I won't leave until I know God's will for me

So, tomorrow, I will find out if I should stay or go. I´m going to perform at the transfer meeting, then President will sit me down and teach me out to recieve revelation, then he will send me and Elder Sharp to the temple. I´ll do a session, then sit in the celestial room, and I won´t leave until I know God´s will for me. Personally, I really want to stay, but I really want to know for certain that God wants me to stay. Then, on Thursday, I´ll go back to Dra. Carmen to follow up with the new meds. Last week was great, helping out the old folks´ home. I really liked it! We´ll be working really hard with these children of God to help them prepare to meet their Father in Heaven! Today, we will eat lunch with a recent convert. We´re working with her to take her to the temple to be baptized for her mother, who appeared to her in a dream. We plan on taking her there THIS WEEK. Pray for us! I love you guys so much! And I know that this gospel is true! We are in God´s hands. This is His world, and as we follow His will, we will be led to our heavenly home at His side. I love Him and I love Jesus Christ. I testify that They live in the holy name of Jesus Christ, amen. -- Élder Thomas Richins

I am a witness that Jesus is the Christ.

So, another week come and gone! It´s going by so fast! I don´t have that much to report. Not seeing much success, but we´re going to change that. We´re getting rain, so that´s awesome. If there´s anything worth saying this week, it´s this: I hope you have a great appreciation for Elder Sharp. Seriously, it´s not easy being my companion. He is helping me so much. If it wasn´t for him, I would have given up already. Every day this week, the depression comes harder and harder, more and more frequently. But he´s always at my side, to listen and to encourage. Also, he´s convinced me and I´ve decided that I want to learn to drive a motorcycle. But we can talk about that later. ;) Oh, and before I forget, I got my return date. I keep forgetting to tell you guys. I found out last transfer. I´m not sure if I should tell you guys because I´m afraid that Mom´ll get too trunky. But here it is: 20 October 2015. I´ll have 2 years and 18 days on my mission. I´m very pleased, because it previously was in September. So I just want to share my testimony with you guys. Like I said to Garrett, Ashton, and Ben in an earlier email, I would not be here if I didn´t know that this gospel is true. Without this surety, I would have given up already. Actually, I don´t know if I would have made it out of the MTC. But I testify that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is true. I know this. Certain events have happened on my mission, one of them was this week, that show me that God loves me, that Jesus Christ knows how to succor me, that the Adversary wants to destroy me, and that we are children of a loving Heavenly Father. I testify that we are on the Earth at this time for a reason, that is, to fight the good fight and stay true to the faith. We are here to build the kingdom of God where we stand, even Zion, the pure in heart, and the covenant people. I am a witness that Jesus is the Christ. I have gotten to know Him in my own small afflictions. He lives, and He is Almighty. Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Interlagos (antiga Cidade Dutra) Estaca Interlagos Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos

Today is P-Day Da Zona! Picnic and sports! Woo!

Boa tarde! How is my wonderful family? Hope you guys are well. Neither of the packages have arrived. Probably next week. So, my psychologist contacted Dr. Hargroder and they figured it out! Apparently, pills don´t work for me anymore. Because of the metabolic changes from the surgery, none of the depression medicine has been working, at least not enough to make a difference. And yeah, the vitamins are super necessary, especially B12. Until i´ve got the necessary nutrients in my body, there won´t be improvements. So, now my new medicine is in the form of drops (anti-depressant) and dissolving tablets (sleep). I also talked with the lady in the ward in charge of lunches. I have to really restrict my diet. We are pulling out all the stops to turn around this depression. Today is Super P-Day, or P-Day Da Zona! Picnic and sports! Woo! We need rain! São Paulo is going through a huge drought! Our water is being rationed by the government, and some areas in the mission don´t have water on a regular basis. It´s pretty rough! I´m getting better at the violin! And i´ve started painting (with ballpoint pens). Rachel would be proud. I made a tie. I´ll send pictures next week (remind me, please!) We had five people in church. Rogerio and Daniela took their three kids to church, the oldest, Jonathan, is marked for baptism. This week, with a huge help from Heavenly Father, we saved their marriage. Also, Daniela´s mom and sister are marked for baptism. The other two people at church was Rose (a super elect street contact who came to church by herself) and her daughter. They liked the church a LOT! We´ll follow up with them today. I got a haircut today! I love you guys so much! I know that this gospel is true, and that God loves me and all of His children. I testify of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Interlagos Estaca Interlagos Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos

Sweet act of service by Elder Richins' companion

First off: you can tell anyone about my depression. I´m going to overcome it, so I hope that at least I can inspire some people. Go ahead and share it. Second: With the violin, please don´t forget the tuner, rosin, etc! I don´t really need music because we have hymnals. Third: I love you guys so much! It´s really hard, but I´ve got a super team. Just to give you an idea of how great my companion is, for example, my new shoes gave me huge, painful open blisters. So, to break them in, he wore my shoes for a couple days to break them in a little more and he let me use his shoes. Turns out we are the same size. And I´ve got some good psycologists, and the four other missionaries in my district (among others who already know (I don´t broadcast it, but I have to be honest when they notice)) and President and Sister Dalton. I´ve got an interview with him today. We´ll get a lot worked out Fourth: We are working on getting at least two couples married. We are super close with one of them, Rogerio and Daniela. We will go mark their wedding this week and they are quitting smoking and drinking and are struggling a bit to read the Book of Mormon. Any suggestions?

