Monday, June 23, 2014

Jessica's Thirty Seventh Email! June 22nd, 2014


Hello Everybody! Hope it was a good week. It sounds like everyone has been way busy. Christie and Daniel in who knows where, in Asia, Casey in Utah, the boyz in the Grand Canyon, me here of course, and mom on the East Coast. Sorry dad, hope you’re having a blast at home! Haha can’t wait to travel again. I mean, I can wait, but ya.
It was a good week as always! The happiest part, Sister Campbell is in my apartment now! So fun! She is one of the sisters who was in the other MTC district. So we are batch. I haven’t lived with a white person since Sister Taylor left last Feb. haha. It’s fun having a fluent English speaker sometimes ;) She’s from Canada and I was talking to her about the west coast trail! (The hike mom and dad did in Canada last summer).  Anyway, it’s been a fun week. We planned to go on a run together every morning but thought we should double check with the ZLs about splits for exercise. Bad idea! Haha they said no!!! Forgot my fave motto about asking for forgiveness, not permission! Oh well, we are putting my pinterest workouts to good use and it’s just nice to have someone to do them with!
Ok! I am so pumped because we have been FINDING! Like these people are real potentials and NEED the gospel in their lives. Just hope we can keep them progressing. I’m gonna tell you about them because I love them so much.
One of them is Queenie! I put up a picture with 2 of her daughters. The younger one is named Eunice. She is so cute. Always has little boils all over from the heat. So sad. She also can’t see out of one eye but she is the cutest and really wants to learn to read and write. Her mom said she was going get her a notebook and pencil when she has enough saved up. That broke my heart too much so I got her a little notebook and pack of pencils. Then with the sticker letters mom sent I put her name on the cover. She loved it and the smile on her face ahhh. I want to take her home with me. So anyway, yes Queenie is way nice. Found her tracting actually after we got punted. She let us right in and likes to listen to us. That was only like 2 weeks ago. So she hasn’t made it to church yet, but we’ll get her there! We’re also trying to have her give us permission to bring our whole district there to build their house for them! They have the materials but can’t afford to hire workers. Praying they say we can do it.
Another new investigator is Grace. She is SO SWEET and has such a desire to understand what we are teaching her! So kinda funny/messed up how we found her. We went to her next door neighbor who was a referral. She wasn’t home but her son was. We had a sister working with us so when her son was home we decided to teach him. We then asked about his family. He said he wasn’t married and lived there with his mom. LIE!!! Came back 2 days later to contact his mom and we met Grace… that guy’s wife. We were so mad that he lied about that haha but obviously didn’t say anything. Poor Grace. They have one son though. He loves the stickers J We have taught her a few times now. She says she wants this for her family so her husband can change and they can have a good, strong family. YES! The gospel really is for the family, so that is what we like to hear! We went to her house yesterday morning to get her to church. She was really sick so she couldn’t come. Next week! There is a great FAMILY we are teaching. They have one son. He always begs the parents to go to church. They haven’t yet but they have great questions. One problem is that the Jehovah missionaries go there too so they are getting a bit confused with all these books they keep getting. Luckily the true gospel is SIMPLE. Once they gain testimony of these simple truths, they will realize the importance of our message. Another is Jonah. He has one cute little daughter. (Idk why all these people have 1 kid. That’s way rare here. Usually like 8-12) We haven’t met the husband because he is always at work. But she is way sweet also. Her house is so CLEAN and ORGANIZED too. So rare. I love it. She is very hardworking but always stops what she’s doing to listen to us. Anyway, these are some of the new investigators. Really praying they are prepared and ready to accept the blessing that the gospel will bring to their lives!!
Haha Mercy, the eternal investigator (I told you about 2 of them a while back. One is the girl who got baptized 3 weeks ago. The other is Mercy, she’s like 45 maybe). Well she gave up coffee!!! Yes! It’s been about a week or 2 now. So her baptism should be in 2 or 3 more weeks! She is receptive to what we teach. She even went to one of our appointments the other day at another investigator’s, haha. Investigator present lessons are a thing now! Well she’s doing really well. Just gotta keep her progressing!
Saturday was a super good day! In the afternoon we had a Relief Society enrichment activity. First time I’ve seen anything like that since I got here. But it was very fun! We made doughnuts. It’s cool to see them getting activities together, much more common here that in Tigaon. Of course nothing compares to 7th ward activities, but this was a good fill in for now!
Then that evening we did a service project with the elders and the other two sisters. It was at a member’s house and they were redoing their roof and tiled part of their house. It was so dusty and muddy and stuff everywhere so we helped with that. Went way quickly with all of us! So yes, Saturday was good. OH! And then we got the official text from finance to start looking for a new apartment! YES! It’s going to be hard because there just aren’t many apartments here. But hopefully we can figure something out!
OK! Missionaries might not have a pay day, but mail day is only like 1000 times better! Thank you for all of the love and support! Got such wonderful letters from Sandy (welcome home Andrew!!!!) , HuntURT, TJ, Sister Taylor, Zoe Wescoe, Megan (addresses every one of my letters with Hessica haha, wonder if the office elders have noticed yet), Tyler and Lizzie’s wedding announcement (So classy. Loved it! Congrats to the beautiful couple), and also great letters from friends serving in the Philippines! I really appreciate all of you so much!
I love you all so much! Do your part in the work of salvation. Remember to pray and read the scriptures EVERY DAY. Literally no substitute!! I am so grateful for all of you and all you do for me. I hope everyone gets home safely from their trips! LOVE YOU!
Xoxo, Sister Richmond

Top 10
1. Sister Campbell is here!
2. Official ok to apartment shop!
3. Sister Taylor got called as STL for her last transfer! Couldn't think of a better STL! Just sad it's not in my zone.
4. On Tuesday we were able to teach SO MUCH. Didn't get "punted" once!
5. RS enrichment activity
6. Maybe the best mail day of my mission!
7. I got COLD one night when I was sleeping. Like COLD> It's been so long since I felt even the slightest sensation of chilly.
8. Ate grilled cheese yesterday after church. Missed that tradition
9. Started true to the faith. Read it! Addresses everything so clearly!

10. Finally got a Philippines Naga Mission ring! 

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