WEEK 76 "Light vs Dark"

Hola a todos!!

I am trying to savor every last second here in Florida. It is so bittersweet I can't even describe it. But for the most part, I am keeping it together well... other than when my favorite"abuelita" in the ward gives me a hug during sacrament meeting and asks me why I look sad. I responded, "I only have 2 more Sundays left." She gives me a hug and I just cry a little in her arms. Another bittersweet moment this week was when I had an interview with our amazing mission President. We sit down together and he asks me what was in my heart...It took me a minute to respond but without even thinking my heart just spoke the truth. I said, "President the only thing in my heart right now is the deepest level of gratitude." I told him that I never ever would have thought I could finish my mission. I looked at him with tears in my eyes and said the Savior helped me accomplish my wildest dream." These moments will forever stay with me. I love President Garns and I cannot wait to keep learning from him for the rest of my life.

President Garns has always taught us that we need to have at least 10 amazing spiritual experiences with our friends leading up to baptism to chase out darkness. We decided that what better way to help Elizabeth understand the role of a Mother in the Church than face timing our amazing moms into a lesson. And that is exactly what we did. We decided to have Elizabeth write her testimony down in her first book of Mormon while we played music in the background. By the end, she was bawling because she had remembered all that the spirit had taught her. Then my cute mom shared her testimony of how she continues to read the scriptures and pray every day to be able to help her children meet the challenges of their everyday lives. Something that stood out to me was when my mom said, "My children now have faith because of my faith." I am so grateful for my incredible mom. I know it is because of her that I am out here in Florida.

On Saturday morning our friend Aris who is 17 years old had a huge change of heart. He has been listening to the missionaries for 3 years on and off now. His mom is a member and his dad isn't. We decided that we needed to do something that none of the missionaries have done in the past. So my companion had a brilliant idea of visiting the temple. We went to the temple and WOW did everything change. Aris told us that he could feel something different. Later he told us that he couldn't remember all the stress that was going on in his life. He felt peace in his heart. Aris then asked if we could help him be baptized on July 27. I know that as we go to the temple our hearts are changed. The spirit helps us understand why we are here and where we are going. There is nothing cooler in the world than seeing a hard heart be made soft. I love the restored gospel. 

This experience reminded me of what a member shared with our friend Carlos at the end of Elizabeth's baptism this Saturday. He said the difference between our church and all the other churches is the spirit. This struck my heart to the core. Carlos could feel something different during the baptismal service and I couldn't have agreed with him more. Doctrine and Covenants 84:20 describes it perfectly..."In ordinances the power of godliness is manifest". No other church in the world has the fullness of the gospel and power of the priesthood to perform these sacred ordinances. The spirit made this very clear to me that day. I only pray that Carlos can now act on what he has felt.

Elizabeth's baptism was flawless. I have been waiting for this moment since the beginning of May. Bishop Beltran nearly gave me a heart attack though... he made her have an interview right before it started and they didn't come out for 20 minutes. I was dying inside. when she finally came out we said a private prayer together which was so powerful and sincere. It was so special because all her kids and mom and cousins were there as well as the Mission president and wife. When she was baptized she told us that it felt like it was slow motion. when she went under the water all she felt was darkness but immediately as she was brought out she was filled with the most powerful light. As she came up her hands fell on her face and she started to cry. Her reaction was breath taking. I have learned so much from Elizabeth she truly has changed my life forever. 

I love seeing Gods hand in my life in the tiniest details as well as the big moments. I hope you all ask for missionary experiences to share your light with others this week. I promise God will give them to you! Love you all and GO UTES.

xo, 

Hermana Richards

Other highlights:

-We went to the rest home again this week and my favorite 94-year-old friend named Mario asked me jokingly if we could get married

- on a 9er 9er this Friday a Baptist deacon asked me if I wanted to be a teacher... I think that was his way of telling me he liked my restoration message