Feed My Sheep: Block Parties and The Gospel Lights

Family and friends!

Isn't life beautiful? :) It is such a blessing to be alive and to experience whatever is thrown our way.

I serve over two wards, one is a family ward and the other is a young single adult ward. I love both of them so much! I have come to learn more than ever that missionary work is not about having great baptismal numbers- it is about helping God's children come closer to Christ, no matter who they are.

In the family ward, we work primarily with less active members because there are 600 or so. In the young single adult ward, we have a few great investigators, but we also work to just strengthen the members because they are in such a transitional and delicate time of life. I absolutely love this work!

Sister Hyatt and I are working on compiling a list of "Philadelphia culture." It is unlike anything I have ever known. I will give you a sneak peak of just some of the things on this list:

-If you want water to fill your swimming pool with, you just use the water from the fire hydrant on your street

-Bags and trash billowing in the wind is pretty normal

-"Block parties" happen every weekend. It consists of blockading your street with cars and having the whole neighborhood out for a party. I'll include a picture of an example

-Murals are painted walls on nearly every block

-Sometimes members will invite you over to listen to their old music groups performing gospel music. I was privileged to hear "The Gospel Lights" band. Pictures included.

-Potholes. Everywhere.

-Children bike gangs, who can pop a one wheeler down the street

If you want to know more, let me know! :D

I loooooooooooooooooooooove this gospel and Jesus Christ and the Book of Mormon! And you!

Love, Sister Amber Flower Ricks