Just open the dam and baptize the heck out of them!

Subject Line: No more fried chicken! pleeease!

Nasty

Cool beans

First thing. Can I have some more stamps por favor?

Second thing. I saw Herbie the race car! No joke.

So concerning Dad's emailing idea, here is what I think. You know some won't like it. Some may not care. Some may like it. But I wouldn't do it. This is what I've noticed: If their hearts aren't prepared it will only push them away. So I would wait til they come to you. They know that your offer is always there. Their hearts need to be softened a little bit though. Well, that's what I noticed in Vegas but it could be totally different over there. As Elder Lang always says "I think you should pray about it."

This week has been really cool. We got a car! Temporally, but yay! President has noticed that our stats are going good and we are on foot. So he wants to see how we could do with a car. Sick! "just open the dam and baptize the heck out of them!"

We had to give a 1 am blessing the other night. It was cool because it was a less active referral we had visited a couple days before and we gave them our number. His grand daughter was really sick so he called us up. Coincidence? I think not! (what's that from, haha)

So I was chilling at a stop light and I was looking at the don't walk light across the street. I said to my companion "Dude, I swear ever third blink is slower" he was like "what?" I laughed.

Papa Joe is doing pretty good. We had to push back his baptismal date to November but he is still progressing. We have been running into a lot of people, some less active families who want their kids to be baptized. So we could have up to 15 baptisms next month. That would be phat!

Touchin is the man. He's way cool. I love that guy. He is the storyteller and I am the magician. He is Navajo. I don't remember if I told you that before.

So things are going good. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. Boo yah. Love ya

Love,
Elder Richards

Mormonaries

Subject line: What's with these homies dissing the truth?


Hello (hello) hello (hello), we welcome you today.

We had a very successful week. We had a lot of lessons last week and it felt good. My feet don't feel so good but it's worth it.

We had a great lesson with Papa Joe. He is way cool and funny. We were teaching him the plan of salvation and about the 3 kingdoms. We told him how the scriptures compare the Celestial kingdom to the sun and he said he didn't want to go there because it sounded like hell. Haha, he was just joking but I laughed out loud. It was funny. We taught him the 3rd lesson (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) a couple days ago. We also taught him the Word of Wisdom. He had some issues there so we had to push back his baptismal date to Nov 7th. He's doing good though. He called me and told me that he hasn't smoked in 4 days now. He is a great guy and he will make a great member of the Church. He is excited to be baptized. The only thing he worries about is the calling that comes afterward, haha.

We also taught a guy named Antonio who has just been waiting to be baptized. He has been on parole and he can't wait till he's off it so he can be baptized. He has been taught the lessons like 4 times and knows it's true and wants to change. So we are teaching the lessons to him again until he can be baptized on Nov 27.

I don't know if I already told you this but the wedding went well but she has kinda dropped off the face of the earth since then. We went over to her house but she couldn't let us in because her and her family all have Swine Flu. That reminds me. Mission Medical wants all the missionaries to take the flu shot and the Swine Flu shot but we had to ask our parents first. It's $25 each. What do you think. I heard that the Swine Flu vac has mercury in it? umm... Should I do it?

We climbed Red Rock last week for pday with a member. It wasn't like rock climbing more like hiking so its OK. I'm not breaking any rules doing that. We are just BRTing with the member and trying to get his butt on a mission. I think it's working. He likes to hang out with us. I got some sweet pics that I'll send soon. That was a sick mountain.

We met a kid named Skylar from Ohio. We were just walking along (ugh, no bike) and we started talking and he mentioned he was from Cleveland. I was like, cool, I'm from Cincinnati. Then he let us in his home to teach him. Sweet. We taught him a little about the restoration and the Plan of Salvation and we had a return appointment but that fell through. But we are going back later.

We caught a huge desert lizard the size of my hand and a couple of black widows. They look cool.

We were given a new nickname the other day by a less active member. "Mormonaries" haha, I like it.

As you can see we had a very busy, tiring but successful week. I've changed alot this past week. Spiritually and physically. Touchin has me on this sit up program that will get me a 6 pack in 3 months. I don't think its true so I'm just doing it to see if it works. It's only been a week but Touchin says I'm getting harder. I don't think I believe him though.
Anyway, I love you. The Church is true. God lives. Christ lives and he is our Savior. Hurrah for Israel!

Love
Elder Richards

PS Heather didn't send me the blog. That doesn't surprise me that Kristen would do that.

I will never complain about riding a bike ever again.

Subject line: and will you tell all your friends, the Gospel has been restored


Hey,

Sorry i have been writing small letters lately. We can't reserve computers so we have to use the 15 min computers. But today get a full hour, yay.

My neck is fine now. Elder Touchin gave me a blessing and it's all good now. He got his cast last week but still no bike so we are walking. President cant find us a car. Members give us rides every now and then but we are usually on foot. I will never complain about riding a bike ever again.

I thought of something interesting though. We are representatives of Jesus Christ. During his earthly ministry he didn't have a car, or even a bike. He WALKED 40 miles to John to be baptized by him because he held the Priesthood authority. I told my companion this and he said,"You're right. We are true disciples of Christ now." We aren't boasting though. That wouldn't be the Christ-like thing to do.

The wedding went well. It's my first wedding on the mission. Now that she is married she is eligible for baptism. She so excited too. She wants to be baptized as soon as possible. We are going to have to re-teach her the lessons though. Ugh and she lives far away and we are on foot. Oh well, more blessings for us.

I'll pray for Scott. Tell him to pray too. Has he been going to church? That can only help his back.

Anyway, I love my new companion, I love the work and I love you. Keep praying for me. The Church is true. Hurray for Israel!

Love,
Elder Richards

I concur: Elder Holland booyah!

Hola Bicicleta

1. The Temple is next transfer I think. Transfer calls are on the 31st (haha spooky) I will probably stay in this area so yes, I can go to the Temple. You can send the cards if you want.

2. No, I'll call her tonight

3. It's fine now so stop worrying about it. I just had my toenail cut out. The guy didn't charge me because he is LDS. It's fine.

4. I don't need anything. and I think the IPod covers Christmas so thank you.

5. Send the cards back with the pics still on them. I'm gonna copy them to a cd at Walmart. Did you put them on the blog?

Conference was sweeeeet. Holland dominated. That was powerful.

We have a couple baptisms coming up. This one lady, Jessica, actually came to us and said that she wanted to be baptised. Sweeet. She has already had the lessons and all she needs to do is get married to her boyfriend. She is doing that this Thursday (we are invited cool!) then baptism on Saturday.

We set a guy named Papa Joe with a baptismal date. Oct 17th. He is a really cool guy and he will make a great member.

Out of time. Stupid 15 min computers. Love ya all. Thanks for everything.

Elder Richards