April 27, 2015 email "If God had commanded me to do all things"

Tortillas: 14

This week I  cannot glorify God and his greatness enough. The miracles that we have been blessed with are more than I can comprehend. The hand of the Lord is truly in our work, and he is doing so much to help us recognize his chosen children. First, Susanna and her family not only came to church on Sunday, but on Saturday there was an activity in the temple put on by the ward that she arrived to, with her family, by herself! We had a lesson with her yesterday, and invited her to baptism the 16th of May, but she asked if we could do it the 23 because on Sunday they are going out of town and she does not want to miss church after her baptism! We came to realize that God has been preparing her to receive the gospel since she was 11 years old and she had the desires to learn about the church, but was afraid to enter. She is so excited for her baptism and her two children will show her. Also, on Friday we had a ward activity that our ward mission leader, Hermano Gonzalez, bought a young couple, Julio and Leslie, that they buy tortillas from. We came to find out that they were receiving the missionaries about a year ago and were ready for baptism, but because they could not get married they were not able. But, now they can get married and want for us to teach them so that they can be baptized! Leslie is pregnant and will have a baby at the end of May also.

 Ward Activity, night of fellowship, we watched movies and played games.

Not just that, but we are also teaching another family that we found contacting They are a family of 8 and in the past have received 4 pairs of missionairies, but none of them taught the restoration! So, when we taught them the restoration, they were amazed by the restored truths of Jesus Christ. This past week we taught them about the Plan of Salvation, and what a wonderful experience to share with them the opportunity to be a family for the eternity! They are preparing to have their baptism the 28th of May, which is the birthday of the hermano! As we have prayed and fasted for prepared families to bless and change their lives, God has blessed us and I am so grateful. How great the glory of our God! I truly have gained a testimony of the principle that after a trial of our faith, we will see great blessings! 

Mejor Milagro:

There is one more family that I have not yet mentioned, Familia Cabrera. This family we found this week contacting. As we knocked their makeshift door of metal laminate, the Hermana answered. We shared with her who we were and that we were there to bless her life and the life of her family. She invited us in, and as we entered their 1 room house, we sat down on a bed with them sitting in from of us on another bed, because they had no chairs. We shared with them that we were here sent from God to teach them of restored truths of Jesus Christ to bless their family and help them come unto him. We share the video "Gracias a que Él vive" and the spirit filled the room so strongly. We came to found out that she was a single mother with 4 kids, one with a physical disability named angel. Her husband had left because of alcohol problems, and they currently did not have any income. My companion and I testified of the blessings that can come from God, and that one day their angel that God had sent would have the opportunity to have a perfect body. The spirit was so strong, and as we asked for a return time, they gladly asked if we could return Saturday. This was Tuesday, and fast forward to Friday. It was nighttime and we were walking down the street, and I receive the prompting that I needed to speak to a man that was passing by and smoking a cigarette. So, I stopped him and we started talking, and I soon came to find out that he also had been drinking. I told him that these things were ruining his life, but I promised that if he was willing, through the gospel of Jesus Christ we could change his life. Before we departed, I asked him if he really was willing to change he would throw down his cigarette and squish it into the ground, which he did! Sadly, he is homeless, so I have him a pamphlet with our number, wrote down his name, and told him we would look for him in the street. The next day we were back with Familia Cabrera. As we arrived, we asked her if she had read the pamphlet we had given her. She said they had read a little bit, and also told us that her husband stopped by, and he had the same pamphlet. She thought it was weird, because written one the pamphlet was our names and number. We found that interesting, so I asked her what her husbands name was. I came to find out that her husband was this same man that I had talked to in the street, and whom I promised I would help change his life. Not just that, but also I found out that her son was a boy that I had met when I was in the area of Las Americas last week doing divisions contacting! God had been preparing this family to receive the blessings of his gospel. He truly is a God of miracles, and I am so grateful to be an instrument in his hand. But, I know that as to my strength, I am work. Without him, I am nothing

Testimony Time:

As I began reading the Book of Mormon again, I have re discovered one of my greatest heros, Nephi, and here is why. We read that God commanded Nephi to build a ship so that him and his family could cross the ocean. Before this commandment, we read that the Lord tested him and his family by having them live in the desert for 8 years, and not just that but they had to live on uncooked meat, as commandment by the Lord! We learn a lot about Nephis attitude through the way he describes this experience, speaking of his afflictions in a small sentence, but thanking God for blessing their women with strength and milk to feed their children in an entire verse. When the Lord final saw that Nephi was a worthy servent, he gave him the command to build a ship. When the Lord commanded, instead of asking why, he simply asked where he could find the minerals to start building. Nephi continues in faith, even with afflicitons from the murmurings of his brothers. One of my favorite verses to describe Nephis character is found in 1 Nephi 17:50, which says,

And I said unto them: If God had commanded me to do all things I could do them. If he should command me that I should say unto this water, be thou earth, it should be earth; and if I should say it, it would be done.

What amazing faith in the commandments of the Lord! Nephi had such confidence in the power of the Lord, that he new that whatever the Lord commanded him to do, he could do it. Because of his faith, his courage, and his service to the Lord he is one of my greatest examples. I want to be just like him, and each day I work to have this same faith that he had. I know that what the Lord wants done, as I do what he asks I can accomplish anything. My testimony grew this week of how he works in small and simple ways, but though small and simple means great things come to pass. I know that alone, I am nothing, but with him, I can do anything. This faith is what keeps me working everyday. I am so grateful for his blessings, and what he has done to change my life. The things I testify of in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Cutting Elder Corbitts hair ( I am the barber, thanks Dad for teaching me this skill)

April 20,2015 email "To be spiritually minded is life eternal"

Tortillas: 16


What an amazing week here in Los Altos! We have seen a huge progression in the work, and so many miracles! We made the goals to have at least 10 street contacts every day, and wow it has blesses us so much. We were getting to the point were we had so many appoinments planned that we had not time to contact, and we had to do divisions with members to make it to all of our appointments! The most amazing feeling is to arrive home and be so thrashed, that when your head hits the pillow at 10:30 there is nothing holding back from a good nights sleep!

One of our miracles this week was with Ruben, the one that we stopped visiting for a while. We had a lesson with us this week, and because of what he heard in general conference, he thought a lot about his life and where he was going, and now he has decided that he needs to change his life! He still does not feel ready to accept a date for baptism, but he said that if we keep preparing him he will tell us when he feels ready. We are going to keep helping him understand the sacred importance, and inviting him to make the changes in his life. On Sunday, we passed by to bring him to church, but sadly he was not there. But, as we waited an 11 year old boy named Elmer came up and started talking to us. We met him a couple of days before because he was in a lesson with someone we met in the street. We thought that he was their son, but it turns out he is not, but lives most of his life in the street because his parents work 6 am to 9 pm. As we talked to him, we found out that he had decided to go to a catholic church alone, so we invited him to come with us to chruch and he accepted! One sunday we had plans for many people to be in church, but all of them fell, but Heavenly Father still blessed us with people attending, including Elmer, an investigator that rejected us before but ended up showing up with her friends (The old woman who makes tamales)! Many miracles were seen this week, but there is not enough time to write all of the blessings of God that we are receiving. Praise to the Lord on high!


Mejor Milagro:


