I must apologize, as I (Ryan's Dad) have not kept up with the postings lately, as we had sold our home, moved into a rental house, and are making plans to build a new home. Ryan is still doing well in Ogden, Utah mission, patiently awaiting his visa to Spain. Here are some of the updates from his last letter:
"It's been a pretty good week. We did have the Christmas party on the 6th, and that was pretty good. I was glad to get the package! I haven't opened up any of the gifts yet, but we'll see how long that goes... It's about that time when the rumors start spreading about the transfers, which are next Wednesday. People are saying that they are staying, that they are leaving, this, that, APs said this, ZLs said that, it get kind of annoying, ha ha. The Argentine visa waiters were sent to SLC the other day to meet with some lady of the consulate, and I guess that they are like 6th in line. I was talking to Sister Tibolla, and she said she needs to call about us Spain guys this week, but said that she thinks it may be 2-3 weeks. I sure hope so! I am getting kinda antsy to go! But anyways, I have no idea what will happen, if I will be transferred closer to the office to send me away, put me in a trio, keep me?? Who knows. I guess we will see!
"The work is coming along, albiet kinda stressfully. I'm being forced to do all of the planning and stuff "to get the ropes of controlling an area" (just one of the many stresses I have right now, ha ha). It has been hard and stressful, but I suppose that I am learning lots,(it is just hard to tell in the middle of it all, ha, ha.).
"Thanks for keeping me posted on the house. I hope everything goes through quickly! Keep the faith and patience, and rely on the Lord. That is a lesson I've been learning a lot lately...but it is a good one to learn. I was reading in Deuteronomy the other day, and it was a chapter about how the Lord delivered the children of Israel through the mighty miracles, provided manna and water for them, and delivered them from their enemies, made it so their feet wouldn't swell up walking so much, and all the while they were complaining over this and that. Also in President Uchdorf's talk "Grumbling over the size of their package of peanuts while soaring high in the sky, something kings would have given all that they had to try" The Lord said he did all this to try them and for them to prove if they would love Him. The Lord promised them that if they were faithful, and kept His statutes and commandments that He would deliver them and bless them immensely in the promised land, filled with milk, honey, fruitful lands, and be protected from enemies. So it is with us, we have the Lord's blessing of peace, prosperity, and blessings if we prove we are willing to love him and follow His will through trials and affliction in our own wilderness, maybe 40 years, maybe for a couple of days. The Lord's timing is always calculated to bless though =).
"Hope all is well! Have fun with all of the Christmas parties-say hi to people for me! Have a wonderful week!"
Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Temporary Assignment (Awaiting Visa to Spain!)
If you hadn't heard, Ryan has been temporarily reassigned to the Ogden, Utah mission and arrived Saturday morning Sept 29th!! The first photo is Ryan with President & Sister Hiers. The second photo is of all the missionaries temporarily assigned to that mission who are also awaiting their visas. Hopefully they will come soon, but if not, maybe he'll be close to some of you in the Ogden mission
Love to all,
Temporary mailing address (Utah Ogden Mission Home) is:
Elder Ryan C. Coombs
4380 So. Orchard Ave.
South Ogden, UT 84403
Love to all,
Temporary mailing address (Utah Ogden Mission Home) is:
