"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
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
My Super Sweet Ward Party!
"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
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
Monday, September 13, 2010
:)
" 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
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?
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
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
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