The Spirit of God Like A Fire Is Burning!
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Jun 28 at 11:32 AM
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BUENOS DIAS ALL YALL!!!!
I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THIS WAS THE LAST WEEK!!!! Yesterday was my last full day of proselyting!!! It really hit today! I haven't even packed yet. HAHA!!!!! I am washing my clothes right now and Tonight we will be busy because everybody wanted us to come over. HAHA. So tonight is definitely going to be a late one. I cant wait to see everyone but i am sad I am leaving my home here in Louisiana.

This week was fairly busy we saw a lot of people. We got to see a lot of people. It was hard to say goodbye to a lot of people. I have learned so much from this journey as a missionary. Never have I more fully understood the love Jesus Christ has had for us. He loves us and cares about us more than we can ever imagine. He beckons us "Come unto me, all that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart; and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." He is there to give us the strength we need. He has suffered for all individually. He know personally what we are going through.  I am so grateful that a savior has been provided for us. Through is grace and mercy we can be redeemed from sin. May we continue to put or trust in his redeeming love. I know God is at all times in control. Through this gospel we can have peace and joy that comes from living it. We have been blessed so much because of the gospel. May we continue to give our all to this glorious gospel.

172 years ago on the prophet Joseph Smith was martyred. John Taylor wrote that Joseph Smith had done more for the salvation of man then any man on the earth besides the Lord Jesus Christ. The fruits that came from Joseph Smith have blessed the lives of millions. I have been truly blessed by the Prophet Joseph Smith. I don't even want to know where my life would be without the Prophet Joseph Smith.

Well the time has come where I will be stepping into a new chapter into my life. The work will continue to blossom here in Louisiana. This isn't the work of Elder Richardson or any of the missionaries but it is the literal work of the Lord. The Prophet Joseph Smith has stated “The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”

I know this gospel is true! I am so grateful for the experience I had out here in Louisiana. I will forever be changed for the better because of the experiences and the people I met out here. I cant wait to see yall this Thursday!!!!!! Thanks yall for your support, prayers, and love!
I LOVE YALL SO MUCH!!!!
Elder Richardson.
Make yourself at home.

In Our Lovely Deseret


Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Jun 20 at 1:31
 

larichardson65@yahoo.com
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HEY EVERYBODY!!!!!
So this week was really good. We had around 15 lessons which was really great. Monday we saw Rico and we talked about the importance of faith. Tuesday we saw Brian, Jose, and Herman. Wednesday we saw Miss Pat. Thursday we saw Brother eric and sister garza for FHE and we visited a new investigator named Miss. Agnes. Friday we had ZTM in Baton Rouge. I gave my go home testimony there. After we had to stay in Baton Rouge a little longer because I had my go home interview. It was basically all on preparing for career and marriage........... 🤔😷😨............ It was a really good interview....... After we went to Bills house. Saturday we saw Dalton, Brian, Miss Pat, Bro Alfaro, and we helped Bill edge his yard. Sunday President and Sister Hansen spoke in the branch. It was really good. After we went to Bro Stanleys for lunch. After we went to Carmen and Pedros, some friends of the Lomas family. We found out that Pedro was a member but was excommunicated. He wants to come back and he wants his children to be taught the gospel. He and his wife have to get married. Hopefully we will be able to help him.

Well I can't believe this is my last full week here in Louisiana. I can say to yall see ya next week. HAHA. I am not going to lie. I am scared to death!!!! But I am super excited to be back in good ol'e Deseret; my good old mountain home. Over these past two years I have learned a lot on my mission. I would like to share some of these with yall.



1. The Church is True
Ok, so I always have had a testimony the church is true, and I have always known the church is true; however, my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel has increased immensely. Every time I have born testimony my testimony is strengthened. I have gained greater knowledge through study. Over my mission I have read the book of mormon countless number of times as well as other scriptures and literature of the church. I have felt the spirit witness to me that the church is true. In the bible we by their fruits ye shall know them. What is the fruit of the gospel? Well I definitely have been a first hand witness of it going into to homes where the gospel is not lived versus where the gospel is central to the home. There is a HUGE difference!!! The fruits of the gospel is joy, happiness, charity, humility, diligence, love. respect, good health, safety, etc!!! The same feelings of the gospel are the fruits of the spirit found in Galatians 5 22-23 in the bible. I have experienced these same fruits from the gospel.

2. Christ-like Love
On the mission the first thing they tell you is to love the people. Loving others set asides differences and faults. Sister Hansen is famously quoted all the time "what if love were your only motive?" A missionary is most effective when he puts aside numbers, statistics, impressing family or president. and focuses on the individual and loving them. One of my favorite stories in the bible is when the woman taken in adultery is brought before Jesus Christ. He didn't condone adultery. He gave the woman love instead of an authoritative lecture. He gave his powerful declaration of Go, and Sin no more. He demonstrated the powerful lesson of love the sinner and hate the sin. No wonder he is called the Good Shepard. He loves all of his sheep whether they have strayed, are hungry, or lost. On my mission I have experienced teaching others who are different denominations, different races, different political affiliation, drug users, have severe mental disorders, don't live the law of chastity, and views toward the gospel are bitter. In many instances I have had to pause and wonder what would the savior do to help this individual. First we must love and serve them. I have learned to looking past differences and having compassion and charity for these people.

3. The Book of Mormon
If you are going to convert someone to the gospel you have to use the Book of Mormon. You are not going to be able to convince someone of the truthfulness of the gospel through bible bashing. I learned to quick on the mission and bible bashing does not invite the spirit. Once a person is set on arguing, the spirit wont be there. You can clarify questions with the bible but an honest seaker will study the book of mormon with real intent and ask God if it is true. A person cannot become truly converted unless he or she has read the Book of Mormon.

4. Living on Own
I have learned the importance of self reliance. Not only do we need budgeting, hard-work, thrift, but apart of being self-reliant we must include the lord. As we live the commandments and do what the lords asks of us FIRST, we will be more capable of being self-reliant and blessed. We can't do it without God. Teaching, finance, etc. I have also appreciated my Dad, Mom, and Ashley and Megan so much more for all they have done and there help. It is hard being away from the people you love the most. I am reminded by the scripture in Alma where the stippling warriors were so valiant because of the teachings of their fathers and mothers. Without the teachings and help of my parents and my sisters I know I would not be out here.



Well There is so much I could name off but these are my four greatest topics. I know that God lives and he loves all of his children. He is the same yesterday today and forever. Jesus Christ is his son. Their work and their glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This gospel is true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the lord's kingdom established on the earth to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Christ is at the head of this church. Thomas S. Monson is his revelator and prophet on the earth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is a record saved for our day in complete purity of doctrine. Joseph Smith restored the Church. He was a prophet of God. I have no doubt about it. MAY YALL HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!!
ELDER RICHARDSON
Make yourself at home.

To
HEY EVERYBODY!!!!!
So this week was really good. We had around 15 lessons which was really great. Monday we saw Rico and we talked about the importance of faith. Tuesday we saw Brian, Jose, and Herman. Wednesday we saw Miss Pat. Thursday we saw Brother eric and sister garza for FHE and we visited a new investigator named Miss. Agnes. Friday we had ZTM in Baton Rouge. I gave my go home testimony there. After we had to stay in Baton Rouge a little longer because I had my go home interview. It was basically all on preparing for career and marriage........... 🤔😷😨............ It was a really good interview....... After we went to Bills house. Saturday we saw Dalton, Brian, Miss Pat, Bro Alfaro, and we helped Bill edge his yard. Sunday President and Sister Hansen spoke in the branch. It was really good. After we went to Bro Stanleys for lunch. After we went to Carmen and Pedros, some friends of the Lomas family. We found out that Pedro was a member but was excommunicated. He wants to come back and he wants his children to be taught the gospel. He and his wife have to get married. Hopefully we will be able to help him.

Well I can't believe this is my last full week here in Louisiana. I can say to yall see ya next week. HAHA. I am not going to lie. I am scared to death!!!! But I am super excited to be back in good ol'e Deseret; my good old mountain home. Over these past two years I have learned a lot on my mission. I would like to share some of these with yall.



1. The Church is True
Ok, so I always have had a testimony the church is true, and I have always known the church is true; however, my testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel has increased immensely. Every time I have born testimony my testimony is strengthened. I have gained greater knowledge through study. Over my mission I have read the book of mormon countless number of times as well as other scriptures and literature of the church. I have felt the spirit witness to me that the church is true. In the bible we by their fruits ye shall know them. What is the fruit of the gospel? Well I definitely have been a first hand witness of it going into to homes where the gospel is not lived versus where the gospel is central to the home. There is a HUGE difference!!! The fruits of the gospel is joy, happiness, charity, humility, diligence, love. respect, good health, safety, etc!!! The same feelings of the gospel are the fruits of the spirit found in Galatians 5 22-23 in the bible. I have experienced these same fruits from the gospel.

2. Christ-like Love
On the mission the first thing they tell you is to love the people. Loving others set asides differences and faults. Sister Hansen is famously quoted all the time "what if love were your only motive?" A missionary is most effective when he puts aside numbers, statistics, impressing family or president. and focuses on the individual and loving them. One of my favorite stories in the bible is when the woman taken in adultery is brought before Jesus Christ. He didn't condone adultery. He gave the woman love instead of an authoritative lecture. He gave his powerful declaration of Go, and Sin no more. He demonstrated the powerful lesson of love the sinner and hate the sin. No wonder he is called the Good Shepard. He loves all of his sheep whether they have strayed, are hungry, or lost. On my mission I have experienced teaching others who are different denominations, different races, different political affiliation, drug users, have severe mental disorders, don't live the law of chastity, and views toward the gospel are bitter. In many instances I have had to pause and wonder what would the savior do to help this individual. First we must love and serve them. I have learned to looking past differences and having compassion and charity for these people.

