Did you know the Lamanites and the Nephites built the Panama Canal?

Hiya there Family,

It's been a pretty good week. We lost one investigator and haven't found anymore. :) Just kidding. But really.

Last P-day, we went to Callendar House with the Falkirk Elders and with K--, our investigator that is no longer our investigator. It was pretty fun. It is just a huge mansion that has a bunch of history of Falkirk.

After Callendar House the Elders took us to this cool spot in the woods that has a rope swing. It was really high to sit on, but too short to really swing on with your arms, as I found out because I landed on my knees in the mud. Good job to me!

We have an All-Scotland conference this next Tuesday, which I am SO excited about!! It's going to be wonderful.

After District Meeting, I went and exchanged with the Corstorphine sisters. Their flat is giant and really nice. It was good to exchange. Edinburgh is a lot different from Falkirk. They have less set appointments and more try-bys and street contacting. That was crazy. I have never talked to so many people before. They are really good at talking to everybody.

The following day, Wednesday, could have possibly been one of the hardest days on my entire mission. We had a few appointments that didn't go through. We had a lesson with a recent convert, H--, and she has crazy ideas about God and things--like demons and anti-Christs come and visit her and she sees wounds being healed and all sorts of stuff. That was cool and crazy. After, we street contacted on a giant road for about two hours and then had tea. We went to their new investigator who had committed to be baptized: M--. We were so excited and had an awesome joint teach set up but the lady didn't end up coming. We went to him and rescheduled an appointment and that was good until he texted us and said, "You know what girls, don't bother coming back, it isn't for me." So we went back to his door and he proceeded to tell us that he is choosing to leave God out of his life. He said that it's all about our choices, that God is annoying him, and that he is choosing to be happy in this life. He said, "I might be choosing hell, but that's my choice." Sister Clegg cried right at his doorstep. I cried right after. I have never been so discouraged at seeing someone who completely knew the choice he was making and chose to make it anyway. It was heartbreaking.

Thursday morning we exchanged back. I'd missed Sister Nicoll and Falkirk, so it was good to come back. As we walked from Falkirk High (the train station) to our flat, I really did feel like I was coming home. That was a nice feeling to have. It was still a good day, even though almost all of our appointments fell through. Here's some clips from my journal: "We went to G--, who wasn't there...then Sister R-- fell through so we went to chap the posh area across from the church, but when we got there Sister I--, our ride and joint teach, fell through so we had to leave the posh area before we had chapped and walk to Westfield where our potential, K--, wasn't home for our appointment." What a day. We did have an awesome dinner appointment that night though, with the Relief Society President and her husband. Way enthusiastic. Way good food. Sister Jackson says her husband "talks about food like it's a friend." Food is a friend!

Friday was Day 2 of appointments falling through (we had really low numbers this week.) We went to K--'s (our lady with a date) and she texted us and cancelled. So we went to our potential, S--, who we'd just seen 10 minutes earlier walk into her house, and then she wasn't there for our appointment. Ha. We stopped by a less-active lady who usually isn't home, and she was! That was a nice tender mercy, especially because she bought us ice cream from the ice cream man.

My favorite part of the week might have been when we were meeting with F. S. and she said, "I was thinking this week, and if anyone could get me back to the church, it would be you girls." That was a sweet thing to say. She also gave us curiously cinnamon cereal and navel oranges and a Christian CD that was put through her door. She always wants to give us stuff, and we love her so much. She also asked us to call her when we got home because she wanted to make sure we were safe. I really love her.

On Saturday, we had lunch with the lady who swears, Sister P. It ended up that she'd invited over another missionary who had baptized her family 40 years ago! We all ate together, which was cool. He baptized like crazy on his mission and I bet it would be fun to come over and see those you taught still going to church. Even though Sister Prentice doesn't, she is really solid and I think doesn't come only because her husband has issues with the church.

Following on Saturday, we went over to K--’s to have our "make it or break it" lesson. We couldn't find a joint teach, so we were just going to do it outside because it was a nice day. Then, when we got there it was raining. So we went to the church (right by where he lives) and prayed really hard that if we were supposed to teach him, the weather would clear up: and it did! So we had a lesson right outside the church. He believes the Church of Scotland is true but appreciates our perspective on Mormonism. Ha. He prayed at the end though, so that was good. We will still be his friend but just not teach or go to his place much anymore. I felt oddly at peace about the whole thing. I think it was because during Weekly Planning, we were trying to decide whether to plan for him, so we prayed and neither of us felt like we needed to plan any lessons for him. So it was expected. Wish he would make the covenants to get closer to God, but we can't force him.

