Happy heart day

Happy heart day
We love you too!

Sunday, June 30, 2013

¿Hola que tal?                                                                                                                 June 24, 2013
I can't believe we are headed for July already. Time just seems to be flying by right now. Well sounds like normal circumstances for you guys, some being in St. George and all. Dad I laughed when you called Jazzi and Zoe little hairy mutt balls or whatever haha. Sounds like fun being able to golf all the time without the girls there huh? So mom you're all headed to Eagar? I can barely remember what Eagar is like. I swear it's been quite a long time since I've been there huh? I just asked Elder Burden if he's been to Eagar before and he told me that he has maybe once or twice. He also said he knows of some Ellsworth's that live in Snowflake, so maybe they are relatives somehow. Hey I agree with Dad. You need to take pictures and send them to me too! Maybe we'll make a rule and if you don't send any pictures then I won't either. haha. So the family is going to Eden instead of Bear Lake this year?? That's cool. Tyler and I won't be there! It's going to be different huh? Well I'm glad everything is going well.

This week I gave a baptimal interview...my first one! It was a 25 year old college student investigator of the assistants in my district. I was a little nervous, but it actually went really well. As for our investigators, we have been "hitting the wall" with a lot of them. We've had baptismal dates and everything, but they keep falling. It's tough sometimes, but we're going to keep the faith. We hope to find some more new investigators this week. We have a good referral that we hope to contact this week. We watched to huge missionary broadcast yesterday at the stake center. Us English speakers went into the high council room and watched it via internet with President Reeves and the other English speakers. It was a great broadcast. It had a lot to do with working with members in the work. We also learned that all missionaries are eventually going to be using the internet like facebook and stuff to do various parts of the work. Amado came to church for the 2nd time in a row this Sunday! He really wants to change his life. Pray for him. He struggles with a Alcohol problem. He has a lot of hope that through the Atonement he can change and be baptized. Oh and guess what? My very first District Meeting President Reeves and the assistants came! Little pressure, but it went fine. 

I love you guys. Do Jami and Kaylee have their own personal emails?? I'd like to be able to talk with them more. Even if each week it's just a little paragraph or whatever. How you little ladies doing? Hope everything is great. Tonight we are doing a family night with the bishop's family and the Beltran Family. I'm excited for that. Family is everything. Thank you for everything. Until next week from your brother and son,

Elder Ryan Kitchen
Hey Family!                                                                                                                      June 17, 2013
How is everybody doing?! HAPPY FATHER'S DAY DAD! Man it's such a rip-off that they don't let us call the dads on father's day huh? I was really happy to hear that you had a great day though. Sounds like you got spoiled just like it should be. Before I forget, thanks for the great advice with becoming a DL and everything. I appreciate it dad. I can't believe you played two rounds for 28 bucks dad! That's a sweet deal, but I guess it's because of how hot it is right now there. That ski boat sounds pretty sweet too. I'm glad you have a good time dad. Mom, I'll answer some of you questions that you had. I have 4 other Elders in my district, so there is 6 of us in total. The assistants are actually in my district, so I have the right to call them whenever I want to haha. Elder Villa is the new Elder that came from Atexcac actually. We were together there and in the same district there too. You also asked about sister missionaries here in Mexico. There are actually quite a few sisters here. All of them are either natives from mexico, or from central american like the Dominican Republic. President Reeves has told us that American Sisters are going to be arriving in the near future though. Pretty interesting huh? That's really cool to hear about President Toone becoming a mission president. Those Elders down in Arizona are going to get a great mission president that´s for sure. Well tell Kaylee good luck on the range tests!

