"The Girls on the Bikes In Skirts"

Week #22

You know you're a real missionary when you're riding a bike!

Miles in a car this week: approximately 65. 

Miles on a bike this week: approximately 55. 

Tears this week: approximately 0.5. 

That's right I'm a real missionary now. We got cut on our car miles so we got bikes! Our first day we rode over 20 miles because we hadn't figured out the the shortest/most down-hill routes quite yet. We've figured it out now, but let's just say that we over doubled our miles that day.

I'm actually not sore at all. #blessingsofamission, but it is harder than I thought it would be. Those first couple of days were long. We get a lot more attention though and people recognize us as the girls on the bikes in skirts which is good. The bad thing is that we also get a lot of wolf whistles. But hey, recognition is recognition right? :) Riding in a skirt is a talent that I haven't quite mastered yet. I've only ripped one skirt so far though so that is good. 

It has been super hot this week and we've felt it all because we have been on bikes. I have the greatest tan lines to prove it. Shoes, watch, biking gloves, and CTR rings. They're pretty impressive let me tell you. 

Our apartment is also really hot so we are sleeping in the living room with 5 fans and 5 alarms set because the fans are so loud. We also had 4 Hermanas living in our itty bitty apartment for 5 days so that was fun. Super crowded, but now that they are gone we miss them. It was a party.

We have been working so hard every day. We are literally talking to everyone now that we are on bikes and we are cleaning up our area book. There are a lot of people that haven't lived in the address that we have for them for 4 years and we are finding out that some addresses don't even exist. We've contacted all our referrals as of yesterday and some of them we have had for months so that was good. Speaking of referrals, we received one from some other missionaries and he is awesome. He is 21 and so so humble and ready for the Gospel. We are super excited to help him develop a faith and relationship with Christ. 

Being a missionary is not what I thought it would be. I don't actually know what I thought, but it is different than any other experience that I have had. As I see and help others come closer to Christ, I am coming closer to Him myself. I love this Gospel and I love this work. I love what the first page in Preach My Gospel says. "Every missionary has an important role in helping to 'bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man'". Change that to "every member" and I love it even more. We all have a role in this great work. I hope you all can realize and seek to fulfill your role in this great work. 

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson 

Riding bikes while in a skirt takes talent. She's a "real missionary" now!

At Sister Gale's for dinner

Pokemon - Go . . . To the Temple!

Week #21

You know you're a sister missionary when you call the Elders instead of the Cops.

This week has been a little crazy (I know, I say that every week) We had our last Pday in Les Schwab getting our flat fixed and this week we did our weekly planning in Ford, so it hasn't been the most normal week, but it was a fun one. We like to say that we started our companionship "sprinting and falling". We're getting good at picking each other back up, but we haven't had a normal day quite yet.

My Spanishing is going well. I talked the almost the whole time in our missionary correlation meeting where we tell our Branch Mission Leader about the people we are teaching. There was one time where I turned to Hermana Brower and said "well...companion?" and she took over. I'm getting there though.

So the whole calling the Elders instead of the Cops thing. Hermana Brower and I were parked in the church parking lot using the Internet to sync our iPads and I heard some weird beeping. I honestly thought someone was just playing Pokemon-Go (more on that later), but we looked up and there was an old man with a metal detector digging holes in the church grass. We're always told if we have an issue to first call our district leader and then make our way up the line of authority right? I'm not sure where the cops come into the line of authority :) but we just called the Elders and they came and talked to him. And got his address. And set up a teaching appointment. #missionarylife

Speaking of setting up teaching appointments (and Pokemon-Go), there is a "gym" at our church building so we always have random people at our church building playing and we're missionaries so of course we talk to them. There was one guy on his hover board playing in the parking lot so the Elders actually started talking to him, but then they had to go so we stayed. We ended up setting up an appointment for the Elders and learning a little about Pokemon-Go :) ALSO there is a "gym" at the Portland Temple so people are going there too! #mysteriousways Heavenly Father is in control :) The visitor center was packed!

