Week 3 - Lindsay

Hello Family and Friends! This week has been awesome! We have had so much success and fun serving here in Lindsay! Last Tuesday we had Zone Conference which was sooooo much different then in Mexico. I love how this mission is more serious about the work! President Clark is an amazing President! I can really feel just how much he and Sister Clark love us. As we were leaving that zone conference he gave us all a gold coin to help us to always remember our sacred calling as missionaries. Everyone is veryyyy sad that they will be finishing their missions at the end of June. At zone conference Sister Clark gave us a Book of Mormon  challenge because she said that she felt like to many people just read the Book of Mormon and don't study it. The challenge was to grab a new Book of Mormon and write something you learned in the margin on every page about what you learned from it. After 1 week of doing this I'm amazed at what new things I've learned. I challenge all of you to try the same thing. 

On Wednesday we got bible bashed harder then ever before. Thinking back it just makes me chuckle. People are so strange. I knew it wasn't going to be good when she pulled out her notebook of things that are wrong with our church... All we could do is testify of the things we know to be true and leave with our heads held high. People here are definitely harder to teach then they ever were in Mexico.  

Something fun that we are able to do every week is serve in this old Mexican Restaurant that is owned by a less active member. Usually he just has us cut up boxes and wash dishes for an hour of so. Then he always feeds us a Delicious meal for free. Seeing how he handles the food is quite disturbing, but thats okay. Poor Elders have to eat! Hes very nice but has no desire to return to church right now. We are working hard to change how he feels by slipping some gospel discussion in while we work. We are going to visit him tonight. 

We had Stake conference this weekend which I love as a missionary! For stake conference we had a member of the 70 come talk to us and he shared a message of the Book of Mormon. While he was talking all I could think of was the family that bashed us a few days before. They were so determined to prove that the Book of Mormon was fake. I feel so bad for them. The Book of Mormon is so amazing and it truly blesses us so much. I'm so grateful to have it in my life. How ever much youre reading it right now. Go read it more! 

Life's good right now. I love my area, my companion, the ward, and the people I meet everyday. There's no better feeling then serving the lord. I know with all my heart that I am supposed to be here in Fresno. Gods plan is always perfect no matter what happens. I love you all so much! Have a great week this week and make good choices! Thank you for all the prayers and Emails!

Love Elder Richardson