Transfer Week!

(A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful day! Here is the email update from Hermana Ramos-Escobar! Enjoy and have a lovely week! )

Well this week was really weird...it was transfer week, but it felt about a month long...

We usually change companions on Wednesday, but Sister White and I stayed together until Thursday because my new companion (Sister Priestley) was in Fresno working with all the new missionaries.

So here was our week.. 

Monday was normal...We went over to the Stake Center and hung out with all the other missionaries it was nice to see some of them for the last time. 

Tuesday we had district meeting and I gave a training on working with the members. That was good...I didn't really know what I was saying most of the time...I just prayed that it made sense! Later that night, we went to the Missionary Farewell and said bye to some good friends! Sister Clark, Elder Robins and Elder Feltner all went home...Sister Clark and I worked around each other when we first came out into the mission and close to the end of our missions. Elder Robins and I served together for 2 transfers here in Lemoore, and Elder Feltner and I spent 8 transfers in the same zone in Fresno and Hanford...That adds up to about 1 year of my mission!

Wednesday was the day of transfers, so we had to go over to "babysit" a Sister while she waited for her ride, and then Sister White and I continued to visit people so that she could say bye.

Thursday we went to a funeral...There is an elderly member from Hanford that has been living here in Lemoore. We go to visit her at least once a week and sing to her and share a little message to make sure she's getting that spiritual nourishment that she needs. Well about a week ago,  her husband passed away and she specifically told us that he wanted us at the funeral.

So Thursday we went to the funeral...every single time I go to a funeral, I am reminded of how thankful I am for the Plan of Salvation. To know that life doesn't just end here on this earth, that there is more after this! I feel so blessed to know that she will see her husband again soon and that she will be able to feel complete joy with him. As we were leaving, we went to say bye to her, and once she saw us she jut started crying and thanked us for being there. Her kids around her asked, "Are you the singing girls?? My mom talks about you ALL the time!! Thank you for going to visit her!!" I know that I'm out here making a difference in at least a few people's heart, but it's nice to actually hear it every once in a while. It brings me so much happiness knowing that this elderly lady knows that we love her, but more importantly that her Savior loves her and is watching over her. 

Friday, we spent 3 hours cleaning an apartment, they took out the Elders in that area...so we helped cleaned it. That was fun...there was a lot of stuff!!

So last week I said that my ponderize scripture was going to be Ether 12:27...well I changed it Monday night...I realized that the scripture I needed for the week was the first scripture I ever memorized: Alma 32:21. It talks about faith. There were what felt like a lot of changes going on and I just needed to have faith that all was going to work out. It really helped me throughout the week and I'm thankful that my best friend Kelly helped me memorize that!

 
I know this gospel is true. I know that my Savior loves me and loves each of you. I hope that throughout your week you will be able to feel a little portion of His love for you!

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Ramos-Escobar

Ether 12:27

(A/N: Hello everyone! Alejandra here hoping you all had a wonderful week! Sorry for the late update, I will be more on top of it in the future. :) Anyways, here is the update from Hermana Ramos-Escobar in the Fresno mission from last week. Enjoy!)

So this week was crazy!

I'm sorry my e-mail last week was super short! I ran out of time...You would think I would have this whole e-mailing thing down by now...ya...not really! Oh well!

Well this week was crazy...We got transfer calls on Saturday.

 
Sister White and I thought we were staying together for my last transfer...but we aren't. I will be staying in Lemoore and I will be companions with Sister Priestly. Sister White will be replacing Sister Priestly, they're literally swapping places! It will be good though because Sister White and I will still be in the same Zone and we will be going on exchanges, so that will be good! I'm sad to have her go, but I'm excited to see what's going to happen this next transfer. I've known Sister Priestly for a while now. We've been in the same district for the past 2 transfers, so it will be fun!

This week there has been a lot of ups a lot of downs...but I guess you can say that's pretty normal.  We have Jordan whom we are teaching and he is preparing to get baptized on the 7th of November. He's excited for his baptism! It's been really fun to teach him! I haven't been able to teach a teenager in so long! I love teaching them!

