Workout Equipment and Farewell to Elder Thomas

Apr 7, 2014

On Monday we had an interesting experience with Brother Dicker, a member of the Bishopric. He wants us to come over to help his wife come back to church, and our offers to visit have so far not aligned with their schedule. We were in the area near his home (which we rarely are) and we decided to take him up on an 18-week-old offer to give us some workout equipment. I wasn't even here when he extended the offer, but we decided to trade him the six donut holes we had just received at a meal with another family, in exchange for the workout equipment previously mentioned. We saw him and his wife stare at us from the house as we pulled in the driveway, though it was very dark at this point. We quickly prayed before going in. When we knocked on the door, Brother Dicker allowed us in, mentioning that we "should have scheduled ahead." Oh, no. He later told us that he had just gotten his wife to agree to have us over for dinner one night, and when we showed up she grilled him, "You said they were going to call ahead!" When we got in, first of all, their grandkids love us. Then, we had the perfect number of donut holes for their family. Lastly, as we shared our favorite scriptures (at Brother Dicker's request) the Spirit touched each heart in the room. It was so quiet, and everyone smiled. We prayed with their family before going downstairs to pick out weights. As Brother Dicker walked us to our car at the end of our 20-minute visit, he shared that Sister Dicker enjoyed having us in her home again. He called us the next day to thank us again. I think that our visit was an answer to his prayers. I know Heavenly Father answers prayers. The influence of the Spirit is often so subtle that we don't see it working immediately. I am so thankful that we can be led by someone with so much love and compassion.

As for Elder Thomas, he is leaving tomorrow. I will receive a new companion and continue working here. I am so sad for him to leave. He taught me SO MUCH. At the same time, I can't wait to meet my new companion.

Where to from here?

"Onward, ever onward, as we glory in His name!" (Called to Serve, Hymns 249)

With Love, 

Elder Jon Harrison Richins

Whoopie Pies and a Difficult Week

Mar 31, 2014

This week was so difficult. Things have just been adding up for a while. I cannot describe how inadequate I have felt, how tired I have been, how much I have needed to pray, how much aid I have received, how much love I have felt from the Lord. I now have a testimony that prayer works. God is so willing to hear and help us. Not just in emergencies or when we have nowhere else to go, although He certainly does hear us then, but in any case where we need more than we have, we can turn to Him. This week has humbled me. I feel ready for God to make of me whatever He wants.

Now I just hope we get to stay here in Waterville a little while longer. Now that the storm is over, I want to see some sun, ya know? Transfers are next week, and Elder Thomas plans on leaving.

Risk with Elder Roberts while on exchange. My first game. I sent my red guys to attack the neutral yellow guys in Iceland so I could take control of Europe. We have Risk in our attic, and I considered playing it five ways against myself over the course of a week, but then I decided I have better things to do.

The first day I didn't have to wear a coat.

We are in a contest with the Sister missionaries to see who can fatten the other up more. Not really, but we do try to pawn our too-many desserts off on each other. These whoopie pies were found on our porch last night.

Love,

Elder Richins

Snow Tunnel and Sincere Prayer

Mar 24, 2014

I was wrong. It wasn't the sun. It was just the light at the end of the tunnel. A long, cold tunnel. It's supposed to snow again. But you know what? That's awesome! Because I still haven't made a snow tunnel yet.

This week Rachel and Damian came to church WITH Nick and Dillon, Rachel's nephews! It was so cool! And Nick wants to come to church again next week. Turns out he goes to the same high school as most of the teens at church, so he already has friends here.

This week has been so amazing. I really don't know how to explain it, but I feel like the Lord is teaching me and helping me to do better than I could on my own. I think a lot of that help is gained through prayer. I've been trying to be more sincere in my prayers so that I talk with Heavenly Father instead of with my pillow. Just trying has helped immensely. It's cool to me to see what the Lord can do with my efforts.

Well, love y'all!

Elder Richins

The Post In Which We Put Someone in the Trash

Mar 17, 2014

This week we went on exchange; Elder Plyler came to Waterville with me. I was very excited to teach Barbara, the daughter of Charles and Jeanette, who haven't been to church in a few years. She is twenty and recently had a baby boy. Jeanette is going to stop smoking in a little while (we're working on it), so we talked about how the Holy Spirit can strengthen us with assurances of peace. They unfortunately did not make it to church this week, though they intended to previously. We also taught Damian, Dennis, and Rachel. Rachel is the only member in her family and is returning to activity. Our lesson was a little bit crazy; we put Damian in a giant trash bag with his head sticking out to symbolize sinning (your parents have told you a million times not to do that). You can move around in the bag UNTIL we suck out all the air with a vacuum cleaner. Then you're stuck. Satan has you. But through the Atonement you can be freed if you repent! (the point of the lesson)! Unfortunately, they didn't come to church either! What's up with that?! Anyways, most of the exchange was spent baking cookies and shoveling snow. We met some very nice people while shoveling, and when we took cookies to the Bishop he invited us in for a lesson.

