Home Again, Home Again Jigity Jig

On Wednesday, May 6, 2015 Elder Dickson returned home after two years with the people of Brazil. 

After the flight from Atlanta to Salt Lake, cousin Kayla met Elder Dickson:

               

Flying home to St. George

                       

                        

 

Welcoming Committee 

Grandpa

Excited Faces

Elder Dickson with his parents

Siblings

*****************
Sunday, May 17, 2015
   

Cousin Angela

Some Extended Family

Uncle Randy 

Dickson Family

Sam and Tim  

Coming Home

Elder Dickson is currently on the long plane ride back home to the United States. 

Last P-Day

Week #100

Last Monday email from Elder Dickson: 

"The last P-day is not a real P-day. I was lucky to get ten minutes to read what you wrote and write this little bit."

That's all he wrote! 

He has over 24 hours of travel ahead of him. He leaves Porto Alegre, Brasil on Tuesday afternoon. We are all excited for his return on Wednesday May 6th but it is also bittersweet as he leaves the people he has served and loved for the past two years. Mom is thankful that she had written to Sister Wright (Elder Dickson's Mission President's wife) to ask a few last minute questions. Here are the words she shared today:

"I will be spending most of the day with Elder Dickson today and and also most of the day tomorrow. We will have a wonderful farewell dinner and testimony meeting tonight.  

His heart is centered on the gospel.He is a faithful and devoted missionary. We are so grateful to have had the blessing to serve with him and to see this glorious change and growth. His testimony is deep. We will miss him!  

Have a great day-and let me know if there is anything else I can do to help!

Love, Sister Wright"

The Final Countdown & Great Blessings

Week #99

To be completely honest, I don't know how much more there really is to be said. We're just working and finding many wonderful people.
This week, Maicom and Ana Paula were baptized. They were a referral from Sidney, who was baptized the last week of March. He has since received the Priesthood, bought a white shirt and baptized Maicom and Ana Paula. President and Sister Wright were also there and President Wright welcomed them both to their new family.
This week, Lucas, referral from Magda who was baptized April 19, will also be baptized. Ivoti is catching fire!
We have seen a great difference in Ivoti since we got here. On the first day, our ward mission leader told us not to expect referrals or much help from members. On our first Sunday, the Elders Quorum President spent about five minutes of his lesson telling us how it's okay if you leave an area never having baptized.
I feel a great deal as Ammon must have felt in Chapter 26 of Alma.
"1 My brothers and my brethren, behold I say unto you, how great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started from the land of Zarahemla that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?
 5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted."

Today we're going to the temple. In one more week, I'll be going to the airport. Trying very hard not to be trunky.

Até logo.

Elder Dickson

M. and Ana P.'s baptism

Our district: Sister Medeiros, Sister Filiagi, Sister Ribeiro, Sister Lemes (all from São Paulo) Elder Andrade, e Eu.

Working Hard

Week #98

Everything is fine with me. We had a wonderful baptism this week and saw a great deal of the Lord's hand in our work. Magda is very special and should be a wonderful help to the Ivoti Branch as the Branch should be to her.

I'm spending the day in Canoas, so I won't be spending a lot of time on the computer today. I'm visiting some people in Guajuviras and we'll be eating lunch very soon with one of the ward members.

This computer also doesn't let me upload files. Sometimes the computer services are not so convenient here. I miss having my own computer.

Elder Andrade and I are working a lot and the members are really starting to like us. One told me yesterday that I should extend my mission another six months. I think it's already too late to do that.

We'll be going to a Nike outlet to see if I can buy some jerseys today. I'll take pictures, Mom. I promise.

I have to go. We still have to buy some things before lunch and have to walk back to Francilaine's house.

Next week I'm going to the temple!

Elder Dickson

Trying Not to Count the Days

Week #97

We've had some wonderful experiences these last couple weeks, but they haven't been easy. 

