All is Well in Lima

Well, this week was a good week. First of all we had Stephanie’s baptism, Elder Duarte baptized her. It was a good service, and Sunday we had a lot of people come to church and this week we are going to go and challenge them to get baptized. We are way excited to get going this change and this week we have a lot of potential here. The zone is doing all right, we have to get better. I kind of came in when it was dying so it kind of stinks but this week we are going to do splits and a lot of stuff to get them excited to work. Me and my companion are doing good he is awesome, we work good together and we get along so well, he is from Bogotá Columbia, he is very loving with everyone, he is awesome.

As zone leaders we have to do a lot of busy work but we still have enough time to work, last week we didn’t work at all in the morning, we had to go do little things, busy work, but in the afternoon we have time. The next time I go to the offices will be at the end of the change and yes we will go to the temple but we don’t know when.

elder ridge

Elder Ridge in Pucallpa

This is video taken by Gwen Rich on her Trip to Peru with her son Elder Landon Rich. This takes place at a Family Home Evening (Noche de hogar) at the Pucallpa Ward.

Dad Repented and Got the Blog caught up

For all of you readers of Elder Ridge's blog. I have to apologize for falling behind for over a month. With the holidays and the birth of our first grand child, I did not get the blog done. I have repented and have the blog up to date. Please take a little time and go back and read all the posting that were posted today, with the proper dates in the title.

Elder Ridge has has some great experiences over the past 6 weeks. Hope you enjoy reading about his adventures in Pucallpa.

Adjusting to Lima

Well I’m here in Lima. It is not my favorite city, but things are going great. I’m learning a lot about being a Zone Leader and everything. My companion is Elder Duarte. He is from Colombia. He is a really good guy who really loves the people. He reminds me a lot of Mister Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. He is the same, how he talks and everything, he is really loving with the people.

My ward is called Ventanilla. I’m in the center of the town, the beach is in my area too but it’s not like a nice California beach. The members are way nice and we have a ton of people to teach. It’s just my companion, the members love him so much they just give us people to baptize. This weekend we will have a baptism of the niece of the pensionista, she is nine, the pensionista is awesome, she gives us cereal and other good food but doesn’t give us that much so it will be good, I will be able to loose some weight.

That’s crazy that Landon Rich is getting married. Well things are going great here, thank you for your support, I love you guys,

love elder ridge

1-11-2010 Death in Pucallpa and Transfers to Lima

Well this week was a good week, we have found new families to teach that want to get married and get baptized. 2 families, they are way nice people and they like the church a lot. This week was a week to find more people and we did find some good people so we are way excited for them to progress.

Some sad news is the other day when we were eaten dinner with our pensionista, the owner was like Elder there is something wrong with the monkey she is kind of depressed and sick. I was like what, bring her here I will take a look at her. Thinking I know something about monkeys, he brought her to me and she had the saddest little face, I could tell she was a little sick, she curled up on my lap and fell asleep, then like 5 to 10 minutes after she sat up and looks and me and then just throws up all over my leg. I kind of took me by surprise because I have never seen a monkey throw up, let alone on my leg, I got up and cleaned up and put her in her little hammock. Then the next the guy comes to window and says Elder I need you to dig a hole for the monkey she did last during the night. I was kind of sad, put later I found out that the owner killed her because he gave her flu pills for people, that’s what did it.

We had to give talks yesterday, I gave a 15 minute talk and my comp 10. I talked bout the fall of Adam and the importance of the Atonement, then I taught the gospel principle class about eternal marriage. I think I confused them ha-ha no I think I did a good job. It was a good Sunday and the twins that we baptized are now deacons, they got the Aaronic Priesthood.

So here are the changes, the Zone Leaders just got them. I’m leaving, Im going to Lima!!!! I’m going to the poorest place in all of Peru and the most dangerous, its called Ventanilla, I have never ever wanted to go there because its so bad but the cool thing is im going to be a Zone Leader!!! I’m way excited, I’m kind of nervous, I’m going to have a whole zone now not just a district, my new companion is Elder Duarte, I think he is from Ecuador, I’m kind of excited, next week I would like another long letter from Dad about being a Zone Leader, any advice would help. I’m flying out of here tomorrow at 6 in the afternernoon, so I will finish my last six months as a Zone Leader. I’m so excited I can’t stand it. Well that’s it for this week, wish me luck, I love you guys and thanks for the support,

love elder ridge

1-4-10 A Great New Year!!

