December 24, 2013

Dear Mom,

 

First off,

 

"Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, Feliz Navidad, prospero ano de felicidad!" I can sing that in Spanish now and know what it means. Haha, maybe you'll get a treat of my Spanish abilities tomorrow over Skype.:) Anyway, this last week was quite a mountain of challenges, and was pretty frustrating to be perfectly honest. However, I can firmly say that I have found great strength in the Savior and the knowledge of the Plan of Salvation, the Everlasting Atonement, and many more pieces of my personal testimony, which have presented a light in this times of un-clarity or confusion. It has been a real treat and a very inspiring week as well. All the quotes on the small and significant gifts, which you gave to me. I must say job well done! o en Espanol: BIEN HECHO! When I was feeling down, I could turn to the Book of Mormon this week and the stories of the Savior's birth in Bethlehem and feel great comfort knowing assuredly that I know my purpose and what I have been sent here to carry out!

 

However, in the times of the trial and when our faith is tested to the very brink it seems like we can find hope and comfort, and peace knowing as I have felt as a missionary....Jesus Christ not only is my Redeemer, my Elder Brother, my Master, my Lord, and my Savior, He is my Prince of Peace. Simply having a picture near your bedside linked with prayer can revolve an awful night into one of the most calming, and you can feel great warmth when battling storms of darkness with your testimony and with prayer! I have felt my tongue be loosed when I testify of the reality and divinity of our Savior and our most loving Heavenly Father!!

 

I may be brief in this letter. I feel that this scripture says it all. It is found in the 93rd section of the Doctrine and Covenants: 21 And now, verily I say unto you, I was in the ^abeginning with the Father, and am the ^bFirstborn;

 22 And all those who are begotten through me are ^apartakers of the ^bglory of the same, and are the ^cchurch of the Firstborn.

 23 Ye were also in the beginning with the Father; that which is ^aSpirit, even the Spirit of truth;

 24 And ^atruth is ^bknowledge of things as they are, and as they were, and as they are to come;

28 He that ^akeepeth his commandments receiveth ^btruth and ^clight, until he is glorified in truth and ^dknoweth all things.

 29 Man was also in the ^abeginning with God. ^bIntelligence, or the ^clight of ^dtruth, was not ^ecreated or made, neither indeed can be.

33 For man is ^aspirit. The elements are ^beternal, and ^cspirit and element, inseparably connected, receive a fulness of joy;

The ^aglory of God is ^bintelligence, or, in other words, ^clight and truth.

 37 Light and truth forsake that ^aevil one.

 

Add this after verse 33. I feel like these scriptures define very clearly the light of spreading the Gospel! I am happy to hear that you had that experience with those missionaries. I delight in being a missionary.

 I cannot believe that Trent is home! :) I bet that was fun for him to see Maddie as well. This is a bit splurged, but I too sang in the ward choir with Elder Berrett on Sunday! We sang "Carol of the Bells" in Spanish then participated in an octet for the "First Noel" in Spanish, which was incredible. I had to soar up to hit a high D. I had fun decorating the tree last night when I got home, I feel of the families' love immensely and even more so of our Savior's vast and deep love. I hope you feel of the true spirit of Christmas as well. And maybe I will save something to open during Skype, we'll see. For now, I am so ecstatic to talk to you all tomorrow! I hope you can get the Skype thing figured out. I only have about 40 minutes so be thinking of questions you want to ask me, I will prepare my best as well. CAN'T WAIT!!!!  This will be a fantastic holiday in the field. We are going caroling to proselyte tonight, which will be a lot of fun, I am sure!

I wish I was permitted to send pictures. I have some great ones, maybe I will too send a little gift home for you to glance over, we'll see. Random fact: We ate at the Flores' the other night and the mom Michelle looks like Miranda Lambert and was singing Miranda Lambert in the other room while cooking taco salad. Have a wonderful Christmas Eve and I await our reunion tomorrow!

Again, Merry Christmas

Feliz Navidad

Joyeux Noel

y Merry Christmas from El Paso!

