Dear Family and Friends,
Well this week was interesting, it was a little rough in the middle, but last night was wonderful. So on Tuesday we had MLC (Mission Leadership Council). It was really great. I just love learning from President Guanzon. He is so amazing. He talked about how to improve our teaching skills so that people will say about us what they said about Jesus Christ. "No man has ever taught like he did, he taught as one having authority." He just talked about jumping straight to the doctrine, bear powerful testimony and then MOVE ON. Move on means leave the house, and let them ponder the message that we taught them. We also had a great council meeting where we talked about the needs of the mission. It was different being on the creating side of the mission vision. We added two new Standard of Excellence one for investigators attend sacrament meeting and Investigators with a Baptismal Date. It will make us stretch, but it really help us. Afterwards we had interviews with President and we talked about specific challenges and strengths in our zone. It was really inspiring too.
The rest of the week was great too. We had a great time teaching, and finding. One of the things that we talked about in MLC was finding families. How we should focus our street contracting to Men with families and then when you teach the family, teach everyone but focus on the head of the household. It is so true, the church is for families, so that is what we tried to do this week. I think about when we first started teaching the Corrido Family. At first we were just teaching sister Alma, she was progressing, but once we started teaching her husband, that is when that family really started to progress. When we invited them to be baptized, it was Alma that looked to her husband and asked if that is what they were going to do. The family is really under attack, I hear news about it from home and I see it here too. Families are not super close here, and it is really sad. But the gospel blesses families so much. It was so special when we committed the Corrido Family to be baptized, brother said YES! YES! with my whole family!
I love the Corrido family so much! I love teaching them so much. Something that has been on the back of our minds as we have taught is the Word of Wisdom, we hopefully we will be able help him increase his faith and be able to abstain from those things. I am so certain that brother will be the next branch president, we just absorbs everything we teach him.
The other thing we talked about in MLC was how president had this vision that we teach lots of people around our apartment so that we can stay out until 9:00 at night teaching. So he challenged us to talk to all our neighbors, which is what we did. We actually had a lot of success and we have return appointments with almost all of them.
We also had an inspiring District Conference on Sunday with President and Sister Guanzon.They are so great. Sister Guanzon was talking about hastening the work, and we have to be bold as members and say "oh yes I am a mormon and you should be too." President Guanzon was really bold too about Member Missionary Work. He said you need to fill the missionary planners. Really plainly he said everyone around you all your neighbors and friends that are 8 years old or older that are not members can not return to our heavenly father-They need the gospel we need to introduce them to the missionaries and invite them.
I have to share this experience that I learned this week. So on Wednesday I could tell that I was catching a little cold so on Thursday I didn't feel the best, but I didn't want to miss the opportunity to teach, so I went out and taught the whole day we came back home at night and my voice was pretty horse, but at least I got to teach. Then the next day I woke up and I was feeling a lot better, but I couldn't talk at all. No voice at all. So I just had to sit silent in Zone Training, and turns out it is really central to teaching to be able to talk. So we couldn't teach for two days because I didn't have a voice. It was the WORST! What is the the lesson that I learned. Don't run faster than you have strength. . Now we are back to normal I have my voice back and we can TEACH!
Well I hope everything goes well at home!
-Sister Richins
Sunday, March 23, 2014
March 10
Dear Family and Friends,
Well this week on Thursday marks the my one year mark on the mission. It is crazy to think that a year ago I entered the MTC, I didn't know any Tagalog, and I didn't know what to expect. Now a year later I can't believe how much I have grown. I have learned so much, I have been changed by some amazing people. My testimony has been strengthened so much, and I love every second here. I am going to work hard up until the last day I leave here. I am so thankful for the choice I made to serve a mission.
This week has been good. Slowly slowly my companion's language is improving. She knows how to make basic sentences so we are making progress. We are working the the doctrines of the lessons so that she can teach more and more.
We had a good week. We were able to find quite a few new investigators which was really great. I can see so many miracles in this area!
Last week I told you about the Corrido Family. The mom, Alma, and her 2 boys have come to church twice now, and her husband was almost so certain he was going to come to church and then he cancelled right at the last minute. He still has a concern that we just haven't solved yet. Brother Remy though is my absolute favorite to teach. He just absorbs everything. We know we can only focus on one principle at the time, because he wants to understand it perfectly. The taught about the plan of Salvation and he was just so amazed. He was so happy to understand the purpose of life. Then he was concerned about repentance and baptism. It is just so rewarding when you see the light of understanding when he understands these principles that he has been searching for so long.