This New Year was kind of cool. First of all what happened is that Marco Antonio wanted to go to the stake activity with his wife to dance and enjoy the new year and getaway from his old friends. He didn’t want to drink before his baptism but he couldn’t go because he had to sell fireworks to make enough money to feed his family for the weekend but we wanted him to go.

So what we did is Thursday night we went to his house at 7:30 and helped him sell fireworks, we grabbed a bunch to go sell and we went to the members house in the area and they bought them, we explained the situation and they were willing to help out, we only had a hour and a half to be out, we have to be inside at 9, and we earned 180 soles to give him, which was enough to feed his family for the weekend, we got back to his house and gave him everything and he was so happy, it was way fun helping him and getting the members involved. He decided not to go the new years party in the stake center because he decided to stay at home with all his kids and enjoy it with them. He is such an awesome guy.

At night, the owner of our house cooked us chicken and banana and we ate with him when the new year came, it was pretty fun.

Saturday we baptized him and the twins, it was way fun, Macro Antonio’s son baptized him and confirmed him and now their whole family are members, it was such a good day for everyone. Then we went to his house Sunday night and was telling us the blessings he has reviewed that he has some guys that want to work with him. The family is really happy right now and they have the meta (goal)to go get sealed in the temple in one year, I cant wait to go hear about it next year, it was an awesome weekend and I’m way happy!

We have changes next week so next week you will know the changes, I’m praying to stay here another change with Elder Puga, this change has gone by so fast, we are way good friends, we had success together, I would be so happy to stay here with him.

We have more people to baptize, yesterday several people came to church for the first time, this week we have a lot of people to challenge for baptism, I’m way excited for this week, the district is doing good. We have a goal to have 30 baptisms this month, 10 for every companionship, I really don’t want to leave, I love the people here and everything is going good, and I just don’t want to go to Lima, its awful there, if I go to Lima I will finish there, I want at least one change more here but we will see, thank you for the support I love you guys

elder ridge

12-28-09 Christmas Call and a White Christmas in Peru

We had a great conversation with Elder Ridge on Christmas. He was able to speak with the entire family and listed to his dog bark and his new niece cry. It was so nice to listen to him and growth we can see and hear in him.

Here is his weekly email.

Well it was good talking to you guys too, I’m glad that everyone is doing good and everyone is happy. Karra sounded good too and buddy.

Everyone in my companions family are members and very active but his dad is not a member, he likes to drink too much, but all his brothers and sisters have served missions and his brother in law is a stake president. He gets a lot of support from his family and they live good in Guatemala, he was born in the church too.

This Saturday we are going to baptize Marco Antonio to complete the family, he is awesome, we went to his house yesterday and he was reading the Ensign of the conference talks, he was sharing everything that he had learned about with the family, it was way cool, he cant wait for his baptism.

Then we are going to baptized Paolo and Anthony, they are twins and are 12 years old, we are pretty excited to baptize twins. This week is going to be a week for finding, we have to find a lot of people now to teach.

This New Years Eve we are going to be with Marco Antonio and his family at night for a little bit but other than that it will be a normal day to work but we kind of have to be safe because of all the drunks but we will see how it goes.

You don’t have to buy cereal, the milk here isn’t that good so it wont make it any better. I loved the pictures they were way awesome, she looks way cute and it feels good to see the mountains, well thanks for the support and I love you guys so much.

elder ridge

12-21-09 Finally an Uncle, Baptisms and a Great Family

Emily had her baby!!!!! Finally I’m an uncle, the baby looks good and healthy, I want to hear her voice when I call, you will have to pinch her or something. Emily looks out of it but she looks good, I’m so happy that everything went good with the birth, I can’t wait to see her in 6 months.

