tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75667528009869211362024-03-05T01:29:45.931-08:00Two Years in OklahomaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger111125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-16732657344490539782017-08-01T05:39:00.002-07:002017-08-01T05:39:44.108-07:00The Blessing- Week 105
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">As I have prayed and thought and reflected
I continually question how I can put into words all that I have felt,
experienced, learned, grown, and changed to be forever a better man and friend
over the last two years?</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">I am now and will be eternally grateful for
how the Lord has infinitely blessed me. I will share just four ways from this
last week:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #1:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We met Alex last week, and truly it was a
miracle of itself how God's timing is always so perfect and led us together,
for only a few minutes and were able to set an appointment to come back and see
him. We met him while we were out with Kherissa last week so she came with us
again to visit him and it was such a happy and simple and really spiritual
experience. God's love was manifested to each of us as we talked about simple
truths of the reality and love of God, Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice,
of prayer, of the Book of Mormon and all scripture, and especially of the
importance and blessings of family. He is from Africa and primarily speaks French
but is incredible fluent in English and has only been here for about 8 months.
It was such a powerful reminder to me of God's love and of the simplicity and
beauty of His gospel for which I am eternally grateful and infinitely blessed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #2:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">One of the summer sales guys in the ward is
Allen and he met with missionaries last summer, attended a YSA and family ward
when he went home over the year and is talking with us again and we've had some
really spiritual visits together that have uplifted and edified us all and
caused an increase of each of our faith and in that process we have built a
tremendous relationship of love and trust and he texted us randomly on Monday
and asked if he could call. We were out for dinner but were able to take his
call right there and then and he asked us some great questions that he said he
feels is at the root of some of his hold backs with completely joining himself
to the Church through baptism and confirmation and they are questions that he
has had for a long time but hasn't felt comfortable sharing with others or
talking with missionaries about them but because of his trust and the spiritual
nature of our relationship he feels ready to talk about some of those questions
and sincerely seek and learn answers. That friendship is one that the Lord has
made possible for which I am eternally grateful and infinitely blessed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #3:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">John moved from his apartment this last
week into a home and asked for our help so we and one of his friends, Jamison,
were all able to go and try to do some good. While we were helping him move we
watched him put a few things in his backpack and lastly he took his Book of
Mormon and set it gently on top. We inquired about it and he said he has only
read a few versus but loved it and is so excited to read it and wants to have
easy access and keep it with him. After everything was moved and done we were
able to stand and talk with John and Jamison and through the conversation we
mentioned something about how important it is to have a change of nature and
not just a change of behavior and a couple minutes after that John stopped us
all and said "You said something interesting there that I want to talk
about more..." So we were able to have a beautiful talk about
conversion, about Christ, about change and repentance and the role of the
Book of Mormon in such a change and each of us in one way or another shared
stories and experiences about times where our nature was changed and not just
our behavior. They both agreed to come to church and seem enthusiastic about
learning more and diving into the Book of Mormon. The Lord truly has prepared
them and was there, for which I am eternally grateful and infinitely blessed.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #4:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">One of the members of our ward told us of a
woman she knows named Jackie and of her family of 5 children and how she has
been to church several times before, how she has a Book of Mormon and her son
has already begun reading it, how she has seen parts of general conference
twice and how she is from Uganda and has a beautiful story. So we had the
pleasure of getting in contact with her and set up a time that we could meet
her and her family and learn of their story and talk more about the Savior and
His Church and the Book of Mormon. She would go with her family to a family
ward and not to the University Ward with us so we went with the Elders that she
would be able to meet with and go to church with in the future. We were able to
go and met all of her beautiful little kids and we talked with them while
Jackie went in the kitchen and made us all breakfast. We were able to talk with
all of them together about the Restoration of the gospel, of Joseph Smith's
experience seeing God our Heavenly Father and His Son the promised Messiah
Jesus Christ, of the true power of prayer and the miracles that come from God,
and of the Book of Mormon. She had already read from the Book of Mormon that
morning, two of her girls downloaded the gospel library app we felt the Spirit all
together so tangibly. I know that families are ordained of God and that all of
this is true. I've given my life to it and for it the last two years and am
eternally grateful and infinitely blessed and feel all I can do is give
everything I have for the rest of my life. May God bless each of us with His
love and to walk in the light, as He is in the light, in our path and journey
through mortality back to Him.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-57816836821927131952017-07-24T12:12:00.002-07:002017-07-24T12:12:41.239-07:00The Blessing- Week 104
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Bike week! Oh, the inspiration of President
Mansell under the direction of the Lord, I am so grateful for it! We love to
bike as it is but we saw even more miracles than usual this week because of the
unique opportunity to have our car grounded and to either bike or get a ride
with a member to wherever we were going. I wish I had the time to go through
miracle after miracle of biking all week but I think my favorite series of
miracles took place on Wednesday night.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We had biked to the institute building and
were walking all through campus, talking with everyone we could spot and we
came across one of the recent converts of our ward, Emmerson! She hasn't been
able to come to church in a couple of months because of work so we got to walk
with her to her work at Sonic and Wednesday was their special $0.99 hot dog
deal so we each ordered one of those and they had ran out o buns and different
things and it took about a half hour for us to get our hot dogs so it was great
opportunity to be able to talk with her, particularly about her recent studies
from the Book of Mormon. While we were there we got to see two other people
we've met before and were able to set up an appointment with them! We were
going out with a member at 6:00 so with the slight delay at Sonic we realized
we would be late and were going to call Kherissa to let her know we might be a
couple of minutes late but weren't able to do that because I discovered that I
didn't have the phone. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We left at 5:55 and began running the mile
and a half to try to make it back to the institute building on time and passing
through campus we stopped by the bench I last remembered using the phone at and
it was still there! We got back to the institute building at 6:03, a sweaty
mess and talked with Kherissa about our plans for the night and because she is
a lone female we couldn't ride with her so we gave her directions to where we
were going and took off biking to meet her there! </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">She followed us and we went to see a girl
named Taylor that we had met a couple months ago and felt inspired to go try
and knocking on her door another young woman named Kelly, from Cameroon Africa
and we got to talk with her instead for about 40 minutes and learned of some of
her life story and experiences and were able to share the Book of Mormon with
her and had a really spiritual experience all together. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We left there and began walking back to
visit someone else and stopped to talk with another guy, William, by commenting
on his shoes and asking about them which led to him sharing with us his story
about playing football in college and then having a cancerous tumor and how
upset he was with God and about a young girl nearly 8 years old who was at the
hospital also with cancer who became his best friend and supporter and turned
him back toward God and several weeks after he was healed and cancer free she
passed away and we were able to share the Book of Mormon with him also and had
another spiritual experience with him.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Still on our walk over to see this person
we had originally planned to see, we stopped and began talking with a man named
Alex who was carrying a little girl. We learned that he is from Greece and the
girl is his girlfriend's daughter and he asked what we were doing so we let him
know a little bit about us and what we were doing and that as missionaries we
get to help people come closer to God and to build their faith in Christ and
how we are visiting a lot of people throughout the complex and asked if we
could come visit he and his girlfriend and he cheerfully set a time with us
that we could come over. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">It was such a fun and miraculous night and
I am grateful for the opportunity to only bike, to work more with these
remarkable members of Christ's Church, and to sacrifice and show Heavenly
Father our love and dedication to Him and we were greatly blessed to see so
many miracles that night and all through out the week, this is His work of
blessing and exalting souls.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the Faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-20715449134258327072017-07-24T12:10:00.000-07:002017-07-24T12:10:19.324-07:00The Blessing- Week 103
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Taelor-In zone conference last week, we
received training and had a council about Finding and Elder Van Alfen and I got
really excited about everything that was said so we have begun talking with all
of the members of the ward about all of it and were able to share some of the
things we learned last week at dinner with Tyson and Will. Through the
discussion they began to recall experiences from their missions and Tyson began
sharing some of the things he has been trying to do to share the gospel with
his classmates and coworkers and out of nowhere Will exclaimed "Wow, I
suck. I am a terrible member missionary..." Elder Van Alfen and I
explained to them that at the beginning of the transfer we wanted to bring two
individuals into the fold through the waters of baptism, one of them we knew,
the other we didn't know yet. As we talked about this, we learned that Will and
I have the same amount of time left in Oklahoma and we decided all together
that we would find someone to teach and baptize into Christ's Church and they
will find someone who can be taught and baptized into Christ's Church before we
go home. We were all really excited about the goals we set together and we left
that dinner with a fire and excitement to find those that the Lord has
prepared. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We began praying, they began praying, that
we could all have the success in the Lord that we felt the Spirit testified to
us that we could be apart of.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Tyson came teaching with us this last
Tuesday and our appointment at 6:00 fell through and we felt prompted and
decided to go try an investigator, whom we haven't been able to get a hold of
or see for the last 3 weeks, before our next appointment.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We arrived and knocked on the door and a
girl answered. We began talking with her and learned quickly of a terrible car
accident she was in about 3 weeks ago and it could've/should've been a lot
worse than it was, about how she hadn't been to church in quite a while and
couldn't find one that she wanted to be apart of or had time for, about how she
hasn't felt happy for the last three years-since she was in high school and was
with a good group of friends who went to a Bible study together every morning
at 6:00 am, and about how she lived several years in Idaho next to a Mormon
family whom became dear family friends and who her sister had been visiting for
2 months this summer and was supposed to fly in the next day and how they had
gone to church with them several times while they lived in Idaho. We relayed a
favorite scripture from the Book of Mormon with her and offered her the book
which she took with a heart full of thanks and excitement exclaiming, "I
will definitely read this, I can't wait. I think my accident was God slapping
me on the hand and letting me know He is ready to have a deeper and greater
relationship again and it's time for me to find my way back."</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">John, Gina, and Elizabeth- A couple weeks
ago we met John and in a miraculous way he invited us over so we took the
opportunity and just last night we were able to go back to see him and were
privileged, by God's grace and mercy and perfect timing to meet his girlfriend
and one of his friends and taught them of the restoration of our Lord's Church
and Kingdom on the earth. They soaked it all up, asked great questions, and
expressed great thanks for sharing everything we did and for giving each of
them their own Book of Mormon.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Biking Miracle- Our Mission President has
issued a mission-wide bike week for this week starting yesterday so we got out
of our visit with John, Gina, and Elizabeth at about 9:20 and had a 5 mile bike
ride home so we took off cooking and actually made great time! On the road at
9:45 we were at the last stretch, just over a quarter of a mile away from our
apartment so I turned and yelled to Elder Van Alfen, "Beat me home!!"
