Sister Sarah Richards

I Hope They Call Me On a Mission

2011-03-14T13:58:00.000-07:00

What an amazing week! Hermana Ruplinger and I worked so hard and saw so many miracles as a result! Jorge's baptism is scheduled for Sunday. That means my last day in my area and I will have a baptism. Pray that all goes well. I am so happy!!!! He picked that day because he said he would rather die than have me not be there. hahaha....i love these people.

We went over to this less-actives house to teach her. She is really lonely and she had just gotten finished telling us her mom might have cancer. She cried for a long time. I was really glad we were there because I have a really good relationship with her and could give her a hug and listen. Well, she always loves to give us a snack right before we leave. She asked if we wanted a peanut butter sandwich. I said "ya sure". She then saw the jelly and asked if we wanted peanut butter or jelly. I said "both!" She then laughed and gave me a weird face. I thought she was going to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Well, 2 minutes later I have 2 sandwiches in front of me, one with just peanut butter, the other with just jelly. I almost laughed out loud. She just got here from Guatemala and still doesn't know a lot of the American customs and foods. She didn't know that peanut butter and jelly go together. I just thought it was so cute! I would take a bite of the peanut butter sandwich then a bite of the jelly sandwich. HAHA!!!

It is so weird to me that I will be home next week. It actually doesn't at all seem real. I just love this work so much I can hardly think about not being a missionary anymore. I know that the Lord has other things planned for me and I have other missions to fulfill in my life. It is just hard to come to grips with. I love the people here so much and I know it will be tough for me to leave.

It is often said that the hardest things in life are the most worth it. I have come to find that to be true. My mission has been the hardest thing I have ever loved. And because of that I am so grateful to be a missionary.

God knows us individually. I know that. I have trusted Him and He has lifted me to a higher place. A place where things are clear and joy is found. I know my Heavenly Father loves me because He has stretched me, pulled me, and challenged me, but He has lead me, lifted me, and sanctified me. He knows our trials, our fears, and our deepest desires.

Jesus Christ suffered all so I can be made whole. There never has nor ever will be a greater manifestation of love that of that day in Gethsemane when He suffered for the world that we might live again.

Joseph Smith did in reality, see God, the Father and Jesus Christ in that sacred grove of trees. His prayer was answered and mine was too. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. There is a power within the pages of that book.

I am thankful for you- my family and friends. I have felt of your prayers and your letters helped me. Thank you for letting me have this opportunity to come closer to my Heavenly Father by serving His children.

I am so grateful for every experience I have had here on my mission. Every lesson, every chance I had to open my mouth, every time I had to ride around in the heat on my bike. I firmly believe that my life will be greater because of the decision I made to serve a mission. I am stronger. I am thankful because I have found myself here over these last 18 months. The scripture in Matthew that says "Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it" takes on greater significance to me because I have experienced it. I love the Lord! For "by small means the Lord can bring about great things."

I love you all so much!!!!! I will see you NEXT WEEK!!!!!

Hermana Richards :)

No Title

2011-03-13T13:24:00.001-07:00

What a week! I wish I could express my joy and happiness to return to Galveston for a few days. It was exactly what I needed and was such a good experience for me. It just felt SO great to be on my bike again riding around next to the ocean and seeing all the people that I served. I saw basically the entire branch and they were all so exctied to see me. I didn't think little Victoria was going to let me go! I forgot how much I love it there. While I was there we visited a part-member family I worked with last summer. I know that it was inspired to have me go there because I had formed a good relationship with them. The Hermana cried when she saw me and she began to pour out her soul to me on how she had been feeling and trials she was facing. She stopped going to church because of some drama that happened within the branch. She was able to talk to me and open up. She said she hadn't felt comfortable with the other Hermanas to do so. I instantly felt that I was needed there at that time and no where else. It was so good to have the opportunity to go back to a place that has such a sacred place in my heart. I love Galveston. As we were riding our bikes I had the time to just think back on my mission and remember some very sacred and revelatory moments. These last few weeks have not been easy for me. I have had some very bitter-sweet moments that have cause a lot of tears. I am jsut so grateful for this time I have had to serve a mission. I wish I could explain into words the things I have learned and the many times I have felt the hand of the Lord direct me. Galveston helped me to remember all He has given me. It was a time and experience that I needed to just remember.

On Thursday we had the last day of our mission conference. Holy cow it was really hard.....I have just made some really good friendships and I basically bawled knowing that I had to say goodbye to some of these missionaries. It was just the last time to be there for mission stuff. I guess I sound like a huge baby....I am just sad to be leaving.

My week was just really good. BUT Hermana Ruplinger has been sick for 3 days straight. It has been an adventure. We have had to stay in a lot and I have been bored out of my mind in the apartment. I have done a lot of reading in my Book of Mormon. :)

I hope you are all doing excellent. I love you lots!!
Hermana Richards

Going Back to Galvy!

2011-03-13T13:23:00.000-07:00

I am going back to my favorite island today! Well, its only for 3 days but I am super excited!! I am going on exchanges with an Hermana there which I think will be really good because Hermana Ruplinger needs to take over our area here soon and this will get her prepared. I am really stoked to see all my favorite people on the island and ot be riding next to the ocean on my bike.....ahhhh....good memories. AND it is totally hot here again. So I get to work hard and sweat my last month. The humidity is what kills me....and my hair.

It seems as though the crap hit the fan this last week. 2 of our part-member families that we are working with are on the verge of separation. We had a charming lesson(sarcastic) with one of them that resulted in him telling us he doesnt want us to come over and her begging us to never leave. She was in tears. It is actually kind of comical that we (Hermana Ruplinger and I), the ONLY 2 Hermanas in the mission with divorced parents are trying to help families from killing one another. interesting.......I have been praying a lot. I love these people and can ardly imagine not being here with them....even if everything is a tranny mess.

Our cute little 9 year old investigator(her dad is a less active) bought us these cute cupcakes on friday. They were like the gourmet ones like from the cupcakery. She said that we needed something sweet after a long week. I love her!

I feel like I always give you random details of my week. I guess I stop talking about lessons and contacts because I have talked a lot about it in the past. My email are full of nothingness lately. :)

One example that an Hermana in our ward yesterday used in our lesson I really liked. She talked about how we need to be like telescopes. Because they are usually on hills away from the grime and grossness of the owrld so that it wont obscure its view. that is just like us. We need to lift ourselves above and out of the world in order to really see and have a more heavenly view.

I love you bunches!!! I hope to get a good missionary tan this week on my bike in Galveston!
Hermana Richards

Here Comes the Sun

2011-03-13T13:22:00.000-07:00

We have been on bikes a lot these last few days which means that I totally have my watch tan back! HAHA!! It is starting to get warm again which makes me happy because it is so much harder to do missionary work in the cold, just not as many people outside to contact. I love my bike becasue I am outside with all the people and am able to contact more. It makes me feel like more of a missionary.

We had a mission conference on Thursday and will have it every Thursday for het next 3 weeks. President Saylin is trying to get us all trained on some new material recieved from the brethren of the church. They make for really long days because from 7:30-6pm we learn and then role play. It is making me a better missionary even if I feel like I want to pull my hair out sometimes. :)

Dulce and Jorge have a friend that they referred us to and he is awesome! His name is Diego. Like off the kids show- Go Diego, Go! HAHA! We are meeting with him again today but he already loves reading his Book of Mormon. I called him to make daily contact and I asked about his reading. He then proceeded to teach me over the phone for 10 mintues about the doctrine of Christ and the importance of authority in baptism. Awesome much? I fully expect that in this next little while he will get baptized.

We went over to Hermana Latorre's apartment on Wednesday to help her wash her clothes. She simply cannot do it because she is still recovering from surgery. Well, as we were finishing putting her clothes in the drier I told her we would be back in 45 minutes to take them out because we have the goal to contact 10 people everyday per missionary. I told her that we needed a few more to be caught up. She then turned to me and said "what like 9?" HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!! It was so true! She is so sassy. I really think that is why I love her so much. She is just an old version of myself.

We are doing a ton of great finding! We have our solid families that we are working with but need to find more investigators so we have hit the pavement and met some really great people that I am excited to teach. I pray that they will accept our message and progress.

At the conference on Thursday Sister Saylin gave a great talk on revelation. I realzed that I needed to turn more to my Heavenly Father for help in knowing what to do to help my investigators. I found myself relying too much on my own ideas and knowledge and not being so focuesed on receiving inspiration. I regret that. This last week I have turned to the Lord a lot in prayer and there is such a difference in the work. What a blessing it is to be a missionary!

I love you bunches!!
Hermana Richards

Happy Valentines Day!!!

2011-02-15T19:13:00.001-08:00

There is this cute little black baby playing next to me and is totally distracting me. Two minutes ago she was offering me some of her fruit snacks. LOL!! I miss playing with little kids.

Turns out Jorge is not getting baptized this week. He is still working on Sundays. I have complete faith that within these next two weeks he will get baptized. I talked with Dulce about it for a little while on Saturday night. That conversation is sacred to me. She just told me some really great things and an experience she had with the Spirit. She is just a really amazing person. I want you all to meet her.

Last night we were at our dinner appointment and while the food was finishing cooking the little girl decided she wanted to decorate my nails. So now I have a rainbow of designs on all of my fingers. I am not sure that is what the white handbook meant by having "conservative nail polish"....I will have to take it off today. :( But not before I take a picture.

I am getting really distracted today because also the Elders were showing me family pictures.....sorry. I feel like I get too antsy at the computer nowadays. I figure in a few weeks I can fill all of you in.

We went by Hermana Latorre's house because she is still recovering from surgery. She was "teaching" us how to cook. I put teaching in quotations because she is basically blind and it was more than an adventure to have her teach us. She kept telling us(insisting to us) that she is going to teach us how to cook so when we get married we fed our husbands. HAHA!! She is so crazy/awesome! Apparently I was using the wrong type of spoon when mixing and that I needed to put more strength in my arm when I stirred.

Julia gave her testimony last night at a fireside. She did such a good job! She was super nervous and even wrote it out for me to read to make sure it was ok. When she got up there she told me she just decided to follow the spirit and not use her notes. It turned out fabulous!

Our district went bowling last week for an activity and I still stink really bad. They were all trying to teach me/ show me......ya, didn't work. :)

We are having a mission conference every Thursday for the next 3 weeks to get more trainings from the brethern---which means more role-plays! :( I told my comp this morning after we role played in comp. study that I feel like my life is a role play! LOL!!!

Whelp, my mind is blank. I love you all a ton!! Remember that sacrifice brings blessings and that the greatest joy comes when we are living the gospel.

Sarbear

cold much?

2011-02-10T20:43:00.001-08:00

Last Thursday and Friday because of the cold we were told that we could not use our cars. We were able to have members help us out a little bit and drive us around but it was difficult to find Hermanas that could and had access to a car. SO we were totally walking! I didn't mind so much walking around everywhere but it was so cold. For both days I wore 8 layers on top and I had 3 pairs of leggings and tights under my skirt. I am surprised I could even walk. LOL! It was kind of a trial. On Thursday Hermana Ruplinger made a birthday cake for one of our members....so we had to walk with the cake to her apartment in the freezing cold. She loved the cake and watching her little 1 year old get chocolate all over her face made it totally worth it!

We received transfer calls this morning. I am staying here with Hermana Ruplinger. So by the time I go home I will have had 7 months in this area. Crazy!! Well, because I know the ward and members so well it feels like home. The hard thing is that I feel as though I have taught my investigators all that I know and not sure what else to do to help them. I need to pray more to receive direction from Heavenly Father.

Jorge is getting his baptismal interview tomorrow and his baptism is scheduled for next week. I hope all things go as planned. The problem is his work. He just needs to have the faith that if he goes to church instead of work that God will provide a way. I am so happy for their family. :)

We had Stake Conference yesterday and it was fabulous! President Monson spoke via satellite and gave an amazing talk. It is amazing to me how I can basically understand anything in Spanish and how it was easy for me to follow and understand his talk in Spanish. He shared some amazing stories that made me cry. I love President Monson! Every time I hear him speak, the spirit testifies that he truly is a prophet of God. The spirit is an amazing gift that our Heavenly Father has given us. Especially to His missionaries.

Thank you for the Valentines package!!!! I gave the cute heart crafty thing to little Lupita and Ashely(Dulce's little girls). I am obsessed with them. After stake conference they saw me and came running down the aisle screaming to give me a hug! literally obsessed.

Well, another week is done. Talk to you next week! Love you bunches!!
Sarah

Happy Birthday Amanda!!!

2011-02-03T20:19:00.001-08:00

Another week has gone by. Where do they go?? This week went well. We had zone conference last Wednesday and it is mission tour time so we had a member of the seventy there. It is always such a cool experience to hear from a member of the seventy. He was actually a little difficult to understand because he is from Paraguay and only has been here in the states for a few years. I would rather have had him speak Spanish. I don't know that all the English missionaries would have appreciated that. LOL!

This last week one of my favorite members had a surgery. She(Hna. Latorre) is pretty old and just struggles. She is basically blind as well. We usually go over to her apartment once a week to give her some company. Because she lives alone we decided to go over there more this last week because of her surgery. On Saturday while we were out proselyting I felt an impression to go visit her. Hermana Latorre had felt super sick all morning and thought she needed to go to the hospital. She immediately called her son to come get her and take her to the hospital but he lives 30 minutes away. She didn't know how she was going to make it that long. Right after she got off the phone with him she prayed, and asked Heavenly Father to send the missionaries to come help her. Hermana Ruplinger and I knocked on the door 2 minutes later. Then proceeded to be one of the most scary and stressful 30 minutes of my life. I was about to call an ambulance. At one point I was holding her and rocking her as she cried. I sat there and prayed to my Heavenly Father that it would all work out. As I was picking up the phone to call 911 her son knocked on the door and took her to he hospital. I really don't know if she would have been able to do it if we had not been there. I know that God hears and answers prayers. God knew hat she was in need and sent us there. Not two minutes after her prayer did we knock on the door! That is not just coincidence. I love the quote by Abraham Lincoln "I have been driven to my knees with the conviction that there was no where else to go." Hermana Latorre is now in the hospital. The incision from her surgery had opened and she was internally bleeding. The doctors don't know if she will live for very long. Hurts my soul. She is one of my favorites.

Last night there was a baptism for 3 people in the ward and because there were a lot of nonmembers Hermana Ruplinger and I gave a Restoration message while everyone was changing. There was TONS of people there and I was nervous because Hermana Ruplinger doesn't speak much Spanish and it was in front of such a huge crowd. We had role played the whole thing earlier that day but I really just wanted the people to feel the spirit as we taught. We got up there to teach in front of probably 100 people and my heart was pounding. Who knows why???......I have only taught the Restoration a million times. But it turned out SO well!! As I was saying the 1st vision I just felt the truthfulness of the message I was sharing. I felt the Spanish just flow out of my mouth so easily, almost too easily. I knew at that moment I had divine help. I have never had an easier time teaching and the spirit was strong. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for that tender mercy that He gave me in that moment. Even Hermana Ruplinger did great!!

Transfers are next week. My last transfer. It is really weird to think about. I really hope I can stay and finish my mission in this area because of the good relationship I have with the ward and investigators. It would be hard to leave for my last transfer. I am praying to stay ;)

I hope all is well with everyone!!! Go Steelers!! HAHA!

I love you! and I hope Amanda has a wonderful Birthday!
Hermana Richards

Create a Masterpiece of Your Life

2011-01-25T08:16:00.001-08:00

"In the depth of winter, I finally learned that within me there lay an invincible summer." -Albert Camus
I came across this quote....now I don't remember from what. I think it is from a talk. I was reading and studying so many things this last week. One of them being the talk by Elder Wirthlin called "The Abundant Life". Such an amazing talk. I think that often we are so caught up in the future and what is to come that we don't enjoy the moment and what we have going for us right now. I definitely do not wish away this time right now I have in my life, for I know that I will really miss it. Even the moments when I m contacting people in the freezing weather and people are hating on me. It is all about perspective. Enjoy life and enjoy it now. Create a masterpiece of your life!

I was also studying a talk by Neal A. Maxwell....it blew my mind. I have read it three times and I am still trying to capture it all. It is called "Consecrate thy performance" It is just exactly what I am trying to do to change. Not leaving any portion of myself but giving it all to the Lord. Being swallowed up in the will of the Father and not what the world or myself thinks is what will bring me joy. How could I not give of myself to the Lord? Because it is when I lose life for the Lord that I really find it.

This week went well. I cannot believe how fast time is going. Our zone had a really fun zone activity last p-day. Basically a bunch of relay races. Whose team won, you ask? YEAH!! We totally dominated. I was really fun. Its funny how little activities are so exciting in the missionary life. LOL!

We found this really cool new family. I am really excited. They have 3 kids and seem really ready and receptive to the gospel. We are visiting them today and extending a baptismal date. I pray they accept it.

Last time we went to Julia's house my hands weer freezing because I didn't have gloves. She kept talking about how cold it is outside and how I need to keep myself warm to not get sick. So she totally went out and bought us gloves and gave them to another Hermana that we were having our dinner appointment that night. I love Julia. She included a cute note telling me how much she loves me and how she will be forever grateful for the gift I have brought into her life, the gospel. I didn't do anything seriously. She was the one ready and prepared by Heavenly Father. The people here would seriously give you anything if they knew you needed it. Very humble.

We were walking to an appt and this young teenager turns and looks at my companion and I and gives us a dirty look. Hermana Ruplinger says, " wow, I don't think she likes us very much" I said "no....she isn't looking at us. " Then the girl turns and yells "curse ya'll mormons!!!!" I couldn't help but laugh! She was looking at us. Whelp, welcome to missionary work. I think I have become desensitized to weird things like that. LOL

Work goes forth and I am receiving many blessings! Many I do not deserve.
I love you!!
Hermana Richards

Kaden Tyler= mi amor!!!

2011-01-19T06:14:00.002-08:00

I am officially obsessed with my baby nephew! HAHA!!! I think it's sad that Amanda is sick all the time though. But I LOVE the name that they chose for him. YAY!!

We got to go on and explored mormon.org last week and we were looking at some of the profiles. Maygen--LOVED your profile. You look beautiful in your pic. Everyone else needs to make a profile!! Our mission President is asking us missionaries to make one as well. Not sure when, but soon. You all can go on and stalk me ;)

Last week we gave Juan a copy of The Testaments because he loves watching movies. We came back on Tuesday and he had watched it 3 times! Jenny, his wife(girlfriend really), said "he wont tell you because he is embarrassed but he cried every time at the end when Jesus came." You have to know Juan, he is this big Hispanic man that works in construction. He barely prays because it may show too much feeling. It is really cool to see how much they have progressed. Pray that they can make the decision to get married and then baptized. Tong we are bringing the hammer down on Word of Wisdom!

It has gotten SO cold here. I forgot how cold it can really get here. I now wear tights and leggings under my skirts to stay warm.

Julia, my recent convert, went to the temple to do baptisms for the dead on Friday and loved it! How great that she could go to the temple and feel of the great spirit there within one week of her baptism. She is awesome.

I was thinking/talking to Hermana Ruplinger yesterday and it amazes me how different my life is now in comparison to a year and a half ago. Basically everything has changed. But the cool thing is that I feel like I have found so much more of myself by removing myself from all the worldly influences. Things that used to define who I was before do not even have a place in my life. And I am better! Its just a weird feeling.

My favorite way to contact people is when I can start it with football. HAHA!! This man the other day was walking across the street in full Steelers gear! I could not NOT talk to him! He then proceeded to tell me a play by play of the game Saturday night. HAHA!!

I love receiving mail and emails but the problem is that it costs(what is that meaning in english?.....it is questa is spanish.....um....it takes me a lot...i dont know. My English is so messed up) me a lot to write. I have NO desire to write letters or emails anymore. I am so sorry. I really just don't want to. LOL! Sorry if I have been a slacker on letters and my emails are lame.

Have a fantabulous week! Good luck with starting school everyone! love you
Sarah

Thank goodness for soup and crackers :)

2011-01-19T06:14:00.001-08:00

I was reading this amazing talk by Elder Holland and one of my favorite quotes is this: "Beware the temptation to retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and trusted in it, it is right now." I think sometimes we can doubt ourselves and the decisions we have made. I believe firmly that the Lord gives us guidance but then expects us to go and do. Don't doubt only believe. I know that He has a plan for each of us. Don't doubt that you were supposed to move or go to a certain school, at first I doubted if I was really cut out to be a missionary. I shouldn't have doubted that witness I received. If it was right then, it is right now. Dont doubt cause it gets tough.

Remember last week when my companion was super sick and throwing up?? Whelp.....my greatest dream came true. I was super sick Saturday and yesterday with the same thing. I literally thought I was going to die. Death probably would have been more enjoyable. HAHA!! The zone leaders in my district came over to give me a blessing and brought a member with them. I officially received my first blessing in Spanish. It was actually a really cool experience. I understood everything that was said and the spirit was strong. Later Sat. afternoon I thought that we should probably go to the store to get me some sprite and soup, ya know sick person stuff. But the thought of prying myself off the bathroom floor made me want to hurt myself. I prayed silently that the Lord would provide a way for me to get the stuff I needed. 2 minutes later there was a knock on the door and the Elders had come back with tons of groceries for me. They bought tons! I almost started crying. It was a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. Super nice of them.

We had an investigator fireside last night and my recent convert Dulce was asked to speak. She did AMAZING!!!! She got there and told me that on the car ride she was looking through her Book of Mormon and found this scripture and she felt the spirit tell her to share it. She asked me to read it and see if it was good. She then told me it was Moroni 10:3-5. I kinda laughed silently to myself and said "yes, that would be perfect". She was nervous cause because she said " she still is isn't used to feeling and recognizing the spirit". I am obsessed with her. Her husband, Jorge, is doing great! He finally after a miracle(story for another email) got work off and was able to come to church. He is really excited to get baptized. If all goes well and as planned he will be baptized Feb 4th. I feel really blessed to have taught Dulce and her family. She is basically my best friend in the mission. Just a different connection. I love her a lot. And her little girls too! I gave them the children's songs on Cd and I guess they play "I hope they call me on a mission" over and over again. Lupita yesterday told me she wants to be my companion. HAHA!!! I'm down with that! Too bad she is 4 years old. LOL!!

I am doing good. Hermana Ruplinger is doing awesome! It is super cold today and I think because my immune system was down for a few days I picked up a sore throat. Lovely. Life goes on...

OK!!!! Shout out to AMANDA!!!! YAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am obsessed with the thought of having a baby nephew :)

LOVES!!
Hermana Richards

Pictures!

2011-01-05T05:57:00.000-08:00

Pictures!

2011-01-05T05:49:00.002-08:00

PS

2011-01-05T05:49:00.001-08:00

Family!

My address is still the same. I didn't move areas just changed companions.

Hermana Richards
6601 Harbor Town Dr. #1222
Houston, TX 77036

Love you lots!

Happy New Year!

2011-01-05T05:48:00.000-08:00

" The most difficult thing- but an essential one- is to love life, to love it even while one suffers, because life is all, life is God, and to love life means to love God."

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! Yay! I cannot believe that it is 2011. I do not have the slightest clue where the year went. Crazy! I am excited for what this new year has to bring.

Julia was baptized on Sunday. It went perfect. The ward really stepped up and did their part making it less stressful on me. I sent some pictures yesterday. It was a really good day. FINALLY---JULIA GOT BAPTIZED! :)

My new companion is Hermana Ruplinger and she is from Orem Utah. It has been an adventure that's for sure. On Wednesday morning President Saylin had a meeting with all the trainers. I almost cried through the entire thing(almost) because 1-I really missed my trainer, Hermana Hammar. It made me realize how much she did for me and how much I love her. 2-I was scared out of my mind! HAHA!! Training is hard! I have to basically be perfect all the time. I have to speak Spanish all the time(I should be doing that anyway) and the whole salvation of your area is on your shoulders because your comp is new and doesn't know anything yet(Breath). HAHA!! I am doing ok. HAHA!!! Most of the time I find it kind of comical(kind of). BUT she is really nice! She was born in Germany and speaks fluent German. So she doesn't know really any Spanish. I have really had to teach almost everything. Its a little weird.

On Friday night we had to be in early because of New Years. Well, about 2:30 am my companion starts throwing up. She got some weird bug and didn't stop till about 3pm that next day. We had to spend the entire day inside cause she felt like she was going to die. Poor girl. I felt SO bad! Welcome to Texas!.....sick for 3 days straight.She tries really hard to speak Spanish and really loves being a missionary. I am just trying to better help her be involved in the lessons. She cannot understand much of what is going on and can bear a simple testimony. Lets just say that I have spent a lot of time on my knees. :)

We are emailing on Tuesday because the library was closed yesterday. Then this morning we went on a 4 hour road trip to the doctor. The mission doctor is that far away and in the middle of nowhere! At one point I was going 10 miles an hour following a tractor(I think that's what it was). HAHA!!! We went to try and figure out my migraines. He was nice and had awesome suggestions.

I am doing good. I feel like I don't have a minute to myself but I am over it. I figure that the Lord will help me continue to press on and He will give me the strength that I need. I am thankful for my Heavenly Father and this opportunity I have to grow and learn. I love the quote at the beginning of my email. Hermana Ruplinger's mom gave it to her. If I love the Lord then I will be willing to do anything for Him even if it hurts sometimes. :)

I love you!
Hermana Richards

Christmas Awesomeness!!

2011-01-03T05:43:00.002-08:00

First off, it was so great to talk to all of you on Christmas! I loved hearing your voices and laughing with you(even though I was literally sitting in a closet, HAHA!). My Christmas was SO amazing!

