Elder Ryan Phillip Lawter

This is it-Ryan will be home on Monday!

2011-06-22T02:01:00.000-07:00

Let me be short and clear on this one:

I know that Jesus is the Christ. He came down from His divine throne to laydown His life to save us all...not only that we'll live again but also thatwe'll have strength and support through all of our trials, our tribulations,our sicknesses, and infirmities....it's all covered.I know that with out a doubt that this is His church that werepresent...directed by Him, guided by Him, watched over by Him. I know thatJoseph Smith restored His church and like all prophets "by their fruits youwill know them." That being the Book of Mormon just as the Bible they aretrue and just as any spiritual truth one must read it, ponder it with asincere heart not to prove that it's wrong but to find out if it's right,then pray about it and ask God if it really is His word. No other book do Iknow of that offers such an invitation and such a change of life too. It'sall true. People are gonna say what they're gonna say but the fact of thematter is it's true and nothing will stop the work like the stone that wascut out of the mountain without hands. I'm a witness of it all. This is whatheals the broken heart and soothes the lost soul. I can only hope that thatsinks in to everyones heart and really speaks to them as it has to me. Iknow this to be true with all my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

One love family take care and be safe,

Elder Ryan Lawter.

"It almost cant be real that its comin to an end

The feeling's almost like Im losing my best friend

The places I've been the people I've met

Is something that I truly will never forget

Gettin doors slammed in my face and everyone saying no

It'll probably be weird to hear this but I don't wanna let that go

So I really do consider myself a lucky man

Whether they wanted to hear it or not to share God's eternal plan

So let's do this thing and wipe away those tears

Cuz I thank God everyday for these "Best Two Years"

2011-06-16T03:31:00.000-07:00

Hey family,

I think my time might be a little short on here just got a lot to get done today and still have some fun...

Things in Ramona have been booming a little bit. A fire started in the branch here and things are just going really good... I hope that I see a few baptisms before I go its possible but its gonna be pushin it for some but as long as the enter into the covenant at sometime or another I'm good with that. Ive wonder ever since I got here why I came here and not just finished it off in Bonita where things were going pretty well! But the more and more weve worked here and the more and more people weve got to know its been clear as to why I was sent here for the short time that I have. We've had a few Less-Active families come back investigators taking greater hold on the gospel, people have been opening the doors to us and weve been getting in to places where the members and missionaries have tried for a bit and it just hasnt worked out for one reason or another...but all-in-all ive seen the purpose on why Ive been here and the fire is taking off. This is exactly how I saw and wanted my mission to end off...with a bang. Its the last sprint to the finish line and I am eternally greatful for the opportunity to learn all that I have here in this area. I dont know words just cant really express all that Ive got goin inside right now but alls I can say is that Im greatful beyond mesure.

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This is all the email said...I think he may have gotten cut off! Oh well, only one more email!!!!

Smile!

2011-06-08T06:08:00.000-07:00

How's it goin everyone!

I dont have a whole lot of time right now were getting ready to ship off to

the zoo today so we wanted to get a good jump so were not rushin through

everything like last time we went at the beginning of my mission way back in

2009..... daaaaaaaang! But things have been well... good but a little trying

at the same time just seems that nothing is working out for us but theres a

quote that always rings in my head when things get tough out here. I can

just hear President Eyrings voice everytime i think of this quote but he

said " Hard things *today* will be better in the *next* day, if you choose

to serve the Lord *this* day." And I love that! my mission has been full of

hard days Im not gonna lie and its just like out mortal experince which is

filled with difficult times but if we continually serve the Lord today

things will be better tomorrow and forever. The price of everything that we

want is sacrifice. "The greatest happiness in God’s generous plan is finally

reserved for those who are willing to stretch and to pay the costs of

journeying to His regal realm." -Elder Neal A. Maxwell....so in reality it

is no sacrifice when were getting so much back but that's what's

been keeping me going that past couple of weeks is that there's light at the

end of the tunnel and it keeps drawing nearer and nearer.

Have a good week everyone and take care!!!

Con mucho amor y carino,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Howdy Doody

2011-06-01T06:47:00.003-07:00

So there was this man that was doin the census and he came to this one house and knocked on the door...the guy answered and the census man explained who he was and everything thing so the guy started giving the information of everyone who lived in the house so he asked the guy who answered what his name was and he said adam...so then he asked his wifes name and he said her name's eve... so at this point the census guy is like ok cmon really? but so he asked if the man had any kids and he said yeah I've got 2 one's name is Cain and the others name is Abel...So the census guy slammed his folder shut and told him you gotta be kidding me!? so are you gonna tell me that a serpent lives here too!? and the man was like yeah...mother-in-law come here! (suegra te habla) haha i think its funnier in spanish but it's still pretty good in english haha... i heard that one the other day...
Things here are goin great we had a hand-full of people at church a family that's comin up for baptism so I think everything's everything here. Things get kind of slow in the afternoons because it seems like Ramona's a ghost town..people actually have jobs...it's kind of inconvenient for us because no ones really home and it wasnt that way really back in national city and san diego but it's all good...all a part of it I guess... but things are just kind of feeling like its all a daze right now...like it's not real that were in june already... One of the greatest experiences of my life hands down. Im just really grateful that I had the opportunity to come dedicate myself for 2 years and serve His purpose. There's something about the gospel that just fills me up and it's weird because I hadn't always felt that in my life so you could really say that it's been a life changing experience an eternal changing experience for the better and I gotta believe that's why we're here on this earth to find those experience and to never let go. To cherish what we love the most and grow as children of God making our way back to Him. It's a life long process that's not necessarily to be endured but to be enjoyed. The gospel is a gospel of transformation...turning someone into a person that through their eyes they never thought that they could become but it's what God sees that we should strive for and make our eternal goals. We've got a family that's coming up for baptism and to just see the change from day one to now..it's unbelievable and that's what God offers for us to be spiritually born again so to say and our spiritual natures affect all of our other natures and turn us into a better person and who we need to become. It's what God's plans all about and what we as the representatives of that plan have to offer. Today were heading off to a little place called Julian so we'd better get going on our little yellow brick road there but take care everyone and God Bless!
Much love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Howdy Doody

2011-06-01T06:47:00.001-07:00

2011-05-26T08:33:00.001-07:00

Hola Familia,
Sounds like everyones been kept on their toes this past week with all the crazy weather!!! A lot of people were telling me here and some even called to see if "my family" was ok. So I hope nothin too bad happened but man I saw some of the pictures and it looks bad.... I guess its all proving that the scriptures are really true! and I think some people are starting to realize that now...This past weekend Ramona had its annual rodeo!!! YEE HAW!!!!! So we took advantage of it and set up a booth haha Ill attach a picture to this email to show you all cuz im pretty proud of it...it looks way legit doesnt it!? (There's actually a funny story to the picture with my hand on my face which ill tell one of these days cuz its kinda hard to explain typing it) But there was a big rumor around here in San Diego I dont know about anywheres else but that the world was gonna end last Saturday at 6....haha oh maybe he ment next year haha...someone told me that the same guy came around like 20 years ago and said the same thing and told his congregation this and then his prediction passed I bet he was like "Crap not again! I thought I had it this time for sure!" ha but we had a lot of people actually really scared about it and a lot of people came up and asked us about it at the rodeo and usually everyday we hear about it. Quite frankly I dont know how people believe these clowns. If they would read the scriptures..they would know...there would be no confusion as to rumors like that. Just like that if they would actually read the word they would know that "But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only." (Matthew 24:36) Christ talking about when He will come again in His glory. There is safety in the scriptures. Especially for a world that it filled with false rumors, turmoil, wars, rumors of wars, disease, violence, families being torn apart, drugs, just nasty stuff like that. I gave a talk in Sacrament meeting in church this past Sunday and spoke about the importance of the family and how we can strengthen it and its only through our preparation can we truly be ready for the storms of like. Preparation being; reading the scriptures everyday, praying in our families everyday, listening to those men authorized from God to lead the world, and just doing all that we can to strive towards to goodly in the world just as the 13th Article of Faith states: "We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things." It the goodness of the Gospel that will give us peace. It the sacrifices to be better that will protect us from the evils of the world. And its the diligence on His word and His church that we can be guided and know the purpose of it all. I'm sittin by a kid right now here at the library with his headphones BLASTIN some heavy metal junk, I bet if I were to yell at the top of my lungs at him...he wouldn't hear me. God is not the same way...He still speaks to us and gives us all the tools that we need to succeed but He's not going to yell at us so that we can hear if we got all the static of the world jammed in our ears that we can't hear the quiet whisperings of the Lord's spirit. Just block it all out. That's why the world is what it is and that's why the people are confused and wondering purposelessly because they're channel is plugged into the world (and the volume is at max
) and not into the channel of God. What a pity to have this free important channel that everyone can have a subscription to...and not use it....it's sad but the saddest part is that it's all too common. So in your lives..dont make it common. Block out all the static generated from the world and listen to that still small voice. I've seen the blessings from the fruits of the Gospel and they really are life changing! So the choice is up to us...Follow God or follow the deceiver...there's no other direction. It's my hope that we truly do follow God in all things not just when it's comfortable or when weve got no other hope but "in all times, in all things, and in all places." And its the eternal blessings that come from this sacrifice that are far better and more rewarding than anything we could ever dream of.
Have a good week and truly put these words to thought because of a representative of Jesus Christ I know that they are true with all my heart.
With all the love,
Elder Lawter

2011-05-17T12:42:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!!!

Things are going pretty good here!!! We've been having a lot of small

successes a little bit at a time. You know when Elder Hill and I first got

here it looked like our backs were up against the wall and that we were bout

ready to take a climb on Mt. Kilimanjaro....aka tall..or so I hear... but

it's been amazing the support and love of the members and even people that

we dont even know just wrapping their arms around us and taking us in like

we were their own. We have dinners pretty much like every night...which has

it's pro's and con's especially since I'm headin home next month but you can

tell that the members just already love us and I'm sure it's the same for

all the missionaries passin through here in Ramona. But as I've started to

come down to "my last days" it's been kind of a surreal thing to overcome.

There's a lot of emotions definitely coming on a mission and leaving home

but I think there might be more emotions leaving your mission then going in.

My mission has been an experience un like any other. It's been filled with

ups but then again it's been filled with a lot of downs and trials but

through it all looking back it's seemed that I've forgotten the little

everyday trials and can remember only the miracles, the joy, the happiness

of it all. Most of the progression that I've done in my life has been

here... on my mission...so how can you be disappointed with the results. But

I've been thinking a lot of the word enduring and not only to endure but to

endure it all well. There's a lot of things in our lives that we "endure" so

to say...maybe it's enduring through sorrow, maybe grief, maybe a person,

maybe a chick flick for us guys (momma mia) and maybe a kill everything you

see movie for the girls (no such thing) because we want to make the person

who we go with happy. So if these things deserve the terminology as endure,

sacrifice, give up something...then why do we do it? Why do we subject

ourselves to these kind of things. Maybe it's just cuz we're weird and like

to have sucky times....or on the other had because we know what lies on the

tomorrow of endurement..."the greener grass on the other side". When the

Prophet Joseph Smith was incarcerated in the Liberty Jail during probably

the climax of the persecution the Saints faced in Missouri and at probably

so history says one of the worst winters recorded it brought the Prophet to

the point to ask where God was...why was there so much suffering? and when

was it going to stop? and then the answer came "My son, peace be unto thy

soul; thine adversity and thine afflictions shall be but a small moment; And

then, if thou endure it well, God shall exalt thee on high; thou shalt

triumph over all thy foes." The answer didn't come right away...but the

answer did come and at the time that it was needed the most and at a point

that everything seemed hopeless. And that is when He delivers. At the time

when we really need Him the most. So my mission has been a lot of enduring;

with spanish, investigators, and a lot of unseen factors too but through it

all I've felt the Lord's hand for sure in my life and sustaining me more

than ever but on a bigger sense to everyone that is passing through times of

trial and suffering...never give up or never give for it's after the trials

of your faith that you receive the witness. And as the Apostle Paul said

"Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things,

believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things" (1 Corinthians

13:7). It's not easy...nothing in life is easy or is it suppose to be easy

but with the peace and serenity of God it's possible and not only possible

but bliss after it's all said and done. Remember the promise the Lord gives

and take that and run. So think again what Paul said to his son "Thou

therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ".... and "If we

suffer we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us"

(2 Timothy 2)

All is well. Trust in God and always trust in good things to come.

All my love,

Elder Lawter

2011-05-10T13:02:00.001-07:00

So I hope that everyone... well all the mothers future or current had a good

weekend! I know it was a good meeting in Sacrament last Sunday for all the 5

moms that we had haha actually there was a few more but all in all I think

that we had around 20 or so people at church... I liked it...it just seemed

like a nice little family but it also indicates that there's much to be done

here!

Im actually just gonna start right into to my little spiritual thought

because Ive only got like 15 min left on here before it kicks me off so

it'll be short and sweet but I was reading through the last chapter of John

in 21 the other day and it just hit be like a train how powerful this

chapter is. So background on it all this is after Christ was crucified and

I'm sure the apostels were like well what next? The Man that we've followed

for all these years and worshiped is gone so what do we do now? Well they

went back to what they did best and that was fishing. There were 5 of them

that went Peter included and they couldn't catch anything that night...not

even a turtle and lo and behold there was a man that appeared on the shore

and told them to throw their net and the other side of the ship and so they

did and the scripture said that there were so many fish in the net that they

couldn't reel it in...it was just to heavy. So one of the disciple looked at

Peter and said it's Him...it's our Master that we've been following this

whole time...so what does Peter do...He cannonballs it into the water and

starts Michael Phelpsing it towards his Master. And when he gets there and

the other apostles the Risen Lord already has breakfast made for them...It's

amazing even after His mortal ministry He continues to perform miracles and

looking outward to His fellow men. And the part while they were eating is

the part I kind of wanted to focus on...and this is what the scripture says

starting in verse 15 "So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter,

Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea,

Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.He

saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He

saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him,

feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest

thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest

thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest

that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, feed my sheep." Peter already

knowing when Christ says something 3 times He means it but of all the things

that we tells His chief apostle He tells him...leave everything behind:

fishing, relaxing, everything! and feed my sheep! Then He later goes on and

says "Follow thou me" As many miracles that happened in this chapter

occurred I think this is the greatest one because after we see the Apostle

Peter turn into one of the greatest witnesses of the Risen Lord that this

world has ever seen. And it's my prayer that we do the same..The Good

Shepperd wants His sheep to return so that's why He continues to give the

commission to feed His sheep...There are plenty of people that need our help

constantly and we were either born in this Gospel or privileged enough to

hear and accept it to simply share it and bless others who stand in need of

it. "When thou art converted strengthen thy brethren." and as we do I can

promise that the Spirit of the Lord will come upon us and we will feel it

more strongly than ever before if we yet feed His sheep.

Have a good week and know that I love you all!!!!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-03T20:59:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody!

How's it goin!? Hope everyone's doing really good!!!! Things here well they've been pretty boring and low-key.....yeah...that's a lie....so like I was telling you all Elder Bednar came to the Sweetwater stake during stake conference and just belted it! It was sooooo good!!!! He talked about finding a testimony a lot and how a testimony and conversion are similar and not so different. He told us that a "testimony is knowing the Gospels true however conversion is being true to the Gospel" and our conversion grows out of our testimony. Something else that really struck me was that he said a testimony is not enough to get through especially in this world and in these latter-days but rather it's just a beginning or a foundation to the defense of the adversary but we need sooo much more to combat it all. It was just an alll around stud conference! Elder Bednar is such an awesome guy and just feeling the spirit while I was there was incredible!!! So on to more news...I think I touched on it a little bit last week but Elder Perry came down and the reason was I'm sure because our mission got two more stakes from the Carlsbad mission...the Poway and Peneskito stakes and so there was a need for around 40 missionaries and so guess who's up north in a little podunk town called ramona population 46.....1564 if you count livestock haha it's not that small but compared to San Diego I thought we got lost and found ourselves in the beautiful town of Holt,Missouri....close enough though. It's really cool here you know I was soooooo sad to leave my last area in Bonita with all the people that I got soooo close to and the time we had together but being here I'm really excited! It really does seem like home just open fields cows instead of pitbulls...cowboys instead of gangsters... horses instead of cars....hmmm hmmm hmmm home sweet home! I stayed with my companion Elder Hill which is good we kept our car which her name's whitney...she's perrty... were in a little tiny branch still spanish but this place has a lot of potential I feel our old area had 4 with a baptismal date and we had 5 at church the past week so things were rockin but I know the Lord has sent Elder Hill and I here for a reason and I tend to found out what that reason is in the short time that I have left but it's all good...im the district leader over 4 companionships including mine so there's a lot of work to do but it's just time to put the shoulder to the wheel and push along...maybe even literally up here... but I'm excited to be here rep it out the last few weeks of my mission! So that's the boring up dates haha man im pooped!!! we had to close our old apartment down and move everything because there's not going to be anymore elders living there so it was a long night and day...it's still been a long day!!! but its all for the best cause and Im still soooo happy to be a missionary!!! Best decision of my life to give the blessings that I already have. President Hinckely said Serving a mission isn't a sacrifice because you receive soooo much more than you sacrifice.... and I know that to be true without a doubt I love this gospel and I love my mission sooo much!!! It has meant everything for me more than anyone i'm sure but it's the same cause were all engaged in so be converted and "when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." Have a great week everyone!!! love you all sooo much and I will talk at cha next week!!! Oh since I forgot last week thank you all who sent me cards for my birthday and a little letter in the book that whitney put together it meant sooo much to me to see all of those names and words of encouragement....I feel love people and Im sendin it right back at cha and too Happy Mother's Day to all the mamas!!!! Have a good day on Sunday!!!! Love you all and take care!!!!

