Hey everybody! 

Last preparation day we went to Riverview park and played Cricket with our zone! It was so much fun! Brother Waters from our Riverview ward is a real Englishman from Norwich, England and we had such a blast learning how to play from him! 

Another transfer has already come and gone! Sister Lyons was transferred to Snowflake where it's snowing! I'm staying here and training a new missionary again. We will now be covering the YSA, Riverview and Mesa 5th ward! It's going to be crazy doing what we call "whitewashing" a third ward! I'm super excited though for another transfer here. I love this area! My new companion is Hermana Pazmino. She's a native Spanish speaker and was called spanish speaking but her first area is English work! So that's a little different but we'll definitely be able to use her Spanish and hopefully I can learn some from her! 

This past week Sister Lyons and I went with the Mesa 5th ward Elders to their teaching appointments so I could meet the people they're working with and the transition would be smoother. We certainly have a lot of work to do and Sister Pazmino and I are super excited! 

One miracle that happened this week was that Benjamin (the golden investigator, Jabari fan from months ago) gave me his address! I sent his info into the referral system and he said he had been contacted by the local missionaries and was meeting with them! I am so happy! It made me so sad that he moved away to Wisconsin but I'm super glad he has contact with missionaries again! 

I'm super excited for this next transfer and know it will be great! Thank you all for your love and support! I love everyday as a missionary :) I know that the Gospel is the greatest gift we can give and it makes me so happy!

Have a good week! 

Sister Richards

Happy Valentine's Day

Hope everyone had a great week! 

Our week started out really good, we had exchanges with our Sister Training Leaders. Exchanges are always a fun learning opportunity! I was able to go into Sister Cole's area and bike for the day and that's always really fun because on bike you can talk to so many people. While biking to and from one appt we received contact info for 3 potentials! 

We had great lessons with two families that we're working with and Mer's lessons are really good. She is so sweet! Her prayers are so thoughtful and we love teaching her so much! Tonight we're going to have FHE with her at a member's home and we're excited for that. 

Two of our investigators that disappeared came back this week... That's just what happens in YSA... addictions.. evictions... fun stuff! 

Ryan is doing really well though. He came to FHE last week and we had a great lesson about the Plan of Salvation. He was in a really bad car accident so the Resurrection is really meaningful to him. We don't know why but he didn't make it to church yesterday. 

Sister Lyons has been really sick :/ We were stuck inside the apt the last three days. Keep her in your prayers! This is her second really bad sinus infection in the last couple months. We're hoping she can figure something out next week when we see the ENT! I watched the District a lot the past few days and yeah it's hard not to be able to work! I hope my companion can get feeling better.

Hope you all have a great week! 

Love, 

Sister Richards

Here Comes The Sun....

and the farmer's tan! 

Hey everybody!!! :)

This past week was great and super warm! It was only the first week of February and already around 80 degrees! Oh boy... I don't want to know what this summer is going to be like! 

It was Sister Andrus' last week in the mission and we ended it on such a great note! Lexi's baptism was so awesome. We had a great turn out from our ward and the other ward that she investigated in. The Spirit could be felt so strongly. The smile on her face as she came out of the water was the highlight of it all for me. She also bore such a sweet and humble testimony. I just love her so so much and am so happy for her! 

Another miracle we saw this week was that Josh finally came to church! We have been inviting him to come for almost two months now. He seemed to like it although it was much different than what he was expecting. I don't know what he expected! Shouting praises or something?? 

Today I finished reading a proselyting copy of the Book of Mormon. As I've been reading it the past few months I only highlighted words and titles that referenced the Godhead. The Book of Mormon truly is a testament of Jesus Christ, I can testify of that. I just love flipping through the pages and seeing all my many highlights! I am so grateful for the Book of Mormon and love studying it so much. I know that our questions can be answered as we read the Book of Mormon and we ponder and pray about it. The most important question is whether or not it's true and I know that it is. I love inviting people to read it and find out for themselves everyday! I invite you all to do so, whether or not you've already received your confirmation that it is true- do it again and again!

Happy Valentine's Day! haha I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

Love, 

Sister Richards

I've come to love In and Out Burger

Lexi's  Baptism!

​Our mission was able to attend this concert for these arts students at the Mesa Arts Center. It was really awesome!

Love these Sisters!

​When you are the last companion to a missionary that's going home, the missionary lingo is you "killed" them. So here I am.... killing Sister Andrus hahaha​

​The best part about being in Mesa right now is all the ripe citrus!!!

Hey family and friends! 

This past week we were super busy and the week went by so fast! We finished teaching Lexi all the lessons and she had her baptism interview on Saturday and she's ready! We're so excited for her. Her baptism will be this Saturday! The ward has been so welcoming to her and she has so much support, it's awesome. They sure help us out a lot! 

We also contacted and taught a new investigator whose name is Ryan. He's been taught by missionaries before and just moved into our area. He has some drug problems but is working through them. He has so much potential! 

We're super excited because our friend Nohely from the YSA ward lives within the Riverview boundaries as well and she has a 10 year old sister that we're going to start teaching! We are so happy to be Mer's missionaries! She was getting taught by the Spanish Elders for a while but Nohely decided it would be best to bring her to an English ward. 

There were a lot of activities going on for the Superbowl in our area and we were able to go to one of them! On Saturday we went to Scottsdale for a Native American cultural and art's festival and we were able to talk to a lot of people! One man we talked to just lost a family member and we were able to tell him about God's plan for us and we talked to this girl named Sarah and we taught her what makes our church different and how the Priesthood authority is necessary. I know we planted some seeds! 

Yesterday our fast and testimony meetings were really spiritual. I love Sundays and all our meetings so much! As I sit in church with our members and see the people we're working with I'm just so happy! Every Sunday I get such overwhelming feelings of joy. I love being a missionary! I love the area I'm in right now and the people I get to serve. 

I'm about to finish 3 Nephi in my Book of Mormon study and one of my favorite verses is 3 Nephi 9:14 Yea, verily I say unto you, if ye will come unto me ye shall have eternal life. Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come, him will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.

I know that this verse is true- that the Savior invites all to come unto Him. I feel His love everyday and am so grateful for the opportunity I have to help others strengthen their faith in Jesus Christ. 

I hope you all have a great week!

With love, 

Sister Richards

​The best part about being in Mesa right now is all the ripe citrus!!! Members give us bags and bags of all these lemons and different kids of oranges! :)

​Only one more week with Sister Andrus!

​Here are some of the dancers and the cultural event!

These sisters served as the RS president and as a ward missionary before they moved! It was good to see them and here's some of those delicious oranges!

​we shouldn't be taking pictures in church... but here's a selfie of us with Mer and Nohely!

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