The Rice, Beans, & Hot Coco Diet (Week 23)

Buenos Dias! Many thanks to Mom, Eliza crowder, and Grammy Bredt for your sweet mail!  Mom...the candy is much appreciated by my friends here haha the first time my companion has tried starbursts or sour patch kids....!  well...so much has happened this week!  i now understand this "loco" weather here in Monterrey...the same day can be both super warm and super cold.  I am enjoying my daily hot chocolate breaks!

Am I in Utah?

This past monday we had some bonding activities with our zone and grilled some "carne asada"...so tasty!!! haha hermana mendoza and i were in charge of the activities, and we had contests such as "which team can down coca cola the fastest" and "who can fit the most marshmellows in your mouth and say chubby bunny" and "sherades"...it was so entertaining haha!  the elders are hilarious!

This week we had a zone conference with Presidente Bird and we covered the topics of "personal revelation" "faith"  "teaching PEOPLE and not LESSONS..."  everyone had to come with a 10 minute prepared talk on "personal revelation" and I was chosen to give the talk!  I definitely saw that one coming...haha and of course it had to be in spanish.  It went really well! I just prepared bullet points for my talk, and I'm now able to express my thoughts and feelings better in spanish, and I felt totally comfortable.  In my talk, I covered 6 main requirements we must have in order to better understand personal revelation, or communication from God.  we must....

1.  humbly pray asking for guidance

2.  keep the commandments

3.  partake of the sacrament worthily

4.  study the scriptures daily

5.  dedicate time to mediate and ponder

6.  patiently accept the timing and the will of the Lord

I really do know that every day we are recieving personal guidance from our heavenly father, and that we need to pay close attention to the soft whisperings of the Holy ghost.  

For the topic of faith, we talked about the importance of putting our faith into ACTION...and how we need to face everything with a believing attitude, knowing that Jesus Christ has conquered everything and that He is there for us every step of the way.  4 ways we can strengthen our faith are:

1.  Express Gratitud in our prayers

2.  Keep the commandments

3.  Study diligently the scriptures

4.  Daily repentance..changing for the better

Another main point in the conference was the importance of teaching peopleand not lessons.... everyone has individual needs/ questions and we don't just present a rote demonstration..each lesson is according to the individual needs and the impressons we feel from the spirit.  The spirit is the teacher-- "and the spirit shall be given unto you by the prayer of faith, and if ye recieve not the spirit ye shall not teach" DC 42:14  Really everything we say/ ask in lessons is given to us by the spirit-- Estoy muy agradecida por este llamamiento que tengo, y yo puedo testificar que sin el espìritu no podemos ayudar los investigadores con sus necesidades ni preguntas sobre esta vida.  

Lately I have been hearing so many stories of people recently having loved ones pass away, and I just want to testify to all of you that i know God has a marvelous plan of happiness for us.  I know that through this gospel we can have eternal families, and that death is not the end.  In The Book of Mormon we learn that we will all have perfect, resurrected bodies when Christ comes again.  I have lots of hope and reassurement knowing that we can obtain eternal life through the merciful plan centered around our Savior Jesus Christ.

"And if you keep my commandments, and endure to the end, you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of god"  DC 14:7

This week we have really been pushing our investigators to ask in prayer if our message is true...for some reason, it is difficult to get our investigators to simply ask in their prayers..."Padre, es este mensaje verdadero?  Ayùdame al saber si las hermanas estàn diciendo la verdad"...."father, is this message true?  Help me to know if the hermanas are telling the truth"....it is so crucial that every person asks with real intent in their prayers and specifically if this church is true...because God is the only person who can give us the right answer.  I challenge all of you who are reading this post to kneel and say a prayer and asking Heavenly Father specifically if the Church of Jesus christ of Latter Day Saints is true.... or any other question or doubt you might have....and I promise that you will feel in your heart the answer..soft feelings of peace, comfort, joy, and that really this message comes from God and is true.  Even if you don't have any doubts in this church it is still important to ask and to recieve this confirmation.

