Up and down turn it around

This week was a roller coaster of beautiful and miraculous things mixed in with a few crazy and ridiculous things as well.

Sad story, Sister Bee has been pretty sick this week with a cold. Thank goodness for cold medicine, but we still got so much work done this week! She is a trooper!

We got a TIWI in our car. A TIWI is basically the voice of Satan that yells us when we are speeding, driving aggressively, how many miles we drive, and if we aren't wearing seat belts. It's a good tool though because it will avoid wrecks and keep us safe! Even though it's scary.

On Tuesday we packed a lunch and had a picnic at the park. Before we ate we drew the Plan of Salvation in sidewalk chalk. We explained it to a family and they loved it! Though they were set in their religion we gave them a Book of Mormon and our information, so hopefully they will feel the spirit and want to learn more eventually!

We were blessed with being able to teach 8 people this week. Now, that's very high for this area. I know that God blessed us because of our endurance of all the no's and for all the hard work we put in.

One man told us we could teach him after we burned more women on stakes. He was trying to make a point or something, I don't know it didn't really make sense. #wrongreligion bro. Sister Bee and I couldn't help but laugh. I mean if you're going to try and insult us at least come up with something good.

We went and did service at a members house Saturday morning. I'm sad to say I didn't take pictures because everyone was too busy helping. We pulled out these huge weeds around her pond. It took three hours and oh my gosh I am so sore! I did get to touch a frog though and she fed us very yummy food after. I really enjoy going there. Their house has a very homey feel to it and I have been there so much I feel like I am a part of their family. Thank goodness for good people.

We also did service at the first parish Congregational church. They were having a spaghetti dinner so we went and helped served deserts. Man I love those people, they were so kind. They asked so many questions about our religion and they gave us some spaghetti after! Which was such a blessing because we were running low on food. One lady told us we were great representations of our church. It almost brought me to tears because of how kind that was. I am really striving to represent Christ in a way that He would be proud so I am grateful for that tender mercy.

We went tracting one night and knocked on the wrong door... He opened the door and looked right at our name tags and said "ah, the church of latter day snakes." I remember thinking in my head, oh man this is gonna be one long lecture. He told us he knew more about our church then we did. He said we were brainwashed and that we were a cult and told us that us and our families needed to get out before it was too late. Whatever that means. We just stood there and stared at him as he tried to pick a fight with us. We said, "well ok you have a good day then." He jumped in front of us so we couldn't leave and continued to try and get us to argue with him. We just stood there and didn't say anything. Eventually he said "well is that it?" We nodded and said have a good day again and walked over to the next house. Now don't get me wrong.. I was not afraid of this man one bit, I could have killed him just by sitting on him and he was so uneducated about our religion it took everything I had not to laugh in his face. But I did gain something very valuable from that experience, while he was going on about science and how evil we were, I could feel the spirit testifying so strongly in my heart that we are doing the right thing. This church is good and true. I could feel God's love for me as He protected us physically and spiritually. But what God did also was fill my heart with love and compassion for this man, trust me I will never go back to that house, but I found myself praying for him. Begging God to help him find truth and happiness in his life.

Now I am not bragging. I am no where near perfect and I give no credit for that. I tell you this because I want all of you to know that God can make us into the people we want to be when we let Him. He made me more compassionate and caring, especially to those who aren't kind back to me. He has worked with me and has helped me grow and change so much. I am so blessed for that and I could not be more grateful.

What's something you need to work on? Is it kindness? Tolerance? Patience? Love? Acceptance? Greed? Well I want to challenge you all to find out what that is and give it to God. Ask Him for help and let Him help you change and grow. Remember, with God all things are possible.

God loves you all lovely doveys,
And so do I 😘
Have a fabulous week!

Love,
Sister Dickson

Selfie!

Lunch at the Park

Leaves are barely starting to change

Old lady am I!

Hey hey hey!

