HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So This week we continued to do some tracting. We had a couple of followup appointments that we checked up on. Most of them bailed on us but that is ok. We tracted into a lady named Mercedes who was interested and told us she had already taken the lessons but that she wanted us to come by. She was really nice. We invited our investigators to conference and had rides set up for some of them but they all bailed..... Oh well..... We also visted a couple of less actives that we have found also. We were sharing with EVERYBODY Amos 3:7 and how there are prophets on the earth today. We were trying to get people to come to conference but it
So this Week was awesome. I loved having the opportunity to listen to our prophets and apostles!!! We were able to watch the first session at the mission home and sister hansen gave us lunch. While at the mission home the elders did a guess to see who would become the three new apostles. Well if you wouldn't believe it I wrote down Ronald A Rasband, Gary E Stevenson and Tad R Callister. I WAS SO CLOSE!!!!!!!! I didn't really know who Renlund was. I'm not going to lie. I was really proud of myself for getting two right. I was talking to one of my former companions on the phone, Elder Passey, to share our guess. He was set that Ronald A Rasband would not be it. Well guess who I got a phone call from after the sustaining... HAHA!!!!
I loved the talks from Conference!!!! I loved Dieter F Uchtdorfs talk about how the gospel works for all of us. I also loved Elder Lawrence's also. It made me think where I lack at.... I also loved Niel F Marriots about how everything will work out. I loved the story she shared about when her daughter died about how she could still believe in that motto, but shared how through God's plan of happiness everything will work out. In the second session I loved Robert D Hales to the youth and young adults, It made me think what are my priorities should be when I get home. I also loved Jeffery R Hollands on mothers. That helped me reflect on the amazing things my mom has done for me. And she has had to put up with a lot from me. HAHA. I loved Dallin H Oaks on being streanthend by the atonement of Christ. I TOTALLY AGREED with Elder Bradley D Fosters comment how the world is trying to replace the identity of our children! I am just sooo grateful for this gospel and the prophets!!!!
I really enjoyed President Monson's Priesthood session talk. It was really simple and direct to keep the commandments. It really saddened me to see him struggle in the Sunday morning session though at the end of his talk. Though age may be catching up to him, his is still God's prophet on the earth today. He gave an amazing talk though on being an example and emulating the Savior. I especially enjoyed the testimonies of the three new apostles. Henry B Eyring gave an amazing talk on having the holy ghost as our companion.
I loved listening to the amazing conference precedings. I enjoyed the spirit that we all felt listening to this amazing general conference.
I miss yall so much!!! Thank you so much for all yalls thoughts and prayers!!!!
HAVE A BLESSED WEEK!!!!
ELDER RICHARDSON
Sunday, October 11, 2015
Spiritual thought
This was one of my favorite talks last conference by Gerald Causse of the Presiding Bishopric entitled Is it still wonderful to You. May we never take the blessings, truths, and knowledge that we do have for granted. i am so grateful for the gospel and for the blessings that I receive from it each day!!!! May we always cherrish and share those things that we have received from the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! I miss you all!!!! THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!!!
My wife and I had the great joy of rearing our five children near the magnificent city of Paris. During those years we wanted to offer them rich opportunities to discover the marvelous things of this world. Each summer, our family took long trips to visit the most significant monuments, historic sites, and natural wonders of Europe. Finally, after spending 22 years in the Paris area, we were getting ready to move. I still remember the day when my children came to me and said, “Dad, it’s absolutely shameful! We’ve lived here all our lives, and we have never been to the Eiffel Tower!”
There are so many wonders in this world. However, sometimes when we have them constantly before our eyes, we take them for granted. We look, but we don’t really see; we hear, but we don’t really listen.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
“For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”1
I have often wondered what it would have been like to live at the time of our Savior. Can you imagine sitting at His feet? feeling His embrace? witnessing as He ministered to others? And yet so many who met Him failed to recognize—to “see”—that the very Son of God was living among them.