One Love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

2011-04-27T15:50:00.000-07:00

Hey!

how are you all!? Sorry bout last week I could've sworn that I sent out the email but I think that I was soo rushed that I probably clicked out without hitting the send button... whoops my B.... haha but everythings good here! We had a really cool experience to listen to two general authorities and their wives today! Elder Clayton from the Presidency of the 70 and Elder Perry of the 12 came down today because of some of the changes that are going to occur in the next few weeks in our mission so they came and we had a conference with them that was sooooo good!!!! Then on top of that Elder Bednar is coming to our stake for stake conference this sunday so that's 2 down...10 to go..no acutally 3 down when Elder Holland came last week so only 9 to go now! But it was sooooo goood!!!! Obviously I don't have enough time to go over all that they talked about but it seems that the theme was is that the work just keeps going forward but the Lord needs more! The missionary efforts that 60 thousand and some odd are putting in just are for today but they are for the future..planting seeds and growing leaders for the future of the church! It's amazing to think how quickly and swiftly the church is growing and growing on the shoulders of testimonies being spread across the world not only by missionaries but by members alike and this is how it will be forever..."Until the Great Jeahovah will say the work is finished" how grateful I am to be a small speck in it and the little that I do to help it roll forward but the Lord needs more! I do have a testimony in this restored Gospel and in the organization thereof! I do know that Christ lives and that He is the head of this church as Paul stated being the cornerstone! I know its all true and that one point or another all will come to know that for themselves! I am grateful for your prayers and fasts in my behalf and on the behalf of all the missionaries! and as well you all are in my prayers always!!! Have a great week!!! Talk with ya next week!!!

All my love,

Elder Lawter

No letter this week...

2011-04-19T19:34:00.000-07:00

...but there are pictures!!

So Hardcore

2011-04-12T15:01:00.000-07:00

La Familia Munoz

Howdy everyone!

How's everyone doin? It's been really nice down here mid 70's sunny lot's of work goin on...can't complain. We actually have transfers tomorrow so I found out that I'll be staying another one here with my companion...so I don't want to jynx it but it's looking like I'll end my mission here with Elder Hill but I don't wanna count the chickens before they hatch....but it's looking that way. Then again I could be way off...there's going to be some changes soon in the mission so who knows what all will be goin on but wherever with whoever it's all the Lord's work and it's all the same...bringing people unto Christ.

I was reading something interesting a few days ago in the Bible Dictionary about faith. And I've thought a lot of times about what faith really means to someone and I can generally explain it but a specific answer for a specific person is almost impossible to explain but here's what stood out to me in the Bible Dictionary it said that: Faith is to hope for things which are not seen, but which are true (Heb 11:1; Alma 32:21), and must be centered in Jesus Christ in order to produce salvation. To have faith is to have confidence in something or someone. The Lord has revealed himself and his perfect character, possessing in their fullness all the attributes of love, knowledge, justice, mercy, unchangeableness, power, and every other needful thing, so as to enable the mind of man to place confidence in him without reservation. Faith is kindled by hearing the testimony of those who have faith (Rom. 10:14-17). Miracles do not produce faith, but strong faith is developed by obedience to the gospel of Jesus Christ; in other words, faith comes by righteousness, although miracles often confirm one’s faith." It's the last part that sticks out to me is that Miracles don't produce faith but rather it's our obedience and righteousness to all that God has commanded. And to think of what He's commanded us; obey the commandments for one, read the scriptures, go to church, pray always, share the testimony that you have.....things that definitely put our faith on the line to let it grow and that faith leads to a relationship, and that relationship leads to happiness...it's all God's plan for us and that's what we're sharing and through those things I know you'll be blessed!

Love Much,

Elder Lawter

Awesome weekend!

2011-04-05T21:26:00.001-07:00

Hello Everyone,

So what a good weekends it's been! You can put your money on having a good weekend with the General Authorities....they for sure didn't disappoint. Then today we actually went to the temple so it's been just a Spirit packed month already and then later on at the end of the month we're going to get the privilege as a mission and a stake here in Sweetwater to meet 2 members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles I think I'm actually suppose to keep that a little hush hush so I'll let you all know who they at the end of the month but once again...it shouldn't disappoint....

But it's been kind of the realization that I had this weekend and that I usually have every time I get the chance to listen to General Conference, meet a General Authority, or just read in the Ensign that these really are men called of God and are leading His church. It's amazing for me to think of how much God truly does care about us so He sends us messages in many ways. In the scriptures we read of angels being sent to give certain and most important messages but as well as Heavenly angels and messengers are sent, there are earthly messengers sent from God to help us, to guide us, and to lead and direct us. Now these people can be family, friends, people we don't even know that are sent from God to cross our path and to bless us but as well He sends His Prophets to lead His children and to direct the church. "Surely the Lord God will do nothing, but he revealed his secret unto his servants the prophets." (Amos 3:7) and as well God's church is... "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone." (Ephesians 2:20) Where would His church be without a Prophet and Apostles guiding it with His authority? A better question where would His children be with out the guidance of someone who receives direct revelation from God? They would be lost just as the people were when they rejected Noah, Moses, Christ Himself, and many others. So just as God spoke to Noah and Moses and Abraham...He speaks today to His Prophet and Apostles to guide the whole world. It's a bold statement to claim there is a Prophet today leading the same yet restored church that Jesus Christ set-up on the earth...most people thinks that such things don't exist in these days that all the prophets and apostles died off a little after Christ's time... So why would God just make that exclusive to back during the times of Christ and a little after and before? Like I said before in the times of most trial and struggle would God really leave us helpless and hopeless? I have a hard time believing that and because of that I'm proud of the testimony and blessing that I have in following a modern-day Prophet called of God to lead us and guide the whole world. and this past weekend was just another testimony builder for me. I know that Jesus is the Christ and that He leads and guides His church through a Prophet. I know without a doubt that these things are all true and it's my invitation to all to just search it out.....if someone says I have the best chocolate in the world and it's absolutely free would you just take his word for it chow down on that stuff! It might just be the fat kid in me but I'd eat all that I could...they would kick me out and put up refuse servicee to this guy at that chocolate buffet..it's the same principle what I'm telling you. I'm in the Lord's service preaching the most important thing anyone will ever hear and my invitation is to just try out for yourself...study it, learn of it and see if what I'm telling you is true. I know that as you do diligently that you'll find out for yourself that it's true.... "For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round." (1 Nephi 10:19)... The blessings are innumerable but it takes the faith and the diligence to find it out... I hope that everyone can find the Lord and his truth and when they do they will see the light and all the blessings that come as they have in my life! as all you are blessings to me and I love you soo much!!! Take care and have a good week!!!

Much Love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Love from Southern California

2011-03-29T13:32:00.001-07:00

How's it goin!?

Hope all is well with everyone back at home. Things have been pretty good

here workin up a storm. We have two guys with a date to be baptized right

now but with one I think that he got anti-ed so he's kind of ify on it right

now and then we passed by our other guy and his mom told us that we went to

jail just a few days ago. The background of this guy is he comes from a not

so good home...lots of drinking, drugs, fighting, yelling, cussing...just a

place where it's impossible for the Spirit to dwell and that's scared us a

lot lately but when we passed by yesterday his mom kind of gave us a fishy

story of how they went to church then he was just reading his Bible then the

cops came picked him up but she wasn't really sure where they went ha...and

the sad part is I don't think she really even cared. So we got on the phone

called the police department then the county jail and sure enough he got

locked in the slammer for vandalism...FOR ALL THINGS!!! VANDALISM!!! but his

court date is tomorrow so we'll find out the verdict and where to go from

here but it's amazing the work of Lucifer on somebody that it trying to

better their life and to just get closer and closer to God. It's

discouraging for me to even see it time and again and I've for sure seen it

a lot but I'm always drawn back to the Prophet Helaman and the words which

he spoke to his sons in the Book of Mormon... "And now, my sons, remember,

remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of

God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send

forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his

hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over

you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the

rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation

whereon if men build they cannot fall." How fitting of a scripture for the

time that we're entering into next month. The Holy week coming up and this

Easter season. For..."it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ,

the Son of God, that ye *must *build your foundation..." I'm not saying that

people who go through stuff like that don't have a sure foundation in

Christ but its the mighty storms winds that get thrown our way to beat us

off the path. So we're not exempt from trails, temptations, and other things

in our lives but the promise is..is that when those difficult time pass in

our lives we can find out that God has never been closer but it's that faith

and sure foundation that we need to have in Him and His Son that will

prevent us from falling. And I think that's what the Easter season is all

about...coming closer to our Savior and committing ourselves to be a better

disciple of Him. The price of discipleship isn't easy but it is worth it and

with that faith and testimony we will be lead to what is right and what is

true and then comes the promise that we will never fall.

Love ya!

Elder Ry Law

Hello Spring

2011-03-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone,

Welp...how's it going...again? Things are going really good here just tryin to get these Mexicans to keep their commitments...it ain't the easiest thing for some reason but it's our work as Spanish missionaries I guess...so come what may and love it. So I've got a really cool experience that happened to us last week but first I'll fill you in on the new news that's been happening here....nothing new.... ok to the story haha well there's always things that happen every week but it's kind of all the same rejection, accept, rejection, rejection, accept...I think every teenager should go on a mission so that when the hit the dating scene they're already used to rejection haha... until you find the golden one....the one that you've been looking for and weeding through from all your work...that's the one that really matters. So in saying that Elder Hill and I parked the car one evening and just walked so that we could contact people on the street and talk to people because we didn't really have any set appointments so on the way to a house on the other side of our area we talked to a few Hispanics one was about to accept then her devil friend butted in and just wanted to bash against us about the reality of Deity and the argument of the Trinity so that was a no...talked to another lady who invited us back so we got a yes!..then another who said no, then no, no ,no ,no again....then uh....no, ha so you get kind of where our night was goin that night so then we walk by a house that has two like horses for dogs...they're HUGE German Sheppard's that I think purposely just try to scare the crap out of us every time we walk by so we usually walk on the other side of the road haha... but my comp had a feeling to knock the door and little faith Lawter I was like are you crazy!? have you seen the missionary killers that they have inside those gates!? I can only imagine what their owner looks like!!! But he said that he felt it so I was like welp can't really argue with the Spirit so we went and knocked on the door...turns out we're still alive number one but number two..nice guy buuuuuuut it was a no.... ha so we keep walking. And then we were almost to our place that we were heading to and we passed this house and my companion was like I saw a Mexican inside should we go talk to em... you all know what I'm thinkin right now ha I played it all in my head...were gonna walk up to the door since I know spanish and my comp not so much cuz he's really new and still learning I'm gonna try and there's another rejection to chalk up on the board but he's like I feel it inside that we should go knock on the door so once again can't really fight with the promptings of the Spirit so I was like ok let's go.... so we walk up and see a guy standing in the kitchen so I was like hola como esta and he didn't even turn around so I was thinkin in my head haha yup...don't say I didn't tell you so...but we walked to the door and knocked on the door and another guy came and answered and we just said hello but that was it then he left the door open and walked behind the door to the kitchen so we stood there and he came back like 30 seconds later and was like come in come in.... So I was like what the heck!? haha this never happens!! ha but we walk inside and the mom and son are sitting at the kitchen table and they were like the nicest people ever! They offered us food, drinks, pretty much anything so we got to talking and it turns out that the guy that was in the kitchen when we walked up is actually deaf and then they told us that they all actually got in a big fight as a family so when we showed up they just let us in...and so after talkin a little bit bout how important families are to our church and beliefs I asked her "so I'm just curious but why did you just let us in I mean we didn't even say anything you just let us in." and she said we just look at you....and who you're representing....so we talked a little more got an appointment with them tomorrow and they said that they're coming to Church this Sunday. We may get 100 no's in our path in life.... we may have 100 trials before we get to our destination but what makes it all worth it is that one yes and that we arrive to where we're going and that is exactly what the Gospel of Jesus Christ is all about. When it gets too hard...when the road seems never ending...there is help...and there is peace at the end of the journey. The Gospel is a thing of transformation for a person one can become anew through the Gospel of Jesus Christ which Gospel has been restored to the earth today in it's fullness. If you're not a member of it...find it...learn more about it...I promise you that it will open the blessing of Heaven among you more than you can ever comprehend. If you are a member and have steered away from it a bit...return...and never look back again. and if you are a member and are active in the faith...stay.... for it is a blessing of eternity...a blessing that will be with us forever. I have a testimony of it and I know it will bless and change lives at it has mine.....

I love you all like always and rejoice in being a member of His true Church...which church will make one whole.

Have a great week!!!

Love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

2011-03-15T18:27:00.001-07:00

Hola! Como estan!?

How's everyone been doin!? Sounds like there's been a lot of things goin on in the world right now specifically with Japan and everything. Of course we haven't seen the news or read the papers but there's been a lot of members and investigators tell us about all that's been going on in Japan and it sounds pretty brutal. We got a call from someone this morning it happened and he told us that we were on tsunami alert so that was pretty crazy cant say ive ever been in a tsunami watch...dont think any tsunamis will be comin off smithville lake anytime soon either.... but our prayers from down here are out to them... I don't know a lot of details but it sounds pretty bad and we've been prayin for all those affected.

So on a lighter side things down here are groovy baby!!! ha guess the worst that we got from the earthquake and everything was some good surfin for the bros so lucky them but everything is goin pretty legit right now! We've got someone that we've been workin with for a little bit who has a date to be baptized for conference weeked acutally so it will be pretty legit but a little background on him is he's 22 right now and it just seems like nothin has been goin right in his life.... he hasn't had any direction really, he's on stuff that he shouldn't be on and it's been his life for around 8 or so years now so it's kind of hard to help somone change when they've just been stuck in a rut for that long but we found him through a less-active family that we reactivated just a few months ago and he's struggled. He hasn't had a purpose to his life and he's just been kind of wandering about no goals in life no nothing but just recently we've talked with him about the journey that we all find ourselves on a journey that's similar to the one of Moses and the children of Israel. They lived as slaves in poverty in the worse conditions to the Phoroah in Egypt till Moses came and said have faith in the Lord and follow me. So they did...they had faith, left everything all followed this Prophet with out looking back who we now know parted the Red Sea helped the people cross into the new land the promised land or in other words a new life but it still wasnt easy they went to a desert for 40 years being prepared by the Lord and passing their trails and struggles till they finally ended up in Israel and the promised land. And we've told him this that he's in egypt right now and that the gospel is here to take him to the other side...it still won't be easy but when we all get to where were goin it'll sure be worth and he's on that path. So we all find ourselves captive in Egypt sometimes to whatever thing but it's the faith that we need to have to follow our savior into the promised and for sure the better land. May we all find that path, stick to it, and never let go!

Love,

Elder Ry Law

Less than 4!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-03-08T13:19:00.001-08:00

Howdy everyone!

How's it goin!? Things are going really good here just lots and lots of

work! To be honest when we come home at night is my favorite part of the day

cuz I'm just so stinkin tired all the time! We just come home, plan our next

day out, and I'm out! Ha I am soooo tired like 24/7 it seems but it's a good

tired....it's a tired cuz we're workin our hineys off everyday! My new

companion is actually new too...well everything he's a freshie just got here

to San Diego last week so it's been good to have him and kind of show him

the ropes. We're actually doing a new Pilot program and we're the 1st ones

to do it in Spanish here I think so it's a lot of responsibility and a lot

of things to think of and worry about but it's all for the better...it

really is making us into better missionaries solely for the purpose to bring

more souls unto Christ... it's the cause that drives us and keeps us goin!

Lookin back on the past 20 there have for sure been a lot of up's but

definitely there have been more down's and looking back I think that every

missionary can agree that it's not about the down's that you live for or

even remember but it's the up's that we're workin towards and will take with

us the rest of our lives. I can honestly say that I've been blessed beyond

comprehension, the experience, the trials, the knowledge, the everything

that has happened the past 20 months have been the refiners fire and that's

what we're all going through our whole lives. So look for those

opportunities, be aware of the things in your lives that are truly for the

better and as a result will bring us down to build us up. And if men come

unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness

that they may be humble; and my grace sufficient for all men that

humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me,

and have faith in me, then will I make eweak things become strong unto them.

-Ether 12:27

Love you all!

Elder Lawter

Bye Bye February!

2011-03-01T14:19:00.000-08:00

BURR!!!! IT"S COLD DOWN HERE!!!!!

Who ever said it's always sunny in San Diego is a LIAR!!! ha yea that's snow

on the mountain! not fotoshopped or anything...pure.white.the fluffy

stuff....kind-a like me pure.white.and fluffy as well! Yea it's been on the

chilly and rainy side the past week but I think our rainy season is done for

another year and the 70's temps are back. So the wee bit of snow up in the

mountains was nice for a change. Hope everythings going good back on the

homefront not a lot of huge news here playin hard workin harder but actually

I lied I just remembered about transfers coming up this week....it looks

like my companion's taking off after just one transfer together! Seems like

my fav companions I only stay with for one or two transfers but it's all up

to the Lord so if He says I need someone else then there's no arguments with

that but that's really all the huge news same thing everyday! Sorry this

emails real short but the computers were taking forever to load and stuff

hopefully next week they're runnin better and ive got more time but love

yall have a boss week!!!!

