July 29, 2015 NASA??

Week Update

            So this week has been a pretty good one! Thursday we were pretty busy with lessons we taught Paul in the morning and then he decided he wanted to come to every other lesson that day with us. So we told him about all our lessons at the church. And he came to every one. So that was really nice, he gets a little chatty though but he always has good comments.

            Friday we did a lot of planning. We taught one of our investigators named Kelvin, he is very unique. We talked about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He seemed to understand it pretty well. He said he was really looking forward to learning about the celestial world. So we took that as a good sign although we had never mentioned it.

            Anyways Saturday we helped move some people so that was pretty solid. Then we taught two of our investigators and I had a first. I taught my first lesson to an investigator in their own home. Since I’ve been in Manhattan the whole time most of the investigators prefer to meet at the church because apartments are so small. So that was pretty fun. Afterwards the senior sisters had the whole zone over for dinner

so that was jammin.

            Sunday was pretty good; we set a new high score for investigators at church with a staggering 4 investigators. It was honestly hard to wrangle them all around to gospel principles and elders quorum. But it was awesome to see how they all enjoyed it so much.

            Monday we helped another member move we almost got a rad leather couch but they ended up fitting it in their trailer so it ended up being rad/bad. But that is life. Anyways Monday we had one of our lessons not show up so that stunk and we taught hector and he decided he wants to start a church of his own again. So that stunk. Then we went to dinner with a family in the ward. It was pretty jammin.

            Tuesday we taught a ton of lessons. Ross our recent convert is really into church history so we found a church history textbook that we gave to him. He seemed pretty pleased. We also taught another investigator the plan of salvation. And found out he really loves the celestial kingdom because he believes that we need to build spacecraft and explore the galaxy and once we find god in the galaxy he will show us where the celestial kingdom is and then we can travel through space and everyone can go there....... I did not see that one coming but it T-boned me. Elder Dutson and I were speechless. He was telling us about NASA and all sorts of space stuff. He thinks some satellite named Kepler or something has seen the star cluster God lives in. He also told us about how there was an alien who said that he started the Mormon Church, but he said he thinks Joseph Smith started it. Everything we though we knew about him flew out the window. So we will have to see what happens there. Anyways today is going to be wicked hot so I’m not sure what we are going to do yet but I’m sure we will find something.

            Its been wicked hot here as of late. It keeps getting hotter and hotter. So that really stinks but all is well here. Had a migraine on Sunday but I got it after church so that is good! Transfer calls are on Saturday and transfers are on next Wednesday, I have no clue as to if I will get transferred or not! I don’t really have a preference both have pros and cons. I will just wait and see! Inwood has been really fun though! Anyways how was the 24th? I hope you had a good time! 

Love you all!

Elder Richards

July 22, 2015 It's been so hot here lately!

This week has been pretty good. 

   Thursday we were planning to be really busy but all of our peeps canceled on us. We did teach Paul in the morning though. Then we cruised around looking up referrals so that's pretty alright nothing really crazy happened, 

   Friday was the same, people just decided they couldn't meet which really stunk. We looked more people up with nobody really being home or interested. 

   Saturday was a step up, we got to teach a solid lesson to our investigator Hector, he's really solid all except for the fact that he wants to start a new church. Nice! So we are helping him realize that it's not necessary. 

   Sunday we had a freakton of people at church, a all time record of 3 investigators so that's cool.

After church on Sunday we went to a less active named Sanjay, He's really cool his work keeps him from church but he says he wants to come, anyways he is just really cool, and he always makes really good food for us too! 

   Monday was good we had district meeting and interviews with President Smith at the same time so that was weird but it was pretty good too. President Smith is a pretty cool guy. After all those meeting we went home and changed and ended up just teaching lessons for the rest of the week which is really cool. We only planned one lesson but the rest of them just happened I guess by chance. But all is well. 

   Then yesterday same story we taught five lessons back to back. It was wicked. It's just nice having appointment after appointment. We taught our recent convert Ross then Hector then Mark then Kelvin then Terence. So it was really awesome. 

