8-21-17 - LAST UPDATE FOR THE MISSION

August 21, 2017

Crazy LIFE!

We had some crazy experiences this last week! 

On Monday I chipped my tooth playing basketball and then got it fixed in the same day!!! FOR FREE!!! Now I'm still ALL smiles and loving life. 

On Tuesday we went and visited Fey and her boys and taught the law of Chastity using head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes!! It went really well!! Definitely the smoothest Law of Chastity lesson i have ever had with kids under the age of 18! We're hoping to maybe pull out a baptism for Kenny and Benny this weekend! It all depends on dad though. We have no idea how we're going to do it...but we're going off of a prompting!!! 

On Friday, Elder Bagley and I drove down to Fresno to have my exit interview. It's getting more and more bitter sweet as I go along. But I will say...

My mission has changed my life forever. I will NEVER forget the experiences I've had, nor wll I ever go back to what I once was. There's a scripture in 1 Corinthians that reads, "Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?"  I bear my witness that the gospel really does set us free. And that it changes lives. It's changed mine and others and I know as we let it...It will change yours as well. I love you all and am excited to continue my discipleship as a true follower of Jesus Christ! Leave it all out on the field EVERYONE!! Love you!

Elder Richardson

Elder Bagley and me at the Wilcox's home for Dinner (mmmmm).

   

8-14-17 - MY LAST ZONE CONFERENCE

August 14, 2017

Nyob Zoo Swav Daws!,

This week was bitter sweet...I had my last Zone Conference and had to bear my testimony to all the missionaries there. It still hasn't fully hit me that I'm going home. It has in some ways, but not all. I want everyone to know that my mission means everything to me. And I wouldn't trade it for any amount of money that anyone would ever offer. I have come to know my Savior more now than ever. And it's help me set up patterns in life that will help me continue to grow in more ways than not! 

We went on 2 exchanges this week and had lots of fun doing so! 

As for finding, Elder Bagley and I picked up 2 teenagers named Shauntelle and Donovan, who I actually taught the first time I was here!!! We are also really working through the YSA to find more Hmong people and we know that our efforts are not in vain!! 

That's about all for this week though!

Love you all!

Elder Richardson 

CLEANING THE CAR.
2017 Malibu with Turbo... 

I like my apartment CLEAN!!

8-7-17 - NEW YSA REP - DAVID

August 7, 2017

Nyob zoo!! 

Hello everybody!!

This week was a little rough missionary wise, but we WILL bounce back! Our teaching pool is continuing to dwindle and we aren't finding (yet) but we will!

In good news though, We have an amazing just called YSA rep named David (although, he's been inadvertently filling that calling for weeks now). We are finding less actives and starting to bring them to light with the help of this man. We feel his fire and he feels ours. We know good things are going to continue happening as we all work together. 

I love my mission, my companion, the gospel, my family, etc...!!! I love you all!! Have a GREAT week!!! 

Elder Richardson

Goofy Pictures with our awesome new YSA rep.

7-31-17 - BIKING IT WHEN WE GO OVER MILES IN THE CAR

July 31, 2017

Hiya!

This week was ok! 

We had a situation...we ran out of miles...we actually went over our monthly allotment  and that being said........

WE HAD TO GET SOME BIKES!!! We borrowed some bikes from some other missionaries and went to work in our HUGE area!! It was LOADS of fun. I actually kind of miss being on a bike. Ya it's hot outside, you sweat a lot, sometimes people won't give you water...but hey it's still a blast! I have actually really enjoyed these last few days of biking and wouldn't trade it! Although, we still really need  a car so I am excited for tomorrow when our miles refill again! 

We found 1 new investigator this week! His name is Meng. He is the boyfriend of one of our members here. He is...interesting that's for sure! I have met with him with another missionary before and he says he's "opened minded" but how he goes about conversations with us about the Book of Mormon is very opposite. Although, last week when we met with him, his girlfriend (the member) was there too an he was WAY more toned down! And it was actually a really good lesson! I really hope he will open his heart to the message of the Restoration and come to know it's true by the power of the Holy Ghost!

