Alright, so my new companion's name is Sister Simmons from Ogden,
Utah. That makes it even, 5 companions from Utah and 5 not from Utah.
She is 19 years old and a super hard worker!
Before Sister Clark left, she and I knocked on a woman's door and she
told us that she had been praying for help from God and she knew that
we were the help. We had to come back the next week, which was this
week. Sister Simmons and I went and we had an amazing lesson with the
woman. She was so excited about the Plan of Salvation that she could
hardly stand it. She kept crying out of happiness because of the
things we taught. Her daughter recently passed away and it brought her
so much peace! Ahhh I LOVE being reminded by Heavenly Father that this
is HIS work and HE is preparing people to receive the gospel. We
simply showed up for the magic to happen :)
I love sharing the gospel. I love learning new principles and ideas
and watching other people light up when they learn more truth as well.
I am so grateful for the personal and companionship study time I have
each day so that I can seek knowledge and find it. I hope to continue
following this pattern for the rest of my life! Knowledge is great
power!
I love you all! Have a good week! (You only have a few more weeks to
write me :) ...........)
Love, Sister Amber Ricks
Monday, February 9, 2015
Tuesday, February 3, 2015
Changes
Hello everyone! Changes are happening! Mostly just that I'm getting a
new companion tomorrow. I had been feeling nervous but I'm ready and
excited now. It was hard to just drop Sister Clark off at the mission
home and say goodbye though.
It is so crazy that I only have six weeks left! It will be weird to
get a new companion for only six weeks, but I'm excited to make a new
friend :) I'll tell you about her next week. The work has been going
extremely well here though, and I am happy that I will be leaving from
such a great area!
Sister Clark and I had an awesome study this morning that I want to
share. Here are my concluding thoughts!
The original question, stated to us from my girl Maddie is, "Why is
George Washington so much more believable than Joseph Smith?"
Essentially, we believe text book stories about George Washington,
even though anyone can go in and change them at any point. But people
don't believe the record of Joseph Smith's experience. So here are my
thought:
When we hear something questionable about George Washington, we don't
become hateful toward him and talk trash about him and completely
doubt all that he has helped to establish. Overall, we don't up and
leave the country that he worked so hard to establish. Why is that?
Because we still are able to benefit from the blessings of his life's
work.
When we hear something questionable about Joseph Smith, however, so
many are prone to become hateful toward him and talk trash about him
and become completely doubtful about all that he helped to establish.
Regretfully, those people then choose to leave the church that he
worked so hard to establish. Those actions are completely unfounded
because we still benefit from the blessings of his life's work! It is
important, I think, to ask ourselves these questions:
-Do I feel peace when I enter the church building?
-Do I find answers in the Book of Mormon?
-Am I led to make choices that protect me and lead me to be more like Christ?
-Do I seek to have a clean life to be able to enter the temple?
-Do I have a closeness to my family because of the direction of church leaders?
-Do I experience health by following the Word of Wisdom?
-Do I remain financially secure by paying tithing?
-Do I feel confident in my marriage (current or future) by living the
law of chastity?
-Do I feel forgiveness of my sins when I repent and then partake of
the sacrament?
-Are my children (current or future) kept protected because they live
the church standards?
Wow, that was long! But I thought these were some pretty cool
thoughts. Do you have any additional thoughts?
I looooooove you all! Tell me what's happening in your life!
Love, Sister Amber Flower Ricks
new companion tomorrow. I had been feeling nervous but I'm ready and
excited now. It was hard to just drop Sister Clark off at the mission
home and say goodbye though.
It is so crazy that I only have six weeks left! It will be weird to
get a new companion for only six weeks, but I'm excited to make a new
friend :) I'll tell you about her next week. The work has been going
extremely well here though, and I am happy that I will be leaving from
such a great area!
Sister Clark and I had an awesome study this morning that I want to
share. Here are my concluding thoughts!
The original question, stated to us from my girl Maddie is, "Why is
George Washington so much more believable than Joseph Smith?"
Essentially, we believe text book stories about George Washington,
even though anyone can go in and change them at any point. But people
don't believe the record of Joseph Smith's experience. So here are my
thought:
When we hear something questionable about George Washington, we don't
become hateful toward him and talk trash about him and completely
doubt all that he has helped to establish. Overall, we don't up and
leave the country that he worked so hard to establish. Why is that?
Because we still are able to benefit from the blessings of his life's
work.
When we hear something questionable about Joseph Smith, however, so
many are prone to become hateful toward him and talk trash about him
and become completely doubtful about all that he helped to establish.
