Dear Mom and Dad and Family,

So this week has been a really good week. My language has finally come to the point I feel confident even though I know that when I get to Mongolia that I will totally not understand a word. So, our VISA's have been delayed but we got some good news. First, all of us have our sponsers for teaching so that means that there is a company in Mongolia that has my name on it to teach English at. Another good thing is that we were told that our VISA's will probably get here this week our possibly the beginning of next week. Another good thing is that the travel office said that all of our VISA's would be processed so that is great news. I will get to Mongolia and they can't keep me out of there forever. So my feet are healing and I can feel that prayers for them. I think that through the Lord I can get rid of them so they will not mess with the work in Mongolia. Who knows, maybe they will all freeze off in Mongolia. I am getting really antsy being here because I want to go and teach especially that I'm very confident in the language. I'm so jealous of Jake Berry. That would be such a wonderful mission to go to. Speaking of Argentina all of the Spanish I've learned in the last year or two has completely gone down hill. I understand everyone's Spanish just great but every time I try to respond Mongolian comes out or at least Mongolian grammar structure. I'll end up saying really weird stuff so I've pretty much given up on even trying to respond to anyone in Spanish. But this at least shows that I'm more confident in Mongolian which I'm still not even that confident about at all. But I have been using it more. I've officially decided that I love going to the temple. It is really fun and even if I don't learn anything specific I really enjoy just the absolute peace I get every time I go. By the way the Provo tabernacle temple is so cooool. that was the last thing I expected when he started talking about it. That will be really neat. I've been praying for Mom everyday and I hope you can feel my prayers. I've also been praying for our whole family. I so amazed at the example you have set especially when I'm not even there to see it. I really amazed at how much tighter the family has pulled together with all of this. So yesterday I went on splits in the district for TRC. It was really great because I had a companion who wasn't quite as good as me and so it forced me to experiment a lot more. In the end it ended up being the best lesson I've taught. I just hope and pray that the Holy Ghost is using as a tool in his hand so I can help all of those I teach. By the way, the video with Elder Holland was great but not quite accurate. There is not actually 1 in 10 people that are members of the church in Ulaanbaatar. It is actually more like 1 in every 150 people so we have our work cut out for us. IT is really weird teaching Mongolians about the gospel because they have absolutely no background knowledge of Christ. We are teaching absolute simple lessons. At first I thought this was weird but in the long run I read out of I think it is 2 Nephi 31 (I just wanted to interject here because it was really cool. The n sound in mongolian is with an H not an N and I started typing Nephi with and H at first. I'm mixing up my languages) It says that he glories in plainness because then no one can misunderstand. Well, I love you all and I'm praying for all of you.

Love Elder Williams

PS. I got your package and I'm glad you sent it to me. I'm also sending a second package home with the t shirts today. It will also have my camera card and the little girls letters and a letter to grandma Williams. Thank you for the letter Grandma! I really needed it that day.

Dear Mark and Tara and Maddie,

Thank you for the birthday card. It made my day!!! And very good on picking up some Mongolian.

Dear Mom and Dad,

So this week has been really good. I really enjoyed General Conference this week. We would watch every one in the huge meeting room. It was really cool especially because I paid attention the whole time. I never have taken so much away from General Conference in my life. I actually had about a full 18 pages of notes on it. It was really amazing and I felt the spirit the whole time. I also felt like many of the talks were directed at me. Obviously I didn't really try and apply how to raise a daughter to my life but I still took a lot of notes for the future. My language is coming along but I still just don't feel confident at all. It is going to be a huge wake up call in Mongolia. I heard that BYU won and was pretty happy about that. So I did get the shirts for all you guys but I think the cheapest way to send it will be to send it to Kristalyn, and when she comes down she can give it to you.
So really this week has been good. I can tell things are a little stressful at home right now. So I will elaborate a little more on my feet. So first, I went to the health clinic thinking that they would just have a doctor there to burn them off. But, they don't have a doctor there that will do that so I was then set up with a doctor off campus. As the lady called him they said they could get me in right then. So, I got a shuttle pass and me and my companion went on a little ride down to University Avenue. It was so weird actually being in the real world. I realized that out in Provo I had no purpose what so ever. It was weird also to ride in a vehicle when I haven't been in one for like 2 months. Well, then I went into the doctors office. I went in there and they said I was covered by Missionary Medical. Well, then they took me into the room. When the doctor saw my warts he said I should have been there a month ago so he could have started the process. Oh well. He then took a little thing that used air pressure to shoot medicine underneath the skin. He pretty much said that burning warts off usually doesn't work that well and that for now on I should go to a specialist for it because general doctors don't know this. So, after all this he said that I was to come back in two weeks. Well, he said that I would probably have some warts in mongolia and that he would do all he could to get them down. That is why I need that prayers and I am thankful for them. I had my companion give me a blessing so they would heal faster. I just need to have faith that the lord will heal me. So that was my experience this week. It was really weird. This week one of the elders in our district really sprained his ankle bad. At first we thought it was a break but through the lord's mercy nothing more than a sprain. I just really want to get to Mongolia right now. The MTC does begin to get a little repetitive. Well I'm praying for all of you because I know that it must be pretty hard. Everyone is having their own trials right now it seems. Hey we also had an awesome fireside speaker this week. We had Chad Lewis come and talk to us. It was really cool and he had a lot of really great stuff to say. Well thank you for all your prayer's. They have really helped me. I love you all and Mom, you don't need to send me any wart stuff. I really appreciate the examples that all of you have set for me. I don't know how I could be here if it wasn't for all of you. I just soooo excited to get to Mongolia. Well good luck and know that I'm praying for you all. I love you all.

Love Elder Williams/ Richie

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.