Elder Riccardo Medrano: The Holy Ghost is Powerful

Four weeks down and plenty more to go! But it’s amazing here and I love every minute of it. I am so happy here and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else in the world on my mission than here. It’s amazing how Heavenly Father just knows where to send you.

I get out of the CCM on September 10. I get my new companion and my new area on that day too. So that day is going to be BIG. It’s going to be fun and I’m excited! I am praying for my first area to be by the ocean or clear out in the Campo where it’s forest and no cities. That would be nice.

I want to share an awesome experience I had earlier this week. On Tuesday we went to the store to buy stuff that we needed. As my companion and I were walking back from the store we were in front of the whole group probably like a block and we had to cross a busy street. Now driving here is different like I mentioned in an earlier email. There are no rules or traffic stops. People just run red lights, speed, and they cut people off like crazy. Anyways, my companion and I were crossing this busy street legally and it had a green walking signal. I felt something in me saying that I needed to stop where I was. I had no idea why I needed to because the street looked fine to cross. So I kept crossing the street and then it happen again. I felt that I needed to stop. At this time I was in the middle of the road with my companion behind me. The middle of the road is not a good place to be in a country like this with no violations. So I took one more step and I felt it again so I was like okay I’ll stop. I stopped and then honestly 3 seconds later a bus flew right by me. Now I don’t know how fast it was going but my guess would probably be 20 MPH and took a hard turn right. If I had stuck my arm out half way it probably would’ve been taken off. When we finally got across the road safely my companion asked how I knew to stop because he knew that both of us didn't see it coming and I just stopped randomly in a busy road. I told him that I got a prompting to stop and by the third time it said it to me to stop I did and then the bus flew by us. Later I told him that it was the Holy Ghost talking to me and I have never had something like that happen to me before. If I didn't listen to that prompting I would have been coming back in a casket. I've never really had an experience like that to know if it was true. But know I believe it with all my heart that it is true and I will listen to it every time because in this situation I would have been dead if I didn't trust the word of the Holy Ghost. I am so grateful to have the Holy Ghost with me as my companion. I know that this church is true with all my heart and I know that The Book of Mormon is true. I know that Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God and I know what he says is true. Rely on the Gospel as much as you can and it will help you with anything you need. I love you and think a lot about you. I miss you so much and can’t wait to get back. I wish I was there to support you in every way but I know that I am suppose to be here and it was the right time for me to go.

This week my companion and I had to go to the University of the Republica Dominicana. We had to talk to people and try to pass out flyers for the church that had the mission home’s phone number on the back so they could talk to the missionaries. We had to talk and introduce ourselves then we had to teach them a little lesson and then ask if they are interested in a flyer. Then if they seemed like they were interested we had to offer them a Book of Mormon. We talked to 8 people all in Spanish and no English. It was defiantly a challenge, but it was a great experience.

Those are just a couple of the many experiences I have had so far. Tomorrow I go on splits with the real missionaries and go to a house for a lesson so that will be pretty cool. I can’t wait to tell you guys about it next week!

Love and miss you guys!

Love, Elder Medrano