March 17 Never Really See It Coming

Hello everyone! It has been another beautiful week down here in Yungay. The weather is steadily getting colder, and there is gladly always more work to be down. I hope that your weeks have been absolutely fantastic!

In a bit of explanation for the title of this week's letter, I have to say that this last little while has sidestepped my expectations and hit me with a lot of things that I never really expected. Several things, in particular, just turned a lot of my world out here upside down. Now, these aren't bad things, far from it. Change is definitely a good thing, as long as we're trying to change for the better. It has just been a bit of a surprise for me.

For example, I never really expected a calling as a Branch Counselor. It really changes the perspective a bit, and adds a whole lot lot of weight to the shoulders. I really look at the functions of the branch differently now, and see what needs to be done and feel a distinct need to do it. I see activities and I wonder how they can have more member support and I see members and I think about what kind of assignment can bless their lives the most. One of the coolest things about this calling is that the occasional leadership meetings I get to attend now are really, really powerful. I honestly think every missionary should get a taste of this lifestyle. It not only prepares us for future callings, but helps us to appreciate the efforts of leaders back home or in other areas. I have so much more gratitude for the leaders of my youth.

Some other things that never really crossed my mind before now were the joys of a well planned activity and day, the simple and profound pleasure of sitting back and realizing that the Lord is taking things into His able hands, and the shortness of time. A little about that last point, I honestly wish that there were two or three of me, that I could come even close to accomplishing the things that I would like to here in Yungay. There truly is quite a bit. I have taken to keeping updated another notebook, that contains all the thoughts and plans and ambitions and desires that I have about the sector. There just keeps coming more and more and more and more. 

This week was a bit harder for us in several aspects. Some of our best and brightest investigators took a big step back or dropped off the board completely this week, much to our dismay. I won't go in to particulars, but suffice it to say that it wouldn't quite be the missionary work if things were particularly easy. Sometimes we just have to square our shoulders and push along and have the faith that in the end, good things will come of it.

I have have been very good at expressing myself with ease, but I want all of you to know that I appreciate you so much. I look up to each and every single one of you, as your examples of perservering to the end have left me amazed and very very grateful. I don't even know half of you as well as I should, but I do know this. You are all incredible, wonderful children of God, and I am profoundly grateful to have you all in my life, as it is at the moment. Thank you for everything, especially your examples and your stories. I have a whole lot of respect for you all.

The letter is a bit shorter this week than normal, but I want you to know that it is my intention to be more personalized, and hopefully more edifying in the future. Any ideas on how to do so would be appreciated. I hope that this up and coming week is a wonderful time for every single one of you.

Just keep singing: There is Sunshine in my soul today!

With love,

Elder Richardson

No Hay Cambios

Querido familia y amigos,

How are you all doing this fine and beautiful Monday? I hope that for all of you, this week has been absolutely fantastic, certainly a week to remember. I pray each and every day that there are wonderful blessings for all of you, and that the Lord is sending new and brighter experiences to you every single day.

Today is the start of the new cambio cycle, and there are absolutely no changes to announce. All of Yungay, from us to the Hermana missionaries we serve with, is staying the same. We are all very excited to hear about that, and even more excited to get back to work and see what the Lord has prepared for us for this six weeks /Except for one of the Hermanas, but that is a different story haha). We hve several people with dates for baptism, and several more who are getting closer and closer. It is truly a great time to be a missionary in Yungay.

A little bit of progress about our golden investigator Luis. This guy is a stud, and was confirmed this last Sunday with his daughter. He accepts everything that we give him with a simple nod of his head and an ''Okay.'' that has become famous for some of the missionaries here. Priesthood? Yep. Temple marriage? Easy. Family home evening? This guy has it covered. When he found out that there are quite a few less actives in the rama, his first question is what he can do to help out. He is already talking about setting up activities and working with the missionaries in the future to help reactivate and retain some other members. His whole family has returned to full activity, and his less active wife has accepted a new calling. Talk about the influence one converted soul can have on other people. He may just be the one difference that this Rama needs.

There is not a whole lot to report this week. We are still working hard and doing our best to be instruments in the hands of the Lord. A conference that we had this week with Elder Zaballos of the Seventy really inspired us, and we're ready to hit the ground running this up and coming cambio. Elder Moore and I are going to tear things up here in Yungay, and things will never be the same. For a good reason, I promise.

I love you all so much, and I want to testify of the sacred nature of this calling and the Lord's help that each and every single one of us can receive. When we're putting in our full efforts, the Atonement of the Savior will boost us forward and give us a huge advantage in this life and the life to come. A talk that I have been studying lately is Brad Wilcox's ''His Grace Is Sufficient'' which is quickly becoming one of my favorites of all time. When you hav the chance, give it a read. It can change your life. http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=1966

I hope that you all have a great week up and coming, and I'll see you all real soon. Take care!

With love,

Elder Richardson

Testigo Hat

Silly Elders & Making Sopapias

Faith Like a Fire March 3

Hey everyone! Elder Richardson here, wanting to say that I hope you all had a wonderful week behind you, full of marvelous faith building experiences and great times of blessing and happiness. I know that at times, this life certainly isn't easy and may seem a bit like a down hill journey, but like all good rollercoasters, there needs to be some going down to appreciate the going up. Or something like that.

This was certainly one of the most interesting weeks that I have had in my mission. To say the least, the roller coaster analogy is very applicable, with up and down moments coming as fast as we can take them. But something that I learned and relearned time and time again this week was that through it all, our faith and sustain us, lift us, and help our spirits to soar!

As a bit of happy news, Luis and his daughter Katha were baptized! This rock of a man has started sprinting down the path of discipleship, and we can barely keep up with him. Every visit we have been blessed to have with him, his boulder solid faith has kept him persevering and changing his life, far beyond we could even imagine. He is truly someone prepared, guided, and aided by the Lord. He will, si o si, be a Bishop and Stake President and a Seventy one day. We have regular jokes now about how one day, he will be in General Conference sharing a story of two young missionaries in Yungay. His baptism was a simple affair, but was quite powerful and the members were very happy to participate. I love this work!

We have been blessed with so much to do here in Yungay, it's only natural to realize that there will be hardships as well. Those certainly came in full force this week, and while I won't go into detail, it certainly depressed me quite a few times. But as we went about the week, the Lord's hand guided us to situations and people that we never would have visited or known, and incredible experiences were had. We had a simple desire to serve the people, and miracles resulted.

Part of my studies in the Book of Mormon were about the Brother of Jared (See Ether 1-3 especially). This incredible bastion of faith led his people through revelation and prophetic power an incredibly long time ago, but his story applies to us so much in this day. The faith that this man had, to ask and know that it would be done, is so inspiring! If only we all could have that same fire in our hearts, the world would be changed and the Millenium would have started years ago. His inspiring example has led me to devote more of my heart and soul to this work, while trying to possess the same firm faith that this man did so long ago. I know that as we trust in the Lord will all the surety of our hearts, we will see the grandest miracles that the Lord can help us to see: The changing of the hearts of man.

I testify of this to you all. I know that the Savior lives and His hands are there to strengthen and to guide us to do the greatest good and have the greatest blessings. I hope that you all have such a wonderful week that it defies all expectations.

With love,

Elder Richardson

Pirate Missionary and Baptisms. Life is Great!!