Seek Strength

Week #25

Two weeks, two baptisms. I have pictures of the second one. The first was Denis last week and the send, his cousin Felipe, was yesterday. To meet somebody and two weeks later baptize them is something I not expect to see. The people let you in, they let you talk, they do what you ask them to and choose to be baptized. It's exactly what they made it seem like in the MTC. Everybody will at least talk to you for a few minutes and most of them will listen to The Restoration. It's amazing.

I've been doing a lot of thinking these past couple weeks. (I have lots of time for that since I can't really talk to anybody yet). A lot of it is about obedience. In Colorado, there were many missionaries who would justify disobedience to the rules of the white handbook by saying none of that was actually a commandment. Depending upon your definition of commandment, this may be true, but a couple days ago during my studies, I started thinking about Samson and being a Nazarite. He was expected to live a law above that which was given by the Ten Commandments. He wasn't to cut his hair, drink strong drink, obviously harlots are an issue and he wasn't to touch any unclean thing, such as a dead lion. In the few chapters that cover his story, he breaks nearly all of the rules he was expected to live and then, at the hands of the one who enticed him to sin, his strength was lost. Notice, he doesn't break all of them. Unless I missed one, he didn't ever partake of strong drink, but he broke enough that he lost that which the Lord had given him.

The higher rules of the mission are much like those of a Nazarite. For this time we are set apart and are thus corban or given to the Lord. In doing this we promise ourselves to living and doing that which He would have us do. If we willfully fail to perform according to His standards, we are in danger of losing our strength. 

The same goes for members of the church. Though not missionaries and with other things to do, we are given rules to follow and many of them have the promise of strength, spiritual or physical, attached. Seek strength. 

This morning I was reading the first chapter of Abraham. The first verse is funny, (it would be needful to obtain another place of residence if your father is trying to kill you) but the second verse is wonderful. Abraham seeks knowledge, righteousness, happiness, peace, to be a father of many nations, and to keep the commandments of God. These are various forms of strength and obviously it's good to seek them. 

Apparently I can't access a USB device at this computer. How frustrating. User restrictions are wonderful, but when you're running a business of letting people use a computer, you should probably let them use flash drives. No pictures this week. The two Elders in the second picture from last week are Elders Cabral and Frazao, my zone leaders. We live with them. They keep everybody in line pretty well.

Still loving the food. I am getting just a little bit bored of feijao, but it's broken up enough by the other things like stroganoff, Pepsi, sausage, Coca-Cola, cucumbers, Guarana, tomatoes, rice, Pepsi, and Coco-Cola. I don't think I've had this much cola of any type in my life. At every meal, they pull out one or two bottles of at least 2,5 liters (often 3) and it disappears. Guarana is much the same way. It's actually really funny going into some members homes. The soda is cheaper than the milk here (milk comes out to equal about $4 a gallon) and it seems to be a staple of the members food storage. They buy 2 liter bottles the way we buy 12 oz. cans. Some kitchens have a corner devoted to pallets of Guarana, Pepsi, or Coca-Cola. There are probably ten bottles on each pallet. The only other things they drink are water and artificially flavored drink mix. Sugar is a main food group here. 

The only things I haven't liked here are the desserts. I swear all they do is take a bowl of sugar and add just enough food coloring or flavor to make it gooey and serve it under different names. One thing was sugar and egg white mixed together. I miss real fruit. Nobody in Guajuviras actually eats it though. The word for juice is suco, but they use it to describe anything that is a non-carbonated liquid and has sugar added. The only really good fruit drink I've had was last night. They just called it suco, but it's the best thing I've had here so far. It was just pineapple blended with a little bit of sugar and water. It was so nice to be able to taste the fruit more than the sugar. I don't think I'll ever eat sugar again when I get home. 

The woman who made that wonderful drink is hilarious. She's the first ward member I met here and I loved her right off. I have no idea how to spell her name (I can't even say it), but she's like a much shorter Brazilian version of Aunt Blythe. She even says no and shakes her head the same way. She's like the mom of the missionaries here. Even the Mission President and his wife know her. I'll have pictures next week. 