he looked at me, slightly confused and concerned saying "There's
cars?!" I responded with a gentle and loving "Sissy!!" he took
off and I turned back around and just as I did so my front tire began grinding
on the side of the curb and I knew it was imminent so I had to decide if I was
going to fall to the left into the road or to the right onto the side
walk...Recognizing what Elder Van Alfen had said about cars I quickly opted to
fall to the right and gracefully went slightly over my handle bars and my
shoulder met the ground and I skipped for a second and proceeded to slide on the
ground on my shoulder and my back for about 5 yards.:) Now, there are two
miracles to this story! #1 It was the first bike crash I have had as a
missionary so I made it 1 year and 52 weeks without wrecking which is a mighty
miracle of itself!! #2 I was totally fine and my bike still works great and I
was worried that if I beat Elder Van Alfen home that he would be slightly upset
but instead he got to laugh a little bit and beat me home so on all accounts we
are blessed and it was a miracle haha:)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-63483677424383672592017-07-11T07:09:00.000-07:002017-07-11T07:09:36.854-07:00The Blessing- Week 102
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Edmond is Zion, heaven, the courts of
glory, paradise, etc. I am convinced that this is the best place and these are
the best people under the heavens! As always, there are more miracles and
blessings than I can count or that I can recount, especially by way of email
but this week, the greatest miracle of all has been conversion and excitement
in myself and Elder Van Alfen and in the lives of nearly everyone in the ward
and in our area!</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">What a spectacle it has been to witness the
last two months of Ashanti's stunning and miraculous conversion. She has been
one of God's elect and it has been such a blessing to be able to see her
excitement and love of the gospel grow and flourish until she has been brim
with joy and overflowing with excited anticipation for her baptism. She was
baptized last night and was so calm and at peace and full of gratitude and joy
for all the Lord has done for her throughout her life and especially the last
couple of months. Conversion is the most incredible, uniting, and beautiful
miracle to witness.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">I know this is the Lord's work and I've
been able to feel an ever increasing abundance of God's love and Spirit this
last week. I know of the power of the Sacrament and of prayer and study and
faith and repentance and baptism and other covenants with the Divine and of the
power which is in Christ.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Van Alfen, Ashanti's mother, Ashanti,
Elder Yamane, and Elder Ricks</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1OzXIYnTaxrICRFUXOMnX1-gVRU8IQ_hzB-McvLEGMjSbAFJY68TJHsZqmRL4iti3fJn0K149wAipCwR39o6MOHFz_rWw2cYT63VczMcgbl0oRCd40paReJyuVfwTCPJsQajxjVdZko/s1600/IMG_1353.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU1OzXIYnTaxrICRFUXOMnX1-gVRU8IQ_hzB-McvLEGMjSbAFJY68TJHsZqmRL4iti3fJn0K149wAipCwR39o6MOHFz_rWw2cYT63VczMcgbl0oRCd40paReJyuVfwTCPJsQajxjVdZko/s320/IMG_1353.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Six months ago I was so blessed to serve
with Elder Yamane and now I receive the special blessing of being served by
Elder Yamane as he is now my District Leader! I love him so much and was
grateful that he was the one who was able to talk with Ashanti personally, on
Friday before her baptism yesterday, in the way the Savior would in seeking out
her story of conversion and being able to witness that she truly is repentant
and prepared to be baptized into the Lord's Church and Kingdom here on the
earth. With such a sacred experience, Ashanti asked Elder Yamane to baptize her
and it was such a spiritual evening!</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-88952645119950308402017-07-11T07:02:00.004-07:002017-07-11T07:02:58.946-07:00The Blessing- Week 101
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">The field is white, already to harvest, I
can see it and I know it and I believe Christ in every word and promise He has
ever made. In John 4:31-38, Jesus taught this truth and promised that we aren't
here to sow now and reap in four months, but that instead we are sent to reap
now and in the process of reaping, naturally and immediately sowing becomes a
byproduct. I know that there are still people that the Lord, in His infinite
love and wisdom, has prepared personally and through others of His children for
Elder Van Alfen and I to bring into His harvest of souls. A couple weeks ago,
Elder Van Alfen and I prayerfully sought the Lord's will and felt encouraged by
a heaven sent thought that we knew of one individual, Ashanti, who is coming
unto Christ through faith and baptism unto repentance and that there is one
other individual, currently unknown to us, who is also prepared to come unto
Christ this month through faith and baptism unto repentance.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We have been able to see God's mighty hand
in so many ways and be the beneficiaries and witnesses of so many miracles. One
particular miracle that touched me this week was our experience with John. We
felt impressed to go to an apartment complex and try a few people we had
previously met and talked with, the first didn't answer and we walked out to go
to the next and casually began conversation with John about his hair and how
long he had been growing it out. Without more than a three sentence
conversation, he said "Do you want anything ot eat or drink? I am getting
my mail right now but you are welcome to meet me back at my apartment to
talk." Frankly, I was shocked and I'm sure I looked as dumbfounded as I
sounded when we stumbled with a response that we were going to try one of our
friends from our congregation and then we would be happy to meet him at his
apartment. We tried this young couple, again to no avail, and with a prayer of
thanksgiving went to John's apartment where we were able to have a 45 minute
conversation about where his faith and relationship with God are at and he
inquired about the one thing he had heard about Mormon's, being baptized on
behalf of the deceased. After an explanation about prophets and temples and
about that glorious doctrine and piece of God's plan for each of our salvation,
he was nodding his head in absolute agreement and told us it just makes sense.
"...the Lord is preparing people to receive you and the restored gospel.
He will lead you to them or He will lead them to you." Preach My Gospel
ch. 9</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">This really is the work of our Heavenly
Father, the field truly is white already to harvest, and I am grateful to be on
His errand.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-31533166630470980322017-06-26T11:36:00.000-07:002017-06-26T11:36:04.965-07:00The Blessing- Week 100
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Heavenly Father's perfect guidance and
timing to produce mighty miracles:</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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 </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"> </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Deep rooted conversions:</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">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. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father and
am so full of gratitude and joy.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-53500696919124838052017-06-19T16:31:00.003-07:002017-06-19T16:31:48.460-07:00The Blessing- Week 99
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">My heart is full and my words insufficient
to express my love and gratitude to God for the many tender mercies and
miracles I've been so blessed to see and be apart of.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracles:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Burrows- After three incredible
months, having so much fun and seeing so many miraculous things together, I
thankfully get to think back on all the things that Elder Burrows has taught me
and helped me with since I got to this area and it's tremendous to me how the
Lord has used Elder Burrows as an instrument in my own spiritual growth and
path to perfection. I love him so much and am so grateful for his companionship
and for all that God has done to strengthen and bless us. I have been so
blessed my entire mission with the best companion's that can be given, oh how I
love my companion and how I love this work.:)</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Van Alfen-I learned of who my new
companion will be for my last transfer as a full-time, tag on your chest,
missionary in Christ's Church and am so excited to be with him! He has been out
for a little over 10 months, is from Eagle, Idaho, and is absolutely incredible!!:)
I got to serve around him for a time while I was in the Village and just can't
wait for all that I will be able to learn and experience with him over the next
6 weeks and the people we are working with and will be able to work with this
next transfer. I feel confident in the expectation that this will be the best 6
weeks of my life and I want to cherish every moment of it. We are going to work
harder, be more obedient, and have more fun than either of us ever have on our
missions and I couldn't be more excited to end my mission with him.:) </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Hannah-Wow, she has been and continues to
be such a great source of strength and faith and Christlike discipleship and
convicted testimony of the Savior and I still stand in aw, among everyone else
who has met her, at the conversion she is having and the way our Heavenly
Father is working in and through her. In an opportunity that was unplanned by
us but prepared by God, we had a lesson with Ashanti yesterday at the church
and Hannah was the teacher the entire time in sharing her unique conversion
story and filling every heart with the Spirit of God and with His pure, all
encompassing love in a way that has touched us so many times before and again
then and in a way that really and truly has now changed Ashanti's entire life
which will extend into all eternity.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Ashanti-This last week we were able to
visit Ashanti a couple times and in such a spiritually moving way and in her
sincere desire to follow Christ, she has decided with a surety that she wants
to be baptized and is planning to have that sacred ordinance take place on July
8, just a few weeks away. I just marvel at the way that God loves each of us as
His children and how He wants every good thing for us. I have learned so much
about His nature and goodness and mighty and miraculous power since arriving to
this area and seeing time, and time again, His power and love in this work that
is His. I know with a certainty that it is His work and that no unhallowed hand
can frustrate or stop my God and Friend, the Creator and Savior and Redeemer of
the world.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-6899446281880334732017-06-12T10:29:00.000-07:002017-06-12T10:29:31.706-07:00The Blessing- Week 98
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">What a blessed week in Oklahoma!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">This week we were so fortunate to have a
visiting General Authority Seventy and his wife come to our mission for a
mission tour and then after that he actually presided over our stake conference
this weekend as well! It was truly a week of edification, sanctification,
renewal, inspiration, spiritual confirmation, and testimonial growth. I loved
each and every minute!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Ashanti is still progressing so much and
making decisions that are propelling her to true conversion and eternal life
which is such a miraculous process to witness. I will never grow weary of
seeing the Lord's hand and power in my life and in others lives as He guides us
on the paths of eternity. There were so many other people we got to see and
other miracles we were blessed to witness and be apart of but primarily today I
wanted to share a couple of the things that I learned from this week of
ministering from on High.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder and Sister Echo Hawk are both converts
to the church and speak with such love, respect, and reverence towards the
missionaries and the members who played such an influential role in their
conversion. As they bore testimony of this conversion they experienced, they
invited the Spirit in all that they did and said particularly as they testified
of the power of the Book of Mormon and as they said something that will forever
echo in depth of my soul. In speaking of those missionaries that taught them
and helped them in their conversion Elder Echo Hawk said "I would like to
be a witness for my two missionaries at the judgement day." This one line,