We too are privileged to live in an exceptional time. The prophets of old saw the work of the Restoration as “a marvelous work … , yea, a marvelous work and a wonder.”2 In no previous dispensation have so many missionaries been called, so many nations been opened for the gospel message, and so many temples been built throughout the world.
For us, as Latter-day Saints, wonders also occur in our individual lives. They include our own personal conversion, the answers we receive to our prayers, and the tender blessings God showers upon us daily.
To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the work of salvation.
But let us beware. Our ability to marvel is fragile. Over the long term, such things as casual commandment keeping, apathy, or even weariness may set in and make us insensitive to even the most remarkable signs and miracles of the gospel.
The Book of Mormon describes a period, very similar to our own, that preceded the coming of the Messiah to the Americas. Suddenly the signs of His birth appeared in the heavens. The people were so stricken with astonishment that they humbled themselves, and nearly all were converted. However, only a short four years later, “the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, … and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen.”3
My brothers and sisters, is the gospel still wonderful to you? Can you yet see, hear, feel, and marvel? Or have your spiritual sensors gone into standby mode? Whatever your personal situation, I invite you to do three things.
First, never tire of discovering or rediscovering the truths of the gospel. The writer Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”4 Do you remember the first time you read a verse of scripture and felt as if the Lord was speaking to you personally? Can you recall the first time you felt the sweet influence of the Holy Ghost come over you, perhaps before you even realized it was the Holy Ghost? Weren’t these sacred, special moments?
We should hunger and thirst every day after spiritual knowledge. This personal practice is founded on study, meditation, and prayer. Sometimes we might be tempted to think, “I don’t need to study the scriptures today; I’ve read them all before” or “I don’t need to go to church today; there’s nothing new there.”
But the gospel is a fountain of knowledge that never runs dry. There is always something new to learn and feel each Sunday, in every meeting, and in every verse of scripture. In faith we hold to the promise that if we “seek, … [we] shall find.”5
Second, anchor your faith in the plain and simple truths of the gospel. Our amazement should be rooted in the core principles of our faith, in the purity of our covenants and ordinances, and in our most simple acts of worship.
A sister missionary told the story of three men she met during a district conference in Africa. They came from an isolated village far away in the bush where the Church had not yet been organized but where there were 15 faithful members and almost 20 investigators. For over two weeks these men had walked on foot, traveling more than 300 miles (480 km) over paths rendered muddy by the rainy season, so they could attend the conference and bring the tithes from the members of their group. They planned to stay for an entire week so they could enjoy the privilege of partaking of the sacrament the following Sunday and then hoped to set out on the return trip carrying boxes filled with copies of the Book of Mormon on their heads to give to the people of their village.
The missionary testified how touched she was by the sense of wonder these brethren displayed and by their wholehearted sacrifices to obtain things that for her had always been readily available.
She wondered: “If I got up one Sunday morning in Arizona and found that my car wasn’t working, would I walk to my church only a few blocks away from home? Or would I just stay home because it was too far or because it was raining?”6 These are good questions for all of us to consider.
Finally, I invite you to seek and cherish the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Most wonders of the gospel cannot be perceived by our natural senses. They are the things that the “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, … the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”7
When we have the Spirit with us, our spiritual senses are sharpened and our memory is kindled so we cannot forget the miracles and signs we have witnessed. That may be why, knowing Jesus was about to leave them, His Nephite disciples prayed fervently “for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.”8
Although they had seen the Savior with their own eyes and had touched His wounds with their own hands, they knew that their testimonies might dwindle without being constantly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. My brothers and sisters, never do anything to risk the loss of this precious and marvelous gift—the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Seek it through fervent prayer and righteous living.