I wasn't quite sure what scripture I wanted to share for this week, but throughout the time I have been e-mailing I think I want to do Ether 12:27, which is a very popular scripture but a scripture that has soo much to it.

"And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them."

Throughout my mission I have been able to see how this scripture applies to real life...there's so much to take from it but I think for right now I want to focus on the word "humble."

We are given challenges and we are given trials so that we can learn from them. But we do not learn from them, if we are being stubborn and don't want to learn from them. Throughout life, everyone has struggles and everyone has trials, but we get to decide if we want to learn from them or not. I know that pride is an ugly thing...I've seen it...it's bad.. and I don't like it. It's hard to stay away from it because there are so many different types of pride. But I know that as long as we are constantly trying to do the best we can, and be the best we can, we will receive help. But we need to be humble in order to receive it. I'm excited to ponderize this scripture because I know that I will continue to grow from it and continue to love it.

I'm thankful for the challenges that I have had because they have helped me become a better missionary and a better person, but overall a better disciple of Christ. Every day I strive to improve so that I can become more like my Savior. I love this Gospel. Everything I'm doing out here I'm doing it because I love Him. I truly love my Savior...and I know that He loves me.

I hope you all can feel of His love for each and everyone of you!
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,

Hermana Ramos-Escobar

Alma 31:35

(A/N: Hello everyone! Alejandra here, hoping you all had a wonderful weekend! Just a short little message today from Hermana Ramos-Escobar, but also a good reminder for all of us to continue to apply what we learned from General Conference and ponderize the scriptures. :) Have a wonderful week!)

Alma 31:35

Behold, O Lord, their souls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

That is my Ponderize Scripture!

I know that this work we are doing as missionaries is precious and I am here to help my brothers and sister find true happiness!

I hope you all had a great week!

Love you!

Love,

Hermana Ramos-Escobar

Conference Was Amazing!!

(A/N: Hello everyone! I hope you had a wonderful weekend! Here is the week's email from Hermana Ramos-Escobar. Enjoy!)

Needless to say, General Conference was AMAZING!! I absolutely love conference!! I was counting down the weeks since June!! I was soo ready to hear from our Prophet and the apostles!!

I think I'm going to just share things that I loved!

I loved how President Uchtdorf asked if we were making our discipleship too complex? A lot of the times, I have to remind myself to teach simply...that all we really need to understand is the basics! The gospel truly is so simple! 

I loved Larry R. Lawrence's talk!! I love how he tells us to constantly ask "What lack I yet?" He left us with a commitment to humbly ask: "What is keeping me from progressing?" In other words, "What lack I yet?" This is something that I have learned on the mission. You are never going to be done progressing and learning. Before my mission, I was fine with being who I was. I didn't strive to become better, and now I see how essential that is. It is so crucial that we try to become more like Christ each and everyday!

I loved how Elder Cook said: "Life is not easy not was it meant to be."

Robert D. Hales...he gave an AMAZING talk!! His talk was just good overall! One of my favorite parts was that he asked if we will let ourselves be led. Heavenly Father can't help us out unless we let him do so. I've also learned that on my mission!

President Monson also gave a great talk! It was sad to see him slowly go down...I love him so much!

One talk that I absolutely loved was from Devin G. Durrant. He gave us the counsel to "Ponderize"...I'm sure everyone is talking about it on social media. But absolutely love that! Ponderize...I've decided that in each of my e-mails I'm going to try my best to remember to include the scripture that I will be ponderizing that week!

For this week, I chose a scripture from the Bible, from the New Testament: John 8:28.

 "Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things."

I came across this scripture a couple of weeks ago and the one part that stuck out to me was "that I do nothing of myself." Christ really did nothing for himself...everything that he did was for others. This morning, I was talking to a missionary that is getting ready to head home and he said that he noticed throughout his mission that his happiest times where when he was thinking about others and not of himself. I testify that that is true. I too have found that throughout my mission.

I love Christ so much. I love knowing that He loves me soo much that He was willing to be lifted up for us. I know that He is my Savior and that He truly loves me with all His heart and I wish and hope that everyone comes to know that for themselves.

I love you all!

Love,

Hermana Ramos-Escobar