New Year, new swagga,
So how was everyone’s Christmas this year? Mine was really good, especially with a couple of baptisms on Christmas Eve! The two girls that I was talking about last week; Paloma and Raquel, well everything was perfect and they were baptized by their brother one after the other. It was a really sweet experience and a really sweet day, the spirit was so strong at the baptism, I love it! Most of their family was there to watch them get baptized and we talked to a few of them and they said that they’re interested in having us come over and teach them more! Just to see the Spirit of the Lord move people, is truly a miracle and I’m so grateful to be able to see it day in and day out. So after the baptism, all the missionaries in the branch that I’m serving in went caroling to a few of our investigators home and even to President Donaldson’s home so Christmas Eve was a really good day for me and Christmas was even better. Let’s see… Christmas morning a few of us missionaries woke up and hiked Mt. Cowles, which was weird because there were so many people up on the mountain that day, guess it’s just the thing to do on Christmas morning but we got to watch the sun come up over the valley and the ocean and that’s always a really cool thing to watch. Then after we got done hiking Elder Morales and I got cleaned up and went to the Branch President’s home for a Christmas breakfast, which was really nice to be in a nice cozy home, in a just a picture perfect family setting for a change. It’s been so long since I’ve been in an actual house so it was really but then after that, went to Martin’s stole his phone for a “bit” and the rest is history. So overall, not the Christmas that I’m used to but it still wasn’t too shabby. It really made me appreciate being home for the holidays and just being around family, it’s humbling being out here because you take a step away from all the family, friends, being together especially around this time and you see the true need for these so very important people in your life, it’s not a want but a need. I not only saw in myself but I also saw it in the faces of people walking alone on the streets. I had a cool experience, kind of sad too but it was a neat one… I’ll kind of briefly summarize it cuz I don’t have too much time but the Tuesday night before Christmas, Elder Morales and I were walking to an appointment and it was around 8 o’clock but we were walking in downtown El Cajon and I saw this man a few hundred feet in front of us and my initial thought was “Oh great, he’s gonna make fun of us or yell at us or do something like that,” but the closer we got the man who had kind of a limp and a hunchback started walking towards us. So we kept walking and he came up to us with a hand full of change and said with the kindest voice, “sirs would you like to go to Starbucks and get a cup of coffee with me or something,” and I told him politely, no because we had an appointment to go to, then he asked Elder Morales and he said no and after we said that, I guess the man felt bad for bothering us and apologized to us and told us bye. So the further we walked the more and more I had a feeling to go back, so I finally told Elder Morales that we needed to go back so we did and we looked….and looked….and looked for this man and he was nowhere to be found. We walked for about thirty minutes looking for this guy and it got to the point where I said, “he’s long gone, let’s just head on to our appointment,” and right at the time, your typical missionary moment happened, we turned the corner and there was that man, just kind of wondering around looking all lost. So we walked up to him and told him that we’d like to take him up on his offer but instead I offered to take him to Quiznos for a sub and just the huge smile and shock on his face was really heartwarming. So we took him in and the whole time he kept asking me “really sir? Really? Thank you sir. Thank you.” And we just sat there for the longest time talking about his life and just about anything and everything in between. He had kind of a speech impediment, his clothes stunk, he looked liked he hadn’t showered or shaved in a year but we paid attention to him and made him feel like he was the most important person to us, which he was at that time, he had no idea that Christmas was even close to be coming and just didn’t know anything really what was going on anywhere but he was smiling and laughing the whole time, I told him some funny stories, gave him a Book of Mormon, talked to him a little bit about the Restoration and the gospel and that was that, then we left and went on our way. I probably will never see him again but I don’t think either one of us will forget that experience. It was just a cool thing that happened to Elder Morales and I and I think us coming in contact with him was more of a blessing for us than it was for him. It just showed us that we need each other. There are people out there who have nothing or nobody and they’re hurting and they need us. It’s the love of Christ, it’s not sufficient enough that we carry it with us but we need to spread it as well, “men are that they might have joy.” It’s been the coolest Christmas experience, sure I missed being home a TON but I’ll be home for Christmas every year after this next one, you only get two mission Christmas’ and they truly are awesome. So that was my Christmas in a nut shell but I hope that everyone had a good time with their families and their friends, that’s what Christmas is all about so I hope it was good! Wow this email was long…thanks for reading on but I’ve gotta run! I hope that you all have a good week this up coming week and a safe one too with New Years coming up! Let’s get a new swagga with the New Year and make it a really good one! I love you all and pray for you always! Have an awesome possum week!
Much love,
Elder Ryan Lawter

