The Challenge to Become

Hello All!

This is my week!

Last Monday for pday we went to Walmart and I bought a toy! I got a
little Toothless. Sister B.'s friend bought her one for Christmas
and I really liked it so I bought me one! :) and then we went to the
church and emailed. Then we had dinner at the Bishops house. They live
up in the hills so the house is huge and beautiful! It was my first
time ever over at their house and I've been in the Ward for 3 1/2
months! But that's okay, they've been busy with a whole bunch of
stuff. Then we had FHE at the K.'s and Elder B. taught. We had
to leave early because we were going on exchanges with the South
Pasadena sisters, our Sister Training Leaders. When we got home we
went into our garage which is being used for storage. The elders
stopped by earlier in the day to drop some stuff off and I wanted to
show the sisters the crazy giant gorilla one of the elders bought in
Chinatown and since then has used it to scare us. They put it in front
of the door so when we open it this gorilla is looking at us with his
huge yellow eyes. Luckily it only scared me to death once, since then
it was expected to be there. So when I went out to show the sisters
there was a note on his back from the other elders who dropped stuff
by earlier that said, "I like your dog". So funny! Sadly our gorilla
dog was taken away this morning. One of the office sisters wants to
give it to a family.

So on Tuesday I was on exchanges with Sister R. I stayed here in
Pasadena and Sister B. went with Sister A. to South Pasadena.
We contacted our two referrals we receive from headquarters. It's
crazy how people request something and then don't remember doing so.
So weird. But then we had lessons with G. and F. They went
well. They are both less active. That night we exchanged back.

On Wednesday Sister B. was sick so she slept for a while while I
studied. Then we went to Friends in Deed (the food pantry we help at)
and lots of people showed up right before close and we were there 45
minutes after closing getting orders for people. After that it was an
off day. I was out of focus. I also got my flu shot while we waited
for a ride to take us home at rite aid.

On Thursday we had district meeting and that was okay. At the end we
started talking about our problems. It was good I like SPA (Spiritual
Problems Anonymous). Then we had a quick zone meeting to figure out
our vision for our zone. We were invited to put together a vision for
ourselves. Afterwards I got some mail and a skirt for Christmas I had
to return! That was a pick me up!! Then we had lunch at In and Out and
talked to two guys there about the church for a long time. Sadly
they're not interested. Oh and on the bus ride over to In and Out I
sat next to a Chinese guy. I said hello and asked how his day was
going and he said "Chinese, no English" in broken English. A Sister
asked us to bring her some copies of the Chinese Book of Mormon. So I
had those in a bag on my lap so I pulled one out and showed him and he
saw it and got really excited! He pulled out his phone and went to the
google translate and typed in "I also of Jesus Christ of Latter-day!"
It was so cool! I had to then get off the bus but it was so cool that
the one person I talked to and sat next to was a member and even
though we didn't speak the same language we were still able to connect
because of the Book of Mormon! So cool! Make my day! Then later that
night we had an awkward lesson with a less active and then an awesome
lesson with our investigator G! He is now a progressing
investigator! First progressing investigator we've had in more than a
month! We have a church tour set up with him this next week! He said
he knows if he finds out this is true as he prays he will have to act
on it and tell us he knows and do something about it! He's a smart
guy! So we've been praying he prays and receives and answer!

On Friday I figured a few things out in companion study! Recently I've
been really hard on my self and picking myself apart. I've been
focusing a lot on my weaknesses and that has made my strengths kind of
disappear. I had a question answered in my personal studies of "how do
you measure spiritual progress and success?" Because in school your
success and progress is measured by grades. But in the gospel we don't
get grades or numbers for what we do or what we learn. I read the
talk, "The Challenge to Become" by Elder Oaks and my question was
answered! It comes as you see differences in your life as you are
changed. Sister B. still wasn't feeling well so she slept for a
couple hours and I established my vision. My vision is to be a
successful missionary and the scripture for my vision is Alma 26:2. We
then had a crazy bus ride to dinner where people were singing to
themselves out loud and people giving funny looks as we try to talk to
them. It was weird! Pasadena is crazy, I love it! We had dInner at the
B's and they made amazing food! We had comfort food, turkey,
mashed potatoes and gravy, steamed veggies, and peach cobbler! Yum! We
then taught A. and that went well.

Not much happened on Saturday. We weekly planned since Sister B.
was sick on Friday and we had correlation. Then had dinner with Sister
M. at Kabuki which is where a guy I talked to on the bus earlier
works. Pretty funny. He was going to work when I talked to him on the
bus and later we ended up eating there. It was yummy and we got good
sushi and I got teriyaki salmon, so good!  Then tried to find people.

Sunday was a good day! We had Ward conference. The bishop and stake
president gave really good talks! We sang in the choir and then had an
awesome relief society! We then had a lesson with Sister M. and
talked about tithing. She is working to go the the temple with the
stake relief society on the 31st! We are so excited for her! And she
wants to help in primary! We had dinner at the A. and taught their
friends, sadly they're not interested. Then we tried to find a few
members the Ward wanted us to go by. When we stopped by they were
drunk so we'll go back another day...haha! They were watching the
football game.

Today the sister training leaders came and studied with us and it went
well. Now it's pday we are going to the stake center to have a nerf
gun war. Pasadena zone Vs. Arcadia zone! It'll be fun!

Thank you all for your prayers and letters and emails! I really
appreciate them! I love you all and I am so happy to be serving a
mission. This is the only time I have to do this! I know this gospel
is true and I am so thankful for the blessings I've seen in my life
and the lives of others. That's one of the best things about serving
is that I get to see how the gospel blesses others, not only myself!

Love, Sister Riches