That's about all for this week though! Love you all!! 

Elder Richardson

Here are some of the YSA's from the HMONG Branch here in Merced.

 

Members feed me. I like Hmong Food.

 

          

7-24-17 - MY HMONG IS GETTING BETTER

July 24, 2017 

Nyob Zoo!! 

Hello from the greatest mission on the planet Earth!! This week has been fun!

Elder Bagley and i picked up 3 new investigators this week! 

'Pao' and 'Mee' we found while contacting in an area where a former investigator used to live! We eventually set up an appointment with Pao (turns out he lives where the former investigator we were looking for used to live) and went back and had a great lesson! I understood most of the first part of the lesson! Pao kept going back from Hmong to English, but even when he spoke in Hmong, I was able to understand what he was saying for the majority of it! It was awesome! The rest of the lesson I didn't understand all that much but it still went well! We hope to get Pao and his wife to church this week, seeing as they only have 1 bike to work with!! 

We also got to go the Chowchilla this week to do an Interlude teaching at a baptism they were having. Guess who was there! President and Sister Mackay! It was so good to see them! The really are just so awesome! I believe later that night we were talking with those same sister missionaries from Chowchilla and turns out, they had been starting to teach a part member Hmong family!!! We quickly asked for the address and were fortunate enough to be able to go down there yesterday and pick up one of the non members in that household! Her name is Kathy, her husband is in the air force and apparently is a less active member!

Kathy is super cool! She is still kind of deciding if she wants to convert from Christianity or stick with Shamanism. It looks like she is definitely leaning towards Christianity. Especially because she ALREADY talks about being baptized. We are super excited to keep teaching he rand meet her husband this Friday, he's up in Oregon right now.

That's about it for this week though!  love you all!

Elder Richardson

This is where we email weekly.

7-17-17 - NEW STARTS

July 17, 2017

Hiya!

This week was tough, I won't lie. But we are going to bounce back this next week! I know we will! We basically dropped all of our investigators this last week, we had one kind of one the edge...and then he didn't come to church. So we will probably drop him this next week!

But in other news...

TRANSFERS!!

I will be staying in the Merced Hmong Branch! YAY!! My companion got called to be the District Leader and I'm excited for him (and a little selfishly for me because now I get to go on all sorts of fun little

exchanges!!!)

Love ya!

Elder Richardson

Little thought:

James 2: 17-18

17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

We may have faith that things will turn for the better for us or that something we want will happen...but only after we WORK for it. That's how he show God our faith.

7-10-17 - TEMPLE AND BOOK OF MORMON CHAIN

July 10, 2017

This week has been fun!!

We found 3 new investigators. We also had interviews with President Mackay! I love him already!! We're really pushing helping people understand that the full purpose of what we do is to bring people closer to Christ.

Elder Bagley and I made a little lesson using the scriptures: 

Omni 1: 26     Mosiah 3:9      2 Nephi 25: 26     3 Nephi 11:10-11

It makes for a really good scripture chain! Go check it out!! I know that as we read the Book of Mormon that we WILL come closer to Jesus Christ and continue to build our faith in him! I love you all!!

Elder Richardson

Temple trip!

7-3-17 - WELCOME PRESIDENT AND SISTER MACKAY - NOAH'S BAPTISM

July 3, 2017

Nyob zoo!!!

This week was a crazy one!! here are some of the highlights!

-President and Sister Clark went home!! Which is SUPER sad. But, our new Mission President, President Mackay, came in! My companion and I had the privilege of meeting him on Sunday as we were leaving church; he is AWESOME!! It's really different not seeing that name tag on President Clark, but at the same time, I know that this is the man that is now receiving guidance and counsel from our Heavenly Father on how the work is going to best progress here in the central valley!!!

-We found a cool new investigator named Vue. He's met with the missionaries pretty recently in the past and he is definitely considering baptism!! We need to help him see the importance of the Book of Mormon and then he will be set!!!

