Dear Dad and Mom,

This has been a really good week. I have had many spiritual experiences and my language is coming a lot better. This week I feel like I can finally understand most of what is said in the language at least by my teachers. I know that this will change as soon as I get into Mongolia and then I just won't be able to understand anything. Actually we had a native come in and speak with us and we could barely understand him. It was an eye opener but I liked it because I got a taste of what I'm going to go through. It has been a good week though. Today Heavenly Father really helped me understand some things about my life in the temple. It has been really cool to all of a sudden have your eyes opened to certain miracles he has performed. I'm so grateful that he answers everyone's prayers. Even a boy from Cedar City. It has really been amazing. Yes, I did get a scholarship from BYU but it wasn't a lot. It was about half tuition. But I don't have any financial aid when it comes to like grants and stuff. So we now have 5 investigators and it has been pretty cool. I've also been acting as an investigator and that has been fun. We don't know if we have are VISA's but we won't know until another week. It seems like forever but I will eventually get there. I just really want to get there. I haven't quite understood how the spirit works with me yet. I'm praying all the time for it but it is hard because I really have to listen. Then again, Elder Bednar said that we don't need to worry about it as long as we are doing all we can to invite the spirit. We got to hear from Russel M. Nielson this week. It was on the Book of Mormon. One experience I had was when I was in the meeting I realized that I didn't have the testimony of the Book of Mormon like I would have liked to have had. So I threw up some desperate prayers to have God give me a testimony that the Book of Mormon was true. I at first didn't receive anything. I was especially scared because at district meeting I was going to have to get up and bear my testimony on it. So, when I got up there I had no idea what I was going to say. I thought occurred to me that I needed to just get up and say the things I couldn't deny. While I was sharing those I received a witness that the Book of Mormon was true. I received it so strongly that when I bore my testimony in Mongolian the phrase "I know the Book of Mormon is true" it actually meant something more than just a way to communicate. I'm so grateful for the testimony I received. I am so happy I have had the opportunity to have been taught by both of you. Just today I was in the temple thinking about the first time I went in. I can't wait to get back and go back to the St George temple. I have been doing well and don't worry about me. I love you both and soon I will be on my way to Mongolia.

Love Richie/ Elder Williams

Dear little girls and my one big one

I won't be able to write much in this email but be assured that I'm writing letters so you will receive some in a couple of days. It is just hard to write so much in only half an hour. I just wanted to say that I love you all and am so grateful for the example you have set for me. I can't wait to see the wonderful women you will all become. Keep smiling and remember that being yourself is funner than being someone else.

Love Richie

Dear Mom and Dad,

I'm so grateful for you writing to me. I will try to have the shirts to you in another week or two. I finally saw somebody from my class come in. It was cool because I never really said hello to him in school but in the MTC it is totally different. So we were finally released from the assignment of zone leaders. I noticed something really interesting. I really enjoy talking and getting to know new people. It was weird and now that I am no longer zone leader I feel like it is harder to go up and talk to everybody. Still I am going to make a goal to go and meet the new districts coming in. One thing I really learned this week is just how awesome the story of Ammon is. When you are looking at it from a missionary standpoint he really taught to the investigators needs. It was really cool to reread. I am also finding out how wonderful the Book of Mormon is. I am actually excited to read it and study it. My Book of Mormon is beginning to look like Grandpa williams because it is getting really marked up. The language is coming along but I still feel like I am not even in the same realm as proficient. I am suprised to learn about the snow storm in Mongolia because I thought it wouldn't start getting cold yet. I have also really appreciated your prayers. I can feel them and I appreciate them. One of the coolest things that I have been pondering over lately is the relationship we have with our Heavenly Father when it comes to prayer. We had one of our investigators pray for us and it was really spiritual because the Mongolians have no idea what God is. It is sad yet great to see them to begin to develop the relationship. So last week we have M. Russel Ballard speak to us. It was really cool and I was only a good pen throw away. (please realize that I was not thinking about throwing a pen at Elder Ballard :) ) So it sound like things are going great at home. I could hear the BYU game but I couldn't hear any cannons so I knew it was going bad. I already know the score so you don't need to remind me. Oh well. I love you all and I am praying for you all every night. I'm so grateful for your examples and good luck.

