Nothing but a couple of goose eggs April 25, 2015

Last picture with Sister Nelson

Rough week for the Red Leaf ward in the Colorado Denver North mission. We taught 3 lessons this week... No one wants to talk to us in our area. Struggle is real. But we press on.

So Monday we finally finished all of the playground pictures. It was rather amazing. It took our whole day though. But totally worth every bit.  (posted at the end of the letter)

 

Tuesday we had lots of fun at service and just visiting members so Sister Nelson could say good bye.

 

Wednesday was transfers and that was fun to see some old friends. It was great. And now I have Sister Banner. She is from Oregon. She is pretty cool. We are still at the awkward getting used to each other stage. I hate that stage. But it's all good. We got to visit with Brother Andrews again. He is so awesome. I really feel like he gets touched by our lessons even though he is stubborn and won't come back to church. One day...

 

Thursday we had district meeting and we have a new district leader. Elder Burt. So we are naming our district Burt's bees... Its hilarious. He doesn't like it but he has no choice. It has been decided.

 

Friday was my 9 month mark. My half way through the mission. Oh my goodness, where did the time go?  I am now in the single digits mark. I had quite the freak out. But we celebrated with shakes and glow sticks. Sadly I am being terrible about pictures already this transfer and it has only begun... Oh well.

 

Saturday was a very long day of finding. But we did talk to a few people that we have appointments with for this next week so hopefully we find some new people that stick. And we did finally get to talk to a potential that really wanted to come to church, even though he didn't. But maybe one day.

 

Sunday we visited with Sister Anderson. She is a crazy old lady that loves to talk about an angel she saw in the cemetery once. She makes me happy. So funny. And Mike came to church again. But we are passing him off to the Elders to teach him because it would just be better. So that is sad but hopefully he continues to progress.

 

So that is pretty much my life right now. Nothing but finding for days!! But I am seeing small miracles. Things will get better. 

9 month celebration shakes....and a new companion, Sister Banner

 

 

 

I am so excited for these babies. Cute names!! Love it. 

Well happy anniversary Mom and Dad!! You did it!! :)

Anyway thanks for the love and prayers! You are wonderful!!

Love you bunches!!

Sister Richards

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Project Playground:  Accomplished

Fly Like A Bird

I'll never let go Jack

 

No pain, no gain April 18, 2016

Props from the Talent Show

This week was a very interesting last week of the transfer. Speaking of transfers, I have a new companion for this next transfer. But I finally get to stay in the same place though. Sister Nelson is off to go be a follow-up trainer. So sad. I will miss her. But my new companion is Sister Banner. She actually came out with me too. So that is another one for the books. I have now been companions with 4 out of 6 of the Sisters that came out with me. What fun!

Monday we had Sisters p-day (preparation) and we just sat around and talked and had lots of candy. It was great fun. We also watched Meet the Mormons. I only wanted to listen to David Archuleta sing at the end so... We had dinner with my favorite people, the Daybells. They are like the happiest family ever. Love it.

 

Tuesday was good. We did a lot of service for the food bank and it was so much fun. Also I found Girl Scout cookies that they let us take home... I took 4 boxes... 3 of which were Peanut Butter Patties. I just couldn't help myself. The sad thing is they are pretty much all gone now... :) 

 

Wednesday was crazy busy. We got to do some service for a member removing rocks and boy did I get fried. But it was only the arm that has been in a cast for 2 months.... So many regrets. But it was worth the burn. It was good to be outside doing yard work again. Then we had another lesson with Mike, our investigator. That was a little weird. The lesson didn't flow very well cause something was way off. So we think we are going to pass him off to the Elders because we don't think we should not teach him anymore for certain reasons. So we are going to see what happens with him. But he came to Church so that is great. Then I had to go to therapy. That was fun. I don't know if I told you about the corn heater thing they put my arm in but we did that again and it just feels so nice. My scar is looking good and now I get to do some weight strengthening. So I have been using a can of Gold Star as my weight. :) good thing I have some! I still have a lot of burning and problems going palm down but hopefully that changes soon. Then we had a lesson with our Scottish friend, B. Andrews. We talked about Lehi's dream and the different types of people we could be. He was definitely getting what we were trying to say. So we are slowly working with him. Then we had another less active member that we got to see. He has a great testimony. I don't know why he doesn't come to Church yet but hopefully we will keep working with him.

 

District Meeting

Thursday we had a District Meeting that was pretty good actually. It got me thinking a lot about what I am doing right now. Lots of food for thought. Thursday we also had a lesson with the Machados that are active but trying to go to the temple. We shared a video about blessings. It was from a talk Utchdorf gave awhile ago. Good stuff. 