Elder Ryan C. Coombs
4380 So. Orchard Ave.
South Ogden, UT 84403
Ultima carta electronico del CCM! 9/27/12
Crazy! It has not felt like 9 weeks...and yet it has. I'm ready to hit the field! Pero, a donde ese campo est'a, no s'e! We all got flight plans last week with the Texas Elders, but since we didn't have visas it doesn't matter. Basically there to laugh in our faces. We all went in to ask if that meant that we got our visas, along with 2 Elders from another zone and some Hermanas. The guy had some corny smile so we thought it meant yes, and then he flat out told us no and not to get our hopes up haha. So we've all been bracing ourselves for our reassignments sometime this week, maybe later today or tomorrow. Elder Wiscombe just got his today though! He went before our laundry to get the mail (since he's the district leader now) so that we could maybe see where we got reassigned to before emailing home, and the only thing in our mailbox was a paper for him to go to the travel office and get his visa! We are all super happy for him, since he probably deserved it most out of all of us, but then again it makes the rest of us all want to weep haha. So the Texas Elders all leave Monday morning, Elder Wiscombe on Wednesday, and the other 3 of us have no idea as of now. So, I don't know when my next P-day will be and when I'll be able to write next, or from where. All I can say is, it better be someplace awesome! I'm know wherever it is, it's where the Lord wants. I want for the Lord to want Spain though ;)
They broadcasted the Temple Dedication here in 3 sessions, we went to the 3:00 session. It was super awesome. I thought it was really powerful, especially hearing Boyd K. Packer and one of his sons talk about it, as well as Elder Perry talking, and Elder Nelson read the dedicatory prayer that Elder Packer wrote. The second counselor in the presidency and his wife spoke too, and they did a good job. Speaking of temples, today was probably our last time for quite awhile. It was good to go through and get that one last spiritual boost before heading out. We stayed up on the grounds and studied there, rather than heading back to our classroom, which I really enjoyed.
Thanks for all of your prayers and your faith in my behalf! Thanks for all of your thoughtfulness and caring, they mean a lot! Thanks for being great examples to me and teaching me so much!
I know that this work is sure, that there is nothing that will stop the Lord's work as we do it in His name, His way, and by His power! All things are possible through Him. I know that He has given us His word, contained in books of Scripture and Living Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. I know that we have been called by this Prophet to preach the restored Gospel, which came again to the earth by means of God's called and chosen prophet, Joseph Smith. I know that we have the fulness of the Gospel that has ever been on the earth. I have a testimony of the temple, that it is His house, that His peace, glory, and power reside within those walls, that the ordinances performed therein are eternal. I know that God lives and hears our prayers. I know He loves His children, that we are His work and His glory, that He knows each of us by name, recognizes our faces, and knows each of us perfectly. As such He knows how to change us, help us, and teach us. I know that we have a Savior and Redeemer, the living Christ. I know that He loved and loves us enough to have suffered for each of us individually and intimately, that by His grace and enabling power we can be changed, justified, and sanctified, and His grace is sufficient for all who come unto Him. These things I know because they have been impressed upon my so powerfully by the Spirit and so many times that I cannot deny them!
Con mucho amor, Elder Coombs
They broadcasted the Temple Dedication here in 3 sessions, we went to the 3:00 session. It was super awesome. I thought it was really powerful, especially hearing Boyd K. Packer and one of his sons talk about it, as well as Elder Perry talking, and Elder Nelson read the dedicatory prayer that Elder Packer wrote. The second counselor in the presidency and his wife spoke too, and they did a good job. Speaking of temples, today was probably our last time for quite awhile. It was good to go through and get that one last spiritual boost before heading out. We stayed up on the grounds and studied there, rather than heading back to our classroom, which I really enjoyed.
Thanks for all of your prayers and your faith in my behalf! Thanks for all of your thoughtfulness and caring, they mean a lot! Thanks for being great examples to me and teaching me so much!
I know that this work is sure, that there is nothing that will stop the Lord's work as we do it in His name, His way, and by His power! All things are possible through Him. I know that He has given us His word, contained in books of Scripture and Living Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. I know that we have been called by this Prophet to preach the restored Gospel, which came again to the earth by means of God's called and chosen prophet, Joseph Smith. I know that we have the fulness of the Gospel that has ever been on the earth. I have a testimony of the temple, that it is His house, that His peace, glory, and power reside within those walls, that the ordinances performed therein are eternal. I know that God lives and hears our prayers. I know He loves His children, that we are His work and His glory, that He knows each of us by name, recognizes our faces, and knows each of us perfectly. As such He knows how to change us, help us, and teach us. I know that we have a Savior and Redeemer, the living Christ. I know that He loved and loves us enough to have suffered for each of us individually and intimately, that by His grace and enabling power we can be changed, justified, and sanctified, and His grace is sufficient for all who come unto Him. These things I know because they have been impressed upon my so powerfully by the Spirit and so many times that I cannot deny them!
Con mucho amor, Elder Coombs
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Sept. 13th Updates
Hola from Madrid!! Haha just kidding. Es un chiste. We are still hanging around Provo! Definitely getting antsy though! We hear all sorts of cool stuff about our mission and it makes us want to leave! I've seen a bunch of people that I hadn't thought I would still be here to see, and that's one reason it feels super weird. Hopefully we will be out of here in a week or two.
