Hello!

Hello everybody!

This past week was so GOOD! We taught 13 lessons with a member present!!! We are seeing a lot of progress in the YSA. Our investigator Lexi is doing so well and is getting prepared for her baptism on Feb 7! We taught her the commandments this week and she has such a strong desire to follow them and put the Lord first.

We also have a new progressing investigator this week named Jon. He came to church yesterday and has already read about 14 chapters in the Book of Mormon! We are going to work with him to overcome his word of wisdom problems. 

In the Riverview ward Genise is somewhat starting to progress. The last couple weeks we've backed off from teaching her but she desires it and I think is starting to understand that she needs to act. We went to the Visitor's Center and watched the Restoration movie and she said that she knew that Joseph Smith was a prophet. We're working with her to overcome other little deep doctrine concerns and just focus on her testimony of the Restoration and the first principles of the gospel. She taught me a very good lesson this week which I had already read about in Elder Holland's talk "Missionary Work and the Atonement" earlier in the week but quickly forgot. She asked us why we didn't testify or share experiences about the Savior more and why we didn't tell her how Christ has made an impact in our lives. I/ we had gotten so caught up in wanting her to know that the Book of Mormon is true and that Joseph Smith was a prophet that that was my/our focus. My testimony of the Savior was there but perhaps not as much as she'd like and as much as it should have been! My personal goal is to focus on testifying of Christ and His Atonement for all principles of the Gospel because that is the 'good news'! Everything else builds off of Him. We had such great church meetings about the Atonement this week and had some great lessons with less actives about the Atonement. I feel such joy and happiness as I testify of the Savior and of the power of the Atonement. 

Hope you all have a great week! 

Love you!

Sister Richards

​Elder Pilkington served near our area for a long time but just got transferred to the mountains!

​I'm going to miss Sister Andrus when she goes home in two weeks!

​Serving with these two sisters is so much fun! :) 

Transfer #4!

Time is really flying. 

I just wrapped up my third transfer in the field and am excited for this next one! Sister Lyons and I are staying together here in Mesa, the only new change is that we're switching zones! We will now be serving in the Papago Zone because the Riverview ward is in that stake. Also, my trainer Sister Andrus has come back! So we will have a three generation trio for the next three weeks (lots of threes) before Sister Andrus goes home! It's weird having two companions but we all get along so well and are having lots of fun! 

We haven't been able to make much progress with the families that we've found but the YSA investigators that we're teaching are doing so well! Lexi is really progressing and we think will be able to be baptized on February 7th. We have had such great lessons with her. She is so sweet and has such a strong desire to do what is right! 

Have a great rest of your week! 

With lots of love, 

Sister Richards

We had a birthday party for one of the Elders! (Sister Andrus-grandma, Sister Lyons-granddaughter, Me- daughter) haha

​This is the Maricopa zone that I served in my three transfers! I'm sad not to serve with these amazing missionaries but will still see them around all the time!

Happy New Year!

This week was tons of fun! On New Year's day we went to Scottsdale and played sports with the Scottsdale zone almost all day! I loved every minute of it as I'm sure you can all imagine! We played gatorball, volleyball, basketball, football and ultimate frisbee! It's a really fun mission tradition that everyone looks forward to. 

The holidays the past two weeks have made it really difficult to set appointments and teach. I'm excited that they're over and am ready to work hard! Sister Lyons and I are still struggling with having investigators to teach but have the faith that we will be able to find those that are prepared! 

We made some progress with our investigator Genise this week. We were able to teach her about how the Bible and the Book of Mormon support each other. I've had really good studies and learned a lot as I've prepared for her lessons. Our concern is that she's very intellectual and needs evidence for everything and that she thinks her answer is going to come in a  profound way! We're really emphasizing to her the need to read and pray about the Book of Mormon and helping her recognize that the answer from the Holy Ghost might not come in a grand way as she expects! 

We are working with some great families in the Riverview ward and are trying to get them to the temple! 

I am so grateful to be a missionary and to be serving here in AZ! Every day I am just so thankful to be sharing my testimony of Jesus Christ's gospel. I hope we all can come closer to Him, increase our faith and testimonies of Him this year. 

With lots of love,

Sister Richards

I haven't been able to send pics for a few weeks... 

​Sister Lyons and I Christmas morning

​yay for skype!!!

​Sister Tippery and I at our sports day

​I LOVE mango agua fresca!

​the Elders I beat at pig hahaha