Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Week 5: Ultimate Football and Mother's Day Skype

Martes, Mayo 6, 2014

      P-Day.  We went to the temple this morning.  We had the early session and we were going to wake up at 5:45 am but instead got woken up at 4:00 am and couldn't get back to sleep because there was so much noise/things happening-  because everyone was leaving this morning for the field.  We left at 6:30 am and we got on the bus and this older guy jumped on behind me and smiled, so I said, "Hola, como esta?" and apparently that means, "Hey I really like when you stand close to me and basically use me as a pole"  And it was packed on the bus so I couldn't go anywhere....when we finally got to the temple, I was relieved.  The temple is so beautiful.  I am so grateful for the oportunidad to attend the temple on p-days.  I am going to miss the temple while I'm in Chiclayo.  Mom and Dad, when I get home, let's go to a Spanish session, because anything in Spanish is better! :)  We then went to the temple store.  After laundry and stressful emailing it was personal study.  I read Mosiah 1: 11-12 and I thought it was amazing because it talks of a people being distinguished above all people and they are given a name that will never be blotted out.  I love it.  As a missionary you are held to another standard and you have a name upon you that will not be blotted out.  I also read 1 Nephi 21:16.  It us such a strong scripture.  It reads, "Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands."  How awesome.
     Then we watched the most AMAZING broadcast.  Can you guess who spoke?  You got it.  Elder Jeffrey R. Holland.  I literally took almost 4 pages of notes, front and back, from his talk.  You will have to look it up. It would be something like, MTC Broadcast May 6, 2014 Elder Holland- The Missionary Purpose.  There is so much I love about his talk I don't know what to highlight right now.  "You can't always/ever have Jesus and God in the flesh next to you, but you can have the Holy Ghost, and walking with the Holy Ghost, you know what it is like to walk with someone from the Godhead."  He said much more, but you need to just read it!

Miercoles, Mayo 7, 2014

      Today I did solo espanol.  It was awesome, because I grew so much in my Spanish.  Today in morning classes, Hno Chavez y Hno Hans were suppose to teach us querer + infinitive, but instead we talked about how scary Peru was in the 80's.  We talked about terrorists and how they were constantly hurting people, but not anymore.  Thankfully!
     So last night all the new Norte Americanos got here so it was nice to see new faces at meals.  Sad day because we didn't get roommates. :(  Oh well, now we won't get woken up at random times because of them.  I think I'll miss it.
      Hna McGinnis and I taught a new investigator, her name is "Cynthia" and this lady is so funny.  We knock on her door and when we got into her house, she had her music blasting, so we asked her to turn it off so we could focus on inviting the spirit.  Then we started asking questions about her life and her desires. While we would talk to her she would put her head down on the table between us and look dead.  So I was bearing my testimony to her and she would pop her head up for a minute with one eye squinted and then throw her head back on the table.  So I stopped talking and asked her a question and while she was responding, she started to fall asleep!!!  By the end of the lesson, McGinnis and I were having a hard time not laughing.  We finally ended our lesson and she said, "I want to know more about the Book of Mormon and that prophet you were talking about.  How about you come over Friday?"  We looked at each other and said that works great and left.  Right as she shut her door, we ran outside laughing.  She was such a fun investigator.  I can't wait to teach her Friday.
     Tonight in night class Hna Waite and I got paired up to share scriptures with each other and while she was sharing, she started bearing her testimony and she was saying, "I know we have a living prophet today...and then she says in a British accent, "Thomas S. Monson."  No se why she did but we both started laughing.  Also, today when she was going to the bathroom, the toilet seat fell off the toilet!  Bad luck always from Hna Waite!  Yo se que Thomas S. Monson estan profeta de dios.  Yo se que el libro de Mormon contiene la palabras de Dios y la palabras de profetas.  Te amo la iglesia de Jesuscristo de los Santos de los ultimos dias.  Yo agradicido por mi companera y por mi tiempo (at) el CCM.  Yo se que Dios y Jesuscristo viven.
     I love you all.  Thanks for all the support!  Mucho amor de Peru a ustedes.
     Favorite scriptures today:  Mosiah 8:13-18  talks of prophets!  They are true!
                                             2 Nephi 3: 12-15 y 24  Joseph Smith
                                             Alma 32  likens reading scriptures to a seed.  (seed of Faith)  26-43
                                             Moroni 10: 4-5  I memorized it en espanol.  It is a great promise!  Take it                                                                             seriously.

