Hellllooooo Arvada!
Date
April 25, 2016
Area
Parker Colorado
Companion
Elder Laney
Hellllooooo Arvada!
This has by far been the best week yet on the mission. To start off, I had my heart broken and ripped out as I left Parker and the Newlin Meadows Ward. Seriously.. it was brutal. We said goodbye to as many people as we could and took pictures and I felt like I was leaving behind my family. These people have truly taken care of me and Elder Layton the last 7 weeks, and it felt so much like home. It was so weird having to say goodbye to people I felt like I have known for so long - yet really such a short time. It was nice for me to see that they were sad to see me go, a few even shed tears. I am here to bring everyone to Christ, and I feel like I have done much good here. I promised many of them I would be back after the mission, so it looks like I already have a road trip planned. I would love to go back to Parker to serve again, perhaps later in my mission. I will cross my fingers.
I had a tough time saying goodbye to the people we were teaching. I worried about whether the Sisters that took over would be able to connect with them. I wondered if they would take care of them. My mind was brought back to the experience I had the first Sunday. "Elder Richards why are you worried? Don’t you know they are in my hands?" I am so grateful for that reminder that the Lord knows what is best for his children, and that now is the correct time for other missionaries to step in. I have confidence that God is working in those people’s lives and HE knows what is best.
So after the heart wrenching goodbyes, transfer day arrived, and off to Arvada 4th Ward I went. This was the ward the Assistants to the President used to be in, but they moved to a different ward, so my new companion, Elder Laney, and I were swept in, with no real knowledge of what is going on. We got to work immediately making calls and setting up appointments. So far, this week has been amazing! There are a lot of recent converts and less-active members, with whom we are working, and a ton more that we are trying to contact. I know without a doubt, this is where I need to be! There is one investigator in particular that is so close to getting baptized but just hasn't taken that leap of faith yet. He is 22 and I basically feel like we are best friends already, so I am super excited to get to work with him.
There are seriously so many people here that I am already in love with! Bill and Eddie are a couple that literally are the epitome of the elect of God. They were so prepared to hear the gospel! They were only baptized about a month ago, and they are on a role! It is wonderful to meet with them and help them continue to learn more. We also have a Bishop who is the coolest guy I have ever met. He is brilliant. He has a photographic memory so he can quote scripture like no one I have ever met before. He is super charismatic and friendly so I am excited to work with him. Arvada is interesting. Parker was a very wealthy place, but Arvada has all walks of life. It is super diverse which is really rather refreshing. They also have some of the most interesting houses I have ever seen!
So Friday we stopped by a former investigator and saw that her tree had broken from the recent snowfall. We offered to help and the next day we went back and trimmed up the tree and some other stuff. She bought us lunch and we had a wonderful conversation and dispelled some of the silly rumors that she had heard. It was really quite a fun experience. We were also able to help an old man to load his truck full of wood that he had cut up. We worked in our shirts and ties and he tried to pay us afterwards. I told him we wouldn't take the money but the next time we came to help him, he could buy us a lemonade. I just love it here already!
Then we had a really interesting experience that helped me and my companion learn a lot. We knocked on a door that turned out to be a born again preacher. We talked for a little while. He just wanted to argue and call us liars. I stayed positive the entire time and calmly talked with him. My companion started to get angry and finally started accusing the man of believing false doctrine. I put my hand on his arm and said that isn’t why we are here. I wrapped up the conversation with the man and thanked him for talking with us and sharing some of his beliefs. I bore testimony that we had faith in Christ and received our own witness of the divinity of the Book of Mormon as truly another witness of Christ and explained that we received that witness of the Holy Spirit. He kept trying to argue, but I told him that our witness was not of ourselves but of God and we left. I could tell my companion was quite rattled, so I reminded him that our Savior died for that man because He loves him just as much as He loves us, and we should love him too. We got in the car and I offered a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for the experience with the man and for his strong conviction.
Next, we went to the house of a potential investigator, and as we were walking to the door, I asked my companion if he felt the Spirit. He said no, there had been too much contention. I turned around and suggested that we go back to the car and wait there until we could both feel the Spirit. There is no point in trying to do the Lord’s work without the Spirit. We sat silently for a few minutes. I know that my companion was probably a little upset at me for it, but I have learned the importance of having the Spirit with you. We are not here as missionaries to do our work, but to do HIS work, so why try to do it if we don't have His help? I think it was a good experience for both of us.
It’s wonderful to see how I am beginning to listen more to the Spirit. Our first night in Arvada, we were headed home. Suddenly, I said we needed to visit a member on the ward list. Her younger son was there, so we told him we would come back later. I had no idea who she was, but on Sunday in Ward Council, I found out that the family is going through a very rough time and experiencing a crisis of faith. How grateful I am that the Spirit speaks to us and prompts us to help other people! I know without a doubt that God watches over his children! I have found I am getting better and better at making connections with people. Twice yesterday someone was about to close the door on us, and I asked one simple inspired question which lead to 15 more minutes of conversation, which led to an invite to return!
