Sister Caroline Richards: Week 69: HAPPINESS.

Hey fam and friends and those who still read these haha

This week was great! We got robbed again (what the). We woke up on Wednesday morning and hapana water and I looked at my companion and said, "My dearest companion, do you remember the last time I lived in Chitown and we ran out of water?" and she just looked at me and said, "DON'T SAY THAT COMPANION!" Yeah. Robbed again. Fortunately they didn't get into the house, but the water pump and stuff in the yard were taken so locks were changed and everything is getting fixed so all should we well.

Other than the water saga, this week could not have gone better! Whitewashing has the potential to be like 800000% disastrous, but the spirit guided us every day and we were able to get so much work done! We found a lot of the old sister's investigators, and we found so many more who are SO POWERFUL. Wow chitown I love you and I also loved your washing machine and dryer. The branch is being very supportive and helpful, and I'm so glad to be finishing my mission here!

Tawanda: We had a really amazing experience with Brother Tawanda. He's 40, divorced, and cannot walk due to a car accident he was in a couple years back. He's pretty down on life, but really perks up when we come to teach him. We had taught him about the Book of Mormon on Friday, and on Saturday we just happened to pass by and see him outside. He was looking so so sad, so we asked him if he was okay. He spoke to us about all the challenges that he was facing in his life and how he just cannot seem to be happy. I silently just pleaded to Heavenly Father that He would help me to know what I should say to Brother Tawanda. Just in that moment, a crystal clear voice came into my head: "You are holding one of the greatest tools of happiness in your hands." I looked down to my hands and saw the Book of Mormon. I had been prompted to take one out of the car but didn't know why. I testified of the happiness that can come from reading the Book of Mormon. I shared with him Ether 6, which has brought me happiness in times of trial. As my companion and I shared with him our testimonies, the spirit was so strong I didn't want to leave that moment. Brother Tawanda has now started a serious study of the Book of Mormon and there is no doubt in my mind that it will bring happiness into his life.

Reuben: Reuben was a referral from his old brother, Forster, who was baptized in another area very recently and has just moved into ours. Reuben is 14 and is SO BRIGHT. We taught him and his family the message of the Restoration after church yesterday, and we asked what they thought after hearing about Joseph Smith. Rueben said, "He was very clever. He was clever because he decided to ask God which church to join instead of just picking one himself." I thought it was just the cutest thing in the world! Joseph Smith was very clever, and was moved by the spirit to ask our Heavenly Father which church to join. I LOVE THE RESTORATION! Rueben and his family are preparing themselves for baptism at the end of July :)

So as I was studying the Book of Mormon this week, I read about Laman, Lemuel, and Nephi. Laman and Lemuel are complaining about how they don't understand the things that Lehi has told him about his visions. I was so touched by the way Nephi responded to his brothers. Instead of having them focus on the things they didn't know, he reminded them of the things they DID know. So many times in life we can get caught up in things we don't understand (like why do we always get robbed haha) but God has asked us to focus on the things we do know. We DO know that God loves us, and that He sent His son Jesus Christ to be our Savior. We DO know that we belong to the only true church. We DO know that blessings comes from being faithful to our covenants and obeying the commandments. I am grateful for what I DO know because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

And most of all, I am grateful to be a missionary.

LOVE, Sister Richards