I feel, will have changed my life forever more. The Spirit bore witness of it
to me and in a flood of thoughts and emotions I began thinking of those who
have played such a profound role in my life, namely my parents, and thought to
myself, "I would like to stand as a witness for my mom and my dad at the
judgement day." That thought continued to develop and I thought more of
others who played a role in the conversion of my life to this point and I
realized I want to stand as a witness for each of them and my thoughts on the
subject concluded with the realization that I hope and pray that I can live the
kind of life that those around me will be able to see and witness a very real,
physical and spiritual change, that they can see my life from the beginning,
see the flaws and weaknesses and shortcomings and witness the desires of my
heart and my nature begin to change into a character of pure love and discipleship,
a truly Christlike life, countenance, and reflection permeate my entire being
so that others will be able to stand as a witness for me at the last day that
they have truly seen and witnessed a mighty change in me to the point that I
have no more desire or disposition to do evil but to do good continually
because I will give all my sins to feel the power of the Holy Ghost that I may
know the Almighty, my Heavenly Father and my Savior and Friend.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">PS: Hannah was in Texas this weekend and
went to church down there. She looked on LDS tools and learned that the ward
meets at 1:00 so she arrived, ready for church, and walked into a chapel where
there was seemingly nothing going on because there were just a few people standing
and talking. She thought maybe she had seen the wrong time or went to the wrong
place and knocked on one of the doors where a couple of Priesthood leaders were
standing and talking together. She inquired about the meeting telling them she
had just recently joined the church a couple weeks ago and it was her first
time there and they informed her that she was at the right place and the right
time but it was stake conference that day for them so it was over now but that
there was someone she needed to meet so they walked her into another room where
she met Quentin L. Cook and was able to sit down and talk with him for 15 or 20
minutes. She recounted her conversion story to him and she was struck at the
love and brightness and genuineness of that man. Two weeks as a member and she
meets an apostle and is able to have a sit down conversation with him, I
promise you with how miraculous this whole thing has been that the Lord is
preparing Hannah for His great and eternal purposes and we can't wait to see
what those things will be!</span></span>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-20124260244034236742017-06-12T08:06:00.001-07:002017-06-12T08:06:56.480-07:00The Blessing- Week 97
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracles on Miracles!! I love these people
and I love this work and I love this ward/area and I love the feelings of the
Spirit of the gospel and I love to love! I am convinced that there is nothing
in all this world that can bring greater joy, satisfaction, fulfillment,
purpose, and success to anyone leading up to the time that individual
begins his or her own family. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Immediately after Hannah's baptism last
Sunday, Bishop was able to visit with her and gave her her temple recommend. It
just so happens that for the last several months a ward temple baptism trip has
been planned for this last Wednesday, three days after Hannah's stunning
baptism, and she was able to go with the ward to the temple to do baptisms for
those who have passed on and not had an opportunity to accept the fullness of
Christ and His everlasting gospel. God's timing is just impeccable and
unparalleled. It was amazing and she was just beaming and couldn't stop smiling
from ear to ear the entire time that we were there. Just a few days before we
were able to witness the Spirit and joy of the gospel consume Hannah in that
hallowed place, we were able to see the same affects happen with two other
individuals that have become so dear and near to my heart as well. We were
privileged to have been invited by David in the Village ward and Alice in the
Norman YSA ward to be able to go to the temple with them to witness the same
ordinances and the same special Spirit and joy in the House of the Lord. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">There is so much happening here right now
and I am just so grateful and I love and marvel at the opportunity to be apart
of such a work that is so much greater than myself. I feel no more and no less
the joy and gratitude of Ammon, one of the great missionary heroes and
representatives of Jesus Christ, as he expressed the feelings of his heart in
the entirety of Alma chapter 26. I love those words and I too feel to sing
the song of redeeming love "Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will
glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will
praise our God forever. Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord? Yea, who
can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his
long-suffering towards the children of men? Behold, I say unto you, I cannot
say the smallest part which I feel."</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-48469993420613279322017-06-12T08:04:00.000-07:002017-06-12T08:04:17.750-07:00The Blessing- Week 96
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Wow...This had to be the most insane and
miraculous week of my mission and if not then it is certainly one of them.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Let me tell you a little bit about Hannah
and her quest in seeking to find and know Jesus Christ and to follow Him and
the pure and absolute miracle of conversion that has transpired for her and in
her over the last 3 weeks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sometime prior to May 5, Landon arrives to
Oklahoma as a summer sales representative and through a funny story is able to
meet Hannah but only through skype.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Saturday May 6: Hannah and Landon meet in
person for the first time and Hannah notices something different and special
about him for a number of reasons so she inquires about it and he is able to
offer a simple and somewhat casual testimony/response which led to her telling
him that she wanted to come to his church, check it out, and learn more because
she was just intrigued.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sunday May 7: She came to church with him
for her very first time in an LDS church service, Landon introduced us to her
and she absolutely loved every minute of the entire three hours. (Unexpectedly,
that morning, without us or Bishop knowing that Hannah would be coming to
church that day, Bishop texted us and asked us to teach gospel principles class
which was essentially on the Restoration of the gospel and Church of Jesus
Christ.) She was mesmerized by it all and later asked Landon if she could come
back with him the next week.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sunday May 14: They came together again and
after gospel principles class we were able to sit down with her and had our
first lesson together and it was one of the most spiritual visits I've ever
had. She asked us a lot of questions which we worked at answering and
essentially just ended up talking about Christ and His power and about the
miracle of conversion in which we were able to share personal stories of. She
would make comments such as "I'm not saying I am converting, yet,
but..." or "Growing up my faith would teach ..... but I love that you
believe ....." and other things similar to that. We left, simply inviting
her to read 3 Nephi 11 from the Book of Mormon. In a Spirit guided fashion, we
told her that we wouldn't invite her to convert or to be baptized at any time
unless we were absolutely overwhelmed by the Holy Ghost because we knew and
were confident that she would feel the Spirit and be invited by the real
teacher, when the time was right and when she was prepared to take that step
and it would be something that she would just want to do to follow Christ and
commit to Him.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Monday May 15: We had a lesson all together
at Landon's apartment and once again had an equally spiritual visit as we
answered more of her questions and talked about accepting Christ's invitation
to throw the net to the other side, to love Him, feed His sheep, and to follow
Him. She had read 3 Nephi 11 and continued reading through to 4 Nephi. We invited
her to continue reading and praying.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Tuesday May 16: We had another lesson all
together at Landon's apartment and taught about our Heavenly Father's plan for
our salvation and happiness and success and she loved every second of it and we
had, yet again, such a powerful and spiritual experience together and it left
me stunned. She had read from the Book of Mormon for over 3 hours that day out
of her own personal curiosity and desire. We invited her to continue reading
and praying and she would make comments such as "I think it is just the
greatest thing in all the world that you believe we can be sealed with our
families for eternity" with the biggest, happiest smile from ear to ear.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">The rest of the week she had job interviews
in Chicago and Edmond because she just graduated college that week with a
graphic design degree so she kept reading and praying and pondering on her own
and talking with Landon and doing all she could to continue learning more. At
various times her father would send her some anti-Mormon things simply out of
love for her and because he doesn't know what we really believe but only what
he had heard from others and from online. None of it ever phased her though
because she was learning and seeking for herself and asking us all of the questions
and seeking the guidance and inspiration of our Father in Heaven.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sunday May 21: They came to church for the
third time together and that night we met at the temple and sat on the steps of
the temple as we had, yet again, one of the most spiritual visits I could
imagine and had experienced. She had begun saying things like "Our
faith..." or "I used to believe ...." and she would talk about
"conversion" and "baptism" and ask questions about those
things. We answered more of her questions and continued teaching the doctrine
of Christ and we, still hadn't invited her to baptism but it was apparent that
the Spirit had already touched her, pricked her heart, and invited her to be
baptized so we inquired about her feelings and, being absolutely overwhelmed by
the Spirit, followed up her words of desire and commitment by encouraged her to
pursue this course and to do as the Spirit invited her to do just as Alma
invited the people at the waters of Mormon to be willing to bear others burdens
that they may be light, to mourn with those that mourn, comfort those that
stand in need of comfort, stand as a witness of God at all times and in all
places and to clap her hands for joy because this was exactly the very desire
of her heart.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Monday May 22: Hannah's father sent her a
lot of online anti-Mormon things which stated that we in no way were Christian
but instead that we worship Satan and praise Joseph Smith and think we could
replace God and a number of other things and we had emailed and told our
Mission President, President Mansell, about her and we talked with him about
what was going on and he actually lives in Edmond also and invited us and
Hannah and Landon to come over to his house for a lesson that night so that's
what we did. We addressed some of Hannah's questions and she said "I know
it's true and I believe it and I am only asking the questions so when other
people ask me what I believe or about our faith I can tell them the answer like
how you have been doing it for me." She didn't have any concerns, no doubt
about any of the things she had been sent and heard. In 8th grade she was at a
Bible camp and read Matthew 5:48 which reads "Be ye therefor perfect even
as your Father in heaven is perfect." She saw that it said perfect and
asked one of the camp ministers about it and he told her not to ask questions
like that and that perfect didn't really mean perfect like God but instead that
it is absolutely impossible for us to be perfect like Him. She shared that with
us after we had already gone over the beautiful doctrine of Deification and she
was astonished and so pleased that the question she had asked in 8th grade was
finally answered and that the answers came from the scriptures and that it made
sense and felt right. We talked about a number of other things and concluded by
watching Elder Holland's April 2016 General Conference address "Tomorrow
the Lord Will Do Wonders among You" and it was such a spiritual experience
