Wednesday, October 3, 2007 Email Home

Dear Family,

Work is good. Work is hard.  I'm getting a real good taste of what English work is all about.  I'm not going to lie, I miss Spanish work.  People want to listen to you.  They have no problem listening to what you have to say.  English people dont'w ant to listen to you.  Some are rude. My companion and I were talking about the differences in Spanish and English the other day. I told her that I feel like I just can't take out my Book of Mormon and share a scripture like I would before.  I'm hesitant because I don't know how they are going to take it.  I don't want to offend them.  We have to slip little lessons while we are talking to them. It's so hard!

We are struggling to find new people. That and my companion has been ill.  We think she might have anemia.  Because of this, she has to rest.  I feel so bad for her.  I feel bad for myself, too.  I've stayed in quite a bit because she's been so tired.  Let's just say that I've been reading a lot of Ensign articles.  I'm getting bored.  I need to get out! But I understand the situation.  I know that Heavenly Father knows the situation.  I know that he will bless us even though we are staying in.

We had an exchange with the training sister, who happens to be Hermana Morrill! I was so excited.  She came to Princeton.  It was loads of fun.  I took her to see Ken.  That lesson was so spiritual!  I wanted to explode from the spirit! I thought I was going to! We committed him to pray about the Book of Mormon all day Saturday.  He said he would.  He knows before he becomes a member of the church, he needs to know that the Book of Mormon is true.

Then we went to visit Mrs. Toto.  Mrs. Toto loves Hermana Morrill.  She spent more than an hour telling us her life story.  I've heard her life story about 20 times already.  It was good, though.

While Hermana Morrill and I were walking down Nassua Street, a man handed us a piece of paper.  It was for the Catholic Church.  We smiled and took the paper and kept walking.  Later, when we went back, the same man who gave us the paper, sneered at us ans started sayin we worked for the devil.  He said we were going to hell. I was shocked, I didn't even know what to say! He was very mean to us.  We just smiled and kept walking. Unfortunately, we had to walk by him again. Hna. Morrill and braced ourselves, and he again, in front of many people, called us "heretics."  I told him to have a good evening and we continued walking. I asked Hna. Morrill if he called us "tics" because that is what I heard, but she corrected me.

It's so sad.  People can be so mean.  In fact, just yesterday as Sister Woolley and I were leaving our apartment to get into our car, a man tapped on our windows.  "are you Mormons?" He asked.  With pride in our hearts, we said yes.  I was expecting him to say that he's been looking for us, that he wanted to know more, or just say something nice.  But he proceeded to tell us that we were of the devil.  He was so mean.  He said that we didn't believe in Christ, that we worshipped Joseph Smith.  I told him that our  nametag plainly states the church of Jesus Christ of latter-day Saints.  He said that didn't mean anything.  There was so much hate in him.  We told him to have a good day and quickly drove off.

I ask myself, would someone who is a follower of Christ, go and tell people they worked for the devil and say they were going to hell?  First off, these people don't know anything about the Mormon religion.  I'm almost positive that they have read literature that wasn't true.  That was not from the LDS. ORG website.  What sadness. I feel sorrow for those people.

We are trunking along. We are tryin to work with urgency, as much as Sister's Woolley's health will permit her.  I know that these trials are for our benefit.  And I love trials, as much as I hate them at the sametime.

We ate dinner with Ken last night.  He took us to Charlie Brown's. It was so good. It was so expensive.  I felt bad.  But I know that he will be blessed for feeding us. We have been so blessed with members of the ward with food.  Have you been able to feed the missionaries? I hope so. =)

Well, the time is drawing night. I love this work. It's hard. I'm trying to do the best I can.

I will continue to pray for you all. I love you very much.  Know that I am doing well. I am trying to keep focused as much as I can.  Please pray for me.  Please pray that I will be able to fulfill the promises that have been promised me. Please pray for my companion.  That she will regain her strength and be able to work all day.

I love you.

Love,
Sister Ramirez