"and whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  If ye shall ask anything in my name, I will do it."  John 14:13-14

Yesterday we had a lesson with a woman who doesn't believe in God.  It was my first encounter here with an atheist...the majority of people here are very religious.  The lesson was very interesting and sad to listen to as she firmly declared her disbelief in God and Jesus Christ.  I honestly don't understand  how one can deny the fact that we have a Father in Heaven...everything around us is evidence of our loving Heavenly Father.  We may not understand all the trials and hardships that pass in this life, but i will never deny the existance of God.

"Believe in God.  Believe that he is, and that he created all things, both in heaven and in earth, believe that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven and in earth, believe that man doth not comprehend all the things which the Lord can comprehend"  Mosiah 14:9

We had a stake activity with mexican food and music and a talent show, and us missionaries had a table in the back with pamphlets and talked to investigators.  Here is a pic of the sweet women in my ward!

Hasta proxima semana!  I believe that thursday is thanksgiving....eat lots of Turkey and Pumpkin Pie for me!!!

C O N  A M OR

hermana riches

The Weather Just Can't Decide (Week 22)

Thank yous to Grammy B and Sister Katie Barrus for your letters!  Well....the weather just can´t decide if it is spring, summer, fall, or winter....I feel like I´m back in Utah but without the beautiful snowy mountains.  We had a few cold days here this week...and it was FREEZING!  It´s a wet, humid, cold here and they say it is going to get a lot colder haha gah!  We look pretty ridiculous in our apartment during our morning studies hahah we have big blankets over our head as we hover over our scriptures...but luckily La Familia Garcia lives around the corner, Patricio and Dana who are my recent converts, and their mom comes by and brings us treats and blankets! 

Hermana Alma Sanchez...one of our ¨missionary moms¨ here....makes the best tortillas de harina...flour tortillas...and one day before lunch I got the chance to help her.  I have a whole new respect for tortilla makers...the job appears to be a lot easier than it actually is!

Every monday night we have an activity in the stake center with ward members and investigadores.  Us and the elders switch on and off teaching mini lessons and an activity.  This week hermana mendoza and I taught about the importance of reading scriptures. and SHOUT OUT TO MAMA RICHES we used the twister game you sent me as a giant board game hahaha we played a ¨scriptures¨ version of ¨chutes and ladders¨.....

we came up with questions from the bible, book of mormon, doctrine and covenants, and the pearl of great price, and split everyone up into 2 teams...everyone got really into it and ended up being pretty competitive haha!  The culture here is so blunt and carefree and isn´t afraid to mess with other people hahah so it was pretty entertaining to watch...

Yo tengo un testimonio muy fuerte que cuando leamos las escrituras, encontraremos las respuestas y la guía para obtener la vida eterna.

"all scripture is given by inspiration of god, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness"  2 timothy 3:16

"wherefore, brethren, seek not to counsel the Lord, but to take counsel from his hand.  For behold, ye yourselves know that he counseleth in wisdom, and in justice, and in great mercy, over all his works"  Jacob 4:10

The theme obedience is always a focus here in the Mish....not only for us as missionaries but also for our investigators.  We have rules and commandments in this life for a reason....a quote that is used a lot here in the Mish is "obedience brings blessings.  Obedience with exactness brings miracles."  and it is true.  We see miracles not only for our spiritual well  being but temporally as well.  If you want answers to prayers or more blessings in your life, you have to show Heavenly Father that you are willing to do whatever He asks.

"I the Lord am bound when ye do what I say;  But when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise"

So in this life, there are times when people make us frustrated, right?  There are times when people hurt us, when we feel we have been wronged, and it's easy to just have a giant grudge and not move on.  But an important lesson that Jesus taught here on Earth was the need to Forgive Others.  If we expect Heavenly Father to forgive us for our own sins, we need to show mercy and to love our "enemies"....as Christ was suffering on the cross, he pled to Heavenly Father saying "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do".  This is the ultimate example of humility that we need to follow when loved ones hurt us.  and as we do so, a burden of hard feelings will be lifted from our hearts.  we are currently working with a less active in our ward who has lots of anger for certain church members who have "wronged her"...and won't go to church because of it.  People are imperfect, we all make mistakes, but the gospel of Jesus Christ is perfect and has no mistakes.

