6 Meses??

Hello world,

Hope that everyone had a great Christmas! It was definitely weird to be away from home, but the members here provided us with lots of food and love. And of course the best part of Christmas was skyping with the family. I hope you can all keep the spirit of Christmas alive and continue thinking about our Savior.

Also this Christmas was the hottest Christmas of my life, which is saying a lot since I am from Florida... 

This Wednesday the missionaries from the nearby town of Lontue are moving into our house, so we will have six people living there. One Nicaraguan, one Mexican, one Chilean, one Brasilian, one Peruano, and only one gringo. Should be fun. I really don´t get many opportunities to speak English here, but I´m okay with that.

Also this Friday I turn 6 months on the mission! Pretty crazy. But to mark the occasion I thought I could share a bit of my testimony here with you all.

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The first 6 months of the mission have been great, but also really hard. It´s like my whole life everyone has been pointing me toward a mission, but no one really can explain how hard it is. You have to deal with new places, strangers as companions, lots of responsibility, speaking another language, and all sorts of difficulties. In the mission you really come to see your weaknesses, and you´re basically in charge of yourself, so there isn´t really another person to turn to.

But thankfully, God is always there to turn to. Literally he is there listening. Prayer isn´t just a nice thought, it is communication with your Heavenly Father. In the Book of Mormon in Ether 12:27, it says:

And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

 I have really seen this so far in the mission. This is not my work, it is God´s work. The only way to do it effectively is humble myself and turn to Him. He knows my weaknesses and can make them strengths. The person I am know is a lot better than who I was when I boarded an airplane to Chile on June 30th. I have learned a lot, but I know I have so much more to learn. I have 18 more months, and a long way to go, but I know these 18 months can prepare me for the rest of my life.

I know the Church and Gospel that I am preaching is true. Sometimes I wonder why it´s true or what I am doing in Chile, but I can always turn back to the fact that it is true. Anyone in the world can pray to know that this gospel is true, and receive an answer. I have done so and felt in so many ways that this is not some made-up thing, it is the essential path to true happiness. I love being a missionary. Some mornings I wake up and don´t want to do anything, but that is just another weakness that can be made strong. I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior and because of Him we can always improve.

I know this, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

- Elder Richards

Ps. Have a great new year!