Wednesday-Dulce got her hair and make-up done by a cosmetologist in the ward. She said she had never got her hair done before and felt so special. She had gone out and bought a beautiful pink dress to wear and her two little girls looked so cute! Jorge had a full suit with matching tie and everything. We got to the church and I did a photo shot for them by the trees outside the church. We then went in and the Bishop married them. It was a little weird cause Dulce had asked me to be a witness which means they had to announce my first name in front of basically the whole ward. Right after the wedding Dulce went and changed into her white dress. We took a few more pics and then she got baptized. It was SO amazing! I was waiting by the side of the font to give her a towel when she got out and then went to the bathroom to help her. I cried while she got baptized. We then walk into the bathroom and she just stands there and puts her hands to her face and starts bawling. I gave her a huge hug(yes I got soaking wet) and she just kept telling us thank you. I was probably one of the most incredible moments of my mission. There in the bathroom, her dripping wet, crying. I LOVE her!! She is not just an investigator(well recent convert now), she is my friend. I love her so much! I got her a framed picture of the Houston temple so she can always remember her goal. The next time we came to her house she had it hung up right next to the Family Proclamation. HAHa....I really dont know if I could be more obsessed with her or her little girls. Dulce said that Lupita(the 4 year old) always asks when Hermana Richard(no s) is coming by. Dulce said once I go home she will probably ship Lupita to me in a box cause she always wants to be with me. I would be ok with that! LOL!! Lupita came running up to me after Primary on Sunday and dropped all her candy on the way. SO CUTE! I really want you all to meet them.

Chirstmas eve and day went perfect! We Ended up having over 100 presents to give out to the little kids(I sent pictures). Hermana Stevens and I were wrapping for SO long. But I wish you could have seen the face of those little kids when we ave the presents out! I was probably the best Christmas I have ever had! The funnest was when we would leave the presents on the doorstep and then knock and run. Some of the ward members suspect it was us because I made sugar cookies as well and no Hispanic would do that they said, only a gringa. LOL! I loved it!

I received a phone call from my mission President Sunday night and he asked me to train a new missionary. I reluctantly accepted the assignment. He said he has felt for a long time that I needed to train this Hermana. There are just SO many more Hermanas that are just as old as I am and probably have much better Spanish than me. I hung up the phone and cried. Super stressful!! I told him at the beginning of my mission that I never wanted to train and he knew that. I just didn't want the stress and I didn't want to mess it up. Luckily, I had an amazing trainer and I really want to be a friend to her like Hermana Hammar was with me. The first few transfers of the mission are super hard and she will probably be homesick. I pray that I can help her love the mission and I hope I can be a really good friend to her. Please pray for me!

Julia is all ready and set for her baptism on Sunday! We had a lesson with her last night and she is so ready. She just kept talking about how she feels a such peace with her decision. Her cute little 8 year old boy Kevin(baptized just a few months ago) is going to say a prayer and I have a group of kids in the ward that are going to do a cute musical number. I am really excited for her! Pray that all goes as planned.

OK---so we recieved this awesome training last week about mormon.org....you HAVE to go on there. They have redone everything and it will help so much in spreading the gospel. There are these "I am a Mormon" movies that are amazing. My favorite one is Paris. You will have to go on and watch it! Also....go on and make a profile. We are trained now to have every member go on and make a profile. You will need your membership record and confirmation date. DO IT! Also, put it on your facebook or share the link with friends. I sound so much like a missionary right now. LOL!! It is just an easy way to share the gospel without feeling awkward.

I am so thankful for each of you!!! All the kids presents you sent. I cant tell you how much it helped these people and how much they appriciated it. You are amazing! I love you so much!!! Have a fabulous week!

Hermana Ricarda!

I'll Be Home for Christmas

2011-01-03T05:43:00.001-08:00

There is a reason I put that as my email subject. Not necessarily because I wish I was home for Christmas. I was reading a talk by President Eyring this week entitled "Home for Christmas". He talks about our longing for our eternal home. If we during this season feel the need and longing for home, how much does our Heavenly Father want us to come home to Him one day. One of my favorite quotes from the talk is:
"There have been times, often at Christmas, when we have felt parts of what we will experience when we at last come home to the father who loves us and answers our prayers and to the Savior who has lightened our lives and lifted us up I testify that because of Him, you may have an assurance that you can go home not only at Christmastime but also to live forever with a family whom you love and who love each other."
I love Christmas. I think I have been very blessed this season with not really any homesickness. I think that the people I am serving here have filled that void for me. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for how much He has blessed me recently. What a wonderful time to be a missionary! Hermana Stevens and I this morning were preparing our Christmas message that we will be sharing Christmas Eve and Christmas. I, of course, had to have a theme and visual aid. We are using the star and how the Wise Men used the star to find Christ. And when they found Him they bowed down and worshiped Him. Oh how great it would be if we could find our Savior this year but, in our hearts. Let us use the star that is placed in our time so that we may find the Savior. The star could be many things....the scriptures, prayer, the prophet. But lets go out, like the wise men and look for Him, and when we find Him let us bow down and worship Him.

Guess what???!! Dulce and Jorge are getting married on wednesday and right after Dulce is getting baptized!! I for these last 2 weeks have been working my butt off. Calling the court house, Mexican consulate, getting plans ready, PLANNING A WEDDING, and baptism..etc....Dont worry-I have a cosmotoligist in the ward doing her hair, the Relief Society is doing a few gorge decorations and refreshments. I am SO excited! Who knew I would be planning a wedding on my mission. Dulce is so amazing! I also have a framed picture of the Houston Temple to give to them as a wedding gift so they can focus on their goal of gettting sealed as a family. I am really trying to make Wednesday a special day for them. I will take pictures adn get them to you next week. Pray that everything comes together!

Julia is either getting baptized this Sunday or next. I hope this Sunday because I want to be in this area for her baptism. We are meeting with her this afternoon to decide on a date.

I totally am sick! I have a nasty cough. I hope that I have a voice to talk to ya'll on saturday. I lost my voice Friday and Saturday last weekend. Dont worry mom, I am taking plenty of meds adn drinking OJ like it is going out of style. LOL!

We have Christmas Zone conference on Thursday. I am excited! We then have plans to go by Christmas Eve and Christmas day to members, investigators, everyone and bring sugar cookies and share our Christmas message. "Its the most wonderful time of the year!"

Well, I gotta run cause we have a short p-day today. Not much time. I love you and am SOSOSO excited to talk to you on Saturday!
Sarah

Wise Men Shall Seek Him

2010-12-14T15:43:00.002-08:00

"When we find Him, will we be prepared as were the wise men of old, to provide gifts from our many treasures? They presented gold, frakincense, and myrrh. However these are not the gifts Jesus asks of us. From the treasure of our hearts Jesus asks that we give of ourselves. 'behold, the Lord requireth the heart and a willing mind.'"
-President Monson

I seriously LOVE Christmas! I love sharing messages about the birth of our Savior and of this season. This time of year can be some much more enjoyable if we would forget ourselves and help others. It is then that we are really happy. And we can say that when He shall appear that "we shall be like Him". (Moroni 7:48)

Ok...first off. I for some reason feel sick so it is hard to type. Sorry if this email is short.

Hermana Stevens hurt her foot last p-day so it was a rough week. She couldn't walk for too long. Which totally hinders missionary work. Hopefully this week we will be back to normal.

Dulce and Jorge are going to the Mexican consulate on Wed. with the Bishop to get her ID so they can get a marriage licence to get married. She will be baptized as soon as that all comes through. It is SO tough to get non-citizens married. We are hoping that either this Sunday or Christmas she will be baptized.

Julia officially has a date for Jan. 2nd but is praying to see if she should get baptized the 26th. She even already asked Hermano Osorto to baptize her. I am super excited!

I saw Jhon Wilches....my favorite convert on Sunday. He may or may not have run after me in the church to see me. HAHA! He is awesome.

I am excited to talk to you all next week! I included the phone number on an email so you can call me. Calls are in the afternoon this time at 4pm(my time). I am SO excited to talk to you!!!

Have a wonderful week!!!!
Hermana Richards

There Can Be Miracles

2010-12-14T15:43:00.001-08:00

I want to recount to you my day yesterday but to fully understand I need to start back almost a year ago.

While in my first area I received this really cute skirt from someone. I immediately fell in love with it but it didn't fit me. But in that moment I thought to myself, "who knows maybe I will lose weight on my mission." Ever since then every time I was transferred and packing my bags I saw the skirt and thought to myself "Why am I keeping it?? It is just more stuff to cart around." But something inside of me said "just keep it".

Yesterday was a crazy day. We had to get everyone to church in order for them to be baptized on the 19th(weekend in white-mission goal). We had a ton of people scheduled to come and I felt like I hadn't tried harder to get people to church. A few of our investigators showed up but Jenny and Juan-an amazing family that we are working with were not there. It wasn't 12 hours that we had left their house from an amazing lesson with the Bishop where they said they were for sure coming. As the sacrament started, I cried. I think it was more of the stress and pressure but I was SO sad that they didn't come.

Right after church and meetings we went to their house to see what happened. Jenny then proceeds to tell me that she felt embarrassed because she didn't have the money to buy a skirt. She said if she was going to church she wanted to give a good first impression to the people. The Christmas Devotional was that night and Jenny expressed her want to listen to the prophet but needed a skirt. It was Sunday, I couldn't go buy her one. But my thoughts immediately went to the skirt packed tightly away in my suitcase where it was been for a year. We ran back to the apartment to grab it and then I prayed the entire way to her house that it would fit. I thought it would be too small. She put the skirt on and it looked like it was made for her!!!! It was so amazing to see the smile on her face. She looked beautiful. It was a small miracle for me yesterday. They came to the devotional and the baptism of another family right before. The spirit was so strong. I leaned over to Juan and said that one day he will be the one baptizing his little son Steven. He then smiled back and said "It would be an honor for me." The night before I asked Juan how he felt when we were in his home. He then said that he felt protected and safe. Like there are angels in my sight." This is the same Juan that had never prayed and didn't even know what faith was when we first visited him.

Another family we are working with(Dulce and Jorge) I hadn't been able to get a hold of at all yesterday. But finally she called us at 5:45 and said she wanted to go to the devotional but didn't have a ride. I then proceeded to call EVERY Hermana in my phone to see if they could give her a ride. I finally called Hermana Nolasco and she told me that she wants to but because of economic troubles they cannot afford the gas to go to the church again. She said she wouldn't have the gas money to get to work the next day. I then told her that no one else could do it. She agreed that she would do it even though she didn't have a clue how she was going to get to work. She came to the devotional with Dulce and her girls and as they were leaving I handed her $10 but she refused to take it from me. REFUSED! I had tears in my eyes as she said, " I know that the Lord will provide a way." This Hermana has been a member less than a year. When was the last time I had that much faith? I pray that the Lord pours blessing upon blessing to her family.

A scripture comes to my mind. "Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it." Matt 16:25. I have found more of myself here in this work then doing anything else. As I have stressed and cried and suffered, but I have found the real Sarah Richards. The Lord breaks us down into little pieces only to build us up stronger and more whole(maygen 2007). I know that the Lord can do more with us than we can do for ourselves. Miracles can happen. I saw it manifested yesterday as I saw Jenny in that skirt and as I looked into Hermana Nolasco's eyes. Any sacrifice I have ever made, any trial, every tear---HAS BEEN WORTH IT! I found myself Saturday in a lesson saying to myself that I would sacrifice ANYTHING for the Lord and the gospel. It is THAT worth it. And great has been my joy to see that same love and peace in the eyes and faces of my investigators and the many members who sacrifice everything. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know He is the Son of God. He is my Savior and my Redeemer. He lives! Shout it from the rooftops....He lives.

I love you!
Hermana Richards

(No title)

2010-11-29T22:30:00.002-08:00

We taught this amazing lesson on Tuesday night to a mom and her two teenage girls. Come to find out during the lesson the mom, Maria is in Kidney failure and is in constant pain. She receives dialysis two times a week. As I was listening to this, looking at the pain in her girls' eyes I prayed so fervently to my Heavenly Father that I could teach to the needs of this family. The daughter Alpha began to cry as she told me that she just wants her mom better. She said if she could wish for anything it was for her mom to live. In that moment I felt like the task before me was more than I could handle. How could I express the love that Heavenly Father has for them and the wonderful plan He has set for them? I wanted to take the pain in their eyes away and calm these girls fears. I prayed that as I opened my mouth that the Lord would fill it. A scripture immediately came into my mind. Revelation 21:4 "And God shall wipe away all the tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain." I then testified of the Plan of Salvation and how we can live with our families forever. I shared Tylers story(something I don't do often) and we left with a prayer that brought peace to my heart and hopefully to the hearts of that family. I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father that in that moment He gave me the guidance I needed. My purpose there was made clear to me. I love the Lord!

Thanksgiving was......interesting. Thursdays are planning days so we planned in the morning then later that afternoon we had a Thanksgiving dinner at the Bishops house. For a woman from Mexico she did an amazing job cooking a good old American thanksgiving dinner! She is so cute! Well....we left the Bishops house and went to this area so we could contact people on the street. Not even 5 minutes later I felt this thing on my neck. I go to touch it to see what it is when a huge wasp/hornet totally stung my finger! It hurt SO bad!!! I thought I was going to die. I was literally crying on the side of the street! We rushed off to Wal-greens(the people there know my name I swear) and got me some meds. My finger was swelling up pretty bad so I took some benadryl. While doctor Hermana Stevens removed the stinger from my finger(I guess she did it a lot growing up on the farm). Needless to say my thanksgiving was spent me knocked out with a finger twice its size. HAHA! My finger is normal now ;)

Sounds like all of you had quite the adventures on black Friday! LOVE it!!

The mission right now has a goal for 500 baptisms for the year 2010. Our mission President designated the weekend of the 18th and 19th as "white weekend". Which means that every companionship is to have a baptism that weekend. Right now we have 5 people set with a baptismal date for that weekend. It is going to be tough to have someone ready but we have complete faith that we can do it! It is amazing, right now we have so many people with baptismal dates. The trouble is getting them to be ready for it and come to church! The Lord is blessing us so much. Last night we ended the week breaking my mission numbers. Heavenly Father is definitely preparing people in this area right now. :)

Oh! mom----do you know that book "You are Special" I think years ago Elder Devey shared it with our family? I want to get it as a gift for Dulce's little girls. Can you maybe find it in Spanish and send it to me? I have decided that if you all are going to buy me Christmas presents I will then just give it away to my investigators. They have nothing. SO don't worry about getting me anything :)

Well, I feel like I could write for days but time is up. LOVE YOU!!! All is well here....most of the time ;)
Sarah

Thanksgiving

2010-11-29T22:30:00.001-08:00

"To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is grenerous and noble, but to live with gratitide ever in our hearts is to touch heaven."
---President Thomas S. Monson

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for so many things.I decided to make a list of a few thigns I am thankful for.
-being a missionary-greatest experience of my life!
-family
-mail-you dont even know how much it helps me
-little kids-their pureness and love
-singing--when I am frustrated or annoyed, I sing :)
-the spirit-the constant love I can feel from my Heavenly Father
-my Savior
-chocolate during 3 hour planning sessions
-my leggings that keep my legs warm under my skirt
-new sister missionary rules that allow me to paint my nails and not feel ugly
-when my companion will kick(lightly)the cats so they dont come near me(they know how much I hate animals)
-magic(that one's for you denise)
-the gift of tongues----who ever knew I could actually speak Spanish?!
-my hair-a lady in the ward has cancer and has lost all her hair and where would I put my pen so it couldn't be more handy than in my hair?
-flowers :)

Dulce and Jorge=BOMB! Dulce came to church for the 3rd time. We for sure set her baptism for Dec. 8th. I am SO excited! I have never taught someone so ready. On Tuesday she asked us "What can I do to better prepare myself for my baptism?". She is so amazing! Well, she already reads her Book of Mormon for at least 2 hours everyday and I taught her how to use the references on the bottom of the Book of Mormon in her studies. She will soon know more about the Book of Mormon than me! HAHA! Jorge wants to get baptized too but has to work on Sundays. He said he will get days off in December and on his 3rd Sunday at church he wants to get baptized. Jorge described the spirit so amazingly the other day, he said "it feels like we are the only ones in the world and that nothing else matters. I feel warmth all over and love. My heart is beating so fast that I feel like I need to catch my breath." Dulce then agreed that she felt the exact same way.Their cute little girl Ashley came up to me during the lesson and handed me this drawing she made for me. It was of Hermana Stevens and me. Maybe she made Hermana Stevens 2 times as big as me, maybe she didn't. HAHA!! Made me laugh. Hermana is pretty tall. I had a third eye and Hermana Stevens arms are coming out of her head. I put it up on my wall so I could look at it while studying. :) OBSESSED!

Hermana Stevens has been sick all weekend. She barely had a voice. Made for a fun time trying to get all of our 70 OYM's or contacts. She would start the contact by saying "Hola!" then I would finish it. Each week each missionary needs to get 70 contacts-like with people on the street, knocking doors, etc. I made it a goal a long time ago that I would ALWAYS get my 70. SO by Sunday night I barely had a voice from doing the contacts for both of us and teaching all the lessons. Haha....little bit of man voice today-that's for sure.

About 3 months ago this little girl gave me one of those plastic bracelets that is in shapes of things. She gave me one with a Princess. For some reason I always wear it and when I would put my watch on in the morning I would always put on this pink little bracelet. Well, the other day I was having a hard time(to say the least) and we visited this investigator. Her cute little 5 year old daughter was talking to me and I showed her my Princess bracelet. She then said "its a princess...to tell you that you are a daughter of God". She is SO cute! OK.....almost bawled my eyes out right then. What a tender mercy from Heavenly Father in that moment. To be reminded that I am a daughter of a King- which makes me a Princess. Definitely helped me make it through that rough patch.

Have a fabulous Thanksgiving!! I love you all and will be thinking of you on Thursday. Eat lots of turkey and pie for me, ok?
Sarbear ;)

Spaghetti Mess!

2010-11-15T21:12:00.000-08:00

President Saylin has recently written a talk in our mission newsletter about the Sacrament. I have realized that recently I haven't been as focused on the Sacrament as I could be. I am so worried about investigators, if they have a good experience, if members sit by them, not to mention playing the piano---that I have taken my mind off of the importance of the Sacrament. I tried really hard yesterday to be reverent and partake of the sacrament in a manner that is respectful. It was such a spiritual experience for me. I have been missing out these last few months. President Saylin said, "May we not forget in our hearts-even always remembering-what He has done for us and for those we love. With such remembrance, none of us would ever do anything contrary to His will or decline opportunity to repay the debt owed to Him." Remember what President Packer said, "Reverence invites revelation."

First off, I am not getting transferred. Hermana Stevens and I are staying together another transfer. When I told Dulce yesterday that there was a chance I was leaving she started to cry! LOL! I am OBSESSED with her. Her and I are best friends. She is so cute-at Church yesterday she was taking notes and marking her scriptures. She and her husband went to the Thanksgiving activity last Friday with their girls and I guess they stayed till 11pm and danced(ya, I didn't know ward parties went that late...but then again I am in a Spanish ward. LOL). She is probably the most prepared person I have ever taught. Its really awesome to be a part of.

I was on exchanges 2 different times this last week. It was a good experience but on Tuesday we had a bunch of problems and I ended up having to take a sister missionary to the mission office to go home. LONG story. But a little stressful to say the least. I think I am done with exchanges at least for a little while. I feel like I have lived out of my suitcase.

One of our investigators wanted to learn how to make spaghetti so on Friday I made her and her family their first spaghetti ever! It tasted pretty delicious if I do say so myself. The funny thing was that Hispanics do not use forks....like ever. Most of the members only have forks for when the missionaries come over to eat. SO we ate with spoons. Well, cute little 4 year old Fanny(Stefany-short) couldn't do it so she ended up eating it with her hands. It was SO fun to watch the cute kids eat Spaghetti for the first time, with their hands! It was a mess that's for sure! And the hug from Fanny on the way out with her sauce covered face and hands was even funnier. Yes I am washing that skirt today. LOL!!

I ate menudo(cow stomach) and cow hoof on Thursday. I wanted to kill myself. I went to go wash the bowl and throw the rest away when Hermana stopped me and told me that I have to cut the fatty looking stuff off and eat it. "Es bien rica y tiene vitaminas!" NO it is NOT delicious and how does fat have any vitamins??? Torture...no wonder most missionaries gain weight on their mission.

It was hot one day-sweating.....freezing the next. Ok houston.....make up your mind. Have a good week! LOVES!
Sarah

Hace Frio!

2010-11-08T13:20:00.000-08:00

"The earth is not our home. We are away at school, trying to master the lessons of 'the great plan of happiness' so we can return home and know what it means to be there."
-Elder Bruce C Hafen

On Friday night we brought our ward mission leader to a lesson with Jenny and Juan. I love them! Hermano was such a huge help and they committed to get work off so they can come to church. I sat down with their two little boys as we used my little pictures to put together the plan of happiness. I have been studying the Plan of Salvation a lot because I am working on re-doing my lesson plans and I am on the second lesson(The Plan of Salvation). The quote by Elder Bruce C. Hafen just hit me because its so true!
We have to be away from something to really appreciate it. For example, I have been away from my family for over a year and I feel like my love for you has grown stronger because I had to take a step back and realize what it felt like to not be with you. Once I get home I will better appreciate it because I will know what it means to be there. To be together again. It is the same with our Heavenly home. We will be thankful to live with our families and God forever because of all the work we did to get there. Just trying to have a more eternal perspective I guess.

It has gotten super cold here. I got out all my scarfs and jackets that have been packed away in my suitcase for 8 months. LOL! I like the cold but it is harder to contact people because every one is inside and warm. Plus- it gets dark by 5 pm. Little bit more rough as a missionary.

We had Presidents interviews on Thursday. It was exactly what I needed. President Saylin is such an amazing man. He told me I have done an amazing job building up the area. I really needed to hear that because it has been super hard. But I really feel like I have never had better investigators and I think it means more to me because I was the one who started it with all of them. I knew them from the beginning. I am really excited for what is to come in this area this next transfer. If all continues to go how it is now we should have 2 families baptized next month with 2 other women. So tight!

We ate lunch at a members house on Thursday and found out that her baby daughter has been super sick. Well, as we were teaching the lesson I asked if they had thought of a Priesthood blessing. Hermano has only been a member for two years and he said that he doesn't know how to give blessings. What good is the Priesthood if you don't know how to use it? I called up a Priesthood holder from the ward to come over and teach Hermano how to do it. I was so amazing to see him, so nervous and humble, put his hands on his baby's head and give her the cutest blessing ever. Hermana cried because her husband has been having a hard time going to church and just lost his job the day before. His spirit was low. What a great way to unify this family! I learned a lesson on the importance of the Priesthood that day and how the importance of having it in the home. How often do I take for granite the sacred power the Priesthood holders have? I need to do more to support the Priesthood.

We are working with this amazing family, Jorge and Dulce. They have two adorable little girls and have totally loved and accepted the gospel. We came back for the second visit and I asked how their prayers went. They had never prayed before. They both looked at each other and said "We are still a little uncomfortable praying. I mean we pray two times a day as a family now and say our personal prayers but we still feel nervous." I almost fell off my chair. How many members pray ONCE a day with their family? They are awesome. Dulce and her little girls came to church and LOVED it! Everyone thought they were already members. Jorge had to work(pray he can get next week off). AND they are actually married! 95% of Hispanic couples are not married. It is super hard cause we have to get people married before baptism. They have a baptismal date for Dec. 5th! YEAH! Most humble people I have ever met.

Transfer calls are next Monday. I think I might die if I have to leave this area. Literally. I think I say that every time but so far these are my favorite investigators. I love these people way too much. We will see what the Lord has in store for Hermana Richards. I only have 3 transfers left-sick. My gut is telling me I am going English next transfer....I hope not.

I love you all a lot. Sorry I am a slacker on writing letters. Just not enough time. Have some fun in the snow for me! Wal-mart totally has all of their Thanksgiving/Christmas stuff up. I all of the sudden got a huge craving for some of Grandma's cooking and pumpkin pie. Hispanics dont really celebrate thanksgiving so it might be just a normal day for me. We will see. Love ya!

Sarbear

November? Weird

2010-11-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life...that the world through him might be saved." John 3-16-17

Yesterday we were OYMing(contacting) people in this apartment complex. I started talking to this woman about the gospel a little bit. She then proceeded to go off about how Christ was only a prophet and how he is just like you and me, etc. She was really forceful and told me that I was wrong and she hoped one day I would find the truth. I stood there and something deep inside of me stirred. I then testified that I KNOW that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. That only through him are we able to receive eternal life. I felt a power as those words came out of my mouth. I had never felt more sure of anything I had said before. It was an experience that really helped my testimony grow. I guess the gospel has always just made so much sense to me that sometimes it really is sad when others do not have this knowledge. But that's why I am here! I will find you and I will teach you! I LOVE being a missionary. I have never felt closer to my Heavenly Father because I am serving Him by serving His children.

I had to give a talk yesterday in church. I was super surprised at how comfortable I felt at the pulpit. Yes, my talk was in Spanish. Heavenly Father really blesses his missionaries. That's for sure. I sang a special musical number also. Who knew I wouldn't even be at all nervous to sing solos anymore? I guess I have done it so much that it doesn't even phase me. Plus, Hispanics think even if you can sing on key then you are superstar. LOL!

End of the month this week...which means out of mile for our car===BIKES! yeah! haha. NO, I really do like my bike. I just wish we didn't have to use so many miles on exchanges, meetings in the other mission, meetings with President Saylin, etc. Luckily it will start getting cool here. It is SUPER humid today. Feel like I walked into a shower.