The most amazing miracle this week is about a woman named Susanne. About a month ago I went on divisions with two preists, Jeffery and Borris, to teach them how to contact as my companion went with another member to our planned lessons. Before we started, I told them that we would begin with a prayer to seek the guidence of the spirit on where we needed to contact. I said a prayer, and as I finished I asked them where they felt we needed to contact, an in that moment they both mentioned that they felt we needed to go to an area of condos. I wont lie, I was a bit sceptical because we had tried here before but we were rejected, but the spirit is what mandates. So, we went and started knocking doors, and every single person began to reject us. We continued, with no success, until after about 7 doors we knocked a door and met Susanne. We shared with her that we were here to bless her life with the gospel, and she informed us that she would love to listen but did not have time. She told us that about 4 years ago she listened to the missionaries, but she was very active in her church and with the lack of time she would not be able to listen. But, with a little bit of talking, I was able to find out that sometimes she is in her house on Sundays, and she would be willing to listen if we called her and she was not busy. So, I wrote her number and did not think much about it. This week, my companion and I were doing our weekly planning session, and Susannes name came to mind, so I decided to call her. We called, and suprisingly she told us that this Sunday night she would be able to meet! So, fast forward to sunday, and I was talking to a member, Hermano Mendez. In the course of our conversations, I came to find out that about 4 years ago he was helping the missionaries to teach Susanne, but because of complications with the missionaries they lost touch with her. So, we arranged that in the night he would accompany us to our appointment with her. As we arrived, we began to talked we began to share with her the message of the Restoration. While sharing, it was so amazing to see how the spirit guided our teaching. It felt like what we were saying was so specifically suited to Susanne, and I could tell that she was almost in tears. When we finished, Hermano Mendez shared his testimony about how the gospel could bless the lives of her and her 3 children and her husband, just as it had blessed his life, but the most important thing was that she kneeled and asked in prayer if Joseph Smith was a prophet called of God, and she commited to pray and that if she received her answer, she would become a member. After commiting to this, she mentioned that while we taught when she had a doubt about Joseph Smith, my companino immediatly answered it with the prophecy of the apostly Pablo in Acts 3: 21-22. She also mentioned to us that when the missionaries started teaching her she had a strong desire to come to church and a strong feeling that she needed to go, but was not able to because of what happened. I know that God is preparing his people to receive his restored gospel. I am so greatful to be working in this great work, and to be his servant.


Testimony time:


With the long miracle, it will be a short testimony. The title of the email is from 2 Nephi 9:39, and the whole phrase is


"Remember, to be carnally minded is death, and to be spiritually minded is life eternal."


In the world that we live in today, if we chose to be carnally minded, we will find ourself in sadness and darkness. To be carnally minded is to yeild to the enticings of the natural man, the cravings of the body, before we remember the cravings of the spirit. Also, it could be forgeting our personal scripture study and prayers and looking at things of God with a worldly mind. As we look at the things of the world with spiritual eyes, we will be able to decerne the lies of the devil in our modern society. He wants all men to think that sin is fine. That is does not really matter. He wants to capture us with his changes and drag us down to the pit of Hell to be miserable as he is. Do we want to be miserable? I truly dont. If we want protections from the temptations of the adversary, if we want to be pure and clean, if we want to be lead in the way of truth and life and receive the eternal life that God has promised us, we cannot forget to do that which is most important, FEASTING UPON THE WORDS OF CHRIST DAILY AND SPEAKING WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER. I testify that he wants us to be happy. He wants to shower us with blessings and he wants to give us this eternal happiness, but IF WE ARE NOT WILLING TO WORK; HE IS NOT WILLING TO GIVE. I know these things are true without a doubt. He loves us more than anyother thing, and he has given us that which has not price. Many great men have died for that which most of us will not cherish, and if we do not cherish the scriptures we are mocking God. It really is easy. Grow closer to him spiritually, and he will grow closer to us. He will protect us. He will comfort us. He will make sure that everything will work out. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know that the Bible AND the Book of Mormon are the words of a loving Heavenly Father, and they will guide us safely home. I speak boldy because I love each one of you so much, and I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Divisions, beautiful parts of Quetzaltenango.   

 picnic, 

free coconuts. The cup is a liter cup and one coconut filled half the cup!"

