Amo minha filha! 7/4/16

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY!!! Whoo-hoo!! I made Sister Lima, my "daughter" wear red, white and blue today. We are in the spirit!

I don't have much time today, but firstly, do you all remember that wonderful family of ten people in Santarém that I always talked about? Well Sister Custódio wrote me today and sent me pictures of the their baptism!!! Luciene, Gilberto, Joeldson, Joene, Jaciene, and Madson were all baptized on Saturday!! How wonderful is that?? But I felt very, very surprised when I heard that Luciene separated from her husband, Joaquim. He didn't wanted to be baptized, and they all did, so they separated. Just thinking about the faith of Luciene and her family... I couldn't believe it. I've been praying for this family since the day that I left Santarém... wow. They have a faith I have never seen before.

Real quick, this week was great! I picked up my new comp., Sister Lima. She's from João Pessoa, but her family is currently living in Rio. She's awesome!! Super excited!! We have been having a blast. The work is still going a little slow here. Especially since it turns out that Ana lost her birth certificate... so her wedding is going to take a bit longer. but besides that we are doing well. Lília also received her confirmation of the truth of the gospel this week! She bore her testimony in Gospel Principles this week!! She was studying about the Plan of Salvation, about exaltation, when the Spirit touched her heart. She said that she couldn't stop crying. And the first thing that she did was call Gleyson, to tell her that she knew, beyond a doubt, that this gospel is true. It was such a special experience for us!!

Love you all so much!! 

Sister Dickerson

Transferência!!! E um ano da missão!!! 6/27/16

It's transfer time! I'll be sticking around here in Providência (obviously, I've only been here five weeks), but Sister Barth is being transferred for Maguarí with Sister Colussi (one of my old comps :D). I'll miss Sister Barth, but at least we had a little time together! And I should be meeting my new companion tomorrow--I'm going to train again! Whoo-hoo! She'll be flying in from the MTC tomorrow. So I'll you all know how that goes!

I don't have too much to say about this week... we had a lot of really great things happen and a few really sad things as well. For example, Maria das Graças' baptism was going to be on Saturday, and it seemed like she was really excited, but on Wednesday she went to go pick up a few things at her old house in Santa Isabel, and has not, until now, come back. :/ Her daughter was getting pretty worried because she isn't answering the phone. So... send a few prayers her way. We're not really sure what happened.

But as for the really good things, Lília and Gleyson and their daughter Fernanda are progressing SUPER SUPER well! There was a big party at the church on Friday (Festa Junina) and a devotional with the Recife Temple President on Sunday, and they all came (just for the end of the devotional actually). Lília even brought a friend to church yesterday, and she was so excited! She and Gleyson should be entering their papers to get married this week, and then we just have to wait to do the baptism. Lília was talking with me yesterday about how amazing it has been for her to get to know the gospel. She said we were two angels that knocked on her door. She was about to separate from Gleyson, Gleyson and Fernanda didn't even believe in Christ, and as soon as we started teaching them, their family life changed completely. They're united, they love going to church, and they read the Book of Mormon every day. Our stake president, who works with Gleyson, said that he has really gone through a change. Lília hardly could contain her joy as she told us about the transformation that the gospel of Jesus Christ has been having on her family. 

We also had another great surprise when Ana and Esmeraldino, a couple that has been going to church for nearly a year, but always refused to get married, told us on Sunday that they have decided that they want to!! Miracles really do happen!

I can't believe that I've been here for a year already... Time really flies. I don't want to miss one minute of the next six months. :D

Love you all so much!

Sister Dickerson

We Met Brother Holmes! 6/13/16

Right, so on Wednesday, we had a pretty neat meeting with the second counselor in the the YM's Presidency, Brother Holmes, and his wife, Sister Holmes. It was super great! They spoke in English, which was weird... having a translator and everything... and they spoke about the importance of "being born again," or being converted. It is a lifelong process, and the principle purpose of our lives. Specifically, they taught about how our purpose, as missionaries, is to help people be born again, having faith in Christ, repenting, being baptized, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost (which is the MOST IMPORTANT gift we can receive in the life), and enduring to the end. It was great!

Also, just to quickly sum up the events of this week, we had six people come to church, which was wonderful! The Lord truly answered our prayers. Lília came with her husband and 19-yr-old daughter, and they all LOVED it. They said that they'll be coming back. Lília was already trying to learn everyone's names in Relief Society, since she said she's been looking for a church para frequentar mesmo. I felt super blessed! Our worry is that they might not actually live in our area, since they live on the boundaries... but if not, the elders will be super happy as well. And it turns out that they aren't actually married, but hey, that's no problem. We love marrying people.

That's about it for this week folks, but keep praying for Gabriel and Maria das Graças to be baptized this week! I know that they are super close!

Love,
Sister Dickerson

Lots of little miracles!

I've started thinking a bit more about why the Lord has left me so long in this area, without having much success, and with so many obstacles. I already knew that He wanted me to become more patient (I'm working on that still...) and have more charity, but I kept thinking that there had to be another reason. Perhaps it was that I need to help strengthen the ward here? The members? I think we have helped a bit, but there is still a long way to go... As I was reflecting on these things, we were walking with Darlene to her uncle's house that she wanted us to meet. We clapped our hands several times there and called her uncle's name various times before someone finally opened the door. When he opened and saw Darlene, his face split into a huge smile and he welcomed us in. He (Joaquim), and his wife, Luciene, received us very well and they, along with five of their EIGHT children, listened gladly to the message of the restoration. Wow! It was amazing! In the end, they all said that it is their dream to be baptized as Jesus was, that they are all very excited to go to church with us, and that they wanted us to come back as soon as possible. WHAAAT??? This generally doesn't happen folks.  It was such a tender experience for me to see the Lord touching my life, giving lots of little miracles to remember that this is HIS work, HE knows what He's doing, and I have the privilege to be His instrument in this work.

