How are you all doing? So this morning we had to do the changes. It was a ton of work. There are 23 new missionaries that will be arriving in just a few days and we had to find room for all of them. It was great to see how President can relay on the Holy Ghost and know exactly where everyone needs to go. It was great to be able to help him and be his assistant. With so many new missionaries getting here we are going to be opening a lot of areas and right now we are trying to figure out how we are going to get all the beds, colchones (I forgot how you say that in english), irons, fridges, tables, chairs, and everything else that a house needs. We are actually opening a total of nine houses in the mission. It is going to be a crazy weeks. On Monday we have to go to pick up the new elders and we have an instruction with them. On Tuesday we have the changes meeting. On Wednesday we have a leadership counsel. On Thursday we have another instruction for the new missionaries and their trainers. like I said, it is going to be a crazy week. It should be fun though.

We actually do get to work a lot in our area and we are seeing a lot of success. Right now there is a family of four that are going to get baptized on the 23rd, another of four that are going to get baptized on the 30th, and another family of five that are going to get baptized on the 6th of Agosto. And there are a few more that are really close.

So how is life going. It sounds like it is getting more and more interesting everyday. I hope you all doing great.

I wanted to share something with you that I have learned these last few days. A testimony without knowledge is selfish. We are never going to be able to help others without knowledge. Although someone can feel the Spirit be listening to a testimony of another, it is very rare that we will be able to share a testimony powerful enough to be felt if it is not backed up with knowledge. In 2 Nephi 18:20 (Isaiah 8:20) it says, "To the law and to the testimony; and if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." As members of the Church of Jesus Christ we need the "law" (knowledge, doctrine) and we need the "testimony" (spirit, confirmation). We have to have them both or "there is no light in us". Study the scriptures every day so that God can use you to advance His work. A true testimony is the knowledge of the law obtained by study and revelations by the Spirit.

I love you all. I know Christ lives!!!

Elder Ricks