For now, I'm hungry for a hot dog with real ketchup. They have the wrong idea about hot dogs here and ketchup is all wrong. They even spell it wrong. They don't put ketchup or even catsup. Here it's catchup. They also like mayo with a lot of things. They even advertise food and make sure they put the word maionese in big letters on the sign. 

Subway is horrible here too. A 30 cm sandwich cost R$ 15,90 ($8.00) and tasted a little bit better than the paper it came in. The lettuce was sad, the cheese was all processed, the bread was half-baked and the vegetable had no flavor. Never doing that again.

Anyway, time's up. Tchau.

Elder Dickson

A Whole New World

Week #24 

Que?

Estou perdido. 

I don't know what anybody is saying. I don't know what they want me to say. I don't really know what I'm eating, but I like it. It goes with the rice.

That's basically this week. Lots of travel with people I cannot understand, teaching lessons, attending a baptism my first weekend, typing on a Portuguese keyboard. Such fun. 

My companion's name is Elder Medeiros. He's Brazilian, has two transfers left and has had a baptism 13 times in the last 13 weeks. That's more than the monthly average for the whole Fort Collins mission. Talk about a white field already to harvest. 

I'm happy to be here, but I really don't have all that much to say. Maybe when I actually know what's happening I'll have some stories to tell. For now, I've already used thirty minutes and look how much I've written. Portuguese keyboard. 

The members here are amazing. The chapel is small, the ward is smaller, the baptisms are frequent and their food is amazing. I actually only eat one meal each day. Incredibly, I'm not hungry enough to eat another one.

Everybody here drinks four things: Guarana, Pepsi, Coca-Cola, and water. There are a few other things like disgusting warm boxed milk and a drink that I can never remember the name of. Whatever it is, it tastes like hot alfalfa water. Somehow I like it. 

Our housing is... different. It's old, falling apart, has three real rooms and kind of half walls that make two more. All the floors here are tile or cement and the walls are usually some sort of brick. To control the temperature, we open the windows and doors to whatever extent we need them and sit somewhere in the breeze. 

The weather is a lot like summer in Vermont. It's about the same temperature and humidity and you always feel dirty. (I forgot to mention that a couple days ago the city had no water. We had no shower, no toilet, nothing to drink and almost had to move the baptism to another city.) I'm told it's going to get ridiculously hot and then ridiculously cold. I'm not really excited about the hot part, but hey, Christmas is Christmas even without snow. (Christmas here is called Natal.)

I just asked Elder Medeiros what our address is. Luckily he speaks English pretty well. Here it is.

Elder Dickson

Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission

Caixa Postal 13008

Porto Alegre-RS

CEP 91010-971

Brazil

I'm not really sure about how that works outside Brazil, but that's all he knew. 

Mother, you should know that I am well taken care of. It turns out that Americans are told to bring much more than anybody else. Everybody else has one suit case and I have three. I'm not sure I'll even use most of the stuff they told us to bring. Hopefully, I'll be able to wear out lots of stuff so I have space to spare in the future. 

Wow, I swear time goes faster here. Bye for now.

Elder Dickson

Elder Cabral and Elder Frazao

Elder Medeiros and Elder Dickson

Out Into the World

Elder Dickson is now in a far away country! He flew into Brazil on Tuesday morning and although we haven't gotten a letter from him yet, we did get his new address and a picture! 

Elder Dickson

Brazil Porto Alegre North Mission

Caixa Postal 13008

Porto Alegre- RS

CEP 91010-971

Brazil

Because Elder Dickson is in a foreign country, there are some strict guidelines for sending packages. If you would like to send him anything, please check with his mother before mailing it off to ensure that these guidelines are met. 

Letters, of course, are always welcome and wanted. 

President and Sister Wright with Elder Dickson

Where In The World?

Week #23

After almost six months in Colorado, Elder Dickson flew into Porto Alegre earlier this morning! He traveled for almost 24 hours after leaving Lafayette, but he is safe and sound in Brazil.

Hoping to get a letter from him soon!

Go Ye Therefore, and Teach All Nations

Week #22

One more crazy week down. One more crazy week left. 

