Semana 10 - Email

I've had a great week, tomorrow I will have been on my mission for 2 months!

Happy late Valentine's Day!

Martes 2/9

Today we visited a reference we were given at the hospital. It was a woman named Tracy, and her husband Gene was there and they were both very open to hear our message when they get home. We have a member that is a nurse there and she said that every time this woman comes in they end up talking a whole bunch about church. The spirit was strong as we visited them, and we told Tracy and Gene that our purpose is help others to come unto Christ and Tracy immediately said "I'm ready". They're english-speaking, so the elders will probably end up teaching them in the next week or two, but the experience was really encouraging and exciting. That evening we surprise-visited one of our investigators, Angelica, for her birthday. She was so grateful and we were really happy because we haven't been able to get a hold of her for a week or two. We set up an appointment to have dinner with her at a member's house and teach a lesson there.

Miércoles 2/10

We had a couple of appointments cancel, so we called and visited different less-active members throughout the day and we went to the Blanchette's (they are moving) on more than one occasion to work.

Jueves 2/11

Today I had my first zone conference in Cambridge. It took up most of the day, but I learned so much and took a lot of notes. In the evening we had dinner with the Gonzales family, and it was my first completely spanish-speaking dinner with members.

Viernes 2/12

Today was great despite a couple of cancelations we had and how cold it was (seriously, though, we woke up and checked the weather on our phone and it was -11 degrees outside! lol, How do you not dress like an eskimo?). In the evening we had dinner with Angelica at a member, Raquel's house. We gave a lesson after dinner on family history work and our reasons for doing it. Raquel bore a strong testimony on temple work for our ancestors. It was a fantastic introduction to temples for Angelica!

Sabado 2/13

Today was a long and very enlightening day. We visited Sister Ricks in the morning and helped her do dishes and talked to her about sentimental things she had from her mother who recently passed away. She shared so much wisdom with us, and she gave me a beautiful old honey jar for collecting pennies. In the evening we had dinner with the Smith family and we shared a message about journal writing and family history. I felt so much comfort today from my personal family history and the ability I've had to improve in my Spanish every day.

Domingo 2/14

In the evening we taught Victor a lesson about receiving revelation, and we introduced fasting, Doctrine & Covenants, and we read Alma Ch. 7 with him. He is progressing really well, and this weekend we hope to fast with him on a baptism date.

Today I was in awe of the amazing people around me. I feel that this weekend I've finally begun to feel more comfortable with Spanish and visiting people. I've learned so much so far and I've had some amazing experiences already, but dressing differently, speaking a language I'm still learning, and trying to remember so many names and faces of people I just met is, all in all, an uncomfortable experience. I know that real growth does not happen in the comfort zone. As I've accepted the discomfort, I've felt more able to be myself and I've felt more like a real missionary (not just someone following my awesome companion everywhere). My first transfer is almost to it's halfway point and I feel so blessed to have this as my first area. I love my training companion Hermana Parke.

--

Con Amor,

Hermana Rubio

Semana (week) 9 - Photos

 Roses given to the Hermana's from church members

(an early Valentine's gift).

A pic with their roses.

 Another flower pic from Hermana Parke's phone.

 Last photo with their lovely roses.

 Heavy snowfall on the evening of 2/8/16 (Hermana Rubio 

says the storm got much worse after this photo was taken).

 A shot of the snow from Hermana Parke's camera.

 Hermana Rubio scraping ice from the car windshield.

 Loving those Spring Rolls...yum!

 The Chinese New Year celebration!!

Hermana's with their Chinese New Year dragons!

Semana (week) 9 - Email

HOLA!

Martes 2/2

Today was busy and I don't know if our numbers for the day reflect the hard work we got done. We did a lot of service for members and investigators. So many people we encounter have such unique and difficult circumstances. I feel like my eyes have been opened to the real world and real financial, physical, and emotional struggles people and families experience. I could write essays about each person and their incredible stories. I feel so grateful for my upbringing, that even though it wasn't always perfect, I was given innumerable blessings and an amazing family. The gospel of Jesus Christ makes a real difference in our lives.

