I was transferred to Lleida (Catalan) or in Spanish, Lerida in the beginning of June 2000 and stayed there through November.
In Lledia we did a lot of street contacting using "dibujos". We would get a large sheet of paper and draw out the first discussion on it on the sidewalk in the city where many people would pass by and see it and we would use our drawing to teach them the first missionary discussion.
Our hard work and creativeness led to the baptism of Beatriz Koppenhagen who stopped to talk to the missionaries one day on the street, shortly before I arrived in the area. My companion, Elder Parker and I had the privilege of teaching Beatriz the discussions. Beatriz was from Brazil. She had a great love for Jesus Christ and I loved to hear her sing, "Asombro me da el amor que me da Jesus!" (I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me).
Beatriz took us to meet her sister, Susana. We were also able to teach Susana the discussions and I had the privilege of baptizing her. Susana overcame great obstacles to prepare for her baptism. However through faith in Jesus Christ and repentance, she was able to accept the covenant of baptism, promising to always remember Jesus Christ and keep his commandments. God promised that her sins would be forgiven and she would have the Holy Ghost to guide her if she would keep her covenant.
Leonardo was first introduced to the missionaries through playing soccer with them. His cousin, Richard was already a member of the church, preparing to serve a mission. When we first began trying to teach Leonardo, he wouldn't answer the phone when we called and avoided talking to us. Then Richard began reading the Book of Mormon with Leonardo. A change occurred inside Leonardo and he began to desire to learn more about Jesus Christ and His gospel. Leonardo began coming to church on Sunday (not just to play soccer on Saturday) and then began listening to us teach him the gospel. Shortly after he was baptized by his cousin.
Isaac Arthur began listening to the missionaries after he saw his friend Richard (not Leonardo's cousin) talking with the missionaries on the street one day. Elder Parker and I began teaching Isaac, then Elder Parker was transferred and Elder Nielson became my companion. Shortly after I had the honor of baptizing Isaac. When he spoke after his baptism, Isaac asked us all to clap for Jesus. He was very enthusiastic about the gospel and sharing it with others.
In Lledia, I tried my first banku, an African dish. Banku is a thick potato dough which you take a piece of and make a ball. Then with your fingers you dip the ball in a soup with meat and vegetables (my first one had goat meat), stick the ball in your mouth and swallow it. It took me a while to develop the technique of eating banku, so I went hungry the first time we had it, but by the end of my mission, I could eat banku with the best of them.
Here is Elder Parker and I with Paco, a member who brought us some tasty fruit and came with us to several of our teaching appointments.
I made my first paella in Lleida, here are Elders Furse, Higley, and Parker anxiously awaiting to eat it.
One of the great blessings of my mission was serving with the two best mission presidents, each for about a year. President Mask was President from the time I entered the field until the day after my birthday, June 26, 2000. He called me to wish me a happy birthday and have "un coro de angeles" sing to me. I asked him if he wasn't pretty busy getting ready to leave. He told me, "Nothing to important to not call and sing Happy Birthday to Elder Richards." He taught me you gotta believe, be a glad missionary, do what the great missionaries do to be a great missionary, and say "Ve te detras Satanas, voy a servir el Senor." I love President and Sister Mask.
President Bowen was the mission president throughout the last year of my mission. President Bowen taught us the gospel clearly using PowerPoint presentations. He taught us the 5 ordinances we are required to receive in this life: baptism, confirmation, priesthood (sisters receive it by marriage), endowment and sealing. He taught us how to manage our time, obey with exactness, and how to be model missionaries. I love President and Sister Bowen.
This picture is with President and Sister Bowen and Elder and Sister Hillam of the seventy. Elder Hillam came and taught us about fleas and elephants. He read Ether 12:12 and asked if we really believed God could do no miracle. Then taught us that God must obey laws and our faith allows God to do miracles. He told us that if fleas are put in a cup with a lid, they will fly up to escape and hit their heads on the lid, and you can hear them tapping the lid. Then after a while the tapping stops. The fleas learn that it hurts to fly that high, and they don't try it anymore. You can remove the lid and the fleas will stay inside the cup because they have learned that they cannot escape. Elephants do the same thing. Yeah, I'd like to see you put an elephant in a cup too. Actually, if you tie them to a stake when they are young and do not have the strength to pull it out of the ground, they will tug on it and learn how far they can go without hurting themselves, and then when they are bigger and stronger, they will not push their limits anymore.
Elder Hillam told us that too often when missionaries are called to serve in European missions they are told they won't baptize on their mission. Too often the missionaries listen and begin to believe that they won't baptize. They come out on the mission and work hard, push their limits, and aren't immediately rewarded with success. They remember the voices of the past and think, "I can't do this." Elder Hillam encouraged us to have faith that God could do miracles. God can do miracles. I saw them on my mission.
October 30 I ran a 5K with my buddy, Jeff. I ran it in 26:10. I think that's my best race time yet.
On Columbus Day, Brittney and I went down to the Garden of the Gods in southern Illinois and hiked 7 miles with our friends Denise, Becca and Spencer. Those of you who have been to the Garden of the Gods may be wondering why we hiked 7 miles when you can drive right up to the beautiful scenic overlook...yeah, so am I. I guess that is what happens when you are married to someone who is young and ambitious and has young and ambitious friends :) 
Here we are near the beginning of the trail.
Along the way we found respite in an old fashioned horse town.
Brittney thought she was going to die. (You may be wondering who else besides Brittney would lay down in a cemetary, the answer is her dad. Every year when they go to the cemetary on Memorial Day, he lays down on his plot to try it out.)
Brittney quickly revived when she heard there was gold diggin to be done.
Finally we arrived at the Garden of the Gods.
We felt like we were on top of the world.
It was a beautiful view with amazing rock formations that pictures can't do justice.
Brittney's basketball team scheduled an Orange and Blue game on her birthday. Brittney and the head coach, Jeremy Richards (distant cousin whose ancestors didn't go out west with the Saints), divided their players into two teams with Brittney coaching one team and Jeremy the other. I thought it was a great opportunity to invite our friends to come watch her coach and see her school. I secretly sent out invitations to many of our friends and arranged for our cake decorating friend to make a cake to surprise Brittney with at the game. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people responded and said they would come, 19! I lay awake at night dreaming of Brittney's surprise when so many of her friends walked into the game. She would really wonder what was going on. It was so exciting!