-E.L.

You've Got Mail

2011-02-22T21:39:00.000-08:00

Howdy how oh hey,

How's are you!? I'm's good thanks! But really hope everyone's doing good...thawing out little by little. Today we're going to head up to a place called sunset cliffs...so a bbq, sunset, 75 degree weather yeah...it's gonna be legit! Things have been going really well out here! Just flying under the radar hoping I stay here in Bonita! I really do love it here....man I just had a deja vu ha sorry...just wanted to tel yall that haha...but yea it's goin good here and the work is just pressin along! Pray for me that I stay here ha! Other than that there's not a lot of big big news coming from down here. We had some rain..nothing new for you all but for us it's big! and it stinks walking in it all day too! ha but I guess I cant really complain....sunset cliffs isn't gonna disappoint I don't think! So I don't really know what to write today ha sorry..somedays I feel it and somedays not so much, I think not so much today is cuz the dang computers aren't workin and it's tickin me off! ha but ni modo venga lo que venga..... i guess the thing that has really touched me the most this week was when we went to the temple con La Familia Cornu and one of our investigators the step-son of Hermana Cornu and it was just crazy how strong the Spirit is there! I hope you can open the picture that I attached to the email and just see and feel the shear beauty of the House of God. We have some investigators that we're teaching that the greatest thing in life what they wanna do is get married in the temple. They don't really know anything about the temple but that their family can be sealed and bound together for time and all eternity by being married in the temple and that's all they want is to have the assurance that whatever happens in this life their family will still be together forever. It's one of the greatest blessings that we have is to have the House of the Lord established for us to come closer to Him. That's what we're all striving for and in the end that's where we all want to be is closer to Him with our families. And through the blessings of the temple it is possible. Once again it's one of those tender mercies that we have in our lives and we should take advantage of! Even if you're not a member go to the grounds...feel the spirit that's there and draw nearer to Him.

Lots of love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

More yucky ducky

2011-02-15T20:57:00.000-08:00

At La Jolla

Ry got really excited about these seals

"Cheers to the duckies!"

This is round 2 of eating aborted ducks...gross.

He said he'll eat one with me when we go back to visit in August.

I said, "Umm..NO SHANKS!"

Das nasty

Hey everyone!

How's it going!? Things have been really good here! Elder Linnemeyer and I have been working our bums gettin people to do things to progress. Sometimes it's so difficult to have someone that you're teaching and you do sooo much on your part but they do nothing on their part but we've got some investigators that are really searching and really wanting to know! It's amazing to see the power that the Spirit has in the conversion of people. It really isn't us missionaries that do the converting it's the Spirit, it's just a tender mercy from the Lord that we are able to be a mouthpiece and to witness true conversion take place.

We had a baptism that we went to and I spoke in the intermediate about the similar topic of how we as children of our Loving Heavenly Father witness tender mercies from Him each and every day. They really are all around us. Our bodies and health, nature, our family, having work, waking up out of a bed each morning, our families, the opportunity to love and to be loved....whatever it may be we are all witnesses of the work of God, meaning we are all witnesses of Him each and every day and it's those tender mercies that keep us going. For anyone who is struggling, for anyone who is lost or in despair just stop.......listen.....watch.....smell.....touch......taste...... this life is to be enjoyed...not endured. In the beginning we knew it would not be easy. We knew we were going into a hostile environment where we would be tempted, where we would be tried, a place where heartache would be present but we had faith to come here and that's the faith we need to make it through. Just take a second out of the day and look around it's amazing how present God really is and how much He really does love us! It makes sense that a Father would want His children to succeed and so He's given us all the tools necessary for our journey back home. Today we are soooo blessed to have the same church that Jesus Christ Himself established on the earth restored and re-established in it's fullness. We are soooo blessed to have that same Priesthood authority that He gave to His apostles, the same authority that all the Prophets have had. And we are soooo blessed to have a living-day prophet leading and guiding us today. It just doesn't make sense to me that God would call Prophets and Apostles in the times before, during, and a little after Christ and not call Prophets and Apostles when we needed them the most. The world is the worst it's ever seen and oh how we need men called of God to be mouthpieces for Him and to direct us and gives us the safety and security that we need. The Heavens really are opened and God really is still there. A man came up to me a few days ago and asked me "how can you possibly believe in miracles?" and I told him "how can you possibly not? just look around and tell me you don't see any miracles"......

"Be still, and know that I am God." - Psalms 46:10

If we just take a few and be still we will truly know the reality of God and all the tender mercies that we have in our lives....

As you all being my tender mercies I am grateful to have your love and your support! I love you all and pray for the best to ya! Have a good week!!!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Hows it goin!?

2011-02-08T13:28:00.000-08:00

These pictures are from basketball in the ghetto last pday!

"Chris Farley catchin some rays..haha doesnt he look like Chris Farley! He's freakin hilarious too..."

"Swatted again!!! The kid in the gray shot it and I just smacked the crap outta it...not in my house...."

***

Another day another dollar here...things are going pretty

well actually! It just seems to be clicking right now. Everything seems to

be clicking so I'm hoping to keep this momentum up and finish this rat race

off strong! Just not a lot of time. President Donaldson was telling us a

story that's kind of similar. He was telling us that he was in a meeting

before his mission with Elder Ballard and they obviously were talking about

missionary work and something that Elder Ballard said that always stood out to

him was that he told them that "We need to give our ultimate best because we

just don't have that much time." Then he said that the same night or the

next night one of the two that his grandson was killed in a motorcycle

accident if I can remember right.... The time really is short and we don't

know how many days we have left...we have no control over that, but what we

do have control over is what we do with those days that are given to us. In

the words of a wise sense from Kung Fu Panda " Yesterday is history,

tomorrow is a mystery, but the present is a gift...that's why it's called a

present." Christ himself said that 'I must work the work of my Father while

it is still day...because the night cometh where no man can work." It's

something that I think we take for granted everyday is the time that we've

been given. And if we better realize those blessings and opportunities that

cross our path it would be a lot harder to let our days just slip away.

Sometimes we have days that we wish never would've come....Sometimes our

days are filled with more things than we can carry...But always that day

will end and a new day will come but it's through the trial of our faith

that our faith will grow and with our faith growing will come a better

realization that our days that we have are blessings and it's in those days

that we will receive many more. Have an awesome week and we'll talk to ya

next week!

Love,

E.L.

Let it snow, let it snow...NO!!!

2011-02-01T20:30:00.000-08:00

Ryan and his BFF Elder Little

San Diego Temple

Cute widdle chubby bunnies

Hey Snowbirds!

Sounds like you all need a vacation to somewhere sunny.... sorry I can't help you there...don't really know where to point you... How's everybody been doing!? Things here really couldn't get any better but I know that they are so that's a good feelin! I just can't believe all the miracles that are goin down here Bonita....We've got people with dates to be baptized, people coming to church, new miracle investigators, all of our members are inviting their friends and that's been the real drive of all these miracles here.... probably 3/4 of the solid people that we're teaching right now are member referrals so that just goes to show you how crucial it is for everyone to work in the kingdom.... there's no way that we could do any of this without each other and things are just exploding now because we've put in that long term vision of the work and have been working with these members ever since I've got here...so can I take credit for any of this??? No but how blessed I am from Heavenly Father to be a part of it! When I got here things were...well actually they weren't ha nothing was going on but the miracles that God has been placing here is just unimaginable! How I love the work of the Lord!

We've actually this past week have had 3 members of the 70 come through here that I've met that's 4% of em! Only 96% more to go at least in the 1st quorum but Elder David Evans, Elder Lance Wickman, and Elder Robert Oaks came here and I had once again the BLESSING to here from 3 Special Witnesses of the Lord Jesus Christ and how sweet it is to hear in person the words of men called of God. I just got the warmest feeling when I was listening a testimony that these men really are inspired just as the Prophets, the apostles, and the quorum of the 70 of old as when Christ was on the earth. The Gospel has truly be restored in its fullness and that's the message that we have to share is that it is here and it is ready to bless peoples live if they will just listen. Christ said many times during his mortal ministry "If any man have ears to hear, let him hear." Pretty much meaning you better pay attention dummy because this is important! ha But that's whom we seek out the people that will "Harden not their hearts," all just listen it's really not that hard to do but people are so wrapped up in themselves and in the things of the world that they do not have "ears to hear." It's my pray that we all open not only our ears to hear but as well our hearts to feel and only when that happens is when the Spirit of the Lord will testify of the divine reality of this gospel. "Ask and it shall be given you;seek and ye shall find;knock and it shall be opened unto you." It's the invitation to us all and how blessed we will be if we accept it!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Howdy Ho!

2011-01-25T13:33:00.001-08:00

Who the heck knows

Hello!

How's everyone doing? Sounds like the weather has got the best of ya! Well

it's getting the best of me here to! Sunburns kinda hurt sometimes! But

things are going really good here! Picked up a new companion last week! His

name is Elder Linnemeyer and he's from...wait for it.... San Antonio!!! And

guess who his favorite basketball team is!!! BOO-YAH!!!! Da Spurs!!!! So you

could say it was love at first sight! It's been going pretty good with us we

get along really good! I've been a pretty fortunate companion wise on my

mission so he falls right in with most of them... Things are going pretty

good here I think that we're going to go play basketball right now so I've

got to make this thing a little short because I'm being rushed to get off!

But other than that there's not really a whole lot of news going on just

same old same old. Last week was kind of a tough week but that means that

this week is just going to be that much better so I hope for the same to all

of you. have a good week and take care of yourselves and know I love you

all!!!

in the word of Bob... One love,

Elder Lawter

This kid just got his call to Chile!

He went to a Taco Shop that was based on Nacho Libre! Ryan's dream come true...

Playing Wiffeball at Petco Park!

The mom loved Ryan's goofy...I mean stylish glasses!

Buenas!!

2011-01-18T14:33:00.001-08:00

Como estan ustedes!
So I just got off the phone with the zone leaders and it looks like I'm
going to be staying here another transfer!!! I'm soooo stoked for that!!!
Unfortunately my compo is leaving but things are doin way sick here! Last
week was another just boss week added 4 more investigators had some peeps at
church people are getting closer and closer to baptism, Enrique (remember
the guy that I was talking about last week?) he's planning on getting
baptized in the middle of next month but the crummy thing is that he's
moving back to Mexico next month because there's a preacher he said that
trying to steal his property and take his stuff in his other house
in Mexico...So he's planning on moving back but...we're planning a getting
him baptized and transferring his records to the ward boundaries where he
will be moving to ha...God always provides a way and always provides safety
for the soul. Things are just happening and I hope I finish my mission
here...maybe a little bit of butt kissing and convincing and that dream
might come true but it's all in His hands so if I do GREAT and if I don't
then it is what it is. Speaking of the Lord's timing I was reading President
Uchtdorf's recent talk call "Of Things That Matter Most." Just like all of
President Uchtdorf's talks they stick out to me but this part stuck out to
me the most he said, "One of the characteristics of modern life seems to be
that we are moving at an ever-increasing rate, regardless of turbulence or
obstacles. Let’s be honest; it’s rather easy to be busy. We all can think up
a list of tasks that will overwhelm our schedules. Some might even think
that their self-worth depends on the length of their to-do list. They flood
the open spaces in their time with lists of meetings and minutia—even during
times of stress and fatigue. Because they unnecessarily complicate their
lives, they often feel increased frustration, diminished joy, and too little
sense of meaning in their lives. It is said that any virtue when taken to an
extreme can become a vice. Over scheduling our days would certainly qualify
for this. There comes a point where milestones can become millstones and
ambitions, albatrosses around our necks. The wise understand and apply the
lessons of tree rings and air turbulence. They resist the temptation to get
caught up in the frantic rush of everyday life. They follow the advice
“There is more to life than increasing its speed.” *In short, they focus on
the things that matter most." *
So what is it that truly matters most to us? If we let that question really
sink in and think about it.... it's evident it's; our family, it's our
faith, it's those loves of our lives that we literally couldn't live
without. So why is it sometimes that those things and those precious people
that we love so much take a back seat to other things which are of less
importance if indeed these things truly matter the most to us. If things
that bother us the most don't involve the things that matter to us the most
then they really don't matter. It's the things of eternal that we're
seaching for and the people in our lives that we're going there with. It's
all about the love folks and "that's all I have to say about that."
One Love y'all talk to ya next week,
Love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Howdy hey y'all!

2011-01-11T19:26:00.001-08:00

So once again here we are another week.... Last week was a really good week for Elder Harper and myself we saw a lot of people that pretty much fell of the face of the earth on us and we added 6 new investigators and for our area that's huge! I'm pretty sure that's the most we've added in a week since I've been here. So things are startin to happen.... It's been a long time since this areas been up and runnin and I just hope that I don't get transferred next week just as soon as it does but if I do it's nothin new...the story of my mission but I guess it's all in the Lord's plans and time maybe I'm just suppose to find em' and get em' goin...either way if it's the Lord's plan I'm down...can't really argue with Him right? But there is one story that actually happened yesterday that really struck me... Last week we got in contact with a man named Enrique (Iglesias...haha I wish) but yesterday was actually the 1st sit down lesson that we've had with him and there has been just a hand full of times that I've felt the spirit that strong like I did in our lesson with Enrique. Enrique kind of is your stereotypical Mexican he works a cleaning job, lives in an apartment with 3 other Mexican dudes, he's just everything Mexicany (new word I just made up) goin for him. That's what you see on the outside and to be honest that's all I really saw of the Mexican culture before my mission... A person exactly like Enrique was the 1st thing that always popped into my head when I thought of a Mexican before my mission but just like everyone... everyone has their own story to tell and a heart inside that's the same as everyone elses no matter the look on the outside. But the more we got to know this man the sadder and sadder it got. We learned that his wife left him with his 2 kids just some random day he knows where they are and he told us that that's pretty much the only reason why he works is to send his paycheck to his kids to support them.... he told us a bunch of other sad things but the saddest to me was that he's at the point right now that he questions if God even exists anymore... He told us that he had a teacher for 5 years that told him pretty much everyday and tried to prove to him that there was no God and chasing after vain hopes that He really exists is pointless and a waste of time. It's weird because 99.999999999% of the people that I've taught on my mission have a die-hard belief in God and His son Jesus Christ and to teach someone who questions that isn't really the easiest thing. So the more we talk I asked him so what do you want to believe? and he paused for a second....started to tear up and said I want to believe. and he told us that that's why he let us in...he said I've been lost for too long now...and now's the time to get on the path and be a believer. There are no coincidences he said and that if there is a God I know that he sent you two to me. So we started to talk more and I was shaking as I was baring just pure testimony to him of the reality and deity of God our Eternal Father and His plan for us to come back home to him because the Spirit was sooo strong and testifying right to me. To have different beliefs in religion is one thing but to not believe in God that's one of the saddest things anyone has ever told. How grateful we should be to have a testimony of our Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ and that they live! Mormon, Catholic, Baptist, Methodist whatever religion people believe it the greatest testimony that we all have and all share is of our Father in Heaven. So with Enrique we introduced him to the Book of Mormon explaining to him that it is a sacred and divine scripture that testifies that Jesus is the Christ and God is the Father of us all and that he would draw near to them by diligently studying and praying and he told us that he believes that this is the way...he told us that he's never read a book in his life before but that this he will read and pay so close attention to, to gain a sure testimony of these things. "Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives...I know that my Redeemer lives." It's my pray that all His children may come unto Him and know and by praying directly to him, go to Church, and studying the scriptures we may know!

Love you all have a great week!!!! Talk at ya next week!!

Much love!

Elder Ryan Lawter

Happy 2011!

2011-01-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

Happy New Years!!!!

What a good year it's gonna be this year! It just seems like yesterday we were just stepping into 2010 but here we go 2011...everyone have their new years resolutions and goals that they're working towards this year...I know that I've got mine!!!! So for new years eve we didn't do much. We were suppose to be in by night fall then we suppose to weekly plan that night and what weekly planning is, is we sit down for maybe 2-3 hours and discuss in our companionship what we need to get done, accomplished, planning for our investigators in what we feel inspired to teach them from their needs and things like that...so it definitely wasn't something that we wanted to be doing on new years eve but we got it done popped open some champagne and called it a night....just kidding bout the champagne part...I'll probably get in trouble from that one if President looks at my blog which I know these emails go up on...but yeah we were party animals this year plan then in bed by 10:30 whoopie!!!! But 2010's been a fun year definitely been a year of a lot of up's and for sure a lot of downs but I think I've come out of them stronger and with more experience from them...You definitely learn a lot from trials and struggles and looking back they've all been worth it so looking forward let's make the best of this year and not waste a minute that the Lord's given us cuz it's a minute that we'll never get back and before you know it the months over then the year....

Take care everyone love you soo much and have a good week!!!

Love,

Elder Lawter

"2011! We are party animals..right after this picture, we went to bed."

"I don't know what the heck Vivian's mom was doing, haha"

After an old missionary's wedding in San Diego (Todd Ulrich)

"My big white friend..."

"...and my two little brown friends...santa's little elves"

"This was on the Quintero's on Christmas. We played pictionary! It was solid..."

"At the MCRD...we don't work there anymore since the time changed for the new year."