   I've been reading and studying a lot about the restoration lately and just how divine it is. So just so you guys know Joseph Smith is a legitimate prophet, anyways have a great week! Ps I'm sweating like a dog in all these pictures sorry! It's been so hot here lately! It stinks. I'm staying hydrated though! So last week stunk but this week is really solid so far! So is jamming about that, We have been cranking the AC in the crib like mad lately. It's just so humid! Anyways this last weeks been alright but this week is looking up.

   So our investigators right now are one guy named Hector, he's 19 and has started reading the bible. Last October he met with the Jehovah's witnesses but decided that it didn't makes sense, he wants to learn about Jesus Christ so he can start his own church and retire at age 21, so we are trying to help him decide that instead of starting his own church he can build Christs church! We are hoping we can help him want to go on a mission! 

   Another investigator is a guy named Kelvin. He just showed up at church one week and we have taught him for the first time yesterday although he has come to church twice now. He's really interesting, we don't know a whole ton about him yet. Following that meet with Mark Taylor. Mark Taylor I can't figure out, we think he may not need to be baptized because he is innocent. We are going to have the bishop meet with him and help us decide. Those are the really our main investigators Ross is doing well! I also found out Sait from my last area is now teaching elders quorum which is awesome! It's always great to hear things like that! 

Elder Richards

July 15, 2015 Teaching lessons all day!

This week has been a pretty good one! 

    So Thursday Was busy! We were teaching lessons all day! And nobody cancelled and everybody showed up to our appointments that day which is a rarity! We taught Ross our Recent convert and also Mark Taylor one of our investigators and then Chris Cropper who is one of our progressing investigators so that's awesome. Its always a great day when we teach all day! 

   Friday I accidentally Flooded our kitchen/bedroom. I have been on this water craze where I drink a glass of water every hour on the hour and I was filling up the pitcher we keep in the fridge then I got busy And came back 30 minutes later and there was water everywhere. SO we had to clean that up and move some of our appointments. Luckily our downstairs neighbors are way chill so they didn't freak out! But everything is taken care of now! 

   Saturday was pretty good also. We taught Hector he is a investigator that loves learning about our church, and he accepts the gospel, the only problem is he wants to start his own church and he wants us to speak there. So thats sorta awkward. We are going to see if he wants to serve a mission instead.

   Sunday was good we had record number of investigators at church, which is three but its solid so its cool. Its always nice to have people come to church. 

   Monday was pretty good. I taught district meeting about successful missionary work. So that's always a good thing. they were filming a movie in front of the church also that day which is pretty cool! no clue what movie it was though! 

   Yesterday we were calling a lot of referrals we got. church headquarters must have refreshed the referrals thing, because we are getting referrals from over 4 years ago, but we still need to look them up, anyways we were working through them and we came across one for Mehmet Oz so we are like oh look some joker sent us a referral for Dr. Oz. So we called it and it was Dr. Oz's Studio so that was really weird. Nobody was interested in the Gospel but it was certainly a fun call. 

   Today we were going to go skateboard in central park but it looks pretty rainy so we are probably gonna just skate around Inwood. 

   I've been studying Joseph Smith a lot lately, my findings are that he is definitely a prophet! Anyways! That camp Helaman sounds awesome! Where is it taking place at? That is nuts all the missionaries are done! It's crazy I remember all these people leaving! Times flying! Pretty soon I will be reporting! I've still got a while though! I definitely missed hanging out during the Fourth of July! But I spent it doing a pretty good thing! That's nuts grandma and grandpa are already in Alaska! I will have to email them! I really want to head up there when I get home! It sometimes rains like it does in Alaska and I get the smell of the ocean which is awesome! It was so fun to fish up there with you! I miss having those fires in the back yard! They were so fun! I did enjoy the Zelda pictures! They cracked me up! 

Anyways have a great week!

Elder Richards

July 8, 2015 Batter Batter SWING!