3. The Book of Mormon
If you are going to convert someone to the gospel you have to use the Book of Mormon. You are not going to be able to convince someone of the truthfulness of the gospel through bible bashing. I learned to quick on the mission and bible bashing does not invite the spirit. Once a person is set on arguing, the spirit wont be there. You can clarify questions with the bible but an honest seaker will study the book of mormon with real intent and ask God if it is true. A person cannot become truly converted unless he or she has read the Book of Mormon.

4. Living on Own
I have learned the importance of self reliance. Not only do we need budgeting, hard-work, thrift, but apart of being self-reliant we must include the lord. As we live the commandments and do what the lords asks of us FIRST, we will be more capable of being self-reliant and blessed. We can't do it without God. Teaching, finance, etc. I have also appreciated my Dad, Mom, and Ashley and Megan so much more for all they have done and there help. It is hard being away from the people you love the most. I am reminded by the scripture in Alma where the stippling warriors were so valiant because of the teachings of their fathers and mothers. Without the teachings and help of my parents and my sisters I know I would not be out here.



Well There is so much I could name off but these are my four greatest topics. I know that God lives and he loves all of his children. He is the same yesterday today and forever. Jesus Christ is his son. Their work and their glory is to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. This gospel is true. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the lord's kingdom established on the earth to prepare the world for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Christ is at the head of this church. Thomas S. Monson is his revelator and prophet on the earth. The Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is a record saved for our day in complete purity of doctrine. Joseph Smith restored the Church. He was a prophet of God. I have no doubt about it. MAY YALL HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!!
ELDER RICHARDSON
Make yourself at home.

Oh Ye Mountains High
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Jun 13 at 11:50 AM
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HEY HEY HEY HEY!!!! Everybody!!!!
So this week was amazing but very tiriing!!! At the start of the week We started out the week by seeing Bill and the Davis family. Tuesday was a joke! We had to move in all of our stuff to the sisters apartment because they were going to clean the carpets and re paint the apartment. So that was a huge pain. We got to see Miss Pat and Brian that day. That night we had to go to Baton Rouge to do exchanges with the ZLs. That was interesting of it self. I was not too impress with exchanges. Anyway.... Thursday we got to listen to Elder Kopishke of the seventy who came down and spoke to us. It was really good he talked about us magnifying our calling, submitting ourselves to the lord, and feeling acceptable. It was amazing. When we got home from Baton Rouge we moved all of our stuff back in the apartment; they cleaned the carpets but didn't paint the walls. Our housing coordinator was not happy, but we still moved in. We were tired after those couple of days.

The next day we got a call that the Lomas Family decided to move at the last minute so we went and helped them move all day. It was so sad. It was so hard to leave them. We were able to contact their new bishop and they also called him as well. I am happy for them. It will be better for them because they are moving into a spanish ward. After we went to Bills.

Saturday was busy. We went and saw Dalton, Brian, Jose. After we went by a referal from our ward mission leader to visit his brother. It was really good, he wasnt interested but him and his wife were very nice and we talked to them a while.

Sunday we had stake conference. I was really neat. Elder Kopishke spoke. Our stake presidency was reorganized also. After we did the long drive back to new iberia. We were able to see brother alfaro that night.

Well this week was awesome!!! It is starting to feel weird that I only have two of these emails left. Saturday I read a talk from the last general conference of the church by Jeffery R. Holland entitled Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders Among You. With the emotional roller coaster of going home, it was definitely a talk I needed. This last week there were a lot of feelings of doubt, discouragement, sadness, fear, etc etc etc!!!!  I heard from the former stake presidents wife something like this. We read in the scriptures "And it came to pass." Nothing ever stays. In the roller coaster of life the good or bad never stay. It comes to pass. Sometimes this can be fearing when amazing spiritual events. How grateful I am for the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the strength and happiness that we can all receive from it. May yall have an amazing week!!!
Elder Richardson

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2016/04/tomorrow-the-lord-will-do-wonders-among-you?lang=eng

Brothers and sisters, do you have any idea—do you have any notion or inkling whatsoever—of how much we love you? For 10 hours you watch, fixed on one face at this pulpit sequentially, but for those same 10 hours, we seated behind this pulpit watch, fixed on you. You thrill us to the center of our soul, whether that be the 21,000 here in the Conference Center, or multitudes in meetinghouses and chapels, or finally millions in homes around the globe, perhaps huddled around a family computer screen. Here you are, there you are, hour after hour, in your Sunday best, being your best. You sing and you pray. You listen and you believe. You are the miracle of this Church. And we love you.

What another remarkable general conference we have had. We have been especially blessed by President Thomas S. Monson’s presence and prophetic messages. President, we love you, we pray for you, we thank you, and above all, we sustain you. We are grateful to have been taught by you and your marvelous counselors and so many of our other great men and women leaders. We have heard incomparable music. We have been urgently prayed for and pleaded with. Truly the Spirit of the Lord has been here in rich abundance. What an inspirational weekend it has been in every way.

Now, I do see a couple of problems. One is the fact that I am the only person standing between you and the ice cream you always have ready at the close of general conference. The other potential problem is captured in this photo I saw recently on the Internet.

Dinosaur chasing children
My apologies to all the children who are now hiding under the sofa, but the fact of the matter is none of us want tomorrow, or the day after that, to destroy the wonderful feelings we have had this weekend. We want to hold fast to the spiritual impressions we have had and the inspired teachings we have heard. But it is inevitable that after heavenly moments in our lives, we, of necessity, return to earth, so to speak, where sometimes less-than-ideal circumstances again face us.

The author of Hebrews warned us of this when he wrote, “Call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions.”1 That post-illumination affliction can come in many ways, and it can come to all of us. Surely every missionary who has ever served soon realized that life in the field wasn’t going to be quite like the rarefied atmosphere of the missionary training center. So too for all of us upon leaving a sweet session in the temple or concluding a particularly spiritual sacrament meeting.

Remember that when Moses came down from his singular experience on Mount Sinai, he found that his people had “corrupted themselves” and had “turned aside quickly.”2 There they were at the foot of the mountain, busily fashioning a golden calf to worship, in the very hour that Jehovah, at the summit of the mountain, had been telling Moses, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me” and “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.”3 Moses was not happy with his flock of wandering Israelites that day!

During His earthly ministry, Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the Mount of Transfiguration, where, the scriptures say, “his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.”4 The heavens opened, ancient prophets came, and God the Father spoke.

After such a celestial experience, what does Jesus come down the mountain to find? Well, first He found an argument between His disciples and their antagonists over a failed blessing administered to a young boy. Then He tried to convince the Twelve—unsuccessfully, it turns out—that He would soon be delivered up to local rulers who would kill Him. Then someone mentioned that a tax was due, which was forthrightly paid. Then He had to rebuke some of the brethren because they were arguing about who would be the greatest in His kingdom. All of this led Him at one point to say, “O faithless generation, … how long shall I suffer you?”5 He had occasion to ask that question more than once during His ministry. No wonder He longed for the prayerful solitude of mountaintops!

Realizing that we all have to come down from peak experiences to deal with the regular vicissitudes of life, may I offer this encouragement as general conference concludes.

First of all, if in the days ahead you not only see limitations in those around you but also find elements in your own life that don’t yet measure up to the messages you have heard this weekend, please don’t be cast down in spirit and don’t give up. The gospel, the Church, and these wonderful semiannual gatherings are intended to give hope and inspiration. They are not intended to discourage you. Only the adversary, the enemy of us all, would try to convince us that the ideals outlined in general conference are depressing and unrealistic, that people don’t really improve, that no one really progresses. And why does Lucifer give that speech? Because he knows he can’t improve, he can’t progress, that worlds without end hewill never have a bright tomorrow. He is a miserable man bound by eternal limitations, and he wants you to be miserable too. Well, don’t fall for that. With the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and the strength of heaven to help us, we canimprove, and the great thing about the gospel is we get credit for trying, even if we don’t always succeed.

When there was a controversy in the early Church regarding who was entitled to heaven’s blessings and who wasn’t, the Lord declared to the Prophet Joseph Smith, “Verily I say unto you, [the gifts of God] are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep … my commandments, and [for them] that seeketh so to do.”6 Boy, aren’t we all thankful for that added provision “and … seeketh so to do”! That has been a lifesaver because sometimes that is all we can offer! We take some solace in the fact that if God were to reward only the perfectly faithful, He wouldn’t have much of a distribution list.

Please remember tomorrow, and all the days after that, that the Lord blesses those who want to improve, who accept the need for commandments and try to keep them, who cherish Christlike virtues and strive to the best of their ability to acquire them. If you stumble in that pursuit, so does everyone; the Savior is there to help you keep going. If you fall, summon His strength. Call out like Alma, “O Jesus, … have mercy on me.”7 He will help you get back up. He will help you repent, repair, fix whatever you have to fix, and keep going. Soon enough you will have the success you seek.

“As you desire of me so it shall be done unto you,” the Lord has declared.

“… Put your trust in that Spirit which leadeth to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously. …

“… [Then] whatsoever you desire of me [in] righteousness, … you shall receive.”8

I love that doctrine! It says again and again that we are going to be blessed for ourdesire to do good, even as we actually strive to be so. And it reminds us that to qualify for those blessings, we must make certain we do not deny them to others: we are to deal justly, never unjustly, never unfairly; we are to walk humbly, never arrogantly, never pridefully; we are to judge righteously, never self-righteously, never unrighteously.