- On Sunday I got up and bore my testimony. The theme of fast and testimony meeting that day was definitely the importance of families, 2 members hadn't gotten up and talked about deceased members of their own family (one a spouse, the other about their youngest child). I got up and bore my testimony about my own family and some of the things I've learned from them. I really pointed out 2 qualities that have stuck out to me in my life.

My mom's self-less love. My mom has hauled and continues to haul around all of us kids to our different activities that we do. Most of her day seems to be spent in the car doing things for us kids!!! And when she does have a moment to herself..it's not long lived before we need to be taken somewhere again. My mother could very easily say no, but she loves us, unconditionally. Even though we don't deserve any of the things we ask for, she continues to give and give for us just to see us be happy. I'm so grateful for my mom's selfless love and hope to emulate that to my own children in the future.

My dad's selfless service. My dad serves EVERYONE! He has always been willing to drop what he is doing to help someone in need. That has helped me see something important. The Savior served EVERYONE that could be served! if someone needed his help, he was there. He didn't say, "Hold on a second." He stopped and went and ministered to those in need. I'm sure my dad has lots of other things he could be doing, but when someone needs help moving, or maybe needs help building a shed, etc...my dad is there. This is something that I feel I am picking up on more and more as I go and I love it. I LOVE helping people, I love the joy that comes across people's faces as i get to help them, no matter what it is!!!

I love you all!! Have a great week!!

Elder Richardson

I was able to go see Noah's baptism in my old area.  I had the privilege of working with their family.  His dad was able to baptize him.  When he saw me walk in he ran up and gave me a huge hug.  It was awesome.  

6-26-17 - GOOD BYE PRESIDENT AND SISTER CLARK

June 26, 2017

Crazy News...

Something sad and happy is happening this week, we are saying goodbye as a mission to President and Sister Clark. But, we are welcoming with open arms, President and Sister Mackay! I am really sad to see President Clark go, but I am so grateful for his service and ALL that he has helped me through. He has helped me become a man. I'm still becoming one. but I have taken big steps towards true manhood with him helping me along the way.

I'm excited for President Mackay to come here and am grateful for the divine inspiration that has been given to call President and Sister Mackay to come serve and steward over the great CFM.

This week has been fun. I think Elder Bagley and I are starting to get along more (not that we weren't before, I think maybe we're just kind of opening up to each other), we are laughing more often and seem to have more fun even when things fall through.

We taught Paj Zeb Thoj and his wife this week and ended up picking up 2 of their sons and 1 of their daughter-in-laws! I say we...but I wasn't there for either lesson when they were picked up (we were on splits) but I've been with them all prior to them officially starting to be taught by us!!

Our baptism for the 30th fell through, but to no avail!! We know there are others out there that are ready and prepared for baptism!! I love you all!!!

Elder Richardson

Our last Zone Conference with President and Sister Clark.

6-19-17 - VERY SPIRITUAL LESSON WITH PAJ ZEB THOJ

June 19, 2017

Nyob Zoo!!

Another eventful week in the mighty Merced ZONE!!!

Elder Bagley and I found 4 this week and set up another 2 baptismal dates for July 22!! Cool story about them: They are a referral from this man's brother who lives in Chico, California! Paj Zeb Thoj is the man of the home. He is blind and has 1 and a half arms, this being caused because of fighting in the Vietnam War. We visited with him and his wife Mim Lis and their kids/grand-kids would come in and out from time to time, but the Spirit was very prevalent. I could only understand maybe a little less than 25% of what was being said, but I could definitely feel the Spirit as we read and talked of Jesus Christ being our Savior and Redeemer! It was a wonderful lesson! We are excited to go back and pick up the rest of his kids and family! In Hmong families, if you get the dad or parents, you pretty much get the whole family! And I am so excited to help this family come unto Christ through the waters of baptism!!

I love you all!! And I love my mission!!

Elder Richardson

Elder Strommen and I on exchanges.

