May of Miracles!

     Hey everybody! I hope you all had a great Memorial Day! For Memorial Day we had Zone Olympics. It was a great time! We played everything from, soccer, smash ball, basketball, and ultimate Frisbee (Sister Blood and I had a sick touch down). It was a great time!

     But this last week we had such a great week! We went over to a member’s house a couple weeks ago and the member’s non-member friend was over for dinner also. So when I first approach somebody I become their friend and then talk about religion. So at first I talked about working. He is a Web Developer for a big company here. So we talked about religion for a little bit and got to know what he believed in. He was at first standoffish so we just got a return appointment to talk more. So we set the appointment up for that coming week and we forgot about it. We wrote down the wrong day to see him! So we texted him and apologized to him and asked if we could re-schedule, he never replied! So a couple days later I texted him back being a little bit more persistent and he said that we could meet up again that coming Tuesday. So we had an idea to do a church tour with him for our first meeting. We had a member with us while we showed him around the church. This investigator is GOLDEN!! We stopped and looked at the pictures and he had the best comments and questions. I was trying to hold back my tears because the spirit he brought was strong. But as we went around the church he had such great questioned to ask us. My companion and the member were shocked. Throughout my companion’s mission and the member’s mission they have never had an investigator this ready for the Gospel. They both were in aww. So as we finished off the tour at the baptismal font/basketball court we talked more about the Gospel and answered his questions. My companion asked him if he would get baptized and he paused for a second and said “yes I will” we were shocked! So we talked more and then he said something to us that floored us, “What do I expect after baptism?” So we told him about the laying on of hands to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and a few other things about different auxiliaries within the church. As we were doing the church tour we asked if he would like to attend church with us this Sunday and he said without pausing he was going to come. So he did!!! He is so golden! We have an appointment with him tonight but I am actually on exchanges in another town!! Grrrr…….

I just talked to the Zone leader and the Mission President wants the whole mission to get a new investigator in on a church tour within a week!! How sick is that!!! Pavin’ the way by the Holy Ghost!!! Love you all!! (Oh yeah….I rode in a convertible Mustang to church again!! And his wife was not in the front seat this time!! Hahahahhaha!!!)

 Derby Zone Olympics

Ridin’ in Style!!

Hello all!! I am doing great this past week! And today!! It is p-day!!! Well to explain the title, we were picked up by a young couple (for church) in their sports car. It was the best!! They came and picked us up in their convertible Mustang which had a V8 engine (GT model)!! It was so chill!! So as we pulled away from the apartment, I through on the Oakleys and just kicked back! I loved it. When we go to church the McConnell Air Force base is along the way so it was cool to be able to see the jumbo jets in a big screen setting! Lol

This past week was just a bunch of tracting. So a man that we have a close eye on has been having some hard times recently. We felt inspired to go over and see how he was doing so we did. As we were walking to his house we walked past the electric man. He just barely turned off the power to his house. So we sat with him and talked and shared some scriptures with him. So 2 days later we went back over to his house to check on him. We pulled up and I told my companion to sit here in the car for a minute. We did and a white car pulled up and he walked out of his house with his items and left. (Not sure what items means-Judy) I love how the Lord works with people. The Lord knows what needs to happen at the right moments.

Love you all!!

I made this pepper corn grinder base on a lathe. 

And bought the top at a local wood working store.

 Check out the massive storm rolling in. 
I was freaked out and wanted to go inside Wal-Mart. 

But my companion said, “Nope, we are still walking.”

 We tracted to this house the other day. 
I had to BoM it!!

Where ever those less actives are, we will go. 
Even if we are in a Corolla.

Happy Mother’s Day!!

Happy Mother’s Day to my Grandmothers!! I love you so much!!

Ah, the good ole humidity!! Well it has been raining here for the past few days! It was such a great time being able to talk to my family yesterday! My cousin Kristi even came down to see me! So good to see them as well.

So a miracle that happened last week: We went out on a team-up with a member the other day. We first stopped off at a Luau for a farewell and graduation party. The members sent us home with tons of food for us and the Sisters. (Sorry Blood family, I took away Sis Bloods dinner) As we left we asked the member if he had anybody that he wanted to see. He said that he did have somebody in mind. So we went to this ladies house and she was going crazy. She was out of control. She just came home from the hospital and she found people in her house using it for a meth lab. She has no money and no food. So she kept on talking out of control so when I got a chance I said: “We came bearing food.” She looked at me and said, "No I don’t want to take your food." I was not going to take that answer. So I got the members key and went out and got the 2 platters full of food and told her to open the fridge. She was so grateful. But previous to all this she was in a panic trying to figure out what to do. She could not contact anybody from the ward for support. So she was finally seeing that we were sent from the Lord to help her out. She started crying. It was such an amazing experience for us and her!

