I Love To See the Temple

Week #13

You know you are a lucky missionary when you get to Skype on Father's Day!

I got to Skype yesterday instead of Mother's Day because I wanted to wait a little longer (after arriving in the mission) so I got to talk to my family yesterday. We are definitely blessed to have the technology that we do. It was so nice to see their faces. I hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day and told your dads how much you love them. The time on Skype went so fast! It felt like 15 minutes! But it was good :)

This week we were blessed to be able to serve in the Portland Temple Visitor Center! It's not in our mission, but the Portland Oregon Mission was having a mission conference so they chose four companionships to go and serve and we were chosen. It was so special. I've really missed the temple and even though I didn't actually get to go inside, just being on the temple grounds is amazing. Temple grounds are the most sacred places on the earth. How special is that? While in the Visitor Center I was able to talk to a lot of younger people. We got to talked about the blessings of the temple work that they do. Talking to non-members was my favorite though. They recognized the special spirit that was there and Hermana Coca invited one of them to be baptized and they said
"yes" after only being there for a half hour! It was so amazing!

Speaking of people saying "yes" to baptismal dates, we invited one of our investigators to be baptized and she said yes (so we have 3 investigators on date for July) and then her mom who we had just met pretty much asked us to invite her as well. She said yes before we even finished asking the question. She lives outside of our mission
boundaries so we got to call some sister missionaries in the Portland mission and tell them that we had a referral for them and that she was already on date! That doesn't happen. To quote my companion, "They must have been praying for a miracle".

This week our Branch had a Father's Day activity and they didn't have anything planned except the food so we ran to the store and got games for Minute to Win it. You know the one  with the empty tissue box with ping pong balls tied around your waist and you have to shake them out? So imagine a bunch of Hispanic dads doing it. It was so funny! And of course I got it on video :)

Not super long today, sorry. I hope you are all doing well

I love you all,
Hermana Dickson






Father's Day Skype family photo!

Portland Oregon Temple "It is SO beautiful! Pictures don't do it justice."

Serving in the Portland Oregon Temple Visitor's Center

Temple constructed with marble and slate from VERMONT! How neat is that?!

Hermana Dickson and Hermana Coca

Opposition in All Things, Esta Bien

Week #12

You know you're a missionary when you're tired all of the time. Really though. I get way more sleep than I did in the MTC, but it's never enough.

So much has happened this week, but all good things :) well mostly. Opposition in all things. 

The area that I am in right now is growing so quickly. The branch has had 9 baptisms in 3 months and we have 2 more investigators on date for July! It's so amazing to see the change in peoples countenances as they accept the Gospel and grow in their relationships with their Heavenly Father. One of the new converts bore her testimony in church yesterday. It was amazing. She talked about how at first she didn't want anything to do with the missionaries, but she began to read the Book of Mormon every day and praying every day and she wanted to know more. It's so amazing to see her journey and to hear her testimony. She came with us to a couple lessons this week and she was like "there is no excuse, there is always time to read and pray." And "well do you know this is true or not?" Everything we want to say, but we can't because we have to be nice :) Not that she isn't nice, she's just very bold. And it's great. We love her.

We pray every day to be lead to those that are prepared and we are definitely being guided. Yesterday we found someone who said that she is looking for a church that teaches what Christ taught when he lived and that she has been praying for guidance. She said that everything we were saying made so much sense and answered so many of her questions. I love this work.

Not all of the days are easy. Actually none of them are, but like I said, opposition in all things :) Saturday we had a baptism and I'm finding out that those days are the most hectic and stressful. We were making the program and all of the members that were suppose to be coming and were supposed to talk, pray, pick up investigators told us that they either weren't coming for sure or they would see if they could come, so the program had our names on it a lot... We had to do it at a different chapel because there was a different one happening at our building and we went over to start filling up the font, but couldn't find the controls. We finally did, but 30 minutes after turning it on, we realized that we never put the plug in so it was just draining. These fonts usually can take up to a couple of hours to fill and we had 45 minutes until the baptism was suppose to start. We literally prayed that everyone would be late. And they were. Our investigator forgot a towel and a change of clothes and our presiding priesthood holder didn't show up until 45 minutes after we were suppose to start so we improvised with videos (we're getting really good at that). I played piano, Hna Coca lead the music, she said the prayer, we sang a musical number (which we did not practice. I just started singing alto when it sounded good...), and I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. In Spanish. With little to no preparation. It actually went well and people understood me. #blessingsofbeingamissionary

So pretty much super stressful, but the most important thing is that a daughter of God was able to be baptized by the authority of God. So happy for her.