     

6-12-17 - FIRST WEEK BACK IN HEAVEN - MERCED

June 12, 2017

Mom, this is going to be SUPER short! There are other missionaries that still HAVE NOT emailed and I feel they should get a chance to as well. And honestly (NOT TRUNKY), I will be able to tell you guys of more adventures soon enough.

Weekly Email: First week back in Heaven

"We found this week! Only 1, but he came to church and has a date for June 30th! I am SUPER pumped to go bring people unto the Savior here!

My Hmong has improved a little bit. I WILL continue to progress though. I know I will as I do everything that I can, and as I give it ALL to God too. I have such a fire to be here in the Branch again. I want NOTHING but baptisms and conversion for this people. I love them.

These people mean so much to me and it would hurt me to see the Branch dissipate in 5 or so years and just become part of another Ward. And because of this thought. It fuels me with a fire that CAN Not and WILL not be put out. I am struggling to learn a language, but I have a great companion who knows the language and we teach in English to Hmong people as well. I am so hap[[y here. This really is my home. I'm near Atwater as well (In actually cover it too), so that makes me happy that I'm closer to the Hurtados here (family who started reactivating and we baptized 2 of their kids while I was there)."

I love you! More pictures will come next week!

I love you guys so much. Thank you for all your support and prayers.

Elder Richardson

6-5-17 - BAPTISM AND GOING BACK TO HMONG!!

June 5, 2017

Hola mis amigos y amigas!

These last few weeks have been pretty crazy! Here are some highlights of this last week though:

-I basically had an anxiety attack because we couldn't get a hold of our investigator whose getting baptized or the person whose baptizing her until Friday and Saturday (my companion tells me that's an understatement)...what can I say...I REALLY wanted to baptize!!!!

-We found 3 new investigators! All REALLY AWESOME!! There names are Tara, Cassandra, and Travis (Cassandra and Travis are a couple). We found Tara while going through Former investigators and she opened right up and even came to church on Sunday with her son Garret! She stayed aLL 3 hours!! it was awesome! Cassandra and Travis were found while we were contacting their neighbor across the street!

Here's how it goes; Elder Rust was talking to this guy while his dogs were barking up a storm, all of a sudden this drunk guy (Travis) stumbles out and starts shouting and saying profanities at us. Next thing I know I'm talking to him and he's telling me to (insert random car noise and be glad you didn't hear what he actually said) away. I had God on my side though...so I walked up and started talking to this guy and ended up getting in cool with him!! I set up a return appointment and he really appreciated the fact that we came back!!

They are so AWESOME!!!

-Kelly's baptism went GREAT! One of Kelly's (girl who got baptized) friends told the person that baptized Kelly that she wants to be baptized too!!! MIRACLE!!!! Baptisms are popping out left and right here!!!

And then...

-TRANSFERS...but to no avail.... I've been given the chance of a life time, and I WILL NOT disappoint. I'm going back to MERCED to the HMONG branch! And from what it sounds like, I will be finishing my mission there! I can't tell you all how grateful and excited I am for this! And I am going to be working harder than ever!

I'm going to miss this area, and Elder Rust, but I am SO happy it's being left in the hands of Sister Murray (super awesome Sister missionary here) and her new companion. I was a little stressed about what was going to happen at first.

I love you all!! Kuv Hlub Koj!

Elder Richardson

Kelly's Baptism

5-22-17 & 5-29-17 - BAPTISMS ARE AWESOME!

May 22 and May 29, 2017

No emails these weeks.... only audio recordings...
Lots of finding new investigators.  New miracles!  Great spiritual guidance in finding new people to teach.  When we allow him to work with us at the lead, He will!

Mario Castro got baptized. 

He is one that we handed off to the Spanish speaking Sisters. 

  

Weird Monkey Mask! :)  

              

5-15-17 - MOTHERS DAY

May 15, 2017

Happy Mother's Day to you all!!

