Transfers-300 miles every half transfer

Hello

gah, I'm getting transferred. I'm going to Meadows 1st and 3rd Ward. It's by where the 95 curves from East and West to North and South. Deuce. Packing is annoying but I'm making it. Still on a bike, though.

We go an average of 300 miles every half transfer. We got a speedometer. Anyway, I have been here for 3 transfers now so 600 x 3 equals 1800 miles. Wow. That's pretty crazy. I can definitely feel it.

It's so worth it though.

Anyway nothing new here either. Just transfers. My new companion is Elder Touchin. He better not try and touch me. I'll smack him. Just kidding. I hear he is pretty cool so I'm not too worried.

Well, I love you guys. Thanks for everything. The IPod is good. I love the talks. It's perfect, thanks. Look up TOA on ITunes. Their album is called Silence. They are way good.

Love,

Elder Richards

Just learn from it and move on

subject line: The members feed us too much, haha

Hey everyone,

No, I don't need the cards yet. We go to the Temple every 3 months and we just went at the beginning of this transfer. So I won't be going to the Temple again till the transfer after next. That's if I'm still in Vegas. I might get transferred way far away where we are unable to go to the Vegas or Reno Temple.

This week has been crazy. Not a good crazy. It seems like you all have been going through a hard time too. That's life. [Note: I do not know what Elder Richards is refering to here. jer]

So I guess the biggest change would be that we are not living with the Toblers anymore. Let's just say that my companion isn't the easiest guy to get along and this is the first time he has had to live with members.

Well, Brother Tobler is one of the nicest guys ever but you DO NOT want to tick him off. So, to make a long story short, we are no longer living with the Toblers. We are staying with the Williams until President McCracken can figure something out.

It's kinda depressing because I love Brother Tobler. I love him and his family and I have bonded with them. I can't help but love them. They are a great, strong faithful family. I wish that I could have stayed but my companion cannot. I'm gonna miss them.

So that was my big experience for the week. It totally stinks but I have to just learn from it and move on. There is more work for me to do. I trust that the Lord knows what is best for me and for my area.

I love you all, thank you for your prayers and support. They really help.

Love
Elder Richards

Help! I can't see. It's dark in here. And I can hear laughing.

Hola

Sorry I couldn't email yesterday. The library was closed.

Thanks for sending the IPod. I haven't gotten it yet but the ZL's (Zone Leaders) should call me when it comes in. I really appreciate it.

Transfer calls are coming up not this Saturday but the one after that. I have a feeling that I'm going to be transferred. I don't want to go. But now that I just said that, I will.

It's funny how the Lord works. You get comfortable then BAM! He throws a nice hard challenge at you.
Or you think everything is going great and you're on top of the world then BAM! Humbling experience.

That's how I feel at the moment. Everything was going great with Peter and now he won't even accept our calls.
Quierston (another investigator) is really hard to get hold of because she has started school now.
Cole (the recent convert who looks like Brian) hasn't been to Church in awhile. He came this week though so things are getting better.
Courtney (another recent convert) is having a hard time with life and I don't know how to help her.

I love all of these people. I want to help them. That's the main reason that I want to stay. I'm doing my best. Just keep praying for me.

I love you all. Again thanks for all of your support.

Love
Elder Richards

Vegas is waaaaay better

Hola Bicicleta,

It's hot out here. Tell Beth Vegas is waaaaay better. The members are nicer too :P

I have a Canon power shot A1000 IS. The reason my pictures are so nice is because I know how to hold a camera still. ooooo Ellen, you just got burned!

We caught a awesome tarantula a couple days ago. It's huge. We still have it. We put it in some 2 part resin to make it into a little statue thing. It didn't turn out very well but I like it. I'll send pics or will try to on the email.
I want to see pictures of England too.
And, could you send me the best picture you can find of Phat Eric?

Oh and next time we go to the Temple you can send a lot more.

No more elementary school? Now that is weird.

The work is still chugging along. No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing. We visited a couple less active families and they were so excited to see us. They said that we arrived at the perfect time because they have been wanting to come back to Church.
Faith plus prayer equals the Lord provides.
boo yah.