This week we had three baptisms, Eduardo he is 20, and Juan he is 85, he is way old, my comp baptized him and had to do it way slow but he did it Juan was so happy, then Freddy he is 26, there was a lot to do.

Saturday was a busy day for us, all the baptisms were at different times, we where running around trying to pick people up and get the keys to the church then the font wasn’t working, it was crazy but everything turned out good, this Saturday we are going to baptize Jackie, she is nine her parents are members.

Now we are also going to baptize a man named Marc Antonio, all of family are members his wife his kids, one of his kids is going on a mission to Argentina in a couple of weeks but Marc was a drunk, two months ago I found him drunk in the street, every time we went to go talk to him he was drunk, until Tuesday we caught him at his house and he wasn’t drunk. We were talking to him and I was like do you need help with anything can we do some service in your house and he said yes im going to build chicken incubators, so we went the next day and helped him build them.

I was just talking to him getting to know him and he brought up the topic of baptism and I’m like well we can help you drop your habits and we can complete your family and you can start off the new year way good, how bout we baptize you the 2nd of January. He says like ya that’s fine, I want to get baptized now, it was awesome. We go to his house everyday making sure he isn’t going to smoke or drink he came to church, its way awesome, his family is so happy.

We have twins that we are going to baptize the 2nd as well, the are 12 years old, their family are members, things are going good with my companion, he I so awesome, we get along way well, we work way good together.

So here is the deal for Christmas, om going to call you Thursday to set up a time for Friday, I have no idea when I will call you Thursday, I have to do baptismal interviews, appointments and we are going to eat in the stake presidents house for dinner, I might call you in the morning or in the afternoon or at night, just make sure someone is there to answer me im hoping someone os there to answer me, thank you for the support and I love you guys,

love elder ridge

12-14-09 Visit from Landon and Sister Rich

This change is way fun with Elder Puga, we get along so well. I always get him laughing. This week was a good week. First of all on Tuesday as you already know Elder Rich came with his mom, it was awesome. We did that activity that I play with the members, they love it, but ya I was there translating while Elder Rich was talking and when he gave his testimony in front of everyone I was translated and she started crying. It was a cool experience, she also took photos of me and filmed talking to the people explaining the actividad to the people. It was way fun playing with the members being there with Landon and hi mom. Ask her for the photos and footage, that should hold you over until I get home ha-ha.

This weekend we will have three baptisms, Eduardo 20 years old, Juan 85 years old, Freddy 26 year old, then we have a little girl that will get baptized the day after Christmas, named Jackie. We have a couple of people that want to get baptized but we are trying to get them married.

It was hard translating for Gwenn, not because I didn’t know what they were saying in Spanish but I had forgotten the words in English, like family home evening, she had to help me with that one, in Spanish its night of home, noche de hogar.

elder ridge

12-7-09 Awesome New Companion and Parrots

This week was a good week, Elder Puga came and he is awesome. He is tall and light skinned. He looks like a gringo ha-ha, he is a nice guy. He is kind of quiet but we get along. He likes to work too, so we are doing really good.

Right now we are preparing 4 people for baptism for the 19th and we will have more around Christmas, hopefully a family, there is a missionary that just got back and we went to teach his parents and now they are wanting to get married and baptized, its such a blessing, we are working with them so we will see how it goes.

Yesterday Elder Evans, a missionary that just finished came to visit with his parents, we were talking for a little bit, we took a picture, his mom said that she was going to send it to you. Also Elder Rich is coming tomorrow, we are going to have a activity tomorrow night and him, his mom are going to be there. I’m so excited to get to know his mom, I know she will take pictures and send them to you. I can’t believe I’m going to meet her, after all this time im going to see her here in Pucallpa, who wouldn’t of thunk it. When I was talking to Elder Evens parents I was talking so stupidly, my English was awful, I felt so dumb, its going to be the same with Landon’s mom ha-ha oh well.