Sunday was a really good day. We got appointments with a bunch of members to discuss the Branch Mission Plan and try and get them to invite their friends to church. Then the Bird Family invited us over (they are from St. George) and they were having a BBQ. The Irvine family was there and some of their other American friends who are moving to Edinburgh. Having burgers, crisps, fruit and veggies was so nice. AH! It was like a little piece of home.  (Also, Brother I told his sister that the Nephites and Lamanites dug the Panama Canal, and she only found out years later that it wasn't true. She's not a super active Book of Mormon reader apparently.)

This week, Sister Nicoll said something that I thought was quite profound. She said, "A mission is an 18 month role play for marriage." So true. I am having to learn to communicate much better. I am having to learn to be with someone all day every day. I'm lucky that I really get along with Sister Nicoll, but someday I'm going to have a companion that I don't. And I will have to work on patience. I'm already learning a lot just about myself and other things. But someday I'm going to have to choose to be with someone for forever. That's a long time. A big decision.

I know that the church is true. I know that God loves us and sustains us in our darkest moments. I know that if we turn to Him, He can make much more out of us than we ever could. I am striving to make my will and His will be the same thing. Because Jesus was so proud that He did the will of the Father, I want to do the same. I am striving to be more like Jesus Christ every day.

The Church is true! I promise!

Love,

Sister Ricks

GOD SQUAD

Can you believe I have been out for 2 months already? That is 1/9 of my mission! If we were in the Hunger Games, and if the players were Daniel, Andrea, Heather, Platte, Adam, Kristina, Whitney, and Ben, and me--then Boomey would already be a dead man! Get it? One out of nine would be gone. Ha. Ha. Ha. He'd probably have been eaten by a giant dog or something. Or maybe Daniel would try to kick him, Daniel would miss and kick a tree, and the tree would come down and sting Boomey with all of the tracker-jackers.

Anyway, that has nothing to do with anything. Back on track.

It's been a great week. On our way here, Sister Nicoll and I were trying to remember what we have actually done this week. Luckily I still keep a journal, otherwise I would have no idea.

We went to the Falkirk Wheel! That was awesome. It's always good to look at other people having fun when you can't actually get on the boat yourself. Stinking missionary handbook. Just kidding, it really was a good time being there. I loved it.

Elder Sewell is the new district leader. It was weird for a bit not having Elder Howie calling, but it's crazy how fast I get used to things here. I was thinking about how fast I took to missionary life today. I feel like it was a part of me. I know that is a blessing from the Lord, that when things change it isn't something to get chuffed about. God blesses us to roll with the punches. Like I always say: Roll with the punches.

Funny Stories:

We went by one of my favorite people that I've ever met, Sister I.P.  She swears like a sailor. I've never met anyone whose vocabulary is so bad, but the weird thing is that it is absolutely hilarious! She has the biggest heart of anyone that I've ever met. I told her that I liked these two statues that she had, just like I'd told her I liked everything in her house because it was all awesome, and she told me she's wrap them up and have them for me next time. Ah! She's so awesome. She doesn't come to church because her husband isn't too keen on it, but she is brilliant and is a really great lady. She's also diabetic. Sister Nicoll says I bond with everybody, mostly because of diabetes. So true. Mission calls are inspired, I guess. ;)

We went to visit with Sister Symon, and her grandson is in our mission, serving in Ireland right now. She was saying that he sends a "thingme" out to the family that she gets. Thingme meant e-mail. She also told us that people do things on their little "thingme phones" which meant cell phones. I love the word "thingme." It doesn't really mean anything, but it also means everything. I love it! Sister Symon is hilarious and when she and Sister McFeat get together for Sunday meals like we had last night, we never want to leave. Especially because they feed us so much that we can't really move.  

When we were chapping around, this lady was talking to us but wasn't interested and then started talking to a guy behind us. She asked why he hadn't come up to her doorstep and he said, "Well, I would have, but you were busy talking to the God Squad!" Ha. I'd never heard that nickname for us, but I am proud to be on the God Squad! Sister Nicoll and I want to make shirts. Not sure how, but it would be fun.

