Week 38: Rip to the trio :,(

Hey y'all! Someone asked me if I was Southern because I always say y'all. Little do they know it's just because I don't say the word guys anymore. We currently have 6 friends on date and had 6 at church, so you could say this week was awesome: 

Things to know:

- We are no longer in a trio covering three wards because Sister Cravens got a companion from the Ukraine mission! They evacuated all the missionaries because of civil unrest and so now we have Cepta Allen living with us! She is the best.

- My friend Mike from the Valley got baptized and I got permission to watch over zoom! It was the most tender experience, especially because my mission president was the one who conferred him with the gift of the Holy Ghost.

- Ken & Maggie told us they want to take quitting cigarettes at their own pace :( We will have to move their date back but know that it will be good for them to get baptized when they are ready!

- Got to see Ashlyn again. Yes I know it's only been a month hahaha, but she was nannying my favorite members in the Valley so she had to come get some Chick-Fil-A and say hi of course! Love you Ash :)

- Got to go on an exchange with Sister Schmidt and Sister Brooksby while my companions went to the temple. I didn't go because apparently they only reserve two open spots for missionaries, and I went a couple of weeks ago so I let Sister Asay and Sister Cravens go (rip to anyone in a trio). It was so fun to be with the STL's tho!

- I gave another talk in Sacrament hahaha, but for my other ward this time. It was awesome though, I prayed that someone would be able to be touched by the Spirit through my talk, and a non-member that came to church told me that my talk was an answer to her prayers! God is good!

Stories of the week:

- Last week we got a referral from Sisters in Mount Spokane of a lady named Hope that was found over Facebook. She had came to church with them, and she met with us for the first time this week and said how much she loved our church and wanted to be baptized!?! So we put her on date!!! #miracles

- Our friend Charles is quitting smoking so he can be baptized on March 5th, and he has picked up the hobby of knitting to help give him something to do. Literally my favorite thing ever to hear a 50 year old talk about knitting his daughter a sweater for his baptism. He also said he wishes that he could "Eat. Sleep. Knit. Die. Repeat". So good.

Spiritual thought:

Here is a quote from a talk by Ulisses S. Soares that I loved:

"The compassionate attitude of Jesus is rooted in charity, namely, in His pure and perfect love, which is the essence of His atoning sacrifice. Compassion is a fundamental characteristic of those who strive for sanctification, and this divine quality intertwines with other Christian traits such as mourning with those who mourn and having empathy, mercy, and kindness. The expression of compassion for others is, in fact, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ and a marked evidence of our spiritual and emotional closeness to the Savior. Furthermore, it shows the level of influence He has on our way of life and demonstrates the magnitude of our spirits."

I shared this in my talk and how important it is to have compassion for those around us. There are many of our brothers and sisters who feel like the Prodigal Son, and must be welcomed with open arms! I pray we can all show more Christ-like love for those around us, especially those not in our immediate circles. If you struggle to have compassion for others, pray for the gift of charity! God will help you strengthen it and give you opportunities to grow it.

I love you all so much and hope I don't see you anytime soon.

Jokes, I just love the mission and don't want to come home yet haha!

Love you!

Sister Dickson

Pictures:

!!!

Ashy & Sprehny

Cectpa Allen!!!

Closest I'll get to my name

Do you even ball

Finally saw the sky

Hope!

Lunch w- the STL's

My sweet compy

Temple pics

Trio life = no more :(

Mackymoo meets Chuck

Week 37: Trio life... part 2!

What's up everyone! Can't believe its almost the end of January... This week FLEW by, probably because I'm in a trio again and everyone knows how much of a party trios are.

Things to know:

- My new companion Sister Cravens is one of my absolute homies and has the coolest story ever. Big time inspiration!! I love her

- Had zone conference this week and it was AWESOME (as always). I love ZC because I usually end up getting chastised by the Spirit, and then I make changes and strive to become better! Oh & it was very fun to see all my friends too.

- Had a super fun exchange with Sis Wimmer and we were able to put someone named Claudia on date! And her boyfriend said he might consider changing religions. We also found a stray cat and put in in our car for a second hahah

- Sister Asay's birthday was on Saturday and it was so fun to get to celebrate her! I adore her and she reminds me so much of my dear friend Leslie.

- Talked in Sacrament for the first time since being on the mission, was hoping to go the whole 18 without speaking but that's okay.

- We saw some LITTY miracles and were able to move 2 of our friends baptismal dates up! Ken & Maggie were going to get baptized on March 22nd but we moved them up to February 6th and are fasting from sugar for two weeks to help them prepare and quit smoking!

