6 Weeks- Week 5

Holy cow time really does go by fast! I can't believe that it has been 6 weeks already. This week my companion and I wrapped up teaching our 2 interested people here and so that was cool to finish things up with them. I head out of the MTC on Monday around 8:30. I can't believe that it is time to get out of here already! It is awesome getting emails from all of the other missionaries my age. I have been able to see many of my good friends from home! Elder Hansen, Elder Underwood, Elder Harrison, and Elder Johnson. WOW!! It is so weird to think that we are all here together at the same time. I am going to just miss Tanner. Pretty crazy that we are all serving the same person. But we are all in completely different places. I love it. My brother in Wisconsin serving his mission there has showed me that it is cool to put out name tags on the middle of our ties. I haven't tried it myself but it looks pretty dang sweet on him! haha. And I have seen some other people do it here at the CCM so maybe when I get out into the field I'll try it. We are really working hard trying to figure out this spanish language. So many different things are happening all at once. It is very hard to explain over email so I won't but just trust me... It is hard. We get to do so many different things later at night. Some of the kids in our casa (House) would take plastic cups from the comedor (Cafeteria) every single night and they started to build a tower on a table in our casa and it started on the floor and went all the way up to the ceiling. It was crazy! 

We have a whole lot of fun but we are always working hard for it. Thank you all for all that you guys do for me and I can't wait to hear about all of your weeks this upcoming week. 

I have a couple of different quotes for you guys, 

in Alma 41;10 it says

 "Wickedness never was happiness" 

I would challenge all of you to make your day a little better, by serving just 1 more person. Just give someone a smile and say hey. 

Another one is in 1st Nephi 10;19 

"For he that diligently seeketh shall find; and the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto them, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as well in these times as in times of old, and as well in times of old as in times to come; wherefore, the course of the Lord is one eternal round."

I know that as you all turn to the Lord and ask questions as you seek to learn it for yourself you will receive an answer. 

This gospel is so true and I am so glad that I am able to be here serving my Lord and Savior. What a blessing it is to me to have another brother out helping me through this very difficult but rewarding time. I am so grateful for my family back home. and for all of my extended family and friends. Keep up the great work everyone! God will bless you as you are diligently working hard in a good cause. 

Love you all,

Elder Ricks

Keep the Faith; Do Good Be Good; Doubt Not Fear Not

Friends- Week 4

Well, this week has been a blast!! So much exciting things are happening, I love teaching interested people here at the CCM and I am just so glad that I get to be here serving. I love the fact that my brother is serving his mission at the same time. Such a blessing for me and my family. I love hearing from all of you and just get so excited for all of your lives!! 

This week we had devotionals and meetings, classes and shopping at the tienda. For some reason we always find ourselves in the tienda buying a candy or something to get us through the afternoon class. Spanish is really coming along and I love being in lessons with people. The spirit is so strong and my companion and I are always bouncing off of each other and it is a really good system when we teach. I love it. 

My companion and I were heading home one night this week and saw that an older man had a lot of groceries in the back of his car, so I asked my companion if he wanted to help and hesitantly he said yes. I thought to myself. YESSSS!! I love serving others and it makes me feel so good when others are in need of help and God puts me right in their path to help them. 

I know that this work is so true and it really makes a difference in your life as you strive to listen to the words of the prophets and as you strive to understand and read the Book of Mormon. 

I love my family and know that they have had such an impact on my life. Without them I know for a fact that I wouldn't be where I am today. So a really big shout out to all of them. My two younger sisters, my older brothers, and my parents. What a blessing they have been in my life. 

You all are amazing and I can't wait to hear from you all! Keep me updated on your exciting lives and fun adventures. 

Elder Ricks

(P.S. I don't have any pictures this week cause we did nothing new.... Sorry!)