once again. It was amazing how President Mansell was able to say just a few
short things and offer a fatherly perspective and give that kind of advice and
comfort and counsel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Tuesday May 23: She went back home to Fort
Worth Texas with her family. She learned that she received both of the jobs
that she had interviews with in Chicago and miraculously everything was smooth
and loving and went well with her family.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Thursday May 25: We received a phone call
and learned that Hannah wanted to be baptized that weekend. In a state of awe
and excitement and thanksgiving and praise at the hand of the Lord in Hannah
and each of our lives, we began making all of the plans and the arrangements
for her baptism to take place on Sunday, May 28.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Friday May 26: We had another lesson all
together in Landon's apartment and in standard fashion the Spirit was so
powerful and tangible and we were able to have a beautiful visit, talking about
the last three weeks and the miracle of each event and about the requirements
of baptism and going over the questions of the "baptismal interview"
(really it's just a sacred and spiritual testimony meeting that a missionary or
the mission president gets to be apart of). By this point she has read over
half the Book of Mormon and has it all marked up with incredible insights and
we invited her to read Joseph Smith History and to look for the nature of God
in this account of what is, in all reality, the second most sacred and most
important event that has happened in the history of the world, after the first
and greatest and most important event that of the atoning sacrifice of Jesus
Christ in Jerusalem. She told us that she wanted President Mansell to baptize
her so we got to listen as she called him and asked him to baptize her and you
could hear him begin to cry and he said he would be honored and so happy to do
that and that he was so proud of her. After they hung up she sat for a moment
and began to tear up as she expressed that she really enjoyed and needed to
hear that he was proud of her as a kind of father figure because her father
isn't supporting her in this and hasn't said that he is proud of her and it was
such a tender and spiritual moment to feel that kind of love that surpasses all
natural love and moves into the realm of pure and true and Christlike love that
only our Father can give.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Saturday May 27: We met Hannah at the
church and talked about the Joseph Smith story and how it all points to God and
how it restored and helps us to understand His character and nature. She then
had her interview and we went to Landon's apartment for one last, wonderful
visit before her baptism the next day. </span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">The most powerful
words that I've ever heard out of an investigator came in a request that she
made to Landon, Elder Burrows, and myself. I won't go into them yet, because
she also made the same request to everyone who attended her baptism.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sunday May 28: They came to church for the
fourth time now and it was exactly 21 days from the day we first met her until
then. It was another incredible church experience and it was amazing, the
lesson in gospel principles was all about baptism. It wasn't man inspired and
worked out just too perfectly to merely be a coincidence. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">President and Sister Mansell invited Hannah
and Landon and Elder Burrows and I over for dinner at their house before the
baptism so we went there for dinner and then left to the church for the most
spiritual baptism I've ever been apart of. </span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">After she
had gotten dressed in white we went to take some pictures and she just broke
down. She was so happy. She walked about half way down the hall from us and
just fell on her knees and started praying. She is a miracle. She asked for
some time to get up and speak before the baptism was preformed, and when she
did </span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">so she rocked everyone's world. She read
out of Mosiah 18 specifically, these verses:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">10 Now I say unto you, if this be the
desire of your hearts, what have you against being baptized in the name of the
Lord, as a witness before him that ye have entered into a covenant with him,
that ye will serve him and keep his commandments, that he may pour out his
Spirit more abundantly upon you?</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">11 And now when the people had heard these
words, they clapped their hands for joy, and exclaimed: This is the desire of
our hearts</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">She bore such powerful testimony that she
was clapping her </span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">hands for joy and that this was the intent
of her heart. She then made the request. She asked that her story be told, but
insisted that it was for a specific purpose. She asked that we never share her
story to glorify Her, or Landon, or us as the missionaries who got to teach her,
but that we share her story as a testament that people can change and hearts
can be softened and to glorify our Savior Jesus Christ and our Father in
Heaven. She insisted that she would never be a Mormon. She insisted that
all she wanted was to learn more, but as she read the pages in The Book of
Mormon, as she prayed and received answers to prayers, as she sincerely
attended church, the Lord changed her. In 3 weeks, to the day, the Lord changed
her. That is why I just wrote you all this novel (Sorry about that). I testify
that people can change, and hearts can be softened. I wanted you all to hear
her story so that I can make it very clear that I know that He lives. So I can
make it very clear that I know that the power of Christ's atoning sacrifice is real.
He is the Master Teacher. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. I hope
you can feel the same and I hope that you can feel how much I love being a
missionary. I can't believe the miracles that have happened in front of my eyes
and I can't believe how fast the end is chapter is coming. This work is the
Lord's, He lives and His love </span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">suffereth long,
and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not
easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth
in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things,
endureth all things.Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye
are nothing, for charity never faileth. Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which
is the greatest of all, for all things must fail—But charity is the pure love
of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the
last day, it shall be well with him. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto
the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love,
which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus
Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall
be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we
may be purified even as he is pure. Amen.</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"> Of Jesus
Christ whom has changed me and whom I represent and of these simple truths I
know, feel, and bare solemn witness of.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR0kRQxqJSRdzFtBABuJwodylNgmBhuIkOlelkyb7-v_C0RHe-smyRZA0pNntIgr_VT3yxOGNr6lCmtUZ003-hyhTvjwDk1k6vr5ZpyKpPJQKxVyxqZKTMkNYBbyHrAVRbRDGwN24_KY/s1600/IMG_0986.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmR0kRQxqJSRdzFtBABuJwodylNgmBhuIkOlelkyb7-v_C0RHe-smyRZA0pNntIgr_VT3yxOGNr6lCmtUZ003-hyhTvjwDk1k6vr5ZpyKpPJQKxVyxqZKTMkNYBbyHrAVRbRDGwN24_KY/s320/IMG_0986.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihML5gaCyGYA9pssobuEC-haOuA0pNBNR2qqg2Ih-7IcbvZImcYdzU6MbRumWZYouCm-qkkJB_WgwKYxpszZRy4SrRvjSaoQSMEWIxSGvV4xvXErOZ3FEzoTodapMNc6XIlt2jzClnWgs/s1600/IMG_0987.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihML5gaCyGYA9pssobuEC-haOuA0pNBNR2qqg2Ih-7IcbvZImcYdzU6MbRumWZYouCm-qkkJB_WgwKYxpszZRy4SrRvjSaoQSMEWIxSGvV4xvXErOZ3FEzoTodapMNc6XIlt2jzClnWgs/s320/IMG_0987.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-51008286784053890012017-05-22T10:04:00.002-07:002017-05-22T10:04:38.284-07:00The Blessing- Week 95
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">I stand all amazed, I marvel, and I think
of the One that this is all about. I am in awe always when I look at the power,
glory, Spirit, splendor and miracles of this work that He is is directing,
upholding, and flourishing. It was such a spiritual week for me as I was able
to participate in four of the most spiritual and emboldening lessons I have
ever been apart of. I know with a certainty that the Spirit is the ultimate
teacher and that the work of man cannot and will not frustrate the work of the
Lord, meaning, even when I say something wrong, the Spirit changes the things I
say from the time it leaves my mouth to the time they hear it to the very exact
thing they need to hear, know, and feel. I've seen it and I've felt it.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Ashante:</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Monday-We visited with her and talked a
little bit about what we do and we aligned visions about what we expect and
what she expects out of being able to visit together and just had great
conversation with her.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Wednesday-We went over to her apartment
with out Elders Quorum President and had a wonderful lesson with her about the
Book of Mormon and the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and she was
just soaking it all up. She has so many pure and true foundational beliefs that
align perfectly with the doctrine of the scriptures and the Church and was so
excited to have a Book of Mormon and to read 2 Nephi 31.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sunday-She came to church with us yesterday
and absolutely loved it. She was participating in everything and kept
commenting about how much she was enjoying being there and how much she enjoyed
all of the people and everything that was talked about and the whole nine
yards. She even read 2 Nephi 31 between our visit and church yesterday. We
fully expect her to make great strides in the gospel and is progressing so
quickly to baptism it's remarkable!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Hannah and Landon:</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Since last week we taught Hannah three
times and had the most spiritual and inspirational visits in every single
instance.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Monday- (Restoration at Landon's apartment)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Tuesday- (Plan of Salvation at Landon's
apartment)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Friday- High hopes and good news! Hannah
flew into Chicago for two job interviews since she just graduated college and
she did incredible and got both of those offers which we were thrilled with and
was an answer to her's and our own prayers but the icing on the cake will be
when she finds out this week if she got a job in Edmond for another interview
she had. We are confident she will get the job and will then have the option to
stick around here if that's what she chooses to do.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Sunday- (Gospel of Jesus Christ at the
temple)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">As they talked about the potential for
eternal families (her absolute favorite) it sparked a lot of questions about
the temple. We had our lesson last night with her on the front steps at the
temple. I wish I could express to you guys the spirit that was there, and the
joy that we felt. I have seen some amazing miracles on my mission, but as the
subject says, it just keeps getting better. I just keep getting happier. These
people just keep moving forward. We taught The Gospel of Jesus Christ and along
with teaching faith and repentance, the natural course was to teach about the
sacred step of baptism. Hannah is the most sincere, and humble and contrite
person. When we invited her to follow the example of Christ and be baptized she
was SILENT for at least 20 seconds but felt like 9 years.. She then gave the
most genuine and sincere "yes" that I have ever heard. The light
switch entrance of the spirit doesn't happen too often. We are taught that more
often than not it's like a sunrise. We got the light switch!! She has studied
over half of The Book of Mormon already, and as any truth-seeker does, she
knows that it's true with everything that she has. We never wanted to leave,
but the most incredible part is to know that we aren't the source of her
conversion. She told us last night that she never planned on a second lesson.