Elder Williams or Ахлагч Үйлямс

Dear Kristalyn,

I hope you didn't go to the BYU football game. That was just not worth it. I hope you are having a great time at school. I am so grateful for the example you have set for me. It is pretty amazing to have someone like you to look up to. One thing I have lately really been focusing on is how the Holy Ghost works with me. It is so frustrating to try and figure out how I'm supposed to listen to the holy ghost and how he answers my questions. I am praying every night to figure this out and believe me it has been hard so far. But one good thing is that if I'm trying and worthy the Lord promises me the words I need to speak in the very moment I need to speak them. So, how is Peter? Tell him I'm grateful for his example he set for me. He may think I didn't know him that long but he has really helped me. I love you and keep up the good hard really hard really really hard reallllllllllllllly haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaard work. :) I love you.

Elder Williams or Mouse :)

Dear Rachel,

I love you soo much. I really appreciate how hard you are studying the scriptures. Keep it up and keep reading Mistborn. Good luck.

Dear Caelen,

I'm soooooooooooooooooo glad you are liking choir. You can have a lot of cool musical experiences there. One thing you need to remember is that you will probably not like someone in your choir (You are in a WOMENS choir) so just kind of get over it and look at them as the Savior does. I really wish I had done this when I was in because I could have made soo many more friends. Oh and I am really surprised you like English. Try writing a story. You have the imagination for it. Caelen, how is it you can like animated characters?!! That is so weird :) I love you and good luck

Dear Rebecca

I'm so glad to hear you are making new friends. I lately have figured out I really enjoy talking to people and have really enjoyed getting to know a lot of elders. Don't DATE!!!! That is really weird. Also don't get older looking. That will be even weirder. Just keep up the good work in school and remember that you always have the Holy Ghost to rely on. Lately I have realized just how much he influences your life if you let him. Give it a shot and tell me about it. I love you and good luck.

Love Richie

Dear Dad, Mom and everyone else,
So today has been a really good week. I just got my haircut today and I don't have to worry about it again for a while. My language has improved quite a bit and I am beginning to be able to speak it more easily when I need to. For the first time in the TRC I was able to have a good lesson with us just teaching a member who was just that, a member. It felt a lot more like a discussion rather than me just spouting out some random promises the Lord can give them if they keep the commandments. It was really spiritual too because it was about the Plan of Salvation and it was just really cool. Also, I just wanted to share that one of my favorite lessons to teach is the one about prayer. It is really hard to teach Mongolians the concept of God. They really have no idea what or who God is. They have no idea that they really have someone who loves them watching over them. Sometimes I feel really heartbroken because they have no idea what kind of relationship that is. It is really cool to see our "investigators" pray to know if Heavenly Father is real. The Spirit always testifies so strongly. I am amazed every time the spirit I feel when it is their first prayer. Another great insight I found was when was reading King Benjamin's sermon. One of the verses said that if you believe in repentance and if you believe in Christ and believe in everything taught then you should "see that ye do them." this just really made me think back to times when you would believe something but you just simply wouldn't do it because who knows why. It was really cool and it really hit me as to how I could help my investigators with this. I'm just more and more amazed about how simple and beautiful God's plan is. It is just so wonderful that we can return to live with him and all we have to do is try our hardest. So, I heard about both the BYU games and I hope they get better. It sound like they are alright though. Next, Saturday I will be able to hear the fans at the Utah game. It will be really fun. So we really have a strong district. We are probably the strongest in the branch. So, zone leader stuff has continued. one night we had a problem with a few elders and me and elder stranski prayed to know what we should do. It was really cool because both of us had a prompting to speak to different elders. In the end the whole thing was resolved and I know that the spirit guided us. I have also had to stand in a blessing for several missionaries we had to send home. It was really spiritual and as far as we can tell they will be coming back as soon as they can. I'm really praying for you all and I have been praying for a miracle every night. I love you all. Have a great time. (By the way I will get some shirts for you all but if you could transfer a few dollars on my debit card for them that would be appreciated.)

Love Elder Williams

Dear Kristalyn,
I hope school is going okay and I am appreciative of your dear elders. they have really brightened up my day. I can tell you are working hard and all I can say is just keep going. That is all I am doing right now. I'm so grateful for your example and I hope you go to the BYU Utah game. I love you.

Dear Rebecca,

I hope you are doing good in Senior year. Just keep moving and enjoy every minute of it because it doesn't last that long. I miss your joking and I hope you are tickling Caelen and RAchel for me. I love you so much and just remember that the left side of your brain controls the right side of your body and vice versa :) I love you.

Dear Caelen, you have to promise me you will read the next Mistborn when it comes out. It will be really cool. I hope you are having a good freshman year so far. It isn't as bad as you think. You will have a great time if you let yourself. Always remember to try and meet new people because that is what I am doing right now. I love you.