 

Friday was a very special day. It was my last day at therapy, only because the Church won't let me do more than six sessions or I would have to go home. So she gave me lots of putty and things that I am going to have to do for the next 6 months probably. No pain, no gain has been my motto as of late. That is the only way I will get movement back. I am just scared that I won't do something right and I won't be able to see my progression. It was very sad leaving the hospital for the last time. I really liked all my therapists and my doctor. Good people. We got back and had a lesson with Dana and Michelle. We are teaching them the lessons again to help them get their testimonies back. We had dinner with the Martins and we had a really good lesson with them. I read a scripture that I found recently and it was very tender. It's 1 Nephi 21:15-16. Look it up. We are in His hands.

 

Dumb snow--this is what we look like when it snows in April

 

Saturday it snowed...all day... It was a very wet snow and we were not happy, Bob. Not happy. But the Ward had a really awesome talent show that we went to. There was even a less active member there but he did not want to talk to us at all. Awko-taco my life. But the talent show was bomb. I wish we would have thought to do something. I did actually but it was while the talent show was going on... I am lame.

But that was our week. I loved the superman outfit! I want one! The party sounded like lots of fun!

 

 

 

 

I hope you have a great week. Thanks for the love and support!!

Much love,

Sister Richards  

 

Sisters Preparation Day

 

Luigi is a free bird April 11, 2016

Luigi Free!

Well for starters, I don't have to wear my cast anymore!! Yay! Except at night...boo. But I was actually really sad that I don't get to see my doctor anymore because he is hilarious. He is just the best. He said so many funny things that last day that I saw him. It was great fun. I really wanted to get a picture with him but I chickened out. And I didn't know if that was even allowed... So many regrets. Oh well. But I have named my scar Luigi, hence the title of this email. I am getting some movement back but I still have no strength. Lame. But I am working on that too. And someone in my ward is a massage therapist so she is going to work on my arm... ballin'!

Anyway Tuesday we did some service at the food back. That was actually lame because they didn't really have anything for us to do. But then we painted nails for the old folks and they are just cute. But that was the day we had my doctor so that took up a lot of our time. My favorite thing Dr. Ignatiuk said was when he was talking about my movement. He said that we had a bet if I would get any movement back and then he goes, I'm winning!! It was very funny. He also kept telling me how bad my arm was broken. He honestly looked shocked that he fixed it... 

Wednesday was a very busy day. First I had therapy in the morning and that hurt something fierce. I got to play with lots of fun toys though :) Then we had a lesson with our new investigator Mike! It went pretty well actually. He has lots of questions and is very interested in learning more about what we believe. Then we had to drive to the mission office because I was dropping off my companion and taking an office worker with me to court. Sister Hollingsworth is like the cutest southern lady ever! And I am so glad that she went with me to court. Court was really simple and easy. I was the first one up and I left 15 minutes later with a lot less of a fine than I was expecting! So that was a huge burden off my shoulders. 

Thursday we had zone meeting and that was way good. I had to give a role play on confidence. How you do that I have no idea but I pulled something together. It was a way good meeting though. Very spiritual. We talked about patience, prayer, fear, confidence, and repentance. Here is a little nugget for you: "winning is getting up every time you fall". Oh and do the little things. If you don't do the little things right you wont be able to do the big things right. Good stuff. My zone is pretty fun and funny. Then we had a lesson with the Machado's. They are preparing to go to the temple so that is way cool. Then we had random lessons that didn't really mean anything but we got to teach so it's all good. But my favorite part of the day was dinner when we got to have burgers. I have had lasagna almost every day for the past two weeks and they give us the leftovers. I was getting sick even thinking about lasagna! So homemade burgers were pretty bomb. 

Friday I had more therapy. And this time I got to take putty home to play with it. Also she told me that I apparently broke both bones in my arm.... Good one. She also said I probably wouldn't be completely better for a long time. Bummer. Maybe by some miracle I will heal really fast :) Anyway we had a great lesson about the tree of life with a less active member. Just in comparing the different people that were told about in the story. Don't cling to the rod out of fear and only taste of the fruit but rather hold fast to the rod continually and partake of the fruit! Oh and we had the best dessert for dinner! It was the best homemade chocolate pudding I have ever had. I almost died from it being so delish! 

So Mike didn't come to church on Sunday so that is sad. But Sunday was a good day. Good meetings.

The work is going slow but I know there are people ready to be baptized! Just gotta find them!

Tell Kristen I said happy birthday!!

Love you!!

Sister Richards

Project Playground

My Farm and the Good Shepherd

Conference for the win!!

My Big Button :)

Well conference was great as usual. Gotta love Uchtdorf! He is hilarious. And Holland really did have the perfect ending. Great stuff. I think Saturday morning and Sunday afternoon were my favorite sessions. I was not too impressed with Saturday afternoon but I guess it was just not meant for me.

This week was a crazy one and super fast. Where is the time going?

