Week 48-49

Dear All,

So we did a ton of different stuff this week.  Half the week was
basically nothing because I actually got pretty sick with the cold
until Wednesday.  However, we couldn't resist going to B-Dubs on
Tuesday because it's Elder Routsong's last week of his mission.  He
was my first zone leader in McLean.  So, Elder Cottle wanted to honor
him by doing the blazing challenge there which is 12 wings made with
ghost pepper sauce and you have to eat it under 6 minutes.  Haha he
ordered it!!! I'll send the time lapse lol it was a fun day.  I can't
believe he did it, his time was like 5:53.

Thursday I went on an exchange with an elder named Elder Taggart.  He
has 18 months in and he's in the English program.  Routsong is his
companion and Cottle wanted to learn from him how to be a better
district leader, so we exchanged.  It was a weird exchange cuz we
switched back mid way to both play Fútbol!!! Man it was so much fun, I
ALMOST had a goal! ⚽️⚽️ Someone threw it in across towards the side I
was and I had to run to hit it and I headed it towards the goal but it
hit the post gah but hey that's email worthy the fact that I almost
got a goal playing with los Hispanos.  Imma send a video of soccer
night it was fun! We had 2 new investigators there!

So our mission changed the transfer schedule for this year so they let
you know on Saturday where you're going and transfer day is now on
Tuesday (allowing us to say goodbyes on Sunday and use P-day time to
pack).  However the MTC made a mistake and isn't on board with this
first transfer of the year so transfers will still be on this
Thursday. But I know where I'm going.  I'm moving out! I'm going to be
breaking in Elder Brunsdale who just finished being trained. This will
be my first time being the senior companion so I'm kinda nervous.  I
need to step up my game. I'm going to the Sudley Ward in Manassas.  So
I have until Thursday to be with Elder Cottle.  I'm quite sad honestly
because this has been my favorite companionship by far.

Oh yeah on Saturday Elder Cottle's mission family, the Chiñas family,
came down to our area to eat because their son returned from his
mission so we both met him.  He just returned from Tucson Arizona
Mission Spanish speaking of course.  He said he knew Cami! He said
Hermana Perschon is probably still in the south Tucson area haha cool.
We got pics with them too.

Yesterday I bore my testimony to the Old Town Ward.  I hope I come
back! I love the members of this Ward.  The Osorio family is my
mission family. Next would be the Tapias. I'm gonna miss them.  We had
a lesson last night with some investigators the Pocasangre family and
we brought Saul Osorio.  It was kinda  cool we were at the right place
at the right time.  We decided to go pick up Saul early at Watergate
and we needed to be there to help him out with his Public Speaking
speech he's doing. He's a good public speaker! We listened to it with
his family and gave our input for improvements.  He's gonna be a good
missionary! Anyway, he came with us to the lesson.  It wasn't the best
lesson...we went from talking about the Plan of Salvation to
clarifying that the church doesn't favor Trump more than anyone hahaha
oh man.

Today we're of course playing more ball!!! Man I'm gonna miss ball
here, I like these Elders in my zone.  We are honestly probs gonna
play ball until P-day ends haha this week I will hit 11 months wow!
Time has gone by.  I don't have a whole lot of spiritual experiences
this week sadly because we were down half the week and we kinda lost
some motivation when we found out we're not gonna be companions for
much longer. Next week will be a lot better.  Just never forget that
the access to the Atonement is always available no matter what you've
done in the past. It's available Today!! Right now!

❤️ Elder Thompson

I have tons of pictures

He had to sign the waiver first haha






A Letter From Elder Richins Because Good Friends are such a Blessing!!!!

Well... this is the last week of the transfer. and the last week of being a teenager. This past week was good. on Tuesday we got stuck inside because of another crazy snow storm! I got to eat duck for the first time in my life and it tasted like roast beef... I met a little boy that is just like me when I was a little boy. He climbs the door frames and loves to do push ups and wants to swim with sharks when he grows up... maybe that last part is nothing like me but you get the point. 

We had multiple investigators at church yesterday and we are looking at baptismal dates this week!!! I hope I don't have to leave these people I am coming to love now! If you have transfer predictions send them in. I think I will stay here though. 

I cut my hair again and I only messed up a little bit this time... I thought the number 1 was a 2 but that is okay. what is important is that I tried. We stopped by a members yesterday and the first thing they asked was are you hungry? We said yes because it was fast sunday and we hadn't eaten much and they whipped up some awesome chocolate chip pancakes with strawberries! We got sooo full! They are my favorite family! they were throwing the pancakes to our plates and if we wanted to eat it we had to catch it haha.

I guess not much else happened this week...

But... I would like to thank a couple people who have influenced me the past 20 years...

First of all my mom and the doctors who delivered me... because I am sure they are the first humans I ever saw in the flesh... And the incubator if I had to be in one I don't really remember. and also baby food. For all that apple sauce I once consumed...

I would like to thank my dad for allowing me to learn so many things and teaching me how to ride a bike... I would like to thank my sister for providing that bike, even though it was very pink. I would also like to thank them for allowing me to put money stickers all over that bike to hide the pink. I would like to thank my sister also for letting me pretend to fix her barbie Jeep.

