Transfers October 26, 2015

Well it was transfers today! I'm staying in my area but sadly Sister Dennis is now a Sister Training Leader in a different area! How crazy! But I am going to miss her for real. She was awesome and we had so much fun together. My new companion is Sister Mitchell. She is from Boston, grew up in Utah, hecka smart, and awesome. And guess what? She came out the same time I did too. We are greeny-breaking each other. Cool right?! Hahaha. I can't help but laugh. But it's going to be great.

This last transfer was so legit for real. My district was awesome. We all grew so much and had so many good times together. But the Bird Cage is breaking up and it is sad. But it's okay. Blessings are in store for us once more.

Last Monday was so. Much. FUN! We had Zone p-day and we did a corn maze! It was so awesome. I have never done a corn maze before, but it was so much fun. They said that the corn maze would take a minimum of 40 minutes to complete. Our district did it in 30. Ballin'! We all were running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to find the checkpoints. But we all worked together and we were the first ones done. It was so awesome. So we took pictures while we waited and there was this board with birds on it. You know the ones that you can put your head in and you are a bird. Yeah we took a district picture there and it was so awesome. I didn't get the picture but if I get it from Sister Dennis, I will send it to you cause it was great. Then we all went back to play games at our place. That was sweet. Oh I forgot the best part. We all dressed up for Halloween. And by dress up I mean we all wore batman or superman shirts. There were five people with Batman shirts. One other Elder and I wore Superman shirts. It was pretty cool. I will send a picture. But it was a great day.

Tuesday was a good day. We got to see Ray and took down all of his inappropriate pictures in his garage. I felt like a weight had been lifted. It was great. He is so awesome and willing to do whatever to change for the Lord. It's great. We also had service and let me tell you, wrapping trees for days... so much fun. No but it was great fun. I love serving!

Wednesday was probably the best day ever. We got to go to the Temple and that was awesome. Except it was raining and we didn't know about it. So we didn't have jackets or good shoes on to protect from the rain. My shoes were wet for 3 days. But it was still a good day. I totally forgot my family names though. Bummer. But next time. Also I will need more names after next time for sure. So then we had a district meeting. That was so awesome. Like I cannot even say how awesome my district is. We were all working on a Christlike attribute for this transfer and I picked faith. I learned so much. Faith is everything. It truly is amazing. I have definitely grown and learned to trust in the Lord more fully. So we all talked about what we learned and then we went around and talked about each others strengths. It was so great. There was so much of God's love there. It was great. I was so spiritually lifted from that meeting that there were so many miracles that happened after that. We talked to so many people and we were so happy doing it, even in the rain. It was great fun! 

Thursday was a good day. I had an epiphany about faith and it changed my life. So many wonderful things happened. I can really see God's hand in my life and I can't be more grateful for it. We did service together as a district and it was super fun. Got really dirty but it was great. 

Saturday we had an amazing lesson with a new investigator. Her name is Ashley and I just feel so much love for her. She is so awesome and wants to learn so much more. It's great.

Sunday was a rough day for me. Cause I found out that Sister Dennis was leaving me and I was just so sad. And we got blessings and they were wonderful, of course. But that was the last time our district was together. And it was so sad. Elder To'omalaitai is home (in Long Beach btw) and Sister Dennis is in a new area. This transfer thing is rough business. But it's all good. We had dessert with the Jones family last night and it was so much fun. They are just the greatest and love to help missionaries out so much. I just love them.

I am really excited to continue to grow and apply what I learned from last transfer to this one. It's gonna be great.   

I can't really remember anything else that happened this week cause I forgot my other planner. But this week was a good last week for us here. I'm gonna miss Sister Dennis a ton but I know that I have the Lord on my side. It's gonna be awesome!

I am so grateful for my family and I know that Heavenly Father is watching over all of you. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and that we all have the Gospel in our lives. I love this Gospel and I am so grateful for it in my life.

I hope you all are well! 

Much love,

Sister Richards  

Sister Richards and her Cinderella Skirt

No missionary likes dogs, October 19, 2015

Well this week was better than last week! And I can't believe that this transfer is almost over. I have no idea what will happen!! I also have mixed feelings so we will just have to wait and see. 

Tuesday was a pretty good day. We got to see Ray. He is doing better. Although I feel that his time is coming soon. But he is awesome! Then we had to clean our car out because of Zone Conference. They were checking the cars so we had to make sure everything was good. I checked the oil. It was great! Haha! Also I waxed a car for the first time. That was fun. I just kept saying "wax on, wax off" all night. It was great fun. Oh and we kept taking our shoes off cause we didn't want to dirty up the car and then we met with Chris and Stella and got dog hair all over the car.... It was hilariously annoying. But the lint roller saved the day. 

Wednesday we had Zone Conference. That was all day. It was really fun. I learned a lot and got to have some fun doing it too. President and Sister Mendenhall are just so awesome. I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful mission president and wife. They are great. But the cool thing was the end of the conference all the people that are leaving either this transfer or next got up to bare their testimonies and it was so cool. I can't even really describe it but it was just fun to hear what they have learned. It was great.