"President Bennett at the MCRD...he has like a billion war stories, they're pretty sick..."

"The Griffith's from Missouri...they love me...Missouri lovin"

"An english member that HOOKS...US..UP!!! Her names Chanhom...shes from Laotia...and she's pretty much da bomb! She's the one who we ate the ducks with.."

Dinner at the Munoz's

Happy New Year!

2010-12-28T12:19:00.001-08:00

Hey Happy New Year!

Hope everyone had an awesome Christmas! I know mine was really really

good!!! I feel like I don't really have a whole lot of amazinly interesting

news we just went to the MCRD to sing for a Christmas Devotional Christmas

morning, came back to the house opened presents, the I took a nap while my

companion was talking to his family on the phone, then we went to a members

house to eat lunch played pictionary then talked to all of my fam the rest

of the night....not too shabby if you ask me. It was just a chill Christmas

nothing too big. but I probably need to wrap this up actually the library

that we usually go to is closed this week so we had to go to a different one

and they don't give you as much time as the other but next week the library

should be open again so I'll be able to send a longer one! But take care

everyone, love you all and I'll talk at cha next week!!!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

2010-12-21T13:52:00.003-08:00

Howdy Everyone!
Welp...never thought I'd say it but looks like we're gonna have a white
Christmas down here in San Diego....white as in whitewater...it's been
raining down here for about 2 days straight and the news on the street is
that it's not gonna stop for another 2 weeks. They're predicting record
rainfall down here in Sunny SoCal. It's pretty crazy because already they're
blocking off streets because of the flooding everywhere... and there's been
a lot of wrecks around too... Dang Californias..they act like it only rains
a few times a year down here.... I think tomorrow we're actually going to go
play some fooseball in the rain... What happened this week was we had what's
called a MTE or Missionary Training Exhange today and yesterday for our zone
and another zone so what President wanted us to do was switch our P-day from
today to yesterday but still go email because he said he doesn't want any
angry phone calls from angry moms who don't get an email from their kid
haha.... So I guess other kids mommas are just like mine..."aren't all mamas
the same?" ha.... so that's the deal today and tomorrow President said it's
our early Christmas gift to email today... I'll take it! Especially because
tomorrow's gonna be a busy day! Let's see I've got Todd Ulrich's sealing
tomorrow which I got permission from President to go to! So that'll be
pretty sick, then mud football, then our district is gonna have a big nerf
gun war in the church building, then Thursday's our mission Christmas party,
Friday's Noche Buena, and then Saturday Feliz Navidad! So it's gonna be a
goooooood week coming up!
It's been a good time at Christmas this year... What we've been doing as a
companionship and a district is wrapping Joy to the World, The Testaments,
The Restoration, Mr. Krugers Christmas DVD's, Copies of the Book of Mormon
etc. just all these kinds of stuff and we've been handing them out like
candy to people; members to give to their friends, investigators, people
whom we talk to on the street... Just anybody and giving them a gift that
will really change their lives and those around them...truly what we're
doing is giving these people access to the Atonement of Jesus Christ in
which other ways cannot be accessed unless through us and the church we
represent....and what an incredible Christmas it's been! Goin out with a
bang this last one! We've also been caroling and handing out our Christmas
cards to our members and investigators and knocking on doors of apartment
complexes and singing in the courtyard..It's actually been really
effective...we've found a few families to teach through it so it's produced
some good results. And you can just tell that's there's a different spirit
about the people whom we're already teaching and the people in whom we talk
with. It's pretty cool and I hope that everyone's able to feel that same
spirit that comes from the joy of Christmas! Have a HAPPY HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!
Love you all and ENJOY!!!!
Feliz Navidad!
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Ryan Lawter

I mean...Feliz Navidad!!

2010-12-14T14:45:00.001-08:00

Feliz Navidad!....Casi.... solomente tenemos falta once dias!!! No puedo
esperar!
It's almost here! We've been doing a lot of caroling, watch Joy to the World
with people, helping people decorate, sharing scriptures about Christ's
birth....it's been sooo much fun!
And as well amazing to see the Spirit of Christmas in everybody. It's weird
thinking that this is going to be my last Christmas as a missionary but it
for sure has been one of the best ones! There hasn't been any crazy news
or blow you off your feet miracles but it seems since December hit we've had
just little miracles each and everyday; people being home that usually
aren't home, finding people on the street that we've been looking for
forever, people generally have been more accepting and letting us in just
like things like that have been happening more and more everyday and there's
no doubt in my mind that it's the Spirit of Chirst the true Spirit of
Christmas inside of these people and inside of us as well.
"And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord
shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. "And the angel said unto
them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which
shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a
Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye
shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And
suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising
God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will
toward men."
It's my prayer that what we keep in our hearts and we give "Glory to God in
the highest." This day and everyday.
Love you all talk to ya next week!!!
Feliz Navidad!
Con Mucho Amor,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Merry Christmas!!!

2010-12-14T12:20:00.001-08:00

Ryan says MERRY CHRISTMAS to all his family and friends!

And if you need a little pick me up:

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/LVz70
5yFYm7HJQ2K

[click or copy/paste the link!]

Ice skating

2010-12-07T12:50:00.000-08:00

Hello!
So Happy December 7th to you all! It seems like there's been so much that's
goin on this month! I mean it is only just Christmas but for me let's see we
had a ward party last Friday, transfers tomorrow, another ward party next
friday, zone conference the Monday before Christmas, our mission Christmas
party, and then of course the big day, Christmas eve which is the day most
mexicans really celebrate (mucha mucha cerveza haha for non-members though)
then new years. Just busy busy busy on top of all the other stuff but it's
gonna be so much fun! Last Christmas I'll ever spend as a missionary. Pretty
crazy! I'll definitely be glad to spend the next one at home though, there's
just something about the holidays that makes me wish I was home for just a
day even which is pretty natural but then again i wouldn't change a thing
bein out here helpin others to make their Christmas bright because there's
definitely a lot of lonely hearts especially at this time of year. It's fun
though watching their eyes light up when we teach them and especially when
they get baptized. I had a kid get baptized at the MCRD just this past
Sunday and as well be ordained to the office of a Priest (we kind of go in
fast forward at the MCRD) and just to see how happy he was and auroa about
him..there's no doubt in my mind that he's gonna go back home to Washington
and baptize his family..no doubt in my mind...he's just a way solid kid!
I'll attach the picture to this email to if you all can open it he's the one
in the middle...recruit VanWyck....he actually doesn't look to happy in the
pic but underneath the marine face there's a big ol' teddy bear haha good
kid! Underneath the robe you find the man and underneath the man you find
his....nucleus..... Alrighty so that's about all the news I've got...no news
but I better get to steppin so you all have a good week! Take care! and same
time same place next week!
One Love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

2010-11-30T22:01:00.001-08:00

Gobble Gobble!

Hope everyone walked up to the computer instead of wheeling up because of thanksgiving... hope it was a good one for you all! it was good here! I think we had like 5 dinners in a space of 2 days...let's see 5 dinner / 2 days = Ryan needs to go on a diet..... seriously..it's gross. On the bright side though it's freezing here! San Diego's making record lows and guess who's not prepared! haha before I came here I didn't even take a blanket with me.. I thought alls I need is a sheet and I'll be good..besides it's Sunny San Diego....how bad could it get!? Now I know for sure Heavenly Father has a sense of humor....to bad I'm the jack-in-the-box this time around....but it's all good...some have it worse so I guess I shouldn't be complaining.

So here we are again...as in olden days...happy golden days....Christmas! You all know what's coming too...of course from the missionary I'm gonna talk about focusing on the true meaning of Christmas but as well at the same time how we need to take advantage of the time that's been given to us. Take advantage of the things that we've been given. And especially take advantage of the people that we've been given because that is really what will make our season bright...sharing it with the ones we love and celebrating the One who loves us even more. I know it's a little early to get on the soap box but think about it as you get together with family, go shopping, jam out to rudolph in the car....there's a greater meaning to it all and when we realize it...that's when the true spirit of Christmas will enter into our hearts and will be one that we'll never forget!

Love you all have a good week and a good start to the holiday!!

Mucho amor!

Elder Lawter

Thanksgiving Pictures!

2010-11-30T17:55:00.000-08:00

**Some of Ryan's captions were too good to not post!!

We were cleaning this nasty nasty mex-a-house one day...I think I have 29 diseases now including mono, aids, and sticketodamanneosis....and others as well...

This is our ward mission leader Hno Perez...He's a stud but it was raining and freakin cold that day so thats my raining and freakin cold face!

This is my home girl...Her names Ana.. She invited us to a thanksgiving dinner one night at the nursing home where she lives...she's in a wheelchair because she's paralyzed from the waist down because her ex-husband almost beat her to death...it's a really sad story but she is soooo awesome!

The guy is the administrator at the nursing home and hes a member...stud member I should say hes just money...he gave us a ride one night in his infinity...ballin....

My companion stepped in dog turd hahaha "merry christmas ya filthy animal." -name that movie....

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-11-23T21:00:00.001-08:00

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

- Colossians 3:15

It's that time again!!! Thanksgiving time!! I've just been thinking a lot lately...especially considering the season and time were in right now but there's just sooo much to be thankful for. So what does it really mean to be thankful and to live in a spirit of thanksgiving? Does it mean for just a day? Does it mean for just the holidays? Does it mean just saying thank you a bunch? I was lucky and had the chance to go to the temple today and that kind of dawned on me that it shouldn't be just a seasonal thing...it shouldn't be put up like decorations and then just take it all down when the snow melts...Giving thanks from your heart is a constant thing... the Prophet Alma taught to "counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanksunto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day." It's a nightly thing. It's an every morning thing. It's a daily thing. And if we let that peace of God rule our hearts and we give thanks for all that we have we will be a happier people. Elder Wirthlin said that "Living in thanksgiving daily is a habit that will enrich our lives and the lives of those we love." When it becomes we know that we are truly living in thanksgiving in every aspect of our lives..... I just wanted to let you know how grateful I am for all of you...my family, friends, whoever...I love you all and want to thank you for all of your support! I'm also way thankful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings that have come from being a member of His church. Who knows where I'd be without it but I'd rather think of where I am with it. It's meant everything to me and for that I am truly grateful and for everything else that I have! I hope you all have an awesome week this week!! Just letting y'all know that I'll be goin on a seafood diet this week..meaning when I SEEfood...I eat it!!! so don't expect any pics till I lose the turkey or in my case all the pig stomach.

Welp I'd better go but have a good week all of ya, keep this spirit with you always and I'll be talkin to ya next week!!!

One love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

pics!

2010-11-16T12:34:00.000-08:00

Ryan calls this smile his "Quorum of the 12 smile". He says it's not working for him and that he's gotta "show his grill." I think he's right.

Life is Good

2010-11-09T12:22:00.001-08:00

God is great, the word is good, and people are crazyyyyyy.....
hey sorry about last week I guess it didn't go through...the computer here a
ruthless you've only got a specific amount of time and that's it so I was
rushin to get the email finished and sent out and I hit send literally like
a second before the computer shut me down...it was like some james bond
stuff... I figured it would've sent but I guess not....oh well you still
love me right???....good answer....
So things here have been going extremely well! They are finally starting to
pick up! This past week has been by far the week that we've been working
towards for a month or so now! We still had some heart-break still had some
stuff that happened that...well...wish it wouldn't 'ave happened but that's
the work right? That's life....Only thing you can do is put your head down
and keep pushin and keep pushin. Life's lessons are best learned when you're
going through them and consistently working through them instead of watching
them from the sidelines. President Uchtdorf said that..."When our wagon gets
stuck in the mud, God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to
push than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer—no matter how
eloquent the oration." Our wagons get stuck in the mud more that we would
like and sometimes it feels like we're the only ones pushin it out but I
know for a certainty that were not alone. Through out my mission I have had
more ups and downs, forward and backwards, side to sides but I have without
a doubt felt the hand of the Lord helpin me pull my cart out and the
encouraging thing is that divine help isn't just limited to missionaries,
isn't just limited to a select few, it's accessible to all you want it.
"Jesus Christ, who by far suffered the most, has the most compassion—for all
of us who suffer so much less" - Neal A Maxwell....He is there...His hand is
sufficent...All we have to do is do our best and keep pushing forward and he
will take hold of the rest and when we least expect it...that's when the
cart will pop free and the burden will be lifted.
love you all keep strong and hold on! have a good week and take care!!!
much love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Wiffle Ball in the city

2010-11-09T12:15:00.000-08:00

2010-11-02T16:32:00.000-07:00

2010-10-27T20:00:00.001-07:00

Howdy eeryone!

Just a quick note to let cha'll know how I'm doin. We actually have transfers tomorrow but I'm stayin in the same area as well as my companion... Which I'm way stoked about we've got a lot of good things goin on and pretty much all of this past transfer was workin to build this place up...so we've already set em' up and it's time to knock em down. We've got a lot of really good people right now but there's something different that's holding each and everyone of them back from being baptized....mostly it's work, work, work, but for some it's family members, some it's health issues, some it's their scared to leave their church even though they know that this church is true and has a testimony in it. Just the adversary workin overtime but this transfer should be a really good one because these peeps are ready. Other than that not a whole lot of business goin on..... probably next week though so until then take it easy and you all have a good week!

much love,

Elder Lawter

2010-10-26T14:25:00.000-07:00

This is Elder Ernst...He's from Spanish Fork and him and Willie (my roommate out there) use to run around. Elder Ernst went home today.

2010-10-19T12:21:00.001-07:00

HI!!!

How's it goin....this week seemed like it went by super fast but at the same

time it went by super slow but here we are again another blessed P-day. So

there have been a lot of things happening lately here...or miracles is a

better word. It's just amazing the timing and the hand of the Lord in

everything and if we but just stop and look at it for a bit....we can see His

hand in all things that we do and all things that we go through both the the

good, the bad, and the ugly. It's been my testimony this past week that the

Lord is in control and that there is no way in heck that this isn't His true

gospel...all signs point to that and once people start realizing that this

work is gonna boom! Love you all and sorry this is kind of short but I had a few

things to get done on the computer for this up coming week and some

lessons... Take care and have a good week!

Much love,

Elder Ry Latwer

Happy Fall Y'all

2010-10-12T20:16:00.001-07:00

Hey all,

So this will be another nice and sweet email. Things here have been really good! We've been finding more and more people each week to teach and adding more and more investigators to our teaching pool. It's been hard at the beginning because when I got to this area there was nothing...the pool was dry my friends.... so that was kind of the calling for my companion and I to find find find and the area been getting better and better each and every day. We've gotten way chill with the members and they've got our backs every step of the way so things are going really good! Just gotta keep goin on. All's it's been is just a test of patience and as I've looked over these past 15-16 months that's what it's all boiled down to is patience in the trial and faith in the Lord and in a sense that's what this life is all about. I was reading the Ensign from the conference last April and of course I was readin my man Dieter on his talk about patience and this is what he said... "Patience—the ability to put our desires on hold for a time—is a precious and rare virtue. We want what we want, and we want it now. Therefore, the very idea of patience may seem unpleasant and, at times, bitter. Nevertheless, without patience, we cannot please God; we cannot become perfect. Indeed, patience is a purifying process that refines understanding, deepens happiness, focuses action, and offers hope for peace."

He's definitely my fav! And that's exactly what I've seen on my mission and in my life that as we continue in patience we draw closer and closer to God and gain a greater understanding of His plan for us and what He has in store...it may not often be what we want or when we want it but it is for sure what He wants and when He wants it and that's all that's important and when we figure out that...that is when we are endowed with blessings upon blessings.

Love you all take care and have a good week!

Much love,

Senor Lawter

2010-10-12T14:07:00.000-07:00

Ryan's description of the pictures:

Here's a few pics from a charla (that's fireside for white people like yourself...as you can see with the color tone of my skin, I qualify as true mexican)...in the 2nd pic is miranda (girl from chula), you already know martin, my boy williamson, yo boy, my other boy thomas, my recent convert from santee paloma, and then melissa...it was like a family reunion pretty much.

