Praise to the Man June 30,2015

Sorry about not emailing yesterday. We were helping a member in the ward move and it ended up taking all day. I am still tired from it.

Last week Zach got baptized!!!! It was so awesome! His family came to the baptism. I had the awesome privilege to be able to confer the Aaronic Priesthood and ordain him to the office of a teacher!!! I was a little nervous because I had never done that before. We give blessings every week but I had never done that before. It was so cool to be able to do that!!! His mom sister and brother came which was really cool. They seem really interested and it seems like they want to learn more.

It was also a sad week too. One of the people we visit, Patrick, did pass away. We were sad but it was in a way a blessing because he had been suffering.

We also had to instruct in Zone Conference last week. It was fun but we were glad it was over with.

We also saw Joseph Smith prophet of the restoration with Jessica and Jordon. They really liked the movie. She will be moving back to utah at the end of July, and he will be moving back in August. We were sad but they are excited to be more active in Utah.

We also had to do a long exchange with the other elders. One of the elders had a surgery and couldn't go out and they were not getting a long so basically I had to stay in for 3 days. It was nice to relax at first but I went crazy at the end of the exchange. I don't like to do nothing... Thankfully at the end they got the car back so they could do things instead of kill each other.

It was awesome to see someone in the West Bank that I taught be baptized, Sister Fresh. It feels awesome to know that she was able to get baptized.

Have a fun awesome week!!!!
Elder Richardson

July 6,2015 Spiritual thought

HEY EVERYBODY!!!!
With the death of Boyd K Packer I wanted to share one of his most famous addresses in 1976 called spiritual crocodiles. Here is the link to the video.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2012-08-1480-spiritual-crocodiles?lang=eng

President Packer was one who often warned us of the dangers of the world and to avoid the worldy influence. The Commandments provide us peace and safety! What may seem like a restricting fence is a wall protecting us from the evil, heartache, and danger. The commandments provide us peace and give us joy and happiness. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a shield from the world. One of my favorite scriptures in the book of mormon explains this perfectly

Mosiah 2:41
 41 And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it.

I love you all!!! The church is true!!! I know that Jesus is our savior and our redeemer. May we build our lives on his rock and his gospel!!!

America the Beautiful

So this week was a little slow with the holiday but we were able to do a lot still. On Wednesday we were able to see Jose and Carmen and teach them. We were also able to see Mary and her husband. They are really interested but it is so hard to bring hispanics to church.

On Thursday we were able to see a couple of less actives. After we were able to see the Malleys. (The independent Mormons) He knows a lot about the Book of Mormon and really likes our church but I have no idea how to bring conversion there were you already believe in the Book of Mormon but believe Joseph Smith went too far.... It is really confusing. We feel that inviting them to church will really help them.

Later that night we were able to visit Zachs mom, brother, and sister. They are really nice and are really open to the gospel. They cooked us dinner and were really friendly. We gave Zach a priesthood line of authority. He really liked that and thought it was really cool. The family is so wonderful and are prepared to receive the gospel. They have been coming to church every week which has been awesome.

One Friday we tried contacting but it was really hot and there was nobody at any of the parks we biked to. Later that evening we visited Jessica and Jordon with some other members. We taught them a little bit about the temple and had them commit to go to the temple in a year. They are really exciting and are both progressing more. We are really sad because she will be moving back to Lehi in two weeks

After we were able to go to fireworks on the 3rd that started at 9. Some members took us. We were not allowed to go at fireworks if they were at 10. It was alright, not as good as the fireworks back home. For the district did our own lunch at the church. We did a cajun favorite by making hotdogs and wrapping them in hamburger meat and bacon. It was really good. We then went over to a barbeque that some members invited us to. They had hamburgers and ribs there. After we went to the church and played volley ball as a district. It was really fun.

Sunday we were able to see Steve Hall,  We were able to give his son a blessing.
We were able to have a lesson with Zach at a members home. We were hoping his family could be there because we were going to re teach the restoration. They were unable to come but we will be able to teach them another time.

 I love you and miss you!!!
Elder Richardson

So this week was really awesome! We had our baptism!!! It was a really neat service. She was really happy! Elder Passey and I spoke at the baptism. Jordon was able to be a witness, which was awesome. It was kinda crazy getting everything set up right as church ended. It was an awesome day to have a baptism. After we were able to go to the Awbrys for fathers day. It was really fun there.

One cool fact!!! I COME HOME IN A YEAR!!!!! JUNE 23, 2016!!!! WOOT WOOT!!! I am excited for that!!!!

Our week started our really crazy. One of our less actives, Patrick, that we visit who is unable to come to church because of his health was in very poor condition so we were visiting him a lot; he probably will pass away really soon.

One of the missionaries this week had a surgery and the other got ET, so we were able to have the car for 4 days. It was so nice. We were actually able to do some shopping!!! I finally had food to eat!  It was so nice we were able to visit some hispanic people that we are unable to visit because they live so far away! But we had to give it up on Saturday... :( I hope they will give us a car I felt so much better being in a car.

We also had both Zachs and Jessica's interviews. Both went well. Zach is still scheduled for this saturday for his baptism.

We also visited the cajun member who really loves his guns. It was a funny visit again. He told us he is computer illiterate and wants us to help him use the computer and make an LDS singles account ! We told him he should ask the ward on help for that one.

