Week of Trials

My Dear Family,

Another great and super fast week is gone! I cant believe that in 13 days I will have 16 months in the mission! This week was rough... We had ups and downs and alot of humbling experiences. I am sad that this change is ending... Elder Rios has been one of my best companions and I don't look forward to saying goodbye to him. We have had so much success here together in Tuxtepec. In three months together, we have 14 converts! The Lord has blessed us so much and I have learned and grown with him by my side. The only thing is that it is never pretty to watch a missionary finish his mission. Every thing becomes so emotional. Ha ha I can only imagine how awful it feels knowing that your unique two years of missionary service is ending and that it'd be hard to balance the bitter sweet emotions. The poor thing is jumping off the walls with excitement one minute and in tears the next. Sometimes I don't know how to react. Ha ha But the most important is that we are still together for just one week longer and we have one week to give it all to the Lord. President Treviño explained to E. Rios that the mission is like a 1/2 mile sprint in the Olympics. When is it that the runner runs the fastest? At the end. The mission is the same. In that last week of my mission, I should run and give all I've got and push myself like never before. But that doesn't mean that I can slack off or step down a notch until that time comes. Every day my goal is give it my all and ALWAYS stay motivated and excited to do the Lords work. This week like I said, has humbled us alot. We had Marcos and Maria Eugenia on date for this past Saturday like I explained in my last letter, but their baptism dates fell through. The day of the baptism, their dad got mad at them saying that they were"disrespectful" and still not prepared to be baptized. I understand that maybe they are young kids and do things that kids do, but I have a hard time siding
with the Dad who is a raging drunk. It is obvious that his children dont respect him for the life that he lives, and he expects them to be perfect. Anyways... he got mad and started fighting with his wife and it all ended with him saying that he'd never give his permission to be baptized his kids. I couldn't help but cry when I saw the two of them crying becasue they weren't going to be able to be baptized. I know somehow the Lord will provide for them and even if its not me who gets to help them be baptized, the Lord with give them their opportunity. We learned alot from this experience together. Things like we have to improve our teaching, obedience and faith in the Lord. Just like the Book of Mormon, the pride cycle still exists something I have really learned as a missionary is about staying in the "prospering" stage, and not falling pride or trusting in the arm of the flesh. I can relate myself with Ammon from the book of Alma 26:12. I know that I am nothing without him and would not be able to have success as a misisonary without him. This Sunday was stake conference here in Tuxtepec and our mission president and the Temple president came here to the meetings. They talked about families, going to the temple regularly and obedience to the commandments. But what I liked the most, was when our Pdte. Treviño talked about the Doctrine of Christ found in 2 Nephi 31. First, have faith in Christ. Faith so strong that leads us to our knees in repentance. Repentance to cleansing that a desire to follow Christ into the waters of baptisms is born. Following baptism by immersion comes the Comforter that Christ promised in John 14. The gift of the Holy Ghost is the map and guide as we endure to the end. As a misisonary, my only objective is to help my investigators and converts with the first four steps: Faith, repentance, * BAPTISM*, and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. I have said it like 6,300 times but it is so true.. Missionaries are like spiritual doctors. The only difference is that the "patients" dont tell us right off the bat what their "symptoms" are. Actually there is only one doctor who knows what my investigators need and it is Jesus Christ. He communicates the treatment required to us as missionaries through the holy ghost and our duty is to ALWAYS be worthy of its guidance and support. Jeffery R. Holland taught us in the MTC that the scripture in D&C that says, "If you have not my spirit, you *shall* not teach." is acutally a commandment from God the Father saying, "If you dont have my spirit with you Elder Ricks, do NOT teach my children." With out the spirit to guide us as missionaries, we cannot do his work. I love being a missionary becasue I am learning so much. Everyday is like a dream. I always thought it would be a

neat experience to serve a mission and it was always something I wanted to do. I often regret not preparing more before the mission. I know that Mike and Chan will be amazing misisonaries and so so so successfull. I will let you all go for this week. Thank you so much for your letters, support, love, and thoughts. I can always rest assured that you are all protected, safe, and blessed. I cant wait to see you all again! But until then, I got more to baptize!!!!!!!!!!

Elder James Reed Ricks