 Good Stuff:

We are doing exchanges both this week and next (We have a set of sisters now in Livingston, yay for more sisters!) and so this transfer is going to fly by. We were talking about that and Sister Nicoll said, "I'm going to miss you! I know I tease you and stuff, but you really are one of the greatest." That made me feel so good. I love Sister Nicoll and we get along wonderfully. She is a really good mix of being funny and being focused on the work. We work well together and I would be perfectly happy to stay with her for my whole mission. I do love her a lot. :)

This is the story I shared with my mission president this week: "My favorite event of this week was with a who-what-when-where investigator. I had felt the Spirit when I said we were going to find a young mother. As we walked along the road, we saw a young mother and her son. We talked to them for a minute and got her number and address. I was thrilled! I was on cloud nine! The church was true and missions were amazing! Then, when we got home, we couldn't find her address anywhere on a map and her number was disconnected. I was disappointed. I couldn't believe that she had given us a fake address. Then Sister Nicoll and I went on Mormon.org and looked her up and found her address. We went to her home and although she wasn't home, her mother was and told us we could come back. What a miracle! It was an emotional roller coaster, but I was so grateful that the Lord doesn't make this work easy. If the work were easy, we wouldn't find those who are ready to not only be baptized, but be converted to the gospel. I am so grateful to be a part of this work. I am so grateful to the Lord for allowing me opportunities to grow."

L-- told us that her paint is okay without a second coat, so we didn't have to paint or spill in her dentures and she fed us dinner! SCORE!

Church was good even though nobody that told us they would come was there. But then in Relief Society, T-- showed up! She brought S-- who was in Primary, and A--, who was standing outside! I can't tell you how lovely it was to see them. They are going on holiday this week, so it will be awhile before they are back, but the branch was so excited to see them and I do think they are going to be coming back to church. That makes me happy!

I think I'm going to be in Falkirk for a wee while. I just have a feeling. Six months I'm thinking. But also maybe I will be transferred. Who knows?

Did I tell you we have an official name for our proselyting area? Bonnybridge! No longer are we Falkirk 2. We are Bonnybridge, this place we found on our map that is in our area. We need to visit it so that we can officially be in our little town.

We saw a street called "Baptie Lane" and it looked so much like "Baptize Lane" that we chapped it! We met a nice girl named Rachel who gave us her number and didn't text us back when she found out we were the missionaries. Oh well.

K--: My favorite investigator! I love her girls and I love going to teach her. This week, we had about 5 minutes where her girls weren't in the lesson. That never happens, basically, and so we jumped on the opportunity and committed her to be baptized. Haha! She didn't end up getting to come to church because her husband wasn't in or something, but she does want to come and we love teaching her. That is exciting. She is a testimony of going and doing the things you don't want to, since we found her on that miserably rainy day when we got hot chocolate. Ah! Love K--.

R-- prayed with us this week and she said she was grateful for the strength that we bring her. That was really sweet. When people pray with us, it brings the Spirit in like crazy.

Ending Spiritual Thought:

 The more I study the Plan of Salvation, the more wonderful it is. This morning, I studied about Agency. Quentin L. Cook is this last conference said that Agency brings about love, sacrifice, and experience. Because we have agency, we love. Love isn't just something in a movie or a feeling we get. It's a choice. Learning from our experiences is not something that will just happen. We have to choose to learn from them. We have to choose to grow from them. We have to choose to let God mold us into what He knows we can become. It's all about our choices. So choose to be good! Choose to be faithful. Choose to be happy!! Because life is a beautiful thing and we have so much to be happy about. (And pretend I made that up instead of Marilyn Monroe, who actually said it.)

Love,

Sister Ricks

BAND-AIDS

I'm going to go about in this e-mail kind of like ripping off a Band-Aid. I'm going to just give you the worst news (rip off the band-aid) and then fill in the rest of the e-mail with salve to help heal the wound. :)

W-- does not want to meet with us anymore. I called him on the phone last night, because we haven't seen him in a wee while and were just checking up on him. He told me that he is not feeling good. He is so sick. He can't walk around at all. He told me that he thinks he will die soon and then worry about religion after that. I listened with tears streaming down my face. It broke my heart to see my golden boy choose to stop learning about the gospel. I really wanted him to make the covenants that would make him happier. I wanted to see him change through living the Word of Wisdom. I really care about him, and I am so sad for the choice he is making. But I do think we were meant to plant a seed that can perhaps be reaped in the Spirit World. I just wanted to see the harvest here :(

But right after that we went chapping in a place a bit further than Linlithgow. Even though we were rejected everywhere we went, I felt an odd sense of peace. I know that wasn't coming from me, because inside I was in shambles. I was sad about W--. I was very homesick and wanted to take a nap. I'm a bit sick and I wasn't feeling good. BUT. I could feel God's peace inside me so tangibly. I know it was a spiritual gift. I know God was looking down, blessing me with comfort when nothing around me was comforting me. God is real. He knows us. He knew the struggles I was facing and the feelings I had. And He blessed me.

