Hey Famz                                                                                                                        July 22, 2013

What's going on guys? Sounds like the recent vacations and trip to St. George has been fun. Dad I got a kick out of your 7 month old food baby comment! I'm starting the get a little food baby going on...geez these people just don't stop feeding us haha. Thanks for the pictures. Mom thanks for sending me that talk. I'll have to print it off sometime and read it when I've got more time. Sounds like the girls had some fun in girls camp. I'm glad to hear that Jami helped Lexi out. That's really nice Jami. Dad I was wondering if you could update me on some golf stuff in you email, just some fun information about who wins and stuff like that. That's cool that Tyler went to NYC! I'm sure he had fun. I still remember walking through Times Square on HT...it is an amazing place. I'm glad to hear all is well and that you're safe and sound. 

Well.....the news is in and looks like I'm headed for a new area! I'm getting transferred. Out of the 4 missionaries in the Agua Azul ward, Elder Burden, Elder Durffee, and I all have transfers. Lots of changes. I'm excited, but sad at the same time. You really get used to a ward and area getting to know everybody and stuff. Also, Elder Burden and I have babied out new little area from the very start. It has been such a growing period here. It's pretty interesting because I have almost a year on my mission and only 2 areas!! Well that's about to change. It does get a little old sometimes visited to same people and seeing the same things. It's time for a change. I'm really excited to see what my new area brings. I know that I'm going to learn a lot training and being a new DL all in a unknown area and zone. Today we've been packing and saying goodbye to as many as we can. It's always a crazy P-day when you have transfers. Anyway, this week was really slow. We've found and taught a lot of new investigators here, but most of them are either not progressing, or have a big obstacle whether it be being busy or lack of permission. The 2 members of the Beltran Leon family that we were going to get baptized on the 20th weren't baptized because the Father refused. He hasn't been to church, he listens, but he doesn't do any commitments. He is still giving it all a chance, but he's got to start reading the Book of Mormon and going to church. It was really hard for us to see them want to be baptized and not being able. I have faith that someday the whole family will be baptized. We've also been doing the best we can to leave the area all ready for the new missionaries to come in. That's what I always want to do: leave my area better than I found it. Anyway, the meeting is tomorrow at 12 and so next Monday I'll a lot to tell ya'll.

I want to take some time to thank you all yet again for all the love and support you provide me. It really means everything. Elder Durffee and I were talking one day just about how privileged we are to live in the United States and have so many blessing that we have. It's incredible how blessed we are. Living in a different country has opened my eyes and helped me to be more grateful for all the blessings and opportunities that I've always taken for granted before. Mom and Dad I wanted to thank you so much for always taking care and providing for me over the years. Thank you for all the hard work and for the example that you've been to me. I love you ma n pops. Sometimes I think of the way we live over there and I remember back home and it literally seems like a dream. That's exactly it. We live a dream life. BE grateful for it because not everybody lives the way you do. I'm not saying that everyone lives poor and miserable here either, because they don't. There is a lot of blessed people here too. Well anyway that's my lecture for the day. :) Love you guys tons. Keep it up! Do the most important things. Don't ever forget who you are and the divine potential that you have!

Con Amor

Elder Ryan Kitchen

¡Buenas Tardes Familia!                                                                                            July 15, 2013 Hey guys what's going on? I hope everybody is doing well. Sounds like Dad has some company finally, so that's good. But I guess the girls are going to go to camp, so you're going to be left alone. What are you guys going to do?? Anyway, yeah Dad mentioned that I'm in my 12 month on the mission....wow I can't believe it. When I think back on the day ya'll dropped me off at the MTC it doesn't seem that far away. I guess in some ways it does, kind of like in every case, just depends on how you look at it. It shows just how short the 2 years to serve the Lord really are. I am going to make the very best out of this next year. I have already learned so much, but like you said Dad, some of the best things could be lying ahead. Sounds like everything went well at Bryce Canyon and all. Have I been there before? I don't think I have. Seems like summer is just blowing by for you school-goers huh? Hate to break it to ya, but in about a month you'll all be back in school  tooooo bad! Thanks for all the emails and picture. I really enjoy them.  Well this email might be a bit shorter than others because I still need to write Tyler, Jami, and Kaylee back....sorry ma and pops. This week was kind of a weird week. Instead of District meeting we had Zone meeting which is every first of the month. Then, Friday happened to be our Zone Conference with zona Valsequillo (our zone) and zona Mayorazgo. That went really well. To my surprise on Friday night I was informed that I will be training again!!...but this time as a District Leader. Crazy huh? I had to go to a trainers meeting on Saturday. By the time normal Sunday meeting came around I was just about sick of meetings for the week! haha. It was quite the surprise to be told that I was going to train again. I'm excited. We were able to find and start teaching somebody named Hector Luis this week. He has a lot of problems in his life, but we taught him about the Atonement, and he loved it. Every time I get the chance to testify of the Atonement it makes me happy. It reminds me of how much it has helped my in my life, and all the great changes that it's brought.  Well I love you guys. Today we went to the Center with a lot of the zone. It was fun. I always love walking around up there. It's a really cool place. I bought a cool leather key chain thing and a mexi-pancho sweater all for about 100 peso...which is around 7 dollars! Woo! When I get back everything is going to seem really expensive to me. I'm pretty sure that I will be transferred to a new area to train, because if I stayed here it would be 6 transfers in one area, which is around 8 months. We'll see what happens though cause you never know. There is going to be 8 new areas opened this transfer. 24 new missionaries are expected to arrive. 9 sisters, 8 Mexicans, and 7 North Americans. Hope everyone has a great week and we'll talk soon!! Love you! Con Amor, Elder Ryan Ellsworth Kitchen