Feliz Navidad!
Well it’s that time again! E-mailonday!! How’s everything going with the holidays?? Well Elder Morales and I received probably one of the greatest gifts that we could get this Christmas as missionaries; we have a baptism on Christmas Eve!!! 2 of them actually! They’re both sisters, the youngest who for sure is getting baptized Thursday, her name is Paloma (which means dove in Spanish) and the older, her name Raquel (which means Rachel in Spanish) but I think what gets me the most about this baptism is Paloma and her joy and excitement to get baptized. They’ve been taught for a few years and they’ve wanted to get baptized for like 2 years but their mom wouldn’t allow it, so just recently Paloma was sick and she wanted a blessing, so she got a blessing and after her blessing, her mom was in the room and she said that she felt the spirit so strongly and she said that it was ok for Paloma and Raquel to get baptized. And to see just the sheer joy on Paloma’s face when we were planning out her baptism and everything is just incredible! She’s already talking about going to the temple to do baptism really soon and to even go on a mission! She’s only 18 and she kind of bummed that she has to wait 3 more years until she can serve a mission. It just warms my heart to see what the gospel does for people in their lives and the joy that it brings to everyone and also to see the Spirit of the Lord work on people and change their hearts, it took a long time but it happened. So that’s going to be a good start to Christmas Eve and Christmas is those two baptisms! We’re so stoked!!
So mom and dad the 12 days of Christmas thing was a sweet idea! Thanks! But I kind of have a confession to make……I maybe…..kind of…..well sorta…..just by accident….not on purpose…..OK I OPENED ONE PREMATURELY!!! So at night believe it or not it gets freezing here and alls I have for warmth is a few sheets, a t-shirt, shorts, and breath, I swear I’m gonna turn into an egg because every morning that’s how I find myself waking up, so you know me I tried to guess what every present is, so far 5/8 not too shabby I might add but I saw I think it was day 11 where the riddle was talking about sleeping warm or something like that…and it was like an answer to my prayers!!! So I ripped that baby open and it was exactly what I thought it was….pajama pants!!! So yea I’m a naughty boy for opening a gift up early but now I sleep like a baby awww nice and cozzzzzzey! It’s nice! So yea that my confession but you must have read my mind of what I wanted because everything that I’ve got so far has been something that I’ve wanted some time or another out here! So you two bad, you bad.

Welp I’ve gotta run… Lots ta do with nots a lots of time!!! So I hope that you all have the very best Christmas ever!!! Oh and If you have time on www.lds.org there a few new mormon messages that are really good that everyone should check out!!
Merry Christmas to all and to all a good day!!
Love you all lots, with all my heart,
Elder Ryan Phillip Lawter