She never planned on coming back to church. She sure didn't plan on accepting
an invitation to be baptized. The way the Spirit works in her and the way she
allows it to touch her is such a rare and special occurrence and
experience. She is needed. I don't know why. I don't know what God has in store
for her, but he has softened her heart. We have a great relationship with
Hannah and Landon but that's not where her faith lies. She is moving back down
to Dallas for the time being this Tuesday. Wherever she gets hired will depend
on if we continue to see her progress, or if it's in Dallas, or Chicago. I have
every bit of faith that she has truly "Felt to sing the song of redeeming
love". Wherever she ends up is where her progress will take place but one
thing is certain and that is that she will continue to progress and thrive in
the gospel.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-20056280299319167672017-05-17T13:16:00.000-07:002017-05-17T13:16:32.733-07:00The Blessing- Week 94<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">It was so sad, after finals were over there
was a mass exodus of people packing up and heading out of school and Edmond
back to wherever they call home for the summer so a lot of the people we have
been meeting with and teaching we won't be able to visit again until they get
back this fall. You could imagine it has been a fun week figuring out everyone
that is staying that we can keep talking with over the summer and it's been
truly amazing to feel the sustaining hand of the Lord as so many people have left,
how He has provided us with so many opportunities and still so many people who
have a desire to learn and to act on the path of faith and repentance leading
to eternal life. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">One of those such people was Hannah who
came to church with Landon again yesterday! Sacrament meeting was great and I
always cherish that special time in the remembrance of Christ, sacred things,
and spiritual renewal. In gospel principles class we talked about faith in
Jesus Christ, and you could see and feel how much she was treasuring the words,
testimonies, and power of the spirit that was there. Right after that we stayed
in there with her and Landon and she began asking questions which developed
into an experience where the Spirit was so present and tangible in talking
about conversion and how families can be sealed for eternity that tears filled
our eyes and warmth and light seemed to fill the room. She has such a firm
testimony and confessed that the last 8 days of coming to church with us and
talking with Landon and then us she has felt a great increase in her faith in
Jesus Christ and joyfully asked for a Book of Mormon and with anticipation
accepted the invitation to read 3 Nephi 11-28. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I cannot deny the power of the Holy Ghost.
I know that Jesus Christ lives and stands on the right hand of Power, our
Eternal Heavenly Father seeking for ways to demonstrate His grace, mercy, love
and to impart His wisdom and goodness upon each of us for our benefit,
happiness, and success. I love them and I know that Christ's Church is on the earth,
that the Book of Mormon and the Bible are in all matter of fact, the very word
of God. I know it and I love it and I give thanks for it. What a special
opportunity it was to visit with my family last night who I have been sealed
to. I'm grateful for my angel mother and for each member of my family, they
help me to feel a portion of God's true and pure love and the joy He must
experience when we are seeking just do to good things. That's really what it is
all about, family and love.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";"> </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3_tPcWNjpy865CmYDihNmiDMQrcJ5tuCTNJAB_6KMhB5tWyvU3D4OtNvobicW1BivmlQw7KsSszuL1PgHu2Y6A8wcCpTgdgyIIdeoWbL_yyRydDjIvD7tF-h3PCEL3FTzfGuIuMY2mM/s1600/IMG_0796.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA3_tPcWNjpy865CmYDihNmiDMQrcJ5tuCTNJAB_6KMhB5tWyvU3D4OtNvobicW1BivmlQw7KsSszuL1PgHu2Y6A8wcCpTgdgyIIdeoWbL_yyRydDjIvD7tF-h3PCEL3FTzfGuIuMY2mM/s320/IMG_0796.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">While we were texting all our potential investigators this was one of the texts we received from one of them! It was pretty funny!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_5wJFGL27zkc78H8fL4Sne9gWoQ2wkQx5eLB9dsvPhCVQCBEE40vgKsVRdcwqFam1Z5OImrFAHewxZThEW8yEUR678c4qagPvE9DLFxHEkqy0LQudSZXyqnWm_pavExiJrNIC_8qgGc/s1600/IMG_0797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEju_5wJFGL27zkc78H8fL4Sne9gWoQ2wkQx5eLB9dsvPhCVQCBEE40vgKsVRdcwqFam1Z5OImrFAHewxZThEW8yEUR678c4qagPvE9DLFxHEkqy0LQudSZXyqnWm_pavExiJrNIC_8qgGc/s320/IMG_0797.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-85916232468919856062017-05-15T08:20:00.000-07:002017-05-15T08:20:10.816-07:00The Blessing- Week 93<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">What an incredible week! </span></span></div>
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</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">We talked with nearly the whole world this
week, I'm nearly certain. We had our booth on campus three times this week and
that is always one of the neatest and most personal and uplifting activities to
talk with people and to build connections and relationships quickly. I
absolutely love being able to talk with and relate to and teach and be uplifted
with and share a spiritual experience with so many individuals who are my own
age. It was the last week of school and everyone was trying to prepare for and
cope with finals and many were also trying to make preparations to pack up and
head home for the summer so we met a lot of people who asked us to call them
and meet after finals were over, people who said we could call at the start of
the fall semester, others who said we could send missionaries to talk with them
again, we set a few appointments with some, but all in all it was and is the
greatest thing to be able to talk with so many people and have such intimate
and spiritual conversations centered on Christ and his ability to strengthen and
enable and save us and for so many, we were able to talk with them abut how He
can help them through their studies and testing and life as they take time to
focus on Him. What a glorious thing to be able to witness as others faith is
increased.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">We saw so many miracles with so many of
those individuals and the conversations we had but yesterday was something
extra special. There are dozens and dozens of people showing up at our ward for
summer sales and one of them, Landon, met a girl here in Oklahoma at a dance on
Saturday night and after talking she, Hannah, told him she wanted to come to
his church because he was so different. He doesn't drink or do drugs or sleep
around and she just felt different around him and could just tell there was
something different and special about him. So they walked in together and he
introduced her to us and she enjoyed Sacrament meeting, Elder Burrows got to
teach about the restoration of the gospel and Church of Jesus Christ in the
latter-days and she was just glowing and so mesmerized through the entire
class.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I was so fortunate and blessed to be able
to go back to OU for Alice's baptism on Saturday and there was such a beautiful
spirit felt there and she is so committed to following and learning and knowing
our Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord. What a special and sacred and spiritual
experience it was for me to be able to witness that and be apart of God's plan
in bringing about His mighty purposes and blessings in her life.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">The gospel is just so special. I love this
work and I am so grateful I get to see Heavenly Father's mighty hand working
for the success and happiness and salvation of us, His children.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span><br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnddxjJotSGyIyg38foeBzpSkq6zo8jm7zzfguvGZ3YyHXuvmOOUe4b4xBZOCdd7IlZJyWC0pPpFjhLx9CZxvTVkB4VD_HDbMdCw8Qn6_LMqdafw_krOvCuPpSNeQUbnfi04h5Ho3yPMI/s1600/Attachment-1-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnddxjJotSGyIyg38foeBzpSkq6zo8jm7zzfguvGZ3YyHXuvmOOUe4b4xBZOCdd7IlZJyWC0pPpFjhLx9CZxvTVkB4VD_HDbMdCw8Qn6_LMqdafw_krOvCuPpSNeQUbnfi04h5Ho3yPMI/s320/Attachment-1-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lJqSHlPyRSFmSxMm4ophzZwC3e5SjsZZma9_sIw2BK4TV2vut-dFYF3NQn5gnbl37iwymigAiV_SLXW5hMiuaSeOSGkxQMxHbUrEuCQfu5FZ0R160i0hSjn6vXlYE8TB4awZ5ZWwUK4/s1600/Attachment-1.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8lJqSHlPyRSFmSxMm4ophzZwC3e5SjsZZma9_sIw2BK4TV2vut-dFYF3NQn5gnbl37iwymigAiV_SLXW5hMiuaSeOSGkxQMxHbUrEuCQfu5FZ0R160i0hSjn6vXlYE8TB4awZ5ZWwUK4/s320/Attachment-1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-5916072058766385322017-05-01T11:41:00.002-07:002017-05-11T12:38:34.357-07:00The Blessing- Week 92<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I feel like I'm in the most remarkable
dream. Time really just doesn't seem to exist right now and I believe it is
because of the teaching of Alma; "...all is as one day with God, and time
is measured only unto men." (Alma 40:8). For example, Analee will be 10
years old tomorrow, I remember her being 8 years old when I left and it feels
like that was just a couple days ago. Carson is 16 and going to his first prom
and when I left, dating wasn't even a thought yet for him. Tyson is nearly 18
and about to graduate, has a business and is preparing to go college and play
some soccer there while he is at it. Carson and Tyson are both taller and
bigger than I am now and I'm sure I could still take them in a wrestling match
though I don't really need to prove it...</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I've had so many life altering, spiritual
experiences, I've made so many friends, learned so much, and drawn nearer to my
Heavenly Father and my Examplar, Jesus Christ, than what I had ever considered
or imagined to be possible to this point in my life in what seems to simply be
a pure dream, over the span of a singular night, for a young boy. I am beyond
grateful for this miraculous and timeless dream I am in.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Miracle: Monte</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">We found Monte a couple weeks ago but
weren't able to make our first scheduled appointment work out so after Elder
Burrows and I spent a few hours going through every single non-member contact
in the phone and we got back in contact with Monte and were able to work
something out to see him that same day! We had a truly spiritual encounter
together and when we asked when he would like for us to come together and talk
