Me....like bikes?

"When one door closes another opens but oftentimes we are too busy looking behind that we forget to look ahead"

I recently read a talk by Elder Ballard "Learning Leasons of the Past". He talks about learning from your past experiences and ancestors. This quote I think talks about looking toward the future with faith. Don't concentrate on the mistakes or challenges you had but focus on the path that is ahead of you, the great things that are to come and the wonderful blessings that will arise when following the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every situtation of change involves some form of nervousness and wonder if you did the right thing....dont worry about it! Take the opportunities that you have right now and have fun! Learn new things, meet new people, strengthen your faith. Dont dwell on the past. The future is as bright as your faith.

My week was so great!! I really have learned to love my bike....no but seriously. Its hot but I love my bike. I feel so much more like a missionary then before.

We totally learned how to cook Hispanic food. We made arroz, arroz con leche, and corn tortillas(the text pic was of me making tortillas). A member got heard of the fact that my companion cant cook. She burns everything(even one of those oven pizzas----BURNED!!! HAHA! I was like 'Hermana Bird.....what is that smell?' She forgot she was cooking it :) sweetheart)) So Hermana Medina taught us how to cook. It was super fun! I mostly loved learning the tortillas. So once we were done cooking we ate a huge feast. Super fun! ..........................but wait we leave their house to go to an appt. We usually eat with this member but we called her the day before and told her we wouldnt be eating but we still wanted to share a message. Well, she didnt get it. We walk in and she has a huge lunch made for us! I thought I was going to die---2 feasts in like 1 hour! Not 5 minutes earlier was I polishing off my arroz con leche(a dessert thing). I choaked down the food. Hermana Bird and I had to go home for a little bit because we felt so sick! HAHA!

We made tie-die(sp?) shirts yesterday for a district activity. Way fun!! I had to figure it out and teach everyone cause no one was getting it. I ended up getting die all over my hands and everyone keeps asking me what happened to my hands.....RAINBOW!

We had a crazy rainstorm on Friday night. We were on our bikes and it was like 8pm and it starts pouring-oh perfect-so we ride to a member who luckily lets us in. We then at 8:45 ride home in the rain and end up getting soaking wet. I dont mind the rain no biggie. BUT there was the craziest lightening and thounder storm-like I have NEVER experienced something like this before. I have never been scared of a storm. I was so scared. It sounded like a person was standing outside my window with cymbols(sp?) and banging them against each other every minute. It felt like it was day time with how bright the lightning was. We then get a call at midnight from my district leader telling us that a tornado touched down on Ballover isand(small island that I went to once on the ferry) and that Galveston had a tornado warning. Cool. They instruct us to say away from windows and such. Well of course my bed is pushed up against the window. So we push me and my comps beds together. It took forever to fall back asleep. All I could think about was the movie Twister. Nothing happened but it was a super crazy storm(mom....dont get freaked out. I am fine. Do not wig out on this story. I know you thought about how I am going to die or something...;) LOL! And hurricane season doesnt start till June1st!

APX guys are selling security all over the island-I run into them like every hour. LOL! All the sudden there were tons of Utah plates and people honking at us like crazy!

I got a crazy migrane Sunday night. LAME! The Elders came and gave me a blessing. SO sweet! I feel fine now. I have my appt. with the doc tomorrow to get my ultrasound. Hopefully we figure out whats up. I will call sister saylin as soon as I am done to update her.

I am happy to hear everyone is doing good. I LOVED the story Amanda told me about Ashlyn saying she missed me.....:( I miss them.

CONGRATS Jamie on the new baby boy! I am super happy for you all. LOVED the pictures:)

Some insights from my comps email to her family of our week.....she is SO funny
""""Lets talk about the wonderful members that are in the branch out here. After a wonderful dinner appointment with a member we were about to head out the door and back to our appartnment when a call was heard from the cute little member, "hey, do you want a ride home?" So we scream back so anthusiastically so as not to be misunderstood, "we would LOVE it!" However come to find out that their car is tiny...so then we began to doubt...do they remember that we are on bikes? what are they going to do? With in seconds out comes running Hermana with a LONG telephone cord...Hermano (not a member) then gathers all of his strength and throws the bikes up onto the top of the little car...Hermana then runs around frantically trying to hold the cord so that Hermano could tie then on...it was such a sight...but they are such sweeties to give us and the bikes a memorable ride home...because you bet I was worried about whether the bikes were going to tumble down from the roof of the car...

THe dogs are not the only thing wanting a piece of us. I have to say a word on the bugs and the no windshield factor...I cannot count on both of my hands and my companion's the number of bugs that fly into our faces everyday...like really. I feel like I get a mouthful of misquitos, flys, bees, and other wonderful creatures of God. Without a windshield to save our lives from these wonderfully talented flyers, you can bet that they come flying right into our clean mouths while panting to make it to an appointment on time. You get side swiped while looking to see if your companion is close behind. You get bashed in the cheek while trying to bike up to the stranger that is walking just the next street up. Without warning they come buzzing into you eyeballs with only seconds to try to save you from this imminant danger. No one ever speaks of this danger that lurks everywhere and most definilty can be found lurking behind every corner..."""

I love Hermana Bird. And yes Maygen---people ask us all the time if we are sisters.

Thanks for everything. I love you!!!

-Hermana Richards