Hello Peeps

2010-10-05T14:08:00.000-07:00

So here's the thing....Conference was BOSS!!! I think I'm still on the
conference high right now... I don't know it just seems like NOW that I'm on
my mission and NOW that I actually watch and pay attention to conference
it's just pretty much the best thing ever. I feel like every conference that
somebody at sometime speaking just speaks directly to me..it cuts to the
core of me baxter. But definitely the message that I kept getting the whole
time is how close we need to our Savior and close we need to follow His
prophet and His counsels... I think that's been the common theme for a while
now because definitely things are getting harder and harder each day and
Satan is working full force because he knows this is the last chance to trap
as many as he can. But luckily for us we have the upper hand and a spur
defense. It's been humbling to see how bad people's lives get and at the
same time it's been amazing to see how people change as well through the
Gospel of Jesus Christ. I can't deny that these past 15 months have been the
hardest, most challenging months of my life; spiritually, mentally,
emotionally, even physically too (freak I'm outta shape)...I've been yelled
at, cussed at, spat at, I've had angry vegetables thrown at me, doors
slammed in my face, you name it I've been there but for some reason I've
gotta say it's been one of the greatest experiences of my life....and it has
definitely been an experience...and I think that's in part to watching the
Atonement of Jesus Christ change people and to watch someone be spiritually
born-again. I had no idea that it could get this good and feel this good.
Just last night we had a family home evening (Noche de Hogar en espanol)
with a family in our ward Los Munoz and a less-active family that we invited
over there too and there's been very few times that I've felt the spirit
that strong than last night....we didn't do anything special we just had a
lesson about temples, sang a song, played a game that we came up with, and
of course ate ice cream nothing special but just seeing the kid's
faces....and the parents playing and interacting with them it was just
complete bliss...it's everything that a family should be like and a home
that every home should feel like...the home is not the most sacred place on
earth right behind the temple for nothing. It's a place where lives should
be changed eternally and a place where the spirit of the Lord can always
reside and that was definitely the feeling last night. Like Elder Holland
I'm just grateful...grateful for everything in my life but most of all for
the gospel to guide all those important things in my life. It's not by sheer
coincidence that we're here right now. It's not sheer coincidence that we
are so blessed to have the gospel in our lives and it's not sheer
coincidence that we have more than we could ever asked for. We are a blessed
people people and by that alone I am truly grateful.
I love each and every one of you I pray for you and am so grateful for you
all. I hope you all have a great week and take care until next week.
One love-
Elder Ry Lawter

Gross

2010-09-28T13:51:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,
How's it going? Not a whole lot here except HOT HOT HOT....ridiculous! I
think the Lord sent me here to NOT be in that kind of weather because I
would do just this...complain complain complain....na I don't mind it too
much the only thing is that everyone else does and so no one walks out on
the streets during the day and it's just like a deserted place...and it
sucks too because in the area that I just got into we need to find as many
new investigators as possible because it's lacking but everything's still
going good...we have a family of 5 that's going to be baptized here in the
coming weeks so we're way stoked about that but we still need more and more
people to follow them as well this area's good though part of it's ghetto
and trashy and the other part is way nice, clean, with a bunch of nice
houses....guess what area we spend 99% of our time in....man I love it! News
wise.....nothing huge...i ate a baby duck last week at some filipino's house
ha it was nasty but worth it...I got a video that I'll have to send home by
cd then mom and dad can show you all but yea that's probably the sickest
event that's out of the ordinary.
Last week I came across this amazing talk and I just wanted to share part of
it real quick before i get off here.
The talk was given by an Elder Dunn of the seventy in the 80's and he said:

"Some time ago I watched a soccer game in which the favored team, the Lions,
was expected to beat the Pumas, a team that hadn’t done very well during the
season. The two teams had played against each other earlier in the year, and
the Pumas had been badly beaten. Everyone expected this particular game to
be the same, although fan support was about evenly divided between the two
teams. But then an incident on the field involving two players seemed to
turn the crowd against the Lions. From that point on, more than 15,000 fans
excitedly cheered the Pumas to a winning score.

A cheering section can make a difference in life. As you watch professional
sports, you can almost be assured that the home team will do well. Brazil
has a soccer team that almost never loses when it is playing at home. The
reason? Maracana Stadium in Brazil holds more than 220,000 fans who noisily
yell their support at every game.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have that kind of cheering section when you feel like
you are not winning in life? How would it feel to know that it really
matters to somebody whether you win or lose, whether you shine in victory or
retreat in defeat?

I bear you my solemn witness that each one of us has a cheering section,
both seen and unseen. There are those who want us to succeed. We may
sometimes doubt it, but it is true nevertheless. There are those we see:
parents, children, brothers, sisters, relatives, teachers, friends. But
there are also those who are unseen who care and are cheering for us:
heavenly parents, loved ones who have gone before us, those who are yet to
come. They want us to succeed.

There *are* those who continue to care, whether here or on the other side of
this earthly veil. Of that I am sure! Even when you feel all alone, there
are those who are cheering for you."

Amazing huh!? and that's kind of what I wanted all of you to know who are
reading this....because if you are reading this you are part of my own
personal cheering section and I just wanted to thank all of you for the love
and support weather it be through letters, emails, or even prayers...I know
that you are all supporting me and backing me up every step of the way and
I've felt that behind me since day one. Love you all and thank you for
everything!!! Have a good week and God Bless.

-Ry

Hey Mr. Hollywood

2010-09-21T13:12:00.001-07:00

A few days ago we were watching a church missionary training DVD

which was filmed in Ryan's mission and we saw Elder Lawter on the video,

so that's where the "Mr. Hollywood" came from.

whatz up!

So.......I got transfered.....yea I'm hacked.....na it's pretty good where

I'm at right now but it feels like I got TOO attatched to the people over in

Chula....I got really close with some families and not too mention the

people that I was teaching and the ones who are coming up to be

baptized....dang it genna....that's alright though the important part is if

they get there which they will... I'm actually back on

bike....whoopie.....and to make it better I'm in an area called paradies

hills....HILLS.....they don't call it paradise HILLS for nothing...on the

bright side though I'm gonna have calfs bigger than a horse and a butt

firmer than schwartzeneger...so no complaints....kind of.... but the city

that I'm in is called National City and it actually boarders my old area of

Chula...so I didn't move too far but far enough. It's ghettoer here

FINALLY!!! Kind of feel back at home...still not as good as Logan but I'll

take it. The ward that I'm serving in is called the Bonita 3rd ward....which

Bonita in spanish means pretty so I think I got called to the right place

and fit right in. My comp is from Utah...kind of a dork.....so we make a

good team.....ha but we're hard at work I got a call last night from

President...he was asking about the area that I'm in right now and I told

him that everything's pretty dead that we definitely have a lot of finding

to do...and he told me well why do you think you're there and got plucked

from chula so fast....so I guess there's a reason for it all but we do have

a lot of work to get done and to build up our teaching pool because quite

honestly we have jack squat right now...so it's about to get even crazier it

looks like and as well I actually got another really cool assignment which

is working at the MCRD every Sunday morning which is the Marines Core

Recruitment Depo aka everyone who signs up for the mariens west of the

mississippi river comes here to this Depo for training and everyone east

goes to South Carolina...so we go into the LDS service find the kids who

aren't members talk to them a bit and ask if they're interested because

we're not suppose to proselyte on the base but if they say they're

interested then we can teach them and a lot get baptized so I'm way excited

for that and I'll let cha all know more on that.....man so that's the news

actually had something to talk about this time but I've gotta run I'll talk

with y'all more next week!! Love you all take care and have a great week!!!

much love,

Elder Ry Lawter

Pictures Galore!

2010-09-21T12:40:00.000-07:00

2010-09-17T17:52:00.000-07:00

To Family and Friends,

We want to let you all know that Ryan was unable to get an email out this week. He was able to chat with his Mom for a little bit and to let us know that

he is being transferred to a new area. He didn't know where he was being sent to, but he will let us know next week.

Ryan is doing well and is very happy. He's a little sad that he will be leaving the area he's in, but on the other hand, he's excited for new opportunities and the privilege of meeting new people.

We would like to let everyone know that we and Ryan appreciate the love and support you have given him and us while on his mission. I know we all are so looking forward to the day we will see his smiling face. And it will be here soon! We are almost at the nine month mark. Yippee!!

We Love You All!!!

Phil & Cyndi

Enjoy The Journey

2010-09-07T18:00:00.001-07:00

Hello my fellow people,

Man it kind of seems like forever since I've been on here....this past week was fast but then again it was slow at the same time... I don't know what the deal was...I think it's because today we all pitched in in our district about 10 bucks and i went out and bought like 3 racks of ribs some corn and taters and were gonna have a bbq today so I think that I've just been looking forward to that all week ever since I bought the meat last P-day....it's gonna be bomb. I'll let cha all know how it goes next week...

but the week was pretty good we actually have a guy with a baptismal date and usually I don't go into details about everything here but I think his story is worth sharing..... so we found this guy washing his car and looks like a rough dude at first tattoos all over his body literally all over gang tats all that sort and we started talking to him he's been in a lot of gang violence drugs prostitution all that jazz and he just got out of jail about a year ago and he's been locked up for like 20 some odd years and ready to get to know God so we taught him the first lesson and the spirit was sooo strong! He had some ideas before and he literally couldn't share them with us the spirit constrained him so much that he said to us you know what forget what I said before this is the good stuff my mormon brothas and I think were on to summin! he calls us his mormon brothers haha so yea now he has a baptismal date and everything were way stoked! but the reason why I share this is because he's not the type of person that you look at and say wow he's ready to be baptized an you look at him and say wow he really needs Jesus! haha but it's true! but also too you can't judge on who will listen and who won't. we have an appointment with him tonight so I'll give y'all the update on him next week but it's time for me to run!

Love you all and hope you have a good week!!!

One love,

Elder Lawter

Hot and fresh off the press...

2010-09-07T11:39:00.000-07:00

The family is the Breceda family...probably my closest family here in chula love them so much! The father is the one taking the picture but ill send a pic of him next week! and the older man in the wife's dad that we're trying to baptize so were getting there

Howdy Partners

2010-08-31T16:59:00.001-07:00

Welp it's me again and I don't have a whole lot of very exciting news I'm afraid last week was pretty much the worst week of my mission......all of our appointments...yea check em ALL of em canceled on us so it made for a pretty crappy week...I'm just glad P-day's here and a new week as well! The temperature has been goin down here lately so instead of high 70's we now have low 70's....which makes the morning pretty chilly....like 65 or something like that ha I may just never go home....I've checked the weather back home on the phone and it's either scortchin hot or there's a storm....i'll pass....na I've actually been getting sick of it being so freakin sunny everyday! Weird I know but I kind of want a change of scenery or something.....sunshine go away today...I don't feel much like dancin. I guess I better soak it in as much as I can because then it's back to reality and real weather.
Today I think is gonna be just like any other P-day not a whole lot going on but we do have 3 appointments this night which I'm pretty stoked about, we've added new investigators which are looking to be more promising than the others that we've been working with so things are goin good it was just a debbie downer week last but nice part about what goes down is it goes back up so this week is already lookin pretty good! So pray for me..l need all the help I can get right now. hope you all take care and be safe...I'll talk to ya next week!!!
Love you all,
Elder Lawter

Pictures...Finally

2010-08-24T16:22:00.000-07:00

2010-08-24T16:16:00.000-07:00

Another short email, but it's better than nothing!
Thanks for your love and support!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

hey everyone!
how's it goin! Things are good here! Things are startin to smooth out with the bishop and everything...we had a coordination meeting this past sunday and it seems like the dudes taking a change of heart...I don't know what happened?? I don't know if word got to his mom and she wasn't too happy or what but things are goin really well! We are soooooo busy it seems! I'm the busiest I've been my whole mission....we have appointments from like 3 on to the rest of the night every night so I'm probably gonna sound scatter brained and everything but uhh....get used to it for another 10 months then we'll have all the time in the world to chat after I can take a breath but yea the work is amazing and it seems like the Spirit of the Lord is working overtime with us as well and miracles are just popping up....just a few minutes ago I just got done talking to a man in a wheelchair who wants to know more and come to church....the Lord is placing them everywhere in our paths, like this is an everyday occurance so yea is all good!!! And I'm loving it!!! but I better get steppin we've actually got an appointment with a less-active family here pretty soon but I'll talk with you all next week!! Take care and love you alll!!!!!!
Much love,
Elder Lawter

Smile!

2010-08-17T20:12:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone.....
Man it's seems like it's been awhile since I've got an email out....it's
been a little...hectic I guess you could say lately....lot on my plate...
not just talking bout food either....
Things are goin pretty good down here....it's been a weird starting few
weeks of the transfer...we've had some problems with the bishop and other
things like that but I think now that President Donaldson's involved things
are starting to smooth out...we've got a lot of people though that are solid
it's just all of em have little things that seem like mountains to them to
get over...it ain't easy (bein cheesy).... but all-in-all everything's good
I don't have anything really big or crazy to tell...it's all pretty chill
around here...everyone for the most part is generally nice maybe not
accepting but I'll definitely take nice over a lot of things.
I don't really know what all is gonna go down today I think we might go down
by the boarder and look at some shops or something nothing too
exciting....man as time goes on and on I realize how lame my life is haha
well not lame in a spiritual sense but when you can't go to the beach or do
anything really that San Diego has to offer it makes things kind of
difficult to come up with some stories or something but it's all good...I
love you all know that but I better head off got.....lots to do today haha
Love you all I'll talk to ya later!
Much luv,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Hey there

2010-07-29T19:16:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone!

How’s it goin? Welp I’ve realized looking over my emails over the past months that they just seem to get increasingly smaller and smaller….before too long it’s just gonna be a hi and bye and that’s that ha…not really but when you’ve been writing emails for 50 some odd weeks or so everything starts to sound the same…and when you do the same thing for 50 some odd weeks everything is the same…..workin hard, havin fun, lovin life. I honestly don’t know how people write books…it’s ridiculous but seriously everything’s goin good! Transfers are already coming back up, it’s been crazy that it’s already been 6 weeks since I’ve got here in Chula Vista….time’s just been goin by way too fast but I guess that’s part of it…part of life…I honestly don’t know what’s gonna happen with transfers…I don’t know what’s gonna happen with my companion and I but we kind of got a hint that he’s gonna take off but who knows. President Donaldson has been moving the Spanish work along pretty rapidly though…. I think the general authorities are pushin for San Diego to be one of the vocal points for the church so there have been a few branches going up down here and this transfer they’re bringing in I think 17 Spanish missionaries…that’s a huge group coming in…when my group came out there was only 9 of us and that was Spanish and English combined so if that kind of paints a picture. “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; … the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.” It’s definitely moving that way and it’s inevitable…things are happening at such a rapid rate before too long it’s gonna be hard to keep up...President Donaldson was also speaking about how China is gonna open up to missionary work before too long and that the missions, membership, everything is going to double within the span of a few decades…crazy but here starts here and now, little by little and how grateful I am to make probably not even the tiniest of a fraction of a difference…but all in all it’s rollin… It’s been such a blessing to be here…that’s probably the best word to describe it is just one big blessing. Love my Savior and I love this gospel…It’s something that I’ve never felt anything like it in my life and it’s something that I’ll probably never quite feel again so I’m eating it up as much as I can… and I know without a doubt it’s true...you just can’t explain these feelings…it’s crazy… I probably sound like an idiot who has no idea what he’s talking about but that’s how it is…the joy is indescribable…and the blessings and feelings are eternal and I’m grateful for it.

Have a good week and I will talk with you on the flip-flop!

-Elder Ryan Lawter

Dear errryone….

2010-07-20T15:17:00.001-07:00

Welp here we are…last july 20th of emailin home…that sounds kinda weird, but kinda cool, but kinda scary at the same time….mom you’re gonna kill me for saying this but I’m at the point know where things are clicking on all cylinders…my Spanish is a hecka lot better than it’s ever been and things are just sick right now…. You could say it’s been real…you could say it’s been good…and you could even say it’s been real good… I love it I absolutely do… I’ll probably be bald by time I get home thanks to Mexican stubbornness but with sacrifice comes blessings from God…..Rogaine. So but yea things are sweet…still don’t know what the heck I’m doing but I’m doing it….and for some odd reason it’s working. That’s something that I think I’ve learned the most on my mission is it’s not so much how much we know or how well we say…it’s how well we mean it…that’s when the hearts of people really change is when you say something as simple as I know this church is true…and mean it…and the Spirit does the rest…and through it all He somehow makes my Spaiberish make sense.

And I do more than every I know that this church is really Christ’s church among the earth…it hits me pretty much everyday multiple times a day…we were reading in the introduction to the Book of Mormon and it just hit me like this is it…this is what people search their whole lives for and how I am so blessed to have this in my life… So yes I know that my Savior lives… I know that He loves us and wants us to follow Him and if we do so…we will have more than we have ever dreamed of…. I love my Savior and am so grateful to wear His name each and every day…I know without a doubt that these things and all the things we as missionaries teach are true…this is “it”.

I love you all too I hope you know that…through thick and thin it’s all the same… I pray for you and hope that you all have a great week!!! And take care!!!

Hasta pronto y les quiero!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Keep on Keepin on!

2010-07-13T21:04:00.001-07:00

Greetings from San Diego,

Sorry I wasn’t able to get an e-mail out last week but the dang computer shut me down before I could send out the e-mail…so I switched libraries….. Personally…I’m still a Mid-Content die hard at heart so all of these libraries are just disappointing to me but I’m getting used to it…getting used to the area, getting used to the members, getting used to the weather…oh wait… yea everything I’m still getting used to because I was in the Barrio for so long but it’s good, I’m getting it down and loving it like always….the car and the members well and our investigators as well might be the death to my heart because all we do is drive to a home…walk to the door…sit down…walk to our car…sit down… drive to another home…so the chubby bunny might make a reappearance but I’m trying to combat it...we had a good p-day today…lots of running…lots of basketball…lots of volleyball so I just try to catch up on my out-of-shapeness every p-day…so no worries health, I’ve got it covered. It does get annoying to me because our area is massive and it’s not like the Barrio where everyone is Mexican…no it’s some here some there…some over here and some over there… but it’s good though…makes the Mexican hunting all that more joyful for me he he heee.

But all in all things are good here. Can’t complain…lot’s of work...siempre. But that work is calling so I’ve got get scidadling (?)

Take care of yourselves…love you like always and pray for you like always. Have a good week and we’ll be talking at cha next week!!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Happy One Year!

