Find Him, Because He Lives

Hello All!

This week has been awesome, crazy, and tiring!

On Wednesday we had a good lesson with a recent convert who taught FHE on Monday! We shared because He Lives with him. Then we went on exchanges. I stayed in azusa with Sister T. and sister w. went to Covina. 

Thursday morning when I woke up I was not feeling well. I had stomach pains and I felt so weak so I texted sister w. what was going on and she said she was experiencing the same thing! So I rested until about 3pm and I had a temp ranging from 98 to 99.7 throughout the day! We taught three lesson and had a member dinner so it was great! Then we exchanged back. The elders also brought me some sprite and Gatorade! It was so nice!

Friday we slept in cause we were so sick! We woke up at 9 and went to a meeting with the high councilman over missionary work with the other missionary leaders in the stake and then we came home a died again until 6pm when we left for a lesson. It didn't help it was so hot outside! We had two lessons then went on exchanges with the YSA sisters! Sister B. who is brand new came with me in Azusa. 

Saturday I felt better! Still a little weak but was then super congested! We did service for a member helping to clean out an old house they inherited and it made me gag so many times but it was so fun to help them! Then we got ready for he day and age lunch and then studied and then went to the women's conference. I was able to help her with some things she has been struggling with being new to the mission and that was so nice! Sister w. and sister H. picked us up and took us to the conference and then we stayed together for the rest of the night till we exchanged back. We went to dinner at Marie calendars and a member bought our dinner. We joined a group of 6 members who went there after the conference it was so nice! Then we exchanged back! :) 

Sunday was pretty good. I was dying! My head was so congested and it was so hard to look happy and alive at church! But it was okay. I went home after church and slept. Then we went to our dinner with the bishop and his family and then we got ready to do exchanges again! I went to Claremont!!!! It was so great! They live with the Z's now, I love them!

Monday I pretty much had no voice! We went out and worked! I loved it! We saw the H's and helped them out around the house. And sister A. gave us a ride down there so I pretty much saw all my favorite people! The H's have been in and out of the hospital so it was good to see them. Sister H. started to cry when she saw me it was so sweet!! I love Claremont, it is seriously home to me! Then we saw Sister S. and she loved seeing me! It was so sweet! Then we saw the z's, S. and c. That was such a good lesson! They want to be baptized which is such progress from when I served there! Socorro wanted to baptized but c. was wishy washy and J. is coming to it. And then we saw one of their investigators and taught him then went and Sister m. She's so sweet, she was excited to see me too! I love this Ward! Then we had dinner with the Z's and then went finding and just talked as we walked together. Then we exchanged back!

Today we went to the la temple! It was great! We almost didn't make it! We set the alarm to wake up at 3am and we were supposed to leave about 3:40 to pick up the sisters to take them to the church at 3:45 to get there by 4 and leave at 4:15. So sister w. felt like she needed to get up that it was past 3 but she was like no it's not the alarm will go off and then she heard it vibrating and she looked and it was 4:10!!!! She screamed sister riches get up its 4:10!! So I jumped out of bed- were in bunks and I'm on the top and I pulled my pony tail out and started throwing my pjs down and rushed to get ready and sister w. was talking to the sisters and they said the van we were meeting was going to pick us up at our pad so we rushed and got ready in 15 minutes! And sister w. felt terrible she started crying on the phone with the other sister cause we didn't want to miss the temple! Then on our way to the temple we thought we were going to the 6:30 session but turns out we were trying to make it to the 5:30 session and we got off the freeway at 5 and the sister driving us said if you miss the 5:30session don't wait for the other session go do initiatories or something. This like killed us cause it is sister w's last time going to the temple and she goes home in 4 months so it was this time or later and I didn't really care cause I can go in three weeks and so I was praying even harder we would make it on time and we did! Prayers are answered! I started praying we would make it when my feet hit the floor this morning and didn't stop till we were in there sitting down waiting for the session. It was so great! Then we hung out with the Claremont sisters and napped and shopped and emailed and went to 21 choices and frozen yogurt place and contacted these two awesome girls! 

