Week 64: The Most Hectic Week of My Life

Well, well, well, what can I say?  If the subject line doesn’t sum up this week, I don’t know what does. 

Monday:  This week started off with saying goodbye to my 3 favorite families in Midvale: the C__s, the O___s and Bro. Collingwood.  I’m not going to lie, I almost cried saying goodbye to all 3 of them. The C__s invited us Elders and the O__s over on Monday night for my last supper.  We had ribeye’s, T-bones, potatoes, beans and rolls = the all-American meal.  It was a wonderful send off and I will deeply miss those wonderful folks.

Last Supper in Midvale

Saying Goodbye is hard to do..

Tuesday was transfer day.  I hopped on the transfer van early in the morning.  At the transfer pick up spot I said goodbye to Elder Jorgenson, another Elder from Wisconsin who went home this transfer.  When I first arrived at the mission home, I was one of three Elders from Wisconsin.  Now, I am the last one remaining.  I also said goodbye to Elder Perry.  It was sad to say goodbye, but I couldn’t waste any time lamenting because the van was going to leave with or without me.  I got off the transfer van in Benson, AZ and I got picked up and taken to Sierra Vista to join my new companion, Elder West.  We then shopped and started unpacking and such.  Actually, first we had a dinner with the W__ family, then we unpacked and called it a day.  My new apartment is nothing to write home about and neither was the six mile walk to dinner, lol (did I mention this is a walking area?)

Wednesday:  Wow, I have never had a longer day in my life!  We woke up, did studies and went to our District Meeting.  It was fun, we played a scripture chase game - sort of, it’s kind of hard to explain.  After our District Meeting, we had to walk three miles to a lesson.  We met with B__, an investigator who is on track to being baptized.  She knows it’s all true.  Then, we tracted for 4 houses, then had to walk several miles to dinner at Chipotle.  We then got home and I slept so bad that night because my back hurt so bad from all the walking.  No other way to put it than it was a night from hell.

Thursday was interesting. We didn’t have anything planned, so we tracted all day until dinner, which was at six o’clock.  Talk about a long, long day.  I was beat.  We didn’t find any new investigators, but I did find about 8 blisters on my feet, lol. We had dinner at this place that was famous for hot wings.  The members who took us there coaxed us into doing the Homicidal Wing Challenge = 20 wings hotter than the blazing challenge.  I was unable to do it due to drinking so much water.  Twenty wings is a lot in general, plus all that water.  However, Elder West enjoys spicy food, so he smashed the challenge.  We finished up dinner and did some more contacting on the way home and then mercifully to bed.

Homicidal Wing Challenge

We spent Friday walking and walking and we did some planning and then more walking.  We walked 45 miles in 4 days.  I actually stared duct taping the bottom of my socks to avoid getting any more blisters. Needless to say, this area should defiantly be a bike area. I also got wickedly tan due to the sun being about 15 feet away from the earth in Sierra Vista.  Friday was brutal and I was sore and baked.

Saturday was a crazy crazy day. First, we got up bright and early to help with a move.  The move was the equivalent to trying to fit 5 quarts of chocolate pudding into a 1 quart bag.  Hoarders, I tell yah!!!   They had the biggest U-Haul I’ve ever seen, plus 2 trailers and we still weren’t able to fit everything in it.  The ward people were a little upset afterwards, lol.  

After all of that, I got a call and got transferred Saturday afternoon to the Benson, AZ area.  So, we went home and I repacked all of my stuff and moved to Benson.  Think of Benson like being Gresham and Hartley squished together. (two small towns in Wisconsin)   Benson is smaller than Lordsburg, but has more members.  My new, new companion is Elder Ramsden from Chino CA.  He has been in Benson for one transfer and goes home in 4 months.    We live with some pretty sweet members, the G___ family.  We live in their back yard in a fifth wheel.  It’s actually super nice. I have absolutely zero complaints about this area.  I can’t believe I’m saying this, but wouldn’t mind living here, lol.  It’s about 40 miles east of Tucson and 40 miles north of Sierra Vista.  After I got to Benson sometime in the afternoon, we went to the Benson Ward Easter Party! It was a blast!!

Home Sweet Home!! :)

Sunday:  We cover 3 wards in Benson, so needless to say, not counting Ward Counsel Meetings, we attended 7 hours of church.  I was exhausted. We had dinner with the B___ family and played basketball with their kids. It was a blast.

