Thanks for the emails Mom and Dad; it was great to hear that you are all doing great!
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| Riding HIGH in the Sky! (Can you tell they're bored?) |
The last 7 days have been GREAT! My companion and I hammered out some things in our comp. inventory and now we work together better; that really is a nice blessing to have. Preach My Gospel is incredible!!!
Lately, we've been working with some people that have major trials in their lives. The feelings I have felt and the love I have felt towards them, reminds me that missionary work IS a work of love and will go on for the rest of my life. Each person I've met has changed who I am and has helped me see the big picture of who I am - it's INDESCRIBABLE!
If anyone is wondering how to so call "find themselves" then do these 4 steps:
A. Pray often and give an accounting to the Lord.
B. Serve those around you for NO reason and pray to be filled with love for those you serve.
C. Clean up after yourself (said my companion!) - (Yeah, I'm guilty - ha!ha!). Just as a clean engine works better than when it's dirty, so does the Spirit work better in our lives.
D. Don't be afraid to give correction BUT do it with love; build them up and then express feelings towards them, as well as take correction yourself.
Yeah - things are going really well.
Lately we've been teaching a person the lessons. I kind of set them for a quick date - for the 29th of October. Then we met with them last night, and they want to get baptized this Wednesday. We were so surprised that we didn't even get around to talking about what we had planned. Having the Spirit direct that lesson last night was GREAT! To see this person make a solid commitment and continue on with their lives is incredible! So....YEAH....it was awesome!!
So my companion and I got really bored the other day, which should explain the pictures, but hey, we're missionaries and you can only do so much with what you have....! HA! HA!
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| Glad to see he is brushing his teeth! |
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| I call this one "Monkey Face" (They must really be bored!) |
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| Sleeping High in the Sky (Silly E. Jensen!) |
This talk, which I've listed below, was given to me by a sister missionary as she was preparing to go home. It has helped address some of my concerns and other hard things. As well as helped my understanding of why we have adversity and it also addresses the question "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people." I hope you enjoy it:
http://lds.org/ensign/2000/03/cast-not-away-therefore-your-confidence?lang=eng&query=cast+away+therefore+your+confidence
This scripture (this week) is also wonderful:
Alma 6:6:
"Nevertheless the children of God were commanded that they should gather themselves together oft, and join in fasting and mighty prayer in behalf of the welfare of the souls of those who knew not God."
I hope all is well and that your days and weeks will continue to get better. It gives me great joy in hearing from you all and I hope to hear from you soon.
Elder Richards
Virginia Richmond Mission
The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter Day Saints
