Hello!

This week has moved twice as fast as the first week did. It's like in the MTC when they said that it moves faster after the first Sunday. That principle applies out here. I've heard that in the field, the first three months feel like the same amount of time as the last fifteen. We'll see. That scares me a little bit, not gonna lie. :P

This week we had some cool encounters. First off, Sister Bell and Sister Dahle (which is actually pronounced "Dolly," so their names don't rhyme, unfortunately) have been working on "The Musical Rendition of the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ" fireside for weeks, and it was last night. We had 20 nonmembers there! It was so cool. I want to do it again later in my mission. We had lots of ward members involved, lots of youth (so lots of squeaky violins), and five investigators, plus us missionaries. Even though the musical numbers weren't all perfect, the Spirit was there. Sister Bell sang "His Hands" by Kenneth Cope, and it was BEAUTIFUL!! Elder Graf (our district leader) sang "A Disciple of Christ", which I'd never heard before, but it's all about being a missionary, and it really touched me, and hopefully members of the audience as well. Afterward we had refreshments (Costco cakes supplied by the High Priests with tablecloths and everything; who knew?!) where we missionaries mingled and taught. The problem is, for me and Elder Moreland at least, that we can hardly tell the nonmembers from the members we haven't met yet! So I found one I knew was a nonmember and talked to him. He's in high school, very intelligent, and very skeptical. After I answered all sorts of questions about tithing and prophets and he started getting into the nitty-gritty, I handed him a Book of Mormon and said, "All your questions will be answered if you read this with an open mind and an open heart." I put our number in it and said, "Read it every day and call us in a few weeks." He got kinda fresh and said, "Will it give me the answer to quantum physics?" But I laughed and said, "All your religious questions. Just remember, open heart." I did a hand gesture like a flower opening, and he caught on and asked, "Like a flower?" We both laughed and left on really good terms. I hope he actually reads and won't just leave those questions undone.

We've been going down our ward list and trying to meet with every nonmember and less-active in our half of the ward (we get Bay Village, Rocky River and Fairview Park and the Elders get Lakewood). We called one lady, set an appointment, then found out that she is a "do not contact"! But, she set the appointment, so we went anyway. (It was just Sister Bell and I, because Sister Dahle was sick and at home with Sister Frampton, who is part of the other tripanionship.) Her name is Cathy, her son is a 16-year-old pot addict, and her house is foreclosing and she doesn't have good relationships with  her family. She needs to come back to church. She basically laid out her whole life story for us (people in Ohio are very open) and invited us to come back any time. Why? Because her visiting teachers have been coming religiously as her friends for years while missionaries have been asked not to. Members are the key and, in this case, the miracle.

We have a new investigator! He is the husband of a member, he loves the church, knows the doctrine, and basically has a testimony. He's had all the lessons twice already, but wont' be baptized because he doesn't want to be a "hypocrite" because he has some "bad habits" that he won't give up. We just need to teach him the eternal significance of the gospel. Third time's the charm, right? :)

On Tuesday, Sister Titera (the stake president's wife) brought us to the Family History Center and showed us the ropes so we can teach investigators. I was able to find sources (scans of old censuses and such) for Great-Grandpa Richards and Grandpa Larsen. Go on Familysearch and see what I did! It's pretty cool. I didn't realize Grandpa Larsen would be on a 1940 census (the most recent census we can see) but I found him! I think he's like six years old or something. Anyway, take a look. The changes to family search are pretty awesome.

Thanks so much for the letters! Keep'm coming! :) I love you all. Have a wonderful week!

Sister Richards