Mission Arrival

Hyrum's mission has a blog thecaliforniaventuramission.blogspot.com.  Many pictures of the missionaries' arrival were posted.  Here are the pictures of Elder Ruby.

 Elder Ruby arrived at the airport at 11:55am with 9 other missionaries.

 Elder Ruby with travel companions and his missionary tag :)  The tall one is Elder Dorius - his companion in the MTC.

 Elder and Sister McIntosh had picked up lunch for the new arrivals.  They were waiting at the picnic area for them.  Looks like the ocean in the background and a beautiful day!





Let's play a game: Where's Elder Ruby??

The Mission President, President Felix, gave them an experience to remember.  He talked to them about commitment and having "both feet in".

Each missionary commits by jumping off the step, having "both feet in".

Hyrum never goes anywhere without his bag :)


Look how beautiful it is there!!  What a great day!

Before going to the mission home for dinner, they met Sister Training Leaders and Zone Leaders (other missionaries who have been in the field longer) at the Ventura Stake Center.  Half of the missionaries stayed there to receive more instruction and the other half went proselyting (finding people who want to hear the message of the restored gospel).  Then after and hour, they switched.

They went to the mission home where the Assistants (again, other missionaries) went through the Orientation booklet.  Elder Ruby is watching President Felix give opening remarks.

The missionaries were so tired.  Elder Ruby got up at 2:45am Monday morning to pack and get to the airport.  The sister missionaries stayed that night at the mission home and the elders stayed with other church members in the area.

The next day they met at the Ventura Stake Center for more orientation and a transfer meeting.  This is when the missionaries got to meet their trainers, Zone and Sister Training Leaders were announced and they got to hear from President Felix and the departing missionaries.  Sister Felix said there was a wonderful spirit at that meeting.  (Trainers are more experienced missionaries who are good leaders, keep the mission rules and "train" the next group of missionaries, so they can be great missionaries too.)

I hope this catches all of you up on Elder Ruby's first day in the mission.  I was so curious to hear what he did his first day.  Now I know.  Thank you Sister Felix for posting these pictures on your blog.   I hope to hear from him soon.

The MTC

I love the MTC. Yeah it's tough, and extremely exhausting both mentally and physically, but I love the feeling here. There are so many missionaries who are all going out into the world to preach about Jesus Christ! The unity and spirit I feel here is strong.

Elder Ruby and Elder Dorius with one of their "investigators".

As soon as I got settled in at the MTC, I was assigned a companion.  My companion's name is Elder Justin Dorius and is from Heber City, UT.  His dad is a dentist, his mom likes to workout and raise her kids, he has two 8 yr old twin brothers, and a 16 yr old brother. This guy is now one of my best friends.  He is 6'6", he likes to hike, fish, play basketball, sing, read, and play the piano.  I love listening to him play.  He has a really fantastic talent and can make music up from his head that sounds really good. We get along really well and teach with really great unity.

Elder Ruby and his district with one of his teachers.

Who knew learning to teach would be so challenging! I thought I knew what to say, but I have found that the hardest thing to learn is how to be so personal and observant.  We are told to teach people, not lessons if you know what I mean.  Our goal is not to convince others that we are right and they should hear what we have to say.  In fact, it is almost the opposite.  We are to listen, discern the needs of investigators, and teach them about Christ in a way that helps them come closer to God.  My purpose as a missionary 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.

Keep up the good work, everyone.

Love,

Elder Hyrum Ruby

By the way, if Mormon Missionaries ever knock on your door, just think it's me knocking and let them in.  They really do have a great message to share whether you want to believe it or not

MTC First Day!

The MTC is great!  For the first hour or so, I was sent all over getting this and that (name tags, room key, identification card and schedule).  I was taken to the classroom and I met my MTC companion: Elder Justin Dorius.  He is 6'6"and looks a lot like me.  He took a lot of AP classes in high school.  He likes to eat (like me), does photoshop stuff (like me), can sing pretty good, but (like me) hasn't taken choir classes.  We get along pretty good.

We went to a devotional where all the MTC Presidency and their wives spoke to us.  They had great things to say.  We went back to the classroom and learned the "do's and don'ts" of the MTC.  We ate dinner cafeteria style: chicken fried steak.  It was okay.  Elder Dorius and I talked the whole time.  We ended the night with an investigator.  We were in a group of maybe 50 new elders and sisters and all taught/learned stories from the investigators and asked them questions.  It was a good experience.

I'm doing great.  God has been training me for this for my entire life.

Love, Elder Ruby

MTC Pictures!

Hyrum's district in the MTC

Hyrum was able to send us two pictures from the MTC.  He looks so happy and he is!