"for if ye forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you;  But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses"  Matthew 6:14-15

Last monda as a zone we had a "tortilla war" hahah basically dodgeball with tortillas...it was pretty entertaining.

Well I am doing great here and the spanish is awesome!  The mission is the most stressful thing I have ever had to do, but at the same time so much joy and easiness!  

until next week!

c o n  a m o r

Hermana Riches

My Life As An Hermana.....The Inside Scoop (Week 21)

Tacos are the bomb

Buenas Tardes!  Hermana Riches here with the inside scoop on what life is like as a sister missionary here in Monterrey, Mexico.  It's a pretty weird feeling having all of you friends and family know about my life solely from a blog hahah.... as I am sitting here in a public rent-a-computer place, I wanted to give you some insights on my day to day life....the 4-1-1 of what life is really like as for a "gringa hermana" :)

- all of the workers in 7/11 and local gas stations know you due to daily chocolate/ gatorade / diet coke breaks

-  when you go to give the taxi driver a pass along card you notice they already have that same card and 3 others hanging from their rear view mirror

-  everytime you pass a cart selling corn you can't help but recite all the lines from "Nacho Libre" in your head

- everything that we eat at home with bread is replaced with a tortilla....EVERYTHING.

-  you get over excited when finding a perfect scripture verse for a lesson or when someone commits to baptism

- the only time you are more than 3 ft away from your campion is in the bathroom

-  you know all the street names better than the people who have lived here in the same city their whole life

-  fashion + glamorizing= seeing how many possible skirt/ blouse combos can be made

- having the constant fear of breaking one of the 100 rules we have as missionaries

-  the surprised reaction on people's faces when I open my mouth and speak spanish

-taking pictures with elders is awkward.

- being car-less= calf muscles gettin' swole

- every stress/ worry you have is about someone else's life

- emails/cards mean more to you than anything materialistic

- you feel the need to help every single person that crosses your path

- really cool tan lines from the same pair of shoes you wear every day

- seeing a cockroach on the floor begins to be the Norm

- it's totally normal talking to every stranger in the street

- when talking to an american elder you only speak spanish because talking in english feels weird

- your body never adjusts to waking up at 6:30 am every day

- asking strangers for weekly weather forecasts

- although you have the same exact schedule every day, every day is completely different

- strangers asking you to say a prayer for them right then and there on the side walk

- nevery saying/ writing your first name

well these are just some tidbits of what life is like here as an hermana!  some other weekly high lights include:

- so it is not a surprise that soccer is huge here....on game days every one walks around with their "tigre" jersey and cars drive around waving big banners and signs haha they loveeee their team "los tigres" here

- each district meeting I have the chance to teach the missionaries a bit of english so this week I taught "head shoulders knees and toes" hahah

- we had an investigator in church yesterday!  His name is Hugo, and we hope that he can continue to progress

-  On friday (halloween) I went and taught with another hermana in another area...and there were actually quite a few trick or treaters!  but i guess it's because Monterrey is close to the border so people have adopted some US traditions here....but lots of people here are pretty superstitious about halloween and don't want their kids celebrating it.  My companion was Hermana Garcia from the Dominican Republic...she's super cool!

 haha of course we had to do a bit of trick or treating....

well this week was super hot but I think it's gunna start to get a bit colder....haha later today we are having a "Guerra de tortillas"....tortilla war....as a zone so I will have to update you all on that next week hahaha!

