SISTER MELISSA RICHARDSON WEEKLY LETTER #74 -- DEC. 10, 2014

SISTER MELISSA RICHARDSON

DECEMBER 10, 2014:  LAST ONE!

It is hard to believe that this is my last weekly email as a
missionary! It doesn't seem real. I'm nervous, excited, sad and happy
all at the same time. And I rotate through those emotions about every
30 minutes. It's great.

A highlight of this past week was the stake nativity event! It's one
of the coolest Christmas things I've ever seen. The gym was full of
400 nativities! I walked through it 3-4 times and was still noticing
new ones that I hadn't seen the time before. The church was full of
lights, Christmas trees, and poinsettias. There was continuous
Christmas music being performed in the chapel too. There was a gallery
of artwork of Christ! It was amazing! You walked into the room and you
could immediately feel the spirit wash over you. There was a live
nativity outside too! We invited everyone we could think of or talk to
the days leading up to it. We had almost all of our progressing
investigators come as well as some less active families and recent
converts too! A lot of award members brought their nonmember friends
and neighbors. A miracle for Sister Hall and I was when this sweet
investigator family came. They are from the Dominican Republic and
have 2 year old twins that are adorable! This family had told us they
weren't interested in learning more about a month ago, but then we
decided to gland visit them again last week. And then they came to the
nativity and had a great experience! So hopefully we'll continue to
teach them now!

I have learned the principle of diligence in working with less
actives.

The past few weeks we have been able to have a lesson with
some less actives that I've been trying to meet with my whole 7 months
in this area! We had that experience again on Monday night. We stopped
by and the family happily let us in! Also, the less active's boyfriend
and his mom were there too! And guess what, they are from France! So I
started up a conversation with the mom and we talked about where she
was from in France, her experiences growing up during World War II,
and about the mormon church and I was able to explain to her that we
are not a cult as most people in France think we are. It was so fun!
It took me back to good memories, especially with her distinct
Parisian accent. And just when it couldn't get any better, they
offered me some french cheese with a baguette and some french
chocolate. It was delicious. The less active was impressed and we were
able to have a lesson with them and help her progress towards coming
back to church.

We had a powerful lesson with Tamiko. Sister Hall and I have been
trying to figure out how to help her commit to baptism these last 2
weeks. We thought we had it down and we gave the lesson and then we
just ran into that brick wall again and she didn't get it like we
hoped she would. But then came in the blessing of following the
counsel of leaders and having a member present in the lesson. Sister
chvala stepped in and bore a POWERFUL testimony! The spirit washed
over us all and sister chvala was so inspired and knew exactly what to
say and what to commit her to to progress towards baptism. She was
very bold. I am certain that Tamiko would not have taken it as well
and might have gotten offended if we had said what sister chvala said,
but because it came from a loving friend that she could better relate
to, it was perfect.

I learned this week why we do transfer calls and changes after Sunday.
Because members have a hard time letting go of you when they know you
are leaving that week. I was showered with love during relief society.
Sister Shaw gave me an incredible present--a scarf from Ireland and a
scarf from Paris! Because I had talked to her the other night about
how my family had told me it was really cold in China right now. So
sweet! Then after the lesson in relief society, there was a time for
testimonies, and I wasn't going to get up because I didn't want to
call attention to myself. But then sister Dorman have me an intense
glare and motioned that I should go up there. So I decided I would.
People were in tears as I bore my testimony. Then as sister dorman
said the closing prayer, she prayed for a special blessing on me as I
go home and throughout this next chapter of my life and she was in
tears and could hardly get the words out. Several sisters tearfully
said goodbye to me after relief society. I was not expecting that kind
of send off. I guess I'm used to leaving people because as
missionaries, we have to transfer around. But it taught me the lesson
that you never know whose life you're impacting and helping. And just
smiling and listening to people and encouraging them does so much. I
was reminded by the spirit that night, that it wasn't anything I had
done to make these people care about me so much, but that it was the
spirit along with gods love working through me that touched people's
hearts. A humbling experience overall!

Yesterday (Monday) was a great day! We had more scheduled lessons that
day than we have had in a while for one day. We started off with
teaching a less actives visiting mother about family search.org. She
took the missionary lessons about 40 years ago. At the end, she told
us that she would reconsider getting baptized. She agreed to let us
send missionaries to her home back where she lives :). We also had
lunch with Montee and Jonjeh. Jonjeh said that she wants to get
baptized! But she said she wants to set a date for June. So sister
hall will have to work on moving that to much sooner :). Then we had a
great recent convert lesson with crystal and her family and the Brown
family. The brown kids taught most of the lesson and taught about the
10 commandments. Then we had a great lesson with the part member
family we've been teaching the last few weeks. And the best news was
just a casual comment made by the nonmember wife that she has been
reading the Book of Mormon on her own! Sister Hall tried to keep our
excitement levels at a normal level while there, but then we screamed
and did a happy dance in the car afterwards. So happy :)

I don't know how you sum up a year and a half of experiences and
lessons learned. But I do know now more than ever that Jesus Christ is
my Savior and that He lives and is alive and well working miracles in
our own lives and the lives of others. Missionary work is one of the
most important things we could be doing with our time! The atonement
can provide an enabling power that is beyond any human strength. I
know that we must the gospel of Jesus Christ everyday in order to
continue our conversion...we can never get too comfortable or
complacent about our testimony. It's the most important thing that you
possess, so nurture and take care of it! I know that when the spirit
touches hearts, people are changed, including ourselves. I could go on
and on with things I've learned, but those are the ones that stand out
to me right now!

I'm so grateful to my father in heaven for providing me with this
trying but rich experience of serving a mission. I'm grateful to my
family for supporting me financially and in every other way while I've
been serving. Thank you to family and friends for your letters and
support this past year and a half. I love you all!

Sister Richardson