Baptism of Hermano Hernandez

Hermano Hermano Alfonzo Hernandez's Baptism

I'm packing my bags

Monday,
March 30, 2009 11:23 AM

Dear Family,

This last week has been a busy one!

Hermano Alfonzo Hernandez was baptized on Saturday and was confirmed with the Holy Ghost yesterday!!! He is so happy and says that he feels so clean! Hermana Escobar and I went in on a white shirt and zip up tie for him b/c he didn't have any special Sunday clothes. He looked so happy in them yesterday.

All of us sisters were invited to bear our testimonies in Fast and Testimony Mtg. yesterday. Many complimented me telling me I have great pronunciation and others tell me that they think I'm smart. Their kind words help me feel like the Lord is continuing to bless me with the ability to speak in Spanish!

So I got a call from the Assistants Saturday night with the news that I am to pack my bags b/c I am headed for a new area! Hna Veliz and Escobar are of course going home but Hna Medlyn will stay here in G.P. in the south and get a new companion. They will have two Elders transferred into our area. Some say that they don't like the idea of having Elders and others are excited. So funny the members' reactions :)! It was nice to say goodbye to everyone yesterday and a couple more today.

We plan to have an FHE with the Picazo family tonight! We think we will do an activity helping them to learn an Article of Faith. They are so cute! The other night they called us b/c they were having trouble finding a scripture that they wanted about tithing. They were studying the scriptures together! He will be ordained next week!

I am mailing a whole bunch of things home b/c I was feeling a bit heavy! So I'm sending the letters I have received home for Brooke (St John—our neighbor) to scrapbook along with some teaching materials clothes that aren’t working very well for here.

Love you all very, very much!!!
Hermana Richardson

Hello from Grand Prairie

Monday, March 23, 2009

Dear Family,

How is everyone doing? Sounds like some pretty great things are going on there.

Mom - Thanks for the Benny card! I received it and now have it in my wallet. I also forgot many moons ago to respond that I do have an insurance card with me. I'm sorry that it has taken ages to receive my answer!

Transfers are next week. I don't have any information as to whether I will be staying here in G.P. and receiving a new companion or if I will go conquering new territory. This happens Tuesday of next week (so I have at least one more Preparation day here). I think I may have a cavity and may need to see a dentist, so will you please send me info on who is on our plan.

We have been able to teach Ana Perez a couple more times recently but haven't gone over much in those visits, as the kids needed a lot of her attention both times. We also have met a couple weeks ago, I think, a really cute couple. They live in an apt. complex that only has one English man there, and the rest are Hispanic. They are really great and we are excited to teach them more. Turns out that she has learned a little bit from missionaries before in Mexico. They like it that as a white girl I know Spanish. So many are impressed that I would learn Spanish so I can communicate with them. I feel that it helps them understand how important the message that we are sharing is, that myself, and many other missionaries put so much work into learning another language in order to teach.

Hno. Alfonzo is amazing and is excited for his baptism this Sat. at 4pm. The missionaries that taught him in Arlington have received permission to attend his baptism in our mission! Hna. Escobar and I want to work it out for one of them to baptism him. We pray that it can happen!

We met a woman, Camelia (Kuh-may-lee-uh), this last week. She told us that she doesn't let "church" people come into her home very often but felt "something" good tell her that we are sincere and truthful. She reads a lot from the Bible and wants to learn more about the B of M. We are excited to go back tonight!

I've a bit of a tan going! Amazing huh? Never thought it would happen! :)

We are planning on going to the zoo today with the rest of our district today (4 other elders) instead of the museum. The zoo is cheaper! And probably more fun for the Elders! :)

Going to wrap this up now!
Love you all very, very much!

Email from Grand Prairie, TX

March 16, 2009

Hey Everyone!

How's it all going? It's going great here! So Alfonzo Hernandez (the man we gave a Book of Mormon to back in Jan. but lived in Arlington, but now lives in G.P.) has a baptismal date for March 28!!! He's so amazing in his testimony! It turns out that that day in Jan. that we met him was his birthday and he was so sad b/c he hadn't received a gift from anyone. He said that out of all of the many, many people there that night that we gave him the Book of Mormon (a gift from God on his birthday)! He said that it was so cold that night and that there were so many people that he is so happy that we met him. What a miracle!

If you could do me another favor Mama, it would be great! My mailbox is getting full. Perhaps you could print off anything that should be printed off, and delete the old stuff? I'll send you via snail mail, my password and how to access my email account if that is okay.

