The Blessing- Week 100

Well, I am shocked again that it is already time to be sending this email and I feel so blessed because of the blessed and wonderful companionship and friendship I had with Elder Burrows and the miracles we were able to see together and now Elder Van Alfen is a stunning missionary and an immediate best friend and it feels that this week was just filled with deep rooted conversions and God's perfect guidance and timing to produce mighty miracles. 

Heavenly Father's perfect guidance and timing to produce mighty miracles:

The very first day Elder Van Alfen and I were together and got to campus, we saw immediate blessings and miracles that can be attributed only to God's supreme and masterful plan and how He directs and guides His children with perfect timing.

Emmerson-We were walking on campus for no more than 4 minutes before we spotted Emmerson who was baptized last October so we ran to her and were able to walk with her to her apartment and had a great visit with her outside for about ten minutes to feel the Spirit and God's love altogether.

Paydon-We met Paydon a few weeks ago on campus and played basketball with him and then talked about the Book of Mormon and Restoration of the gospel and he was so intrigued and we were able to set up a time to come visit him but with some things coming up we weren't able to go visit him then and couldn't get a hold of him by texting or calling so immediately after we finished talking with Emmerson, we turned around and walked for 90 seconds when we say Paydon playing basketball and not realizing it was him at first we looked at each other and hurried our way over to him to see if we could play and to my great surprise it was in fact him and we got to play again and talk a little bit more after playing and set another appointment and nothing will get in the way of it this time:) haha 

Kirk-Just as we finished playing our game with Paydon, as the winning shot was taken, Kirk was walking passed the court on the sidewalk and saw me and we had met a week and a half ago and he called out and said "Hey, is that Elder Rick?!" (Haha it is a common occurrence for others to forget I have an s at the end of my name:)) so while I went to talk with him for a few minutes and we set up a time to get together for a lesson, Elder Van Alfen kept talking with Paydon and it was just miraculous all the people we had previously met that God placed in our path once again within a half hour of each other. This morning, walking to the library, we saw Kirk again and he is looking forward to us coming over to visit him and share with him the Restored gospel.

  

Deep rooted conversions:

Ashanti-She has been so prepared and has been one of God's elect the whole time we've been able to teach her but I can't believe how deep her conversion is getting and the passion and excitement that has filled her this last week. I'm not sure what happened and can describe it in no other way than that the Spirit of God, like a fire, is burning within her and she is so anxious for her upcoming baptism and taking so many strides towards that remarkable and sacred experience.

Alice-Gave a talk in sacrament meeting and was the highlight of the entire meeting. Her testimony is so powerful and she declares the stark contrast and blessing of having the gift of the Holy Ghost in comparison to not having it and she is gaining so much confidence that can come only by living the principles of the gospel and coming to know Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Scott-Has returned to the Church and come back into activity for the last six months after 16 years of inactivity and he too bears such a powerful and sincere testimony of the power, mercy, and divinity of Christ and he received the Melchizedek Priesthood at Church yesterday before he moves to Arizona this week to begin his career after finishing residency. He really and truly is a brilliant example of Christlike love and light and he radiates both of those things wherever he stands.

Hannah-Received her patriarchal blessing yesterday and is so strong. I've talked about her in every one of my emails I think for the last two months and I still can't say the smallest part of just how miraculous and deep her conversion is. If you took away every single other piece of evidence or thoughts or feelings that confirm, by the Spirit, the reality of God, then looking only at Hannah and the story of her conversion and the true and everlasting joy that rests within her soul, then you will have seen and felt enough to know that God is and that He loves His children, every one. 

I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and am so full of gratitude and joy.

Keep the faith,

Elder Ricks