Be Still My Soul

My Dear Family,

Wow... What a week it has been for the Ricks Family. I am so glad to hear how wonderful and beautiful the service went. I have thought constantly of Grandma this week. The pictures of her that you sent me last week, I sent to be printed and tomorrow I should pick them up. I am going to put a copy in my handbook to take her with me wherever I go. I have felt so strongly that she is watching the work I am doing here in Mexico. Much to my surprise, I haven´t been sad. I know without doubt where sweet Grandma Ricks is right now. I have written in my planner above the daily activities I have, the phrase, "Make her Proud!" I have worked hard this week to do so. I know she is serving in the work on the other side of the vail. President Hansen wrote me this week saying that he thinks his mom, and my grandma are chatting right now. They were both the same age. The funeral was perfect. I feel like I was there. I loved the photos of my family in the snow at the grave site. Everyone had their sweaters and looked so amazing! It motivated me to work even harder!


This week we unfortunately had some baptism dates that fell. Of the three weeks in January so far, we have baptized two of them and that last two Saturdays, we have baptisms planned! President´s assistant, Elder Goodworth, called me today to tell me that tomorrow I have to be in Veracruz at 9 in the morning for leadership training. When Elder Dominguez leaves to his house in a week I will be the senior companion and trainer of Elder Harmon and for that reason I have the training tomorrow. I am going to miss ·Elder D like crazy. We have had so much success and fun together. The other day we had something funny happen. We were contacting in the street and we approached a lady. She was a senora of about 45-50 years old. I started the contact and said, " Hi!, Good afternoon, we´d like to present ourselves with you real quickly. My name is Elder Ricks. Whats your name?" She snapped back way quickly, "I´m Catholic." A little tired of hard hearted people rejecting us, I responded, "Nice to meet you Catholic!" Hahahaha I tell you that story to show you that I haven´t lost my sense of humor. Elder D has taught me so much and will be a life long friend. And, thanks to the photo I have of the family on my desk, and especially the one of Hannah, he might even be my brother in law. Hahaha All my companions seem to think that Hannah is muy muy beautiful. :)


Dad, I bet you did amazing at the funeral. I sure would have liked to be there to comfort you as you passed through all this but know I am where I am supposed to be. Mom, DANG! You look way skinny in the photos! I could feel your love in the photos you sent me. Thank you so much. Hannah, I cried like a baby, when I saw that you asked to save Riggoleto and the Chinese checkerboard and chalkboard. Thank you so much. Tell "Shawntell" that I say hi and thanks for her bounteous letters. :) Mike/Miguel and Chandler... today I went to a waterfall with my companions that you both would have loved. We HAVE to come back after my mission here and we are going to explore it. You would have loved climbing down in the canyon with me! Claire, Holy smokes you have grown up so much! I still have your Claire Bear on my desk and I see it every morning before I start my studying. Grace... I love you so much! You and Claire are both growing so fastly!

My family... in these hard times, we have passed through peacefully and comfortably. These are blessings from our Father in Heaven. We have received so much from him and we are so grateful for the plan of Salvation. The knowledge of a life after death. Lets do everything we can to return and live with Grandma again! I think about you all so much! You are all such a strength and motivation to me! Keep praying hard for me and I´ll do the same for you! I love you all so much! Until next week!


Elder James Ricks