My brothers and sisters, the first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life. Indeed it is only with that reassurance burning in our soul that we can have the confidence to keep trying to improve, keep seeking forgiveness for our sins, and keep extending that grace to our neighbor.

President George Q. Cannon once taught: “No matter how serious the trial, how deep the distress, how great the affliction, [God] will never desert us. He never has, and He never will. He cannot do it. It is not His character [to do so]. … He will [always] stand by us. We may pass through the fiery furnace; we may pass through deep waters; but we shall not be consumed nor overwhelmed. We shall emerge from all these trials and difficulties the better and purer for them.”9

Now, with that majestic devotion ringing from heaven as the great constant in our lives, manifested most purely and perfectly in the life, death, and Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we can escape the consequences of both sin and stupidity—our own or that of others—in whatever form they may come to us in the course of daily living. If we give our heart to God, if we love the Lord Jesus Christ, if we do the best we can to live the gospel, then tomorrow—and every other day—is ultimately going to be magnificent, even if we don’t always recognize it as such. Why? Because our Heavenly Father wants it to be! He wants to bless us. A rewarding, abundant, and eternal life is the very object of His merciful plan for His children! It is a plan predicated on the truth “that all things work together for good to them that love God.”10 So keep loving. Keep trying. Keep trusting. Keep believing. Keep growing. Heaven is cheering you on today, tomorrow, and forever.

“Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard?” Isaiah cried.

“[God] giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. …

“… They that wait upon [Him] shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles. …

“For … the Lord … God will hold [their] right hand, saying unto [them], Fear not; I will help thee.”11

Brothers and sisters, may a loving Father in Heaven bless us tomorrow to remember how we felt today. May He bless us to strive with patience and persistence toward the ideals we have heard proclaimed this conference weekend, knowing that His divine love and unfailing help will be with us even when we struggle—no, will be with us especially when we struggle.

If gospel standards seem high and the personal improvement needed in the days ahead seems out of reach, remember Joshua’s encouragement to his people when they faced a daunting future. “Sanctify yourselves,” he said, “for to morrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”12 I declare that same promise. It is the promise of this conference. It is the promise of this Church. It is the promise of Him who performs those wonders, who is Himself “Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, ... The Prince of Peace.”13 Of Him I bear witness. Of Him I am a witness. And to Him this conference stands as a testament of His ongoing work in this great latter day. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Make yourself at home.

You Can Make the Pathway Bright

You Can Make The Pathway Bright
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Today at 10:28 AM
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Ashley Astle  Ashley Richardson  Dan R  Gerald Travis  Kaden Nielsen  and 10 more...You Can Make The Pathway Bright
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Today at 10:28 AM
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Ashley Astle  Ashley Richardson  Dan R  Gerald Travis  Kaden Nielsen  and 10 more...
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HEY EVERYBODY!!!!!
So this was really good. It was fairly busy. So were able to see Bill with the Davis family on monday. Tuesday we had district meeting and we saw miss pat and sister fresh. Wednesday we saw Brian then we helped a family that moved out of the branch all day. Hopefully that will be the last move on my mission. HAHA. We also helped out with a primary activity. After we helped and finished the family move.

Friday we saw Clarence, Bill, and the Lomas family. Saturday it rained a ton but we saw Brian, Miss. Pat, and The lomas family again. The Lomas family will be moving soon to Texas and they have everything boxed up ready to go.

Sunday we saw Jose and a new guy we met named Herman. After we went by Bro Stanleys and then we went and saw Dalton.

So my spiritual thought comes from Bruce R. McConkie's talk The Mystery of Mormonism. Many people wonder who we are. Definitely there are many false rumors and reports on us. This is a great talk that clarify s our teachings and principles.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1979/10/the-mystery-of-mormonism?lang=eng

I shall speak as a second witness to the things of which President N. Eldon Tanner has just so eloquently and fervently testified. We have some words to speak to the world at large. We address ourselves particularly to those inquiring minds who desire to hear some new doctrine, to see some strange sight, to unravel (shall we not say it?) the greatest mystery of the religious world—the mystery of Mormonism.

We are a peculiar people; we are a congregation of true believers who are unique and different from all others; we are the Saints of the Most High who are assembling together in many nations to build up Zion and to prepare a people for the second coming of the Son of Man.

We are called Mormons. Many people look upon us as a singular sect as they cry: “Delusion, false prophets, polygamy,” as once was so common; or “Racists, antiwomen, patriarchal dictators,” as some now say; or “Worshippers of Adam and deniers of Christ and his grace,” as others falsely acclaim; or whatever sophistry of the moment will sow the seeds of prejudice among those who otherwise might learn who we are and what we believe.

Oftentimes it seems to us that these cries from shallow minds and these self-serving statements of those who resent our rapid growth and increasing influence in the world and these voices whose social and political views we do not espouse are but another evidence of the truth and divinity of the work itself. The devil is not dead, and as his voice was once raised in cries of “Crucify him, crucify him,” so it now shrieks in shrilling hysteria against Christ’s people in this day.

We feel it is not too much to ask, in this age of enlightenment and open dialogue, to let us be the ones who tell who we are, what we believe, and why our cause is going forward in such a marvelous way.

We glory in our designation as a peculiar people. It is our desire to be unique—different from other men—because we have forsaken the world and have made a covenant to live godly lives and to walk in paths of truth and virtue.

It is our hope that it may ever be said of us, as Peter avouched of the true believers in his day: “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Now out of a decent respect for the views and concerns of our fellowmen—Christian and non-Christian, Jew and Gentile alike—we shall set forth some of those things which we believe and know to be true.

Our way of life, the security and joy that fill our souls, our hope of glory and honor hereafter all grow out of our doctrine, out of our theology, out of the revealed truths that have come to us. And if we have a better way of life, surely those who are honest in heart will desire to know what we believe and how it changes and uplifts men.

And so in words of soberness we say:

There is a God in heaven, a glorious personage, a holy man, who knows all things, has all power, and is infinite and eternal.

He is the Supreme Being, the Eternal Absolute, the Creator and peopler of worlds without number. He is our Father in Heaven, and he lives in the family unit.

We are his spirit children; all of us dwelt in the Eternal Presence before the foundations of this earth were laid; we have seen his face, heard his voice, and felt his spirit.

He ordained and established the laws whereby his children might advance and progress and become like him. These laws constitute the plan of salvation; they are the gospel of God.

This glorious gospel called for the creation of this earth as a place where man would come to gain a mortal body and be tried and tested as he walked by faith.

It called for the fall of Adam so that temporal and spiritual death would enter the world and pass upon all men.

It called for an infinite and eternal atonement—wrought by One who would be the Only Begotten in the flesh—which atonement would ransom men from their fallen state.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Firstborn of the Father, was chosen for this high and exalted labor. He was born of Mary in time’s meridian and was crucified for the sins of the world.

Thus salvation is in Christ; it comes through his goodness and grace and because of his atoning sacrifice; he came “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

He is our Savior and Redeemer. His was a ministry of mediation and of reconciliation; he brought to pass the great and eternal plan of redemption. Because of him we can be justified; we can be sanctified; we can be saved with an eternal salvation. He is our God and we are his people, and we sing praises to his holy name forever!

On our part, to give full efficacy to his atonement and to claim for ourselves the cleansing power of his blood, we must believe in him and in his Father, repent of our sins, covenant in the waters of baptism to love and serve them all our days, and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Thereafter, guided by that holy monitor, we must walk in the light, keep the commandments, and overcome the world. Such is the plan of salvation for all men in all ages. Such is the plan that has been revealed from age to age so that fallen man might work out his salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord (see Philip. 2:12).

And now—hear it, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth—the great God, who is Father to us all, who loves all his children, and who pleads with all men to repent and be saved, the great God in heaven above has commenced the promised restoration of all things.

He speaks; the voice of God is heard again. He appears; mortal man once more sees the face of his Maker. He commands; the word of truth, the gospel of his Son, goes forth anew.

As the Father was in Christ manifesting himself to the world in the last dispensation, so in our day the Son becomes his voice and witness and revealer.

“This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” the Father said in the spring of 1820 (JS—H 1:17). From that moment the divine word pours forth; line upon line, precept upon precept, as rapidly as the Saints are able to receive it.

The Book of Mormon is revealed, translated, and published to the world by the gift and power of God. The truths in the Bible are reaffirmed and new revelations come, setting forth things which few have known from the foundations of the earth.

Angelic ministrants also come. They confer upon mortals keys and powers and priesthoods.

John the Baptist confers the Aaronic Priesthood with all its keys and powers. Peter, James, and John bring back the Melchizedek Priesthood, the holy apostleship, the keys of the kingdom, and the divine commission to preach the gospel to every creature.

Moses comes, commanding that Israel be gathered the second time. Elijah brings the sealing power so that once again man can bind and loose both on earth and in heaven.

And so it has gone until the gospel has been restored in its everlasting fulness, until The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been perfected, until the kingdom of God on earth has been established and is rolling forth, clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners (see Song 6:10).

This holy gospel is for the salvation of the living and the dead. They with us may become heirs of salvation when they believe and obey in that eternal world. Ours is the privilege of performing for them the ordinances of salvation in holy temples built for that purpose.

By the power of the gospel we are gathering Israel as literally as Moses did. Hundreds of thousands of converts have forsaken their all in the Egypt of the world to enter a land of promise with the Saints.

In this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we worship a God of miracles who has given us the same gifts enjoyed by the ancients. We do not boast, yet it is no secret that among the faithful the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the dead are raised.

We also have the same organization that governed in the earthly kingdom in Jesus’ day. Apostles and prophets speak and minister as of old.

Among us, women and the family unit are held in higher esteem than anywhere else on earth. Our mothers and wives and daughters receive greater honors, perform more responsible labors, and develop their native talents to a greater degree than do any of the women of the world.