again he asked if we could meet the next day. He has such a profound and
touching story and such a desire to learn of and follow Christ. He seems so
excited about the gospel and we are thrilled to continue inviting and helping
him along this wonderful path.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Miracle: Maynor</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">We lost contact with Maynor for the last
week and a half and haven't known what to do! He wouldn't ever respond to our
texts or calls but of course, in miraculous fashion, came to church yesterday
and informed us that his phone stopped working and he will be in Kansas this
week for work but he has been thinking about everything we've been talking
about and he is seeing God's hand in his life in so many ways the last couple
weeks since we began meeting together and it was such a wonderful reunion to
see him again and to talk with him and he took our number and promised to come
to church next week and we have just grown to love him so much. He has the most
pure and humble spirit and desires and wants nothing more than to be a good man
and a godly man and he really believes, and we know, that the gospel and power
of Jesus Christ will help him to do that because that is everything that
Heavenly Father wants for him. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Miracle: Church</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Over the last six months, as I have been
really self-evaluating and relfecting, I have asked a few questions and have
been seeking revelation and inspiration to really grow and thrive personally
and yesterday in Sacrament meeting, the topic of the speakers was "Firm in
the Faith of Christ" and I truly received further light, knowledge and
enlightenment-receiving answers to my questions and received such a powerful,
spiritual witness and confirmation that this really is the answers I've been
seeking for. I know that God hears and answers prayers. I know He is my Father
and that He loves me and I know that it is line upon line, precept upon
precept, here a little and there a little that he teaches and answers me.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I just love this work and I love the
gospel. I wish I now knew the words to express my gratitude and my thanks. I
stand all amazed.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-88694969103322032532017-04-24T11:33:00.001-07:002017-04-24T11:58:36.954-07:00The Blessing- Week 91<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Well I can’t believe I am here on the
computer writing up this email on another p-day, again. The time between
Mondays is getting shorter and shorter, I’m certain of it!</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">It always is, but this week was such a fun
week! I absolutely love Elder Burrows, I absolutely love Edmond, and I am
absolutely loving the miracles being given to us by the merciful and loving
hands of the Lord. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";"> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">President Mansell wants everyone to be able
to have an opportunity and experience to try sharing the gospel on the college
campuses around the mission so there are always missionaries coming to campus
with us and this week we got to work the booth with Elders McVey and Smith and
it was so much fun! We talked with soo many people and just loved the
opportunity to learn about others and to help them and teach them about the
gospel in such a quick and powerful way. Serving on campus really is such a
different experience than I have had at any other time as a missionary so it is
helping me to grow and become better in so many different ways and I love it.
Being able to talk with people my own age about the things that mean the most
to me makes some of the most powerful, spiritual, and fun experiences I have
ever had. I love this work and I love the Savior!</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-43022317797349007292017-04-18T10:22:00.000-07:002017-04-18T10:22:09.317-07:00The Blessing- Week 90<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Milagros por los dias (miracles for
days...and eternity).</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #1: Queen</span></span></div>
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</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We received a media-referral Thursday for a
lady who was asking for a Bible and we delivered it that night. As we were
walking up to her house we there was a boy in a doorway of another home we were
passing. We kept walking and delivered the Bible and they weren't interested in
the Book of Mormon so we turned back and felt really strongly that we needed to
stop at the home where we had seen the boy who was no longer out. We knocked
and long story short, Queen, a lady I met in January was at the home visiting
her friend and she recognized me and I her and we were able to talk about the
hand of the Lord, of His timing, and of His plans which are not coincidental,
meaning we had met then and been enabled to cross paths again for a reason. We,
all together, promised God that we going to take His sign and, needless to say,
we are excited to see her again.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #2: Maynor</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"> </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We were met by a man, 26 years old, named
Maynor, at church yesterday. He came with us throughout our meetings and we
were able to visit with him for about 45 minutes after church was over. He is
in the depths of humility and wants nothing more than Christ's help to change
him and make him a better man. It was a truly magnificent experience being able
to testify and promise, with Elder Burrows, to our new found friend of the
glorious power of God and of God's loving and merciful and enabling nature. We
feel so blessed to have encountered such a humble and penitent seeker of truth
and know that the Lord has been working in Maynor's life and wants him to be
near to Him.</span></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Miracle #3: Jesus Christ</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Jesus Christ, the greatest miracle that
ever has been and ever will be. I am so grateful for the opportunity to
remember and worship the promised Messiah, the Holy and Anointed One, the Only
Begotten of the Father, the Prince of Peace, my Savior, my Redeemer, my King,
my Friend. I love Him. I know that He came to this earth in a fashion that
could be done only by the power of God but in the most humble and lowly of
circumstances. I know with that He lived a perfect and sinless life, being
tempted above what any other would ever be tempted with, going about doing
good, performing miracles, displaying the most pure and perfect love that
exists and taught as one sent from God for truly He was. He was left completely
and utterly alone in Gethsemane as He met the sins and the sorrows that the
world and its inhabitants would ever know. He was persecuted and rejected,
despised and beaten and He walked the rugged road, baring the very cross that
He was destined to hang from, to Calvary on Golgotha's hill. There He hung and
suffered and took upon Himself again the pains, and afflictions of the world
until His dying breath, willingly giving up the ghost. His rugged and worn body
was laid in a tomb. In the greatest manifestation and display of power, glory,
and love, the words "He is risen", echo in an empty tomb because Jesus
Christ won the victory, overcame the world, and triumphed over death. He left
the tomb and never returned and because He did, we will leave or graves and
never return also. His matchless life has allowed us to receive mercy, and love
and redemption and salvation. I know of these things for myself and as one of
His witnesses, I will forever stand in awe and desire to sing the song of
redeeming love and testify to the world of the things that I have seen and
believe and know to be true. Hallelujah, praise to our Father in Heaven for the
matchless gift of His Son, Jesus Christ.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-44909386654241206742017-04-10T12:40:00.000-07:002017-04-10T12:40:24.332-07:00The Blessing- Week 89<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">As always, it was truly a blessed week
filled with miracle after miracle and tender mercy after tender mercy. </span><span style="font-family: "marker felt";"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">We were on campus walking around and
talking with people and we met a man named Alex who is really intelligent. We
walked and talked with him for about 5 minutes and learned that he had not only
heard about the Church but actually has a Book of Mormon and is currently
reading it simply out of his own curiosity, he had never been offered one or
given one by a missionary or a member. We were shocked to say the least. He
said he is busy and not interested yet in meeting with missionaries but agreed
to continue reading (he expressed that he hasn't been able to read it as much
as he would like) and accepted an invitation to take a Prince of Peace pass-along
card to watch the video. We parted ways but someone heard us talking about the
Book of Mormon and about the initiative and he approached us, introducing
himself as Kenny, and began asking questions to learn more. We were able to sit
down with him and have a great lesson about the Restoration of Christ's Church.</span><span style="font-family: "marker felt";"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I loved and cherished the time that I had
to partake the Sacrament yesterday and was so grateful for the opportunity to
sit and reflect and admire and adore the Savior. I love Him and would be struggling
without Him but I'm not struggling at all, it's magnificent and marvelous). The
ward is incredible and I am so excited to be here and to be able to work with
all of them. I recognize and know so many of them and was able to make so many
connections, it was fun:).</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Gray invited me to his Melchizedek
Priesthood ordination yesterday and that was such a special and sacred
experience for me to witness and be apart of. I love him dearly and am so
grateful to have been able to witness and be apart of his miraculous
conversion. He is one of my dear friends! It was wonderful to see him and
everyone else in the Village ward yesterday:)</span></span></div>
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<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";"></span></span><br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-20514946258713336202017-04-07T07:26:00.000-07:002017-04-07T07:26:13.302-07:00The Blessing- Week 88
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Wasn't General Conference just remarkable?