Ho Ho Hooooooly Canonli what a week it’s been!
So this past week for starters we have had what we call the MTE, which stands for Missionary Training Exchanges and through this whole week we’ve had another missionary come out with us and coach us on various things that a general authority taught them in a meeting a few weeks ago, so it’s kinda like footballs “hell week” during summer training for us but it has been such an amazing experience and I think it’s given a lot of the missionaries a new outlook on missionary work as well as the members too! The San Diego mission is the only mission doing this MTE because we’re kind of like the guinea pig mission, meaning we try out all the ideas that the general authorities have revelation on in Salt Lake and they give it to us to try out and work out all the kinks. The whole MTE thing worked out though and this mission is slowly starting to turn into the mission that president and all of us have envisioned. So probably within the next few months to a year all the missions worldwide will be doing the MTE program every other transfer instead of zone conferences and interviews.
So kind of a brief overview of what it’s all about is it puts focus on missionaries to work with more with the members, focus more on planning and practicing more effectively for our investigators, and has us focus always on our purpose which is to “Invite others to come unto Christ by helping them receive the restored gospel through faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, repentance, baptism, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end.” So we’re always on duty. Those are the main things that were stressed in our training this past week, kind of seems simple right? But there was so much more depth to it and so much more work. It’s been a stressful past few weeks but it’s been a good stress and we’ve seen tons of blessings in El Cajon and in our mission. We have found a few investigators that are just so very prepared to receive the gospel and all of it’s blessings, past investigators that we’ve stopped by have found a new drive and want to improve, and investigators that we currently have that have been a little than less productive in their commitments are finding life and joy in church, in the Book of Mormon, and in praying. Dang I’m just overwhelmed about how many just amazing things are taking place right before my eyes! It’s incredible! I just wish I could tell you in words instead of a letter…..oh wait!.....yea hmmmm I think that we have a phone date in like 11 days from now! Oh baby! I can’t wait fo dat! You might want to get comfortable because 6 months of boggled up things I have to say just gotta explode sometime or another!
Oh btw are you serious that the Christiansen boy is home!!! That’s nutso Lewis! I remember sitting in sacrament when he was giving his farewell! I gotta admit that time is picking up for me too, I don’t know about you all but it just seems to keep going faster and faster and faster…. 6 months already! ¼ of the way home! Speaking of home, Elder Ulrich goes home in a couple of weeks… I’m really gonna miss that guy. I don’t think there’s a missionary out here that I respect more than that man… He’s been my best friend out here and just an awesome role-model, I guess it’s just crazy for me to think that he’s goin home! It’ll be here before you know it and debe debe debe that’ll be all folks for me! But I’m happy where I’m… I’m happy to be in El Cajon, I’m happy to work with people, to help people, I’m happy to be in the service of our Lord and to carry the armor of Heleman, I guess I’m just a happy guy! I love it! Love where you’re at in life. Love the car that breaks down, love the cat that jumps on the couch, love the computer that doesn’t work (aka dude sitting next to me, I think he’s about to drop-kick the computer haha), love the people that cut you off on the highway, love the time in your life, love what you have, but most importantly love WHO you have. It’s one of the greatest blessings that Heavenly Father has given us is our family and friends and the potential to be with them forever through blessings of the temple and the restored gospel. Now’s the time that those in whom we hold so dear, we need to hold closer and those in whom who are so distant we need to bring closer. So reach out, touch a life who is longing to be touched and love a person who is longing to be loved. As the Christmas season draws closer and closer so do we as a people need to grow closer and closer to all of our brothers and sisters in this world. We need them just as much as they need us. So love one another as you have been loved and I think we will then figure out the true meaning of Christmas and have just a glimpse of the love that our Savior has for us all.
I love you all so dear and hope for the best Christmas week eve ever!!!
Venga lo que venga y ama lo. – Come what may and love it.
Much love!
Elder Ryan Lawter
Aka the man

Merry CHRISTmas!