We ate lunch at a member's house on Tuesday. While my companion was in the bathroom, the member and I decided to play a joke on Hermana Stevens. She had a chicken foot in the soup to give it flavor but we thought it would be funny if she put it in Hermana Stevens soup to "have her eat". You should have seen the face of Hermana when she saw her bowl. I deserve a Grammy award for how well I went along with things. I leaned over to her and said, "Hermana you cannot offend her. You have to eat it!" HAHAHA!!!! The member then busted out laughing form the kitchen. SO funny!!! I love the members. I love getting to know them and become friends with them.

Halloween was a normal day. We had to be in at 7:30 last night. I just cleaned and caught up with writing in my journal. But of course I ate some candy. LOL! There was a Halloween activity Saturday with 3 wards. I loved it cause the other wards were ones I have served in so I got to see the members and my recent converts and everything! Melody a cute 10 year old from my first area came running up to me and wouldn't let go of our hug. SO cute! She is the one I gave all that Twlight stuff you sent me last year.(did I tell you that...whoops-ya I give away a lot of stuff).

I cannot believe it is November! Anyone else wondering where the year went?? Thanksgiving is coming up soon! I don't think many Hispanics celebrate it cause they are not form here. oh well. I can eat lots of turkey next year :)

I hope all is well with you! Love you tons!
Sarah

Happy Halloween

2010-11-02T05:55:00.000-07:00

" The Book of Mormon teaches us truth and bears testimony of Christ. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find power to stay on the strait and narrow path. The scriptures are called 'the words of life', and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon....'Every latter day saint whould make the study of this book a lifetime pursuit' ". ---Ezra Taft Benson

Recently I have been studying the Book of Mormon a lot. The importance of it and how it answers the questions of our soul. I love the Book of Mormon. " In a world ever more dangerous..the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ has the nourishing power to heal starving spirits of the world". (Boyd K. Packer) I just started reading the Book of Mormon again and I want to challenge all of you to read it with me. I have 5 months left of my mission which means you have to read 3 pages a day to finish by the time I get home. Will you do it? I promise you that if you do the Lord will bless you with the power to resist temptation and you will have the Spirit enter your heart and be a guide for you. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and is true.

Ok....I am feeling a little overwhelmed right now. With exchanges, trainings, covering 2 areas, companion, etc. I just want to scream but I will save that for my pillow tonight while my comp is in the shower. I really am doing good. Just stressed. LOL! and we ALL know that Hermana Richards is not the best at handling stress. HAHA! We covered 2 areas most of last week and we are week two. It has been interesting. When I get nervous I bite my nails....whelp, my nails are super short night now. Cause I feel like my brain is going to explode. :)

At Jiffy Lube the other day they played Taylor Swift's new song. My heart literally hurt. I felt physical pain. :) HAHA!!! Even after a year I still love my Taylor Swift. Enjoy her new cd that comes out tomorrow. Think of me as you listen. LOL

My favorite investigator in my last area got baptized last week! Fransico-he is truly amazing. His Dad is a pastor in Honduras(intense). But he finally said he couldn't deny the spirit telling him that he needed to get baptized and follow this camino(road).He is the one who bought me a water fountain when I got transferred. I am so happy for him!

I found out my companion knows how to braid hair. Needless to say in the last week my hair has been braided 4 out of the 7 days. LOL! So much easier. Especially cause it is STILL HOT HERE! Yes who know I would sweat outside in the end of October? Welcome to Texas humidity.

We had some great lessons this last week. Jenny and Juan are still progressing. We taught them on Friday and we wanted to teach a third lesson(the gospel of Jesus Christ) but by the end of it we had taught a third, most of a 2nd, prayer, and church--Most intense 45 minutes! Luckily our member was the bomb.com and had answers for all of their questions.

Maygen---thanks for the conference talks! Exactly what I needed. You are awesome :)

Janet--the Halloween card is too cute! Man your kids look so big!

We found lots of new people this week. One day I think we walked for like 6 hours if not more. Luckily we had already met most of our goals so we weren't stressing about sit-downs. But my dogs were barking(maygen...thats for you). LOL

Ok...I feel like this email shows a ton of Hermana Richards sas/attitude. Sorry, been a long day-already. I hope you all have a fabulous Halloween!! It will be a normal day for me here. I love you!!!

Sarah

When the Lights Go Out

2010-10-19T19:12:00.001-07:00

" This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends..." John 15-12-14

I love it here when Jesus Christ calls us his friends. Can we call Jesus Christ our friend? Do we have this relationship of love with him? I was studying about love the other day and the infinite love that our Heavenly Father has for each one of us. I have found that as I have served God's children I have had a greater love for them and I felt closer to my Heavenly Father. Charity in the Bible Dictionary is defined as the highest, noblest, strongest kind of love. I am really striving to have more charity. I am trying to see everyone through the eyes of Heavenly Father. I think when we give of ourselves that is when we truly find out who we are. There is a quote....don't know who it is from, but it says "nothing is truly yours until you give it away". Look for opportunities to lighten the load of another. Jesus Christ was the perfect example. Maybe then we will know what it is like to call Jesus Christ our friend. Because we would then have a glimpse of the love that he has for us. The same love that brought him to suffer for our sins, pains, and sorrows. The same love that can make us whole.

The temple was so great! I sat in the waiting room area and just looked at this picture of Christ with outstretched arms. I knew that I was in the house of the Lord. There is just a special feeling of peace and love that cannot be found anywhere else. It was in the temple that I opened the Bible and read those verses in John. It was just a great time to talk with my Heavenly Father and to feel of His love for me. The temple is a healing place! I took pictures and am going to try and send them this week.

On Tuesday night we had a lesson with this family. We have just recently started teaching them. We arrived at their house and she told me that the lights had been turned off because they couldn't pay the bill. She felt really bad and felt stupid for having to tell me that. I looked at her and said no problem, I have a light. I then took out the little flashlight that you gave me for my birthday and read the scripture to myself written on it- "Let your light so shine". We ended up lighting candles and passing my flashlight around to read the scriptures. It reminded me of the talk by President Monson at conference. I just sat there in the candle light and looked into these peoples eyes. I feel like I saw a glimpse of heaven when looking at there two sons smile when talking about "Jesus". We end the lesson with a kneeling prayer. There is something amazing about kneeling in prayer with a family who has never prayed together before. Juan, the father's voice shook because this was his first prayer, ever. I prayed fervently to my Heavenly Father that he would help them feel of his love. It was an amazing lesson. I walked out and felt like I had to catch my breath. When the lights go out miracles happen.

We stopped by to visit Carlos. He is so amazing. But his wife is really shy and timid. She is afraid of change. So she didn't want to come out of her room to listen to the message. I saw the pain in Carlos's eyes because he wants this for both of them. He has come to Church a few times now and has LOVED every minute of it. He even tries to sing the hymns with full voice even though he doesn't have a clue what they sound like. LOL. We taught him about forever families on Saturday night. The poor man started to cry. He just really wants it for his family and he has been through a lot in his life. He said that this knowledge gives him hope and the reason to press on. Please pray for Carlos. He is one strong, humble man who I know can change and one day be sealed to his family.

The primary program is next week so the primary president asked if me and my comp would go to primary to help the kids learn the songs better. It ended up being so much fun! I LOVE primary. Kids just have a special spirit about them. I love it.

I hope you all have wonderful week! I love you!
Sarbear ;)

One Year?

2010-10-19T19:11:00.001-07:00

"Wherefore, I call upon the weak things of the world, those who are unlearned and despised , to trash the nations by the power of my Spirit;
And their arm shall be my arm, and I will be their shield and their buckler; and I will gird up their loins, and they shall fight manfully for me; and their enemies shall be under their feet; and I will let fall the sword in their behalf, and by the fire of mine indignation will I preserve them. And the poor and the meek shall have the gospel preached unto them, and they shall be looking forth for the time is nigh at hand-" Doctrine and Covenants 35:13-15

I recently came upon this scripture and feel in love with it. I love the imagary it paints in my mind. Me, with my shield and my sword, fighting the things of the world to bring the gospel message to the poor and meek. And He will preserve me. I am definitely one of the weak things of the world. But I have been called and so I came. Prideful, unlearned, selfish, weak Sarah has been called. Through Him and the help of the Spirit I have been an instrument to bring about a mighty work here. My weaknesses have been made into strengths. I love the Lord. I know that we have a living prophet on earth today to lead and guide us. Joseph Smith did in reality see God, the Father and Jesus Christ. I know that light that Jospeh saw. For it has been that same light that has given me power to press on and it has been that same light that has lead me in the dark. For when I am weak then can I be made strong. Jesus Christ is our Savior. Turn to Him and He can make you whole.

It has been a year! wow-I cannot believe that I have been a missionary for a year. On Thursday we get to go to the temple. What an amazing opportunity I have to spend my year mark in the temple. I am so excited. This year has been the fastest, longest, most stressful, rough, amazing year of my life. I wouldn't take back this year for anything. Thank you for always supporting me and for all your prayers. There were definitely days that I could hear the rallying cry of my family through prayer. Thank you!

I got to sing at a fireside and a zone meeting this last week. I sang one of my favorite EFY songs called "I will not be still" It turned out well. Look up the words.....missionary song at its finest :)

I had a huge migrane on Thursday-which is planning day. We planned for a few hours but then went to a lunch appt at a members house. Oh boy my head hurt. I was sitting there eating thinking I was going to die at any second, trying not to throw up/cry when we were finally done. Well, you always ask if there is anything we can do to help or whatever. 95% of the time people say no. BUT of course the one time I feel like garbage she asks if we could take everything out of her fridge and freezer and clean it out. I almost laughed out loud it seemed ludicrus to me. I then said a silent prayer and Heavenly Father blessed me with the ability to do it. He is always there in our time of need. He knows our name and He knows our circumstance. I love the Lord.

Time is up. I want to write all day long. I jsut want ot tell you my heart. I want to tell you everything but I cant. Just know I love you and there is a Vegas lovin' girl here in Texas that loves you. Keep smiling and as Taylor Swift would say "stay beautiful" :)
Sarah

"Because of Your Faith My Joy is Full"

2010-10-19T19:10:00.000-07:00

First off----THANK YOU SO MUCH for the Birthday stuff!! I loved the packages, cards, etc. It made the day special. Thank you!
My Birthday ended up being really good. Every Wednesday we meet at the Bishops house to eat lunch then talk about less actives and investigators. Well, they planned a surprise Birthday party for me. One member who works at like the Ace of Cakes Houston Hispanic style made me this HUGE Birthday cake. He used tons of foundant icing and it looked like a missionary tag. With my name and everything. I took lots of pics and plan on printing some off today for ya'll. Super fun!

We got transfer calls this morning. I am staying here but I am getting a new companion. I hate changes. Especially because I hate losing a companion. I really love Hermana Wright. The first few days of a new companionship are a little tough. I am excited to be staying in this area though. We will see what Wednesday brings.

Wasn't conference amazing?! I watched most of it in Spanish because we had investigators there. But even when I couldn't understand everything going on I could feel the Spirit testify that President Monson truly is a Prophet of God. My favs include: Elder Holland, President Monson(cried at the widows story), President Eyring(my #1 fav) and Elder Packer(SO strong and powerful!). I LOVED conference! It is just such a filling of the spirit. Was truly a blessing from Heavenly Father.

I am so grateful for all of you. I sat there and listened to President Monsons talk about gratitude and thought to myself----how much do I show my appriciation for my family and friends? I dont think you all realize how much it helps me knowing that I have people at home who love me and support me. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart. I pray for you. I pray for your success and for you to feel gods love. I wish I could put into words the love I have for my family(am friends who are considered family). It hurts me sometimes to be far from you. But what I have been given here has blessed me far beyond anything else. I love you!

Sarah

"I Got a Tooth....and It's Sweet!"

2010-09-29T15:37:00.000-07:00

"Every choice you make helps define the kind of person you are choosing to be." -Martin Luther King

For some reason I dont know why it is so hard for me to start this email. I have written and then re-written the first paragraph like 3 times. My week was a little rough. We have just had a hard time getting people to listen to us this week. On Thursday we got home and I was washing the dishes. The last four days had been full of walking around and finding people, all day. I was exhausted. My companion was in the shower and I just began to cry. 1-because it was so hard and 2-because I could really feel the love of my Heavenly Father and my family. I felt like I could almost hear you guys cheering me on. In that moment I was extremely grateful for all your prayers and support. I recently have really been able to feel the hand of Heavenly Father changing me. Its kind of weird. Things I wanted before aren't there and my desires have changed. I didn't think I would be able to feel it so clear. If I needed to have a rough week to mold me then so be it. I want it that bad. I want to be more Christlike. I am willing to suffer so that I can be made more better. Keep praying please. I am trying to make the choices that are right so that I can be what Heavenly Father wants me to be and what I have imagined I could always be.

The subject of the email is just a quote from one of our recent converts....he is so awesome! Him just telling us he wants candy. LOL!

Ok...imagine this....A BIG FATTY bowl full of fish and shrimp!!!! YUM!!!! NOT! I had that bowl put in front of me on Tuesday. Of course my companion and I had just eaten. Hermana Wright looks at me because she knows how much I hate seafood. I start peeling off the skin and legs off the shrimp and pray. I have never had such a hard time eating something. I really wanted to die. At one point I had tears in my eyes. It was worse than eating the cow stomach. One of my biggest trials. ew.....just thinking about it makes me sick.

We did get to watch the Relief Society broadcast. It was in Spanish....so I got the gist of what was being said. But I didn't get any of the jokes President Monson said. Conversational Spanish is still my weakness. Could you send me a copy of his talk? Everyone says it was awesome. I don't really know. HAHA!!

I helped one of our investigators break into her car after she locked her keys in. Hanger and srewdriver is all it takes! LOL!!! Maybe I asked the gangster black man to help, maybe I didnt. :)

Yes...it my Birthday on Wed. WEIRD! Where in the world did this last year go?? 22 sounds way too old. gross. Thanks for all the packages and mail. Aunt Janet---you rock! MOM---you always know what I like :) Even if on my Birthday there isnt anything special I will love it because I am a missionary. The only Birthday I get as a missionary! LOL!!! A day never to be forgotten.

Keep pressing forward. The Lord loves you! "Remember the rallying cry: Remember Him"----$20 bucks for whoever finds out what talk that is from and what its about. One on the greatest lessons I have learned on my mission. (not really $20 bucks...im poor. I will give you a smile though :)

I love you!
Sarbear

My Super Sweet Ward Party!

2010-09-29T15:36:00.000-07:00

"Every happiness and every joy that has been worth of the name has been as a result of keeping the commandments of God and observing His advice and council". -President George Albert Smith

One of the biggest things that I have learned on my mission is that of obedience. At first it really hurt to change and to make the appropriate goals to be better. I liked the way I was. But I know that if I wanted to be a missionary with the Spirit and had the help of the Lord, I had to submit to the will of Him. I have found that as I have tried to be exactly obedient that the Lord has not only poured blessings down upon me but that I am actually stronger and better able to deal with hard things. We have these commandments for a reason. We learn in 1st Nephi that that Lord gives no commandment less he shall provide a way to accomplish it. As hard and as difficult it may seem, with the help of the Lord we can do what we all know we should be doing. It just requires something of our soul. Life is not easy because Salvation is not cheap. Make it a goal to recognize where you fault and CHANGE! It will hurt for a while but boy will it be worth it.

My week was great! Hermana Wright killed ourselves to make our goals. On Tuesday we were able to get 9 sit-down lessons! That's a lot for those of you who don't know. Haha! Heavenly Father has really blessed us this week. We exceeded our goals and I beat my mission records. LOVES IT! We had an amazing lesson on Tuesday where we taught this part member family. We taught the Plan of Salvation and had a really good discussion about the Atonement. In Preach My Gospel it says that one of the ways you can know if you are teaching by the spirit is when you learn something new. In that lesson I really felt like my testimony was straightened and I learned more about my Savior. It was a wonderful experience and made me have the desire to have all my lessons like that. No one could deny the spirit that was there. Sometimes in your mind things are just so clear. That was one of these moments for me. I could say that without a doubt in my mind that I know we all can be cleansed from our sins. Jesus Christ came and paid that price for us. Apply the Atonement in you life and I know it will bless you and make you whole.

On Friday we had a Ward party. Ok.....it was like the most hoppin' Ward party that I have ever been to. LOVED IT!! It was a celebration of the independence of all the countries(like 4th of July for us). Everyone dressed up in authentic clothes from their country and we had tons of food. My favorite part was the dancers they had there. they did all sorts of Hispanic dances with the huge, gorgeous dresses. The guys in full uniform with sombrero. Don't worry I took tons of pictures! Thats why I titled my email like My super sweet 16....cause it was that hoppin' HAHA!

We had a really good lesson with Marisol and Raimundo on Thursday. We taught them the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It was so funny cause Raimundo was taking notes! LOL! Love him! And he was marking his scriptures and everything. I really love them a lot. The problem is that we cannot get their butts to church. Kinda frustrating. Please pray that they will come to church!!! They are so ready for the gospel.

Ok....who is excited for general conference????!!! I am dying to watch it! Needless to say it is like Christmas for missionaries when it is conference time. LOL

Well, gotta run! I love you all a billion percent! Keep smiling! Its getting cooler! The car said it even got down to 83 degrees yesterday. I cried. HAHA!

Hermana Richards

Finally Some Pictures!

2010-09-13T21:50:00.000-07:00

:)

2010-09-13T21:49:00.002-07:00

" I don't know their needs, but God does."

This last week has been really good. We have been teaching some amazingly ready people. One family that we are working with is really progressing. We had left them with a chapter in the Book of Mormon to read. Well, we came back and I asked how their reading was. She then told me that they had read 4 chapters and reviewed the introduction(which is what I had read from and taught them). I talked about how we can know for ourselves that these things are true by the Spirit. She then opened up the BOM and shared a scripture she read that reminds her of that. They are amazing! I have a lot of love for them. They always fed us dinner too. Last time they gave us iced tea and I had to tell them why we dont drink it and gave a small version of the Word of Wisdom lesson during dinner. They always say "our house is your house". We met these people like 2 weeks ago! I came home that night and felt really overwhelmed with the carga(load) on my shoulders---basically cried my eyes out to Heavenly Father. I didnt know why or how Heavenly Father has me, really imperfect me, teach these people. I dont speak Spanish well enough and I still lack a lot of knowledge. I didnt feel good enough to have these peoples souls in my hands. I want this for them so bad. I dont want to screw it up. I know that only by the spirit can I teach. So I have been basically handing myself over to the Lord. I dont know these peoples needs and trials. I dont exactly understand them. But God does....and I can be His mouthpiece. He calls weak people and makes them strong. And as for my strength I know I am weak but in the Lord I can do all things.

Every week we eat at the Bishops house on Wed. and then talk about our investigators. I love it!!! It is such an awesome opportunity to talk to the Bishop and work with him to help strengthen the people. He is a really good Bishop to be working under and I am so grateful to be in a ward that is functioning well. Its hard to find in Spanish Wards.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY KARA!!!!! Well....on Sunday. :)

We had more trainings this last week. We had Zone Conference. We did more role plays and practices. I took another 4 pages of notes. LOL!!! This whole learning thing as a missionary never changes. Always more to learn and always something to improve on.

The good thing about lots of meetings is that I get to see my old companions. I seriously LOVE them. Especially Hermana Hammar. I feel bad cause she is struggling with her comp right now. I feel like she is my family out here. The thing about Hermana Hammar is that 1-she is my mom(mission mom....my trainer) and 2-she really doesnt open up to a lot of people and really never tells people she loves them or hugs them 3-she is the one that in my blessing President gave me that he said we would be friends for the rest of our lives........I love her. She said she loved me the other day. I almost cried. Because unlike other people in the world she uses that word rarely and means it when she says it. She was there for me when I was a snot nosed greenie that was homesick. And for that I will be eternally grateful. I'm sure you may not understand why I feel like I need to put a whole paragraph about her in my email. I am just really grateful for her. There are very few people in this world-besides family-that I feel like I love as much as her. Heavenly Father has really blessed me to know her. I am going to cry my eyes out when she goes home in December.

I feel like this email is basically looking into the feelings and mind of Hermana Richards. I hope some of this makes sense. I am just really grateful to my Heavenly Father for His love. Especially when I am such an imperfect person. Missions are hard but its a decision that I will be thankful for the rest of my life that I made. I hope you all have a wonderful week!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!

Sarah

Hermana Richards is....Hitch?

2010-09-13T21:49:00.001-07:00

I bet you are all wondering what the significance of the title of my email is. It all starts yesterday.....

The first little prize was when we were driving to an appt yesterday and it was raining really hard. I was driving, and we had to drive through this puddle thing. Well, after we get through the puddle/pond I hear this weird sound. We pull over to find that this peice of plastic is hanging off our car!! great. We are already late for an appt. I swear ONLY ME would this happen to. I have the worst luck. So I get on my hands and knees to check it out. It is raining and there was so much mud and dirt. I realize that the part is hanging on by one screw. Right about then me...in my skirt, is on the ground looking under the car, when these 2 Hispanic men walk up and asked if we needed help. Perfect. Luckily I speak Spanish and could tell them what was up. They then proceeded to get under the car-all muddy and gross to look at it. After about 10 minutes they had it off so I wouldn't be dragging this part as I drove. Count it---this is now the 2nd time a Hispanic man has to come to my aid to fix my car. they are so nice!! The funniest was when they were walking away and both of them were COVERED in mud and dirt. Yes, of course they used the puddle rain water to wash themselves off. LOL! Thank you Hispanics!

But dont you worry my night of fun does not end there. We then get to our Dinner appt and cute little Hermana Martinez made a feast as usual. Well, Hermana Wright and I were eating when Hna. Martinez asked why we were eating any of the chiles. She then proceeded to put one on our plates. After picking off the seeds, I ate mine. Kinda hot but I could handle it. I look over to see the puppy dog eyes of my companion. I forgot that she cant eat really spicy food. So I sneak and eat hers as well. Everything's good. I finish eating when of course I have an itch in my eye. Me-being the idiot I am-touch my eye. Then came the BURN! I forgot that I had just used that hand to pick out the seeds out of the chile. I excuse myself to the bathroom where I shove my face under the water faucet to get rid of the pain. I am sure I looked ridiculous because I was franticly in the bathroom using water, towels, anything I could find to get rid of this pain. I almost screamed out ot my comp in pain. finally I was able to get my contact out(Kill me) and the burn wasnt as bad. I then look at myself in the mirror------Yikes!! I looked like straight up Hitch off the movie. My whole left side of my face was red and swollen. My eye was SO red. I walk out of the bathroom and tell my comp we have to leave. Luckily the member is tight and wasnt upset. We then ran to wal-greens to get my eye drops and benydryl. It was just like the scene out of the movie Hitch. LOL!!! I really thought I was going to die. I think I was having some sort of reacton so I opened the benydryl before I even bought it and took some. We went home and I feel asleep by 8pm. Oh my life! I am going to wear my glasses for the next few days to be safe(lame). My eye looks normal for the most part. Dont you worry----I def took pictures last night of my eye. HAHAHA!!! Gross.

So that was my day yesterday---full of rainbows and sunsets.

On Wed. and Thurs. all day we had Sisters Trainings. It was really good but imagine sitting in one chair from 8-6. We would be taught a principle then we would break into groups to role play(my fav.-not) It was really good but draining. President Saylin asked if I could sing Abide with me tis eventide. So I did the EFY version of that.

I realized that Sunday was my year mark from going to the temple. Me and Hermana Wright happened to take out our endowments on the same day. It was a nice reminder of the importance of the temple and the blessings that come.

We found 3 less- actives this week. My nickname in the mission is basically the LARC (less active-recent convert) Queen. I find more less actives than anyone times like 5. I guess I am just lucky like that. One family we found is awesome and we are excited to get them coming back to church. They are so amazing.

My favorite person we are teaching right now is Julia. Her son, Kevin (8years old) just got baptized and now we are working with her. She wants to be baptized and knows that it is the right thing to do but she is scared of falling after. She doesnt want to make any mistakes. We have been teaching her about the atonement like crazy. PLEASE pray for her. She is praying about a baptismal date right now. She is so ready. she is basically already a member with how much she is involved in FHE and activities. I love her!

Hermana Wright and I are working so hard and really trying to follow the Spirit. We realized how much we have been blessed recently. Hermana Wright is so amazing. She is just so nice. One day I got out of the shower and she had made my bed and everything(cutie). She also made me this cute little picture of Christ with this quote(one I told her was my fav) so I could hang it on my wall. she is jsut so nice. She is helping me try and be better. I definitely lack in the nice/thoughtful section of my life.

I hoope all is well with you! Happy Birthday DAD!!! Glad the Utes won!

I love you!!

Hermana Richards

Bikes-Yikes!!

2010-09-13T21:48:00.001-07:00

"God never leaves us alone, never leaves us unaided in the challenges we face." ----Elder Holland

I was reading the talk "The Ministry of Angels" this morning and this quote is from a part of it. I know that Heavenly Father loves us and that He has a plan for each one of us. Even if at times we can't really see why things are happening to us and why we have certain adversity. Turn to him and He can make you whole.

I bet you are all wondering where I got transferred to........drum roll..........I am now serving in Houston 8(yes, I know that has no meaning to you) HAHA!! I basically moved one area over from where I was before. I still meet at the same church and so I will see all my people every Sunday. BUT listen to this----my companion is Hermana Wright. Now for all of those that don't remember she was my comp. in the MTC. YEAH! We are back! I love her so much. The tough thing is that she really has a hard time with her Spanish. SO I have the weight of the world on my shoulders trying to speak and understand everything going on. Even after only 5 days I have really learned a lot and grown. It has made me stretch a ton! (sometimes it hurts :( ) I know I say this every week but PRAY for me! We have some amazing investigators and I dont want to screw it up. LOL!!!

