July 7, 2014 - Week #5 in the Mission Field

Elder Chacon and I one night

Check out what I found.........

A Gospel Principles manual signed by

Alex Franks from Farmington!

Small World!

My Wonderful Family,

I only have ten minutes, but I'll say as much as I can!!! I think tomorrow is three months in the mission for Elder Michael Shawn Ricks, man time is actually just flying by!!!

This week was crazy, it was a little hard with the World Cup games for Colombia and then on top of that winning and then loosing to the biggest team for Colombia, it was absolutely crazy here. The work this week was hard, but it was a great spiritual week for me! I learned so much especially from my companion Elder Chacon. This past Friday night we got a call from Pres. Lozano and he told Elder Chacon that he will be transferring a week early and  he has been made a zone leader in a different area with Elder Thorns best friend that is in the mission with me, remember when he told me about him? He is a stud, but anyway I don't have a companion for a week and I will have 2 trainers in the mission, kinda cool right!? I will miss Elder Chacon dearly though.  I have learned so so much from him more than you or he will ever know! We bought each other matching ties and then I bought him a watch ( sorry mom and dad ) to show my appreciation for him and the life of mine he has changed! I will always remember him, and will be best of friends with him always! Right now I am in a trio with the Zone leaders in my area!!!! It is the coolest, fun, best learning experience ever. I am a ZL for a week haha last night I took the key indicators ( numbers ) from all the districts with them last night its pretty cool! One is from Guatemala and he speaks almost fluent English and the other is from Mexico and only has 3 months left! I love this experience and all the wonderful opportunities The Lord has placed before me. I JUST ABSOLUTELY LOVE MY MISSION

Fam, my Spanish is coming so so quickly and I know that the harder I work and pray the faster it will come! I just love the mission so much

I got my haircut today for the first time in the field and they cut a lot of it with a straight blade hahah Tuve mucho mucho miedo!! I was so scared!! hahah

Don't have any more time ;( this email thing is the hardest thing in the world, but next week I will send lots of picks I promise

Mom, Dad, James, Janelle, Hannah, Cameron, Chan, Claire and Grace I love you all more than you will ever ever know.

I know that my Savior lives and my testimony is strengthened every single day!! I know that this is the only true church in all the world!!!

I love you all so much and am so happy for our family.

I Thank The Lord every day for all the blessings and watching over he does for us!!!

I LOVE MY FAMILY!!!!!!!

Till next Monday,

Your Son, Your Brother, Your Missionary

Elder Michael Ricks