I really am doing great, and I just love the people and have such great friends!  Because the ward is pretty small, with only like 70 active members, everyone is family.  I know I can go to any member if I need anything and I will be recieved with love and support.  There are so many apparent struggles in these people's lives, but they have some of the strongest testimonies I have seen.  Every day I am writing rapidly in my journal about the people and my experiences because I dont want to forget!

 the Lopez Familia

how is it novemember??!!! big shout out to BECCA RICHES for my blog posts!!!

a mini testimony in spanish....

yo sé sin duda que esta iglesia es verdadera.  yo realmente sé que esta iglesia es la misma iglesia que Jesucristo estableció sobre la tierra.  Con La Biblia y el libro de mormón tenemos la plenitud del evangelio, y es necesario que sigamos los mandamientos para encontrar felicidad.  Yo he recibido muchísimas respuestas de mis oraciones, y yo puedo testificar que Dios está escuchándonos siempre.  Si tenemos fe en jesucristo y su expiación, podemos vencer todos los desafíos. Tenemos un profeta, Thomas S. Monson, para guiarnos en el camino correcto.  El recibe revelación directamente con Dios, y necesitamos seguir sus palabras.  Tenemos la promesa de la Vida Eterna si nosotros guardamos los mandamientos.  Testifico que las familias pueden ser eternas mediante el sacerdocio restaurado que tenemos en los temples sobre la faz de la tierra.  Yo he visto milagros aquí en la misión cuando las personas reciben una respuesta que estas cosas son verdaderas.  Cuando una persona ore y pregunte a Dios si El Libro de Mormón es verdadero, realmente Dios va a poner sentimientos de paz y consuelo en su corazón que estas cosas son verdaderas. Esta es una respuesta.  No va a ser un señal en el cielo.....va a ser muy pequeño sentimientos en su corazón, y ésta es una confirmación.  Estoy muy agradecida y feliz a estar aquí en la misión Mexico Monterrey Este, y yo sé que aquí es donde yo necesito estar. Les extraño mucho, todo ustedes..... pero yo puedo testificar que esta obra es muy importante y que Dios va a protegerme cada paso! Esta misión es muy difícil....lo más difícil en toda mi vida...pero es un honor a ver muchas milagros cada día y ver la mano del Señor en todos lados.   

i'll send more pics next week! #computerproblems love you all!

"and thou shalt open they mouth at all times, declaring my gospel with the sound of rejoicing.  amen"  DyC 28:16

c o n  a m o r

hermana riches

Lack of Orange and Black....PS: Go Giants!!! (Week 20)

What can I say....there is a serious lack of orange and black here in monterrey!!! no halloween....and no SF GIANTS PRIDE WOOOHOOOO GO GIANTS WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!  It's such a weird feeling not knowing anything that is going on at home hahaha thanks dad!  Big thank yous to Chloe Bray, Karin Fuller, The Bray Family, Kathy Riches, Katie Barrus, and mom for your wonderful mail!!  Muchísimas gracias for your support.  We went to the temple this morning and it was great!  I'm about 25 minutes from the temple- and the temple is right in the middle of the big city with beautiful giant rolling hills in the back.  Here are some photos from this morning:

The missionaries in my zone!!

 the world really is so small...Elder Cook to my right was at the same BYU camp as me 4 years ago haha!!

So every tuesday we have a district meeting (my district consists of 8 missionaries) and then about 4 districts make up a zone (a zone is made up of the missionaries who are in the areas closest to mine)  In our district we have a new elder from Utah and it brings back sooo many memories of my first few weeks here not understanding anything... hahah.  Watching him during our meetings makes me really realize that I have grown so much here and that it truly is amazing how fast I have picked up the language!  But man I totally understand how this elder is feeling....you just wanna cry because you feel so helpless and overwhelmed haha but I keep telling this elder....I promise the language will come!!!  I know that every challenge that is given to us is to help us grow and progress.

"That which we persist in doing becomes easier for us to do; not that the nature of the thing itself is changed, but that our power to do is increased"

LIfe is really good here with Hermana Mendoza in Sada Vidrio.  It's cool because she has a different accent than Hermana Batalla and uses different phrases, so my accent when I return home I'm sure will be a combination of various mexican accents hahaha.  She speaks zero english, so again it is great being with a companion that forces me to speak español.  Hermana Mendoza and I are pretty opposite, but our personalities compliment each other really well and it's great when teaching people.  Every person and place we come to know in this life is because Heavenly Father wants us to learn something new and to change for the better....so every area and companion I have I am always looking for characteristics that make me a better person.

