The Upside of the Roller-Coaster

November 18, 2013

The Upside of the Roller-Coaster (names have been changed for privacy reasons)

After dinner at the Burke's home, Brother Burke invited us into the living room for a discussion about the Book of Mormon. Brother Giles, who was also eating with us, joined in. Sister Burke and their daughter, June, did not join us. The conversation was nice, but it was definitely lacking something. June was sitting behind us at the table, and I had the thought, "I should ask June to talk about her testimony of the Book of Mormon." I asked, she obliged, and with tears in her eyes she talked about how she came to know it was true. I won't go into details, but it was almost exactly how I came to know it was true. I hadn't ever found anyone with a similar testimony. Sister Burke jokingly chastised us for making her daughter cry and then entered the conversation on her own. I don't know why she needed to talk about it, maybe I needed it. Maybe Brother Giles needed it. Sometimes God leaves us hanging for a little while before we see how much good really happened.

Louis, who we met last week and began teaching, read from the Book of Mormon between lessons once. He said he did it because he was really depressed and he remembered how reading it brought the Spirit into his home before, when we read with him. He recognizes how it can help him. Then this last time, he hadn't read. Instead he got really drunk. During the visit, he said he probably wouldn't stop drinking for a while. Considering how well he was doing before, that was disappointing. But it wasn't discouraging. He'll take one step at a time, starting with reading a chapter between appointments. When we first knocked on his door, I remember we asked "Can we come in and share a message that will change your life?" He was still doubtful, but I know it can change his life. I have faith that it will. That's why Christ did what he has done for us. It's supposed to change us 180 degrees.

We had a barbecue at the local Southern Baptist preacher's house. He said he likes having us over because "No one lights the grill to cook for one." He's going to be moving soon and we've been helping him get organized so he can sell most of his stuff. He needs the help, and it's a joy to help him.

This happened this week.

Love, Elder Jon Harrison Richins

The Downside of the Roller-Coaster

November 11, 2013

A bit of a roller-coaster this week. I'll get the bad out of the way.

I have not popped or cracked my neck at all this week, and it is killing me. Usually I would just do it whenever I wanted, several times a day. Some would be quiet, others were the kind where people look at you kinda disgusted-like. But I decided I would not do that for the rest of my mission, which is longer than I've been out on my mission. Elder Chapman, my companion who remains within sight and
sound almost 24/7, set the same goal and I guess he gave it up. He
reminds me every time he does it. It's been tough.

We went on exchange, which means that I traded Elder Chapman for Elder
Gale (another missionary in our district) for a day. We had trouble
getting along the first little while. I think it may have been that I
just felt weird because Elder Chapman usually talks or sings in the
car, and Elder Gale doesn't as much. When we worked in Sheffield that
day (there isn't much to do in Sheffield, especially at night), all
our plans fell through. No one we wanted to visit was home or was
free. We ended up walking down VT-122, the main road, for a long time
in the cold. The plans falling apart and the events leading up to it
were the low point of the exchange. But Elder Gale and I got talking
and it turns out he's a person too. He told me about why he is serving
a mission and about what he does at home. He loves Starcraft and
Warcraft and some other computer games. Glad we got to know each
other.

We met more people who are interested in the Church, but I'm running
out of my allotted email time. "Obedience brings blessings. 100%
obedience brings miracles." Not sure who said it, but I'm going to
take their advice. I'll talk about the upside of the roller-coaster
next week.

Love Elder Richins

Mister Rogers and Mighty Prayer

November 4, 2013

This week has been tough. We haven't taught many people recently and we haven't set a date for anyone to be baptized in weeks.  The lack of success, as far as numbers go, started to weigh on me. This slumpy feeling continued until last night. I had a really long talk with God. I've been trying to be better with prayer by thinking about various aspects of it before praying. Recently I came across the phrase, "Pray mightily over your goals and plans," in Preach My Gospel, a Guide to Missionary Work, and last night I thought to apply it to my other prayers. It was one of the longest, mightiest prayers I have said without getting distracted or falling asleep. I had thoughts about the work that I had to write down afterwards before I forgot them and went to bed. I felt inspired to become more diligent, and was shown areas to improve in. This week will be better.

We visit a less-active man named Dave and his nonmember wife, Sharon, regularly. In one discussion, he said he probably wouldn't stop smoking until the price of cigarettes increased, just because he's not ready to give them up. Elder Chapman and I prayed that the price of cigarettes would increase. Recently their upstairs neighbor was given a terminal diagnosis for COPD and told that she has 6 months to 2 years to live. Hearing about this scared them enough that Sharon decided to stop smoking (she also has COPD). Dave decided it would be easier to stop smoking if Sharon did, so they'll both be quitting soon. The price of cigarettes went up in a way, which shows me that God answers prayers in ways I would never expect.

Dressed up for Halloween (in our apartment). I'm Mr. Rogers and Elder Chapman is a Texan. We don't go outside Halloween night; instead we stay in and clean the apartment. Our kitchen looks fantastic.

Love, Elder Jon Harrison Richins

Snow and Some Carpentry, Too

October 28, 2013

I looked out the window and what did I see?

Oh no, it's started! This was our car Tuesday morning. As you can see, there's something very wrong with the body and windshield. It's not even Halloween yet.

This week we didn't get to teach many people, but we got to do a lot of service. We split wood for two families and got to help a member of the ward build a log pavilion where he's going to keep a bunch of his stuff while he works on the interior of his house this winter. His house is a two-story 40x40 log cabin with a huge fireplace right in the middle to heat everything. We helped him set up log trusses for the roof of the pavilion (which is much, much smaller than the house) so that he can mark them and cut out the grooves where they will rest on the frame. I didn't think to bring my camera, but I can ask him for one of the pictures he took.