Well I love you all! And go watch Because He Lives! At helives.mormon.org! It's amazing! I know Christ lives and because he lives we can have his help no matter what! 

Love, Sister Riches

PS. For anyone who can make it, my farewell is April 19th at 6pm at the church building on 614 W Foothill Blvd Arcadia, CA 91006. It's where all the missionaries going home bear their testimony and everyone can be invited!

My crazy week!

Hello Everyone!

This week has been crazy! Today is pday because we had interviews with
president on Monday then we had zone meeting in tuesday to help
everyone get the new iPads. So here is a short summary of what's been
going on in my dying days!

Monday we had transfer day and we were in a quadpanionship then we had
FHE at the V's- a member in the ward. I love them! They helped us
(and still do) so much when I was here before! It went well.

Tuesday we were still in a quadpanionship and did service in Glendora
to water trees on the mountain that burned when I was there before!
Then we planed for the sisters in our zones. How we can help them and
activities we can do with them. We then took one of the sisters to the
office to pick up her trainee and then took them home. We then were in
a trio cause the hermana that was with us in our quad was training
too. So then it was just a trio- we were in a trio to help a sister
who was having some problems with her companion. Then we had our saint
Patrick's day dinner at Panda Express and watched a guy get fired. It
was so sad. Sister w. ran after him to give him a Because He Lives
card and he wouldn't take it cause he's not a believer. So sad! He was
crying and everything. Then we had correlation and saw a less active
family.

Wednesday we took the sister back to her area and made sure things
were cool. Their district leader met us and gave her a blessing and
blessed their apartment. It was nice. Then we were finally a
companionship! Sister w. and I! She's awesome! Such a strong
missionary! She's from eagle mountain Utah. Wednesday then we saw
J. who I taught when I was here before. She's doing okay. Has
kinda fallen away more. But she should be coming to the women's
broadcast Saturday! Then we did a lot of finding and talking to
people.

Thursday we had MLC - Mission Leadership Council. It was really good.
The sisters had to be there at 9am then we met with the elders at 10.
It was good. We talked a lot about the Book of Mormon and gaining
confidence and our responsibilities as leaders. It was really good!
Then it was time to turn in our iPads! Since I go home in April I
wasn't supposed to get one so me and sister a. were so sad so we
went to talk to one of the senior elders about something with her car
and then our companions came running down the hall and told us we were
going to get iPads! President called the Mtc to get special permission
for the leaders going home in April to get iPads! So it's been a
blessing! So the meeting lasted until 5pm! We were there from 9-5!!
Then we went to dinner with the F's. It was so good! Then we a
relief society birthday party activity and that was fun! The theme was
UP and it was so cute! We got relief society bottle cap pins! Then
they played clips from up! It was so weird! We didn't watch of course!
Then we drove to Rowland hieghts to do studies in the morning with the
sisters there and they live forever away!! So we just slept over and
then studied with them in the morning it was good!

Friday was good. We studied then drove home and picked up Krispy Kreme
on the way home! Yum! Then we weekly planned and that went really
well! Then we went to see M.! I first taught him when I was here
before and he has since tapered off coming to church. But we're
helping him come back. Then we had dinner at the K's - the WML.
That was good. Then we had a lesson at the church with our
investigator C. It went really well! We talked about the last
part of the Plan of Salvation so the after life. It was great! She is
committed to baptism and now we are helping her pick a date. Friday
night we exchanged with the Glendora 3rd sisters. I went to Glendora
with sister R. I love her! She was my sister training leader when
I was in Pasadena. Friday was the first time I biked in a while!

Saturday, sister R. and I went out to find! It went well. There
wasn't many people home in the morning but we went park contacting
later and then we were invited to a birthday party at the park! Some
members were celebrating their nieces birthday! It was such a tender
mercy. I biked all day! Saturday night we exchanged back.

