Vera Cruz

Week #71

I traveled very far. All the way to Vera Cruz. It's about 24 miles from Venâncio Aires. I am very close to Santa Cruz do Sul which is the city with the largest Cathedral in South America, or so I've heard. There is a lot of German influence and the streets are full of red, yellow, and black for Oktoberfest. Sadly, not a lot of that influence reaches Vera Cruz. 

Vera Cruz is very small. Paris has the Eiffel Tower. New York has the Empire State Building. Salt Lake has Temple Square. St. George has Ancestor Square or at least Bluff Street. Vera Cruz has "A Caixa da Água" (The Water Box or Water Tower). Just about everybody gives directions based on the Caixa da Água. Usually the directions don't work very well and many people don't even have addresses. 

The branch is very small. I think there were about 25 people at church on Sunday and there is nobody but Elder Dickson that has any idea of how to play piano. We'll see how much I can teach before I leave. 

Speaking of music, I tried to find a method book for piano today. The only thing I found doesn't even talk about how to read music. I asked where to find something that actually teaches people how to read and play (actually learn) music and was told I would have to look in São Paulo (722 miles away) or maybe a store in Porto Alegre (100 miles away). Looks like I'll be writing my own method book. 

I am very tired. We taught a lot of people this week and have much more to do. We should have a few baptisms these next few weeks, but each one that we have in sight will require a great deal of work from the Lord's hand. Opposition is necessary, but sometimes I think it's just a little cliché.

I'm with Elder Barbosa from Espírito Santo. He has just two more transfers than I do and we're working together well. Here's to a good transfer. 

I am taking pictures, but once again I left my batteries and charger in another area. The problem is that this time, nobody can find them. Also, it is not advised that we send pictures from where we send email, so I probably won't send many (if any) photos while I'm here.

Now, I have to decide how to teach piano in Portuguese. New vocabulary to learn. 

Until next week. 

Elder Dickson

New Area

Week #70

The only thing I know is that I'm staying in the same zone. With conference and finishing the new house, we didn't have a lot of time to find new stories to tell. In any case, the house is finished, Conference was great, and I'm very tired. 

Elder Barrus and I were talking yesterday about what we're really taught in Seminary and Sunday School. Obviously, it's impossible to teach what to do in every situation and nobody would want to read a book that long any way. We reached the conclusion that the teaching of the Gospel consists of basic principles instead of specific actions. This also applies to our callings.

We rarely are ready to really be a missionary, bishop, or teacher, but the wonderful thing is that God doesn't call us to preach the gospel of Elder Dickson or Thomas Monson. He calls us to teach His Gospel. When we receive a calling to teach and exhort and lead in the Lord's kingdom, we are only to teach and do what He wants done. So, what do we need to do to be effective in His work? We need to know how to communicate with Him.

As we talked about it more, we realized that everything we learn is how to be worthy to receive communication from God and how to recognize His voice. Every principle from obedience to ordinances is to teach us communication with Heaven. 

So, the prophets teach the correct principles and they (and the Lord) expect that we seek daily revelation to know how to apply those principles. That's why Conference almost always talks about obedience, repentance, faith, temple work, and the rest of the Gospel we love so much. Rarely do they reveal some new "deep" doctrine or practice.

When we understand this, our callings for which we are not prepared change from "Why did the Lord choose me? I don't know how to do that." to "I'm just here to do what the Lord tells me day by day is the best way to fulfill this position in His kingdom. I represent Him. I just need to do what He asks." We don't need to worry about not knowing how to lead a ward. The Lord will teach us. We just need to have a strong two-way communication lane with Him.

Now, I have to go pack, and eat, and take some pictures.

 Until the next area.

Elder Dickson

Moving

Week #69

I don't remember being this tired since the flooding in Boulder. Elder de Araujo and I moved everything Saturday to the new house. A missionary house has a lot more than I realized and we were the only two moving everything. Que maravilha. My arms are still hurting. Today we get to start putting all the furniture back together and we have to finish building the house. (Not really, but there are some very important things missing.)

We probably have a few more days of work to do before the transfer happens (we already know the area will switch to Sisters and it just wouldn't be very fair to leave a house without light fixtures, showerheads, sink or a place to dry clothes.) This week I'll be learning about plumbing and electrical work. Good thing I paid attention when Dad was working on the pipes at home.