I have a strong feeling that this might be one of my favorite areas. It reminds me so much of Gresham, WI. = Mormonville out in the boonies.  I love it out here!

Hopefully that answered all of the questions you may have, if not I’m sorry because I’m exhausted beyond belief.

Love y’all

Elder Connor William Dickinson 

Week 63: My Birthday is also National Pi Day :D

Well this week was truly a week to remember.  I had a birthday, we got our transfer calls and I got to say my goodbyes to all the families in Midvale.  It was just a wonderful week over all.

I usually start off with a lesson I’ve learned, but this week I can’t really think of one off the top of my head.  How about this:  Amidst all the darkness we face in the world today - be a light.  Whether sharing the gospel, serving one another, complimenting one another.... look for the good in each other.  Instead of focusing on the bad, find the good. I have found that to help me love others and treat others as I would want to be treated. After all, we are all children of our loving heavenly father. 

That’s all J

Anyways, I might as well jump into the week.

Monday:  We bowled, emailed, played volleyball and had dinner appointment with the O__ family.

Tuesday was a good day.  It was the last day before I turned 20. We worked at the foodbank, which consisted of pre-opening pallet after pallet of food.  After working at the foodbank, we went to Sunny Daze Café for lunch, where Elder Mitchell bought me a pre-birthday meal of biscuits and gravy and a peach milkshake.  After that we made some stop by visits and then had a wonderful goulash dinner with the B___ household.

Sunny Daze (They have the BEST peach shakes!!)

Wednesday was the big day, the big 2-0.  It all started off with apartment inspections.  We had two lessons scheduled, but they both got cancelled.  No matter how many lessons got canceled, my day was great because of my awesome birthday package from home. Everyone was asking where I had gotten my gift from because they want one!  (It was a leather bracelet which has a metal plate stitched onto the band.  The metal plate is embossed with the latitude and longitude of my home in Wisconsin. Also embossed on the inside of the leather band were the words “So you can always find you way home”).  Also, thank you for the healthier food.  I start my diet on Tuesday, so I really appreciate the thought of the healthier food!  My Birthday package rescued my day.  We also had our District Meeting, where some ward members brought in some pie for PI day (March 14^th = 3.14 = Pi, get it?).  

Thursday was a day to remember also. We worked at the foodbank in the morning until 12:00. After eating lunch we attempted to do some stop-by visits - but nothing came of them.  We did studies until our dinner appointment with the O__ and C__ families.  They took us and the C___’s daughter out to the Texas Roadhouse to celebrate our birthdays.  We had an awesome evening of exchanging laughs and smiles.  It was so awesome. They also gave us gifts. So, weeks earlier we were looking at buying a perplexus puzzle.  You know, the clear ball puzzle. Anyways, we decided not to buy it and that is what the O__’s  got Elder Witzel and they found out my new love for Damascus steel blades and gave me a nice Damascus bladed knife! That being said, it was a wonderful night all around with my favorite families of the Midvale Ward - minus Grandpa Collingwood, of course!

Friday was planning and then more planning with a little of family history - That was our day. 

Saturday was another wonderful day.  We had planned on accompanying some new members to the temple for baptisms, but they didn’t show up.  So, Bro. O___, Elder Witzel and I took turns for a bunch of names. Brother O___ is a big guy to manhandle, but it was a blast.  Not only that, when we got to the Temple, we found out that the Temple staff had been praying for 3 people show up to be baptizers.  Before we got there, they had no one to perform baptisms that day.  Bro. O___ said it perfectly, "We were meant to be there at that time."  It was an experience and a day I will never forget - the peace and serenity from being in such a special place.  After this awesome day Elder Witzel and I ate out before transfer calls.   When we got home, we got our transfer calls. Elder Witzel is getting a new companion named Elder Wilson.  He’s pretty new.  I will be going to.....drum roll, please....the Sierra Vista 3rd Ward.  My new companion is Elder West and he is my brother in the mission (we were both trained by Elder Degrange).  He is pretty cool and I am excited.  The only problem is Sierra Vista has a CAL Ranch Store.  Keep me out of there, lol.  (Think lots of cool cowboy boots, belts, belt bucks and other cool stuff)  But yes, I am super excited.