Best part of the week though *drumroll please* We went to the Temple with our investigators/recent converts! It was amazing! The Spirit that you can feel at the Temple is different. I turned to our investigator and asked her if she felt it and she said "yes, it's so much stronger here". Also she told her brother that she is excited to be baptized! The Temple is powerful. It is the most sacred place you can be in this life and the blessings of the Temple are my favorite. I'm growing to appreciate them more and more. The fact that I know that my family can be together in the eternities brings so much peace. I wouldn't trade that knowledge for anything and helping others find that truth and receive those blessings is the best job ever. I am so blessed to be called as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Go to the Temple. Just sit on the grounds. Humbly ask to feel your Heavenly Father's love for you personally and I promise that you will feel it.

I hope you all are being safe while playing Pokemon-Go :)

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

The most sacred place you can be

First time temple trip for a new member/investigator family

Temple Trip Traveling

Forest Grove Zone

The Exceeding Joy That the Gospel Brings

Week #20

You know you are lucky sister missionaries when you have Elders as neighbors who will come and change a flat tire.

I have a companion! Who speaks Spanish! No more trio life for me. Hermana Brower is from Arizona. She actually came out with my trainer so she will be going home in 2 transfers. Maybe I'll send her home too :) This week has been good. Last Pday was crazy crazy busy, but we made it to transfers on Tuesday. We had pretty much already guessed who my new companion was going to be.

Investigators are progressing! We have been teaching the daughter of one of our recent converts, but she wasn't progressing very well. She would switch off going to different churches. I felt like she was more examining our lessons than actually listening to learn. BUT this week was different. We went by to visit her and she actually cancelled our appointment, but we started talking about what she likes to do and we found out that she wants to learn piano. So we are teaching piano! (#service) We set up lessons for piano with her and then we teach her a lesson after. So that gets her to the church and this last lesson we had with her was amazing. 

The Spirit was so strong. She really felt it and she asked sincere questions, not examining ones. She asked us how we know. How we know that the Church of Jesus Christ has been restored. I realized that my answer is actually quite simple. Because I am happy. There is a happiness that you can only find through Christ and His Truth. One of my favorite scriptures is Alma 36:24. It is Alma telling his conversion story. He says that since his conversion he has labored without ceasing, so that he "might bring [others] to taste of the exceeding JOY". That's what this Gospel brings. Joy. I know because I am happy.

Joy also comes from serving others. This weekend we painted another investigator's house. And the girl we have been teaching came! It was really cool. And then she came to church! I'm so happy! We already have two more lessons set up with her. Hopefully she will be getting baptized in September.

So we are teaching three people piano; which is awesome. We teach them at the church and then we talk about the Gospel. It's such a good teaching/finding tool. Also music is life. And church is life. So church music is life squared.

So funny moment this week. We went to find a referral and we knocked on the door. We could tell that someone was trying to open the door, but couldn't for some reason. Then we saw a little boy trying to open the front window to talk to us. . . and then the other windows in the house. . . and then the door again. He literally spent a good 5 minutes trying. We were dying laughing. He finally came out of the garage and said "Are you from the church?" His family was waiting for us to come. It was super cute. We get to teach his family this week.

This week has been busy, but I feel like I say that every week. We are both super tired so it is nap day.

I hope you all are able to feel the exceeding joy that the Gospel brings!

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

Hermanas Dickson and Brower eating Hawaiian Snow (thank you Sister Merrill for the photo!)

Elders who change flat tires

"Sight and Sound" Fourth Month and Third Trio

Week #19

You know you're Hermana Dickson when you are placed in a trio companionship again.

Third trio in my mission and I've only been out for 4 months. Forever destined to be in a trio. I have been with Sister Drollinger and Sister Bell this week. It's been super awesome. We have been in their area most of the time, but we did get some Spanishing in there too.

So I know that I told y'all that last week was stressful, but in comparison with this week, last week was a breeze. My beautiful, wonderful, amazing trainer (love you Hna Coca) went home to get un-sick, so last Monday all of the sister missionaries in our zone came over to our apartment and helped us pack. That means that there were eight girls in our itty bitty apartment! It was a little crazy. That's why no one got letters and I only wrote like one itty bitty email.