This week was in one word amazing. Two main happenings. 

Number one. Saturday was the celebration of the Boulder Colorado Stake's 40th Anniversary. They had a wonderful idea that they call living pictures.  Basically, they recreate well known works of art, but have real people standing in the positions and situations of those interacting with Christ. In some, a character comes and sings a song, but for most, they had an orchestra and choir performing a piece that described some aspect of the story depicted. Easily the best performance I have ever seen done on a Stake level. The choir was amazing, the orchestra was good (the French Horn ruined some parts), both of the trumpeters played Bach Strads and there were many nonmembers that attended. The cultural hall was filled for three different performances and the sister in charge told us the Mayor of Louisville was expected to attend. From what I've heard, several people saw him. I consider it the greatest thing next to the flood cleanup that has happened to hasten the work. The whole zone was involved in setup and helping guests and many missionaries saw their investigators there. I watched the first performance and by the second song was almost crying. I'm glad I was in Colorado just long enough to see it. 

Number two. Last night Elder Hanks and I had the opportunity to give a recent convert a blessing. 

I believe in one of my last couple emails I mentioned that she almost had more of a testimony of a certain Elder than the Church. Her main reason for that was because at one point he had given her a blessing and she said that was the first and only time she had ever felt such a feeling. She doubted she could feel it without him and didn't seem to believe she could feel it through going to church or reading the scriptures or praying. About an hour after we gave her that blessing, she called us and told us that she had felt it again. It is a wonderful thing to act as the voice of the Lord and then hear somebody tell you they felt something far more than the power of your words or your hands on their head. I pray, and I ask all of you as well, that Michelle's testimony of the truth will grow. She has begun to see miracles around her, but she still isn't unshakable. She can use many prayers for both her temporal and spiritual needs. I think it would be a great help to let her know that there are people all over the world pray for her by name. 

Aside from that, today will be a very busy day as I prepare every needful thing for Brazil. The Mission Office told me that I'll probably be leaving in the early morning of the 11th and I need to have everything done by Saturday. I have a lot to buy today. It is thrilling to know that I am going forth to teach a nation and that men will hear the Gospel in their own tongue. Speaking of tongue, beef tongue is really good.

Go and do something good today. Testify of something, share a principle, be an example. All you Boy Scouts out there, do a good turn and review the Scout Oath. Think about what each part means and how you will live it. The program set up by Robert Baden-Powell is in line with the principles of the Gospel and there is a very good reason the Church is such a huge sponsor. All good things are inspired of God. Do something good. 

Ask for what the Lord would have you do 

Learn at His feet

Act on that which you learned 

Share what you have done

Glory in your God

Amo voces

Elder Dickson

Testimonies and Transitions

Week #21

What a week. The weather is cooling, six of us have decided to start an exercise program run by one of the members in the mornings, recent converts are having severe difficulties with the Church, and I got to play a musical number in another ward yesterday.

Last Wednesday, the Elders in the neighboring Coal Creek Ward told us about an early morning exercise class that Brother Melver taught. It's called Boot Camp and requires us to get up around 5:30 so we can get there on time. It's sort of a mixed cardio/resistance program and the routine changes every day. It's a great way to wake up, but it makes you very sore all day. Basically, it's a pain to get up in the morning, but it starts the day very well. Bonus, I am losing weight. 

A few nights ago, we got a call from a recent convert who expressed several issues she had with teachings of the Church. Her biggest challenge was tithing and told us quite fervently that "Money is evil and God doesn't need it." She then told us that she doesn't believe anybody knows what happens after death and emphasized that every church teaches a different thing. The worst part was that she would believe the words of a previous missionary because she believed he was the thing that was special about her conversion. The only thing Elder Hanks and I could think of was to, as it says in Alma 4:19 (I think of this scripture often), bear down in pure testimony. That's what we did and we have recognized three miracles of that experience. The first is that she changed from severe doubt to praying to her Father in Heaven and asking Him for knowledge. We have yet to hear what experiences she had. The second and third were in Elder Hanks and myself. 

