The Blessing- Week 24

This week was slow but Heavenly Father still blessed us greatly. He truly is so good and loving and blesses us beyond our worthiness and what we really deserve. This last week Elder Hilton was sick for two days and we had to stay in.  Despite his desires to go out and work, that becomes extremely difficult when you are throwing up constantly and in need of 30 hours of straight sleep. I am sorry to say that I was blessed though at the expense of Elder Hilton's health.. I was able to study, and study, and study some more over those 2 days! I read 4 devotional length talks, listened to approximately 20 conference talks, read the Gospel According to Mathew and Mark, read several chapters from the Book of Mormon, did some cleaning, planned for the week, and had lots of time with my thoughts! It was really good for me to be able to do all of these things and to take a step back to remember to simplify everything and look from an eternal perspective! 

We felt like it really put a block in the work and slowed down the progress we have been seeing occur so rapidly thanks to the Lord. Our numbers were way down but this weekend we were still able to receive 2 new investigators with one having a date, teach 3 lessons with a member present and 3 other lessons and still received and contacted multiple referrals and had 4 investigators able to attend sacrament meeting and 5 less-actives. Long story short, this is God's work and it is His glory and though we were ineffective tools in helping with the work in their lives for 2 full days He still provided great success in the harvest this week. 

Last week I told you we were teaching an 11 year old girl from a less active family and set a baptismal date with her.  Well, this last week we discovered that they have another daughter who is 9 years old and we were able to have a lesson with them last night and set a baptismal date with her for January 30th! Miracles, miracles!

I apologize for the delay in getting the emails out the last several weeks but I love and appreciate you all and the love, patience, and support you give. May God bless you this week and provide you with opportunities to learn principles of the Gospel yourselves and to have missionary opportunities to share them, is my prayer. 

Keep the faith,

Elder Ricks