I absolutely love the time we get to spend admiring the Savior, the Mighty
Prince of Peace our Brother and Redeemer every six months as fellow Brothers
and Sisters who have been called of the Master, honor Him and share the things
with all of us that He has revealed to them and that are so sacred and full of
love and everlasting.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">I absolutely loved serving with Elder Hays
on OU last transfer and already miss him and Ou and the countless, incredible
people I was so blessed to serve and learn from there but I am having a blast
with Elder Burrows here on UCO. He is from Sandy Utah and has been serving for
about a year and a half and is just fantastic! I'm so excited to be with him
and to learn from him this transfer! We are seeing so many miracles and it is
fun for me to back in my familiar home away from home, Edmond.:)</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">After Priesthood session on Saturday, Elder
Burrows and I were able to go, as were a few other missionaries, to Braums (the
best place to get ice cream that you will ever find, with the one exception of
Reeds Dairy...) and while there I was able to talk with one of the employees,
Keiyona, as she took my order. We talked about her life, what she is doing,
about her plans, how she wants to be successful, I was able to share my simple
testimony of the gospel and how it would help her with everything that she had
shared with me and she smiled and seemed to find a great glimmer of hope at
that promise. Before we left, I gave her a card and as we walked out, another
employee saw this interaction and came following after us quickly and said
"I love talking about Christ. I am a bull rider and I get down and pray
before every rodeo." We continued talking with him and invited him to join
us for conference to listen to the voice of a Prophet and Apostles on the earth
today and he lit up and it seemed as the very windows of heaven had been opened
to him. He excitedly accepted and gave us his phone number and informed us that
he would actually be having a rodeo that next day. He ended up not being able
to come but gave us a call and is so excited to meet together Tuesday
night. </span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">This is the Lord's work and He reaches out
to His children with great love in so many different ways. I never would have
thought that by talking with Keiyona that someone completely separate would be
touched by the pass-a-long card depicting the Savior and a humble testimony of
power of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Almighty, our Father in Heaven. I love
Them and was able to feel of Their love by the power of the Holy Ghost this
week and particularly this weekend with conference. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-72641689931830132282017-03-27T12:16:00.000-07:002017-03-27T12:16:02.816-07:00The Blessing- Week 87
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">It was a phenomenal week, full of so many
miracles! Here are just two:</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">On Sunday, we found two students out
hammocking and slack lining so we went and talked to them. Through the
conversation we learned that Alice's father had passed away years ago but how
she has always been at peace because she knows she will be able to see him
again. We were blessed with an opportunity to teach and spoke of the plan of
salvation mainly focusing on God's love, Christ, families, angels, the spirit
world and the resurrection. The Spirit was so powerful and undeniable and we
gave her a Plan of Salvation pamphlet. She turned to her friend, Liam, and said
"I am going to whack Gordon with this, this is more than anything he's
ever given me!" Turns out, Gordon is her friend and he is a member of the
Church. She said that she was excited to learn more and that she had once told
Gordon she would go to church with him Anytime if he would ask and take her
because she didn't want to go by herself and she also mentioned how she had always
been interested and had considered converting Several times... We were ecstatic
about it all and were able to meet with these two remarkable girls on Wednesday
and taught the Plan of Salvation more fully and then they attended institute
with us asking remarkable questions throughout the entire night. I really
believe Alice will be baptized and confirmed this next transfer and she will be
the door for many, many more people to receive the restored gospel and Church
of Jesus Christ. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">On Monday we hopped on a bus that goes from
the heart of campus to where a lot of the students park and we split up and
just sat there and talked with everyone we possibly could-it was so fun!!!
Through it, we met a young man named Diego and we were able to meet with him
this last week as well. It was incredible to feel the spirit so strongly with
him as we had a beautiful conversation centered on Christ and on principles of
faith, repentance, prayer, families, the Book of Mormon, prophets, and
concluding with the Atonement. Because of the Spirit that was there, he shared
with us things that he hadn't shared with anyone and it was such a beautiful
experience to really minister to his needs and to feel so much love for him. We
met again on Friday and had a similarly powerful experience. I just love the
gospel! It truly does change lives and I have been able to see that starting
with myself and continually seeing it for so many others around. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the Faith</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-62211109055448990702017-03-19T14:38:00.000-07:002017-03-19T14:38:02.437-07:00The Blessing- Week 86Well, OU was out this week for spring break which meant everyone was out of town so we were able to go around to missionaries in surrounding areas and serve with them in their area and it was such a neat experience for me! Absolutely a once in a lifetime opportunity to be able to go around like that this last week.<br />
<br />
Monday-OU<br />
<br />
Tuesday-Seminole<br />
<br />
Wednesday-Norman<br />
<br />
Thursday-Blanchard<br />
<br />
Friday-Pauls Valley<br />
<br />
600 miles, many laughs, stories, varying conversations, beautiful sunsets, and loads of memories later, we are back in Norman on OU.:)<br />
<br />
I'll have to go into more depth on all of that next week because I have to go, but I love you and pray for each of you and hope for God's blessings and love to be poured out upon you.<br />
<br />
Keep the faith,<br />Elder Ricks<br />
<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-76261707068272306812017-03-11T12:20:00.000-08:002017-03-11T12:20:07.931-08:00The Blessing- Week 85<style>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Hello everyone,</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">It was a wonderful week! Richard was
baptized and he has been such a humble and penitent seeker of truth and light
and it"s been a beautiful experience to be apart of and witness. He was
baptized on Saturday and had a great turnout and so much support and it was
particularly fun because it just happened to work out that there was a YSA
dinner and dance which took place immediately following the baptism and he had
a great time there as well being around so many supportive members who have
become such good friends to him over the last several months. On Sunday
he was confirmed as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints
and received the Holy Ghost and was then, later in Priesthood, conferred the
Aaronic Priesthood and ordained to the office of a Priest. After that he was
interviewed again by Bishop Black and received a temple recommend and was
extended a calling to be a ward missionary. We have talked with our ward
mission leader and him and the ward missionaries and will all be making a trip
to the temple to do baptisms for the dead on March 25 together and he will have
his own family names to take. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">We met with him again this last Tuesday to
talk about the restoration of Christ's church.-We had originally planned to
pose several questions in regards to the restoration, watch the Restoration DVD
and then have him answer those questions and we would conclude by inquiring of
his conversion up to this point and inviting him to continue reading the Book
of Mormon and to pray for opportunities to share something he learns from his
studies with his family, friends, or someone of happen stance. Well, we came to
discover that he had already seen that video 4 or 5 times previously so we
certainly weren't going to watch that one again! We were just going to abandon
the idea of watching anything at all but after we talked about the questions
and he shared, with power, sincerity and love his conversion story thus far, we
felt prompted to watch "Treasure in Heaven: The John Tanner Story"
and as we watched it we felt so strongly to invite him to pray to Heavenly
Father and inquire if he should serve a full time mission. He was giddy in
accepting the invitation. Neither of us had thought once about the possibility
that he could serve a mission or about inviting him to find out if that is
something he should do but we were so grateful for the promptings of the Lord
through His marvelous Spirit and for the power and joy that we were all able to
feel as this discussion was so led by the Holy Ghost. He told us then of his
call to be a ward missionary and how he thinks that could be one of the ways
that Heavenly Father will respond to his humble prayer. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">The Church is true, it is Christ the Lord's
and he guides it through a prophet and on the earth today, who is Thomas Monson
and also the apostles. The Book of Mormon is true and is the word of God, as is
the Bible which I have a deep and abiding testimony of also. God hears and
answers prayers and of that I am the beneficiary and a witness.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the Faith,</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-6076423455291022442017-03-06T18:34:00.002-08:002017-03-06T18:35:47.913-08:00The Blessing- Week 84<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Miracles: </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Richard will be baptized tonight and is
thrilled for that experience! He will receive the Holy Ghost and be confirmed
tomorrow and having already met with Bishop, will also receive the Aaronic
Priesthood tomorrow so he can go to the temple in the next week if at all
possible.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">One of our dear friends whom we have been
working with decided, without us ever even talking about the word of wisdom,
that this week he is going to stop using all tobacco substances. To do this he
has been preparing to fast not eating anything and only drinking water this
whole week in an attempt to cleanse his body and also, and more importantly,
fast and pray and increase in faith and spiritual strength to faithfully endure
and overcome. As we were talking with him last night we spoke of priesthood
power and giving blessings by that power, through the authority and in the name
of God. He said he would like a blessing and continued by recalling an
experience some time ago where he and some buddies had used a weegie board and
had evil and negative and frightening experiences then and since because of
that practice. He said this evil spirit has plagued him since and he has
wanted, for a while now, no part of it. He told us that he was beginning to be
really upset and angry and was heating up inside and felt as though he would
pass out or wanted to get up and run away. Through all of this, we straightway
stood and placed our hands on his head and gave him a blessing. If only
everyone could have felt the love that filled the room, the matchless spirit of
mercy and grace that was extended, the relief that was wrought and the peace
that entered his heart and complexion and entire demeanor, all would know that,
in very fact, God is real, the Priesthood is His power, has been restored by
Heavenly Messengers sent by Christ and it is on the earth today being exercised
by His servants in His Church for the blessing and salvation of His children
throughout all the world.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I feel so blessed because I have been able
to teach a lot throughout my mission and here on OU but this week we taught
even more than usual on campus so I was especially grateful for those
opportunities and had so much fun each time we were placed in a situation to be
able to teach and testify of the reality of Christ and His Atonement and how He
and His restored Church and Gospel have not only changed my life but shaped it
and guided it and bless me daily with hope, joy, love, gratitude, happiness,
trust, and in all a greater relationship with my Father in Heaven. At one
point, we stopped to talk with this girl who we learned was named Grace and had
a wonderful conversation with her which was followed by a man, named Michael,
who approached us saying "You are Mormon right? Confession, there is a
group of us in the engineering department who secretly love Studio C." We
had a brief conversation with him and he left but it was so neat because he
went well out of his way to come talk to us about that haha and then,
Immediately after that we were approached by Helen who informed us that her
friend is living in Rexburg, attending BYUI and just submitted her mission
papers and began asking us questions so we went to the institute building and
answered her questions and taught of the Restoration of the Gospel and it was
such a powerful experience. There were three separate instances this week when
someone that we had found and set a return appointment with asked if they could
bring a friend so that was amazing and so fun as well. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">The list of miracles and opportunities goes
on and on, etc. We saw and experienced so many blessings and tender mercies
throughout the week and it makes me sad I can't share it all with you but know