Love,

Elder Sterling Grant Richards

December 17, 2003

Hola Mom,

 

I have had a lot of powerful experiences this past week that have demonstrated to me just how much the Lord is a part of my life. Earlier in the week I was in contact with many of the other leaders of this mission. From what they all told me I came to the realization that we are never going to have the "perfect" solution to say....However, what we do have is the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which truly saves souls within and outside of the true and everlasting restored Church of Jesus Christ on this Earth today. I have had a difficult time this past week showing an increase of love in many situations. I thought and I prayed to figure out why. I received my answer throughout many experiences. I would like to relay just a few of them to you this week.

 

This past Wednesday we had exchanges with our district leader Elder Morris. He came to my area with Elder Berrett and I, and Elder Anderson went to Ascarate. I was deeply touched by what he said to me all throughout the week. Even if you have to pull someone and drag them, you do everything you can to help them in the best way you know how! As our exchange was coming to a close we received a phone call during our morning studies. It was Hermana Aragon, she sounded desperate for us to get to the hospital. We got to the hospital and she found us and led us to the room of her niece. The little girl we gave the blessing to was sound asleep, but it worked. This little girl has a lot of faith. I had a rather wrenching fight with the adversary in that intensive care room. I walked in and I could feel my surroundings fading away and my face was white-hot and then to make matters worse I was slowly starting to lose my clarity of sight and everything became very foggily-blurred. My ears started to ring and I almost hit the floor.  I had to truly fight with everything that I had to be able to get to the bed of the girl and place my hands on her head.

 

Suddenly, during the last duration of the blessing....I felt a surge run through my arms and a calmness knowing that I was able to overcome the darkness from the adversary trying to bind me from exercising my authority to give a blessing. I then had enough strength to feel, hear, and see things with a vicious clarity, it was almost overwhelming. when I was asked to give a blessing to the mom of this daughter. I do not remember anything that I said however, I know that I was able to do my part. When I walked back in the rain of the cold El Paso morning, I felt a glow of happiness for being able to deliver my strength to halt the deceiver right in his tracks.

 

I am exceedingly grateful for this experience, because it taught me many different principles about the Gospel and about life. Even in the moments where the mists of darkness try and shroud us to deplete our energy, destroy our clarity, and pull us down into the earth, we have the resources of power and of energy stored inside our souls to lighten up this world and to emanate beams of truth to drown out the confusion, which Satan wants us to have. I am especially grateful for this time of year, because although "sore trials" may come upon us we always have the ability to get on our knees and plead for a change of circumstance. A scripture that helps me is found in Mark 9:23 where the Lord demonstrates His incredible capacity of compassion, which He has on each and every one of us. If we face something that we do not believe is possible to overcome or to conquer. Where can we turn? We can turn through prayer to our Heavenly Father and ask Him for relief, understanding, whatever it may be and He will give what we need according to His will! We must show our faith and humility by asking for that greater added strength, etc. If we must, ask the same as did that father. "Lord, I believe; help thou my unbelief." It is okay to ask for help!

 

Yesterday, we had the delight as a mission to have Elder Bradley D. Foster of the Second Quorum of the Seventy participate in our zone conference! It was a wondrous experience to say the least! Something that Elder Foster illustrated pretty quickly was that the greatest "presence" we could ever receive during this holiday season is that of the Savior more fully in our lives. Those words ring true with power and I can promise that as we more abundantly focus on the birth of the Savior Jesus Christ and His wondrous works, we will feel of His light and of His Atonement in a greater plentitude in our lives. He does live and He wants us to grow from our struggles not let them sink us into the depths of sorrow. Another insight that I want to share is that we have great peace having a knowledge of Eternity! We all have something special to add to the building of our Father in Heaven's Kingdom.

 

Elder Foster told me something yesterday as I shook his hand. He said: "Elder Richards, is this your first Christmas away from home?" I replied yes. He then asked me: "Will you have any difficulty being here during this time of season?" I responded very abruptly absolutely not, I know why I am here, and I have much to accomplish still!" I take great joy in saying that I know that this will be one of my best Christmasses ever!! I love this work and would not rather be any place else!

I say this in the name of Jesus Christ the Savior, Amen.

 

Have a great week,

 

Love,

 

-Elder Sterling Grant Richards