November 1, 2010

My Dear Family,

I’m a little sad that this week I won’t have a full hour to write. I look forward all week to this hour and sometimes we have to make changes to the schedule. Today is my last day with Elder G and we have been running around all day saying goodbye to his friends he has made here. This week has been amazing. Yesterday I witnessed a miracle. The spiritual story this week is the story of a little old lady named, Paula. Paula is the maid in a house of a member. We have been teaching their cousin, Dalia for about three weeks now. Paula never wanted to listen. Every time we began to teach, she would leave the room almost a little upset. I could tell she had something that was bothering her. Time passed by. Saturday night it was this family’s turn to feed us. We committed Paula to come to church ( this past Sunday happened to be Stake Conference and 2 Elders from the 70 came! ) and she told us she would. The speakers were amazing and talked a lot about baptism. After the meeting we scheduled an appointment to go to the home of Paula and talk individually with her. Little did we know what the Lord had in store for two missionaries in Volcanes, Veracruz Mexico? We began the lesson with a prayer. My companion offered it. After he finished the prayer, we opened our eyes to Paula, streaming with tears. She began to pray out loud, thanking the Lord for finally sending her a sign. She has a son who is living in the United States (who just was baptized) and she prayed for the Lord to protect him. After she told us that we don’t understand the pain a mother feels for a son living separate of her. Immediately I thought of my own Mom. I began to cry. She said that the feelings are the strongest when she makes dinner and no one comes to join her at the table.

I can only imagine it is the same with my mom. For 19 years I came to the table. And now, I’m in Mexico. The spirit was strong in the lesson and we taught amazingly! We gave her a date to be baptized and she wanted to do it sooner. Paula will be baptized on November 6th 2010. She is what us missionaries like to call pure gold. Little did we know that she was listening to everyone of the lessons we taught just from another room. She told us she had been praying so hard to receive an answer that this is the right church. I hope you can feel the spirit as you read this. I have never been so happy, rewarded, and filled with the spirit in my life. The Lord works in mysterious ways. Never in my time in this area, did I think I would see Paula receiving the lessons and being baptized. Never. The Lord has a plan. I love what I am doing and know it’s the right thing.

I love each of you. Dad, I deeply appreciate hearing about your journal entries. I love you and look up to you so much. Thank you for the reassuring guidance you are to me. I love you all and want you to know that. I will be sure to write more next week and I have a ton of photos of our house on the way next week too!

***Mom: About the parting of the hair. In the Veracruz Mission this part is called the "LINE" and it is something that every Elder in this mission does. President has asked us to do it! I love it!***


Till next week! Remember that I love you all! Talk to you soon on the phone!


Elder James Reed Ricks