5 minutes ago I ran into one of our other investigators who dissapeared too which was cool! He is a college student and we email at the library on the college campus, and we just ran into him here! He ran up behind me and hit my bag and I was super confused who was hitting my bag and it was him! He said he has been busy with finals lately but he said he can meet with us this thursday because tests will be over by then! Sweet!
I have a new companion now! His name is Elder Washburn. He is from Lindon Utah. I don't know if Dad has been watching the NFL draft but my companions brother, Ziggy, was drafted by the detroit Lions! 5th pick in the first round. Super nuts! He plays defensive line. Ziggy is his adopted brother. This is his first move call on his mission! He is seriously such a stud. He has a huge desire to work and is constantly working to better himself. I am excited to be his first companion! We are going to see aton of miracles these coming weeks. Last night we set a goal for new investigators and went out there to find them with an acronym we made in mind. FFA, faith fire and attitude. We had the faith Heavenly Father would put those people in our path and we had the fire to go and find and we did! It was awesome, it was like one after another after another, everyone was setting up with us! We are super excited to be working together this move call and are doing every thing we can to forward the work here in tainan. We are lovin it!
Well I hope you have a great week! Love and miss you. Thanks SO much for the cereal, we are loving it!!!     -Elder Ripley
Thank you so much for the cereal Dad!!! We are lovin it!!! I have been chowin down but we still have quite abit so you shouldn't have to worry about refills for awhile. You have no idea how much I am enjoying it, it is seriously the best! Robby was super excited about the cereal you sent too, he is lovin it!
Kalvins farewell is this coming sunday?! Wow time is going too fast. He is going to be such a great missionary. Wish I could be there to hear his talk.
Thanks for taking such good care of my car for me!
Sounds like the missionary conference was pretty cool! I think when our new mission president gets here he will announce to us what went on.
So that pool really is going to get finished? Sounds pretty exciting! We can have a pool party when I get home!
Well I hope you have a good week this week. Love you Dad! Thanks again for that cereal, we are eating breakfast like champs now.
-Elder Ripley

June 17, 2013

I don't know if it is different in tapei or not but I have never heard of anyones parents coming to pick them up before. It is pretty much a rule, not only for taiwan but other missions as well. So it would be best to plan something later on if we have the time/money. What is this scanner thing? It keeps records of documents in it or what? Sounds pretty handy! Father's Day was probably pretty fun! So many Father's in the family these days. Looks like the kids all had a pretty good time, besides brock and blythe fighting over that bag hahaha. You are doing so good at getting to the temple, make sure and take dad along with you! The temple is such a huge blessing, especially having one so close! Oh yeah how are the Huffs doing? I have been keeping in touch with Nik everyonce in awhile. He seems to be doing pretty good in the netherlands. How are the girls doing? They are probably so big now! That is a good idea, I mean being their friends! It is amazing what big difference one friend can make. Thanks for your great example to me of being such a good friend to others mom! Your are awesome!
This week was a little tough because we can't get a hold of one of our really good investigators.  We did see some pretty cool miracles this week though.  We had two investigators confirmed, but then that morning they both told us they couldn't make it! We were bumbed out but prayed that we would be able to continue to find more new investigators and bam, one of the sister's investigators family members shows up to church and so does some other random guy! Super cool! We added them both as new investigators and are pretty excited to continue working with them this week! Super awesome! Oh yeah one of the people I found while I was in xinying  is getting baptized! Crazy thing is he acutally lives here in tainan and is getting baptized into the other ward that meets in the same building as us! Tons of cool miracles. Things are going great and we are working pretty hard to find new investigators and see more miracles here in tainan. Well I hope everything is going well back home! Hope you are having a great summer and are staying cool! Love you bunches momma,
      -Elder Ripley

Happy Father's Day Dad!!!! Looks like everyone had a great time back home hanging out for Father's Day! All you fathers are looking pretty good. Except the one on the far rights hair is lookin a little silver these days...haha tell everyone hello for me! Looks like everyone was pretty happy except for when brock and blythe were fighting for that bag, that was a nice shot. I am sure Robby will really enjoy that! I have not gotten the package yet, it should be here soon I guess. Thanks Dad! We also look forward to more cereal over here. Running real smooth! So smooth you forgot to put the flags up! That is pretty funny, I am sure everyone was a little confused as to why they didn't get their flag up that day.
Well I hope you are having a great summer over there. It is pobably just as hot over here, just a little more humid so we sweat like crazy. The last few days have been a little over cast though which has been nice. The rainy days are pretty cool as well. Things are going pretty well here in our area. We have quite a few really good investigators with a lot of potential we just got to pull things through here in these next few weeks. Hope you have a good week next week. Love you dad! Tell Dom if he gets the chance, to email me or something. Haven't seen or talked to him in forever! The Gospel is true.
        -Elder Ripley

