SISTER RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #13: OCT 7, 2013

WEEKLY LETTER FROM SISTER RICHARDSON

OCTOBER 7, 2013

I swear it was just p-day yesterday.

-I'm wondering if you all would recognize me anymore.  My hair is really long and a lot more blonde.  I have been having lovely allergies this past month (burning eyes..especially while driving, not a good combo) so have worn my glasses every day for the past month.  I wear more than I ever hvae in my life!

-I taught a great lesson in my dream the other night.  Asked quality questions, referenced great scriptures.  Addressed the investigators' concerns and asked them to pray.

-I truly learned the principle of teach when you find, find when you teach.  Sometimes we tract and just try to set up appointments with people.  But we should rather just start teaching and bearing our testimony on the spot.  We were looking for a referral at this apartment complex.  And the words cmae out of my mouth to knock on this other door..apartment 6.  So we did and this girl our age opens up and I just start bearing my testimony and telling her the story of Joseph Smith and how the gospel blesses my life.  Got a return appointment.  She is really excited for us to come!

-Learned this week that missionaries shouldn't say cool or awesome.  Ya that's been a struggle.  I have realized that I use those two words A LOT! Someone want to mail me a thesaurus to help me find some replacement words?

-A less-active family we are working with..every time we are there and pray..wooooosh the spirit is SO STRONG!!  I know the whole family, even the kids feel it.  She listened to conference on her phone and is coming to class on Wednesday and wants to meet with the Bishop :)

-Had one of the hardest experiences of my mission where I had to pray constantly...it was in cleaning this lady's house.  It is probably the most disgusting thing I have done.  Prayed the whole time to not throw up or run out of the house.  I have never seen so many dead bugs and dust in my life.  You know it's bad when she goes to get the cleaning spray and there are cob webs on it.  Poor thing, she is so sick and so poor.  Makes me grateful for what I have for sure. 

-We have had lots of miracles in working with less-actives this week.  Several of them invited us over for dinner!!! Which is awesome because that means they want us there to bring the spirit and talk to us.  And they will be blessed for serving us.  It happened 3 times this week!  Miracles! It's so cool to walk out the door every morning KNOWING we will see miracles and be a part in them.

-LOVED Pres. Monson's Ensign message for the month and Pres. Uchtdorf's talk in conference...applies to so many of the less-actives that we work with.  Inspired! Inspired! Inspired! Gives me lots more tools to use in helping these people.

-Being a missionary, especially training, is teaching me a lot about being a good spouse and being a good parent. 

-Favorite scripture of the week that I am working on applying to myself: Mosiah 28: 3-->Now they were desirous that slavation should be declared to every creature for they could not bear that any human soul should perish; yea, even the very thoughts that any soul should endure endless torment did cause them to quake and tremble.

-Getting the Ensign=best day ever.  Birthday/christmas combined.  Revelation taht we need for THAT MONTH of our lives!

-God is incredible and all-knowing.  We were trying to find this referral...all we knew is the apartment complex...the spirit told me which building she was in.  God loves his children! And wants them to be taught and found!

-I have better learned this week that our ultimate purpose for everything we do is BAPTISM and the TEMPLE!! Everything we do as missionaries should reflect that purpose and those goals.  They are waht God wants us and has asked us to do.

-A quote I loved this week: Missionaries have the purpose of teaching the prepared, not doing the preparing, that is the work of the Lord.

-Had a difficult experience this week where I felt like someone ripped apart my testimony threw it on the ground and stomped all over it. It hurt a lot.  This is what I've learned from it..this is waht I wrote in my weekly letter to the mission president:
I have been thinking a lot this week about loving those that reject us or mock us. I have been thinking of the example of Jesus Christ and how He did condemn the people and pointed out their faults...but I think it is because He had that divine authority to do so. Of us it is required to forgive all men. And love all men. Just like Nephi who instantly forgave his brothers, I must instantly forgive and love anyone that might offend me or insult my beliefs/religion even though it is something so sacred and special to me. I continually pray for more love.

-Loved conference!! Felt the closest I've been to the temple as I have so far on my mission.  Received lots of incredible personal revelation. Also learned incredible things about how I can better help my investigators.  Loved Elder Holland's talk!!!! Blew my mind!! But that's because I am so passionate about the mental health field.  I'm so in love with the fact that an apostle talked about it!! And testified of things that I am so passionate about.

I love you all lots! This life is such a small part of our existence.  So push through and trust in God, the all-knowing.  His thoughts are higher than our thoughts and His ways are higher than our ways.

Sister Richardson