We had exchanges this week with the Gubat sisters. It was really exciting. Sister Alabanza came to here to Bacon and worked with me. It was really great. I learned a lot. She is a great missionary.
So last week in our coordination meeting with the Branch Presidency, was so funny. One of the members of the Branch President started talking about how the missionaries ought to use public sermons as a way to attract more people to the church. He went on and on about how we wanted to have a big public event and the missionaries could preach. It was so funny. The Branch president tried to explain that maybe that wouldn't be the best idea, because that is not how the Lord has revealed now, but he just wouldn't stop. He said that all the other churches do it here so it is really effective. on and on finally the branch president was able to reign back in the meeting. So who knows we might start a whole public sermon thing.
Well I love this area. It is really great. Defiantly the prettiest area- right next to the beach, we get a nice sea breeze in the morning, which is definitely a plus.
Have a great week,
-Sister Richins
Well this week on Thursday marks the my one year mark on the mission. It is crazy to think that a year ago I entered the MTC, I didn't know any Tagalog, and I didn't know what to expect. Now a year later I can't believe how much I have grown. I have learned so much, I have been changed by some amazing people. My testimony has been strengthened so much, and I love every second here. I am going to work hard up until the last day I leave here. I am so thankful for the choice I made to serve a mission.
This week has been good. Slowly slowly my companion's language is improving. She knows how to make basic sentences so we are making progress. We are working the the doctrines of the lessons so that she can teach more and more.
We had a good week. We were able to find quite a few new investigators which was really great. I can see so many miracles in this area!
Last week I told you about the Corrido Family. The mom, Alma, and her 2 boys have come to church twice now, and her husband was almost so certain he was going to come to church and then he cancelled right at the last minute. He still has a concern that we just haven't solved yet. Brother Remy though is my absolute favorite to teach. He just absorbs everything. We know we can only focus on one principle at the time, because he wants to understand it perfectly. The taught about the plan of Salvation and he was just so amazed. He was so happy to understand the purpose of life. Then he was concerned about repentance and baptism. It is just so rewarding when you see the light of understanding when he understands these principles that he has been searching for so long.
We had exchanges this week with the Gubat sisters. It was really exciting. Sister Alabanza came to here to Bacon and worked with me. It was really great. I learned a lot. She is a great missionary.
So last week in our coordination meeting with the Branch Presidency, was so funny. One of the members of the Branch President started talking about how the missionaries ought to use public sermons as a way to attract more people to the church. He went on and on about how we wanted to have a big public event and the missionaries could preach. It was so funny. The Branch president tried to explain that maybe that wouldn't be the best idea, because that is not how the Lord has revealed now, but he just wouldn't stop. He said that all the other churches do it here so it is really effective. on and on finally the branch president was able to reign back in the meeting. So who knows we might start a whole public sermon thing.
Well I love this area. It is really great. Defiantly the prettiest area- right next to the beach, we get a nice sea breeze in the morning, which is definitely a plus.
Have a great week,
-Sister Richins
Friday, March 7, 2014
February 24
Dear Family Friends,
We had a really small group at church yesterday. Only 35 in the little meetinghouse. That was because it was raining all day yesterday. Literally all day. Turns out rain is a great excuse for not coming to church here. At church, I was playing the opening hymn on the little electric piano and then the power went out, or as they call it here "Brown out." The power stayed out for all the meetings. The little old meeting house, has a lot of holes in the roof. It was quite the sight watching all the buckets fill up with water. We would have to empty them throughout the meeting. But you know it was just one of those things that you say the church is still true-even in the old building house that we meet in.
It was kind of a rough week. We are still are working to get our area to the standard of excellence. I don't know this week has just been a hard one for me. I am not sure why, but sometimes I just feel really alone because it is hard to communicate with my companion. I am just trying to figure out how best to do help this area and our companionship.
We were going to go on exchanges on Wednesday with the Sorsogon Sisters, but then the Finance Elder called and said that we needed to go to Legazpi so that Sister Iqbal could sign some forms she needed for her exit clearance. So we spent the day traveling to and from Legazbi.
