July 25, 2016

Hello Everyone!

It was another good week for Mackenzie, but unfortunately still no pictures!  That's a little rough on the mom, not gunna lie!  But I'm keeping positive thoughts that next Monday will have pictures!  So here is this week's letter from Hermana Rich!!!!!

Hello family!!

This week has been a very interesting one to say the least!! It was full of water problems and of course miracles!!

 

As for the water problems...we had our kitchen flood with water from our sink and we had no hot water for four days. So we boiled hot water to shower and I got down saw we had some pipe problems with our sink. I tried to fix it but couldn't so our Ward mission leader came and fixed it for us hahaha. I am definitely learning a lot on the mission! 

 

This week we had three investigators at church and this past week we found four investigators. In total we have seven really solid investigators! Two have a baptismal date for August and we plan to put two more this week! 

 

The Lord really does pull his weight out here! We had an investigator that said she didn't want to get baptized and didn't know if she ever would and in our second charla (lesson) she asked what she needed to do to be baptized!! A complete change of heart, and I know it was all because of the Lord!

Something I learned this  week from a conference we had was that love is the "because" of everything. God loves us so he sends us commandments and we keep the commandments "because" we love him. Everything that we do is an act of love for Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. When I heard this I thought about Mosiah 2:41 when it talks about the happy state of those that keep the commandments. I know that if we keep the commandments we will be blessed. I actually have a funny story to go with that. My companion and  I were doing a contact in the street and at the end this lady said she had a question that she had always wanted to ask the missionaries. So then she asks us why we are always running to our house at night haha. It was a great opportunity to bear testimony of keeping the commandments or in this case the rules of the mission! But I know that as we keep the commandments we will not only be happy in this life but in the life to come! I love you all and I hope you have a great week!

 

Love,

Hermana Rich

 

July 18, 2016

Hi everyone,

Kim again.  Unfortunately, no pictures this week.  The computer at the church wasn't working right so Mackenzie couldn't get any of the pictures to load.  Such a bummer!  And she said she had some great ones of their "Missionary Carnival."  Oh well...I'm hoping it's fixed so we can get pictures next week!  Keeping my fingers crossed!

Have a good week,
Kim

Hola familia!!  

This week was a very cold one but full of miracles!!  

Unfortunately we lost our baptism for this week but it was probably for the best. He wasn't willing to live up to the standards of the gospel but plans on trying again when he gets back from vacation in a month! But in return we got another baptismal date with Romi. She is the mother of my convert, Marcelo!! We also had 4 investigators in church this past week!! Antonio, Jorge, Fernando, and a friend from a member. This week we also found three new investigators!  

Last night we had quite the adventure. We came home from work and the lights went out immediately... so we planned in the dark...and got ready in the dark. Our bishop came and come to find out the electricity in our house is a disaster so we have to get it all redone! But at least we had gas to heat our study room while we waited for him to come!  

Today we had the GREATEST activity! We did a carnival with bounce houses, cotton candy, sports, and lots of food! It was so awesome and we had a HUGE turn out!! We are really changing the feel for missionary work in our rama!! So far we have three baptisms planned for the next three weeks, we will see if they turn out!! But either way the work is progressing a ton! 

This week we had a workshop...I can't think of the right word in english right now, about when Christ asks peter Do you love me? The elders then showed a video from Elder Holland explaining if we love our savior we can never go back to who we were before the mission. It really hit how that is so true. But not just for me, but for everyone. Every single one of us have been called to the work and we can never go back. Once we have had a spiritual experience we are changed and we can never go back to being that same person again if we truly love the Savior. I would like to invite you all to think of how you can show your love for the savior a little more as you work on your own personal progression. Change is never easy but it is necessary. I know that my mission has changed me forever and honestly, I never want to go back to the person I was forever. This calling that I have is eternal and I intend on magnifying it to the best of my abilities for the rest of my life. I didn't really understand that when I came out on the mission but now I do. I do and always will because I have a strong testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that we have a Father in Heaven who loves us and sent his son to atone for all our sins. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God and brings us closer to Jesus Christ. I know that this is His church and He sits at the very head of it leading and guiding his Leaders to help us achieve the goals that our Heavenly Father has set for us. I love you all and I hope you have a great week!!