Indeed the whole aim and purpose of the gospel is to enable men and women—united as one in the Lord—to create for themselves eternal family units in eternity. Celestial marriage prepares us for the greatest joy and happiness known to mortals and for eternal life in the realms ahead.

May we say, as many have done before, that what men call Mormonism is the very system of laws and truths which will make of earth a heaven and of man a god.

What, then, is the mystery and wonder of it all? This glorious gospel, this perfect plan of life and salvation, this mystery of mysteries—this Mormonism if you will—is the eternal truth of heaven.

It is pure diamond truth. It is the voice of God calling to his children. It is revelation and angels and visions and gifts of the Spirit. It is the Holy Ghost bearing record to a contrite soul. And it is that same Holy Spirit cleansing and sanctifying the obedient so that they can go where God and Christ are and dwell with them eternally in the heavens.

It may be a mystery to the carnal mind, but it is plain and clear and sweet to those who are born of the Spirit so as to be able to see the kingdom of God.

In conclusion, let us hear a prophetic voice:

We prophesy—it is my voice you hear, but it is the united voice of all my Brethren which speaks—we prophesy that this great latter-day work will come off triumphant, that the great God will guide the destinies of his people, that this kingdom of God now set up on earth will roll forth until the kingdom of heaven shall come, until the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again in the clouds of heaven to reign gloriously among his Latter-day Saints.

And we invite all who will to come and partake of the goodness of God, that they may gain peace in this life and be inheritors of eternal life in the world to come.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

MAY YALL HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!! The church is true! Doubt your Doubts before you doubt your faith!!! SEE YALL  in 3 weeks!!!
Elder Richardson
Brighten your day.

Message body
HEY EVERYBODY!!!!!
So this was really good. It was fairly busy. So were able to see Bill with the Davis family on monday. Tuesday we had district meeting and we saw miss pat and sister fresh. Wednesday we saw Brian then we helped a family that moved out of the branch all day. Hopefully that will be the last move on my mission. HAHA. We also helped out with a primary activity. After we helped and finished the family move.

Friday we saw Clarence, Bill, and the Lomas family. Saturday it rained a ton but we saw Brian, Miss. Pat, and The lomas family again. The Lomas family will be moving soon to Texas and they have everything boxed up ready to go.

Sunday we saw Jose and a new guy we met named Herman. After we went by Bro Stanleys and then we went and saw Dalton.

So my spiritual thought comes from Bruce R. McConkie's talk The Mystery of Mormonism. Many people wonder who we are. Definitely there are many false rumors and reports on us. This is a great talk that clarify s our teachings and principles.

https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1979/10/the-mystery-of-mormonism?lang=eng

I shall speak as a second witness to the things of which President N. Eldon Tanner has just so eloquently and fervently testified. We have some words to speak to the world at large. We address ourselves particularly to those inquiring minds who desire to hear some new doctrine, to see some strange sight, to unravel (shall we not say it?) the greatest mystery of the religious world—the mystery of Mormonism.

We are a peculiar people; we are a congregation of true believers who are unique and different from all others; we are the Saints of the Most High who are assembling together in many nations to build up Zion and to prepare a people for the second coming of the Son of Man.

We are called Mormons. Many people look upon us as a singular sect as they cry: “Delusion, false prophets, polygamy,” as once was so common; or “Racists, antiwomen, patriarchal dictators,” as some now say; or “Worshippers of Adam and deniers of Christ and his grace,” as others falsely acclaim; or whatever sophistry of the moment will sow the seeds of prejudice among those who otherwise might learn who we are and what we believe.

Oftentimes it seems to us that these cries from shallow minds and these self-serving statements of those who resent our rapid growth and increasing influence in the world and these voices whose social and political views we do not espouse are but another evidence of the truth and divinity of the work itself. The devil is not dead, and as his voice was once raised in cries of “Crucify him, crucify him,” so it now shrieks in shrilling hysteria against Christ’s people in this day.

We feel it is not too much to ask, in this age of enlightenment and open dialogue, to let us be the ones who tell who we are, what we believe, and why our cause is going forward in such a marvelous way.

We glory in our designation as a peculiar people. It is our desire to be unique—different from other men—because we have forsaken the world and have made a covenant to live godly lives and to walk in paths of truth and virtue.

It is our hope that it may ever be said of us, as Peter avouched of the true believers in his day: “Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Pet. 2:9).

Now out of a decent respect for the views and concerns of our fellowmen—Christian and non-Christian, Jew and Gentile alike—we shall set forth some of those things which we believe and know to be true.

Our way of life, the security and joy that fill our souls, our hope of glory and honor hereafter all grow out of our doctrine, out of our theology, out of the revealed truths that have come to us. And if we have a better way of life, surely those who are honest in heart will desire to know what we believe and how it changes and uplifts men.

And so in words of soberness we say:

There is a God in heaven, a glorious personage, a holy man, who knows all things, has all power, and is infinite and eternal.

He is the Supreme Being, the Eternal Absolute, the Creator and peopler of worlds without number. He is our Father in Heaven, and he lives in the family unit.

We are his spirit children; all of us dwelt in the Eternal Presence before the foundations of this earth were laid; we have seen his face, heard his voice, and felt his spirit.

He ordained and established the laws whereby his children might advance and progress and become like him. These laws constitute the plan of salvation; they are the gospel of God.

This glorious gospel called for the creation of this earth as a place where man would come to gain a mortal body and be tried and tested as he walked by faith.

It called for the fall of Adam so that temporal and spiritual death would enter the world and pass upon all men.

It called for an infinite and eternal atonement—wrought by One who would be the Only Begotten in the flesh—which atonement would ransom men from their fallen state.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the Firstborn of the Father, was chosen for this high and exalted labor. He was born of Mary in time’s meridian and was crucified for the sins of the world.

Thus salvation is in Christ; it comes through his goodness and grace and because of his atoning sacrifice; he came “to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” (Moses 1:39).

He is our Savior and Redeemer. His was a ministry of mediation and of reconciliation; he brought to pass the great and eternal plan of redemption. Because of him we can be justified; we can be sanctified; we can be saved with an eternal salvation. He is our God and we are his people, and we sing praises to his holy name forever!

On our part, to give full efficacy to his atonement and to claim for ourselves the cleansing power of his blood, we must believe in him and in his Father, repent of our sins, covenant in the waters of baptism to love and serve them all our days, and then receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Thereafter, guided by that holy monitor, we must walk in the light, keep the commandments, and overcome the world. Such is the plan of salvation for all men in all ages. Such is the plan that has been revealed from age to age so that fallen man might work out his salvation with fear and trembling before the Lord (see Philip. 2:12).

And now—hear it, O ye heavens, and give ear, O earth—the great God, who is Father to us all, who loves all his children, and who pleads with all men to repent and be saved, the great God in heaven above has commenced the promised restoration of all things.

He speaks; the voice of God is heard again. He appears; mortal man once more sees the face of his Maker. He commands; the word of truth, the gospel of his Son, goes forth anew.

As the Father was in Christ manifesting himself to the world in the last dispensation, so in our day the Son becomes his voice and witness and revealer.

“This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!” the Father said in the spring of 1820 (JS—H 1:17). From that moment the divine word pours forth; line upon line, precept upon precept, as rapidly as the Saints are able to receive it.

The Book of Mormon is revealed, translated, and published to the world by the gift and power of God. The truths in the Bible are reaffirmed and new revelations come, setting forth things which few have known from the foundations of the earth.

Angelic ministrants also come. They confer upon mortals keys and powers and priesthoods.

John the Baptist confers the Aaronic Priesthood with all its keys and powers. Peter, James, and John bring back the Melchizedek Priesthood, the holy apostleship, the keys of the kingdom, and the divine commission to preach the gospel to every creature.

Moses comes, commanding that Israel be gathered the second time. Elijah brings the sealing power so that once again man can bind and loose both on earth and in heaven.

And so it has gone until the gospel has been restored in its everlasting fulness, until The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been perfected, until the kingdom of God on earth has been established and is rolling forth, clear as the sun, fair as the moon, and terrible as an army with banners (see Song 6:10).

This holy gospel is for the salvation of the living and the dead. They with us may become heirs of salvation when they believe and obey in that eternal world. Ours is the privilege of performing for them the ordinances of salvation in holy temples built for that purpose.

By the power of the gospel we are gathering Israel as literally as Moses did. Hundreds of thousands of converts have forsaken their all in the Egypt of the world to enter a land of promise with the Saints.

In this Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints we worship a God of miracles who has given us the same gifts enjoyed by the ancients. We do not boast, yet it is no secret that among the faithful the blind see, the deaf hear, the lame walk, and the dead are raised.

We also have the same organization that governed in the earthly kingdom in Jesus’ day. Apostles and prophets speak and minister as of old.

Among us, women and the family unit are held in higher esteem than anywhere else on earth. Our mothers and wives and daughters receive greater honors, perform more responsible labors, and develop their native talents to a greater degree than do any of the women of the world.

Indeed the whole aim and purpose of the gospel is to enable men and women—united as one in the Lord—to create for themselves eternal family units in eternity. Celestial marriage prepares us for the greatest joy and happiness known to mortals and for eternal life in the realms ahead.

May we say, as many have done before, that what men call Mormonism is the very system of laws and truths which will make of earth a heaven and of man a god.

What, then, is the mystery and wonder of it all? This glorious gospel, this perfect plan of life and salvation, this mystery of mysteries—this Mormonism if you will—is the eternal truth of heaven.