This past sunday the elders in my ward had a baptism which was really great.  Here is a picture of the two elders in my ward-- the one on the left is from Utah and is new here in Sada Vidrio and Elder Melara from Mexico has been with me here in Sada Vidrio for about 4 months haha they are hilarious

This past saturday as a zone we held a car wash at the stake center haha it was pretty fun!!  We washed cars and took people on tours of the church building while they waited for their cars.  Hermana Mendoza and I stood on the corner next to a busy free way and waved around big signs hahaha we told every dirty taxi that drove past us to go to our car wash....the elders were kept very busy and grateful for our efforts... :).  The visitors really enjoyed the church tours, and everyone we talked to really felt the spirit so strongly inside....  THE CHURCH IS TRUE! haha

The food here has its ups and downs...I really do miss the food at home.  But the spicy salsas really are so good and the homemade tortillas, flautas, tamales....and at this time of year they have a bread called "pan de los muertos" for Día de Los Muertos which is this sunday, and it is this super good bread with sugar on top like a doughnut.  haha here is a pic of a man in our ward who is cooking THE best little steak tacos....dad you would be in heaven!

Well this past week was a bit of a struggle as our investigators are just always so busy and never in their homes.... and we don't have anyone that is really progressing.  sooo we are kind of in a bit of a slump at the moment.  the language isn't really an obstacle for me now....what is stressful now is trying to identify the person's needs...and teaching in a specific way for every person because every single person learns things differently!  We have lots of addresses of people to visit, but very few are in their homes when we come by!  it can be a bit depressing when you are in the streets from 11am- 9pmand have only taught 1 lesson for the day...but I know that eventually we will see the "fruits of our labors"\it also doesn't help when all your favorite songs are being played in the streets haha gah it really does make you feel homesick!  But I know that it is just Satan trying to distract me!  One day I was feeling really exhausted and frustrated, and I just said a prayer to help me...I opened the scriptures and was led to these verses:

"but if ye will turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart, and put your trust in him, and serve him with all diligence of mind, if ye do this, he will, according to his own will and pleasure, deliver you out of bondage"mosiah 7:33

"pray always, that you may come off conqueror, yea that you may conquor satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of satan that do uphold his work" DC 10:5

the scriptures really do answer our prayers!!

Well...another super hot week here in Monterrey with random rain falls.    Thank you for all your love and support through emails, letters, and thoughts!

"y Jesús les habló otra vez, diciendo:  yo soy la luz del mundo; el que me sigue no andará en tinieblas, sino que tendrá la luz de la vida" Juan8:12

MORE PICS:

  activity in the stake center with some ward members

 our ward mission leader is a taxi driver so we all pile in his car to go places hahaha

C O N  A M O R

hermana riches

Week 19: Problems With Technology

Hello everyone!  Big shoutouts to the Wisemans, Katie Barrus, and my wonderful mother for your mail!  ANd all of the wonderful Birthday emails!! you guys rock.  Because at the times the computers just choose not to work here, I have attached some bday photos from last week!  Also we go to the temple next week, so our Pday is on THURSDAY and I will be able to write home then....

This past tuesday we had "cambios" and I recieved my new compañera!  haha the process on tuesday was pretty intense...about 50 of us missionaries who had cambios all sit in a room, and the assistants to presidente go down a list, and when they call your name you stand up and get assigned a new companion.  Then you go back to the apartment, drop off all the luggage, and go out and teach.  My new companion is Hermana Mendoza-- she is 24 years old (she is so petite!) she has been in the mission for 14 months, she is from Mexico City, and she loves to draw and read.

It's an adjustment getting a new companion!  Hermana Batalla and I had a system/rythm of doing things, and it's a big change adapting to another person's lifestyle and teaching method...but it's really nice being with someone new and just having a "breath of fresh air" here in Sada Vidrio haha.  This week was pretty exhausting as I have been showing her around all the area, introducing her to all the members, investigadores, but its been good because now I got this area down!

