Tuesday, December 17, 2013

November 11th Letter...Back to Biking Basics!

Dear Mom,
This week was very taxing and one of the most incredible weeks at the same time. My companion & I have put on two Family Home Evenings in the past week & the kids absolutely love our activities! Last night, we came up with a Gospel version of "Chutes & Ladders"; called "Afflictions & Blessings"; we thought we were pretty creative and that we might have a future for producing missionary games for Deseret Book or something, kidding....That aside, we biked tirelessly this week, which was a miracle in itself! I have gotten back into the hang of biking on a 7 speed & absolutely love it! This week we have the silver Corolla, because our area is a car-share area now, not just a biking area. We switch off bikes & the car weekly.
     
There is so much to talk about! Where to start: The greatest thing about being on bikes is being able to talk to people right on the street while out proselyting. In fact, on Wednesday right as we set off out the door we biked down the hill, when a younger man signaled for us to come across the street to a purified water station. We rode across & talked to the man. He told us that he wanted to come back to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, but he wasn't sure how to start. We told him that we would drop by & share a few things with him as well as show him where the church was. 
We also had some other experiences that the people were not so nice. As I was biking on Thursday in the afternoon on exchanges with the district leader, I was almost attacked by a big white dog and had quite the scare! However, there are people who watch out for the missionaries. A big black man came out of nowhere in his military uniform & distracted the dog long enough for me to get out the gate of our apartment complex. We were biking to get  to Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies for the F.H.E. when a sports car sped past & stopped and we got cussed out like you wouldn't believe, but I just smiled & waved. These experiences taught me to open my mouth & to truly explain who I was & why I am here in El Paso Texas right now!
Later on the night of exchanges..... we had biked a long distance to almost the corner of our area & then had to bike to a Missionary Council meeting at the Arias' home after giving a blessing to a woman. We biked with haste, and the Elder in front of me kept on going & never stopped. I received an impression in my mind to keep peddling no matter how tired or exhausted I was! My heart was comforted to know that the Lord had given me strength to bike after 5 years of not touching a bike. The last stretch & the final climb were the most horrendous slopes of this ride, because it was all up-hill on a pretty steep-grade road. I was on the lowest gear & still was sore & all of the blood had rushed to my legs, I was panting, but this Elder in front of me was peddling rapidly up this hill. I gave it a chance, and followed the prompting of the Holy Ghost that I had received. I peddled & peddled& peddled& peddled up this hill & eventually we got to a light where I could rest & finish off my water bottle. We then had to bike down a straight path, and up an even steeper hill to get to our destination! I was sweating waterfalls, and pushing with all of my might & I made it, but I had to fight to get up this hill and not fall.
I take away a great analogy from my experience. No matter, how hard we attempt to do something, we cannot rely on our own strength we have to trust that our Heavenly Father will lift us in our challenges, and that the Savior's Atonement will make-up if we do our part, all of our slip-ups! As I got into the house for the meeting it was about to come to a close. As I looked around, everyone was asking : "Elder Richards todo esta bien? "Les Contesto, yo, si porque yo tengo la fuerza del Senor para llevarme en mis difficultales y desafios." Had I stopped biking, I would not have been able to stay within sight and sound of my district leader. Often times, the leaders of the church challenge us to do things, which we may not want to do at first. The point being, we need to persevere & push with all of our might to reach the finish line, which is eternity. We will have trials, and traps, and temptations thrown in our way, but we can cry unto the Lord & find rest & peace. I love the scripture in Alma 34:41: I too know that with patience & humility in our hearts & with a willingness to do our part we will be blessed more abundantly than if we rely on our strength alone!!
I also learned this week that love is more important than anything else. If we love, we will be able to serve & receive the fruits of the Gospel & the Spirit in their plenitude. Joy, Meekness, Temperance, Patience, Humility, Charity, Love, Strength, Endurance, Power to bless the lives of others, Abilities to build up the Kingdom at a rapid rate, and many more. It isn't enough just to demonstrate an attribute without asking our Father in Heaven Himself for the strength to improve & to rise up to our potential in everything that we do. I challenge all to pray for love & charity to swell up in their hearts on a daily basis, and by so doing, I promise you that you will be happier & find success more abundantly in your lives. This is my humble prayer for all, and I say it in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Amen.

I hope that you all have a great week! I love you Mom, and was touched by your sweet words on Sunday at the fireside. Thank you for your example & for being a "trooper" there are many who look up to your example! I hope that you feel the love of our Father in Heaven each and everyday as President Holmes promised! I still would like to hear your thoughts, and impressions on my setting-apart, especially Grandpa Grant's blessing. I remember Reggie Walbeck well, I did not know that he was serving in Roswell that is so cool! Tell his mom that I say hello to him. I am loving it here in El Paso. Especially, the other day as I was standing in Circle K getting a Coke I heard "Silver Bells", & then the song changed & I thought that it was a bit strange to be hearing "Winter Wonderland" in 75 degree, sunny weather, but I am wearing a sweater. I guess that is kind of Christmassy right? Haha, I will keep you updated about the weather & the adventures. I saw some Duck Dynasty toys in Walmart & laughed so hard. I will take some pictures. Thank you for the cute pictures of Ellie! Hayley has gotten big! Liv just chickened out like I did, when I decided to put Call of Duty before the Lord that one New Years....At least she was prepared. I am going to make her a promise: If she prays to have the ability to leave her comfort zone & reach out to someone or make a new friend each week she will be able to open up so much more. Just by talking to people as a missionary I have been able to improve my Spanish immensely, maybe I will speak some on Christmas to you who knows ;); by listening to these people & by watching their it may sound weird....lips. I can almost roll my rrs! Finally! I hope that all is well & that you continue to share the Gospel with those around you just by bearing your testimony & in the spirit of this season, serving just as Christ would! :) I will think of something that you can possibly help with. Have a great day & know that you are all in my prayers daily!

Much Love,
-Elder Sterling G. Richards

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