Thursday, August 4, 2011

August 4, 2011

Just a note to let everyone know that there are new pictures to see! Hope you all enjoy them!

Susan

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

More News from our Missionary!

Hi Fam!                                                                     1 August 2011

To answer your questions about my area.....it's full of history and TONS of old southern food and people. Usually we get a North Carolina twang in the accent too...ha! ha!...so I try to take my time with understanding them. People sometimes make fun of my western accent and how I usually don't say my "T's" in the middle of a word!!

Lately we've been meeting with some investigators who have a Book of Mormon, but they always ask about 'who are the Lamonites?'.....so we tell them that they have to READ the book to find out! Ha! Ha! We've also been running into people who like to try and justify some of the 'commandments' like "Thou Shalt Not Kill' and things like that. Sometimes I get heated in the discussions with them and get all prideful and then I have to remember that I'm a Servant of the Lord. I then say a prayer to myself to invite the Spirit back and then the discussion goes much better.

My personal studies of the Book of Mormon this past week and my understanding on how to read it - through Mormon's eyes and in the order that he placed the records has been AWESOME! I have enjoyed his "Mormon" comments on his writings and observations of the records.

Lately I've been struggling with hope and confidence in the gospel and in life altogether. My stress level is accelerating faster than the space shuttle lately. We took a stress management test lately and come to find out I'm in the "orange" zone just before red....which is not good! Pres. Perry is going to be helping me out with those things. Of course, there are always temptations to deal with too. President Perry is helping me with that too. He's a blessing to me everyday and so is my companion!

Some things I'm trying to do to have less stress is to memorize scriptures! I do have one request: could you send me a TON of pages of inspirational quotes from religious and non-religious sources to help me feel of more worth, have more hope, courage and strength?! That would be great!

In other news it's been all good! I know that I've been meaning to write the girls but I can't find the time on Mondays to do it; today we're having a tri-zone b-ball tournament so I'll be away from the pen and notepad for most of the day....Sorry! I will remember though, to send my original "call" letter to put up in the church building.

Today I was reading in Alma 38 where Alma is counseling his son and he really tells him what he thinks of his actions and is very bold with him. It reminded me of the counsel y'all have given me over the years; but I'm grateful that you did. At all times we don't need to put any sugar on it; just be straight forward with counsel. The Lord did that (to save time) and it worked then and still works today. So again, thanks for your counseling with me and showing me by example.

I love y'all and pray that all is well with the family!

E. Richards

P.S. Me AND E. Zollinger pray for all of you and hope that all is well. He is a good missionary and I'm also getting nervous about transfers this week. Please pray for me and my future companion!

Love y'all!