Dear Family and Friends,
Well this week has been so busy I hardly had time to breath!
We started off the week on Tuesday at MLC in Legazbi. It is always so great to help the mission. We talked a lot about mission rules and really tracking the progress of each companionship. We talked about working with the leaders in our wards and branches too. It was as always very inspiring.
And in no time we put all those things into effect because on Wednesday we had exchanges with Sister Flake and Sister Nortarte. I got to be companions with Sister Flake again! It was so exciting. We had such a great time thinking about all the fun times we had together when we were companions. We worked in my area while her trainee and Sister Amato worked in her area. It was crazy, Sister Flake is now training so it was like now you are training. It was really great. She is so great. We talking about what it is like being a trainer and things.
On Friday we had zone training and then we went to Gubat to have exchanges there. In case you wanted to know Gubat means forest, so we went to the forest to have exchanges! I was with Sister Hafoka from Tonga. It was good too. You learn so much in exchanges.
We got back on Saturday with enough time to do weekly planning and teach a few appointments and then it was Sunday again! In total we only worked in our area 3 days, but we worked hard. That is the sacrifice of being a leader, but it is so great to be able to help others reach their potential and to learn from them. It is really great to see the blessings that are coming to our area because we are striving to be obedient.
When Sister Flake and I were on exchanges we went to Sister Gloria's house, she was the one that we taught two weeks ago, who had come home from work because she felt that someone would come and visit. That first visit we had given her a Book of Mormon. When we taught her this week, she had read the chapter we gave her in the Book of Mormon and said even though she has a hard time seeing the pages because she really needs reading glasses she wants to read the Book of Mormon. I showed her how she can use a small glass drinking cup and a little water as a magnifying glass so that she can read the Book of Mormon. She was so excited- that is true faith there, and the power of the Book of Mormon. She promised that she would come to church, but something came up unexpectedly, but hopefully next week!
Well I can't think that everything is going way to fast. Before you know it I will just be telling stories about the times I have here in the Philippines.
Well take care!
Sister Richins
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
June 2
Dear Family and Friends,
Welcome to the month of June!
This week was challenging but rewarding. I think it is really funny. Because everything in missionary work leads up to Sunday. We teach and you teach and find, and then comes Sunday. Sometimes you go and pick up investigators and then you wait to see who will come to church. Sometimes those tense seconds on Sunday are the worst. This week during weekly planning session. I was like how can we help these precious souls progress. We were just struggling to help investigators attend church. We started our fast on Saturday and I was just fasting that we could help people attend church and progress. On Sunday, we waited and waited and then finally 15 minutes into sacrament meeting Brother Don shows up. I was so shocked. He had just expressed his concern to us about how he had studied to became a pastor in the catholic church and had started a small church where they live. But there was brother Don. It was really exciting, you could really see a difference in him, to experience church. After we asked how church was he said it was good and next week he was going to bring his whole family. Blessing.
Well that was the end of the week, but the other part of the week was great too. We had exchanges with the other sisters in Bacon. I was with Sister Estrada, she is from the part of the Philippines where the new temple is being built. She was really fun to work with and we had a great time. I worked in her area. We were walking maybe 8:30 at night and he started talking to this boy that was like 18 that was just sitting and smoking a cigarette on the street. But Sister Estrada was great and started talking to him. He wasn't really interesting, but he said his sister might. So we went to his house and taught his older sister. Sometimes when they don't look at all interested you never know, so that is why we talk to everyone!
We also had zone conference on Friday. It was really great, any time to learn from President Guanzon is really great. The workshop for zone conference was about companionship study, It was a little different kind of workshop, but it was really helpful, how we can make companionship study more effective and making our planning more effective. A good day really starts off with a good companionship study. It was a great conference and I learned so much. I am trying to sprint to the finish, strive to be exactly obedient and work hard.
This week should be exciting. We just realigned the areas in Bacon so that it was more equal in the areas closest to the chapel, so this week we are in a sense opening an area. We are also going to try to use the book of Mormon to really help our investigators progress.
I have talked so much about how great the branch leaders are in this branch because they really are. They strive to magnify their calling. We had a meeting with the branch presidency and we talked about something the Branch is working on to save the rising generation. They are tracking the Young adults and the Youth and making sure that no one gets left behind. The missionaries and the branch members are one in this. President Desuyo said we are a team to really help them become truly converted. Part of the plan is to have them work with the missionaries more, so they can share their testimony and thus be strengthened.
Well I hope everything is going well for all of you. I love being a missionary, I love it.
-Sister Richins
Welcome to the month of June!
This week was challenging but rewarding. I think it is really funny. Because everything in missionary work leads up to Sunday. We teach and you teach and find, and then comes Sunday. Sometimes you go and pick up investigators and then you wait to see who will come to church. Sometimes those tense seconds on Sunday are the worst. This week during weekly planning session. I was like how can we help these precious souls progress. We were just struggling to help investigators attend church. We started our fast on Saturday and I was just fasting that we could help people attend church and progress. On Sunday, we waited and waited and then finally 15 minutes into sacrament meeting Brother Don shows up. I was so shocked. He had just expressed his concern to us about how he had studied to became a pastor in the catholic church and had started a small church where they live. But there was brother Don. It was really exciting, you could really see a difference in him, to experience church. After we asked how church was he said it was good and next week he was going to bring his whole family. Blessing.
Well that was the end of the week, but the other part of the week was great too. We had exchanges with the other sisters in Bacon. I was with Sister Estrada, she is from the part of the Philippines where the new temple is being built. She was really fun to work with and we had a great time. I worked in her area. We were walking maybe 8:30 at night and he started talking to this boy that was like 18 that was just sitting and smoking a cigarette on the street. But Sister Estrada was great and started talking to him. He wasn't really interesting, but he said his sister might. So we went to his house and taught his older sister. Sometimes when they don't look at all interested you never know, so that is why we talk to everyone!
We also had zone conference on Friday. It was really great, any time to learn from President Guanzon is really great. The workshop for zone conference was about companionship study, It was a little different kind of workshop, but it was really helpful, how we can make companionship study more effective and making our planning more effective. A good day really starts off with a good companionship study. It was a great conference and I learned so much. I am trying to sprint to the finish, strive to be exactly obedient and work hard.
This week should be exciting. We just realigned the areas in Bacon so that it was more equal in the areas closest to the chapel, so this week we are in a sense opening an area. We are also going to try to use the book of Mormon to really help our investigators progress.
I have talked so much about how great the branch leaders are in this branch because they really are. They strive to magnify their calling. We had a meeting with the branch presidency and we talked about something the Branch is working on to save the rising generation. They are tracking the Young adults and the Youth and making sure that no one gets left behind. The missionaries and the branch members are one in this. President Desuyo said we are a team to really help them become truly converted. Part of the plan is to have them work with the missionaries more, so they can share their testimony and thus be strengthened.
Well I hope everything is going well for all of you. I love being a missionary, I love it.
-Sister Richins
May 26
Dear Family and Friends,
Well we are approaching the last week of May. The time goes so fast. It is hard to think of buy as school comes to a close over there, Everyone is getting ready to go back to school this week.
Not going to lie it was a little difficult week, we had to drop a lot of investigators. Sometimes the outside influences of family members and friends is really hard for people. Sometimes it is just a hard part of missionary work, even when people have really great experiences and they just can't withstand some social temptations. It just reminds me of the quote from Elder Jeffery R Holland that said that of course missionary work is not easy, it was never easy for the author of Salvation, even our savior Jesus Christ. He also said that Missionaries and investigators will have to feel a little of what the Savior felt. That is how we come to know our savior.
But other than a few disappointments we did have a good week in Bacon. We had one investigator sister Rose Ann. We have been teaching her for a while. She was a referral from Sister Alma Carrido when she was an investigator. She knows that Book of Mormon is true and loves reading it, but has just been so shy to come to church. She lives really close to our apartment so we have tried 3 times to pick her up for church, but is is says next time, next time. So on Saturday they branch has a picnic dinner really close to her house. We decided to see if she would come to the picnic with us. We went to get her, but she said she was too shy because she wasn't a member yet. We we went to the picnic and enlisted the help of the members. Sister Alma volunteered so Sister Alma and three of the Relief society sisters went to Rose Ann's house to get her. She was still shy so she she sent her kids instead, when they got to the picnic her little daughter decided that she didn't want to come, so sister Alma walked her back to her house and then when she came back we saw Rose Ann with her kids and Sister Alma. It was so great. The Branch was so quick to fellowship and was like okay I can come to church. This is why we need members!
We also found this investigator this week that was really prepared by the Lord, she has a lot of trials in her life and has been having a really hard time, she was suppose to be at work, but for some reason she felt that she should stay home and they we came and she said it was like and answer to prayers. She was so happy, we gave her a book of Mormon and taught her to pray. She was like I didn't know how to pray sister. She was so happy. It is these moments that make me so glad that I get to be an instrument in God's hands.
-Sister Richins
Well we are approaching the last week of May. The time goes so fast. It is hard to think of buy as school comes to a close over there, Everyone is getting ready to go back to school this week.
Not going to lie it was a little difficult week, we had to drop a lot of investigators. Sometimes the outside influences of family members and friends is really hard for people. Sometimes it is just a hard part of missionary work, even when people have really great experiences and they just can't withstand some social temptations. It just reminds me of the quote from Elder Jeffery R Holland that said that of course missionary work is not easy, it was never easy for the author of Salvation, even our savior Jesus Christ. He also said that Missionaries and investigators will have to feel a little of what the Savior felt. That is how we come to know our savior.
But other than a few disappointments we did have a good week in Bacon. We had one investigator sister Rose Ann. We have been teaching her for a while. She was a referral from Sister Alma Carrido when she was an investigator. She knows that Book of Mormon is true and loves reading it, but has just been so shy to come to church. She lives really close to our apartment so we have tried 3 times to pick her up for church, but is is says next time, next time. So on Saturday they branch has a picnic dinner really close to her house. We decided to see if she would come to the picnic with us. We went to get her, but she said she was too shy because she wasn't a member yet. We we went to the picnic and enlisted the help of the members. Sister Alma volunteered so Sister Alma and three of the Relief society sisters went to Rose Ann's house to get her. She was still shy so she she sent her kids instead, when they got to the picnic her little daughter decided that she didn't want to come, so sister Alma walked her back to her house and then when she came back we saw Rose Ann with her kids and Sister Alma. It was so great. The Branch was so quick to fellowship and was like okay I can come to church. This is why we need members!
We also found this investigator this week that was really prepared by the Lord, she has a lot of trials in her life and has been having a really hard time, she was suppose to be at work, but for some reason she felt that she should stay home and they we came and she said it was like and answer to prayers. She was so happy, we gave her a book of Mormon and taught her to pray. She was like I didn't know how to pray sister. She was so happy. It is these moments that make me so glad that I get to be an instrument in God's hands.
-Sister Richins
Sunday, May 25, 2014
May 19
Dear Family and Friends,
Well this was just a fantastic week. We started off with MLC on Tuesday and ended with the Brother and Sister Carrido's baptism on Saturday. We are still on the big summer heat wave, even with the sun, we keep on moving forward. The fan is a forever friend these days. But maybe in June everything will cool down when school starts again. That is crazy school will start here when everyone is getting out over there.
So MLC of course was just so great, we always learn so much. The assistants had a workshop about lesson planning and making our lesson planning more effective, but focusing on the baptismal interview questions and teaching to commitments. It was really helpful. Lesson planning is so important because the spirit works with us when we have a carefully planned lesson.
On Saturday we had a great baptism. It was a lot different than other baptisms that I have been to here in the Philippines. Other baptisms were great too, but none have been as spiritual as this one. It was truly a spiritual experience for them. We were all in a tricycle coming home and sister Alma was next to me and was so happy, she was like wow it feels so good to be baptized. Everyone in the room could feel the spirit bear witness of this scared ordinance. The best part for me was when Alma and Ronnie bore their testimonies. That family means so much to me, they are so special. They have such strong testimonies. We are working to teach their two kids that were not baptized with them to that they can be complete and next year can enter the temple as a family to be sealed.
On Sunday President Guanzon came to church in Bacon. It was really exciting for all the members. It has been something that President Guanzon has been trying to do in all the branches in the mission. He comes to church and then does a missionary fireside afterwards. It was really great. He spoke in Sacrament meeting and was impressed, he even though the meeting house was humble by the world's standard, it was full of the spirit. He talked about the simple commandment of obedience and particularly tithing. After the block, he gave a great fireside. He focused on hastening the work of salvation by members and missionaries working together. He had put together some numbers and showed to the members that if they had the same goals as the missionaries than they could be a ward in one year and in 7 years a stake! It got them really exciting and hopefully it will really help our area here.
During the fireside President Guanzon talked about 1. Retention, 2. Activation, 3. Conversion. When he was talking about activation President Guanzon gave the statistics of Bacon Branch, there are 200 members and the sacrament attendance is usually around 50. That means there are 150 that are lost and need to be rescued. It was then that the newly baptized and confirmed brother Ronnie Carrido asked, but why do they leave? I have really pondered that question yesterday and today. Why do they leave?
The answer to that question is something that I have pondered my whole mission. Some say they are offended, some say that the church is too far, the reasons could go on and on. But the ultimate is that they didn't have enough faith. They testimonies were not strong enough when trials came. Brother Ronnie could not understand how anyone could leave the joy that they had found and hopefully that made him make up his mind that he is never going to leave.