Elder Howie is gone and Elder Wightman is here. He is from Rexburg, Idaho and knows tons of people in our family. He knows Sherwood and Georgia. He used to work for Phillip. He knew Shelby. He knows Trent and says he’s one of his brother's best friends. He knows Paul and Linda. So there ya go. Cool.

Update on people:

T--: She broke up with I--, which I told you last week, but now she is engaged to someone new! It's super fast, but she seems happy, so that is good. She said she prayed about it as well, so there you go.

K--: We met her in City Center, and she had two sweet daughters and said we could meet with her. We've seen her twice. She is such a good investigator. She understands our purpose. She understands that the decisions are hers to make, and that while we are there to teach her, it's up to her to make the decisions and do the reading. Ah! I love her. She has three kids who are so cute and love to play around! When we left the other day, one of them came and hugged me and then kissed me on the lips! Ah! It was so cute and was almost as good as being with nieces and nephews. Except not even close. :)

S--: We meet him in cafes and he buys us hot chocolate. He is so good though. He is the one who is humanist. He did the readings we gave him though about faith. He is really seeking to know. He also told us that when we've prayed, he's felt something really powerful. He says he doesn't feel it when he prays, but he does when we pray. So that's a good start, and we hope to get him having that feeling when he talks to God as well. I told him how exciting it is for us to see him growing in faith. I said it's exciting because we know that God exists and can do wonderful things for him. He told me he isn't as excited. :) What a funny lad.

Funny stories:

This cute lady lives next door to us, and she's always sitting watching the telly so we wave at her. When we were walking on our street, this lady stopped us and said, "You should know, the lady next door to you feels so bad because she has dementia and can't remember when she met you! So keep waving and being friendly but she doesn't actually know who you are." We failed to mention to this woman that we've actually never talked to her friend.

We went to Sister Smith this week, and she didn't wear her dentures. And that was funny. And we were painting a bathroom for another less active, and I think I got some paint in her dentures. Whoops.

We got a referral from the office because a man in our area was in Leeds and they stopped him and he gave them information. When we called him, it turns out he just gave his number and a fake name because he thought one of the sisters was cute. Hahahahaha.

We met this man on the street near the beginning of my mission, J--, and he was such a good guy and really seemed interested in our message. We got his address but he left before we got a number or anything. We couldn't find his address on a map and were sad that he had given us a fake one. But then we looked his address up on Mormon.org and it exists!!! So now we know where to find him. And we feel stupid that it'll be like 6 weeks later that we contact him. Oh well.  

Weekly planning is so long and our chairs are so hard that I am literally numb by the end of 3 hours. Love it! :)

We went by a less-active lady, M--, the other day and she was laying down so we went back another day. But the first time her painter came out to tell us she wasn't feeling very well. Apparently when we left he said, "That blonde girl is pretty!" and she said, "She can't have a boyfriend!" Ha. She is so funny and is always asking us about boys. She also pounded me in the sternum and told me she wanted us to sing "I am a Child of God." Well, there you go. And ouch, my sternum hurt.

So two incredible things happened this week.

We were with that sweet sister, Sister Smith, and we watched a Book of Mormon DVD on it, which has some Mormon Messages and part of the address by Jeffrey R. Holland. After the message, we weren't sure what to say. All of a sudden, I started talking. I've never felt anything like it. The Spirit was telling me what to say in the very second I needed it. It wouldn't tell me a second before so I could prepare. It just was in the very second. It was incredible. I read this week that experiences that require faith are entirely based on the kind of faith we have. I had faith that God could work through me, which is sometimes hard to have faith in when we've got to filter it through ourselves. But. I do have a testimony that if we work through things with whole and complete faith, whole and complete miracles will occur.

After this experience, we went into Edinburgh on Saturday night for the Adult Session of Stake Conference. All of the missionaries in the Edinburgh Zone went, because we sang the EFY Medley (classic, I know.) When we got up to the stage, I was standing there and I had to move because I was too tall for the pianist to see over my head to our chorister. I had to move and then move and move to the outside edge, second from the end. Pays to be tall. :) But that has nothing to do with anything. In the middle of the Stake Conference, which was absolutely incredible by the way, they announced the Rest Hymn. Then the man conducting said, "Now, after this hymn we will hear a testimony from a new missionary in the field, Sister Ricks." Ha! Can you believe that? Out of about 30 missionaries, they randomly picked me? I was so grateful to get to go and share my testimony with the Edinburgh Stake. I don't really even know what I said, but I do remember beginning with "Thank you for the unexpected opportunity to share my testimony." The Conference was all about missionary work, my favorite subject, so that was wonderful. It was pretty funny though. And all of the other missionaries were laughing right after they announced it, probably because they were just thrilled it wasn't them. I was grateful though. It was a good experience.

