July 11, 2011

Dear Family,

Hi Family!!! How is everyone doing? What’s new? What’s going on in the world? Who is getting Married?

Tell Stacy Camacho that I said congratulations on getting married! That is great! That is too bad that I won’t be there for it! But I will think about it!

In our area I saw a Buick Rendevous just like Grandpa’s, same color everything. As I rode past it I just pictured him sitting there waiting for Grandma. It was a sweet little tender mercy.

Everything is going well here in Fiapre! Today was transfer news day and nothing changed for me and Elder Akpan! I think that I will be here for at least one more transfer, but really I think until October. Which is good! I feel like I still have lots that I can do here and lots still teach my comp.

This week has been lots better. We have taught lots of people and continue to just spread the name of the church throughout Fiapre!

We had a really cool experience with one of our investigators this past week, One investigator is 26 yrs. We had been teaching his sister Ekewa for a long time and he has sat in on a couple of our lessons. We really hadn’t been teaching him but He came to church last week which was great and a surprise. Anyway, we decided to really focus on him and try to begin to teach him. At church I noticed that he had a Gospel Principles book with him as he left, but I just felt like he should take it with him. We went and visited him during the week in his little house, and he told us he had read about baptism in the book. So we taught him all about it and told him why it was important, etc. I then asked him if he wanted to be baptized. He said yes! I told him that I know he doesn’t know a whole lot yet, but as he learned from us, continued to come to church and pray that we would help him prepare for baptism. He said ok and then really opened up to us. He told us all about his past and how he wants to change and how he has been repenting and wants to follow the Savior. I then bore my testimony to him that baptism would help him to complete the repentance process and that it would help him to feel free from the past and would help better is life/future. I did not cry, but my eyes got watery and the Spirit was so strong! It was a great lesson! Since then we have met with him and he is doing great! He know calls the church “our church” so he feels as though he is already a member! It is great! Sometimes the Lord leads you to someone, in order to find someone else! He didn’t come to church this week just because he went to his home town, but he will be back this week. He is even trying to help introduce us to his uncle.

We also had interviews with our new Mission Pres. and his wife. It went great! The Shulz are great people and I can’t wait to learn from them. They both interviewed us to try and get to know us better. I first went to talk to Sister Shulz. Anyway she asked about me, how I was doing, where I had served, how was my health, etc. She then said that as she sat in during the instructions and she looked at the missionaries that she noticed me. She said that I have just a light and glow radiating about me and she said she could tell I was different. She said she had heard a lot about me and can’t wait to get know me and to be work with me. She was a great lady.

Then I went to Pres. He asked me how long I had been out, how training was, if I was being obedient, etc. He then asked about Mom and Dad. I told him and he asked what Dad did for the Mission. I told him, he said, “So he knows Missionary work very well.” He said he is sure that Dad is very proud of me and what I am doing and then he said “I am very proud.” He got a little emotional and said “I am proud of you.” He then said the same thing that Sis. Shulz did about noticing me and recognized something different about me and he said that he can’t wait to work with me. He said “you and I will become good friends.” He said I am going to need your help, I need you to help me and do all that I ask you to do. He then gave me a hug and that was it. It was short and simple, but really powerful. Honestly my best interview yet on mission. He is a very happy, energetic man and I am very excited to work with him. I am glad I have lots of time with him still. (Little side note, he and Sister Shulz both worked at the Burger Bar! That is how they met! I began to think about being there and can’t wait for a Big Ben and Shake haha!)

Well I have to go! I love you all and am grateful for all you do for me! You guys are the best! Know that I am safe, happy, and doing all I can to serve the Lord. I love you!

Love your son and brother

Elder Ryan S. Alba

PS. I will have the letter for the stake and bishop next week