Not again

I'm getting transferred back on bike to the Red Rock Stake. I was really bummed at first when I found out. I thought for sure I was staying because Elder Johnson doesn't know the area quite well enough. But I'm sure he will do fine. I guess the Lord has other plans for me. I still could not fight back the tears. I feel like I'm leaving home.

This week I was reading in the new Ensign Conference issue. I read over my favorite talk by President Utchdorf on Pride. The whole time I was reading it I was imagining him speaking at the pulpit. He said that everyone deals with pride. Very few overcome it. Then I imagined President Utchdorf raising his hands in the double chop position like he usually does during his talks. He was talking straight to me in that German accent of his saying with a big smile of course "Elder Richards, you are prideful" .....aw crap, not again.

So I continued reading the talk and in Doctrine & Covenants 12:8 it says that "no one can assist in this great work except he be full of love." President Utchdorf said that if we are full of Charity we cannot have pride. That's when I started focusing my studies on Charity. I learned a great deal about charity. I remember that was the first thing I learned on the mission. The first thing my trainer taught me was to Love the people. That has stuck with me my whole mission. Love the people. I learned that without love we are nothing. If we don't truly love the people we teach then why should they want to change and come closer to Christ? We need to pray with full energy of heart for Charity. And something else that is important is to express it. That's a goal that I have made, to express Love for everyone. That doesn't mean I'm going to go up to complete strangers and give them hugs and tell them I love them. That works for some people I guess ;) but that's not my style. Being kind, extending service, just a warm smile can go a long way.

We are representatives of Jesus Christ. Christ loves everyone and so should we. Have I done any good in the world today? I'm out of time. Love the people and live the dream. I love you all.

Elder Richards