Sunday was church! It was so fun to see everyone! Surprisingly I
remembered a lot more names than I thought I would! And people
remembered me. It was good church meetings. Then we had studies and
planned what we were going to teach the two zone meetings and then had
dinner with the Z.'s. They're such a cute family and then we went to
contact a referral and she was super nice! We had a really good
conversation about each other's beliefs. Then we went to the Easter
music fireside at the stake center and a less active family joined us,
the F's. It was really good.

Monday we had interviews with president. So we went out finding in the
morning and then studied the digital age missionary pamphlets and then
had interviews. We gave two on the sisters a ride to their interviews
and then after interviews it was time for dinner. We bought a really
good pizza and shared with the Hermanas. We also set up 6 appointments
in the thirty minutes it took to wait for the pizza! Then we went to a
pass off lesson with the elders and sadly she wasn't home. Then we
went to fhe and taught about the priesthood. It was a really good
lesson.

Tuesday we has two zone meetings. We taught about 20 minutes at both.
We went to our zones and then left 10 minutes early to pick up some
lunch and then drive to hacienda heights far far away and then taught
there and helped them with iPad set up! It was good. I learned a lot
from teaching. Then we had dinner and then correlation and finding
after. It was a good day.

Today is pday! And we went to diaso which is a Japanese dollar store
with sister R. and V. They're so great! It was so fun! Then
we did grocery shopping and traveled back! It was a good day!

As you can tell we are always helping the sisters and I love it! I
learn so much from them! I won't be with sister w. for the next
three days cause we'll be on exchanges! Crazy! But I love it!

Love you all!
Sister Riches

P.s. The temple trip is on Tuesday so I'll have pday on Tuesday not Monday.

Death in Azusa

Hello All!

This week has been pretty crazy! I don't even remember what happened
this week. Let's see...

Monday we went on a hike and it was awesome! I think I wrote about it last week?

Tuesday we did some service for a person we met on the street and it
was a really good day! We visited with a less active- G. and that
was nice. Her son joined us. Then we saw E. in the evening and that
was great, I love her!

Wednesday we did service at friends in deed. It was really good. Then
we went to a lesson and taught C. He is golden but we're going to
have to pass them off to the elders. Sister G. came with us and
she did an awesome job. we only had a little bit of time because he
was late but it was really good. We then had dinner at the H's and
it was really good. Then we went to go find some less actives.we ended
up visiting with C. - a less active- and that went well she's
really sweet we just talked and friendships do her.

Thursday was all right. We had district meeting and it was good. I was
really overwhelmed about how little time I have left on my mission.
We then went to see a less active and she's awesome. We then went and
did service for this lady we met on the street and read mail to her.
She asked us about our church and were able to talk to her a little
bit about the restoration. It's been great to use service as a finding
method.

Friday we did weekly planning. That went well as always. all of our
lessons canceled and so We went to go see G. again. The elders
gave her a blessing on Thursday night. Then we went and saw N. We reset 
her with the baptism date of April 18. That was really good
we're able to get to know her a lot better.

Saturday was a long day. We had breakfast at the G's and then
went to the C's and finish studies. And then we had lunch with
them. Then we went to see our investigators but no one was home. So he
went to the park and we contact this lady who was in the middle of a
big patch of grass. And it was awesome she is Christian and she knew
the meaning of the atonement and she believes that Christ is the son
of God does not believe in the Trinity. There were so many
similarities between our beliefs and hers. She's awesome. We then
talked to a guy who is flying his drone around the park is was pretty
crazy. Then we went to dinner with D. M, We went to panda in and
it was really yummy. We had shrimp and neither sister A. or I
like shrimp but it was really good it was honey almond Shrimp. It was
like dessert!

Then Saturday night we were planning and then sister I. called at
9:05pm and asked if we had gotten a call yet. Transfer calls start at
9pm! We hadn't so we asked her to wait to tell us the news. Turns out
that the assistants called us and I'm transferred to AZUSA!! 5 weeks
left and I'm going to Azusa to die there (aka finish my mission) and
I'm a sister training leader which is the equivalent of a zone leader
except were over all the sisters in 3 zones. We have 12 sisters we're
over. Im companions now with sister w. who also was trained in
Azusa and came back! Crazy!