It is pure diamond truth. It is the voice of God calling to his children. It is revelation and angels and visions and gifts of the Spirit. It is the Holy Ghost bearing record to a contrite soul. And it is that same Holy Spirit cleansing and sanctifying the obedient so that they can go where God and Christ are and dwell with them eternally in the heavens.

It may be a mystery to the carnal mind, but it is plain and clear and sweet to those who are born of the Spirit so as to be able to see the kingdom of God.

In conclusion, let us hear a prophetic voice:

We prophesy—it is my voice you hear, but it is the united voice of all my Brethren which speaks—we prophesy that this great latter-day work will come off triumphant, that the great God will guide the destinies of his people, that this kingdom of God now set up on earth will roll forth until the kingdom of heaven shall come, until the Lord Jesus Christ shall come again in the clouds of heaven to reign gloriously among his Latter-day Saints.

And we invite all who will to come and partake of the goodness of God, that they may gain peace in this life and be inheritors of eternal life in the world to come.

In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, amen.

MAY YALL HAVE AN AMAZING WEEK!!!! The church is true! Doubt your Doubts before you doubt your faith!!! SEE YALL  in 3 weeks!!!
Elder Richardson
Brighten your day.

America the Beautiful

The Morning Breaks
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  May 2 at 11:48 AM
To
BCC
larichardson65@yahoo.com
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HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! WHAT A WEEK!!!!  Two things that I have learned this week. 1. Satan is real. 2. God is at all times providing ways to bring forth is purposes in bringing his ransom children home. So lets begin with the week!

This week we got to see Grandpa Bill twice. One time he took us to a really good Sea food place with fried crab, fried oyster, fried catfish, fried shrimp. It was so good.

We also had FHE with sister Garza and bro Eric. It was really good. We did a lot of tracting and one of the last houses in the neighborhood was friends with our branch mission leader and his wife. We also saw Brain, Jose, and Mario. It was really good.

WELL...... To the story. On Tuesday we visted Aurora and the girls and scheduled their interview on Saturday at 3. They were telling us how Aurora makes them read the BOM every morning and read James 1:5. they said that testing has become so much more easier because of James 1:5. Aurora is an amazing for helping them! We got a phone call saturday morning from Aurora that Alex would be home so we could do the Baptism. Saturday morning we had a service project 20 miles south of New Iberia in a small town called Baldwin in our area with our branch mission leader to pick up trash for the city of Baldwin. After we finished we had lunch and then it started raining. Mama Fran our branch leaders wife told us we should leave before it gets too bad. Driving home was crazy!!!! It was raining in every direction the wind was blowing really bad. IT was probably the worst rain I had ever been in and I was driving in it HAHA. We came to an area where it was a farm land and fields and lighting was striking everywhere. It was really cool! We got to New Iberia safely but town was flooded! We could not get home. We went up on the railroad tracks on Jefferson Terrace and when we got to the top the road was flooded. Cars had there emergency lights on that must have been flooded. So we took another way. We got to E Dale where our apartment is and it was flooded. We were able to pull up on an area to be safe from the floods. We decided to walk to our complex which was also flooded. The water was to our knees!!! We were able to find a place we could get to and park and wait until the waters reseeded. Well we finally got a text we were on lockdown so the District leader couldn't come down from Lafayette. Finally around 5 the waters begin to drain so we could go get our car. Finally we get the clear around 6 that we can do the interview. The girls get interview first. We were still unsure if Aurora was going to get baptized. When I finished the girls records I asked her and she said she was going to ask Alex. When she went and asked he said he wanted to be baptized also!!!!!! WE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!!! He was already qualified since he had been to church way more than three times and had been taught all of the lessons! Well we thought nothing could bring us down from there..... WE were wrong. It proved from then on to be the Refiners fire. We ran into a hurdle during Auroras interview. We understood why she was afraid to be baptized that made it so that President needed to interview her. He said he would come down on sunday so it could not be delayed. We finished all of the interviews at 9. Aurora came up to me and said Quiero usted a bautizar me porque usted mi hijo. That made me feel really good. So the next day came and it was raining hard again!!!! We made it to the church and planed the baptism and quickly as we could. We were unable to do programs. We went to go fill up the font and when we got to the font it was filled with sewage water coming from the drain. It was raining so much that water was coming up from the font. We said a prayer that the rain would stop or slow down so everyone could get to church and water would stop coming into the font. We plugged it and went to sacrament. Everyone was able to make it including President from Baton Rouge without any problems. During testimony meeting Alex went up and bore his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! IT WAS SO GOOD!!! He talked about the example  of his daughters and the happiness the church has brought them. After President did his interview with Aurora and we went to go fix the font. Water stopped coming from the drain but the font was a mess. We started taking buckets to take the water out. IT WAS NASTY!!!! By this time I was getting really really stressed but I had faith that the Lord would bring about his purpose. The branch president came in and said that even if we were to clean it how would it drain after we filled it. So he had it changed to the Lafayette building. After Auroras interview we ended up having interviews. It was really good. President kept talking about the 5 baptisms. We also had a temple recommend interview because my recommend expires this month. So we ended up to the Baptism with the Davis family just before we left a member without a car asked for a ride so we went to go pick him up. We got there 5 minutes before it was suppose to start. We ran into the bathrooms to change and trying to find a jumpsuit for Horrocks. We hurried and wrote down the program for our branch mission leader. Sister Hansen ran right in front to take a picture of us. We were able to take a picture in white with them just before the ordinace but I still have to get it from them.

The baptismal service was awesome. I got to Baptize Aurora and little Aurora and confirm Kayla, Mishelle, and Alex. It was so amazing! I felt like it was my parents and sisters also. I am so grateful for the inspiration that assigned me to New Iberia to meet this wonderful family. I love the Lomas family so much! I could not explain the joy that came to my heart. Coming back from the baptism there was a break in the clouds with some sun coming through the words of the hymn The Morning Breaks came to my mind.
1. The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
2. The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o'er the nations soon will shine.
3. The Gentile fulness now comes in,
And Israel's blessings are at hand.
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Shall in their promised Canaan stand.
4. Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov'nant people to receive.
5. --Angels from heav'n and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home

 
While the storms of life may surround us and it seems that all hope is lost. The Lord always brings about his purposes. There must be oppostistion in all things. I wouldn't have learned a lot of stuff I did had the baptism gone smoothly. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the peace and happiness it brings to families. I love my mission so much. Each day I understand more and more why I was called to the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission spanish speaking. The Church is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God. Thomas S. Monson is his successor today. The Book of mormon is true. May yall have an amazing week and may God keep yall safe!!!

Elder Richardson
 
SAM_1689 .JPG
Brighten your day.

Come All Ye Saints

The Morning Breaks
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  May 2 at 11:48 AM
To
BCC
larichardson65@yahoo.com
This message contains blocked images.Show Images Change this setting
Message body
HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! WHAT A WEEK!!!!  Two things that I have learned this week. 1. Satan is real. 2. God is at all times providing ways to bring forth is purposes in bringing his ransom children home. So lets begin with the week!

This week we got to see Grandpa Bill twice. One time he took us to a really good Sea food place with fried crab, fried oyster, fried catfish, fried shrimp. It was so good.

We also had FHE with sister Garza and bro Eric. It was really good. We did a lot of tracting and one of the last houses in the neighborhood was friends with our branch mission leader and his wife. We also saw Brain, Jose, and Mario. It was really good.

WELL...... To the story. On Tuesday we visted Aurora and the girls and scheduled their interview on Saturday at 3. They were telling us how Aurora makes them read the BOM every morning and read James 1:5. they said that testing has become so much more easier because of James 1:5. Aurora is an amazing for helping them! We got a phone call saturday morning from Aurora that Alex would be home so we could do the Baptism. Saturday morning we had a service project 20 miles south of New Iberia in a small town called Baldwin in our area with our branch mission leader to pick up trash for the city of Baldwin. After we finished we had lunch and then it started raining. Mama Fran our branch leaders wife told us we should leave before it gets too bad. Driving home was crazy!!!! It was raining in every direction the wind was blowing really bad. IT was probably the worst rain I had ever been in and I was driving in it HAHA. We came to an area where it was a farm land and fields and lighting was striking everywhere. It was really cool! We got to New Iberia safely but town was flooded! We could not get home. We went up on the railroad tracks on Jefferson Terrace and when we got to the top the road was flooded. Cars had there emergency lights on that must have been flooded. So we took another way. We got to E Dale where our apartment is and it was flooded. We were able to pull up on an area to be safe from the floods. We decided to walk to our complex which was also flooded. The water was to our knees!!! We were able to find a place we could get to and park and wait until the waters reseeded. Well we finally got a text we were on lockdown so the District leader couldn't come down from Lafayette. Finally around 5 the waters begin to drain so we could go get our car. Finally we get the clear around 6 that we can do the interview. The girls get interview first. We were still unsure if Aurora was going to get baptized. When I finished the girls records I asked her and she said she was going to ask Alex. When she went and asked he said he wanted to be baptized also!!!!!! WE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!!! He was already qualified since he had been to church way more than three times and had been taught all of the lessons! Well we thought nothing could bring us down from there..... WE were wrong. It proved from then on to be the Refiners fire. We ran into a hurdle during Auroras interview. We understood why she was afraid to be baptized that made it so that President needed to interview her. He said he would come down on sunday so it could not be delayed. We finished all of the interviews at 9. Aurora came up to me and said Quiero usted a bautizar me porque usted mi hijo. That made me feel really good. So the next day came and it was raining hard again!!!! We made it to the church and planed the baptism and quickly as we could. We were unable to do programs. We went to go fill up the font and when we got to the font it was filled with sewage water coming from the drain. It was raining so much that water was coming up from the font. We said a prayer that the rain would stop or slow down so everyone could get to church and water would stop coming into the font. We plugged it and went to sacrament. Everyone was able to make it including President from Baton Rouge without any problems. During testimony meeting Alex went up and bore his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! IT WAS SO GOOD!!! He talked about the example  of his daughters and the happiness the church has brought them. After President did his interview with Aurora and we went to go fix the font. Water stopped coming from the drain but the font was a mess. We started taking buckets to take the water out. IT WAS NASTY!!!! By this time I was getting really really stressed but I had faith that the Lord would bring about his purpose. The branch president came in and said that even if we were to clean it how would it drain after we filled it. So he had it changed to the Lafayette building. After Auroras interview we ended up having interviews. It was really good. President kept talking about the 5 baptisms. We also had a temple recommend interview because my recommend expires this month. So we ended up to the Baptism with the Davis family just before we left a member without a car asked for a ride so we went to go pick him up. We got there 5 minutes before it was suppose to start. We ran into the bathrooms to change and trying to find a jumpsuit for Horrocks. We hurried and wrote down the program for our branch mission leader. Sister Hansen ran right in front to take a picture of us. We were able to take a picture in white with them just before the ordinace but I still have to get it from them.