This week not really too much happened. We had zone conference on Wednesday and it was so good. It was all about the Book of Mormon. President Stoker gave us quotes and proof that the Book of Mormon is true. It was a 5 hour long conference and oh my gosh I loved every second of it. The conference was at the stake center in Exeter, New Hampshire. The Georgetown ward was the one who fed us and man they went all out with tacos and salad and fruit and ice cream. They had everything decorated all fancy and nice. The members here are so wonderful to us missionaries. 

Sad news is that I got sick during the last hour of the conference. Thank goodness all I had to do was sit and listen so it wasn't too bad but when I got back to the apartment I was so sick. So all day Thursday we stayed in because I could barely even stand. We did everything we could to still be productive even though I felt like a got hit by a truck. We made a potential list of people to check up on with some old progress records back in 2006 and made a daily goal chart. Friday we went out because I was feeling a little better but it was hard to go out and work because of how weak I was. I got a blessing that night from our ward mission leader and on Sunday I felt like me again. 

Priesthood blessings are wonderful! 

So time for some funny and kind of depressing stories. We went to a members sons birthday party last Saturday during our lunch break and an old lady asked me if I was Sister Bee's mom. I am still pretty traumatized by that situation. Mom.. Send me some anti wrinkle cream ASAP. 

I got ATTACKED by mosquitoes and I have 20 (not even exaggerating 20 freaking HUGE bites) bug bites. All your folks in Utah don't even know what bugs really are until you come here. I even got bite underneath my eyeball. Mosquitoes are everywhere. And I mean everywhere. Let's just say I went and got me some heavy duty bug spray. 

So there is this four year old boy in our ward who is just a hoot. And he loves the sister missionaries! Every time he sees us he screams "yes! It's the sisters!" And he will run to us and give us the biggest hug. He is so cute. Well one day he comes up to me and in all seriousness looks me dead in the eye and says with the most blank expression and flat voice tone, "peeing is for the woods, but pooping is for inside." Then he just walked away. And that ladies and gentlemen is my spiritual thought for you all today. Never could have said it better myself. 

Well! Have a fabulous week wear bug spray, don't forget your anti aging cream, and don't poop in the woods! 

God is real

This gospel is so true and so wonderful.

We can find tender mercies of the Lord every single day,

All you have to do is open your eyes and see them.

God loves ya 

And so do i😀

Love, 

Sister Dickson

Awko taco

So as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints there are a few things I have had to embrace and accept. But I think the biggest one I have really struggled with is the awkwardness. 

One of the first things I was taught in the MTC was that missionary work is awkward and it's time for us to start embracing that awkward and then accepting it and loving it. I didn't really fully understand that until I came out into the field. But now I do. Man oh man is being a missionary awkward. 

And the people here don't do anything to help make it less awkward. 

STORY TIME! 

So a little bit ago we were out in Dover checking up on some potentials. Sister Bee and her last companion were the ones who tracted into these people and I was on exchanges with Sister Tyler, so we had no idea who these people were and what they looked like. So we went up to this house and knocked on the door and oh.. my.. gosh.. Becky, the most BEAUTIFUL man opened the door. He was about my age and had blonde hair the the most beautiful huge blue eyes I have ever seen. 

When I was set apart as a missionary I was not aware that this calling also included complete social retardation and the ultimate awkwardness. Because when I saw Mr. Hunky hunk yummy eyes that were like the deep blue sea of perfection, I froze. Well Sister Tyler apparently felt the same way as I did cuz ain't nothin was comin out of her mouth either so I began fumbling over my words. "Hi we are missionaries from the Mormon church.. Uh... Uh... We like talked to you awhile ago.. And err uh like about church and you know.. And we don't know if you remember.. It might have been awhile ago.. But yeah um.. Are you still interested?"

His face was an expression of confusion mixed with amusement as he smiled and chuckled, "Nah, we are all set thanks though." And he shut the door. We walked away and all that was said was Sister Tyler's sarcastic remark, "Smooth." 

In case you might be confused, I was not smooth. No smoothness there at all. 