Leaving my last area was hard. I was just starting to love those people. My investigator Francisco gave me a water feature(just a fancy way of saying a platic water fountain) to remember him by. You bet you bottom dollar I have it on my desk and just need to get batteries to operate it! haha...love him.

We have a set number of miles that we can use per month. Well, I got to my new area to find that we didn't have any miles left. SO I have been on my bike looking beautiful, glistening(ya right) in the blazing heat. I actually like my bike cause I can contact more people and it just makes you feel more like a missionary. If only it wasn't a million degrees outside.

We had Stake Conference yesterday. They had this youth choir sing the EFY Melody-in spanish of course. Well, I guess I was emotional or something because just looking at the kids on the stand, knowing their backround and lives- made me cry. I loved it! It made me realized how much I really do love the Hispanic people. Which was something I struggled with at the beginning of my mission. I will basically do anything for these people.

My address to my apartment is: 6601 Harbor town #1222 Houston, TX 77036. You can send letters to that address but send packages to the mission office. Its just easier.

I just love you all so much. I hope you know that you are all in my prayers. I marvel at what the Lord can do if you submit to His will and are obedient. I have seen miracles happen. I love you!!!

Sarah :)

HOLY GARBAGE......WHAT????

2010-09-13T21:46:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I got a call about an hour ago telling me that I am getting transferred!!!! I was completely shocked. I just got to this area 6 weeks ago. My comp has been here for a while so I was dumb-founded. I will know on Wed. where I am going. CRAZY!!! I seriously JUST unpacked all my stuff and put up my pics. Lame!

I am really going to miss the people in this area. In only a short 6 weeks I have really grown to love them. I am sad because we have about 3 people lined up for baptism and now I have to leave. :( Not to mention I love Hermana Taff....I feel like I have become best friends with all of my companions. Its really sad to leave them sometimes. We are totally bummed. I am going to try and send pics soon. So dont send anymore mail to the address on Rampart. Send only to the Mission Office-4627 Austin Parkway Sugar Land, TX 77479.

Speaking of addresses....I need the address for Denise and Sam &Linds(new apartment). You may have told me and I am an idiot and lost them ;) I have a letter for Denise but dont have an address for her.

Most important information in the email---------------HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYGEN!!!! Mi amor!
Have a rockin' Birthday! I am sad I am missing it but I am SURE you are going to be OBSESSED with my Birthday card. I know I was ;)

I was able to go to Galveston on Saturday for Javier's baptism. It was so awesome. It was a surprise that I was going to be there. So when the family showed up I was hiding and I jumped out of the bushes. Maria- the mom started bawling when she saw me. She is so cute. I found out right before the baptism that Javier wanted me to give a talk. It turned out well-even though it was in Spanish(thank you Heavenly Father) and they had me sing. I picked I feel my Savoirs love. Its one of my favs. The baptism was so great and he was so happy. Javier is 16 years old and his mom is a member. They are a family that was in-active when I found them in Galveston. Now they are completely active and going strong. I consider them one of my greatest blessings and miracels of Galveston. I love them a lot.

We got a new car on Thursday. I feel like I am a queen! My comp. cant drive cause she got in an accident a couple transfers ago. I drive 24/7---which you all know I like cause I always like to be the driver. BUT...guess what???!! I was so used to the old car with its automatic lights that I may or may not have left the lights on Friday night. We had a major dead car battery in the morning. We called our zone leaders(cause they are the only ones who have a car who are near) and they came to help us jump it. The only problem was that the parking spaces next to the car were taken. We tried to put the car in neutral but the instrucions were really detailed and would take forever to do. I had this feeling(the spirit) that I needed to knock on this one apartment door to see if one of the cars on either side were theirs. The apartment was random and kinda far from the parking lot. But I did it anyway. I asked the lady(in spanish....dont think there are white people where I live) and the black SUV was hers. I nearly died! I couldnt believe it. She moved her car and an hour later we had our car fixed. It took forever and we were all sweating in the blazing hot sun! I am grateful for the help of the Spirit. Otherwise I dont know how we would have gotten the car fixed in a timely manner.

Raul's baptism had to be pushed to next Sunday. It was this huge drama----because of a member. Dont worry he is so ready and still planning on getting baptized. I am sad because I might not be able to come back for it. :(

We were eating dinner at a members house on Thursday and as we were eating I counted 12 cockroaches in the kitchen/dinning room area. Hermana Taff wanted to die. I killed one with my shoe as it ran passed me. Welcome to my life family. Disgusting.

I had probably the worst experience on my mission thus far on Wed. We went over to a less- actives house and it turned into her saying some really nasty and mean things about us and the church. She had some bad experiences in the past. After an hour of recieving her wrath she kicked us out. I said one word the entire time. We left feeling like failures when the Bishop pulled up and said "Hey Hermanas how are you??" What a tender mercy from Heavenly Father. We just got killed with words by a less active and then the Bishop comes right after to cheer us up. We got in the car to leave and Hermana started bawling. It really was probably the worst experience thus far on my mission. Rough!

Well, I now realize that I have to go back to the apartment and throw all my junk into my bags again. Kill me! You should see that amount of stuff that I cram in those bags. Maybe I sit on the bag to close it, maybe I dont. LOL!!!! HAHAHA!!

I love you all a lot! You are in my prayers. Maygen----Have a fabulous Birthday- Te amo!!

-Hermana Richards

:)

2010-09-13T21:45:00.000-07:00

Mi Familia!

"There is no tomorrow to remember if we dont do something today and to live most fully today we must do that which is of greatest importance. Let us not procrastinate those things which matter most." -President Monson

I love this quote. President Monson is so amazing! It is SO true, verdad? Some of my greatest memories-on and off the mission are from moments when I have been doing that which is most important. I LOVE this work. I LOVE being a missionary. I feel like I have found a greater happiness as I have focused on the things of the Lord. For my mission my mind has been off the things of the world and onto the things that bring eternal happiness. Live today like it were your last. "Live like you were dying"------(country song quote?? what?) Smile through the trial and find joy in the journey.

This week flew by!! I was on exchanges with Hermana Knapp for 3 days. She is this cute greenie that is serving in my old area. It was fun to get an update on the people and area. She has only been on her mission a couple of weeks. She reminds me a lot of myself. The only thing was that she doesn't speak ANY Spanish. I could not get that girl to open her mouth for the life of me! LOL!!! SO that means Hermana Richards was on her own for all the lessons, talking, etc. We got home Wed. night and I had lost my voice from talking so much(7 lessons later!). On thurs with Hna. Knapp we taught a gypsy----scariest thing of my life! I didn't understand her accent very well(hers and Cubans-never). I prayed the entire time during the lesson that I could understand her and teach to her needs. It ended up going well....huge tender mercy from Heavenly Father.

Raul is all set for his baptism next Sunday! So excited! Last Sunday they announced a singles dance and he totally went on Friday. He is solid. Yesterday he was making all these comments in the gospel doctrine class and obispo(bishop) asked where he learned all of that and he pointed at me. HAHA!! I love him! We had a bomb member lesson with him with a couple here in the ward. Love him! PLEASE pray for him cause yesterday he told me he was super nervous about his baptism and he is not sure if he knows enough yet. The fact is that he is super intelligent and knows more than I think most Hispanic members. Next sunday is going to be great cause we have 5 baptisms for our district set. YEAH!

Ok...so super sad---I wasn't able to go to Galveston yesterday to see Sandy get baptized. I was bummed. I am just glad she finally made the decision about baptism. I didn't need to be there. But luckily Javier is getting baptized on Sat. so I can go then. Galveston here I come!! I am dying of happiness!

In the mission there are certain goals that you try and always meet. 2 of them being getting 20 sit down lessons each week and and average of 10 OYMs(contacts) per day. Hermana Taff and I got our 20 sits by Sat. so we had to spend most of our time yesterday talking to people. It was SO hot!!!!! I literally wanted to die. At one point my companion was so hot she finally just sat down under this tree and almost started crying(I am laughing while typing this cause looking back it is funny). I was able to convince her to keep going but only with the bribe of giving her my Gatorade. LOL!!!!! love her! I really am grossed out at the heat here though. Ugly August is really turning out to be true! There is no way to NOT be ugly in this heat. LOL!

Funny story----Our Bishop(he is white) here teaches the Gospel Principles class. He is a teacher so it is always so good. But sometimes when he speaks he will be speaking normal and then all the sudden he will go into this creepy, story tellers voice. I laugh almost everytime(I hide it of course). But yesterday one of our investigators, Francicso heard it and then looked at me with this really funny face. I laughed so hard. Luckily I was on the end so no one saw or heard me.....maybe it was one of those you have to be there moments. LOL!!! I think he goes into creep voice when he is trying to use conjunctions---like when he is adding an idea. I have examined it in detail cause I think it is hilarious!

It is really nice to be back in the same church building as my first area. I see Missouri City ward members all the time. Not to mention I get to see Jhon Wilches every week. He is still active and doing good. I am obsessed with that man! He said once he gets papers(who knows when that will be) he wants to come to Vegas so I can show him how to gamble. LOL! He was just joking but you get the idea of how awesome he is.

We have been getting trained like crazy on all these new stuff....well old stuff but new trainings. It has been a good learning experience. Now I just gotta figure out how to put it all into practice and remember it all. There is so much to remember as a missonary!

Welp....I feel like I have been rambling this whole email. Ya'll just got a look into the mind of Hermana Richards for a while. I am grateful for your support and love. I feel Heavenly Father blessing me everyday! I pray for you and I know that Heavenly Father will bless you and help you as you turn to Him. He loves you. My eyes have been opened to the blessings that come when you are obedient and do all possible to follow Jesus Christ. Follow Him and He will lead you along. Down a path that is less traveled but worth it. I love you with all my heart. Keep smiling!

Love----Hermana Sarah Richards

Ugly August

2010-08-13T17:48:00.001-07:00

"Do you want to be happy? Forget yourself and get lost in this great cause. Lend your efforts to helping people...stand higher, lift those with feeble knees, hold up the arms of those that hang down. Live the gospel of Jesus Christ."---President Hinckley

As a missionary there are tons of times when you feel over whelmed and weighed down. This last weekend was one of those. Saturday night I was stressed because we had worked so hard that week to obtain our goals and I realized we wouldn't achieve them. I then realized that with the help of my loving Heavenly Father I could do anything. I could conquer the world if needed. I teach and meet amazing people that the Lord puts in my path. I find myself feeling and saying things beyond my past experience. In times of discouragement I need to put all my trust in Heavenly Father. He gives us times of trial to help us grow and become a more perfect people. He will make you supposed weaknesses into strengths if you turn to Him.

I am going on exchanges this week. Well, my companion is going to Galveston(jealous) for 2 days while I have a brand new missionary for 2 days. I am excited about it except that I really don't know the area yet. I am going to be really lost! LOL!! No but seriously. Hopefully Lola(my GPS) will be friendly to me for those 2 days.

I got permission to go to Galveston next Sunday to attend my investigator, Sandy's baptism. I am SO excited to go back to Galveston for the day. Especially because I love Sandy a lot and am so stoked cause she is getting baptized. She is so ready! I will definitely take pictures and send them next week.

It is really hot here....big surprise, i know. Hermana Taff and I have named August-"ugly august". There really is no possible way to be cute when in the disgusting sun all day long.

Our investigator Raul is progressing toward his baptism in 2 weeks. He is really smart and every time we teach him he basically teaches me something new. He is this old, bald man with a Santa like belly. HAHA! I love him. We have some really cool investigators right now. They all seem really prepared for the gospel.

I dyed Hermana Taffs hair. It looks bomb! I also convinced her to cut her REALLY long hair--which also looks cute. My hair is in a disgusting pony tail everyday. I only use a straightener/curl iron maybe once a week for church. Thus, you will not be receiving many pictures of Ugly August.

I feel like this email is really boring-sorry! This week was really full of good old missionary work. We worked our tails off! If we weren't teaching a lesson we were talking our faces off trying to find new investigators. Luckily my area is packed full of Hispanics!

Well, I hope you all have a good week! Enjoy the last few weeks of summer before schhol starts up again. I love you!!!

-Hermana Richards

Even My Tan Lines Have Tan Lines! (August 2, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:46:00.000-07:00

Hey family!

The title of this email is funny but really true. It has turned SO hot here recently. My comp and I are dying. We came up with these random points for you to understand our hottness(not to be confused with hotness- looks):

~Tale of two sweaties
~Sweat, Sun, & Gatorade
~I have a permanent backpack shadow
~My sweat rag is completely wet after 1 hour of pros.
~Headbands are no lnger a fashion but a neseccity to paste down our sweaty hair
~When making a return appt with someone the sweat drips off your face and makes the pen on your planner smear
~Turns out that 2 gatorades and 1 water bottle are not enough for one day---we now pack a cooler everyday

These last 2 days are the only days in 3 weeks that it hasn't rained! But it has turned on the heat...perfect.

A recent convert in the ward like to sew and make clothes so she offered to make me and my ocmp a skirt. I am super excited! She is so sweet to offer that.

4 of my investigators in Galveston are getting baptized this month. I am going to try and go down for one of them but it is hard cause we have to get a member to give us a ride. It is about 2 hours away from where I am at now. I am super excited that some of my favorite people are getting baptized!

We went to a recent converts house cause he wanted to give us some food....thats fine. Well we get there and it is a huge fiesta! Really awkward cause people were drinking and the Mexican music was up really loud. He said we could take our food and leave. We get to the car and look inside the box..........literally there was a pigs ear!!!!! A grilled ear of a pig was chillin in my hands(in the box of course)....it still had hair on it! I threw up in my mouth! Thank goodness I didnt have to eat it. What if the member had given to us and wanted to watch us eat it. Sick!

Raul last Tuesday basically tauhgt us the Word of Wisdom. He is so awesome. His baptism is going to be on August 22nd.

Francisco is doing awesome! He loves to read the BOM and go to church. The problem has been that his dad is a pastor in Honduras and feels like he shouldnt get baptized again. Well we gave him 2 Nephi 31(the Gospel of Jesus Christ) and we came back to visit him and he said he was now confused.....or has doubts. He isnt so sure of his being baptized when he was young. He now feels a conflict-----which is a step. He is now opening up to the idea of be baptized becuase it needs to be by someone that has the authority. He is praying to find out if he needs to get baptized again. Pray for him!!!

We had a really good BOM training on Friday. We are now focusing on using the Book of Mormon more. I know that the Book of Mormon has a power to change hearts and has the answers to the questions of our soul. The Book of Mormon is the greatest tool we have today to strengthen our testimonies. I encourage everyone to read more regularly and look for things to learn from the pages within. I know that I have been extremely blessed since being on my mission and studying it more fully.

Hermana Taff and I are doing really well. I know that there really are people in this area that are prepared to hear the gospel mesage. I am excited! We are able to find tender mercies and miracles of our Heavenly Father daily. He really blesses His missionaries.

I hope everyone has a fabulous week! Know that I pray for you and for your happiness and success. I am grateful for your support and constant love---even when I know I dont write you enough to tell you that. I owe everything to this church. I am and will be eternally grateful for my mission and the testimony I have. I have been given the great blessing of being born in the gospel. I often wonder how I was so lucky to be born into the family that I was and to have a knowledge of the Gospel. I took it for granted. It wanst until I came here and talk to people in the most horrid of spiritual and physical conditions that I have begun to see that. Be grateful for what Heavenly Father has given you. Even if at times it doesnt seem like a lot. But the fact is that our knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father and our purpose here is a greater blessing and knowledge than most people in the world have. Press on....go forward with faith. And take a minute to pause and thank Heavenly Father for all we ahve been given. Because we often do not deserve it.

I love you. I truly do.
Sarah

"Ssssome Ice Tea??" (July 26, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

This day has been a complete charlie fox......We totally had a flat tire on our car this morning(I may or may not have ran over the curb last night)...I didnt think it did anything to the car. Well....we look in our car to put on the spare and of course we dont have all the tools. So we call the Elders and they come to help us put it on....well this one Elder insisted that he knew "a lot" about cars so he proceeded to try and fix it. As he is about to put the spare on the car, the jack falls over and the car falls to the ground. Lovely! Some nice liquidy stuff comes pouring out of the car and we are in shock......2 seconds later these 2 Hispanic men come walking over looking like our heros---they then help us get the car off the ground, we use their jack and we drive immediately to the tire place were we sat for forever to fix it. All the while sweating cause it is a million degrees outside....joy.

My week was good. It rains everyday here. Not sure why but it does. My umbrella is my BF.

I LOVE the pic Grandma sent me of Rick and the boys baptism. I put it next to my desk....I am slighty obsessed.

The new area is good. I get lost a lot. All we have is apartment complexes and they are all different so it is hard to know where you are. And they are not liek the ones at home. These are like a MAZE!

We have some awesome investigators.....3 of them are named Francisco so we call them (not to their face) Teddy Bear Francisco, Body Francisco and little francicso. They are all awesome!

This week we took a recent convert to one of our appointments. It started out great, we sat down and we were going to start but then our investigator got up and was like "let me get you something to drink" with his cute little mexican accent. So he's in the kitchen for a while and we were just talking (us and our recent convert) and next thing we know he comes walking, practically prancing into the room with two big glasses of brownish-orange drink, and says, handing the glasses to us "Sssome ice tea." Hna. taff immedeately look over at me and says "what do we say" as he walked out of the room to get another glass for the member... I don't know if you know, but in the hispanic culture, it's really rude not to accept anything that someone offers you, seriously. A number of ideas flashed thru my mind; accept it but just leave it on the table, take it but pour the contents into the plant sitting on the coffee table, or turn it down... My comp then looks at me with puppy dog eyes and I tell him that we dont drink ice tea. It was so awkward and we felt soooo terrible, but our member was there to smooth it out a little bit. I seriously wanted to die! It actually turned out ok though because we taught our lesson and the spirit was there, so we'll see :). You probably don't think that this story is very funny but I seriously can't tell you how much Hna. Taff and I laughed about it all week. When I get home I'll do the impression of it and we can all laugh together.

We laugh a lot. Random funny things like running over the curb, or me tripping up the stairs(always up never down), or really cute sweat marks in our clothes, or member lessons where the member is arguing with our investigator---basically yelling(ya never bringing her out EVER again). so ya...mission life never gets old.

Well I gotta run and go to Fiesta--the only grocery store in our area and it is basically a hispanic store. LOVES it! Have a fabulous week! I love you!

Sarah

New Comp! And New Area! (July 19, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

This morning we(missionaries in my zone) all watched this movie called "The District 2". The movie is something the church did to help train missionaries better. It is basically real life missionaires and their experiences. It was so awesome!!! They taught real people and shared their stories. It was amazing to see how the people progressed and then got to baptism. It gave me a lot of encouragement and excitement to do the work. Right now we have some really awesome people progressing towards baptism and we are totally looking forward to having a baptism soon. My companion-Hermana Taff(I will talk more about her later, dont worry) has never had a baptism in the year that she has been on her mission and she feels bad about it. I am determined to change that here! It was just really nice to watch the movie and feel the spirit. SO many of the stories and testimonies shared I feel like were close to my heart and could be compared to me(example:one sister missionary's brother had died while on her mission). So often as missionaries we are giving out the spirrit so much that sometimes it is nice to be the one to sit back and feel it. Not the one giving it out. The Lord just gave me a tender mercy this morning and gave me the opportunity to see how I can improve and change.

OKOK.....I am now serving in Houston. It isn't the main downtown city but it is right next to it. The area is flooded with Hispanics. I see one white person for every 50 Hispanics. I AM in little mexico. HAHA!!! Everyone I talk to is Hispanic which is nice cause that means we have tons of people to teach. I like the area so far. It is all apartment complexes = consusion to find my way around. LOL! They are all different and have weird gates and stuff to get around. Let alone hte parking-to find a visitors spot that is open so we dont get towed. ALSO-yes I do have a car but still have my bike of course. Our area is small enugh that we can do it on bike. And cause I love my bike so much I have convinced my comp to use it about 4 times a week!( yes I know I sound like a crazy person.....I my bike. :)

My new companion is.....Jennifer Taff. She is from Longview, Washington. She is super cute and hilarious! She went to BYU Idaho before the mission and is a art ed major. I was sad cause I felt like I wouldnt get another cool comp cause I LOVED my last one. BUT she is tight. If I could have picked anyone to serve with(out of my choices) she was the one I wanted. LOL!! THANK YOU HEAVENLY FATHER!!! HAHA!! I really am lucking out.

We got 2 baptismal dates on Friday! YEAH!! Raul has aleady been to church 3 times and has a date for August 1st. I really think he will be ready but he wants a for sure answer from Heavenly Father. He loves reading the Book of Mormon so if he continues to do that and pray with real intent I know he will be ready. We are teaching Word of Wisdom tomorrow---pray that it goes well.

Our other date is a woman named Flor. We OYMed her(talked to her on the street) and taught her the 1st lesson(Restoration) and I extened a baptismal date for Aug 15th and she said "of course....what do I need to do to prepare for my baptism?" Then she referrred back to her baptism like 5 other times in the lesson.....like "when I get baptized"....realize that we had just meet this woman 10 minutes before and now all the sudden she was getting baptized. Missionary life is crazy!!!! Welcome to a sneak peek.....

Not too much else has happened. The mosquitos are eating my face off. I have to buy more repelant today. One that has like 600% DEET.

OH!!! Here is the addres to my apartment:
5401 Rampart st #349
Houston, TX 77081
Just send LETTERS here....I dont know it well enough to know if it is reliable with packages. I get mail every Friday from the office so send packaegs there....the Sugar Land one. SO no biggie.

Yes I am sweating my face off. Yes it is HOT!!! It is actually hotter in Houston cause we dont have the breeze of the ocean like in Galveston. Lame. I do miss Galveston. Lluvia(one of my favorite members) and Sandy(my investigator) totally got me the cutiest going away gifts. I guess there are pics on my facebook that she tagged me in.....I'm sure the ones where she silly stringed me are cute(NOT!) LOL!!! I seriously LOVE them!! the rest of my goodbyes last week weren't too terrible. My favorite Rivera Family took us out to dinner. I miss it a lot but I really am plannning to come back and visist them all again.

Well.....I feel like this email is boring. Sorry I dont have any cool/funny stories. I will try harder next week. I dont have Hermana Birds emails anymore to make you all laugh. I love you!!!! Have a fabulous week!!

Love, Hermana Richards

Kicked off the Island :( (July 13, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:41:00.000-07:00

Trust in the Lord.

I have been repeating those words in my mind for the last 48 hours. I found out on Sunday night that I am gettting transferred cause my companion will be training a new missionary(she is scared to death). SO that mean tomorrow I will be going to a new are awith a new companion. When she got eh call I immediately started crying. President Saylin knows me well and asked if "this Wed is going to be another funeral service"(when I left Mocity I cried the entire transfer meeting...this one will probably be similar. LOL. He did say that where I am going and who I am going with will make me smile....so we will see.

I spent all day yesterday packing. Then last night we went to an AWESOME noche de hogar. We had 3 families in the branch there. We went to hitchcock(a small town 15 min away) to have it at one of the members house there. We had a lesson then played this game called "papa caliente" which is basically hot potato. One person claps and then we pass teh ball around. once the noise stops, teh person who has the ball land on them has to pick something out of the secret bag( the bag is full of funny items to wear)....SO MUCH fun!!! Of course the two macho men get the dresses and the mumu thing. LOL!!! I took pics and will send them next week. All 20 of us looked ridiculous by the time the game was over. But super fun!!!

Well......The Fuentes family(part member family that we are teaching) gave us a ride to the noche de hogar. I hadent told them I was gettting transferred cause I didnt want to spoil the FHE. Os as we were getting out of hte car I gave Maria(the mom) a hug and told her. She then got histerical and started bawling. she was hugging me and kept saying "porque??!!!!" In the car is her 6 year old daughter crying screaming and telling me that she doesnt want me to go. Javier the 15 year old son then gives me a hug(freaked me out cause im not supposed to hug boys) needless to say it was the most dramatic goodbye ever!!!! Seriously!!! I was crying the whole family was bawling. I told her I could come back if Jaime and Javier get baptized, I would just need to find a ride. She said she would drive to canada to get me back!! :) I love these people.

It is going to be a hard couple of days. I dont deal with change well. But we will see. I have about 8 more goodbyes like that I have to do today. I am not excited to say goodbye to Mary Beth or my other Fav people here. :(

Almost every morning Hermana Bird and I take a walk to the sea wall and watch the sun rise. It is amazing. I am going to miss Galveston really bad. This is paradise island!!! the members are amazing!! I am so sad. Hermana Bird and I are best friends----we are the same person! But we are going to be friends after FOR SURE!!! she is so amazing nad I am so excited for her to train. We are only getting a new baby Hermana about every 3 transfers so I might never have to train and I am TOTALLY ok with that cause it is really hard.

I actually think I will miss my bike too. I have my own bike and I will take it with me till the end of my mission then leave it. I might use the bike randomly but nothing like everyday here in Galveston. :(

Part of Hermana Birds email:
"""""""""""Hermana Richards is the acting mother of the van (driving the vehicle, conducting a symphany while pushing the buttons to open and close the automatic sliding doors, etc.)...I was the acting co-mother (providing the fresh fruits and veggies to the hungry kids in the back)...the family van is awesome!!

So, I must tell you about how the fit for survival sometimes overtakes companion responsibilities to protect each other...