The baptismal service was awesome. I got to Baptize Aurora and little Aurora and confirm Kayla, Mishelle, and Alex. It was so amazing! I felt like it was my parents and sisters also. I am so grateful for the inspiration that assigned me to New Iberia to meet this wonderful family. I love the Lomas family so much! I could not explain the joy that came to my heart. Coming back from the baptism there was a break in the clouds with some sun coming through the words of the hymn The Morning Breaks came to my mind.
1. The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
2. The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o'er the nations soon will shine.
3. The Gentile fulness now comes in,
And Israel's blessings are at hand.
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Shall in their promised Canaan stand.
4. Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov'nant people to receive.
5. --Angels from heav'n and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home

 
While the storms of life may surround us and it seems that all hope is lost. The Lord always brings about his purposes. There must be oppostistion in all things. I wouldn't have learned a lot of stuff I did had the baptism gone smoothly. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the peace and happiness it brings to families. I love my mission so much. Each day I understand more and more why I was called to the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission spanish speaking. The Church is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God. Thomas S. Monson is his successor today. The Book of mormon is true. May yall have an amazing week and may God keep yall safe!!!

Elder Richardson
 
SAM_1689 .JPG
Brighten your day.

Battle Hymn of the Republic

The Morning Breaks
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  May 2 at 11:48 AM
To
BCC
larichardson65@yahoo.com
This message contains blocked images.Show Images Change this setting
Message body
HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
OH MY GOODNESS!!! WHAT A WEEK!!!!  Two things that I have learned this week. 1. Satan is real. 2. God is at all times providing ways to bring forth is purposes in bringing his ransom children home. So lets begin with the week!

This week we got to see Grandpa Bill twice. One time he took us to a really good Sea food place with fried crab, fried oyster, fried catfish, fried shrimp. It was so good.

We also had FHE with sister Garza and bro Eric. It was really good. We did a lot of tracting and one of the last houses in the neighborhood was friends with our branch mission leader and his wife. We also saw Brain, Jose, and Mario. It was really good.

WELL...... To the story. On Tuesday we visted Aurora and the girls and scheduled their interview on Saturday at 3. They were telling us how Aurora makes them read the BOM every morning and read James 1:5. they said that testing has become so much more easier because of James 1:5. Aurora is an amazing for helping them! We got a phone call saturday morning from Aurora that Alex would be home so we could do the Baptism. Saturday morning we had a service project 20 miles south of New Iberia in a small town called Baldwin in our area with our branch mission leader to pick up trash for the city of Baldwin. After we finished we had lunch and then it started raining. Mama Fran our branch leaders wife told us we should leave before it gets too bad. Driving home was crazy!!!! It was raining in every direction the wind was blowing really bad. IT was probably the worst rain I had ever been in and I was driving in it HAHA. We came to an area where it was a farm land and fields and lighting was striking everywhere. It was really cool! We got to New Iberia safely but town was flooded! We could not get home. We went up on the railroad tracks on Jefferson Terrace and when we got to the top the road was flooded. Cars had there emergency lights on that must have been flooded. So we took another way. We got to E Dale where our apartment is and it was flooded. We were able to pull up on an area to be safe from the floods. We decided to walk to our complex which was also flooded. The water was to our knees!!! We were able to find a place we could get to and park and wait until the waters reseeded. Well we finally got a text we were on lockdown so the District leader couldn't come down from Lafayette. Finally around 5 the waters begin to drain so we could go get our car. Finally we get the clear around 6 that we can do the interview. The girls get interview first. We were still unsure if Aurora was going to get baptized. When I finished the girls records I asked her and she said she was going to ask Alex. When she went and asked he said he wanted to be baptized also!!!!!! WE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HAPPENED!!! He was already qualified since he had been to church way more than three times and had been taught all of the lessons! Well we thought nothing could bring us down from there..... WE were wrong. It proved from then on to be the Refiners fire. We ran into a hurdle during Auroras interview. We understood why she was afraid to be baptized that made it so that President needed to interview her. He said he would come down on sunday so it could not be delayed. We finished all of the interviews at 9. Aurora came up to me and said Quiero usted a bautizar me porque usted mi hijo. That made me feel really good. So the next day came and it was raining hard again!!!! We made it to the church and planed the baptism and quickly as we could. We were unable to do programs. We went to go fill up the font and when we got to the font it was filled with sewage water coming from the drain. It was raining so much that water was coming up from the font. We said a prayer that the rain would stop or slow down so everyone could get to church and water would stop coming into the font. We plugged it and went to sacrament. Everyone was able to make it including President from Baton Rouge without any problems. During testimony meeting Alex went up and bore his testimony of the gospel of Jesus Christ!!! IT WAS SO GOOD!!! He talked about the example  of his daughters and the happiness the church has brought them. After President did his interview with Aurora and we went to go fix the font. Water stopped coming from the drain but the font was a mess. We started taking buckets to take the water out. IT WAS NASTY!!!! By this time I was getting really really stressed but I had faith that the Lord would bring about his purpose. The branch president came in and said that even if we were to clean it how would it drain after we filled it. So he had it changed to the Lafayette building. After Auroras interview we ended up having interviews. It was really good. President kept talking about the 5 baptisms. We also had a temple recommend interview because my recommend expires this month. So we ended up to the Baptism with the Davis family just before we left a member without a car asked for a ride so we went to go pick him up. We got there 5 minutes before it was suppose to start. We ran into the bathrooms to change and trying to find a jumpsuit for Horrocks. We hurried and wrote down the program for our branch mission leader. Sister Hansen ran right in front to take a picture of us. We were able to take a picture in white with them just before the ordinace but I still have to get it from them.

The baptismal service was awesome. I got to Baptize Aurora and little Aurora and confirm Kayla, Mishelle, and Alex. It was so amazing! I felt like it was my parents and sisters also. I am so grateful for the inspiration that assigned me to New Iberia to meet this wonderful family. I love the Lomas family so much! I could not explain the joy that came to my heart. Coming back from the baptism there was a break in the clouds with some sun coming through the words of the hymn The Morning Breaks came to my mind.
1. The morning breaks, the shadows flee;
Lo, Zion's standard is unfurled!
The dawning of a brighter day,
The dawning of a brighter day
Majestic rises on the world.
2. The clouds of error disappear
Before the rays of truth divine;
The glory bursting from afar,
The glory bursting from afar
Wide o'er the nations soon will shine.
3. The Gentile fulness now comes in,
And Israel's blessings are at hand.
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Lo, Judah's remnant, cleansed from sin,
Shall in their promised Canaan stand.
4. Jehovah speaks! Let earth give ear,
And Gentile nations turn and live.
His mighty arm is making bare,
His mighty arm is making bare
His cov'nant people to receive.
5. --Angels from heav'n and truth from earth
Have met, and both have record borne;
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth,
Thus Zion's light is bursting forth
To bring her ransomed children home

 
While the storms of life may surround us and it seems that all hope is lost. The Lord always brings about his purposes. There must be oppostistion in all things. I wouldn't have learned a lot of stuff I did had the baptism gone smoothly. I am so grateful for the gospel and for the peace and happiness it brings to families. I love my mission so much. Each day I understand more and more why I was called to the Louisiana Baton Rouge Mission spanish speaking. The Church is true. Joseph Smith was a prophet of the living God. Thomas S. Monson is his successor today. The Book of mormon is true. May yall have an amazing week and may God keep yall safe!!!

Elder Richardson
 
SAM_1689 .JPG
Brighten your day.

Rock of Salvation

Rock of Salvation
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Apr 25 at 2:46 PM
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BCC
larichardson65@yahoo.com
Message bodyRock of Salvation
Robert Richardson <rrichardson@myldsmail.net>  Apr 25 at 2:46 PM
To
BCC
larichardson65@yahoo.com
Message body

Hey everybody!!!!
Wow so I typed this email all up and the email service went down and it deleted it all so yippee me in getting to retype it haha!!!! This week was good but it was a little slower.

So Monday we went by and saw Dalton and taught him the importance of reading the scriptures.

Tuesday we had district meeting. We saw brother alfaro, jose and brian.

Wednesday we did service for a referral referred from the Davis family named grandpa bill. He is always over  for dinner when we go over. He is really nice and has been to utah a lot with Davis and even been through a temple open house. We helped cleaned his garage. After we went and did fhe at sister Garza with brown eric. We also saw Arora a and her daughters. They want to wait until her husband can be home so we will have to do the baptism on a sunday so it will be a last minute thing because Arora doesn't know until Friday if her husband will be home or not.