We're struggling to set up the wedding of an incredible family. The problem is that the process is much more complicated here than at home. The process requires new copies of birth certificates (that must be collected personally in the city of birth) and the notary requires 45 days notice before the date. It also takes about 190 Reais (about $60) which isn't horribly expensive, but for a young couple with one child and one more coming, it's a little complicated. It still needs a little work and I won't be able to see their baptism, but it's all part of calling.

Our biggest difficulty has been finding people to teach. We started in a new part of the city this week and haven't had a lot of success. There is very little movement in Ivoti and finding people at home is very difficult. Especially where we just started. We're trying to baptize at least one more person before the transfer. We just need to find him.

Two weeks ago, Sidney was baptized. We didn't know when he was coming back from Santa Catarina, but he called us yesterday morning to say that he was back and going to church. Few bring themselves to church without our encouragement. He is one of God's elect. 

The branch is doing very well. The new Branch President is very capable and is "botando fogo" in everybody. We call him "fogo nos ossos" (fire in the bones). It's how people who have a lot of drive to share the Gospel and do missionary work are described in Brazil.

Today is Elder Andrade's birthday. We'll see if we do something special today.

I'm running out of time here. Until next week. Here's a picture.

Fish Barbecue 

Zone Breakfast

Elder Dickson

Pictures

Week #96

Sometimes when your missionary doesn't send many words it is nice to have friends on Facebook who share photos. 

(Photos from Sister Elaine Monteiro de Oliveira and Elder Guilherme Almeida)

Group Photo

"Esta de corte de cabelo novo!!"

Elder Dickson and Elder Andrade

Be good. Do what is right. Be courageous.

Week #95 

Elder Dickson needed his email time today for things other than email. He's working hard and will be home soon. 

           I might not be able to send much of an email today.

           Here's a picture of our baptism this week: 

And here is some great advice he gave to his sister for her birthday:

            Be good. Do what is right. Be courageous. 

Seis Semanas Restantes

(Title translation: Six Weeks Remaining)

Week #94

Rute was confirmed and we brought a lot of people to church yesterday. The Branch President even asked President Wright if Elder Andrade and I could stay here for one more transfer. The transfer email hasn't arrived yet, so I don't know if it will actually happen that way.

We worked a lot this week. We met a lot of new people and the Sacrament Meeting Attendance is slowly increasing. Ivoti seemed such a difficult area when we got here, but neither one of us has a problem with staying here. Still waiting on that transfer email. 

There it is.

The whole district has changed. Of the four sisters that were here this transfer, one is going home and two were transferred. The rest of the zone changed a lot as well. The Zone Leaders were both transferred and many other missionaries are going home. It looks like half of our zone changed.

We're staying here. Ivoti is now officially my last area.

That means I have more time to buy cool stuff and I'm going to leave a lot of not-so-cool, but useful stuff with Elder Andrade.

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Baptism

Week #93

This was a good week. Baptisms are always wonderful.

I don't really remember all that much that happened. I do need to be a lot better about keeping my journal.

This week, I interviewed one of the Sisters' investigators and we spent the whole week making everything work for Rute's (Ruth) baptism. We're also going to start the process of helping her sister get married. If we get everything done tomorrow, Esdra and Edemir should be baptized on my last Sunday in Brazil. I won't talk about dates anymore. I don't like to think that I have to stop speaking Portuguese for people to understand me.

Here's the picture. 

The Branch Mission Leader was called as Branch President yesterday. I've already seen so many changes in the branch since I got here that I'm really excited to see what the Lord has in mind for Ivoti. I feel like Ivoti is just waiting to explode into a strong ward. We just need more people.

We have to go to Novo Hamburgo today so I can buy some cool shoes. I'll take pictures, but I'll probably only use them when I come home. The shoes I brought with me still have a few more kilometers before they need to be thrown out. Sadly, they will not make it home. Missionary shoes really do take a beating.

The other picture is my district. 