I testify that the work in which we are engaged is “a marvelous work and a wonder.” As we follow Jesus Christ, God bears witness to us “with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.”9 On this special day, I bear witness that the wonders and marvels of the gospel are anchored in the greatest of all of God’s gifts—the Savior’s Atonement. This is the perfect gift of love that the Father and the Son, united in purpose, have offered to each one of us. With you, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. … Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”10
That we may always have eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that perceive the wonders of this marvelous gospel is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
My wife and I had the great joy of rearing our five children near the magnificent city of Paris. During those years we wanted to offer them rich opportunities to discover the marvelous things of this world. Each summer, our family took long trips to visit the most significant monuments, historic sites, and natural wonders of Europe. Finally, after spending 22 years in the Paris area, we were getting ready to move. I still remember the day when my children came to me and said, “Dad, it’s absolutely shameful! We’ve lived here all our lives, and we have never been to the Eiffel Tower!”
There are so many wonders in this world. However, sometimes when we have them constantly before our eyes, we take them for granted. We look, but we don’t really see; we hear, but we don’t really listen.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus said to His disciples:
“Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see:
“For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.”1
I have often wondered what it would have been like to live at the time of our Savior. Can you imagine sitting at His feet? feeling His embrace? witnessing as He ministered to others? And yet so many who met Him failed to recognize—to “see”—that the very Son of God was living among them.
We too are privileged to live in an exceptional time. The prophets of old saw the work of the Restoration as “a marvelous work … , yea, a marvelous work and a wonder.”2 In no previous dispensation have so many missionaries been called, so many nations been opened for the gospel message, and so many temples been built throughout the world.
For us, as Latter-day Saints, wonders also occur in our individual lives. They include our own personal conversion, the answers we receive to our prayers, and the tender blessings God showers upon us daily.
To marvel at the wonders of the gospel is a sign of faith. It is to recognize the hand of the Lord in our lives and in everything around us. Our amazement also produces spiritual strength. It gives us the energy to remain anchored in our faith and to engage ourselves in the work of salvation.
But let us beware. Our ability to marvel is fragile. Over the long term, such things as casual commandment keeping, apathy, or even weariness may set in and make us insensitive to even the most remarkable signs and miracles of the gospel.
The Book of Mormon describes a period, very similar to our own, that preceded the coming of the Messiah to the Americas. Suddenly the signs of His birth appeared in the heavens. The people were so stricken with astonishment that they humbled themselves, and nearly all were converted. However, only a short four years later, “the people began to forget those signs and wonders which they had heard, and began to be less and less astonished at a sign or a wonder from heaven, … and began to disbelieve all which they had heard and seen.”3
My brothers and sisters, is the gospel still wonderful to you? Can you yet see, hear, feel, and marvel? Or have your spiritual sensors gone into standby mode? Whatever your personal situation, I invite you to do three things.
First, never tire of discovering or rediscovering the truths of the gospel. The writer Marcel Proust said, “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”4 Do you remember the first time you read a verse of scripture and felt as if the Lord was speaking to you personally? Can you recall the first time you felt the sweet influence of the Holy Ghost come over you, perhaps before you even realized it was the Holy Ghost? Weren’t these sacred, special moments?
We should hunger and thirst every day after spiritual knowledge. This personal practice is founded on study, meditation, and prayer. Sometimes we might be tempted to think, “I don’t need to study the scriptures today; I’ve read them all before” or “I don’t need to go to church today; there’s nothing new there.”
But the gospel is a fountain of knowledge that never runs dry. There is always something new to learn and feel each Sunday, in every meeting, and in every verse of scripture. In faith we hold to the promise that if we “seek, … [we] shall find.”5
Second, anchor your faith in the plain and simple truths of the gospel. Our amazement should be rooted in the core principles of our faith, in the purity of our covenants and ordinances, and in our most simple acts of worship.
A sister missionary told the story of three men she met during a district conference in Africa. They came from an isolated village far away in the bush where the Church had not yet been organized but where there were 15 faithful members and almost 20 investigators. For over two weeks these men had walked on foot, traveling more than 300 miles (480 km) over paths rendered muddy by the rainy season, so they could attend the conference and bring the tithes from the members of their group. They planned to stay for an entire week so they could enjoy the privilege of partaking of the sacrament the following Sunday and then hoped to set out on the return trip carrying boxes filled with copies of the Book of Mormon on their heads to give to the people of their village.