President Tateoka came and visited us and said "Well now we've got to figure out where you are going Hermana Dickson" and I said "well the Forest Grove 2nd sisters have room". So that's how I ended up where I'm at. We gave our appointments to the Spanish Elders for the week and I was thinking that I would just be speaking English until transfers, but a couple days in I was called to repentance. I'm still set apart for my area. We had a few lessons this week and doorstep conversations and because I'm the only one who speaks even a little Spanish, I got lots of practice speaking and teaching. Wooh! We still have language study and Sister Drollinger is loving it. I think I've heard "si" more times this week than my whole mission.

There is a new Senior Missionary Couple in the Spanish Branch which is awesome. They are Elder and Hermana Burke. They are from Michigan and they both served missions in Spanish. They are a hoot. I met them on Saturday at District meeting and I went to church twice yesterday, once with my companions, and once with the Spanish Branch so I saw them then too.

We did something called a Restoration Tour yesterday. It is pretty much teaching about the Restoration in the church. It's super powerful. While we were setting up Sister Bell and I were trying to close the folding dividers between the chapel and the gym and we were on opposite sides obviously. We closed it and then we both said "wait, sight and sound!"(because as companions we are supposed to always be in sight and hearing of each other) so we both ran towards the doors to meet each other. You know the part in  the movie Freaky Friday when they run straight at each other and slam together? Yeah... We both rounded the corner and let's just say that we both have some new bruises. Fun fun :)

We have transfers tomorrow and Sister Bell is getting transferred. I will be getting a new companion tomorrow as well and will be back in my area full time.

I hope you are having a wonderful summer! I forget that it is summer because I don't have a summer vacation.

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

Build Upon the Rock

Hermana Dickson, Sister Drollinger, Sister Bell (the 3rd Trio)

Our favorite missionary

"4 Months Baby!"

Beautiful spacious skies and amber waves of grain

"Christ Knows Me"

Week #17

You know you're doing something right as a missionary when your prayers are answered.

I've been praying for a lot of things, people, blessings. This has been the hardest week so far. I know I'm only a few months in, but I will be surprised if I have one worse than this. BUT there are blessings in everything right?

This week has been super long. I looked at the calendar last night and was really surprised that we had interviews with our new President just this week. It feels like so long ago. We each met him and got to talk to him for awhile. I asked him if he had everyone's name memorized yet and he laughed and didn't respond :) He's doing great though. I can tell that he is close to the spirit and that he holds the priesthood keys to preside over this mission. I feel like he knows me already, but I realized that I feel that way because he is Christ's servant and Christ knows me.

Christ knows me. He does. If I didn't already have a testimony of the power of the Atonement, I do now. Yes, he suffered for our sins so that we may be clean, so that we can return to live with our Heavenly Father again. What I've learned this week, what I've realized and felt this week, is that he suffered for the sicknesses, the infirmities, the pain, and the anger. Every disappointment, every frustration. He suffered all. When you think no one understands, there is always one person who does. Physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. I already knew that, but this week I have seen others experience it and have experienced it myself.

I went on exchanges this week and every lesson was about prayer. I think I've prayed harder this past week than ever before in my life, no exaggeration. And prayers have been answered. I've been praying my whole mission for help with controlling my emotions (if you really know me you know that I have zero control over my tear ducts) and this week amazingly I have been able to not cry about everything that has been happening :) it's a miracle! Really though. I've felt the Spirit so much this week. I have felt it guide me and help me know what should happen. I have felt comfort and I have felt the confirmation that everything is happening according to God's plan.

We met some miracle people this weekend. Every missionary dreams of getting a call from someone who wants to come to church. We didn't get a call, but we got a text. We were a little weirded out at first because he wanted to meet with us in the evening at the church. We couldn't find a male member to come with us so we brought the Elders with us. He is so humble, so ready. He is already a member, but he hasn't been (to church) for years. His faith is so strong and we are so blessed to have met him. Earlier that day he saw the English Sister missionaries
and they waved to him. He took that as a sign to contact us. Sister Bell (the sister who waved) had no idea her impact on him. A wave brought a man back to church.

Honestly, I can't think of what else to share this week. I just want to let you all know that I have such a strong testimony of the little things. Prayer, scripture reading, and going to church are so important.

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

At All Times, In All things, & In All Places

Week #16

You know you are a missionary when you walk up to a house and a little girl says "They're back again Dad".

