Eyes of Christ

Hey everyone!

Hope everyone is doing great. I don't think this letter will be too crazy long, but I always think that and then end up writing a lot. So, first off, the pictures. The first picture is me on a bridge with an awesome view, the second is Elder Rojas and I, and the third is Miguel, Edine, and I. The fourth picture, FINALLY, is the familia Quispe. Okay, are they not just like, the most loveable looking people in the whole wide world? They are. Finally we had a chance to sit down with the both of them yesterday and talk, and it was good. We're really gonna start hammering them to get married and start progressing, cuz they're ready. 

Just random tidbit of information I never let you all know about my comp. He is 26. Haha. Fortunately, we get along really well, so it's not a problem, but it just is funny.

So, I guess starting in October, starts the rainy months here in the jungle. So, like, every night, it POURS now. And then, sometimes in the day. When it's not raining, the sun is roasting the water off the ground, so it makes a nice sauna effect, and we have the pleasure of sweating like a couple of pigs. Hahaha it's really cool though, I like the rain a lot, it makes it a lot fresher here. I also don't know if I told ya'll, we are washing all our clothes by hand now. That's a really fun time. It's actually not as hard as I thought it would be, and my clothes seem cleaner now, so I like that. But, I think we need to ask the President for an iron. Haha. 

So, this week, again, worked a lot with less actives. We are starting to do an English class! Thursday we had the first one, and 3 people came, one of them an investigator named Christian. (I'll talk more about him in a sec.) But, it was a lot of fun. We learned the basics, and they liked it, and they are gonna invite their friends. We have one planned for Tuesday, and another forThursday. 

We also had Mission Night on Friday, and have another one planned. We watched The Testaments, ate popcorn, drank Inca Kola, and then we shared our testimonies. We had a bunch of investigators come, but we'll see how/if they progress. 

I have hit 1 year since starting writing in a journal, so I've occasionally been reading what I was doing a year ago, and by golly this year went fast. Wow. But, it's cool to remember. I like journals. Write in them if you're not!  

Oh I forgot to tell ya'll about some dude I met last week from Cuttinshoot, Texas (he told me it's called that cuz you either get cut or shot there). He is here looking for gold in the mountains, but it was an interesting conversation. Apparently ALL of his family is Mormon, except him. I gave him a contact card and taught a short lesson in the street, but WOW is it weird to teach in English. Seriously. I slipped into Spanish 3 times in the 5 minutes we were talking haha. I can talk in English about normal stuff, but when I start teaching, I slip into Spanish haha. It's weird. 

So, Christian is a young man here who is really interested, but, his dad doesn't like our church. So, we are gonna go try to work with him. Shaber is another young man, who yesterdaycommited to be baptized, so we're working with him. Both of them are really sincere, and I think they can progress a lot. 

Okay. So, let me prelude this with, this week was good, and I'm fine, but I had 2 interesting experiences this week, that I'd like to share. First off, we were teaching a less active member who fills us FULL of excuses as to why she shouldn't come back to church. Her name is Yellin. Anyways, we were teaching her on Saturday, and I was bearing my testimony to her, and I told her, "Hermana, yo SÉ que estas cosas son verdaderas. Yo lo sé." And, BLAM! Obviously, I knew this things were true before, and all that, but I just got a super powerful confirmation that they ARE true, and that I do KNOW that they are true. So, it was super good. Unfortunately, Sunday, she didn't come. A lot of the less actives we have been working with didn't. So, I was a little frustrated, but I was thinking of a way to kind of jokingly, but seriously, let them know that we were waiting and that we really do want to see them in the church. I was talking about it with my comp, and he was like, "Hey. I don't want to like, offend you or anything. But, some of these people, the problem is... they just don't care." AAAAAAANNNDDDD... I got a lil teary eyed... haha. Okay. So, before you all start stressing that I'm sad, I'm not! It was interesting, and I'm going to share my thoughts with you. 

I got emotional, because it's true. There are some people, who just don't care. Thats all there is to it. And the reason I was emotional, is because I do have such a testimony of these things. I know that this isn't just something cool to do. This is the salvation of these people. When they reject the message, the are rejecting Christ. I was reading my scriptures last week and was reading 3 Nephi 17. Go read that, and you'll understand the thought I want to share. So, first off, Christ had compassion on the people, and decided to stay and bless them. So, here we see the love of Christ for the people. Later, it says that Christ groaned within himself, and he pleads to Heavenly Father because of the wickedness of the House of Israel, and starts to pray. When he finishes his prayer, he sees that all of the people are overwhelmed by joy, and then tells them that they are blessed, and that his joy is complete in them. But then, he cries. Now, this is the thought I had yesterday after this happened. Christ saw the faith of these people, and he loved them. But, he also loved the people in Jerusalem, who rejected him, spit upon him, mocked him, and ultimately, killed him. I believe Christ in this moment, Christ was crying for 2 reasons. One, because of the utter joy that he felt in seeing the faith and joy of the conversion of the people, and two, because of the hardness of the hearts of the people who rejected him, and who will reject him. 