...outside in the 110 degrees..no clouds...pure sun...two chairs...only one in the shade...so the question begins...who is going to have to face the entire lesson in the blazing hot sun?...the one who tans easy? or the one that burns like a lobster?...Hermana Richards neglecting her already pink companion, runs to be the first in the shady chair...so what do I do you ask??? I sweat, sweat, sweat....as the sweat drips off my face, and down my neck I keep my trusty handkerchief at my side...dobbing and whipping when needed..aka the entire time. All that I can see from the corner of my eye is Hermana Richards...smiling...laughing...and totally content in her shady bliss....fanning herself lightly with a For Strength of Youth Pamphlet...so don't worry I left the lesson with a huge BURN!!! Got to love it!""""""""""""""""""

I love her and am going to miss including her stuff in my email.

So dont send anything anymore to the Galveston address...send it to :::: 4627 Austin PKWY Sugar Land, TX 77479..........until next week when I email you. REMEMBER email is now on Monday. So send them before Monday morning. :) :)

Well, I love you all SO much!! I really cant mean it more. When serving other people you learn to love them. even when you have nothing in common wiht Hispanics. Please keep me in your prayers these next fewe days and I will update you all next week on everything. I am praying for you and miss you!!! LOVES!!!

Hermana Richards

Rain Rain Go Away! (July 6, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:40:00.000-07:00

The computer is kicking me off early for some reason so I am just sending Hermana Birds email to you.....SORRY!!!! I am so sad!!

My week was good!! 4th of July fireworks rocked!! I have been soaking wet all weeek but its all good. We got huge effects from Hurricane Alex. So much rain!!!

Jess-thanks for the letter and jolly ranchers...LOVED IT

Dad---thanks for the gift card. I loved the pictures :)

Transfers are next week. I will let you all know next Tuesday if I am going....I think I am :( I will be crushed if I leave, seriously.

"""""""""Things are AMAZING here in Galveston. I cannot tell you how many things have started happening here! We have been teaching the husband (Jaime) and son (Miguel) of a less active member (Maria Fuentes) and now all of them are coming to church every week. Jaime will have to give up smoking and drinking and thus hasn't been too excited about the church and when he lost his job last week he is devoted to getting back into church things! Even though it's super sad, sometimes people need a little hardship to remember our Heavenly Father (Heleman 12). So now they are on the fast track to baptism...Miguel is a little more ready than Jaime but the gospel is really bringing them together....LOVE IT! We also have an amazing investigator Sandy who's best friend is an awesome member of the church and she is really progressing....just feels like she needs a stronger testimony...but we are on it! Well...the Lord is, haha.

We got DUMPED ON this week. Four days straight we had to come in and change because the rain water seaped through our rain coats...thank you hurricaine alex! But I feel like all the moisture is probably good for my skin...who knows...

Funny story::
So I(hermana bird) have gotten into the bad habit of drinking soda...I blame it on the hispanic culture...haha...but there is a woman (Maria) that we visit that collects cans and then trades them in for money...so really i'm just drinking soda for a good cause right? Well, the day soon came when Maria was going to trade in the cans so I was told to bring all my cans that I collected to our appointment...aka a HUGE white trash bag full to the brim! So I tie the huge bag to the back of my backpack and take off biking the 30 blocks to her appartment. The bag bangs against my bike and back the whole way making this tinkling sound...hermana is behind me laughing at me saying I look like a homeless person the entire way...passer-byers are staring and laughing...alltogether it was a huge scene...but don't you worry...the cans got to her all in one piece...and she was SUPER grateful....but it was so funny.....I feel like you have to be really secure in yourself to go around making a fool of yourself everyday...but all for a good cause!

So the 4th of July was AWESOME! We just went out talking to people who were getting ready for their barbaques or going to watch fireworks. Then when we came home around 9 we got to watch the fireworks out on the back porch. It was just sweet to just kinda watch them out across the swampy/lake thing in the back. It's not really a huge hispanic holiday...so no parties or anything but it was just kinda small and beautiful all in it's own special way. Just me and my compy(hermana Richards) ...

So that's Galveston! "Tansfers are next week...wierd..." says Hermana Richards who is faithfully sitting by my side....watching me so that I don't go look at my facebook...like everyone is doing around us...you would be surprised what people do on a LIBRARY, PUBLIC computer...wierd...some days I am just so thankful I am a missionary and stuck in my own little purity bubble."""""""""""""""""

LOVES!
Hermana Richards

Happy 4th of July! (June 29, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:39:00.000-07:00

"Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of Heaven"

I dont know if I already did this quote but it is one of my favorites. One of my good friends here Ivan is leaving on his mission Monday and he always quotes this. As he bore testimony Sunday at church I was reminded of this and how we really can be blessed when we are willing to give of ourselves and serve. This is not my mission but it is the Lords. Sometimes I lose sight of that. Everything I have is given to me from Heavenly Father. I need to be willing to put more on the altar and serve Him at all costs. Because that is when I will have blessings poured down on me and that is when I will be refined into a more Christlike person.

Mary Beth got baptized!!! It was truly an amazing day. The spirit was so strong at her baptism. Everything for the most part ran smoothly. I sent some pics yesterday. I love her!!! Funny story though: When we were filling up the font the elders told us there is a small leak so fill it up FULL. So we did. We filled it up to the top. We get to the point to baptize her and we open the curtains to see that the water is only knee deep. :( So Bishop(the one baptizing her) gets in the water and baptizes her...except she didnt go under all the way....Oh no!! 3 trys later she gets it. Only after bascially laying down on the bottom of the font floor could we get her completely in. Oh my life?! but other than that everything worked out!

My 3 songs this week turned out good. Heavenly Father really blessed me even though I was super nervous!

After we left Zone Conference all 6 of us missionaries got in the family van and we all starving! Well it takes like 2 hours to get back to Galveston so we stopped for food at sonic. imagine this: Me front set taking order from everyone and telling the lady on the intercom....I felt like a mom. HAHA!!!! I love the family van.....and at times the elders do seem like little kids. ;)

Everyone at zone conference saw my brown hair and freaked out. Everyone loves it!!

I have no time left but have so much more to write....

I am planning the zone activity this next Monday. Its going to be outside water games 4th of july activity....including a watermelon eating contest, 3 legged race, and water kickball....Its going to be a blast!!!

EXCEPT::::: We might have a hurricane coming our way these next few days. WE have been advised to have our 72 hours kits ready and to keep the gas tank on full. DONT WORRY!! President will keep us safe. We might be evacuated for a few days. We will see. Watch the weather channel. Hurricane alex might be on its way!!

I love you!! Write me letters ;)))) hint hint

Love---Hermana Richards

Mary Beth is Getting Baptized!! (June 22, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:38:00.000-07:00

"Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass. It is about learning to dance in the rain."

One of my all time favorite quotes! It reminds me of Maygen for some reason. I think she had this quote in her room. I went to Mary Beths(the one in the picture text) last Tuesday after emailing and she had this quote sitting on a decortive plate on her counter. Reminded me to be positive and have faith. Faith that things are in God's hands and I can always push forward and look for hte bright side.

MARY BETH----ok so Mary Beth is the one whose husband died about a month ago. We began teaching her and she was SO ready for the gospel. She comes to church so often that the members thought she was already a member. We went to her house for a lesson on Tuesday because we haden't been able to contact her for about 2 weeks! We thought we had lost her. I thought she had gone into a depression because of her husbands death. The lesson we had on Tuesday went SO well! WE were just talking and finally she just said "I just want to get baptized and I want it to be soon....like next week" I in shock said "OH.....we can DEFINITELY make that happen". So needless to say we have been over at Mary Beths house almost everyday to teach her all the lessons so she can get baptized on Saturday. Mary Beth is amazing! I wish you all could know her. She is like my mom here. she takes care of me and my comp. She already has all these plan for when I come back to Galveston after my mission to visit her. We are going to swimming and to the beach. She even has her guest room ready for me. She lives on the 10th floor beach side view. I almost cry everytime I have to get in the glass elevator(scared ogf heights) LOL! I LOVE her! I am going to take like 1,000 pictures on Sat. and I am going to send mom a CD with pics. I am SO excited!

I am singing 3 times this weekend. First, zone conference I am singing this EFY song called "fearless heart" then I am singing an EFY version of "abide with me tis eventide" for Mary Beth's baptism. Then I am singing a version of "I feel my saviors love" for a fireside on Sunday. Please pray that it will all go well!!

We had an amazing time at Rainforest cafe last Tuesday!!!! Pictures to come!!

We went to NASA Space Center yesterday for a district activity. A lady in the branch had free tickets so we went with 3 other youth my age. SO FUN!!! I took some awesome pics there too!!! Aren't you all so excited for pictures next week??? LOL!!! I even go to see the old command center where they did Apollo 13 and stuff...."Houston....we have a problem..." HAHAH!!

I have gotten a slow leak in my bike for the last 4 days. I had to replace the tube each time!! I think I have to take my bike to a bike shop....a man in the branch owns a tire shop(for cars) maybe he can see whats wrong. Who knows?!

So you all saw I colored my hair brown. I was SO scared at first but now I like it!! Everybody here loves it too!!! LOL THANKS AMANDA!!

Well, I gotta run! Have an amazing week!! I love you!!

SARAH

Sick Anyone??? (June 15, 2010 Email)

2010-08-13T17:37:00.000-07:00

"All that we have comes from God...In and of ourselves we are but a lifeless lump of clay. Life, intelligence, wisdom, judgement, power to reason, all are gifts from God to the children of men. He gives us our physical strength as well as our mental powers...We should honor God with our intelligence, with our strength, with our understanding, with our wisdom, and with all the power that we possess. We should seek to do good in the world. This is our duty."
-President Joseph F. Smith

We each have a duty to God here on the earth. Before this life we knew we were coming here to receive bodies and to be tested. But because of the veil we have lost all that knowledge and now need to have faith. Faith in his plan for us. The things we do here in this life determine where we go in the next. There are certain saving ordinances we need to perform. First is baptism. We must always remain worthy for the blessings of Heavenly Father and we qualify for those by keeping His commandments. I have gained a huge testimony on the importance of being obedient and doing exactly what Heavenly Father has asked of me to do. Everything we have and will ever have is from God. Let us be more thankful by showing it, by keeping His commandmets. "If ye love me keep my commandments" John 14:15

Another week in Galveston!! Hermana Bird and I were able to reach our goals of lessons and OYMs(people we talk to daily). It was a great week.

One cute old man in the ward saw me and my comp and Wal-mart talking to people outside. Well, he surprises us and bought me a hand held fan cause I always talk about how sweaty and hot I am. SO NICE!!! SO in church on Sunday the A/C was barely working so everyone was dying of heat. Well, I thought for a good solid 5 minutes with myself if I should just turn my fan on during Sunday school. HAHAH!!! I was so tempted. I look over to see my companion using one of the pamhlets to fan herself. We then started passing out pamphlets for everyone to use to fan themsleves. I'm sure the room looked like a bunch of crazy people. LOL!! We got good use out of those pamphlets that day!!

Saturday-- We had a dinner appt with Hermana Perez(LOVE HER!) We get there and we eat mole(chicken with mole sauce stuff) and a ton of rice and tortillas. Well, I barely finish it when seh says that when seh went ot he store to decided what ot fed us she couldnt decide so she made 2 dinners. SO then I have to eat these enchilada things....We left and I thought I was going to puke!! SO FULL!!! But wait---------we go to an investigators house and walk in and she is making fajitas! You have to realize that these people dont have much money. So them feeding you is a big deal and you eat and eat all of it no matter what!! So I then had to eat again. I ate 3 huge meals/feasts!!! We both felt SO sick!! BUT WAIT...dont you worry me nad my comp woke up in the middle of hte night with food poisoning....we were sick all of Sunday!! Who's food made us sick??? Who knows. one of the 3 dinners we ate that night.

I got a letter from a less active family from Missouri City...so cute. She wrote telling me how much she missed me nad how she wanted me back. She doesnt like the current Hermanas! dont you worry I wrote her back a huge letter wiht pics and all. LOVE HER!!

We are going to Rainforest cafe tongiht with an investigator and her best friend (who happens to be a member---YEAH!!) I am super excited!!

Well, I gotta run!!! I love all of you!! Talk to you next week :)

Hermana Richards

(no subject)

2010-06-14T19:57:00.001-07:00

"Sacrifice brings forth the blessings of heaven"
If there is one thing that I have learned in my mission it is about sacrifice. I know that as we sacrifice ourselves, our time, etc. Heavenly Father blesses us beyond measure. Even though my mission is difficult I am extremely grateful for the opportunity I have had to be a missionary nad to give up my time. I promise you as you turn yourself to the Lord and be His servant everything will work out! The Lord loves us and is watching over us. These are the last days! Let us be prepared for when the Savoir comes again, spiritually nad physically.

I had a good week! I had a few health issues but overall I feel better! Missionary work takes it all out of ya!! LOL! I talked to my mission President on Tuesday night and have an interview with him on thursday. he gave me some really good advice and he wants me to try and not stress so much and put my trust in the Lord....easier said than done :)

I got my hair cut!! I got it cut pretty short. It hits my shoulders. I like it! Amanda sent me some color so I wont have gross regrowth anymore!! YAYAYA!!!! Go amannda! LOL! I will send pics soon!
Speaking of getting hair done-My comp. got her hair done at the salon nad it turned out SO TERRIBLE!!! It was like a gray color. She wanted blonde. She looked like a witch. Amanda----she seriously was like ""I NEED your sister!!""" LOL!!

DAVE----THANKS SO much for the bug shields HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! WE laughed for a good 10 minutes....pics to come ;)

It is so HOT here....i sweat more than I have in my entire life!! SO GROSS!!! Its the humidity. You walk outside and are wet. I dont even wear any dark colors cause it shows the sweat too bad!

I have no time to write....I'm sorry.....I will mis the bus if I take any longer. Oh ya!!! We are now FULL time bike sisters. I will never have a car in Galveston. there is an emergency car but we never use it.

I love you!!! Have a good week!!!!!

Hermana Richards

I hate Rashiem!!

2010-06-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

"If you want something you have never had you must be willing to something you have never done before"
I love being a missionary!!! Seriously though!! It at times is super tough because you are tired and hot but Heavenly Father makes it all worth it. I know that this is the only true church on the earth today. That this is the only way in which we can return to live with our Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ and our families forever. It has never been so clear to me as it has now being here. Following God's commandments and being a worthy member of the Church is way more important than ANYTHING else on the earth. Satan just likes to trick us into thinking that it isn't. I have seen miracles happen and I hav had to call angels down to change people. But this is the Lords work. I love the Lord!! Keep the faith!

Transfer calls were yesterday morning and I am not getting transferred. Hermana Bird and I are staying together and we are super excited about it!!

Rasheim....special soul....he was the guy that did my CT scan and my IV. It took him 30 minutes to find a vain in my arm and once he got the iv in he had to move it around in my arm to get it in the vain! It hurt so bad!! Needless to say I have a bruse the size of a baseball on my arm that is bright purple. He was NOT my fav! \

The mosquitos are CRAZY here!! I have about 30 bites all over my arms and legs. We soak ourselves down in bug spray everyday and still they swirm around and attack you. People say that we havent seen anything yet. :( great!

I went on exchanges for the first time on Wed(where you go to another area with another missionary). I ahd to be senoir comp cause the girl I had was new in the mission. I had to teach the entire lessons all day and understand all that was being said! Heavenly Father blessed me so much! It turned out to be a good day with a lot of success. I was glad to return to my BF Hermana Bird and to Galveston though!! Who knew I would miss her so much!

We were fed Menudo(cow stomach or something) on Tuesday. I wanted to kill myself. IT smelt like wet dog!! GROSSSSS!!!!!

We totally got he bootleg copy of EFY 2010!! You do not know the importance of that sentence till you are a missionary!

I am super excited to hear that Rick and the boys are getting baptized!! I cried!! I am here teaching people and the ones I love back at home are being blessed also! CONGRATS!! :)

I dont have any time left :( I love you all so much!! I am sending a cd thing home(to grandmas) MOM---you have to watch it then send it to my sisters or put it on facebook....you will know hwat I mean when you get it ;)

I LOVE YOU!!!

HERMANA RICHARDS

Happy Birthday Mommy!!!

2010-06-14T19:55:00.002-07:00

"It shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say" D&C 100:6

This scripture has a story that goes along with it this week. I will include it later in my email. I just have felt an amazing influence of the Spirit guiding me and directing me. In this one specific lesson it wasn't me teaching. My words were His words. I cannot even describe to you the feeling and the guidance I felt. The Lord really does qualify those that are weak to be His strong servants. I feel so blessed for the mercy of Heavenly Father. He is watching out for us and He is mindful of our struggles. And He can make our dreams come true. You just have to begin to believe-exercise your faith, walk a little into darkness. And great shall be your reward and His blessings will be poured down upon you! I love the Lord!

The story I am talking about is an invesitgator we are teaching. Her name is Mary-Beth. She was taught by the sisters here on the island back when the Hermanas covered English and Spanish. Her husband is a less active member. So when I first got to Galveston she had just gotten back from living in California because her husband Randi was put into the hospital(in Galveston). He was in the hosptial for 60 days struggling for his life--i think it was liver failure. Well, in this time I got introduced to her and we would go over to give her messages of peace and hope. Randi died 2 weeks ago. On the night he died I woke up in the middle of the night at 12:30 and immediately thought "CALL MARY BETH" I thought NO that is crazy! I cant do that it is the middle of the night, Well, the spirit then told me again CALL HER! Well, I was too stubborn and said no I am not going to embarass myself and call her so late. I couldn't fall asleep for a long time after that. I woke up to a text from Mary Beth saying that Randi passed away at 12:30 last night. I couldn't believe it. I felt super bad because I didnt call her when I felt like I needed to.......So we have been teaching Mary beth for about a week and a half. I LOVE her!!! She is amazing. She is English speaking so I can actually really be involved with her teaching. Whenever we teach her the spirit is always there so strong. she is truly amazing. Last night we taught her the Plan of Salvation. I began to talk about the pre-mortal life. And for some reason I talked baout how before this life we knew the challenges we were going to have to face and we still agreed to come here to earth. I stopped and just looked at her and she said to me, "Why havent I been told this before? I feel like I just learned something that changed my life. I know that this is true. Everything now makes sense to me. The reason Randi died, the reason my life has been so hard. I know that this is the true church of God. I am going to get baptized. And I want to change my life forever so that I can live wiht my Heavenly Father again like I did before this life." I sat there in awe, and thought---"I NEVER teach that in a lesson...." my heart was pounding and I felt the spirit so strong.She said the prayer for the first time and cried. Thanking Heavenly Father for this knowledge. I cried also. I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!!! I sat there and the spirit confirmed to me that she is one of the reasons I am here on a mission. I am supposed to be teaching her. I am so grateful for my Heavenly Father! He let me be his mouthpiece. I love the Lord!!!

Funny story-------We went to an investigators house cause they wanted us to help them make papusas(an El salvador food) SO after an hour nad a half of standing in a boiling hot kitchen we sit dow nadn begin to eat....now in the words of my companion.............
"""" But some of our investigators called us over because she was making papusas...the best hispanic food EVER! So we went over and learned how to make them. Then while we were making it, Vanessa, the daughter, starts freaking out because "the show" is on...the Latin Beauty Pageant. ...Well....the papusas were done and of course the whole family is sitting around watching the pageant. I am trying to eat my papusas and try to strike up conversation or something. SOMETHING to get away from the sly peaks that I've been making at the television to see who these gorgeous women are, where they are from...trying not to hear while they are introducing the competitors...and then in my last attempt and in desperation I finally look at my companion, good Hermana Richards...her eyes are GLUED to the TV and shoving down the gorgeous and delicious papusas...and in that minute I knew...why struggle...this is it...so I gave up and started watching and shovling down my own delishness...we left before we found out the winners...but dont you worry my favorite at least made it to the top 4....haha...."""""""""
Ok.....i promise I am a good missionary. But when I was sweating like a cow for hours and I was dying of course I am going to watch the TV that is like 2 feet away from me. I was so done. LOLOL!!!!

We had a fun activity in the church where we all played volleyball. I sent some pictures :) I lvoe the branch here!!!

We went to sonic to get drinks when we were dying and when the worker asked my companion what size she wanted she said "HUGE" ....it made me think of you mom.....biggie diet coke LOL

I have no time left!! Dang! I love you guys. good luck moving!!!!

Sarah

Me....like bikes?

2010-06-14T19:55:00.001-07:00

"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

SO good talking to you!

2010-05-11T11:30:00.001-07:00

Everyday I am out teaching and talking to people that do not believe in Jesus Christ. My job as a missionary is to bring those to come closer to Jesus Christ by faith, repentance, baptism, the holy ghost, and enduring to the end. I have found that as I have been giving this "gift" away I have found a greater and more personal joy than I have ever had. I know that as we become a more dedicated and christlike people, putting the things of the Lord first, we can qualify for the greatest happiness known to man.

It was SO awesome being able to talk to all of you on Sunday. Afterward as my companion and I were riding our bikes to our appt. we felt like it was a fairy tale that we had just talked to our families. Looking back I thought "I just talked to my family...what?" You all sounded so good! It made me super happy. I was glad I was able to not be emotional----I cried when I hung up the phone. Because I really do miss you guys and miss just talkiong with you. But 7 months(till Christmas) isnt too long right??? LOL!!

On Saturday night there was a mothers day activity at the church-of course we went. It was super fun!! All the men served the women and they had a program and everything. We(me and my comp. and 2 elders in the branch) did a musical number. We sang one of the primary songs about mothers. Well-it is 3 verses long. I decided we needed to do something fun with it. So the first verse we sang normal, the second Hna bird played it all staccato and the three of us did the whole up down thing(one person goes up while the other down. And for the third we did it all dramatic like! I sent pictures no worry. It was super funny! We got a standing ovation!! LOL They gave all teh missionaries roses because our moms are far away and we cant be with them(I had tears in my eyes---I didnt need a reminder that I was away from my mommy). It was just a really good night and we were able to get to know tons of the members better. They LOVE us! LOL

I ate pizza for the first time since being in Texas this week! Oh how I miss it :( I never eat American food anymore.

So cute story----LOVE the Elders. SO my bike has this seat cover to help coushin and make it not hurt as bad. Well, mine was falling apart. Kinda ghetto but I thought whatever. I complained one day to the Elders how much my butt hurt cause of the ridiculous seat. So on Sunday when we were leaving to get on our bikes I saw that I had a new cover on my seat. one of the Elders gave me his and just put it on there without saying anything. I LOVE the Elders! they are always looking out for the sisters and will do anything for us.

I am trying to think of any funny stories to liven up my email. I feel like ridiculous things happen everyday. My comp and I have a wall of funny things and add a post it to it everyday. So funny! The most funny things usually happen to my comp--her tripping or something. LOL! I will try and have a good story for next weeks email.

It is getting humid here! I dont think my hair could look uglier. I live in the desert for a reason!

Remember that there is a girl in Texas that LOVES all of you!!

-Sarah

Happy Mothers Day

2010-05-05T15:11:00.000-07:00

"But they that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall work and not faint." -Isaiah 40:31

One of the recent converts here in Galveston has that scripture on her wall and I loved it! I really feel like Heavenly Father will give us the strength to fulfill all that He asks of us. Sometimes it is really difficult to press forward-especially when you are tired and sweaty. The Lord gives us strength to resist temptation and to come unto Jesus Christ. We just have to be aware of His hand in our lives. Once you learn to be worthy and recognize the spirit you realize how often it will help guide you in your life. It is one of the greatest things I have been able to recieve here.

This week went well. another week on bikes---except it is getting SUPER humid. Like on sat. we had to go home and change our clothes we were so sweaty. like you know the sweat lines on the back of your shirt from wearing your backpack....yes, please picture the magic of a moment like that. SO HOT! I need to better learn how to crive my bike one handed so I can have a fan going in the other! LOL

MOTHERS DAY!!! YEAH!!! I am SO excited to talk to ya'll on Sunday. SO awesome! I promise I am not going to be awkward. It is my ultimate goal on my mission to still be a human being. :) MOM and Dad you should have recieved the call info in emails. Mom you need to call me at 3 pm my time. :)

We have an awesome new investigator Kelvin----he is from Nicaragua. So cool! He came to church on sunday and we have a noche de hogar set up for tonight with an awesome family in the ward. It is going to be cool. He is SO getting baptized. We just have to get him to stop smoking---story of my life.

The elders had a baptism on Sunday nad me and my comp were in charge of the Restoration message while they were changing. She played the paino(so good) and I sang. It turned out really well!!

I am including my companions email in this because she is seriously hilarious!!! She says things way better than I do. enjoy some of the funny moments that happened this week. Really though.....it is HOT here! I am so nast!

Hermana Birds email----
"""""""Ok so this week was absolutly amazing. I thought that I would start with a little info about the island, the apartment, basically mission life in Galveston...just to five everyone a little window into my life.

The apartment looks out to a swampy, marsh, pools of water...thing...it's super pretty and in the morning I like to make my little fruit smoothie and sit out and watch the sun come up..super magical and ultra relaxing. We also like to go take walks on Seawall which is this wall the backs up to the sea...so pretty.

Now remember this is an island and so I'm still trying to get accustomed to the island folk...a lot different than those that you find in Houston...all very tan and tend to walk around in bathing suits or wearing very little...They also always refer to the storm, "Before the Hurricane", "When the storm came"...etc. For many people it was a really faith building experience... so that's good!