- Doubt Not Fear Not - Do Good Be Good - Keep The Faith -

Temple Trip- Week 3

This week has been kind of crazy! I can't remember what we did yesterday or the day before that or the day before that or the day before that. EVERY SINGLE DAY is the same!! hahaha. So the weeks go by quick. I can't believe it is Friday already! Soooo let me tell you something, from the moment I got here at the CCM we have always had the late breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sooo that basically means we don't get food at dinner time like ever because it is getting to be so busy here and they just don't have enough food. But I try not to complain to much because I am still super blessed to even get a little bit of food while I am here. I think this is a curse and a blessing but whenever they have mashed potatoes I go crazy! I eat like 2 or 3 little plate fulls..... I feel like I've gained 10 pounds or something but I work out almost every day so I'd say it's pretty tough. Anyways! we get to do personal study almost every single day and during that study time I usually read the Book of Mormon. I love reading this book! I am about half way done with 3rd Nephi and I just love the stories that I've heard since I was a kid. My mom lately has really been listening to the 2,000 stripling warriors song and as I was reading through that chapter in Alma I was like! YESSS I am doing this! But I loved this scripture the most and it really made me love my momma even more than I did, it said,

"Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the words which they said unto me that their mothers had taught them." - Alma 57: 21

I love my mom and know that as I remember what she has taught me and follow the Lord with EXACTNESS God will bless me and my family and friends in ways that I can't even describe to you all. This gospel is true and as we strive to teach others about the work of our Savior we will come closer to Him. 

We were able to go to the Temple this morning and that was just one of the coolest experiences while I've been here at the MTC. I love you all so much and look forward to hearing from you all this upcoming week!! 

Love Elder Ricks

Keep the Faith - Elder Braeden Ricks

Do Good Be Good - Elder Tyson Ricks

Doubt Not Fear Not -  Elder Carson Ricks

Out of the Gates!!!- Week 2

Well everyone, there is no better way to say this than by just saying it right here. Life is GOOD. So many miracles and spiritual experiences every single day. I love going to class even though it's some of the hardes hours of the day. We tend to stay very very busy here at the MTC. Translation of MTC is CCM here sooo that's basically the coolest thing ever. Anyways! we have this badge that we have to use to get into breakfast, lunch and dinner and it has always just said what our number is on our ID. BUTTTTTTTTT this week it changed and says our name!! WOW do I feel so special. HAHA!! It is really so much fun and My older brother Tyson said, "It's some of the hardest weeks ever, but once  you're out and you're looking back on it, it just feels like it was such a party" and oh boy is it always a party. One of my roomates has a girlfriend who sends him packages all of the time so to celebrate the 4th of July we opened cream soda pop and drank it together! haha so much fun. But don't think we were partying too hard. We had EFY music playing in the background. Soooo I love being here at the CCM but I just can't wait to go and see the city more. I think I've just about counted all of the houses on the hill I get to look at while im in class... Whoops.. I need to focus a little more maybe.. But today we got to get out of here for a couple of hours!! We had to go to Migration and that was so awesome. 45 min drive to look at the city. Talk to people in spanish, then get back on the bus and come back for 45 minutes. Love it! I'm headed to the Mexico City Southeast Mission and the migration office was in that area! Wow, that place looked so sick!! A good sick! But it's so awesome to see something different. We get to go to the Temple next week I'm pretty sure and I am so excited to do that. The CCM went all out for the 4th of July for all of us Greengos. Hamburgers, eggs, rootbeer, man did I feel so close but so far away from home! It was awesome! We get an hour and a half every day at night to get ready for bed and kind of get ready for the next day. I love it because my room just talks about gospel things and just anything we want to talk about really! It's a good time to relax and feel how blessed I really am to be here serving a missionary for my Savior Jesus Christ. I love serving and am so proud of my family back at home. My mom and dad have taught me so much and  I wouldn't be able to do all that I do without their help. My sisters are amazing and I love having a brother serving a mission just like me. Braeden gave me this HUGE book full of talks and scriptures before I left and man do I love just reading a talk from one of our prophets at night. So much peace and comfort. Not to mention the fact that everyone else in my room is jealous that they don't have talks so thanks for that Braeden! So many good times and memories! Thank you all for your prayers and thoughts. I really can feel them. Have another great week!! 

Keep the Faith - Elder Braeden Ricks

Do Good Be Good - Elder Tyson Ricks

Doubt Not Fear Not - Elder Carson Ricks