"Hola, Como esta? Soy Hermana Coca, mucho gusto. . . Dickson . . . Soy Hermana Dickson" Yeah that's how my week has been. (Tired enough that she introduces herself with the wrong name)

Actually this week hasn't been too horrible. The three people who were on date to be baptized in July aren't on date anymore. Can I just say that I hate "drop" lessons. I just want to cry every time. They are the worst.

We were teaching a recent convert's family this week and they have had really bad experiences with members of our church so they weren't interested, but they said we had good vibes. #notvibes #elespiritusanto.

They accepted a Book of Mormon and I really believe they will read it. It just made me think about how as a missionary I literally have Jesus Christ's name on my chest, but all members (of the church) are representing Him at all times. What we do can influence those around us for good or for bad. They could be interested in learning more or completely put off because of a bad experience. As members we need to be examples at all time, in all things, and in all places. We never know who is watching. I guess I am learning better how to be a member while being a missionary.

We did some service this week for one of our investigators. She is getting ready to sell her house so she had to power wash it. We asked if we could spray down our car at the same time. We regretted it. She has a high standard of clean so we were out there for a long time, but our car was sparkly clean (well and then it rained so it's not so clean anymore). We get to go back to help her paint this week. I'm so excited. She is so wonderful. She's this cute little old lady named Margarita and we teach her every week. This week we talked to her about President Monson. She saw a picture of him and said that she could tell that he was a prophet because he has an honest face. I love our Prophet!

We met our new mission president this week. He is President Tateoka. He and his wife are super sweet and I'm so excited to get to know them. We have interviews with him tomorrow. Also he sings. :)

So sorry if my email seems jumbled. I am running on very little sleep because two nights ago our downstairs neighbors decided to have a party until 5 a.m. Why do I know that? Because the last time I looked at my clock before finally falling asleep was after 4:30 so that's cool. I still haven't caught up on my sleep.

Speaking of tired, my companion fell asleep three times this morning in personal study. Seriously, I feel like our biggest trial on our missions are the limits of our bodies. Our spirits are like "Let's go! Woot! Lessons! People! OYM!" And our bodies are like "I don't feel like moving more than a finger today, maybe I'll get sick again" It's not fun. Both of us have been constantly sick while we've been companions, but I'm learning early in my mission that you still go out and you still do your best every day.

I finished the Book of Mormon this week. I've read it multiple times before, but this time was different. I've been reading and studying it everyday. Not just for my benefit and learning, but for the benefit of others. It's happened so often that I am able to share what I learned in my studies with investigators that day. I've seen the power of the Book of Mormon change the hearts of people and I've felt it change mine. I know that it is true and I know that every person can know of its truth by doing what Moroni invites; to read and ponder and then to ask God, in Christ's name of its truthfulness. The Book of Mormon is a story of family. It is a witness of Christ. It is the proof that Christ's church has been restored on the earth and that we have a living prophet today. I wish that everyone could look through Margarita's eyes and see that Thomas S. Monson is an honest man. A prophet of God.

I hope you are all doing well and growing your testimonies each day. :)

I love you all,

Hermana Coca . . . Dickson, Hermana Dickson

Happy 4th of July!

Week #15

You know you're a missionary when you have to be inside all day on the 4th of July. #alldaypday (Does this mean no fireworks for missionaries?)

I don't really have any time today to email, but a few quick updates. We met a lady this week and it didn't seem like she was interested at all, but she called us back over after we had walked away and she said "I dreamed this last night. I've been thinking about it all day". How crazy! What if we hadn't talked to her? Being able to answer someone's prayer is amazing, but being the answer to someone's dream is pretty cool too.

I got bitten by a German Shepard this week. Don't worry, she was only a year old so I didn't die (don't freak out and call the Mission Office Mom. I am fine).

Hmm. What else? We have found a lot of people for the English missionaries to teach. We have one investigator who speaks English and Spanish and halfway through the lessons she told us that she would rather attend an English ward. So we had to hand her over to other missionaries. It's really hard. I really didn't want to. BUT I have been called Spanish speaking so I am supposed to teach in Spanish.

Today has been crazy. Sorry for the short email.

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson