August 5, 2014

Hi Mom,
Sorry I didn't write yesterday. We had to change our p-day for this week because we had lots to do on Monday.

Well, this past week was really good. We had transfers and my new companion is Elder Mansilla. He is Chilean. He is really cool. When I started my mission he was my District Leader and now we are companions! I am so happy. I will be his companion until he finishes his mission. 

This week we had two really neat experiences:

The first- One afternoon we were walking to a lesson and a man on the other side of the street called to us. So we went and talked to him. He said that he was inactive, but wanted to return to the church. And that is what he did. He said that he wanted to attend and he did. This Sunday he came to fast and testimony meeting. He wanted to share his testimony, so my companion went up with him. Turns out the he went inactive 32 years ago. And he then told the story of how he came to know us— He said that he had been talking with his mom (she is a member in Bogota) for the past couple weeks and she had been inviting him to return to the church. Finally he decided to return, but he had a big fear. He didn't what to return alone and more than anything he didn't know what to do to return or where to go. So he called his mom for advice and she said "just wait, help will come". He then said that he hung up the phone looked up to see the missionaries (my companion and I) walking on the other side of the street. We didn't know that that had happened until he shared his testimony. Our Heavenly Father always, always prepares the path for those who are willing. 

The second experience also happened in the fast and testimony meeting. There is a sister in the ward who has muscular dystrophy and a few other of health problems. She arrived just as the bishop was about to finish the meeting. She wanted to share her testimony. So the bishop gave her all the time she needed so she could share her testimony. Her testimony was so powerful. She said God helped her get to church so that she could bear her testimony. She said her body was week and reaching its end but her testimony is as strong as ever. She knows one day everything would be all right. She reminded everyone of the privileges we have. Through her soft voice the Spirit bore into the hearts of all the members. She said even though she is weak, she doesn’t see her debilitates as an excuse to not share the gospel. My explanation of what she said really doesn't really do it justice but her testimony was one of the most powerful I have heard.  

Love you all,  Elder Rucker

July 28, 2014

Hi Mom,

To start off, the video of the 80th birthday of Grandma almost made me cry. The only thing that kept back tears was the fact that I was in a public Internet full of people. The video was Awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDjFrDRXgTM&feature=youtu.be

Well I don't have too much to say for this week. But...

A couple of things that happened in the family of David. 1) Danny, his brother, left on his mission. 2) Sarah, his sister, got married. That is what happened in the family of David.

This week I want to share an experience. We are teaching the Hernandez family. A family of three: Mom, daughter and son. They really like the church and are progressing to reach their baptismal date. The experience that I am going to share has to do with the son. His name is Samuel. He is three years old. When he was born the doctors said that he would never walk, but he walks. They said that he would never speak, he can speak, but only a few words. The words he knows are Mom, Dad, Valentine (his sister), bathroom, GOAL, and motorcycle. And in the few short weeks we have been teaching them he has learned our names. I am Uke and my companion is Mos!!!

At the end of the last primary activity a little girl gave the closing prayer. When Samuel saw that she was giving the prayer he too wanted to say a prayer. With the few words that he knew gave a wonderful prayer. 

Have a great week.

Love, Elder Rucker

Here are a couple of great video clips about children

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P9nUOCJ8rcU&index=19&list=PL4A73DDEE675FBC39

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNahtS4XJ8E&list=PL4E784EC0770935C0&index=17

July 21, 2014

Hey Mom,

One of the goals that I put for myself when I started to embrace the culture here was to score a goal in soccer using my head. On Saturday, the ward soccer night, I finally accomplished my goal. When I first started to train hitting the ball with my head I always woke up with a headache. Now I don't!!! My body is accustomed to it.   

My companion and I came up with an idea to have dinner once a week at no cost to us and to gain the confidence of the investigators. What we do is cook food from our countries of origin, that's to say America or Peru. This past week was a dish from Peru that is called "Lomo Saltado" (jumped steak tenderloin) It is really good. Check out the pictures.

Well, it was kind of a slow week, but still a great!!! 

Love, Elder Rucker

July 14, 2014

Hello Mother,

This week I had some experiences in which I learned a lot.

First off, this week every missionary had an interview with President Pitarch. Every time I have an interview with President Pitarch I always learn more and always feel the spirit.

