And another week has come and gone. Of
course it was wonderful, busy, and inspiring like always but even more so with
the amazing conference we were able to witness where the Spirit bore powerful
testimony of truth and light. We are so blessed Brothers and Sisters!
Once again, I have loved getting everyone's
emails, letters, and packages and I thank you dearly for each one! It would
appear that while life gets busier and ever better for me the same is happening
for each of you and that brings me great joy and excitement. I love you all and
pray for your well-being, spirituality, and protection from the adversary
daily.
We had another great week! We were busy
seeing many individuals and families. This last week, Chesapeak oil company
laid off 600 employee's and 5 of which are in our ward. Please keep them in
your prayers and as you fast. Pray for comfort, direction, support, and
opportunities in the road ahead.
Thursday we had a zone conference and it
was so wonderful to receive instruction and training from my mission leaders to
assist and excel our work. I am so excited to take the things they taught us
and apply it in our work in Edmond 3rd.
Elder Balch's wisdom teeth have been
hurting him the last week and a half so he talked to one of the many dentists
in our ward and asked if he could take a look. Friday morning he took a look
and decided to pull them all out right then so Elder Balch has been high in
heaven the last few days as he has been trying to recover. I'm not gonna lie,
Elder Williams and I have had some pretty great laughs and we now cherish some
memories that will never be forgotten at Elder Balch's expense.:D:P Things such
as chasing a plastic bag because it was a "turtle" or wanting to
propose to a girl within a couple days of going home to just wanting us to hold
his hand and cuddle or putting all of our mattresses together on the floor
because he didn't want to be alone at night or preaching to the dental
hygienist about Jesus Christ and the Church to of course, trying to run away
one night. It was a very eventful weekend and full of fun, scares, and good
laughs. He is off the crazy medication now and doing much better! Still
recovering and in some pain though.
Yesterday morning we got a call from
President Walkenhorst. Another missionary will be going home due to medical
reasons and was replaced by a missionary from the Edmond 2nd area so Elder
Williams had to leave us this morning to replace him. It was pretty crazy and
even difficult to get that news because Elder Williams has been a great
companion and a wonderful addition to our companionship and he will be greatly
missed!:/
Conference was this weekend and for all who
heard it will agree that it was Amazing! I loved all of the talks but
particularly these:
-Elder Anderson's from priesthood and Elder
Hale's from Saturday afternoon. They talked about faith and making choices
which is everything we talk to people about as missionaries when we are
extending commitments.
-Elder Holland's from Saturday afternoon and
President Nelson's from Sunday morning. They spoke on motherhood and women and
their true value and importance. My mom is a covenant keeping woman just like
Sister Packer and Sister Perry because she too displays characteristics and
attributes of Love, Truth, and Pure Faith in the most divine ways. She is
distinct and different in the happiest of ways and she is My mom. We need women
like my mom. The love of a mother is the closest kind of love that Christ has
and we are told to be like Christ and have Charity, the pure love of Christ. I
have always needed my mom and I believe she knows I love her but I wish I would
have done a better job of showing her my love and appreciation. I hope to find
a wife someday that Loves as deeply as my mom, teaches Truth, and abides by
Pure Faith. My dad married potential who is on her way to perfection and by so
doing, helping my dad, myself, my siblings, and all those she corresponds with.
I place my testimony with those of Elder Holland and President Nelson, women,
mothers, are essential and have more importance and worth than any others in
this life. I love my mom.
PONDERIZE haha this is the talk that has
been ringing and being beaten around by everyone because it is just so good and
a wonderful challenge! It has already been expressed to me from several people
that they will be participating in this challenge and I would invite all others
who have not yet made the decision to participate to suck it up and do it! The
blessings will be profound in our lives.
I learned so many things and felt the
Spirit so powerfully throughout the entire conference. I am so grateful to have
a Prophet on the earth today to lead and guide us in the ways of the Lord. He
communes with Jesus Christ and directly tells us the things Christ desires of
us to know. I will follow the Brethren and "their" (the Lord's)
counsel and would heed you to do the same.
I love you, pray for you, and love to hear
from you. Have a wonderful week ahead and look for missionary opportunities,
find greater faith in Christ and Ponderize. I love to hear your insights and
want to hear about the things you all learned from conference, where you are at
in the Book of Mormon reading challenge by Christmas and now your scripture
verse to ponderize.
Keep the Faith,
Elder Ricks
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