 

Love,

Hermana Rich

July 11, 2016

Hello Everyone!

Kim here.  So along with all of the amazing missionary work that took place this week,  all of the sisters in the zone got permission to do a little sight seeing so they went to Maldanado and had a great time!  Pictures at the end!  Hope you all have a great week and thanks for checking the blog!

Kim

Hello Fam!!

This week has been so great!! A week full of miracles, adventures, and rain haha. But overall a fantastic week!   

The biggest miracle of the week is that ANTONIO CAME TO CHURCH!! The first thing he ever told us was that he would never go to church and then this week after a lot of work he committed to come! In the end he told us he absolutely loved it and is coming back next week! After a month the man finally came and it was nothing like he thought! I didn't know whether tro smile, cry or sing for joy!! The Lord is so amazing and defintiely does his part out here! 

This week we also found two new investigators! They are both getting over drug addiction and have such strong desires to change their lives! 

We have also had a lot of rain in the last few days and I didn't think I would ever see dry land again, honestly. But the Lord pulled through and it was actually an amzing day out yesterday!! To celebrate we made a confetti cake from the states. We were all so excited we didn't wait to frost it and just ate the frosting with our cake from a spoon. Haha the life of missionaries... it's great! 

This week I have been thinking alot about Alma 26:12. I love this scripture so much. It relates to my mission sooo much. I am far from perect. I am not the perfect missionary, member, daughter or person. But yet, the Lord has allowed me to be an instrument in his hands and as a result I have had a front row seat to the miracles that the Lord is performing. The Lord is so aware of us and what we need in our lives. I know that we have a loving Heavenly Father who knows us each personally and loves us. He knows exactly what we need to learn and grow. He will never give us a challenge that we cannot overcome. That is one thing I have learned on the mission. My mission has not been the easiest thing in the world but I have learned sooo much and I wouldn''t trade it for anything in the world. I know I am not perfect but the Lord is helping me develop the attributes I need to be able to do his work his way. I love you all so much and I hope you have a great week! 

Love always,

Hermana Rich

Hermana Rich & Harpole in Maldanado

Uruguay Montivideo Mission

 

July 4th, 2016

Hi fam!! 

This week was really good...and A LOT of rain!! But as always we were always going around with a smile!! 

Our  investigators are still progressing really well!! Our investigator, Jorge, called us and shared the most awesome experience!! He told us he had been praying and asking for forgiveness for the things he had done wrong in his life and at the end he felt the most amazing peace in his life that he couldn't really explain! He had been praying and asking for this forgiveness since we met him! It was sooo amazing!!  

This week we had soo much rain that my rain boots were filled with water!! I have never seen rain like this before!! Then with the humidity, nothing is drying!! It is always an adventure in the mission that is for sure!!  

This week I started a Preach My Gospel activity where we have to read certain chapters in the Book of Mormon and we have to write down every title of Jesus Christ and all of his actions and attributes. It has been soo amazing. We are always telling people that the Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ and I always knew it. But now I really can see how much the Book of Mormon is talking about our Savior. As I am writing about all of his attributes or his acciones I feel myself growing closer to my Savior. I invite you all to do the same! You will be amazed to see your relationship grow! 

I love you all and I hope you have a great week!!  

Love, 

Hermana Rich

 

Yay!  Another package!

Hermana Rich & Mesa with President & Sister Cooke

New washer...too bad it's leaking!

She means A LOT of rain!!! This is after walking outside!

Hermana Rich & Mesa

 

Testing out the new scarf and skirt!

Hermana Rich & Harpole

Hermana Rich trying to pet the sheep

Hermana Rich running away from the sheep that started chasing her!

