SISTER RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #22: DEC 9, 2013

SISTER RICHARDSON

DECEMBER 9, 2013

I hope you all are enjoying the snowy cold while it is 80 degrees and lovely sunny beach weather here every day. 

Our week started out slow with Sister Sullivan coming down with the flu.  And then surprise! I got the flu too.  Yay empathy!  But it was a short version of it, thank goodness.

Some trials in this area are car sharing...hard to get where we need to.  I'm trying to convince the other sisters that it is possible to bike in a skirt and that it doesn't matter that helmets look dorky...we're making progress. 

But the highlights of the week have definitely been trying to win over the hearts of the deaf members so that we can start teaching them and their friends.  And we are making progress! They all are very enthusiastic about us being here.  We went to the deaf sunday school on Sunday...yep i didn't understand all of it...but at least I said the closing prayer!

We had an AWESOME ward christmas party on Saturday.  Look at the facebook of Darcy Davis Fewkes for all the pictures! It was a Whoville/Grinch themed Christmas party and it was incredible.  I have never seen a better planned/decorated/organized/fun ward christmas party.  And the deaf members brought in total, 4 deaf non members to the party! Woo!  One of the deaf couples here asked us over for fhe! Progress!

I just adore these deaf members.  They all have incredible stories.  It takes humility to be able to function as a deaf person in a hearing world. 

But the best moment of the past week was last night.  We went and watched the Christmas devotional with this sweet young family.  Their oldest child Jeffrey is deaf.  He's in 3rd grade.  Oh my goodness he is incredible and his family is incredible.  He is fluent in sign and also learned to talk.  We had scriptures with them last night.  Jeffrey is sitting there on the couch with his dad and he is reading the new testament aloud, while signing it, while comprehending it and answering questions his dad asks. Their whole family has learned to sign..even the little kids.  The 5 year old sister said the prayer...completely in sign while speaking it as well.  Man, it was inspiring.  If that little boy can accomplish all that while being deaf...then surely I with my working ears can figure out sign language and be able to be confident in communicating with it. 

I played organ in sacrament meeting.  Everyone was so funny as they were so excited!! They haven't had someone to play the organ in forever! I find it funny that the people that I have been called to serve (the deaf members) aren't even being served by my organ playing...they don't know the difference.

Life is good! We are still trying to figure out what we're doing and trying to find people to teach...but the gospel is still true and always will be :)

Sister Richardson

ELDER RICHARDSON: DEC 8, 2013

ELDER RICHARDSON

DECEMBER 8, 2013

It was a pretty good week this week.

If you zoom in you can see Taibai 101 between the pole and the tree on the right.

On Monday we went to Costco again! I probably bought too much. The best investment though was a giant jar of Nutella. I've been eating Nutella-covered everything for the past few days. Definitely super healthy.

While we were in English class, a gust of wind blew and toppled all the bikes over Dominoe style!

On Wednesday as we were leaving a grocery store at dinner time, a middle-aged man stopped us and said he wanted to talk to us. He gave us his business card and told us he was a spiritual prophet. He showed us some pictures of ghosts and other things, and wanted to meet with us. On Friday, Elder Morgan and I were on exchanges and so we met with him at the chapel. Before we started talking to him, he showed us some videos of supernatural phenomena. We figured out that this guy goes around to church leaders all over Taiwan and tells them about ghosts and why ghosts are important. It was really interesting to tell him that we believed in the same things, but in a slightly different way. We shared a lot about the plan of salvation and invited him to be baptized, to which he agreed. We'll try to meet with him a few more times, but we'll see how it goes.

On Wednesday we also went to visit a potential investigator who owns a gelato cart. I really liked that visit. It's hard to find good ice cream places here, so we might be going back to visit him more.

If anyone wants to read a cool story about Elijah, go read 2 Kings 1:9-12.

Elder Morgan and I have been playing Chinese chess a lot recently. We play a game or two at 9:30 before we go to sleep. It's been really fun; it's a neat game. Definitely different than "western chess."