Dear Rachel, I miss you sooooo much. Keep on reading the book of Mormon. The more and more I read it I just realize how the first part of Moroni's promise works in where he tells you to remember how merciful the lord has been. There are so many times in the book of Mormon where Heavenly Father loves his children. He really is more of God of mercy than anything else. School is 98% attitude and if you try your hardest you actually will feel quite good about all you have done. And if you meet and make new friends a better bonus for you. Keep up the good work (By the way we have an Australian in our zone. And guess what, he does not have blond hair.) :) I love you and good luck

Dear Dad and Mom and Grandma Rawle and Grandma Williams,

I hope everything is alright at home. Mom I just want you to know that I have been praying for you constantly and I have put your name in the temple. So this week has been pretty good. Tomorrow my companion and I are going to try and speak our language for half of the day and then on Friday try and go the whole day. (also, our teacher won't tell us about a mugging story in Mongolia unless we go a full day in our language) I really have had a good week though. I really want to get to Mongolia. It is really hard watching all these other missionaries just able to be in here for 3 or 6 weeks where they just pretty much get to leave straight off. I'm really excited to get there. I have really immersed myself in the scriptures this week. It has been an amazing experience. One of the spiritual things I have learned this week has really hit me the last several days. I just realized how merciful and wonderful Heavenly Father's plan is. It never really occurred to me just how much God wants us to be happy. I have just looked at the many chances Heavenly Father gives to all men so they can come and return to live with him. Even those who do not get to return to live with God in the Celestial kingdom still get to receive glory. They will all be happy in their own way. It just makes me realize how much our Heavenly Father truly loves all of us. He tried as hard as he could to get us all to be happy. Elder Jeffery R. Holland spoke this last Tuesday and it was the most amazing talk I have ever heard. One of the things that struck me that he said was when he said just how much Heavenly Father loves us. He said that we just needed to truly think about how much our earthly parents love us. He said that he would do anything for his children. And then he said that if that was the love of an earthly parent just how much more would our Heavenly Father who is perfect love all of us individually? The amount is something I could never comprehend. I sometimes get so happy thinking about Heavenly Father's plan of salvation that I could just yell. It is sooo cool. Alright, now to answer some questions. So meeting with the new district was fun. Elder Stranski and I really did well in telling them all the rules and stuff like that. It was cool because the second day they came down looking for advice on how they should deal with a Bible bashing investigator they had. Though we didn't have great advice they said the next lesson went really well. The new district had 11 missionaries and the next one coming in tomorrow has 8. So I get to do the orientation all over again. But it is fun because I get to know them and where they are from. So I have tried to get to know most of the elders in our zone and it is coming along pretty good. My schedule right now is pretty busy because I have to do some zone leader stuff but it is still pretty good. We usually have gym in the mornings (sometimes at 6:30) but it is good. Most of our class room and personal study is at night and that is pretty nice. The food is really good but I have been here long enough that it is all kind of the same. By the way Uncle Matt and Aunt Carla sent me a loaf of bread and a few other treats and it has been great. They do have a toaster in the cafeteria but i usually don't have time to go over there. The choir practices two times a week and we perform every Tuesday devotional. It is really a good experience. We have learned somethings about Mongolian culture but culture day isn't until a few more weeks. A few interesting things. When ever you bump someone else's foot you have to shake their hand and one of you says sorry and then the other says it is okay. The funny thing is that when you are walking down the street, if you do it, they will just stick out their hand from behind and not even look at you. Also they are a really loving people. They will give you food all the time but I heard that most of the missionaries drop 30 pounds in the first 6 months. They also really like to look at family pictures. Another thing they do is they are really open about others imperfections. You can really joke around with someone about any weird thing about their body and no one is offended. I can't wait to get there. So we did have a class for english teaching our first week and I have my certificate to go and be able to teach there. We are also supposed to read a huge textbook on teaching english. It is still pretty cool though. I really enjoy my companion, he is great and really helps me out. It has been an awesome time. Just yesterday we had a really powerful lesson with one of our investigators about the Book of Mormon. I love you all and I hope you are all doing well. PS send how many t-shirts you want and who they are for next week.

Elder Williams or Ахлагч Үйлямс

Dear Matt and Carla and Family,

Thank you so much for the package you gave me. I am especially grateful for the loaf of bread. It really made me happy and you all made my day. I love you and I am so grateful for the examples you have set for me. You really may not understand just how much you have helped me but believe me it was major. I love you all and thank you.

Dear Devin Rawle, thanks for sending me the Dear Elder. It made a hard day a lot easier. I have heard of missionaries looking for objects in the Narnia holes and I am trying to make a stash myself. Thanks for you be such a great example and I hope you have a great time.