We did finally find a apartment. It is a nice bright pick house right next to the beach. So now we will be able to enjoy a nice sea breeze as we study each morning. I hate figuring out all this apartment stuff. We spent a lot of time on the phone with the finance elder to figure out the contract and things. Our new apartment is even equipped with a catholic idol. So just in case you wanted that. There is one inside and as a bonus they also have one outside.
We have such a busy week. The Philippines area president is coming for a mission tour and so we have leadership training tomorrow, zone conference/mission tour Wednesday and moving day on Thursday. So maybe we will have a little time to do some missionary work.
We also had a great week teaching and things. I was a great week.
-Sister Richins
We had a really small group at church yesterday. Only 35 in the little meetinghouse. That was because it was raining all day yesterday. Literally all day. Turns out rain is a great excuse for not coming to church here. At church, I was playing the opening hymn on the little electric piano and then the power went out, or as they call it here "Brown out." The power stayed out for all the meetings. The little old meeting house, has a lot of holes in the roof. It was quite the sight watching all the buckets fill up with water. We would have to empty them throughout the meeting. But you know it was just one of those things that you say the church is still true-even in the old building house that we meet in.
It was kind of a rough week. We are still are working to get our area to the standard of excellence. I don't know this week has just been a hard one for me. I am not sure why, but sometimes I just feel really alone because it is hard to communicate with my companion. I am just trying to figure out how best to do help this area and our companionship.
We were going to go on exchanges on Wednesday with the Sorsogon Sisters, but then the Finance Elder called and said that we needed to go to Legazpi so that Sister Iqbal could sign some forms she needed for her exit clearance. So we spent the day traveling to and from Legazbi.
We did finally find a apartment. It is a nice bright pick house right next to the beach. So now we will be able to enjoy a nice sea breeze as we study each morning. I hate figuring out all this apartment stuff. We spent a lot of time on the phone with the finance elder to figure out the contract and things. Our new apartment is even equipped with a catholic idol. So just in case you wanted that. There is one inside and as a bonus they also have one outside.
We have such a busy week. The Philippines area president is coming for a mission tour and so we have leadership training tomorrow, zone conference/mission tour Wednesday and moving day on Thursday. So maybe we will have a little time to do some missionary work.
We also had a great week teaching and things. I was a great week.
-Sister Richins
March 3
Dear Family and Friends,
Wow I can't believe that it is already March. That is so crazy. This week was a lot better, thank you so much for the prayers!
We had a great Mission Tour with the 2nd counselor of the Philippines Area President, Elder Aldem, from New Zealand. It was really inspiring. He talked about using time effectively as a missionary. He talked about how we should come home everyday super exhausted because we worked so hard, and then we you get off the plane when we come home, our parents shouldn't be able to recognize us and they should tell us how awful we look. But he said you will feel great and your parents should be able to recognize that. It was really inspiring, just making sure that we don't waste a single second of our time here on the mission.
There is actually a song in the hymnbook that I have come to love here on the mission it is on pg 266 I don't know if have ever heard it, but it is a really cool song about missionary work. It is called The Time is Far Spent:
The time is far spent; there is little remaining
To Publish glad tidings by sea and by land
Then hasten ye heralds;go forward proclaiming;
Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven's at Hand
Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;
The weight of you calling he perfectly knows.
Your path may be thorny, but Jesus is nigh you
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.
His arm is sufficient tho demons oppose
It is just one of my new favorite hymns!
Anyway though, Elder Aldem also talked about becoming Master Teachers and how to really develop teaching skills. He explained that becoming Master Gospel Teachers is a Life-long pursuit. He talked a lot about teaching skills in the leadership training too. He talked about powerful doctrine statements, use scriptures -help investigators dig into the scriptures, bear powerful testimony, and then when the spirit is the strongest close the lesson, so that they have time to ponder when we leave. It was really helpful.
So we are teaching this one family the Corrido Family, they are so cute. For the past two weeks we had only taught the mom and the kids, but this week on Thursday the father joined us. Brother Corrido has always read the bible and knows the bible really really well. But he says that he always felt though that something was missing. He went to a lot of churches, but there was something missing in all of them. He first asked some questions to us Who was Joseph Smith, What is the Book of Mormon, and What is the nature of God. Of course we were happy to answer those questions. We gave him a Book of Mormon and said I am going to study this. And when we left he was reading it. We taught them again last night about the plan of salvation. It was so cool to see his excitement, he asked if we could come back every night to teach them. Sister and her kids came to church, but brother had work, but next week he said he will be there.
