Hello?

Well hello everyone!

I hope everything is going well with you-I say hope because I haven't received any emails from the fam which is weird since it is easy to do and doesn't take long. I'm hoping that everything is ok and everyone is in good health/spirits etc. I haven't gotten a letter/dearelder.com letter for a couple of days but I'm hoping that's because yesterday was Labor Day and there was no mail service. I am wondering if the package mom talked about has been sent yet or if I should not be expecting it.

Life here is going great. I'm going to put in an order to print some of the pics off my camera and mail it to my fam and friends just so you can see me in all of my glory here in the MTC as well as my comp, roommates, and district.

The older districts in our branch are leaving this week and then it will be just our three districts that came in originally on the first for a week-just us, it will be weird! and then soon after I'm assuming that some greenies will come in-hopefully we'll get more girls cause it will be just us four in the branch (the girls in my room).

The language is coming-this Wednesday is the first day that we get to teach the first lesson in Russian! It's hard to believe but me and my companion have been practicing-never having notes to help or prompt us so I think we will be well prepared for how it will stretch our minds and using only the things we know. I love proclaiming the gospel in Russian-they always tell you how you need to teach simply which in English can be hard cause you feel like you need to explain everything, but in Russian you're forced to keep it simple, bare your testimony alot and have faith that the spirit will bare witness to those you're talking to.

This week I've been focusing on diligence. I mean, I understood what it is...sort-of but it seems of such importance-every mention of missionary work seems to bring up this word. So I've been studying about it from PMG and the scriptures. I've come to find that diligence is simply obedience but over and through time. It seems the Lord needs marathon runners and not sprinters. Basically it seems that diligence is what we want to help members and investigators alike to develop-because if you have diligence you will always be striving to keep the Lord's commandments and improve despite circumstances or being tired-it's consistent, and energetic. Basically it's the part of our purpose-the most important part in my mind: endure to the end. If you make covenants once it really doesn’t do you much good or matter-it's when you continually keep them and honor them that we are able to receive exaltation and grow/develop-this is what stretches us in life and forces us to rely on the Savior and keep trying.

The temple was amazing today. I love going to the temple with a certain topic in mind that I'm striving to understand or learn better and focusing on that topic throughout the endowment session and listening to the promptings of the spirit-it really is the Lord's university where we can continue to learn and receive instructions.

Steve: I would just like to thank you for continually trying to be a gentleman and trying to open the door for me etc in the past while before my mission even though I would brush your efforts aside. This week we talked about why the elders stand for the sisters when we walk in a room because some of the sisters didn't feel comfortable about it or thought that it was degrading in some way to the men. We learned that we should let them do it not because we sisters need it but because they need it. It is teaching them to honor the women in their lives and if me letting them do this will help them be respectful of their wives and mothers some day then I will let them do it and hope that some sister will help teach my future husband as well.

It is allowing them to serve and strive to be Christ-like. I realize that you were doing those things not because you thought me unable but because you were showing me that you loved me. I highly encourage you to continue to show respect to the women around you in your life-it will be a great example to the other young men around you who aren't used to it, or wouldn't think to do it, and it will brighten many people's days.

Dad, well the past few days when we have gone outside for a change of scenery in our lessons I heard the marching band practicing a couple blocks south and oh how I ached for football season! Just remembering the excitement, the smell of the food, the band, cheerleaders, a perfect clear day and the fight song-sigh....brings a unique happiness let me tell ya (and I know I don't need to tell you 8). Our teacher came in to class with BYU stamped on his hand and we were asking what it was for and then I remembered: the first game! He told us it was against Arizona and that we won-and the way he said it and his sure smile made us think it was with no difficulty. Be sure to write me and let me know how the team is doing and comments from respective sports announcers etc- about our chances for this season.

Eric, are you still learning that special dialect or are you being sent somewhere? What's the news?? Let me know how it's going and your future plans if possible 8)

Mike, Jess, and fam: How are you all doing? Are you into a new home yet? How is the weather in Oklahoma, and did you hear or know anyone that was involved in that situation with the sisters in Russia that I wrote about last time? Tell everyone hi for me and feel free to send me emails with attached pictures if possible so I can see how big the kids are getting 8)

I love you all and better close because I need to get on with my P-day activities. O yea! We were able to hear from Elder Holland last Tuesday and it was amazing!! He is definitely at the top of my list with the 12 apostles 8) His love and appreciation of missions and missionaries is absolutely contagious and I hope we hear from someone just as amazing tonight 8)

I love you all, don't be shy now!

Cectpa Richards