Funny things this week. I talked to the Book of Mormon. You know when you're watching a scary movie and the girl is walking into the haunted house and you're like "What are you doing? Don't go inside!,"? Well that's how I feel about the people in the Book of Mormon. I was reading about Limhi's people in Mosiah and they are being beaten in war and I literally said out loud "why aren't you praying?!" Now my companion thinks I'm even weirder :) esta bien. 

During one of our lessons this week I felt a tickle on my neck and the member said something to me in Spanish. I didn't understand what she was saying so I just brushed at it. She was trying to tell me that there was a spider crawling on my neck and when I brushed at it, it fell down my shirt and the investigator we were teaching was a man so... I left it there... until I realized that it's weirder for me to not get it out of my shirt. It's all good. I didn't die. One time this week we were street contacting, just going up to everyone we saw and I starting talking to a man and then I didn't know what to say and I started crying. Awkward. My companion just took over. We went and got Hot Cocoa and they gave it to me for free because I was crying. And they wrote "feel better" on my cup with hearts around it. I cried harder.

I had a lot of training this week. I got my iPad and so had a training on how to use it correctly. I have trainings on teaching and studying every week. Before my mission I thought that missionaries knew what they were doing and that they didn't have temptations. Not true. Ask any missionary and they will tell you they have no idea what they are doing. All of this training is helping me become a better missionary, but I'm realizing that I'm always going to be learning and training, even when I'm training others. There is no such thing as a missionary that has it all figured out. I am slowly figuring out the Spanish though. Understanding more everyday. We were talking to one of our recent converts and she said that she and her family pray every day that I will understand Spanish and that every door that we knock on - that Hispanic people answer, so that I HAVE to learn Spanish. I know I've said this before, but I am so thankful for all of your prayers.

Sorry, this email is pretty much full of ramblings...

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

P.S. I ate ice cream yesterday for the first time in forever. Go eat some ice cream. It'll make you feel better.

P.P.S. Love your dads this week. It's Father's Day on Sunday

P.P.P.S. Well, love them every week, but especially this week

Hermana Coca, me, my STLs Sister Kennelly and Lancaster, and Sister Samuelian (mission president's wife)

Baptism! Her son got to baptize her!

I Am Blessed

Week #11

You know you're a missionary when you smile and say "it was nice to meet you" to someone who just called you deluded and told you that you listen to Satan :)

What have I learned this week? That it is kind of a good thing that I don't understand everything that everyone is saying around me. We went on exchanges this week so I was in an English area (I got to use my English badge). I understood every word and they weren't all nice ones. Hermana Coca and I were talking to a lady and it didn't go very well. We walked back to the car in silence. Hermana Coca handed me an index card from her scriptures and asked me to read it. It was 3rd Nephi 5:13 (the same scripture I chose as my personal mission scripture). We gave each other a hug and moved on. In Spanish I don't get my feelings hurt as easily, but it's fine :) I am growing thicker skin.

We are trying to work with the dads in the families that we are teaching because the families are getting baptized, but the men aren't. So that is one of our goals. Also, we are going to focus on Temple work with our branch because we feel like they need it. I wish that we could attend the Temple. It's not in our mission and we do get to go in October, but I miss it. The MTC spoiled me. I got to go every week. The Temple is such a special place. Even simply standing on the grounds is such a special opportunity.

We had Stake Conference this weekend. Elder Packer of the 70 (President Packer's son) came and spoke as did my Mission President and his wife. My companion translated so we sat in a random classroom for it. It was really uplifting.