April 13, 2015 email "Yo soy el pan de vida"

Tortillas: 20




This was a wonderful week! This week it was especially hot, hotter than it has been, and I actually am a little sunburnt haha! Here in Xela it is actually usually very cold. We are in the coldest part of Guatemala, cold enough that at night I have to sometimes sleep with 3 blankets! Usually just two though haha. A huge difference from Santa Ana Huista, a hot border town. This week we had a lot of success with Familia Rodriguez that I mentioned last week as part of the miracle, and actually met the Mother. Yesterday we passed by to bring them to church. They could not come, but they invited us to dinner. Tamales, my favorite. At dinner we found out that the mothe is actually a member! She was baptised about 7 years ago, but moved and became inactive. Her neice and daughters have a lot of interest in the church. I am so excited to see the blessing of the gospel in their life and to she the light of Christ radiate from them! Also, our investigator Ruben (Not the Ruben that has had a problem with Alcohol, another Ruben) came to the baptism of Manuel (Investigator of the Hermanas in our area) and to church on Sunday and he is progressing very well! He is seeing a new light that comes form the gospel, and I can see the hunger that he has to learn more and become closer to Christ. The hardest part this week was getting contact with many of our investigators. I am pretty sure that the employers are expecting more work after a week of rest.




Mejor Milagro:


So, we went with a family in the ward to contact one of their friends that they wanted us to start teaching. The Hermana told us that her friend lived far away, so we would have to walk about 20 minuetes to get to her friends house. The original plan was that they would introduce us and in the future we would just teach them because they lived so far away from the Hermana and she has 3 young daughters. So, we loaded two in a stroller, pushed by the Hermano and one carried by the Hermana. It was a long walk, but eventually we arrived. The Hermana did not remember where her friend lived, so we asked someone and they pointed us to her house. As we arrived, the Hermana knocked the door, and out walked a young girl that said that the friend was busy but would come out in a second. So, we waited for about 10 minuetes, and out walks a woman with a towel around her head (It turned out she was bathing) and the member sister said "You are not (Name of Friend)" It turned out that her friend, who had the same name, was her neighbor. So, we knocked the real door, and found out that the friend was not there... We were a little bummed, having walked so far. So, we started the way back. As we were walking, we were about 5 minutes away from the members house, and we just happen to run into the member sisters friend! We talked for a second, and it also just turned out that where we were lived the parents of the friend! She did not have a lot of time, so we just shared a small message and put a return appointment, but in the future will we be able to have lessons in the parents house, and the Member family will be able to come! I am so grateful that Heavenly Father had us wait at the fake friends house so that we could find the real friend, as she was put in our path!



Testimony Time:


This week I started back up my reading of the New Testament and I started reading the Book of Mormon again, together! It truly is a wonderful experience, and I love the way that these two amazing books compliment each other. Here is an example that I found this week.


In John, Christ says two things that were especially impactful.


John 6:48 "I am the bread of life"

John 14:6 "Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; No man cometh unto the father, but by me."


To help us truly understand what Christ was saying and his purpose in our lives, the first Prophet of the Book of Mormon, Lehi, prophecies this, 600 years before the birth of Christ,


1 Nephi 10:6 "Wherefore, all mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever would be save they should rely on this Redeemer."

Christ truly is my bread of life, my savior, my Redeember. Without him, we would be captive to the chains of sin and death and forever we would be subjects to the devil, but as we partake of his gift and sacrifice we truly become filled. We truly receive eternal life, which is to know our saviour Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. Just as without our daily bread we starve and die, if we do not partake of the daily bread which is Jesus Christ we will starve and die spiritually. How do we feel when we are hungry? It is defenetely not a good feeling, and I am defenetely a little bit grumpy, on edge, and not happy when I dont have what is needed to continue. Our organism is comprised of a spirit and a body, and the same principle applies for our spirit. Sometimes we dont recognize this spiritual hunger, but I am here to testify that each of us have a spiritual hunger that MUST BE SATISFIED IF WE WISH TO BE HAPPY. I have parten of the bread of life, and each day as I do so I am filled with joy and mean. Dont believe. Dont. Test my words. See if I am telling the truth. Partake of the spiritual food that is in the sciptures, prayer, and worshiping our God. It will change your life as it has changed mine. I know He live. I know he loves each one of us individually and wants for us to happy. He is my light. I am his servant. I testify of his divinity and his coucil is the way to a happy life. These things I testify in His sacred and holy name, Amen.

