Goodbye President and Sister Hansen

The photo of us all in suits is my missionary "family!" Elder Gutierrez is the great grandpa, I am the grandpa. Elder Harmon is my son and Elder Flint, the short gringo, is my grandson! I think we are the biggest missionary family in the whole mission. In this photo is Me and my three sons, Elder Hernandez, Harmon (with his son) and Elder Molina and also my "dad" Elder Gutierrez and his son! What a cool photo right??? It is so rare! We are the only four generation family in the mission! :)







My Dear Family,

WOW!! What an amazing week it has been! It seems like I was just here last week writing you, and now I am here again, and tomorrow I will have 14 months as a missionary! I cannot fathom how fastly the time is flying. I love what I do everyday and am so blessed. This week we confirmed two of our converts who weren't confirmed last week. They are amazing converts and are so happy with the decision they have taken. This week we had the opportunity to get together as an entire mission. On Tuesday at 10:00am the entire Veracruz Mexico Mission got together in the church building next to the temple in Boca del Rio and it was such a sad/spiritual meeting. It was a goodbye conference for Pdte. Hansen and Hermana Hansen and many many many tears were shed. The week before, the secretaries of the mission asked ALL the missionaries to send a funny picture from the mission to them and they made a goodbye video for President Hansen and President was bawling. To close the meeting we sang the Mission Hymn "Brillan Rayos de Clemencia." The coolest part is that I was able to see all my old companions again... especially Elder Harmon. It was so funny when he saw me... he threw his backpack to the ground and I stripped off my suit coat and we ran to each other and hugged for like 5 minutes. It was so good to see him and hear him. He is now training a new missionary which makes me a Grandpa!!!

This week, Elder Rios has taught me so much about patience, humility and love. When he talks, it shows that he is interested in what you are saying and I know it is a talent he has been blessed with. Last night we were both laying down in our beds and I was just about to fall asleep. I told him, "Thanks for being so patient with me. I know it would be hard sometimes being my companion." He waited a little bit and didn't say anything. Then he said, "Elder Ricks, you know I love you." I about cried like a 3 year old girl. I am sad that he will be going soon. It makes the mission so easy to have great companions who have the same desire I do to work my tail off and be obedient. That is one thing I like about being a zone leader... I can rest assured that my companions that President sends me, will be the best of the best and will be hard workers. President made me cry in my letter this week. He told me as his last words to me, "I am so proud of you. I love you so much. You have a great mission ahead of you..." I will miss him so much. He reminds me of Dad.. so wise and so loving.

I love being a missionary. I cant say it enough. I don't like thinking that I only have 10 more months as a full time representative of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I feel like I don't know what to do after the mission, but I know the Lord will bless me. Every day is a blessing and an opportunity to learn an eternal lesson. The other day in my personal study I was reading Mosiah 27--the conversion of Alma the Younger. It made me remember with exactness, the day of my conversion. It was one morning during a personal study I had while I was serving in Taylorsville, Utah. An experience so sacred and special for me that I will never forget. I remember feeling a complete change of heart. A desire to sin no more and feeling spiritually reborn in Christ. I love the scriptures and this gospel and my Savior. I love and cherish my membership in this, the only true church. The members here love me so much! Today, the ward took us to Coppel (a nice store that is like.... J.C. Penny) and bought my companion and I each a pair of new shoes!! They saw that the shoes I had were all beat up and they put money together to buy us new shoes! I will be sure to thank all of them! I am thrilled and so pleased to know that everyone is doing so amazing at home! I cant believe how tall Mike and Chandler are getting and I cant believe my oldest sister is Relief Society second counselor! I have such an awesome family! Know that I love you all so much and can't wait till one day, we can all hug again! But for the mean time, I am going to work till I can't work any more, preach until all have heard, and baptize until all are clean. That is my goal. I love you all so much! ¡¡Hasta la siguente semana hablaremos!!

Elder James Reed Ricks



MOM P.S: I am all better now! Who knows what it was that got me... bad food I bet. But now I am great and even MORE skinny after throwing up one day solid! :) I never went to the doctor. I had to take out money for something not so smart I did... I accidentally lost our cell phone and when we loose our cell phones, we have to pay for them. So, that was why I had to take out dinero. Thank you for the package! I can't think of one single thing that I utterly need so I think we are good! This week we will baptize a man named Sergio! I will explain his awesome story in the next letter but just wanted to give the heads up! Love you all!!!!!!!