Okay. I don't know if you all understand where I'm coming from here. I just thought that maybe, Christ was crying for his joy that he felt seeing the conversion, and the sorrow for the people who could never feel that. That's not a bad cry, is it? That's how I felt yesterday. I sorrowed for the people who don't care, who don't want to make the effort. But, when I remember the people who walk 2 hours in the rain to come to church, when I remember the people who have recieved their testimony through their faith, those whose lives have been blessed through the gospel of Christ, I joy for them. I feel like this week, I have seen a little through the eyes of Christ, and I understand a little more His perfect love that He offers for each and every one of us. Everyone can choose to embrace or reject the love, but He offers it nonetheless. What a beautiful knowledge.

I know this church is true. I know it. I know that Christ truely lives, and that He loves us, more than we can comprehend. We can read and learn about His love in the scriptures, and we can express our gratitude for that love through prayer, and our actions. I'm so grateful to be here, teaching these wonderful people. Whether they accept the message or not, I'm here to love and serve them, so, that's just what I'll do. Thanks for everything. Love and miss you all! Hope all is well! And I hope my spiritual thought made some amount of sense. Haha. Until next week!

Elder Richman

¿Que tal?

Hello loved ones.

First off, I’d just like everyone to know how much my patience is going to be improved upon, only using this internet here in Echarati. My goodness. Anyways. This week was good, but PHEW. Tiring. We worked our tails off, seriously. But, it paid off… more or less. I’ll explain. J

So, basically, this week we worked a TON with less actives. We had 16 lessons with less actives this week, which was pretty impressive I think. But, it paid off. This week in Sacrament Meeting, we saw a lot of them come to church, some of them with more than a year of inactivity. It was awesome. I felt like we’ve really had the  Spirit with us, and they are starting to really open up to us, and we have been able to tie in Gospel Principles to help them with their problems. It’s actually really awesome, that they can say some trial or something that they have, and immediately, the way the gospel can bless them in their time of struggle pops into my head. I know that it’s the Spirit helping guide our lessons. It’s just really cool.

We did work with some of our investigators this week. We did the service project for Edgar and his family, and they were really grateful. Before they went to Cusco for the operation for his daughter, we came, offered a prayer in their home, and gave their daughter a blessing. They were both sobbing, and were super grateful. They’ll be coming home this week, hopefully with a healty daughter, and we are going to start working with them hard, because right now, I feel like they are prepared. We saw Yhoseli a few times, but this week we are going to have a pretty hardcore, “Marry yourself and get baptized” talk, because they know these things are true.

But, yeah. This week, we worked a lot with the family of our pensh. That family is chock full of crazy problems, so we’re working on that. But, something we started doing this week, is having family scripture study with them every night after dinner. I’ll tell you what, after we’ve been working all day, and then after I have some warm food and matte in my tummy, it’s a struggle, but it’s been super good. Ma, the other day, told us with tears in her eyes, “Elders, I read my books today for the first time in 8 months. Thank you.” I almost started crying too! It was super happy. J We also bought Ma a flower this week. Just a rose. It was pretty funny.

Umm… ah. I’m about ready to flip one with the leaders of the branch in Quillabamba that we pertain to here. Seriously. Please fulfill your callings, cuz if you don’t, so many people suffer. That’s all I have to say. Blah.

So, something Elder Rojas and I have done this week was talk a bit about people here who could accept responsablities or callings here. We made sort of a commission with 3 of the more active young men this week. Edine, Miguel, and David. They are super cool haha, but basically, we’re using them to help us strengthen the young men here. Yesterday, Edine and Miguel came with us all day to visit people, and it was really cool. But, we walked like, halfway to QUillabamba. Okay, not really, but it was far. I was tired. Haha. But yeah, we’re gonna keep asking people specifically to help us out here, because people want to have a responsablitiy. I feel like this will help us to help the group here advance.

Ummm…. I got a haircut this week. I was/am not impressed. Sigh. Oh well. It’ll grow back.

Oh, church was awesome yesterday. We had a bunch of members come, inactives, and then the school here had homework to visit another church, so like, 10 youth came for that. So, we taught a super good lesson on The Restoration, and like, 3 or 4 seemed pretty interested. But, it was good.

In other wonderful news, I’m wearing my jeans today. I almost had to put on a belt cuz they were falling down! The same pair of jeans that in the start of my mission, I had to suck in a big breath before I could button my pants. Needless to say, pretty stoked about that.

