Agency

Funny thing about that toy you found. I think i buried it there. So you've found it! and Ive decided that I'm never coming home. I'm going to be one of the 3 Nephites of the mission. Sorry to disappoint Charmander.

We went to the Temple today. I don't know if I mentioned that to you or not. and I messed up. I completely forgot the Temple cards you sent me. Sorry. I feel kinda bad about it because those people will have to wait a little bit longer. I hope they will forgive me someday.

I got the package thank you.

The Temple was very inspirational of course. It's still amazing and I've learned a lot.

I've been learning a lot about Agency, the freedom to choose between good and evil. It's a subject that keeps coming back to the front of my mind. I think I finally understand the importance of it. I always understood what agency was and it's role in the great Plan of Salvation. But now it goes deeper than that. The ability to choose is such a sacred blessing to me. We have a loving Heavenly Father who has given it to us. That is why He could not choose Satan's plan. If we all were forced into Heaven then we wouldn't be as happy. When I choose the right, it brings the Spirit into me and I become happier. And I choose the right because I love God. That's the biggest thing I've learned this week. That there is a direct correlation between agency and happiness. When we choose the right we feel happy because we are following the example of the Savior. When we are disobedient, we lose the companionship of the Holy Ghost and thus become unhappy and miserable like Satan.

I hope and pray that I can continue on the straight and narrow path. We cannot afford to take detours wherein there may be no return. We must hold fast to the iron rod and exercise our great gift of agency. And I know that as we exercise our gift of agency for good, that we can receive an even greater gift which is eternal life, which gift is the greatest gift of God. Press forward saints with steadfast faith in Christ!

Elder Richards

Soylent Green is People!

Areas I have covered:
West Oquendo Ward in South Stake
Meadows 1st and 3rd in Meadows Stake
then to Reno stake Mount Rose and South meadows
then to Sparks Stake for only 6 weeks.
now I'm in Lone Mountain Stake, Providence, Valley Vista and Mountain Crest Wards

So South, Meadows and Lone Mountain Stakes are here in Vegas. I know some families here who have sons in the Ohio mission but I don't recognize Larsen.

and the triangle with our hands... think about it, I'm in the Lone Mountain zone. There really is a lone mountain here. It's this little mountain apart from the all the other ridiculous ginormous mountains that surround us. And of course I flash my cards. I'm known throughout the mission as the magician. I'll send some more pics today. That was our whole zone picture that we took right before transfers. That was awhile ago so I'll send a recent one.

So this week things have been picking up. We got another new investigator! Her name is Christina. She is 9 years old. Her parents have been putting off getting her baptized because her father wants to baptize her. He has some things he needs to take care of with the Bishop first, but in the meantime we have starting teaching her. We had a great first lesson with her. It amazes me how much these kids understand all of this--and accept it. We are teaching 3 investigators now. Jackie, Michaela and now Christina. They are all 9-10 years old and I'm amazed how much they are grasping all of this. Sometimes when we are teaching it looks like they tend to zone out. But when we ask them questions they give great answers. I've learned a lot from these wonderful children. The spirit of Christ shines forth from them.
We may have to push back Jackie's baptism because she may need some additional preparation. We need to make sure that she is fully ready to make this sacred covenant. We've planned a great FHE for them tonight that I'm really looking forward to.

Thank you for your support and prayers. I definitely need them. I love you.

Love
Elder Richards

P.S. 38 lol

HOLIDAY MAIL FOR ELDER RICHARDS

October 15, 2010

TO: Missionary Families
SUBJECT: Holiday Mail
With the holiday season at our doorstep, you may be planning to send mail and packages to your missionaries who are here in the field. If you will follow the suggestions offered, you will help us in the office immensely during this busy time of year. Also you will have the best assurance that your mailings will get to their desired destination in time.

a. Mail early. Plan to shop and ship in a timely manner.
b. Letters should continue to come to the mission office (address above). We faithfully forward the mail within 24 hours.
c. Packages (USPS, UPS, or FedEx) should be sent DIRECTLY to your missionary after Nov. 16th transfers but before December 15th. Ask your missionary to email you their addresses after November transfers. If you have not sent a package to arrive before December 15th, please email your Missionary asking where to send any packages.
d. Please pass this information along to your extended family and friends.
e. After January 1st, please resume sending all packages and mail to the mission office.
f. Direct any questions to the mission office.


We wish you a wonderful and safe holiday season!

