Pork Rinds and Boiled Peanuts (yuk!)

 

Hey, Dad!
Thanks for the e-mail! Things are still well here in the land of pork rinds and boiled peanuts lol (which are both gross, by the way)!
It was a decent week; played basketball last p-day, and we're planning to play some more later today. On Tuesday we had an exchange; I went with Elder Harper (my old companion) to Dahlonega (my old area) lol. It was a lot of fun; I got to see some members and others I haven't seen since I left. I miss two of the families in Dahlonega in particular; the Fenyos and the Alfaros. I hope I can see them again soon.
Had lunch with Brother Sandoz a couple times this week; what a cool guy! We also helped him deliver some furniture to some single sisters in the ward, as well as put the seat for his hot rod ford truck he is trying to repair back in; good stuff! On Thursday we had an appointment with our top investigator; we met him and his girlfriend (who is a member) at her house; we taught the Gospel of Jesus Christ (Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Receiving the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and Enduring to the End). He has been enjoying everything we have taught him, but we had to move his baptismal date because we found out he is only 16 (I thought he was 18) and he hasn't told his parents he is meeting with us; he has to get permission from them to get baptized. I hope things all work out.
Friday we worked at the Ric Rack, which is always fun; we also weekly planned, which takes forever but is very effective to having a good week.
Had a pretty good Sunday; two investigators and a few less-actives showed up, which is always a plus. A long-term investigator that Elder Asher was teaching before I got here has been taking small steps forward; she has had all the lessons a ton of times, her sisters are members, she says she wants to get baptized, but she always says "I'm not ready yet" and doesn't explain why. We had a powerful lesson with her and her neighbor (who is also a member), and she wants to be baptized and is going to pray about a date. I hope so; she is out of excuses, her sisters called her out on all of them!
We had a traditional English dinner at the Adams (the wife is from England); Yorkshire pudding, roast and gravy, etc. Tasty!
We also had a good lesson with a single sister in the ward who we helped paint her bedroom and bathroom last week. It looks good, if I don't say so myself lol! She is a cool lady, and I always wish the best for her.
Anyway, that has been my week. In response to your e-mail:
I just barely got a card from Grandpa and Grannie Sheila for Christmas; it arrived a little late but was nonetheless appreciated!
I heard about the new Mission Impossible movie, and I heard the exact same thing you thought; fun but preposterous!
I do remember walking together; are special father-son time. I miss hanging out with the family!
I'm almost not a greenie! Two more weeks and I would have been out 6 months! Wow! The mission has flown by sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
fast; I still feel like I just got here. Time is slipping through my fingers; I still got a lot of work to do!
I'm trying to keep a journal but it is a hard habit to start after 19 years of not caring for that kind of thing; I hope these e-mails and my letters can help fill in the gaps. I'll keep trying!
I have never had so much good and bad and fun and frustrating and serious and funny experiences in my whole life! There are plenty of disappointments, but the good far outweighs the bad. I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo glad I decided to serve; it will be the best two years for my life, that's for dang certain! I still am working on getting a baptism, but I know good things will come so long as I have faith, hope, diligence, and heed. This church is true!

Love,
Elder Casey Guy Dickson

It's Monday, so that must mean another letter from Elder Dickson!

Elder Dickson and friends at the mission Christmas Party in December

!Hola, Familia!

Good to hear from y'all! First off, I'm doing awesome! How are y'all doing? That missionary you are asking about is Elder Youd. He went to Timpanogos with me (he was a year ahead of me). He is the older brother of Kylee's (my ex-girlfriend) best friend, McKayla. Try figuring that one out. Anyway, he is a way cool kid, really funny. I'm glad he's doing alright, and hopefully he can make it back out here.
Go T-wolves! And go Cougars! Sounds like our teams are doing well.
I didn't know there was going to be another Mission Impossible, that's cool. Destroy in Churchball, bro! Teach me how to Jimmer!
Hey, Missy! I'm glad you are thinking about going about going on a mission; we need a lot more sister missionaries, they are very spiritual and are easier for people to talk to then elders lol. Make sure that you really think about it, read your scriptures, and pray to your Father in Heaven for what you should do. I think you would be a great missionary, but you never know what God will have in store for you. But the fact that you are willing and are thinking about it is so cool!
Devin, on the other hand; you go on a mission for sure, or I'll beat you up when I get back lol jk.
Good luck with b-ball and personal progress, Shelby! You too, Mom; coach those girls to victory!

Anyway, this week was better than the last; things are pretty slow over the holidays, no one is home or wants to be bothered.

Played some pretty intense b-ball games this and last Monday; we've played a lot the past couple p-days; maybe I'll get good at ballin' eventually lol.

Tuesday we had District Meeting, where I gave a lesson on extending commitments then following up on them out of Preach My Gospel (if you have one, Devin, read it! Everything is in there! If you don't have one, get one!). Then we met with some people who are actually in our apartment complex; one is a guy who loves talking about religion, another is a recent convert recently moved from Utah who wants to come back to church. Yay!

Wednesday and Friday we were at the Ric Rack again; it was our churches turn to volunteer, so there were a lot of members there this time; it was a blast! We also taught our top investigator Wed.; he is the boyfriend of one of the girls in the ward, and he has accepted a baptismal date! Yay! 

The one fly in the ointment this week was another one of our investigators said to us he wasn't ready to be baptized and says he thinks we need to take a break. We made sure he knew we weren't going to pressure him, but he should ask God before making any rash decisions. He got him to pray aloud with us for the first time, so hopefully that is a step in the right direction, and he'll have us over again. 

