Hey sorry again that I wasn’t able to email on Monday. My companion Elder Wiscombe (pronounced Wisk 'em, like scrambling eggs) got transferred and I got a new companion Elder Lougee (it is pronounced Lou as in loud, and then the letter G). And no he is not from Mount Wannahockaloogie from Finding Nemo. He is from Oregon. He’s been out about 8 months. I don’t know much more about him than that.
This week, a lot of different things happened. I can’t seem to shake this cold away from me. The weather here is being tricky. It goes from really nice and warm to “oh my goodness gets me out of this weather before I hurt someone." Anyway here is the highlight of this week:
My camera got stolen. I accidentally left my bag in the gym overnight. I didn’t realize it until I went to get my scriptures to do my studies in the morning. My heart dropped when I remembered where it was. I went to the gym and I couldn’t find it. Then I went to the office and asked if anyone had turned it in. At first they said that they didn’t have it. And then a lady in the back spoke up brought out my bag. My scriptures were still in it but my camera was gone. Along with my memory cards and the pics I had. But I still have them all because I backed them up on my flash drive so no worries there. But surprisingly I didn’t care about that. I was more worried about my scriptures. They were untouched. I was relieved. The camera is a worldly possession that can be replaced. My scriptures however are priceless. I don’t know what I would do without them.
After that incident occurred I thought "What would I do if I found the person who stole my camera?" It has to be someone in the complex because no one else could get in our gym. Then I read in the scriptures in D&C sec 64. And I learned about forgiveness. We are required to forgive everyone. I said to myself "let the Lord judge that person. I won’t let it fester within me. I don’t want to hold a grudge. A camera is not worth it." Then I thought of other instances in my life where someone did something to deliberately hurt me or offend me. Those things are long past and I have forgiven those persons a long time ago. But I realized the damage it could cause to a person’s soul if one were to hold bitterness and anger for that long. Even if the offender does not repent and come to you to fix it, you are still required to forgive them. Or in you lies the greater sin.
So if I caught the person who took my camera I would kindly ask for it back, shake their hand and then give them a Book of Mormon.
Love,
Elder Richards
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
ooo rah!
Hey,
We went to the Temple today. That’s why I didn’t get to email on Monday. I got the names from last time done so I’ll be sending those shortly. It was a good experience as always. It was a good time to clear my head and recommit myself to the work and help the family in the process. I also got permission to attend the sealing session for the Spilsburys. It was a wonderful experience and one that I won’t forget. That was the first live sealing session I’ve ever been to. Before the sealing of the Spilsburys, we also got permission to participate in the sealing of Sister Spilsburys Father to his parents. That was something new that I haven’t been able to do on my mission before. We are allowed to stand in proxy for the children but we cannot stand in proxy as husband and wife. So Bro and Sis Spilsbury sealed her grandparents together then i was given the honor to stand in proxy as her dad. I felt very privileged to be a part of that wonderful event and like I said before its one experience that I won’t forget. Sis Spilsbury won’t let me forget it either because she kept calling me Dad. Ha-ha that’s Sis Spilsbury for ya.
Here is something new that the Church is doing. The Brethren have instructed us to study mormon.org 1 hour a week during ineffective proselyting time. We have been asked to make a profile on mormon.org and share our testimony and experiences. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to speak out and declare our witness of what we know to be true. So if it’s so important for missionaries to create a profile then it brings a great responsibility for you as well. I strongly encourage you to go to mormon.org and surf around. See what the website has to offer, read the testimonies of others and then create your own profile. You can attach your profile to Facebook. It’s so easy to get out there and let everyone know what you believe and why you believe it.
So in the words of Elder Rice "Make it happen."
Transfers coming up and I'm probably staying. We will see though. You never know.
Love, Elder Richards
PS Cool story. Remember back a long long time ago when was in the MTC for the first time? I know it’s hard to remember back that far. Anyway I told you about the first Elder I talked to there. His name was Elder McClellan. He is from Vegas going to Ohio on his mission. Well I met his parents a couple weeks ago. Ha-ha. I saw them at the temple today too and they told me how he wrote home about me when he went to the MTC. His parents were excited that i had met him. Anyway it is a really small world.
We went to the Temple today. That’s why I didn’t get to email on Monday. I got the names from last time done so I’ll be sending those shortly. It was a good experience as always. It was a good time to clear my head and recommit myself to the work and help the family in the process. I also got permission to attend the sealing session for the Spilsburys. It was a wonderful experience and one that I won’t forget. That was the first live sealing session I’ve ever been to. Before the sealing of the Spilsburys, we also got permission to participate in the sealing of Sister Spilsburys Father to his parents. That was something new that I haven’t been able to do on my mission before. We are allowed to stand in proxy for the children but we cannot stand in proxy as husband and wife. So Bro and Sis Spilsbury sealed her grandparents together then i was given the honor to stand in proxy as her dad. I felt very privileged to be a part of that wonderful event and like I said before its one experience that I won’t forget. Sis Spilsbury won’t let me forget it either because she kept calling me Dad. Ha-ha that’s Sis Spilsbury for ya.
Here is something new that the Church is doing. The Brethren have instructed us to study mormon.org 1 hour a week during ineffective proselyting time. We have been asked to make a profile on mormon.org and share our testimony and experiences. It’s been a wonderful opportunity to speak out and declare our witness of what we know to be true. So if it’s so important for missionaries to create a profile then it brings a great responsibility for you as well. I strongly encourage you to go to mormon.org and surf around. See what the website has to offer, read the testimonies of others and then create your own profile. You can attach your profile to Facebook. It’s so easy to get out there and let everyone know what you believe and why you believe it.
So in the words of Elder Rice "Make it happen."
Transfers coming up and I'm probably staying. We will see though. You never know.
Love, Elder Richards
PS Cool story. Remember back a long long time ago when was in the MTC for the first time? I know it’s hard to remember back that far. Anyway I told you about the first Elder I talked to there. His name was Elder McClellan. He is from Vegas going to Ohio on his mission. Well I met his parents a couple weeks ago. Ha-ha. I saw them at the temple today too and they told me how he wrote home about me when he went to the MTC. His parents were excited that i had met him. Anyway it is a really small world.
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