The missionary testified how touched she was by the sense of wonder these brethren displayed and by their wholehearted sacrifices to obtain things that for her had always been readily available.
She wondered: “If I got up one Sunday morning in Arizona and found that my car wasn’t working, would I walk to my church only a few blocks away from home? Or would I just stay home because it was too far or because it was raining?”6 These are good questions for all of us to consider.
Finally, I invite you to seek and cherish the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Most wonders of the gospel cannot be perceived by our natural senses. They are the things that the “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, … the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.”7
When we have the Spirit with us, our spiritual senses are sharpened and our memory is kindled so we cannot forget the miracles and signs we have witnessed. That may be why, knowing Jesus was about to leave them, His Nephite disciples prayed fervently “for that which they most desired; and they desired that the Holy Ghost should be given unto them.”8
Although they had seen the Savior with their own eyes and had touched His wounds with their own hands, they knew that their testimonies might dwindle without being constantly renewed by the power of the Spirit of God. My brothers and sisters, never do anything to risk the loss of this precious and marvelous gift—the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Seek it through fervent prayer and righteous living.
I testify that the work in which we are engaged is “a marvelous work and a wonder.” As we follow Jesus Christ, God bears witness to us “with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will.”9 On this special day, I bear witness that the wonders and marvels of the gospel are anchored in the greatest of all of God’s gifts—the Savior’s Atonement. This is the perfect gift of love that the Father and the Son, united in purpose, have offered to each one of us. With you, “I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me. … Oh, it is wonderful, wonderful to me!”10
That we may always have eyes that see, ears that hear, and hearts that perceive the wonders of this marvelous gospel is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.
Dios manda a profetas
HEY ALL YALL!!!!
So this week was very busy and very exhausting! We were helping a hispanic catholic congregation put up booths for a fair they were going to have. It was a job that took a couple of days and was very exhausting.
We were able to see some of our investigators. We saw Jose and his family. We shared Alma 32 about faith and how it is like a seed. We also liken it to acting on our faith and how reading the book of mormon and attending church. We also shared it with another investigator named Leo. Both of them did not attend church. Oh the joys of being a missionary. :D
We shared a the plan of salvation with a family we tracted into. There was a strong feeling when we shared with them how families can be together forever. Hopefully they were able to feel that too. It was nice because we didn't tract as much as we have been. Sunday night we sat on the apartment porch watching the blood moon. That was cool!!!
Yesterday we had to take down the booths so it took a while. After the Baton Rouge Missionaries did a nerf gun/lightsaber war. President Hansen came and joined also. It was really fun. It was neat to see President not in his President mode. HAHA.
I am so excited for this weekend for General Conference!!! I will just include my spiritual thoughts in this email now haha. But how blessed are we to have a prophet of the living God on Earth!!! Like the days of Abraham, Moses, Noah, God has doesn't cease to be God, but still reveals his word to his chosen servants! "Surely The Lord God Will Do Nothing but Revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets." Amos 3:7. This one is very excited to receive three new Apostles!!! May we listen real intently to as we hear the will of the lord for His church and kingdom here on the earth!!!!
Miss yall so much!!!! Yall have an amazing week!!!!! #makegoodchoices #LBRM #churchistrue
Elder Richardson
So this week was very busy and very exhausting! We were helping a hispanic catholic congregation put up booths for a fair they were going to have. It was a job that took a couple of days and was very exhausting.
We were able to see some of our investigators. We saw Jose and his family. We shared Alma 32 about faith and how it is like a seed. We also liken it to acting on our faith and how reading the book of mormon and attending church. We also shared it with another investigator named Leo. Both of them did not attend church. Oh the joys of being a missionary. :D
We shared a the plan of salvation with a family we tracted into. There was a strong feeling when we shared with them how families can be together forever. Hopefully they were able to feel that too. It was nice because we didn't tract as much as we have been. Sunday night we sat on the apartment porch watching the blood moon. That was cool!!!
