Studies and Sickness

Weeeell, I got the flu this week, so I had a few pretty miserable
days. I think one of the reasons we are allowed to get sick sometimes
is so that, when we are healthy again, we remember what a blessing our
bodies are! I'm so grateful to be healthy again. I'm so grateful for a
body that works the way it is supposed to and knows how to heal. What
a beautiful gift!

In other news, Sister Bettilyon and I are so incredibly busy with
people to teach and love and serve. This week we started teaching some
amazing new people who are so prepared to accept the gospel. It is so
fun!

This morning I had an incredible study in which I realized that I
hardly know anything about the resources that are available to us in
just the standard works! I have soooo much learning to do and I'm so
excited to do it. Have you read through the Bible Dictionary? I
haven't either, but I've started and I am learning the coolest things!
I want to just share with you the pattern that I followed to find such
neat things:

I've been feeling like I hit a plateau in my studies, so last night I
1) prayed to know what questions I should ask in order to receive revelation
2) then I had a pen and notebook in hand and wrote down whatever words
or thoughts came
3) this morning, having forgotten what inspiration I had received, I
went back to the notebook and remembered what to study
4) I went to the Topical Guide and read through the scriptures talking
about the word I was lead to study: unity
5) words stuck out and ideas jumped off the page and I learned so many
neat things! I turned back and forth between all of the standard works
and tools because they all fit together perfectly.

We've been practicing this pattern with our investigators and recent
converts and less actives, and we are seeing miracles with their
testimonies growing on their own. Without our help. Just them and the
Spirit. How cool is that!

Well everyone, I really do love you all. And I LOVE this gospel!

Love, Sister Ricks

Meet the Mormons!

 Short letter today! We were able to watch Meet the Mormons on
Wednesday before they release it to theaters. It was super good! You
should all look into watching it :)
It was a good week and I'm just amazed with how fun it is to learn
more about the gospel every day. I've been supplementing my Book of
Mormon reading with conference talks, and I have learned the coolest
things! We have access to soooo much knowledge, it is just up to us to
seek out that knowledge from the right sources. Side note: conference
talks from the 70's are bold and right on point!
I love this church and this gospel and my Savior and you all!
Love, Sister Ricks

Arabian Guests

Thank you for all of the birthday cards and wishes! I feel so spoiled
by you all! I actually had the coolest birthday of my entire life on
Saturday!

Our Muslim investigator who is from Saudi Arabia had invited us to
come to an event at Drexel University to try some Arabian food. We
went in between conference sessions (which were absolutely
incredible!), thinking it was just a casual community event. When we
got there, Mustafa directed us in to the room where the celebration
was happening. Immediately we were aware that we were the only white
people in there haha! And it was not just a casual event, but a huge
holiday celebration of many of the Saudi Arabians in the area. Mustafa
took us to the table where his family was sitting and introduced us to
all of them. There was a little opening program of sorts, and we
understood absolutely none of it because they were speaking Arabic!
Mustafa's daughter, who was in charge of the event, suddenly pointed
at me and Sister Bettilyon and introduced us as the special guests,
and everyone clapped for us! What! We had no idea that we were the
special guests!

 A little later, the other guy in charge of the event asked me if I
would stand up and say something about their holiday. Ummm. I had NO
clue what I would say! He really wanted me to though, so I stood up
and thanked them all for letting us be there with them, and I said
that we loved being there, even though we didn't know what the holiday
was even about. The crowd laughed and as I sat down, you could hear
people translating to others who did not speak English. What the
coolest thing ever!! Then! Once they said that we could go eat,
Mustafa took us over to be the first ones in the line for food because
we were the guests! Those people are just so hospitable! And the food
was SO good! Sheesh, we could not believe that we were actually living
that experience, it was so cool! We got a picture with some of
Mustafa's family and they gave us super cool masquerade type masks and
pins of the Saudi Arabian flag. Coolest day of my life!

We went back and watched the second session of conference which was
phenomenal! There were a few different talks that were about exactly
what I have been studying about recently and learning about. It is
incredible how inspired the leaders of the church are!
Some of the main themes that I noticed were the importance of asking
questions and seeking answers from the right sources, and most
especially for us all to come to better understand the Atonement
(primarily the enabling power of the Atonement). What beautiful
messages! I love this gospel and I love being a missionary for the
restored Church of Jesus Christ! I love you all!

Love, Sister Amber Ricks

Bendiciones!

I just want to list some major blessings or miracles we experienced this week. Because that's all this week was filled with!

-I'm staying in Philly with Sister Bettilyon!! For at least 6 more weeks

-A recent convert who we are teaching actually teaches me all the time. In our lesson she said that the Spirit taught her that "even if it seems illogical, we should always follow promptings from the Spirit." Well, the next day I received an illogical prompting to give a Book of Mormon to an active woman who was raised in the church. Im new that I needed to follow the prompting, so I gave her the Book of Mormon. The Spirit immediately confirmed, as did the woman, that she needed to be given that book right then. It was cool!

-I was gently rebuked by the Spirit and told that I needed to humble myself and apologize to someone that I hadn't been terribly kind to. I swallowed my pride and did so, and now that person and I have become good friends, whereas before we really didn't get along. Haha why is it that sometimes the hardest thing we are asked to do is to be humble?

-I had a dream where someone told me that I needed to read the talk "His Grace is Sufficient" by Brad Wilcox. So I did. And it has changed my life! I'm still studying to learn more about grace and it is incredible! Also, Jacob 4:7 has become one of my new favorite scriptures.

-My companion has taught me an amazing way of studying that has multiplied how much I learn in just one hour. I love studying the gospel!

-I ran into Amy Sweitzer (who is now married and I don't know her last name) in my ward on Sunday. If you don't know her, she's a friend from Arizona. What are the odds!

-Lauren was baptized in Cape May!! I'll attach pictures because I got to be there :D

And for some good quotes:

"You know I save all insects. I save all creatures. Except mice."

"Where did Nephi get his strength from?" -Sister Bettilyon "From carrying the plates!" -Robert

I feel so overwhelmed with how blessed I am! I love being a missionary! I love this work! Thank you for all that you do to take care of the missionaries and everyone else. I love you all!

Love, Sister Amber Ricks

Three Clues- September 22

Alright, I am going to give you three clues and you have to guess what has been on my mind all week:

1. It is a Christlike attribute 

2. It is the solution to any problem

3. It should be the way that we treat all people

Have you got it? Maybe? Alright try this- go look in Moroni 7:47. 

Why has this topic been on my mind all week? Well, probably because I still have so much to learn about it, but also because there is such a lack of it in the world today. "But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him." What does that even mean? 

Luckily verse 45 helps us out a little: "And charity suffereth long, and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

Not only will being this ^ sort of person lead to all things being "well with him" in the last day, but also, "charity never faileth." What a promise!

I have sooooo far to go in developing charity to it's fullest extent, but I certainly want to do my best starting today knowing that it never fails! I also love the scripture 1 Peter 4:8 (SEE FOOTNOTE A). Check that out if you want another cool perspective on charity.

Although I do not have perfect charity yet, I definitely love you all to the best of my ability. I am praying for you all and I hope that you are blessed with experiences each day that will build your faith.

Love, Sister Amber Ricks