December 24, 2012 Veracruz !!!!

Hola hola mi familia como estan!!! Como fue el cabin. I can skype you all around 4!!! I dont know your skype info so I need you to add me my skype name is elderryanlehikainen so pleaseee add me =).These first few days have been crazy but I absolutly love it here in Veracruz my first area and my area for the next 12 weeks is Cosamalopan in the southern part of the mission. It is a great area and we have a baptism for the 30th I guess we baptize like crazy down here. We have a baptism once a week which is sooo awesome. We we with alot of referals because that is safer I guess and that is what the brotheren want us to do so that is what we are doing and with referalls it helps the members have a relationship with the new converts which is really good. We teach around 6 lessons a day and walk all day from lesson to lesson which I am not used to any more lol My walking legs are gone. But they will come back soon enough. I love it here the people are so loving and so very humble they have nothing but seem to give us the very best. We dont eat dinner with the members we eat lunch every day at 2 with them and the hermanas are just sooo giving they are really an example to me. The poverty here is kinda shocking I knew that I was going to a poor country but it is a little different living in it.  We are so very blessed to be living in america and to have a father who has an amazing job. Most of the families here dont even have hot water to shower. I dont know I just realized how good and how blessed we are back home it has really opened my eyes. The spanish here is not the spanish that they taught me in the MTC lol it is kinda overwhelming but it just takes time to get used to. Thank goodness my trainer is a stud his name is Elder Charles and he is from Arizona. He does most of the talking and teaching which is normal but I just want to help do my part and know what is going on lol Yesterday was better I was able to add a little bit in our lessions. The ward is great there is a ward here and there are about 85 members that attend regulary. So I lucked out and didnt have to bare my testimony mom but I taught actually my comp taught gospel principles and I added a few things here and there.  But Elder Charles says we do alot alot for the ward so I will talk or bare my testimony pretty soon =) Oh I blessed the sacrament sunday I hope they could understand me.

    So how have you all been how was the cabin? I bet you had a blast the pictures look awesome. Tyler how does my jacket feel lol just playing you look like a stud and you are so muscular now. Anyways I have been studying in preach my gospel more here in the field and reading in the book of mormon. This morning I read in alma 54-56 about the 2000 strippling warriors and what great men of faith they were. I was brought to tears as they spoke of there mothers and the reason the had there faith in there heavenly father was because there mothers had taught them to do so. I then looked at the CTR ring mom and dad got me and read what they inscribed in it ´´ryan trust in the lord with all thine heart love mom and dad´´ that is exactly what I needed to hear and to ponder about this morning and I just wanted to thank you mom and dad for raising me how you did because I have been raised of goodly parents and I know what I must do. Can you read that chapter this week guys that would be awesome if you did. The lord is always there for us with his hand out stretched we just need to reach back or jump and he will catch us. But by making that attempt we show him that we have faith in him and in his son Jesus Christ and we are blessed for doing so. I think that is one of the biggest things we do as missionaries is help the people act and once they act the lord blesses them and they are filled with the spirit and they cannot deny what they have come to know in there hearts.
    I cant wait to see and talk to you all tomorrow it is going to be AMAZING. I will leave you all with my testimony that I know our Heavenly Father loves us all sooo very much. He loves us so much that he sent his son Jesus Christ to this earth to die for us. I am so very grateful for that because I sin daily and without Jesus Christ comoing to this earth and performing the atonement there is no way that I would be able to return with our Heavenly Father and live with the family that I love so very much. I am so very grateful for all of you and may god be with you till we meet again.

Love you son, brother and friend,
                               Elder Ryan Thomas Lehikainen

December 20, 2012

Elder Lehikainen called us (his Familia) this morning from the Salt Lake City airport before his flight to Denver. From Denver he will fly to Mexico City and from Mexico City he flies to Veracruz Mexico. His long day's journey has begun and he couldn't be happier or sound better. It  was wonderful to visit with him and have his siblings all here to talk and catch him up on whats going on in each of their lives.

December 18, 2012

VISA DAY !!!!!!!! YAY!!!!!!! or YEEEEEE as Elder Lehikainen said. 
Elder Lehikainen called bright and early this morning with wonderful news,  his VISA has arrived and he has travel plans for this Thursday. He is so relieved that he has the opportunity to go to his assigned area to serve the people of Veracruz and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

December 12, 2012

Hey SOOOOO I went to the Mexican consulate yesterday so I can leave here any day. Ahhh Im soo excited.  Sooo other sweet news that has happened this week is I have my first baptismal dates and they are both from Mexico and Anita is from Veracruz. There arent any missionaries in her area right now and I know that finding and talking to her was one of the reasons I stayed here in the referral center. It is nothing short of a miracle. JoJo is from mexico city where the other half of my district are going and he is getting baptized January 10th. The lord works in his own way and I have come to realize that when we submit ourselves to his will we will be blessed and I feel like I have seen those blessings here in the RC. I am doing awesome needless to say my spanish is not the best by any means but that isnt what is most important being able to bring others unto Jesus Christ and I feel like my Spanish will get there as I study and do what our Heavenly Father would have me do and that is feed his sheep. So I have been studying the Book of Mormon and The New Testament at the same time recently trying to read 2-3 chapters from both a day. I love the New Testament and I feel like I am coming to know my savior more and more by learning who he was and how he acted. I love how much faith plays a role in everything we do and that has really been made evident to me in studying about Christ. In the Book of Mormon I am in Alma 42 and I love reading the counsels of  Alma to his sons. Alma 40 is awesome you should read it this week.

