I am so happy to be here on a mission, to share the amazing Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to spread happiness and salvation.

November 28, 2016  

  This week was great!! Tons of miracles! So the man we found last week is progressing so much! It is awesome his name is Francesco and as of right now he has accepted a baptismal date for the 17th of December. Francesco told us that a couple of weeks ago he had a dream and saw two bright people that he didn't know but he knew he could trust them, as he was explaining this to us he said that he now knows that they were us. So that was a really cool story to hear. So he has been a huge miracle, he will say comments to us during lessons like "when I am baptized.." or after well say a phrase starting with "if this is true..." he will say "if it wasn't true I wouldn't be here". He also said that he felt like his life needed a new path and he knows this is it. Francesco is awesome!

  This week we also had a Thanksgiving party at our apartment which was super fun! I  We were invited to go to Pescara (2 hour train ride away) for a thanksgiving party but Anziano Ferinotti said that it would be better to have our own here so members can actually come, and try to invite investigators. So we did that and since I was the American of our group here I was in charge to plan it. But luckily for me when you have a party with Italians you can just tell people there will be food and have them bring something and that's all you have to do. Haha so we did that and had an awesome turn out! It was amazing we had about all the members, some English course students and their friends, and we had about 6 investigators.  It was great to be able to talk to everyone and strengthen relationships with investigators, you become more friends instead of a teacher to then. That's how it should be. It was also great  to see where my Italian has come by talking to so many people. It was overall a great experience.

  The other day we randomly ran into Paulo in Centro, He is a referral that we met with my first day here. We tried to have a lesson the first time with him but he didn't have time but we were able to leave him a Book of Mormon. It turns out that he read 20 pages of the book of Mormon! Such a miracle! We are trying to get an appointment with him. I'm excited to see what the lord has planned!

  We had a lot of other miracles this week but it would be too long of an email to tell them all. The end of this week was slower, One day we had 4 lessons planned and none of them happened; So later that night while I was writing in my journal I had the opportunity to write my testimony and just reflect on what I am doing here and where the lord has taken me. I am so happy to be here on a mission, to share the amazing Gospel of Jesus Christ, and to spread happiness and salvation. There is nothing I would rather be doing. I love you all and hope the best for you. Thank you so much for the prayers I can truly see them throughout my day :) Have a great week!

Vi voglio bene

Anziano Ruiz

 Piazza Ventidio Basso

 

Places I see every day 

There are so many cool streets here. This is just what you think of when you think of Italy.

   

11 pound bag of pasta!

 roman.ruiz@myldsmail.net

Anziano Roman Ruiz

Missione Italiana di Roma Piazza Monte Gemma, 9 00141 Roma Italia

New area, Ascoli Piceno!

November 21 2016 

  It was a crazy week with transfers but it still went super fast! So last Monday I got my transfer call to Ascoli Piceno to serve with Anziano Farinotti!! I was so sad to leave Rome, I really loved it there. The people are awesome and I will miss the GANS. But I was really excited to come here to and serve with Farinotti. I actually wanted to come to Ascoli because I heard they get snow for Christmas! So it was a wish come true, it is so pretty here! I am in the middle of the mountains so everything is very green I love it so much. You can look up in the mountains and just see little houses scattered around its super cool. The Centro here is awesome too, it is super old school Italian, so so cool I love it! 