Elder Hanks usually has a way of talking as if he's afraid to say anything and usually just says very simple but repetitive truths from the lessons. That night, there wasn't a single easy or previously know line from him. He was bold, he didn't sound afraid to speak and he testified with something more than the usual conviction.

My experience was very similar. While looking back on the things I said, I realized that many of those things I did not know the purpose of. The conversation had been long and there is no way I could have remembered every concern expressed and addressed them in one response, but everything I bore testimony of dealt with every issue she had. I do not know what she will decide to do (she didn't come to church yesterday), but we were given in the very moment what we should say and have invited her to come to Christ. We have fulfilled our purpose. Now she needs the help of the members and the Lord to fulfill hers. 

In unrelated news, I just got (as in four minutes ago) an email notifying me that my visa has arrived! Still reading to figure out when I leave.

Anyway, last story. (I leave on November 11) Saturday night I received a call asking me if I could play a musical number in the Flatirons Ward sacrament meeting the next morning. The whole zone was  supposed to sing I Need Thee Every Hour, but none of the missionaries were able to be at that meeting. The Elders there told the coordinator, but she asked if Elder Dickson could play piano. They decided to wait a week before asking me if I could play, so I got to arrange a version of I Need Thee Every Hour at 9:00 the night before and didn't even have a piano so I could know if what I was planning to do would work. Long story short, I played a solo with one night to prepare and it was awesome!

Anyway, I'm excited about my visa and need to email more people.

Tchau!

Decisions Determine Destiny

Week #20

Good day all! 

Still lots of Boulder damage to clean up and we have heard from President Brown that there have been some teaching opportunities opening up because of it, but I haven't heard of specific instances. We have had many people thank us for the service we do and have expressed how impressed they are with the quick action of the Church. I'm not sure, but I've heard that FEMA has placed the stake in charge of the relief effort. That was what we heard from a few stake leaders, but I'm not sure to what extent that is true. Either way, people are seeing our help and we're being recognized.

Highlight of the week: Stake Conference

From what I've been told, missionaries aren't usually allowed to attend the adult session, but in this case, the First Presidency specifically mandated that the missionaries attend because the topic of the session was missionary work. 

The Boulder Stake Presidency was reorganized because our last president has been called to be a Russian speaking mission president. He doesn't know where or when, but he has received and accepted the call. We had two Seventies come Elders Schweitzer and Wright. They had some wonderful things to say about making homes an MTC and preparing children to serve. One of the stories told was of an inactive member who had gone on a mission and had the program from her missionary farewell framed and hanging in the stairwell of her home. She never attended church, probably didn't teach the scriptures to her sons, and yet all three of them went on missions. 

Elder Schweitzer asked us why we thought those boys made that decision and then continued to tell a story of a woman whose son joined the Navy and went off to sea, never to return. She wept and wondered why her son decided on such a distant and dangerous career. To distract her from her sorrow, she decided to perform a thorough cleaning of her home. As she slowly progressed through her empty home, she noticed the paintings of ships hanging on the walls of each room and then ceased to wonder why her son had gone to sea. 

The thought I wrote after Elder Schweitzer related this story was this: 

The messages we place upon the bulletin boards or walls of our homes will silently, subtly, and significantly shape the decisions we and our children make. 

That was soon followed by another though that echoes one of my mother's favorite quotes. Let's see if you know what it is.

The decisions regarding what is allowed in a home will determine the destiny of the residents therein. 

I know the wording seems a little bit flowery, but this is how I think when I get ideas in conferences or personal study. I think making them sound quotable makes them easier to remember anyway. That's the important part. 

I've heard many times, (especially in the MTC) that the thoughts we have during talks are so much more important than a word for word record of the talk given. I agree. Everybody can hear or read the words of a talk. We all hear the same ones and there are already many ways to record the words spoken. That's why General Conference is filmed and the talks printed in the Ensign. The aspects of a talk that requires sharing and recording on our part are the inspirations we receive during our reflection of the words everybody else hear. 

(I'll let the reader insert a paragraph that ties the last two together and designs a personal application of them.)

That's all for this week.

Keep Love's banner floating o'er you;

Smite Death's threat'ning wave before you.

God be with you till we meet again. 

Elder Dickson