The humidity is KILLER!!!! Like I walk out side and I feel that I am breathing in CUPS of water...I fear that one day I will drown of all the humidity! You sweat so easily and it is not an unfamiliar thing to have to change shirts in the middle of the day...we just sweat so much. I just want to give a shout out to Aaron Young who gave me the great advice to bring hankerchiefs. THANK YOU! My hair is always strongly humidified and I always look SUPER ugly...but I that still doesn't take away from the sister crushes forming. I recently had to save my companion(hna richards) from a 48 year-old man from Honduras, Juan...we are teaching his roommate Kelvin who is progressing so quickly. However Kelvin had to confront Juan about his many comments, stares, and innappropriate "linger-longers" (hand shakes that seem to last longer than they should, haha)...Juan said and I quote, "Kelvin, why can't you just let us be in love!"...Kelvin was then soo confused and asked us sincerely, "Hermana Richards, you are not in love with Juan?" Hermana Richards replied in such a way so as never to be miss understood, "NOOOOOOOOOOO, NUUUUUNNNNCCCCCAAA" (with a very animated and pioniative hand motion accompaning the answer)...so we have to pretty much stay away from him from now on! HAHA!

The bikes can sometimes trip up your feet, especially while speaking to others or attempting to talk to people sitting on their porches...the other day I was trying to speak to a woman whose dog absolutley was going to bite me if I came any nearer to the fence...so while trying to worry about the dog, get out a pass-a-long card and get off my bike..I so gracefully took a nice big fall onto thier front lawn...causing my so loving companion(hna. richards) to brakeout into uncontrolled laughter, the woman continuing to scream at the dog and me telling me that the dog bites....so I picked myself up, brushed myself off a little, and fully blushing at this point told her if she ever wanted to get closer to God to call the number...then I got back on my bike and laughed for a good 7 more blocks...SO EMBERASSING!

The bikes also tend to make one a little crazy...We are on track to baptize off of Avenue L and especially these two investigators that live right on top of each other. So trying to talk to the investigator upstairs and walk into the downstairs investigators house I so gracefully walked right into the door...hitting my forehead smack in the middle...it was sooooo beautiful and again my companion then couldn't keep from laughing...oh dear...what is one to do...""""""""""""""""" End of Hna. Birds email

Isn't she SO funny!! Luckily I havent tripped or hurt myself in anyway....yet (knock on wood). We seriously have so many funny things happen each day. It is sometimes really ridiculous!! We actually end up laughing most of the time.

We became best friends with the sheriff here-Ramon Hernandez.....We got his card in our bags in case of emergency. so tight!

We took some really cute pics----I will have to sned more soon. I sent a collage thing to mom----SO CUTE! I wish I had more but oh well.

Have a good week!!! I will talk to you on Sunday!!! YAYAY!!!

Loveyou-Sarah

What in the World Did I Just Agree to?

2010-04-27T16:15:00.001-07:00

"Be still and know that I am God"

This scripture is one of my favorites. Recently a huge trial has been put in my missionary life right now---I will explain later in this email. I have had to put my faith in God completley because I cannot do it alone. I have felt His peace and love. We all can feel it if we turn to Him. There have been times like I feel like I cannot go on and I can feel angels pushing me so that I can fulfill this work. Heavenly Father is mindful of us. Turn to Him and He wil ease your burdens.

OK!!! So at transfer meeting President Saylin gets up and talks about how in South America there are NO cars for missionaries to use. None. And if you compare the South America baptisms to the U.S. they have tons more. SO President Saylin wants to do an "experiment" for this transfer. He wants volunteers that will park the car for a transfer and only use bikes. Well.......of course my district wants to do it. Therefore, I am on a bike-NO CAR! I bike everywhere. I have been on a bike full time since Saturday. We biked to wal-mart and bought groceries yesterday and then walked home with them on our bikes. We took the bus to the library today. We have to ride bikes to church on sundays. I can use the car once a month to drive to Zone conferences in Sugar Land and Doctors appts. But that is it!!!! So I have been sweating my butt off on a bike and will be for 5 more weeks. My butt is SO sore! HAHA! And ot to mention it is super hott. I sent a pic home that is what I look like at the end of the day. SO gross! So needless to say I need a few things-----you know those split slips to wear under a skirt so I can ride my bike??? or just shorts(thin-cause its hott), if you could send more pain meds-ibprofin(helps with the sore butt), misquito repelant(I have 10 bites right now), safety pins(you put them on your skirt so it doesn't get stuck in the chain), and sunscreen(I BURNED on sat. haha--now its a tan). If you caould get those things to me soon it would be AWESOME! I am suffering a little bit but I will servive. At least I will be tan and skinny. LOL!!

SO my new comp(Hermana Bird---I will talk about her later) we are doing a weigh in every Sat. to see how much weight we have lost while on bikes. She has gained 30 pounds while on the mission so she is trying to get it off. I already feel like I have lost weight and it has only been 4 days. I will update you next week on what happened with the weigh in. LOL!

My new comp is Hermana Bird. She is awesome!! I sent a few pics home so you can see her. Her and I are a lot a like. She is from Orgeon and graduated from BYU in public health. I am really excited to be working with her.

Mothers day---You guys(mom and dad) giving me a call Sunday during hte day sometime. I am not sure of the details yet. I will DEFINITELY tell you everything in my next email. But it is same like last time--I will give you a number and time and you have to call me. I am excited to talk to you all!!

PLEASE pray for me this week! Biking is SO hard. It is a huge trial of my faith but I know I can do anything with the help of the Lord. Have a good week!!

Love,
Hermana Richards

Transfers

2010-04-27T16:14:00.000-07:00

"What you do thunders so loudly in my ears I cannot hear what you say." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Its so true! People are constantly watching us to see how we act and how we handle things. Our example is huge! It also reminds me of the quote-"I'd rather see a testimony than hear one any day" I hope that as people see me and view me that they can see someone who represents well Jesus Christ. This week lets be a light unto the world!

First off-no I am not leaving Galveston! But my companion Hermana Gibson is getting transferred so I will be getting a new comp. tomorrow. I am a little nervous to be taking over an area but I know that Lord wouldn't give me something I cant handle. Yay!! I get to be in Galveston for longer.

I totally had to give a talk in church on Sunday! SO scary! LOL!!! My topic was el Espiritu Santo(Holy Ghost). I wrote out my entire talk but when I got up there words came to my mind and it was something completely different than I had planned. Before I prayed so hard to Heavenly Fathere that he would give me the gift of tongues. Everyone told me I did a really good job and that they are impressed with my accent. I sat down afterward and a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders. :)

Thanks for the package mom! More to come in a letter I sent off yesterday. Janet----LOVED the pictures :)

Last week we played dodge ball for a zone activity. Well, the elders played and the sisters sat there. I finally decided watching was lame and played. It was pretty intense but at one point it was down to just me on my team and I had to either catch the ball or we lost. I totally caught it!! The Elders came running and cheering! HAHA!! Oh mission life.

We found a less active this last week. His name is Richard. He is my favorite!!! He even came to church. We talked to him on Sunday night and he said he wants to prepare to serve a mission. YEAH! The Lord is making miracles happen here in Galveston.

We were visiting another less active June. She has 3 cute little kids. Well, I whipped out my Cars stickers and started playing with them next thing I knew they were literally climbing all over me and playing. One HUGE tender mercy Heavenly father continues to give me is the love of little kids.

We had a Noche de Hogar last night(FHE) and I thought of playing the game the human pretzel---the one where everyone takes someone elses hands and you have to untangle yourselves. It was super fun!!! I took pictures and will send some next week. So fun!

This week went really good. Its letting warm here but luckily(thank goodness for the ocean breeze) hasn't been hot yet.

I am happy to be here on a mission! I get to talk to you all in about 3 weeks. I will give you more info once I know the phone number and everything. Not sure what time yet either. We have church from 9 till 1:30 so I will most likely call in the afternoon. I will give you more details. I will be calling MOM and DAD. I talked to President to see if I could call on Fathers day and he said it would get to complicated with the other missionaries and their different home situations. But he said I could have more time if I needed it. So I look forward to talking to both of you in a few weeks.

Have a wonderful week! I love you!

-Hermana Richards

6 Months!

2010-04-19T17:00:00.001-07:00

"If you only knew what was ahead you'd feel nothing but overwhleming joy all the time" -President Uchtdorf

Isn't it so true? We all know about the plan God has for us to return to live with Him. To be in a perfected state without pain or sorrow. This life is only a speak in the rhelm of eternity. Let us today and always recognize that this life is a time to prepare to meet God. We have to be doing all we can because the reward will be great. Life is tough and stressful! But with the knowledge of this joy to come we can press on and we can endure. Keep your eye focused on why we are truly here and our purpose. Because it will bring a feeling of happiness and joy.

My week went really well. To be honest I don't feel like I have too much to talk about. It rained like crazy here yesterday. I was soaking wet!!! There comes a point when you feel so ugly as a missionary that you don't even care if you are soaking wet, your hair is a rats nest, and any make-up you had on was gone 5 hours ago! Oh the joy of a mission! HAHA!

Funny story-I really don't enjoy the food here. LOL I avoid it at all costs. I have resorted to bags and throwing things on my companions plates when the person isnt looking. Mostly I do that with tomato and avacado. My companion luckily loves them! Needless to say I miss my form of "mexican food"---meaning Cafe Rio.

We had an awesome week were we were able to exceed our goals. We had 25 sitdowns and over 10 OYMs each. That is crazy good! and I think we had the most in the mission. I am really trying to work my tail off. Some awesome miracles have come because of it.

We have 2 new people with a baptismal date. It is a mom and brother of a less active in the Branch. Well, we went in there not having any clue what to teach(the mom) well I prayed silently in my heart to know and all the sudden Christ's baptism came to my mind. Well....why not tlak baout baptism the first time i meet them? LOL So I taught about Matt 3 and then extended her a baptismal date. Before I could finish my sentence she said Si. It was crazy! The spirit really told me what to teach. It was awesome! We also taught Juan(the brother). Well, Hna. Gibson went into her rote routine of lesson 1 and the spirit was not there. I was getting frustrated cause she wouldn't even let me talk or take a breath, he was clearly LOST! So I said another silent prayer and just cut her off and started talking. I looked him straight in the eyes and told him about the love Heavenly Father has for him and that everything is going to be alright. That the gospel is where we can find true happiness. Well he started to cry and his eyes never left mine. It was one of the most awesome lessons I have had yet. I extended him a baptismal date and he accepted without hesitation. The spirit was really guiding the lesson. I was so happy! But it is sometimes difficult to teach with the spirit when my comp. teaches the way she does. I need more patience.

So I hit my 6 month mark on Wed. Sometimes it feels like I have been here forever and other times it feels like I just got here. Time from this point on will fly. I will find out about transfers next monday. So my next email will have that info. I really don't think I am going anywhere, but we will see.

I love you all! Have a good week!

-Hermana Richards

Hoppy Easter!

2010-03-31T16:00:00.001-07:00

"Sometimes the Lord calms the storm and sometimes He lets the storm rage and He calms the sailor"

I love this quote! Hermana Hammar used to quote it a lot. It is by Neal A. Maxwell. I think it is so true that even if Heavenly Father gives us moments of trail or craziness, He always gives us the ability to feel peace. We have to ask and He will offer us the love and peace that comes through His spirit. I know that even though storms rage in our lives we can have a silence and reverence within our souls. Turn to Him and He will provide that never ending feeling of hope and love.

I had a good week! I went to the Houston Temple for the first time. It was so beautiful! I took some pictures and have a few of them sent. It was a gorgeous day and the grounds looked amazing with the pink and yellow tulips. :) I love the feeling within the temple. I was able to feel peace even though moments on a mission can be tough. I also was able to see Hermana Hammar for the first time since transfers. Her and I started crying and we gave big huges. She has a hard companion right now like I do. I love her so much! Definitely a tender mercy from the Lord.

I also met with President this last week. We had Presidents interviews. He is so awesome! He knows exactly what I need to hear. He said I was sent to Galveston to help the people but also to help my companion step it up. If you know what I mean. I think I am kinda kicking her butt right now because I am determined to get our goals. It is going good. I am learning patience that is for sure!

We had an awesome Easter activity in the church. It was so cute to see all the little kids go on an easter egg hunt and we ate a pancake breakfast. It was combined with the Spanish branch and English ward on the island. So fun! and a family in the ward even gave all the missionaries an easter basket. They are all so supportive!

Conference is this weekend!!! I am so excited! I encouage all of you to go. In fact, I was thinking. Maybe it would be a good idea for at least Sunday morning to go as a family to the chapel and listen. that way everyone will pay attention and get more out of it. Instead of doing other things and not getting as much out of it as you could. Just a suggestion :)

Some of you have asked about my investigators right now. I will tell you about a couple.
Luis-He is an older man that LOVES to read teh book of mormon. He used to smoke a pack a day and not we have him down to 2 cigerettes a day! He had a baptisaml date for april 11th but he needs to get married to the woman he is living with---only problem is that she is still married to a man in Guatemala. It is a huge chralie fox!! but we are praying for a miracle.

Sofia-She is the cutest woman ever. She is 31 and tries to speak English. SO cute! She is going very slow. We have only taught her the first 2 lessons. We are hoping that she will pray to find out that this is the true church.

Silvia-Sad story. She was supposed to get baptized two days ago but backed out nad now says she isnt looking for a church right now. Super sad! We are trying to be patient but if she doesnt progress we cant keep visiting her.

Those are our 3 main investigators right now. We are constantly looking for new people and are going through people like crazy. But such is missionary life. I am doing good. I pray that you all have a good week! I love you

Sarah

Where are the brakes on this bike???

2010-03-31T15:59:00.001-07:00

"The only way to get through life is to laugh your way through it. You either have to laugh or cry. I prefer to laugh. Crying gives me a headache" -Sister Hinckley

I love this quote! How many times do we have a moment in our lives when we feel so overwhelmed and stressed? Heavenly Father gives us challenges to stretch us. So we can learn and grow. I have felt this almost every day since being on my mission. But I know that I am learning attributes and qualities that are needed for the challenges that will come in my life. The things I learn here are strengthening me! You have to laugh when something goes wrong, it will help you get through it. :)

My week went well. The title of this email is funny cause I rode the bike for the first time in almost 10 years. It was an adventure for sure! HAHAH! I started out really rocky but then got used to it. I still cant turn very well but with practice I will soon be a pro. I send a couple of pics so you all could see. :)

Last week was spring break for everyone here so the beaches and Island were packed! This is definitely a tourist spot. Kinda cool though cause I talk to people from all over the world. It is sometimes hard to look at the beach all the time without being able to go on it. I promised myself one day I would come back and lay on the beach-soaking up the sun!

Thank you SOSOSOSO much for the packages-Family and Janet! I have my easter basket sitting on my desk. I promised myself I couldn't open the Cars egg till Easter-gives me something ot look forward to. :) The pictures were awesome too! Looks like you had fun. I already put some of them on my wall.

We(6 missionaries) sang in church yesterday, La oracion del profeta(joseph smiths first prayer). It turned out awesome! I am actually excited to sing in church when I get home. Jess---be finding some awesome music :) OH! so I got inlisted to be the ward choir pianist-KILL ME!! there is NO ONE else that plays piano. It was cool to be back in choir mode for a little while nad teach people how to sing and parts. THe only problem was I had to do it in Spanish :(

So let me tell you a little bit more about the condition of the Island. Hurricane Ike really tore it up here. Many of the houses are still in shambles. Most houses I go into are SO small. Like the size of our front living room. I sit on upside down buckets to eat dinner or share a message. Its crazy! People here have little ot no money. But they are so willing to help the missionaries-which is awesome!

I get to go to the temple on Friday! I am so excited! It is like 2 1/2 hours away though. It is going to be an amazing day! I will take tons of pictures for all of you!

Conference is coming up and I am stoked. Everyone try to go into conference with a question in mind. You will get an answer from the mouths of the speakers. It is going to be great!! I love all of you! have a fabulous week :)

Love, Sarah

Galveston!

2010-03-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Yup! I have been transferred to Galveston Island. And boy is it an island. People here are always in their swim suits and chill on the beach. I cant actually go on the beach but I can walk on the sea wall. Which is close enough. Our apartment is 1 block away from the ocean. Which is super cool! The water is pretty brown though. Oh and yes we do have bikes. We have a car also but we are supposed to work on bike when we can. I have yet to ride it yet. I dont think Hna. Gibson likes bikes much.

As you all probably know hurricane ike hit here about a year and a half ago. It looks like it hit here recently cause a lot of houses are still vacant, tore up, or still being re-built. Everything is referred to as "before or after the hurricane". On Sat. we helped a lady in our ward finally get her house ready to move in. She has been living in an apartment since the hurricane. We only have a Spanish branch that we work with but the members are really nice and supportive. We meet in a normal meeting house--its a little smaller than normal ones. There is no one in the ward that plays piano so we listen to the cds and sing to them in sacrament meeting(weird).

I took some pictures and am sending them today. It has been super foggy and rainy so you cant see very well. There are tons and tons of historic sites here. Cemetaries that have the old old old dates. Do you remember the southern houses they have at disneyland?? like the ones kinda by pirates ride....the houses look like that. I have heard some interesting accents too.

There are tons and tons of Hispanics here. Like I feel like I am in some weird tourist town in mexico. I have had a hard time adjusting thats for sure. I am used to being so close to many missionaries. Here we are like exiled. Hermana Gibson is my new companion. She is from Orem Utah and goes to UVU. She is really nice and only has about 2 transferrs left till she goes home. I sometimes do feel like I am the senior companion. Her Spanish is good but with about everything else I feel like I have to take charge. I am having a hard tiem adjusting to her. I LOVE LOVE Hermana Hammar. I know her and I will be good friends when we get home, Her and I both bawled during the transfer meeting. And of course during the transfer meeting President asks me to share my testimony. Why is he always picking on me? haha. I will send mom an email with more details of Hermana Gibson. I am definitely adjusting!

Thanks again for the awesome package mom!!! I LOVED it! Send me mail to my Galveston address...otherwise I dont get mail really form the mission office. Maybe once every 2 weeks. Hermana Gibson said our apartment complex mail is pretty reliable and the office workers are awesome! Just let me know when you send a package so I can look out for it.

I love you all! Thanks for the letter and emails.

My Galveston address: 6424 Central City Blvd. apt#326 Galveston, TX 77551

I love you

Sarah

Sarah's new email address!!!!

2010-03-09T14:48:00.001-08:00

smrichards@myldsmail.net

TRANSFERS!

2010-03-09T14:46:00.000-08:00

Hey family!!

I LOVED hearing about your Disneyland trip. So jealous! I am not surprised that
mom and Dave got soaking wet. I really need pictures! Like especially of the
girls. I haven't gotten any new pictures of them since being on my mission. I
definitely need pictures!!!

So yes I am getting transferred. I am sad! I LOVE Hermana Hammar and I am so sad
to be leaving her. Here is the thing.....my zone leader told me that only one
other Hermana is getting transferred so I am 95% sure that I am going to
GALVESTON! crazy! Oh and sisters in galveston are on bike---yes I know I havent
riden a bike for about 10 years. this will be interesting HAHAH!!!! Pray for me!
lol! I hear it is basically mexico there! I will have so much to write you next
week. The thing that sucks is mail is unreliable in galveston and we only get
mail from the office like every 2 weeks or so. :( that doesnt mean you can stop
writting me.

This week was good. We achieved all of our goals! I worked SO hard! We got 10
OYM's this week and over our 20 sit downs(lessons). SO basically I found a
Panera bread here! WE ate there last week and today! So delicious. I literally
cried when I saw it! Hermana Hammar was like "whats wrong" lol!

On saturday we had this thing called a mini mission. It is where youth from the
stake go out with us for a day and are missionaries. We got a girl named Dulce.
She was awesome! She is 17 and the best thing is she spoke perfect spanish. LOL!
She helped me so much. But what a cool thing for the youth to be able to do. Our
stake should do it.

Last monday we visited an inactive girl. She is the only member in her family,
Kristy. She basically takes care of her 3 little brothers cause her mom is in
jail and her dad works all the time or is drunk. So on monday we went over there
to play a game/lesson with them. Well, Danny 5 years old comes out and he is
sick. He was wrapped up in a little blanket and I asked him if her wanted to sit
by me. He nodded his head yeah and then came and layed next to me. When I was
tlaking to him he looked like he was going to cry! so sad! The boys just need a
mom. The house is disgusting, they are all sick, have no food. They play outside
in shorts and a shirt in 50 degree weather. It is really hard to see. We try to
get the ward invlolved but they really are not that supportive. Pray for them!

Well, it sounds like you all had an awesome week! I am serious about those
pictures ;) You will have to plan a trip like that when I get home.

P.S. Paul----i am proud of you going on splash mountain...i know its scawy! :(

I love you all SO OSOSOSOS much! HUGS :)

Sarah

RAPPY RURFDAY RESSICA!!!

2010-03-09T14:45:00.002-08:00

OK----first off, SO jealous you are all going to Disneyland on Friday! Take tons and tons of pictures. Cause its the happiest place on earth. I need some of that happiness :)

Sounds like everyone is super busy from the emails. The days feel like weeks and the weeks feel like days here. Its weird. Last monday we had a stake family home evening. It was cool-we had a bunch of carnival type games and people had to pay a "talent" when they played. But the only way to get talents was to listen to spiritual messages for a few minutes. It was fun! Me and an Elder from my district in the MTC were in charge of the golf putting game. So fun! It turns out that Hispanic people do not know how to play golf(Dad you would have died!) I seriously had to show them how to hold the club and everything! LOL!

So President Saylin called us up on Tuesday and said he wanted to meet with Hermana Hammar and I that night. He is seriously so awesome!! He basically gave us words of advice and told us what a great job we are doing. I am so grateful for him. One thing he said was that "I wish you could see yourself in the eyes of your mission President" He kept telling us the Lord is pleased with our work, etc. It helped so much!

We walked out of the mission office to find that it was SNOWING!! It didn't stick or anything but it was so cool. I took a picture but you cant tell what it is of. LOL I will always remember that it was the snow :)

Hermana Hammar is hilarious so we were mad cleaning our apartment on Wednesday(tell you why later) and she found these nerd/huge glasses. She said she wanted to wear them that day and I laughed thinking she was joking. NO! She seriously wore them all day! HAHA! I took pictures.

OK-so we had to crazy mad clean our apartment cause President told us that a member of the seventy was coming to our mission for the mission conference and wanted to tour a couple missionary apartments. WEll out of all the choices he picked ours!! SO it had to be spotless!

Mission conference ended up being so good! I cried. Sister Zwick(the seventy's wife) gave an amazing talk(Maygen they came to your mission a couple years ago---I dont know if you were there). She talked about her handicapped son and how he calls her many times in one day. He always starts the conversation saying "Mom, are you happy?" Well, that morning he called his mom and he told his mom to "tell all the missionaries to be really really happy" I was of course bawling. And then she talked about losing a loved one while on your mission, a parent or sibling, well....of course next to me is the Elder that found out like 2 months ago that his dad died and he decided to stay on his mission. He started sobbing during her talk. She gave really inspiring words!

Well, they came to our apartment after the conference. They kept talking about how great me nad hna. hammar nad I are. We even said a prayer in our apartment-they blessed us, our investigators, and our apartment. Think-a member of the seventy and 2 mission presidents(one that is about to go to Iowa to be a mission pres.). It was truly amazing!!

Oh os during the conference Elder Zwick asked that a set of missionaries come up and teach a lesson to show everyone---of course me nad hermana hammar are chosen!!!! Scared to death!! Well, it ended up going really well. Afterward President thanked us for doing such an awesoem job.

Well, I dont have much time left. I love you! HAve fun this week. Thanks for the letters and emails.

Hermana RIchards

what-a-burger???---in-n-out!!!

2010-03-09T14:45:00.001-08:00

Hey Family!

First off you are probably wondering why I put that as the subject of the email. Well, they have this burger place here called whataburger. Everybody loves it for some reason. I really dont know why. It tastes like wendy's or like fat burger at home.....definitely NOT in-n-out! haha!

Another miracle-I was driving and then suddenly I notcied the car in front of me had Nevada plates! I seriously got so excited. Hermana Hammar wrote a sign and held it up to the window as we drove past(like Jess does all the time) HAHA!!! He was younger and just started laughing. I wish I could have gotten a picture. That is the first time I have seen a Nevada plate. There really are very few cars that have anything other than Texas plates.

On wed. the senior missionaries that ususally teach the English class were sick so they asked if we could do it. LOL! ok...so we ended up teaching new words, playing a game where they had to run up to the board and find the word then they got extra points if they could throw the roll of toilet paper in the trash can(my idea...i had to improvise). It was fun! Then Hermana Hammar taught some grammar etc. Needless to say it was funny cause-well, I dont speak spanish very well.

About 3-4 people this week have told me how much my Spanish has improved. I actually can communicate with people and kind of have a conversation. Normally Hna. Hammar would help me out.

We went to a members house for dinner on Thurs. She is awesome! She loves Rachel Ray so she had us help her make one of the recipies from her show-mushroom quesidillas and salsa with beans and rice. It turned out pretty good.

We had a noche de hogar(family home evening) at this members house with an investigator and there is this adorable little girl-her name is Lupe. Well she kept putting princess stickers all over me and when it was time to sing she grabbed my pen and tried to conduct. She is like 4 years old. I love her! Plus, she doesn't judge me for my Spanish. LOL!

Last night we went and visited an inactive family. Well, they have never let us in and last night they did! We taught them about the plan of salvation and church. They already know what they are supposed to be doing they just havent taken that step to go back. We invited them ot an activity tonight. I really hope they come. The one son-Jerry was pretty cool. I talked with him a lot about BYU and Utah(he spoke English-dont overestimate my skills :) He really wants to come back to church.

