WEEK 37 "First Week in Cuba Done Right"

Que tal?

 To say the least, I am in heaven!!! I absolutely love my new area here in Miami. This whole week my companion has been telling me that we are in a different country and I couldn't agree more with her. Everything is in Spanish, you go to the store and everyone only speaks Spanish and the best part is that there are sooo many Cubans here that every restaurant is Cuban. The first night we were here, we ate Cuban Pizza jaja and then today we went to an "Italian" restaurant and it was some form of Cuban gelato jaja. 


Also here in BLUE LAGOON everyone loves their weird sanitaria life-size statues of Lazarus outside their houses.there are soooooo many of them and it hilarious because it fits right in with all the Halloween decor. Some of them are super creepy but you know we will be working really hard with these people. I am excited for this upcoming transfer.

So one Wednesday sister Doyle and I took a road trip down to Miami with our car! We will still be living in the same house and sharing a ward and a car. My dream has officially come true. I love her so much. However, I did get a new companion and she is awesome. She is from Arvada, Colorado. She is a hoot and we are sooo excited to open this new area with a bang.

 Our ward is so incredible. We are excited to gain the trust of the members and start utilizing them in the best way possible. Sister Rolfson is so good at working with the members and our members are so missionary minded. I'm excited to see the miracles that God has in store for us this transfer. It is very easy to find Spanish people in this area and all are very receptive to our message so we will be busy (which I love) and we will be perfecting our teaching skills. We have been out in the mission about the same time and so it is super fun to speak Spanish to each other all day. 

Before we left to Miami, Sister Doyle and I had the breathtaking experience of taking our recent convert to the temple. Ymelda has been waiting to enter into the temple since the first time we taught her. She was beyond excited to start her genealogy and help her ancestors receive exaltation. I will never forget the feeling of perfect serenity and love as I watched our recent convert Leo baptize Ymelda. As Ymelda came up out of the water after being baptized for her parents and grandparents I was filled with a joy that is only found through Christ. I am forever grateful for these sacred temples that connect the earth to the heavens. I know that it is only through the power and authority of our Savior that these ordinances can last forever which allows us reach that goal of becoming exactly like God. God designed us to find JOY and through missionary work and helping those on both sides of the veil receive exaltation as well brings us this joy.

"Nevertheless, they did fast and pray oft, and did wax stronger and stronger in their humility, and firmer and firmer in the faith of Christ, unto the filling their souls with joy and consolation, yea even to the purifying and the sanctification of their hears, which sanctification cometh because of their yielding their hearts unto God." - Helaman 3:35


Joy and consolation come through yielding our hearts to Him. I Know that Christ lives and through Him, we can eventually be perfect through repentance and His grace. Love you all dearly. 

Con Crsito lo imposible se hace posible :)

tenaga una linda semana mis amigos.

un enorme brazo,

Hermana Richards 

Highs:
-The Rojas familia is the bomb. They pulled the biggest prank on the other sisters. Sister Rojas pretended to be super anti against the church. And so she started bashing on them big time. After several minutes of hiding in the pantry and listening to her scream at them, she says just kidding sisters and gives them balleadas
-The cutest kids Daniel and Carolina are my best friends here in Miami 

Lows:
- a huge lizard was running all around our windshield while we were driving and so I jumped out of the passenger seat to flick it off. I grabbed it by the tail and the tail snapped off. oops I still have PTSD because of this unfortunate event...poor guy
- Our house is big but has a million scary holes in the wall. I am working on covering each one with cute pictures:)