To my wham bam fam,
What’s new and coo? So it’s rainy and 50 degrees here in El Cajon as we speak….B...E…A…UTIFUL winter weather! It’s was so weird not to wake up to sunshine this morning but I’m not complaining…. I like the rainy lazy banana pancake days when I can get em… especially on P-days where I can relax and stay inside! Today I think Elder Ulrich and I are going to make a trip down to Chula Vista aka one of the money bag parts of San Diego and I think we’re going to play some basketball, that’s usually where all the good ball players in the mission go so it’s gonna be pretty boss to actually get to play again. I haven’t played ball in a few not days….not weeks….but MONTHS!! It’s so depressing… they’re probably gonna run circles around because I’ll be a little rusty but that’s alright…I just wanna play coach!
So there’s this guy that’s sitting right next to me that has been on the phone the whole hour saying ight foo’ I aint gansta foo I just a hustala dog you know what I’m saying??
No dude! I don’t know what you’re saying! You’re not makin any sense foo! haha just thought I’d let you know my environment at the moment haha…..”and that’s a clrazy lady.”
Last night we went to the Stake Center to watch the broadcast of Christmas Devotional and Whitney I’m like…… 39% sure that I saw you!!! It was from far away when the whole congregation was singing Silent Night at the end. You were sitting close to the front in the middle!! Wassss dat choo???..... I knew it!!! Well kinda… even if it wasn’t you just say it was cuz it makes me happy to thinking that I saw you hehe…. But back on track the devotional was soo touching to me especially President Monson’s talk. The term “you don’t know all that you’ve got until it’s gone,” has never applied to me more than it has now because nothing’s ever been gone or missing in my life but now that I’m not home it just has a bigger meaning to me and it’s so true especially now at Christmas. It’s a weird feeling being away from home now at Christmas time when families are closer than ever but I have to say I feel the same way… that I’ve never been closer to all of you, my family, before. I think being here away from home sets me back away from the all the presents, the shopping, the food, everything and brings me more to the focus of “us,” family, forever and the true meaning of Christmas. I get to slow down and really think of what Christmas means and I feel closer to all of you now more than ever and I think if you can feel that….if you can feel closer to your family more than the gifts, the decorations, the craziness of shopping and running around then that’s the true Spirit of Christmas, that’s what it’s all about. Have the Christmas that it’s suppose to be… live a CHIRSTmas this year instead of a WORLDmas meaning if we don’t get caught up in all the things the world is doing and thinks about Christmas and truly focus on the birth of our Savior and blessings of our home and family and the things that we cherish so dear then this Christmas will truly be one to remember because it’s the people that we’re with, not the things that we get that is most important and most memorable.
“What all of us long for in our hearts, at Christmastime and always, is to feel bound together in love with the sweet assurance that it can last forever. This is the promise of eternal life, which God has called His greatest gift to His children (see D&C 14:7). That is made possible by the gifts to us of His Beloved Son: the Savior’s birth, Atonement, and Resurrection. It is through the Savior’s life and mission that we have the assurance that we can be together in love and live forever in families.
The feeling of longing for home is born into us. That wonderful dream cannot become real without great faith—enough for the Holy Ghost to lead us to repentance, baptism, and the making and keeping of sacred covenants with God. This faith requires enduring bravely the trials of mortal life. Then, in the next life, we can be welcomed by our Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son to that home of our dreams.
Even in this life we can have an assurance of the coming of that day and feel some of the joys we will know when at last we arrive home. The celebration of the Savior’s birth at Christmas gives us special opportunities to experience those joys in this life.” – President Eyring
So take hold of what we all hold so dear and cherish every moment of it this Christmas. It truly is the most wonderful time of the year so let’s make it that way!

Welp I better run…gots some b-ball to play so I hope that every has a good week and doesn’t get tooo cold…. I know I won’t haha. So take care and I’ll be calling home soon enough! Love you all and have a great week!!!!
Much love, One love,
Elder Ryan Lawter
Ry-dawg
Ry-guy
Rhino
Ry-man
Ryan
Ryan the lion
Shuga
Handsome
Sexy
Sweetie
Love
Hotness
Bugsy
Pal
Bud
Junior
And in any other name that you call me..that's my name!

Week # I lost count!

What's on Fam,
How was Thanksgiving. It was kind of a hectic week this week for me; had Thanksgiving on Thursday, transfers on Friday so it's been kind of crazy but it's all good. So yea I'm still in El Cajon.....on bike......with Elder Morales....it's all the same game, nothings really changed. Kinda wanted to head out to Brawley but it's all good here. President Donaldson said something cool at transfers, he said you're called to a people not an area. So there's a reason why I'm staying and I think that I found it out. Recently we've been teaching a kid named Christian, I don't know if I've talked about him before but he's pretty sweet. Just a really cool kid that I feel we can help turn his life in the right direction. He's been through a lot with parents divorce, life, where he's at and he's just really confussed, doesn't really know where he wants to go in life or anything but he's set on listening to us and reading and looking for direciton in the right place. So I think that's why I've been here for 6 months to teach him and help him, he speaks English and is just one of two who is fluent in English out of all our investigators. So I'm way stoked for this month and hopefully we'll have a good Christmas present with a baptism. Other than that, not a whole lot going down here in big El Cajon. Thanksgiving was pretty good, we went to a members house for a bit ate....and ate...and ate....and ate so now that I'm 40 lbs heavier things are good....it's a good thing I'm on bike. But then after dinner we went to the stake center for the transfer pinata, where we find out who's getting transfered, so it was a pretty good day, couldn't help but think of home and being inside playing games and such but that's ok only one more thanksgiving away. So the work is going pretty good, the area's kind of struggling but that's why I'm called here, to roll up the sleves and get to work. Well sorry this e-mail is going to be kind of short but we've got to go and get a few things done before our luncheon appointment with the old ladies, so I will talk to next monday and hopfully have a lot more to talk about. So have a good week and a good start to the Christmas season! Love you all!
-Elder Lawter

Uno Mas

Only one picture this week.

