Week 23: Eight is Great!

My family! My friends! My fans!

Just kidding not my fans. My companion and I are actually working on building up our fan club here but like 98% of our fans are under the age of 5 so that's that. Anyways, such a great week in Z townnn. I love it here so stinkin much. I had a dream of the day I go home and it really stressed me out so I think I'm just gonna stay here. Sorry mom. This week I celebrated my half birthday (you gotta spice up mission sometimes) and it was very nice. 

Well, let me start out with my favorite quote from Dan in Real Life:

"Life is full of disappointments. Some big, some even bigger"

The disappointment of this week is that Mai Edgar didn't get baptized. Yes, I almost cried. But it's okay because she's getting baptized on 3 September! The wedding certificate from the court is just taking longer than anticipated to process, but everything with her is still so good. We were actually at her house last night for dinner, and she said to my companion and me "forget the color of my skin. I am your mother!" Haha she seriously is. She is my Zimbabwean Mother! (I would say african mother but my real mom lives in africa too)

This week we had Zone Meeting. We got a call the night before and I was asked to give the thought from the Missionary Handbook, and was specifically asked to "give fire". I was slightly offended, but then took advantage of the opportunity to share my deepest thoughts on obedience because some of the missionaries in this mission don't quite seem to understand that word. I tried my best to do it in a loving way. I think it went okay. Anyways. At Zone Meeting, our Zone Leaders spoke more on miracles again, and then asked us each what our baptismal goal for September was. After we had all shared, they told us each to double that goal. WHAT. So Sister Park and I are shooting for 8 baptisms in September, which is pretty much insane. Every day we just try and think of new ways to find people, and I don't know if I've every prayed harder in my life. We pray so stinkin hard for the Lord to help us reach this goal. But I think our prayers are being heard! We already have 5 people on date for September after this week, which means we only need 3 more. God is good!! 12 people came to church, which doubled from last week. So yes. Zimbabwe is good.

Can I just take a second to tell you all how stinkin great my companion is? We just laugh and laugh and have the greatest time together. She left the cutest note on my desk this morning and I almost cried I was laughing so hard. I don't think I have ever worked harder in my life at anything than Sister Park and I are working in the field right now. We just get home and COLLAPSE at like 8:30 and then start all over the next day. And let me tell you, it's the best feeling in the world. God blesses those who work, and we are starting to see those blessings!

I'm down to less than a year in Zimbabwe. What???? I love it here so much and the people are turning into my brothers and sisters. Have a great week!!

Love, Sisi Richards

my favorite meal

proof that we're working hard. my poor daughter.

Mercy! We've been teaching mercy since july and she accepted baptism on saturday! Miracles!!

sister park and I got flowers from our fan club this week (ourselves)

the best note from my comp. There's this drunk guy in our area named forester who always yells my name. "seesta reechadz!!" 

my comp and I enjoying our cake 

sister gondo, relief society president in our ward, is doing a fundraiser for her seminary kids to go to the jo burg temple. She's baking cakes so be bought one. it was so good that we hid from the other sisters and ate a lot of that cake. then we felt bad so we shared.