Slight Change in Plans...

Heeeyyy soo, I'm sure you all are super excited to have me home soon buuut, I think you guys are going to have to wait until September 2nd because on August 29th Elder Neil L. Anderson is visiting our mission for a multi-mission tour with all the missionaries of my mission and the salvador north mission and on the 30th the Salvador stake is having a special stake conference with Elder Anderson  The first time ever that an apostle is visiting this stake. It is history in the making and it would be too good of a chane to miss. With that being said, I am going to have to stay here for a little longer than expected. :) I already figured it out with the mission travel service and it seems to work out well. What a awesome last weekend on a mission. I hope this wont mess up too much of your plans that you've already planned. If the Bishops of Ken Caryl and from the ward where you guys are actually from agree I'll be satisfied just giving a testimony/talk on the 6th before I have to go to school on the 11th/12th.

Just One More! Letter # 86

That's usually what a personal trainer says when the trainee is getting close to the record. When he is tired and thinks he can't give any more. When he has gone so far and the moment that will define if he will beat the record and stand up strong or far back in the shadows of all the failed trials. It doesn't matter what the competition is or the record may be. There are always some who will doubt and others who will believe and those who believe are injected with a dose of joy that exceeds description when the trainee makes the cut and wins. Something that feels close to the overwhelming feeling of the Holy Ghost, not exactly but, close. That feeling is something that the one who is in the rally will feel before any fan and will last longer than anyone who was present at the time, witnessed from a far, or heard of it years later. That feeling of joy and sucess is something of most desire and just imagine if that feeling was acompanied by the Holy Ghost too. That feeling that you're probaly feeling right now. Just try to imagine the feeling that you're having right now and compare it with what you know how the holy ghost feels like. If you're not feeling it start reading my message from the beginning again, If you are then great. Imagine feeling the Holy ghost testify to you that you are doing your part of the plan of our loving Heavenly Father and Imagine that feeling together with the feeling of victory of a game well played, a race well ran... a mission well served. As I look back on my mission and try to remember all the great moments of success and feelings of the Holy ghost testifying to me that I am here sent from God I pondered these words that I have for you all today and hope you all have a great week.

Elder Rucker

Splits! # 85

Hey Family! 

This week was a great one as always and I really liked it because of how many splits I did. In portugese we call it Divisão which is division and to americans that makes no sense but, to me splits sounds so strange. The facts that I spent 3 days in a row splited with a different companion made me learn a lot and also see what I could do better in my work and help other missionaries do their work better too.

It is raining a ton here and after it rains it gets really hot but, at night is gets cold. Everyone keeps asking me hows many days I have still until I leave and I just have to keep distracted so that I dont think about it so much haha. I'm excited to see you all again for a little bit before I go back to Idaho. 

This week I saw a miracle happen when we had planned to visit a new investigator and we ended running late to get there when then we found a family that are getting ready to get married and want us to visit them! They were really cool and they are really interested in their family and the well being of their relationship nad when we told them that we believe that they could live together forever their faces lit up and I could feel the spirit really strongly. It was great. So, this week we are going to visit them and bring them to church this next week and it's going to be awesome. Their names are Reginaldo and Viviany and they have a daughter named Yasmin (4y/o). Pray for them to be able to go to church and to accept our message They are a family that could really strengthen the church here! Thanks!

I hope you guys have a great week!! Love you all!

Elder Rucker

ok this is short - Letter # 84

Hey I dont have a lot of time to write today but I just wanted to let you know that I love you and that I'm doing alright! Tell everyone that I say Hi and that I love them!

# 83

Dear family!

I have my last companion already! He is going to kill me as we say on the mission. He is from Cape Verde, Africa! His name is Elder L, Andrade, 25y/o and has about 1 year and 6 months on his mission. He is super diligent and so that is a very good trait because that means we are going to work a lot! He is a brand new Zone leader this transfer and before this transfer had only been a district leader for 3 weeks. So, yeah he's a great missionary and loves to work. he has been a member for only 2 and a half years which means he was baptized and exactly a year later went on a mission. he is here with a couple other members of his stake that are also serving here. This is my second african companion and I'm glad that he is here because he will help out the mission a lot! 

Elder Hemingway went to Una, a town in Ilhéus, to finish his mission in a town that he had already went to!

This week has been great and we are working hard to find a lot of families! I can't wait to share so much stories with you all it is going to be great!

Letter # 82 - A Really Good Baptism!

Dear Family!

This week we had the awesome baptism of Sônia! The baptism was in the morning right before church and so there were a lot of members there and that made all the difference. There was a lot of support and even a special "sisters of Zion" hymn from the relief soc. It was great for sure and the cake that was made by one of the women in our ward was perfect and everyone liked it!

This week is the last week of the transfer and we will find out tonight if there is a change in our zone. I think that its pretty much impossible for E. Hemingway and I to stay together because we are both finishing this next one. So, we will find out a little later and next week I'll let you know what happens!

I love being on my mission and I can't even imagine how weird it will be after but, dont worry I'm not thinking about it too much! ;) 

This week I learned a lot about how being a good example affects the rest of the missionaries a lot. as a Zone leader we have to do the best we can so thats my goal make this last transfers the best and the most worth while! 

I love you all and have a great week!

Elder Rucker

Letter # 81 - New President!

I'm waiting any minute now to hear about a new president in the US especially after that law was passed about same sex marriage but , there is a new president in town in Bahia and he was called of God and his name is G. Paulo Bangerter! He came with his wife and 17 year old son Steven! He speaks well already because he served in portugal about 30 years ago and so its rusty but he's getting the hang of it. His wife and son on the other hand don't speak portuguese at all! It was kinda funny when we had the special conference this week to have their welcoming because Sister Bangerter wanted to talk so much and she was mixing up the few words that she know with a lot of spanish and so it was good to hear from her even after having been translated by President. They are great and I love them already! They have some big shoes to fill but, it will all work out! He has a lot of excitement and has a great new vision to bring to the mission for sure. We were all a little sad to say by to President and Sister Andrezzo but, it didn't leave much time for us to be renewed with fire in our bones for the next couple months. I can't wait to see how much the mission is going to grow it these next couple of months! I'm still excited to work and ready as ever to help more people get to know the true gospel where we cite the scripture for what they really are and where its taught with power and authority! I love the plan of salvation and I know that it will all work out!

Elder Rucker