One of our recent converts, Armando is really stuggling. He basically doesn't want ot come to church anymore. He is the one who was baptized in December. It is really hard for me to understand him. It takes so much out of us to convice him to continue coming. The ward really needs to step it up or he is going to become inactive.

I guess I really never realized what missionary work entails. REally the help of the members is key. We are always needing a member ot come with us to appointments, or befriend or investigators(sit by them in chruch or invite them to dinner) I never knew what the members where supposed to do. And when missionaries come ot our house htey normally eat then peace out. We NEVER do that. We always leave with a spiritual message and a commitment. Maybe you guys could ask the missionaries in the ward how you could help more. Those members that call us and offer help really are life savors and take SO much stress of. Tell them they can bring an investigator over to the house for dinner and a message. I promise it helps!------Maygen-------I have an extra challenge for you. I was going to write it in my letter to you today but I will include it here. Will you plan to go out with the missionaries sometime?? For like a lesson or something? Even if it is to tract or contact. They really need your awesome skills and then they would be able to get more of their goals accomplished. Actually, Everyone can offer to go out with the missionaries ;) Dont think I am pressuring you....it honestly just saves us. The members can often help investigators progress so much faster then we ever could.

I hope you all have an amazing week.

Jessica---i am obsessed with the inside jokes. They made me laugh out loud. :)

I love you!

SARAH

John Got Baptized!

2010-02-18T13:05:00.001-08:00

Ok....so you remember the man I talked about last week-Jhon. Well, we had an appt. with him on Friday and he said he wanted to get baptized Sat. So me and Hermana Hammar totally threw together a baptism in 24 hours!! It was so awesome. I am sending a ton of pictures today. Oh it was so great. I played piano of course and Hermana Hammar gave a talk on Baptism and a man from our ward gave a talk on the Holy Ghost. I sang a song-----I sang The Lord Is My Shephard. I decided to sing that one cause when Jhon was walking to America and he was so tired and wanted to stop he would say the words of Psalms 23 in his head---well Psalms 23 is the lord is my shephard. So I was singing(in Spanish of course---everything I sing is in Spanish) and he was following along in the hymns book wiht the words and he started crying. SO I am trying to get through this song and he is right in front of me crying. I barely made it through it. :) Well, he then got baptized. It was cool cause as he was walking out of the font he looked back at me nad sister Hammar and smiled.....I was bawling. I had a baptism when I first got here but I was here when we taught Jhon everything. I wish you all could meet him. He is serisouly my favorite. He is like a white Spanish speaking man. And he is so concerned about me and Hna Hammar all the time. If it is really cold outside he will call to make sure we are ok. OH!!!! So His daughter ended up getting baptized at the exact same moment he did but in Columbia! Awesome right!! The reason she got baptized was becasue Jhon told her about hte church---because we were teaching him! So cool.....I will write more about it ....i have like 2 mintues left

The rest of my week was good. Thanks eveyrone for the mail!!!I love you all so much!

Sarah

Happy Valentines Day/Beau's Birthday!

2010-02-18T13:04:00.001-08:00

I LOVED the HUGE Valentine you guys sent me. I opened the package at distrcit meeting. So the huge Valentine got passed around to like 10 missionaries. HAHA! Everyone loves it. I hung it up on my wall.

Happy Birthday Beau!

Random things that happened this week:
-we saw a gangster black looking man(dreads, grill, it all) riding a horse in the middle of the street. HAHA! I tried to get a picture but I wasnt fast enough. I could just hear the comments from Josh in my mind. LOL!

-I took Hermana Hammar to her first experience at Panda Express. I know right?! Who hasnt been to Panda?? She hasnt heard of a lot of things cause she was kinda shelterd in Idaho.

-I have eaten some interesting things this week! I had this cowliflower soup?? Weird, fried banana-not good, and some funky nast meat. Like I dont know what that was :( Plus hispanics do not give you napkins. Seriously!!! Like how do you eat greasy chicken leg without a napkin??? killer!

-Taco Bell is our new fav. Like we type in the GPS for taco bell like very other day(I got a GPS from the Dunnings-they got a new one. and Hna. Hammar doesnt like it- so a $300 GPS is mine!)

-We did service at a members house Sat. We painted her living room. Wel....she had never painted before and neither had Hna. Hammar. So literally I had to teach them. I did all of the taping and corners etc. All they did is the roller. I took some pics. I will send some soon. Plus I got some pics of cute little Abby I have told you all about.

I dont have any more time. I just love all of you SO SO SO much! I love hearing about MYA-you are all obsessed- i need pictures ASAP! oh---and it was mad crazy last night here cause of the super bowl-fireworks-music, bands,crazy!

I love you have a awesome week!

sARah

Happy Birthday Amanda!

2010-02-18T13:03:00.000-08:00

Hey ya’ll,

Everyone said they sent me mail but I didn’t get some of it on Friday. I am seeing the Dunnings tonight and they usually give me my mail. If not I will get it this Friday. Thanks everyone for the emails.

This week was kinda weird. I dont feel like I have to much to talk about. Hermana Hammar got sick on Wed. so we were inside most of the day. I was bored out of my mind! Luckily she felt good the next day so we could go out.

We picked up a few new investigators this week. Elmer-he is awesome! We have taught him 2 lessons. He even missed work so he could have an appt. with us(and as a hispanic that just gets random work that is a huge deal!). Well, he really wanted to come to church yesterday so we said we would find him a ride. Well, like a million calls later NO ONE could take him. Seriously!! This ward is a little disfunctional. We are trying hard to get their support but it is just not there. It makes the work really hard when it seems like no one around you cares.

So we have been contacting in some different areas this week. Mom you would probably die if you saw the places I was walking and knocking. They aren't unsafe but just super super ghetto and hispanic. Sometimes I could hear your "eww" in my head. HAHA!

What is this about Taylor Swift being in a movie??? AHHH!! You will have to tell me how it is. We were at subway Sat. night and they played Taylor Swift and Rascal Flatts...it was killer. I really do miss my music. :(

I am glad Dave has an interview! I pray that it goes well! Good luck! Hearing about your guys' classes has been so funny. CSN is just a little ghetto huh? HAHA!! Jay-I almost died at the story of mom in class. I literally laughed out loud and everyone at the library gave me a weird look. P.S. I really do need those wedding cut outs ;) lol

We were tracting one day and knocking doors when this woman named Dee answered and said "oh good hurry and come in I need you" I was like ok. HAHA! Well it turns out she was pregnant and was getting induced(sp??) that night. We taught her about the plan of salvation-2nd lesson and she wanted to know more so we taught her about the restoration-1st lesson. She is awesome! But-because she is English we have to hand her over to the English missionaries. That happens A LOT!! Its ok though.

Well, nothing else is new this week. Lots of contacting. It is a standard of excellence to talk ot 10 people a day besides appointments. So we are always running to catch people. It is sometimes hard cause you have to approach this random person and tell them about the Restoration and the church. Its a fear I have to get over everyday.

I hope you all have a good week! Have fun watching the super bowl! Love you!

Hermana Richards

Movin' on Up!

2010-01-26T13:22:00.001-08:00

HEY Fam!

Ok...first off. I am not being transferred and me and Hermana Hammar are together. I am so happy! Seriously, her and I have become so close. Plus there are very few sisters that have been out longer than 6 months. We have a young sister missionary crowd. There are only like 3 sisters that have been here more than 7 months. I am so glad to be staying and with my comp.

But-we moved apartments. We are still in the same complex but some sisters in another apartment were moving in with a member so we gotr their apartment. It is actually a town house with a washer and dryer-thats why the title is "movin on up". But get this----we move in friday and the other sisters had just moved out. It was seriously disgusting!! They left the place so gross. Tons of junk, moldy food, trash. I was so mad. We had to clean for most of the day. I got rid of 3 trash bags full of stuff. I mean how embarrassing for them. It looks awesome now. It is number 313--not positive though. I will for sure tell you next week what it is. For now dont send mail at my apartment.

This week was good. The fireside went so well!! Seriously, I think me having the missionary mantle made my talents improve. I wish so bad that you all could have been there. I sang Joseph Smiths first prayer in Spanish. I sang with the piano nad violin but the 3rd verse sang all by myself. The whole stake center was full and I just belted it. I think it is the best I have ever sung in my entire life. no joke! One man said that I sounded like my voice sounded a symphony. LOL! It was awesome!

I totally taught Abby-the little girl from last weeks email to "pound it" LOVE HER!

During English class we played charades- i totally rocked it!! It was fun. It reminded me of how we would play all the time.

Well, the internet is being so stupid so I dont have any time left. I love you all so much!! Thanks for the letters Amanda, Maygen, and Janet. Jess---I need those wedding cut outs. I love all of you!

HAve a fabulous week

Sarbear :)

Hi!

2010-01-26T13:21:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

I hope you didn't freak out when you didn't get an email from me yesterday. Because it was MLK day all the libraries were closed.

My week was good. We have had a little of crazy weather. Like it was really rainy and windy last week and today it is like roasting! My companion said if I am complaining about being hot now I will have a hard time surviving the summer. Oh joy! Haha.

The bed bugs are gone now but...I found out on Sunday I have scabies. Don't freak out mom. Bascially it is when I have little bugs in my skin. I guess you pick them up from dirty mexican dogs. I have NEVER touched a dog but they are always around. My companion got it last transfer. I washed everything in this toxic stuff and the doctor proscribed me some cream that you rub all over it. I guess it goes away in a week or so. It is pretty gross though :(

This Sunday there is a stake fireside and guess who they asked to sing?? Yup, me....again. This is my 3rd musical number in 5 weeks. I am singing Joseph Smith's First Prayer in spanish with this violinist kid. I will tell you how it went on Monday. I actually dont really get scared to sing in front of people here cause in the latino culture people cant sing. LOL sad but true.

There is a member in our ward and she has this 3 year old little girl, Abby. The member speaks English, thankfully! She has us over to eat about once a week. Well we always play with Abby for a few minutes. Abby is an only child but I guess when she goes to school or class other kids will talk about their sisters. Well, Abby will then tell everyone about "her sisters" (Me and Hermana Hammar) HAHA! She calls us sisters when we are there and ALWAYS cries when we leave. :) Her mom is the same member that got me a blanket, stuffed animal, and socks for Christmas! I now sleep with this pink plush piggy with a crown and tutu. Abby has one just like it. LOL

Yesterday we did some service for a member in our ward. We(me and my comp. and 2 Elders) helped him clear some of his land. I totally used a mashetti(sp??). But only for a few minutes cause I didnt want to chop my hand off. The worst part was I asked him if he had a lot of rabbits cause I saw tons of their holes.He was like "thats not rabbits holes, they are sewer rats holes" I wanted to die!! what in the heck is a sewer rat??!! SO gross! Needless to say I stayed clear from that area of the yard. The elders laughed at me, as ususal.

Thank you so much for the Valentines package!! I was so excited. I put some of the hearts up on my wall but i think I am going to save the rest and go heartattacking near Valetines on members doors.

We had a really awesome dinner and lesson in a members house with John. He is seriously so ready to get baptized!! He already knows so much. We have taught him everything like 3 times. He wants to be baptized just is worried that once her gets baptized he wont be able to stay on the right path. He is worried about faultering. Also his family is a joke. They are all so nice to us to our face and then basically make fun of John for praying and reading. I need to kick some Columbian butt!

I'm trying to think of anything new. We as a mission are requiered to get 10 open your mouths per day. It is so hard! I have been killing myself trying to teach, find, reactivate, etc. It really is exhausting.

I am thankful for each of your letters and emails. Transfers are next week. Next time I email I should know if I am being transferred or not. I will let you know. I am glad each of you got to volunteer. I have only heard a little about what happened in Haiti. It sounds terrible. The members house we did service yesterday for was cleaning his yard that was still a wreck from the last hurricane. Hopefully there aren't any terrible hurricanes here anytime soon. I love you and think about each of you. HAve a good week!!

Love, Hermana Richards

What do you mean John cant find his car??

2010-01-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

Hey family!

I bet you are all wondering why my email is titled the way it is. I will ex
plain in a little bit. I am doing good. It was another busy week. Some cool
things that happened this week:

I had an interview with President Saylin on Wednesday. Everyone has an inte
rview each transfer. He asked how I was doing and how the transfer has been
so far. I told him I was doing much better than the beginning. He gave me
some really good advice. At the end he said he never does this but he feels
prompted to give me a blessing. It was one of the most amazing blessings I
have ever had. He said some amazing promises and words that I will never f
orget. One being that me and Hermana Hammar will have a relationship like I
have with my sisters. I have grown to really love Hermana Hammar. I talked
to my MTC companions and I am very lucky to have gotten Hna. Hammar. They
are both having a really hard time. I am really blessed with her. Overall,
meeting with President was good but a little tough cause I dont quite know
him yet. He gave me great advice though.

So some of you have asked about the people I teach. They all speak Spanish
and most of them are from El Salvador, Mexico, or Columbia. They eat some f
unky food. I sometimes prefer not to have a dinner appt. HAHA!! OH! I total
ly had to eat fish! This sweet new convert made us dinner and there was 2 h
uge pieces of fish(i dont know what kind). I choaked it down! I am so proud
of myself. But i literally wanted to die! LOL Also, they NEVER serve you w
ater. It is always juice. Some good, some terrible. haha...maygen knows wha
t I am talking about.

Some of the jobs that the Spanish people do here are odd end jobs. Like the=
people that stand on the corner. The more active members have normal jobs =
but most of our investigators are always looking for work. A lot of illegal=
s.=20

So we as missionaries are supposed to OYM(open your mouth)10 people a day. =
We were at subway Friday and my comp was in the bathroom. I saw this man wa=
lk in with a little boy with Autism. So I decided to OYM them. The young ma=
n I guess watches this boy everyday to help him adjust to the world, etc. I=
started talking to Lowe(the little boy) and Michael the man asked me why a=
m I able to talk to him so easily. Most people feel awkward or uneasy about=
it. I just told him that I love people like him. He was very glad that I t=
alked to him. I got his info for the missionaries(he was english so I cant =
teach him). It was cool.=20

Now on to the craziest story! So this Sunday was Stake conference. Our inve=
stigator John came. We were all walking out of the building to leave when J=
ohn's car was gone! We were like what do you mean his car is gone?? I'm thi=
nking great-our investigator got his car stolen while at church, he is neve=
r going to get baptized! So we all started looking around the parking lot. =
We found a car like 10 cars down that looks very similar to his, but wasnt =
his. At this point we had the BIshop and stake Presdient helping us with ou=
r 4 Elders and some other members...it wasa scene. Well, we decided to try =
Johns key in that car-and it started the car!!! So we then put 2 and 2 toge=
ther-the person that took Johns car is the owner of this car. So we started=
going through the car to find info. 3 hours later we find out that it was =
another investigators car but from another ward. The man felt so imbarassed=
. The man didnt realize it wasnt his car becasue he was just borrowing it f=
or the day. HOLY COW!! What are the chances that two cars that look alike h=
ave the same key and were parked near each other??!!!We all laughed about =
it later. I was scared though for a while cause he was going to be left wit=
hout car and then blame God and not be baptized. LOL!! Crazy!

Those are only a few of the things that happened this week. We are trying t=
o pick up a few new investigators. We have a lot of potentials but are not =
sure. The thing with hispanics is that they are all pretty nice so they won=
t tell you if they are not interested. You sometimes find yourself wasting =
time.=20

I am doing good. I am glad Pres. Saylin called you. Really dont stress out =
about it. I am doing much better. I am just praying that I stay in this are=
a with my companion. Transfers are the 27th. We will see. Have a good week.=
Thank you for the package mom!! And Amanda thanks for the lettter. I love =
you all so much!

Love, Hermana Richards

I can't believe its 2010!

2010-01-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

Wow! So this week has felt like a year but thats ok. I have a to I want to tell you about and you all asked a ton of questions in your emails so I want to answer them. First-your questions

Yes, bed bugs are gross. I havent gotten any recently but I spray permitherin(sp?) almost every night and wash my clothes with it. Not to mention bug spray myself every night. Its ok. I am serviving them. Hahah..

Jess- congrats on becoming an EMT!! That is so awesome! I am excited for you and mom to have communications together. I wish I could see it! haha...oh and awesome new years resolutions! I dont have many...except to servive. LOL

Maygen-I really need to hear more about this doctor ASAP! As soon as anything happens :) OH! and I also like your new years resolution. Writing me every week! YES!! Oh and I do have an umbrella..no worries. It has already got good uses out of it. I have started my tender mercies on the calender. It is perfect. Oh and thanks for the Taylor quote. Always love it! We were teaching John one day in the club house of his apartment complex and the big screen was on...and it was taylor swift, no lie. It took all my power not to look even though it was in right in front of me.(i couldnt figure out how to turn it off). haha

Amanda-I had to be back at the apartment by 7 New Years night so I slept through the new year! haha....sleep was more important. LOL They have cici's pizza here. Everyone always is tlaking about it. I have had it a couple times. LOL Next time you and Beau will make sure to not lose so you dont have to buy dessert. Oh and I hope Beau's leg is feeling better :(

So my week was long...i already said that. First off, We have a baptism next week. I am SO excited for it. His name is John and he is awesome! We also teach him English. We help him with English and he makes me repeat things in Spanish. It is funny! OH! And a week ago he told us if he got baptized than we would have to eat a Columbian favorite food......an ANT!! I'm not even joking. It is an ant with a "big butt" and they fry it. I will be sure to take pictures! Oh the things I am doing for my investigators.

So I stepped in dog poo twice in the last 2 days...that was fun. Dogs are everywhere here. Roaming the streets and stuff. Oh chickens and roosters too. Weird.

So like I said to Amanda my New Years was pretty boring. We plannned all day then worked for 2 hours then had to be back to our apartment by 7. My companion and I got in our PJ's and made cookies. I was asleep by 10:00. LOL I slept through the new year.

So we kinda get lost here quite easily. Especially when we walk in neighborhoods. There is like NO organization to the streets! Luckily The dunnings(a senior couple that LOVES us) bought a new GPS and totally gave me their old one. It is little and perfect! I call it tomtom because that is what it says on it. OH!! JESSICA-what do they call the GPS in RV??? LOLA?? I am going to call it that.

So cool story- Saturday night we were contacting people a lot of the day. So we were outside the house of an appt. when I saw these people walking. I felt like I needed to talk to them. SO I jumpped out of the car-my comp. didnt know what was going on- and I started talking to them. Luckily 1 of them spoke English.(people here are either hispanic or black-no white) We invited them to come to church, like we tell eveyone and that was it. Guess what?!! Sunday me and Hna. Hammar are sitting in sacrament and I looked over and there they were! They came!! Afterward we talked to them and they want ot go to stake conference next week. They meet the bishop and everything! GOLDEN! haha....we will see what happens

The days all kinda feel the same. I have gotten to know my district. They are all cool. They think I am hilarious for some reason. Maybe I am just too honest and they aren't getting it. lol

I am doing better. Honestly, it jsut depends on the day or moment. I am doing ok. I smile and nod my head cause I dont know Spanish but I am surprised at how much I understand. I dont need anything right now. I have everything. Just write me!! Its kinda sad when they pass out mail on Fridays at District meeting and I dont get anything :(

I love you and LOVED your emails today. They lifted me up. Keep smiling. I know that because I am on a mission HEavenly Father is watching out for my family. He has promised it. Push through the hard times cause thats when Heavenly Father knows we are truly devoted to him nad the things that are important. I Love you so much!!

Love,
Hermana RIchards

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-22T18:41:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!!

So Christmas is on Friday! It is so crazy to think about. I'm sure you are doing all the normal Christmas Eve stuff. You will definitely need to send me pictures.

Wow!! Ok Holy Cow! This has been the longest 6 days of my life! I landed in Houston and we went to the Mission Pres. house. There we had interviews, workshops, and dinner. We then had a tesitmony meeting. After that we slept at the Dunnings apt. (they are a senior couple who lives near Sugar Land). The Dunnings are awesome. I actually live in that complex now and the Dunnings give me mail and stuff cause they live a building away. So the next day...we woke up and went to a church house where we we trained some more, rules, etc. Then we got our trainers. My trainer is Hermana Hammar. She is from Rigby Idaho. It is kinda crazy because she has only been in texas 4 months...yup and she is training me. Luckily her Spanish is pretty good. The sisters right before us opened this area so we are still trying to get to know everything. I am in Missouri City. There are a lot of Spanish people here! Basically everywhere.

My apartment has just me and my comp. It is weird not being around so many missionaries like at the MTC. I am definitely still adjusting.

So let me tell you a little about what I have been doing these last few days. We have a baptism on Saturday. His name is Armando.. He speaks only Spanish(some people here can speak both). He is from Mexico. He is pretty aweome! He has accepted everything and is very active in the church already. We also have 2 other people with baptism dates in Jan. so far.

We have English classes every Tues. and Thurs. We dont teach the class but the senior missionaries that do dont speak Spanish, so we mostly translate...Haha. Well, I dont yet.

OH mom! So you know those taco car/van things that are like parked on teh side of the roads?? Yup I ate there. CRAZY! It wasnt bad. We were out trying to find people in that area nad the lady that runs the taco place is nice and we want to teach her.

Mostly we have been teaching our investigators and finding new people. One of my favorite things here so far is when we teach the less active or recent converts. They are all super nice. We have been able to get a less active family ot come to church and a ward christmas activity. It was awesome!

Since being here my throat has not adjusted to the humidity in the air. I have like this weird cough. Its not really sore just I ocasionally lose my voice and cant really sing....which brings me to my next point! The AP's asked me nad my companion to sing for a Christmas mission conference. There is going to be half the mission there!! Oh nad did I mention my companion doesnt sing?! Haha...cool. I will have to tell you how that goes.

We had a ward christmas party on Sat night. It was cool cause we were able to get some of our investigators there and I got to meet some people in the ward. By meet I mean smile and say "hola!" haha...They are all really nice. Definitely a culture shock. Not your regular Ward Christmas party thats for sure.

So Sunday we went to church. Yes it is a whole spanish stake. Our ward is cool and very supportive of missionaries. I have already gotten 2 huge presents form them. I really didnt understand anything going on at church. They speak way too fast!! Funny story!!!!!!!! So no latinos play piano. So we are about to start Relief Society weh na man comes up to my comp. I didnt know what he was saying(it was in spanish). All I heard was the word piano. and next thing I know I am walking down the hall. Then into the chapel. They wanted me to play the piano for them??!!!!! Santa baca(holy cow)!! So I play the sacrament hymn...no idea still what song it was. And then the guy tells me it is pg 126(the special musical number....what special musical number??????) I was playing the piano for the Relief Society musical number. So for hte next 10 minutes I am like memorizing the song. Scared to death. So we get up to do it. And the chorister lady tells me it is page 124. WHAT??!! SO I then proceeded to play an intro and play the piano for their musical number. HAHAHAAHAHA!! It was pretty bad. I dont think they relaly notcied though. Kill me!! :)

Another funny story...Mom, you will die. So Sunday night we went over to a recent converts house. As we were teaching her a mouse ran from under her couch to mine right passed my feet. I was speechless. My companion let out a small gasp. We didnt want to offend her so we didnt say anything more. But I could just imagine a mouse chillin' by my feet as we were trying to teach. I was SO scared. LOL

So those were a few of my adventures from this past week. I get to tlak to you on Christmas!! I am excited. We are going over to a members house and I think we are going to call you there. I am actually not sure how its going to work. I think we are calling at around 11 my time so 9am your time.

I dont think I need anything right now. I guess I will let you know next week after I open christmas presents. I love all of you and am thinking about you!

-Hermana Richards

Sarah's New Address

2009-12-16T14:42:00.002-08:00

550 Stafford Run Road #1206
Stafford, TX 77477

link to Sarah's new home, check it out

2009-12-16T14:42:00.001-08:00

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=550+stafford+run+road,+stafford,+tx&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=31.509065,56.337891&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=550+Stafford+Run+Rd,+Stafford,+Fort+Bend,+Texas+77477&ll=29.611222,-95.560825&spn=0.002127,0.003439&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=29.61062,-95.561213&panoid=RSVPSiurOiv8YUXGe6m4ig&cbp=12,343.32,,0,6.05

Your missionary has arrived!

2009-12-16T13:34:00.000-08:00

Dear family,

We are pleased to report that you missionary has arrived safely! They are incredible and we are so pleased to have them here in the greatest mission in the world. I have sent you a list of each missionary’s assignment as well as the name of their trainer whom they will meet tomorrow. I am sure you will enjoy looking up their area on a map! They have also written a letter to you that we will put in the mail tomorrow. Please note that their P-day here is on Monday.

I have also attached a photo from our time together tonight in the mission home. We had a most spiritual testimony meeting. Thank you for raising such fine missionaries with incredible testimonies who are ready to serve in all ways. President Saylin and I are truly impressed.

With love,

Pres. and Sister Saylin

ASSIGNMENTS:

Sis. Varner Sis. Gibson Galveston

Sis. Stevens Sis. Toapanta Houston 8

Elder Wood Elder Smith Houston 8

Sis. Wright Sis. Greenberg Houston 9

Elder Stastny Elder Cope Fresno

Sis. Richards Sis. Hammar Missouri City

Sis. Clifton Sis. Hammeren Brazos

Elder Troung Elder Greenhaulgh Braeburn (Vietnamese)

Sis. Kiene Sis. Stander Memorial Park

Texas Here I Come

2009-12-12T14:05:00.000-08:00

Hey ya'll!!

Yes! I leave on Tuesday for Texas. I have to be at the travel office here at the MTC at 6am. So however long it takes me to get to the sirport and to the terminal is when I will call you. My plane doesn't take off till 10:17am. So I think I will get achance to call everyone.