   I love you all so very much and I will leave you with a short testimony that I know with out a shadow of a doubt that this is the true church in the earth today and that Jesus Christ himself is at the head of it. I know that Jesus Christ lives, I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet of God and I know that because I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that our Heavenly Father Loves us so very much and he desires all of us to return back into his presence. I know that Christ died for me and you and that his atonement is the only way we can. I have felt the power of the atonement in my life and I love my savior even more so know because of it and I cant wait to tell him face to face how much I love him and how very grateful I am for all that he has done for me.I love you all so very much and may God be with you till we meet again.
Love you son, brother, and friend Elder Ryan Thomas Lehikainen

December 5, 2012

Elder Lehikainen and Elder Medina and the Man in the Red Suit. lol

Hey Pops its so good to hear from you I can feel all of your prayers and I am so grateful for them. I love you and I am so grateful that I have the family that I have. Don't know what I would do without everyone.  The RC is actually great I get to talk to alot more people about the church then I think any other missionary out there and the cool thing is that they are coming and talking to us. We do get some goobers on chats that want to bash on the church but is always nice to leave them with my testimony because no matter what anyone says about the church or joseph smith I know and I can testify that it is true because unlike any other church I have found out for myself. There is power in that and I have come to love it. Ok so here is what my normal day is. 1: wake up at 6:30 go run and do pull-ups and push-up oh and cant forget abs lol for about 45 min and then shower and make it to breakfast by 7:30. 2: from 8-9 we take chats from mormon.org. 3: we have personal and companionship study from 9-10:30. Then we teach if we have appointments until 2 when we have chats again then we can teach who ever we have planned then at 6 we have chats again. then we finish off the day teaching!! so that is a day in the RC.
   So we teach lessons either on Skype or facebook if they dont have a skype and we also email or talk on the phone with people from all over the world. I love talking to people and I love sharing the light of the gospel with others. This past sunday we met a girl named Monica from argentina and she is soooo ready for the gospel and to change her life. She has already started reading the book of mormon and prayed to know if it is true and if Joseph Smith was and is a prophet of god. She told us that she felt so much peace as soon as she asked her Heavenly Father these things.  We met this man named Scotty on chats as well and we have been emailing. He seems so ready for the gospel in his life and I know he needs it because all of us do.  It is sooooo awesome to be talking to real people and seeing changes in lives. We are able to talk to friends and family that are not members of the church.   I feel like the RC started as a trial of my faith and I was so bummed but now I love it and I hate having to go back to my residency and not talk to people on chats about the gospel and more specifically about their heavenly father and our savior, brother and friend Jesus Christ. My testimony I feel has already grown so much. When we are able to see our savior Jesus Christ I cant wait to look him in the eyes and tell him that I love him face to face and give him a hug. I know that he lives and I know that he is watching over us daily and when we feel down or when we feel we cant go on I know he is there behind us waiting for us to make the baby steps we need to make and he will help push us back on path and help us continue on. It makes me think of 2 nephi 31: 20-21 where it talks about pressing forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope and a love of god and all men. (I'll will let you read the rest lol) I love this gospel, I love my Heavenly Father for allowing me to serve Him.  May God be with all of you till we meet again. love your Son, Brother, and Friend,
-Elder Ryan Thomas Lehikainen

p.s. I dont know if I had you read 2 Nephi 31 yet but I went back and read it and it is soo amazing it is one of the two times or three heavenly father and jesus christ speak in the same chapter.

November 28, 2012

Elder Lehikainen (left) with his district. They trained together approx 8 wks and then left the MTC to enter the mission field.