2010-07-02T07:41:00.001-07:00

Dear Family,

Just a real quick note because I don’t have a whole lot of time but just writing to let cha all know that I’m doin alright and that I’m actually in Chula Vista right now!!! It’s sick…but it’s weird at the same time…. I got transferred from the poorest most ghetto place in San Diego to pretty much one of the richest if not the richest (next to La Jolla), places in San Diego….it’s nice to see your own breed for a change…but there are still a lot of hispanics here too and a lot of work!!! I’m serving in the Chula Vista 4^th ward so actually this is the 1^st ward that I’ve ever served in…this past year I’ve only been in branches….and to top it all off….chea I’ve got a car…1^st time in a year… So probably the most changes that could occur in a missionaries life just happened to me….it’s nice. Oh yea I got a new companion too….his name is Elder Gregory….and uh….well that’s all I have to say about that…. I’ll make it though, no worries…just prayers.

But yea that’s pretty much the update on my life…pure sweetness. We’ve got a few solid families that we’re teaching… I mean it’s heaven here!!! So no worries about me.. I am set for a bit…but I’ve also gotta run too!

Love you all chat at cha next week!

-Elder Ryan Lawter

53 weeks to go!

2010-06-22T11:28:00.000-07:00

Whud up,

So it's 10:17 a.m. Pacific standard time and I'm just chillin in the family history center waiting ….....patiently..........to see if I go......or if I stay...... transfers are tomorrow and so they let us know via phone mail or a call I guess you could call it and they let us know if we need to pack our bags or if we're good to go for another 6 weeks...if I stay that'll be 5 transfers here in the Barrio....that's 30 weeks....kind of a long time but I'm happy here... I'm happy with my comp...I'm happy with the people that I'm working with.....I guess I'm just plain happy..but I dunno maybe if y'all are lucky they'll call before I'm finished with my email and I'll let ch'all know.... Any who that....ok so I guess y'all are lucky... I just got off the phone with the zone leaders and I'm......................leaving...adios...sianara...hasta la vista.... bouncin...I'm out.... ugh! Well that's pretty much all of the news is that I'm getting transferred and I've got a lot of things to pack up and do today so I've got to get goin... have a good day folks... I guess I'll be lettin you know where I'm at next week! But for now I've gotta run and get stuff done! Love you all talk to ya next week!! Peace!!

Love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Happy Soon To Be Fathers Day!

2010-06-16T18:25:00.001-07:00

Word fam,

How’s everyone been?? It’s been good here as well…nother day another dollar… nothing way exciting… well we did have a pretty good size earthquake I think it was Monday night… it was around 10 I think and we were just chillin in our room and all of a sudden the whole place started shakin…reminded me of the earthquake that we had on Easter… it was pretty close to the same size…prêt..ty large… Only thing that really happened was I got a sweet butt massage from my chair and my bottle of shampoo fell…other than that not too much happened but it got me thinking because earlier all the leaders of the mission got together with President and we were talking about the what’s going on in the world and how it’s affecting the work both for the good and the bad and he gave the example of when the Resurrected Lord came to the Americas in 3 Nephi 11… in the previous chapters the people started to become prideful, wrapped up in money, lustful, a lot of the similar things that we see today in our world… and we know that before Christ came to visit these people there were fires, and earthquakes, and storms and many people perished because of this..but they were humble afterwards…at as soon as they were humble and ready a voice spoke to them but they didn’t recognize it…and then it spoke to them again and they “understood it not,” and it wasn’t until the third time that they opened their eyes and witnessed the divinity of the Resurrected Lord Jesus Christ….and there a strong resemblance to those people in the Americas and us now… the Lord is preparing the way for Christ’s 2nd coming…earthquakes, tsunamis, the economy…bad things are happening in the world that are definitely humbling people and preparing them… we’re on the doorstep of Christ’s 2nd coming and I can see that more now than ever…we are proclaiming the gospel and yet people still “understand us not,” and before you know it the world’s going to open their eyes just like the people in ancient America. That’s why I’m here that’s why this work is so important..that we make people open their eyes and become believers…the time is now…one last time to gather His sheep and I’m just happy to be a part of it. I love it as well as I love you all I pray for you always and hope for you! Have a good week, be safe, and take care!

Much Love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

p.s Happy father's day to the papis!!!!

Mormon Batallion Pictures

2010-06-09T15:04:00.000-07:00

Howdy!

2010-06-08T15:21:00.001-07:00

Howdy (y)all!

How's y'all doin!? Things down here are good as always work, fun, play, teach....my life es da best...actually this week no not really... I got kind of sick over the weekend so that was pretty much a week ruiner and one of our investigator who was suppose to be baptized a couple of days ago got talked out of it by her husband, he pretty much told her me or the church...so she kind of got hesitant because he's pretty much the tortilla winner of the family and I don't think that she's confident enough that if something does happen that she'll be able to take care of herself so it's gonna come down to pretty much a test of faith with her... The husband still allows us to meet with her, teach her, allows her to go to church (well sort of) but he's just against the fact of her being baptized he feels that since she was already baptized that it's kind of playing God even though she knows that the church is true and all..con tiempo... she'll get there with time and he will too I think... We're gonna play soccer with him this Saturday so that should be a good time to talk with him in a non-threatening way I guess but yeah we've got lots of people that are right there waiting, wanting to be baptized it's just one or two little things that are keeping them back like working on Sundays and not being able to go to church, or family members being opposed, you know things like that so it's hard for us to find those "elect" people who are so ready to receive the gospel but the adversary knows that as well and likes to make it difficult but with time and patience and diligence as well with these peeps and no doubt in my mind they'll be ready and prepared to make those so important covenants because "homeiswhereumakeit". Other than that nada is hapnanen...well a lot is happening but all the same is goin on....

I want you all to know like I let everyone else know down in Barrio Logan that I know this church is true... I do without a doubt... there's a lot of confusion in the world today and the place that I tell people to look is in Jesus Christ and in His gospel... with it everything makes sense...where we came from, why we're here, and where we're going it all comes together when we find what we're searching for and that's when we truly find ourselves. I love this work...it is the work and the purpose of the The Father, The Son, and of the Holy Ghost...it's their work and I'm so happy to be apart of it... it's what ties and binds our families together forever. It's a good thing my people!

Welp I'd better get runnin lots ta do with not a lots of time. Love you all like always and pray for you like always! Take care, be safe, and stay classy!

Have a good week!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

2010-06-03T06:23:00.000-07:00

Goooood Moooorning Vietnam!

Ok so for one you’re probably not in Vietnam, it’s probably Missouri and two it’s probably not even the morning but I just felt like saying that for some reason… I think that movie got in my head because we saw a paper today that said the U.S has been at war in the middle east longer than any other war…they just hit their 104th month mark there and Vietnam was 103….take that for a mission I’m getting anxious at only 13 months left… I don’t want it to sound like I’m just counting down the days because I’m not….(395)…ha nawww I’m kidding but I just say probably just about every week because it’s amazing really how fast the time passes…one minute you’re hear and the next you’re there… I don’t know it may just be me but I realized how fast the time has gone by because I just hit the 11th month mark yesterday and you know what that means…..the countdown is in less than a month, which is kind of scary to me because to be honest I want another year extension…especially now that the Spanish is coming easier and more natural….I still won’t have it down fluently where I’m totally 100% confident until like the day before I leave but it’s getting to be more and more fun as the Spanish comes along. It’s been difficult to learn it in the states because we can get away with speaking English and it’s not a big deal and most of the Spanish people here that didn’t just cross the night before….no I’m serious I’ve met em’ but most of the people who have been here for more than a year or two know some English and they want to practice it on us…and so we practice our Spanish right back…so in Spanglish we’re fluent you could say yes but give it a little more time and practice and it’ll be fluent in both. Everything’s coming along work’s good as always…we’ve got a lot of people we’re working with…hard thing is Satan goes tracting more than we do but that makes it that more special for me to see when someone embraces and accepts the gospel because their backs are against the wall but they fight it and to watch someone win that victory is one of the most touching things that you can witness. That’s one of the first things that President Donaldson told us when we came into San Diego was that we’re at war….we’ve been at war for awhile and Satan knows that he’s gonna lose so he’s gonna throw everything that he’s got at you, at your investigators, at the members, at everybody to make sure that they don’t enter into a covenant with God…why would he work so hard on something that would be false or a lie…. That’s what he wants it to seem is that all that we teach is a lie and it’s so true…. He’s not gonna concentrate all of his efforts on something that’s already false, he’s gonna concentrate all of his efforts on something that’s true and I’ve realized that….Anti-Mormon literature is everywhere and it’s something that we battle everyday but it’s also comforting to know that it’s because it’s all true that Satan is gathering his forces around this work. It’s true..all of it and I’m so thankful to be a part of it!

Sorry this is a wee short but I’m out of time so I love you all take care and have a great week!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Busy Busy Busy

2010-05-27T10:30:00.001-07:00

Sorry to all of Ryan's friends and family. Below is some of the conversation we had with RyRy yesterday, but because he was short on time this is all we get till next week. Just know that he is doing great and he sends his love to ALL!

We would like to thank you all, for your support to Ryan while on his mission, thru your letters, packages and prayers. We know that you, his friends and family have been a great strength to him and to us. We know as does Ryan, that the Gospel is true and that God lives and Jesus Christ lives and loves each and everyone of us. We also know that thru our trails we are made strong and if we humble ourselves and put Christ first in our lives we too can know true happiness. Just as we told Ryan in his email on Monday that "miracles happen on the other side of obedience and hard work."

We are a little over a month away from celebrating Ryan's half way mark!!!!!!!!! (but, who's counting, haha)

May God bless you always and as RyRy would say, "Keep on, Keeping on and have an awesome week!"

All our LOVE!

Phil and Cyndi

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I'm doin pretty good here...finally got a little bit of time to get to the library how's it going baack home?

....Yeah it's been a pretty good week...had a real busy day on monday....then yesterday we went to Balboa Park and played Frisbee Golf

I've been trying to talk President letting a couple of us go to an afternoon padres game on P-day but he keeps rejecting me like the ugly girl at the school dance but he said keep trying and one day he might say yes so my nerdy prince charming who doesn't have a date either is out there...there's hope

No but I got bit yesterday by a rabid chuwawa.... it was a good one... I hate all little dogs and pitbulls now since being down here so do not ask me to get one of those because I will punt that thing every chance I get. they are just mother natures fart...I have a strong.... well not hate because that's a strong word but a huge dislike on those creatures...

hey I won't have time to put in a regular email... I don't have a whole lot of time left so I guess all the others are gonna have ta hold out for another week.sorry!

no I really don't have time... I've been looking up a few things on lds.org and jesuschrist.lds.org to print off and share with some of my investigators so I really don't have time. sorry.

I've actually gotta go right now... we've got an appointment right now but have a good week and love you all! Talk to ya next week.

Happy Happy Happy

2010-05-19T19:39:00.000-07:00

Aloha!

Pickin up a little Hawaiian with my companion here!

So what’s kickin back at home? How has everybody been doing as of late?.... Things have all been great here…work…work….and more work…what more could I ask for. But really things have been going really good this past week with Elder Thomas and everything….been a little stressed out….just a little though never a lot snot how I roll…well then again I wouldn’t say stressed out but just under a little bit of pressure. Member work has been a real stress in the San Diego area and especially down here in the branch where we so desperately need the strength of the members and as well I think that they need the help of the missionaries keeping this branch all in order….it ain’t easy bein cheesy….the branch down here is strong but very fragile (mmmm must be Italian) at the same time and I think that’s where the pressure comes into play from the Branch Presidency, President Donaldson, and the Stake President… So since member work has been our biggest focus (as well it should be) I got dealt the task to split up every member and less-active member in our boundaries between each of the 4 companionships in the branch or in my district… So over this past week I was at the desk looking at the maps, the ward directory, calling people, calling missionaries to see who they were working with, praying about it all… I guess I got a sneak peek into what President Donaldson and every mission president goes through every 6 weeks…but it’s all done and good now….we presented it to each leader and it was all good stuff so now that’s behind us we’ve seen miracles happening as we’ve been focusing our time and efforts on the members. It has seemed like a missionary rush has went through the branch as we’ve been working closely with our members and I can’t say that it’s any credit to us…it’s all our members that our doing it…we’ve just been the supporting cast….just today we had an awesome lesson with a lady that a member found on her own efforts just riding the bus…it’s been amazing!!! But I’ll have to talk more about it next week cuz I’ve gotta run!

Love you all and have a great week! Tark to you nerxt weerk!!!

One love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

More pics with Elder Law

2010-05-13T08:35:00.000-07:00

It took me a long time to figure out what they're holding....but it's just ice cream.

Howdy-Ho

2010-05-12T16:46:00.001-07:00

Hey everyone,

So how’s everyone doing? I hope that everyone is doin hot and dandy! Today we had transfers again! It’s hard to believe that I’m almost half way through with all of my transfers! But we went to transfers today and how transfers work is our zone leaders get a letter from President Donaldson telling them what missionaries are leaving, what missionaries are picking up a new companion, and what missionaries are training and then they send out a voice message to all the missionaries phones in the zone the night before transfers telling people if they need to pack or if they’re going to get a new companion tomorrow or what not. So we got the message yesterday and the message didn’t have anything about me leaving or Elder Hernandez leaving so we were pretty stoked to hear that we were stayin, no sweat huh? Yeahhhhh…….. mmmmm……. So Elder Hernandez and I decided to go to transfers anyways just to see who was getting transferred and all and plus I was going to find out who all was going to be in my district and talk to president a little bit about the areas and such so anyways we were sitting in transfers and all of a sudden President calls my name and it kind of caught me off guard but I stood up cuz I thought that he was gonna tell me stuff about the areas and my district and stuff but that wasn’t the case…. I was actually standing up to get a new companion…..darn that revelation…ha So yea to my surprise and Elder Hernandez’ and everyone else pretty much I got a new companion, his name is Elder Thomas and he hails for Honolulu, Hawaii…Aloha braaaa…. He’s a pretty chill guy, this is only his 2^nd transfer so I’m follow-up training again which is gonna be fun….He doesn’t know a whole lot of Spanish either so it’s really gonna stretch us but I’ve got a really good feeling about this transfer and I know that it’s definitely gonna real and it’s gonna be good…you could even say, it’s gonna be real good. I’m stoked actually…. I’m gonna miss Elder Hernandez a lot, I love that kid but he’s not going too far….just to the other room ha… it’s weird because Elder Morales’ companion, Elder Williamson got transferred so Elder Hernandez took his place and Elder Thomas took Elder Hernandez’ place… Does that make any sense? So yea it was kind of a weird flip-flop but it’s all good I’m happy and excited for this transfer ahead of me mi espanol is gonna get lots better…it’s gotta get lots better and that’s what excites me, it’s gonna push me to the limits but it will be for the better, nothin’s as bad as it seems and if you truly have faith then you won’t fear a thing. I love this. I love what I’m doing, I love this gospel, and I especially love the Lord. Nothing is impossible…. I hope you all have a fantastic week and know that I love you all! Take care and be safe!

Love you lots all and much love!

-Elder Ryan Lawter

Out to Lunch

2010-05-07T15:22:00.000-07:00

Ryan's first companion (his trainer) came back to visit the mission after going home and took Ryan and some buddies out to lunch. The former Elder Law is on the right side of the table with his dad and RyRy is the blackie at the end of the table.

2010-05-07T13:52:00.000-07:00

To my fam!
How’s it goin everyone!?
So to fill you in on everything that happened last weekend....it....was...amazing! Particularly the Gladys Knight concert... I actually went to 3 out of the 4 concerts and each time I went it just gave me goosebumps up and down my bod... It was a really neat experience, it kind of reminded me of the Fighting Temptations movie, it was pretty much just gospel soul and a little bit of rhythm in the hymns. It was funny because I think for some of the "old generation," I don't think that some of them enjoyed it as much as the "newer generation" but it was a really good spiritual experience. The thing that got me the most through it all was listening to Gladys' "journey," or so she called it, and listening to her testimony and love for the gospel. It was really powerful to listen to all of the trials and obstacles in her life that she's gone through and her rising above them. There were a lot of people who went to each of the concerts; there were four concerts and probably around 1,000 at each concert.... so that's like.....4,000 people! Yay! I gOts mY EdUmiKasHun at Da KErNey SkOoL. So it was a really good turn out, I think through it all, we got around 600-650 referrals around the San Diego area so from what President Donaldson was saying was that the concert was really successful. I think that people were able to see the church in a different light, a way that they've never seen it before and I think the concert and testimonies, especially by Gladys Knight opened up a lot of people's eyes, so the plan worked! So after the first concert on Saturday, we were helping set-up for the next concert right afterwards and we actually got to go back stage; meet the whole choir and eat some of their buffet when they weren't looking, so we were like in heaven and then here comes Gladys Knight herself walking around the corner and we talked with her for a good 5 minutes or so.... It was incredible! Probably one of the nicest ladies that I've ever met! She was so humble and down-to-earth and you could just feel the spirit radiate from her and her love for the gospel and especially the missionaries. It was cool because during her concert and her testimony she mentioned how much she loves the missionaries and how awesome we are...lady doesn't lie... and then she had all the missionaries at the concert stand-up and everyone gave us some claps and knuckles... Instead of putting the spotlight on her she put the spotlight on what matters most to her and that's what the concert was about the whole night; a concert and testimony of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Man I wish I could've taken a video of the concert and send it to you all and show you how awesome it was, but just know that it was awesome and if she ever comes near to where you live and does something like this make sure that you go!

