Another glorious week in the mission field ...

Elder Mayo, Elder Moore, Elder Gentry, and Elder Dickson. I don't know what they are pointing at.

Hey, Everybody!

Good to see ya'll on Skype; these past two years have felt more like two months, and at the same time, a lifetime lol. It doesn't make sense; I feel like no time has past, yet life is moving so rapidly... soon I'll be back and working, Devin will be on a mission, and Shelby will be a senior; how the heck did that happen?! Even amidst all this change, I know we will reunite, and it will be glorious...

I hope my birth certificate gets here soon, because I want to make sure there is enough time to get an I.D... or else y'all will have to drive over and get me lol...

So, my week:

Monday I called y'all, and it was great! I feel bad for using so much of the bishop's time, but he was cool with it; he knows what it's like to have kids away from home...

Tuesday we didn't have a district meeting, because we had a zone conference on Friday, so we actually got to spend a Tuesday working! We saw Henry and Ashley; their progress is very slow, but they always show promise... We also ate at the Mulling's, a Jamaican part-member family (we used to teach the non-member father when I was here last time, Keith, but he doesn't progress, so we haven't since I have been back...); she made super delicious Jamaican food like ox-tail and jerk chicken, and it was stupendous! Then we went over to teach Charles some of the new member lessons; turns out Charles got a job in Kentucky, so he will be gone for 3-4 weeks out of the month, then be off for a week, in which he would come back here with his family. It's sad to see him go, but we trust him to use the gift he received a week ago to make the correct decision for his family...

Wednesday we helped the Christensen's move some boxes to their storage unit, then we saw Ruby Kay with Sister Williams, and taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She takes it all well, she just doesn't understand or hear very well, and we can't always understand her... Afterwards Sister Williams took us to her house for a glass of water before we left; while we were there she tripped and sprained her ankle. She has bad knees, so we think one gave out and her ankle twisted. We got her inside and got her medicine and waited until the member she called arrived. Kinda exciting... She is doing OK, though, so that's good. After going to the Nolden's for dinner (which is always a good time) we saw Charles again at the church; we took his kids to all the activities, then watch Finding Faith in Christ with him while we waited. His kids had fun, so maybe we can get them next lol!

Thursday we did yard work at the Knox family's house; it was pretty intense, with a riding lawn mower and everything! My allergies have been so terrible the past week; I sneeze without ceasing and my eyes get swollen and I get a big headache; the mowing didn't help any lol! It didn't do this last year, so I'm not sure why I get it so bad now, weeks after the pollen stopped blowing everywhere... Despite that, we biked until I needed a break, and took a short nap at the apartment, then we got a ride to the Pyne's for dinner. Finally, we went with the Spanish elders to a church seminar thing we were invited to; it was pretty interesting lol. Their focus was on Revelation (a chapter hard for members to understand lol), and it wasn't TOO incorrect. They people there were super nice and seemed desperate for people to come attend...

Friday was our awesome Zone Conference with Elder Ellis of the Seventy; he was so cool! He was very nice and pretty funny, and also a spiritual giant! I learned so much about recognizing the spirit, and what to do when we have it. We talked about enduring to the end, which was cool, because that was what we were going to teach Charles Nana that evening! We taught Brother Nana a lot of what Elder Ellis shared with us to great effect. It was a long day, but a good one; he inspired me to what to end my mission with a bang, so the things I remember about my mission is that I worked hard and felt the spirit... God asked for two years, not 22 months. His wife said something funny, "If you are not having fun, repent!" Amen, Sister Ellis! I plan on doing both; working hard, and make memories! Good ones lol...

Later that night, on the way back from Charles, my companion Elder Moore almost got attacked by a raccoon! That's what he told me, anyway; I was in front of him, so I didn't see it. I heard a shriek, so I stopped and turned around; Elder Moore told me that a raccoon started chasing him on his bike, then disappeared into the woods; pretty sure he is scarred for life lol!

Saturday we spent the whole day doing service for the Christensen's again, then right after them our gator Ruby; we roped Spanish into helping us lol... after dinner, we went to that Revelation seminar again, which was good; they are starting to learn our names now!

Sunday we had Charles and his kids at church, but they had to leave after second hour so Charles could catch the bus to head to Kentucky; we'll miss him...

We weekly planned Sunday because Friday was Zone Conference, then had dinner and taught Rachel, a gator we haven't seen in a while; we taught half the plan of salvation, hitting heavy on the atonement (the subject I love the most to talk about, but one I feel too inadequate to teach...). She liked it, but still doesn't see why she needs to get baptized again, so we'll work on that.

That's about it. We are trying to teach Brother Nana's kids, and try harder to talk to more people on the street. I know this is the work of the Lord, and even though He can do His own work, as he said, he gives us opportunities to rise to the occasion and grow into the men and women He needs us to become. I love my Savior and what He did for us all. In His name, Jesus Christ, amen.

Love you guys so much! Take luck!

Love,

Elder Casey Guy Dickson