Week1: Heaven on Earth

Well can I say…the MTC is heaven on earth. Tuesdays are my P-Day! I, Elder Dickinson, am doing good, exceptionally fine! Thou shalt not worry lol. The first couple of days have not only flown by, they have also been a whirlwind! I am currently teaching a TRC. It is definitely something I never thought I would be doing only five days into my mission. A TRC is an actual person the MTC “pays to play” either who they were before they were converted or they are an actual investigator. In the first five days, we have also learned how to teach the restoration of the church in under ten minutes. With the spirit and the Lord on your side you can do amazing things!  I am missing the little red ninja (Finley), like crazy and I can't wait until the day I get to see him and you guys again.

On my flight from Minneapolis to SLC I sat next to Sister Ensign (fitting, right?) who was returning home from her mission. She was amazing, very nice and friendly. She comforted me and actually ended up asking me what she had missed out on while on her mission, like what's the best iPhone and stuff like that so it was kind of funny (I had to let her in on some of the new fashion and technology fads, lol). She also shared all her mission tips with me.

Remember how my setting apart blessing stated that I would serve in leadership positions? Well, I am my district's District Leader! My district currently consists of 12 elders and 12 sisters. Already, the first 6 elders and sisters are departing and we have 12 green beans coming on Wednesday! So we won't be the newbies anymore! I love this calling!  Most of all, I love my district and companion!

My District in the MTC

My companion, Elder Lee, is from Utah. He is a great and strong individual who has suffered a lot so far in life but, he is in good hands on his mission now. He suffers from juvenile Parkinson’s disease. Not only is he my companion, but I GET (not have to) watch over him. I love him with all my heart and we relate on many levels. Now, you may ask, how can I love him already? Well, we have to love all children of God. Also, Christ taught with love and as a missionary we strive to become more Christ like. His mom packed him 35 names for the temple so in the next 3 weeks we get to attend the temple twice with our district, not only for endowment session but for baptisms. I am super excited to get to have the temple experience, again!

First Companion: Elder Lee

The MTC averages anywhere from four to six in a dorm all the elders from our district are in our dorms so we have six Elders in our room. One companionship is going to the Texas, Dallas mission one is going to the California, Bakersfield mission and we are going to Arizona, Tucson, of course. However, there is a set of sisters in our district that are going to Tucson and we found another set of elders that are going as well. One of them is my height, lol. Elder Lewis and Elder Lee can't wait to get there. My reading of the Book of Mormon is going good. Brother Kelly Mills and his wife spoke on Sunday.  He is the worldwide MTC leader. He and his wife served in Fukinawa Japan.

All 12 members of my district are in the choir (I love it) and we get to sing 8 songs tonight at the devotional! We heard a rumor that Neal A. Anderson is speaking tonight!!! Wow!

A fun fact: I can shave in the morning and find myself needing to shave again at night. That's how fast my beard is now growing, lol.  That's my random fact for the day! I hope everything is going great back home I love and miss you guys like crazy, but I can testify that I know that this is what I am supposed to be doing. Yes, 24 months may seem like a long time but in the grand scheme of things I know that my sacrifice of 24 month is well worth being able to bring even one family together for an eternity. I love you guys to death, I can't say it enough.

Another couple fun facts:  There are 40 new missionaries headed to Japan in 2 weeks so I guarantee that there are some headed to the Sapporo, Japan mission.  I'm also (on my own) starting to speak more Spanish in my free time to try to 'prime the pump' of the gift of tounges, lol. I have taken several pictures and still need the 'first companion' and 'stand and point in front of the big map - solo' but we did not have time to do that as we were busy but here are some pictures I took with my tablet.

Tucson was 84 degrees yesterday!

Love, Elder Dickinson

P.S I loved the first OWL (Open When Letter) on the plane lol ... love you guys

The FAMOUS MTC Mission Map