Sincerely,
Kathy Wright
Sister Kathy Wright
Nevada Las Vegas West Mission secretary

Do or Do Not, There is No Try

I got the Temple cards. Thank you. But we don't go to the Temple till later in the transfer.

I didn't write a letter on Monday because Elder Kevin W. Pearson of the Seventy came to the mission. He gave some very inspiring and powerful talks on a lot of things, mostly obedience, of course. It's the price we pay but I don't really thinks it's a price. Elder Pearson said that it is easier to be 100% obedient than it is to be 80% obedient. It was overall a great experience and really comforting too. He talked a lot about being an average missionary. He kept going back to that throughout his training. We should strive to be the extraordinary missionary and not the average missionary. He said that average people do not inherit the Celestial Kingdom. We need to be living the Celestial law to make it. Do or do not, there is no try. He said that a lot too. It was funny but it's true. We need to do our best, not try to do our best. A lot of things he said really struck me hard. I am recommitted to the work now and I am going to Do, not try.

Another great experience that happened to us: Remember the Cumorah cakes we made? We made one for a recent convert/part member family named the Williams. Something amazing happened with that simple act of kindness. Sister Williams had a friend who invited her and her family over for dinner. Sis Williams' friend has expressed some "anti" feelings toward the Church before, but she still is Sister Williams friend. Anyway, Sis Williams brought over the cake for desert. They cut the cake and found the note. Her friend was confused and Sis Williams explained that the missionaries made the cake for her family, but she didn't read the note we put in the cake. Well her friend wanted to see the note, but Sis Williams was a little hesitant about sharing it with her. But she let her read it. I don't remember what I wrote on the note but it really touched Sister Williams friend that night. Sis Williams said her friend got teary eyed and emotional about it. You never know what a little act of kindness will do for people. It also inspired Sister Williams as well. It was such an amazing story and I'm so glad we did it.

Elder Kraft and I came up with another idea that we will be putting in effect starting November 1st. We prayed about it and we are going to stop the dinner calendar. We feel strongly that it will help the area. I love the members and I am so grateful for all that they do but I don't need any more food. I need people to teach. Sometimes members tend to think that by feeding the missionaries they are doing missionary work. But again we need people to teach not food. We are kind of desperate. We have run into opposition with this plan but we have talked it over with our Bishops and Ward Mission Leaders and they have agreed to support us in our decision. We are not punishing the members and leaving them out to dry. We are going to visit them in their homes and teach them the first discussion then ask for referrals. We don't dislike any of our members, we love them, but we want them to realize the gravity of our situation. We need people to teach.

I hope and pray that everything goes well. I love you.

Elder Richards

Sick with it

I got the shirts. They are nice. I'm going to burn the nasty gray ones. I didn't get the cards yet.
The house looks good. I miss that tree a little bit though.

Here is my favorite quote [from General Conference] by Elder Arnold. "You stupid Cow!" that was by far the funniest line I have ever heard over the pulpit at General Conference.

My favorite talk was about Pride by President Utchdorf. Man, it was legit. I also liked the talk about the Right, Responsibility and Results of Choice by President Monson. It got me pondering. I loved all of the talks though. They all made me ponder.

Jackie is doing well and still progressing towards her baptismal date. We may have to push the date for her baptism back a week because of some building conflicts. I'm not too worried about it. Like you said, there is no reason to worry about something before it happens.

We also have a new investigator McKayla. She is the niece of our Ward Mission Leader. She is 9 years old and VERY smart. It's mind boggling how much she understands and accepts. There is an interesting background on McKayla and how she was introduced into the Church. Her father is in Florida right now for school. Our Ward Mission Leader called him one day and asked him if it was alright if he brought his daughter to Church with him. He was strongly against it. But then a week later he called our Ward Mission Leader again and told him it was ok. McKaylas father had run into some missionaries in Florida. He started taking the lessons and he was baptized in 3 weeks. He has been reading the Book of Mormon every night and he is encouraging his daughter to go now. It's so amazing how the Lord prepares his children to hear the Gospel.

We got transfer calls. Elder Kraft and I are both staying for another 6 weeks. I'm pretty excited about this upcoming transfer. The BoM challenge went pretty well. Rice's zone passed out more but our ratio is better. we had about 7 BoMs per missionary. They had about 2 per missionary. Oh well. it was a great experience for Elder Kraft and I. We didn't win but that's not what matters. It's about the people who received the Book of Mormon. The Church is true.

Elder Richards