Leading the charge
Houston’s new mission leaders settle into LDS community
Matthew and Debby Richards weren’t sure exactly what to expect when Elder D. Todd Christofferson called them into his offices at the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Salt Lake City.
“We did not know the purpose of the interview,” Matthew recalled. “We did not solicit it. He asked us about our family, health and our professional situation.”
Then the couple was invited back for another interview, this time with church President Russell Nelson, who asked the Richardses to become mission leaders.
“He did not tell us where we would be assigned to serve at that time,” Matthew said. “There are about 400 missions in the world, and he said we could be assigned anywhere.”
At the time, Matthew had a busy practice as an attorney, and Debby was preparing to re-enter the workforce after raising their five children, now ages 10 to 22.
If they accepted, the couple would have to move across the country and make a three-year commitment to the completely volunteer position.
Still, Debby explained, regardless of what the Richardses were doing in their regular lives, they always had roles in the church, whether teaching Sunday school or serving as bishop.
“We’ve always had callings,” she said. “And we’ve always said yes when we’re asked to do anything.”
“We accepted the invitation because we made the decision a long time ago to serve God in any way we could,” Matthew said.
Last December, the Richardses learned their assignment was to head the Texas Houston South Mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
“It was like a beautiful Christmas gift,” Matthew said. “We opened the letter together with our family and were so excited to have been assigned to Houston.”
Matthew would become mission president with Debby, his co-leader, serving an area from downtown Houston to Galveston, Victoria, Port Lavaca and Sealy.
“We were delighted, nervous, scared,” Matthew added. “We felt like it’s a big responsibility and realized it would be a huge sacrifice for our family, but we were willing.”
Moving to Sugar Land
When the Richardses moved to Sugar Land in June and unpacked their boxes at the residence provided by the church, it felt like embarking on an adventure to parts unknown.
“We didn’t come down to check it out,” Debby recalled. “We just started to serve. We moved in, and the next day, we were working with our missionaries.”
Their 16-year-old son and 10-year-old daughter began attending local schools.
The Richardses, who have been married for 25 years, now enjoy working together each day in Houston.
“We have a chance to serve together,” Matthew said. “It’s so amazing to have my wife and best friend as a partner.”
The couple met while attending Brigham Young University.
Both had already gone on their own missions, and their experiences were transformational.
Debby was 21 when she headed to Amsterdam, working primarily with refugees from Africa and Eastern Europe.
“I didn’t just watch this on the news,” she said. “I was in their homes, learning, living, teaching and building each other up.”
In the meantime, Matthew, at 19, went on a mission in the Dominican Republic. He spent time painting walls and cleaning, helping families with everyday tasks such as scrubbing laundry on wash boards with lye soap.
“We were there to help with whatever they needed,” Matthew said.
“We had lot of periods without electricity,” he said. “We used rainwater to shower.”
The experience, however, strengthened his faith.
“It’s a time when you come to understand your beliefs,” he said. “There is something about seeing it applied. You see someone struggling, and you become an agent for God. You see how you can make an impact.”
Missionaries cannot take away the problems in other locales or remove struggles from families, Matthew explained. Instead, it’s about using faith to arm individuals to take on their challenges. And, as a missionary, Matthew said, that positive effect unrolls in front of your eyes.
“You get a front-row seat,” he said.
A front-row seat
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints maintains more than 400 mission locations across the globe, including eight in Texas and three in Houston.
More than 53,000 missionaries serve around the globe. In the Richardses’ mission, there are about 200 students, mostly between the ages of 18 and 24.
“Some come with a year of college under their belts, and some come straight from high school,” Debby said.
She said that about 30 percent of the missionaries are women, which are addressed as “Sister.” Male missionaries are called “Elder.” They work with a companion of the same gender. Sisters serve for about 18 months, and elders for two years.
Students do not know where they will be placed. They receive an assignment from the church headquarters and take off. They fund themselves and are not paid for service.
Debby said that their days start at 6:30 a.m. with personal study and exercise. By 9 a.m., they head out and start their work.
The day is dedicated to proselytizing, which includes visiting those who have made requests online or by calling the local office. The missionaries also speak to people they meet around town.
“They’re all doing their best to bring others the Gospel,” Debby said.
They also have service projects, working with food banks, community gardens, nursing homes and interfaith projects.
By 9 p.m., the missionaries return home.
“And they tuck themselves into bed by 10:30 p.m.,” Debby said.
During their assignments, missionaries avoid entertainment and parties, using free time instead to focus on the task at hand.
“There’s no dating, no videogaming,” Matthew said. “They carry a phone, but it’s only used to help with their mission assignments.”
Mainly, the missionaries learn about other walks of life — and ultimately to love them all, to see them all as God’s children.
“You learn to see people as God sees them, to be more charitable, to serve your neighbor,” she said. “You get a little glimpse of the Heavenly Father.”
A need for the Gospel
Paxton Hansen was serving as a missionary in Houston when the Richardses arrived. He was assigned to the area about 15 months ago. Before, he was on missions in Brazil and his hometown of Detroit. Now, he works closely with the couple to administer the mission.
“I was the one who basically welcomed them,” Hansen recalled. “I was their landing point, and they hit the ground running. Both are very hardworking, and they care a lot about their work.”
Only a couple of months have passed since the couple arrived. Already, Hansen says, there has been a blessing.
“We are lucky to have them,” he said. “They’ve become like my parents away from home.”
Hansen explained that Matthew has a unique skill set from his legal work that makes him especially keen in administration and ministry.
“It’s kind of second nature to President Richards,” Hansen said.
Obstacles arise in the mission — but that never puts a damper on the Richardses’ spirit, he added.
“Even in times of stress, they are happy,” Hansen said. “They do a wonderful job of uplifting, and they lead by example.”
During COVID-19, containing the spread of the virus is a top priority, as is keeping the missionaries healthy, Debby said. At the same time, the Richardses want to help others feel connected, especially after such a long period of social isolation.
“A lot of people are feeling very disconnected from each other and feeling lonely,” Matthew said. “We want to help them connect to each other — and connect to God.”
In fact, the couple considers their work especially urgent because of the pandemic.
“People really need the Gospel right now,” Debby said. “People need answers. They’re praying and looking for help.”
They are processing grief and loss, she added.
“They’re looking for peace,” Debby said. “Our missionaries can come in and offer some hope.”