The rest of the week was great too. We were able to find a lot of new investigators. One new investigator Sister Janice, we gave a book of moron to her the first visit and when we came back she was already in 1 Nephi 15 and wanted to know more. We also have another new investigator Brother Nilo, who when we taught him was talking about all these things that he felt were wrong in his church. He was like they don't do things like Jesus Christ. It was like the perfect questions, and powerful when we shared the restoration of the fullness of the gospel. We also have many more new investigators with a unique story. The Lord is hastening his work and I am so thankful to be a part of this.
Of course don't think that everything is just perfect here, missionary work has a lot of challenges too, but days like Saturday make it all worth it!
Well it should be another great week! Here are some pictures from the baptism.
-Sister Richins
Well this was just a fantastic week. We started off with MLC on Tuesday and ended with the Brother and Sister Carrido's baptism on Saturday. We are still on the big summer heat wave, even with the sun, we keep on moving forward. The fan is a forever friend these days. But maybe in June everything will cool down when school starts again. That is crazy school will start here when everyone is getting out over there.
So MLC of course was just so great, we always learn so much. The assistants had a workshop about lesson planning and making our lesson planning more effective, but focusing on the baptismal interview questions and teaching to commitments. It was really helpful. Lesson planning is so important because the spirit works with us when we have a carefully planned lesson.
On Saturday we had a great baptism. It was a lot different than other baptisms that I have been to here in the Philippines. Other baptisms were great too, but none have been as spiritual as this one. It was truly a spiritual experience for them. We were all in a tricycle coming home and sister Alma was next to me and was so happy, she was like wow it feels so good to be baptized. Everyone in the room could feel the spirit bear witness of this scared ordinance. The best part for me was when Alma and Ronnie bore their testimonies. That family means so much to me, they are so special. They have such strong testimonies. We are working to teach their two kids that were not baptized with them to that they can be complete and next year can enter the temple as a family to be sealed.
On Sunday President Guanzon came to church in Bacon. It was really exciting for all the members. It has been something that President Guanzon has been trying to do in all the branches in the mission. He comes to church and then does a missionary fireside afterwards. It was really great. He spoke in Sacrament meeting and was impressed, he even though the meeting house was humble by the world's standard, it was full of the spirit. He talked about the simple commandment of obedience and particularly tithing. After the block, he gave a great fireside. He focused on hastening the work of salvation by members and missionaries working together. He had put together some numbers and showed to the members that if they had the same goals as the missionaries than they could be a ward in one year and in 7 years a stake! It got them really exciting and hopefully it will really help our area here.
During the fireside President Guanzon talked about 1. Retention, 2. Activation, 3. Conversion. When he was talking about activation President Guanzon gave the statistics of Bacon Branch, there are 200 members and the sacrament attendance is usually around 50. That means there are 150 that are lost and need to be rescued. It was then that the newly baptized and confirmed brother Ronnie Carrido asked, but why do they leave? I have really pondered that question yesterday and today. Why do they leave?
The answer to that question is something that I have pondered my whole mission. Some say they are offended, some say that the church is too far, the reasons could go on and on. But the ultimate is that they didn't have enough faith. They testimonies were not strong enough when trials came. Brother Ronnie could not understand how anyone could leave the joy that they had found and hopefully that made him make up his mind that he is never going to leave.
The rest of the week was great too. We were able to find a lot of new investigators. One new investigator Sister Janice, we gave a book of moron to her the first visit and when we came back she was already in 1 Nephi 15 and wanted to know more. We also have another new investigator Brother Nilo, who when we taught him was talking about all these things that he felt were wrong in his church. He was like they don't do things like Jesus Christ. It was like the perfect questions, and powerful when we shared the restoration of the fullness of the gospel. We also have many more new investigators with a unique story. The Lord is hastening his work and I am so thankful to be a part of this.
Of course don't think that everything is just perfect here, missionary work has a lot of challenges too, but days like Saturday make it all worth it!
Well it should be another great week! Here are some pictures from the baptism.
-Sister Richins
May 12
Dear Family and Friends,
Things are going great in Bacon. It is a new transfer, my new companion is Sister Amato, from Wellington, New Zealand. We are now both the Sister Training Leaders for Sorsogon Zone. She is great. It is exciting to get new eyes on an area.
