April 23, 2018

Transfers took place last week, I am staying in Renton and I got a new companion. Elder Sugihara is from Ogden and he is a stud! It will be fun to get to work with him.

We spent the whole week walking because Elder Sugihara's bike has problems and it is getting fixed by one our members in the ward. Our area is not small, so it was difficult to cover much ground, but we tried our best. The weather is warming up so I can't complain too much. 

Yesterday our investigator Ryan came to church with us and other than him cussing a few times it was a good experience. He brought a good perspective into our Gospel Principles class. He seemed to enjoy it. I love seeing others progress in the Gospel.

Love, Elder Richards

Elder Richards and Elder Coon (Companion from the MTC)

My new companion is Elder Sugihara. He is from Ogden, UT. He has been out for 9 months and he has spent the last 9 months in the Marshallese branch and speaking marshallese. And he is a stud. Its been actually fun doing the work with him. And its weird having a companion who wants to do the work as much as you haha. But its so nice. 

April 17, 2018

An email I received yesterday:

Brother and Sister Richards:

I am the Ward Mission Leader in the Fairwood Ward in the Renton Washington Stake.  I have the pleasure of working with your son and sharing some of his mission adventures.

I received notice this afternoon that your son's companion will be transferred tomorrow.  This event reminded me that I had not yet written to you.

I am an eye witness to the hard and often discouraging work performed by your son. He is a fine young man and a great missionary.  I am sure you are proud of his accomplishments.  I had hoped for some baptisms resulting from that work -- long hours, door knocking, ward mission meetings, and zone/district training -- but that reward has yet to arrive

However, I doubt if our lack of baptisms is the result of insufficient work. All the members here need to step forward with greater faith to supply souls to teach and move the work forward.

Our ward and I are blessed by your son's efforts. We are trying to support his as best we can.  I have confidence all this will bear fruit.

Regards,

Harold Hawken

Fairwood Ward Mission Leader

It is nice and wet up here in Renton. Spring has come and so has the rain. And being on bike we get to soak it all up. (:

 We spend most of our time finding, trying to broaden our teaching pool. Knocking a lot of doors, meeting a lot of people, just trying to talk to everybody. 

One thing I have learned these last 6 months is the difference between fun and happiness. Fun is fleeting, but happiness is forever.(Alma 41:10)  And I am truly happy, because I am aware of God's great and merciful plan. I have come to know my Savior through prayer and scripture study. And I am the Happiest I have ever been. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve.

Thank you for all of your love and support.

Love, Elder Richards.

1. Nightly Routine

2. Elder Brackner's bike broke 

3. Happiness

Other pics

It has rained nonstop for the past two weeks.  I change clothes quite often.  During dinner I'll hurry  and throw my pants in the dryer.  Haha it's great.  And being on a bike just makes it that much better. My new companion's name is Elder Sugihara.  He has been serving in the Marshallese Branch for the last 8 months or so.  I've heard he is a good missionary so I am excited to get to work with him.

April 2, 2018

Mom, thank you so much for the tie, I love it. The socks and phone case are perfect  so thank you so much!

General Conference was amazing! It was great to hear from President Nelson. Its hard to pick favorite part. But during the solemb assembly i felt the spirit sooo strong. It was a blessng to be able to participate in sustaining the Prophet. I cant wait to be able to study all the talks againg and see what i have missed. In Pres. Nelsons last talk he invited all of us to study the messages of conference for the next 6 months. And I re-invite the family to do so. There are 35 talks and 27 weeks until next General Conference, get after it! (;

 Tracted into a Jazz Garage Band

 Ward Family

 Happy Easter from Elder Richards

Elder Brackner

March 26, 2018

Washington is great! We woke up to snow saturday morning, but it was gone by noon. 

I got two of the packages so far. And they were absoluetly fantastic!! Thank you so much! I like the short sleeve shirts, i think i will be fine i dont need anymore at the moment. 

 

We found 4 new investiagtors this week! Thats as much as this area found all of last transfer. So work is picking up! The ward members are good.... NOTHING like Hylebos. And I dont even know why. But Hylebos just felt like home. 

Dad is such a stud! Thats crazy.

Yeah i heard about jaydon.... i still cant believe it. Its just sickening to think about, i loved that guy. But its times like this when i am most grateful for the knkwledge of the plan of happiness. 

I think we are just watching it at the stake center here in Renton. I seriously can not wait for General Conference. I have definitely taken it for granted in the past. But i am not this time. I will be putting that notebook you sent to me to good use!

March 19, 2018

 Renton is nice. Its kind of similar to Federal Way. Still a lot of trees. But the weather has been really nice lately. But its definitely different in for missionary work. In Federal Way we were averaging 4-6 investigators a week as a companionship. Up here we apparently average 3-5 new investigators a week as a district. We only have one solid investigator right now. So we have some work to do, and I am actually really excited to get to work. 

March 12, 2018

 Renton is nice. its kind of similar to Federal Way. Still a lot of trees. But the weather has been really nice lately. But its definitely different in for missionary work. In Federal Way we were averaging 4-6 investigators a week as a companionship. Up here we apparently average 3-5 new investigators a week as a district. We only have one solid investigator right now. So we have some work to do, and I am actually really excited to get to work. 

March 5, 2018

Washington is brightening up!  There are three wards that attend the Federal Way Stake Center.  I think the Angelos already told you, but I am being transferred. I will be in the Renton zone serving in the Fairwood ward. I will be on bike and i dont have a bike, so that will be interesting. But i am excited and anxious for whats ahead. Bro. Angelo and I have grown real close, and I don't know why to be honest we just connected like the first day I was there. We went over last night and when we left he gave me a hug and for a minute i didnt think he was ever going to let go haha. I have grown so close to this ward and investigators here its was surprisingly difficult to say goodbye. We had a meeting with our Bishop set for tuesday this week, and when he found out i was being transferred he asked if we could have the meeting on monday so he could see me. And he gave me a bunch of cookies and one of his ties. (He's a lawyer) So it was a nice tie. Haha. But seriously I love the ward and the people up here. And my new area is pretty dry... So I am excited to get things turned around up there.

Renton is the farthers Northern zone in our mission.  

haha so Bro. Angelo's favorite cake is "Yellow cake with Chocolate frosting." Sis Angelo us to make it every so often. Now she makes a new one every week because of me. We were over at their house about a month and a half ago. And they were talking about a general conference talk. Bro&Sis Angelo were debating whether it was given in the priesthood session or a if it was given on sunday. Haha i know quite the argument right? (i cant remember exactly how it went) But anyways they kept debating about it and i piped it and said "lets make a wager before we find out" And so we did. the bet was if Bro. Angelo won he would get a yellow cake with chocolate frosting every week. and if sis angelo won, Bro. Angelo would buy here anything. (Bro. Angelo knows his conference talks so he was pretty confident.) And so Bro. Angelo was right and he won the bet. And now he gets a cake every week. And he thanks me for it all the time haha

My new companion is Elder Brackner. He was Elder Cox's companion in the MTC.  He's from South Jordan. He served in Federal Way during my first transfer.

February 26, 2018

Hey mom, I am doing great. Elder Smith is a stud and we continue to run everyday. Elder Smith has been out for 17 months, he goes home in September.  Our main investigators are Don and his "wife" Pamela, Justin and his fiance Shauna, and an older fella name Rick. These our investigators who are truly searching are progressing. Please pray for them