We had a pretty good week here in our area. We weren't able to do much on Monday night, on Tuesday we had that meeting all morning and afternoon that took much of the day, then we had a zone meeting on Wednesday. So, even though we didn't have as much time compared to other weeks, we still had a lot of great things happen. We received 4 new investigators, two of which seem pretty like they will be good investigators. On Wednesday night we had something awesome happen. That great family that we've been working with (Beltrán Leon) made a pretty big step. The father Jesus wasn't very supportive with the daughter Jessil and the mother Silvia going to church so much. They would be baptized, but it is tough when the father isn't progressing the same. On Wednesday the father began to cry during his prayer, and after he gave his daughter and wife his support and permission to be baptized it they want to. Wow! It was a miracle! The Lord softened that man's heart I have no doubt. They still have doubts, so right now we are just trying to stay strong with them, and keep them going for baptism. We saw and taught a bunch of others, but I don't have time to tell you all. We finally saw Amado though after a month! He came to church too! That was great. 

Well I hope you guys continue to enjoy your summer. Dad keep with that golf swing. You're gonna have to practice a lot, because when I get home I'll have a two-year purification to my swing. haha ya right I'll probably "whiff" it. I love you family. Thanks for everything. I'm nothing without your love and support. I constantly pray for your well-being and success. I really miss each and every one of you, but I find strength in my calling and what I'm doing out here in Puebla. I feel honored to be here serving and helping others come unto Christ the Lord. I've been reading lately in the conference Ensign all the talks from conference. You should take the time to reveiw the great things that prophets and apostles have told us. It's from the Lord. Keep it up! I'll talk to you guys next week! Abrazos (hugs)

Con Amor,
Elder Ryan Kitchen

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Dear Kitchen Family,                                                                                             June 10, 2013
It's just that time of year when the birthdays are going on just about every day. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM AND DAD...and sorry it's a little late.  I hope that you both enjoyed you birthday! Dad sounds like you did some fun things to celebrate, but how bout you Mom? What did you do to celebrate? I guess you went down to the St. George house with the team right? Dad you turned 52?! Ohhhh man you are getting old pops! Haha well I bet you'd still kick my butt in golf, so I guess I shouldn't say much. I'm glad ya'll had a great week. Hey mom should I start saying that I'm for St. George or from American Fork?? I'm starting to think that I should say I'm form St. George now haha. Anyway tell Kaylee good luck on the Drivers Ed and that I hope her teacher doesn't fall asleep during the driving test like mine!

Well yesterday Elder Burden and I made cookies after we got home because the exciting transfer news was coming. We got the news and the only one out of our district that has a transfer is our District leader Elder Knowlton. He has been here for 6 months now. So Elder Burden and I will be staying together for another 6 weeks in the same area. I'm perfectly fine with it because I really like this ward and area and Elder Burden and I get along just fine. The one interesting news we did receive is that even though we don't have transfers, we have to be in the transfer meeting because I have a "change in assignment" which means nothing else than I'm going to be the new District Leader here on Agua Azul. I'm pretty excited for the new assignment of responsibility and service. We had a pretty good week. We were able to see Oscar twice this week (the one with a date) and so that is good. He has a date for the 22nd of this month, but he says he is not ready. We are going to do our best to help him feel prepared and willing. We have been seeing this guy named Rafael who is a former investigator about 2 years ago. He is a Catholic with very keen Jehovah's witness views. He is very difficult to teach haha. He doesn't have any teeth and he is really hung up on how there is 10 commandments when he thinks according to the bible there is only 9. We also saw the cancer doctor for a little bit on Wednesday...that was nice. I hope that we can see him more often. There is quite a bit of others that we see, but not very many that are progressing. We expect to receive more investigators this week, so I'm excited about that. 

Love you guys! Hey Dad Happy Father's day!  I wish that I could Skype for Father's Day too. Well I'm continuing to learn a ton out here as a missionary. It's such a great experience getting to serve and help others all the time. Like you said Dad it does get hard at times, but I know that the Lord is watching over us out here and that as long as we are giving our best effort we will be lead to the true in heart. You asked me how Spanish is coming. It's actually improved a lot here throughout this time in Agua Azul. Especially because I do most the talking in teaching and contacting situations. The way that it does get hard is turning the switch off and on between English and Spanish. Being an all American district we obviously talk in English. Keep it up family! Thanks for all you do! Until next week...