Sunday was pretty good, we had choir practice then sacrament. It was
good. Said bye to people and the R's came! 4 investigators at
church! Which was awesome! Then we had lunch at the N's. They're
awesome! I love them! I'm going to miss the Pasadena Ward. Then we
went over to Claremont for M's baptism! It was such a good
baptism! She's so awesome! She bore her testimony after and she did a
wonderful job. I gave the talk on baptism. It was so great to see
everyone and to be there for her! Then we went to the Despedida. Sadly
we didn't make it in time for any of the testimonies but it was nice
to be there to take pictures and say bye to sister w, and Sister
K. Crazy to think I'm next!

Well, I'm here in Azusa and it's been good. It'll be great to be back!
I'm super excited!

Thanks for everything you all do! I love this work and I'm going to
work hard to the end!

Love, Sister Riches

The Experiences We All Have Are To Prepare Us For The Future

Hello All! 

First off, I apologize for the awful job Siri did at writing my letter last week! Sorry ALL!!

But this week has been great! 

We had our Mission Conference about technology on Tuesday and that was amazing! Man I wish I could just copy all my notes and put it in here but you probably wouldn't understand them. So here are some highlights!

Sorry for the weird text and color--thats what happens when you copy and paste

We had Elder Brent H. Nielson from the 70 and Brother Richard I. Heaton come who is the Director of the Prove-MTC. 

our mission was chosen to be 1/28 pilot missions to get iPads and now we are1/88 the get iPad Airs! (Sadly becasue I come home soon I don't get an iPad air. I'll have to share with my companion after we turn in our old iPads. the ipad airs will be for each missionary to keep-they'll purchase their own as if it were the cost of a mission bike and they'll take it home with them)

They showed us the new Mormon Messafe Because He Lives. It comes out at the end of March and it is amazing! So cool! it's the sequel to Because of Him. He is always there for us no matter where we are and who we were he is there! God is the same yesterday today and forever.

God already knows how to do all the amazing inventions we are making as man.

Seer stone...if someone handed Joseph smith an iPhone what would he call it? A stone? A stone of glass? Why would that be weird for Joseph Smith to use a seer stone in translating? It was through the power of God and God can do anything right?

"They didn't have to charge the Liahona every night!" Liahona is the first gps 

They talked about some concerns that might happen and the First Presidency's responses to them. 
-Forget purpose
-Become distracted from your work, not to be entertained.  
-Get on unapproved sites--do we let satan take over the Internet or do we go on there and flood the earth? (I LOVED THIS PART! Satan is everywhere on the Internet and so we're going to take it back!)

"We trust our rising generation!" 1st Presidnecy

The iPad is not set apart. I am! I am called to preach the gospel and the Spirit is there to teach.

They gave us instuction on how o safegaurd ourselves with teachnology too. And 2 new manuals! 

(If this part doesn't make sense that's okay! My notes are scattered)
Elder Nielson talked about agency
Agency: 2 Nephi 2:14
Act or acted upon 
All of Gods creations are to be acted upon except me! I am to ACT! I am an agent who should act, not objects that should be acted upon. Elder Bednar 
Acted upon is Satanos! 
Accountability: 
God is the principle and I am the agent. After something happened I act and let them know what happened.
Moral agency: Baptism & Temple
Have you been baptized? -promised: commandments, name upon us, remember him always
"WILLING to take upon them the name of thy son" implies a future covenant you will make---TEMPLE. MIND BLOWN 
Agency Analogy-You spent your agency because you were baptized and went to the temple. 
$1,000 worth of agency--- baptism and temple invested and is now gone. Invested that to eternal life. After you have been baptized and made covenants in the temple you no longer have agency to keep the commandments. You would be a covenant breaker! 
Moral: made a promise, covenant in doing so you've spent your agency! 
Exercised your agency or invested your agency to be baptized and make covenants in the temple. Now if you make choices against the commandments you violate your covenants, therefore becoming convent breakers. 
Those who are only baptized but not yet to the temple...
They have spent some agency but haven't spent it all yet for ultimate covenants. 
Investments- you get a big return. You have so much more agency in return! To create worlds and more! 
If you go into unrighteous things you lost your agency. Is it worse to invest or not to invest? 
Example: parable of the talents 
As we invest in others we will get a greater return. 

