HEY GUYS!                                                                                                            July 28, 2014

Thanks for the emails and pictures!! Love you guys. It was fun to re-live the moment that I arrived from HT with Jami's pictures. I'm sure she loved it just like you guys have said. It is literally a trip of a lifetime. Like her, I learned and grew a lot on that trip. It was really cool to see Kaylee out there on the northwest coast with Madi. It looks beautiful up there, honestly. Kaylee sure has grown up...she is the one that probably has grown up the most since I've been out here. Mom, Dad, I'm glad you guys had a great time on you anniversary celebration. You deserve it. Haha Dad I got a kick out of the pictures of Brooks that you sent me. He's a cute little kid and I'm sure he'll be really good at sports when he's older. Thanks for the ward missionary news. Our ward is seriously on fire right now. Last night my mind was going a hundred miles an hour. It dawned on me that in 2 weeks I'll be giving my homecoming talk. That is honestly going to be a very strange experience for me. I'm just not used to talked about the Gospel in English...but we'll see how it goes. This Sunday is fast Sunday, so I'm going to head up there and give a final testimony in Spanish :) Tell Jami that I'm also excited to share experiences from HT with her. It'll be fun. Mom, good luck with all the school stuff. I'm sure you an expert now with the years of experience that you now have as a teacher. Dad I'm sure it was weird for you to not have any kids at the Coon reunion...did anyone make fun of you guys?? haha

Anyway you asked me how this week went, and how the work has been going. Elder Conrad and I killed it this week. We taught a ton of lessons to investigators and we also we were able to visit our recent converts. It was a good week. Manuel and Pedro from that reactivating family are doing really good, but they weren't able to get baptized this Sunday. Their dad obviously wants to baptize them, and we also want it to happen that way. He wasn't able to get an interview with the bishop because of his work. We have the goal to baptize them this Sunday the 3rd of August...lets hope and pray!! Also, we saw Leonardo again this week. He got back from Puebla, and we saw him a few times this week. He told us how he was having trials from family and friends telling him not to get baptized and stuff. After some cool experiences with prayer, he is super excited to get baptized again!! He also went to church, and we invited him to be baptized on the 3rd of August as well and he accepted. I'm really excited!! He wants to go on a mission already and everything. He's 22 years old. This week we want to have a super good one. I want to finish well and with no regrets. 

Thanks Dad for what you said. It's true I thought about all the things that I've done and learned and the way that I've served and being able to make it all the way to the end, and honestly I feel great. It's a satisfying feeling, but I still have a wee left, so I'm not done yet! I want to thank all of you for your amazing support, prayers, and encouragement. I couldn't have done it without you. I LOVE MY MISSION and I know I've served where the Lord wanted me to serve. I LOVE THIS PEOPLE, LANGUAGE, AND COUNTRY. Part of me is really sad to be ending..and leaving this place, but obviously I'm excited as well. After all that being said, I still haven't quite understood that fact that I'm on my last week...anyway..the Church is true. Jesus Christ is our savior and Redeemer. I know that we have divine potential to become like our Father in Heaven thanks to our great example and friend; even the Son of the Living God, Jesus Christ. Our Father send His Son because He loves us and wants us to inherit all that he has. What a blessing. 

con amor,

Elder Ryan Kitchen

Family!                                                                                   July 21, 2014

Thanks for the emails. I read them all and found great strength in each one of them. Thanks for all the things you all shared and said. You're all amazing. This week I feel great and I'm super happy and well. I see that you all are doing great as well. What a blessing! I've often thought about how blessed we are with everything. I'm so grateful that the Lord has protected both you all and I while I have been serving. Well to answer some questions, mom Elder Conrad just renewed his visa, so for maybe a few days his old one was expired and that's why I said that. Sounds like a lot of work that you're going to have to get your room ready and everything when school starts. Hmm maybe I can help you out. The ward update was awesome. Thanks for always keeping me informed on how things are going with everyone. That is awesome how much of us "veterans" are coming home. Like you said though, more are leaving. That's really funny that only Kaylee was able to go to the Ellsworth reunion and that none are going to be able to go to the Kitchen one. Sounds like you guys are some empty- nesters right now. Don't worry though, it sounds like it will full up some again soon. Dad thanks for the golf update. I'm really excited to go. Just wait. 2 years is going to have purified my swing and I'm gonna kick your butt...haha....I doubt it. I'm glad your back feels better and everything.