- Sister Archibald messaged in a group chat with everyone who has Instagram to say that she put our friend Chandler on date! Tech miracles! I was so hyped to hear that someone I found over Insta wants to be baptized!!! Sad I'm not teaching him since I left the Valley, but still so cool.

Stories of the week:

- We also were able to move our friend Charles' date up as well! He was on date for November of this year which was sooo far away so last week we invited him to pray for a sooner date and said we would pray too. Sister Cravens and I felt like March 5th was the move. Literally we go into the lesson and ask him what he prayed about and he was like I don't know, and his daughter was like you should get baptized on my birthday... MARCH 5TH!! #inspired so we moved Charles date up and are absolutely pumped for him!!

- Met a crazy member on exchanges that believes Michael Jackson & Elvis Presley are still alive and want to take over the government?! No kizzy. He also said Joe Biden has been dead for 3 years. lol

Spiritual thought:

- After this miracle-filled week, I'm a firm believer of this scripture:

Ether 12:12 - "For if there be no faith among the children of men God can do no miracle among them; wherefore, he showed not himself until after their faith"

God WILL provide miracles according to your faith, and that's a promise ;) God is definitely a God of miracles, and is only asking for us to exercise our faith. If you want to join in on a miracle please fast for Ken & Maggie these next two weeks (from sugar, soda, social media, or anything that is a sacrifice for you!). Also a firm believer that God provides us so many little miracles every day, we just have to look for them! So go see some miracles this week :))

Love ya BIG

Sis Diggy

Pictures:

When did you serve together?

BIG trio

Get dunked

I fed a sting ray

Michael Jackson

My compys

Sister Bird fanclub

Stole a stray cat!

The YW crew

Twentyyyy

We laugh too much

Hmmmm

Week 36: Guess who's back

 Hey y'all!! This was a lit week since we finally got to be out of quarantine!

Things to know:

-Sister Archibald and I got out of quarantine Wednesday, but then the Sisters we were supposed to swap with still had to quarantine, so we didn't end up transferring until Saturday!

-Got to celebrate Sister Archie's birthday with her and that was fun (Our members took us to fujiyama... swag)

-Got some froyo during our dinner one night to celebrate 8 months let's goo

-Said some goodbyes to my friends in the zone and the ward #rip. But then I got to meet my AWESOME comp and see all my old friends, it has been such a bittersweet week! 

Stories of the week:

-Had the coolest lesson with a friend named Mike and we asked him the baptismal interview questions and he said he wants to be baptized on the 27th!! Sad that I won't get to be there for him, but I'm so proud of his example and decision. We met Mike because his soon to be step-son is on a mission in Utah and has gotten to teach him, and sent him as a referral! 

-Had another cool lesson with someone that was deaf! Sister Archibald and I signed to him and interpreted for the other missionaries and it was so much fun. Made me really wish I was an ASL missionary hahah. And lemme tell ya'll that the gift of tongues is real because I have not practiced Sign language in forever, and I was able to understand everything our friend Ed was saying!

Spiritual Thought:

-I was super nervous for this upcoming change, but as it got closer for me to leave I felt so much peace. I know that this is exactly where the Lord needs me to be, and I am so excited to continue to help all my friends here become converted unto the Savior, and do the same in the process. I read a scripture I really liked in Moses 5 during studies this week that helped me think about what the meaning behind my sacrifices to the Lord are:

Moses 5:6 - "Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me"

I don't know the answers to a lot of things, but I do know what the Lord has commanded me to do. As I continue to follow Him and do all that I can to become a better person, missionary, and disciple of Christ, I can show my love for Him and know He is pleased with me. Being obedient even when it's hard, shows the Lord that I am willing to do whatever He asks. And I'm PUMPED to do all of the above here in North 2.0.

I love ya'll and hope you will think about why you do the things the Lord asks of you. Is it because you love Him and want to be obedient? Where is your heart at?

Have the best week!

Love ya,

Sis Diggy 

#ripfg

8 months in field

Bye techies

Ed 

I'm not crying

Last DC

Mike!

My home away from home

Pink skies

Sister Asay (we 5th cousins)

Big 20!

Week 35: Covid-19 & an ET

 Miss you all! This was probably one of the craziest weeks of my mission with some hard changes, so read below:

Things to know:

-Sister Archibald and I got exposed to Covid by our ZL's and have been quarantined for the last 3 days (I was supposed to ET on Thursday but now I get extra time with my best friend so I'm not complaining). It's been boring tho, & we have already gone through all of our contacts and done lots of Facebook work (maybe a puzzle with a missing piece too!) 