We are doing great. We are continuing to find and find. So that was exciting. We do have one Brother Freddie that we have been teaching on and off because a lot of times we don't have a sister present, but he came to church on Sunday so that is exciting. We also have this really great investigator, Ann Rose, who was a referral from sister Carrido. She told us this week about her experience with the book of Mormon and how she felt when she prayed. She was like it is probably feels great to go to church too, but didn't know if she was going to be able to make it. But than we asked if we could pick her up for church and she completely changed. She was happy to go to church with us. It is just goes to show that it is really important to pick up investigators to come to church so that they don't feel shy.
So we are starting to harvest some of those seeds we planted the past two transfers. As always it is an exciting to be a missionary at this time. I am learning so much. Tomorrow we go to Legazbi for MLC so as always that is an exciting time to learn from President Guanzon.
-Sister Richins
Things are going great in Bacon. It is a new transfer, my new companion is Sister Amato, from Wellington, New Zealand. We are now both the Sister Training Leaders for Sorsogon Zone. She is great. It is exciting to get new eyes on an area.
We are doing great. We are continuing to find and find. So that was exciting. We do have one Brother Freddie that we have been teaching on and off because a lot of times we don't have a sister present, but he came to church on Sunday so that is exciting. We also have this really great investigator, Ann Rose, who was a referral from sister Carrido. She told us this week about her experience with the book of Mormon and how she felt when she prayed. She was like it is probably feels great to go to church too, but didn't know if she was going to be able to make it. But than we asked if we could pick her up for church and she completely changed. She was happy to go to church with us. It is just goes to show that it is really important to pick up investigators to come to church so that they don't feel shy.
So we are starting to harvest some of those seeds we planted the past two transfers. As always it is an exciting to be a missionary at this time. I am learning so much. Tomorrow we go to Legazbi for MLC so as always that is an exciting time to learn from President Guanzon.
-Sister Richins
Thursday, May 8, 2014
May 5
Dear Family and Friends,
Welcome
to the month of MAY! Time continues to fly by.
Well
this week finished up the transfer, and Sister Iqbal will be transferring. I am
really sad to have her go. She means so much to me. I love you her
so so much and I feel really close to her. It is always hard to get a new
companion after you understand them so well. Well that is the way that
missions go. It is now a time to learn and grow even more. I am so
thankful for the past three months we had together.
This
week was exciting. We were finally able to teach this less active that is
always hiding from us when we go and visit her. She has a strong
testimony, she was just offended and doesn't want to come back to the church.
Hopefully we will be able to continue to visit her and help her come back
to church.
We
also have been teaching this Part Member family, the wife is a member, but the
father, Don, is not. It is interesting to teach him because he is really
versed in the bible. He studied to be a priest in the catholic church.
He is really interested in the Book of Mormon and loves to read it-in
English! Slowly slowly with a lot of prayer he will understand. I see so
much potential in him, he could become such a power leader in the church.
On
Sunday, it was fast Sunday, and Brother Romy and Alma both bore their testimony
about how much their life has been changed, and how they want their teenage
daughters to join the church too. It is like they are already are member.
They are doing so well and after a lot they are finally able to abstain
from word and wisdom and will be baptized in May!
Well
anyway this week will be a week of change and growth! I look forward to talking
to you all next week.
-Sister
Richins
April 28
Dear Family and Friends,
Well we had a great District activity at this beautiful beach. I will try to send you pictures next week. But things are going great. I am loving it here in Bacon. The branch is really starting to support the missionary work here.
This week was we had exchanges with the Gubat Sisters on Wednesday. I went to Gubat with Sister Atienza. She was so sweet to me. It was a lot of fun. We had a great day. We did a lot of tracting and tracting, but still managed to teach 7 lessons. So there your a lot of miracles. We taught one of their great Recent Converts. He was so cute. He is 61 years old. The sisters were talking to his wife one day while she was walking. When she came home. Brother Carilito asked who she had talked to that day. And she said she had talked to the Mormon sister Missionaries. He said that he knew that she had talked to someone special that day because he had a dream about it. He was so excited and is a golden recent convert. He wants to go to the temple and be sealed to his wife and family. He has such a strong testimony of the gospel. It is so much fun to go on exchanges and meet all these great people and work with all these great sisters.
We continue to teach the Carrido family and brother is trying so hard to give up word of wisdom problems. It was a really powerful lesson this week. He said it had been years since the bible was shut in their house, but they are so grateful that it has been opened again in such a glorious way.
I realized though on exchanges how much I love my Bacon, as much as you can love another's area for one day, I really love me beloved Bacon and the people here and my wonderful, sweet, companion.
Well we are finishing up the transfer this week, we will see what happens here.
-Sister Richins
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