Mon- Tue- Wed- Thur- Fri- Sat- Sun- Repeat- Week 22

Hey there everyone! Another great week here in Mexico! ;) haha, I would not suggest you getting sick in the mission field, away from home, and away from your mom to take care of you. I got sick this weekend and wow! I don't ever want to get sick again! Especially in the mission field. Because at home we have medicine right away and I have my mom to take care of me. But here we have to go buy the medicine and I am stuck with another guy who doesn't really know how to take care of another guy. But I am alive and hope I can leave the house to teach people about the good word of Christ. 

Besides that we had a lot of people in church so that was fantastic to see people having a desire to come unto Christ. We have meetings with people every single day and I love testifying of Jesus Christ. What a blessing Christ is in my life and how I can testify that He can bless the lives of these people here in Mexico as well. 

My testimony has grown so much and I have really noticed the need to apply the Atonement of Jesus Christ every single day. Jesus Christ sacrificed His life for me so that I can be happy. But I need to actually try and use His Atonement to have the ability to receive those blessings He has for me. 

I know that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ you all can be a little more happy than the day before. I also know that the Atonement of Jesus Christ isn't just for the bad things we want to change for the good things. But also the good things we want to change for the excellent things. Any kind of change for good is utilizing the Atonement of Christ. 

I love you all so much and really hope and pray for your success every day. You all have blessed my life tremendously. 

Love, 

Elder Ricks

Doubt Not; Fear Not

Lo siento que no tengo fotos hoy...... la proxima semana voy a tener mas fotos. :)

Patience + Love = Some Really Powerful Combination- Week 21

I just love you all so much! I look forward to writing this email every single week. But if I am being honest, it is always so hard to start these things. Like what am I supposed to say first??? That I had another great week out here in Mexico City? That just seems like something everyone else would do. Anyways, that's my dilemma/problem right now. 

But we had another great week out here in Mexico City, hahaha just teaching everyone that passes by! We have pass-along cards and they are basically a life saver when it comes to talking to people. In all reality, people don't want to talk to us, but when they see a picture of Jesus Christ (the pass-along card) they almost always say yes! So booyah. 

Elder Rosas is teaching me how to cook, dance, sing, talk in Spanish, so thanks to him I will one day be a man of many talents. Thanks Elder Rosas! 

Being a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is really hard, and I have to have a ton of patience for my companion, the people, the ward, myself. Basically with anything you have to be patient. So that is what I wanted to talk about today. As we strive to be patient and focus on what really matters. The little things, that test my patience really don't have an affect on me. They are just something getting in the way of me trying to be happy. 

So keep trying to put Jesus Christ in the center of your life, and as you do this you will learn something new through the process. I love you, Jesus Christ loves you, and everyone around you loves you! 

Thank you all for what you do for me everyday. It is such a blessing as well to be a missionary for Christ's Church. 

Elder Ricks

Doubt Not; Fear Not

Day of the Dead- From Brother Gallardo

Hola buen dia les mandamos estos bonitos recuerdos de alguien muy especial que hemos conocido y que queremos mucho, nuestras bendiciones a todos ustedes y un abrazo muy fuerte desde Mexico.

Hello good morning, we send you these beautiful memories of someone very special that we have known and that we love very much, our blessings to all of you and a very big hug fro Mexico.

Shephard - Leader - Savior - Redeemer - JESUS CHRIST- Week 20

Hey everyone, this week was more of a tough week! We had exchanges this week and I have a new companion here in Ayotla! Elder Rosas, he is really organized, loves to cook and clean things. Probably won't get another companion who has this combination of attributes. haha! We teach so good together and can feel the spirit in every lesson we have. I love to talk about The Book of Mormon, but I just can't ever stop thinking about Jesus Christ and how important He really is in our lives. 

What does Jesus Christ mean to you? 

How do you show your love for Him throughout the day? 

I want you all to experiment with this during the week. What does Jesus Christ really mean to you, and how will you show that throughout your week? 

For me Jesus Christ is absolutely everything, without Christ I am nothing. Without His Atoning Sacrafice for me I couldn't feel peace or comfort, or love. But I know that I have a Father in Heaven that really does love me. And He really does want me to be happy, so I can feel peace and comfort. By reading the scriptures I have come to love Jesus Christ more than ever before. He lives and wants us to be happy. By listening to His words and obeying those words 100 percent, we will never fall. Turn to the only person who knows you better than you know yourself. Jesus Christ. Just like when a shephard goes and finds the one lamb that is lost, so will Jesus Christ be there for you when you turn and ask for his help. He will lift you up, and bare those heavy burdens we can not bear. 

I love you all so much, I know that Jesus Christ sacraficed His life so I can literally find mine. I hope your Halloween was fantastic and I look forward to another week as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Hey by the way, it is my sisters 17th birthday this week! Can't believe it! Happy birthday Ashlynn! I love you! 

"Look unto me (Jesus Christ) in every thought, Doubt Not; Fear Not"

Elder Ricks 

Familia Castillo Gallardo

We got an email from an Brother Gallardo with this picture of this dog so we asked Carson about it.

His name is huesos! he is my dog practically. I love him so much. We are like such good friends. He protects us from the other dogs and us for him from the dogs as well. Because most of the time the other dogs want to go be with him. So when he is with us we don't have to worry about the dogs. And he likes us to be around because we are like a shield for him from the other dogs. It works out really great. 

Elder C. Ricks