We had Zone Conf. this week on Tuesday. It was great! We learned more about how to have the Spirit with us in our teaching and all that we do. I can't believe that Hna Escobar is going home at the end of this transfer on the 30th! Hna Veliz is also going home! So sad! We are going to be getting two new Spanish sisters in May! Yay! We will have six Spanish Sisters then. But then Hna Brundage goes home in July and Hna Medlyn in Aug.!

We are going to go play baseball today! I've to wrap this up now!

Love you all so, so much!
Hermana Richardson

Hi from G____ P______

Dear Family,

How are all of you doing? Things are great here! I don't have much time, but will try to write more later today and send it off!

I hope that you had a wonderful birthday Mom. It sounds like you did. What did you all eat at the Pantry?

How is all of the college decision stuff going, Doug?

We will have zone conference tomorrow (I think I wrote it down wrong in my last letter) and we are really excited for it!

Because all that has happened lately is long stories, I will write them later.

Remember to be good member missionaries, y'all!

Love, Hna Richardson

From: Heather Richardson

Date: Monday, March 2, 2009, 9:50 AM

Hi everyone!

Since I am short on time, I will write more via snail mail. I will also add the email addresses that Mom gave to my address book next week when I have more time!

Things are going great! We’ve set a baptismal date with a young man, R____, we are teaching for later this month on the 21st. We also plan to set a baptismal date with another investigator, Hermano H____, also for the 21st. His wife is a member who has become more active recently b/c of our efforts to reactivate many. He is spectacular! They both are actually! Both ask such thoughtful questions and love to learn. Hermano Hector told us all about he had read in DyC (D&C is the Doctrine and Covenants—one of our books of scripture. See the Spanish slipping into her writing?) about priesthood, J.S., and was able to tell us such an amazing summary of the great apostasy! We tried to set another date with Hermano who we have been teaching for several months but he didn't want to commit to any date. I asked him if he would be baptized and he was like, "No.” It was a little bit weird for a few seconds, he he! He has been struggling with not drinking coffee and but we’ve wondered if something else is bothering him too.

Have a happy, happy birthday Mom! I will send you something today in the mail. I love you very much and miss you! Have a fun birthday!

Love, Heather

P.S. My birthday was great! Details to come in the mail!

23 February 2009

Dear family,

It’s always great to hear from you! It sure sounds like a lot is going on! It’s really exciting to hear about Doug getting the scholarship to Snow College. (Doug has received a two-year full tuition academic scholarship to Snow College in Ephraim, UT. He has also auditioned for a musical scholarship. That amount will be determined after everyone auditions. Since both of their bass trombones were seniors last year, they need him so we are hoping for something generous.) I want to hear a little bit more about how J____ came to know S_____. What came about the refinery plant in West Bountiful? How is Uncle M____ and Aunt J____’s mission coming along?

The baptism yesterday was so amazing. Hermano P____ was touched after his confirmation. Usually they are Confirmed and receive the Holy Ghost the following Sunday in Sacrament Meeting. But because the Hermanita (young lady) that Hermanas V___ and M____ baptized was confirmed, he was also. (Sister Missionaries teach but do not perform Priesthood ordinances. So when she says they baptized, she’s meaning they taught him the lessons and the Elders performed the ordinance of baptism and confirmation.) We four Sisters, the zone leaders and the younger brothers of A___ A____ and the little boys of M____ and P_____ sang Soy Un Higo de Dios (I am a Child of God). It was so great!

We had zone p-day today. We played volleyball.

We are teaching a young man, R___, who is a boyfriend of one of the Young Women, A___ R____. Her little sister is the girl that was baptized last month. We have only taught him one lesson. We want to make sure he is sincere about the Church and not just doing for his girlfriend. He does ask really thoughtful questions however.

We are so teaching a man, A____, who is a kindergarten teacher. He is probably in his 40’s. He is really investigating but is struggling in giving up coffee. He has so much visible potential.

Hermana E____ and I attended Mission Council, the meeting with all of the zone leaders, and President and Sister Smith. In this meeting, they choose the theme of the transfer. (Missionaries serve as directed by the Mission President. The length of time a Missionary serves in one area varies but missionaries usually serve several months in one area before being transferred. They usually serve in companionships of two, but occasionally three missionaries.) They chose one companionship of Sisters to attend. It was so spiritual and Fun. We have Interviews and Training this Friday. I am so excited.

I need to run now and get ready to go teaching. I love you so much!! Have a happy, happy birthday Kat! I love you soooooo much!!!

Love,
Heather ♥♥