Miercoles 2/3

Today was an abnormal mission day. My companion was up all night with the flu, so we postponed our appointments for tomorrow and didn't leave Clocktower. I did a lot of studying, made meals, and in the evening Hermana Parke and I talked and got to know each other better. It was a weird day, but I was given the opportunity to do service for my companion.

Jueves 2/4

Today was very productive, but I had my turn of being sick with the flu. We visited with the new mission leader for the Nashua Spanish group, Sister Candelario. We also cooked with Margarita. Margarita is a less-active member, and her son Omar and granddaughter Omari are two of our investigators. We weren't teaching a lesson, just building a stronger connection with Margarita so that she would feel more comfortable going to church. She made us amazing Dominican food, but I was feeling so sick and couldn't eat, and Margarita would not take no for an answer, so I hid in the bathroom for a few minutes to buy some time and we took the food home with us (a few days later I ate it and it was great). After that, we brought the Bishop's daughter to a lesson with an investigator, Daniel. Daniel is from Mexico and Hermana Parke and her last companion contacted him from one of the little Mexican markets close to Clocktower. He brought his cousin, Freddy, to the lesson, so we gained my first new investigator! Neither of them speak english, so at the end the Bishop's daughter gave her testimony in english and Hermana Parke translated. Even though our member present doesn't speak spanish, she was able to carry along enough that her testimony was exactly what the lesson needed and brought a strong spirit. During the lesson I forgot I was feeling so sick. We ended the evening with a great lesson with another investigator, Victor.

Viernes 2/5

Today we had my first zone meeting, and I was asked to play piano for it. The meeting was fun, and it was neat to see what great missionaries I have the privilege of working with. It snowed really hard, so after we got back to Clocktower, we got "red-dotted" (meaning we aren't allowed to drive) until later that evening. That evening we dropped off a Liahona to an investigator, Teresa.

Sabado 2/6

We had so much planned for today, so even though some of our appointments fell through we had a full day. We visited and helped a few less-active members throughout the day. In the evening we had dinner with the Sanchez family (members, not our Sanchez investigators) and they fed us miso soup and Vietnamese spring rolls!! It really reminded me of home and I was so grateful for it and for the opportunity to eat something different. We shared a message and left for another lesson with Victor. Victor travels back and forth between Mexico and the US and has been investigating for almost a year. He has a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon. I extended my first invitation in Spanish, inviting him again to be baptized and to go to church...kind of, lol. The words were right, but because in Spanish the difference between "Will you...?" and "You will..." is your tone of voice when you start the sentence as well as end it (that's why the question marks are in the beginning and end). Victor nodded but seemed a bit confused so we elaborated and and asked again if he'd go to church. I realized that I had actually told him "You will be baptized" and "You will go to church" and after the lesson it was very funny. That night Hermana Parke and I laughed about it and she said "Sister, we do not command others to come unto Christ." I had commanded him to be baptized and he was cool with it, lol. Fun story to tell of my first baptismal invitation, and my companion gave me nothing but love and praise, where I could have been more embarrassed by my mistake.

Domingo 2/7

Today so much happened that I don't really know how to go about explaining it all. I'll just share one experience. In the evening we taught another lesson to Victor, but we didn't know we would meet with him until the night before and he's had all of the lessons so we had nothing really planned going into it other than asking what he needs and following the spirit. As we talked to him at the start, I low-key looked though PME (Predicad mi Evangelio, Preach My Gospel) and LDM (Libro De Mormon, The Book of Mormon) and couldn't find anything. When the time came that he asked for tonight's message, Hermana looked at me and without thinking I opened up into one of my tabs to Moroni Ch. 6 and it was EXACTLY what we needed to teach and discuss. Many times I need to follow the spirit not through what I feel, but through just knowing what to do and doing it - actions and clarity. I'm so grateful to be learning so much how to discern what I am supposed to do.

Hoy 2/8

Happy Chinese New Year! One of the members made a big Chinese New Year meal for all of us missionaries with dumplings, chinese candies, money envelopes with $2 bills, decorations, homemade dragons for us to keep, etc. I'm so grateful to have such amazing and supportive members in our ward. I feel like I've written so much, but I left out so much, and it's only my first full week or two in the field. This mission is the craziest and hardest and best thing I've ever done.

