On the Way Home!

My Dear Family,

I never ever imagined how hard it would be to write this letter. I haven´t cried in an Internet cafe for a while. I cannot believe that I am writing home as a full time missionary for the last time. So many emotions and thoughts and feelings are running 1,000 miles an hour through my mind. It has been an amazing week. I have worked so hard and I am so so so happy to finish and complete my offering to the Lord. This last week, we had my last baptism, Yarhedi Huerta Vazquez. She is so special to me and I love her and her family. It was such a special baptism and I had the blessing and opportunity to enter into the water one last time as a missionary and baptize her.

It has been hard to say goodbye to so many friends and "family" here in Veracruz. Dad was completely right... It is way harder to come back from a mission, than it was to leave. I am so eternally thankful to my Father in Heaven for the blessing and opportunity that I have had for 24 amazing months to serve him as a full time missionary. My life will never be the same and I am eternally indebted with him. I am so excited to see you all. You are all my very best friends. I don´t know who, were what I´d be if it weren´t for each and everyone of you. I have learned so much being a missionary. It has been the best experience of my life.

NASA understands how it is finishing a mission. Two years ago I blasted off from Mission Control. In my journal today, I wrote "T-minus four days..." But then I realized that it was actually more like a re-entry. The blast off is always the best part to watch. I loved watching the shuttle hurtle towards the heavens and see the huge trail of smoke left behind. I loved blasting off personally two years ago into "heaven on earth" and embarking in this, the work of the Lord. But what is the most spectacular, jaw-dropping, astounding blast off worth without the re-entry. Just as you are all making preparations for re-entry, I am as well. I have set goals, made plans and established standards. I have been thinking about this day, my last letter home, for two years, thinking about what I would say and how I would feel. I definitely am not sad to finish this part of my life. Let me explain a little better. It is hard to realize that this chapter of my life is drawing to a close, but if we think about it, the mission is only the MTC for the rest of my life. I experience the most overwhelming sense and feeling of peace and happiness to think that I am finishing my mission with honor. It is such a sacred blessing to me. I have an eternity to think about every single minute spent, miracle seen, and heart touched. I am definitely feeling nostalgic, but not sad. I have my favorite 7 people on the face of this green earth waiting with arms open. I have so much to be thankful for. I want to close my lest letter as a representative of Jesus Christ with my testimony. It is personally mine and I found it here in the mission.

I know that God is my Eternal Father. I know that he knows me better than anyone else. I will always make him proud. I know that Jesus the Christ is my Savior and Redeemer who has personally and intimately paid for each and every one of my mistakes. I have felt his power and the power of the Atonement. I have been "born of the Spirit." I know that we are not members of just some other fancy church with pretty buildings and "nice" morals. We are members of the ONLY true and real Church of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. His church was lost from the face of the Earth for so many years. Joseph Smith was called by God to bring back the blessings of exaltation. I testify that if we do our part, we will return to his presence. I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I had never read in entirely before the mission. That has changed. It is my favorite book and in it, I can find REAL answers straight from God for me, personally. I know the the Ricks family, is "tough as bricks" and we will be together forever. May you all feel the love and respect that I have for each one of you. May you know how grateful I am to be your son/older brother/friend. May God be with you till we meet again. Oh so soon.
Con todo el amor mexicano, veracruzano, y tejano que tengo,

For the last time, we´ll see ya´ll in a few!

Elder James Reed Ricks

I would love Dad´s famous breakfast tacos for breakfast. I will make the salsa and guacamole! :)
Lunch... I don´t know. I haven´t eaten "lunch" for more than two years because here "lunch" is really "dinner"... I´ll leave that one up to you!

Dinner.... Hmmm... That is a hard one. I think I will need to go with the Chicken noodle soup, with the whole baby carrot. :)

Mom...
You have successfully raised a full-time, honorably released son. May you feel the satisfaction and gratitude that our Heavenly Father has for you and for what you´ve done to help ME help so many people here in Veracruz. You're the best. I´ve got my cheek all ready for three days. :)

My Joy is Full

Dear Family,  

The time on my mission runs through my hands like water. I feel more happier than I have ever felt in my entire existence. Not just because I will see my best friends in 11 days, but because I am satisfied with my offering to the Lord. I have so much to say about that, and not enough time to do it, so we´ll leave that conversation for Thursday night, the 3rd of May.    We had such a successful week this last week, and we will be baptizing my last week as a missionary!!!!!! We baptized two amazing young people, Yarhedi and Daniel. Yarhedi is 13 and is a really special girl. From the first lesson she accepted baptism and even though she was faced with trials and obstacles, she followed the example of Jesus Christ and was baptized. I had the privilege of doing the ordinance. Daniel is 12 and is a super awesome young guy, ready to receive the priesthood and prepare to go on a mission. He lives with his family who are all members that we helped the ward re-activate. They were confirmed this Sunday and have really been drawn into the activities and fellowshipped by the ward. Yarhedi offered the final prayer in the baptismal service and the poor thing just couldn`t make it through without crying. She thanked our Father in Heaven for the blessing it was to be baptized and be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.    We are so blessed. Elder Mathias and I worked our tails off and even though my feet still hurt me every now and then, we were able to complete with all our goals for this week! Elder Mathias has some back problems, so tomorrow, he has an appointment with the back doctor. I sure love Elder Mathias; he has taught me a lot and I am thankful to have him as a companion. He has some funny/weird/outrageous ideas. We have found so many new people to teach. I feel exactly how Dad said he felt his last week as a missionary; not afraid to talk to anyone. We are working hard and I am so proud to say that I am finishing the mission strong. Jonas sent me a funny email today. He said, "Promise me that you will work up until the very last second. And if I know you at all, you will!" I really have some great friends and I am so thankful for all the blessings I have.    In the MTC, almost two years ago, Elder Holland came and talked to all the young missionaries getting ready to hit the field. He told us, "You better come back with at least one convert... And it better be you." I can testify with all the power and strength that I have, that I am now a TRUE convert to the church. I will never leave behind what I have seen here and taught and done, and preached. In the missionary handbook, it teaches us to live worthily of the respect and gratitude that the people that we have been able to help, have for us. I am so thankful for the atonement of Jesus Christ. I have learned so much about him and myself here in the field. This is the only time I will ever have to work shoulder to shoulder with the Lord in his work so directly. I love Doctrine and Covenants 39:7&13. I found that a few days ago and I love how specific that is for me. Check it out and ya´ll understand. :)    It blows my mind that I will be home in 11 days. I am exited and ready for the next chapter of my life. May you all understand, feel, and know that I love you all so much. Until we meet again. :) My joy is full. 

Elder James Reed Ricks

My Dear Family,

   I cannot believe that there are only two p-days left. The time is flying so fast! We have been working so hard and it has been absolutely crazy here in Camino Real. Today, I received the flight plans for my trip home and I land at 5:45pm. I really don´t know what to think. So many emotions and thoughts. So much excitement and so many tears. But I will continue running till the end and I am so happy to be a missionary. This last week was a little rough! I have some SEVERE blisters on the bottoms of both of my feet. I bought some new shoes and the sole is kind of thin so I think that is why. Long story, short... I had to go to the doctor and they cut all the blisters off. She told me that I had to rest 8 days and I told the doctor, "I cant right now. I will rest in two weeks!" She thought it was funny, and I still think she thought I was kidding, but I wasn´t. There is no way on this big green earth, that I am going to sit on my butt for the last weeks of my mission. The good news is that my blisters are alot better now. I can walk at normal speed now and I am READY TO GO! I am preparing for final approach and making preparations.

  We had a baptism that fell through this last week for a time. The sister and her daughter were really short on time for Spring Break vacations and we re-put her date for this Thursday. We will be having 3 this Thursday and I am so excited! We also have a date for my last week, the 26th! I cannot believe I will not be having baptismal services anymore. That is so sad and it makes me want to work my tail off. It is hard realizing that this is all winding down. But I am excited to put in practice everything I have learned.

   This week, we found a 75 year old woman, named Esther. She heard of the church from a friend she has in another state here in Mexico. She told Esther to find the "mormon temple" and attend one Sunday. So she did. But the ward she went to was really far away from her house, so the missionaries wrote down her direction and passed the reference. She accepted a baptismal date from the first lesson and reminds me so much of Grandma Ricks. She shakes our hands with her two hands and the way that she looks us in the eyes and tearfully thanks us for having visited her, and the way she slightly tilts her head reminds me of my guardian angel who is wokring along side me here in Mexico. I don´t doubt the Grandma Ricks is helping prepare the hearts of people to hear the gospel. Esther has had a long, hard, sad life without the blessings of the gospel. She is afraid of death and has doubts and concerns. The solution: two teenage missionaries trying to speak spanish, sweating like dogs, who bring the singular most important message that could possibly be shared. There is one suffering, lost, confused soul now. I love Esther and have learned so much from her in these few days I have known her. When she came to church with us this week, she shook EVERYONES´ hand and wished the best for everyone! I love finding people who are truly struggling and helping find the way.

  I am finishing my mission. But my joy is full. I feel blessed and loved, in every form. I can`t wait to see ya`ll. My best friends. God be with you till we meet again.

 Elder James Ricks

Happy Easter

President Trevino & Elder Ricks

Baptism of Omar de Jesus

P Day Fun!

Just helping with some painting

Thoughts of Mom (She loves Elephants)

My Dear Family,

   I don't know why right now, but I am so excited! Thank you so much for all your letters and the awesome Easter pictures! It was good to hear from ya´ll! It was an amazing, blessing-filled week here in Veracruz. We had Leader Counsel on Wednesday and I learned a lot. It was my last zone conference and I gave my final testimony. They made a video of the missionaries who are going home and everyone laughed their heads off when they saw the photo of me in the suit when I was like 4! (Thanks Mom and Hannah for that photo!) It was so hard to stand up in front of all my friends, companions, and President and his wife, to bear my last testimony. I talked about how two years ago, I made a decision that saved my life. Serving as a missionary has made all the difference in my life and I am so thankful for the opportunity to have been able to serve. I feel so clean and pure and full of the spirit. I also talked about how grateful I am for the atonement in my life. I wouldn´t be able to do anything without him. Alma 26:12.

