The last week has felt really wild and overwhelming in many ways, but I am grateful for all of the blessings that have accompanied it, for they are many. On Tuesday, the missionaries in Guisad A area took me on a tour of my new area, Guidsad B, and tried to show me as much of it as possible. This was super helpful and much needed, although I definitely didn't have everything figured out after only one quick pass through the area. I then traveled down to the lowlands again to wait for my new trainee who was arriving Thursday.
Wednesday we had a trainer's training (oxy-moron?) and I worked with some other Elders in San Fernando (near the mission office) but started getting quite sick to my stomach later in the day. Not wanting to interrupt the other Elder's work, I threw up a plea for mercy to heaven and kept plodding onward. Eventually we were able to find and teach a super prepared man who wants to join the church already, which was miraculous and a great blessing.
Thursday I finally picked up my new trainee, Elder Torsak! He's a super-tall Elder from Utah who is actually half-Filipino. It was so great to finally meet him face to face and start getting to know him. During the course of this "Meet you trainee" meeting, I developed a fever and started shivering (not good timing), but I bluffed my way through it by bouncing my leg, making my vibration seem more normal. :P The things you do for meetings.
We traveled back to Baguio City, which I don't really remember (fever brain) and after getting lost driving around in a taxi for ten minutes (the driver didn't recognize the address I gave him, and I was too new to be able to guide him) we finally made it home. At this point I was feeling pretty bad for Elder Torsak since his trainer was basically out of commission and he was a brand spanking new missionary.
Friday I really still wasn't feeling good, but I started praying really hard to be able to function and work so that Elder Torsak could have a normal first day of work. after much medicine taking and too many trips to the CR, we made it out the door and time, and started working our brand new area. We talked to a crazy number of people that day, and despite my head not being super clear, I found that I always had words in my mouth to say in solid Tagalog. If that wasn't the Gift of Tongues at work, nothing is. Elder Torsak, being brand new, doesn't really understand what the people are saying yet, but the Spirit truly sustained me in body and language to be able to do the Lord's work.
Sorry for the nearly blow-by-blow narrative there, but I was really impressed by how God provided the strength and ability for me to accomplish hard (or seemingly impossible) things in response to my prayer. The past week may have been the most physically difficult in my mission thus far (my area is also insanely steep), but God truly will provide a way for us to do hard things if we pray in faith, desiring to do good.
Thank you so much for your love, friendship and support! I so appreciate every prayer, email, and well wish. Enjoy 2019, and take care!
Love, Elder Dickison
Pictures!
1) Working with the Elders in San Fernando (a 4 year old was taking the picture)
2) A delicious Sinigang we created with our aparmentmates
3) Elder Torsak and I at our first meeting
4) A pretty view of Guisad from way up on a mountain
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