--

Con Amor,

Hermana Rubio

1 Clocktower Place #128

Nashua, New Hampshire

03060

Week 8 - Photos

She was one of nine new Sisters and six new Elders to arrive at the

Massachusetts Boston Mission home on January 26th, 2016.

 Snowflakes in her hair (she's used to that now, lol).

Her apartment door!

 Meeting her new companion Hermana Parke.

 Hermana Rubio and Hermana Parke.

 Welcome to MBM Zion!

(Massachusetts Boston Mission)

 1 Clocktower Place

(her apartment building!)

View from behind the apartment building.

Week 8 - Email

Hola from my first area, Nashua, New Hampshire! I've had a really huge week and I have learned SO MUCH in such a short period of time about people and why I'm here.

Tuesday 1/26

It was a crazy day flying to Boston without much sleep. Everything worked out with the luggage and all my things. I arrived in Boston safely, met the Mission President, and was fed really well at President and Sister Miller's.

Wednesday 1/27

We got to go street contacting in a big park in Boston this morning! It was a very cool first experience as a missionary preaching the gospel in Boston. I learned a lot of things about New England, like how driving here is crazy. Coming from LA, I thought I could drive anywhere, but with so many narrow one-way roads I'm very grateful for GPS because we would definitely get lost. Gladly, I'll be training for my first 12 weeks, so I won't be able to drive until at least my third transfer. I was given my first companion, my trainer, Hermana Parke and I was assigned to serve in Nashua, New Hampshire. My trainer has been out for almost a year and is fluent in Spanish. She also has been in the area for 3 transfers, so I will probably be here for 3-5 as well.

Thursday 1/28

Today was my first full day in the field with Hermana Parke. I also got to meet the Bishop and get to know the two English Elders in the ward a little bit. The area I'm serving in is definitely Spanish. It's like a little piece of Mexico in southern New Hampshire. We have a Spanish group that meets at the building here in Nashua, about 50 people, but it doesn't have enough leadership to become a branch. We hope though, that this year it becomes a branch. There are many people in this area that really struggle financially. It's a beautiful place, but there are some rough neighborhoods that we don't go to at night graffiti'ed in Spanish. We met one less active family and had a lesson with an investigator fall through. I'm a bit overwhelmed by how much we have to do and how much Spanish I have to learn, but Hermana Parke has been so encouraging and says nothing but positive things about me and the work. I am so blessed.

Friday 1/29

Today really brought me out of my comfort zone and I had my first two lessons with real investigators in Spanish. It was very interesting and I just tried to have the mindset that if I was obediently present at these lessons and opening my mouth, Heavenly Father would help me to say the things I should. We also had our first district meeting.

Saturday 1/30

In the morning we taught a Spanish class at the church. We had our first lesson with the son and granddaughter of one of the members. They are Dominican, like many of the people we meet and teach. It was a great spirit-filled lesson, but it was also listening exercise for me because heavy Dominican accents are very hard to understand. They speak very quickly, and drop s's from their words. During a lesson a Catholic lady stopped my and yelled at us in Spanish about how our church was of the devil or something (I didn't understand all of it because she spoke quickly and angrily) but the son asked her to leave and seemed very annoyed. We were still able to have a great lesson because of the family's unwavering interest and my companion's strength in testifying in Spanish. The lesson ended powerfully. In the evening we attended a baptism for one of the Elders' investigators. Hermana Parke translated for the Spanish speakers and it went well. A few people have been happy to see me because they saw a post my mom put in the MBM facebook page of me and Hermana Jensen from the MTC. Everyone, English and Spanish, has been very welcoming and loving (and they make great food).

Sunday 1/31

I was introduced to the Spanish group and asked to give my testimony in Spanish sacrament meeting. Many times I have imagined myself to be able to bear my testimony fluently when I get home to the Barstow ward. I hadn't yet imagined bearing it in my first week in the field (not fluently, but as well as el don de lenguas allowed). It is such a special gift I've been given to be called to learn this language. If God knows that I am capable, then I must be. Nothing is more comforting than that.

It's been so neat and such a blessing to get to know and love the families here. Everyone has different challenges, some drastic and some not, and I had no idea how much missionaries got to know and help members in things they face. I've been given a really important job, and I am so grateful for it. This mission is definitely the craziest thing I've ever done, but I'm so grateful to have the opportunity to be doing it. I love the people of New England.