Something I've been thinking about this week is that there is really only one principle of the gospel. If we could all completely understand that God loves us, and could understand how he loves us, than all of the rest of the laws and ordinances would be unnecessary. Everything else in the gospel is just to help us learn about God's love, and we obey commandments and learn about the doctrine in order to understand that love better. 1 Nephi 11:17

Add oil!

Elder Richardson

田長老

SISTER RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #21: DEC 2, 2013

SISTER RICHARDSON

DECEMBER 2, 2013

Well folks, I'm in paradise, it's decided.  I am having so much fun here in St. Augustine.  The ward is great and passionate about missionary work.  I love my companion and I love sign language! I have remembered and learned so much sign in the past few days.  

St. Augustine is a cool city right on the coast.  It's been cold the last few days...but shouldn't last too long and it'll get warm again soon.  There is a really cool downtown with a lighthouse and the old fortress (St. Augustine is the oldest settlement in the U.S...at least for European settlements). There is also an alligator farm we are told. 

My new companion is Sister Sullivan.  She is 22 and is from Draper, Utah.  She is getting her bachelor's degree in deaf studies.  So I am so glad she is here! Because she has had more experience with sign and deaf people than I have.  It is hard white washing...putting brand new missionaries into a ward with no companion that has been there before.  But we are slowly getting there and finding people to teach.  

A great family in the ward had us over for thanksgiving! So that was fun and made it a not-lonely day.  

We helped the Elders teach a less-active deaf member on Saturday. It went great! It really does make a difference when people feel like they can communicate and feel understood.  He prayed for the first time in 5 years and came to church yesterday for the first time in 5 years.   

At church, I was instantly assigned to be the ward pianist...no one plays piano! We sat with the deaf members of the ward and met them.  They are so great! And they are hilarious.  So there are several different types of deaf families here.  

-both parents are deaf, children are hearing, or there are adopted children who are deaf

-the husband is deaf, the wife is hearing, the children are hearing...all of them sign

-both parents are hearing...the child is deaf

-single sisters that are deaf

One of the hearing wifes interpreted sacrament meeting and they kind of spread themselvesout to help interpret priesthood, relief society, primary, young women.  There is a deaf sunday school.  We had a deaf investigator come to church yesterday which was fun!  They despereately need interpreters here.  They needed us to interpret relief society...I lovingly let Sister Sullivan do that...I don't think I'm there yet...but I will need to get to that advanced level soon!  We have had fun learning all of the church-word signs and praying in sign language in our studies and throughout the day.  We both LOVE sign and LOVE deaf people. We both love being here and hope to stay here for a looong time.  I would be content to spend the rest of my mission here with Sister Sullivan.  Missionary work isn't hard anymore...before, it seemed to be a test of endurance, but I am just so happy here constantly learning and striving to be a better communicator with these people that need the gospel and need to feel fellowshipped.

Life is good! Lesson for the week, don't try to have a conversation in sign while driving the car...doesn't work too well.

Love you all! 

Sister Richardson

ELDER RICHARDSON: DEC 1, 2013

ELDER RICHARDSON

DECEMBER 1, 2013

Happy Thanksgiving!

So on Tuesday, a ward member called the sisters and told them that she was making us a turkey. This ward member has never made a turkey before, but that's why she decided that she wanted to cook us one. So ALL day on Wednesday (because at first they didn't convert from F to C), we had a turkey cooking in the chapel kitchen. On Thursday morning, we all gathered and had turkey/pesto tortilla wraps for Thanksgiving! It was great!

We've been trying to get in contact with one of our less actives for about three weeks. But all three of the cell phone numbers, the home phone number, and the address for his work were all incorrect. On Thursday, on exchanges with Elder Weech, I tried all of the numbers again and we went to visit his work, all to no avail. But then, later that same day, Elder Lin and I just ran into him on the way home! We were able to set up with him and the next day he took us to a hotpot place. Hopefully, he'll be able to come back to church soon!