This week really has been a lot better. I am teaching my companion Tagalog how they taught us in the MTC repetition. I don't think she will understand all the rules and stuff, but if she says sentences over and over she will be able to teach more and more. She absolutely loves me because she is finally understand and learning Tagalog. I won't feel that I have done anything. I just want her so much to be able to teach and enjoy her time here in the mission, rather than just enduring.
Oh I have to mention this funny story that happened on Wednesday when the APs were helping us move apartments. We were moving one of the desks and then there was this giant Spider or Gagamba. It was so funny to see these two american elders totally freaking out. They immediately decided that they needed to kill it. So they took a stick and chased the spider around the room for 10 minutes until they killed it. I just thought it was so funny. I was always told just to leave the big spiders alone because they get angry. Haha anyway it was super funny.
Well I am learning to love this area. It really is a great area. I know that they Lord sent me here for a purpose with my companion right now. Even though sometimes it may be challenging. I know that the Lord is here with me.
-Sister Richins
Wow I can't believe that it is already March. That is so crazy. This week was a lot better, thank you so much for the prayers!
We had a great Mission Tour with the 2nd counselor of the Philippines Area President, Elder Aldem, from New Zealand. It was really inspiring. He talked about using time effectively as a missionary. He talked about how we should come home everyday super exhausted because we worked so hard, and then we you get off the plane when we come home, our parents shouldn't be able to recognize us and they should tell us how awful we look. But he said you will feel great and your parents should be able to recognize that. It was really inspiring, just making sure that we don't waste a single second of our time here on the mission.
There is actually a song in the hymnbook that I have come to love here on the mission it is on pg 266 I don't know if have ever heard it, but it is a really cool song about missionary work. It is called The Time is Far Spent:
The time is far spent; there is little remaining
To Publish glad tidings by sea and by land
Then hasten ye heralds;go forward proclaiming;
Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven's at Hand
Be fixed in your purpose, for Satan will try you;
The weight of you calling he perfectly knows.
Your path may be thorny, but Jesus is nigh you
His arm is sufficient, tho demons oppose.
His arm is sufficient tho demons oppose
It is just one of my new favorite hymns!
Anyway though, Elder Aldem also talked about becoming Master Teachers and how to really develop teaching skills. He explained that becoming Master Gospel Teachers is a Life-long pursuit. He talked a lot about teaching skills in the leadership training too. He talked about powerful doctrine statements, use scriptures -help investigators dig into the scriptures, bear powerful testimony, and then when the spirit is the strongest close the lesson, so that they have time to ponder when we leave. It was really helpful.
So we are teaching this one family the Corrido Family, they are so cute. For the past two weeks we had only taught the mom and the kids, but this week on Thursday the father joined us. Brother Corrido has always read the bible and knows the bible really really well. But he says that he always felt though that something was missing. He went to a lot of churches, but there was something missing in all of them. He first asked some questions to us Who was Joseph Smith, What is the Book of Mormon, and What is the nature of God. Of course we were happy to answer those questions. We gave him a Book of Mormon and said I am going to study this. And when we left he was reading it. We taught them again last night about the plan of salvation. It was so cool to see his excitement, he asked if we could come back every night to teach them. Sister and her kids came to church, but brother had work, but next week he said he will be there.
This week really has been a lot better. I am teaching my companion Tagalog how they taught us in the MTC repetition. I don't think she will understand all the rules and stuff, but if she says sentences over and over she will be able to teach more and more. She absolutely loves me because she is finally understand and learning Tagalog. I won't feel that I have done anything. I just want her so much to be able to teach and enjoy her time here in the mission, rather than just enduring.
Oh I have to mention this funny story that happened on Wednesday when the APs were helping us move apartments. We were moving one of the desks and then there was this giant Spider or Gagamba. It was so funny to see these two american elders totally freaking out. They immediately decided that they needed to kill it. So they took a stick and chased the spider around the room for 10 minutes until they killed it. I just thought it was so funny. I was always told just to leave the big spiders alone because they get angry. Haha anyway it was super funny.
Well I am learning to love this area. It really is a great area. I know that they Lord sent me here for a purpose with my companion right now. Even though sometimes it may be challenging. I know that the Lord is here with me.
-Sister Richins
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