Other than the move, Elder Barrus and I walked a lot this week and taught little. The few lessons we did teach didn't follow that script for teaching Brother Brown that so many learned in the MTC. One woman understood the words we said but not what they meant and ended up asking us to baptize her dog (that lesson ended quickly). The best one was a young woman that decided to be baptized one week earlier than she had planned. Missionaries like that a lot.

Next week is General Conference and I'm really excited to hear what the Lord wants us to hear and study for the next six months.

We still have a lot to do. That's all folks!

Elder Dickson

Elder de Araujo's birthday party sent to us by Sister Oliveira

Brazilian Revolution, A Lot of New People

Week #68

First, the Guerra Farroupilha or, in English, The Ragamuffin War.

This is not a current revolution. You can relax, Mom.

This was actually a revolution against some of the economic practices of the Brazilian Empire in 1835. The State of Rio Grande do Sul revolted and fought the second bloodiest war for independence that failed in the history of the Brazilian Empire. Great title right?

Currently, Rio Grande do Sul, the state where I live, celebrates the 20th of September, the day they lost the war. I have never seen so many horses in one parade. For those of you who participate in Marching Band, there was a lot of opportunity for extra credit. 

Pictures to come.

The biggest difficulty of Venâncio Aires is finding people that progress. In my other areas people went to church, kept their appointments, read, and prayed (not everybody, but there was always somebody). Here, we're lucky if we see the same person twice. We met 23 completely new people that marked another appointment. Maybe we'll see them again this week. 

We also saved a life today. Elder de Araujo and I spent the night in another area because of a fireside and bad weekend bus schedules. The problem was that he needs a certain medication to stay alive that he had left at home, so Elder Kinney and I made a very early morning run to find an open pharmacy. Medication is very expensive here.

After we got back and Elder de Araujo wasn't dying anymore, we ate Skittles (it's been a very long time) and I tried to convince Elder Kinney to give me his big bottle of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce. He wasn't very willing. Then we got home and I'm here trying to think what else I can write. Let's move on to photos.

Just take away the sword and you have what some people actually wear in the street everyday.  

The Gaucho (person from Rio Grande do Sul) loves his dog and his horse. 

Lots of horses. There were about six groups about this size. 

Just because my sisters should like her clothes.

Even with a dress, you don't ride side saddle in Rio Grande do Sul. 

Cars like this are not uncommon here. 

Flag of Rio Grande do Sul. I want to bring one home. 

Gauchos learn to ride very early. 

Preach My Gospel and General Conference

Week #67

This week we had a fireside. Not just any fireside. This was a fireside completely organized and directed by the missionaries of the Venânio Aires Branch. Let me just say, it's a lot more work than I thought it would be.

We decided to use Elder Ballard's last conference address as our basis and went from there. We invited the Elders Quorum President and the Young Women's President of the branch to speak and then Elder Dias and I presented a more interactive lesson talking about two of the invitations Elder Ballard made this last conference, get a personal copy of Preach My Gospel and invite somebody every three months to meet the missionaries. Elder deAraujo sang "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" in Portuguese and the whole thing was a huge success.

It really is clear when people take their calling to teach seriously. Even if we are called upon to teach without preparation, we can still teach well. The difference isn't really in how much we prepare in the days before our talk. It is much more in how much we are already prepared. How much we have already born our testimony. How converted we are to those principles. How often we study and treasure up and feast upon the words of Christ. Then, when we are called upon to teach, the Spirit not only will fill our mouth with words, but will also testify of those words. That's how we recognize the true servants of the Lord.

Remember that Elder Ballard invited every member to own a copy of Preach My Gospel. Age, activity, calling, etc. don't matter. That means that a family of six people (like mine) should have six well used copies.

The Church is true. The Book of Mormon as well. There is a great difference between the swelling words  (interrupted by shouts and shows of "miracles") of pretenders and the simple truth taught by true representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ. True power and authority do not need to be displayed or proven, simply declared. The Spirit is what carries that declaration into the hearts of men. The Spirit convinces and converts. 

Our calling gives us authority; fulfilling our covenants gives us power.