So that was half of my weekend, the other half was the Mormon Helping Hands project in Santee. All we did was help restore a trail that had been torn up and eroded by the rain that we got down here earlier in the year...they said that it was some of the heaviest and most rain that they've received down here in a long time.... If that's what they call heavy, they ain't seen nothin...bunch of tanned whimps. But the project was a good time, kind of frustrating at the same time because we had a lot of old old people there, and nothing against old people, I love em haha but we would do something and then they would either mess it up or just do something totally different haha it was all good though, it was cool to see everyone come together and help out the community, we got a lot of compliments along the way, so it was really good! So all-in-all it was a champ weekend but other than that, not a whole lot more news out here in San Diego, it's been a constant 70 and sunny these past couple of weeks but I think it's about to warm up here pretty soon so we'll see.
But I've gotta run! You all have a good week, take care, and be safe! And for all the moms reading this Happy Mother's Day!
Love you all and pray for the best for you!
It's been real but it's time to work so peace!
Much love,
Elder Ryan Lawter
GO SPURS GO!

2010-04-30T11:07:00.001-07:00

Herrroo Home,

Finally got time to make it to the library when it was open! I couldn’t make it on Tuesday because Elder Hernandez and I went to the temple and since we didn’t have a car or a ride up there, we had to ride the bus….ALL…THE…WAY….THERE…. so that was a deep 2 ½ hour drive from our apartment all the way up to La Jolla but it was worth it like always and then all this week the library is either closed or it closes early because the city doesn’t have enough money to keep it open… which is kind of weird to me…San Diego not have enough money? I don’t know about that but whatev..

So how has everyone’s week been so far… can’t believe that we are already into May pretty much! Time’s goin to fast if you ask me! Tonight and tomorrow night Gladys Knight is coming into town to put on 4 concert/firesides here in the San Diego area and it just seems like yesterday that we were just planning for that but it was actually last year… it’s true what they say about the time on your mission…. It might just be goin by a little too fast if you ask me. But yea Gladys Knight and the Saints United Choir, the choir that she directs, is going to be here performing in the Stake Center in Sweetwater at 5:30 and 8:30 tonight and 4:30 and 7:30 tomorrow night, I’m really excited it’s gonna be a really good and uplifting experience from what President Donaldson has told us. The only way that people can get tickets is if they’re not a member of the church or if a member does want to come, they have to bring a non-member friend with them…so all-in-all I think the mission department is expecting around 5,000 referrals from these next two days and what happens is; each non-member who comes receives a gift basket delivered by the missionaries in their area and in the basket is a Gladys Knight CD, a Restoration movie, and a Book of Mormon. So this thing is gonna be big time here and keep in mind that all of this is FO FREE and that’s pretty much the first thing that we tell people is that it’s fo frizzle and they’re on the first bus heading over there so we have a lot of people coming with us so it should be a good time! So that’s tonight and tomorrow night and on top of that we have a “Mormon Helping Hands” project in Santee (goin back home for a bit) where pretty much a wave of Mormons overrun an area and do a service project there in their yellow shirts and all. Our service project is we’re going to a place called mission trails up in Santee and we’re gonna clean up the trails and make it all pretty like I guess, I don’t really know but I’m just excited to get out of the city for a bit and get a little call of nature outta me… It’s depressing I haven’t seen a cow or a squirrel in a coon’s age, I’ve seen every part of a cow on my plate for dinner, some still semi-alive I think but not a cow alive and kickin. So it should be a really good weekend but I better peace out now! I love you all I pray for you all and I cherish you all! Thank you so much for your love and support that I know you send each and everyday I can feel it and it goes a long way! Thank you all once again and have a boss week!

Con much amor,
Elder Ryan Lawter
p.s.) GO SPURS GO!!!!!

Happy Birthday to Ryan (Friday!)

2010-04-20T20:06:00.001-07:00

Hello everyone!!!

So I’ll make this one real short and sweet seein though I don’t have a whole lot of time but update here….. Awesome! Seriously everything’s awesome; the work’s awesome, the weather’s awesome, I’m awesome ha, but on a real note everything is more than good here! We have about 7 investigators with a date right now and 5 with a date for this Sunday and next Sunday, including the two ladies that I spoke about last week, but President was right the Spanish work down here is just exploding out the yoo-hoo and it’s great to see just the overall progress of the mission. As far as new news…kinda lame but I’ve really got nothing… Everything’s been calm here….Everyday’s an exciting and interesting one but there’s really no stories that I have lately…at least none to top last week’s….and I hope I never have a story to top that one either or else I would have to have Elder Hernandez tuck me into to bed and according to man law number 26, that’s not acceptable….

I’m sorry again that this email’s just a paragraph but we’ve gotta run…we’ve got people to see and a whole lot of things to do! So I hope that everyone’s doin great, I’m doin great and I hope that everyone will enjoy and love whatever comes this week… it’s hard not to love the life you live if you love your life and live your life in accordance to the Lord. I love you all so much and pray for you and wish you the best it whatever way life may take you!

Lots of lovin from SoCal!

Elder Ryan Lawter

Two good ones and a drunk guy

2010-04-20T16:55:00.000-07:00

"Our wonderful neighbor. Dude's got some pointy nipples."

-Ryan

2010-04-13T16:14:00.000-07:00

Hey errryone,
I still feel retarded every time I start off my email because I don’t know how to start it without sounding retarded… So I guess I feel retarded either way so it’s a lose lose... but it’s been….well… an interesting week I guess you could say… It’s been the type of week that has made me very thankful for the gospel, the priesthood, the love of our Savior and everything…. I’ll tell the story a little bit later on…
But overall everything’s everything here…. Workin so hard that I’m losin track of the days… it feels just like yesterday that it was the beginning of the year…. It’s amazing how fast the time literally goes.. sometimes it’s good and then again sometimes it’s bad… I feel like 24 hours in a day is not enough to get everything accomplished but I guess it’s not the time that’s given you but what you do in that space of time that really counts. It’s all good; the work’s good, the work’s hard, but the work is fun… There’s people who are in need of what we got and that’s the fun part, finding those people who are ready and it need and at the same time helping those other people who don’t think they are in need, see that they’re in need…because they are. I had an interesting experience to say the least last Sunday at church… It was something that I never in a million years would have thought that I would see or experience. So Elder Hernandez and I had a few investigators at church last Sunday and we were sitting reverently as the Sacrament was being passed and we look back to see how our investigators are doing (They were sitting with some members) and we saw that one of our investigators was crying and crying and crying.. and I was thinking to myself oh french is she crying because she doesn’t like it? Is she crying because she feels the Spirit? Is she crying because she broke a nail? You know what was it? So we kept looking back and looking back and each time she was crying harder and harder and she was starting to shake by this point so I thought then it could be a medical issue… So by this point the Sacrament was almost done so we just waded it out until it was over and when it was we got up to see what was the matter… So we walked up to her and she was sobbing so hard that she couldn’t even speak so then we stood her up to and walked with her and some of the priesthood holders into a room to settle her down and give her a blessing if she needed it… When we got into the room it just felt dark and cold… not the same room that it was a few minutes ago… so anyways we asked her if she wanted a blessing of health or comfort and she kinda blurted out los dos or both. When we anointed her with oil she started to shake a little more and raise up her hands… I thought it was a little weird at the time but whatev…people have their own beliefs…. So after the anointing was done, there was me, my companion, 3 endowed brothers, a sister friend from the branch, and another investigator that we are teaching that is the friend of the lady who is getting the blessing. So we put our hands upon her head and one of the brothers began to give her the blessing and at that moment things started feeling eerie and during the blessing her whole body started to shake uncontrollably and right at that moment we knew it wasn’t gonna be a blessing of health anymore but something bigger than that. It was terrifying…literally bone chilling the things that it was saying inside of her. After many times of the one brother commanding the spirit so to say inside of her to leave we had everyone give the lady a blessing, commanding the evil force in the name of the Savior to leave and it kept saying to us…”you don’t have the authority, you don’t have the power to do so…this is my body and I’m not leaving.” So with all of our energy and faith we told it to leave and finally…it did… I could feel it go through my body from head to toe just chills going through my body until it left. I haven’t been able to sleep real well the past few nights but I definitely took something from it…and that is the power of the Priesthood and the will of God. Afterwards we looked at our investigator and she opened her eyes clearer and bigger and brighter than I’ve ever seen them before…she spoke clearer, without the nasal sound that she had before…She was a different person someone that we haven’t met before, after that. When we spoke to her right after she told us… “I haven’t felt this happy and this peaceful in a long long time… You men are angels..who were sent to come rescue me.” Then she told us later that she knew that the Priesthood and the authority in which we hold is true and that the church of Jesus Christ is on the earth again and then she told us that she wanted to be baptized soon! I have never felt so close to both forces beyond the veil than I did that day. I can honestly testify now that Satan is so ever present in this world and can take control of our lives in so many different ways both spiritual and physical if we are not careful and yet on the other hand…. I can so honestly testify that God lives….He loves us, He cares about us, and He knows our wants and needs before we even do. He has restored His everlasting gospel among this earth one last time to bring His children back home… and with the restoration of His gospel came also the restoration of the very same Priesthood that existed in the time when Christ set-up His church… The very same church that we have today and that is guided by a living Prophet just like His church of old and the Priesthood, or the authority to act in God’s name, just like His church of old. It’s all the same, just different time. I saw in that room, the manifestation of God among one of his children that was in need…and it was through the Priesthood power and the faith that was in that room, that she was able to be healed. I know it to be true God bearing witness of it…with all of my heart I know this gospel to be the true gospel of Jesus Christ…believe me or not but it is the Lord’s kingdom among the earth to guide and direct us in these trying latter days and I’m so grateful for the blessing it is in my life and the blessing that I have to help touch others lives and bring them the same happiness.
I love you all and I am as well grateful for you in my life too! It’s a great time to be alive! This life was intended to be enjoyed so do it and live it up! I hope that you all have a great week and take care whatever may come…and whatever does come…love it.
Same time same place next week peeps!
With all my love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Oh. My. Conferenceness

2010-04-06T16:20:00.001-07:00

What’s up!
Well here we are, already in spring time! Can you believe it!? Things are going great here! Weathers perfect, work’s going great, that’s all you can pretty much ask for right? It seems like a lot of things have went on this past week… part of it probably for me is because it’s all the same everyday; preach, teach, and reach out to peeps so if it doesn’t seem like a whole lot of news it’s probably just me then… let’s see um transfers were last wed…not much change… I’m still down in tamale-town with my same companion, Elder Hernandez, he’s a really good guy... I asked president in my president’s letter if we could stay together because we’re getting a lot of work done here and I only seeing the work picking up for us…we’ve got 3 with a baptismal date and we’ll have a few more hopefully getting baptized here in the near future…so we’re doin big things and I think that it’s only gonna get on getting bigger..the only change from transfers was that President switched me back to District Leader…Don’t really know why he’s switchin back and forth but he but me back as the district leader so whatev…when in rome… other than that transfers for the missionaries in my district were uneventful..which is a good thing…our district’s pretty sweet and there’s a lot of good things happening for each of the companionships so I’m glad President kept us all together to keep the ball rolling…
Um second round of news… I felt an earthquake for the first time in my life!!! 4 of em actually! The first one hit Sunday afternoon, while we were at a members house eating dinner…it was before dinner and I started rocking back and forth and I was like hmmm… I must be really hungry… then I look at everyone else and they’re rocking too so I thought hmmm… they must be really hungry too.... but then all the cabinets were shaking and stuff so we darted until it was over… It was a whimpy one here though… I think when it hit here in San Diego it fizzed out to only a 1.2 or something like that but then Sunday night and last night too there were a few more little dinkers only strong enough to wake you up and rattle the cabinets a little bit…but still..the massage was good… I think it was a lot bigger like a 7.2 in Mexico or something… I don’t know… I don’t know a lot of the details or anything if it was real bad but I’m pretty sure a 7.2 size earthquake can take out its fair share of taco stands.
Ok 3rd round… CONFERENCE! OH. MY. CONFERENCENESS. It was amazing! To sit there apostle after apostle, sweet talk after sweet. It was kind of like after I got out of the meeting with Elder Holland, I was just spirit drained and tired… Conference just took it out of me…and my hand too…I wrote like a book of notes over conference…I don’t have time to write everything down but from the vibe that I got from the Brethren is that now’s the time to start preparing our families and make sure that they are truly rooted in the Gospel… things are happening…earthquakes (just like here), tsunamis, wars, diseases….and that’s just the physical side…families are being attacked by the world, sex, drugs, violence, cheating, lying… It’s no lie that the adversary is taking his last breath and unleashing his final blow before Christ comes again… So it’s now more than ever that we need to protect our families from these both ever present physical and spiritual dangers that are occurring on every corner, every commercial, every movie….it’s everywhere and we all see but when the storms rage it’s “upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.” It’s Christ that needs to be our rock, our foundation, our place of comfort and security. That’s the foundation that we need to have our families on and if they are built upon the foundation of our Lord, it’s like Helaman says…we will not and cannot fall. President Uchtdorf (whoops I almost called him Uchtdork…that wouldn’t have been good haha) but it’s just like President Uchtdorf said “The Lord does not need us…but oh how we need Him.” And how true it is…. He knows. He knows what’s happened, what is happening, and what will happen…. I think that He knows the direction that we need to go and if we listen to Him, His prophets’, and His writings in the scriptures…. I think that we’ll be just fine and our spiritual and physical foundation will never crumble or fall.
I want you all to know that I love you, I care about you all, and I pray for you every day and night…. It’s a wild world and it’s hard to get by just upon a smile girl… but if we are firm in our foundation… we’ll be solid in all the things that are yet ahead.
Have a great week, be safe, and I’ll talk at cha next week!
Peace!
Elder Ryan Lawter

Happy Easter

2010-03-31T07:40:00.001-07:00

Howdy everyone!

So…Sorry this email is coming a day late but all of the libraries in San Diego are starting to close now on Mondays..kinda lame but I don’t know really the cause of why they’re all shutting down on Mondays but whatev so I guess we’ll have to kind of settle on Tuesdays unless we can find some other way because this is the closest library within miles of us and we don’t have a car so it makes it kind of hard but anywhoo that’s what’s going on email wise.. So how’s everybody doing!? Let’s see recap of last week..A-MAZING as I told you last week Elder Holland came to dedicate the Mormon Battalion Center along with Elder Hinkley and Elder Jensen! It was so crazy to shake an Apostle of the Lord’s hand and to talk with him face to face…really words can’t explain the feeling and the power, and the spirit that those men literally radiate! We had a conference for about 3 hours and after it was all said and done I had a headache for an hour or so…. Just the power in Elder Holland’s words is just overtaking really…. I just kept thinking to myself the whole time…you know this is an Apostle of the Lord…just think about how it’s gonna be when we actually stand before God himself and His Son Jesus Christ…. I’m gonna need like 50 ibuprofens if just an Apostle gives me a headache for an hour ha. But really it was just an amazing experience to listen from all three of those men and to talk with them face-to-face…. I’d like to add that Elder Jensen told me that I looked really sharp in my suit and tie….yea I was pretty much flauntin it that day for those guys….maybe they’ll give me a shout-out in conference this weekend…. “I’d like to tell a story of the sharpest looking missionary I think that I’ve ever seen…..” naa but hey it could happen…. It was really neat because after all the missionaries went up and shook Elder Holland’s hand and Elder Hinkley and Jensen’s too Elder Holland spoke and said that when we went up there and shook his hand he said he looked each of us in the eyes and interviewed us right there on the spot…scared the crap out of me when he said that but he said that of all the missions that he’s traveled to in the world throughout his years as a general authority, he said that this was the most obedient and best looking group that he’s ever seen… so I guess that means we passed ha! But it’s so interesting…those men can just see right through people and discern their needs and everything…. Another interesting thing that I saw was before Elder Holland got up to speak, the whole time he had his hands in his face kind of rocking back and forth just receiving revelation out the wazooo and literally just wrestling with the spirit…it was intense…I took a bunch of notes but dang it I forgot them at the house so I’ll have to include some of the things he said next week in my email. So yea that was pretty much my week this past week and then tomorrow we have transfers, then this weekend we’ll have General Conference (stoked for dat), then in a few weeks it’s my compleanos!, then a few weeks after that it’s call home day well more importantly it’s mother’s day but still…excited to call home!!! So there’s a lot of stuff going on in the next bit then before too long we’ll be past the count up to a year and to the countdown to the next July…it’s certainly goin by fast but it’s been so good! I’m so blessed and happy to be out here serving God’s children and helping them make the journey back to Him, something interesting that Elder Holland said was that “Salvation does not come cheap,” and that the road to Salvation always goes through the Garden at one point or another. He knows exactly what we’ve been through, what we’re going through, and what we will go through so always remember that and keep Him in yours prayers for His help and support always and He WILL help you through!

Like always I love you all so much and hope that you have a happy and safe week!

Much Love…One Love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

RIBS!

2010-03-28T11:26:00.001-07:00

One of Ryan's favorite foods is....can you guess?

RIBS!

He was so excited he ate them the other day that he had to take pictures!

Ma and Pa Lawter...I'm not sure your "fattie" package really worked.....hehe

It's spring!