Jueves, Mayo 8, 2014

     1 month mark!  How crazy is that?!  Today was a pretty good day.  I did a lot of language study and read in the scriptures.
     At meals today I got to know new Latinas.  They are all so nice and understanding of our terrible espanol.  2 hermanas we talked to are going to Chiclayo with all of us girls!  It is such a good group of us.  I am way pumped!  Before dinner, we were learning about teaching people, not lessons.  And we had to practice with each other and we (Hna McGinnis and I) taught Hna Kennedy a lesson to help her with her "needs" and it was crazy.  While we were teaching her, even though it wasn't real, it felt real and the spirit was strong and we really "helped" her.  It was awesome.  After dinner a couple of us had to teach an investigator which tonight it was Hno Cesar and it was a hard lesson.  It was dificult :(  After we all taught, he told us that all we need to work on keeping the lesson focused because we kept allowing him to pull us away from the reason we were teaching him.  One of the Hnas took it kinda hard, so a bunch of us found scriptures to help her out and help ourselves.  My favorito escrituras hoy:  D&C 67: 1-2 (change elders to                                                                                                                                         missonaries)
                                                                                                               D&C 68: 3-6
                                                                                                               Alma 7: 23
                                                                                                               Mosiah 4: 27
I love this gospel and I am so excited to serve the people in Chiclayo.  I have grown so much here.  I pray every night/morning for 15 min!

Viernes, Mayo 9, 2014

     This morning during my personal study, I read in Mosiah 3-4.  There are so many promises in those scriptures!  I love it.  I also read my blessing.  Seriously, every time I read it, I find something new and I have read it twice a day since I have been here and I still find new things!  It is amazing.  It is like a "Father's Blessing" everyday for me.  Read your patriarchal blessing daily!!  Pray before you read it and ask what it is you need to see in it that day, and you will find answers and a lot of comfort!
     Also this morning during morning classes, Hno Chavez prayed at the end of one of our classes and in his prayer he literally said "Please bless the family of Hna Dodson.  Please bless the family of Hna McGinnis and so on until he blessed his family.  It was such a spiritual experience.  And before that we sang, "I know that my Redeemer Lives" en espanol and the spirit was so strong.  All day today, the spirit has been here.
     Hna McGinnis and I taught our new invesigador "Pilar".  She wants to be a nun, so she is very religious, but while we were teaching her, the spirit was so strong with us!  It was awesome!
     Right after teaching, my district had to email home about Mother's Day skyping/phone calls...hopefully my email made sense.
     Tonight before daily planning, I was reading Mosiah 5 and in verse 12.  I read a part of it that reminds me of my covenants in the temple.  The entire chapter is amazing so read it, but that verse stood out.  By the way, today I played ultimate football and I was kicking some trash. haha.  I blocked so many passes and I caught some crazy passes!  The elders were impressed.  NBD haha  Too bad I was wasting time playing volleyball all this time when I could have been in my competative mode.  Oh well, at least now I can play until I leave in a week!!
     I found this quote today:  3 Nephi 11:14-15 [One by one:  the importance of the one]  "I believe that if we could truly understand the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ, we would realize how precious is the one son or daughter of God.  At the heart of the word ATONEMENT is the word ONE.  If all mankind understood this, there would never be anyone with whom we would not be concerned.  The irony of the atonement is that it is infinite and eternal, yet it is applied individually, one person at a time...never underestimate how precious one is."   Elder Ballard, 2004 Ensign

Sabado, Mayo 10, 2014

     Today was a spiritual day.  Anything I read, sang, or thought was super spiritual.  Throughout the day I made a goal to ask people why they decided to serve a mission, what their favorite part of the Evangelio de Jesuscristo, and why the gospel is important to them.  I think asking those questions when they least expect it is the best thing you can do, because it puts the purpose of being a missionary at the forefront.  I challenge you to bear your testimony several times a day.  Not crazy things, just simple beliefs. :)
     I studied about the atonement a lot today, because of that quote I found in my scriptures yesterday.  And tonight after planning and teaching, Hna McGinnis, Me, Hna Blackburn, Hna Waite and Hna Favero sang, "Yo se que Nuestro Redentor vive."  It was beautiful and spiritual.  I seriously love this gospel.  It is everything to me.  And because it is, I am here in Peru, so I can bless people with the gospel of Jesucristo.  I am grateful for all the blessings I have received from God and from those in my life! Read Mosiah 3!  It is about the atonement.  And then read 3 Nephi 11!!
     I love Jesus and His Atonement.  Without it, I would be lost and unwanted!  Use this gift we have been given!
     Can't wait to see you tomorrow!