Thursday was a little bit of a rough day for us. I don't know if I told you but we are not sleeping very well. Haven't been for the last 3 weeks for some reason. So we were just really tired and Sister Dennis could hardly function. But we did get to see Ray again so that was fun. He loves talking about Jesus Christ and I just love it. At his baptism he saw a picture of Christ on the cross and said to me, "He really did a lot for us huh?" I was kind of just overcome. Jesus Christ really did do a lot for us. Also we had a really awesome dinner with these two sisters in our ward. They are just so great. But we were talking about cremation and I told her that I don't think its a big deal, afterlife wise, and Sister Troch said, "When I go to heaven and if I find out that you are wrong, I'm coming after you!" That was so funny. So I just told her that was my personal opinion. Not doctrine. Man it was so funny.

Friday we had dinner with a friend of Sister Dennis. He served in her ward back home but lives here now. So that was the highlight of that day. Oh actually. So I don't really like dogs anymore and I'll tell you why. Cause one tried to kill me. Okay I am being a little dramatic but we went to go knock on this door and there was a dog just barking up a storm in the front yard. So we just started to walk away and I look behind me and the dog was right on my butt so it freaked me out. Naturally I stared running away cause it scared me. So naturally the dog started to chase me. I booked it the heck out of there and totally left my companion in the dust. I felt bad but I ain't about that life. It was apparently really funny to my companion but I didn't quite see the humor in it... So that has been quite a joke between us now. Oh also we tried to take cute pictures of the leaves and now I have leaves forever coming out of my purse... The pictures ended up not very cute... 

Saturday was a fun day and a rather crazy day. So many little things kept happening that we just couldn't deny as miracles. We first had to go teach primary kids about how they can be missionaries now. They were so cute. And then we just kept being in the right place at the right time. We got to teach a potential and now he is an investigator. He is awesome. His name is Gabriel. But then we had to go get our tires pumped up and we got there right when they closed but they filled them anyway. So nice. But we met this guy Aaron there and he was awesome. Not really interested but he might come to church one of these days. And then we went to go knocking in a new area and we got done praying and this lady starts walking up to our door. So I roll down my window and she just says, "I'm actually leaving right now but can you come tomorrow anytime?" I was floored. Um yes, of course we can. And then she proceeds to give us some referrals on the street. Waz-up! So we went to go contact them and met this guy Devon. He is not the one she sent us to but it was so funny. I'm pretty sure he was high up in the sky but he was cool. It was just cool. Then we had the Trunk or Treat. They had a chili competition and they were delish. I ate so much food. My companion was a little bit disgusted... Whateves. They had the best cupcakes there! I ate a lot of those too. But they had some of the cutest costumes. I didn't get any pictures cause I forgot but this one family was characters from Little Mermaid! They were so cute. Lots of super heroes. Duh, cause they is da best! It was so much fun. We got some candy too. It was great. We asked if we could dress up and we were told, yeah as servants of the Lord. It was funny. But then we got a blessing for our sleeping and it was about so much more than that. God really does know me and I am truly amazed at that. I am also so grateful for the Priesthood. Its real! And I have been sleeping pretty good since then so yay. We had a lesson after that and I really want their daughter to get baptized. She is awesome. We shall see. 

Sunday I learned a lot about repentance and pride. It was awesome. Also we had an lesson with this less active family and it was amazing. We talked about the Atonement and the Spirit was just so strong. It was amazing and just what I needed. I am so grateful for the Atonement in my life so that I have a chance to be better. Man, God is real! And this gospel is good!! I love it. I am learning so much and I am just excited to be here. Even though it is hard, it is wonderful. 

(Hopefully this letter makes sense. My brain doesn't seem to be working very well this morning)

I love you all and I pray for you always. Stay sweet!!

Much Love,

Sister Richards

Surprise October 14, 2005

Dinner with the Hoopes Family

I don't have a cool thing to put as the subject today :) Tuesday, October 13, 2015

This week was a little bit on the slow side. But I will try to talk about some highlights. 

Monday this little girl drew me a picture of a rainbow and wrote her name. It was the cutest little thing and it made me so happy.

Tuesday Ray had his baptismal interview and that was awesome. He told us that he had no pain that day and I just wanted to scream for joy. It was awesome. There were a bunch of kids outside of his house though that were just being annoying and doing really dumb stuff. It took all my will power to not go over there and tell them that they need Jesus. I literally had to walk down another street. My companion laughed at me. Oh and we had beef stew for dinner and it was so good. It was just like yours. I was in heaven. Also, I love bread.

Wednesday we went on exchanges. I was with Hermana Tchan in my area this time and I just love her to pieces. She is so cute. She loves this picture that I have of our family that was taken 8 years ago cause Brian is just so cute and little. She was telling me all about Tahiti and just how she would just dance all night. I want to go to Tahiti. We wrapped lots of trees for service again. It was actually really fun. This lady came out of her house and asked what we were doing so I said we were wrapping the trees so they would stay warm for the winter. She looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "They are trees, they don't need to stay warm." That just made me a little mad. Needless to say she made me unwrap the tree that was in front of her house... But then we had a really awesome lesson with Scott Stanton. He is actually reading everyday. When I heard that I literally yelled. In happiness of course. Hermana Tchan is a great teacher and so it was just a good lesson. 

