Maligayang Pasko!

Dear Family and Friends,

     I can hardly believe there's only two more weeks until Christmas Eve... As a matter of fact, last night the Agoo city government put up a whole bunch of Christmas lights and decorations in the central city plaza, and upon first seeing the new lights, I couldn't figure out why they were there. Despite the fact there there were a bunch of stars and flashing reindeer. I think I need help. :P

     This past Friday, we were able to have our annual mission Christmas conference in Baguio city proper! This was a nice change of pace after seeing the same sights and walking the same paths for almost 4 straight months. We woke up ridiculously early in the morning (3:30) and rode in a van up the mountains with the most insane driver I have ever seen or heard of. (I'm pretty sure we were going 90 mph around tight mountain curves with steep drop offs). Good thing we have missionary protection. :) The conference itself included games, a talent show and the all-important-arrival of Santa Clause (see pictures below). Activities aside, it was a great opportunity to have a brief reunion with many of the missionaries who arrived in the mission with me, and to get to meet new missionaries as well!

     Much of the message of the conference was focused on loving others as our first priority. It was good for me to hear the quote "Never let a problem to be solved become more important that a person to be loved" from President Monson. Sometimes in the midst of my frustrations with others, I know I become more focused on what the others is doing wrong, rather than focusing on how I can lovingly help them to improve and support them in the good things they are doing. Jesus Christ's example to us is of course one of great patience, but also one of always exhorting and helping to do good. The more I ponder on this idea, the more convinced I become that sitting in frustration with other's problems and flaws is pointless and foolish (no matter who the person causing the problem is). The best thing we can do for others and for ourselves is to obey Jesus' commandment, "Feed my Sheep." Only by loving, serving and exhorting others unto righteousness can we find fulfillment in any situation.

     Yesterday, Sister Joy and Brother Jason once again made it to church, and I am again to humbled by their true desire to follow the Savior. I am privately hoping to be able to witness personally their baptism, though I may be transferred to another area before the happens. At any rate, Elder Garcia and I have a baptism scheduled for the 22nd of December for one of the Part-Member-Families in our ward, so hopefully we will be able to baptize at least once more person before I leave Agoo. Truly the Lord's vineyard is a wonderful place to work, no matter how hot the sun may sometimes be! Thank you for your prayers and support, and may God bless you in the season of remembrance of the Lord, Jesus Christ!

Love, Elder Dickison

Pictures this Week:

1) Elders Dickison and Hollister. Elder Hollister is my mission grandfather (my trainer's trainer).

2) Reunion with Elder Villipaz. When my trainer was sick in the hospital, Elder Villipaz temporarily served in my area with me.

3) All missionaries present at the conference who arrived with me in the Baguio Mission.

4) Elder Dickison and Santa Clause (in the flesh :)

 

 

Christmas...? Is it really...?

Dear Friends and Family,

     It has been a good week here in the 'Pines, but I'm starting to feel really weird about the season. Everyone keeps telling me Christmas is close, and we sang Christmas hymns in sacrament meeting yesterday, but there's no snow...and it's hotter here than when I arrived. It feels like summer here!! Man, being in the tropics is a weird experience after Utah for 20 years.

     Anyways, Elder Garcia and I have seen some wonderful progress in the people we are teaching. We recently found a young couple, Joy and Jayson, who have once again astounded me with their humility and progress in learning about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Sometimes it seems like they are teaching themselves more than anything else. (Not kidding. Our last lesson plan was to link faith to attending church. We started by asking them what they though faith was, and they responded with "Well, it probably means we should go to church." 8I Elder Garcia and I look at each other and silently communicate, "We didn't say anything about going to church yet....what the...?") Their faith is really something else, and I really hope they continue to read, pray and receive the joy of the gospel into their lives. The Lord truly has been leading us to wonderful, prepared people; what a blessing!

     This week as I have been reading the book of Helaman, I've been struck by how critically important it is to exhort others towards doing what is right, especially the people we love most in our lives. In the earlier part of Helaman, the Nephites found themselves in a real pickle where their own military strength was simply insufficient to beat back the Lamanites. So what did they do? They didn't invent some new weapon of war (like an Iron Man suit). Instead, Nephi and Lehi preached the Gospel to them, the Lord converted them, and they willingly gave up they lands they had taken by warfare. Perhaps it seems like a bizarre, round about way to solve the problem, but it proves that they answer to every problem in life is greater faith and diligence in doing the Lord's will. A great many problems in life seem ultra-complicated, or simply impossible to overcome. But no matter the complexity or difficulty of the problem, living the Gospel in it's fullness will provide a solution. Consequently, if we really want our loved ones to find success, joy and peace in their lives, they best thing we can do is to exhort (very powerfully invite) them to live the Gospel, and all other things will work themselves out. 

     Well, that's probably enough writing out of me. Thank you all for your support and any/all prayers! Please know that you are in my prayers daily, and I ask God every day to prosper you in all your good desires. Please take care of yourselves! Until next week!

Sincerely, Elder Dickison

Pictures!

1) Proof that white turkeys do exist! Not the greatest picture...but I was so surprised to see this thing, I had to capture it!...on film. For some reason I didn't think turkeys could be white...