 Well this week was a little rough. A lot of appts. kept falling through. We are still working hard and everything though. We had a good planning session in which we make a bunch of good plans to find some new people to teach and stuff. We weren't able to see our investigators very much. Leonardo had to go to Puebla because his dad is sick in the hospital...:( We hope that he comes back soon though. We have faith that we will be able to see our investigators a lot and get them all ready for their baptismal dates. I feel great this week. I just really want to work hard until the end and return with honor. I've made a goal not to think about home anymore, or talk about it with anyone....well I guess today is the exception. I was able to talk to President Stellmon a bit and get to know him a little better. He gave me some really good advice. 

Well thanks again mom and dad for the advice and for your words. I love each and every one of you. Kaylee, have a great time at girls camp, Jami live it up on HT, and Tyler, keep working your butt off. I'm proud of all the great things you're doing. Staying of the straight and narrow path takes concentrated effort. We should never let ourselves feel too comfortable, because that's when the adversary gets involved. Don't let that happen. Remember Him daily. Give thanks for the MANY GREAT BLESSING that he gives us. Let us have a pure heart and a firm mind. I heard a quote this week that goes like this: "La ociosidad es la madre de todos los vicios" which means "Idleness is the mother of all vices." I don't know I liked it. That's why is always important to be busy and doing good things. 

Well that's all

Con amor

Elder Ryan Kitchen 

Hey guys!                                                                                                                 July 14, 2014

Sounds like everyone is doing fine. Thanks for writing. Hey I got an email from Cole Hegerhorst, and Steve Clarke. That was cool. They just asked me about when I was getting home and all that. I'm glad you guys had a good anniversary. Yeah you should go do something when the house is all empty and everyone is gone doing stuff. That is so great that Jami is having a great experience on HT. I am so grateful for that trip. I experienced so much and my testimony grew a lot. I can't believe I went so all of those places. A few times on my mission as we taught and testified about the experience of Joesph Smith, I have shared how I have walked through the very place where the Prophet saw God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. I often share how I was able to know with a surety that he was a Prophet of God. It is really cool to be able to share a unique testimony like that.

This week we had to go to Puebla on Tuesday to renew Elder Conrad's visa. He completed a year recently, and so now he is legal in this country haha. We are really good friends. It's been really cool to finish off my mission with him in this awesome area that I'd always wanted to serve in. I'm happy about it. We were able to see all of our investigators this week. The family with the two brothers who are going to get baptized are awesome! We love them. We are going over tomorrow with them. We are going to have a little family night type of message and then eat pizza apparently, should be nice. We've also been seeing Leonardo...mom he's the other one that should be baptized. He didn't go to church though, so we are going to have to help him out with that. He needs to go at least two more times before he gets baptized. Well Jonathan and Dulce (those that need to get married) are doing well. They have everything they need to get married, but they need to get a bit of money together. We've been pushing to put a goal with them, but they haven't decided yet. We've done just about as much as we can as missionaries. Lets hope they can get married soon. We really need to find some new people to teach as well. I need to leave the area good.

Well Germany won the world cup, not that America cares very much. Everyone has been talking about it lately here. It was pretty cool to be here during the world cup. I'm going to keep moving forward. They teach you how to be all prepared for the mission, but they never teach you how to end it...haha it's pretty weird/hard sometimes. I LOVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. Read it everyday please. It's amazing and we really should read it everyday. That's a goal I have. Say your morning and evening prayers. Pray as a family, and individually. Mom and Dad, pray together. It's the way we communicate with God, and it's so important. How are we with God? Let's do all that we can to feel well with Him and to please Him and serve in His church. I read Alma 5 the other day. Read it. It's really strong, but Alma spoke the truth. Love you guys!! Keep up the good work.

con amor

Elder Ryan Kitchen

HELLO!!                                                                                                                        July 7, 2014

