iPad and Almost Home!

​At the mission conference!

This week marks the first week that missionaries in the New Hampshire Manchester Mission can use iPads for proselyting purposes! All the missionaries were brought together in the Exeter Stake Center for a meeting. I was really surprised. I thought we would just talk about how to use them for teaching and stuff, but we talked first about being safe and about focusing on our purpose as missionaries, which is to invite others to come unto Christ. If we're using the tools we're given (iPads, phones, etc.) to invite others to come unto Christ, then we're using the tool right. There's a lot of concern about using them effectively. I honestly don't know how to use an iPad for missionary work. I wish I had the opportunity to learn how, because that would help me more in "real life" (what you're living right now) because when I get home (in like a week and a half) I want to continue sharing the gospel in every way I can. The constraint on my learning ability right now is time. And the fact that I didn't get an iPad because I have such a short amount of time left (but I did get to touch one!).

​Me with Elder Truman's iPad mini.

Things have been going well in the work. We'll be on our way to the Temple in Boston in a few minutes, so I'm short on time, but I do want to say that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the things he and his Apostles taught, are true. I've felt those things work in my life. I've gained a stronger testimony of them as I've searched the scriptures and prayed. I love God and I love my family. God Bless.

Elder Richins

SPRINT to the End

(Real time, Baby!)

Yesterday in studies I made a plan for the last four weeks of my mission. I call it SPRINT, which stands for:

Seek His Will (for you and others)
Pray Earnestly
Repent/Account Daily
Immerse Yourself in the Scriptures (Scripture Memo. and seeking answers to questions)
'Nother Testament (read it to understand the Atonement)
Totally Jacked (work out hard every morning)

I've found a really great way to account for my efforts every day (step 3), by having boxes to check for each letter every day on a sticky note. It feels more productive already to have this as my goal, and to have accountability pre-set for each day. I'm looking forward to this last four weeks. "Don't Run, SPRINT." Anyways, it's kinda goofy, but I think it will help.

Love,
Elder Richins

Got to go to the temple last week!

Teaching Jeremie

April 30, 2015

Two days ago we met a man named Jeremie who lives in Haverhill. He was painting his grandparents' railing for their house and we happened to walk by at the time. When we approached him, he didn't put down his brush or anything, but he was friendly nonetheless. He said that he has Kleinfelters Syndrome, and that it causes him a lot of medical problems. At this point, the one that affects him the most is memory loss. Much like Drew Barrymore in 50 First Dates, he has to write down what he did that day and read it after he wakes up each morning, or else he won't remember it. We told him what we do as missionaries, how we teach people, and offered to teach him at his home. He said we could and gave his address.

When we visited the next day, he remembered us! Elder Truman and I taught him about the Restoration of the Gospel, and we talked about how the gospel could bless him in his daily life. He said that he has little or no religious background, but he was willing to read the introduction to the Book of Mormon (once that evening and then again the next morning) and then pray about the message we shared. We scheduled another appointment for tonight. We're excited to go back and see him again!

Love,

Elder Richins

Elder Trochez and The Map

Dec 22, 2014

Map of our area, you have to tilt your head to the right.

Elder Trochez and I!

P-Day

Nov 24, 2014

Pictures! This is a toy store we play games at on P-Day and a selfie.

More Pictures

Nov 3, 2104

In this picture it looks like I could fall into the ocean, but don't worry. I didn't. And there's rocks all around anyways.

One of two pictures I got with my companion the entire time I was with him.

The other one. With the rest of my district.

I looked out the window and what did I see? It's here.

Love,

Elder J. H. Richins of the Quorum of the 250 of the New Hampshire Manchester Mission.

A Rough Week but Things Are Looking Up

October 20, 2104

This week we brought Marc, a member, to teach Alan with us. He participated in the lesson a lot, asking questions and providing insights in our reading in 1 Nephi. He invited Alan to church and Alan was so close to accepting the invitation. He has a few small concerns about getting to church, but we think he has another concern that he's not telling us. Either way, he did not come to church this week. We are going to hold off on the commitment to come to church for a little while so that we don't pester him. We'll focus more on his reading and helping him gain a testimony of the Book of Mormon. He told us this week how he first gained his faith in Christ. As a teenager he sprained his ankle one summer and was laid up for weeks. During this time he decided to read the entire Bible. As he read he started to like Jesus a lot, like a really close friend. Alan kind of has a distrust for people, and Jesus just seemed like a more solid person.

We also taught the Dorays. We just talked a little bit about scripture study with them and then read part of 1 Nephi 1 in the Book of Mormon. They had to go somewhere, so we didn't read it all so as to be considerate of their time. We plan on helping them, the kids especially, to get excited for the Book of Mormon by making scripture covers for Family Home Evening. Their family is way cool! We actually found out this week that they play Magic: the Gathering (a trading card game started in the 90's, still very popular) and my last companion, Elder Rees, taught me how to play. One person we teach, Joe, gave Elder Chisholm and I decks of cards and is going to teach Elder Chisholm how to play. I started poring over my deck, thinking up strategies, before I realized I could be using my time much better.

This few weeks has been kinda rough, but things are looking up.

With Love,

Jon