Week 12: Shepards and fat pigs
Monday, Dec. 4, 2023
Que tal! How are y'all doing?
Another week down in Texas. I can't believe I've already been a missionary for 3 months. Time is flying.
This week has been good but the work was a little slow. It's all right though.
Sierra Blanca was super awesome. We visited the members down there. There's a couple who lives in a trailer on the outskirts of town on the top of a mountain that no one knows how to get to. So no one has been able to contact them for a bit. But we just happened to run into them at the only gas station in town. A miracle. I know that the Lord made that happen. We talked with them for a while and shared a scripture. Super cool.
One of the other members is an older lady who once had 38 cats. So bananas. She's narrowed it down to 4 now.
The Allens are the absolute best. Sister Allen waited 60 years for her. Brother Allen to be temple worthy. He finally gave up tobacco and smoking and they got sealed a few months ago. So incredible to see the blessings of the temple. So inspiring. They are so cool. They have a nice property. They used to be ranchers but settled In Sierra Blanca a bit ago. Their son has a business where he makes rings out of moissanite. They are super cool and he's so talented. They also do leather work and said next time I go back I could do leather work on my boots and belt. So awesome.
We also met with an older couple that lives in a shack far out of town and has goats, dogs, turkeys, chickens, and a massive 400 pound pig. That was super fun.
We went to lunch at one of the two restaurants in town, (the other one was closed) this fire mexican place. (If you can already tell Sierra Blanca Is super small.)
Had some amazing enchiladas. So so good.
We met with our homie Steven this week and we asked him if he wanted to be baptized and he said yes he does he just has to get right with God first. Which is the perfect decision. That's the buety of repentance. No matter what we have done, we can repent, and feel of the cleansing and redeeming power of the atonement. I am so grateful for the wonderful blessing of repentance. Every time we repent, we get closer to God.
We also met with William again, and he said that since we have been meeting with us, his life has been better. He hasn't been as short tempered or grumpy. He is happier. And he wants to come to church. So awesome. It's amazing to see the blessings of coming unto christ in people's lives.
On Friday we went to the west side of El Paso to the red chapel where there were nativities from all over the world. Including 4 from Bolivia!!! So cool. We also preformed in a live nativity, and I was in both the Spanish and English as a shepherd. The spirit was so song, especially in the Spanish one. The Spanish language is so beautiful especially in song. That was awesome. We got shakes at what a burger after which was fun.
Sunday was fast Sunday and we got to break our fast with an amazing dinner at the Masseys. They fed us really good food and we got to watch the first presidency Christmas devotional with them. Very awesome and powerful to hear all the amazing messages, and our beloved prophet President Nelson. I know that prophets are called of God and I am so grateful for the blessing that we have to have a prophet on the earth that leads and guides us. If any of yall didn't get the chance to watch the devotional last night, I highly recommend you find the recording and watch it.
Today we had to fill up the tires on the new Equinox, (rip to the rav 4). Then we played basketball for a long time. I was cold from behind the ark the first game, but then started to heat up. My shooting has improved a lot since being in the field. I love playing basketball with the zone.
After basketball we went to 5 guys with some of the Elders In the zone. So expensive but worth it. We then went to a Komatsu supplier and got to take pictures and hop in a loader. Super cool. I love heavy machinery.
This week is transfer week so we will find out on Wednesday if we are getting transferred. There are so many possibilities. I could finish my training here in Soccoro or go to an actual Spanish area to finish my training. It's all in the Lord's hands.
I read these scriptures in my personal study the other day. And they stood out to me. To give a background, this is in the Book of Mormon In the book of Mosiah and Amulon is persecuting him and his people for their faith and beliefs. He even set up guards everywhere and told them to kill everyone who prayed. So this is what happened.
Mosiah 24:12-14
12 And Alma and his people did not raise their voices to the Lord their God, but did pour out their hearts to him; and he did know the thoughts of their hearts. 13 And it came to pass that the voice of the Lord came to them in their afflictions, saying: Lift up your heads and be of good comfort, for I know of the covenant which ye have made unto me; and I will covenant with my people and deliver them out of bondage. 14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.
I love these scriptures. We can always have a prayer in our heart, and pour out our hearts unto God. We can even pray In our heads. And God knows the desire of our hearts. He knows when we are thinking about him and have that desire. He will bless us if we turn to him. And one of those ways is through prayer. Either out Loud, in our head, or In our hearts. God knows what we are going through. And if we turn to him, he will help us through our trails. He may not take them away. But he will make us stronger to be able to bear them, and help us through them. And through them we will be able to grow and learn and improve and change.
I'd invite yall to pray even more. I've seen the blessings in my life from praying more and more and I know you will be blessed too.
I hope yall have an amazing week!
-Élder Richards
