The Game of Foraging for Food at the Vending Machine

MTC Week #4

Elder Dickson's letter this week:

A lot of crazy stuff this week. Most of it has to do with the missionary broadcast and the fact that there are 173 mission presidents here learning from the Apostles and we can't even eat food where we used to. Basically, I've been living on burritos from the vending machines. 
 


My teacher, Brother Buttars has hinted that there are a few more changes coming that have not been announced. He won't tell us what they are, but he has been told that the program they have been using to teach us will not be used for much longer. My district is one of the first few to be part of the current program and they're already changing it! Apparently there will be a greater focus on working with the members, so get moving ya'll!   

For those of you who may have missed the broadcast, it is on LDS.org. They never show my face, but four sisters from my district are easily seen. I've also seen a certain Whitaker near the end of  Called to Serve. Anyway, that choir was one of the most incredible things I have been able to do. 3000 people all singing together is an accomplishment by itself, but to have them sing the hymns of Zion is unforgettable. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir has been replaced as my favorite choir.   

In my last couple weeks here at the MTC, I would love to hear how the members are taking part in missionary work. Please send me short versions of missionary stories and opportunities. I hope to be working closely with members for the next two years and would love to have an outside view of the work.   

Portuguese is coming along well and our lessons with mock investigators continue to improve. I still have a hard time understanding conversational speed Portuguese, but I can get the general idea of each sentence.     

That's all folks!   

Elder Samuel Dickson

He also sent an email to his mother. Here a few pieces of it:

I did get my nose cauterized. It was an odd feeling, but it will stop bleeding which is the whole point. It's a little tender right now and I have to have tissues with me at all times, but it's a lot better today than yesterday.  Yesterday it felt like eating a lot of wasabi every couple minutes. Very unpleasant. 

I dropped my watch and it still works, but there are little pieces of glass that are stuck inside that stop the hands and it will sometimes get a half hour off. It works for now, but I may need to get another one. The crack does seem to be getting bigger. 

Anyway, I'm alive and getting better at Portuguese each day. Ontem foi muito bom e einsinamos meu pesquisador favorito. Tudo bem!  

Also, my district decided to celebrate Christmas today. With eight sisters, how could we not?

And a picture of the handsome Elder!

The Evolution of a Missionary's Heart

MTC Week #3

Elder Dickson's letter this week: 

Oi! 

Esta semana foi muito dificil por que nosso professor nos quer falamos em somente Portugues. Ignore that sentence. This computer doesn't let me insert special characters. Half of those words are spelled incorrectly. Anyway, on to the happenings. 

We're still studying long and hard each day, but it's amazing how quickly the days are passing. As of tomorrow, I will have finished my third week and have read about half of Exodus. I wish I had read the Old Testament earlier. There are some really incredible stories in there. Also, as cliche (no special characters) as it is at this point, read Preach My Gospel. I know that everybody stresses it in Priests Quorum and mission prep classes, but they never really talk about how much is in there. There are chapters on how to study, how to teach, how to begin teaching, how to find people, what to teach, how to learn a language, and just about everything needed to be a servant of God as a missionary and as a member. Priest Quorum teachers, do not just teach from chapter three and the five lessons. Teach from the others as well. Preach My Gospel teaches something about everything. 

Next week is a huge world wide training for all the new mission presidents and we have been told that all 12 of the Apostles and the First Presidency will be on campus for five days. The schedule changes will be difficult. We can't even go in the building with the cafeteria and main offices for that week (I'm not sure I'm sad about no cafeteria food). 

Our companionship is doing well and we've started to use Portuguese in our regular conversation. Our teachers have continued to express how incredible the new six-week program is. Even two years ago, they never did anything like what they expect us to do. The Lord is certainly hastening His work. 

I don't have any pictures this week (sorry Mom). 

I would also like to recommend watching Elder Bednar's "Character of Christ" if you can find it and re-watching Elder Holland's "Safety for the Soul." Both are wonderful examples of why and how we do missionary work. Maybe even print them out for family home evening or something.  

I miss you all! 

Elder Samuel Dickson

Picture taken the day Elder Dickson went into the MTC.

Behold a Royal Army

The missionaries made the news today as 2,788 missionaries walked from the MTC to the Marriott Center yesterday for a devotional. Elder Dickson was one of them!