"This week we have sunset,




power outage with candles,








a field full of dogs,




the dentist, my retainer came loose.....






and Manuel, investigator of the Hermanas that was baptised this past week. Love you so much! "

April 6, 2015 email "By his grace ye may be perfect in Christ"

Tortillas: 25


Here in Guatemala they really dont celebrate Easter day, rather they celebrate the entire week called "Semana Santa"! One manner of celebrations is everyone eats a TON of Pan de Yema, which is bread with an egg yolk base. IT IS DELICIOUS, and 80 percent of what I ate this week was this bread.
The people go to the bread shop and buy huge basket fulls, and many people love to gift it to us.

Also, Pretty much everyone goes on trips to the coast, members and non members included, so that means that we had the opportunity to do a lot of street contacting because of the lack of appointments. I am pretty sure that I am one of the few who LOVES to knock doors and talk to everyone haha! Because of the work that we did, even thought at times it was hard just finding people, the Lord blessed us with many people who are very receptive to the gospel. I think that this week we found more new investigators who are actually interested than any other week! Also, we had the amazing oppotunity to watch GENERAL CONFERENCE! What a wonderful oppotunity to listen to what God wants for us to hear through the voice of his deciples. The Lord God truly does reveal his secrets through his servents, the Prophets. I received much needed council for myself and for my area. I would advise everyone to go back and read or listen again to what their advice to us was, because I know that I will. Also, I am so grateful to be a part of his work and to be, as one of the members called us, one of his "Guerreros"(Warriors)

When I tell the members here in Guatemala that we watch it at home in our PJ's they are so shocked!  Everyone here goes to the chapel to watch General Conference.  I have to admit, I like it!

Mejor Milagro:


This week we have two! After one of the sessions of conference, we were walking to pick up some less actives when I received the impression that we needed to pass by and invite Ruben. I told my companion, and he said it was better if we did not because Ruben was going to say no, but I told him that we really needed to invite him. So, we went and invited him, and he said he would be able to come to the Sunday Afternoon session! We were pretty happy after that haha! On Sunday we went and picked him up, he was a little bit reluctant to come, but we convinced him. We arrived a little bit late, but as we sat down and listened, EVER SINGLE TALK was an answer to one of Rubens questions or was something that he needed to see. It was truly amazing. The second, we were contacting when we found a house with 4 doorbells. We rang all of them, and eventually 2 young women and their little sister came out. We shared with them the Gracias a que El vive video, and set an appointment to come back. As we were leaving, a women walks out from one of the doors (It was like a little apartment complex, and because of that there were 4 doorbells) when she said, "Hello Elders, can you come visit me tomorrow?" We were a little suprised, but we soon came to find out that they were recent convert who had moved here about a week ago but did not know where the church was! It is so amazing the way that the Lord leads us to his special children. Also, the 3 girls are quite interested in the gospel, and it helps that they have recent convert friends!


Testimony time:


This week I had the wonderful opportunity to finally finish el Libro de Mormon, or the Book of Mormon in Spanish! God has blessed me so much with the ability to understand and grow in the time that I have been reading. I remember when I started I simply was reading to practice my accent, and now I can understand everything that I read! The title is from Moroni 10:32 and is one of the final verses in the entire Book of Mormon. I find it interesting that he choses, as his final words to the world, to speak on the manner of perfection. This truly is our ultimate goal. We must become perfect through Christ. I also loved the talk by President Deiter F. Uchtdorf in this last conference that speaks on the grace of God. No person is worthy to be in his precense, but thanks to the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ we have the ability to return to him, and not alone but also with our families! What an amazing blessing. I am grateful that I have the opportunity to take time and turn my thoughts to the gift that Christ offers me, and every day I work to accept it and repent of my error. I truly stand all amazing at the Love Jesus offers me. I have grown in my testimony of him and his divinity monumentally through the study of the Book of Mormon, and this is a quest of a lifetime. I know that without a doubt that it is the most correct book on the face of the earth, and I have grown closer in my relationship with God by abiding by its precepts. I love my savior Jesus Christ. He is my example and I am his servent. In His sacred and holy name, Amen.






Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me!