I just want to take a moment and say how grateful I am for Mothers! I have a wonderful mother and 2 wonderful grandmothers who have blessed my life in more ways I can imagine. I'm also grateful for all the other "moms" I have been privileged to have in my life! I am grateful for all of them and all that they do! I hope everyone has taken at least a moment to tell their mothers that they love them! because I sure do love mine! I love you MOM!!!

Have a great week everyone!

Elder Richardson

MOTHERS' DAY!
BOY I'VE GOT A BIG HEAD!

5-8-17 - HAPPY BIRTHDAY ME!

May 8, 2017

Dear EVERYONE!!!

This week was a rough one. We didn't find anyone this week and no one came to church! Our investigators right now are not really progressing in any way either. Elder Rust and I are probably going to drop our teaching pool this week and start fresh! We will prevail though! As long as we are being obedient and are doing the things the Lord wants us to...I KNOW that nothing can stop us!!

I did celebrate my birthday this week though! That was fun! We were on exchanges with some other Elders and we all spent the night (the night prior to my birthday) at our apartment. Anyways, they thought it would be funny to set some alarms at midnight and haze me and wish me happy birthday and then go back to bed...what ended up happening is I was the only one that woke up to the 2 alarms that they set and then went back to bed...happy birthday to me.

Thanks for all those that did wish me a Happy Birthday though!! I love you all!!

Elder Richardson

5-1-17 - TRANSFERS - ELDER RUST

May 1, 2017 

It was Transfer WEEK!

On Tuesday, I said goodbye to Elder Lopez and Hello to Elder Rust!!

Elder Rust has been out a little bit longer than I have. He's from Cleveland, Ohio. He's a great teacher and is pretty organized with a ward directory. I'm excited to start working through more less active and part members families with him!

We found a little girl named Mia Herrera this week. She's a 9 year old girl that is the only one in her family that hasn't been baptized yet, but she REALLY wants to be. We met with her and her mom and set a date for May 28th. We told her she HAS to come to church if she wants to be baptized on that date. Unfortunately, she didn't come to church on Sunday. We are going to need to work with her dad more and help him become more active so he could eventually baptize her!!

We also had a cool miracle find during the week. On Friday, we were going to try to pop in on the family of 6 we found the other day and saw most of them playing outside in their apartment yard area with some other kids. Naturally, I went and started playing with the kids.

Another one of the kids parents that lived in the complex was trying to set up a pool. Previously, Elder Lopez and I tried to contact and start working with this family, but they seemed a little flaky and not all that interested. While i was playing with the little kids though, Elder Rust got to talking to them and we ended up going inside their home and shared the message of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ with them! It was a really powerful lesson! We are going back to teach the parents more on Tuesday!

I love you all!!

Elder Richardson

P.S.- tomorrow is my birthday!! I turn 20! Woohoo! I will finally be able to do all the things a 20 year old gets to do...which is...be 20.

YAY!!!

Elder Rust and I

  

4-24-2017 - PIE FACE

April 24, 2017

Hello Family and Friends!,

This past week we had 3 at sacrament!!! We have had such a miracle with 2 specific investigators. They are living at the same place right now, but from what we understand they are not related. Their names are Mario and Luis. Recently they have been seeing blessings from meeting with us (ex. finding work)! They both came to church on Sunday! Luis had to leave after sacrament meeting, but he said he felt peace in the room! And next week he is going to bring his kids, one of which is an 8 year old girl! And all 3 of them (Mario, Luis, and his daughter Gabby) have a baptismal date for May 20th!

I went on another 2 exchanges this week with Elder Allen and Elder nelson. this time I went to their area for both of the exchanges! basically I was in their area for 2 days straight. It was pretty fun overall! I got to see how their area is really progressing and how they could do a little better as well!

Elder Lopez has been fighting a cold this last week! Luckily, I was on exchanges for 2 days and I still haven't caught anything since! *knock on wood!!!!*

Another big thing that happened this week IIIISSSSSSS...TRANSFER CALLS!!!

Elder Lopez is getting transferred! he's being doubled in to an area in Fresno!!! My new companion's name to be is Elder Rust!  I am so excited for the work that Elder Lopez and I have already done here in Lemoore and for the work that Elder Rust and I are going to be doing in Lemoore as well!!!!