This week got COLD. It's not supposed to be cold in Taiwan! It got down to like 10 degrees this week! Of course, that's Celsius, and it means that the coldest it got was about 45 F. But it was still COLD, especially with the humidity! I think it's supposed to warm up again this week. And I'm still every day grateful that I'm not serving in Russia.

We're still having more adventures with our forever interesting investigator Li DiXiong. Last week when we went to visit him, he gifted us a bunch of food and also a basketball, which was really hard to get home on bikes. His handwriting is super interesting. Everything he writes is very calligraphic, whether in Chinese or in English. 

Every week in gospel principles class, the teacher will have everybody new introduce themselves, and then will usually write their name on the board, so that everyone can see the characters. Every time Li Dixiong has been introduced, he will always walk to the front of the room and spent a few minutes writing his full name in English and in Chinese, all in very fancy handwritting. Then he'll turn around and start to introduce his life from when he was born. Usually my companion has to get up and gently stop him so that we can continue with class.

Last night, the Christmas choir performed for the first time at the new member fireside. It went really well! We've spent an hour and a half on every P-Day for the past four weeks practicing. This week we start traveling to all of our performances. We have 11 throughout the next four weeks, and we travel all over the Taibei area. We're all really excited!

Ward council is always the biggest test of my language ability, because it seems that especially in ward council, they talk REALLY fast. They just start talking about all of the ward council things and it goes really fast. The real problem though, is that every once in while they will all switch to Taiwanese! And then I give up and don't understand anything. It's always really fun though. Our bishop is amazing. Every time he talks, he lights a fire under everyone listening. He's just super energetic and passionate about the gospel. This week in ward council he said, "Inviting is the responsibility of the leader. Choosing is the responsibility of the individual."

This week at a stake hiking activity, we went up into the hills behind the Neihu chapel. We went up to a little rest area where we had a short devotional and sang a few hymns. While we were there, we saw a guy who was standing on a rock above a small waterfall doing Tai qi with a bo staff. It basically just completed my image of Taiwan. My whole life, I will never be as cool as that guy.

Last week, the new sister missionary in our ward, Sister Han, had to learn how to ride a bike, because she'd never ridden one before! It was quite an adventure.

Well, that's it for this week. We're going to Costco again today!

Elder Richardson

田長老

SISTER RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #20: NOV 26, 2013

SISTER RICHARDSON

NOVEMBER 26, 2013

Being transferred to St. Augustine, Florida! To be an ASL missionary! Yay sign language! There is a big school for the deaf and blind there, so lots of deaf people in the ward and in the area.  I will have a new companion, Sister Sullivan who I will meet tomorrow.  I'm excited for the new opportunities and challenges! Excited to have an hour of language study in the mornings! And excited to spend the winter on the Florida coast. 

We found out last Monday night that Sister Spendlove would be training a new Sister and that I would be leaving.  We had interviews with President Craig the next day and he told me where I would be transferred to and that I would be signing...which usually never happens.  So I knew a week in advance!  I have heard that ASL missionaries there is an answer to many prayers of people in that area...I guess I'll find out what that means when I get there!

We are working with some really great families here in St. Marys.  3 of them! They could all definitely be baptized in December.  I wish that I could stay here to see it out! But it will be good for Sister Spendlove to have them to work with and teach this next month while she is finding her way through training.

We've also been able to do some good community service this week. We helped cook and serve food to the homeless. We also helped put together food bags for Thanksgiving with a youth leadership group in the area. We will be helping to feed the homeless again at Thanksgiving (Sister Spendlove and her trainee will do so at least!)
We had a great experience with a new investigator where we were doing service tracting and went to help her with yard work. She asked some incredible questions and we taught her a lot that day as we were raking leaves and pulling weeds.

I have felt myself become really comfortable with teaching about the gospel principles...especially the restoration.  I feel like I am able to explain them really simply.  But I still learn more and more about them whenever I study them in Preach My Gospel.  It's great!

