October 18, 2010 Another Amazing Week!

My Family,

I have a problem.... I´m addicted to what I´m doing. I have NEVER in my life, felt so good as I do in this moment in time. Missionary work is the only thing I want to do right now. Every week, every day, every second of every hour I´m here, I see miracles. Cool story to start this letter. Last week in his letter to me and Elder G., President said, ``I hope you find 20 new people to teach!`` This was strange. Me and Elder G. were both surprised that he would say that. But... we continued to work. We received a call from our AP´s that our area boundaries had been changed and we had about 5 more blocks (this is a huge amount of space) that we had never been to. Excitedly we went the next day to explore. We arrived and started contacting EVERY person in our way. This is a challenge from President, to contact every person in our path because literally God has placed them there for us. Anyway... we were contacting and knocking up a storm when we knocked a door and the Señora said, "Come on in!" We entered her house and began to talk. We asked how many people lived were her in the house and she told me something that brought tears to my eyes. She told me that because of the hurricane, currently she had..... 20 people living in her house. The instant she said this I realized yet again that I am a tool in the hands of the Lord. Maybe President received a vision and knew that I´d find literally 20 people to teach... Or maybe he is in tune with the spirit. Elder Gutierrez and I witnessed a miracle as we taught an amazing lesson, gave a baptismal date and she accepted. Amazing. THIS is the reason I love what I am doing.

I am so glad to hear news from home. It gives me indescribable strength just to read that you think about me every day. Satan tries to get missionaries to believe otherwise. I have a deepness of love for every one of you that I cannot and never will be able to describe. I´ve cried in a lesson once in my mission and it was this past week. We were with a part member family and I was talking with the mother and her 29 year old daughter. They asked me about my family and if it was hard to be away from them. I couldn´t reply. Tears filled my eyes and I told them that I love them with everything I have. We are an eternal family, without end. I find a mountain of strength in this thought. Dad, I received your handwritten letters that the family sent. Thank you so much. I read D & C 4 after I read your letter and received the strength I needed to get out and work! Mom, I need to apologize. This week I was incredibly busy and didn´t have time and forgot to take pictures of the house. I WILL take photos this week and send them. How exciting about the interview! Make it a matter of prayer! I will pray for you! Hannah, I´ve thought about you a lot lately! Thank you for your handwritten letter and words of encouragement. Also... Elder Gutierrez still is obsessed with you! :) Michael, I actually have that Iron Man pull up thing to! Too funny! I love using it! Chandler, way to go with the chicken and grilling! Have you found your passion? Claire and Grace… Stop growing. It makes me so happy to see your faces in the emails with photos Mom sends. Family.... I love you! I´m doing amazing! Health wise I´m completely better! But... I would feel bad if I didn´t fill you in on one tiny thing. I think I may have a ganglion cist on my wrist. I have talked with Hermana Hansen about it and I will be in the Mission offices tomorrow and plan to let her check it out. She told me that it might be something that we just wait to fix after the mission. It doesn´t hurt me at all... just a little ball of like fat or hard tissue or something. When I talk with Hna. Hansen I will let you know! Other than that, I am perfect! I love the food. I love the humidity, and heat! I still sweat like crazy and am losing weight like I´m on Biggest Loser. I checked my weight at the store two weeks ago and I was down another 15 lbs. The Hermanas in the ward have started asking what I´m doing to lose so much weight! I love love love love love love love this work. I love what I´m doing. I´m addicted to teaching, bearing testimony, baptizing, confirming, and giving these people the key they need to return to live with our Heavenly Father. The scripture I have thought a lot about this week is 3 Nephi 5:13. I love it. I have it written on my planner and I read it every day.

*Mom... I sent an email to Grandma and Grandpa and Grandpa emailed me back an amazing letter. I could tell he was emotional when he was writing it. He talked about how he and I have many turkeys to stuff after I get back and that he is proud to help me on my mission.

Life is good. The gospel is everything to me. I´m growing up and becoming the person I want to be. Pictures to come next week! Thank you so much for the pictures! I love the countdown sheet! Do you put a mark on every day? Who gets to do it? I love love love love love love love you all! Thank you so much for your prayers and support!. Make every day the best day! Learn something new every day! Everyday try to stretch yourself by trying something new! Press forward Saints! Press forward Ricks Family! Know that I´m loving what I´m doing, that I miss you all, and that I love you! Till next week!

Elder James Reed Ricks