  Getting here I first took a bus to L'Aquila and that ride was absolutely beautiful.. I can't explain it.  It was just so pretty. Then I met my companion in L'Aquila and went to Ascoli, It was dark so I couldn't watch out my window sadly. Anziano Farinotti is awesome!! He is a native Italian from Bergamo, up north. We already knew each other from a mission conference a while ago so I was really excited to serve with him. He is learning English  but it is already pretty dang good. We talk in Italian when we are out of the house which is sweet because I need the practice, I am really excited to learn a lot more Italian.
  It is a big blessing to have Anziano Farinotti as a companion. We work good together, my first night here (Thursday) we were on the way to Centro to do some finding (about a 15 min walk), and offered an old man some help to carry his groceries. He said no but then asked us about out church and what we were doing. We started talking to him taught him a little about the book of Mormon and he said we could meet again. So we met Sunday and had a lesson about the restoration it was good!
  My first day here (Friday) we already saw some awesome miracles! Maria Pia is an investigator who plans weddings so she is always super busy and never has time to meet. We really wanted to see her so we planned on bringing her some brownies Saturday morning so we did and she was home! She was so excited to see us! Maria Pia loves the missionaries so much! She told us she she is usually never home on Saturday mornings and it was a miracle that we got to see her! While we were visiting her she asked if she could say a prayer and she thanked God for letting us see her. That was an awesome miracle.
  My first Sunday day here was great!! We have church in our apartment and it is such and awesome experience! There are about 10 members that come and they are great examples to me. It is amazing to see how sacred every hour of church is to them, especially the sacrament. You can just feel the love that all in the room have for the atonement of Jesus Christ. The spirit is amazing.
  Since our apartment is the church we can have people over which is sweet, usually we are not even supposed to tell people where we live. It is a unique experience and opportunity we have and one that not a lot of missionaries get. I am very thankful for that!! For thanksgiving we are having a party at the apartment with the members, I am really excited! Being in Ascoli and having church in my apartment also means that we have to keep the house really clean, but that has been cool, it has actually grown my testimony that on how a house can be the closest thing spiritually to a temple. And the first step is cleanliness. I thank my mom for teaching me how to clean / making me clean. Haha Anyway Ascoli is super awesome and I love the people here so much already! I can't wait to help grow God's kingdom!
  Thank you everyone for all the prayers. Have a great week!

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano Ruiz 

 The bus ride from Rome to L'Aquila was beautiful. 

(these pictures, through the bus window, do no justice to this beautiful countryside)

This is what I think of when I think of Italy.

My new companion, Anziano Farinotti, and I.

Here is Centro of Ascoli, it is super sweet. We do finding in all of these areas.

 

  Some pictures from the roof of my apartment, pretty sweet.

  It's amazing to see the members commitment to follow Jesus Christ. Even if that means going to church in a apartment. Here is how we set up.

Forte Malatesta

On the way home from pronzo there was a soccer game with a ton of people watching outside the stadium.  It was super cool. 

Last meal I made for Anziano Anderson and myself.

 roman.ruiz@myldsmail.net

Anziano Roman Ruiz

Missione Italiana di Roma Piazza Monte Gemma, 9 00141 Roma Italia

There is a great love that I feel for people when I teach them and it is so cool.

November 14, 2016 

  Hello all. I have hardly any time this week to email so this letter will be very short. But it was very week good! We were able to teach a couple of lessons which was awesome! Me and Anziano Anderson went on a scambio with the AP's it was cool. Anziano Rosenberg and I went to a meal appointment with a member couple and an investigator, it was really good. The guy that we were teaching is named Robert,  he is here from america and is working on the temple. We shared a spiritual thought on Matthew 7:7-11 the verse 7 talks about asking and seeking, verse 11 talks about gifts. This passage is talking about prayer, after we ask and truly seek for answers to our prayers we can recieve a gift from God and that gift comes in the form of an answer. God loves us and knows exactly what we need. After we said the closing prayer Robert opened his eyes and said "it looks brighter in here". It was a very special experience that I will never forget.
  This week we got a ton of referrals and we were actually able to meet with Godwin he is a very good guy! All the others either had nonexistent addresses or scheduled with us and didn't show up haha. But teaching Godwin was amazing! He is from Nigeria so the lesson was also in English. So we were able to share the message of the restoration and the spirit was very strong! We are planning on meeting with Godwin some more this week! We are excited for that! 

  There is a great love that I feel for people when I teach them and it is so cool. I know that the love I feel for them is just a hint of what God feels for each and everyone of you!
Sorry this letter was short. Thank you everybody for the prayers and love, I hope you all have a good week!

Vi voglio bene!

Anziano

Anziano Ruiz

Mini pizzas at a Baptism instead of cookies

Jomar

With the GANS

 (Giovani adulti non sposati = Young single adults)

 After some finding with Jomar we went to visit Noemi at work and she hooked us up with some free Gelato and other goods!

Fontana Di Trevi ( Trevi Fountain)

Some more sandwich making.

Anziani Anderson and Ruiz soaked after the rain storm last week.

A message and picture sent on Facebook-

Sister Ruiz, Our family is living in Rome for my husband's job on the temple construction, and we just had your son, Anziano Ruiz, over for dinner. He is a fine young man, and I was so surprised to learn he has been out only a short time--from his maturity and strong spirit I would have guessed he had been out much longer. He's going to be a huge strength to the mission. He gave a wonderful lesson to our family about counting our blessings, and he played paper airplanes and gladiators with our sons (age 6 and 4). I can tell his heart is in the work and he is serving honorably. Great job, Mom and Dad! --Laurie Hurst

 roman.ruiz@myldsmail.net

Anziano Roman Ruiz

Missione Italiana di Roma Piazza Monte Gemma, 9 00141 Roma Italia

This Gospel is for everyone and God loves all his children infinitely.