Hope you all had a good Mother’s Day!!

Watch Out Wichita

It was 104 yesterday.  I love the big city! I am so close to all the airline businesses. We always drive past Boeing, Cessna, and Spirit AeroSystems!! I love it! I am going to tour them one day!! I love the people here in Kansas! The area that we work in is a very poor area, I like serving here!! I can’t wait to get my hair cut!! I am going down town to a local barber shop and am going to have some spiritual/barbershop talk. In my new apartment we have a dishwasher, washer & dryer, and A/C!!!!!!!!!!!

This week I went on exchanges with one of the office Elders then to an investigators house. He was on date for baptism until we got there to meet with him.  As we were there he had so many questions to ask.  I was responding to all of them to my best knowledge. Then it hit me, he is doubting getting baptized. I said we would like to see you at church and when I said that he grabbed his chest with such pain. I was afraid at what just happened. He now is not ready to get baptized tomorrow. My companion said to me that he could feel an evil spirit working on him while we were there. So he has become really doubtful about joining.  It made me so sad and angry that the devil was hurting him that much!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!

So my first day at the new ward I found out that my cousin, Sis Blood, is in my ward!! How awesome is that!!  I am in a ward, but I have been told that it should be a branch since we have lost so many people. The McConnell Air Force Base is really close and within the boundaries so people are always moving in and out. We have some members that live on base so we get to go on base about 3 times a week! The first time I went on base it reminded me of the movie “The Incredible Hulk”. The scene when the bomb goes off and the whole city is desolate. Kind of eerie!!  

Love you all!!

My new companion Elder Defreese, he's from Springville.

The Branch President and his family!!
The girl in the peach is my little buddy!

The Brown's!! Miss them!! They are my first mission family!!

On my last P-Day we went to his studio and made a letter holder!

He was surprised at how good I did!!

This is the Case’s they made us dinner every Sunday.

We pick a country and she would cook it for us!

Transfers on Wednesday

Good by Kingman Kansas and Hello Derby Kansas.  Taylor is being transferred Wednesday the 30th for his new assignment.  He is sorry he didn't get to write a letter for his blog they had a short amount of time today. He has loved Kingman and his companion Elder Maki, Bro & Sis Greenlaw, and all those wonderful people who have fed and taken such good care of them. He is grateful for the experiences he has had and is ready for the new. He will be in the same District with his second cousin, Sister Blood.  He is going from a town of around 3,000 to a city of 23,000 people.

Happy Easter (Yesterday)

This week has been pretty good! Yesterday a lady that we do service for at the Museum had us and the Sisters over for dinner and an Easter egg hunt! There were so many little kids running around looking for the eggs. I had a blast showing my favorite kids where the stashes were located! Lol. After that we just sat under a tree chatted about life while we gazed over the mile(s) of rolling green farm land. I was glad they did not have any four wheelers because I would have been out cruising on the farm and on the dirt roads! (Crap, I am sounding like the country folks now.)

A family that is out of our area boundaries always brings us food. (Bro and Sis Balzer) Late last night they said they were going to come over and bring us Easter dinner since we couldn’t go to their house. So he brought over tons of food (again) for us. Four people were carrying in all the food. We loved it. Cereal, M&M’s, bread, roast with potatoes gravy and carrots smothered with Sriracha sauce, pizzas, MONEY, and cheese! Oh my goodness!! Heaven! The Lord is providing!!

Speaking of the Lord providing. The Pitcock family is a part member less active family. She has a goal to attend church once a month. Well she has only been able to come once this year. Her husband did not want anything to do with the church. But the Sister's went over to talk with her the other day and the wife said that her husband wants to get baptized and eventually be sealed in the Temple!! Well at church yesterday the whole family showed up despite his hectic work schedule! Miracle!!! So we talked with the husband and he invited us over for dinner tomorrow night! I so can’t wait for that!! He has a huge farm that he runs so I want to see if he needs help. My goal is to drive a John Deere tractor while I am out here!!!

