Week 58: I couldn't think of an email title
Monday, Oct. 21, 2024
Que tal yall!
We had a wild and eventful week here in Sacaba. The weeks are flying so fast it felt like last p day was yesterday...
A lot of our friends are progressing really well and getting really close to baptism. Including a family with 4 kids that will be getting baptized after church on Sunday! Their moms are members who are returning to activity. They are super awesome and we had a lesson yesterday and they had a 3 liter Fanta there and kept filling me and Elder Collins cups up over and over until we drank the whole thing haha. Such a sweet family. The talks in church yesterday were centered around keeping the sabath day holy. And when we got to the lesson, they told us that instead of playing video games on the phone today, they read scriptures as a family. So powerful!
The family of 3 that were supposed to get baptized this last week unfortunately did not get baptized. They passed their interview but after their was some unfortunate events that happened. We are going to be working hard to help them for this week or the next but the opposition from the adversary is very strong right now.
Please pray for the familia Aguilar!
We also are teaching la familia Sosa. Alex and Yolanda are so kind to us and their son is such a funny 3 year old. We had a lesson this Saturday and it was very tender. They talked about how much they appreciate and love us and are just grateful for coming by and teaching them about Christ. We had given their son a priesthood blessing last week because he has a lot of medical problems. And then this time his dad, Alex asked us for a blessing. It was a very tender experience. They are so close to baptism! Please pray for Alex and Yolanda!
I got to go on an exchange this week with Elder Sorensen in Huallani! He's a great missionary who has just such a big love for missionary work and we saw some awesome miracles together. What was tough is that he got some really bad food poisoning from what we had from lunch. The meat was already cooked and left out on the counter and then reheated in a pan. Somehow I didn't get sick but it was rough to watch for him.
We also got to go to the Mexican restaurant this week because Elder Tina finished his mission and we went to eat as a district. I will never get sick of that place it's so good.
We had lunch yesterday with a Venezuelan family from the ward and they made some buss steak. That was pretty awesome.
Tomorrow is zone conference and me and my comp still have to finish preparing our training. I'm excited zone conference is always super fire.
Spiritual sprinkle:
This morning as i was studying the Book of Mormon I was in 2 Nephi 29. And it's such a fire chapter prophesying about how many people will reject the Book of Mormon in the last days. Verses 7-9 really stick out to me:
"7 Know ye not that there are more nations than one? Know ye not that I, the Lord your God, have created all men, and that I remember those who are upon the isles of the sea; and that I rule in the heavens above and in the earth beneath; and I bring forth my word unto the children of men, yea, even upon all the nations of the earth?
8 Wherefore murmur ye, because that ye shall receive more of my word? Know ye not that the testimony of two nations is a witness unto you that I am God, that I remember one nation like unto another? Wherefore, I speak the same words unto one nation like unto another. And when the two nations shall run together the testimony of the two nations shall run together also.
9 And I do this that I may prove unto many that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and that I speak forth my words according to mine own pleasure. And because that I have spoken one word ye need not suppose that I cannot speak another; for my work is not yet finished; neither shall it be until the end of man, neither from that time henceforth and forever."
The Book of mormon is the word of God! All of God's children are numbered. Christ truly did come to the ancient Americas. The Book of Mormon and the Bible are two testimonies of Christ and His love for us. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He is still reaching out to us! I testify that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. It is true! It is a book of sacred scripture inspired by God to help us in our day. The Book of Mormon has blessed my life and helped me to come to know my Savior and strengthen my relationship with him. I promise you that by reading it, it will bless your live and change it completely. You will feel the saviors power in your life more abundantly and you truly will come to know him as your Savior and friend.
Love,
Elder Richards
