Dearest
Fambbly,
There
are some weeks when we struggle and try our best to sound upbeat. There are
some weeks when we have an underlying sense of sadness but everything is mostly
all right. There are some weeks when we are sad and let everybody know. And
there are some weeks when we feel happy and want the world to know! The
ultimate option is how this week was. I am so incredibly happy! I love this
place, I love my companion, I love my zone, and I love the work in Irvine! I am
just so lucky to be here.
Let me tell
you about some of these things that I love:
My
companion: Sister Jones is amazing. We had a bit of a rough first transfer
together for various reasons. She'd just left her first area that she'd served
in for nine months, so she was adjusting to a new area, a new companion, a new
calling, lots of responsibilities associated with that calling, struggling
sisters, new members, new investigators, etc. There was a lot of change in her
life, and it was a bit hard to adjust. On top of that, I was trying to adjust
to working with her and teaching her how to be an STL and, to be honest, I was
stressed out of my mind. We both were. BUT (and there's always a but plus a
resolution with stories like this) we have figured things out and we are doing
so well together. I've learned to be more humble and accepting, and she has
learned how to adjust, and we are so happy together. We have laughed SO much
this week. We know how to work well together, we know how to perform our duties
together, and we love each other. To be honest, I don't know exactly what
changed this week (apart from me being much more humble and accepting myself as
part of the problem), but it has been the most fabulous week full of miracles.
I love Sister Jones. I love her so dearly and am so grateful to be in this
wonderful place with her—I wouldn't trade it for the world!
Our
Zone: Yesterday, we had Zone Development day. It's something our mission has
recently implemented to lift spirits and increase zone unity. Our mission has
one of the highest rates of depression in the world and hopefully this will
help. We all got together and played games, went Go-Karting, and ate delicious
food. It was so much fun and did both the things we wanted to. Our zone is
definitely developed. :)
Davey:
He is the man who was baptized on 22 February, and he is the most wonderful
person ever! Ah! This week we've been teaching him the parables because
he feels like God wants him to study those. We've been in his greenhouse (which is a
perfect location because it's in public but also indoors) and he moved a space
heater into the room. He makes us hot juice and we study the
scriptures together. He is so amazing. I sometimes tear up in our lessons just
thinking about leaving him one day. I want to be his neighbor forever. He
brought us fruit and a steak pie yesterday because he knows how much I love
steak pie. AH! I just love him.
The
cool thing about this week was that I was thinking that Davey is really Jack
Cassidy. He is ALWAYS helping everybody and looking for ways to serve others.
The only differences are that he isn't living off church welfare and that he is
a real person. But other than that they are remarkably similar!
Irvine:
The ward is so good to us these days! We are loving it. There was a woman who
asked us to go by her non-member father, and we haven't taught him but have
just chatted with him like she wanted us to. We've seen him twice now, and he's
talked really highly of us. She thinks
he is so close to getting the lessons and getting baptized. Ah, I really hope
he does! It's been a long process for her and she just cries and is so excited
to have a family that she can be sealed to.
Did you
know that resurrection is an ordinance? I pretty much think that is the coolest
thing ever.
Yesterday,
Sister Jones and I wanted to accomplish two things at Zone Development. In the
previous night's planning, we'd decided that we wanted to teach the Go-Kart
instructor about the gospel. We also wanted to pull aside one of our sisters
and find out if she was actually doing all right. Well, long story short,
Heavenly Father provided both of those opportunities! It was absolutely
incredible that we did nothing besides opening our mouths because both of them
came to us. God is so good and really just needs us to be a body or an
instrument. I can of myself do nothing, but the will of the Father that sent
me.
Well,
basically, that is the life! Loving it. It's the best to be a missionary
serving the Lord. I have such a sense of purpose daily, and I know where I'm
going and how to fulfill that purpose—inviting others to come unto Christ! I
may not be the best missionary, I may not be an amazing finder or teacher or
member-relationship builder or STL or bus contactor—but I am doing my very best
everyday! And that is enough. I am content with progress in the right direction
even though I've not yet and won't in this life reach perfection. Progress is
enough.
I love
you all! You are so wonderful and I hope you have the most wonderful week!
Love,
Sister
Ricks
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