2) Elder Garcia found the path to Narnia. Also proof Elder Garcia is crazy (look at the umbrella he bought).

3) Elder Dickison found the path to Narnia. Also proof that Elder Dickison was transfigured. (Glowing with heavenly light. :P)

4) The cute Christmas tree my family sent me. :)

Dumating ang Binyag namin!

Dear Family and Friends,

    It has been a very busy week here in Agoo, but a really awesome week as well! After many small miracles and blessings from God over the past several weeks, we were finally able to baptize Sister Maria Cardona! (turns out her proper name is Maria...not Marianne...) Watching Sister Cardona's testimony evolve from doubt into skepticism into interest into belief into real faith has been amazing! Not matter how unsure she was at first, the Spirit of God has borne an absolute witness to her heart that the restored gospel of Jesus Christ is once again found on the earth. The strength of the testimony that she shared after her baptism has strengthened my own faith and desire to go find more people to bring unto Christ!

     Preparation for Sister Cardona's baptism consumed a lot of our time this week, but there is no such thing as a boring week here. Yesterday for example, Elder Garcia and I briefly attended a funeral gathering with several of the people we are teaching. (They are all relatives, and the man who passed away was a grandfather or father to basically all of them.) Having never been to a Filipino funeral service before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. What I discovered was, well...interesting. There was much domino playing, smoking, sort-of-partying and a very loud squealing pig that was slaughtered on-site. 8| Needless to say I was not quite prepared for what I found, but it was a neat experience witness a different kind of celebration than I've seen before. I definitely love the people here in the Philippines, no matter how different their customs are to my own native way of doing things. They are by and large an incredibly humble, happy and friendly people, and I feel very blessed to be here working in this part of the Lord's vineyard.

     Anyways, I'm so happy that I have this opportunity to serve God and do His work. As it is in all parts/stages of life, there are hard days to, but I know that I am at least trying my best to do what the Lord wants for me, and that is all that matters. Many thanks for your friendship, love and prayers! May the Lord bless each of you in all you good goals and works! Know that He loves you without conditions, and I am praying for you! Take care!

Love, Elder Dickison

 Pictures:

1) A captured crane (bird, not machine) that we found. Definitely haven't seen one of those in Utah...

2) Sister Maria Cardona's baptism

 

 

Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Kittens...

Dear Family and friends,

     Transfers have arrived here in the Bagiuo Mission, and turns out my situation isn't changing! For the first time in my mission, I will actually be with one companion, Elder Garcia, for more than one transfer. I was honestly hoping not to change areas, because we have the baptism of Marianne this coming Saturday! I'm so excited to finally have a baptism in my own area, for the first time in my mission! Considering how short a time Marianne has been investigating the church, the depth of her conversion is profound! She attends every meeting she can and even joined in a Relief Society service project last week. Truly the Spirit has spoken to her heart that the gospel is true, and she is willing to follow that testimony where ever it takes her. I'll be sure to send pictures of the baptism next week!

     In other random news, Elder Garcia and I were walking between appointments earlier this week, when we suddenly heard pitiful mewling coming from the roadside. After some searching in the grass, we found an abandoned kitten. Being a cat lovers and probably too soft, we decided to bring the kitten back home and feed it to make sure it didn't die. Keeping pets is not allowed as missionaries, but there was already a litter of kittens living with our landlady below us, so we figured we would just let this lost kitten join the others downstairs. This plan worked brilliantly until we realized that the kitten we found was twice as big as the other kittens and something of a bully. Every time the smaller kittens went to feed from their mother, the lost-and-found kitten batted them away, trying to take all the milk for itself. So...we're still trying to train the adopted kitten how to let the other kittens eat too...it's a work in progress. :P Daily life here is filled with lots of such random situations, and every time I find myself asking, "How in the world did it come to this?"

    Our teaching pool has been changing a lot recently as we continue to sort out which of the people we've taught are really interested in the gospel, and which are just too polite to say "No, I'm not interested. Please go away." This is the trickiest problem in most of the Philippines missions. Many people will listen, few will act. However, occasionally God puts people in our path who are so ready it practically knocks my socks off. As we've continued to meet with and teach Sister Marianne and Brother Renaldo (the man with the dirt stairs), I am truly astounded by their humility and desire to find the truth. Frequently during our lessons with Renaldo, he has such meek or profound answers to our question that I say to myself "Holy Smokes, this man is holier than I am, and I'm a missionary!" Truly the blessings of the Lord are poured out upon those who are willing to receive them, like Renaldo. And despite the many weaknesses of Elder Garcia and myself, the Lord is providing wonderful opportunities to teach, help and grow. Truly He is helping "weak things become strong" according to His own promise. We just have to strive hard, and find the good in every day. :)

    In an effort to avoid novelizing, I'll probably stop there. I love so much being in the Philippines, striving to do the work of the Lord! It is unquestionably the hardest task I have ever undertaken, but the fruits of the labor are equally as wonderful. Truly I am learning that fulfillment is found in doing the Lord's work. Thank you so much for all of your prayers and support! Take care, and I'll look forward to writing again soon!

 Love, Elder Dickison

Pictures:

1) Elder Dickison and the lost kitten in the dark

2) Elder Garcia's version of talking on the phone :P