I am so blessed! I have only been out on my mission for two transfers and I have been able to listen to three Apostles! And I got to sing in the choir each time. We had a mission wide conference which never happens. I mean never. President Russell M. Nelson came to speak! We all got to shake his hand. When the choir was singing her turned around and joined in with us. It was so cute (is it okay to call an Apostle cute?) He truly is called of God. His words were so powerful. He talked about the Book of Mormon and why we have it. He talked about Repentance "Get over it and get going". He also told us that a good missionary is always joyful (that's why we smile at people when we are being called deluded). One thing that he said after he found a scripture was "these scriptures are working!" I know he meant it as a joke, but it made me think about how scriptures work. They have the answers, we just have to look. He talked about marriage . . . to missionaries . . . not quite what you expect, but it was good advice (I wrote it all down for way later . . .)

I don't know how to really describe the experience other than what I wrote in my notebook right after I shook his hand.
I shook his hand. It was soft. I could tell that his eyes were bluish, greenish, grayish. What I imagine the sea looked like right after Christ calmed them. His face was wrinkled, I'm sure from smiling. He sang along with the choir as we sang "I'll go where you want me to go". He hasn't stopped smiling. Hands that heal. Eyes that calm. A smile of a child. A voice that has talked to God. A servant of God A modern Prophet, Seer, and Revelator. Holding the power and authority of God. Called of God.

I love you all,
Hermana Dickson

No pictures this week . . . sorry.

"Teach Everyone"

Week #10

You know you're a missionary when you teach a lesson to the nurse in the ER.

I guess when we are told to teach everyone we take it seriously. Now don't freak out (Mom). I did end up going to the ER this week, but I am still alive and preaching the Gospel. It was really neat though. One of the nurses came in and she asked me my religion and how long I had lived in Oregon for paperwork and so of course we used the opportunity. We started talking about missionary work and she was really interested. She had heard of the church, but didn't know much about it. She was so amazed that we put off school, work, and relationships to serve the Lord. We were able to bear our testimonies about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and explain why we were here. It's definitely an interesting lesson when you are lying down on a hospital bed. 

I am learning something new every day. This week I learned that Mexican food doesn't sit too well with my tummy. Also, I learned that missionaries can't say no to more food. These people are wonderful and make so much food for when the missionaries come over, even if they don't have very much money AND THEN they keep piling it on your plate. I haven't learned how to politely say no yet. . . One night as another serving was being heaped onto my plate my companion look over at my distressed face and started laughing and whispered "Welcome to the mission!"

I am understanding a lot more in the lessons, but sometimes I feel like I am back in the MTC for day one and I don't recognize any words other than "no" and "gracias" and sometimes "comida". On those days I watch Hermana Coca's face so that I smile when she does, look serious when she does, and nod when she does so nobody know that I don't have a clue to what is going on. It usually works out really well for me, but this last week we were at a door and I couldn't see Hermana Coca's face because she was standing slightly in front of me. I thought I heard the investigator say that she was coming to church on Sunday so I smiled really big. Bad move. She was offended because she was actually telling us why she couldn't come to church and she thought that I was laughing at her and calling her a liar. . . whoops. I guess mistakes happen, but even when I don't understand the Spanish, I understand the Spirit. I can see the changes in the faces of the most stubborn investigators as we testify of the Savior and his Restored Gospel. I can see it and I can feel it. 

We had a baptism on Saturday for a family and the Spirit was definitely there. There were a couple bumps in the road that day. We were running late, the family showed up 15 minutes after we were supposed to start, and they got locked in the bathroom right before we were about to start. But they didn't take any of that as bad signs. They are truly converted disciples of Christ.

Yesterday we had an investigator come to church who has been investigating for a long time. She is an elderly woman who won't be with us much longer. In Sunday School the teacher asked her her name and where she was from. She stood up and went to the front of the room and said "I am Margarita. I am here because I died and I saw Christ on the right hand of God and so I know that they are two different people. They told me many things and told me that my work isn't done yet." It was so powerful. She is such a sweet amazing lady.

