APRIL 17, 2018 - WEEK #7

A WEEK OF NEW THINGS. 

SCARY THINGS, BUT GOOD THINGS!

April 17, 2018

Ok, so the Mission President leads all the Missionaries in the Mission, right? Which means that when you have an interview with him, like you do every month or so, you're going to be at least a little panicked. 

Not that he's a scary person, like, at all. He's a man who is very in tune with the Spirit of God. And so you know that if there's anything that President Dixon needs to say, because God knows what we need to hear, he'll say it! Think about how when your mom calls you over, and you start thinking about everything you might've done wrong for the past six months. Yeah, that's the feeling. 

But my interview went really well! I think... He listened to some of my concerns about certain things, and he gave me counsel, and had me commit to trying to set goals for the future. It was great, and I'm trying to apply those things! Unfortunately, I didn't write them down, sooooo...

Something else that started this week was Elder Ogden trying to teach me how to do some basic tricks on my bike. He's got me started on riding with no hands (which I've kind of got, I'm just really wobbly), and also trying to bring up my front wheel in a hoppy-fashion. I call it hopping, but I realized that that doesn't fit. Like, at all. The idea is that you jerk back on your bike, lifting up the front wheel up. Then it should land on the top of the curb you're trying to go up, and then the back wheel just gets up on its own. I haven't gotten to try this on an actual curb yet, but I'll send you pictures of the scars and hospital visit when I do try. (I'll try to be safe, Mom!)

For the past 2 Sundays, we've had dinner with the Bishop of our ward, Bishop Dalton. So, Wards are made up of the people in a certain area. For example, I'm serving in the Baseline Ward. Those Wards are lead and watched over by the Bishop. So we work with him in coordinating Ward Missionary efforts, learning about service opportunities, and a whole lot of other things. 

And it's been really neat, because their kids are so much fun! Crazy and full of energy, but hey! That makes it feel more like home! Also, Sister Dalton and her daughter are in a production of Annie! I wish I could go see it! But alas, Missionary rules... :'( It has been fun getting to talk about that show again with them!

Something else huge that happened was that we had Exchanges! Every so often, our District Leader will call us up and set up a time to switch up a companionship for the day. We spend 24 hours like that, and then we switch back, and everything goes back to normal. During that time,  we can just work with different person, and the District Leader can work one on one with another Missionary and see how they are progressing, what he can do to better train them, set goals, etc. 

Anyways, this time our District Leader came and switched with me, so he came and worked with Elder Ogden, and I went up to his area and worked with his companion, Elder Faumui! Elder Faumui is great! I've seen him around before at District meetings and the like, but I never really talked with him. He seemed like a really extroverted guy, and during this exchange I really wanted to learn from him!

... Unfortunately for him, I was just really awkward in just watching him, so we actually didn't talk that much. But I did manage to learn a lot from him about what it means to be a missionary! He's kind of a goofy guy, but whenever we started talking with someone, he took it seriously, because he knew that he was representing Jesus Christ in that moment. 

Being able to represent Him and do His will is one of my greatest joys here in California! But now I think about my behavior, and what impression I am making to those I bike past. Can they tell from my behavior who I'm representing, who I'm trying to be like? I can do better. 

And that's what's exciting! I have the absolute pleasure to be here and to work to invite people to come closer to Jesus Christ, and the only way I can improve in that work of teaching and inviting is by improving myself, and growing in my faith of my Savior to become more like him! What an honor and privilege it is to serve a mission!

Aaaaaand... Scene!

Elder Richardson 

P.S. Hey, this email is short and late, but I'm hoping to get this week's letter out with pictures and everything as well! Brb!

CHEF ELDER RICHARDSON

I made a stir fry this morning, for the very first time, out of some frozen Veggies, some leftover meat from a member meal, and some sauce that I've never seen before that was sitting in our fridge. It smelled good and hadn't expired, so I went for it. I think it turned out well!! :D

Elder Richardson 

FROM DAD:

Awesome! Thank mom and Amy for teaching you how in China!!

Benjamin Richardson

California Redlands Mission

Feb 28, 2018 - March 3, 2020