Well I'm officially in the last month of my mission. This week went pretty well. Elder Conrad are I are still doing great, and great in our area! Sounds like everyone is busy and enjoying the 4th and all that. We were going to do some stuff, but we ended up not doing anything on the 4th...that's okay, I'm in Mexico so it's not a big deal here. Yeah dad we saw president in a special meeting on Tuesday and they introduced themselves and everything. They are from northern Idaho, actually where there isn't many members. He is really cool! Funny too. It's weird because he is like "Greenie" and us older missionaries feel really really old now. It's cool though, I'll prob get to know him a little bit. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! Wow guys that's awesome. 25 years...that's great. Now you got at least 25+ to go ;) haha nice! I'm glad everyone had a good 4th. That's pretty crazy that everyone is going on trips or working n stuff. I guess that's always how it gets in the summer. Mom that's cool you talked to Elder Conrad's mom. They seem like a great family. I hope they'll get to go to my homecoming. By the way, when is my homecoming exactly?? I think you told me already, but I don't remember. Has the bishop already told you guys? I'm really excited for Jami and how she's going on Heritage Tours! I know she'll have a great trip and it will help her testimony grow. 

Well this week Elder Conrad and I weren't able to teach as much as other weeks, but we were able to baptize our investigator, Miriam!! We got everything ready and she was baptized yesterday on Sunday. She is awesome!! From the first time we taught her, she was willing to change and to keep the commandments. She already had a desire to get baptized and we were privileged to just prepare her. We are struggling with finding new people to teach with all the ones that we have right now. We still have 3 baptismal dates programmed. One for the 20th, and 2 for the 26th. We are teaching this awesome less active family that finally went to church yesterday!! Their two sons are going to be baptized on the 26th, Manuel, who is 12, and Pedro, who is 10. I'm really happy here and I feel blessed with many great people to teach at the end of my mission. We hope to help Jonathan get married so that he can be baptized round the 3rd of August... like my very last Sunday!! I hope it happens. 

Well that's all for me. Mom, Dad, I hope you have a great anniversary! Have fun, you deserve it. I hope all you guys and I'm so happy to be serving and I'm also so excited to see you all in a month! But like mom says...I'll try not to think about it too much :) Stay strong.

con amor,

Elder Ryan Kitchen

Hey family,                                                                                                                   June 30, 2014

Sorry for not writing very much last week. It was a pretty interesting p day. Dad asked for a quick review of what we did so here it goes. He headed for Puebla on the ADO Travel bus from here in Tehuacan at around 2 o'clock. I had my final interview with President Reeves which went great. It wasn't a full final interview, it was just him giving us a bunch of great advice of what to do after the mission and stuff. He took us out to Chili's after which was great. It was fun to be with the whole generation and everything. Actually President Reeves is already gone! He left like on Thursday when Pres. Stellmon arrived. I thought Pres. Reeves was going to be here longer, but no he is already back in Arizona. Crazy huh? We are having a special meeting with the new Pres. this Wednesday. I'll met him just in time to say goodbye to him basically haha. 

Well thanks for letting me know what's been going on. That's cool that you are having fun on your trips and everything. I'm sure Tyler is super busy. What are the girls doing? I haven't heard from them in a long time. This time of year is always fun right around the 4th and everything huh? It's no big deal here in Mexico. Although, the world cup of soccer has been going on for a few weeks and everyone goes crazy here. It's on every TV in every store and everyone knows about it and watches it. They tell us how teams are doing and stuff. Apparently Mexico lost and everyone is mad about that. USA is still in. It's a really big deal here. Is it that big of deal in the States? Probably no right? 

This week went pretty well. After that cool p day, I stayed in Puebla for Presidents last change meeting and changes (transfers). It was CRAZY! He made quite a few changes for the new president and everything. He explained that many of us older missionaries have all had good opportunities to serve in leadership positions and that the missionaries (elders) just stopped coming and many of us haven't left the mission either. Because of that, there was a lot of good missionaries that haven't had the opportunity to be leaders in the mission. So basically my whole generation of missionaries (there is about 11 or 12) are all either normal senior comps or even junior comps. I'm just a normal senior comp now with Elder Conrad and had been serving as a District leader last transfer. Pres Reeves said it's what he knew was right and needed to be done for the good of the mission in the future. It's really cool though because now we have a ton of time to work in our area. It now gives other missionaries an opportunity to learn in a position of leadership. In our area we have been working hard. Benjamin got baptized on Saturday!! (inv.) It was one of the best baptismal services that I've ever been a part of. I don't have pics right now sorry. Our other investigators are doing good, just that they didn't make it to church. We are going to see why this week. 