I am so grateful to be here in Arvada! I look forward to seeing how the Lord will utilize us, as missionaries, to accomplish his work! There is much to be done, but we are ready and willing to answer the call! I'll end with a quote from the last General Conference that hangs on my mirror - "Remember who you are, and who God expects you to become."
I love you all. I am so grateful for the knowledge we have of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for how Christ's Atonement has changed me, and I look forward to seeing it continue to change me as well as those I am privileged to teach, while serving the Lord in Denver Colorado.
Elder Richards
I had a tough time saying goodbye to the people we were teaching. I worried about whether the Sisters that took over would be able to connect with them. I wondered if they would take care of them. My mind was brought back to the experience I had the first Sunday. "Elder Richards why are you worried? Don’t you know they are in my hands?" I am so grateful for that reminder that the Lord knows what is best for his children, and that now is the correct time for other missionaries to step in. I have confidence that God is working in those people’s lives and HE knows what is best.
So after the heart wrenching goodbyes, transfer day arrived, and off to Arvada 4th Ward I went. This was the ward the Assistants to the President used to be in, but they moved to a different ward, so my new companion, Elder Laney, and I were swept in, with no real knowledge of what is going on. We got to work immediately making calls and setting up appointments. So far, this week has been amazing! There are a lot of recent converts and less-active members, with whom we are working, and a ton more that we are trying to contact. I know without a doubt, this is where I need to be! There is one investigator in particular that is so close to getting baptized but just hasn't taken that leap of faith yet. He is 22 and I basically feel like we are best friends already, so I am super excited to get to work with him.
There are seriously so many people here that I am already in love with! Bill and Eddie are a couple that literally are the epitome of the elect of God. They were so prepared to hear the gospel! They were only baptized about a month ago, and they are on a role! It is wonderful to meet with them and help them continue to learn more. We also have a Bishop who is the coolest guy I have ever met. He is brilliant. He has a photographic memory so he can quote scripture like no one I have ever met before. He is super charismatic and friendly so I am excited to work with him. Arvada is interesting. Parker was a very wealthy place, but Arvada has all walks of life. It is super diverse which is really rather refreshing. They also have some of the most interesting houses I have ever seen!
So Friday we stopped by a former investigator and saw that her tree had broken from the recent snowfall. We offered to help and the next day we went back and trimmed up the tree and some other stuff. She bought us lunch and we had a wonderful conversation and dispelled some of the silly rumors that she had heard. It was really quite a fun experience. We were also able to help an old man to load his truck full of wood that he had cut up. We worked in our shirts and ties and he tried to pay us afterwards. I told him we wouldn't take the money but the next time we came to help him, he could buy us a lemonade. I just love it here already!
Then we had a really interesting experience that helped me and my companion learn a lot. We knocked on a door that turned out to be a born again preacher. We talked for a little while. He just wanted to argue and call us liars. I stayed positive the entire time and calmly talked with him. My companion started to get angry and finally started accusing the man of believing false doctrine. I put my hand on his arm and said that isn’t why we are here. I wrapped up the conversation with the man and thanked him for talking with us and sharing some of his beliefs. I bore testimony that we had faith in Christ and received our own witness of the divinity of the Book of Mormon as truly another witness of Christ and explained that we received that witness of the Holy Spirit. He kept trying to argue, but I told him that our witness was not of ourselves but of God and we left. I could tell my companion was quite rattled, so I reminded him that our Savior died for that man because He loves him just as much as He loves us, and we should love him too. We got in the car and I offered a prayer thanking Heavenly Father for the experience with the man and for his strong conviction.
Next, we went to the house of a potential investigator, and as we were walking to the door, I asked my companion if he felt the Spirit. He said no, there had been too much contention. I turned around and suggested that we go back to the car and wait there until we could both feel the Spirit. There is no point in trying to do the Lord’s work without the Spirit. We sat silently for a few minutes. I know that my companion was probably a little upset at me for it, but I have learned the importance of having the Spirit with you. We are not here as missionaries to do our work, but to do HIS work, so why try to do it if we don't have His help? I think it was a good experience for both of us.
It’s wonderful to see how I am beginning to listen more to the Spirit. Our first night in Arvada, we were headed home. Suddenly, I said we needed to visit a member on the ward list. Her younger son was there, so we told him we would come back later. I had no idea who she was, but on Sunday in Ward Council, I found out that the family is going through a very rough time and experiencing a crisis of faith. How grateful I am that the Spirit speaks to us and prompts us to help other people! I know without a doubt that God watches over his children! I have found I am getting better and better at making connections with people. Twice yesterday someone was about to close the door on us, and I asked one simple inspired question which lead to 15 more minutes of conversation, which led to an invite to return!
I am so grateful to be here in Arvada! I look forward to seeing how the Lord will utilize us, as missionaries, to accomplish his work! There is much to be done, but we are ready and willing to answer the call! I'll end with a quote from the last General Conference that hangs on my mirror - "Remember who you are, and who God expects you to become."
I love you all. I am so grateful for the knowledge we have of the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am grateful for how Christ's Atonement has changed me, and I look forward to seeing it continue to change me as well as those I am privileged to teach, while serving the Lord in Denver Colorado.
Elder Richards
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