The Salem Missionary Triumphs : Service Softens Hearts

Week# 27

You know you're a missionary who loves your (branch) members when you spend your whole pday setting up for a Branch activity.

That's what I've been doing today. We are super excited for it tonight. We have a potluck (because LDS parties require food. . . especially Hispanic ones) and then we are doing an iron rod activity. Elder and Hermana Burke made a tree of life for us and we made the obstacle course. You know that one activity at they always do at youth activities with a blindfold and a string representing the iron rod? Yeah that's what we are doing. We are super excited. The primary kids are also singing at the activity which will be great and will get all of the families there.

This morning we got up at the bright 5 a.m. (actually it's not very bright out here in Oregon until after 8:30 or 9 at this time of year) and we went to Seminary! It was my first time at early morning seminary and I loved it. We brought our recent convert Lourdes with us. She's not totally on board with it quite yet and it's hard because she is the one and only Laurel in the branch so she doesn't know anyone. She is making friends with the English wards slowly, but surely.

We also got her to mutual with one of the English wards this last week. Speaking of, Hermana Brower and I decided to join in on the fun to get Lourdes excited and we were running across the church grass for a game. I biffed it. Hard. In a skirt. 🤕 At least I was wearing my biking shorts right? I should probably call the mission office and order a name tag at says Hermana Murphy at this point.

We had a lot of opportunities to do service this week. We went and painted Margarita's kitchen with some Elders and Elder and Hermana Burke (the senior couple missionaries in the branch). It was really fun. I fell into the wall a couple of times and Margarita got paint in Hermana Brower's hair, but at least the house looks good right? Right after that service we went over and helped someone else move and then the next morning we did a Branch service project. I love doing service. It's amazing how it softens people's hearts to the Gospel.

This week was hard in some ways. We found a really awesome new investigator and she really loved the first lesson. A lot of times people tell us we are wrong or are really skeptical in the first few lessons, but with her, whenever we brought up something new to her, she would say "I didn't know that". She was so open and so excited. BUT unfortunately she was given some anti materials and won't meet with us anymore. It makes me really sad.

We also have run into some interesting situations which have made us have to be really creative with our lessons. It's fun to try something new right?

I'm going to take a nap today. It's been too long.

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson