Awesome Experiences and an Uncertain Future...

 I'll admit, I had originally planned to just title each email with the week of my mission that had elapsed, i.e. week 3, week 4, etc.... But then I realized that would require me to count slowly to 100+ weeks, and I just don't think I can do that to myself...so ya.

    Well, I've almost reached the halfway point of my MTC stay, and while I feel like I've learned so much, the more I learn, the more I realize that really learning to be a missionary is going to be a long process. A process that both excites me, slightly terrifies me and is stretching me in new ways every day. But in the midst of all the many unknowns, I trust that the Lord will help me to perform His work.

     On Monday of this week, I had a small but awesome miracle occur. My district was having our first experiences teaching someone who was not a fake investigator. The MTC had several local volunteers (Tagalog speaking Returned Missionaries) come and we were supposed to teach/help them...sa Tagalog. Elder Wilder and I had prepared a pretty good lesson on Faith... which we didn't really end up using much. Neither of the RM sisters we taught really felt they needed any help as far as faith was concerned, so we improvised, relying on ang Espiritu Santo to save our discussion from self-destruction. While neither of the discussions were perfect, one of the RM's shared with us some struggles she was having trying to help her younger sister. This younger sister didn't have much of a testimony and the RM we were talking to was making efforts to help her want a testimony. While I didn't have much useful advice to offer, I did feel led by the Spirit to promise this RM sister that her efforts would not be a waste of time, and that something good would come of it. In retrospect, that promise sounds kind of vague, but it seems that that was what she needed to hear at that time. A little later that day, I heard through the grapevine that that RM had really felt impressed and uplifted by the promise the Spirit instructed me to give, and it was a huge witness to me that I can and will be guided in this work.

     As frustrating as trying to learn to teach a complex gospel in a somewhat bizzare language sometimes is, I have truly been blessed with wonderful teachers. Yesterday, my district was having a really rough time dealing with high expectations and feeling they they were constantly falling behind. I myself wasn't doing too bad, but I was really feeling for my friends. The stress and pressure was gnawing pretty badly at them. Thankfully our teacher perceived that most of the district was having a bad day, and completely turned the planned schedule around so we could discuss what was going on and so that he could offer some advice and support. This change of plans greatly impressed me as I observed that this teacher understood his role as a mentor and friend just as much as that of a teacher. While the challenges ahead are still daunting, I am so grateful to have been blessed with wonderful people to guide me along the way.

     This upcoming Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, everybody in my zone, excluding my own district, will be headed out from the MTC. Most of those leaving unfortunately haven't gotten their visas to the Philippines yet, so they were reassigned temporarily somewhere in the States. I'm hoping my district has a little better luck when we leave. With the loss of most of the people currently in my zone comes the blessing of getting new missionaries to fill and....overfill the vacant spaces. There's about 24 missionaries leaving from my zone the coming week, and supposedly there's going to be around 40 brand new missionaries taking their place in our zone. YIPE! Ordinarily I would simply be excited to get to know lots of new people, but with the way things stand, there's only two Elder companionships in my district- mine and a trio. This means there is a 50% chance Elder Wilder and I will end up as Zone Leaders training a whopping load of new missionaries. We've tried to figure out who we could pay off to guarantee this doesn't happen, but thus far we haven't had any success. I guess life is never boring when you're in the service of the Lord...for better or...not quite as better. :) Regardless of what happens, I trust that the Lord will guide me and those I serve with.

     I hope you have all had a wonderful week, and have been blessed in the good things you have each done. This upcoming week I invite you to look for blessings that come into you life every day. I am coming to understand more and more that the more I notice the hand of the Lord in my life, the happier I feel about it. I have faith that this is true for everyone, so please take time to notice the things you are being blessed with. Peace be with you til next week. :)

Love, Elder Dickison

P.S. I apologize for the lack of pictures; the computer lab I'm using to write is not being very friendly towards my SD card. Hopefully next week I'll have it figured out.