Address of my first area:

1 Clocktower Place #128

Nashua, New Hampshire

03060

--

Con Amor,

Hermana Rubio

Arrival to Boston, Massachusetts!!

Here's the email we received from Hermana Rubio's mission president and his wife Kimberly, on Tuesday evening, January 26th.

Hello, this is just a quick note to let you know that Sister Rubio has arrived safely in Boston. We are grateful that she is here and look forward to working with her.

Regards,
President A. Todd Miller
MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON MISSION

Week 7 - Email and Photos

It's not P-day, but this is my last evening in the MTC so here's this week's email!

Tuesday 1/19

A very productive P-day! I read more of Pearl of Great Price than I ever have in one sitting in the Provo temple, and had yet another great Tuesday Night Devotional. I was so happy all day after hearing about Rothinny Honghin's baptism. Congrats Rothinny!

Wednesday 1/20

We had a Missionary Broadcast that was broadcasted to ALL missionaries everywhere in the world. I learned so much and took more notes than I ever have of a devotional here. 

Thursday 1/21

In the morning we had our last MTC service assignment. This day I really struggled with Spanish up until the evening. We had our second (and last) skype member TRC that went really well even though I struggled so much. Later we had a lesson with Pedro that also went well despite my awful Spanish. I was really grateful for my companion because I felt so frustrated with myself that it became difficult for me to feel the spirit. Then, in the evening we had to practice teaching our companions about a commandment from lección 4 y extend an invitation. I finally stopped thinking about my issues, and I just taught about the blessings and importance of living la ley de castidad. I did it, and the spirit was so strong and my tongue was loosed to speak spanish. Hermana and I started crying because the spirit was so strong even though it was only a practice. Heavenly Father hadn´t forgotten to help and bless me, I forgot to let Him. And yet, I was still able to have success before that experience because of the faith and trust of my companion and my willingness to try even though I was struggling so much. The spirit is the most powerful force there is.

Friday 1/22

Today we had our 9-hour in-field orientation. We learned so much about what to expect in the field and what some of our responsibilities are that we hadn't thought about yet. We did a lot of role play as well, and it was interesting to see the difference between the English speakers that have been here for two weeks and the language learners that have been here for several. I'm so grateful for my experience.

Saturday 1/23

My last normal day with my whole district was today. I got printed MTC photos from my mom in the mail and was able to give a photo or two to everyone in my district. They were all really grateful and I felt so blessed to have such a thoughtful mom. 

Sunday 1/24

Today was the hardest day in the MTC and the most spiritual, because it was my last day with my district family. In the morning we had a Sister's conference. At sacrament meeting I accompanied Hermana Reupena singing "How Shall I Serve?" and it went so well, she sang so beautifully. As a district we sang Jesús es mi luz, with an extra chorus in english at the end acapella. After sacrament meeting, we as a zone, continued the tradition and sang Hast ver, with our district on the podium facing the rest of the zone. Relief society and the evening devotionals were about obedience and how it will bless us in the field as we are shepherds for Jesus Christ, representing Him. In the evening, after our last Sunday evening devotional, we went back to our classroom instead of watching one of the films they show every Sunday night. We had a testimony meeting and went around sharing something we each love about every other person. It was a very emotional and spiritual time that we had together before going out in the field.

Monday 1/25

I am amazed at the experience that I have had here at the MTC. If my mission ended here, it still would have been worth missing these two years at UCLA. It is something I will always cherish. The people I was here to learn from were really a gift to me from my Heavenly Father. Before we got here, our district changed a few times and two of the members were even originally supposed to be in different MTCs. A lot had to happen to bring us together, and I know that it was for a reason. I had an amazing companion, that I hope will be my companion again. I made lifelong friends here. I am a little worried that this great experience is preparing me for a very difficult one in the field, only because I am so amazed at the blessings. In a few hours I will be on a flight to Boston. Thank you for all your love and support. #BostonBound

--

Con Amor,

Hermana Rubio

 

  The last District photo!

(Did you all plan that awesome reflection in the water?!!

That's what Mom wants to know, lol.)

 MTC love!

The last night.