Sister Villanueva-Have ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE 

Elder Neilsons Final Remarks -"You're not assigned to an area but to a mission president and wife" That means I have something to learn from them. They are so full of love and love one another so much!

Go and BECOME! What should I become? Who should I become like? What would it look like? What can I do to become or to change? 

We have to change in order for things to be wonderful in the future. What do I need to bury? What is my weapon of rebellion that I need to bury--Interviews with President Becerra 
Do I want to help my children, bury my weapons and my children will see! 

Burying weapons of rebellion (alma 23) stripling warriors are the next generation and they were so much stronger and so much more faithful than the generation before. The same will hold true for our children. We can help our children learn and grow from our example! Tell your children your struggles and what was hard in your life, they need to know that example! They protected their parents covenants. They were motivated by love from their parents and captain Moroni. 

If you look back you're telling the Savior his atonement wasn't good enough for you. 
Elder Packer taught him that they have never felt fear in the twelve. 

The Apostles have never felt one thing and that is FEAR!

This is all for the future! My future family, callings, EVERYTHING!! Everything I'm learning on my mission is to prepare me for something else. 

So that's what I learned at Mission Conference. A lot right?! And that's not even all of it. It was aweomse! I also found out M. (From Claremont) IS GETTING BAPTIZED this sunday the 15th!! So exciting! I started teaching her on February 15th 2014! One year and one month later she'll be baptized! I love her!!! 

Tuesday night we had a good lesson with E.-a less active. 

Wednesday we did service at the food pantry and that was good. We did some finding and then had a good dinner then did service for the sister afterwards. 

Thursday we has an AWESOME district meeting!!!! It was sooo good! We talked about the things we learned at Mission Conference. We talked about using family history with the ipads to teach people and find people to teach. And later that day we talked to an older lady all about her family history and she had books of GOLD! she had books of well preserved original pictures of ancestors and their birth and death certificates and obituaries and letters. GOLD! We also talked in District Meeting about a ton of other things and the Spirit was so strong we were bouncing things off each other and had such a good discussion together about using iPads and teaching. I'm gonna miss that a lot!!! We have district unity and we all look out for eachother! It truly was a counsel! It's amazing how many 18-22 year old kids have such a strong testimony about the gospel and Jesus Christ! This is His church and it is true! 

Later that day we had a good dinner with some members and then we saw a less active- F. and helped her grade papers and then talked about prayer with her and she said that was exactly what she needed to hear. It was so good! 

Friday was weekly planning! We saw a less active-A. and that went okay. There were a lot of distractions. Then we helped and did some service for a huge Scouts award program! There were about 400 people and most were not members. It was at our church and one of the ladies in our ward helped with it a lot so we helped her out and got free dinner out of it! :) 

Saturday was good we taught the R. family and that's 3 new investigators and they're super open! So that's awesome! Then we had a meeting at our Ward Mission Leaders and he announced they're moving to the BAHAMAS! He's been the WML for a month and a half now.  So if I stay in Pasadena for my last transfer I'll have 3 Ward Mission Leaders here. Weird. Then we taught D. and that went okay a lot of distractions and it's hard to teach teenagers. It's hard to tell what they desire and their interest in learning. Then we saw G.- a less active- and she wasn't feeling well so we called the elders and we all went back later that night for them to give her a blessing. WE went to a Hibachi place for dinner! It was so good! The members here take us out to eat a ton! I'm excited for some home cooked meals. It's fun to go out and try different types of food but it can get old. 

Sunday was good. G. came to church and that was good. WE had an interesting day. So guy shouted at us from a street corner that he Loved me and that he was never going to give up on me....AWKWARD! it was crazy! There are tons of interesting people here in Pasadena, that's for sure! 