 

June 27th, 2016

Hello everyone!!  

This week has been really great! I went and picked up my hija on Wednesday with Hermana Harpole and it was SO fun!! My companion is Hermana Mesa de Columbia! (Yes we are aware we played against each other in the America Cup (I think that is how you say that in English) and we just don't talk about it haha) She is so amazing! She seriously has no fear to talk with the people at all and just puts herself out there! It is so fun training! I realize now how much I have learned in these last six months!!  

Another fun thing that happened this week is our ward mission leader called 10 ward missionaries!! We have sooo many people to help us now and they are all so excited to help us! We are working really hard on gaining back the trust of the members this change! Little by little I really think we can do it. Without their help we cannot do the work that we have been called to do and with the new ward missionaries it is so possible!!  

Also, this week I have officially overdosed on empeñadas! We had a ward activity this week and everyone had to bring empeñadas. Well at the end they gave us all the left over empeñadas!! Don't get me wrong they are really good...but sooo many!!  

We currently have 2 investigators with a baptismal date and they are progressing really well! I love seeing them progress and now with my companion as well!!  

I know that this gospel is true and that our Heavenly Father loves us!! I hope you have a great week and I love you all!

 

Love,

Hermana Rich

 

Hermana Rich & Harpole with their new companions

Hermana Rich & Mesa

Hermana Rich & Mesa

 

June 21st, 216

Hi everyone!! This week has seriously been a week of miracles! One thing I love about the mission is the fact that I get to watch the atonement of Christ and the gospel change peoples lives every single day! 

So one of our investigators, Jorge, has really been progressing this week! He accepted a baptismal date and everything! But something that I love about teaching him is watching how the gospel is bringing him so much comfort and joy to his life. His mom passed away not too long ago and he never knew his dad. So, he feels like he really doesn't feel like he has a family. But every time we talk about eternal families he just lights up with the biggest smile on  his face. It is such a testimony builder to me. I feel like sometimes as members born into the church we sometimes take the knowledge we have for granted! But watching the way it is changing Jorge's life just goes to show how precious it really is! 

Probably the biggest miracle of this week is with our investigator, Antonio. When we first met him he told us he would listen to us but he was never going to go to church or change his ways. Well this past week he accepted a baptismal date as well! When we place a date we give them a folleto (Idon't remember the word in english...Kim here, I think it's pamphlet) That shows all the topics they need to be familiar with before baptism. Well the next day we went by and he was really upset because he saw tithing, the word of wisdom, and the law of chastity. HE said he was not in agreement with these topics but he would hear what we had to say. Well we brought members with us to our charlas(lessons) and he had a COMPLETE change of heart. At the end of our last charla he even said he hopes one day he can call himself one of us (referring to us members!!) I cannot begin to explain the impact our testimonies have on others. 100% Antonio had a change of heart because of the testimonies of the members we brought with us! When in doubt bear your testimony. But we can do it in so many ways!! We can do it by forgiving others, smiling at someone, or sharing a little bit of what we know to be true!!  

In John 21 is when Christ is telling the apostle Paul to feed his sheep and it really struck me. What is feeding his sheep exactly? Then I decided it is when we dive head first into service. The scripture doesn't say watch my sheep, but feed them. For example, I am sure we have all heard a prayer somewhere along the lines of please bless those that couldn't come to church today that they can come next week. But is that really feeding his sheep? NO! Instead we need to pray for the guidance to know how to help them come to church next week and then act! Missionary work is for everyone! Whether it be sharing what we know in how we live or receiving the service of someone else. So this week I have planned to find better ways to feed his sheep and invite you all to do the same! 

On another note, I found out yesterday that I will be training!! That means that my next companion will be a brand new missionary!! I am really excited and of course a little nervous. But I trust in the Lord and what He has in store!! I won't find out anything about my new companion until I go to get her tomorrow morning! 

But I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic week! 

Love, 

Hermana Rich