Hola!! how are you all how was thanksgiving?? My thanksgiving was awesome Elder Holland and his family came and talked to us. He and his wife told us that we are all there adopted grandchildren and there is nothing that we can do about it he said agency does not apply today lol. I loved hearing his wife speak as well as him but I recently have realized that the wives of these great men are just as close to god as there husbands are and what sweet testimonies they have. My testimony has really grown this past week I was able to receive a blessing from President Wilkins (my branch president) on Sunday and he gave me a very sweet and heartfelt blessing. He talked about me having to trust in the lord and this temporary assignment being a trial of my faith. I truly felt the love of my heavenly father when president Wilkins placed his hands upon my head and I think that is one of the biggest things that I needed to feel. So I am doing alot better and my heart has changed about the referral center  and I think it is going to be a very big blessing for me. Another thing that helped me a ton was D&C 11 it talks about trust and trusting the spirit of the lord. I have come to realize how very important faith is through faith all things all possible and it all makes sense why it is the first principle of the gospel. I have started to study Matthew and I have noticed I dont know why I didnt notice this before but before or after every miracle Christ works he talks about how through there faith they have been made whole. I love in Matthew 8:10 when Christ is talking and he talks about faith. You should study it this week. I still love learning about Christ and I love how everything in this gospel related to him. In our devotional last night it the speaker talked about that and I have really been trying to do that so it really hit home I guess you could say.
  So I had my first chat on mormon.org today and it was pretty sweet. I was pretty excited to talk to real people that arent our teachers. I am in a new companionship with Elder Medina and Elder Tovar they are both native speaker and waiting on there visas as well elder medina in headed to veracruz with me. It is a blessing to be with 2 spanish speakers I think my spanish is going to improve tremendously. I love how much I am changing I dont even feel like the same person spiritually anymore. I feel as I even more better prepare myself here in the referral center I will be able to go out into the field running full sprint and I still am so excited for that.
  I got the fudge mom and the cinnamon roles and my jacket thank you sooooooooo much you know how I love your cooking. The food here at the MTC is ok but it is nooo where near mamas home cooking lol. I love you all sooo very much and I am so grateful for the family that I have and how close we are. I know that this is where I am supposed to be and I dont know exactly why the lord wants me here in the R.C. but I dont need to I will have the faith to serve him where ever he desires me to go because this day I choose to serve him.
love you  again and may god be with you until we meet again.
-your son, and brother
Elder Ryan Thomas Lehikainen

p.s. I get to use my facebook to look for people so if you see that I am on it is allowed lol and I am in alma 30 in my book of mormon where are all of you at even you Haley girl?

November 14,2012

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Elder Lehikainen with one of his favorite teachers, Hermano Purnell.

Elder Lehikainen is on the bottom getting quite the workout !

Outside the MTC in Nov. Brrrrr...Mexico will be warmer.

   Hola mi familia!! Como estas? That is so exciting for Aaron and Brandi. I actually just got a letter from Brandi and the Boys and Emma girl yesterday it brightened my day to hear from them. Make sure to give them hugs from me and give baby Mary Donna a hug and a kiss for me. My companion, Elder Talmage, is great! He is the great nephew of The Elder Talmage. He has such a powerful testimony and I am very grateful to be his companion.
    This week I have been studying alot about baptism and the doctrine behind it. The first couple of weeks I was really gun ho about baptism almost like Elder Calhoun from the best two years and I kinda strayed away from that I dont know why lol. So this week I have been trying to get back into that and relay the importance behind why we are baptized beyond the fact that we are made clean from all of our past sins. Soo Monday I went back into Mosiah and ended up in Mosiah 18 ( the whole chapter is awesome and can you read it this week please and thank you) but in verse 13 it says " I baptize thee, Having authority from the almighty god, as a testimony that ye have entered into a covenant to serve him until you are dead as to the mortal body" this really touched me this is one of the reasons I am serving a mission because I promised I would serve my god when I was baptized by you dad when I was 8 years old. this isnt very applicable for an investigator (but it could be) but for me it is very applicable and I think it is for all of you as well. My whole outlook has really changed here at the MTC in the past 7 weeks and am so very grateful it has. This past Monday we were having one of our night lessons and we were teaching one of our teachers Hermano Galvez ( he is such a great man and I am lucky that he is my teacher, I will have to tell you about him some other day) anyways we were teaching one of his investigators he had on his mission named Christian and the lesson went well but not good enough and I was frustrated that one Elder  who is happy with just doing ok and being ok when I don't want to be just ok or average the lord doesn't need average missionaries he needs the very best and he deserves the very best. The sports mentality dad instilled in my brain as a young man has really helped because it is not ok to be mediocre. I'm a passionate person about whatever it is I am doing. I put my all into it or I don't do it and that is who I am.
  Like I said, last week I have been continually been studying the atonement and this week I went to Mathew, Mark, Luke, and john I don't know the specific verses or chapters except in Matthew 22 I love reading about the savior and learning more and more about him and what he did for all of us. When I am down lately I think about Christ and I know he is there with me every step of the way and what joy that brings me. I know that this church is true without a shadow of a doubt there are many things we can say about why this church is so amazing but personally I have learned that it is because Jesus Christ is the head and it is his church and that is all I need to know. I know that Joseph Smith had a genuine question for his father in heaven and that question was which church is true. I know that heavenly father and the son  came and appeared to Joseph Smith in the sacred grove. En la palabras de Jose Smith Vi una columna de luz mas brillante que el sol direcrament ariba de mi cabesa vi en el airre ariba de mi a dos personajes cuyo fulgo Y gloria no admiten discription uno de ellos mi hablo llamando me por mi nombre Y dijo senalondo a otro este es mi hijo amado escuchalo!! I know that brother Joseph is a prophet of god. I can testify that the Book of Mormon is true and I can testify that our Heavenly Father answers prayers. I know that Jesus Christ our savior our redeemer and our older brother took upon the sins of the world for you and I so that we can return to our loving heavenly father one day. I know that he knows me personally and knows the pain and the sorrow that I have gone through and continue to go through. I love my savior so very much.  I love you all so very much and I keep you in my prayers every night and throughout the day. Thank you for all the love you send my way through your prayers. God be with you until we meet again.

- Love Elder Lehikainen