HELLO there.

#realquotesfromRUBEN

Let's skip right to the good stuff. 

#realquotesfromRUBEN

Ruben last week: *praying* I know that I'm going to ace my baptismal interview questions. 

Ruben this week: *aced baptismal interview questions*

Ruben next week: *get's baptized*

Ruben Saturday night at the ward luau: "I feel like I'm married to the church." "I was here this morning. I'm here right now. I'll be here tomorrow." 

He's literally so incredible. He went and worked at the vineyard at 5:30 in the morning on saturday, went to the ward party early to help. and he's no bump on a log investigator at church. 

Side note: Sister Burnside and I have been pretty present in the tulare ward lately. Last week we prayed in sacrament meeting, Sister Burnside conducted the music, and then we taught relief society, this week we prayed in gospel principles and then taught gospel principles, and apparently next week we are doing a musical number in sacrament meeting with the relief society president and two young women. Which is going to be a new experience considering the only musical numbers I've done on my mission are the times where basically everyone sings because it's President and Sister Clark's last zone conference and how can you not participate in the choir that sings God be with you till' we meet again. and at that point there isn't a ton of singing and just a lot of crying that happens to match the tune of the song. And that other time where Sister Murray and I and a couple of Elder's rapped about how cool missionary work is in front of a bunch of youth. 

Anyway the whole reason I brought that up was to emphasis the point that Ruben is no bump on a log investigator at church. 

We taught in gospel principles about missionary work. 

At one point we asked the class how they had benefited from missionary work in their own lives. 

Ruben raised his hand.....

he talked about the first day he met us and where he was in life. It wasn't a good place. He talked about meeting us, hearing our message, meeting the Hernandez family and He simply said...."You saved me." 

The truth is of course it was Jesus Christ. 

He is our only hope. 

Our only savior. 

BUT 

He is not the only servant in the work of salvation. 

I've said it before and I'll say it again. 

Salvation requires not only a Savior, but also a willing heart. 

Ruben had a willing heart. He wanted to change. He wanted to put his life in God's hands. 

There was a quote I heard in sacrament meeting that went something like this...."God cannot translate good intentions and good desires into good works, only you can do that."

I mention that because not only did Ruben DESIRE to place his life in God's hands, but Ruben DID place his life in God's hands and he continues to do so. 

Ruben's salvation, and mine, and yours. Does not simply require Jesus Christ, although it does and has to....

but Ruben's salvation, and mine, and yours also requires Ruben, and me, and you. 

I AM SO EXCITED FOR RUBEN'S BAPTISM. 

Sister Burnside and also exchanged with some Sisters and Sister Frazier and I got to be companions for the day again, so that was a fun time. 

AND WE WENT TO THE TEMPLE. 

Which let me tell you

Porterville zone strengths: baptizing

Porterville zone weaknesses: taking a zone picture