MLC, ZONE INTERVIEWS, & ACTING ON PROMPTINGS...

Hey Mom!

This last week was really good, fast, and crazy! It started out with Mission Leadership Council which we call MLC. It is a council for all Zone Leaders and Sister Training Leaders. We discuss the vision of the mission and talk about how we are going to make the vision come alive I guess. The meeting is held in Helena so we left Monday around 2 pm. Got into Billings that night at 8:30 pm. Before we got to Billings though since we had some time Elder McGrath and I went and visited the Pollock's in Laurel. It was a blast! We left the next morning at 4:30 amto be in Helena about 8:30 am. Had MLC from 9-4 and got back to Billings that night around 9 pm. Then we left the next morning at 7 am and on our way to Riverton received a call from President Mecham informing us he was interviewing our Zone starting in Worland. So we stopped in Worland and had interviews. We continued interviews down in Riverton the next day. I enjoy doing interviews with the missionaries before they get interviewed by President! I love hearing how they are doing and what we can do to help. Also I didn't even get interviewed by President since it is my last transfer. It felt weird, but we did sit down and talk about our Zone and what his vision is specifically for our Zone here which was sweet!

We had a good week when it came to teaching. We have a pretty good teaching pool here and are very busy between it and Zone Leader stuff. For example we have Zone Training tomorrow which we have been planning for and what not. We do have a couple people on date though. We also had the Confirmations of the Grover boys who were baptized last Sunday at church today which was sweet. It was also the primary program at church which was a blast!

So I will share a sweet experience we had this week. We had about an hour left until 9 pm and we were trying to think of people to see and Elder McGrath said he had a prompting to try a certain couple. We went to that area and tried them but they weren't home. I asked Elder McGrath if he specifically had the prompting to see them or just be in this area and he said he wasn't sure. I told him that I had a prompting that we weren't there for them but someone else in the area and he agreed! We looked at the houses and picked one that felt right. We knocked it and the people were definitely not interested which was disappointing but we didn't give up. We chose a house across the street and a couple down that we felt good about. We knocked it and a lady came out of the garage door and said that she would meet us at the front door but it didn't sound to promising. She and her husband answered the door and said "Come in, Come in!!" We were taken aback. We sat in their living room and got to know them. Turns out they are an older couple named the Ortiz's that we had never met. The husband had served in bishoprics and they had served a mission. We proceeded to tell them about the promptings we had and why we were tracting the area. With tears in her eyes the wife responded and said "I know why you are here". She told us how her husband has been very sick for a while and how they haven't found a solution to the problem. He was going to the doctor the next day to have tests run and what not to try and find a solution. She said we were sent there to give him a blessing. I gave Brother Ortiz a blessing that was one of the most powerful blessings I have given and Elder McGrath gave Sister Ortiz a powerful blessing as well. Overall it was an amazing experience and very reassuring to know that the Holy Ghost was working with Elder McGrath and I that night! There is nothing better than feeling the promptings of the Holy Ghost, acting on them, and seeing immediate results!! It was great.

I love you a ton and hope that your busy week is a good one!

-Elder Richardson

____________________________________________

Dad!

We had a great week! It was full of teaching, finding, meeting and interviews! We have a good teaching pool here with a mix of investigators, less actives and part member families. We teach quite a bit and have a lot of ZL stuff which makes it hard to find I guess. That is something we are working on balancing! Although we still do a little finding. We teach a few Native Americans which is a first for me. It is kind of different to teach them because of their traditional beliefs. Their families are massive haha.

Church was good. It was the primary program which is a blast. Made me kind of miss teaching primary and being on the stand with my class! Good times! We have a solid Gospel Principals class and a great Elders Quorum. We also had meetings with the Bishop of the Mountain View Ward to discuss the missionary work there and also with the Stake President to discuss the missionary work overall in the Riverton Stake. It was a sweet meeting. The stake president here is great!

Hopefully you can get out and set up those trail cams! I am dying! We almost hit pheasants on our road everyday which makes me tempted to hit one and eat it! Haha. We also see a few deer and lots of raccoons at night!

It is crazy to me that Kasey is already coming home today. I am not sure who Michael Murdock is. But there are a lot of stores named after him up here! haha! I look forward to meeting him when I get home.

I hope the fact that your week is busy will make it fly by. Pretty crazy to think I have less than 30 days left. It doesn't even feel real. I hope things here in Aspen Park stay busy to help me not get distracted. My companion actually gave me a great compliment last night. He said "You aren't even trunky! I hope I can finish my mission as strong as you." That made me feel great especially cause home has been running through my mind a little but lately. I just hope I can continue to set a good example and finish strong!!!

I love you tons Dad!

-Elder Richardson