June 10, 2013

Hey mom! That is a bummer about the standby tickets being so hard to use. How are you supposed to come visit me while I am in hawaii?! Hopefully you can get on a flight!  As far as going back to school I was thinking about starting the summer semester after I get home. I think that is the earliest one I can make it to. If you get a chance you can check when the semesters start next year and let me know!
Sounds like the get together for Dusty had a pretty good turn out, hope everyone had a good time! So Heather isn't moving with him? I am sure he will love his job as long as it is flying helicopters.
Jessica Barney is married!? Holy smokes that is pretty crazy! Tell her congratulations for me if you see her!
Yes I am keeping a journal. I can't say I write in it every day but at least 3-4 times a week.
Last week was a pretty good week! We started meeting with a really cool family! Super nice family! They came to church this week too which was super awesome and they got to know alot of people in the ward. They had a great time, especially the kids!
One of our other investigators, also came to church this week.
The work is going really good here, there are tons of people to talk to, the ward is great, everything is just going super well! We are looking really good to see alot of success coming up! I am so grateful for this wonderful opportunity I have to be a missionary and for the huge blessings that come from it. I know that God lives and loves us! I am so grateful that He loved us enough to give us the plan of salvation and send His son Jesus Christ to atone for our sins so that we may live with Him again! There are so many people that don't know this message that need to know! Go find them!
Love you bunches, hope you have a good week this week! Thanks for the info on the card for Blake's baptism, I will be sure and get that done. 
Loves, Elder Ripley

Hey dad! Looks like the get together was a success! Everyone seems so happy that Dustin is leaving! Haha just kidding. That food is looking really good right now, I am starving, especially that frog eye salad. Yummmm. Make sure and send a box of cereal for my companions birthday if you send a package. Prefferably waffle crunch or honey bunches of oats, but anything works really. Love you bunches dad! Hope everything is going good. I know the Gospel is true and am so glad I can be a deliverer of this message! 
Love, Elder Ripley

June 3, 2013

Dear Mom, 

     Looks like you are going to have a super busy summer!  Send me some pictures! That is super cool that dusty got a job flying! I am sure he is going to love it. I am sure the missionaries enjoyed being fed by you guys! I wonder how the work is going over there. 

       The maps are on paper. They are printed out with a list of all the people in that area along with their addresses phone numbers and other info. Maybe I will just take a picture, that might be easier :D Things have been going super fantastic! The district I am in is full of super awesome missionaries! I have had the opportunity of learning so much from them! It kind of reminded me of when Alma the younger is glorying in their successes while preaching to the lamanites and his joy is full because of the success of his brethren. We are all super good friends here and glory in eachother's successes. The first day I was here we found this college kid on the street and the next day we met with him, but due to him being a little late and us having another lesson we had to get to we only had just enough time to give him a quick tour of the chapel and talk a little bit about prayer. He was a little busy after that and we didn't seem him for about 2 weeks but last week we set up with him and met! Turns out he has prayed every single night since we last met and he really has a desire to know if the Book of Mormon is the word of God! So good! He also accepted a baptismal goal for the june 29th! He is such a stud. We are excited to keep working with him and help him hit that goal!

       Well I hope you have a good week this week! Try and relax a little bit, school is out! :D Love you bunches, Elder Ripley

Hey Dad,

 

You look like you are really having alot of fun with that cat of yours! Wow 107! Pretty smokin' hot. It is summer here now as well. I am almost always sweating on proselyting days, no matter where I am or what I am doing! But the work is going great so nothing worth complaining about. 

 

Things are going so great here in tainan. I am loving this area so much already. The missionaries I serve with, the people, our investigators, everything! We are seeing alot of miracles here. Baptisms will soon follow. Love and miss you, have a great week!

          -Elder Ripley