I'm going to miss the people here.  A lot. 

An investigater family

Sister Angel -- my life inspiration!

Rachel ... one of the craziest and inspirational people I have ever met.And she is 70!

Byrd and Sister Cook

Brother Adams...our ward mission leader...I don't know why I look sad in this picture...I am happy, i promise!

Lena...another one of my life inspirations. One of the most holy women I've ever met.  And she's a psychologist.

We had a fun experience eating dinner with a pentecostal preacher and his worship/praise band this week.  They put me on the piano to play the chords and even made me sing at one point.  It was fun/funny.

Food adventures of the week: went to another local seafood restaurant with an investigator...had yummy oysters and crackers, STING RAY, tilapia, shrimp, hush puppies, fried okra, fried mushrooms, fried butterfly shrimp, fried green tomatoes, clam...lots of food.  Then today, we had TWO lunch appointments...it's hard to say no to people.  We had one at 12 at a mexican restaurant, and one at 12:30 at this lady's house.  Both were DELICIOUS, but I was so stuffed and haven't eaten the rest of the day and probably won't. 

There is this family that is basically Mormon, they just don't know it yet.  They believe all of the same things as us, but we are still trying to help them understand the concept of prophets and priesthood authority.  But we went to their monday night family devotion last night that they do every week where they sing, have a lesson, pray, and have a treat.  Hello family home evening and perfect convert family! They'll be great.

Last week we kept getting storm alert texts about Tropical Storm Melissa, hooray! But it never got past the Azares islands...wherever they are.

Had my last district meeting with my district here...I'll miss them a lot! Elder Craynor had me bear my testimony since I was leaving.  We had interviews before the meeting in the morning so Sister Spendlove and I organized a lunch for everyone.  I used a pink table cloth and had pink plates and napkins, just to bug the Elders, it was great. 

I hope that you all have a GREAT!!! thanksgiving! I get to call home in ONE MONTH! It will go by in no time.  I have no idea what I'll be doing on Thanksgiving...but it'll be an adventure.  The gospel is restored and we are all so loved by God and others! Don't forget to look up!! If Nephi can be grateful for the raw meat he had to eat in the wilderness..then we should be able to be grateful for EVERYTHING.  Have a happy week!

Sister Richardson

Also, my new address is
420 Villa San Marco #201

St. Augustine, FL

I don't know the zip code...you'll have to look it up.

ELDER RICHARDSON: NOVEMBER 24, 2013

ELDER RICHARDSON

NOVEMBER 24, 2013

Greetings from Neihu! I'm still here in Neihu with Elder Lin, and I'll be here until (at least) the first week of January. After that, I will probably be leaving for a new area. Maybe.

We got a new missionary in our apartment. Elder Deal left for Taoyuan, and we got Elder Zeng. He is also a native missionary, so we're half and half now. It means that we mostly speak Chinese in the apartment instead of English. Last night they switched to Taiwanese so that Elder Morgan and I wouldn't understand, but then we just started talking in really thick Southern accents so that they wouldn't understand our English. It's going to be a fun transfer.

This week my companion and I have been focusing on finding. We spent a lot of time this week talking to people on the street. We talk to a lot of unprepared people, but we have to sift through a lot of unprepared people to find the prepared ones. But that's what we've got to do in order to do the work that the Lord needs in Taiwan right now.

It's starting to surprise me how in some cases it's much easier to speak Chinese than English. This past week we've run into a couple of people who only speak English, and it was really hard to not switch back into Chinese. It mostly happens when talking about missionary stuff, like talking about the Book of Mormon on the street and such. It just surprises me sometimes.

The Taiwanese people are terrible at shaking hands. I rarely get a firm handshake here, especially on the street, but also at church.

Don't have a lot of time this week, but I'll do better next week!