November 7, 2016 

  No earthquakes this week! That I felt at least haha. It was a good week me and Anziano Anderson were able to meet with our friend Robinson, he is actually from Columbia! He is a really good guy and knows he need the Gospel in his life, he invited us over to his house so we are really excited about that! 

  Me and my companion have been trying to do some more work with the GANs (Giovani adulti non sposati = young single adults) lately and it had been super fun! We have awesome friends here, the other day we went out finding with Jomar, he is from the Philippines, a convert and is super cool and willing to go out with the missionaries!  Yesterday  we went and had a family home evening type get together with some GANs and that was super fun too, they really like us! On the way to their house there was a giant storm! The streets were flooding like crazy, there were trees on the ground and non stop lightning. So that was fun, when we got to the house we were completely drenched. It was a good time. 

On Saturday some other missionaries had a baptism that Anziano Anderson and I went to, the spirit was so strong. Is is so good to see that the mission is baptizing. This Friday the sisters in our ward are having a baptism also. I'm really excited about that too. 

On Sunday Anziano Anderson and I translated for primary, they are getting ready for their primary program so there was a lot of singing. The primary kids bring a very loving caring feel of the spirit when they sing. While they were singing I really felt the love that God has for everyone of them. I love how simple this Gospel is that even children can understand, and feel gods love for them. I know that this Gospel is for everyone and that God loves all his children infinitely. 
Thank you all for the prayers and support have a great week! 
-Anziano Ruiz

 Here is Mauro at the vegan Gelateria 

The view from my apartment, everything is very green now.

Anziani Anderson and Ruiz enjoying lunch.

 roman.ruiz@myldsmail.net

Anziano Roman Ruiz

Missione Italiana di Roma Piazza Monte Gemma, 9 00141 Roma Italia

4 earthquakes.. it was sketchy, kinda cool but scary.

October 31, 2016   

  This week was pretty crazy haha. First off there were 4 earthquakes.. it was sketchy, kinda cool but scary. So the first two Anziano Anderson and I were at a meal appointment with our awesome member friend Jomar and we were on the 4th floor, then everything started shaking and the lights started flickering it was definitely an experience haha. Then this Sunday there was a even bigger one so church was only an hour long.
  Also this week me and my companion moved apartments so we live a lot closer to the church and everywhere else we go so that is nice. But we live on the 4th floor now so the earthquakes have felt a lot bigger haha. The Anziani that we used to live with said that there is a Crack in their walk now! So good thing we're out of there ha.
  So we have investigators in central Rome now near Piazza del Popolo.
This week we went to talk to Simona and taught her a lession on the steps of a Catholic church at Piazza del Popolo which I thought was kinda funny but it went good and we are going to be meeting with her every week now. She is continuing to read the Book of Mormon so that is good!
  Our other friends name is Cristian. We talked to him about prayer and he really liked it! He wants to meet with us more so we will be meeting weekly! He is so awesome and really likes us so we are really excited to help him grow faith in Christ!
  Also this week we met an old investigator that the sisters taught a long time ago named James he was super nice and open about the gosple he said we can meet this week so we are excited to see him again!
  Not a lot of time today but this week has been good, scripture study has been good, I know this church is true and can't wait for the next two years here! Thank you everybody for all the prayers love and support! Have a great week!

Anziano Ruiz

San Carlo al Corso

Sant'Ambrogio e Carlo al Corso (usually known simply as San Carlo al Corso) is a basilica church in Rome, Italy, facing onto the central part of the Via del Corso. The apse of the church faces across the street, the Mausoleum of Augustus on Via di Ripetta.

This church is dedicated to Saint Ambrose and Saint Charles Borromeo, both natives of Milan. It is one of at least three churches in Rome dedicated to Borromeo, others including San Carlo ai Catinari and San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane.

What we had for breakfast, we eat healthy!

Improvising- carving peppers for Halloween.

roman.ruiz@myldsmail.net

Anziano Roman Ruiz

Missione Italiana di Roma Piazza Monte Gemma, 9 00141 Roma Italia

The Holy Ghost is a wonderful gift from God that all can obtain.