From left to right: Sou eu! Sister Warrik (Cedar City), Sister Filiagi (São Paulo), Sister Oliveira Souza (Ceará), Sister Ribeiro (Portugal), Elder Andrade (Paraíba). Todos batizadores!

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

"Fear Departs When Faith Endures"

Week #92

It's hard to believe that four weeks have already passed in Ivoti. Time really does fly when you're working. This week almost feels like it didn't happen.

This week I didn't get to spend a lot of time working in my own area. We spent most of Tuesday planning for the week and in a service project. We only had enough time at the end of the day to talk to a few people before returning home. Thursday we had a conference in Porto Alegre and used a large part of the afternoon coming back to our area. (the story includes getting the wrong bus, train schedules, stopping to eat ice cream, and a few other difficulties.) Friday and Saturday I spent in the Zone Leaders' area on a companionship exchange during which Elder Andrade and the other Zone Leader met a lot of people and visited almost all of our contacts from the previous week. I came back Saturday night with only Sunday to finish up the week and visit a few more people.

I also spoke in Church on Sunday. It was one of those great moments when you didn't even have a day to do a good personal study session and prepare, so you just pull something you already had prepared (it really is important to "always be prepared") and, when what you had prepared doesn't fill up the time, you just keep talking about what you think needs to be said. I received many compliments afterwards, so I guess it must have gone well. I don't know. I don't remember very well.

It was an unusual experience. When I was still in Canoas, I prepared a talk about members in missionary work. I was only able to give about half of it. (This is the talk where the Bishop kicked me). I wondered why I had felt that I should prepare the other half if I wasn't even going to be able to say it. The funny thing is that what I had written in Canoas was exactly what I was assigned in Ivoti and I had a lot more time to speak.

The story gets better. The closing hymn was #128 "When Faith Endures." It's a hymn I had never heard before, but the lyrics combined perfectly with everything I had spoken about not 30 seconds before we started singing. The lyrics are strikingly similar in Portuguese and English. Very few hymns translate so well. I said many of the same words that were in the hymn. The Spirit really does inspire speakers, music directors and bishops that prepare, in the spirit of prayer, church meetings.

Just a thought that I had during the Priesthood meeting. It sounds a little better in Portuguese, so I'll write in both languages.

"Fazer o que é certo faz muito mais que falar o que está errado."

"Doing what is right does much more than saying what is wrong."

Elder Dickson

". . . If ye have faith, ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true."

Alma 32:21

Week #91

This week we spoke with many people and almost had a baptism. Unfortunately, nobody came to church and our potential baptism is on the verge of giving up. I would like to say we have lots of people to teach, but German descent is something to be proud of here.

I have heard many people deny the opportunity to follow the Gospel in many different ways, but only a few say "I understand what you're saying. I just haven't let God into my heart yet. I know I have all the responsibility for my salvation or condemnation, but I'm going to stay how I am." We heard those exact words this week. Another that's a little more common is, "We're (insert religion) and maybe we're wrong, but I was born (religion), I was baptized (religion), married (religion) and will die (religion). We might be wrong, but we won't change."

Pride is something so simple and common, but can impede so much.

A woman proudly told us this week that she didn't have enough faith to follow the true Church of Christ. She then proceeded to tell us that the Apostles that left their nets did so because they didn't believe (in something already) and didn't have a structured faith. They followed because they just wanted somebody to follow.

Many times I have felt the strong desire to say "Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures." Sufficeth to say that I was more than a little frustrated this week, but we still did a great deal of work and had a wonderful meeting with the Branch Council. We are planning many things that should help a great deal here. If searching out the people doesn't work, we will have to discover what will bring them to us. 

It really is a war and we need to plan and develop strategies. I never thought about a mission like this before I came to Ivoti.

Yesterday was also my birthday. I got a package of bombom, and Guaraná Antartica, and Doritos and I got another cuia! The Sisters in my district even sang over the phone last night. If other people hadn't remembered, I might have forgotten. Thank you all.

