Another week has flown by! I can't believe it is my last week at the CCM. I don't feel like it is even possible to leave this place. It really has become my home and I don't know how my mission will be without it. But, I'm way stoked to go to Chile so it will be a good change. Nothing too interesting happened this week, just waking up, eating, soccer, studying, class, investigators, studying, planning, meetings, more eating, more studying, sleeping, and then all over again. Everything blurs together so It's hard to remember what you did just a day ago.

I do remember one instance during TALL time, which is a computer program to help us learn spanish. My companions and I were in the bathroom when suddenly they both ran out of the bathroom. I was confused and started to wash my hands untill I looked up and on the wall right next to my face was a moth the size my forehead (probably bigger). I whelped and ran out of the bathroom to the safety of the hallway. All of the elders around heard and ran to see what had happened. They made sure there weren't any hermanas in the bathroom and then tried to catch it. Worst night ever. My heart was pounding for about an hour afterwards.

In soccer I scored a goal by volley kicking it. I felt really cool and the one elder who is really good said me gusta to me. I felt very accomplished. Then later he bicicle back flip (I really can't even comprehend what he did) kicked it and scored so... yeah. However, I'm still proud of myself and the progress i've made soccer wise.

But I'm even more proud of what I've become spiritual wise (If I'm allowed to say such things). Thanks to a lot of very humbling hapenstances, I've really been working hard on changing myself. After conference and other things I had a very strong desire to change. I made some small goals to start, but I can already see progress and that makes me so thankful to God. He wants us to go through trials so that we can have a broken heart and a contrite spirit, so it will be easier for us to come unto him. At first I didn't want to change, but then I realized that this is what I am going to be asking my investigators to do. I will be asking them to change their entire life to follow the savior. The least I could do is change parts of myself to become more like Christ. It seems so selfish of me when I don't want to change the way I am, which gives me an even greater desire to become more like Him. I really had to let go of my pride these past few weeks, and I'm sure many know that that is something I really struggle with. I had to accept that I can't do it on my own, that I need help, and that I have a TON of changing to do. Which can be upsetting, unless you look at it like a growing opportunity! Every time I'm painfully reminded of how prideful I am, I just think 'God is helping me be better, this way I'll be a better missionary, and a better friend, a better wife, a better mother, and ultimetly a better daughter of God. Yay for better! So I get excited when I'm reminded because I get to gain more new attributes that are much better than the ones I had before.

 Spanish is fun and I can't wait to put my skills (or what I think are skills) to the test in just one week! I know it will be super hard, but God makes everything possible, and he will even help and random girl in Chile with spanish problems. Oh he is just so good. I love him. And I love all of you! Have a fantastic week and hopefully the next time I write I will be safe and sound in Chile!

 

con amor,

Hermana Richardson