So I wanna clarify something:  In my first letter home from Monterrey, I said that this mission has about 60 baptism per week.....I was wrong haha!  We have about 60 baptisms per month, or in the 50s.  This is still a good number, but not nearly as many baptisms as in the missions in southern mexico.  It is actually really difficult here getting people to commit to baptism-- the people here are open to talk to us, but they work ALL DAY EVERY DAY.....so sundays are like impossible for them to go to church!  and if someone wants to get baptized, you can't just get baptized the next day....they have to attend church 5 sundays until they can get baptized because as missionaries we are here to TRULY convert them to this gospel....not just get baptized and stop living the commandments.  So yes, this is our struggle haha.  It's made me really reflect on the priorities we have in this life.  We can't let our busy lives take control over our values and commandments we have to follow.  One of the 10 commandments in the bible is...."thou shalt have no other Gods before me".  Does our work schedule, use of technology, or other attractions take away from family time or really doing the things that God asks of us?  Our salvation depends on our "prep time" here on Earth, and we need to really look at our lives and recognize the importances and what we value most :)

One of our investigadoras, Yuridia, we have been teaching for about a month and she is 26 years old with a 4 year old daughter and really messy relationship with her partner.  He doesn't like that she meets with us, but she has been reading the Book of Mormon and knows that it is true.  She wants to get baptized, but he won't let her go to church with us....so this is currently a struggle we are dealing with.  It's important that during trials we really prayWITH FAITH...Believing that Heavenly Father can answer our prayers.  She needs to pray with real intent, with the firm hope that Heavenly Father will help her through this.  We can't just dwell in our problems and think nothing can get better....we have to actively use our faith.

Even So, faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone  James 2:17

For behold I am God; and I am a God of miracles, and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday, today, and forever; and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith  2 Nephi 27:23

Everyone assumes as missionaries we need to know ALL the doctrine, EVERY scripture, and EVERY answer to every question....but we don't!  As it says in the scriptures.... "therefore, if ye have desires to serve God, ye are called to the work"Dyc 4:3.  So for those of you considering going on a mission or want to try a new sport, activity.... if you simply have a DESIRE to do so, the Lord will bless you with the ability and knowledge.  We are continually instructed here as missionaries that we aren't here to GIVE people answers....we are here teaching people how to find answers on their OWN through praying and reading the scriptures.....missionaries come and go and our investigators can't rely on us!  They need to develop a relationship with Heavenly Father so that they can recieve guidance for the rest of their lives.

So for the past 3 years or so missionaries could not go out and knock on doors...we could only find people by talking to them on the streets and public places.  But as of this week Presidente Bird announced that we can  now haha woohooo!  Last week, Hermana Batalla and I decided to say a prayer and go out on this one street and pick a house at random.  We chose a house, hollered BUENAS TARDES because no one knocks on doors here hahah, and out came a woman.  We introduced ourselves and she had the biggest smile on her face.  She began to say that her husband who passed away who was catholic said that if he could have converted to any other religion it would be the church of jesus christ of latter day saints....and she was holding in her hands the info card we handed her and kept pointing ESTA IGLESIA, ESTA IGLESIA!  this church!  this church!  She said that she is never in her house, and that really it was not a casualty that we came upon her home.  I really do know that as missionaries, the most important tool is the spirit...to guide and direct us in the streets we need to go and the people we need to talk to. Everything we do as missionaries is according to the impressions we feel and the answers God gives us to our prayers.  I really do know that Heavenly Father was directing us that day to the house of Angelica :)

For verily, verily I say unto thee, blessed art thou for what thou has done, for thou hast inquired of me, and behold, as often as thou has inquired thou hast recieved instruction of my spirit.  If it had not been so, thou wouldst not have come to the place where thou art at this time...i did enlighten thy mind...Thou has been enlightened by the spirit of truth DyC 6:14-15