Regretfully, those people then choose to leave the church that he
worked so hard to establish. Those actions are completely unfounded
because we still benefit from the blessings of his life's work! It is
important, I think, to ask ourselves these questions:
-Do I feel peace when I enter the church building?
-Do I find answers in the Book of Mormon?
-Am I led to make choices that protect me and lead me to be more like Christ?
-Do I seek to have a clean life to be able to enter the temple?
-Do I have a closeness to my family because of the direction of church leaders?
-Do I experience health by following the Word of Wisdom?
-Do I remain financially secure by paying tithing?
-Do I feel confident in my marriage (current or future) by living the
law of chastity?
-Do I feel forgiveness of my sins when I repent and then partake of
the sacrament?
-Are my children (current or future) kept protected because they live
the church standards?
Wow, that was long! But I thought these were some pretty cool
thoughts. Do you have any additional thoughts?
I looooooove you all! Tell me what's happening in your life!
Love, Sister Amber Flower Ricks
Come Thou Fount (Font?)
I'm sorry I've been a major slacker and haven't been writing
consistently! We've just had a lot going on, which is actually a huge
blessing!
Life really is just incredible here in Broomall! The members are
fabulous and I'm totally in love with them all. We are teaching
fabulous people who have a genuine desire to come closer to Christ.
And I love my companion! Sometimes I think, "Uh oh, life is going too
well. Don't get too comfortable!" But I have certainly learned that
when Heavenly Father causes us to be uncomfortable, it really is to
help us to be even happier than we are now.
Here I am, having been serving a mission for over 16 months, and
finally I am starting to properly see and understand some things. Here
are a few of them:
-The temple needs to be EVERYONE'S goal. If I am working with someone
and I don't focus on the temple as a goal for them, I am doing them a
great disservice.
-Faith REALLY can bring about anything, as long as it is God's will.
-I have hardly even had a minute understanding on faith previously.
-God's timing is, in fact, determined by US! WE determine when God
will send us a blessing that we are seeking, by determining to be
ready to receive it or not. Basically, if I am not receiving an answer
to my prayers or the blessings I desire, I need to change my heart and
my ways until I am properly prepared and humble enough to receive it.
Then it will come, by my faith! Does that make sense?
-"Number" goals that indicate the work that we as missionaries do, are
not meant to be quotas and driven by looking good. In fact, they are
meant to teach us to exercise faith and recognize that this is God's
work, not ours.
That's all I can think of for now. It's just been a good few weeks of
finally seeing some things through different eyes. I'm so grateful for
being able to continue to learn! Things would be SOOO boring if we
were stuck with what we now know.
I know that Joseph Smith was called of God, received the Priesthood,
and restored the fullness of Christ's gospel on this earth. I know
that the Book of Mormon is better than any self-help books known to
man, and is truly the word of God. I know how to get back to Heavenly
Father, and I want everyone else to know it too!
I love you allllll!
Love, Sister Amber Ricks
consistently! We've just had a lot going on, which is actually a huge
blessing!
Life really is just incredible here in Broomall! The members are
fabulous and I'm totally in love with them all. We are teaching
fabulous people who have a genuine desire to come closer to Christ.
And I love my companion! Sometimes I think, "Uh oh, life is going too
well. Don't get too comfortable!" But I have certainly learned that
when Heavenly Father causes us to be uncomfortable, it really is to
help us to be even happier than we are now.
Here I am, having been serving a mission for over 16 months, and
finally I am starting to properly see and understand some things. Here
are a few of them:
-The temple needs to be EVERYONE'S goal. If I am working with someone
and I don't focus on the temple as a goal for them, I am doing them a
great disservice.
-Faith REALLY can bring about anything, as long as it is God's will.
-I have hardly even had a minute understanding on faith previously.
-God's timing is, in fact, determined by US! WE determine when God
will send us a blessing that we are seeking, by determining to be
ready to receive it or not. Basically, if I am not receiving an answer
to my prayers or the blessings I desire, I need to change my heart and
my ways until I am properly prepared and humble enough to receive it.
Then it will come, by my faith! Does that make sense?
-"Number" goals that indicate the work that we as missionaries do, are
not meant to be quotas and driven by looking good. In fact, they are
meant to teach us to exercise faith and recognize that this is God's
work, not ours.
That's all I can think of for now. It's just been a good few weeks of
finally seeing some things through different eyes. I'm so grateful for
being able to continue to learn! Things would be SOOO boring if we
were stuck with what we now know.