These things are true. I know they are and I declare them in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Elder Dickson

Venâncio Aires Week 2

Week #66

The harvest is a little bit slow, but the ground here is prepared. The members have goals and want to accomplish them. They just need to know how. 

That's why this next week we're organizing a fireside about how members can be missionaries. We're especially going to talk about Elder Ballard's talk in the last General Conference. Even if you remember exactly what it said, read it again. An Apostle of the Lord made several promises we receive through sharing the Gospel.

He also invited everybody to own and study Preach My Gospel. I don't know how much a copy of Preach My Gospel costs there, but here, it's about $1.50. If that's too expensive you can download it to listen or read for free here. Obviously we all want to see wards grow and friends accept the Gospel. The wonderful thing is that we already have a manual that teaches how to do that. 

I repeat Elder Ballard's invitation. Have a copy of Preach My Gospel, a personal copy. Study it. Use what you learn. Share what you learn with other people. Tell the missionaries what you learned. We, as missionaries are told to study Preach My Gospel and the Book of Mormon every day. The two are the words of prophets and apostles. They are both scripture. 2 Nephi 28:30 speaks of line upon line and precept upon precept, but it also says that those who receive will receive more and those who do not receive shall have it taken from them even that which they have. We must accept and use all of the divine resources we have. 

Because the first Apostles and members of the Primitive Church received the prophecies and teachings of the Old Testament, they received the New Testament. Because Joseph Smith received the counsel in the New Testament to ask of God, he received the Book of Mormon. Because he received, translated, and lived the teachings of the Book of Mormon, he received the revelations in Doctrine and Covenants. Because we continue to receive the Standard Works, we are given the words of living prophets and apostles monthly. What a wonderful fulfillment of the promise written by Nephi!

But we must remember that there is a flip side. The world stopped receiving the original apostles and revelation and scripture ceased. Many plain and precious things were lost. The Gospel was no longer fully understood. Men chose to stop receiving and even the Bible was sealed against their understanding. They lost what they already had. The same can happen to everyone of us as well.

I know that God is not silent. He still speaks through His appointed servants. This will never change. President Monson is the Prophet of God. He does not speak as the scribes and Pharisees using only his own interpretations. He reveals the current and unchanging will of our Eternal God.

Elder Dickson

Elder Dias (Cape Verde), Elder Barrus (Virginia), Eu (Elder Dickson), Elder de Araujo (Rio de Janeiro)

Venâncio Aires

Week #65

Venâncio Aires is the national capital of chimarrão, a bitter plant that you grind up and drink with hot water. It's basically the foundation of society in Rio Grande do Sul. The first time I drank it the words that came to my mind were "goat food water." It's an acquired taste, but I like it.

My new companion is Elder Barrus. He's from Virginia (three American companions in a row) and has one of the strongest American accents I have ever heard. He still doesn't understand everything that we say, but he's learning.

Venâncio Aires is a little city that's far away from almost everything. There is one branch here that we share with Elder Dias (from Cape Verde) and Elder de Araujo (Rio de Janeiro). No, I haven't taken any pictures here yet, but I will say the accent from Rio is very different. He talksh like thish. It'sh a little different.

There aren't a lot of stories to tell yet. This week was a lot of inviting people to be baptized and hearing excuses for why people don't want to do anything. One man even decided that he didn't want to be baptized because he didn't want to do Home Teaching or anything else. The moment that we talk about a commitment he doesn't want to do anything. It's normal, but he was the worst case I've seen. We dropped him.

I usually don't like to quote Bruce R. McConkie, but I read one of his statements (in Portuguese, so I'll translate) that people who are not willing to keep all the commandments and be completely devoted to the Gospel for the rest of their lives should not make that promise by being baptized. That's why commitments are so important. Preach My Gospel has a chapter all about helping people accept and keep commitments and says clearly that when we invite people to do or not to do something we are calling them to repentance. If people keep their commitments (or repent) they can be baptized and make greater commitments. If they keep those commitments, they can make even greater commitments in the temple. If we keep those commitments, we receive Celestial Glory which is an enormous responsibility and commitment in itself. 

I'm hungry. Until next week.

Elder Dickson

Last night in Montenegro

Elder Angus's last transfer

Marlene in Montenegro

Elder Dickson and Sister Pithan 

Elder Dickson and Sister Grahl Baptista