Week 59: Go, Go, Go!

 This week my mission changed. It finally hit me what it means to give my whole self to God. After that it was the best, most tiring week ever. AND I LOVED EVERY SECOND! I have seriously never felt more purposeful, and I am thriving with Sister Lundell! It is so awesome to have a companion with the same drive and desire to do missionary work! We have seen so many miracles together already, and found a lot of new friends this week as we were on the grind!

Things to know:

- This week we had MLC! It was seriously one of the most spiritual meetings I have been to, and honestly because of it that was the day mission changed. I received answers to ALL of the things I had been struggling with lately, because I was truly seeking and open to what the spirit had to tell me during the meeting. It was so good.

- We had Interviews on Friday and they went super great, President talked with Sister Lundell and I and how its been being over 5 companionships of sisters. He said we are kind of the trial run for some changes that were made in the new handbook where STL'S are supposed to be over 3-5 companionships (as opposed to just 2)!

- We also gave trainings to all of our sisters and planned a doctrine/training for our zone council this week and lemme tell ya it was a lot of planning and stress but it went so good!

- After interviews we had exchanges with the grangeville sisters! I got to go with my old comp Sister Bowman and it was SO FUN :)) I honestly was so happy to be back with her, and it was so cool to see the growth the both of us have made in the last year. Love you Sis Bowie!!!

- We went out with Caroline Gibbs and it was so fun because she got set apart yesterday and starts MTC this week!

- We made 12 new this week and it was so awesome! A lot of them were people who were previously taught my missionaries so that was cool. It was fun to just talk to everyone and have no fear of any of them!

- A quick humble brag: We also had a meeting with President Perez (2nd counselor in the mission presidency) and he told us that he talked with President about how impressed he was with our zone and President said because of how well the work is going here in Lewiston that he has only been sending the best here! 

Stories of the week:

- So one of the people we made new was super cool. We saw he was previously taught and so we decided to call him! Sister Lundell turns to me in the middle of the call and goes "I'm going to put him on date"! And what did she do?! Put him on date for August 20th! It was so awesome.

- Another friend we made new named Justin King we met last night while doing comp study at a park. He was walking by with his headphones in so I was just going to let him walk by but the spirit told me to say hello. So I waved at him and he literally stopped walking and took his headphones out! So cool because usually people just keep walking! Anyway, we talked with him and he said he was searching for truth and was down to meet with us again this week!

Spiritual Thought:

- So what I have been struggling with lately is feeling like God has been asking me to give up parts of my personality that I didn't want to, and I was trying to hold on for dear life to them hahaha. I realized that that is exactly what God is asking me to do! He wants me to give my whole self to Him and He will help me become even better than I am right now. I am excited to just change even more and become who God wants me to be! Quote that I've heard sooo many times but it hit different this week:

"I don’t want … your time … [or] your money … [or] your work [as much as] I [just] want You. [That tree you are pruning.] I don’t want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want … the whole [thing] down. [And that tooth.] I don’t want to drill [it], or crown it, or [fill] it. [I want] to have it out. [In fact, I want you to] hand over [to me your] whole natural self. … [And] I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my … will shall become [your will].” - Elder Holland

Moral of the story don't be afraid of change. Change is good. 

God is good.

& Life is so good

Love,

Sis Diggy

Pictures:

A good table

Baller bestie

Good views!!

Great & spacious

Hahaha

iykyk

Lewiston

Newest Missionary!

Rip to the AP

Bowie

Sis Bowie

Sis Cravens

Sis Evans

Sis Nygard

Sis Wooly

So happy

Pretty

10

:)

Week 58: Another zone bites the dust

 Hahahaha this week was insane. I'll get into that in a sec tho. Sorry this is getting sent out so late, we went to breakfast this morning and thats when I usually type my emails!! I hope everyone had a happy Father's day! It was so good to talk to both my dad and step-dad, I love them so much!

Things to know:

- So yeahhh if you're wondering what the title means, I spoke too soon in my last email about staying with a comp for two transfers in a row HAHA. I got ET'd (again) this week. But honestly it hasn't been as hard as the last one, and I am just trusting in the Lords plan! My mission President wants to consolidate leadership and so he released Sister Hart and Sister Bartels and I traded spots with Sister Bartels (also again) and am now down in Lewiston with Sister Lundell! And we are over the sisters in both Moscow and Lewiston! And my new area and comp are AWESOME! But I miss Troy/Potlatch and Sister Hart.

