Aunty Melinda, Uncy Bob & Marty drop in for a Visit!

April 30

About Melinda, I promised I wouldn't tell but since she did first, I can talk about it. Yea, I got to see Schnookity Boo a few days ago. It was crazy! she called my Mission President and got permission to take me to dinner. The funny thing is that it was a miracle that I ever even got to see her and Bob. We had just gotten back from helping with a 5K run and were supposed to be at an appointment who NEVER cancels, but for some strange reason had cancelled that day. We were at our apartments for a couple minutes RIGHT when she showed up and...... yea...... it was definitely meant to happen.

Anyway, things are going very well with our investigators, less actives, and members. We have a baptism of an 18 year old awesome kid who REALLY wants to go on a mission its next weekend (May 12th), another baptism of a 13 year old either the same weekend or possibly one of the two following in May, and then another baptism for hopefully the 3rd or 4th weekend in May, and then we have gotten two more new investigators this week: an 11 year old girl and a 12 year old boy who reads to his friends from the book of Mormon. (By the way, feel free to share this stuff with Mom, I didn't tell her some of this in my e-mail to her.)

So yea! Looking forward to more awesome letters! Keep trucking and being awesome and ROCKING IT!!!!! Go to In-N-Out and get me a chocolate shake!!!

I love you!!!

                                               -Elder Ryan A. Bell

P.S. My favorite scripture is Romans 8:16-18. The theme of my mission is definitely BECOME.

Cool Miracles

E-mail to Dad April 16, 2012

Hey Pappy!

So great to hear from you! I am out of time so look for a letter. Maybe I will just hang on to this letter until I finally get one from you. ;)

This week, a couple of really cool miracles happened. I will tell you about one that I can remember (That's why we don't do drugs, man.)

On our phone we got a text message for a referral in our area. A guy wanted a Bible. So we got a Bible and chugged on over to this house and rang the doorbell, but no answer. We knock and then leave a note as is customary. It is a very nice day so there are a lot of people out on the street, so we decide to go and start talking to these people. We walk up to this guy who is sitting on a cooler in his driveway, watching his kids ride their bikes around on the street. He is extremely gracious to us and even offers us a drink. We thank him for his coolness and he responds "Hey, anybody with the name Jesus Christ on their name tag is a friend of mine." So we talk to him and we tell him about the Book of Mormon. He was so stoked! We gave him a copy and then explained that the Book of Mormon is ANOTHER Testament of Jesus Christ. He asks a lot of questions and was floored about it, wondering why the Book of Mormon wasn't next to the Bible at the Library or in stores and such. He kept saying, "Man, I was going to study in side but then I decided to hang out here and just watch my kids, and if I didn't I never would have met you guys and never would have learned about this book!" Sounds like a Seminary Video, I know. So we set up an appointment to come back and talk to him more about it and go on our merry way. As we walk away, we see the car pull in at the house of the referral that we originally were going to see. We run over to the house and talk to the people as they are getting out of their car. It turns out that the referral wasn't even real. CRAZY, right?!

Love,

-Elder Ryan A. Bell

I SAW THE SIGN!!!!

E-mail from April 9, 2012

It is I!!!! The Blind Kung-Fu Master!!!!!!

Once, again, many people have been critical about the kids we are working with getting baptized after their Mom, but I can attest, because I am a witness of the real change that has come over them! They told Elder Peterson and I in our first lesson with them that they really didn't want to be baptized and really weren't interested, but after hearing what we had to say, they decided to TEST out our words. From there, every visit, the growth and change that came over them was more and more apparent. They were truly converted! I would not have ever been comfortable with them getting baptized unless I KNEW they were doing it for the right reason.

LOVE is the sure sign of conversion! Whether someone just got the lessons or whether they were born a member, LOVE is the purest and surest way of showing our commitment and conversion to Jesus Christ. Now, we could go into depth about why that is, but that is something for another day.

But to state my thesis simply-

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (Read Alma 26. Pay special attention to those brought to "sing redeeming love." Why? What happens to bring this about?)

35 By this shall all men know (Sure witness) that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

And that is what missionary work is about, isn't it? Making disciples of people? Not necessarily just baptizing them; sure, that's part of it, but we, at the core are seeking to bring others to Christ, to get them to know him and to follow him. Love is the sign! Love is the means! Love is the way!

I would like to bear you all my witness that I have felt God's redeeming love in my life! Who could have supposed that God would have been so merciful as to have snatched me from my awful, sinful, and polluted state? How blessed am I not only to be out here on a mission, and to have the capacity to be serving; but to be able to behold the fruits of my labors; that is just gold added to gold! Let us take the counsel of King Benjamin and ALWAYS RETAIN in REMEMBRANCE our own nothingness, our carnal nature, our fallen, and pitiful state; then with this clearly established in the mind, let us ALWAYS RETAIN in REMEMBRANCE the majesty, power, justice, mercy, and patience of God towards us, unworthy creatures. As Jordan would tell us, "Are we not all beggars?" Do we not rely on God for EVERYTHING?! It's one thing to say and confess this fact, but for goodness sake- BELIEVE IT!!!! LIVE IT!!!!! Carve this fact into your soul so clearly that those you come in contact with will be able to sense it in your countenance!!

Have a great week everyone Love you all!!

Elder Ryan Bell

I'm Talkin to Everyone!!

Letter Home April 2nd, 2012

Had some great experiences this week, on of which I will try to relate to you briefly. I had an experience about following guidance. Sometimes, I am a pansy and don't talk to people because I am afraid of what they or my companion will think, etc. This week I learned a lesson which I will call, "You're a missionary, WHO CARES?!" When I come home, the only thing I will regret, in this regard is NOT talking to people; NOT doing my job, not being brave and bold, faithful and diligent, not magnifying my calling. I won't remember all the people who yelled at me or mocked me, I won't remember the people who I tripped in front of walking to talk to them, I won't remember the people who tried to argue and make me look like I didn't know what I was talking about, etc. I won't remember ANY of these people, and they won't remember me! But I will remember those who I DIDN'T talk to and I will regret it. Sometimes, we are so worried about saving face (Because of our pride) that we forget why we are out here- to save souls! Including our own!

So I have decided to talk to EVERYONE!!! Who cares if I look like an idiot to them, to my companion, to the people around me, etc. Seriously, that doesn't matter! So, now I ALWAYS talk to people in restaurants in front of large groups of missionaries, I even did it in front of my Mission President. When I am walking on the street and see people making fun of us, I still talk to them. Because I am a missionary! I will only remember or care if I neglected my duties.

Tell everyone to send more food!!

Love,

Elder Ryan Bell