This week has been kind of a disaster...

We have been teaching a family here, the Ruiz family- who are AWESOME. They were married in the church by the missionaries 5 years ago to prepare for their baptisms but something happened and the baptisms fell through. So we found them and have begun teaching Efrain, Esperanza and their 5 kids. We were super excited when the entire family came to church on Sunday! We had to go and wake them up, and drag the teenager daughters out of bed...but they came! The young womens was putting on a special two hour luncheon for Mom's and daughters and they were super excited to go.

Well, while they were in their class, their son, Brandon, (5 yrs old) somehow escaped from primary with nobody noticing. Their daughter (3 years old) started crying and came into find her Dad when she couldn't find her brother. So we spent Sunday school searching the church for him. We found him sitting outside by their car crying because he thought they had left him. Efrain never wants to put his children in primary again...not a great first impression. We're hoping to find a way to invite them back and make them feel comfortable- but the outlook isn't great. :(

After all that, we got home last night and recieved a call from President Jackson telling us that he was on his way over to our apartment. They live 45 minutes away and it was already 9:00 pm so we knew it couldn't be good news. Sister Kelson's cousin was murdered last night in AZ. He was 20 years old. Needless to say, it was a long night... Keep your prayers with her and her family. I think that she could use all the support she can get, so send good news and love :)

We talked a lot about the Plan of Salvation this morning, and what a blessing it is that everybody has the opportunity to hear and accept the gospel. and that we know that we will all get to see eachother again one day.

Inspite of all that has happened this week, we both know that everything is going to be okay, and that really no trial is too big. There is just a feeling and an asurity that no matter what happens, we can get through it. We teach that every day- that no matter what people are facing, or how bad their situation seems, if they put their faith in God, and if they can see that this moment is just a small part of the grand picture- they can face anything.

This is an opportunity to prove that message true.

I love you and think of you often.

-Ries

More Pictures

My life in Pictures

Hello from Redwood City!

Family!

Today was transfers, and I arrived in Redwood City with Sister Kelson (from Sandy, UT!) about 3 hours ago. We are white-washing here, which is terrifying. There were Elders here before, so we don't have a clue about what is our area, when is church, who are our members, who we are teaching...what is our phone number??? But we are super excited to be here. President has been trying to open it up to Sisters for a really long time, and this transfer he finally did it. I think that I may be in Meredith's stake?? I'm not sure, but our zone leaders are serving there, so we may run into each other now and again. It is GORGEOUS here! Our apartment is right in the heart of downtown. We are excited to be hopefully be doing lots of walking.

The bad news for us is that all missionaries keep track of their areas- or they should. We have records of everyone we've taught and what we've taught them, down to which streets and houses we have knocked. With a good area book white-washing would not be nearly as scary- but since arriving we have discovered that we don't have an area book at all... We found various teaching records in desk drawers and on tabels from the missionaries before- but there are only 9 or 10. So we're hoping we can get permission to meet with them so they can tell us what's up, because as of right now we have a week full of knocking. haha

One of the missionaries at transfer meeting this morning gave us a GPS to use for the next couple months until we figure out what is what. That was the best thing that happened to us all day lol, because we had no map and no idea where Redwood City even was.

This past weekend before I left Peter Orosco was Baptized. He is doing so well, and Bishop already has his calling lined up for next week. Peter is excited and ready to serve. He invited us over to his house and had us meet his landlord and her family- all of whom are now investigating the church.

I am going to miss Yerba Buena a lot :( Sister Alvey and I had a fireside in the church on Friday and after it was over we just sat in the chapel and cried together :( It has literally become my home here, there are so many people who I love & so many wonderful memories. I am looking forward to the day when I get to return and visit them all again- but I am super excited to get things going here in our new area.

Sister Kelson is awesome. I have heard only good things about her. We recognize eachother from high school but can't figure out how we knew each other. She is going to be headed back home in November so hopefully we can make her last few months awesome!

Much love :)

-Mariesa

For Every Door that Opens

The Joys of Knocking Doors...
Door 1
(Knock, Knock, Knock) Man appears at screen door: "What are we selling today ladies?"
Sister Bergin: "We're not selling anything, we're missionaries" (Big SMILES!)
Bald man: "Well then if you're here to talk about God, church, or any sort of philosophy that you might have, I don't need it." Sister Alvey: "...Really? What is it that you believe?"
Bald Man: "I'm not going to answer that question."
Sister Alvey: "Oh well do you go to a church?"
Bald Man: "Not answering.."
Sister Bergin: "Alright, well can we just give you this pamphlet then."
Bald Man: "Don't need it."
Sister Alvey: "Are you sure..?"
Bald Man: "Positive. Goodbye ladies"

Tough Crowd!