Con Amor,
Elder Kitchen

Sunday, June 9, 2013

¡Holaaaa!                                                                                                                June 3, 2013
Hey family, What's goin' on? I'm happy to hear that everyone is doing well. Sounds like fun for he girls being out of school for the summer and all. I remember summer being something that I always really looked forward to. Mom you asked how my summer is going, but missionary work doesn't change much weather you're in summer or not haha. No, but I know what you meant. Yeah it's heating up here too, but it's still not too bad. We've hit the lluvias (rain season) here in Puebla. What happens is it's really hot all day, then when it hits about 6 o'clock or so it starts to rain for a while. It's kinda cool because I've never really lived in a place where it literally rains everyday during a season. Mom that's cool that you took your fifth grade team out to the St. George house. Sounds like you've made quite to official move-in out there  Well yeah Dad I am quite surprised to hear that you're all not down there in St. George this weekend. That's cool to hear about Courtney graduating from high school. Tell her congrats for me! It's also nuts to think that Kaylee is going to be a Jr. and Jami is going for the big senor year. It's too bad that I'll miss her graduation.

Well as for me and Elder Burden, we had a pretty good week this week. Our biggest challenge right now is being able to see our good investigators often because of how much that they work. We have our first lesson in close to 3 weeks with Amado tonight...finally! I hope it goes well. Also, we weren't able to see Oscar either this week who has a baptismal date this month. We hope to see him a few times this week. As for our new investigators, two came to church this week! Erika and her husband. Unfortunately, the wife Erika seemed to enjoy it a little bit more than her husband, but we'll try and change that. They have two sons, one that we've met named Fransisco and another named Erik. As for the Dr. we weren't able to see him last week either because of how busy he is with work as well. We hope to see this week though. Wednesday we had a district meeting and President ended up coming with the assistants and our zone leaders. It was a good little meeting. Well Elder Burden and I have really become good friends out here, and his training process is winding down. This is the last week of his training. We're all wondering what is going to happen now with our All-American district. We're sure that at least 1 or 2 of us will be changed out. Because Elder Knowlton and I trained here it's possible that the both of us leave, and the ones we trained stay, but who knows. I'll have to news for you next P-day.

Love you guys! I thank you all again, just like every week for everything you've done and continue to do for me. It means everything. The Church is true. It is the only church that teaches the pure restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. For those who are working, keep working hard, and for those that are now playing, keep playing hard. Until next week

Con Amor,
Elder Kitchen

Pics
1-At church with our Ward Mission Leader. He has all our tags on haha
2-We went bowling today with the zone!! (kinda bad quality pic sorry)
3-That's me in action doing a super man bowl...I got my white shirt all dirty haha! Whoops

  
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Elder Kitchens companions

Tehuacan (5/14/2014) to (8/6/2014) Elder Conrad from Draper, Utah

Nealtican (4/2/2014) to (5/14/2014) Elder Christensen from Denver, Colorado

Nealtican (2/19/2014) to (4/2/2014) Elder Sanchez from Chiapas, Mexico

Puebla (1/8/2014) to (2/19/2014) Elder Dzul from Cancun, Mexico

Puebla (10/15/2013) to (1/8/2014) Elder Betts from Mexi-Cali Baja California, Mexico

Atlixco (7/23/2013) to (10/14/2013) Elder Ortega from Nayarit, Mexico

Puebla (3/19/2013) to (7/22/2013) Elder Burden from Snowflake, Arizona

Puebla (2/19/2013) to (3/18/2013) Elder Knowlton from Springville, Utah

Atexcac (1/8/2013) to (2/18/2013) Elder Olvera from San. Luis Potosi, Mexico

Atexcac (10/16/2012) to (1/7/2013) Elder Tinoco from Dorango, Mexico

MTC (8/15/2012) to (10/15/2012) Elder Astle from Northern California




























































































































































































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