Thursday we went by and saw miss pat. She will be going in for surgery in 2 weeks. We talked about how God helps us  in trials. It also rained a ,other on thursday.

Friday and Saturday we did a ton of tracting.moot much success... it was really really  hot!!!

Sunday we had lunch at brother stanleys and we visited Arora for her daughter Kayla b-day. So my spiritual thought today comes from Bruce R McConkies talk Be valiant in the fight of faith here is the link if you want to listen to it.
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1974/10/be-valiant-in-the-fight-of-faith?lang=eng

From the pen of Paul, we take this challenge:

“O man of God, … follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Tim. 6:11–12.)

So wrote our fellow apostle to those who had accepted the Son of God as their Savior, who had taken upon themselves the yoke of Christ, who had covenanted in the waters of baptism to serve him and keep his commandments. And so say we to all those today who have in like manner taken upon themselves the name of Christ and enlisted in the cause of truth and righteousness: Be valiant. Fight a good fight. Stand true. Keep the commandments. Overcome the world.

Speaking of himself and the great warfare with the world which he had won, Paul said:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7–8.)

As members of the Church, we are engaged in a mighty conflict. We are at war. We have enlisted in the cause of Christ to fight against Lucifer and all that is lustful and carnal and evil in the world. We have sworn to fight alongside our friends and against our enemies, and we must not be confused in distinguishing friends from foes. As another of our ancient fellow apostles wrote: “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4.)

The great war that rages on every side and which unfortunately is resulting in many casualties, some fatal, is no new thing. There was war even in heaven, when the forces of evil sought to destroy the agency of man, and when Lucifer sought to lead us away from the path of progression and advancement established by an all-wise Father.

That war is continuing on earth, and the devil is still wroth with the Church and goes forth “to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 12:17.)

And it is now as it has always been. The Saints can only overcome him and his forces “by the blood of the Lamb, … by the word of their testimony,” and if they love “not their lives unto the death.” (Rev. 12:11.)

Now there neither are nor can be any neutrals in this war. Every member of the Church is on one side or the other. The soldiers who fight in its battles will either, with Paul, come off victorious and win “a crown of righteousness,” or they shall, in Paul’s language, “be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” in that day when he comes to take “vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thes. 1:9, 8.)

In this war all who do not stand forth courageously and valiantly are by that fact alone aiding the cause of the enemy. “They who are not for me are against me, saith our God.” (2 Ne. 10:16.)

We are either for the Church or we are against it. We either take its part or we take the consequences. We cannot survive spiritually with one foot in the Church and the other in the world. We must make the choice. It is either the Church or the world. There is no middle ground. And the Lord loves a courageous man who fights openly and boldly in his army.

To certain members of his ancient church, he said:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15–16.) The summer patriot and the sunshine saint retreat when the battle wages fiercely around them. Theirs is not the conqueror’s crown. They are overcome by the world.

Members of the Church who have testimonies and who live clean and upright lives, but who are not courageous and valiant, do not gain the celestial kingdom. Theirs is a terrestrial inheritance. Of them the revelation says, “These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.” (D&C 76:79.)

As Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62.)

What is the testimony of Jesus? And what must we do to be valiant therein?

“Be not … ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,” Paul wrote to Timothy, “… but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:8.) And to the Beloved John came this divine message: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10.)

The testimony of our Lord! The testimony of Jesus! What a glorious and wondrous concept! It opens the door to glory and honor with the Father and the Son forever! The testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ, to receive his gospel, and to live his law.

Jesus is the Lord. He is God’s own Son who came into the world to ransom us men from the temporal and spiritual death brought upon us by the fall of Adam. Jesus has bought us with his blood. He is the resurrection and the life. He “hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10.) He is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Advocate with the Father. “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5.)

Salvation is in Christ. His is the only name given under heaven whereby this priceless gift may be won. Without him there would be no resurrection and all men would be forever lost. Without him there would be no eternal life, no return to the presence of a gracious Father, no celestial thrones for the saints.

No tongue can tell, no mind can envision, no heart can conceive of all that comes to us because of him. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Rev 5:12.)

Now there can be no perfect testimony of the divine Sonship of Christ and his saving goodness unless and until we receive the fulness of his everlasting gospel. A testimony of the gospel comes by revelation from the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Spirit speaks to the spirit within us, we then know with an absolute conviction of the verity of the revealed message.

A testimony is to know by revelation that Jesus is the Christ; that Joseph Smith and his successors are the revealers of the knowledge of Christ and of salvation for our day; and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, the one place where salvation may be found.

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It is a gift of the Spirit. It comes in full measure only to faithful members of the Church. It is reserved for those whose right it is to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is the spiritual endowment which sets a man apart as a prophet in fulfillment of the prayer of Moses: “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Num. 11:29.)

Now what does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

It is to be courageous and bold; to use all our strength, energy, and ability in the warfare with the world; to fight the good fight of faith. “Be strong and of a good courage,” the Lord commanded Joshua, and then specified that this strength and courage consisted of meditating upon and observing to do all that is written in the law of the Lord. (See Josh. 1:6–9.) The great cornerstone of valiance in the cause of righteousness is obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”; it is to deny ourselves “of all ungodliness,” and “love God” with all our “might, mind and strength.” (Moro. 10:32.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ and his gospel with unshakable conviction. It is to know of the verity and divinity of the Lord’s work on earth.

But this is not all. It is more than believing and knowing. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. It is more than lip service; it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the Savior. It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” It is to “endure to the end.” (2 Ne. 31:20.) It is to live our religion, to practice what we preach, to keep the commandments. It is the manifestation of “pure religion” in the lives of men; it is visiting “the fatherless and widows in their affliction” and keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions, control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to overcome the world as did he who is our prototype and who himself was the most valiant of all our Father’s children. It is to be morally clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if called upon to do so.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father.

Our doctrine is clear; its application sometimes seems to be more difficult. Perhaps some personal introspection might be helpful. For instance:

Am I valiant in the testimony of Jesus if my chief interest and concern in life is laying up in store the treasures of the earth, rather than the building up of the kingdom?

Am I valiant if I have more of this world’s goods than my just needs and wants require and I do not draw from my surplus to support missionary work, build temples, and care for the needy?

Am I valiant if my approach to the Church and its doctrines is intellectual only, if I am more concerned with having a religious dialogue on this or that point than I am on gaining a personal spiritual experience?

Am I valiant if I am deeply concerned about the Church’s stand on who can or who cannot receive the priesthood and think it is time for a new revelation on this doctrine?

Am I valiant if I use a boat, live in a country home, or engage in some other recreational pursuit on weekends that takes me away from my spiritual responsibilities?

Am I valiant if I engage in gambling, play cards, go to pornographic movies, shop on Sunday, wear immodest clothes, or do any of the things that are the accepted way of life among worldly people?

If we are to gain salvation, we must put first in our lives the things of God’s kingdom. With us it must be the kingdom of God or nothing. We have come out of darkness; ours is the marvelous light of Christ. We must walk in the light.

Now I don’t pretend to be able to read the future, but I have a very strong feeling that conditions in the world are not going to get better. They are going to get worse until the coming of the Son of Man, which is the end of the world, when the wicked will be destroyed.

I think the world is going to get worse, and the faithful portion of the Church, at least, is going to get better. The day is coming, more than ever has been the case in the past, when we will be under the obligation of making a choice, of standing up for the Church, of adhering to its precepts and teachings and principles, of taking the counsel that comes from the apostles and prophets whom God has placed to teach the doctrine and bear witness to the world. The day is coming when this will be more necessary than has ever been the case in our day or at any time in our dispensation.

Now this is the Lord’s work. It is God’s work. It is our Father’s business. His hand is in it. There is nothing in this world that compares in any way in importance with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation, and if we will walk and live and be and move and breathe and think the gospel and its cause, always and everlastingly, then we can have peace and joy and happiness in this life and we can go on to eternal glory in the life to come.

We teach and we testify. We have here this day taught eternal principles of truth; and whenever we teach by the power of the Holy Spirit, it becomes our prerogative to bear witness and testimony that the doctrines we have proclaimed are true and that if men will abide by and conform to them, all the blessings that a gracious Father desires to confer upon them will be theirs.

I bear witness of the truth of the doctrines that have been proclaimed and testify anew that Jesus is the Lord, that salvation is in him, that his is the only name under heaven whereby we may be saved in God’s kingdom.

God grant us the wisdom and vision and determination, the valiance and courage, to fight manfully in his army and to be, as President George Albert Smith so graphically expressed it, “on the Lord’s side of the line.” In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I know that as we are valiant in our testimony in jesus christ the lord will bless us. The church is true! I know the lord speaks throigh his chosen servants on the earth has he did in ancient isreal! May yall have an amazing week!!!!
elder richardson



Brighten your day.

Hey everybody!!!!
Wow so I typed this email all up and the email service went down and it deleted it all so yippee me in getting to retype it haha!!!! This week was good but it was a little slower.

So Monday we went by and saw Dalton and taught him the importance of reading the scriptures.

Tuesday we had district meeting. We saw brother alfaro, jose and brian.

Wednesday we did service for a referral referred from the Davis family named grandpa bill. He is always over  for dinner when we go over. He is really nice and has been to utah a lot with Davis and even been through a temple open house. We helped cleaned his garage. After we went and did fhe at sister Garza with brown eric. We also saw Arora a and her daughters. They want to wait until her husband can be home so we will have to do the baptism on a sunday so it will be a last minute thing because Arora doesn't know until Friday if her husband will be home or not.

Thursday we went by and saw miss pat. She will be going in for surgery in 2 weeks. We talked about how God helps us  in trials. It also rained a ,other on thursday.

Friday and Saturday we did a ton of tracting.moot much success... it was really really  hot!!!