- MLC is Tuesday and I'm super excited!!!

- We have exchanges with some of the sisters in Grangeville too so that should be fun, hopefully I'll get to go with my old comp Sister Bowman!!

Stories of the week:

- Sister Lundell and I had the most FIRE first lesson with a lady named Roxanne yesterday thats a member referral, and we showed up at the PERFECT time. She was going through a hard breakup, and said she didn't want to feel alone. We talked about how the gift of the holy ghost can help her feel not alone and one thing lead to another and she's on date for AUGUST 13TH!! It was such a miracle and a super huge answer to my prayers honestly!!

Spiritual thought:

- God is good. He knows us even better than we know ourselves. Trust His plan and do His will and your life will go a lot happier and better than it will if you drag your feet at things He sends your way.

That's all!!

See ya next week!!

Love,

Sis Diggy :))

New Addy:

1319 Grelle Ave Lewiston, ID 83501-5760

Pictures:

April

bday lunch for sis nygard

bye zone!

caroline gibbs!!!

DAVID!

i love ruann

i miss troy

ice cream

JARED!

my favorite drink (water in a can)

rip the twins

rusty and deanna!

sis asay

sis belly

SIS LUNDY

teares + brandon

Week 57: "You want a funger sandwich?"

 What's up everyone! Hope you all had a great week. Yours was probably better than mine because I was stuck in quarantine all week! 

Things to know:

- Transfer calls came! I am staying with Sis Hart and it'll be a lit 2nd transfer together! This might actually be the first time I have a full 2nd transfer with one of my comps, since I've either been in trios or had half transfers during the other 2nd transfers!

- Since we were in quarantine we really don't have a ton of missionary work updates since all we could do was tech work or phone/video calls. But of course no one answers us when we can only reach them over the phone.

- One big miracle that happened though is we still made someone new over tech! His name is Tupu, and him and I were messaging about finding the truth. He said he feels like his whole life others have tried to define that truth for him, but he is learning to take the truth to God. Sister Hart and I called him and taught him about the Book of Mormon and he said he is excited to read it because he believes God would reveal more truth through a prophet!! So amazing to find who God is preparing!

- We did also have 4 friends come to church again, and one of them was our members friend Mike (again) and his son! So cool that he wanted to come to church for the 3rd week in a row, and brought his son too. I love member missionaries.

- One more thing I have to mention with transfers, which is honestly such a big tender mercy for me: SISTER ASAY IS COMING TO MOSCOW! I almost cried when I saw the zone breakdown I was so happy. She finishes her mission this next transfer and I feel SO blessed to get to be with her again, especially as her STL. God is good!

- Oh also I hit my 13 months yesterday. So crazy. I promise I'm not trunky, I just like to keep track of how far I've come haha! 

Stories of the week:

- The title of my email I really can't explain but Sister Hart and I have been laughing for the entire week about it hahahahaha

- The story of how we got in quarantine was one of our members exposed us last Saturday and then texted us Sunday night to tell us they tested positive. We weren't feeling any symptoms and thought we were fine and then Tuesday morning we were supposed to exchange with the Moscow sisters and I woke up with an awful sore throat. So we called Sister Seidel and she told us to quarantine for 5 days so we were inside until Friday. We took some at home covid tests (not sure how accurate they were) and we tested negative!? So we had symptoms but apparently they were from something else if the tests were accurate. Either way we finished our quarantine so we didn't risk them being false negatives and then we went out and exposed all of our friends. We are feeling much better now and I am grateful to be out of the house! Enjoy some of the funny things Sister Hart and I did while in quarantine down below haha.

- Also not really a story but just a random testimony of how inspired our mission president is, someone close to me was going through a hard time and President reached out to them to ask how they were just because he felt like he needed to check in! So amazing. I love President.

Spiritual thought:

- This week I finished the Book of Mormon for the 3rd time. I seriously cannot put into words how much this book has changed my life. I used to dread having to read my scriptures at home before the mission, but now I crave my personal study in the mornings! Getting to receive answers and direction from God each day, whether big or small, has given me so much purpose and happiness. I am a firm believer in the little things, and I know that if we are reading our scriptures and praying every single day that we cannot go astray. If you haven't read your scriptures in awhile, I invite you to do 5-10 minutes a day and try and notice the change it makes in your day to day and in your life! 