We visited some recent converts yesterday, two 12 year old twins. We talked about how they can share the Gospel on their own and we ended a with a prayer. The boy praying said (in English so I understood), "Bless the missionaries that they don't die so that they can keep teaching us more about you". It made us laugh, but I want to thank you all for your prayers. I feel them every day.

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

The Baptism!!

The Zone

This is from forever ago, but this was hanging in the apartment to welcome me. 

#avoidingtheappearanceofevil #wordofwisdom #hotchocolate

Green... Everywhere. Really though, moss grows on everything. 

So I ordered a name tag... They sent me an English one. 

Short On Time

Week #9

You know you are on a mission when you have no time to write emails!

The mission field is amazing! I wish I had gotten out here sooner! I don't have much time today because we had to drive to the mission office which is an hour away so that took a good chunk out of our day.

So many miracles! It's so amazing when we find such prepared people. We try to talk to everyone and it's crazy how many people we find that are looking for the Gospel (even if they don't know it). We are teaching so many people. We have three investigators getting baptized on Saturday and I get to sing at it. I am so happy for them. They have been investigating for 6 months and I was able to be the one to invite them to be baptized! They are so excited and I can't wait for them to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost!

The Spanish is getting easier. I am understanding more and more as I study and as I speak it. There are some days that I don't understand anything though. Yesterday one of the older Hermanas called me over to talk to her and she started talking so fast. I didn't understand anything except for the word "chocolate". Hermana Coca was across the room and I mouthed "Help me!" and she started laughing. I am reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish everyday and that is helping a lot.

Ahh! I am out of time! 

I love you all!

Hermana Dickson

One night we walked into the church and there were like 15 umbrellas out all over the floor... So we took a picture.

We went strawberry picking last week!

A Beautiful Work

Week #8

You know you're on a mission when you go berry picking in a skirt. 

This week has been super long, but I love it here. Still adjusting. I thought that I was tired in the MTC. Not even close. I actually get more sleep here because I go to sleep earlier than anyone else because I am so tired. I've started waking up 5 minutes before the alarm goes off. . . Every morning. . . No Bueno.

There is so much beauty here. We go to the farmers market and today we just stopped by a random house to buy vegetables and fruit. The food is so yummy and the strawberries don't bother my mouth so I can eat as many as I want. The land is beautiful. There are fields of crops and so many trees. Every house is surrounded by trees and bushes of roses and other flowers. The mountains are beautiful here. They are often covered with fog. Everything grows here. 

The people are beautiful here. The majority of them are very nice here and love to talk to us. The members in our branch are wonderful. They are super patient with me and my Spanish. They help me a lot. All of the elderly Hermanas wrap their arms around me and tell me that I don't have to worry anymore because they are going to teach me Spanish. Spanish. This is hard. Not everyone speaks it and my companion never speaks it to me even though she is a native Bolivian. It's frustrating because I don't know if I will learn it with so much English around me all of the time. I am struggling with talking with strangers. I know its weird to think of me as shy, but I am so scared to talk to people in Spanish. They talk so fast!

So my first Sunday here I was called up to share my testimony (which is normal for a new missionary). My second Sunday the Stake Presidency was supposed to speak, but they cancelled and so who do they ask? The missionaries! Very little time to prepare and in a different language. I was so stressed. Usually in the MTC you give a talk, but I was never asked so this was my first talk in Spanish. It actually went well. I did have to ask the Branch Presidency for help a couple of times, but I didn't say anything too embarrassing. I talked about gratitude and that everything that we have comes from God and that we need to recognize that and do what we can to show our gratitude through serving Heavenly Father's other children. The only time Spanish is easy is when I am bearing my testimony. When I share my testimony it just flows. Once I get past the nerves I don't stop. It feels like I am speaking in English. I definitely feel the Gift of Tongues.

I get to testify to more of Heavenly Father's children every day. Some of those people want to know more and we are given the chance to allow the Holy Ghost testify to them of the truth of our message. The young teenagers here are so wonderful. It is amazing how excited they get about the Gospel. This is a righteous generation growing up. I have had the opportunity to invite many of God's children to be baptized by the proper authority and three of them are getting baptized next week with another one getting baptized the week after. I am so excited for them to begin to make sacred covenants with our Heavenly Father.

