5-30-2011

Hola Mis Amigos!

   I am sorry for not writing last week... Things just got super crazy, and time really wasn´t on my side. Things that you missed:

   We had transfers, and I am now is Maipu (in English pronounced MY POO! Ha ha the gringos and gringas always get a kick out of this) My new companion is Hermana Garcia she is from El Salvador.  I absolutely love her! She has a dry humor that just keeps me laughing all day long. The ward is amazing, and I am just thrilled to death that I can for the most part communicate with everyone.  Don´t get me wrong my Spanish isn´t amazing yet, but the fact that I can say what I want most of the time, and understand what is being said to me is a miracle in my eyes.

   My last week in Trapiche was amazing.  Saturday Elba was baptized, and the following day we had 7 people in church! I was so excited. Richardo, was baptized Yesterday morning. I was not able to attend, but my heart was filled with joy the entire day. He was one of my first investigators that I found and started teaching. His story is quite an amazing. About three weeks ago he was unsure about how he felt about the church.  The next week we saw him again as he bore a strong testimony about prayer, and all that it had done for him that week. He asked when he would be able to get baptized. Music to my ears and heart.  Yesterday he told Hermana Roas that he wanted to start to prepare to serve a mission. When she told me this I almost started crying. I love this gospel and how is changes people’s lives. Jaime (he goes by Jimmy) is the cousin of Philipe.  We actually started teaching him first, but didn´t feel like we were getting anywhere so we took a little break. The day before I left Trapiche he gave me his cigarettes. I was so proud of him. In the last month he has gone from saying that he didn´t believe in God to reading the Book of Mormon everyday and praying. He told Hermana Roas this week that he had a dream that his mother told him to keep reading. He woke up and read through the night.

   I love this gospel so much.  I am so grateful to be serving and showing people the way that they can always be happy in their lives.  I am so grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ.  I will never be able to fully understand all that he did for me, but everyday I get a little closer and my love for him grows.  I am so grateful for Joseph Smith for all the trials and afflictions that he suffered so that we could have the gospel on the earth today. I know that he was a prophet called by God.  I know that Thomas S. Monson is a prophet, and that he receives revelation for us always. I am so grateful to be a member of this church and will spend forever trying to be an example of Jesus Christ. I love you all and will talk to you soon.

                Chou,

                    Hermana Ricks

5-16-2011

Hola Everyone!
  This week has been a roller coaster of emotions.  Hermana Roas and I
have been having a lot of success thanks to the help of the Lord.  He
has truly helped us find some amazing investigators that are ready for
the message and taking all the right steps.  This week we have two
baptisms with Luis Alfonso and Elva Riveira.  They were both married
at one point, but are no longer with their spouses.  Hermana Roas and
I secretly hope that they will hook up in the future. Ha Ha maybe a year down the road they will be able to go to the temple together. :)
  Philipe is another one of our investigators that I just loved from
the moment we met him.  He has such an amazing strong spirit, but he
also faces many big trials in his life.  The second time that we
taught him he told us that he read the Book of Mormon and that he knew
it was true. Being a missionary these are the greatest words that you
could hear.  We saw him again a little later that week, and were
heart broken as he told us that his grandmother was kicking him out
and that he would be moving that evening. I hope that the missionaries
in the area that he is moving to will show him the love that he
needs.... I plan on keeping in touch with him, and continue to help
him feel our Saviors love through letters for the rest of my mission.
I hope that he will continue to read and strengthen his testimony.
  After Philipe gave us the bad news Hermana Roas and I were
disappointed to say the least.  Neither of us could focus, so we took
the advice of President Lindalh.... When you are having a bad day. You
and your companion need to buy a coke, sit down and talk about it.
This is exactly what we did.... we didn’t feel amazing afterwards, but
it helped to talk about ways that we could continue to help Philipe.
  Later that night we taught Richardo.  Richardo lives in the same
house as Luis Alfonso.  They are both from Columbia.  There are
actually about 6 people in this house that we are teaching right now.
Anyway, Richardo has been listening to the lessons, but I haven’t felt
like he has been really receptive... he wasn’t doing his commitments,
and wouldn’t pray.  The last time we had taught him he told us that he
had a great problem without being specific, and we informed him that
His father in Heaven would always be there to listen and help him
through his struggles. Anyway, this evening was the next time we had
seen him after that and his countenance had completely changed. Luis
Alfonso shared his testimony of how he was grateful that Richardo had
gained a testimony of Pray, and that our Savior could always be a
guide and strength in our lives. Richardo was then asking us when he
would be able to be baptized.... Wow!!! What a change. We were
ecstatic.... We where planning on the 28th of May and it may end up
being the first week on June.  We will see what really happens. It was
crazy how earlier that day we were both so down because of Philipe,
and we ended the night feeling great because of Richardo... All I
know, is that everything is in the Lords timing.  As hard as it is for
me to accept this at times I just need to realize that I am simply the
tools in his hands, and the job won’t be completed until he says so....
  I hope you all have an amazing week. I love being a missionary the
work is absolutely amazing. I love you all, and will talk to you next
week.
     Chou,
        Hermana Ricks

5-2-2011

Hello Everyone,

   Wow this week has been absolutely NUTS... On Tuesday we had mission conference, which Hermana Wilde and I were really excited for.  We heard a lot of Spiritual incites from both President and Sister Lindalh. However, the day didn´t end as joyously as it had begun.  The other Hermanas is our apartment where having problems as a result Hermana Wilde and I were involved in emergency transfers.  I am now companions with Lovely Hermana Roas.  She is from Formosa Argentina.  I was very sad to leave Hermana Wilde because she has definitely become a lifelong friend, and a little scared to start a new adventure with Hermana Roas because she doesn´t speak any English. However, by Tuesday night I knew that the switch of companions was inspiration from our Heavenly Father. It was easy for me to get comfortable speaking English with Hermana Wilde.  For an entire week know my life has been completely 100% Spanish, and the Lord has definitely blessed me with the ability to communicate with Hermana Roas.  I have understood 95% of everything that she has said this last week.  There is absolutely no way I could have done that without the help of the Lord. I feel so blessed in the short time that I have been with Hermana Roas we have witnessed so many miracles.  We had a baptism last Saturday, and hope to have many for the rest of this month.  We have set our goals pretty high.  We asked the Bishop for a Priesthood Blessing on Sunday asking for help to meet our goals.  The blessings were beautiful as he bless not only us and our investigators, but also our families at home.  By that evening we were already seeing the priesthood power play into our work.  It was very cold, and we were running to get home in time for curfew. Just as we were rounding a corner and man in his thirtys (Marcus) jogs up to us and asks us if we have a pamphlet.  This shocked both of us.  We pulled one out and taught him a very short lesson. We made a date for him to be baptized, and he set up a return appointment for us to come to his house on Tuesday.  Wow! The work is amazing. God truly has children that he has prepared, and are ready for the message of the restored gospel.  Well I love you all, and hope you enjoy your week.  Tell all your Mother´s how much you appreciate and LOVE them!

                                            Chou,

                                               Hermana Ricks