There was a incident with Peter so he needs a little time right now. That's a bummer. But, he said that he will call us when he is ready. All we can do is pray now.

Thanks for everything!
Love you all.

Love,
Elder Richards

Coincidence.....I THINK NOT!

Definition of "shizzle": Shizzle just means like "awesome" or "tubular"

Yo,

Last week was okay. Peter still hasn't fully committed to baptism but he is getting there inch by inch. I'm pretty sure it will happen. He just needs to continue praying. He misses Elder Scott though. Elder Crumly is a good teacher but everyone teaches different. He still likes me though.

Tell Beth that I want to meet her future English husband before she gets married to him. He will probably be loaded so he won't mind taking a trip to Vegas. Hey, maybe they could get married in the Vegas Temple so that I can come. I can totally get that approved. hahaha.

Had a awesome experience at the Temple today. I did do the names you sent me and I will send those out today along with the camera card. Anyway we have a part member family that we have been working with and I have been praying like crazy to know what to teach them. The thing about this family is that the wife knows alot about the Church--like she went to Seminary and everything. She has read the Book of Mormon but she has also read alot of anti stuff too so she has a lot of questions. She wants them all answered but we don't know all of the answers. So, I have been struggling on what to teach her. We finally got them to agree to sit down with us so we can teach Brittney. Jason wants to be active but he doesn't want to go to Church without her. And it's hard to schedule an appointment with them because they are both nurses and work alot.

So, we were in the Temple and I ran into Jason's parents. Coincidence... I THINK NOT! I talked with them for awhile and they told me to work with Jason. They think that if he goes she will follow but that he is afraid she wont like it. So I have an idea now of what their needs are. That was cool.

Anyway thanks for everything. Love ya all. Keep praying for me.

Love,

Elder Richards

PS Brian, I don't care. GI Joe is balderdash!

We are here to help everyone.

Subject Line of Letter: Ellen, just give Zac Efron like another 2 months.

Hola,

Cool beans. Well, transfers are tomorrow. Elder scott is going to Reno north to be a Zone Leader. haha. He skipped District Leader and went straight to ZL. Only one other Elder (Elder Smith) has done that and he is now AP (Assistant to the President). haha. He is super nervous about it.

I'm staying here at the West Oquendo Ward. My new companion is Elder Crumly. He is in my district so I know who he is so that's a relief. I don't have to worry about getting someone I have never heard of before.

Things are going good. Peter is still progressing. We showed him the hour long restoration video. You probably saw it at Palmyra. It's way spiritual. Anyway, after we saw it we all prayed together one by one to help Peter know it is true. Then he prayed. The Spirit was way strong. Peter could just see the love we have for him. He recognizes that we love him and we don't just want to convert him and get more members. We are here to help everyone. I think when people finally realize that, that's when their hearts are softened.

This is soo cool. I can't believe I have already been out almost 4 months already. Man time flies.

Stay cool everyone.

Love
Elder Richards

Not fair, puppy eyes never worked for me

subject line of email: Not fair, puppy eyes never worked for me, haha [refers to how Beth got Dad to let her have a kitten in the house]

Hola

Yes, I got the mini Preach My Gospel. It's great. Thanks

The temple date is the 19th, I think. It's like the beginning of the next transfer. My friend from EFY should be coming in this transfer. Cool beans

Nauvoo is the schizzle. A lot of people here have never seen the Nauvoo Temple. I've been there 5 times. Totally sweet.


The only news I have is Peter is still progressing. He is keeping the commitments and he really wants to know if it is true. He grew up Catholic and his only hang up is that he feels the Spirit when we teach him. But he also felt the Spirit when he went to his other church too. We told him that the Catholic church has partial truth but not the fullness. They testify of truth and the Spirit could tell you that what they said is true. But not all of it. That's kinda confusing.

Did Dad have any of the same experiences with his conversion? Any advice for Peter?

I love you all. Stay cool.

Love
Elder Richards