Crazy Week

Hello one and all!
Wow, a great bunch of emails this week-thanks everyone for writing 8)

Well the past week has been kind of crazy because my companion's back was really hurting her. For some reason there was a doctor who was staying with a member's family in the branch so we are now going over there once a day for her to get a massage and she says it's doing a lot better. Yesterday we had two girls from the branch come over one to stay with my comp and the other to go knocking with me. It was really weird to not be with my companion, it was really humbling because I realized how much I rely on her. I really need to start opening my eyes and learning the things around me better because next transfer she could leave and someone else will come expecting me to be able to teach them about the area etc. It's hard cause it all looks the same to me but I will try harder. With all of the crazy illness of my comp, our finding abilities have suffered so we're in a sort of rut right now with no new investigators and few progressing. It's hard because well...it's frustrating when you feel like you're not doing enough, your part, but now that she is on the mend hopefully we'll be able to up our work efforts and get back into the swing of things.

The language is really hard but this next week I'm gonna really prayerfully re- evaluate and set up how I use my hour of language study and just work hard, study hard, and pray hard...though it's frustrating when you're not able to really share with people your personality/who you are because of language barriers-it's easy to feel isolated from the world, but that's just part of the process and I know when I start working harder and studying harder, trying more and really show my faith that the Lord will help me, gotta do my part.

Um....what else....it's been raining and cold for the past couple of days-I kinda wish that it would just snow, I think it would be warmer and you can just brush it off anyway, but my coat continues to be great and I'm staying dry and warm.

Ok, now for the number you should call to talk to me on Christmas-and actually you can call me whenever you want within the time I sent you since my companion's family will call a different day all together so let me know what will be best for you; hopefully Eric will be able to be there for it, that would be really cool.

Friday is our Christmas zone conference so I'll see if any of your packages make it to me by Christmas (fingers crossed!) It was almost torture to hear about all the Christmas baking going on at home and decorations but good too, I'll just get re-lost in the work and not dwell.

Steve, it's cool to hear about all of your plans for the future. I realized too that that would be the one time that I would ever be in the same school with one of my siblings-crazy cool! You sound so old from your emails, where's my lil brother?? you're like...full-fledged teenager or something....weird...haha, stay strong in your studies (I won't say to have fun because I know you already will for sure 8)

Mike, Jess, and fam, how do you like your new home? Has everyone adjusted back into a normal routine again? I bet the kids are getting way excited for Christmas, you'll have to tell me how they like sitting on Santa's lap: fun or terrifying. It was so fun to hear you are back in Broken Arrow-tho I don't remember that house particularly well, but a little and mom mentioned that you are near the mall that had Mr.Bulkies-how could I forget that wondrous place! haha, it must be a fun trip down memory lane.

Well, I better go. Please continue to pray for our success and the strength needed to carry out this great work, I know that this gospel is the true church of Jesus Christ with only Him at its head leading and guiding us today through a prophet. I'm so thankful for the knowledge that this gospel gives me, and the importance of this life and our goals after this life. I know God loves each of us and is aware of us in every state that we are in (happy and sad) and knows what we need the most; what a comfort. I love you all and pray for you daily, be sure to use this great time of year as an opening to share the gospel with those around you (hey, you guys should invite our neighbors who are from Russia over for your Christmas party! And tell them I say "preevyet"

Luv
Cectpa Richards

P.S. And of course: hey F6 and R22!!! Be sure to leave comments chronicling any cool developments or just email to my mom if you don't want everyone to see it on the blog (hmmm...mysterious...) cause I wanna know what's up with everyone.

Your thought for this week: getting yelled at by an angry Russian when you don't understand the language, is a lot like getting yelled at by Taz the looney tunes character. It sounds like a lot of nonsense and occasionally there's some spit. Thankfully though, Alan has helped prepare me for the experience of getting yelled at while not laughing (of course I'm referring to our spy movie and the interrogation scene, by the way how did it turn out?)

Oh yea! Real, quick sorry this is so long, but last Wednesday I went into an orthodox church- the inside was covered with gorgeous gold leaf paintings and there was this heavenly choir singing old medieval type music because it was their sacrament and people just stood around in a large room with vaulted ceilings (no chairs) crossing themselves while the priest read in chant from something, and there were hundreds of candles lit everywhere-the only lighting, because that's how they repent sort of...the bigger the sin, the bigger the candle (they pay for the candles from the church). Interesting huh?? Man it was really pretty though....too bad they don't have the fullness though-def could feel a difference.