The other day we went to visit a less active family, the kids are members but the parents aren’t, its a little far in our area, its kind of where the jungle starts. We where there and she comes out with a roasted bird on a stick, I asked her what it was and she said it was a parrot, she let us try some, it was alrght, parrot won’t be my favorite, she tells us that in front of he house there are always parrots in the trees, we didn’t realize it but sure enough. They were flying around. They are about the size of a dove but really colorful, she said that her son always goes out and kills them with a sling shot and brings them back to eat. I was like, before the mission I hunted. She’s like here you go and gave me and my comp a sling shot and we went in front of her house trying to kill parrots with a sling shot but we didn’t have any success, she was laughing watching us and so were the neighbors ha-ha. It was a good way to gain the peoples confidence. We are going to teach them this week, it was awesome. I went parrot hunting in the jungle with a slingshot, man I love it here.

11-30-09 New Companion and a trip to Lima

Well, the changes are here, im staying!!!! I’m way excited, my new comp is Elder Puga, I heard he is a cool kid, it should be a fun change, we are going to be together for Christmas, he is from Guatemala, I’m way excited to get going. My companion elder Neito is going to Lima.

This week we baptized Emerson, he is 10 and his family are members, he comes from a little village down the river to come to church, he is way cool.

Last week I ate turtle, it was kind of weird, some times they eat monkey here, I kind of want to try it. This might be the last time im in the jungle. I’m going to work hard and enjoy the jungle.

We have a family that wants to get married and baptized, its a returned missionaries family, he got back last week and now his parents want to change, we will see how it goes with them. There is a lot of potential in this area and I’m way excited to get going with a strong companion.

The meeting with Elder Pino was really good, we all got to go up and talk to him for a little bit, it was really good to get to know him. He talked about the importance of our calling as missionaries and working hard and how we should be.

We went and stayed the night where I started out the mission again in the Tahauntisuyo house, I got to see some people from my first area, it was fun, Tuesday after the meeting we had all day to do nothing, me and schofield and Briggs and McDowell just talked the whole afternoon while our comps slept, it was nice to talk English.

I’m way excited to hear about the baby, I hope everything goes ok and the baby is healthy, I am kind of happy I wont be there so I don’t have to hear Emily yelling at Scott, YOU DID THIS TO ME!!!! and other stuff, I can pass on that but im way excited to hear about it.

love elder ridge

11-23-09 Gringo Day and a Turtle

Well, this week was kind of fun, I had my gringo day with schofield, we took a lot of pictures of places, went to eat out, went to a store here where they sell dr pepper, snickers, m and ms, mountain dew, we bought a couple of things then we order pizza at night, we also went to some appointments don’t worry, it was way fun,

I also had to do a lot of interviews this week, it was a good week, still had to drag my comp everywhere, I’m pretty sure we will be changed, we will see next week, one thing you can send in the next package is a white tie for baptism, I lost my other one when I was in lima a while back, I will let you know when I get it, the other day a member was like here elder take this and she gave me a hammock, sweet! its pretty sweet, she bought me a hammock, im trying to pay here but she wont let me haha, ill give her something.

Today we leave to lima at 4 and we get back Tuesday night, today we are going to eat turtle for lunch, we went to the family’s house yesterday because we are going to baptize their nephew and they were like look what we are going to eat tomorrow and he brings out a big turtle alive, they were like ya tomorrow in the morning we are going to kill it and your going to eat it, im like sweet I hope it taste good, so we will see how it goes.

Dave’s car looks sweet, still want a truck though, no im not thinking in worldly possessions, im not trunky either, im working hard, its not a sin if I say I want a truck haha, geez dad.

Moms birthday!!! wow mom is 50, she’s getting older but she still isn’t old yet. Send me pictures of Thanksgiving and you should buy Inka cola again, it feels like its getting hotter here, next week I want you to tell me want is the temperature down here in Fahrenheit, they only have Celsius down here, I want temperature with humidity, so the wards splitting again, that’s weird, when I get back there will be new families and new faces, it doesn’t even feel like I have a ward because it has changed so much over the years, well next week you will know where I’m going, who with or as what, just so you know I might take a little money out today just in case of emergency in the airport, well it sounds like everything I going good up there and everyone is doing good, thank you so much for the support, I love you guys so much,

Love elder ridge