The rest of the pictures were of animals from the zoo and their butts! Typical Ryan.

(if you click on the picture it should get bigger and easier to see)

Gobble Gobble!

To whom it may concern,
(I’m starting to run out of ideas for my opening header)
How’s everyone doing this gobble gobble week? Can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving and the holidays, sure doesn’t feel like it! Time is starting to take off and the mission is starting to fly by! My week was pretty good. Didn’t fall on my face this week or get veggies chucked at me which is a plus so it made for a fairly decent week. Let’s see last Monday a bunch of us missionaries got together and played some football until we couldn’t see any more which was a lot of fun, reminds me of playing at Grandpa and Grandma’s house until dinner was ready then I would; come in, eat, and then go right back out with all the other punks until the sun went down. It just feels good to be a kid again sometimes, actually all the time for me but that was a blast. Then Monday night through Tuesday, I went on exchanges with Elder Ulrich because I don’t know if I’m going to be staying or going, I actually might be staying after talking to Elder Ulrich but I’ll know for sure on transfer day which is this Friday. Exchanges was sooo much fun! Elder Ulrich is such a sweet and chill guy, we went and visited a lot of people, in a car! Went and ate some bbq (kind of disappointing compared to KC’s bbq but it was still good to get some bbq in me instead of Mexican food that burns holes in my stomach), and just had fun doin work. It was great to get to teach some people in English, kind of made me want to be switched back to an English Elder but I know that’s not my calling, my calling is Spanish for a reason, it’s just hard to have patience when you’re in the thick of things. It’s a struggle everyday but I love it. Yesterday we got to finally teach a kid that we’ve been trying to track down for a week or two and it was such a spiritual experience and lesson! The kid’s name is Christian, he’s a senior in school, plays soccer, and works a lot to help support his family so I can see where his busyness comes from but he’s one of the sweetest guys that I’ve had the blessing of teaching. He’s actually a friend of my recent convert, Edson and that’s where we first met him and got to talking to him about the gospel was at Edson’s house because Edson wasn’t home, we started talking to him and it’s so amazing the paths that Heavenly Father takes us on and the people that are just so ready to hear the message of the restored gospel and you can just tell that this man is so ready and willing! It’s awesome. But we were talking to him last night, getting to know him better and just his background in life and he’s just the normal kid; going to school, not knowing what he wants to do in life, might join the military. He’s just at the crossroads in his and he’s looking for direction and it’s cool because he said that he’s looking for spiritual direction as well, so I pulled out the Book Of Mormon and started talking to him about it and how in a world full of confusion and turmoil the Book of Mormon is there to guide us, to direction us, to comfort us, and to answer sooo many questions that we desire to know; like where to we come from? Is there more to life? What my purpose in this life? Where do my family and I go after we die? Just questions of the soul that we all ask ourselves and the Book of Mormon is there give us the answer to those questions and right after I started talking to him about the Book of Mormon and before I even committed him to read and pray about it, he looked me in the eye and said “I’ll tell you one thing, I’ll read this book cover to cover and find out if what you are telling me is true or not.” I was like ooooh baby, this guy is sweet! So yea that’s pretty much our first lesson with him in a nut-shell, he’s just so willing and you can tell that he’s searching for direction and truth in his life, so I’ll let you know how it goes with my main man ray. But yeah doesn’t sound like an amazing week but to me it was! So I hope that you all have amazing weeks and have a good thanksgiving and are able to appreciate the many things in life that we hold so dear to us and are so grateful for. So cherish the moments and cherish the blessings in your lives and don’t take any of it for granted.
Love you all and will talk with you LITERALLY ON THE PHONE soon!!!!
Much Love,
Ryan