Here is the article:


http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865581535/MTC-overflows-with-LDS-missionaries-moves-devotionals-to-Marriott-Center.html

The Preparation

MTC Week #2

Here is a portion of Elder Dickson's letter:

This past week has been incredible. The choir that is singing on the 23rd for the broadcast is currently about 3000 people if you count members and missionaries. There is also an opportunity for a smaller more elite choir on the 27th that I applied to take part in. Keeping my fingers crossed. 

Portuguese is coming incredibly well. Yesterday with our mock investigator we had an entire conversation without notes or dictionaries, and only had minor issues with understanding. We're practically fluent! Not really, but talk about feeling powerful. 

Each day is exhausting. We study from seven in the morning to eleven, have 45 minutes for lunch and then study until four when dinner is and then study some more until 9:30. The days are long, but at the end of each day I have been able to count at least two instances of personal revelation whether on doctrinal principles or reasons behind certain symbolic choices. Most of them are too complicated to explain in the limited time I have here and I'm not sure they're all meant to be shared anyway. 

I have been called as the Branch Music Coordinator and get to pick all hymns (in Portuguese of course) and set up musical numbers for the branch. I'm a bit excited to see what musical talent our zone has and to learn all the Portuguese hymns. 

In my study yesterday, I realized that the MTC is the best school we could ever attend. The lessons taught here never bear the question of "When will we ever need this?" The things we learn here are truths that will help us in this life and through all eternity. I wish the M in MTC could stand for member because this is an experience every member should have after going through the temple. This truly is a school of the prophets. By the way, D&C 88:138 in reference to the school of prophets can shed some interesting light on why we go to the temple before a mission.  

On multiples occasions our teachers have told us that we have the authority and power to promise blessings and are able to speak words unto the convincing of men. As I have opened my mouth in priesthood meetings and classes, I have felt that power that is granted unto us that we may teach. I am only beginning to know how much our mouths will be filled if we just open them. 

I have plenty of letters I still have to answer and I have all day to do that, so some of you will here from me again in a few days. 

Until next week, 

Elder Samuel Dickson

He also sent two pictures:

He's official!

The Great Beginning

MTC Week #1

Elder Dickson's first email has arrived along with two pictures. Enjoy!

Here are some excerpts from his letter:

I was hoping for an email or two to be waiting for me when I logged on, but I guess you guys lost my address or haven't handed it out to people. I am allowed to email family and friends and they give us an hour to do so, so emails are awesome. 

Things have been pretty crazy here. I wasn't expecting so much to be crammed into the first week, but we've already taught three discussions in Portuguese and started talking about the subjunctive tense yesterday. I guess you could say I'm receiving the gift of tongues faster than I expected.

My district consists of 11 people, eight sisters and three elders. Yes, I'm in a tripanionship. Anyway, my district is as follows:

Sisters Downs and Edwards

Sisters Jones and Walker

Sisters Gannon and Sasine (Sister Sasine's first two names are Lauren Elizabeth)

Sisters Oppenshaw and Zambrana

and Elders Lund, Hamilton, and Dickson.

We've already started to gel as a district and have received several comments about how well we are doing for how early we are in our language study. We all teach the same mock investigator, who only speaks Portuguese, and have been told that he is very satisfied with how each companionship has treated him and attempted to communicate in a language we hardly know. They're a good group. I'm not sure which of the pictures of our district is best, but they're all there. From left to right: Sister Edwards, Sister Downs, Sister Oppenshaw, Sister Zambrana, Sister Gannon, Sister Jones, Sister Walker, Sister Sasine, Elder Lund, Elder Hamilton, and me.

Sunday night we had a devotional in which an older brother portrayed Willard Richards and told the story of his conversion and ended with his experience at the martyrdom of Joseph Smith. It was a powerful testimony of the prophet and I would certainly recommend studying his life and journals from those who knew him. After the presentation we sang Praise to the Man. I'm sure Dad can remember the gym being full of missionaries singing hymns and the power in that room, but when we sang that hymn, I couldn't finish it. I haven't cried to the point I couldn't speak/sing since I first saw the Joseph Smith Movie at his birthplace. Very powerful. 

That's about all I have for now. Other than studying, not much happens here. Maybe I'll get some great stories in the next few weeks. For now, I need emails from people!

Love you all,

Elder Sam Dickson