Letter to Dad                            19 September 2011

DAD your RIGHT! I'm being transferred to Portsmouth, Virginia and I'm on a bike - so I might need some more prayers in the near future! ;-)

I hope your doing well and that General Conference will be great for you. I'm really looking forward to the messages coming up soon. I hope to get things going with teaching...as good as you.

My new companion is Elder Jensen who also came out with me and he's the MAN! He's a really great missionary, so I'm thinking we're going to have a great time in the big city.

I'm kind of sad that I'm leaving such great people behind, but it's for a great reason. I've tried to help E. Zollinger get off the ground and other perspective missionaries ready to serve their missions.

I am excited for transfers (THIS IS A MAJOR ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR E. RICHARDS!!!!!) because I'll be on a bike and in the city and with a missionary that I have already roomed with before..hahaha so it's going to be great.

I'm grateful that I have you as an example Dad!! I'm grateful that you and mom are working really hard. The feelings and inspiration that came to me recently is that we just need to remain faithful and steadfast!

I'm eager to write more on my experiences to everyone as my mission progresses.

Thanks for being you!

I love you dad! It's all good!

E. Richards

Virginia Richmond Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints

TRANSFERS - 19 September 2011

Hey Mom!

I'm getting transferred! To the city....a foreign land called Portsmouth, Virginia. It's next to Virginia Beach but not in the same zone as the spanish speaking Elder Richards.

I'm a little sad for leaving a great area! We've just gotten somewhere with our investigators. Some of them are now beginning to stop smoking and others are beginning to stop drinking......and they all want to go to the temple! We've really made some progress with this area, lifting it up since there was nothing at all to work with. It was dead in numbers.

Now I'm leaving the quiet confines of the country where if one little branch hits the ground the whole town knows about it......To a city where we're on bikes and looking out for traffic all day and trying not to get lost all the time; but it's going to be great - but some getting used to.

You know, as a missionary you are really different than most people. Most people are going about their day going to work and getting back from the busy life and missionaries use all the resources they have to get around, trying to know the in's and out's of the area and transportation and not to mention - know quite a few people in the area. Haha! It's actually great to have so many experiences in this short time in my life!

I hope that things at home are doing well and that dad enjoys all the fun cultural changes going on around him. I'm glad to hear that missionaries are coming and going in the 4th ward. Tell them all I said WHAT'S UP - FROM VIRGINIA!

Well, I'm about to get moving today!

YO EVERYONE! The gospel is true! Just FYI!

Anyway, I'm heading out but I love y'all and I hope that you enjoy your day! Oh and my new companion's name is Elder Jensen. (I came out with him!)

Thanks  bye!

E. Richards

Virginia Richmond Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints