Week Fifty:  Hamburgers Again? [July 9, 2018]

Hi Everyone! 

First, Let me explain the title.  A good while ago I used the title "Week Six: Burgers Again!?!?" Because I was being fed burgers all the time. I felt it was appropriate to use the title again since I'm re-living the past. The past two weeks I've had a good amount of Hamburgers and I know that I'll be having at least two more before the transfer ends. It's getting a little annoying that this always happens when I try to be healthier. Anyway, on to my week

We did a lot of emergency service this week. We did everything from putting up a shed, tying re bar and hauling wheelbarrows of sand and dirt. 

We wern' t able to meet with Mikaela this week and unfortunately there is probably going to be some opposition. One of the times we tried by her neighbor came up to us and told us to never come back to her house and that street. We're being a little more careful going by now (not walking by his house and driving by to see if she's home first). We'll probably see if we can meet at the church or a member's house from now on. 

The Fourth of July was different as a missionary, but not all together bad. We had a ward breakfast in the morning and we were able to find good fellowship for Jackson (who we talked with briefly on Saturday). One of the young woman in the ward has known him since kindergarten and the rest of the family seems to know him pretty well. It just might be difficult to meet with him because his summer job is going to keep him super busy. We were also able to meet someone we've been trying to talk with for a while since it was his only day off! We also caught him right as he was about to leave for somewhere else so I definitely believe it was divine intervention. At our dinner that night we also read through the Declaration of Independence which was pretty cool. 

Fred's been doing good! Since the blessing he hasn't given into his addiction and has even turned it down when other people have offered it to him. The other exciting news was that we set him with a baptismal date for August 11!!! The biggest challenge now, assuming that he doesn't give into his addiction, will be his busy schedule. Even though we're trying to get him to come to a later church meeting other things have come up that have prevented him from coming. Keep him in your prayers that he'll be able to find some way to find the time to come to church. Also pray that he'll still have the strength to live the word of wisdom. 

We had the opportunity to go give a blessing to a less active who got bucked off a horse and broke a shoulder. The Spirit was really strong and I'm pretty sure he felt it too. 

We got to meet with Jeff this week as well. They're still really busy with things, but hopefully we will be able to meet with them more coming up. We did share a portion of President Nelson's talk on receiving personal revelation with him. I'd like to share what we read with you. 

"The Prophet Joseph Smith set a pattern for us to follow in resolving our questions. Drawn to the promise of James that if we lack wisdom we may ask of God, the boy Joseph took his question directly to Heavenly Father. He sought personal revelation, and his seeking opened this last dispensation.

"In like manner, what will your seeking open for you? What wisdom do you lack? What do you feel an urgent need to know or understand? Follow the example of the Prophet Joseph. Find a quiet place where you can regularly go. Humble yourself before God. Pour out your heart to your Heavenly Father. Turn to Him for answers and for comfort.

"Pray in the name of Jesus Christ about your concerns, your fears, your weaknesses—yes, the very longings of your heart. And then listen! Write the thoughts that come to your mind. Record your feelings and follow through with actions that you are prompted to take. As you repeat this process day after day, month after month, year after year, you will “grow into the principle of revelation.”

"Does God really want to speak to you? Yes! “As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course … as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints.”

" You don’t have to wonder about what is true. You do not have to wonder whom you can safely trust. Through personal revelation, you can receive your own witness that the Book of Mormon is the word of God, that Joseph Smith is a prophet, and that this is the Lord’s Church. Regardless of what others may say or do, no one can ever take away a witness borne to your heart and mind about what is true."

I hope all of you have a great week! 

Elder Jason Riches