I did have a birthday Cake!

Dear Family and Friends,

Haha it seems that every once in a while you get one week that is the hardest week of the mission. That was this week! We got dropped (or had to drop) almost all of our investigators, and most of our potentials that we had gotten by literally knocking hundreds of doors didn't turn out. No one is progressing in our teaching pool any more, and we really haven't had any recent referrals from the ward. So--we are back to square one, and we are pretty much at the same amount of investigators that we had when we got here. Which is the Friel family (not progressing any more) and the Herbert Family (Not Progressing), and Sister Kitchen (Semi Not Progressing). Big goose egg in the teaching pool right now in other words. Was I sad and depressed at the end of the week? Yeah...but it doesn't matter. Sometimes it's just the way it goes. I don't really have time to explain my feelings, but right now I only feel calm assurance from the spirit that my time and labors for the last 3 months have not been in vain.

There is a good chance I could be moved from this area next week. From combined estimations and rumors, it looks like they are sending someone who actually speaks Korean in my place. We could even become a 3-some for a few days if Elder Holley is training the new Korean coming in. Elder Holley is awesome... Wouldn't mind staying another transfer, especially because there are so many cool members in the ward. And really, I don't really mind now that it dosen't seem like we had success, because in some ways we did. I feel that my spirituality has been increased, and I now have a stronger testimony than I ever have of prayer and recieving, and/or listening to the answers of our prayers. I also have a better idea of what my purpose statement for the rest of my mission and life should be.

Well...boy my back aches, I lifted some furniture wrong I think this week. We helped someone move on Halloween day and I can still feel it. There was a really heavy outdated TV that we moved...

I've been reading my scriptures like a mad man. Finished the Book of Mormon again in about 4 weeks last transfer, and I hope I can finish it in another 6 weeks or so, and I'll finish the New Testament by then too I think. Anyway, things were rough but now they are good, and I'm in good spirits! I also am now motivated to keep up my workout schedule so all the sweets from the member's dinners don't get to me. I've made a point not to be so stressing serious as well.

It was a very different birthday than what I am used to, but It was great because I did have a birthday cake! Bishop Hansen invited us over for dinner on my B-day, and Sister Hansen made me a delicious pumpkin bread cake. I have pictures too, haha don't worry. AND thanks a TON for sending that package Mother! I really love the alarm clock too haha. It's nice to hear your voices yelling at me to get up. It's allot better than beeping from my other one. Oh and Milly is way good at guitar now, It's nice hearing "Blackbird" too. That music was a life saver. I never appreciated the stress relieving properties music as much until this week.

Well The District is doing very good over all. Couldn't ask for a better group of missionaries. Really no major problems. Well I don't really think I've gotten the hang of district leader yet, maybe Elder Thompson can give me some tips, from his letters seems like he's killing it over there in the trenches of London. maybe I just need to slow down a little bit and think of how I can do better. IDK I feel like I am horrible at giving training sometimes. I still feel like I have to learn allot about becoming a missionary still.

Alright--well I'm stocked with good food and we are off to get ready to go out and do some teaching/finding and dinner eating haha.

Well love you Mom, Dad, Sariah, Milly, Ben, Joe, and the rest of yuz XD

-Elder Rickers