I know that Joseph Smith was called of God, received the Priesthood,
and restored the fullness of Christ's gospel on this earth. I know
that the Book of Mormon is better than any self-help books known to
man, and is truly the word of God. I know how to get back to Heavenly
Father, and I want everyone else to know it too!
I love you allllll!
Love, Sister Amber Ricks
Monday, January 12, 2015
I Stand All Amazed at the Love Jesus Offers Me
Hello everyone! Sorry it's been a bit since I've written. Our preparation days have been pretty jam packed with activities because Sister Clark is about to go home. But I finally had time today!
We have been having so much fun working in an area and building it up. We have found quite a few "lost sheep" and my testimony has been magnified many times that there are people prepared right now in this area to accept the gospel. It totally changed my perspective when I realized that there are honestly people that have already read the Book of Mormon, or who are searching for the the "Mormon church." Literally. So I am trying to just increase my faith each day and then go out and work to find those people. The exact same is true for people that you associate with! How exciting! Just open your mouths and you will find out who they are.
This morning I studied about the blessings of keeping temple covenants, and it is incredible! One of those blessings is to be successful at being a missionary, member or full time. It was humbling to me to realize that the success that I have experienced as a missionary directly ties back to living my temple covenants. God is so good! I especially love that WE have full access to the information that will bring us increased light and knowledge. We can't get away with any excuses, because if we don't know something, it is up to us to search it out. That is a skill that I have worked on developing as I have been on my mission- searching the scriptures and words of modern day prophets to find increased knowledge and truth.
Well, for some major highlights of this week:
-We received an online referral to teach a deaf woman. So we had to talk to her interpreter on the phone to be able to get things arranged with her. We will hopefully be teaching her soon. How cool!
-Natalie, a girl that Sister Clark and I taught in our last area, was baptized on Saturday and we were able to go! It was such a huge blessing to be able to see the fruit of our efforts.
-Last Monday we went to Valley Forge Park and drove around seeing the sites. Don't worry Grandma, I definitely kept the map to bring home!
I love you all! The Church is TRRRRRRRUUUUUUEEEEE!!!!! Keep smiling and open your mouths! Heavenly Father will fill it with some good words :D
Love, Sister Amber Flower Ricks
Merry Christmas!
Okay, I just barely realized that my letter from last week didn't
send. Sorry about that! I was basically just saying that I was being
transferred and if you send me any letters from now to the end of my
mission, just send them to 721 Paxon Hollow Rd Ste. B. Broomall, PA
19008.
Sister Clark and I were bummed that we were being separated after just
5 weeks of serving together, but then we ended up staying together,
just moving to the Broomall ward. We already love it here!
This was a big week! We were transferred, we've fallen in love with
the area and the people, and then we travelled through 4 states in one
day to GO TO THE WASHINGTON DC TEMPLE! Donald, from my first area,
went through to get his endowment and Sister Clark and I were able to
go with him. It was the first time I've been in the temple in over a
year and it was so wonderful! And of course it was great to see the
Messado family and the McNaughtons who also came to the temple.
I feel so incredibly blessed in so many ways! This Christmas season is
just such a beautiful time of year. The feeling in the air is almost
tangible as people's hearts soften and they focus more on Christ.
Please take advantage of the new video He is the Gift and share it
with everyone you know! It is changing hearts, and hopefully all of
you are included in that :) Mine sure is! Have a Merry Christmas and
remember that I love each and every one of you for being who you are.
Love, Sister Amber Ricks
send. Sorry about that! I was basically just saying that I was being
transferred and if you send me any letters from now to the end of my
mission, just send them to 721 Paxon Hollow Rd Ste. B. Broomall, PA
19008.
Sister Clark and I were bummed that we were being separated after just
5 weeks of serving together, but then we ended up staying together,
just moving to the Broomall ward. We already love it here!
This was a big week! We were transferred, we've fallen in love with
the area and the people, and then we travelled through 4 states in one
day to GO TO THE WASHINGTON DC TEMPLE! Donald, from my first area,
went through to get his endowment and Sister Clark and I were able to
go with him. It was the first time I've been in the temple in over a
year and it was so wonderful! And of course it was great to see the
Messado family and the McNaughtons who also came to the temple.
I feel so incredibly blessed in so many ways! This Christmas season is
just such a beautiful time of year. The feeling in the air is almost
tangible as people's hearts soften and they focus more on Christ.
Please take advantage of the new video He is the Gift and share it
with everyone you know! It is changing hearts, and hopefully all of
you are included in that :) Mine sure is! Have a Merry Christmas and
remember that I love each and every one of you for being who you are.
Love, Sister Amber Ricks
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