July 8, 2013 - First transfer!

family! 

surprise!  i'm getting transferred this week as well as elder digbe.  crazy!  the assistants called us saturday night and talked to elder digbe and then he passed it to me and said we're both leaving.  they are closing/giving our secteur [area] to the zone leaders so there will only be two equipes [companionships] in hedzranawoe. the other two are staying just like they are. 

i'm going to Attiegou (at-tee-ay-goo) the secteur just north of hedzranawoe so not far.  their branch goes to church at the same building but at 1 30.  i'm going work with elder ndye (n-die-ay) :)  he's from congo.  i don't know much about him but i think he goes home in october or september or something like that.  elder potter was in attiegou but he is  being transferred out too, and being replaced by an ivoirien.  so i am going to be the only american with a congolese, malgash, and ivoirien.  :) should be exciting.  the transfer is happening wednesday i think.  kinda exciting but i'm sad to leave everyone i know in hedzranawoe.  this branch is amazing.  we had some big plans for this month and have a baptism saturday, and at least one the next saturday planned, but the lord calls and we go. 

other news!  we finally got our conference issue liahonas!  yeah!  i've been reading lots from it.  the talks are so amazing.  i forgot my camera again....sorry so i'll have to send pictures next week but i'll have a few to send so it'll be good. 

emma, if your image you sent was a whole bunch of weird symbols then yes it worked great, but if not sorry just weird symbols. :)   trina is eight!!  oh my goodness.  i won't believe it! when is she getting baptized? you'll have to send me some pictures :)  benjamin is off having fun somewhere again. figures. nathan you've been camping so much this summer it sounds like.  it's like every week i hear about a new trip you've taken. sounds like you're keeping busy and having fun so that's good.  are you still planning on getting a job? how's that going? 

i guess not much cool happened this week, and i don't have my camera, but i love you all. i love hearing from all of you.  have a great week! 

love Elder Rybin

July 1, 2013 - i love being a missionary

well i've got diarrhea. not super awesome but you make do. i've held out this far, but you can't escape it. :)

sheesh, everyone sounds like they have been just partying all summer.  its good, we have a fourth of july party planned for thursday!  booyah.  we are getting pizza, and having root beer floats.  we had to search a little to amass the stuff, but so far its gonna be good. 

yolande got baptised on saturday! she is so awesome.  she brought her mom and two brothers too and they came to church with her yesterday, they sound super interested.  it was a great baptism service too, lots of people.  i forgot my camera so i'll send pictures next week. 

dado is pretty much a full time missionary too.  she is amazing. she talks to everyone about the gospel.  she'll take a taxi moto from church and then talk to him about church and get his number to give to us.  yesterday she brought 2 neighbors to church with her!  ah she's so great! she loves the gospel so much and wants to get her whole family into the church to they can go to the temple next year. 

you never know what is going to happen when you talk to someone.  both yolande and dado were crazy finds.  the lord knows where his children are and whom he has prepared. he is leading this work i know it. 

i love being a missionary.  yeah most of the time it's hard, tiring, but when you get to be a part of someone's conversion, when you see someone change, really change.  when you see what the gospel is really about because it takes someone and fills their whole life with hope and light and happiness. when you have the good times, it makes it all worth it.  there is nothing like being a missionary.  i've never been closer to the holy ghost, i've never felt more deeply the two extremes of joy and sorrow. it's so hard to see someone reject what they know is true, or someone who is so prepared that refuses to find the answers they want, but when they do its amazing. that's my blurb about being a missionary for this week. 

july!  wow the year is already halfway over.  the rain is slowing down here, and it hasn't really heated up that much so that's good.  hope you all have a great week. 

love Elder Rybin