Love you,

Sister Dickson (Diggy)

Pictures:

Athena + Hades

Got braids

Grandma candy slaps

Last & Only District Pic

Lol

Negatory!

Nothing like the boons

Our transfer board

The shining vibes

Truth

Walking on Heaven #iykyk

Week 56: Back from the dead

 Hey everyone! This week was pretty awesome if I do say so myself. Hope you're all enjoying the start of summer! It's definitely been raining here every day, so not sure when summer is going to start for Idaho haha. But I'm going to keep enjoying all the dances in the rain while I still can.

Things to know:

- My contacts came: God is good. The end

- Sister Hart and I have been listening to songs on repeat to memorize them this last week. We now know a gospel rap.

- Been out in the field for a year... weird. My Google photos gave me memories of saying bye to my family and I'm in disbelief it has already been a year, time is flying!

- Our members friend that came to church last week came again this week! His name is Mike and He is awesome. We had a lesson with him during second hour and he said he wants to come again next week?!

- I went on exchanges with Sister Schnebly and it was SO FUN! She is so precious, and is probably the most positive person I know! We had a really cool lesson with a family and showed them the video of President Nelson, and the mom was crying!

- Somehow this next week we are already getting transfer news?! So stay tuned! I have had a great transfer with Sis Hart and we will see what happens with us soon.

- Saw one of my favorite families last p-day from my ward when I was in Moscow!! 

- Also side note, my sweet trainee Sister Skinner had a baptism in my old area on Saturday and I am so proud. We found Opal through a miracle, she actually reached out to our bishop and asked to meet with us! And look where she is now!

Stories of the week:

- WILLIAM IS BACK FROM THE DEAD! Haha. Seriously though we are so happy. Apparently he was just in Spokane the whole time, and he only has a landline so he wasn't answering because he just wasn't home! He has dropped coffee and smoking (so amazing!) and is only struggling with Tobacco now. We had a great lesson with Him about why we follow the word of wisdom and choose God, and we set a new baptism date for July 9th! 

- We put our friend Joe on date this last week too for July 2nd! He is so awesome. He is ready to make these changes in his life and knows that its something he needs to do. We had him do a faith flip because he was really back and forth about setting a date and he flipped right open to 3 Nephi 11:19-21 (where Christ gives Nephi the authority to baptize) and said that was a direct answer for him! Faith flips are always the answer !! Funny story though, he's in a car club and we went to street contact at the car show over the weekend and we found him with a red solo cup in hand. He said he will stop drinking after this weekend lol. Haha pray for Joe! :))

- We also got back in contact with a recent convert Charmaine that has been avoiding us and hasn't been to church since she was baptized! So amazing. I know the Lord sent me here to be able to get back in contact with her, because I actually went to her baptism and a couple lessons with her on exchanges when I was serving in Moscow! She was happy to see me and we set up regular lessons with her. Pray for her too!

- One last one because it was so special (This is for you Sis Jackson if you're reading this!). Our recent convert Teddy got up and bore his testimony yesterday and everyone was in tears. He used to be terrified to even talk to people at church, and now he is able to stand up and talk in front of all of them. So incredible to see how Jesus Christ changes people !!!

Spiritual thought:

- I read a really great quote this week from a conference talk by Elder Bednar:

"As you and I come to understand and employ the enabling power of the Atonement in our personal lives, we will pray and seek for strength to change our circumstances rather than praying for our circumstances to be changed. We will become agents who act rather than objects that are acted upon"

When we start praying for God to give us strength to endure our trials instead of praying our trials away, we are able to call upon the enabling power of the Atonement! Christ literally runs to us and empowers us through our faith. It doesn't mean it will become easier, but God will in fact make us stronger! Turn to him this week, He is there and He is waiting for you to pray :))

Love ya!

Until next week!

Sis Diggy, Sister Dickson, etc 

Pictures:

April

Brandon + The Teares = FAM

Chipotle

Dynamic Duo

Free shirt!

Gem of the gem state

Gotta get the energy somehow

Ice Cream addicts

Is Mormonism now Christian

Joe at the Car show

Sis Schnebs

The Lassens

:)