The One With an Adventure Back to Civilization

5-2-16

Man so some exciting things happened this week. So one of the biggest things is we had a mission conference on Wednesday up in Bloomington. We made it back to civilization and the land of Missionaries! Sister P and I woke up at 5:30and went over to the church to meet up with the rest our district. Elder and Sister Beck had offered to drive us all in their Suburban to save miles. So we were on time but the elders (Winnona and LAX) were like 30 minutes late! Apparently their alarm didn't go off.

But never fear, after a three hour car ride to Bloomington later, we literally made it just in the nick of time. So the conference was Awesome! Elder Lawrence and his wife were there because they were doing a tour of our mission and they both spoke to us. Elder Lawrence spoke in conference in October and gave the talk what lack i yet. He THREW DOWN! It was awesome! He told us of the Mission Leadership Council they had had on Monday with all the leaders of the mission and where they had felt inspired to set a goal for the mission. That goal is to get a hundred new date sets for baptism every month. Crazy, and he told us how to accomplish that and what it would take. 3 days after the conference we had a mission wide conference call and mission wide there were already 56 new date sets for baptism. It's a great time to be in the Minnesota Minneapolis Mission! The conference was fun but it was a little sad for me. I was "raised" or have spent my entire mission in the cities, and almost all of the missionaries that I know and consider friends are in the cities still and they met on Tuesday for mission conference. That was pretty sad. Oh well, hopefully when I eventually get transferred from La Crosse it's back up to the cities.

So also this whole time I've been in La Crosse I have been CRAVING Red Robin. For any of you who don't know, Red Robin is like the Richardson's family restaurant. We've been there more times than i can count, and there isn't one in La Crosse. So while we were up in Bloomington when we all piled back in the Becks car we asked if for dinner if we could go there since there's one in Bloomington and WE DID! Oh! I was SO Happy!!! Red Robin is so great :D Then we embarked on the 3 hour car ride back to La Crosse. We bonded as a district and it was really fun. I love our district. I've realized that just like companions are your favorite for different reasons so are districts. This district is one of my favorites because we feel like one big family. We even have a senior couple to be our tolerant parents! :)

************PAY ATTENTION TO THIS! THIS IS SO EXCITING!!!!************ 

[So after i finished emailing last Monday we got a text from Jessie Cruzan. She said that she had talked to her husband Chris and that they both were ready to start taking the missionary lessons!!! We had our first lesson together on Friday night. It was so great. They had a lot of really great questions and we talked about the restoration with them. They are literally so prepared. Both of them, as the learn and grow, want to be baptized! I feel so humbled and blessed to be allowed to participate in their journey. Literally they would eventually be baptized anyways but heavenly father has permitted me to be apart of it. SO GREAT! We had dinner with them after our lesson and it was so fun. They are a really cute couple and have two adorable little girls who, while we were leaving, gave us drawings they had colored while we were talking. As Brother Ebbert (Our ward mission leader) said these are the people we pray for!]

We had a lesson with the Smothers on Friday. They are a fun/ crazy less-active family who have 7 kids +1 cousin whose there all the time. We played a game about the holy ghost where one kid is blind folded and has to get through a maze by listening to someone who is whispering directions while everyone else is yelling at them to make the wrong choice. That was fun and the kids had some really great insight to share. I love their family. Even though it's loud and hectic those kids just fill my heart with light  :)

So we had the Rochester Stake conference this weekend and had a phenomenal adult session on Saturday. I think I've realized that that is always my favorite session. This is purely speculation but i could be because people have less of an obligation to be there because it's on a Saturday that those who are there have a desire to be there and be taught and so the spirit is able to be felt in a greater abundance. I don't know, that my theory :) Also shout out to Elder Beck who was being hilarious and sarcastic. The Becks are my favorite senior couple. Really the only one i know... but still.

So then last night we went to the Hanks for a YSA Event. There was such a good turn out! Mai and Bao (as well as her adorable 2 year old daughter Amais) was there, and Alex (our investigator) and her boyfriend Quinn, Kylie (our fun return missionary from the Philippines), and Tim and John. As well as us and the elders... but we don't count. We all had a really fun time and the speakers taught about the restoration and it's ability to change lives. 

Well that wraps up this week in Wisconsin!

Spiritual Thought of the Week:

One of the Women who spoke at the Saturday Session of Stake Conference shared a lot about her struggle with anxiety and about infirmities in general. She shared an experience where she was crying and praying for god to take away her anxiety and she got the impression "I thought you wanted to know me". Through this experience she realized that her infirmities, her anxiety, could be a blessing and allow her to know and rely on god and our savior on such a larger personal and more intimate level. She said I glory in my infirmities because then Christs power can rest upon me. That was such a powerful insight and look into the struggles and trials that we all have in life. We can let them break us and be bitter, or we can let them grow us. I know a lot of times that is easier said than done but I hope that when I struggle and go through trials that I will remember the words "I thought you wanted to know me" and rely on my father in heaven and my savior to walk with me and help me keep going. 

Funny Moment of the Week:

During the Saturday session of Stake Conference the Stake president made a joke about medical and everyone thought is was hilarious. #OnlyInRochester #FreakinMayoClinic #DidIMissSomething 

P.S! Happy 8 Months to sister P and I as of today!!!! Almost to half way!!!

Love, Sister Richardson