This week we have Hermana Yriartes leaving party, 

secret parts that we have found within our area, everyday is an adventure! I love this place!!!

learning how to make Pan a sweet bread with Kenneth Calderon, so much fun!  I have made wonderful friends here in Los Altos!  I love them so much!

Divisions,

There are some crazy bugs in the beautiful country,

Yes, they have McDonald's here!

March 30,2015 email ¡Gracias a que Él vive!

The baptism of Stephanie!  We are so happy!

 Alejandro got to baptize Stephanie!

 This is a day of celebration!

Tortillas: 35



Here in Guatemala for the Semana Santa (Holy Week) everyone goes on vacations, so this week was filled with many great lesson, but also many people we will not see for another week... Not a great help for the work. Sadly, Ruben does not really have the desire to change. He does not want to see what there really is to offer in coming to church and would rather wash away his sorrows with alcohol. We decided that we are going to leave him for a week or so so that he can hopefully realize the need for change. Really, it saddens me more than anything. I want so badly for him to realize the relief that comes from the gospel of Jesus Christ in his life and the amazing power of the atonement! Our biggest challenge really is getting people to truly listen to the message that we have to offer. We have many moments where people invite us in, we share a wonderful message, we ask if we can return a certain day and time and they accept, but when we return we can never find them. It is a challenge, but I know that the Lord can work miracles and do whatever is necesary to bring his children back to him. Our responsibility is to offer and work as hard as we can so that they have the opportunity to listen, but other than that we must respect their free agency. We do have some that are listening and it is amazing to see the light that comes into their lives. Ones name is Ruben (Different ruben haha!) who recently his wife passes away, but his friends were loving enough to invite him to their house and invite us to teach him about the gospel.


Mejor Milagro:


One morning we went to go and search for an investigator that we had shared a message with in the street. We could not find him, so we decided to knock some doors. This was when we found Rosa. She is a young mother of 3 young children, all below the age of 5. Her "Husband" (they are not married) has a problems with Alcohol, is abusive, and does not have the desire to help her in raising their children other than by giving her money. It is really sad because she tells us about how she left an abusive father only to go to another abusive man. So far we have shared one lesson with her, and it is so amazing to see the happiness that comes when we speak of the blessings of a Christlike life. She has many questions about where to find the truth and where she must go to really follow Christ. She wants so badly to come to Church, but sadly right now her husband is not allowing her. This will be our challenge, but I am so grateful that Heavenly Father has given us the opportunity to bless her life and teach her about the happiness that can come and that they have the opportunity to be a family forever! I know that with time we will be able to touch the heart of her husband and bless their lives.


Testimony Time:


The title to the email translates to "Thanks that He lives!" which is the title for the initiative this easter, which in english actually is, "Because he lives" to help everyone understand the importance of Jesus Christ in our lives. We as missionaries have been given the oportunity to share this video with everyone that we come on contact with, and what a beautfil video to help us remember the purpose of Christ in our lives.


I would invite you before reading any further to watch this wonderful video!


http://www.mormon.org/easter



One of the messages in the video is that He is everywhere. When we call on him, he is always here to aid us. He sacrificed his life, and because he died and resurrected we have the oppotunity to receive peace in this life. Just as the video invites, I have taken the challenge and every day I am finding him as I pray to him, as I read his words, and as I to what he wants me to do. I know without a doubt that He lives! He loves us and wants us to be happy! He has provided us with a perfect example of what we must do to return to our Heavenly Fathers presence and become like him! I have come to gain my person witness and everyday I strenghthen it as I search for his blessings are every day I am "trying to be like Jesus". He is the light of my life. He is my savior, my example, and my best friend. He gives me strength to push forward everyday and become who he wants. These things I share in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.


Love you all! Also, I invite everyone to a very special event this easter, the opportunity to hear a living Prophet of God! And the best part, you can watch it through the internet! Saturday at 10, 12 and Sunday at the same time!


lds.org


Have an amazing Semana Santa!


Elder Richardson

making ceviches with the Hermanas and Hermano Marvin! Ceviche is like a soup made of all kinds of sea creatures, lemon juice, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and of course CHILE! It is suuuupper rico (Delicous)!!"