Wow...
it's P-day again already. So Sister Doucette and I have had a pretty
awesome time during the last few days. All of last week we had to do a
lot of finding, but our efforts paid off and so did the fasting and
prayers. We found a ton of people who are interested in being taught
and have return appointments with them this week. We actually had four
different, random people come up to us during the last two days and ask
us if we can teach them... Hallelujah! We've also been trying to help
establish visiting and home teaching in our ward. I never realized how
important visiting and home teaching was before my mission. Everyone
needs visiting/home teaching; active members as well as less-active
members. Our ward here in Pateros would probably have a lot less
less-actives if they were being visiting every month by other members.
Since the focus of our mission is to find and baptize, we're really
trying to help the ward visit less-actives and recent converts so that
we can spend the majority of our time with investigators. This was the
first week that we had an even number of less-active/recent convert
lessons and lessons with investigators. It's a huge improvement, but
we're working on having more lessons with investigators period.
Something I may have mentioned before that Sister Doucette and I are
trying to focus on is having hope. We're both pretty realistic (ha!
that's a nice word for pessimistic...) and so hope is an area we both
recognized we needed to grow in. It's been cool over the last transfer
to watch as Heavenly Father has given us experiences to help us grow in
this area. I never realized how crucial it can be to have hope. There
is a scripture in Ether chapter 12, verse 32 I think, that talks about
having hope and how it is crucial in order for us to return to live with
our Father in Heaven again in the mansions prepared for us above.
That's pretty serious stuff when you think about it.
Sister Doucette and I have also been reflecting on how very
different serving a mission is than we thought it would be. There is a
lot more that goes on in our missions than just knocking on doors and
learning to speak a different language. Over the last five months I've
learned how to go apartment hunting in the Philippines, recover from
floods and break-ins, and all about U.T.I.s. I've also tried to help
establish home/visiting teaching and help the church here in the
Philippines become more established and run smoother. I've found myself
talking to the richest of the rich people here about our church, in
English, with my whole ward watching my companion and I (that was
terrifying) as well as made almost daily visits to a couple who didn't
have enough money/food to feed themselves let alone their three-month
old son. I never expected to do half of these things let alone all the
other stuff I didn't mention that has happened as well. I feel so
incredibly blessed that Heavenly Father has given me this opportunity.
I didn't really have a desire to go on a mission for any other reason
than it sounded kind of fun and I knew it was God's plan for me. I'm so
grateful that this was part of His plan for me and I can't wait to see
what else the mission has in store for me (haha... I'm knocking on wood
right now...).
Oh yeah! If you are willing, please include my Grandpa Luke in
your prayers. He had a stroke last week and is doing much better, but
still needs the prayers. Thank you for your love and support always.
God bless!
Love, Sister Dickison
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