Serving a mission is the best thing to ever happen to me

Wow! This week was really great (and really hard)! Despite the depression seeming to get worse, I´m getting better and better at controlling it. I got my violin! We had got to work with a traveling assistant (one of my good friends), and Isaura is still going to church! The best part of the week was our temple trip on Friday. It was a miracle. We got there and I realized that I had forgotten my temple recommend. The depression overcame me quickly and deeply. Both Elder Sharp and I really needed this session. We couldn´t get help from President Dalton because he was at a wedding and not answering his phone. I offered to sit in the waiting room while Elder Sharp does the session, but he did not want to leave me there. We were just about to go home devastated when Elder Sharp felt that we should stay. I wasn´t in condition to express any kind of opinion, so I just followed him. We ended up walking behind the temple and we ran into President Dalton! He should have left 10 minutes before, but he felt he needed to come back. He wasn´t even supposed to be there, there was a mistake and the wedding he would have attened was to be the next day. So President Dalton took us into the temple lobby, and talked with the temple president and got me a temporary recommend. In the end, I got to do the session. It wasn´t until a good 10 minutes into the session until my frightening, dark depression was suddenly lifted and I was able to enjoy one of the most spiritual experiences of my mission. Never have I learned so much from an endowment session since my very first one. And, to top it all off, as we were leaving the temple to return to our area after the session, we were chased down by a group of young men and women from Palmares, my last ward, including Adilson, who we taught the recent convert lessons and who we convinced to serve a mission, and Weverson, who we baptized. There was also Raquel, whose parents we also taught the recent convert lessons. I learned that Raquel´s parents would be sealed the next day (which was so satisfying to hear). Also, Weverson told me that he would be turning in his papers in the next month to serve a full-time mission. He was there about to do his SECOND round of baptisms for the dead. The joy I felt was so great! And, both Adilson and Weverson were wearing the ties I had given them! What a great day it was! I also found out that Paulo and Thassya, who Elder Almeida and I baptized, have finished their last Temple Prep class, and will mark their sealing. Sueli (who Elder Paiva and I reactivated) will be sealed to her husband (Vagner, who we baptized) this summer. Vagner is now a counsellor in the Elders Quorum Presidency. Their daughter, Pamela, is serving a mission in Argentina. Juvenal and Magda (who Elder J. Barker and I married and baptized) are active, happy, and serving in the church. Their daughter, Laura, has recently been baptized and their extended family is also accepting the gospel. They will be sealed in September or October of this year. I´m so glad to be a missionary. Serving a mission is the best thing to ever happen to me. What a privilege it is! I know that this gospel is true, and that Jesus Christ is the Lord God, and that He is our Savior and Redeemer. His power to heal is endless as He and our Father are Endless. I testify of them in the sacred name of Jesus Christ, amen. -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Interlagos (antiga Cidade Dutra) Estaca Interlagos Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos

Feliz ano novo!

Feliz ano novo! I didn´t get transferred! I´ll be staying with Elder Sharp in Interlagos! Woo! We will be going to the center of São Paulo to try Western Union again. I have to look for shoes there because my feet are too big! I really hope i´ll have enough, since they are super expensive! I hate shoe shopping, y'all already know that... Isaura was confirmed yesterday! And Alessandra and Davi beared their first testimonies. Davi also recieved the Aaronic Priesthood. We are helping Isaura, Alessandra, and Davi to be ready to go to the temple this month to do baptisms for the dead. I´m pumped! I will get the privilege to see the sealing of Paulo and Thassya (from Jardim Mirna) this transfer! So templo! We also finally got invited to ward counsel! It was great! For New Years, we had the zone leaders over and we had a barbeque and watched the fireworks from the power tower! I´ll send you guys pictures! I´m sorry that this has to be another short email! But I love you guys so much and I want you to know that i´m hanging in, and that I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior, and that the Church is true. -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Interlagos (antiga Cidade Dutra) Estaca Interlagos Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos

So, WE HAD A BAPTISM! It was so miraculous! I am so happy that it all worked out! She came to us, gave up smoking, got a testimony, and went to church all by herself. All we had to do was teach her a little more, and help her into the waters of baptism. It was so great. On Christmas day, we had the opportunity to visit Reinaldo, the blind but returning less active. I gave him a carefully wrapped copy of the Book of Mormon on CD. He said that it was the best Christmas present he ever received. We also dedicated his house. Since then, he said that he feels more hope and more closer to Heavenly Father. The depression continues, but Heavenly Father helps me to bear it. I´m happy to say that when i´m working, I´m always able to control it. And when we get home, Elder Sharp keeps me going. He´s such a great friend, and he´s helping me so much. Sorry the letter is so short! I promise I will have more to say next week! I love you all and I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior! -- Élder Thomas Richins Ala Interlagos (antiga Cidade Dutra) Estaca Interlagos Missão Brasil São Paulo Interlagos