Week update
   This week has been a pretty good one! Thursday sorta stunk, all of our
lessons cancelled on us which threw a wrench in our plans so we
knocked some doors, nothing to crazy ended up happening.
   Friday was pretty good we taught Paul Cabell in the morning it was pretty chill.
He is a interesting guy! But he has a really good heart. Anyways the highlight of Friday was going to the Yankees game with the entire mission. It was a blast! We ended up having to leave early to be home on time but it was still really cool! It turned out the Yankees won too! so that is rad! It was a really fun time. Its a real blessing to be able to go to a game like that. Saturday was good, the fourth of  July was pretty quiet we had to be home early that night but we got a new investigator named hector he really wants to learn more about the bible and the book of Mormon which is awesome, the only problem is he wants to start his own church from our doctrine, which is pretty interesting to say the least. But we have a plan for him.
   It was weird we met a person who is nuts! She was telling us about her dreams where a goat baby was born and she was freaking out.! She's crazy! We live in a Dominican neighborhood so not to much happened for the 4th, everybody just got drunk, The streets were quiet afterwords the morning after! So that's cool, but other then that the fourth of July was pretty alright. 
   Sunday was normal. we ended up teaching gospel principles so that was fun it was essentially just a lesson during church with the sisters but what eves. Sunday was good though we went to a members for dinner and we were talking about the book of Abraham and stuff it was cool!
   Monday was Zone leader Training. It was pretty interesting they just read scriptures to us the whole time it was a new twist. I didn't see it coming at all.
   Anyways Monday was pretty successful too we ended up getting another investigator that day so it
was pretty pumped.
   Tuesday was good too, we were teaching lessons about 70% of the day so I will take that anytime. It was good though.
   I'm doing good! It's been way way way humid here! So although it's only 85 degrees I sweat like a animal! It's horrible but it's whatever!
   The new mission president seems really cool! I like him a lot so far! Elder Dutson is cool! We get along really well! So that's always good! I'm doing good!
   I think my shoes are about dead. But I'm gonna really make them endure to the end! At least till they give up the ghost!
   It's been getting a little rainy lately which is pretty nice! It cools things off. I miss you! Love you guys lots!
    Today is supposed to be rainy so we went over to Elder Holtoms apartment in the Bronx and we are gonna play some board games so nothing to crazy there! have a great week!


Elder Richards

Mormon Tabernacle Choir sang and the missionaries all got to go to the game!

July 1, 2015 Welcome President Smith

This week has been pretty good! We have gotten a lot done too! 
   Thursday we threw a ton of accumulated crap away from our apartment. We got rid
of a ton of stuff which is pretty good! We then went to teach a investigator at the church But he didnt show up so that stunk but whatevs. Then we went and introduced Elder Dutson to the Bishop. Our
Bishop is a good guy. Then We went to go help a member move a desk he bought. I dont know where the elders quorum was but alas we went. He bought this ancient Desk made completely of hard wood and its about six and a half feet long three feet tall and one and three quarter feet wide. And its on a third floor of a West side apartment with tight stairs. And he wanted to take it home Via subway. I was not looking forward to it at all. but it worked out that he decided to come back with a truck the next day. So we left. 
   We went back Friday night and we brought our Roomates with us. Its a good thing too. Its wicked heavy. Anyways we ended up getting it out after a lot of sweating and lifting With minor damage to ourselves and the piece.
   Saturday we spent looking up a ton of referrals it was pretty alright. One seems to be mostly promising. So we are jazzed about that! 
   The latter part of Saturday was spent building a Triple bunk bed with one of our members from scratch so that was fun. 
   Sunday was rather uneventful just the usual visiting and teaching.  
   Monday we spent at district meeting in the morning. It was pretty good. Then after words we delivered some bibles to people who ordered them. And tracted it was pretty alright. 
   Yesterday we went down to the temple to meet President and Sister Smith and their family! They are awesome! Its going to be way fun to serve with them for the rest of the mission! They seem like tons of fun! Im gonna miss President and Sister Morgan though. But it will be good! 
   The whole mission is going to the yankees game on july 3rd so watch out for that. The Mormon tabernacle choir is singing there also so that will be pretty cool I think! That is about as festive as it gets though.     Not much has been happening though. our one investigator Jay has disappeared his phone is busted or something but we havet been able to get a hold of him which stinks.
   Anyways have a great week!

Elder Richards