So, thanksgiving, eh?
Yeah, so on Thanksgiving, we had a Turkey Bowl with missionaries from three different zones(stakes). Don't worry, it was flag football. We're not allowed to do tackle because, well, y'all know I always hurt myself when I play tackle. Just imagine about 40 missionaries playing tackle! That'd be bad.
Anyway, we played for three hours on Thanksgiving, playing three different games. The first two games were fun because both teams were playing to have fun. The last game........... almost ruined the whole thing. The people on the other team were taking it way too seriously and it wasn't fun anymore. Elder Monibidor twisted his ankle, another missionary had serious cramps going on in his calves, and lots of just too-seriousness. It was lame. Anyway, I just tried not to remember that game, even though I did get a pretty good kickoff return of about thirty yards. So it was all good. But man was I sore for the next few days!! Elder Monibidor and I looked miserable and pitiful. We both were walking really slow and we both had to grab our legs and pick them up to get them in the car.
Then we ate dinner with some members and that was fun. Then we ate more Friday than we did on Thanksgiving. We were invited by an investigator over to their sons house for a fish fry. It was oh, so good. Lots of food and lots of fried fish. I loved it!
So this past week was good. This upcoming week is going to be good to. It's Leadership Training. I'm not going, but I am going to a different area for four days. It's gonna be fun.
Spiritual thought of the week: Don't underestimate the influence of God in everything around you and everything you do. We can possibly understand how much God really influences our lives. I'm beginning to understand a little bit. I've learned that even though someone slams the door in my face, there are going to be missionaries coming back again and again until they actually listen. We never force them, we only keep offering the Gospel to them until they finally hear it all. Once they hear it and understand it, it's up to them to make the choice. But one way or another they are going to hear it and have the chance to accept it or not. It's inevitable.
I love y'all and hope y'all are doing good. And always remember, just open the door the first time the guys in white suits and ties with nametags come around. It will save you lots of time if you just listen and then decide what to do. Also, read the Book of Mormon. it's good for you! And you're eternal salvation!! :D
Love ya,
-Elder Ricky-dude
Check out this really cool website and profile:
http://mormon.org/me/3SFV/Rick/
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
November 28, 2011
November 21, 2011
November 21, 2011
This past week was... gone so fast I don't remember most of it. Literally. Time is going way to fast for me.
The biggest thing I remember from this past week was that we taught this atheist guy. He's not contentious at all, he just is having a hard time understanding the spiritual side of things. He's a great guy, very nice, very intelligent, almost too intelligent for his own good. He's a history guy and loves that kind of stuff. The last appointment we had with him was pretty interesting. We started talking about the Book of Mormon and how his reading was going. He didn't start from the beginning, he only flipped to random parts and read from there. We ended up talking about physics, Einstein, the big bang theory, and that kind of stuff. It was weird. I came away from that lesson with a greater appreciation for having the Gospel in my life.
The next day, Elder Monibidor and I were talking about it and found so many places in the Book of Mormon and the Bible where having a knowledge of God increases your knowledge of everything else. For instance, when Alma is talking to Korihor about how everything testifies there is a God and that the planets in their motion testify of him. I don't think Alma had a telescope back then. He must have learned it from God. Then, in Helaman 12:15, Nephi (or Mormon, whoever's talking) teaches us that the earth goes around the sun. So many people in the Dark Ages that the sun went around the earth. In 7 BC, a prophet of God know that the Earth went around the Sun. Why? Because he did what Christ has told us to do in 3 Nephi 13:33 - Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you.
I finally figured it out:
- You want help in school? Study your scriptures, pray, keep the commandments.
- You need help with finances? Study your scriptures, pray, keep the commandments.
- You need help knowing what career to choose? Study your scriptures, pray, keep the commandments.
When you put God first, everything else comes after it.
I know that to be true because I've been trying to put God first for the past year and a half (I'm not perfect, that's why I put "trying") and I've been better able to understand everything else I'm doing and that I need to know. When you have God first, you have you're life in order, because He steps in a straightens the rest of your life. Of that I bear testimony, in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
I love y'all and hope and pray you're doing well.