Yesterday we had to take down the booths so it took a while. After the Baton Rouge Missionaries did a nerf gun/lightsaber war. President Hansen came and joined also. It was really fun. It was neat to see President not in his President mode. HAHA.
I am so excited for this weekend for General Conference!!! I will just include my spiritual thoughts in this email now haha. But how blessed are we to have a prophet of the living God on Earth!!! Like the days of Abraham, Moses, Noah, God has doesn't cease to be God, but still reveals his word to his chosen servants! "Surely The Lord God Will Do Nothing but Revealeth his secrets to his servants the Prophets." Amos 3:7. This one is very excited to receive three new Apostles!!! May we listen real intently to as we hear the will of the lord for His church and kingdom here on the earth!!!!
Miss yall so much!!!! Yall have an amazing week!!!!! #makegoodchoices #LBRM #churchistrue
Elder Richardson
Senor, yo te seguire'
HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
So this week was awesome. Tuesday we had specialize training. It was kinda an interesting one. There were a bunch of counselors there talking about depression and anxiety. I am not going to lie. I seriously felt like laughing. They made us do like this deep breathing thing and this relaxation tips.... Then we had this lady talk to us about cleaning our apartments and that the smell of bleach invites the spirit 😕.... HAHA!!! It was an interesting meeting....
We again this week did a lot and a lot of tracting.... I am not going to lie. But I am starting to get tracted out.... HAHA!!! We tract from two until we go home around 8:30. A lot of the people that tell us we can come back don't actually think we come back... The average number of lessons before we 2 a week. and we are getting around 20.
We do have a couple of investigators who are progressing. One of them is named Jose and Naomi. We contacted them last week. He has been reading the Book of Mormon. Hopefully he may attend church. We were also to share the Plan of Salvation.
We also had a miracle last week. We got a phone call from a less active family named Miguel and Maura Murillo. They told us they have not seen missionaries in over a year and had not been to church in a while. We went by and they were really nice. We shared Helaman 5:12 and talked about how the Book of Mormon helps us to build our foundation on Christ. AND THEY ATTENDED CHURCH ALSO!!!!
We are seeing amazing miracles here everybody!!! Stay SAFE!!!! MAKE GOOD CHOICES EVERYBODY!!!! 😇 THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! We are engaged in a Marvelous Work and a Wonder as Isaiah prophesied!!!!
Elder Richardson
So this week was awesome. Tuesday we had specialize training. It was kinda an interesting one. There were a bunch of counselors there talking about depression and anxiety. I am not going to lie. I seriously felt like laughing. They made us do like this deep breathing thing and this relaxation tips.... Then we had this lady talk to us about cleaning our apartments and that the smell of bleach invites the spirit 😕.... HAHA!!! It was an interesting meeting....
We again this week did a lot and a lot of tracting.... I am not going to lie. But I am starting to get tracted out.... HAHA!!! We tract from two until we go home around 8:30. A lot of the people that tell us we can come back don't actually think we come back... The average number of lessons before we 2 a week. and we are getting around 20.
We do have a couple of investigators who are progressing. One of them is named Jose and Naomi. We contacted them last week. He has been reading the Book of Mormon. Hopefully he may attend church. We were also to share the Plan of Salvation.
We also had a miracle last week. We got a phone call from a less active family named Miguel and Maura Murillo. They told us they have not seen missionaries in over a year and had not been to church in a while. We went by and they were really nice. We shared Helaman 5:12 and talked about how the Book of Mormon helps us to build our foundation on Christ. AND THEY ATTENDED CHURCH ALSO!!!!
We are seeing amazing miracles here everybody!!! Stay SAFE!!!! MAKE GOOD CHOICES EVERYBODY!!!! 😇 THE CHURCH IS TRUE!!! We are engaged in a Marvelous Work and a Wonder as Isaiah prophesied!!!!
Elder Richardson
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