week 83: australia style

blueberry cake with blueberry frosting and
blueberry cream and blueberry sauce
 with extra blueberries our RC made us this creation!!!

Gday mum!!!!

This week has been really good!!  I went on 2 exchanges this week with Elder Thompson from Duschene county utah and Elder Kaanapu from Provo Utah!!!  They are both great Elders, me and my companion have a new obsession and it is kebabs!!!!!  So every exchange we went on this week we took them to a kebab shop to get them hooked!!  After emails we are getting some kebabs, we have a shop we go to and the owner loves us, he gives us extra meat and extra chips what a great guy!! 

We saw a miracle yesterday with our investigator Sam, he told us a few weeks ago that he didn't want to get baptised until May and we were like "that's a long time" So we kept seeing him and inviting him to read the BOM, the bad thing was he couldn't fully understand the english version of the Book of Mormon, and it was causing him to stop reading.  So yesterday we brought with us a Samoan Book of Mormon and he started reading in front of us and he told us "ok, I am ready to get baptised."  It is so amazing that when we understand the Doctrine of Christ it enables us to change our behaviors!  He is getting baptised in 2 weeks, I am really excited for him!!  My testimony of the convincing power of the Book of Mormon was strengthened this week, I know without a doubt that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and we can get nearer to God by reading it and obeying the teachings in it!  I love it!!

Hi mum!!!!!  For my birthday I finally made a decision, I got myself some new leather bound scriptures because my old ones are falling apart, the pages and that keep coming out lol!!  I also found a really cheap light gray suit!!  It looks pretty snazzy, I will take a picture and send it to you.  I haven't sent a picture to Eila yet, because I keep forgetting to write down their address when I email.  But I will do it today for sure.  Sorry for not taking too much time in emails the past couple of weeks, just a bunch of crazy stuff we have had to do.  Today the only plans we have for p day is cleaning the flat and we are going to play volleyball with a bunch of Samoan people at the chapel!!!!   They are so good at volleyball, I get scared when they spike the ball hahaha!  But I am doing all good, we have transfers in two weeks so by next email I should know if I am going or staying.  I love you so much mum!!!  I hope you have a wonderful week!  I am bummed to hear mac broke his arm that is a bummer!!  Hopefully he likes his cast :) love you!!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: Cmoneylove

week 82: australia style

Gday mum!!

Not much happened this week, my birthday was really good, the zone threw a birthday party for my companion and I.  It was really special and it was good to be with all the missionaries in the zone.  We had MLC this week for my birthday so we were at the mission home all day, but the good thing is that they made homemade café rio!!!!!  It was grouse!!  This week we set a few baptismal dates with a girl named Michelle, another guy named Allan and also Bailey.  Michelle was a miracle I met her at the train station and she is a really strong 7th day Adventist.  She came to church yesterday and we had a chance to teach her after.  We taught her the Restoration and bore testimony of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.  She accepted a date and she was really willing to read the Book of Mormon. 

Hey mum!!  I don't have too much time today we are in a place called Geelong and it is a public holiday over here so we only have limitied time.  My birthday was awesome!!  I haven't bought anything yet, it has been super flat out this week, but maybe I will get something today :).  I love you so much mum!!  Thank you for the birthday wishes, have a great week!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: CMUNZ

week 81: australia style

muscle gods

found my first koala

happy birthday this week to the most kind, selfless, giving,
sensitive, hilarious, charismatic, perfect
baby boy in the world.
i never thought i could love another human being so much.
you are an example to everyone around you.
thank you for your sacrifices...everyday!
you make our lives better.
happy 20th birthday baby...
your mom and dad love you so so much.
i will see you at the escalator in 138 days!!!

Gday mum!!!

This week has been so busy!!  We only spend like 2 days in our area this week due to a bunch of things that came up!!  We went on exchange in Warrnambool and I went with Elder Higham he is from Maryland!  He is cool as, we did a bunch of finding we found all day actually it was so fun!!  We just went up and down the city center and talked to everyone we could, we got some pizza afterwards and it was awesome.  We found a lady named Kirileen that had us back that same day and I wasnt able to attend but they were and she was solid as, what a miracle!!!  

We had Elder Bednar come to our mission, and I got to shake his hand, me and my companion and 2 other Elders were the only ones that got to shake his hand it was so cool!!!  He is so inspired.  He talked about how we are agents to act and not to be acted upon, and that we need to use our agency to make and keep sacred covenants and perform ordinances by the power of the Priesthood.  I was really inspired to baptise all of MELBOURNE after, I still am... Lets go to work!!!

Gday mum!  Thank you for the birthday wishes and for all of your patience with me throughouot the years.  I am really grateful the way that you and dad raised me, you are the best parents out there and I am so blessed to be your son!!  I love you so much mum!!  Have an awesome week!  I dont have much time we have zone p day today!  Cheers!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: CMONEY

week 80: australia style

Gday mum!!

 

This week has been pretty good, we basically dropped all of our investigators and went finding all day erryday!!  We also had the chance to go on a couple exchanges this week, the first one I went on was with Elder Swenson from West Point Utah!  He has been on his mission for about 7 weeks so he is fairly new, it was heaps of fun to serve together for the day.  We taught one of our investigators that we didnt drop named Sam, Sam is a walking miracle.  We taught him about the Restoration and accepted everything and he is actively reading the Book of Mormon as well and praying, he is going really well.  He is getting baptised next month :) 

I also had the chance to go on an exchange with Elder Suan from Burma, he is the man.  He has such a great story, he and his 2 brothers are the only members in his family and his father is a baptist minister.  His parents didnt support him being out here, but he did it anyway.  He is a great inspiration to me.  We tracted all day long in 36 degree Celsius heat, we got to teach a man in his home that let us in.  His name is Amad, he accepted a baptismal date, what a miracle!  We both felt really good about the day! 