I had therapy on Tuesday. That was fun. It hurt something fierce but I gained 30 degrees going one way on my wrist so that's good. Slowly but surely I guess. Then after that we went to a Sisters meeting where all the sisters in the mission got together to be uplifted and great stuff like that. I felt really bad cause we had to miss the first half of it cause of my therapy. But it was still really good. And I got to see all my favorite sisters! :) It was great! We also got another investigator that day!! He is not super serious and totally flaked on us but we will see what happens.

Wednesday was a pretty good day! We got to have zone meeting and that was way good. It was fun too cause we all just got to know each other a little bit. I learned a lot about the Atonement and the reality of it. Then we had an active member lesson about the Book of Mormon. It's still true. We also got in with a less active member that is from Scotland. He is cool. Has a crazy story too. But he also was flirting with the member we brought with us so that was a little awkward. But he is great. Then we had another lesson with a less active family and she is just kind of crazy. Anyway long story short, she talked us to death and we turned into rotten pumpkins.

Thursday we finally got in with a less active member that is coming back to church. She is cool. She had really great insights about how we need to surround ourselves with good influences. Don't let others determine who you are. But that's about it. 

Friday we did service at the retirement home and we played bingo. Old people are feisty, man. We were apparently doing it all wrong. But it was still fun. Then we had a lesson about sacrifice with one of our less active members and it was really good. It just made me think a lot about what I am willing to sacrifice. 

Well the rest of the weekend was conference of course. I would just like to invite you all, cause that is what missionaries do, to heed Hollands invitation: remember what you have learned from conference and keep trying to apply it to your life. 

I love you and I love this gospel and that my Savior would sacrifice so much for me to be happy!! Hope you have a better week and don't get into anymore car accidents!!

Much love,

Sister Richards

 

So we found this at the store on Monday and I about died. I want one!!

 

 

 

I'm the queen!! :)

These are all the sisters I came out with :)
Minus my companion from the MTC cause she went home :(

Sisters Meeting

So there are a ton of playgrounds in our area so we made it a goal to get a picture with every one. We have two down, a ton more to go :)

We matched :)

 

Kevin's a girl?? March 28, 2016

I have been quoting Up all week so that is the subject line.

This week was rather trying for me. There were lots of ups and downs but it ended on a good note so it's all good.

Zone Pday

Monday we had zone p-day and we just played games at the Church. I miss being able to play volleyball :\ But it was still fun.

Tuesday the weather was so beautiful! Oh and I had another doctors appointment and my doctor was not happy that I wasn't wearing my cast... So now I have to wear it for two more weeks. Bummer... I guess that

is what I get. But I don't think I am healing as well as they would like so that's lame. But I got a picture of my x-ray with my plate so that is pretty cool. But we also taught some random lessons but they were pretty cool experiences. One of them actually has a best friend that is in the West Chester ward... the Ramptons. So she let us in and we shared the video with her. She wasn't interested but it was just cool to find the first person we knocked on that day knows someone from Cincinnati. The other one we taught was a former investigator. She wasn't interested either but she told us that she was having a really hard day and was praying to God for help and we showed up. Little things like that just make you happy as a missionary.

Narnia

Wednesday was complete opposite of Tuesday, weather wise. We had a huge blizzard and we got about 2 feet of snow. But it was so bad out that we were told that we should stay in... that's how bad it was. But I found the entrance to Narnia so it's all good. We played out in the snow for a bit and tried to help people but there was way too much snow. It finally stopped snowing enough for someone to come get us for dinner. It was amazing. And she made me a special cake and it was to die for. It was a brownie with peanut butter cheesecake. Yum! So our day was a little boring. Oh and court got moved to the 6th.

Thursday was a hard day for me. My physical therapy got cancelled and that really bummed me out. I can't really explain why it was so hard for me. It was just one of those days.

Friday we did some cleaning service and I wanted to die after. We were helping a home that was infested with bugs. And I am not even kidding, it was so nasty. I wanted to die for a good while after we did that. I just couldn't get clean enough. But that is all to say about that day

Saturday I was deliriously tired for some reason so it was a very long day. But good things happened. We had a lesson with a part member family and one of the kids is my hero. He just loved talking about Christ and he was so excited to have us pray with him. It was really cool to see how much love he had for God. And we had Women's Conference. That was good. It's funny they talked about charity cause that is what I have been working on this transfer. And we had a lesson and a talk about it on Sunday.... Highly suspect!

Easter was good. Not the same on the mission but good. And we found a new investigator! Not too solid right now but we will see.

Loved the pictures you sent! Sad I am missing opening day! Cheer loud for me :)

Hope you had a wonderful Easter and remember what we celebrate it for! 

Love you!

Sister Richards

Tuesday the weather was so beautiful!

We cute

Ready for the blizzard

Blizzard next day

Just kidding.....I'm not ready for the blizzard

Easter Selfie :)