that God hears my prayers and He hears your prayers and He answers them. I
know, with confidence and certainty that many of the experiences I am blessed
to have and to witness are in response to your many heart felt prayers on my
behalf and the missionaries all around the world and I thank you for them and
promise they are felt and answered. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">I love the Lord, I love you, and I love
this work.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "marker felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-65469072469965088892017-02-25T11:21:00.000-08:002017-02-25T11:21:03.357-08:00The Blessing- Week 83
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Marker Felt";">I,</span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: Palatino;"> </span><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Marker Felt";">Nephi (Elder Ricks), having been born of goodly parents,
therefore I was taught somewhat in all the learning of my father; and
having seen many afflictions in the course of my days, nevertheless,
having been highly favored of the Lord in all my days; yea, having had a great
knowledge of the goodness and the mysteries of God, therefore I make a record of
my proceedings in my days.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="color: #262626; font-family: "Marker Felt";">But behold, I, Nephi(Elder Ricks),
will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all
those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even
unto the power of deliverance. (1 Nephi 1:1,20)</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We met again with Lynx a couple times this
week and the doctrine is all making sense to him. He is anxious to pray for
truth and guidance and to read the Book of Mormon and come to church with us
tomorrow. We didn't even have to ask him, as we talked with him about the Plan
of Salvation, he opened up and said "Well, this all makes sense and it is
obvious that I, and everyone, would want to go here (pointing at the Celestial
Kingdom) and the most exciting part is here (pointing at the veil/earth life)
because this is where you get to really learn and practice and do and this
(pointing at the gospel of Jesus Christ-having faith, repenting, being
baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end) is how
I can accomplish all of it so if I come to know that this is the truth then I
would do all of that." [Elder Hays and I look at each other in
astonishment, mike drop and walk away] The Spirit really and truly is the
teacher and inpsires the Children of God to what we need to do and what to say
and the Spirit was felt so strongly as He worked through Lynx in saying all of
those things and committing himself to really learn of the truth himself and to
act on it. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Richard is absolutely incredible and so
excited for his baptism next Saturday at noon! Before then, a member of the
ward is taking him to the temple grounds to talk and meet with a member of the
temple presidency and to ultimately have a spiritual experience together. We
started this last week working on family history with him and he is so excited
to be on this path of eternal progression and to have the opportunity to be
with all of his family for time and all eternity. For him, it isn't just a
matter of being baptized but a matter of working towards being a covenant
making son of God and going to the temple.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We received a phone call this last week
from a lady who joined the church about two years ago. She has a daughter who
goes to school at OU and has seen us as we interact with people all over
campus. This last week she saw us at our booth talking about Love-->the
essence of the gospel, the very core of Jesus Christ and our Father in Heaven,
and then the next day we were talking with a girl on campus and she was looking
into the sun so we tried to shield her eyes from the sun by holding up a Book
of Mormon. The daughter of the Sister who called us, Sister Crawford, saw this
and was really touched by it and told her mother what had happened and how
impressed she was. Sister Crawford called simply to thank us and to encourage
us and let us know that we are having a much more profound impact than we ever
realize or know. She let us know how much she has worked at sharing the gospel
with her daughter and has been praying for her endlessly and felt that this was
apart of the process of God hearing and answering her prayers on her daughter's
behalf. It was such a touching and heart felt call and assured to me, once
again, by the power and confirmation of the Holy Ghost that this is the truth,
and that the small and simple things matter and it is how God teaches and
inspires His children and helps them to learn of Him and feel His love.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">There were soo many more miracles but my
fingers are tired, your eyes are exhausted, and we are both out of time:) I
love each of you and hope you have a wonderful week! May we all look for the
hand of the Lord in the small and simple things this week is my prayer and I
stand with Nephi and know that the tender mercies will happen and you and I
will indeed feel of the love of our Father in Heaven and come to deepen our
faith, conversion, and knowledge of His reality. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-2802293996997519412017-02-24T12:36:00.002-08:002017-02-24T12:36:58.450-08:00The Blessing- Week 82
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Hays and I talked about how we can be more
effective on Saturdays and determined that Monday's are one of the busiest days
on campus and Saturdays are the absolute slowest days on campus so we talked
with President Mansell about it and asked him if we could move our p-day to
Saturday here and he loved the idea so we are giving it a try and I am really
excited about it! </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">It really has been another phenomenal week, filled
with miracles and tender mercies. Some missionaries found Richard a few months
ago on campus and he has been meeting with the missionaries, coming to
institute and Friday forum and church ever since. He has had desires to be
baptized but has felt like he hasn't received an answer. We had a lesson with
him on Wednesday and decided then to talk about revelation. We had about 18-20
scriptures ready to go but only made it to three of them before he realized
that he had indeed already received his answer and had, in fact, himself
received revelation. We then asked him what he needed to do next, now that he
knew he had received his answer. He looked at us and responded without
hesitation " I need to be baptized." We hadn't mentioned baptism one
time in the lesson but the Spirit touched him and taught him and inspired him
through revelation what it was he needed to do next. It was such a spiritual
experience as Elder Hays and James (the member who was with us) shared their
powerful testimonies and experiences and asked not only inspired questions but
also inspiring questions. I was grateful to be able to share some of my
experiences as well and felt the power and reaffirming spirit that has so
frequently testified to me of the truth of the reality of our Father in Heaven
as I have felt the manifestations of His love, particularly in learning of, partaking
in, and rejoicing because of His Son, Jesus Christ and His atoning sacrifice. I
know that the Book of Mormon is another testament of the Savior and it was
brought forth by the hand of God through His chosen prophet, servant, son, and
friend, Joseph Smith. Richard is so excited for his baptism on March 4th and is
so prepared for that sacred experience and covenant coming up in just a few
short weeks. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">We've been able to talk to so many people this last
week and I have really been learning about what success is in testifying of
Christ and inviting others to increase their faith in Him and strive to help
them along the way. Serving on campus has been so fun and such a remarkable
learning experience that I will remember and cherish forever!</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the faith,</span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7566752800986921136.post-65261613900372157792017-02-17T12:57:00.000-08:002017-02-17T12:57:10.076-08:00The Blessing- Week 81
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">It really has been quite the week! The
Village has treated me so well and I felt so blessed with the way I was able to
leave there. We were so busy and had so much fun and it was such a contrast as
I reflected on my first day and week in the area. I am so grateful this is the
Lord's work ad not mine because if it was my work I never would have been able
to witness so many miracles and experienced so much love and support and
growth. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">My last day in the Village we met three
ladies (a mother, daughter, and friend) around 11:00 and rode over to talk to
them and hopped off our bikes and walked with them for a couple miles to their
home and had a powerful Christ centered conversation with them. We were able to
talk about so many restored truths and told them we wanted to come by that
night to give them a Book of Mormon Stories and Restoration DVD so we did and
when we dropped it off we were able to set a return appointment for the next
day and they were so excited to have the DVD that they said they would watch it
that night and we could talk about it with them when we came over the next day.
We also went over to David's house (a recent convert) for a lesson and the home
that he lives in is also occupied by 8 or 9 other people. the owner is a member
and in the last year three people from this home have been baptized and
continues to be a great place to find individuals who are prepared and
wanting the gospel as it has been restored. We are teaching a man in the home,
who came to church a couple of weeks ago, named Mark and on Tuesday when we
went over, David was on the porch as was another lady, who has recently moved
in, named Jacquie As we talked with David, she was involved with the
conversation and at the end before we left we were given an opportunity to
teach briefly in less than a couple minutes about the restoration and what we
believe upon her request to know more from her peaked interest. As we testified
the Spirit filled the porch and she asked us to come back and teach her more
because she "always felt like something had been missing and this feels so
right, like it may fill that void I have always had." Our Father in Heaven
truly does prepare the hearts of His children through their experiences and
situations and places them in the right places at the right times to receive
the fullness of His blessings and joy and peace. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">OU has been such a fun and new and stunning
experience!!! It is so different from anything else I have ever done as a
missionary so it has taken some adjusting but I'm absolutely loving it! I'm
really learning a new meaning of "success" as a missionary and coming
to understand myself more fully so I am thrilled that I have been blessed with
such an opportunity to get to meet and talk to so many new people and to be
able to learn and grow so rapidly and in such an innovative way. I've been able
to see some really neat miracles and been able to teach a lot with Elder Hays
already since we've become companions.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">The Sermon on the Campus (or,
Ammonihah-Alma + Amulek teaching on the hill):</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">My first full day on campus we were walking
around and all these students on campus have those hammocks that you can buy
and put up basically anywhere so we went to talk with a group of four of them
"hammocking" (I guess it is a verb now...) and through the
conversation we all started talking about how Christ has influenced and changed
our lives and what we do to continue to build faith in Him. They began asking
us more and more questions about what we believe and about the Book of Mormon.
Throughout the whole interaction, another three separate individuals saw all of
us talking and came up to join in the conversation and also began to ask
questions and to talk with us and it was so neat because they didn't know us or
the initial group of four. We taught about the Restoration and as we all talked
together, depending on the question or what we were talking about people would
pay more or less attention and towards the end, a girl began packing up to go
to class and Elder Hays recited the words of the Prophet Joseph Smith in
regards to his experience in the garden praying and as he began, every single
person stopped everything and dialed in on him and it was, as it appeared to
me, as if the rest of campus and time stood still. I know, with every fiber of
my mortal and eternal being, to the very core of my Spirit, that Jesus is
indeed the Christ and He appeared with His Father and my Father, to the boy
Joseph Smith demonstrating greater love than has ever been displayed with the
only exceptions of Christ suffering in Gethsemane and on Golgatha and the
Father preparing this divine plan of love for our happiness. It is all true, I
know this and am grateful beyond description of words that I currently know.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">I love this work and am so grateful to be
on OU and for all of the experiences and miracles God has allowed me to witness
and be apart of in His tender mercy. God is love-if one will seek out God, he
will find love and if one will seek out love, he will find God. Happy
Valentines (love) week! I hope and pray that we might all, this week and
always, feel of and seek after God's love and to share it with others.</span></span><span style="font-size: small;">
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Keep the Faith,</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "Marker Felt";">Elder Ricks</span></span></div>
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