We got to teach Rob and Danielle, two new investigators, and they were going to come to church, but they didn't show up. I think we need to introduce them to a few members so they feel comfortable coming. They seem really cool though. We'll get to see them again this week, so we can teach them about the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and enduring to the end). We also got to teach a family about how they can share the Book of Mormon with their friends. As Elder Chapman would say, skizzies!

Love, Elder Jon Harrison Richins

Elder Chapman Steps Up to the Plate

October 21, 2013

New District Leader! (What what!) It's not me; it's Elder Chapman! (Even better!) So, a district leader leads a district, usually made up of 3-5 missionary companionships. Every week at district meeting, he presents training, leads discussion of various items of district business, and helps the district set new goals for the week. Missionary leadership is really important; there are 12 pages dedicated to it in the Missionary Handbook (also known as the Book of Blessings or the Book of Rules, depending on how you look at it). Elder Chapman will be the District Leader here for at least the next transfer, starting today, which means that: 1) he might be stressing out, 2) I'll support him even when it gets tough, and 3) he's already stepping up to the plate. The day after we got the call he did something he had never done before. He was serious. Not only serious, but he seemed extra prepared for the day. I can't wait to see what this transfer holds; surely it will cause both of us to grow stronger in testimony and skill.

This week we were asked by Bishop Tucker to visit a member who moved in two months ago and hadn't been to church. The bishop in the ward where he moved from called Bishop Tucker to give him the name and address of the member. We tried to stop by him on McGill Street, and instead met a man who had met with the missionaries before and might be interested in meeting again. No answer, though, when we knocked on the member's door. Days later, we realized that we had the street wrong; it was Gilman, not McGill. So we got to visit the member yesterday (he's awesome and wants to play basketball with us and serve a mission and he was living in Texas!), AND we made contact with a former investigator. Super blessings!

Love y'all! (One of the Sister missionaries said y'all this morning!)

Elder Jon Harrison Richins

Elder Swalberg and the Piano Pushers

October 14, 2013

A few weeks ago, we were driving along, when we saw two people trying to push a piano into this lean-to house. They had just backed a pickup truck to the porch and put some boards down to roll the piano on. We decided to stop and help them; we came at just the right time. There's a doorway behind those three trees all growing together. That door is now blocked with a piano. It was previously blocked with just a major diagonal beam, which the owner's boyfriend cut a large chunk out of with a chainsaw. We are allowed by the owner, Barbara, to enter at any time and play the piano. We got talking and SHE HAS MET WITH THE MISSIONARIES BEFORE! She told us her life story about how she bought this land from some thug who hired a man to harass her so that she would leave the house to be foreclosed upon. She wanted to build a house with her husband, but he kept changing his mind about whether he wanted a trailer or a house, so that's why the house is unfinished. CPS tried to take their son (I can't remember why; her story was about an hour long), but she kept resisting the police who tried to take her son, so she went to some horrible prison with a history of inmate abuse. Eventually she got out and went home. Her husband bailed on her at some point. So now she lives in the lean-to house in the summer and in a trailer behind it in the winter. This week we started teaching her again, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to get to help her come closer to Christ. She already has an awesome testimony about the Christ and about the Church.

We got to go see the Mission President (he makes sure that we missionaries are cared for, and he receives revelation specific for the mission). And you'll never guess who else I saw! Elder Swalberg from Texas! I was so surprised to see him. Also yesterday, I got to see my friend Bill from Brigham Young University! He lives here in Vermont and we were both at the Montpelier Stake Conference. I didn't get a picture with him because we were in a bit of a hurry to leave, but I got a sweet hug!

Also, we made a Hill Cumorah Cake for the Bishop here, in appreciation for all his hard work.

There's a really cool song in the LDS Hymn book called "An Angel from On High." It basically talks about how we got the Book of Mormon. The tune is something crazy, though.

Gotta go, ran out of time again. Sorry!

Love, Elder Jon Harrison Richins

40-Day Fast and Keith's Call

October 7, 2013

This week was awesome! Our ward started a 40-Day Fast for missionary work and we've already seen some awesome "coincidences." The fast works like a relay, so you always have someone fasting for 40 days.

On Wednesday, we hold a scripture study at the chapel. This week NO ONE CAME! We were about to leave when one of the members of the church who was there waiting for her granddaughter (the youth activities, Mutual, are also on Wednesdays) decided that she would study with us if no one else would. We read a little, but mostly we talked and eventually it came to the subject of her husband, who is not a member of the Church. He had met with the missionaries previously, but according to her, the missionaries "just stopped coming." I have no idea how that happens, but we are going to pick him up as an investigator. No doubt, it is his time!

Two AM, Saturday morning, Keith calls us, distraught and anxious about his eternal well-being and with questions about whether he's going to hell. (He had been drinking a little). We calmed him with some sweet words of the Gospel. And then he told us he would come to church, because something inside him needed to change. Unfortunately, regular church hours were cancelled that weekend. Fortunately, it was because of General Conference, which is a worldwide meeting for members of the church led by the Prophet Thomas S. Monson (the President of the Church) and the Twelve Apostles (modern ones). It's a televised meeting, cut into five two-hour sessions. Keith wanted to come to the church to watch it, so the next morning we found him a last-minute ride to the chapel (another great story in and of itself) and he watched four hours of Conference! He liked it so much! Today we are going to invite him to be baptized, which is a really big step. He would have to stop smoking and drinking, two big obstacles, but I know Who Can Help him.

Having trouble getting these to upload, and I'm almost out of time, so Adios!

Elder Jon Harrison Richins

Climbed up a tower at the top of a mountain.