One Year. Be Valiant.

Week #51

This week is one year. It passes quickly, very quickly.

The strangest thing is to think that less than 7 months ago I couldn't communicate more than the most simple of phrases and now I speak well enough that I can teach, answer questions, and correct false principles alone. I usually don't like to do that, but sometimes when we do splits with the youth we have to answer most of the questions. The Gift of Tongues is real.

What else is there? I understand things that I never understood before. When I was still at home, the Church was something good, something I did, something I'll keep doing. Now, it is very different. I know that if we stop studying the scriptures and praying, we do not have the same strength. I know that if we expect to obtain our salvation, we must be valiant and valiance is much more than not drinking coffee or smoking. 

If we want examples of the valiant, we should look to the scriptures. The stories of men and women who would sacrifice anything to serve their God. Prophets that stood on walls crying to the people. Prophets that were scourged, stoned, left for dead, and scourged again. Why did they do it? If the only thing necessary were not to kill anybody, be kind, and love others, Paul, Peter, Samuel, Joshua, Nephi, and all the others did much more than that. They served their God and built up His kingdom.

We have many opportunities to be valiant. We have many opportunities to testify. Don't let them pass. These are the last days and all people deserve a chance to share in the joy and knowledge that we have. Many times I have to remind myself of this when we talk to people in the street or "tract." Many times I think " none of these people want to listen", but then I remind myself that everybody deserves an opportunity to hear the Gospel. It is much easier to talk to people if we think about it as something that people need to hear.

We are not just another religion. We are The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the kingdom of the Lord and is the only organization authorized to act in the name of Christ. The Priesthood was restored and on the Earth walk men who hold the same authority as Moses. I know this. 

Brethren, remember that we have been ordained to this sacred order. We must, as Christ admonished Peter, feed His sheep. That is the responsibility that we accepted when we were ordained. It is a covenant and our salvation depends upon keeping covenants. 

Boa semana!

Elder Dickson

A drawing from Emili. 

Elder Barnes with 10 coats.

Come Unto Christ

Week #50

"The words 'come unto Christ' are an invitation. It is the most important invitation you could ever offer to another person. It is the most important invitation anyone could accept." President Henry B. Erying

Sometimes it's really difficult to think of something to say.

This week, we had our goal to speak with 220 people. We didn't talk to quite that many, but it was still a lot of people. The problem is that only 17 decided to listen, but that's okay. Our purpose is to invite and we do a lot of that.

I also was invited to speak in Sacrament Meeting at the last minute. That was fun.

I don't know what else there is this week. I think I need to write in my journal more to remember what happened.

Elder Dickson

Montenegro Week 3

Week #49

That is, I'm starting week three in Montenegro. 

Bom dia todos! Hoje é um diamaravilhoso. Vamos relaxar, comprarcomida, e, mais para frente, aprenderfazer churrasco! Que legal!

Alright. Time for happenings and what not. 

Yesterday I spoke with my family with my companion and two members of a Brazilian Priests Quorum. One asked if my sisters are always so excited and my companion, Elder Souza (Souza as in the word "sew" not "sue") has already asked permission to marry one of my sisters. I just responded, "Se ela aceitá-lo." He finishes his mission in about 6 months and is studying English. 

On to other things. We have a goal this week to speak with at least 220 people. It's almost double what is expected. It should be difficult, but should be worth it too. What a surprise for the Zone Leaders. With that many people to talk to, I should have some good experiences this week. 

I've been reading a book called "The Power of Everyday Missionaries." The principles are wonderful for member missionaries and full-time ones too. There are a lot of good things I'm learning that I plan to use here to work with members and in our teaching. 

I recommend studying it and trying the things the author suggests. He cites numerous stories the really are miraculous. Remember that faith precedes the miracle and faith without works is dead. Ou seja, we need to work if we want to see miracles.

We can learn this in the example of the Brother of Jared. In Ether 2:16, The Lord says, "Go to work" and the Brother of Jared, "did go to work, and also his brethren." They followed the commandment of the Lord. When they arrived at the point that they could do no more, (as John Bytheway says, "listen with your spiritual ears" here) they asked the Lord to provide the miracles of touching the stones with His finger. This reflects a phrase that we use a lot in Brazil, "dá umjeito" that translates as "find a way." What it literally translates to is "give a way" or "do everything you can to provide the way". It is this that the Brother of Jared did. The Lord asked him, "what would you have me do?" and the Brother of Jared did some thinking and "did molten out of a rock sixteen small stones." He gave the Lord a way to perform a miracle.

I believe that many times we can make performing a miracle more difficult or easier for the Lord. We are the instruments in His hands. Imagine how difficult it would be to build a house if every time you tried to hit a nail with a hammer, the hammer turned to the side or even jumped out of your hand. We can be a rebellious hammer, or an obedient hammer. 

We can better ourselves even more if we make ourselves more sensitive to His touch. We can be as precise and useful as the surgeon's scalpel in the hands of the Lord, but we need to do the refining and sharpening and we must maintain that blade sharp and clean. The surgeon probably won't use a dull blade in a heart surgery, let alone a rusty one. We must be pure, sensitive, and receptive to the guidance of the Spirit if we want to help the Lord perform miracles.

His work and His glory is to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man and he lets us help if we are found worthy. "And faith, hope, charity, and love, with an eye single to the glory of God, qualify him for the work." Our focus has to be His Glory, and we already know what that glory is. 

The act of sharpening must be unpleasant for the blade. It scrapes the blade. The blade loses parts of itself. The blade is repeatedly dragged against something harder than it is that it may be refined and useful. If we don't let ourselves be sharpened, we are not useful.

Let's all be well sharpened instruments in the Lord's hands.

I love you all.

Elder Dickson

Here's a picture with myself, Elder Cotton (from Texas), Elder Barnes (from Kansas), and Elder Souza.

Montenegro

Week #48

Hello Everybody!

I am now in the the city of Montenegro. I don't really understand the name. There aren't really mountains here, just big hills in the middle of the city. I like it here. It's not hot, it's getting a little bit colder and the rain is incredible. Lots of rain. Tons of rain. Rain and more rain. Winter in the south of Brazil should be fun.

Great, not a whole lot to say this week. I'm lost in another city, but my companion and I have already met. Elder Souza is from Fortaleza and we lived in the same house in Osório a few transfers ago. He's a lot more friendly than I am with members and investigators. 

Montenegro is a little bit more difficult than Osório. The people are a little more closed off and don't really like to accept us. In Osório usually every few houses we could teach somebody. Here, 20 houses might yield 2 lessons and the people don't really want to listen, but we met a young woman yesterday that may be baptized this week. 

It's always wonderful to hear stories of missionary efforts at home. Yesterday we did a split with two priests of the ward here. The Lord is preparing His army. The youth already know how to teach, testify, and invite. They just need opportunity to practice. Seek ye learning, be courageous. 

Until next week. 

Elder Dickson