Mission Conference this week. They're always great.

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Ivoti

Week #90

In response to Mom's email:

I'm in a branch. There are some strong members and some that are inactive.

Everybody speaks Portuguese here. There is a lot of German ancestry. That doesn't mean they are German (this is in response to Mom's question if he would be able to use some of his German there.) Many do speak German as well, but everybody reads and speaks and writes Portuguese. If I were to enter a little further from the coast, I would probably hear German in the streets. Here is too close to the big cities.

I really don't think of anything to say this week and I've already used almost all the time I have. (His English is now sounding like his second language.)

This week was difficult. It rained a lot and the nobody's in the city even when the weather is good. When it rains, people are non existent. We walked a lot and had few experiences. The whole city takes about an hour to cross. It's very small. This would be one of those chapters of the Book of Mormon when they cover five years in one verse.

We have already realized that going to the people here doesn't work very well. We need something that can bring the people to us. Family History might help. (Mom had mentioned an interest in family history as a possible teaching opportunity if the area is strongly traditionally German).

Almost everything here reminds me of Vermont. It is very green. Osório was also very green. Vera Cruz as well. If there isn't a city, there is green.

Guten Tag!

Week #89

I'm in Ivoti! It's a small city of about 25,000 people, most of them German descent. Many even learned German before they learned Portuguese and still speak with an accent. There are even people that have the German flag in front of their house.

I'm here with Elder Andrade. He's from Paraíba which is very far to the northeast of Brazil. Almost the other end of the continent. He's been on his mission for almost five months. This is his second area.

We arrived in Ivoti together. I believe that the missionary term for this in English is "shotgunned" or "whitewashed." Figuring out a new area alone is a great experience, but I'm not sure that it's something I want to do again. Ivoti is a relatively rich city with very few businesses, so we spent a lot of time walking this week trying to find where the people are. Everybody works in Novo Hamburgo, which is another area, so, during the week, nobody is home and at night everybody is jogging or walking, so they still aren't at home to be taught. Our only chance of meeting people is on the weekend.

I think Ivoti is the highest concentration of wealth that I've had to work with. It's a rich, German-descent community with very few people. It's hard finding people that want to listen.

Actually, finding people that want to listen has always been difficult, but usually it's because people already have a commitment to their own church. Here, people have a religion just to say they have one. Most of the people we meet don't even believe what their church teaches and couldn't care less about learning divine truth. It's a sad situation.

Now for the good things. The house we have is great. There is lots of wind here, so the heat is bearable. I learned how to fix an electric showerhead. There's a bakery that makes a wonderful "cuca" or, in German, "Streuselkuchen". It's a type of cake that is a lot better than cake that can be filled with just about anything from fruit, cream, chocolate, nuts, and a type of creamy milk product called requeijão. It really doesn't matter what you fill it with, it's always good. Brazilians are great when it comes to adapting foreign foods and getting creative with them. 

Ivoti also has lots of hills. In one week, my belly already shrunk. I was getting fat in Matias Velho.

Here are some pictures and then I have to go. 

Everything that isn't a street looks like this.

Same thing. 

The view from the end of the city.

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

I Was Born Under a Wandering Star

Week #88

You'll never guess, so I'll just say it. After two weeks in Matias Velho and getting to know very few people, I'm being transferred again. This time I'll be a District Leader and I don't even know where.

I'll just repack my bags.

Until the next place. Sorry this email is so short.

Elder Dickson 

Transferred Again!

Week #87

I think I might have been reassigned as a permanent member of the Canoas Zone. Between Rio Branco, Canoas Centro, and now Matias Velho, I've worked in almost every bairro in the city and all of the areas that don't belong to Sisters. We joke that I am part of the Brazil Canoas Mission.