Elder Richardson

田長老

SISTER RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #19: NOV 18, 2013

SISTER RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER

NOV 18, 2013

So this past P-day...we went to Amelia Island in Florida at Fernandina Beach.  Our district met up at this member's home that had a private dock.  We caught lots of fish! Nothing too huge, but they cooked it up for us and we ate it and it was delicious! BUUTTT  the treasure trove of the day---I was pulling in my fishing pole to get ready to go inside, and then all of a sudden there's something on it.  And I reel in this sting ray.  Pretty fun.  Maybe I'll get an alligator next time.

It's another week of doing the Lord's work, so it was great!

Here are some highlight moments:

-This great African-American family that we tracted into came to church! Mom, Dad, and 2 boys.  They really liked it!  Hopefully they will keep coming.  We are excited to commit them to baptism this week.  Everyone at church was so excited that they were there and were very welcoming!

-Had a great zone conference this week.  Finally got to meet the mission nurse that I've talked to on the phone so many times.

-Got a letter from Sister Johns in JAPAN!

-Having two dinner appointments in one night...our bellies ached.

-I love singing in lessons when we meet with people.  It's a great way to bring the spirit and make something personal to the person we're teaching.

-Had a district p-day on amelia island.  Went fishing and watched the birds flying over the water.  It was so peaceful and serene.  The setting reminded me a lot of the sea of galilee.  I caught a fish and a sting ray!

-Having people I'm talking to on facebook ask me for help with things they're struggling with!

-When people ask us about our church and want to learn more!! Miracles falling into our lap.

-Inviting and committing someone to baptism yesterday!

-When people want to see us and invite us over! Especially investigators and less-actives...it's the best.

-Testifying of true principles like going to church and reading the scriptures and how it can bless people's lives!

-Went to a seafood restaurant with an investigator.  S. Spendlove and I shared a gator burger which was actually pretty good.  We also got shrimp and grits....it was so so delicious.

-Went to another African baptist church with an investigator.  It was an experience.  There was incredible singing and an incredible jazz pianist.  But we enjoyed going back to our church afterwards and feeling like we were home there.  But there are lots of good faithful people here!

I have learned a lot this week as I do every week.  I love the feeling of being molded into the person God wants me to be.  I know that God exists and teaches us all throughout life! He will give us answers if we ASK! The restoration might never have happened if Joseph Smith hadn't asked for knowledge.
Love you all!

Sister Richardson

ELDER RICHARDSON: NOV 17, 2013

ELDER HYRUM RICHARDSON

WEEKLY LETTER #26 -- NOV 17, 2013

洗禮了!

We had a baptism!

After a busy and frustrating week, we were able to see 蕭智元 (Xiao1 zhi4 yuan2) make his first covenants with the Lord and be baptized and confirmed! I don't really feel like I did anything as a missionary; he was already so prepared and willing to make commitments that baptism just came naturally. It was cool to participate in his confirmation yesterday. I'm really excited for him starting his life as a member of God's church!

I had a really great exchange last Tuesday with Elder Montierth up in Jilong (Keelung). We were planning to teach their investigator who was about to be baptized, but the investigator wasn't able to make it. But we got to meet with the member who was planning to be at the lesson. Elder Montierth called the wrong person in the phone the night before, so this member was actually a less-active who hadn't come to church in a few years. It was an incredible lesson. The spirit was there so strong, and we testified multiple times about how coming back to church would influence his life. He had been going through some difficulties recently, and I think Elder Montierth's mistaken phone call might have been just what this member needed.

Everyone is freaking out here because it's supposed to get down to 14 C this week. My companion every day wears a thick sweater and a scarf while I wear short sleeves. I always tell people that at my house it's probably below 0 degrees, and they can't quite wrap their heads around that.

Sometimes kids are scared of foreigners. The babies always stare at me because I'm white. It's a good opportunity for contacting the parents though!

Yesterday we had the primary program in our ward! It's cool that it was just like home, just in Chinese!

That's about it this week. Transfers are on Friday, so I might still be here in Neihu, or I might be somewhere completely different!

Add oil!

Elder Richardson

田長老