It's been really cool to recognize how the Lord uses us as instruments in answers to other people's prayers. I have had some pretty neat experiences about where something I have said, done, or was that I came to find was an answer to somebody's prayers. Especially when it pertains to the Gospel!
It's been really cool to recognize how the Lord uses us as instruments in answers to other people's prayers. I have had some pretty neat experiences about where something I have said, done, or was that I came to find was an answer to somebody's prayers. Especially when it pertains to the Gospel!
The Spirit here is so powerful, cuyo fulgor or gloria no admiten descripcion! I've learned so much in this past week and I sometimes wonder how I can retain it all. Hermano Barton and us all had a super powerful experience on Saturday night in class. After singing our opening hymn, it was really spiritual so Hermano Barton asked if we could sing another for his desires/benefit. He told us later that he said that the Holy Ghost told him that we needed that experience too, so we ended up singing all the verses of each person's favorite hymn in Spanish for like an hour. Then after we were all in tears and filled with the Spirit, we wrote in our journals while Hmo. Barton asked us tons of inspired questions and then it was just waterworks after that. We bonded so powerfully as a district and in our personal relationship with the Holy Ghost, Heavenly Father, and especially of our Savior Jesus Christ when Hmo. Barton took an hour or so to talk about the Atonement instead of doing our progressing investigator. It was amazing! Then all throughout the week the talks and workshops and class lessons have been on the Holy Ghost and conversion, which just reemphasizes to us the things we've learned, and I can't tell you how many times that happens in the MTC. Everything here is inspired and directed by God in Heaven, and it is such a testimony builder.
As for our visas, this last week we've heard rumors of missionaries going to Spain getting their visas. We've heard of one Hermana and two Elders who got theirs this last week, and we heard that Elder McKeagan (one of our zone leaders going to Madrid when we first got here and was reassigned to Salt Lake) just got his too. So we have hope again!! Hopefully sometime next week we will be able to get ours and leave! It sounds like you leave as soon as you can after, like within the next 2 days after. We are definitely excited to go!
Well, I've got to run now. I love you all! May God's blessings of health, guidance, and love and Spirit be upon you! Muchas gracias for your prayers and support! They're really the only way missionaries learn and grow as fast and as much as they do, because it's definitely not all come from my faith! Nos vemos hasta la proxima semana!
Elder Coombs
As for our visas, this last week we've heard rumors of missionaries going to Spain getting their visas. We've heard of one Hermana and two Elders who got theirs this last week, and we heard that Elder McKeagan (one of our zone leaders going to Madrid when we first got here and was reassigned to Salt Lake) just got his too. So we have hope again!! Hopefully sometime next week we will be able to get ours and leave! It sounds like you leave as soon as you can after, like within the next 2 days after. We are definitely excited to go!
Well, I've got to run now. I love you all! May God's blessings of health, guidance, and love and Spirit be upon you! Muchas gracias for your prayers and support! They're really the only way missionaries learn and grow as fast and as much as they do, because it's definitely not all come from my faith! Nos vemos hasta la proxima semana!
Elder Coombs
Pictures with MTC Companions in Provo, UT
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| Elder Coombs with MTC Companions in Provo |
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| Elder Coombs with MTC Companions called to serve in Spain |
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| Elder Coombs and Elder Bozarth |
Friday, August 24, 2012
August 23rd
Como esta? Thank you for the email! I always look forward to Thursday to hear how things are going out there, since I don't hear anything during the rest of the week! We pretty much live in our own little world, and it doesn't even feel like Provo except for when we leave to go to the temple. I'm glad everything is going well at home!