I don't think I'll unpack my suitcases anymore either. It seems like president is using every opportunity to move me around. I only unpack what I absolutely need to use. Eight shirts, one suit, three pairs of pants, 8 pairs of socks, shoes and my scriptures. Everything else just makes more work when the next transfer comes. I recommend taking only one suitcase to the mission field. It's all you really need.

Here's the photo of Kevin I was transferred, but I stayed really close, so I'll be able to visit and keep track of him and his family. 

This week I got to know many families here in Matias Velho. Elder Quinteros already served here, so he's introducing me to everybody that he baptized and all the members. I haven't eaten so much in a very long time. I think I'll get fat here again.

Saturday we had a ward talent show. It worked out really well. Elder Quinteros and I sang with young man from the ward. I didn't record it, but somebody did. I just need to find out who. (When my mother reads that last sentence she'll tell me all about the importance of remembering special things and then she'll tell me to track down a copy and send it to her. After that she'll tell a member of the ward to send the video to her anyway. I know my mom.)

We will baptize Dana this Saturday. Elder Quinteros was teaching her before he came to Canoas Centro and she is very well prepared. The answers that she has received to her prayers are the most miraculous I have had an investigator receive. There are certainly many more incredible experiences to come this week as we teach her. 

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Baptism!

Week #86 

I took pictures I promise, but I left my camera locked up in the chapel, so I don't have it with me today.

Kevin was baptized this week. We wanted to baptize his brother and the rest of his family too, but they haven't decided to come to church yet. We're still working with them. Kevin is 10 and is probably the most excited person I've seen here. When we talked about baptism, he excitedly shouted "Eu vou me batizar!?" Obviously we said yes and invited the rest of the family too. They're spending a lot of time in the hospital taking care of a member of the family. It's complicated.

We also met a lot more people this week. I think we're getting over the hump here. It's been difficult, but we finally got the wheel turning. We should be baptizing for a few more weeks with the people we met.

More and more I have learned how important the simple principle of work is. We can plan, think of new ways to find people, pray, fast and a lot of other things, but none of that really yields fruit until we just start with everybody. It is very possible and very easy to teach ten lessons in a day, but it doesn't always happen because we relax mentally. 

One of the Seventies from Brazil, Elder Marcos Aidukaitis, gave a training in Canoas in 2004 that I've been studying lately. He said that the success of a missionary doesn't depend so much on physical effort as it does on mental effort. Always looking for opportunities to teach is very tiring and making the lesson important for that person is even more tiring. The funny thing is that when we work that way, we don't walk very much and we find many more people that are interested in the Gospel.

We worked like that this week and we saw what happens. There is something incredible about working with all your heart, might, mind and strength. We should be bold and not overbearing and we avoid being overzealous, but every once in a while, you need to do something crazy.

Extraordinary events only happen because somebody did something out of the ordinary. 

I also spoke in Church this week. It's the first time I've over prepared. The bishop kicked me when I hit the ten minute mark and I had to cut a lot of stuff, but I learned a lot and I think it still turned out well. Obviously I talked about member missionary work. We usually don't get assigned a lot of other topics.

Lots to do this week.

Elder Dickson

Back to Work

Week #85

This week I finally got to work again! We walked a lot, talked with a lot of people. Invited everybody to be baptized and especially got somebody to church! Kevin and Lucas should be a great help to baptize the rest of their family and especially their Grandmother Marli. We're going to try and baptize the three of them this week. It'll take a miracle or two, but we're in the Lord's service. Why shouldn't we see a few? Nevertheless, prayers are appreciated.

I've already mentioned this several times, but I never tire of saying it. When I think of how much I have changed since I got here, I am amazed. I do everything at least a little bit better. I'm more diligent. I work harder. I forgive more easily. I speak a new language. I teach much better. I'm not as afraid to talk to people.

When a friend returned from his mission about 2 years ago, he told me that you feel like a superhero when you come home because you can do so many things that you couldn't before. It's proof that God can really make much more of our lives than we can. 

