Week One [August 1, 2017]

Hi everyone!

It has been a crazy first week here at the MTC. It feels like I've been here for a long time but my first day seems like yesterday. Even though my first day was my shortest, it feels like the longest. We were rushed though everything so fast that I didn't have time to rest until bedtime (I don't feel like I rested well even then). One funny story we had the first day. After meeting with our zone we went outside to have a zone prayer. They told us not to get lost and you'll never guess what happened...pretty much everyone got lost! We had a quick prayer with the group and went to bed since we didn't know what else to do. You know how I said Wednesday was the longest, Thursday was longer. We were pretty much in classes the whole day besides meals. We had our first teaching experience with someone named Andrew (who turned out to be our teacher) It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be so that was a relief. We ended Thursday with a district meeting. I think the best part about it was our branch president's wife is a church actress in my family's favorite church video (The John Tanner Story, she plays John Tanner's wife). 

After we got on our normal routine things seem to go by faster and the days blur together more. Sunday was weird but in a good way I guess. It feels weird that we have meetings in our classrooms instead of a church. We pretty much had something at all times of the day. The highlight of Sunday though was the video we watched at the end of the day. It was a talk by Elder Bednar called "The Character of Christ" and it is hands down the best talk I've ever heard. I don't know if it's online but if it is watch it. In it he mentions how we can become more like Christ and he also mentions that the best example for the natural man is Cookie Monster. Monday we taught our first (maybe) real investigators. I have to say it was a humbling experience. Our first one went pretty well (she said she felt the Spirit! Yay!) but our second one I felt was pretty sloppy. Her mom is against the church and she's worried that joining will ruin the relationship she has. I also have to find out for her if we can make it to the Celestial Kingdom if we don't except it in this life but do in the next. If any of you can help me with this let me know. Today has been pretty nice. We went to the temple and did laundry and stuff. I'm going to a devotional with one of the general authorities tonight so that's exciting. 

Anyway that about sums up my week. Thank you for all the love and support! I still miss everyone

-Elder Riches

P.S. My companion here is Elder Ujhely (YOU-Jelly) and my roomates are Elder Evans and Elder O'Dair and they're all fantastic