I love you and miss you so much!
Love Elder Richardson

Before Thee Lord, I Bow My Head 6/15/2015

So this week was a little slow. The weather has been really bad and it is really hard to go out when there is a down pour. But we were able to see our people still. We have been planning both of our baptisms coming up.

During the weekend we had stake conference in Baton Rouge. Elder Carlson of the second quorum of the seventy came. They talked a lot about Sabbath day observance and how we can bring the spirit more into our meetings. He talked a lot about the 3 hour block and being attentive. During the Saturday evening session he did some question and answers which was really cool. One thing that was asked about was the age of the prophet. He talked about how President Monson is still as active and funny as he always been. He talked about an experience when he was taking the elevator down from the Church administration building down to the parking garage and it stopped on the first presidency level. He was at first concerned it was one of the councilors but realized it was fairly late so it probably was one of their secretaries. When it opened it was President Monson. And when he saw it was Elder Carlson he started whistling the air force song tune because he was in the air force. He talked about how president Monson has been feeling the effects of age more but that he is still very active and hasn't slowed down. He said we shouldn't be worried about his age and when the Lord wants him needed some where else the lord will take him.

The Sunday session focused a lot on our priorities especially making church more of a priority than sports. After the conference we had a lesson with Zach next to the temple. We talked about the temple and different blessings that come after baptism. He told us he has never been to a place where he has felt the the spirit so strong. It was really neat.

We also were able to see Jessica. We were helping her plan her baptism. She is really excited to be baptized on Sunday!!! We are so excited!!!!!

We have some interesting new investigators. We were coming out of an old folks home visiting a less active. We passed an older couple outside and they asked us to sit down and talk about the Book of Mormon with them. To make a long story short they told us they used to be members of the Church of Christ (temple Lot) Church which is a break off. They now call them Book of Mormon Independents. They believe in the book of Mormon but they think Joseph Smith went too far. It was really weird. i have never met a break off from our church. He likes the LDS Church but doesn't like the other small break offs. He was saying they our Church will own the land where the Community of Christ temple is and the temple lot the break off he was a part of. It was really interesting. He wants us to come by when we are visiting the person who is less active in the rehabilitation center and read the Book of Mormon with him.

I am so excited for this next week with Baptisms!!! It is going to be awesome!!!

“Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. Though we may feel lost and without compass, God's love encompasses us completely. ... He loves every one of us, even those who are flawed, rejected, awkward, sorrowful, or broken.” ― Dieter F. Uchtdorf


Love Elder Richardson

Now let us rejoice? 6/9/2015

So I get to stay in Lafayette with Elder Passey for one more transfer. We were really happy that we were able to stay here. I am glad we will be able to witness our baptisms coming up. We are so excited!!!

Last Week we were able to some of our hispanic investigators... But getting them to come to church is a different story.... It is hard to get hispanics to keep commitments.....

We had an awesome experience on Sunday. It was one of the most spiritual sacrament meetings ever. The Whole congregation felt it. The awesome part was when we saw Zach go up!!!! My companion and I looked at each other in shock!!! He gave a powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the gospel and the change he has had in his life!!! He talked about how he has never felt so happy in his life. He shared his testimony of prayer and how he came to know that the church was true!!!! HE IS SO READY!!!

After was had a lesson with him about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He basically taught the lesson. It is so easy when investigators actually read the pamphlet!!! We have another lesson with him on Wednesday at a members house.

We also had a lesson with Jessica on Tithing, and the law of chastity. We are all done with the pamphlets now with her!!!! It went well too because she is also reading the pamphlets too!!! We have a lot of fun with that family.

We also had an interesting experience last week. We met with a active but spiritual needs member. He is extremely full blast cajun. His home looked like a war zone. He had confederate flags everywhere!!! He entire home was filled with guns. He talking about how the government is evil and that the south will invade washington!!! HAHA he even showed us his hidden gun compartments in the roof and floor to hide his guns from the government!!! It was so hard not to laugh. He was showing us his guns. He showed us one military gun with a red laser. He told us when he has that prepared to when he hears someone he has it to shine in his back yard and it also has 16 reasons why they should get out! HAHA!!! It was really funny!

This week was slower but it was still awesome. We had to move the baptismal dates because we are unexpectedly having stake conference!!!! AAAAAA!!! stake conference is hindering the work of Salvation!!!! So we moved Jessica's baptism to the 21st and Zach's is the 27th. We are so excited but we are praying that we wont be transferred next week.

It has been a miracle to see the progression in both Zach and Jessica. Both of them are prepared to receive the gospel! We were teaching Jessica and her husband yesterday about the word of wisdom, and they told us that they have never felt the spirit more in their lives since they have been having us over.

We were also with Zach yesterday teaching him the plan of salvation. He has a strong testimony of the gospel. He is so excited to be baptized.

Last week we were put on lockdown a lot because of the heavy rains. It would be really nice to get a car. I hope we will get one next transfer...

I has been really hot here. AND HUMID!!! I miss the Dryness in Utah. It has been really fun having investigators who actually progress!!! I am so excited for their baptisms!!!

I miss you and love you so much!!! Have an amazing week!!!