I hope that life is treating you all well. I love you all so much! I can’t wait to be back with you all again!! Love you all!

That’s right!! Reppin’ the Utah Jazz today!! 

"Because of Him", I am where I am today!!

Happy Easter to all my beloved Family and Friends. We had a Zone Conference this past Tuesday and it was phenomenal! While at the conference we had multiple trainings to enlighten us. But one training that really stuck out to me that I would like to share is this video that has been posted. The spiritual power of sitting in a room watching this video with 44 Elders and Sister along with the Mission President was so powerful! I wish it could share that experience with you all! But since I cant do that I invite each of you to gather around with your friends and family to watch this short video.

Love you all and God Bless!! ~ Elder Dickson

http://easter.mormon.org/

A Beautiful Tan & Today, Frozen Fingers

Hello Everybody,

Things are going well out here in the boonies of America! This week the weather has been so beautiful. 80 degree weather, a beautiful tan I received, and frozen fingers today!! It snowed this morning in Kansas! So messed up!!

But going to the Temple was a great experience! The bus ride to Oklahoma was 3 ½ hours long. Ugh!!! After the session we had a special meeting with the Temple President. I can’t speak of what he said due to certain reasons but one thing I can say. When the missionaries are chosen the council members keep in mind our 20 year future as they choose what place to serve. It was cool to know that our mission will shape the rest of our lives “Plus” the 2 years we are serving will give us an advantage for our next 20 years of our life! Amazing!!

One of our investigators that we have been working with loves having us come over for lessons. So the other night we were teaching the Plan of Salvation to her and her husband. They just seemed so amazed that we believed all of it. So we asked them “if you pray and come to know these things we have taught are true what would you do” she responded “well we would like to be apart of it!” So we gave them a date so they can be accountable for receiving that inspiration. So this week we had an appointment and they cancelled. Ugh. But last week I did have a dream that the wife did get baptized but the husband did not. But eventually the husband did join. I so hope it will come true!!

Love you all!!
Elda T Dickson

3 1/2 hour bus ride to the Oklahoma Temple.

 Oklahoma Temple

We named our dashboard hula girl Dorothy!! 

There were two storms clashing with each other at that time.

Sing us away Dorothy!

Conference Was Good!

Well I hope that everybody had a good Conference the past few days! I know I did! As I was watching conference I started to get Utah sick! I really miss Utah! I actually got to see a few friends that were in the choir! That was really exciting! Conference made me tear up several times, I see why Dad and Grandpa tear up. Just being out here on the mission studying the Gospel has really opened up my testimony for conference. I am actually understanding what they are saying. LOL We were in Pratt, Kansas at the Church to watch Conference. We were able to spend time with the Senior couple that we all love, they are the Greenlaws. They are from Mapleton.

We had a couple of members bring us food, it was awesome. We love the members and how they help us out.

We were invited to a Bonfire last week, it was interesting. When my companion and I arrived a few of the people that were there swore and asked why missionaries got invited. By the time the Bonfire was over we had all become friends and we were invited back to a a birthday party this coming week. So, we hope this will turn into something for us.

I don't have much time to email today because it is a half p-day. We are going to the Temple tomorrow. WAHOO!!! So I will send pictures along with a longer email.  It's a three hour bus ride to Missouri Ugh! but going to the temple will be awesome. Tell Grandpa D thanks for the letters and the $5 bucks, it helps pay to do my laundry. Ha ha 

Love you all!!!

Elder Taylor Dickson

The members are great!

It is really nice outside this morning! Love it! We were inside all day yesterday, I didn't feel well. So we stayed home and rested all day. Plus we had a member come over and give me a blessing. And then he saw that we did not have any food so he and his wife brought us over food. Then another member and his mother texted us saying what kind of food do you like. So they are going to load us up with food this week. The members are great. The one member brought his wife over and she told us not to get discouraged. She has lived here her whole life and pretty much shunned because she is Mormon. But she said out of the 23 years living here we have only had 2 baptisms. So she said get your face out in the community. The president said that we should do service here in town. So we have been looking around for service opportunities. We went to an old folks home last week and it looked like pure torture in there. To get OUT of the building you have to type in a code to open the doors. I will never let anybody go into one of those!! We did get a few new investigators so we are working with them. It is the neighbors downstairs. Happy Birthday Dad. 

Love you all, Elder Dickson