This is beautiful work and there is nothing else I would rather be doing.

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson

P.S. I don't have any pictures this week because I forgot my USB plug in thingy...next week, I promise.

First Week In Oregon!

Week #7 

You know you're on a mission when you are called out of the congregation to come up and bear your testimony...in Spanish.

Lots of changes this week. The last couple of days in the MTC were crazy. Hermana Swapp left early Monday morning so I moved in with the other Hermanas in the Zone. I became a solo missionary which means I had no companion. I still always had to be with other missionaries though. I went everywhere with the Hermanas in the new district. Even to their classes. It was nice to be able to review the first few weeks of class. I also got some one on one time with my teachers because I was the last one to leave in my class. It was really helpful. We were able to go over things I was unsure about.

I was so tired the last couple days in the MTC. I couldn't really sleep. One of the days I was sitting out in the lobby of one of the buildings waiting for the other Hermanas to finish a lesson and I fell asleep. They found me with my head on a table, drooling... how embarrassing. The last day I was there we played sand volleyball. Super fun, but of course I fell over... and got kneed in the head. It's fine.

Packing was not so fun. I had to rearrange so many times so that my suitcases were both under 50lbs. I reweighed them so many times, just to double, triple and quadruple check that they were underweight. I only got about 2 hours of sleep that night. 

I had to be at the travel office at 3:30 a.m. and I was traveling with one other sister, Sister Drollinger. She was super excited because she had never been on a plane before. First we rode in a van (I fell asleep), then the train (I fell asleep), then the trax (I fell asleep), and then finally made it to the airport. BUT we went to the wrong terminal first so we had to figure it out. I purposefully only brought 2 suitcases and not a carry-on so I couldn't have any problems transporting my luggage and I wouldn't have to depend on anyone, but my companion didn't think about that so I ended up taking one of her suitcases as well (What would Jesus do?). We made it to the gate, called my family (wooh!), loaded the plane and took off (I fell asleep). The flight was about 2 hours long and when we got off I saw some missionaries and I was like "Hey look missionaries!" and then I realized they were looking for me...

President and Sister Samuelain are so amazing. So energetic and so funny. They took us to the temple (so so beautiful! No picture does it justice). We met up with our trainers and headed to the coast.

The mission scripture is D&C 6:34: "Therefore, fear not little flock; do good; let earth and hell combine against you, for if ye are built upon my rock, they cannot prevail." The symbol is of a huge rock off of the coast. We got to go out to it even though its not actually in our mission. We were the smallest transfer group ever so the group was small, but the spirit was so strong.

Okay, so it's super beautiful here, but these curvy roads are killing me. I'm car sick every time we get in the car. I had to tell the Mission President to pull over that first night.

We slept in the mission home the first night and went on a hike/walk in the morning (did I tell you how beautiful it is here?).

My trainer is Hermana Coca. She is from Salt Lake and has been out for a year. She was already fluent in Spanish when she got here so she is going to help me a lot out here. She's really fit and gets up an hour earlier than I do to exercise. I die with just the half hour we exercise together. She pushes me though which is awesome. The Branch is really small here. I was really surprised. On Saturday we had a Mother's day lunch and because the men were in charge, the food was 2 hours late! This is why we need mothers! To keep us on time! The members are amazing. They are really patient with me. I bore my testimony in Spanish yesterday and they could understand me which is cool. I pretty much just smile at them and give them lots of hugs.

The first investigator experience here for me was pretty cool. We got lost and had to pull over and ask for directions. We got talking to a man and he told us that he was confused because all of the churches had part of the truth, but none have all of Christ's teachings (sound like anyone we know?) We told him about Joseph Smith and that he was in the same position - and he was. He is so prepared for the Gospel. We got lost for a reason!

Running out of time, but I will write more next week. If you want my mailing address ask my parents for it.

I feel like Annie "I think I'm gonna like it here".

I love you all,

Hermana Dickson