  We also baptized this week! This week, we baptized Omar de Jesus! His wife, who is a member, two weeks ago, came up to us in church and told us that her husband told her that he wanted to be sealed with her in "her" temple! She explained that there was only one obstacle to be able to do that.... He wasn´t a member yet. So we began to give him the discussions. The first visit, we taught the restoration and invited him to follow the example of Jesus Christ and be baptized. He accepted. We put a date with him, for two weeks later. That night he received a miracle. His wife had told him that to be able to be baptized, he would need to quite smoking. Since he was 13, he has smoked and the day before we got to his house, he was up to 2 packs of cigarettes a day. That night after we left his house, he quite smoking and hasn´t since. Later he told us when we asked how he was feeling, "Elders, after a life long of smoking and trying so many times to leave it behind, I have been able to do it! How do you think I feel?" He had the biggest smile on his face. It was my privilege to baptize him. I love him and his family. They have two young children, Blanca who is 4 years old and Juan Pablo, who has just like 8 months. Juan was born without ears and is a really special soul in their family. They love him so much and it reminds me of how much I love my own family.

   There is nothing better than being a missionary. It is so gratifying and satisfactory. But my companion and I were talking about something really funny about baptism. All of our countless hours, practices, and thoughts and prayers for weeks and weeks and weeks, lead up to a apparently "small" action that takes places in 10-15 seconds. From the tiny hinge of 'baptism' pivots the great and enormous door that opens up to eternal life. That is, that salvation depends on it. And it is such a sacred privilege to help people make that step. The miracles really never do end.

   I love you all so much! Thank you for your good example and for living the gospel of Jesus Christ. Every Sunday as we are kneeling down to pray at the end of ward counsel, our Bishop, Bishop Caballero says something I really love. He says, "Lets go save our brothers and sisters. Here inside we don't save. Out there we do." The gospel only blesses our lives when we put it in practice and the greatest blessing a missionary can receive and sense and physically see, is the blessings of his family back home LIVING the gospel. May He continue to bless you all. Until we talk again! See you soon! :)

Èlder James Reed Rìcks

WOW!



Teresita de Jesus Avila Minguez  Baptism



My Dear Family,


What an amazing week it was! I am so excited and thankful to be a member of this church! It was AMAZING listening to conference and a little sad to think that it was my last General Conference with a name tag on. And to top everything off, we had a baptism in between conference sessions! We baptized Teresita de Jesus Avila Minguez and she is such an amazingly strong convert! She read up to 2 Nephi 12 in one week and loves the Church of Jesus Christ. She told us, "I am 100% willing and ready to be a Mormon all of my life!" Her parents are not yet members of the church, but we are working with them. Teresita is 12 years old and is in love love love with Twilight and Edward Cullen. She is hilarious. After every lesson with her, she hands us a hand written note or a sketching she has done of Jesus Christ. She is really special and it was been an enormous blessing to be able to teach and help her be baptized! My companion baptized her because the day of her baptism was his BIRTHDAY! Elder Mathias turned 20! All in all it was just an awesome weekend and I felt strongly the spirit. I will miss that about being a missionary. I have never felt so close to the spirit. My goal of course, is to keep it like that all of my life! It is hard to think about leaving this place behind. I love so much Veracruz and the people who live here. It wont be the last time I am here, but it is still hard to say goodbye or actually think about saying goodbye to friends, companions, President and his Wife, and converts. But I am excited to finish my mission in honor. That was the goal from the beginning and I daily realize more and more the miracle that it is, that a missionary returns with honor.

Sounds like it was an equally awesome week back home, especially for Mom and Claire. One word.... JEALOUS! I am 100% positive that that was an experience that neither of you will ever forget! I want to hear all the details and and see more photos! I loved the photos that you did send! It looks just like the movies make it look! I am sure it was just a really magical experience and I would have loved to see Claire sing in Carnegie Hall! WOW! What a cool experience! I can´t wait to hear you sing Claire when I get home! I am glad to know that everything went over smoothly and that you're home safe! I am so thankful for the blessings that the Lord has given us as I have served a mission. I think the biggest change I have had, is the change in myself. I am definitely not the same as before. I have acquired celestial habits and I will miss working on the front lines in the Lords work.
My favorite talks from Conference were Elder Hollands´ about the parable of the Lord and his servants, and the quote from President Uchdorf's talk when he said quoted a bumper sticker that said, "Don't judge me because I sin differently than you do!" How true that is! I also loved Elder Bednar´s talk about the conversion story of his father and the importance of always remembering the sacred responsibility is it to possess the Priesthood. I loved conference and even though we weren´t able to watch it in English, I learned a lot. I remember that the choir sang, "Let us oft speak kind words" and I remembered Dad singing that always when we weren´t getting along! Good times and memories that I will never forget.

I love you all so much! Thanks for all you do for me! I think about you daily and you are all a huge motivation to me to keep working and running till the end! Until next week!

Elder James Ricks