OXNARNIA 04/04/2016

Hello family!! and HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!!! Everyone tell her happy birthday for me, okay?

Also, I heard the Elahny Garcia got baptized yesterday. I am so excited for her! I think I sent pictures of her last week...

So...here's the scoop from the NARD!

The work here is Camarillo is kind of slow - especially compared to Santa Maria. It's because the elders cover the Oxnard half, and we cover Camarillo (which is where all the whities live...). But the members really are amazing and they are so missionary minded! Every house we go to, the members are SO excited to see us. Especially because they didn't have Hermanas for a transfer. They love us!

 It is so good to be back in Oxnard too. I got to see a ton of people from the Oxnard 6th ward at general conference, and everyone remembered me! Even people I didn't remember...that really surprised me! I didn't think anyone would because I couldn't even talk to these people back then haha! But it made me really excited for all of you to come meet them too.

The most exciting of all though was seeing Selena and Regina again!!! They both now live in Oxnard 5th ward boundaries. I called Selena the very first day and we went the second day to go visit them! They live in the Elder's area, so we went to introduce them to eachother. It was so exciting!! They both remembered so much. I was so impressed! Selena said, "Being baptized was the best thing I've ever done in my life." And then she talked about how the Holy Ghost helps her with school and work and everything. Ah I am so proud of her! Hopefully they will both start coming back to church.

Hermana Hemingway is so amazing! I am so impressed by her humility and ability to follow the spirit. She really loves the Lord and leads by example. I am excited to work with her. She served for about 8 months in Honduras, but had problems with her knee and was reassigned to the states. She is from somewhere named Keller near Dallas, TX.  

I learned so much from General Conference! I realized that I want to be better at praying. That seems to be the key to everything! Heavenly Father has so many plans and blessings just waiting for us, and we just need to act and draw nearer to him. I loved Elder Holland's talk as well. It made me realize that so many times after spiritual experiences, I often get really down on myself and how imperfect I am. But rather, I can grow my testimony in the love that God has for me, and become humbled through amazement at how incredible Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ really are.

I am excited for this week as well. We have so much in store! We have Elder Hamula coming for a mission tour. STL's and zone leaders get to go to an MLC (mission leadership council) with him as well on Wednesday (shout out to mom's birthday! Don't forget to tell her for me).

We also met this youth in our ward named Vanessa, and she taught herself how to play the piano. She is so good! She didn't even read music before. So tomorrow and Thursday we are going to go teach her piano lessons for service. :) I am super excited!

I love you all! If you didn't watch conference - go watch it.

Have a great week!

<3 Hermana Trystan Ricks