Everything here in the MTC is the sameold. Class, eat, sit in class, eat, sit in class, eat, class, then go to bed. Sleep for what feels like 4 hours and wake up again. Life of a missionary! It is SO worth it though! You learn so much! I have really progressed with my testimony with being a missionary. Your eyes are opened to a whole new perspective of the Church, this work, and just how much for granted we take the Church in our lives. You really feel a love for the people that you serve and teach, and especially for the people you serve with. Our district is the coolest group of guys. We all have different backgrounds, personalities, and strengths and weaknesses, yet we have grown to be some of the best of friends. A couple are older, like 23 or 25, and a lot of us are 19. Some are fresh out of high school and a lot of us have had a year or two of school. It's really cool how with each of our strengths we lift and strengthen each other, and are able teach each other. I have learned a lot from the example of others here. Way more than I can stuff in an email in 10 min!
On Sunday after the devotional we watched a film of a talk given here 2-3 years ago by Elder Holland about mission work and it blew us out of our chairs with the classic Elder Holland style: Bold and Powerful!! He talked about the noble and great calling of a missionary, how if his calling was Apostle with a capital A, ours was apostle with lowercase a. He pleaded with us not to waste a day of our missions, the impact and blessings it would forever have, and how much we will be changed and forever greatful for the great blessing it was for us for the Lord to allow us to participate in His work, make it OUR work, purpose, and glory, and be instruments in His hands. He bore the most powerful testimony I have ever heard from him, which is pretty darn powerful, and I know that the call of a missionary is greater than I or any of us could ever be, but the Lord will qualify us and bless us with His help and blessing.
Also, guess who was our Tuesday devotional speaker?! Elder Neil L. Andersen! It was great! We were all hoping and excited to hopefully hear from an Apostle, since the last to speak was at the Mission President Training Seminar. And we got our wish! Since it was President Monson's birthday that day, he talked about President Monson, some things he has learned from working with him every day, and what he would say to us if he were here. It was so powerful! You could almost hear president Monson's voice as Elder Andersen would quote his favorite scriptures and sayings. We were very blessed.
Love you all! Nos vemos!
Elder Coombs
Everything here in the MTC is the sameold. Class, eat, sit in class, eat, sit in class, eat, class, then go to bed. Sleep for what feels like 4 hours and wake up again. Life of a missionary! It is SO worth it though! You learn so much! I have really progressed with my testimony with being a missionary. Your eyes are opened to a whole new perspective of the Church, this work, and just how much for granted we take the Church in our lives. You really feel a love for the people that you serve and teach, and especially for the people you serve with. Our district is the coolest group of guys. We all have different backgrounds, personalities, and strengths and weaknesses, yet we have grown to be some of the best of friends. A couple are older, like 23 or 25, and a lot of us are 19. Some are fresh out of high school and a lot of us have had a year or two of school. It's really cool how with each of our strengths we lift and strengthen each other, and are able teach each other. I have learned a lot from the example of others here. Way more than I can stuff in an email in 10 min!
On Sunday after the devotional we watched a film of a talk given here 2-3 years ago by Elder Holland about mission work and it blew us out of our chairs with the classic Elder Holland style: Bold and Powerful!! He talked about the noble and great calling of a missionary, how if his calling was Apostle with a capital A, ours was apostle with lowercase a. He pleaded with us not to waste a day of our missions, the impact and blessings it would forever have, and how much we will be changed and forever greatful for the great blessing it was for us for the Lord to allow us to participate in His work, make it OUR work, purpose, and glory, and be instruments in His hands. He bore the most powerful testimony I have ever heard from him, which is pretty darn powerful, and I know that the call of a missionary is greater than I or any of us could ever be, but the Lord will qualify us and bless us with His help and blessing.
Also, guess who was our Tuesday devotional speaker?! Elder Neil L. Andersen! It was great! We were all hoping and excited to hopefully hear from an Apostle, since the last to speak was at the Mission President Training Seminar. And we got our wish! Since it was President Monson's birthday that day, he talked about President Monson, some things he has learned from working with him every day, and what he would say to us if he were here. It was so powerful! You could almost hear president Monson's voice as Elder Andersen would quote his favorite scriptures and sayings. We were very blessed.
Love you all! Nos vemos!
Elder Coombs
"Week 3"
8/16/12
It's crazy to think we're in "week 3" of MTC training (the first week counts as one I guess). It has definitely not felt like that long. It's almost as if the MTC runs on some sort of celestial time. The days are SO long and packed with stuff and then the weeks fly by like a day.
