Monday, July 7, 2014

Jessica's Thirty Ninth Email! July 7th, 2014

Well hello everybody!!!! It is July! This Wednesday is July 9th... I am half way! Can you even believe it?!?! I cannot!!! Ahhh so scary how fast it goes. Last week Dad sent me an awesome email about how the mission is like a run and I'm on the downward slope and how great that feels to know you're over the bump... well I thought about running up to the cross. Maybe Dad has forgotten #strugglecentral but I'm sure Christie remembers. Usually never run the whole way home. That is where the mission will not be like a run! I am so ready to run these 9 months like never before haha. Before I left on my mission Sister Strasser and Clement (the sisters serving in our ward) gave me tons of awesome articles about missionary work. This week I read a ton of them. Nothing like a good chastisement to realize that, I'm doing a lot, but I can do more! I really liked this one, "The 4th missionary" by Lawrence E. Corbridge. It was way legit. Read it, did a self evaluation, and thought about where my intentions really are. It is time to buckle down. I don’t want to look back on my mission and have any regrets. I am so grateful for all the support I have and just know I won't let you down! The area may be hard, but that's no excuse to not give it my all! Just because I get down on not having baptisms, that's not what will measure my success! It's the effort! Gotta give it my all for the next 9 months. Man it was a good pump up and I am stoked to be a missionary. But I don't want to just be a missionary, I want to become one.  I want to be changed and always do the things I've learned here as a missionary! 
So I guess the pump up just pushed me a little harder than usual because this week I was so exhausted. I mean, I'm a missionary, so of course I'm always tired. But I mean like, one night we were walking home and I told sister Ril I could easily fall asleep in 30 seconds if I lay down on the street. It was tempting. But we made it home. I was so dead tired every night, just the way I like it! A good measure of how much effort you put in for the day! 
Ok! So much fun news in the family! I have been way out of the loop. But welcome home Jesse!!!!! Congrats on a mission well served. And congrats Tyler on the marriage!!!! (Tyler Heap and Tyler my cousin both just got married. so congrats to both Tylers’ and their beautiful wives!) 
Mom! Read the articles on TB! Thanks for the info and we will be careful. Gonna try and focus our teaching pool on some more overweight investigators for now to play it safe. That's some scary stuff. We'll also probably go get x-rays in the next few weeks to be sure. Sister Ril is way paranoid about it now hahaha. 
Well speaking of our teaching pool! There is this lady we've taught a few times now. Francha. She is great. Really seems interested and actually talks in our lessons unlike most! I think she really has a desire to know if our message is true! Hoping she can recognize the confirmation from the spirit. She is wonderful. 
Then there is this girl we just started teaching! She was actually a referral. 20 and has a 2 year old kid. Really nice! And get this! Her name is sister Ril's first name, and her baby's name is Jessica! What are the odds! When she was introducing them we both were just trying not to laugh. It's weird nobody knows our names here haha. 
Who enjoyed fast Sunday yesterday?! Hollaaaa. We are so lucky we get to fast every month. How generous is God that he straight up just gives us this opportunity to give so little and receive so much. Not gonna lie, I got way hungry during that final stretch. We usually start Saturday after lunch so then we end Sunday after church. Wow. Relief society was long haha. I started craving so many random foods. Hollah bread from Charlie’s! And even dippin dots. Random. Are those still around? Love that. Anywayyy. It was awesome. The testimony meeting was... well you know how it usually goes. Some are just bizarre, but for the most part the spirit is strong and it's just lovely! I am so grateful for the restored gospel and our knowledge of ALL the essential things we need to do. 
Also yesterday was way fun because we went on splits! I got to work with Tweety and Angelo! Two single adult members in the ward. It was a good few hours and really helped us get all our lessons in! Hmmm, not sure what else happened this week. Not much. It was just a good week to be a missionary. I'm not trunky, I mean I could go for a pedicure, but I can wait! :) This is the life. Also! This 9 months away thing is really starting to affect my memory! Missionary veil is real! Someone asked me my favorite show and I can't remember the name! Don! Help me out! The crime show we used to always watch. I think the boss's name is Gibbs?! Driving me crazy! Also! How are all the 7th ward pregnancies going?! Any additionals?? Can't wait for that new batch of babies to be waiting when I get home. 
I Love you ALL!!! The church is true! Read the book of Mormon. It WILL help you. The change I see in people is epic. These people may be stubborn as heck... but when it clicks, it just clicks!!! Please pray for more clicks out here in Camaligan, these people need the gospel! Have a beautiful week and enjoy the life we have been blessed with! 
See ya in 9 months :D
Love, Sister Richmond
Top 10
1. Sister Simpson wrote me and told me that her mom got baptized! That completes her family! Next step…temple sealing :)
2. Homeless man this morning threw up the shaka to me
3. Zone training
4. 4th of July! Don’t worry, rocked the red white and blue complete with American flag hair tie from Christie! The sister from Tonga kept calling me Miss America and singing the national anthem haha. 
5. Sitting up with one of my jeepnie drivers fanning him on the drive so he gave me a peso off my fare. Score!
6. Egg and cheese sandwich on wheat with avocado! Life is good when you get your hands on some real cheddar!!!! 
7. Contacting a lady lamed Enci. Thought of Daniel and his enci boy act! 
8. Mel had a safe delivery and she and her baby are doing well!
9. Jojo and Tupe still scoot scoot the washing machine over once a week

10. Sister Ril wore a turtle neck one day even though it was probably still 90 degrees. The laughter never ended that day.

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