Um. Yeah. The work is moving forward here, albeit slowly! It’s cool. I’m so grateful to be here, and I feel like I have really started feeling the love of Christ for these people this week. Which, is almost a little frustrating, because it seriously is the worst when they don’t come to church or progress, but that’s why we have agency. But, when they do progress, and fulfill with their covenants… the joy that you can feel, really is something special. The mission rocks. I’m not here just cuz. I have a sincere desire to help these people come to Christ, and realize the blessings they have available. I know that this gospel blesses people. I have seen it in my life, and I can see it in the lives of the people here. I love this gospel so much, and I am so, so blessed. I love and miss you all, but… I’d rather be here… Sorry! Just kidding, but seriously, I am so happy to be where I am, doing what I am doing. J Til next week!

Elder Richman

I don't have a witty title this week, but please still read me.

Hey everyone! I'm gonna bust this letter out real quick for ya'll. 

So, I got my new comp this week! But, in Wednesday. Monday night, we came to Quilla to ship off my comp. It was quite possibly the best night I've had in the mission. You can see a picture of why below. But, I found Dr. Pepper. So. Yeah. That was a sacred moment for me that I'll never forget. 

But, I hung out with the zone leaders til my comp came. Basically, we just did  zone leader stuff, so we didn't teach a lot. But, Elder Nolan and I are basically brothers now. Haha. He's a boss. It was a really fun couple of days. His comp, Elder Mendez, goes home this transfer, so he is super trunky, but it was still good,and he's a great missionary haha. 

Anyways, so my comp got here and we went to Echi. Wow. Not to brag, but just seriously, the past couple of days it was like, BAM! We come rolling into houses, bringing the Spirit like a piledriver, and then bring them to repentance. Seriously, we were killing it this week. It was super awesome. I'm stoked for the next change. I like my new comp a lot, and I feel like we're gonna work real hard and real effectively together. 

So, Friday was a talent show here in Quilla! So, that was really cool. All the missionaries did a sketch, and lots of other people did stuff. So I threw in a picture of that as well..

This Sunday, not a lot of people came, but we had testimony meeting. Wow. I dunno. Never in my entire life have I felt so spiritually uplifted from a sacrament meeting, and onlywith like, 10 people. It was really cool. The church is true.

As for our investigators, all is well. Rony and Yhoseli are just waiting on the money, and we went and visited with a family again this week. His name is Edgar. His daughter was just diagnosed with a problemwith her brain, so we're helping with a fundraiser this week for them. That'll be good. I'll let ya'll know.

Um. There was something else. Oh! Yesterday was Alessandra's birthday. So I put in some pictures of that. One you can see basicallyall the family of my pensh, and where I eat all my meals haha. The other is with Alessandra and Eva. Eva is the one on the left, and Alessandra is the other one. Also, the picture of me with a roller and an apron is from last week when we made tacos. Yum.

Anyways, all is well down here. Hope ya'll are good. The church is true! I'm super duper stoked for the next few weeks, cuz I think we're gonna see lots of improvement here. Wish me luck!

Les extraño mucho! Cuidase! 

-Elder Richman

I'm a Real Life Missionary Now!

Well, I finished my training, so now I'm like a real life missionary! It's pretty cool. We had changes yesterday, so I'm staying here in Echarati, and I'm getting a new comp tomorrow, named Elder Rojas. So, I'm excited for that. This week was really slow, but went really fast, if that makes any sense. Basically, the entire week was focused on less actives and the other members to get them pumped up for conference. 

Fortunately, internet is much faster today, so I should be able to send these pictures. I hope all of them are gonna send.  

So, this Tuesday, we did a family home evening with the youth here, and it went really well. The people that came had a lot of fun. We watched a Mormon Message, talked about it, and then played a game called, "Habla Chancho". It was fun, but I lost, so I had to do my first "Baile del Pollo." That was interesting. But, it was a sucessful activity and I want to keep doing it to motivate the youth here. 

Things with Rosa are good. We are still meeting and teaching her new stuff. She is going to go to Cusco at the end of the month to go back to school, so it'll be good that she can go to an area that's really strong like that. But she keeps learning fast, it's been good. 

So, this week we worked a ton with members, so it was a good week. We ended up having around 20 people come to conference, which we watched in Quillabamba. I watched it in English with my zone leader, so that was a lot of fun haha. But, I was super stoked how many members came. It was worth all the work we've put in in the past little while. 

As far as conference goes, it was awesome. Really, the leaders of the church were just like, PLAM! No beatin around the bush, just nailed the points. It was awesome. I got lots of revelation for myself and my investigators. Seriously, conference for a missionary is like a constant stream of revelation. It's awesome.

Um. Oh. I'm not gonna go into too much detail about it because I don't want to have problems. Just, if ya'll have a position of leadership in the church, PLEASE, DO it. The inorganization and lack of support of the leaders here sometimes is really frustrating. But, we hope things will start to change.

Yeah. That's seriously it for this week. Sorry, I'm boring. I'm super stoked for my new comp and to keep working with him this week. I'll let ya'll know how it goes. Thanks for your love and support. Until next week!

-Elder Richman