Well, it was superrrr hot this week but the rain has come and the winter shortly after!  We are busy every day, and really working hard to find these people who need the gospel in their life.....as well as buying apples on the daily at 7/11, smashing cockroaches, and little kids asking me why I have lots of dots on my face.

y Jesús les djio:  yo soy el pan de vida; el que a mí viene nunca tendrá hambre; y el que en mí cree no tendrá sed jamás  Juan 6:35

CON MUCHO AMOR

Hermana Riches

20 Años & Cake In The Face! (Week 18)

¡Buenas tardes amigos y familiares!  First I wanna thank the Longbottoms, Grammy Bredt, Emily Crowder, and Katie Barrus for your mail!!!!Longbottoms.....thank you for the halloween decorations-- literally the best thing a missionary could ask for haha!  Hermana Batalla and I made all the halloween crafts and our apartment is much more beautiful :)  I will attach a photo towards the end of this post!  and Grammy.....thank you for the adorable children books in spanish.  Hermana Batalla has read them to me at night hahaha :)  seriously thank you for all of your email birthday wishes as well!!! 

Well it is official:  I am 20 years old.  SCARY.  Mom/ Dad how do you feel?  hahaha.  My birthday yesterday was sooo great!  I felt so much love from all the members here.  In the morning I woke up to lots of decorations and signs that Hermana Batalla put up for me (mom thank you for the decorations :p )  and we currently have another hermana (hermana zertuche) with us until tomorrow because her companion had to go home for a family crisis ;(  so it's been so fun spending time with these girls!

So after church we went to go eat lunch at a member's home, la familia de Ola de Mar, and Pilly, one of the daughters, has the same birthday as me so we celebrated together!  :)  she turned 13.  The whole home was decorated with balloons and festive mexican music hahaha and another family joined us as well.  It was really cute because they made me a sign as well saying FELICIDADES HERMANA RICHES :).  We enjoyed some toquitos and salsa and a cake!  A tradition here in Mexico is whenever it is someones birthday they sing this chant/song and at the end someone goes behind and pushes the person's face into the cake.......so I got to experience a little of that tradition haha!  Here are some photos:  

and also mom.....you should know that we had a fiesta in the apartment with us 3 with your glow sticks you sent me hahaha

Yesterday really was such a great day, and I felt so much love!  Various members gave me cookies, made "hot cakes" or pancakes haha for me, and it really was so great spending the day with all my new friends here.  

Moving on from the birthday festivities, today is actually a sad day for Hermana Batalla and I because Leanor, I have mentioned her in previous letters, but she is leaving for the United States today to be with her family in texas, but she doesn't have papers so she has to swim the Rio Bravo illegally and it is such a dangerous process......so we are praying for her and really all we can do is think about her safety and hope that she can reuite with her 3 year old daughter!  The stories of these people here really are so sad to hear, but it's amazing being able to share uplifting messages with them.  We visited Leanor on Friday, and we sang "¿Dónde hallo el solaz?"..... "Where Can I turn for peace"  and then we shared with her this scripture:

"Estas cosas os he hablado para que en mí tengaís paz.  En el mundo tendreís aflicción.  Pero confiad.  yo he vencido al mundo" Juan 16:33

"these things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace.  In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer.  I have overcome the world"  John 16:33

I love this scripture where Jesus is comforting us all that we need not fear when we are dealing with hardships....because he has already overcome everything that we are facing.

Now....DRUM ROLL PLEASE..... Last night we got a phone call for this next "cambio" and the news is:  Hermana Batalla is leaving Sada Vidrio and I am staying here for the next 6 weeks!!  I actually am really happy to stay because I am now accustomed to this area and really love the people.  So tomorrow I will get assigned to a new compañera.  I will miss Hermana Batalla!  She has been a great trainer, and I am excited to keep on working with our investigators and the members here.  I really have grown to love our little apartment that sits above a little store that sells food and diet coke....perfect set up right?  Cheers to another 6 weeks of listening to our neighbors sing karaoke every friday and saturday night!

C O N  A M O R

hermana riches