-We definitely woke up with fevers after our first day of quarantine, and so we got blessings from the ZL's since they were sick too. Lemme just say the power of God is so real, because my fever has been gone ever since! I love the Priesthood 

-We put our friend Sue on date!! But sadly the Elders are going to teach her now because she actually is in one of the wards that weren't covered by missionaries so we were teaching her, but President put missionaries back in!

-Went to the temple on Tuesday and it was THE BEST!!! I love the house of the Lord and that we are able to receive personal revelation & guidance while inside :))

-Literally the biggest snowstorm hit, the roads were so icy and so no one was allowed to drive. Sister Archie and I wanted to grind so we walked to some apartments and tracted in 15 degree weather

-We FINALLY got in contact with our friends Davis & Lili (haven't had a lesson with them since the beginning of December) and they said that they really like the way our church supports families and want to keep learning more 

-Also went bowling on p-day, and I may or may not have gotten my best score ever

Stories of the week:

Haha so yeah here's the story behind my title > President decided he wanted to make changes with tech and our zone because he realized he didn't want the whole zone together for another transfer. So yes you read the title right, I am getting ET'd (emergency transferred) as a part of the changes. I am going BACK to North (literally so crazy!!!) to be in the same ward combined with another. I got released from tech and I'm going to be companions with Sister Asay! So yep jokes on me when I thought I would stay in an area for two transfers haha rip. 6th transfer = 6th area & 6th comp yeehaw

Spiritual Thought:

This was a very hard change for me, especially because I wasn't expecting it. The Lord definitely doesn't let us get comfortable, because I was starting to enjoy tech and being with my companion too much haha. But one thing I love that has been helping me through this week is that "there is no growth in the comfort zone, and there is no comfort in the growth zone". I know that there is something the Lord needs me to learn from this experience, and I am excited to continue to grow and focus even more on how I can give my all to Him. Even if it means giving up my zone, tech, and best friend 

I love you all and am excited to tell you about my first week back in North next week! Let me know if there's anything I can pray for! 

Sister Dickson

Boolin

Bye Pres

Covid District

Davis & Lili

Did a puzzle

Frozen!

I'm gonna miss her :(

Peep the 156 

Temple

The Ministers

Week 34: whats uppp 2022

 Happy new year everyone!!! Insane that its a new year, and that I come home this year... whatttt. Haha I never want to come home from the mish tho oops, serving a mission is hands down the best decision I've ever made. Anyway, this was an awesome week:

Things to know:

-We met the coolest lady named Brooke last week and we came back and taught her and her boyfriend Ronnie. They asked for a Book of Mormon and to come to church and we had the most fire lesson!! They ended up being out of town yesterday tho so they didn't come to church, but I am so hyped for future meetings with them!

-LITERALLY SAW MY BEST FRIEND. ASHLYN WILSON CAME TO VISIT AND I GOT TO SEE HER AT OUR MEMBER DINNER AND PARTY IT UP. I love my mom (trainer) so much.

-We went to lunch with Maggie!! If anyone remembers her, Sister Archibald and I found and taught her in Moscow. She is soo amazing and we had the best convo about the gospel for like an hour!!!

Stories of the week:

-We went to Buffalo wild wings for dinner with the elders in the zone and one of them literally did the Blazing challenge in 3 minutes. It was insane, and I have never laughed so hard in my life. Elder Ingram is a legend. 

-We brought a future missionary out with us and we met a Satanist! So that was fun lol. Hahaha the lady was actually so nice and we found out she doesn't really believe in Satan (because then that means she has to believe in God), she's just actually agnostic. I think she just straight up said that to try and scare us away.

Spiritual thought:

-This week I have been thinking a lot about goals with the new year coming up, and how important it is that we are able to have them to progress. That doesn't mean writing down huge new years resolutions that are never looked at after January's over, but setting smaller goals that stretch you and help you become 1% better every day! I invite all of you to listen to the talk "One percent better" by Michael A. Dunn and figure out what you can do to set goals that will help you become better each day! Also here's a quote from the talk that I loved: "Every effort to change we make—no matter how tiny it seems to us—just might make the biggest difference in our lives."

Go see the difference as you start making those changes, because it is time to change! Time to become more like our Savior Jesus Christ and not sit around waiting for change to miraculously happen.

I love you all so much! Email me if you ever need help or want someone to talk to me because I would love to hear from you :))

Love ya BIG,

Sister Dickson

ASHY

blazin' champ

content swag

future missionary right there

just for fun

lunch with dakota

MAGGIE!!!

member dinners rock

my best friend for life

reunited

Happy New Year!