I really do know that this is the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, I know without a doubt that Christ leads this church.  I know it was Restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith, and that the Book of Mormon is the absolute word of God.  I have felt the Holy Spirit whisper to me the truthfulness of this book numerous times.  This is the best!!!  I love it!!  I am also super excited because Elder Bednar is coming to our mission this Saturday to speak to us.  I am keen as a bean! 

Hey mum!!  I cant believe I am almost 20 my companions birthday is on the 5th of March so we are going to celebrate our birthdays on the 4th hahhaha!  I actually went to the airport today to drop off an Elder that is going to tazzy, it felt so weird to be there, I didnt like it haha.  So right now I am with Elder Cook and his companion in his area because we are waiting for another Elder to come through the airport haha.  I love you so much mum!  I hope you have a great week!  Cheers!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: CMONTY

week 79: australia style

Gday mum!!!

This week was heaps grouse!!  My new companion is named Elder Newell he is from Alpine Utah!  Half of our zone is from Utah it is pretty funny!!  He is a great missionary, I am really excited to work with him.  We saw quite a few miracles this week but the one I want to share happened yesterday.  So we saw our investigator Sam this week and taught him and invited him to be baptised he had no interest.  So we invited him to come to church and to come with the question "should I get baptised?"  So he came to church and after sacrament he came to our Gospel Principle class, and a question was asked by the teacher "how has baptism effected your life."  One of my RC, Pue got up and shared a powerful as testimony with her experience at baptism.  Sam came up to us after the class and told us that Pue's testimony touched his heart.  He asked us if he could get baptised!  My comp. and I were keen as a bean!!!!!!!!!!!! :) 

I know that testimonies are one of the greatest resources we have to share the Gospel with others.  I am grateful for the humble testimony I have, and the strength it gives me.  It was really cool to see Pue put her testimony in action! MIRACLES!!!!!

Hey mum!!  This week was really good, I am really happy right now.  Before I came to Werribee I never ate lunch so that I could do more work, and Elder Cook really liked to eat.  But Elder Newell hates eating lunch too so we don't eat lunch anymore and we are seeing so many miracles every day!  And I am losing some weight ;)  Elder Newell is the man, we get along really well, it was really sad to see Elder Cook go.  We became good friends.  I reckon for the b day money is usually good, but it is up to you :)  I have had 11 baptisms on my mission, I have been too blessed.  I love this work mum, I want to spread the Gospel to the whole world with and only with the Lord's help!  I love you so much mum!!!  Have an awesome week!  Headaches are doing good now:)  Cheers!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: CMONEY

week 78 : australia style

Gday mum!!

This week was grouse!!  We had a miracle this week my companion and I planned out, 3 hours of tracting.  So we were going hard for 3 hours going from door to door, and we didn't see much success.  Then on our way back to the car after our 3 hours of knocking we knew that the Lord would put someone in our path to teach.  So we kept walkin and we came across this family moving into a new home.  So we ran over and picked up some of their furniture and put it in the house, they were appreciative for the service and we told them we were missionaries and they were really interested in learning about the message.  We taught them about prophets and how as they follow the prophet the Lord will bless them.  They were really excited and they accepted baptismal dates!  That just goes to show, that when we do our best to put ourselves in a position to serve the Lord will do the rest!  That was a great experience!  I am staying another transfer in Werribee and Elder Cook is going we were both pretty surprised but I am excited to say in the Bee!!!!  I love it here, and I love the Wyndham zone!!

Gday mum!!  Sounds like mac's b day was a hoot!  I wish I was there, man he is getting big and his hair is getting really long lol!  He looks like a hippy with his headband hahahaha.  I cant believe he can start driving that is weird as, we will have to drag race when I get back lol!  Today is gonna be a bit boring just watch my comp pack, maybe play some b ball we will see!  Excited to see what happens this next transfer!  I love you so much mum!!!  I am all good with everything right now, just trying to lose some weight lol!  My donut modelling prolly wont be helping me too much in the weight factor lol!  I hope you have a great week!  I love you!  Cheers!

Love, Elder Richins

aka: CMONEY

week 77: australia style

Gday mum!!

This week was pretty good!  Got to go to the temple this week, which was really good!  Seemed like it had been ages since I last went.  I also had the chance to go on 2 exchanges this week, the first one was with an Elder Named Elder Wahlquist he is from Springvale Utah.  He has an awesome story, he is an older missionary but his conversion story is amazing.  He taught me allot on the exchange about teaching with love even if someone is getting on your nerves.  He has only been out for 4 weeks.  But we had an awesome exchange!

I had a really powerful exchange with an Elder from Logan Utah, haha heaps of factory boys.  He had been struggling in the past, but I prayed all the day long of the exchange that I would be able to discern what he needed.  We talked about some of the things he was struggling with and how he could overcome them.  I told him that I knew he could do it, since then it's been a couple of days.  He has made a massive change, and he saw some fruit from his labors they set 2 dates yesterday, in an area that has been dry since nam.  But that was a really cool experience, I am really grateful that Heavenly Father would trust me with helping the missionaries in the zone.  That was definitely a cool experience.

Gday mum!!  This is the last week of the transfer, I am pretty sure I am going to leave.  I have been here for 6 months now, and President told me that he was probably going to move me to another zone in the mission.  But whatever happens, happens. I am excited to see what happens.  But today I think we are going to play golf, so we will see how that goes I am pretty excited right now.  But after I might want to go tin cup.  hahahahaha!!  I stink at golf!  Sorry no pics this week I forgot my camera cord!  I love you so much mum!  Thank you for your prayers and support!  Cheers!

Love, Elder Richins

aka:CMUNZ