Wow. 2015. 

I can't believe we have already made it to 2015!

i spent this entire week traveling. I was in Fortaleza in The Southern Fortaleza Stake serving with Elder Saraiva. While i was working there i had the chance to cook, learn, grow, and even cry.. Last monday we had the chance to watch Charley (An LDS Film). I didn't think i would cry but it wasn't the mood of the movie that made my feelings turn it was the perfect example of The Plan of Salvation that was shown. I had never seen a better example and i cried simply at how God's plan works so perfectly in our lives. I was very grateful for that expereience. :) 

We worked hard during the week and Wednesday i was able to meet my new companion Elder Háfele. He is from Rio Grande Do Sul, Brasil. :) I had the opurtunity to pass through the New-Missionary Training that was held for all Greenies arriving on the mission during Tues-Thursday. I learned that i hadn't forgetten English after all! :D I was asked to translate for 5-7 hours straight durning the Training. I translated for all 7 hours on both Wed and Thursday. I am sure they learned the message that our leaders wanted to pass but some of the times the New Americans looked back at me as if to say (Yea that doesn't make any sense in Enlgish) and i had to re phrase or do some Critical Thinking. I need to read The Book of Mormon in English more often :P

Another cool fact: I fooled my companion and another Brazillian into thinking that i was a Brazillian. I lost my Accent already so it is easy for me to "hide my americaness". The other missionary ended up believing it until i took out my documents and showed him. :P 

I also had a laugh wit hthe New Sisters. They come from Peru , Mexico, and Columbia. I started speaking Spanish with my best accent and they all asked me in Portuguese/Spanish were i was from and i wasn't sure which language to respond. In the end we had some good conversations and they felt more confortable learning portuguese knowing that an american can speak Portuguese in a Spanish accent. 

 Sunday morning after 10 hours of traveling we arrived finally in Pirajá, Juazeiro Do Norte - Ceará. This will be my new area for the next little while. 

We were sent here to help these wards here to turn into a Stake before June ends. I have been planning and praying with my comp to be guided as to khow we will do this;. We didn't even have time to do anything today besides email our families. We have been working super hard and we are opening this are with hardly any informaions and so with the help of 2 sisters and  another 2 Elders we (with the Lord's help) will change this City forever. :)

My new comp Elder Háfele is a great missionary and is excited to leave his old life to start a new one. He has only 2 years of membership in he Church. :) Wha a great opurunity i have.

Love Always,

Elder Riches

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

This past week was more productive. I found out that it's not as easy to be District Leader but the Lord trusts me to do my work. I am grate ful the opurtunity and happy to serve. We will be have a "Secret Santa" this week in our District. :D

We had an amazing inspiring Christmas Conference of our Mission. We watched "Aurthur Christmas" #AmazingChristmasStory and we ate Pancakes with Mapel Syrup (Which doesn't exist in Brazil) It was an adventure and a huge spiritually uplifting experience in my life and i thank God for having such a loving and inspired Mission President. :)

This week we will also be able talk with our parents! :) What a great time of year it is full of joy and LOVE. Speaking of love...

This past week we had a marriage! Two amazing Inestagators Welida and Lucvanio. The were married on Thursday. :D It was a very beautiful marriage. The Judge ended up talking about how Marriage was eternal and not just for this life which i found interesting. :) #Mormons

WE will be having 2-3 Baptisms this week because of some marriages that i have been helping/plaaning for some months now. They are finally happening! :D

Speaking on CHRISTMAS. #Christmas.mormon.org

I have never felt so loved by my Saviour. What a wonderful time to be happy and thankful for our Saviour. I am so grateful for the love my Saviour showed when he died for every one of us and our Sins. He lives, I know He lives. I am grateful to have been loved and created within the Peaceful joy of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He showed us the example of what we should do. We have so many chances to prove ourselves and He never gets angry but just simply waits, smiles , and shows His love for us through forgivness and pure unconditional love.

May we remember during these days of Light our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ and His life.

I love you all and wish you all a very merry christmas. :)

Elder Riches

November 3, 2014

Just a note. I am in a Lan House. (Place where we can enter the internet. I am currently in Aracati. I am here with a man from Italy, Argentina, and two othe americans and a sistr from Peru. Earlier today i met people from Austria and Italy. What a crazy diverse world. I was able to speak wit every single one of them. 