I would like to thank that big boulder out in front of my first home for holding its shape for 16 years and not breaking in half. And the cantaloupe for somehow flourishing in that rocky bird cemetery.  

I would like to thank my best friend Lane Thompson for his company and always being there for me when I wanted to play cops and robbers on the scooters or play a game of basketball or watch veggie tales.

I would like to thank all my other friends for the good times and the good lessons learned.

I would like to thank my dad for buying me a skateboard when I broke my old one and for always supporting me in my decisions especially the decision to get baptized. I am grateful that he could baptize me.

I would like to thank my friend group in high school... Lane, Ian Dibble, Chelsie Taylor, and Tete Rodriguez. My awesome lunch buddies kept me out of trouble and I am so grateful for that.

I would also like to thank all those who accepted me when I moved into SFHS boundaries and chose to stay at MMHS. For the awesome Aspen Meadows 1st Ward for accepting me and making me feel at home! All my friends that I made over there thank you so much. Even the ones that maybe I got mad at or made feel bad I am sorry and you are my friend. Thank you.

When I went to NYC for my AP art class then didn't even take the AP test... and then got a D or something... lol thank you to all those who didn't even care but supported me anyway.

For all of my dirt biking buddies thank you for cheering me on even after I destroyed my bike multiple times. And that we could share so many crashes together.

Thank you again for my dad for trusting me enough to buy me a motorcycle right after I totaled my car... not sure why he did that but I am super grateful. 

I would like to thank my dog for learning to stop biting me and just let me smother her with love. and for not dying yet.

Thank you to my neighbor Karson Jensen for not letting me sit alone in my house and be sad all the time. And making me do things with him and for him picking me to model for some of his photography stuff. And for sticking with me till I left.

I would like to thank My bishop for being such an awesome example to me. And all my young men leaders. And Brother Walpole because he is awesome and I look up to him.

Thank you to ALL of the people that take the time to email me every week and haven't forgotten about me. 

Thank you to all my cousins for being my brothers and sisters to fill up my small family and for keeping me busy with hobbies and laughter. 

I would like to thank Ian Dibble for hooking me up and giving me his free Ritas Italian Ice. And Lane Thompson for hooking me up with free soda at Cafe Rio. 

Thank you thank you thank you. To everyone. My grandparents. My aunts and uncles. The game of golf. Snowmobiling, Snowboarding, Skiing, Lake Powell... for not drowning me. Life has been great to me!! 

Thank you for all the girls that went on dates with me and taught me how to be a better future husband and person. and for those that put up with my craziness.

Thank you to my future wife wherever you may be... you are beautiful.

And all my companions that they could be such awesome examples to me and direct me in the right path as a Disciple of Christ.

Finally thanking my Savior Jesus Christ for guiding me on this journey of life. I have made it 20 so far and am looking forward to the next 20 and all the amazing people I can share it with. All are invited to enjoy it with me:) 

THANK YOU. Happy Birthday to me. :)

With much love,

Elder Richins

Week 48

Dear All,

As many of you have maybe heard, all missions around the world
received new instruction from the Quorum of the 12 Apostles regarding
"Teach Repentance and Baptize Converts" and also new changes to the
daily schedule of missionary work.  It's really fascinating to me that
the Lord trusts us to be able to be more flexible and use our
judgement of when we do our studies and stuff to best llevar a cabo
His work....I couldn't think of the translation haha.  We now choose
when we do our comp and language study during the day and we plan in
the morning.  P days are at 8 now but it snowed today and the mission
cars were grounded until 10 am so it was kinda sad haha.  They also
changed he way key indicators are reported.  They narrowed key
indicators down to 4 indicators so it will help us narrow things down
and focus.  We do not report how many lessons we had a week anymore.
So many changes this week!!

So this Thursday we went to Fútbol at 7 at the church and we had 14
investigators there!!!!! So many that the members were kinda thrown
off at how many teams there were haha.  Elder Cottle played soccer in
high school and he is really good so it was fun to watch him play.  It
was so fun... As for me I just stood next to the goalie and got one
good kick haha I suck at soccer.  There was one play where they
inbounded it and Hermano Osorio had a sick kick off the back of his
calf off the inbound and got a goal!! We were all going crazy!! It was
so fun and I'm looking forward to it next week.  It was a great
finding opportunity, the Hermanas were teaching a 4 minute Restoration
lesson to all the non members when we walked in, it was perfect!

All of our lessons canceled this week, it was one of those weeks.  We
also had a farewell for one of the youth, Tonio Tapia.  He's so cool
I'm gonna miss him.  His farewell was yesterday.  Last night was our
only lesson and it was a miracle.  We visited the Alfaro family and
the 16 year old kid had read 8 chapters in the BOM!!!! Nobody does
that!! That family has a solid understanding of the message of the
Restoration and they were able to grasp exactly what the BOM is. Not a
lot of Hispanics are able to comprehend that there can be more
scripture.  We invited them to read 3 chapters since they all like to
read.  That lesson highlighted the whole week, really.  That was our
week.  We got a new investigator from soccer named Jhonny and we are
going to be teaching him after church. Until then.  Love you all,

❤️ Elder Thompson

When members take a pic for you haha this is Tonio leaving for Mexico tomorrow!