Ka-booted

Dearest Family, 

If an e-mail could be tearstained in the same way that a letter can have globs of ink smeared and smudges from water, this e-mail would be fraught with globs and smudges. I have been crying for about an hour after my moves call telling me I was called to leave Irvine. I am so sad and really haven't felt so heartbroken maybe in my whole life. 

I don't know if I have adequately described how much I love Irvine. I LOVE Irvine. This is holy ground and by far where I've done the most growing on my mission. I have learned so much here, and I have met so many amazing friends here. Irvine is a fruitful place. But really, I am just gutted to leave this wonderful ward and my wonderful companion and the people I've met here. Particularly Davy. I am not excited to leave him. This morning, he phoned and I told him that I was leaving. He said, "You're what? I thought you were going to stay here until the end. What are we going to do?" I said that we were just going to be sad but we would write each other, which he said we would.  He just said, "I love you to bits" and I know that I will just miss him so much. He is by far the coolest person from my mission, and if I had to do another 18 months just to meet him I would do it again without any question. 

Anyway. I will try and think of some happy things now, because really I am just feeling so sad! 

Happy things:

I got to give an impromptu talk in church yesterday! About five minutes before church started, they asked me to give a talk about the Priesthood. I still had to play prelude music, so Sister Jones and I found a scripture quickly, and then I played prelude while I planned the talk in my head. I talked about the difference the Priesthood makes in our church, the Priesthood being restored, and finished with my testimony of the Priesthood in my life and the blessings I've received from it. It was so much fun to give a talk and made a wee change which was so much fun. We also got to sing "Be Still My Soul" a cappella and the Spirit was really powerful. There were a few investigators there and hopefully they felt it as well. It was a wonderful meeting and I was so grateful to be involved. 

Another cool story: 

Sister Jones and I were trying to make it to a place far away from us and we missed two busses by about 30 seconds. These busses only come every hour and so it was just ridiculous.  We had already called to say we'd be 45 minutes late and didn't want to call again to say we were going to be another 45 minutes late.  We decided to take a taxi as a last resort. We got in and our driver, Alan, when he found out who we were, said, "Are you going to try and convert me in the next 15 minutes?" to which I replied, "Yeah, probably." He turned off his music and said, "Okay, now tell me why I should believe in God." We were able to have a great discussion about God and the gospel; we ultimately gave him a Restoration pamphlet. It was amazing and the Spirit was definitely there. It was also kind of fun because he was a pretty good example of what members think investigators are like, asking hard and pointed questions. It was amazing and we were grateful for the opportunity we had to teach him a little bit. 

We got to have FHE with our Stake President, President Yates, and that was really fun. They did some testing us on our Articles of Faith, which was good and also crazy and made me wish I'd listened better in seminary or knew scriptures by heart. Ach well, I'll do better next time! I still beat Sister Jones, but that's mostly because I am still competitive and cheat sometimes. I guess my mission hasn't taught me that much, eh? Still, it's better to win and cheat than lose and not. That's what I always say. ;)

We got to do a bit of Family History this week as well, and did you know that Thomas E. Ricks met one of his wives in Centerville, UT? I sure didn't. Or maybe it was Daniel Spencer. Anyway, one of our ancestors did. So cool! 

We blitzed Kilmarnock this week as well and got to do some good finding for them (I was finding from 10-3:30 and I was exhausted) and that was nice. Hooray for blitzing. It really was fun. 

Really, I just love the work here. Don't get me wrong: I have the faith that I'm being sent to where I'm needed. Heavenly Father has a plan for my mission and for my life. I am needed in Kirkcaldy now and I'm no longer needed in Irvine. President Brown is inspired. Revelation is real. I know all of these things are true. 

But they still don't make it easy. 

Harold B. Lee: "Sometimes the things that are best for us and the things that bring eternal rewards seem at the moment to be the most bitter."

I love you all! 

Have a fabulous week.

Love,

Sister Ricks