Well I'm basically rolling into my last month on the mission. It's pretty weird. I can't really comprehend the idea of being home...honestly. I try not to think about it very much. It's a goal of mine to end my mission really well and with no regrets. Sometimes it's hard to avoid slight trunky-ness though. I'll do my best! The work is true!! I'm so glad to be where I am and to be doing what I'm doing. Stay well and be happy and healthy. Be strong in the church and in the Gospel. Love the Gospel. It's the most important. 

con amor,

Elder Ryan Kitchen

Hey guys!                                                                                                                      June 23, 2014

I don't have much time to write this time. I know I say that a lot, and then I end up writing a bunch, but this time it's true. I'm writing from the offices of the mission right now in Puebla with my whole generation of missionaries all around me. We are here being interviewed by Pres. Reeves because he will be leaving in a few weeks, and he wanted to talk with us one last time. They will be taking us out to dinner in a little bit and that's why I can't write much. 

Well thanks for writing! Mom your trip sounded way cool. I don't have time to comment much about it, but I'm glad you had such a good trip. And dad that's cool you got to play a bunch of golf. 

This week Elder Conrad and I ended up with 5 baptismal dates!! It's so crazy here I love it. We are working hard and being blessed. We will be staying together and I will end my mission with him in this ward in Tehuacan. I'm super happy about it!!

I hope you all have a great week!!

Elder Ryan Kitchen

Hey guys                                                                                                                        June 16, 2014

Wow! That was a cool picture mom! I can't believe you guys are on the Virgin Island. Where is that anyway? I don't remember. Oh by the way, I have a good mission friend from Puerto Rico, and he's actually the assistant to the president right now. His name's Elder Iñesta. Dad I hope you had a great Father's day. You sure deserve a to be honored on that for everything that you have done for our family. I was going to write a few things to mom so that she could print if off for you, but I didn't have time last week at the internet to right. Sounds like you all had a really interesting weekend. Dad I got a kick out of you stroll through the strip in Vegas with Uncle Lindsey. I'm sure Vegas is getting worse and worse as time goes on. Well mom and Jami, be safe and have a great time. I'm glad that you're able to go on a great trip :) That's cool that Tyler's doing so well out in Dallas working. I'm sure it's just super hot out there!! 

Well here in the Tehuacan ward Elder Conrad and I baptized our investigator named Armando!! He is awesome. I'm glad we were able to teach him and get to know him. He had to really make some changes in his life. He used to be a drinker, but about a year before he met us, he stopped drinking and started to change. It's a testimony to me that the Lord prepares those that are ready to listen to the Gospel. We were able to teach a lot of lessons this week, and we have some really good lessons set for this week. I'm not sure if I told you about Jonathon yet. He is the boyfriend of one of the members here in the ward. They're aren't married yet and they have two kids...they are just living together. About a 3 months ago the missionaries were teaching him and he wanted to get baptized. They told him that he couldn't until he got married. He starting having doubts and couldn't accept that he had to complete with man's law before God's law of baptism. The missionaries stopped going for a time. Elder Conrad and I started visiting him again and studied really good to be able to answer his questions with the Spirit. We had an awesome lesson on marriage and the law of chastity. The Spirit was felt and he got his answers. They are now going to get married and he is going to get baptized!!! Awesome stuff. We're happy for them. We're going to help them with the marriage process and even be some witnesses at the wedding. 

Well things are going great over here. Keep telling me what's going on with you guys. I love hearing from you all and being able to see that you're happy and healthy. Keep doing to right things and being strong in the Gospel. We also had this way spiritual experience with this investigator named Benjamin who is 18 years old. We taught him the Plan of Salvation and re invited him to be baptized. He wasn't too sure about baptism before, but his time he said, "I wasn't too sure before, but now I know it's true. He is going to be baptized on the 28th of June :) We have other people on the way as well. I love you guys! Have a great week!!

con amor,

Elder Ryan Kitchen

P.s I'm on the last week before the start of my last transfer...wow.