I'd be all right with staying another transfer here to see the baptism of this family. Com certeza. Eight months wouldn't be that much, right?

Love you all so much!
Sister Dickerson

04/11/16

Right, it's going to be nice and quick this week because I don't have too much to report! This week was good, but rather routine as well. The highlights are that we started teaching two new couples that are legally married (this hardly EVER happens here!), Darlene is super excited about her baptism next Saturday, and there was a transfer this week and I am still sticking around in Santarém. (Going on 5 months already here!) Ah! And Sister Custódio tried her first real açaí!! (Here in Pará we eat it pure--almost like a smoothie. in the rest of Brazil it's more like icecream). She didn't like it one bit... but you have to eat it a few times to get used it it. I love açaí! But it is rather bitter... I'm debating whether or not to bring some for you guys... And we made brownies and cake on Thursday for our zone leader who finished his mission this week. I don't like saying goodbye to good friends, mas faz parte! He had already stayed one more transfer than he was supposed to, so it was clearly a hora dele. 

We also had stake conference! Presidente and Sister Stasevskas visited us!! I LOVE it when they give talks! It is so PODEROSO!! They talked about the importance of member missionaries and helping us in the work. It was great! Definitely needed... So I would just like to remind you all to do all that you can to help the missionaries! They are doing the Lord's work and strengthening YOUR ward. Usually they won't ask much--just to go teaching with them. It is something so simple that really does produce miracles. Preach My Gospel teaches that when members are involved in the process of teaching an investigator, more people are baptized, confirmed, and continue to be faithful members for their whole lives. Just ask them when you can visit with them, or invite them to bring an investigator over for FHE. The little things go a long way. :)

Love you all so much! I pray for you all daily!
Sister Dickerson

"Santificai-vos hoje, porque amanhã, o Senhor fará maravilhas no meio de vós." - Elder Holland

TEMPLE IN BELÉM, BRAZIL!

I still can't believe it!!! We are getting a temple here in Belém!! To be perfectly honest, I didn't hear the prophet give the big announcement because we arrived late, bringing an investigator, Manuel, to watch. But when Elder Cook started to give his talk and mentioned that Belém would be getting a temple, I turned to Sister Custódio and whispered in unbelief, "There's going to be a temple in Belém?" She just nodded silently with wide eyes. And just like that, I started to cry. As always. You all honestly have no idea how exciting this is!!! The members here travel for DAYS to get to the temple. Here in Santarém, they travel two days via boat to the Manaus temple, and in Belém it's three days by bus to the Recife temple. They make so many sacrifices to receive the blessings of the temple. After I found out, I began thinking about our investigators, the less atives, and recent converts who have yet to be sealed in their families. Just imagine the joy that this temple will bring!! So many more families will be able to be together for eternity!! So much more work will be able to be done by the members here for their ancestors! This really is a miracle! It is an answer to years of prayer and diligent effort on behalf of the members and missionaries here. I felt so privileged to be here during this conference. 

Time is super short this week! But I loved all of conference; there were talks written just for me and just for our investigators. I honestly saw miracles this week. Remember that talk on Saturday that was entirely about forgiveness? Diana was there in that session, and forgiveness is the one thing that is holding her back from being baptized. He described perfectly all of the feelings she told us she was having, and gave the perfect suggestion of how to overcome them. That was just one of the talks that I love. :) Let's all try to apply this things we learned in conference this week!

Love you all so much! I pray for all of you! Fiquem firme e forte!

Sister Dickerson

Transfer Weeks Are Always Crazy!

Considering that Sister Lifferth left on Tuesday morning and my new comp. Sister Custódio (she is so awesome!) only got here Thursday night, this week was a little nuts. Because Any had to work on Tuesday, Luana hung out with me for the day. And on Wednesday and Thursday I was with Any again :) It was pretty neat--Any teaches seminary, so I got to go to that again--it brought back memories :'). Sister Custódio (minha filhinha!) is super great! She's from Araçatuba, São Paulo. She is super driven and super excited to help the people here. I'm super excited for this transfer!

Also--Any told me something pretty neat! March 26th (which we all know is already the best day ever :P ) is now an international holiday of the Book of Mormon! Whoo-hoo! (It's the first day the Book of Mormon was printed). Every one is being invited to give a Book of Mormon to someone on that day! So you all better start thinking and praying about who you want to bless with a present so special!! This week I spent a lot of time studying the power of the Book of Mormon. It really is the greatest tool in conversion that we have--to help other people receive the gospel and to become converted ourselves. I keep thinking about Maura. She had absolutely no desire to get married, or to be baptized, and she rarely understood the Bible when she tried to read. Now that she is reading the Book of Mormon every day she helps her son, Gabriel, prepare for seminary by explaining the scriptures, she has entered all of her papers to get married, and she chose a baptismal date. There really is a special power that comes from this book. :) 

As for our other investigators, Samara, Jamile and Ediana are progressing very well! We have had some setbacks with Junior--his mom doesn't want him to go to a different church, but we have an appointment with her on Tuesday... send some prayers our way. :) I could tell lots of stories about Friday, when we were teaching amongst the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, or Saturday, when we were tracting in Amonihah but I'm already running out of time...

Ah! And I got the package that the ward sent for Christmas finally!! Thanks so much!!! The letters made my day. :) 

Love you all so much! Have a great week!

Sister Dickerson