Love you all!!

Elder Richardson

        

There was a ward activity that Elder Richardson was asked to fill a very important roll.  This was sent to Mom Richardson via text from a member of the ward he served in. 

4-17-17 Temples - Plan of Salvation

April 17, 2017

Happy Belated Easter everyone!!!,

This week was another round of crazy and awesome like always!

Monday: After District Meeting I went on exchanges with Elder Nelson (Spanish missionary serving in Coalinga!). It was lots of fun! We had both Elders come down and they worked our area for the exchange.

Tuesday: We continued through the exchange and Elder Nelson and I went to town! We didn't teach a single lesson together! But we sure did hit the streets and talked to people!! It was awesome! We even had a guy insult the Church, but then turned around and thanked us for what we do!! It was awesome!! Tuesday night, after exchanging back, we rushed over to an appointment that we were super late too and ended up picking up a man named Luis as a new investigator and invited him to be baptized on May 20th! Luis lost his wife 3 years ago and it's definitely hit him and his 2 kids pretty hard.

Wednesday: We had a lesson with another one of our investigators named Karisha! We also did service for her that morning. She’s REALLY COOL! She's 27 years old and has had a turnaround in her life from not living the gospel like she should to being an AMAZING Christian woman! She attends a Christian church here in Lemoore and that’s going to be our biggest setback with her because she really likes that church and is even getting into the children's ministry here! But to no avail! We have faith and she's reading from the Book of Mormon! We know she will do what she needs to do!

Thursday: We had another exchange with the Zone Leaders. This time, I went with Elder Kennick (a missionary that came out with me). We had a lot of fun. On our way to dinner though...I got a flat and we had to walk for a bit. We saw a guy though and asked him if he had a pump or anything and he helped us right away! It turned out to be a good contact and we set up an appointment to go see him (he flaked...). Haha unfortunately though, we didn't repair the tube as much as it needed so I was riding on a flat tire for a little bit again before eventually walking the rest of the way to dinner....we were almost 40 minutes late! But they forgave us! We had a member take us out for the rest of the night and we went to another lesson with Luis. His 8 year old daughter, Gabby, was there. She is so cute! We started talking about the Plan of Salvation and we could definitely tell that Gabby had a lot of hurt from her mother's passing as well. We invited her to meet with us and even invited her to say the closing prayer. She gave such a sweet and innocent prayer about her mother! I am truly so excited to help her come closer to our Father in heaven and to help her now that her mom IS OK!

Later on that evening we also went and saw a mom and her daughter. The mom isn't super interested but is open to letting her daughters listen. We ended up focusing the lesson around the mom though as we came to find that she doesn't have the best feelings towards our Father in heaven. She has some questions that she feels HE HAS to answer for her. Hopefully, she'll do the reading assignment we left her and want to meet with us with her 11 year old daughter. 

Friday: We went to the TEMPLE!!!! I absolutely love the temple and know that I am privileged to get to go there at least every 3 months! It’s awesome! After the temple, the member that took us there also took us to Cheesecake Factory (mind you, he brought us and the Zone Leaders!). It was SOOOOOO GOOOD!!!!!!!!! Anyways, during while we were there...I had a fun little experience with some waitresses...and if you truly want to know, you'll have to ask my parents about it. Teehee...

Saturday: We had Luis and a friend come to church and we ended up picking up his friend as an investigator and taught more of The Plan of Salvation to them! (Unfortunately, neither of them came to church though...)

Sunday: We were able to get 4 kids that we are teaching to church (out of a family of 6. The other and oldest son didn't come. We'll get the next week though!) 

Overall, a wonderful week! Love you all!! 

Elder Richardson

Here's a bunch of pictures from the temple trip on Friday

 

      

 

 

Cheesecake Factory!!

4-10-17 Day at the Snow - didn't write

April 10, 2017

Good Family in the ward took us missionaries to the snow on P-day!