Domingo, Mayo 11, 2014

     MOTHER'S DAY!  Today has been an amazing day!  During sacrament today, after 4 missionaries spoke, President Adams (branch president) spoke and last Sunday he and his wife were gone because they went to Machu Pichu with their daughter and on their flight home Friday the food on the plane gave them food poisoning and so in the middle of his talk, he stopped, walked out of the room and just blew chunks right there in the hall and his counselor, Elder Hill got up and started to finish his talk for him, until Pres. Adams came back, then he finished, and sacrament was then over.
     It was weird to be at church and not have people speak about mothers.
     Hey mom, I was sad this morning because I wasn't able to decorate for you and write little notes for you!  Hopefully this thought makes it up to you!  ha ha
     After all of our church meetings, it was almuerzo (lunch) and after that was personal study.  Today, I studied about 3 separate beings in the Godhead.  It was amazing how much evidence there is in the Bible and Book of Mormon that there are 3 beings.
     Right after study we all had "how to lead music" class.  That was interesting because every single North American knew how to lead music, but all the Latins had no idea how to.  haha  And then they wanted us to sing all together and without a doubt all the Latins can't sing on tune to save their life!  I love it.  It reminds me of when Miguel would try and sing. :)  Before class was over, it was the "older" missionaries' turn to talk to their families!  That was the best thing ever.  Hopefully my Spanish wasn't too awkward.  And hopefully my English hasn't been affected to bad. haha  It was nice to see all of you!  I obviously lost it when I saw your faces/body outlines (thanks to skype).  Thankfully, it didn't cut out!  :)  I love all of you, so so much!  Right after skyping, we watched a movie, no idea what it was, but the acting was terrible, so during it, I was reading in Alma 36 and in that chapter I found the verse that tells why I am here serving in Peru!  Verse 24. It reads, "I have labored without ceasing, that I might bring souls unto repentance; that I might bring them to taste of the exceeding joy of which I did taste;  that they might also be born of God, and be filled with the Holy Ghost."
     After la cena (dinner), we had a fireside and Presidante Gonzalez spoke to us about working with the Bishop and members.  Despues we had district meeting and we talked about the fireside and also our video chatting today.  Everyone's stories were so happy!  Cutest thing though, when we all went to the classroom, we (all the hermanas) had a treat on our desks with a little note - Happy Future Mother's Day: Hermana Dodson- and on the back it says, Love, Elder PK and Elder Sandholtz.  Our elders are so sweet.  They were sad they couldn't do something for their moms so they decided to do something for the future moms! :) How thoughtful!  Then we, as a district, came up with goals and some of them are, 1.  Solo espanol en la classroom  2.  share testimony once a day with a Latin  3. Fake contact once a day en la CCM.
     I love my district with my whole heart!  I believe that I didn't get my call sooner because I needed to learn and grow with the beautiful people in my district.  District 107 will forever be the best district ever.  We have a love/bond that will never fade.  We all have strengths that help us build up one another!
     P.S. During the fireside, my district sang [Abide with me, tis Eventide]  Conmigo quedate, Senor and it was so spiritual.  We sang the last verse acapella and....I love the spirit/music!!

Lunes, Mayo 12, 2014

     This morning Hna McGinnis and I taught Pilar Garcia again and it went so well.  We taught all about the restoration and I said the First Vision and it was awesome.  After I said it, I said "Joseph Smith saw God the Father and His Son Jesuscristo."  We know Joseph Smith saw God and Jesus.  It was very spiritual and we challenged her to pray and read the Book of Mormon.  She said yes and we gave her chapter 32 in Alma to read.
     I am loving Spanish.  It is still hard pero (but) I am really getting the hang of it!  During morning class we were talking about "we invite, they commit, we follow up."  and one of the points is bearing testimony and on page 198 en Preach My Gospel, there is a quote about doing so by Pres. Thomas S. Monson.  "Regarding one's testimony, remember, that which one willingly shares he keeps, while that which he selfishly keeps, he loses...teach and testify.  There is no better combination."  Bear your testimony once a day!  It strengthens you!!  I testify of that! :)
     Today, during additional study, I went to the computer lab to use a program called Tall.  It is a language program.  It is pretty helpful once you know how to use it.  It only took everyone 5 weeks to finally understand it.  haha  I was learning about present subjunche and let me just say...I suck at doing correct things in English and so I don't know how I am supposed to learn correct grammar in Spanish if I can't do it in English.  ha ha :)
     After that, it was personal study and I read my Book of Mormon en Espanol.  I learn so much reading in the scriptures.  It takes me 20 times longer but I learn a lot.  After that it was Physical Activity.  I played ultimate football and I was killing it.  The elders enjoy playing with me because they know when they throw me the ball, I will catch it.  Oh exciting news!!  I met 2 elders today that are going to Chiclayo but they don't leave until the very end of June.  It was exciting to have elders though! :)  (Elder Smith and Elder Bagley)
     At dinner tonight Hna McGinnis and I asked some of the Latinas to share their testimonies with us and during one of the Latina's testimony she bore it in Ingles and it was seriously the cutest thing I have ever heard!  "Iee knaw dat."  that is how she said it and her voice was so gentle and sincere.  The spirit was so strong!  Then they wanted me to bear my testimony so I did and they loved it. haha  Then they told us that we are going to be angels in Chiclayo.  And they said they love us and our beautiful spirits, and they know the people will love us because we are white. ha ha  So spiritual and then straight up.
     Tonight, we practiced teaching the Latinas and they told us we did good. :)  I seriously can't wait to get to Chiclayo.  I seriously can't believe that when I leave the CCM next martes, I only have 16 1/2 months left! Time is flying by!

Hermana Dodson y Hermana McGinnis by CCM sign

CCM sign

Matching bows 

District 107 Bus Ride
"We left at 6:30am and we got on the bus, and
this older guy jumped on behind me and smiled,
so I said, "Hola, como esta?"  and that apparently
means, 'Hey, I really like when you stand
close to me and basically use me as a pole.'

Hna Dodson, Hna McGinnis, Hna Kennedy, Hna Waite,
Hna Lofglan, Hna Blackburn, Hna Favero

bus ride

bus ride

temple address

Hermana Dodson y Hermana McGinnis y Hermana Blackburn



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