2010-03-22T13:45:00.001-07:00

Hey family,
So be warned this email might a little short I've got a lot to do today with such little time, we've got a very very important person coming to our mission on friday so I've got to cut my hair, dry-clean my suits and ties, polish my shoes, clean my apartment, and probably repent for even killing a fly today... yea that's how legit it's gonna be friday.. I'm not really suppose to say who's coming but let's just say.....it's Jeffrey R. Holland!!! Welp so much for that secret...yea Elder Holland's coming on Friday to dedicate the Mormon Battalion Center then he's going to speak to the Mission so we're all way stoked!!! Oh and also at the end of April Gladys Knight's coming to perform a fireside concert for investigators and the only way that you can get in is with a ticket and the only way that you can get a ticket is bring an investigator...so our mission is planning to receive around 5,000 referrals from this ol' deal...pretty exciting huh? Just a lot of sweet things happening right now and also Elder Hernandez and I are probably going to have a baptism during conference weekend.. it's a husband and wife that are probably the sweetest investigators that I've ever had... just so prepared and so accepting of the gospel; they even went to the temple grounds with out us even talking about the temple, I actually think that that's the first thing that got them interested was the temple here in San Diego. The temple is set-up perfectly here, it sits right beside Interstate 5 so there's a lot of people that wander on to the grounds just out of curiosity and I think that's what happened with Aldo and his wife Carmen. It's such a blessing to have temples on the earth today that are so close to access for us and what a blessing they are for families to be sealed together for time and all eternity, they're really where families become together forever. It's truly a heaven on earth and a blessing for all members of the church, we just need to take full advantage of it. I'm so grateful for this gospel and to have the opportunity to spread this message to all those in need. I'm also grateful for you all and for the love you all send this way. I pray for you and love you all and hope that you have a great week! Take care and God bless!
Love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Be of good cheer!

2010-03-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

(***Sorry I don't know why the formatting is being dumb!***)

Dear Family,

Whazzz up! Let’s see it’s Monday the 15th here, it’s 12:08 and it’s…..should
I say it… yeah, it’s 77 degrees here! We just got done playing Frisbee and
I’m kinda bummed that we had to come in for an hour to email so you all
better feel pretty stinkin special cuz I’m missin out on some rays…. I know
I know… tough life this kid has right?? It’s so nice outside right now, I
think that we’re gonna go back outside and just stay out the rest of the day
so it should be a good one, but how’s everybody doing? Seems to me like this
week has kind of lagged a bit especially yesterday with daylight savings and
all.. it was funny because we show up at church yesterday around 8:45
because church starts at 9 or somewhere around 9 if you’re going on Mexican
but we get there and literally there is absolutely nobody there, just the
branch president and a few other members and that’s about it! So we get our
classes started and get going, then around 10ish or so…here they start
rollin in. I actually think that the Branch President was expecting it… to
tell you the truth, none of us in the apartment remembered until somebody
called us that night to remind us… so we would of fit it pretty well if that
person didn’t call us… kinda mad that he did yesterday though…that hour is
pretty crucial…didn’t know that hour could make such a difference but it
sure does…it’s not a huge difference for all the oldies though, they get
their nap in at Sacrament regardless so it’s all good. We actually received
a message yesterday night on our phone with some pretty sweet news, it was
the A.P’s telling us that our mission here in San Diego got a total of 20
baptisms I think, 20 or 21 something like that but our mission got 20
baptisms last week and they said that that hasn’t happened in like 70 years
or something like that so that was pretty exciting news! The work is sure
pressing forward and nothing is going to stop it. Just as Joseph Smith said,
“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the
work from progressing; … the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and
independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime,
swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God
shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
It’s amazing what’s going on right before our very eyes. Last week I had the
privilege of coaching a companionship during our MTE, which I found out, is
the Mission Training Experience btw… in case you were wondering but it was
incredible to me because we were first coached by President Donaldson, who
was coached by Brother Allen (who’s a member of the missionary department),
who was coached by Elder Clayton (Presidency of the Seventy), who was
coached by the Quorum of the Twelve, and list keeps going up until you get
to the number honcho…. This is God’s work and He’s going to direct it in the
manner that He sees fit, so what we’ve been learning from President
Donaldson in our training is truly revelation from the Lord, so if that’s
not amazing enough, it’s more amazing to put all that we learned in the MTE
to practice and to teach and find and help people who are lost inside, find
Christ. I went out with a few Elders in Rancho, which is pretty much El
Cajon, so it was cool to go back but the Elders were English Elders and from
what they’ve said, is that the Rancho area is slow and has been slow for
forever, but we went out, added a bunch of new investigators which is
supposedly impossible and came out of it with a guy who is getting baptized
at the end of the month and who is soooo ready to be baptized… and this is
just after 3 days of being there! It really is incredible! I’m so happy to
be here and to be able to see the Lord’s work and prophecy unfold. I love
it! This truly is the work of the Lord and the work of angels! I honestly
don’t know where my life would be without the gospel…. Not in the direction
it’s heading that’s for sure. So I’m so thankful to have the Atonement and
the Gospel in my life… and to have each and every one of you as well… I love
each and every one of you…. I pray for each and every one of you… and I hope
that you all have a great week!

Much love,

Elder Ryan Lawter

Pics on the beach

2010-03-13T16:01:00.000-08:00

Before....dry.

After....not so dry.

Mormon Batallion Pictures

2010-03-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

2010-03-08T18:18:00.001-08:00

Hey what’s goin on everyone!
How’s everyone been doing this past week? It’s been a crazy busy week with the MTE and everything else in-between, I don’t think I’ve ever been this busy and go go go my whole first 19 years combined, missionary life is a crazy life but it’s also been a fun and rewarding one. There have been numerous things that I have learned on my mission and attributes that I have better developed and I honestly don’t think that I could’ve learned them any other place. I’ve been really bad the 1st part of my mission talking about the work that’s been going on so I think that’s something that I’m going to write about just briefly from now on in my emails but the work right now is going good, we added 5 new solid investigators last week who you can tell have been so prepared by the Lord and we’re actually going with 2 of them to the Mormon Battalion Center tonight with them and they are bringing some of their friends so “I guess you could say things are starting to get pretty serious.” But yea our teaching pool is huge right now but it’s also filled with a lot of people who just love us coming over, talking to them, teaching them a little bit, and that’s it, no action on their part so it’s kind of a struggle to let some of those people go but there’s always tons more of Heavenly Father’s children prepared to listen to and accept the gospel, so it’s kind of just a big revolving door with investigators for us but it’s fun at the same time because we get to meet soooo many people…. I hope that all made sense, I don’t know if it did or not… My mind’s going 1,000 miles per minute, I’ve got a lot on my mind, partly because I’m at the retarded library and this guy is yelling at me because I’m on the computer when the kids are suppose to be on… I don’t know and partly because we have so much going on in this area right now… it’s stressful but it’s good at the same time… it’s all a good stress…. If that’s even possible….
So I hope that everyone’s been doing good lately, in whatever may come your alls way… these past 9 months or so I’ve had a once in a lifetime opportunity to walk down the streets of San Diego and see a lot of people from a lot of walks of life and it’s been really humbling to me to see these people, who are in much much worse situations than we could ever dream of and here we are complaining about maybe the weather, or the satellite reception, or traffic, or cats, whatever the case may be… is it really that bad? Is our lives so bad that we need to get worked up on a lot of things? Some of the happiest people and most humble people that I have ever met; don’t have a car, or a home, or even a family to go to and yet they still go forward with faith and importantly with a smile on. That is where we need to be… that is the people that we need to be…. Not homeless haha no not even close but a person who goes through life through the thick and thin with a smile on each and every day… rainy days come sure but what’s the point of being gloomy along with the day… SO let’s all go forward with faith with a smile on and it will just make everything that much better.
I love and pray for you all and hope you all have a great week!
Much love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

2010-03-03T16:46:00.000-08:00

Hey all!!!
So sorry it’s been a bit since I’ve wrote but things have been really really busy here which is awesome news! This week our mission has been doing what we call an MTE…which I don’t even what that stands for but alls I know is it’s sweet! Pretty much all it is, is we have another missionary come out with us and coach us and help to be better missionaries…. So although it’s kind of weird to have another missionary coming around with us telling us everything wrong that we’re doing it’s good at the same time so we can become better. It’s been a really good and exhausting week at the same time but I guess what’s new! Anywhooo so how’s everyone holding up!? I hope that everyone is doing good and staying healthy, I’ve had a lot of sweet experiences lately but I think that I’ll just share one due to time’s sake…. So a few days ago we were on a street looking for a former investigator and before we got to the person’s house that we were looking for we saw another lady with her two kids, so we rushed over to talk to her a little bit and to share our message with her. So we raced over there and talked with her and everything and actually set up an appointment for this Friday so we’re way stoked for that… she seems really interested and really nice… so after we were done talking to her we went to the house that we were originally in the area for and come to find out, the house was all boarded up and the gate was chained shut…. Kind of stunk but we realized that we went down there for a reason and that was to talk to Gabriel….. it wasn’t what we planned for but it was what the Lord planned for us. It’s so crazy that so many experiences like that happen to us each and every day and that’s just a huge testament to me that this truly is the Lord’s work and that we need to put our trust in him each and every day, things might happen to us that we don’t plan for or our own personal gates that we are trying to get through are all chained up but the Lord knows the way that we need to go, sometimes the way isn’t what we plan for or the path that we need to take isn’t that really easy to see but it’s there and we just need to put our faith and trust in the Lord that He’ll guide us to where we need to go. I love this work. I love the Lord and I’m so happy to be here right where I’m at… It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life and it’s going to influence every other decision I make in the future, for the better. Life is gooood! I know this email is kind of short but so is my time…. Lots and lots of things to do. But I love each and everyone of you… I pray for you and the mountains that we all have to climb but always remember even if the gate’s closed the Lord always always provides another way around it. Stay safe, laugh a little harder, and love a little more, and always remember to stay close to the Lord and put all your trust and faith in him through the thick and thin… and if we but do that, I know that we can be a happier people. Have an awesome week everyone and I’ll be hollrin at cha later!
One Love,
Elder Ry-dawg Lawter

Remember to click on the pics to see them better!

2010-02-27T16:47:00.000-08:00

Please notice what Ryan's doing....eatin a bag of chips ahoy cookies! haha...he says "I've got no freakin clue but all I know is those chips ahoy were da shiz"

Ryan's last district

Temple day! He's lookin good in his glasses!

Ryan says: "My Valentine's Day outfit. Can't really get too creative as a missionary."

Ryan: "This was the sisters in my district's last night so we decided to get burritos larger than our faces. At 6 months left I'll start my diet."

Here he is working on my Valentine's Day present! It's a picture of the temple with this special paper that he had to put together piece by piece. Pretty sweet!

He's back!!!

2010-02-22T18:49:00.000-08:00

Hey all!
So cheesem crow poop dang trash… Last week was frustrating email wise. So if you were wondering where my email was last week…you can blame it on 10 year old turds…kids I mean. But yeah the stupid library security man (didn’t even know a library needed one of those… I guess that goes to show you how ghetto it is down here haha) kicked us off so the school kids could come in and just play solitaire or something dumb like that but eh…what cha gonna do I guess…the library security man met business. So other than that how has everyone’s week been!? I hear it’s cold and snowy in Missouri…I’m sorry haha here I’ll tell you a joke to warm you up (get it? Haha) ok so some Mexican told me this joke a few days ago since I’m from Missouri it was pretty funny actually so let me see if I can remember it…. Ok so a city slicker came upon two country folk balancing a long piece of lumber vertically on the ground, while a third fellow with a measuring tape climbed up on the lumber. “What are you doing?”, asked the urbanite. “We are trying to measure this piece of wood,” replied the country cousin. “Why not lay it down and measure it?,” asked the city fellow. Nope,” replied the country boy. “That won’t do it! We want the height, not the length!” haha pretty funny huh? So I told him a Mexican joke but he didn’t think that my joke was to funny though haha I told him I was Mexican too but he didn’t believe me haha.
So just a little update let’s see last week was transfers and oh how I needed that to come around… let’s just say last transfer was really hard, frustrating, difficult, akl;sghdfjhasdl;fjksdfhfjkghk;ajsdkl;ghj…. Yeah that’s how bad it was but I got a new companion, his name is Elder Hernandez… this is his 2nd transfer so I’m follow-up training him um he’s from Canada too which is neat. So he’s a really good guy all around, kind of a big goof but he’s my goof for at least 6 weeks so I love him. He’s good though, I think that we’ll do just fine this transfer. We made a commitment I guess you could say to each other and the commitment is he’s gonna teach me Spanish and I’m gonna teach him how to be a missionary so we’ve got a lot of learning to do from each other but it’s gonna be really good in the end. I’m just ready to get Spanish down… it’s still kickin increasingly large rear but I can definitely see a difference so at least it’s progressing… hopefully I’ll get it before July 2011. Keep me in your prayers!
So time is short so I think I’ll do my spiritual thought and get a move on and I want to kind of focus it on the Scriptures particularly the Book of Mormon. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Book of Mormon it is a volume of scripture that was written here in the Americas by Prophets of God, just like the Bible was written in the Holy Land by Prophets of God and it speaks of the dealings of the people here in the Americas and the Lord’s church here in America. It’s a book that is another witness that Jesus is the Christ our Lord and Redeemer and it contains the fullness of the gospel of Jesus Christ along with the Bible. It is a companion to the Bible, not a replacement and it is another witness for the truths taught in the Bible. It also restores "plain and precious" truths that have been lost from the Bible through errors in translation or "taken away" in attempts to "pervert the right ways of the Lord." It’s been something that has been a comfort in my life and a guide as well and that’s what it all comes down to. The Book of Mormon was written for us in these last days because the Lord knew what times we would go through and what struggles we would face. Everywhere you look in the world it’s just horrible; violence, drugs, sex, natural disasters, it’s just a terrible world to live in and I personally think that’s why the Book of Mormon was written and was preserved for us in these Latter Days… To give us light in a dark world and comfort in our difficult lives. I have an unchangeable testimony in the Book of Mormon that it’s true. I’ve seen it time and again change people’s lives by bringing them closer to Christ as it has done the same to mine. Concerning the Book of Mormon the Prophet Joseph Smith said: “I told the brethren that the Book of Mormon was the most correct of any book on earth, and the keystone of our religion, and a man would get nearer to God by abiding by its precepts, than by any other book.” That’s the promise that Those who gain this divine witness from the Holy Spirit that the Book of Mormon is true “will also come to know by the same power that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world, that Joseph Smith is his revelator and prophet in these last days, and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s kingdom once again established on the earth, preparatory to the second coming of the Messiah.” I would not be here on my mission if I didn’t know for a fact that it was true and I want everyone to know that. That’s why I’m here, to show others the comfort and guiding light of the Book of Mormon and the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. “No wicked man could write such a book as this; and no good man would write it, unless it were true and he were commanded of God to do so.” And I want my testimony to stand by that. The Book of Mormon as well as I invite all men everywhere to read the Book of Mormon, to ponder in their hearts the message it contains, and then to ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ if the book is true. Those who pursue this course and ask in faith will gain a testimony of its truth and divinity by the power of the Holy Ghost. I know that it’s true and I’m so happy to have such an anchor in my life through the stormy world that we live in and I want all to have that same joy and happiness.
I love all of you so very much and I pray for you ALWAYS and hope that you have an awesome week this week! Stay safe and keep on going!
All my love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

2010-02-19T07:49:00.000-08:00

Sorry All,

This is all we get for this week. Bummer! RyRy's time was cut way short at the library.

*****

Hi all,
Here we are again another week down. Today has been just a gorgeous day! It’s been in the high 70’s and today I think it got up to 82 so the weather is just awesome and that makes for a happy boy here! Let’s see news…news…. We’ll tomorrow is transfers, it seems like this transfer has just blown by and I think it’s gonna be like that for the rest of my mission… time is really starting to pick up…which is awesome! I guess I will be home one of these days. But with transfers, I’m not quite sure but I think that I’ll be staying down here in Barrio Logan for another transfer but for my companion, that’s a different story but I’m not totally sure but I guess I’ll find out tomorrow!

Elder Ryan Phillip Lawter

This is it-Ryan will be home on Monday!

Smile!

Howdy Doody

Howdy Doody

Happy Mother's Day!

No letter this week...

So Hardcore

Awesome weekend!

Love from Southern California

Hello Spring

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

Less than 4!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bye Bye February!

You've Got Mail

More yucky ducky

Hows it goin!?

Let it snow, let it snow...NO!!!

Howdy Ho!

Buenas!!

Howdy hey y'all!

Happy 2011!

Happy New Year!

I mean...Feliz Navidad!!

Merry Christmas!!!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/LVz705yFYm7HJQ2K

Ice skating

Thanksgiving Pictures!

Happy Thanksgiving!

pics!

Life is Good

Wiffle Ball in the city

Happy Fall Y'all

Hello Peeps

Gross

Hey Mr. Hollywood

Pictures Galore!

Enjoy The Journey

Hot and fresh off the press...

Howdy Partners

Pictures...Finally

Smile!

Hey there

Dear errryone….

Keep on Keepin on!

Happy One Year!

53 weeks to go!

Happy Soon To Be Fathers Day!

Mormon Batallion Pictures

Howdy!

Busy Busy Busy

Happy Happy Happy

More pics with Elder Law

Howdy-Ho

Out to Lunch

Happy Birthday to Ryan (Friday!)

Two good ones and a drunk guy

Oh. My. Conferenceness

Happy Easter

RIBS!

It's spring!

Be of good cheer!

Pics on the beach

Mormon Batallion Pictures

Remember to click on the pics to see them better!

He's back!!!

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/LVz70
5yFYm7HJQ2K