Catch up post (May 4th to June 8th)

June 8th

Our investigators are doing alright, we had a few individuals and a family and they just started to not progress and weren’t coming to church so I said to Elder Roca we need to drop them and start knocking doors to find some more. So we started knocking doors and we found this man named Segundo, we talked to him and taught him a little and took out his baptismal date right then and there and he is getting baptized the 27, he is a nice guy, a little shy, his thirty and is single.
I’m kind of change trunky ha-ha, but we are still working and everything. The weather is in the 80 down here lately it has been cloudy and rainy but when the suns out its pretty hot, but no they really down have a winter, the people tell me it’s cold in Lima. I want to stay in the heat I like it.
The thing that’s happening here is the indigenes people or the people that live with no electricity and live in little villages are getting mad because people are drilling for oil on their land out in the middle of nowhere. So they are coming into the cities and killing the police and people. Nothing like that is really happening here in Iquitos but in Tarapoto it’s kind of dangerous. The missionaries there couldn’t leave their rooms for three days to work, for us it was only two days, so don’t worry it’s not that bad here. Some of the members asked me what do you do in the states when this happens, I told I have no idea because these things don’t exist in the states, they couldn’t believe that there aren’t little villages in the states filled with indigenes people who run around naked ha-ha.
So yesterday we were visiting some members and we stopped by the house of a family and the dad was like hey Elder Ridge come here I got to show you something, I was like what , he told me that his computer has this program where you can see where you live, I told him it’s called Google earth, he goes how did you know its new, I said I just know these things, I don’t want to say that its old news in the states. So he’s says show me your house. So I showed him and he zoomed in on the house, he was like wow that’s your house, I told him yes and I kind of didn’t want to because of how big the house is, so he goes now watch this and he pushes something and puts the view as if you were walking down the street, I was like no way that’s awesome, I could see the cars and Melissa is out front walking. I couldn’t believe it, it made me trunky for the rest of the day ha-ha.

June 1

Well, I’m glad you guys got my photos and are enjoying them. (It only took 10 days to get a package from Iquitos) We will be posting all pictures in the near future in a new album.
We have two weeks left in this change and I am excited to see what the changes will be. I’m really hoping to do a jungle hop, go from one place in the jungle to another. I really like the jungle.
This week nothing really happened. Wednesday we couldn’t leave to go work because they had a strike and it was pretty dangerous in the street, so we just rested and studied. It was kind of off and on this week so we had to be careful in the streets.
Well nothing else is really happening. Today we are going to a gringo restaurant to eat lunch with the zone, I have been there before, and the food is so good.

May 25th

The biggest thing here that we do for service is painting because everything is cement and the paint is always falling off so we paint a lot and it’s no professional job but they like it.
The investigators are doing good and we have a lot of people that we are teaching but no one is accepting a baptismal date, but we will have some in June. I’m really trying to work smarter, I’m studying more and trying to make my teaching better and my Spanish so I will be able the apply the things and be a better missionary and help the investigators.
So back in march when I was with Elder Zuniga we had interchanges with the district leader, something that is normal, I went to his area with his junior comp and my district leader came to my area with Elder Zuniga, so I was in the other area that day working good with the other missionary, contacting, teaching. We found a guy named Richard and sat down and taught him the restoration and everything. Well at general conference in April I was standing there talking with other missionaries and this man came up to me and said Elder Ridge do you remember me? I said your face looks familiar but I’m sorry I don’t. He said you taught me the first lesson in my house and guess what I got baptized last weekend. Wow I said congrats, I felt really happy and joyful that he got baptized, I felt pretty good, but also that same day in March I was with another missionary and I said “hey lets go contact some people, and he said ok, I said you go contact that person and I will contact them, he said ok and went and contacted a lady while I was talking to this lady and her daughter, and told them about the church they seemed interested. I got names address and set an appointment, well a couple weeks later I was talking to my district leader and he said hey Elder Ridge you contacted a mom and her daughter that one day and now we are teaching them and trying to prepare them for baptism, I was pretty excited, as time went I asked how they were doing. He said we are still working with them, but she is having trouble working on Sunday stuff like that, well 2 weeks ago he told me hey guess what, the whole family is getting baptized, the mom dad, the daughter that 18 and the son that is 20, I was like wow sweet, so they all got baptized I was so happy.
Well last Friday I had interchanges and went to the district leaders area again and his companion there said lets go visit the family that just got baptized that you contacted, so we went and we were sitting down talking and I asked the mom, do you remember me, she said no, but I have seen you somewhere, I told her, back in march right here in front of your house I contacted you in the street and told you about the church, she said oh my gosh yes I remember, she grabbed my hand looked at me and said thank you, thank you so much, because you talked to me that day I have received so many blessing for me and my family and will receive more, I am so thankful to be in this church and I am sharing it with my friends. I told her well I’m really happy for you and your family and this church will bless your life and she said you are always welcome here and we talked some more and we took some pictures and left. After I left, I felt so happy and joyful I can’t explain how I felt, I was thinking wow just one little contact in the street the whole family got baptized, I felt pretty proud even though I had nothing to do with it because I was just an instrument the Lords hands. I felt so good that day and was thinking you never know what can happen from just a little invitation, so that what happened to me this week, it was a good week.
I have had a lot of good experiences, thank you so much for your support and I love you guys.

May 18th

Yes I got my birthday package and I loved it! it was so good, the candy the ties, it was all good. For my birthday we went to a family’s house they are so sweet, and we made pizza, it was so good, they sang happy birthday to me. . My pensionista made a cake and her family sang, it was a good birthday.
Today we got to go out and work in regular cloths because there was some protesting going on and President wanted everyone to wear regular clothes to be safe, nobody took us seriously when we are in our p-day clothes.
Sunday morning it rained so hard that all the houses flooded and nobody could go to church, we got to church and there was us and the bishopric, we had to start church an hour later and still only 10 members came, it was sad, we have to push back all the dates of our investigators.


May 11th (Post Mothers Day Call)

Yes it was good to talk to you guys, it sounds like everything is going good and everyone is happy including buddy (Elder Ridge’s dog)
We had a great time talking with Elder Ridge. We did not have the best telephones connections and had to call back a few times but it is always good to hear his voice. He is doing great and is loving his mission. It doesn’t sound like he has an accent but he did have trouble thinking of words in English and often used different wording than we are use to. It sounds like he is really into his language. He told us a lot stories about Iquitos, the members and the investigators. He is having a great time in the Jungle and hopes to stay in the jungle awhile longer.

May 4th (Pre Mothers Day Call)

Well the changes are here and I’m going.... nowhere, I’m staying here with Elder Roca. I will try my best and do my part hopefully things will work out.

Saturday we had Jorges baptism, it was really good, I baptized him.

I’m really excited to call you guys this weekend and talk, it will be the same as last time, I will call you Saturday to set up a time for Sunday. The Mission President gave us a hour of internet now so it will be back to normal.

I have no idea what made me sick, I don’t know if it was food water or what but right now I’m good. I burned the cads but now I have to send them, there is nothing in my area where I can do it and I have to wait every p-day. This week we really have to work hard to get more investigators to get more baptisms, every person that we had stop progressing so we really have to work hard to get more.

Yes, Mom I’m using the repellent, don’t worry, well I’m glad that everything is going good over there, I love the pictures of the family, everyone looks good, I’m really proud of Dave, he looks really happy. (Elder Ridge’s older brother graduated from UVU) Melissa looks great, I’m glad she is enjoying lacrosse, well guys I love you so much and thanks for the support and I will call you this Saturday!