Maygen-I am giving my branch Presidents wife a box Monday night. Her name is Joan Lloyd. Her phone number just in case is 801-373-8885 or 801-225-3553. She is super nice. I am giving her your # to call you but just in case.

This week has flown by SO fast. Some of my favorite things this week were the Christmas Devotional. I loved Motab! I love the Christmas season. It doesnt feel like Christmas too much here but Im sure it will on Tuesday! Oh!!! Maygen you will enjoy this-I went to the make-up class you were talking about a while ago. It was serisouly awesome!! They basically gave you a make over and gave me a huge bag of Nuskin makeup for free. The lady told me it is valued at around $200!! Sister Missionaries get the perks :)

Jess-Maygen told me you set a date for May1st! Congrats :) Mom also told me that you found some really cute bridesmaid dresses. I need pics!

Oh! I got a letter from my mission President. President Saylin. He basically said my first day I will get there go to the mission home, have interviews, dinner, and a testimony meeting. I am SO excited! Mom-dont worry about sending that stuff in the suit case I left yet. Let me see how things go in the next week. What is even in that bag?? I cant remember. :)

Packing is going to be an adventure. I know I have a lot of stuff. Lets see how creative I have to get!

How are things at home?? Getting ready for Christmas?? Have you played fugitive lately? My companion told me danny won the biggest loser. She is a fan too!

Sorry this email is kinda boring. I'm sure next week I will have SO much to write about. I think I heard that my p-days are Mondays. Not sure?? I will email as soon as I can.

So my Spanish...pretty much still stinks. Hahaha! I'm not joking either. I'm sure Maygen will want to speak a little in Spanish, dont set your expectations too high. :)

One of the things Iam looking forward to the most is that the night before I leave my whole zone sings "God be with you till we meet again" in espanol. It is SO fun! I am going to record it on my camera. So when I send the disc home you will have to watch it.

Overall, I am doing really good. I am just so excited to go to Texas! My week was pretty normal here. It is just all Spanish all the time. Yesterday I was waiting for my companion to get her HEP A shot and I was talking to this Elder from Spain. I told him(in spanish) to talk to me like he would at home. With his spanish I mean. I was SO shocked because I understood like 90% of what he was saying! I was so happy....I couldn't really say much back though. HAHA! Also, he is learning English so I had to speak to him in spanish cause he didnt understand. He was awesome!!

Well....I gotta go! I am so so so so so so excited to talk to you! I love you! Talk to ya soon(i love saying that)

Hermana Richards

HOLA!

2009-12-08T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

First off! Jay is engaged?!!! That is super exciting. I knew it was only a matter of time before it would happen. I have to be honest, I cried when I opened that letter and read that. I didn't cry because I was sad. I cried becasue it hit me that I am not home right now and things started to seep in a little bit that I wont be home for another 16 months. I dont know that it has really hit me that I am a missionary. I think it will once I go to Houston. But I am really excited for both of you. I do need pictures though! I am sure you are already planning. Do you have a date yet or any plans?? I need all the details jess.

Bad news...the dearelder machine has been broken for 2 days so I havent gotten anything. They said they are fixing it now and I should have them by tonight. Sorry if I dont respond today to anything :(

OH! Some more bad news....I haven't gotten my travel plans yet. I have no idea why. I was so excited to write you about them. Sorry! I am pretty sure I am leaving the 15th. I will tell you everything next friday. I will call all you from the airport. It might be really early in the morning though. You better answer! Haha

I cannot believe that I am leaving in like 10 days for Texas! I am so excited!! But also really nervous because my Spanish...leaves much to be desired. :) I know the Lord will help me as I make the effort to learn. I love the MTC! I could not have asked for a better district, zone, or teachers. I really have been blessed. My teacher the other night was talking to us about how a district like ours does not come along that often and about how great we are. I feel so blessed. It is hard to think that soon I will have to say goodbye to these Elders that have become like brothers to me.

Cool story...well its not really a story. The same night you all went to Temple Square to see the lights turn on, I was here at the MTC doing the same thing. They have tons on Christmas lights in this main plaza area. It was so cool. Everyone was taking pictures. It made me feel closer to you all because I knew thats what you were doing in SLC. But i at the time didnt know that was when Jess was getting engaged.

I am doing SO good! I am Spanish all the time it seems like. I love it! I wish I was better but I know htat the more I practice the better my Spanish will be.

So I kind of had a small moment that I missed decorating for Christmas. You all know I was always the one to do the tree. I miss decorating the tree this year :( It was always my job. The tree doesnt look as good this year right??? Cause I didn't do it. LOL :)

I hope you all have a great week! You are always in my prayers :)

Love,
Hermana Richards

Happy Black Friday!!!

2009-12-08T13:08:00.000-08:00

Hola Familia!

How was Thanksgiving??? I'm sure it was a complete mad house at Grandmas with everyone. Did you all go watch a movie last night?

My Thanksgiving was actually pretty good. My companions and I woke up that morning and had breakfast out of a vending machine because we had to get in line for the morning devotional. YES...I stood outside for 2 hours in the freezing cold to get a seat(just like you gys stood outside in the freezing cold on black friday!). Because there are so many missionaries here they do not have room for everyone in the gym so there is an overflow of like 700 missionaries in another building. I didn't want ot be in there because our Branch President told me Elder Holland was coming!!! His devotional was probably the best talk I have ever heard from him(better than his at conference)! I cried through most of it. He talked about 3 main things he was Thankful for: his family, his mission, and Heavenly Fathers love. I want to share a few things about what he said concerning family. "It is beyond my ability to say how grateful I am for my family. I would join the church if the only doctrine I knew of was eternal families. I could not concieve heaven without my family. It would not be heaven without them. Many of you may feel homesick today. Good! I want you to be homesick. Because it now that you are gone that you have a greater appriciation for them. There is an empty seat today at your families Thanksgiving table. Make sure that you get everyone "home". Make sure that there are no empty chairs in the celestial kingdom. This homesickness you feel is only a portion of the homsesickness Heavenly Father has for His children." He closed his talk with my favorite quote: "I am NOT devoting my life to a fairy tale! This is God's truth!" His talk was so powerful! I could barely read what I was writting through my tears. It made my Thanksgiving.

For thanksgiving dinner(lunch-I ate at 12:30) we had turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans, roll, pumpkin and apple pie, yams, brocoli salad thing, jello salad, etc. It wasnt bad. For dinner we jsut had a sack dinner thing. OH! We did a bunch of cool service projects though. I colored some book things for kids and we put together first aid kits. It was really fun! One of my favorite parts of Thanksgiving I set up. In my district I thought it would be a good itdea for everyone to bring some pictures of their family and tell about them. We called it "family share". It was so cool to see pics of the Elders families. My district feels like my family here. I love them all so much! Overall, my Thanksgiving was really good!

Thank you so much for the cards and packages. Dad & Kolette-my district basically loves you for all the candy, bread, etc. Thank you so much!

Funny story-so I was trying to fix my companions necklace and I thought I woudl use a tiny bit of super glue to get the job done. Well, all the sudden a ton came out on my hands. Well it has been 3 days and I still have glue on my hands. I tried nail filing it down, rubbing alcohol, hot water, etc. HAHA! never again!

One thing that my disrtict does every other day is called English Fasts. It is basically where we do not speak any English. It is SO hard! haha...Como se dice??(HOw do you say...) is my favorite phrase. It has been fun though.

I have a new nickname with my district. I am now called 'MOM'. I taught Elder Fernelius how to sew on a button 3 days ago. And another elder has a cold so I agve him meds. It was funny cause he was like "Mom how much do I take" I then had to show him the line he had to pour it to. Those are only af ew examples of how I am the district 'mom'. HAHA

I am doing really good here a the MTC. I only have 2.5 weeks left! It is so crazy! I get my travel plans on Wed. So next imte I email I will give you the info. So I was thinking about somethings you could send me for Christmas. Not that I am asking for anything but I know you will send stuff so I figured I would give you ideas. Address labels(like of my address in Houston). It takes so long to write out my address. Another idea is some more proactive step #1. I'm good on all the other steps.

Thanks for everything! I leave for Texas on Dec. 14th! I am so excited. Have a wonderful week. I am praying for all of you!

Love,
Hermana Richards

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

2009-11-20T19:20:00.000-08:00

Happy Turkey Day this week!!

First off...Mom thanks for the lotion! I LOVE packages! How was Twilight??? I am wearing my "Bite me Edward" shirt to celebrate. Hahaha...So I bet you are all excited for Thanksgiving. I am sad I will miss the whole family being together but I think I can handle just getting pictures. :) Oh! And I am SURE Amanda already has the ads scoped out to see what the deals are for Black Friday. I will need pictures of that too. Lol!

This last week went really well!! Except teaching in Spanish is no bueno...it is hard to convey how you are feeling and teach the gospel in a meaningful way when you dont even know the words. I have found it to be a struggle for me because I want to say things perfect and I cant right now.

On Sunday we had 2 amazing speakers! In Relief Society we had Sister Oaks come and speak. She is Elder Oaks wife. Her talk was so good but the part that got me was at the end she had her friend, who has down syndrome, bare her testimony and sing us a song. I started bawling! Then she sang "As I Have Loved You" with the sign language. I was a mess! haha. It really hit home for me and was such a special moment for me to remember how much support I have, on earth and in heaven.

Sheri Dew spoke Sunday night!! It was so awesome!! I was writting notes so fast I thought my hand was going to fall off. She talked about how the patterns I learn here on my mission will help me forever and how my family is being blessed because of my service. She was so great!

My favorite experience this last week was teaching 4 Elders form another district. We have taught them many times a week for 5 weeks. They are awesome guys. Well me and my companions decided to teach to them and try our best to teach by the spirit. We didn't go in with much of a plan. So we started and the guys were goofing off but by the end it was amazing! I felt that I needed to share some of the trials I have had in my life(Tylers death and parents divorce), then I talked about prayer and the Savoir. I started to cry and then the elders started to cry. We asked them how do they feel of Gods love in their life and they said "right now". It was the most spiritual lesson I have ever gave! Later I found out that 2 of the elders parents were divorced and one of them had their sister pass away less than a year ago. I love missionary work! It is so incredible how the spirit can lead you share things you never thought to. After wards the Elder said it was the best lession he had ever heard and he wished he could give us a hug. It wasn't me teaching it was the spirit. My companions and I after that went to the bathroom and cried cause it was so awesome!

I got to host new missionaries on Wednesday. The first girl I had was from Samoa and didnt speak English very well. I loved her! Her family dropped her off in a huge van and they all sang. It was amazing! Oh and while I was waiting for another girl...I saw this black new missionary get out of this really old beat up car. Then 2 of his friends got out. I talked to him later and he is the only member in his family and they wouldnt go with him to the MTC cause they dont support him. So his 2 friends dropped him off and gave him huge hugs and took pictures. I almost started crying! A mission is hard enough, I cannot imagine doing it without the support of family.

Thanks so much for everything! I love you all so much! *HUG* (thats me hugging you :)

Love, Hermana Richards

Hola!

2009-11-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone!

Thank you so much ofr all the letters and the packages. Maygen, I love the seat coushins(sp?). My companions also really love them! Thanks for everything, you are amazing!! Also...I loved the Halloween pictures and chips and salsa. My companions and district know all about my family. Haha...I am saving the chips and salsa for next week because we are goign to have a fiesta before my roomates leave for Argentina. I am so excited!!

So one of my favorite parts of this week has been playing Spanish charades(sp?). It was really funny. My district was like "WOW! Hermana Richards is really getting into this!". I had to laugh. Its because of all those nights of us playing games and how competetive our family is. HAHA!

My Espanol is coming along ok. This next week I am teaching about 7 times in Spanish so I hope it really help me progress. Oh! Next Wednesday me and my district gert to host all the new missionaries coming in the MTC. Meaning we are the ones right there when they get out of the car and we take them around and get them settled. I am really excited because I feel really "old" as a missionary here because I have been here now like 4.5 weeks. So crazy!

Funny story....so I wrote like 1000 letters last week(yes really 1000 :) and mailed them off on Sat. Well...yesterday my companion was picking something up from under my bed and found like 3 letters that accidentely fell! I was so mad! So Denise, Sam and Linds, I am sorry! I am writing you today! Don't think I am a slacker.

Wow! So time really flys by here. I really love it though! Everyone is SO nice and caring. I am always feeling the Spirit. The longer I am here the more I realize the importance of me being here and the work I am doing. There are moments when you can be really tired or your head can hurt from speaking Spanish but everyday I wake up with a new energy that keeps me going. I am SO blessed. One of my greateest blessings is the Elders in my district. I wish you could meet them. Last night we were all laughing so hard we were crying. They really keep my spirits high.

At the temple today I thought of all of you. I began to cry because I am so grateful for all of you. And I am so happy to call you my family! Sometimes I wish I could talk to you and tell you about he great day I had or something cool that happened but I know you can feel of my love becasue I feel yours everyday. As I am tyoing this I am crying because and so thankful for all of you. I wish I could convey to you the importance of this gospel to me. I will be forever changed becasue of these only 4 short weeks so far and I know the Lord will continue to refine me into a disciple of Christ. I love you all so much! I know this church is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and restored the church on this earth in its fulness. Jesus Christ is our Savoir and Redeemer. If you apply the Atonement in your life you will feel of a greater happiness and joy than you could ever imagine. I love this work! I miss everyones face and smile :) I love you :)

Love, Sarah

yo hablo espanol??

2009-11-06T19:43:00.000-08:00

Family!!

How is everyone?? Thank you so much for the letters and packages. Pretty much whenever I get mail I share it with my companions so they know a lot about you guys. I can't help but telling them all about my family and friends :) They really liked the candy, pictures, letters you have sent for them and they are so grateful for you guys. They keep tellign me how awesome my family is. Of course I couldn't argue with them.
So last Saturday was Halloween...as a missionary you dont really get to celebrate. I wore a green sweater and switched name tags with my companion as my "costume". Oh and we basically pigged out on candy, carmel popcorn, etc. Oh and Maygen! We totally did the scripture thing. It was awesome! My roomates all appriciated it.
This week my favorite thing has to have been when Elder and Sister Rasband from the Presidency of the Seventy came and spoke. It was one of the most amazing talks I have ever heard. Maygen-I guess they were mission Presidents over your mission like 10 years ago and they both centered their talks on NYC and missionary work. It reminded me so much of you. I will try and write more about it in a letter to you! Man, I wish you and Denise could have heard it. But it was all about hte Savior and how to just open your mouth and teach!
So...my companions taught for the first time in Spanish yeaterday!! Agh! It was really scary at first but ended up going better than I tought it would. I definitely have a lot to learn though. It is amazing how fast you can learn here at the MTC. The biggest thing I am having trouble with is conjegations. I know all the conjegations I just forget them while I am talking so I sound kinda ridiculous talking. OH! So we started playing this game with my district, it is called el nativo. Basically we all draw a paper each morning and if your paper says "el nativo" then you have to speak Spanish all day, no matter what! But everyone else wants to trick people into thinking they are the nativo so they tlak in Spanish too. At the end of the night we vote and crown a winner. Of course I draw the nativo the first day. Lets jsut say I was a little quiter than usual. HAHA!!
So not much else is new. Study, class, eat, gym, bed. Thats about it. So I decided to come up with some random facts about the MTC, or at least my version:
Fact:
-my handwritting has gotten worse since being on a mission. If you are lucky enough to get a letter from me have fun translating my handwritting.
-The elders get hot easy so our classroom feels like an ice chest
-It is difficult ot make a bed when it is a bunk bed. I hit my head on the bar EVERYDAY!
-a watch becomes your best friend
-panty hoes become your worse enemy(i dont have to wear them but again the classroom is like an ice chest)
-you learn to get ready faster than the speed of light.
-you love wednesdays becasue all the new missionaries come in nad it makes you feel like an experienced missionary. Really you dont knwo much more than them
-the most drama you hear here is about who is coming for devotional...you will here rumors about a apostle or even last week the prophet. Those are fun times.
-It is weird when you dont have your nametag on. like during gym...you feel incomplete.
-Things at the bookstore are 40% off!!
-Fluent Spanish speakers see your nametag and automatically think you are fluent. LOL "No hablo Espanol...."
-The only time when you leave your companions sight is during gym and when in your dorms.
-You have to have this special credit card thing to eat, get into your floor, residence, etc.
-the food is not good. I do like cereal and salad.
-my room is on the 4th floor so you g et used to goign up stairs-there is free ice cream bars after dinner
-Somewhere there is a room full of all pillows..i havent found it yet. I am still looking :)
That is all the facts I can think of right now.
I am doing really good. I am busy busy studying and trying to learn Spanish. I am so grateful for all of you!
I love you.
-Hermana Richards

Halloween Email!

2009-10-30T17:11:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all!
This week has gone by SO fast! It feels like I was just writing you an email. My week is going great. We had some really good speakers this week. Sister Mottsumori(sp?) from the Primary general presidency gave the lesson in Relief Society. She talked all about how to teach primary aged children the gospel. She showed this really cute movie with little kids. I started to cry because I missed Brook, Ash, and Maddy so much!! We also learned the sharing time song for 2010. It is so good. It talks about Christ blessing the children and crying because of them. I have to say that it really made me miss my baby nieces :(
On Tuesday we had Elder L. Tom Perry speak. It was so amazing. He spoke on using the spirit to teach. His brought all fo his grandchildren to sing a song(there was this little girl that looked like Brooklyn, so I started crying again). They sang this song called "My kindness shall not depart from thee" I LOVE that song. Such a good devotional. Also, all 3000 missionaries sang Called to Serve. I cannot even begin to describe to you the feeling of singing that song with the power of 3000 missionaries. It was a very spiritual experience for me and most people around me. It confirmed to me why I am on a mission and the reason I am here.
So....I know that Taylor Swift came out with 7 new songs on Tuesday. Has anyone heard it yet?? wanna give me the dish?? Hahaha...I am kinda sad I cant hear it(Maygen...i NEED lyrics) HAHA!
I had a pretty cool experience at the RC on Wednesday. Remember the RC is where I call people. So I called this 23 year old guy in Detroit, to ask him if he recieved his Book of Mormon he requested. And we talked for like 20 minutes about the gospel! He has read all the way to Mormon. I even asked him to read a verse with me over the phone and he had his BOM with him as he was walking home from class. I got him to agree to meet with the missionaries and pray about the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon. It was so AWESOME!!
Thanks again for everyone who wrote me letters. I feel SO blessed. I can honestly say that my one companion has only recieved 1 letter since being here. I feel really bad. Maybe mom...you guys could do something for them. I dont know. A little candy or something??
So next week I begin teaching in Spanish...I am going to pee my pants! lol! I really am kinda an idiot when it comes to Spanish, but I am working hard. Teaching lessons in English comes really easy for me so I think I really need to concentrate on Espanol.
Oh! I heard that you are doing a biggest loser challenge with the family! I am so down!! Maybe I will do it here. I can weigh myself once a week. I think I might have lost some weight because I dont eat a lot(i dont really likethe food) and I am always walking up stairs. I am so excitedf or you guys! Keep it UP!!!
Jessica-I am obsessed with your Dearelder! It made me miss your personality. Especially about the old people. Haha
Denise-Jake is awesome! I think I made him kinda nervous when talking to him cause he was trying to be really nice to me. Go for it!!
Maygen-Any cool date stories?? My companions and roomates are dying for more! :)
Sam and Linds-I love you and think about you A LOT! HUG!!(that is a hug from me :)
Thanks again for everything you guys! It is so great to know that I have such a huge support group back at home. I love it! I love and miss you all. OH!! I NEED pictures from Halloween.
Love, Hermana Richards
Mom- if you want to send my companions something it is the same address. Their names are Megan Stevens and Robyn Wright. Thanks! I LOVE YOU!

Week 2 Letter!!! Her Testimony is in Spanish!!!!!

2009-10-24T15:55:00.000-07:00

Hola everyone!

First off, I have to thank everyone for the letters and packages!! It has been so wonderful to hear from all of you. My district kind of hates me because I get the most letters and packages. Hahaha!! That doesn't give you permission to stop. :)
My week has been so great! I joined choir. I love it! Plus we get an awesome seat for the devotional. I also really like Sunday's because we get to watch films. Last week we watched the Joseph Smith movie. I cried of course. It is crazy here because we are in class most of the day and if we are not in class we are studying. It sometimes is rough because I dont have time to study and retain the things I am taught. Especially the Spanish. I am really surprised at how much I am learning. The Lord has definitely blessed me. The MTC is an amazing place.
On Wednesday we went to the RC for the first time. Basically the RC is were missionaries make phone calls to people who have reqested a BOM or other things. We call them and try to get them to agree to meet with the missionaries. I had a couple of people commit to meeting with the missionaries. And I also had a couple of mean people but oh well! We also can chat online with people on Mormon.org. Its really cool!
It has been amazing to feel the spirit here at the MTC. It is crazy the energy and strength that is provided for you to accomplish all you can to become the best you can. I am LOVING the work I am doing. Now that I am on a mission it has only confirmed to me the desire I have had for years to serve. It is amazing. I wish I could explain it better but I cant. Only those that have experienced the MTC can understand the overwhemling feeling of love from Heavenly Father that you feel.
It is weird sometimes to think about you guys. I definitely miss all of you! I love the many funny stories you tell me about and even just the day to day things make me happy to read about. My biggest struggle here at the MTC is being tired. I at times just want to take a nap so bad! But then suddenly I will wake up and be totally fine. It is amazing!! I hope you are all doing well. After I finish this email I am going to write you letters. It is realy hard to get everything you want to say in a short time period and when you are surrounded by about 50 missionaries doing laundry. I love you all so much!! Thank you for the support. I am so blessed!!

Yo sé Jesus es el Salvador. Estoy agradecio por la expiación y el plentitud del Evangelio. El libro de Mormon es verdadero! Le estoy agradecido a mi padre celestial por este oportunidad servir de un misión.

Love, Hermana Richards

Sister Richards' 1st Email!!!!!

2009-10-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Hola Mi familia!!

Wow!! I can't believe it was only a few days ago that I was with all you guys. I feel like I have been at the MTC for weeks! These last few days have been so great. After you dropped me off I spent a lot of time in lines getting my keys, room, etc. We then later that night had a huge meeting with all the new missionaries. So my companion decided not to show up. Sad I know!! Once I met with my District Presidency they then put me with two other Hermanas in my district. And guess what?? They are also going to the Texas Houston South Mission! Spanish speaking. Hermana Stevens from Idaho and Hermana Wright from Washington. In my district alone we have a total of 6 missionaries going to my mission. All leaving the same day to go to Texas. The Elders in my district are awesome!! They are very respectful of the Hermanas.

The last few days we have been in cass A LOT!! We have been learning the first lesson in Preach My Gospel and how to pray and testify in Spanish. I am VERY grateful for the little Spanish I know. I really do wish I had paid more attention in Spanish though. It has been really weird singing in Spanish. I am having trouble getting the tune of the song and trying to sing in a language I dont know at the same time. Haha! I would totally mess it up and then laugh out loud....oh man.

One thing that has been hard is that one of my teachers is sick. So we haven't meet her yet. Because of that we have had up to 7 or 8 different teachers. They wouldn't know what the person before them has taught so we often get lessons very similar or almost the same. I feel like we are a little behind as a district. But no worries, we are all working really hard to learn as fast and effective as we can.

How are things at home? I realize now how amazing it was to be a part of Pauls discussions and baptism. I feel like I can realate in the role playing to the investigator a little bit because I sat in when Paul was taking the discussions. Me and my companions taught the first lesson today to some other Hermanas in another district and it went SO well! I was so happy when we were done. Afterward they just kept saying how they could not believe it was our first week because we did so well.

Thank you so much for the letters!! It really has uplifted me. Oh! Funny story...so right after you guys dropped me off the Elders helping me at the curb said that our goodbye/curb drop off was the best Sister drop off they had ever seen. So good job family for not crying for 20 minutes and making a scene!

I love you all SO MUCH!! I am doing great. Really! i have only cried once and it was because of an experience I will have to tell you more about later :) I have noticed how much Heavenly Father has blessed me so far. He has given me SO much strength. I can even begin to expain the feeling of His love for me. I have felt it stronger here than I have ever had before. Please write!! Have a wonderful week.

Love,Hermana Richards

Missionary Training Center

2009-10-15T19:16:00.000-07:00

Maygen looks like she is about to break down in tears again

Sister Richards finally entered the MTC yesterday. We hated how we now just "drop" them off now. The MTC really uses the analogy of saying goodbye is like taking off a band-aid, the faster it is the less it hurts. Here are some pictures of her right before she OFFICIALLY started her 18 months of serving the Lord!

OFFICIALLY Sister Richards

2009-10-12T19:51:00.000-07:00

Sarah got set apart tonight as a full time missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. She leaves tomorrow to go to the MTC on Wednesday!

Sarah's Farewell BBQ TEXAS STYLE!

2009-10-04T21:07:00.001-07:00

Sarah with Ashlyn (her niece) and her sister Jessica

All of our family that was there!

Sarah, Brooklyn (Sarah's niece), and her friend Denise

We had a BBQ a few weeks ago in Henderson for Sarah's family and friends to come say goodbye and give her advice! It was soo much fun! We played water kickball, ate some tasty Texas food, and enjoyed wonderful company from many family and friends!

Sister Richards is getting packed and ready to SERVE THE LORD!

2009-10-04T20:35:00.000-07:00

Sarah has been called to serve in the Houston Texas South Mission speaking Spanish! She enters the MTC on October 14th (10 days)