So yeah, after being humiliated there I have finally embraced the awkward that I now call life and I am trying so hard to love it.. So hard. 

No new investigators yet but don't fret we are working our little tails off still. 

Just keep on praying 😀👊🏻

SPRITUAL THOUGHT🎉

Loving people is hard. Especially when they are mean and slam a door in your face. But it is what we are commanded to do. "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another." John 13:34 God has challenged us to love others as God has loved us. Now that's a whole lot of love. So there is my challenge to you! Love love love. Even if they aren't Christian, even if they aren't nice, even if they hate you or mock you or try to destroy you. Love them. 

That is what God wants us to do. Love❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️ 

Things are going very well here though. I am happy and healthy and safe. The weather is getting cooler and the leaves are beginning to change! I am PUMPED for fall. Woot woot!

Please have a wonderful week my chick a dees.

Remember that God loves you!

And I do too:)

Love, sister Dickson 

Bashing

So this week... It happened.. The moment every missionary dreads.. The
nightmare that every missionary and future missionary wakes up to in a
cold sweat. Yeah.. You guessed it, I am talking about bible bashers.
*Que the scary music with violins*

But first to keep you all in suspense lets talk about some fun things
that happened this week. On Saturday we went to a members fifth
Birthday party! We went on our lunch break and oh my gosh they are
rich. They had a blow up fun house that was a bouncy house then turned
into a water slide and a huge pool with tons of food and fun! It was
pretty fun! The members here are so awesome and kind! I am so happy
they invited us.

We got a new investigator this week! Woot woot! He is awesome and so
kind. He really wants to be involved in church so he is pretty much
golden.. We are so blessed here.

So let's get on with the bible bashers now shall we... So Sister Bee
and I were out tracting (shocker I know) when we knocked on this house
and the nicest lady answered. She was so kind and invited us to sit
down in her backyard to talk. After a second her father walks out and
sits down too. We continue to share a little bit about the gospel and
they start asking us question.. Hard questions that made no sense.
They used big English words that we didn't understand and Then they
started quoting (incorrectly translated) bible verses at us left and
right. Saying how the Book of Mormon is apostate and everyone is going
to heaven just because and that we don't have agency and that we don't
chose if God loves us...and wait for it... They believed that God does
not love everyone. That he hates certain people and has damned them to
hell before they were even born.
So imagine me in all innocence sitting there completely confused out
of mind and dumbfounded. All we could do was bare our testimonies. So
that's what I did, my sweet and simple but very solid testimony on our
loving Heavenly Father and His true church. Sister Bee also did the
same. I thought that it would soften their hearts a bit to at least
show us a little bit of respect but after that he took my testimony
and grabbed it in his hands and crumpled it, stomped on it, tore it
apart and spat on it. He said to us "you can't be so stupid as to just
go off your feelings. I once had a religion too and I am glad to point
out all out all the contradictions in yours so you won't waist your
time anymore." We left that house because there was nothing else we
could do. We walked away while those two people stood there, feeling
like the winners, and walked right to their neighbors house and
knocked on that door right in front of them. They didn't win.
That night I went home and found the answers to every single question
and "contradiction" they had "pointed out to us". And because of that
experience my testimony grew even stronger then it was before.
In their pathetic attempt to destroy everything I held dear and
precious to my heart, I didn't let that win. I went and found the
answers and became stronger. So thank you to them! Because of them I
know once more that this is the true church. That Joseph Smith is a
true prophet that restored Christ's church. That the Book of Mormon is
the word of God, and is true. And because of them I know more and more
that if I have any questions or doubts, I can always find the answer
though the scriptures and prophets.
So righteousness wins again ladies and gentlemen.. Woo hoo go us!

Do you have any doubts or question? Is so, please search the
scriptures and prophets for answers, I promise you that you will find
them.

Stay golden pony boy and remember that God loves you, and he loves all
his children.

And I love you all too!
Love, Sister Dickson