Thursday we moved. Did I tell you we were moving? Well we did. But before I get to that, we had our companion study with the President and his wife. It was really awesome. They just are great. Then we had an awesome zone meeting. My zone is da bomb. Elder Bird gave a training relating repentance to popcorn. Try and figure that one out on your own. Haha but it was seriously awesome and eye opening. After zone meeting we had to pack and move into our new place. And our new place is so nice. We have our own kitchen and we actually have desks to study on. Oh and the house is huge. The back yard has a sand volleyball pit, a basketball quart, horseshoes, trampoline, and swings. Aka its pretty much the best thing ever. The members we are living with are so awesome. But yeah it took all day to move and clean our old place but it's worth it. So awesome.

Friday....nothing to say there

Saturday was Ray's baptism!!!! RAY GOT BAPTIZED!!!! It was great. We had to have two people do it but he did it. It was just so cool. I never thought that I would witness a baptism of someone that I taught. It's kind of hard to describe but it was great. I totally thought I was going to cry but didn't. Nailed it. But the rest of the day we just went finding. 

Sunday Church was great. Ray made it to get confirmed. Sister Gilson bore her testimony and talked about how much we touched her life and I was just overwhelmed. It made me so happy. I just love her so much. She is my favorite. 

Yesterday we had Sisters P-day. That was so much fun!! We carved pumpkins and just hung out in our backyard. We got these Disney Princess stencils and can you guess what I did? Yeah it was Cinderella. It looks pretty good, if I do say so myself! Haha. But then we played some volleyball and Hermana Tchan and I went on the trampoline and just talked about dance. It was awesome. I miss dancing so much! But then we just took a ton of pictures so yeah. (see below)

That was my week. I think this week is going to be better. I can feel it!

Sister Richards and Gary

OH and I got the Halloween card. It is rather adorable. I named it Gary. He sits on my desk and watches me study. It's awesome. Oh and that other card is funny. It talked about how they missed me in Relief Society but knew I was having fun in primary... I think they are a little confused. Haha I had a good laugh about that.

On to your questions:

3. I wasn't able to confirm but I did get Brian's email. And can I just say that story is probably the funniest thing I have read in a while.

4. What stamps?... I haven't been getting anything. I have so many letters and things in limbo right now. Dumb.

AND HOLY COW THAT IS AWESOME!!!  This is a good thing I'm doing here! Hope Heather feels better!! 

Well, that's all I have time for. I love you so much and I hope you are doing well. Thank you for all that you do for me and all the support that you show to me. I will send pics of my adventures this week. 

Much love, 

Sister Richards

We Thank Thee, O God, For A Prophet October 5, 2015

Man oh man was conference amazing or what?!! I will have to agree. I loved Elder Bednar's tribute too. It made me sad but happy at the same time. I also, of course, loved President Utchdorf and President Monson's talk. It was so sad to see him struggle at the end of his talk. But his counsel is still true. Love it. I do love the "ponderize" thing. I haven't quite decided what scripture I want to do yet. Maybe Mosiah 24:14. (14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.)  I don't know yet. I'll let you know. But conference was truly amazing and I learned so much. I can't wait to be able to read them again!!

This week I have come to realize how amazing it is that we have a Prophet on the earth today that we can listen to and receive guidance from God. It just makes me so happy to know that. 

This week was a little slow on the work but it's OK. The end of the week made up for it.

 On Wednesday the best thing ever happened at district meeting. My District Leader made me a birthday cake and my district surprised me with a card and a poster from the Sister Training Leaders. It was really awesome. It just made my day. Oh and we took the best district pictures ever! Totally my idea by the way. :)   

 

On my birthday a member got me a Spiderman cake and it was sogood to get it. I actually forgot that it was my birthday until we were at service with the Elders and they said happy birthday for real. But so many people did so many wonderful things for me that day. It was still hard to be away from home but I was so blessed and grateful to feel so much love from my district and Sister Training Leaders. They are wonderful. Also thank you for the necklace. I pretty much wear it all the time now. I love it.

Friday was such a Spirit-led day. We just were able to see so many miracles and had so many wonderful lessons. God is real and he truly answers prayers. We found two new investigators and it is just wonderful. 

Ray is getting baptized this Saturday and I am so beyond excited. He has come a long way and we have been praying so hard for him and I can actually see a difference in his countenance. So that's exciting.

Anyway sorry this email is so short. I am running out of time. But I am so grateful for my family. I just love them. And I love you both, mom and dad, very much. Thanks for all you do.  

Much love, Sister Richards

YAY BETH!!! Of course she wants to go to Scotland. I want to go too.

The bikes came from the mission. Since we aren't in a biking area they just let us borrow them. 

Wrapping trees is putting this wrapping that protects the small tree trunks from the cold.