Milagros! 08/24/2015

 Okay crazy crazy week!!!

So first off.. I am staying in Morro Bay!! I am so excited! I love this ward so much. However, I will no longer be companions with Hermana Young. :( On friday night, we received a call from the assistants and they said, "Hermana Ricks, President Felix has asked that you train this next transfer." UMMM WHAT?! I can't even speak Spanish still!! I have been feeling recently like I needed to be trained again, so I guess this is my chance! They say the teacher learns more than the students, right? Oh boy. I am super excited though. It is such a humbling experience and honor to know that the Lord has this kind of trust. It is interesting, because I actually received a Priesthood blessing last week where I was told, "Put all of your confidence in the Lord and not in yourself." That part really stood out to me, and I had no idea why I was told that. But now I know why! This is not my work, it is His. I have no idea why I have been asked to do this, but I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me to learn! 

Also, other exciting news! We received permission to go on the beach again this week for a ward activity! - Volleyball on the beach! It was super fun! 

AND we had a spanish activity...and this member, Hector, has been trying to get me to eat a cricket for the last 12 weeks. I finally gave it... it was GROSS. It felt like I was chewing on a sunflower seed!

We have seen so many miracles this week! You know Alejandra and Luis, the kids we have been teaching? Well, last night their mom and older brother came to church too!! Alondra has promised us for the last 5 weeks that she would come, and she finally did! She loved church and said she would come next week as well. :) 

And THEN! There is a recent convert who won't even pray for us when we are in her house with her husband. She just has felt awkward praying out loud, which is totally fine! BUT! Last night, Elder Peterson asked her to say the closing prayer, and she just stood up and said it! We were all SHOCKED! Afterwards, we told her what a wonderful job she had done. She told us, "Well, I made a promise!" Hermana Young asked if she meant that she had made a promise with us, because we didn't know what she meant. She said, "No, I made a promise with God that if I got called on, I would say the prayer." I have never even seen Elder Peterson try to ask her to say the prayer before, because we all knew she wouldn't do it! But he was prompted to ask, and she said it! :D

I am so sorry to hear about Aunt Colleen, I hope everyone is doing well. I have such a testimony of the Plan of Salvation. It is the plan that Heavenly Father has come up with so that we can all be truly HAPPY! Unfortunately, death is part of the plan. But fortunately for the gospel, we have the knowledge that this life is in no way the end. I love my Heavenly Father so much, and I am so grateful to share this knowledge with others that are not as privileged to know. 

If you are privileged to have this knowledge, make sure you can also FEEL of it's truthfulness. It is easy to say that it is true, but it is another to actually feel and KNOW that it is true. 

Well, I hope you are all doing well! I love you so much!!!