Door 2
(Knock, Knock, Knock) (Doorbell) (Knock)
"Hola!"
"Buenas Tardes!"
"Come in."
---We walk in to a living room full of men dressed in suits and ties, and woman in long dresses with bright colored bandanas covering their hair. Everybody from ages 4 to 80 grabs their bible and sits down. Apparently we knocked into a Christian congregation. The pastor invites us to share a 15 minute message.
WHOA!
Us: "Thank you so much for inviting us in. We know that you will be able to increase your faith by listening to our message, but first can we start with a prayer?"
Alfonzo (Pastor): Claro que si! (of course!)
Us: "How is it that you usually pray?"
Alfonzo: On our knees
Us: Oh, us too! (We explain how we offer prayers)
Alfonzo: Okay, let's pray
Sister Alvey and I kneel and fold our arms, and suddenly the room erupts with the prayers of everyone there. Every person dropped to their knees and started practically yelling "Gracias Senor por mi familia, Gracias Senor, Gracias por todo lo que to haces Senor, Gracias." It scared us both to death. This prayer lasted for probably 10 minutes. Meanwhile Sister Alvey and I are silently pleading that we will be able to share something with them that they will be able to accept.
We spoke with them about prayers after that, and briefly talked about a prophet being called in our days, and gave 2 of them Books of Mormons. It was a good lesson, they at least heard us out, and understood. But they want us to come back next week. Alfonzo said that he wants to learn more, and that he wants to show us why he doesn't believe that God calls prophets...and he wants us to show him why we do. He assured us that he sincerely wanted to learn, and promised that it would not be contentious.
We are pretty much scared to death that it is going to turn into a huge bible bashing session...ah.
At the end Sister Alvey asked if we could show them how we pray. She said she would like to say it. The room went dead silent. FINALLY Mariza (Alfonzo's wife) says, "We'd love for you to say it. ...if it's okay with Alfonzo." Alfonzo sat in silence for another 30 seconds before saying that women never lead prayers, and he would be happy to begin. He knelt and began to pray, and everyone else dropped to their knees and erupted again into the same prayers they had said before.
We left on a good note...and we're studying like crazy for next Sunday.

Door 3
We began talking with a woman outside of her house last week, and she was very interested in what we had to say.
We started to explain the restoration and the Book of Mormon to her, when her daughter came to the door with a super annoyed look on her face,  "Who are you?"
 "We're Missionaries."
"Are you Christians?"
"Yes"
 She looked us both up and down and walked back inside. A few minutes later she returned to listen to what we were saying. We thought she was going to kick us out, so we gave her a card for a free "Together Forever" DVD and started talking about how the gospel blesses families. She said thanks and walked back inside.
Then she yelled from her room, "Wait? Are you guys MORMONS?"
"Yeah we are"
 "So Mormons or Christians, which is it?"
We proceed to explain how as Mormons we are Christians, and she says "Oh... okay" and walks back inside again.
 We thought that she wanted us to leave, and were sure she was going to lose it if we stayed talking to her mom much longer, so we started wrapping things up.
 Just as we were about to go she came out and said. "I want you to know something. This morning I was having a terrible time, and I just realized how much I need to have God in my life again and I was praying and praying that God would help me to find him. And now here you are on my doorstep." 
The Elders have an appointment with her on Wednesday. :)

Other doors we already knocked on

We are probably going to have to stop teaching Aldrin soon :( He just can't accept the Book of Mormon. We know that he is going to come around someday; he's just not ready yet to commit. But Bishop Limon is as determined as we are and has unofficially given him a calling in the scouts. Lol.. So whether he is 'officially' a member or not, he is seeing the blessings of the gospel in his life, he loves coming to church, and their family has changed for the better in the last few months.

Somebody I taught at the beginning of my mission, Julian, was supposed to get baptized on Saturday. The Missionaries called me up the morning of to tell me that he had gone to jail the night before for unpaid tickets. We're afraid that he is going to get deported this week :( You would not believe all of the crazy things that happen to people when they make the decision to get baptized... I hope that he can stay. And if not that he will find the church again in Mexico.

Peter Orosco is someone that we are teaching. I told you a little bit about him last week. Bishop Limon is so excited to have him in the ward, he already has a calling for him- and says that he knows that he is an answer to his prayers. The youth in the ward outnumber the adults by more than double. This is a problem because most of the youth speak and read little Spanish. And most of the adults speak little English. Peter's first language is English. He'll be baptized next Saturday. :)