July 14

Dear Family and Friends,

Wow what another great week.  I know that all of you have heard about the typhoon or tropical storm coming our way. As far as we know it is pretty weak storm and we should be okay.

I really can't believe how fast the time goes.  I have five weeks left in my mission and I keep on hoping that time would just slow down for a second so that I can breathe. I just make to make every moment every day count.  I am working hard up until the very last day.

Well as always this week was great.  Our our exchanges got canceled because the sisters got sick, so it was just a normal week in Bacon.  It was a really great week. On Saturday, we had what is called a One Day Mission.  So all the members came and worked with us for a day. We all divided into four groups and then went to different areas. So it was kind of like an exchange because I was companions with one of the members, it was really fun.  It was so great to have members because they could really relate and they know bicol (the native language here), I still struggle with that the 2nd language in Bacon. I am working on it though.  I can understand a lot of it, just not the speaking yet. The language of Bicol is really funny because it is different in every city.  In Bacon it is different than Bulan and if you go 30 minutes to Sorsogon it is different too.  That is why it is so hard to understand the different dialects of Bicol.  It is a good thing that everyone knows Tagalog.  The members here are so great. I love and learn so much from them.

On Friday night we went were going to go to one of our investigators.  We didn't have an appointment, but somehow felt maybe we should go there.  While on the way we met a lady named Linda. She was going to get water for her house.  But should invited us to her house.  We went there and found out that her husband was a member of the church.  Her husband is in Australia ( this is common for a lot of families here.  The husband works abroad because there are more opportunities for work).  We taught her a simple lesson and we have a return appointment tomorrow. The Lord truly does place people in our paths to teach.  Obedience brings miracles of that I am so sure.


I know that this is God's work.  I know that this is not my work or the work of people, but this is God's work and I am merely an instrument in his hands.  I am so grateful so every minute here.

Well have a great week!

-Sister Richins