-Elder Ricky-dude
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
November 14, 2011
November 14, 2011
So this past week was pretty cool!!!
It was a lot of fun this past week. We talked to a lot of people and lots of people got mad at us. One guy, a chubby guy with long hair in a pink bath robe, threatened to (get this) spray us with a hose if we came back to his house. Ahh the life of a missionary!! Yep, I wouldn't trade this for anything!
So I want to share the biggest and coolest experience of this past week. I figured out why I was put here in Midlothian. The reason I was put here is because we're taken care of so well that we don't have to worry about a lot of stuff. I can focus more on building my skills as a missionary and bringing people to Christ. That was the coolest realization I had so far. Because I have six months left, I guess the Lord really wants me to be down in the nitty-gritty of missionary work. I'm cool with that. I like talking to people, doing service, and teaching doctrine in a fun (sometimes crazy) sort of way.
(Random note: yesterday in church a sister who gave a talk mentioned how people used the word "crazy" to describe what she does. She redefined it as "a high-functioning insanity". I just thought that was funny)
I am having so much fun out here. I have never been more excited about missionary work in my life than I am now. The biggest reason why, that I can see, is that I don't want to come home a feeling like I could have done better. I already know I could have done better in so many different things already, but I'm going to put those behind me for now and move on and become better. I'm gonna make the last six months of my mission the best six months of my life so far. I'm gonna run myself ragged. It's gonna be so cool!!!!
I love y'all and hope y'all are doing well.
-Elder Ricky-dude
Pictures
1. This mat was at a door we were knocking at. We were standing there for a sec and then we looked down, laughed, knocked again, and when no one answered the door, we took a picture of the mat.
2. I got a picture of the clock saying 11:11 on 11/11/11. Once in a lifetime experience!!!
3. Proof that I do comb my hair (some of the time.... mostly just for zone meetings and stuff like that)
4. Me holding a young corn snake at a members house. That thing was COOL!!
5. Me and my Nigerian companion, Elder Monibidor, rollin' with the shades.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
It was a lot of fun this past week. We talked to a lot of people and lots of people got mad at us. One guy, a chubby guy with long hair in a pink bath robe, threatened to (get this) spray us with a hose if we came back to his house. Ahh the life of a missionary!! Yep, I wouldn't trade this for anything!
So I want to share the biggest and coolest experience of this past week. I figured out why I was put here in Midlothian. The reason I was put here is because we're taken care of so well that we don't have to worry about a lot of stuff. I can focus more on building my skills as a missionary and bringing people to Christ. That was the coolest realization I had so far. Because I have six months left, I guess the Lord really wants me to be down in the nitty-gritty of missionary work. I'm cool with that. I like talking to people, doing service, and teaching doctrine in a fun (sometimes crazy) sort of way.
(Random note: yesterday in church a sister who gave a talk mentioned how people used the word "crazy" to describe what she does. She redefined it as "a high-functioning insanity". I just thought that was funny)
I am having so much fun out here. I have never been more excited about missionary work in my life than I am now. The biggest reason why, that I can see, is that I don't want to come home a feeling like I could have done better. I already know I could have done better in so many different things already, but I'm going to put those behind me for now and move on and become better. I'm gonna make the last six months of my mission the best six months of my life so far. I'm gonna run myself ragged. It's gonna be so cool!!!!
I love y'all and hope y'all are doing well.
-Elder Ricky-dude
Pictures
1. This mat was at a door we were knocking at. We were standing there for a sec and then we looked down, laughed, knocked again, and when no one answered the door, we took a picture of the mat.
2. I got a picture of the clock saying 11:11 on 11/11/11. Once in a lifetime experience!!!
3. Proof that I do comb my hair (some of the time.... mostly just for zone meetings and stuff like that)
4. Me holding a young corn snake at a members house. That thing was COOL!!
5. Me and my Nigerian companion, Elder Monibidor, rollin' with the shades.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
This mat was at a door we were knocking at. We were standing there for a sec and then we looked down, laughed, knocked again, and when no one answered the door, we took a picture of the mat.