Saturday was a little slower; no one was really home, but we had the opportunity to offer our services to a member (a single mother) and we helped her paint her bedroom. It was a lot of fun! She is a really funny and awesome lady, and i was glad we could save her a couple hundred bucks by doing it ourselves rather than her paying for it to be done professionally (it might have turned out better if she did, though lol). 

Sunday was great; we had three of our investigators there, and some less-actives! It was a good testimony meeting as well; nothing builds your testimony like hearing someone Else's. We also had a good Gospel Principles lesson about Obedience. I just enjoyed it all around; I get so much more out of Sundays than I used to; I can't get enough of it now! 

We also had a good Fast Sunday brunch with the Hohman's, some pretty cool members of the ward. We had a great Gospel of Christ lesson with them, and we all came away better than before! 

Today I'm just tired; basketball is really the only cardio I'm getting now, so I'm wiped. I think I'll wrap this up with a nice bow by saying I love you all so much and I do miss y'all but I'm doing too much work to think about it a lot. I hope this e-mail finds everyone well! The church is true, the book is blue, and God is a Mormon! 

 

Love, Elder Casey Guy Dickson

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Hola, Familia!
Hey guys, good to hear from you! Happy New Year! It's been a weird week; everyone is gone for the holidays, so we aren't getting the work done that we should. I hope we can contact them this week, with the holidays ending.
Anyway, we played a pretty good b-ball game on Monday with some people from the ward, and I scored! Yay! (People who know me know that that is a big deal for me lol). Tuesday a got a pretty brutal haircut (a 3; yikes!); I look like flattop now lol. Met one of our investigators; she is the sister of a member, and she is ready for baptism, but for some reason, doesn't think she is. She is almost blind, but still enjoys four-wheeling around her house (while the neighbors watch from their windows, cowering inside their homes lol). Hopefully she'll reveal her concern to us.
Wednesday and Friday we worked at a thrift store/ food bank called the Ric Rack. It is a lot of fun; Brother Ballew, a member who gives us rides all the time, always works there, along with a lot of really awesome, funny, and kind non-members. It has been a good experience to represent our church and our Savior through service. Last week when we were there, a guy pulled me aside and asked me what our church thinks of Christ. I told him he is our Savior and Redeemer, the Son of God, and it is only by and through him we can return to our Father in Heaven. He said, "oh, good. We are on the same page then." He didn't pursue any further, but opportunities to share our beliefs, especially when they ask about it, are always good!
We have been working with a member who had spent the last 18 years in inactivity; she is returning super strong! We are teaching her daughter as well, so we'll see how that goes. She is also dating a new member in the ward, who is also legit; I hope that all works out, he's a great guy and would it would be good for the both of them.
Saturday we played football at Central Park (not the one in New York lol), where there is a pretty nice turf field. We played with members and non-members alike; it was a lot of fun! I caught some passes and even scored, but mostly blocked on offense and rushed on defense. I haven't played like that in ages, I am whooped. We also went to Applebee's with the Coal Mtn. Elders to celebrate our victory. The waitress who served us has Mormon parents, and loves the missionaries, so she paid for our meal before we knew about it and could stop her. We left her a big tip and a copy of the Book of Mormon; we'll see how that goes. We also picked up some sparkling cider (which is hard to find out here) and stayed up to maybe 1030 before we passed out lol. I just can't do it anymore!
That's all that happened this week; Sunday was only an hour and we had dinner at the Mulberry's, the super members in the ward!
Go cougars! I heard it from a member that they won, and I'm soooooooooooooooooooooooo happy! I'm upset Utah won (and so are some of the members here lol), but what do you do? It's good that BYU B-Ball is doing well, what is there win-loss so far?
Thanks again for all the gifts; I'm working my way through all the goodies and I love the scarf, it actually works out here lol! Hasn't been quite cold enough for the gloves, but they are super warm and I can't wait to use them lol!
Good luck with T-wolf b-ball, Devin and Shelby and Mom; you guys rock!
Happy New Years, Aunt Nina!
Happy New Years, Grandpa and Grannie Shiela!
Happy New Years, Aunt Darcell, Uncle Charles, and Rebecca!

And a very Happy New Years to anyone else who reads this! Thanks so much for all your support!
Thank you all for the examples you have set before me, especially you, Dad; by serving a mission, and raising us in the Gospel, you set the standard for us young men in the Dickson Clan: In this family, we serve missions. Thank you too, Aunt Nina and Uncle Darren ( I need his e-mail address, by the way), and everyone else in the fam who served missions. For those deciding whether to go (Devin, Ethan, Myles, maybe even Shelby), this has been the best decision I have ever made it my life; I never knew how great the work really makes you feel, and I can only hope it will make me as much an awesome man, husband, father, and priesthood holder that our father is. Go on a mission, and become a man (or a woman, to be fair [Shelby]). The church is true, the book is blue, and God is a Mormon!
Love y'all so much!
Elder Casey Guy Dickson

P.S. I sent you an email, Devin, with instructions on how to download the game. Hope it works! Go T-wolves!
P.S.S. You can write your letters as long as you want, Shelby. I absolutely love to read them! Go T-wolves!
P.S.S.S. Mom, thanks for being awesome! Good luck with life and work and b-ball and volleyball! Go T-wolves!