¡Feliz cuatro de Julio!                                                                                                 July 7, 2013

Here in Mexico nobody does anything at all for the 4th of July haha. Our ward missionary leader José Luis Coca studied in Canada and he knows a little English, so he signed up to feed us on the 4th. We had some steak n stuff and then finished with some apple pie! That's really all that happened special that day. Sounds like everybody is enjoying their summer vacation! Thanks guys for sending some pictures, I loved them. It was fun to see everybody haha. That Eden place you rented seemed really nice. I hope everybody had a good time. It looks like everybody is growing up really fast!! Some of the cousins seem bigger. Also, it's just nuts to think how old Jami and Kaylee are getting. Thanks ladies for sending me an email. I'm going to try and send you a personal email next week, but for this week I just added you in on the list. 

Well this week went a whole lot better for us. We were able to see a lot of people this week. We managed to get 5 new investigators as well! I hope that they can progress. This Sunday while talking to the daughter of the Beltran family, we put a baptismal date with her for the 20th of July. We are really excited for her. Her and her mom Silvia have gone to church around 13 times already! They are more active than some members, but because of the family situation they have been waiting. I hope everything works out. We've been working hard with the Bishop and the Ward  Mission Leader to try and get more ward missionaries to come with us in lessons. I'm trying to leave this area the best it can be. We've talked about baptism with our investigator Erika, but also because of family situation she isn't progressing very much. On Thursday we had a leadership training meeting with President and all the leaders in the mission. We learned some great things. I was reminded of some of the little things that really matter. I've realized that the mission is a constant learning process. There is always something that you can improve on. My district is also doing great. Dad you asked me how the language is doing and if it's second nature or not. Well it depends. Sometimes it comes better than other times, but I feel like I've got it down pretty good. I have about 7 different language books that I study everyday. I'm starting to feel like I know the ins and outs of Spanish grammar better than English hahaha. I really want to learn the language well. Elder Burden is doing alright. He has improved a lot, but I still feel he might be a little behind. He'll get it down sooner or later. 

Well we've already got a pretty good week planned out. I feel like it's going to be a busy one, which is great. I feel like I've made a ton of progress as a missionary, but I want to become better and do more. I know that I have to continue dedicating myself in every moment. It isn't easy, but I know it's worth it. It's worth it for these people, and I know along the way I can loose myself in the work. ^aHe that findeth his life shall ^blose it: and he that ^closeth his^dlife for my sake shall find it. Mathew 10:39 

I love this scripture! It's so true. May God continue to bless each and every one of you. Be true followers and disciples of Jesus Christ. I love and miss you!!

Con Amor

Elder Ryan Kitchen

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HEY GUYS!!                                                                                                           July 1, 2013

Well I'm sure all you school-goers are getting sad that the summer is already half-way over. Mom thanks for sending me a couple pictures. That's really cool that you guys went to the Grand Canyon. It looks like you all enjoyed it. So with all the families the two older kids weren't there huh? I'm sure that must've been pretty different. WOW I can't believe it's been 9 years since I went there. I was thinking though and I swear when I went and Tyler, grandpa, and I went golfing I was older than 6th grade age. I remember golfing like an 85 and there is no way I could do that as a 6th grader haha. Dad I thought it was funny when you told me about the two weeks of being alone at home and that you're starting to talk to the dogs...hahaha. Poor guy. Hey I hope ya'll have a great time in Eden. Tell everybody HI for me :) Tyler sent me a nice phat letter. I really enjoyed reading it. I'll have to take some time next week to respond. Sounds like you're working hard Ty. That's good. He told me that he's had some cool missionary experiences which is awesome! Well drive safe and I hope you all get home without any problems. 

This week we did exchanges with Elder Durffee and Elder Villa. That went well. We kind of had an okay week. There were days where literally we had to entire day planned, and basically everything ended up being cancelled. Sometimes those days are rough, but ya pick yourself up in the morning and keep moving forward. On Monday we had that family night with the Bishop's family and our investigators. It well really well, and we had a lot of fun with the game we played. We taught about prophets. Unfortunately, Jesus the dad of the family wasn't there :( but on Saturday the whole family went to a baptismal service so that was good. On Tuesday we ate with the American couple from Spanish Fork in our ward...mmm they make some good food. They invited us to come by again real quick on Friday to eat a quick dinner with them. As we waited, Brother Tucker talked to us and gave us some really good advice on how we choose our career path when we get home and what to study in college n stuff. We also talked about the experiences in the mission and just how much one learns as he serves. It is so true. It make me reflect for a moment on all that I have learned from this experience. I have learned so much from living in a different culture speaking a different language, while working hard serving and teaching the Gospel. I love my mission.

Well I hope that you all have a great week in Eden with the family. Keep Tyler and I in your thoughts and prayers and I'll keep the family in mine. I pray often for you and I am always filled with gratitude each week as I write to you. Thanks for everything you do. This work is real. The church is true. 

Con Amor,

Elder Ryan Kitchen