This week the name is WESLEY. I will share about him later in the email. Happy Halloween! We successfully had an amazing party and i will share pictures next week. :) I went as a Mummy-Missionary. ;)

We also had an amazing conference with our President Fusco. HE spoke about how we now need to help reactivate people and help them back to the Light of Christ.

We started last week to teach a dedcated and broken hearted 20 year old named Wesley. He has 2 children and his life left him. He accepted the Gospel so quickly and was baptised yesterday. :) He had troubles finding himself and throughout all 5 lessons that we gave him he showed improvement spiritually and mentally. He said ,"I never felt better than being in The Church of Jesus Christ". It was great because he has many good friends within the church as well.He truely showed with clarity the atributesd in D&C 20:37. He was baptised on November 2nd, 2014. what a great history and what a beautiful conversion. I AM grateful to be part of this work. :) I love being a missionary and servig my God.

We had an excellent Halloween paty and were abe to give a spirtual message. We were able to reativate a less-active because of the party. I feel so good that what i am doing is helping this ward nd helping these people. I thought i would mention that São Paulo (One of the biggest cities in the world and the biggest in Brazil) Where Elder Oyston is currently serving is having a drought. Please keep him in your prayers. The entire city is with, as of November 1st, out of water. 

My family and beloved ones, I know this church is true. I know that The Saviour, our King ., our example, lives. Like i heard in the devotional that was given yesterday i repeat with love and firmness. If there are 3 people left that say the church is true, i will be one of them. I cannot deny the love and charity given everyday by the church. I cannot deny that as this is the oly church in the world in which teaches about families and so clearly how we should be like or Saviour, it is true and it is His church. We were told in the Bible that we will know a true prophet , nd i put in my own words, (A true church) is true through the fruits of that Church or Prophet. We see it everyday and likewise feel it in our hearts. This is the True CHURCH of our Lord Jesus Christ. As a missionary my purpose is to help others unto Christ and find is everlasting Light. With this as my responsabilty i ask for those of you who are not members to READ the Book of Mormon , Hearken unto the Living Prophets for what they teach is good and is yes, the word of God. 

This is my TESTIMONY that I share with you all in the name of Jesus Christ, The Son of God. Amen.

With Love, Elder Riches

This week is special indeed!  I would like to wish a very happy birthday to Megan Wiberg! Love you sis!!!!

This week started out wonderfully with 2 baptisms on Sat-Sunday! We baptised a young boy and a wife of a member here in Russas-CE. :) It went very well. :) We have 1 more baptism for sure this week. God is blessing our area. :) 

With Jayne (The woman who was baptized) we had a special/spiritual experience. We had seen her in church before but never talked to her. This last week we asked her about her life and she said she wasn't a Mormon. We invited her to be baptized on the spot. She said she would think about it. We stayed with her helping with her problems.  In the end she had ,in just a week and a half, grown to be a very strong young woman with a testimony of the Book of Mormon and the church. We are very proud of her and her courage. :) She was baptized , with her whole family watching. Saturday at 8:00 at night. :) It was a very special and beautiful time for her. Her sisters loved it and maybe they will come to church? :D 

We had a great experience and a great baptism. :)

 We worked very hard this last week and it payed off. :) For you Ace-Missionaries here was our numbers to let you know how Brazil is. This is here in the north of Brazil. This is a GOOD week. :) 

2BAP-2CON-6DATES-2SACRAMENT-4LESSONW/MEM-30OTHER LESSONS- 5PROGRESSING-0RECIEVED-1CONTACTED-45NEWS- 47 people in the scarament. 

My companion Elder Flores has 55 days before he leaves home! We are working hard to end his mission with a bang. :) 

All is well here. :) We are working hard. This week we will host the Halloween party.  I will be sure to send lots of pics. :) 

I love you all! 

Elder Riches

Brazil Fortaleza East Mission

This past week has been great! We had 3 people to be baptised for this week but they couldn't come to church. :/

Elder Flores and I have been working well to get some people in the church.

General Conferance was amazing. For those who don't know. It is a world wide broadcasted conference with the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ speaking to us directly on how we can better our lives.

