HEY MOM!!!
That is amazing that you had a relaxing Christmas and that you have been able to relax this break. Do you guys have any plans for New Years? Hopefully you like the scarf. I know you prefer black. Hopefully it wasn't a trashy one.....

I cant believe it is almost 2015. I just got used to writing 2014. I can't believe how fast 2014 went by. It seemed like this year was really focused on the mission. I remember last year after christmas was when I started doing my papers and then I received the call the Wednesday after Valentines week.... Holy Cow I can't believe it went by so fast.... This year is going to go by very fast. It felt like yesterday when I was dropped off at the airport. I love being out on the mission. It is going to go by so fast.

So the week was really good. On the 24th there was a shooting in the mall at our apartment. Only one person died. It happened with a fight over shoes in the Footlocker.... Only in New Orleans The district goes to the mall at the end of each transfer to do contacting. I wonder if hey will have everything cleaned up by then. Here's an article about it http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2014/12/christmas_mall_shooting.html

For Christmas Eve we ate at a members house. They gave all 10 missionaries a $15 subway gift cards. That was really nice so the district is going to do something nice for them. On Christmas we all got to skype our families. After Skype we watched how to train your dragon 2 and the Lego Movie. I really liked the lego movie. How to train your dragon 2 I thought was really stupid.

The 26th we visited some people and shared Alma 7 with them and related it to New Years resolutions. On Saturday we visited a couple of people including the Hoffmans. They are so excited to attend the temple. They really want to go, and they are doing all they can to prepare. It was awesome because we shared Alma 7 with them also and related it to New Years resolutions. They talked about how they are starting to do Family Prayer and want to hold family scripture study. We also talked about ordination to the Melchizedek Priesthood for him and shared stories about how wonderful it is to have a father who holds that priesthood and can give blessings and presides over the home with that authority. It was really awesome on Sunday because Brother Hoffman passed the sacrament. It is so cool to see a family progress to someday being sealed in the temple.

On Sunday we took the sacrament to two people in our area. We have been taking the sacrament to a Hispanic member in a rehabilitation center. He really appreciates us coming by because we are one of the few people who visit him. We also took the Sacrament to Sister Ortega because she had to work at the hotel she works because of the New Years tourist. She told us she was going to have to work that day and asked if we could come by. We were able to get permission from the Branch President and we went over with the Sisters. It was perfect timing when we went over there because her son in Spain had just emailed her that he didn't want to have a relationship with her and that they should part there separate ways. She was really upset and really hurt. We were able to be there to comfort her and share scriptures of comfort and share a Mormon Message with her that talked about the blessing will always come to those who live the gospel of Jesus Christ, but sometimes they do not come until later. I learned yesterday that not only are we here to bring people to the gospel, but we are also here to strengthen the members.

I hope you have an amazing week. I miss you and love you so much!!! Thats good you will have 9 o'clock church. We will still be at 9.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Love Elder Richardson