Today was great! We woke up at 5:20am!!!! YIKES! To go on a hike to a waterfall with our zone and then went to breakfast at the Stake Presidents afterwards. They're such great people I love them! But the hike was so good! THe waterfall was beautiful! Nothing like Hawaii but still pretty! Especially since there was water cause it rained a little bit ago! Otherwise it would be smaller! WE studied at the waterfallt hen shared with eachother what we learned. It was really great. I got a lot of personal revelation of just needing to continue to work hard and be diligent! It was so good! 

I love this gospel! The church is true and I am so thankful for the huge role it has played in my life! I know it is true and I know Jesus Christ is our Savior. He is always there! Through the good times and the bad. He knows exactly what we are going through even when others don't. We are all unique and go through different things He knows us perfectly and is there to help us! Alsways remember that! 

I love you all! Thanks for all you guys do for me!

Love, Sister Riches

Just the Typical Week of a Sister Missionary.

Hello all!!

So I don't really remember what happened this week.

Tuesday we had a good less active lesson with e. All about prayer.

Wednesday was long. We did service and then saw G. She's so nice!

Thursday was okay, we didn't have district meeting cause of the zone
meeting. It was a long day....all of our lessons cancelled. We met a
lady at the park and that was an interesting conversation. We gave her
a plan of salvation pamphlet because her husband died a few months
ago.

Friday was also kinda long. It was a pretty crazy day. The lady from
the park called us to tell us all the things that were wrong about the
plan of salvation. She pretty much just called to save our souls. She
wasn't very open, it was sad! we said hello to a lady at the bus stop
and she started yelling at us and calling us him and unprofessional
and inadequate and so I said okay well sorry have a nice day and she
said that was done that was stupid that was so dumb why do you say
that and then sister A. affirmed she was imperfect and then the
lady got mad and yelled at her saying that was condescending! It was
sad. Then sister A. said hello to another lady who looked at her
like she was crazy and then we got on the bus and the lady who was
sitting near sister A. got up and moved away. But we were able to
talk to three people on the bus! So that was good. All the time the
first Lady I talked about was probably fuming! Then that night our
referral dropped us. But a member asked if they could take us to get
frozen yogurt and so that was good!

Saturday we did service with the youth conference it was fun we helped
people get rid of big trash items! It was so fun! Then we taught
S., a new investigator. She doesn't want to come to church because
she is Catholic. After then we went and saw C. Then we went to
see A. and that went well and then we went to dinner. Went to dinner
with A. and we went to relive the good Mexican restaurant. And
then we had a church tour with a guy that we met on the bus. Pretty
crazy last week he asked us on the bus if we want to tattoos and then
we invited him to church and he excepted. And then we thought that our
member got kidnapped but everything turned out okay.then we went home
and planned our lesson for the next day at church.

So some crazy stories for the week... Today we went to Goodwill
there's a man who summer name tag and he asked me what my name was and
I said the stretches I'm missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ
about it isn't and then he playing Winchester riches came approach me
I felt the Holy Spirit come upon me and I felt like preaching this
images from the Latter Day Saints he said this all vere you preaching.
Was pretty funny. Earlier that day we are riding the bus E. some
interesting people got on and that was also pretty funny. Lady asked
if anybody knew where the stop was and another lady who looked
homeless said that she thought it was coming up shortly and then the
lady and her accent was like girl you know what you're talking about
can I come sit next to chu!? The lady answered and said no and then
the other lady said oh girl I respeck that I respeck your space! All
the time waving her hand in the air! Sister are going to started
laughing other crazy lady in front of us started laughing at her
laughing And then offered us a dollar bill.

I also got hit in the face playing soccer today and it hurt...I'm okay though.

It was a pretty decent week. Oh! Sunday was great! We had four
investigators at church! The guy we took on a church tour was there
and then a member brought three of her friends who we will be meeting
with later this week! It was awesome! Fasting and prayer works!

Well, I love you all have a good week!

Love, Sister Riches