October 24, 2016 

  This week has been super fast and full of amazing miracles! I don't even know where to start. So Jorge has a really busy work schedule lately and we weren't able to have dinner with him at the Stephensons, but we were able to meet with him and teach him the restoration this week and it went really good!! We are really excited to see where the lord takes him.
  Earlier this week we had a mission conference -that I will talk about later- that the whole mission came up for. There were about 200 missionaries here in Rome. So we were doing finding all over Rome and in central which we usually don't do, and that night me and Anziano Anderson were on a split and he stopped by an old contact that we had in a suit store near Piazza di Popolo. I'll give a little background. My first week here (over 2 months ago) me and Anziano Anderson stopped by a suit store and ended up talking to the worker there and she was interested in what we were doing here so we started talking about missionary work, which lead to talking about the restoration. She said we could come back so we did and dropped off a Book of Mormon. After that we a stopped by a few more times and she wasn't there so we had lost contact. Fast forward to this week. Anziano Anderson saw her at the store and it turns out that she has been reading the Book of Mormon and is interested! That was so good to hear and such a miracle! It just really goes to show that the spirit is the worker, we may have lost contact but because we brought the spirit with us so strongly the first time we met she was impressed to read the book of Mormon. We are planning on meeting with her this week and are excited!
  Today we were able to get Alessandro to church! It was really good to see him. I found him with the AP's the first day I was here. We've been trying to get a hold of him for some long and meet with him. And last night he answered his phone! Seeing him in church was a awesome miracle!
  Last Thursday we had our mission wide mission conference. Missionaries came from all over the Italy Rome mission; Napoli, Bari, Taranto, Sicilia, Sardegna, Malta and more!  We had the amazing opportunity to hear from President Russell M. Nelson, the president of the quorum of the 12 apostles. He was awesome to hear. Pres. Nelson is 92 and still super sharp and on top of things. He gave a great talk with out any notes all he had were scriptures.  One pretty funny thing he said went something like "I hope you're all taking notes because if not it just like taking a hot shower, it feels good while you're in it but when you get out the sensation goes away" haha this is very true and is something we should apply to all church meetings! Anyway the conference was really good, I got to sit right front and center, so I was directly in front of Pres. Nelson, so that was cool. It was good to see a ton of new friends and guys from the MTC. This mission has a lot of cool cats.
  Well this week was awesome and full of amazing miracles. I'd like to bear my testimony on the spirit, and the amazing power that is has. Joseph Smith said, “Salvation cannot come without revelation”. Personal revelation is received only through the Holy Ghost. We need to strive to have and to be worthy of the Holy Ghost every minute of the day. The Holy Ghost is a wonderful gift from God that all can obtain.  It will help us through difficult times and even when we feel that we don't need the help. I know this to be true and I say it in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.
Thank you for all your prayers, love and support. Have a great week!

-Anziano Ruiz

More missionaries to play soccer with during zone conference last week.

 Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano in the background.

   

This is the oldest bridge in Rome. It was built in 62 B.C. Ponte Fabricio.

This is the first Christian Church. Rome Basilica di Santa Maria in Trastevere.

This it at Temple of Apollo Sosiano 

Bocca della Verità. you can read about on Wikipedia it's pretty cool. We put a book of Mormon in the mouth of truth. Pretty funny ha.

La Bocca della Verità (English: the Mouth of Truth) is an image, carved from Pavonazzo marble, of a man-like face, located in the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin in Rome, Italy. The sculpture is thought to be part of a first-century ancient Roman fountain, or perhaps a manhole cover, portraying one of several possible pagan gods,^[1] probably Oceanus. Most Romans believe that the 'Bocca' represents the ancient god of the river Tiber.

The most famous characteristic of the Mouth, however, is its role as a lie detector. Starting from the Middle Ages, it was believed that if one told a lie with one's hand in the mouth of the sculpture, it would be bitten off. There was also a medieval legend, wrongly believed to originate with the Roman poet Virgil, of an adulterous empress who managed to deceive her husband in a trial using the Mouth. This is an infrequent subject in medieval and Renaissance art, forming part of the Power of Women literary topos.^[2] The piece was placed in the portico of the Santa Maria in Cosmedin in the 17th century. This church is also home to the relics of Saint Valentine.

This is a street right next to our church. Everything is really green now and the leaves are starting to fall so I'm happy!

Sites in Rome

 Rome at night

Piazza di Popolo From Passeggitat del Pincio

 

Altare della Patria 

 Colosseo

roman.ruiz@myldsmail.net

Anziano Roman Ruiz

Missione Italiana di Roma Piazza Monte Gemma, 9 00141 Roma Italia