The MTC is just simply the greatest! I love all of the speakers and devotionals on Sunday and Tuesdays. The speakers are always so awesome. On sunday we get to choose between a couple films of past talks from a few years ago, and this last sunday we watched "The Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. I guess they're only available for MTC use, but it was one of the best talks I've heard! The General Authorities can all speak differently, more causal/interactive and its really awesome. Elder Bednar related the 'natural man' to the cookie monster. "I want cookie now! I want baptism now! I want to speak language now!" and then gobble it all up. He talked about how when times were hard, the Savior turned outward to serve others when we would turn inward and pity over ourselves. It was super awesome.
Thanks for the pictures and all of the emails! It took me like 10 minutes to read them all so now I only have 20 min to relpy! They really need to give us an hour, but there's too much in the life of a missionary to do. It is so great though! We're always tired, and always happy. There is absolutely nothing I would rather be doing and preparing for! You feel the Spirit all the time, and in ways different than I've otherwise felt, being a missionary and having the special calling.
I get the emails the day you send them, but we are only allowed to check them on P days. That's the only day I can write too. I love getting packages/letters/any word from the outside world though! My district all loved the treats ;) Haha we get cinammon rolls, cookies, donuts, and stuff all the time from each others families. Make us feel even more gross (our schedule is basically sit in class, walk to cafeteria, sit/eat, walk to class, sit in class, repeat, then go to bed. The only exercise is an hour of basketball or volleyball in the gym each day, which is a tough adjustment! I get antsy in class and have to get up and read standing in the corner or something for a little while.
I hope all continues to be well at home! I love you all and although I miss the people from home, I'm glad to be here! Yo se que la Iglesia es verdadero! El Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios. Jose Smith fue un profeta y Thomas S. Monsen es el profeta actual. Yo se que El Evangelio de Jesucristo puede brindar esperanza y felicidad. Jesucristo es el Salvador y Redentor del mundo y vive. Dios es muy amaroso. Nos vemos!
Elder Coombs
It's crazy to think we're in "week 3" of MTC training (the first week counts as one I guess). It has definitely not felt like that long. It's almost as if the MTC runs on some sort of celestial time. The days are SO long and packed with stuff and then the weeks fly by like a day.
The MTC is just simply the greatest! I love all of the speakers and devotionals on Sunday and Tuesdays. The speakers are always so awesome. On sunday we get to choose between a couple films of past talks from a few years ago, and this last sunday we watched "The Character of Christ" by Elder Bednar. I guess they're only available for MTC use, but it was one of the best talks I've heard! The General Authorities can all speak differently, more causal/interactive and its really awesome. Elder Bednar related the 'natural man' to the cookie monster. "I want cookie now! I want baptism now! I want to speak language now!" and then gobble it all up. He talked about how when times were hard, the Savior turned outward to serve others when we would turn inward and pity over ourselves. It was super awesome.
Thanks for the pictures and all of the emails! It took me like 10 minutes to read them all so now I only have 20 min to relpy! They really need to give us an hour, but there's too much in the life of a missionary to do. It is so great though! We're always tired, and always happy. There is absolutely nothing I would rather be doing and preparing for! You feel the Spirit all the time, and in ways different than I've otherwise felt, being a missionary and having the special calling.
I get the emails the day you send them, but we are only allowed to check them on P days. That's the only day I can write too. I love getting packages/letters/any word from the outside world though! My district all loved the treats ;) Haha we get cinammon rolls, cookies, donuts, and stuff all the time from each others families. Make us feel even more gross (our schedule is basically sit in class, walk to cafeteria, sit/eat, walk to class, sit in class, repeat, then go to bed. The only exercise is an hour of basketball or volleyball in the gym each day, which is a tough adjustment! I get antsy in class and have to get up and read standing in the corner or something for a little while.
I hope all continues to be well at home! I love you all and although I miss the people from home, I'm glad to be here! Yo se que la Iglesia es verdadero! El Libro de Mormon es la palabra de Dios. Jose Smith fue un profeta y Thomas S. Monsen es el profeta actual. Yo se que El Evangelio de Jesucristo puede brindar esperanza y felicidad. Jesucristo es el Salvador y Redentor del mundo y vive. Dios es muy amaroso. Nos vemos!
Elder Coombs
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