The world with all its wisdom would say that two years off the grid, out of the workforce, out of education, out of dating and social circles is a bad decision, but I cannot agree. What other experience could transform boys who have little to no knowledge of the world and its workings into bilingual practiced leaders who know how to establish and accomplish goals, that have had real pressure to perform well and have learned probably better than any other group in the world about teamwork and getting along with others? Let's not forget that this is in a 2 year period usually before turning 22. 

I haven't even mentioned the spiritual benefits. I do not believe they can be adequately shared or taught. Just learned by experience.

I have a strong testimony that the mission experience is the best thing any young man can have in his post high-school years. It is worth the effort and sacrifice.

Contrary to popular belief, my shoes are still fine. They should be fine until the end of my mission. The only shoes I will be buying are the kind that are really expensive and made to look good when I come home. They'll probably be the coolest shoes on the block.

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Thank you Sister Cheila Aderiane da Silva for sharing this picture with us. Apparently guys do take selflies. 

New Companion Again!

Week #84

I promise that President Wright isn't switching my companions because I'm not well behaved. Elder Quinteros and I have only actually taught together once this week. 

I finally went to take out my ingrown toenails. There is a member of the Rio Branco Ward that works in the Center and she has been very helpful. The only problem was that she ordered me not to get my toes wet and not to walk very much. It rained three or four days this week and our area is a long way from our house. I spent the rainy days in the apartment studying and the sunny days working with one of the other Elders that works a lot closer to our house while Elder Quinteros went to my area to figure out what's there and visit some people I already knew.

So, Monday was P-day and I stayed with Elder Swann and Elder Miller.

Tuesday: Elder Quinteros arrived and we visited some less-active members of the Relief Society with the Elders Quorum President and his wife. We met some great part-member families.

Wednesday: Went to the foot doctor. After that, it rained. My shoes aren't waterproof anymore, so we protected my toes.

Thursday: Rained.

Friday: Really great zone meeting. President Wright is throwing a lot of focus on working with our heart, might, mind, and strength. Everybody identified something they can do better. Went back to the foot doctor. Still couldn't get my feet wet, but one toe is healing. Stayed in the city center working with Elder Swann in his area. We taught a really great young man named G. He should be baptized next week. 

We also met a Colombian who lives with 3 Mexicans. None of them speak Portuguese, so Elder Swann and I used the little bit of Spanish we know to set an appointment with Elder Quinteros (from El Salvador). Then we were hit by a storm that looked like something from an apocalypse film. We ran home so my toes wouldn't get wet. 

Pictures taken from: http://zh.clicrbs.com.br/rs/noticias/noticia/2015/01/cai-para-175-mil-o-numero-de-imoveis-sem-luz-no-rs-4678326.html

Saturday: Stayed with Elder Miller in his area.

Sunday: (Sister Capella is wonderful. We were in the same zone three times. Actually, when she wrote "Elder Dickson no piano" she wasn't writing in English. She was writing in Portuguese and wrote correctly. There is a huge difference when a meeting doesn't have music. Two Sundays ago, we came into Sacrament Meeting during the opening hymn. Everybody from the ward that knows how to play piano was on vacation. Singing a capela is not a widely held ability. I played piano the rest of the meeting. This Sunday was better.) Got tired of not being in my area and took Elder Miller with me to my area while Elder Quinteros went to teach our Colombian and Mexican friends with Elder Swann. We narrowly avoided a Bible Bash. I figured out it's much easier not to even open the Bible when somebody already shows that they just want to argue. If you don't want to fight, why would you give the antagonist a battlefield? 

Today: Went back to the foot doctor. She said I can walk and get my feet wet now! Agora, o bicho vai pegar. (that only makes sense in Brazil. Even in Google Translate it doesn't make sense.) Basically it means we're going to work a lot this week.

Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Here's Elder Quinteros taking a selfie with Elder Swann and Elder Miller.