The second experience is a little longer so hold in there because it is a good one. Well, the same day as the interviews with the President an Elder from my Zone had to go to the clinic for a pain in his back. Here in Medellin a missionary can just talk to the secretaries of the mission and have them make an appointment in a clinic for the check up, that is what this Elder did. So at 8:00 p.m. he went to the clinic for the check up, everything was going grand. 

At 1:30 in the morning we get a call from the two missionaries that went to the clinic. Turns out that the clinic never got the papers from the insurance company, so the missionaries could not leave without paying. So we had to go and pay. 

Once we got to the clinic we met up with the missionaries and my companion went with the Elder that had the pain in his back to go pay and I stayed with the  Elder waiting in the emergency room waiting room. 

While we were there waiting I noticed cars pulling into the emergency drive way. All of them came and went rather slowly, picking up or dropping off somebody. Things went the same for about 15 minutes. Then the scene changed. Out of nowhere a SUV came speeding into the emergency room driveway, obviously for something serious. Once the SUV stopped a man jumped out of the driver’s seat in his pajamas and without shoes and ran to the other side of the car. At this moment I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Who was he bringing to the clinic? After a few short seconds this man’s wife also in her pajamas and without shoes came running into the emergency room. And in her arms, wrapped in a blanket was her baby of about two or three months of age. In view of the events that had just happened I knew that things were grave. As the mother entered into the clinic she went directly to where she thought she could find help for her baby. It must have been a mother’s instincts because no one was directing her.

While she entered, her husband stayed in the waiting room. Not because he wanted to or because they didn't permit him to be with his wife, but because he did not know what to do. I could see through his actions and facial expressions his despair. After a few second in this state, he entered into the room where his wife had entered. No one made a sound in the emergency room, no one hardly moved. I didn't know what to do, so I started to pray. Everyone was thinking about what had just happened. Minutes later the man left the room. And with a voice of relief and preoccupation said "Volvió, Volvió (He's back, He's back)". After that we left the clinic, returned to our house and went to bed.

As I thought of this experience in the days that followed, I thought of our Heavenly Father. I thought of what He must feel and how He must act when one of His children, one of his most precious creations is dying spiritually for incorrect choices. His pain must be unexplainable when he sees His children enter into what Lehi calls "forbidden paths" (1 Nephi 8:28) or "strange roads" (1 Nephi 8:32). I then went on to think of what our Heavenly Father feels when His child returns to the Iron Rod--to the correct path. Happiness for his newly returned son or daughter but preoccupation for the journey that is ahead. 

I know that everything will turn out well for the family that I saw in the clinic.

That is all for this week.  Love, Elder Rucker

July 7, 2014

Hi Mom,  

Well, this week was really good. On Tuesday I worked in another area to see how things were going. I worked with Elder Ochoa, he is from Mexico. We had a good time. He speaks English pretty well. 

On Wednesday, my companion and I went to a conference with President Pitarch and a few other missionaries of the mission. It took up the whole day, but I learned a lot.

Today, Monday, was our World Cup for Medellin. It was in the morning and for that reason I was not able to write this morning and I don’t have a lot of time. Tonight will be a multi zone conference with the President.

That's all the time I have for now!

Love, Elder Rucker

June 30, 2014

Hi Mom,

This week was a good week. At the first of the week we worked with the Assistance to the President. I worked with Elder Diaz. 

I also got my birthday package this week. YEAH! (We sent it in March!!!) Although I am sad to say that it is basically gone. I live in a house with four Elders so I split the package into fourths so everyone could eat. I really liked the surprise inside the Pop Tart box. (Beef Jerky. Customs didn't like it last time we sent it!)

This week was a cooking week. My companion and I cooked for a few members and investigators. I cooked the first time and the second time my companion cooked.  I made breakfast for dinner. It was a real shock to the members because I told them I was going to make a breakfast meal for dinner. They had never thought of eating food out of order. I made French toast and bacon with brown sugar. The second cooking activity my companion made. He cooked pork with potatoes and rice. It is called Lomo Saltado in Peru. It was really good.

The Colombians are going crazy down here because the Colombian soccer team is doing really well in the World Cup. We can’t be outside when they play because no one receives us. The Colombians are super fans.

That is all for this week.

Love, Elder Rucker

June 27, 2014

Jason found these additional pictures on the mission website.