The last three days in a row I saw the sun. I don't even know what to think. Wait a sec, YES I DO! I FORGOT HOW BRIGHT IT COULD BE OUTSIDE! I LOVE IT!

Me in my work suit. Just kidding, we didn't have time to change and it was only for a little while.

LOVE, 

Elder Jon Harrison Richins

This Goal is Killing Me! This Goal is Sweet!

Mar 10, 2014

This week we taught Dennis and Damian, his 10-year-old son, the Plan of Salvation. Damian was able to put together a puzzle that we brought to quiz him. After that, the lesson went a bit downhill. He has severe ADHD, which obstructs most lessons in some degree. This time, the Plan of Salvation stuck to him. We will retest him to see how much he remembers, but I think he knows it pretty well. He's such a funny kid. He gets up every thirty seconds to run around or stand on his mom's rocking bench so he can jump onto the pull-up bar. But he is so smart and he's a good kid too.

This week I have paid Elder Thomas $2.95 total for not writing in my journal and not reading 10 pages a day in the scriptures. This goal is killing me. I have only completed both parts of the goal once. On the bright side, my reading has helped me so much. I'm learning a ton and lots of little pieces are sticking out to me. Now I can hardly wait to read! This goal is sweet!

Steak and Potatoes for breakfast

Love, 

Elder Jon Harrison Richins

Donuts-on-Strings & A Delicious New Suit

Mar 3, 2014

This week we visited Jessica, the wife of a less-active member. She has found so much happiness in what we have taught her so far. We focus a lot on eternal families, which has softened her heart immensely. She has a solid doctrinal knowledge from lessons with previous missionaries, but it is even greater to see her smile as we teach her. This week we held FHE at their house. Most of the kids did not come and she had a headache, but after we played Donuts-on-Strings it was obvious that she enjoyed it! It makes me so happy to see her so happy!

We had dinner with a less-active member named Jonathan. His mother, Deb, has been trying to help him come back to church for a while. We showed them the Prodigal Son video from the Bible Videos series on mormonchannel.org. Jonathan took the boldness well. He has a greater desire to come to church, and should be there next week (we works some Sundays). He has to stop smoking and drinking, but we gave him a blessing for that. He will make it. I have faith in him.

I set some steep goals for this week: I have to read ten pages of the scriptures per day or pay Elder Thomas a nickel per page I missed, and I have to write one full page in my journal every day or pay Elder Thomas a quarter. I love Elder Thomas so much. This companionship just makes me so happy!

See this? This is what happiness looks like.

Love, 

Elder Jon Harrison Richins

A Heavenly Father who Loves Her

Feb 24, 2014

This week we finally got to teach Jay! You know that guy from four weeks ago whose door we knocked on and he just let us in? We have stopped by several times and we always catch him at a bad time; however, this week we set an appointment for the following day and we talked with him about the Plan of Salvation. He read the pamphlet! He took notes and asked questions during our discussion as we walked through the pamphlet with him. His wife, Amy, and their sons, Sean and Conner, did not sit in with us, but Jay hopes to get them involved soon. He sees it as his duty to bring spirituality into the house. I am amazed at how prepared he is to receive the gospel.

This week we also began teaching Jessica, who is the wife of a less-active member named Brad. His entire family has been taught before and they showed no interest for the longest time, until we gave a blessing to Jessica one Sunday afternoon. Right afterwards we offered to teach her again and she said yes. We have talked with her about her relationship with God; because she had a rough relationship with her father she finds it difficult to believe in a Heavenly Father who loves her. She has made great progress in our two meetings, and has already begun to pray more frequently. She rarely prayed for herself before. We showed her one of the Introduction to the Church videos on mormonchannel.org; this one was about the temples. She wants to go to the temple with Brad, though she hasn't said it. She committed to read The Family: A Proclamation to the World right after we left; she was so excited to read it.

This might seem insignificant, but this week when we got to see Dennis, the husband of one of the members, we brought up baptism and he said, "It might take a few years, but yeah, I'll be baptized." This is a huge step for him, to even talk about baptism.

So we work at a soup kitchen every Friday and guess what? We love it! Some kids from Colby College work there and they're way cool! We make sandwiches together and have fun the whole time.

This is how good my week was. Cinnamon-roll good.

Love, 

Elder Jon Harrison Richins