Elder Ruby and Elder Dorius

I can do hard things

While we were traveling on the Pioneer Trek this summer, a thought continually came to my mind.  The thought was, "I can do hard things."  Our last day of the trek was the hardest.  We traveled 15 hot, dusty, dirty miles with no shade and a slight breeze in pioneer clothes pushing/pulling a handcart.  At times it wasn't extremely difficult, but nonetheless, the journey was long.  The last 2 miles seemed like half of the trip.  Several youth "ran out of gas" and had to be helped by others.  As I was dipping my handkerchief in water and cooling all the youth around me, I kept telling myself, "I can do hard things."  I repeated it many times while we walked and many more while we set up camp, transported water and got settled for another day.  The work during those 4 days was exhausting, but I kept telling myself, "I can do hard things."

When we left Hyrum at the MTC on Wednesday, one of the first thoughts that came to my mind (after the tears subsided) was, "I can do hard things."  I didn't know in July during the Trek when that statement would be a strength to me.  I figured it would be some far off life event, many years from now.  But the Lord, with His tender mercies, has given me a way to have confidence in any difficult situation I find myself - even sending my oldest son on a 2 year mission to teach the people of California about Jesus Christ.

I can do hard things!

We Did It!

Well, we did it!  We sent our first missionary into the "mission field".  It was a really good day.  I was emotional at times, but overall I stayed composed.  We did a little shopping in the morning and ate a fabulous lunch at a Brazilian BBQ with our good friend and wonderful host, Pauline.  Afterward we went to the Provo Temple to walk around and take some pictures.  Of course, Lily had to go to the bathroom, so we had to fix that:). At 1:15 pm we drove across the street to the MTC (Missionary Training Center) and pulled up to the curb.  Elder Fox, a missionary going to Portugal, greeted us and helped with the bags.  I hugged Hyrum with wet eyes and he told me he was ready to go.  He was!  Hyrum gave hugs to Haven, Lily, and Dad.  Rowen didn't make the trip with us.  He stayed in Buffalo with our family.

We watched him all the way to the front door.  He looked back a few times, smiling.  He was so happy and excited.  I was happy and excited for him.  Then a traffic director said to Blaine, "Sir, I'm going to have to ask you to move your car."  We drove away with tears in our eyes, but with peace and joy.

We had a wonderful trip!  Before we took Hyrum to the MTC, we spent time at Temple Square in Salt Lake City touring many of the buildings and spending time with Sister Oscarson, the General Young Women's President.  She was absolutely wonderful.  We enjoyed the visit very much.  It was a lot of walking and Lily was a trooper!  We also took a day to shop and drive by the Mount Timpanogas Temple.  It was a rainy and dreary afternoon, so we didn't get out to take any pictures.  Pauline was wonderful driving us around and sharing her home with us.

Lily, Sister Oscarson, and Haven

After dropping Hyrum off, we drove all the way home and woke up to 12 inches of snow and a cancelled school day.  It was the perfect trip.  We had a great time together and enjoyed as much of Hyrum as we could.  It still hasn't hit me that I won't see him for 2 years.  That is such a long time!  The sacrifice will be worth it and the people he shares the gospel of Jesus Christ with will be eternally grateful.

   

Dancing at the Church museum.

Hyrum and Lily in front of the Christus Statue.

Hyrum - Ready to Serve!

My Last Supper :)

Today is the day before I become a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints! I call this my last supper because tonight is the last night that I will eat dinner before I am set apart as a missionary.

How am I feeling? The answer is: Everything. Sad, happy, excited, nervous, scared, courageous, prepared, calm. I am so eager to share the gospel and go on this new adventure, but sad to leave home and the life that I have had for the last 18 years.  However, I am not so sad that I don't want to go.  I have known I was going to go on a mission for as long as I can remember, and nothing will stop me from serving. Before I left, I thought I should write my testimony of the restored gospel.

I have a testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Joseph Smith was/is a prophet of God. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I love it! I know that anyone who sincerely wants to find out if the Book of Mormon is true and reads it, then asks God in prayer if it is true, he or she will also know of its truth. I know that Heavenly Father knows us personally and loves us and is mindful of where we are and our concerns.  I know He answers prayers that are made in faith and righteousness. I know of the blessings of daily prayer and scripture study. I know that Christ's Atonement is real and that it covers much more than just sin, but it is enabling.  I know that blessings come from being obedient to the commandments including the Word of Wisdom, Law of Chastity, Tithing, Fast offering, and keeping the Sabbath day holy. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a true prophet today and I sustain him as a prophet, seer, and revelator. This, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is Christ's restored church and it was restored by the power of God through the uneducated, young man: Joseph Smith.  I will testify of these things on my mission as I am a representative of Jesus Christ.  I love the commandments. I love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. I will serve them with all my heart, might, mind, and strength. This church is true.