I've been thinking recently about layers. I feel that on my mission many layers of me are gone. Many aspects of my personality cannot exist. I don't quote movies, I don't talk about music (those are my choices, not in the handbook) I don't watch TV, I don't browse the Internet, I don't read fiction, I don't have a family to talk to on the phone. My entire life is focused around one goal, and while it is a good goal, it can be hard to be giving up so many things that I love. I feel that I am losing layers. But I know that by losing those layers, I am gaining a deeper layer of spirituality. It's like an onion. You peel away the things that are insignificant so you can get to the deeper stuff, the actual vegetable in the middle. I don't think that the other things I was doing were bad, not at all. But right now they would be. And so by losing something, I gain something deeper.

A few nights ago, Sister Nicoll said to me, "I want you to answer me honestly here. Do you feel like you've lost confidence as a missionary?" I answered her then, but have been thinking about it ever since. Absolutely I have lost confidence as a missionary. I have realized how little control I have. I can't control other's choices. I can't control other people coming to Christ. I can't control people coming to church, or making commitments, or making good choices, or just being nice. I am a mouthpiece meant to invite. If I weren’t a missionary here, somebody else would be. I know that I matter, but I don't think that God put me here because anybody specific needed me. If someone specific were prepared for the gospel, somebody would find them. Anyway, I don't have a ton of confidence in myself as a missionary because I know I could be doing so much better. I could be more obedient; I could be more spiritual; I could be talking to more people and be less nervous. But, even though I've lost confidence in myself, I have gained confidence in God. I know that He will help people and that it pains Him to see people break commitments with Him. I know that God can change hearts through the Spirit, even though I can't. So I've lost confidence in myself, but grown confidence in God. And I think that's okay.

Daniel sent me a talk when I first got here. It's about Ambiguity. And I think the message is wonderful, particularly when you look at it as being humble. Being humble means that you have confidence in God. Being humble means accepting that you have imperfections but that God can make you whole. Being humble is an essential characteristic of exaltation. So being humble and trusting God are so important.

Sorry for all the rambling! I love you all and think you are wonderful! I love being here. I love the country and the people and the branch and my companion. I know that I am growing a lot. I know that growing takes a lot of pain and discomfort. But I know that when painful things happen, God gives us the strength to overcome them. He has given me that strength. What a merciful Heavenly Father we have who allowed His Only Begotten Son to come down and feel all of the pain we ever will. How lucky we are to be in an eternal family. How lucky I am to be serving in the most beautiful country in the world. I am truly blessed.

Love,

Sister Ricks 

Pictures!

MTC District

Sister Ricks and Sister Steed

In an MTC classroom with Sister Steed.

With Elder Wadley from Viewmont

"Where E'er thou art, act well thy part" stone 

MTC Map

On the bus on the way to the airport

Just got to Scotland

Right in front of the mission home

Edinburgh Castle with Sister Ashdown

At Edinburgh Castle with Sister Ashdown and Sister Covey

Edinburgh Castle with Sister Ashdown

Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle

Castle

Castle

Castle

At the top of Pratt's Hill.

Pratt's Hill with the group of trainees and trainers that I came out with

"My first impression of Falkirk: the stairs at the bus station that we had to go up and down with our massive suitcases. :) Love it"

Sister Ricks and Sister Nicoll where the church building is at Woodland Walk

They live by a "Mission Lane"

She saw people bowling.

Some of the houses in Camelon. So pretty.

When Sister Ricks and Sister Nicoll had to wash each others hair.

At Linlithgow

The view from the top of Linlithgow.

Top of Linlithgow

Scotland is beautiful. And windy.

I think the picture is hilarious of Sister Nicoll and I. Have a laugh. 

"The Falkirk Missionaries in an awkward missionary pose. :) Elder Howie, Sister Nicoll, me, and Elder Compain-Shaw."

"The couple that took us there, the McGowans."

Edinburgh District. Elder Smithson (zone leader), Elder Sewell, Elder Stevens, and then Falkirk.  

District!

Sister Ricks and Sister Nicoll walking in one night. They were wet.

A sign on the rubbish bin.

Sister Ricks with Abigail. "She is so cute and likes to draw pictures of me with beards."