I got a picture of the clock saying 11:11 on 11/11/11. Once in a lifetime experience!!!
Proof that I do comb my hair (some of the time.... mostly just for zone meetings and stuff like that)
Me holding a young corn snake at a members house. That thing was COOL!!
Me and my Nigerian companion, Elder Monibidor, rollin' with the shades.
November 7, 2011
November 7, 2011
Hello!!!
So, I'm in the Midlothian ward now and I have to say it's a really big change for me. The biggest changes are: 1) I don't actually live IN my area; 2) My area now is tiny compare to my last area. For instance, take a dinner plate, put it on your kitchen table, and you'll see how big my area now compares to my last area, (the plate is my area now, just FYI). Another big change is, the Midlothian area is a more wealthy area than ANY of my other areas. Yeah, it's pretty...... different.
It's a good different though. For instance, we have quite a few we are working with right now. One investigator came to church all by herself. We didn't even know she was coming because she was busy with family things and the missionaries here haven't been able to see her for a bit. That was pretty neat. Another big thing is my companion is from Nigeria. Elder Monibidor (whose picture I'm including) is hilarious and so much fun to be with. He's been out about 6 months and has been in the Midlothian ward for about three months now. He's a great missionary and he's really funny too.
Here are some things I really love about the area:
1 - The member support here is amazing. Not only do we get fed every night, and no I'm not joking (there goes my plan for losing weight) but the members are always asking if there's anything they can do for us. The ward really loves us.
2 - There's a whole lot of potential here in this area and it's just ready to pick up and go.
3 - We live in a house, not an apartment (like literally a house); the address of which is:
11506 Clintwood Terrace
Midlothian VA 23112
4 - There's an Outback Steakhouse and a Buffalo Wild Wings within about 3-4 miles of our house, and there are two places we eat free at once a week!!!!
We are so spoiled in this area its crazy!! I love it!
Anyway, I hope and pray y'all are doing well. Take care and be safe!
-Elder Ricky-dude
Pictures:
1 - Elder Monibidor, the crazy Nigerian
2 & 3 - A street in Charlottesville that I got a picture of before I left. They named it after me.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
View Larger Map
So, I'm in the Midlothian ward now and I have to say it's a really big change for me. The biggest changes are: 1) I don't actually live IN my area; 2) My area now is tiny compare to my last area. For instance, take a dinner plate, put it on your kitchen table, and you'll see how big my area now compares to my last area, (the plate is my area now, just FYI). Another big change is, the Midlothian area is a more wealthy area than ANY of my other areas. Yeah, it's pretty...... different.
It's a good different though. For instance, we have quite a few we are working with right now. One investigator came to church all by herself. We didn't even know she was coming because she was busy with family things and the missionaries here haven't been able to see her for a bit. That was pretty neat. Another big thing is my companion is from Nigeria. Elder Monibidor (whose picture I'm including) is hilarious and so much fun to be with. He's been out about 6 months and has been in the Midlothian ward for about three months now. He's a great missionary and he's really funny too.
Here are some things I really love about the area:
1 - The member support here is amazing. Not only do we get fed every night, and no I'm not joking (there goes my plan for losing weight) but the members are always asking if there's anything they can do for us. The ward really loves us.
2 - There's a whole lot of potential here in this area and it's just ready to pick up and go.
3 - We live in a house, not an apartment (like literally a house); the address of which is:
11506 Clintwood Terrace
Midlothian VA 23112
4 - There's an Outback Steakhouse and a Buffalo Wild Wings within about 3-4 miles of our house, and there are two places we eat free at once a week!!!!
We are so spoiled in this area its crazy!! I love it!
Anyway, I hope and pray y'all are doing well. Take care and be safe!
-Elder Ricky-dude
Pictures:
1 - Elder Monibidor, the crazy Nigerian
2 & 3 - A street in Charlottesville that I got a picture of before I left. They named it after me.
--
P.S. The Church is true!
P.P.S. FROG - Fully Rely On God
Elder Monibidor, the crazy Nigerian 
A street in Charlottesville that I got a picture of before I left. They named it after me.
Ricky Road
View Larger Map
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
