HUGE WEEK!

Elder Ricks, Griselsa Rosales Martinez and Family, Elder Rios


Elder Ricks & Griselda Rosales Martinez


La Hotel Mision'

MY DEAR FAMILY,

I AM A LITTLE BUMMED BECAUSE THIS KEYBOARD I AM AT IS MESSED UP AND ONLY WRITES IN ALL-CAPS... I DON'T WANT YOU ALL TO THINK THAT I AM SCREAMING IN MY EMAIL!!! HA HA

IT HAS BEEN AN AMAZING WEEK. THIS SATURDAY WE HAD ONE OF THE MOST SPIRITUAL BAPTISMS OF MY WHOLE MISSION. I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO HAPPY AS A PERSON. I AM LIVING THE DREAM OF MY LIFE, JUST LIKE HANNAH! IT WAS SO SO SO AWESOME TO HEAR ABOUT THE MISSIONARY EXPERIENCE YOU HAD HANNAH! THAT IS EXACTLY WHY I LOVE WHAT I DO SO MUCH. IF FEELS SO GOOD TO LOOK SOMEONE IN THE EYES AND ASK THEM IF THEY ARE WILLING TO BE BAPTIZED AND HEAR THEM SAY, "YES!!!". THERE IS NOTHING BETTER. THE WOMAN WE BAPTIZED THIS WEEK IS GRISELDA LIKE I EXPLAINED LAST WEEK. SHE CHOSE ME TO BAPTIZE HER AND IT WAS SO SO SPECIAL. AFTER ALL MY BAPTISMS I LOVE TO ASK MY INVESTIGATORS RIGHT AFTER THEY GET BAPTIZED, HOW THEY FEEL. WHEN I ASKED GRISELDA SHE SAID, "I FEEL SO GOOD...." IT WASN´T ANYTHING HUGE OR POWERFUL THAT SHE SAID, BUT IT REALLY HIT MY HARD. SHE IS HAPPY AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST PROVIDES US. HAPPINESS THAT EXTENDS BEYOND THE GRAVE. THERE ARE SO MANY PEOPLE WHO LOOK FOR IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION AND INSTANT HAPPINESS, BUT THAT ISN´T WHAT LASTS. TRUE HAPPINESS IS KNOWING WITH A SURETY THAT CHRIST HAS PAID FOR MY SINS AND THAT IF I TRY MY HARDEST AND GIVE MY ALL, ONE DAY I CAN RETURN AND LIVE WITH MY ETERNAL FAMILY FOR EVER. THAT IS WHAT MOTIVATES ME TO GIVE MY ALL HERE IN TUXTEPEC!

AS A ZONE LEADER, THIS WEEK HAS BEEN DIFFICULT. WE LOST THREE WHOLE DAYS OF WORK FOR MEETINGS WE HAD IN VERACRUZ BUT I LEARNED SO MUCH. PRESIDENT TREVIÑO IS AN AWESOME MAN WITH A STRONG TESTIMONY. HE IS LIKE A MEXICAN VERSION OF ANDY BARFUSS! I REALLY THINK OF HIM EVERY TIME I TALK WITH PRESIDENT HANSEN. AND HIS WIFE IS LIKE JULIE BARFUSS... ALWAYS CRYING IN HER TESTIMONIES!!! I AM SO SAD TO LOOSE MY COMPANION ELDER RIOS FROM MY SIDE. HE IS SUCH A GREAT PERSON AND A STRONG TOOL IN THE LORDS HAND. HE HAS TAUGHT ME SO MUCH. I HAVE BEEN SO BLESSED TO HAVE GREAT COMPANIONS AND TOGETHER, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO MIRACLES HERE. TOGETHER, WE HAVE 8 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS BAPTIZING AND A FULL TANK OF THREE WEEKS TO GO. THE LORD REALLY BLESSES HIS SERVANTS WHO ARE WILLING TO PAY THE PRICE AND SACRIFICE HIMSELF. I LOVE GETTING TO THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET UP OFF MY KNEES FOR BEING SO TIRED. IT IS SATISFYING TO BE ABLE TO SAY THAT I GAVE MY ALL. BUT I AM NO WHERE NEAR PERFECT. I HAVE SO MANY ERRORS, SO MANY MISTAKES AND THINGS I HAVE TO CHANGE. I STRUGGLE EVERY NOW AND THEN WITH PATIENCE AND HUMILITY. ITS HARD SOMETIMES BUT I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING I HAVE TO LEARN HERE IN THE MISSION.

I CANT BELIEVE HOW FAST THE TIME IS FLYING. SOON ENOUGH, WE WILL ALL BE BACK TOGETHER AGAIN AND HAVING A BLAST. THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS TO BE DONE AND MEMORIES TO BE MADE... BUT WE ARE NOT THERE YET. I STILL HAVE PROGRESS TO MAKE, LESSONS TO LEARN, TALENTS TO SHARPEN, AND SOULS TO SAVE.

I HAVEN'T HEARD IF I WILL BE HERE STILL IN TWO WEEKS. ITS RARE THAT THEY COULD CHANGE ME BUT SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS. WHEN THEY CHANGE BOTH COMPANIONS IN THE AREA, ITS CALLED A WHITEWASH AND THEY ARE ALWAYS INTERESTING. I WILL OF COURSE LET YOU ALL KNOW AS SOON AS I KNOW. MEANWHILE, I THINK IT WILL BE BETTER TO SEND PACKAGES STRAIGHT TO THE MISSION HOME AND NOT TO THE SECRETARY OF THE WARD HERE IN TUXTEPEC. EITHER WAY I WILL GET IT SUPER FAST BECAUSE WE ALWAYS ARE GOING TO VERACRUZ FOR ZONE LEADER MEETINGS.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LETTERS AND SUPPORT! I LOVE YOU ALL AND CANT WAIT TO HEAR FROM YOU NEXT WEEK!

ELDER JAMES REED RICKS

These are a few photos we took during the week! One is a hotel right by our house that is called, "Hotel: la misòn" ha ha ha in English it says, "hotel: the mission" i thought it was hilarious and extremely ironic! the others are photos from the baptism we had this week. i loved being able to baptize Griselda Rosales Martinez. it was a very very spiritual experience and many tears were shed. love you all!!