Sunday we had lunch at brother stanleys and we visited Arora for her daughter Kayla b-day. So my spiritual thought today comes from Bruce R McConkies talk Be valiant in the fight of faith here is the link if you want to listen to it.
 https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1974/10/be-valiant-in-the-fight-of-faith?lang=eng

From the pen of Paul, we take this challenge:

“O man of God, … follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.

“Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life.” (1 Tim. 6:11–12.)

So wrote our fellow apostle to those who had accepted the Son of God as their Savior, who had taken upon themselves the yoke of Christ, who had covenanted in the waters of baptism to serve him and keep his commandments. And so say we to all those today who have in like manner taken upon themselves the name of Christ and enlisted in the cause of truth and righteousness: Be valiant. Fight a good fight. Stand true. Keep the commandments. Overcome the world.

Speaking of himself and the great warfare with the world which he had won, Paul said:

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

“Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7–8.)

As members of the Church, we are engaged in a mighty conflict. We are at war. We have enlisted in the cause of Christ to fight against Lucifer and all that is lustful and carnal and evil in the world. We have sworn to fight alongside our friends and against our enemies, and we must not be confused in distinguishing friends from foes. As another of our ancient fellow apostles wrote: “Know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.” (James 4:4.)

The great war that rages on every side and which unfortunately is resulting in many casualties, some fatal, is no new thing. There was war even in heaven, when the forces of evil sought to destroy the agency of man, and when Lucifer sought to lead us away from the path of progression and advancement established by an all-wise Father.

That war is continuing on earth, and the devil is still wroth with the Church and goes forth “to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Rev. 12:17.)

And it is now as it has always been. The Saints can only overcome him and his forces “by the blood of the Lamb, … by the word of their testimony,” and if they love “not their lives unto the death.” (Rev. 12:11.)

Now there neither are nor can be any neutrals in this war. Every member of the Church is on one side or the other. The soldiers who fight in its battles will either, with Paul, come off victorious and win “a crown of righteousness,” or they shall, in Paul’s language, “be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” in that day when he comes to take “vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thes. 1:9, 8.)

In this war all who do not stand forth courageously and valiantly are by that fact alone aiding the cause of the enemy. “They who are not for me are against me, saith our God.” (2 Ne. 10:16.)

We are either for the Church or we are against it. We either take its part or we take the consequences. We cannot survive spiritually with one foot in the Church and the other in the world. We must make the choice. It is either the Church or the world. There is no middle ground. And the Lord loves a courageous man who fights openly and boldly in his army.

To certain members of his ancient church, he said:

“I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15–16.) The summer patriot and the sunshine saint retreat when the battle wages fiercely around them. Theirs is not the conqueror’s crown. They are overcome by the world.

Members of the Church who have testimonies and who live clean and upright lives, but who are not courageous and valiant, do not gain the celestial kingdom. Theirs is a terrestrial inheritance. Of them the revelation says, “These are they who are not valiant in the testimony of Jesus; wherefore, they obtain not the crown over the kingdom of our God.” (D&C 76:79.)

As Jesus said, “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62.)

What is the testimony of Jesus? And what must we do to be valiant therein?

“Be not … ashamed of the testimony of our Lord,” Paul wrote to Timothy, “… but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:8.) And to the Beloved John came this divine message: “The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10.)

The testimony of our Lord! The testimony of Jesus! What a glorious and wondrous concept! It opens the door to glory and honor with the Father and the Son forever! The testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ, to receive his gospel, and to live his law.

Jesus is the Lord. He is God’s own Son who came into the world to ransom us men from the temporal and spiritual death brought upon us by the fall of Adam. Jesus has bought us with his blood. He is the resurrection and the life. He “hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Tim. 1:10.) He is our Savior, our Redeemer, our Advocate with the Father. “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” (1 Tim. 2:5.)

Salvation is in Christ. His is the only name given under heaven whereby this priceless gift may be won. Without him there would be no resurrection and all men would be forever lost. Without him there would be no eternal life, no return to the presence of a gracious Father, no celestial thrones for the saints.

No tongue can tell, no mind can envision, no heart can conceive of all that comes to us because of him. “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.” (Rev 5:12.)

Now there can be no perfect testimony of the divine Sonship of Christ and his saving goodness unless and until we receive the fulness of his everlasting gospel. A testimony of the gospel comes by revelation from the Holy Ghost. When the Holy Spirit speaks to the spirit within us, we then know with an absolute conviction of the verity of the revealed message.

A testimony is to know by revelation that Jesus is the Christ; that Joseph Smith and his successors are the revealers of the knowledge of Christ and of salvation for our day; and that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on earth, the one place where salvation may be found.

The testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. It is a gift of the Spirit. It comes in full measure only to faithful members of the Church. It is reserved for those whose right it is to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. It is the spiritual endowment which sets a man apart as a prophet in fulfillment of the prayer of Moses: “Would God that all the Lord’s people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!” (Num. 11:29.)

Now what does it mean to be valiant in the testimony of Jesus?

It is to be courageous and bold; to use all our strength, energy, and ability in the warfare with the world; to fight the good fight of faith. “Be strong and of a good courage,” the Lord commanded Joshua, and then specified that this strength and courage consisted of meditating upon and observing to do all that is written in the law of the Lord. (See Josh. 1:6–9.) The great cornerstone of valiance in the cause of righteousness is obedience to the whole law of the whole gospel.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “come unto Christ, and be perfected in him”; it is to deny ourselves “of all ungodliness,” and “love God” with all our “might, mind and strength.” (Moro. 10:32.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to believe in Christ and his gospel with unshakable conviction. It is to know of the verity and divinity of the Lord’s work on earth.

But this is not all. It is more than believing and knowing. We must be doers of the word and not hearers only. It is more than lip service; it is not simply confessing with the mouth the divine Sonship of the Savior. It is obedience and conformity and personal righteousness. “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to “press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men.” It is to “endure to the end.” (2 Ne. 31:20.) It is to live our religion, to practice what we preach, to keep the commandments. It is the manifestation of “pure religion” in the lives of men; it is visiting “the fatherless and widows in their affliction” and keeping ourselves “unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27.)

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to bridle our passions, control our appetites, and rise above carnal and evil things. It is to overcome the world as did he who is our prototype and who himself was the most valiant of all our Father’s children. It is to be morally clean, to pay our tithes and offerings, to honor the Sabbath day, to pray with full purpose of heart, to lay our all upon the altar if called upon to do so.

To be valiant in the testimony of Jesus is to take the Lord’s side on every issue. It is to vote as he would vote. It is to think what he thinks, to believe what he believes, to say what he would say and do what he would do in the same situation. It is to have the mind of Christ and be one with him as he is one with his Father.

Our doctrine is clear; its application sometimes seems to be more difficult. Perhaps some personal introspection might be helpful. For instance:

Am I valiant in the testimony of Jesus if my chief interest and concern in life is laying up in store the treasures of the earth, rather than the building up of the kingdom?

Am I valiant if I have more of this world’s goods than my just needs and wants require and I do not draw from my surplus to support missionary work, build temples, and care for the needy?

Am I valiant if my approach to the Church and its doctrines is intellectual only, if I am more concerned with having a religious dialogue on this or that point than I am on gaining a personal spiritual experience?

Am I valiant if I am deeply concerned about the Church’s stand on who can or who cannot receive the priesthood and think it is time for a new revelation on this doctrine?

Am I valiant if I use a boat, live in a country home, or engage in some other recreational pursuit on weekends that takes me away from my spiritual responsibilities?

Am I valiant if I engage in gambling, play cards, go to pornographic movies, shop on Sunday, wear immodest clothes, or do any of the things that are the accepted way of life among worldly people?

If we are to gain salvation, we must put first in our lives the things of God’s kingdom. With us it must be the kingdom of God or nothing. We have come out of darkness; ours is the marvelous light of Christ. We must walk in the light.

Now I don’t pretend to be able to read the future, but I have a very strong feeling that conditions in the world are not going to get better. They are going to get worse until the coming of the Son of Man, which is the end of the world, when the wicked will be destroyed.

I think the world is going to get worse, and the faithful portion of the Church, at least, is going to get better. The day is coming, more than ever has been the case in the past, when we will be under the obligation of making a choice, of standing up for the Church, of adhering to its precepts and teachings and principles, of taking the counsel that comes from the apostles and prophets whom God has placed to teach the doctrine and bear witness to the world. The day is coming when this will be more necessary than has ever been the case in our day or at any time in our dispensation.

Now this is the Lord’s work. It is God’s work. It is our Father’s business. His hand is in it. There is nothing in this world that compares in any way in importance with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is the power of God unto salvation, and if we will walk and live and be and move and breathe and think the gospel and its cause, always and everlastingly, then we can have peace and joy and happiness in this life and we can go on to eternal glory in the life to come.

We teach and we testify. We have here this day taught eternal principles of truth; and whenever we teach by the power of the Holy Spirit, it becomes our prerogative to bear witness and testimony that the doctrines we have proclaimed are true and that if men will abide by and conform to them, all the blessings that a gracious Father desires to confer upon them will be theirs.

I bear witness of the truth of the doctrines that have been proclaimed and testify anew that Jesus is the Lord, that salvation is in him, that his is the only name under heaven whereby we may be saved in God’s kingdom.

God grant us the wisdom and vision and determination, the valiance and courage, to fight manfully in his army and to be, as President George Albert Smith so graphically expressed it, “on the Lord’s side of the line.” In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I know that as we are valiant in our testimony in jesus christ the lord will bless us. The church is true! I know the lord speaks throigh his chosen servants on the earth has he did in ancient isreal! May yall have an amazing week!!!!
elder richardson



Brighten your day.