My Favorite talk was from a past Mission President in Ukraine. Jorg K.

He spoke very directly and i loved his spirit.

I am planning a Halloween Party for this ward. I have gotten some recipes so far of some cool treats. 

The members and our investagators as super excited. :)

Hope everyone is well. :)

Elder Riches

October 6

Good evening,

This past week was full of surprises. Tuesday we had an amazing Mission Conference. We learned about Repentance and changing our lives to be more like our Savior Jesus Christ.

Wednesday we returned and we had a surprise party for Elder Pinheiro.

It was super special. Thursday we started packing up Elder Pinheiro's bags and worked. Friday we went to Aracati and we had another surprise by the Sisters in Aracati. We returned on a bus to a city about an hour and a half from our house. After that our other bus didn't have seats and we were left stranded. (Idea!) We wrote "RUSSAS" on a piece of Cardboard and started asking for a ride. Like i said the other day.

Cars never stop to give rides here in Ceará it almost never happens.

We waited for 10 mins and then Elder Pinheiro looked at me as to say "duuh". He said ," Elder, Did you pray?" I responded "no". Realizing i had been relying on our luck and not on the Lord i said a quiet prayer and when i looked up Elder Pinheiro was still looking up at me. He said" Did you pray for a Car or a Semi?" . I realizing i hadn't asked for either said another prayer and asked for a Semi (It would be a lot more interesting). I ended my prayer and in just short 5 mins a Semi pulled over and offered a ride. Miracles Happen.

Later on Friday Night we had a super FESTA for Elder Pinheiro. It went super well. I ended up crying :P.

Saturday we listened to our dear leaders talk and give talks. Sunday we also listened to our Prophet and dear Apostles.The Talks were absolutely wonderful and if you didn't have the chance to see them watch them.. I had the chance to watch them in Portugese which made it even more interesting when The Seventy spoke in Portugese. I understood everything and was very happy for that talk. :)

Sunday night we left for Fortaleza and early this morning we said goodbye and i went to the Bus Station. I met my new companion whose name is ELDER FLORES.(Elder Flowers).

He reminds me of Josh(My Brother). He is a Brazzilian from The Very South of Brazil. He is from Rio Grande Do Sul. I hope t ohave many great times with him. He is on his mission for 1 year and 9 months. He may end his mission with me! :D

Thats all for this week! For those who didn't have the chance to watch conference, it's amazing!

Love Elder Riches

Brazil Fortaleza East Mission

This past week was an adventure. We had a normal week with no big news. We went Saturday to Aracati to visit the sisters S.Jonhson, S.Westover, S.Flores, and S. Campelo. All went well. We unfortunately didn't have baptisms this week. :P We will be working hard this week to have 1. We are currently in Fortaleza.

Elder Pinheiro will be returning home in just 8 days. He is super excited. Elder Pinheiro and I will be staying in Fortaleza until Wednesday. We have a mission Conference tomorrow. The entire mission will be coming to Fortaleza tomorrow! We get to see all our friends! Wooh!

Practically this week will be crazy. Take a look.WEEK AT A GLANCE

Sunday-28: We had church and left to Fortaleza. We arrived at night and after a lot of conversations went to bed.

Monday-29: We will be spending our P-Day shopping and visiting cool places in Fortaleza.

Tuesday-30: Mission Conference , Entire Day.

Wednesday-1: Work Work Work

Thursday-2: Work Work Work Enlgish Class.

Friday-3: We head off to Aracati to visit the sisters. *E.Pinheiro's Party* "Shhhh"

Saturday-4: We will be working but we have GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!! Woooh

Sunday-5: GENERAL CONFERENCE!!!!!

Monday-6: We go to Fortaleza again and have P-day there again. I receive my new companion and we return to Russas.

Tuesday-7: Elder Pinheiro Returns home. 

 WE are working with a lot of couples. We are getting them married. :) We have already set in stone 3 marriages. :D

 Can't wait to hear how the USA is. Keep me updated! Go Brazil! Wooh!

  

Love you all!,

Elder Riches <3 \o/

 Just a cool picture!

Our Young Single Adults from our ward

 We took this in our area. The terrain is what we walk on every single day. This photo is a very real illustration of how life is here.

 

Burger King!! Yum!

Can you read  it?