Sunday:  After exactly 30 Sundays in this area, Sunday was my final watch over the marvelous Midvale Ward.  Church started at 1:00 because of a Stake Conference for a different stake (we share a building). We left after Sacrament Meeting so we had time to visit Sis C__ one last time.  Seeing a 91 year old woman cry because I would be transferring absolutely broke my heart.  After some consoling and a nice talk we gave her a blessing before we left. It was a beautiful goodbye.  After this, we ran home finished packing up and then went to pick up our dinner.  After picking up our dinner we went to the R___ family for the evening. I really enjoyed bonding with that Wisco family one last time. Sis R___ had a friend fly in from Gresham/Shawano area (about 40 minutes from my home in Wisconsin).  She Snapchated a picture of me to some of the young women in Shawano and they were freaking out because they knew me. The church makes this place a small world that’s for sure!  It was a wonderful night.

Saying Goodbye to the R___ Family

Tomorrow we will be going to play volleyball, say goodbye to Grampa Collingwood and go bowling again.  We will also have a dinner appointment with the O__  and C__ families again, this time at the C___s house. Those two families must like me or something, lol.☺

Anyways, I hope y’all had as good of a week as I did!

Love you,

Elder Connor William Dickinson

Week 62: Grand Champion Greased Pig and Chicken Chaser

Well this last week was pretty darn interesting. 

First off, we are now two hours behind everyone in the Central time zone until November - just letting you know.

We found a new investigator and picked up and old one. We don’t have any baptismal dates yet, but they are definite signs of progress.

Sunday was my last trip to Sells AZ.  It was sad because I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to everyone, just those who attended church. 

On Saturday the Mt. Fagan Ward hosted a Stake-wide activity and we were invited to do missionary work at the event.  It was a chili cook and a ward rodeo. It was a blast!

So, last Monday we played volley and did some abbreviated zone sports before we went golfing.    For never playing golf before, I didn’t do half bad!

Tuesday:  We worked at the foodbank for most of the morning.  After the foodbank we rushed home, got ready and had our interviews with President Browning.  We mostly talked about the trials of having people scheduled for baptism only to have them back out and other stuff.  He also pointed out that I will defiantly be transferred when transfers roll around next week. After eight months in this area, all I can only say is...hallelujah!  Knowing that I will be transferred gave me time to start saying good bye to some of the wonderful people I have met during this stop of my journey.  In all reality, I won't miss the area that much, but leaving the people I’ve grown to love, now that one is going to hurt!  I’ll miss the people so much!  After the interview, I showed Elder Witzel where some people lived so he will know when I’m gone.  This was followed by a dinner appointment with the O__’s and C__’s - my two favorite families!  They found out my birthday is coming up on the 14^th and the C___s’ youngest child’s birthday is the 15^th,  so they are taking us all out to Texas Roadhouse on the 15^th  to celebrate.  I can’t wait!

Wednesday started off with our usual District Meeting along with some Spanish training.  Following that, we went out with Bro. Collingwood for the entire afternoon.  We visited a referral named J__. He is an 84 year old ex-con, ex-gang banger and now he’s looking for the truth.  So, it looks like our diligence is starting to pay off.  After that, we did a lot of visits until it was dinner time. After that, we did a little cleaning and I started doing a little packing.

Thursday we had another very good session at foodbank.  Then, for one last time went out with Bro. Collingwood until it was time to bounce out to Sells for our Book of Mormon class.  After that we had late night T-bell date with Grandpa Collingwood.

Friday:  We did weekly planning and packing.

Saturday was the day a champion was born.  Saturday afternoon we visited with Sis. C___ for a while before we headed to the Mt. Fagan Stake/Ward Rodeo.  There were probably about 2,000 people there!!!!   They had a bunch of activities for the kids like a petting zoo, bouncy castles and ‘Mutton Bustin’’ (little kids riding sheep like cowboys ride bucking broncos – it’s hilarious!).  

They also had a chili cook off and tug-o -war, a chicken chase and a greased pig. They had both adult and kid categories.  I won both adult contests…in missionary white shirt and tie, lol.  Don’t worry it was one of my older shirts, khakis and service boots.  My goal was to put on a show and man, it was a blast!   As we were leaving people were congratulating me like crazy.  Everyone loved that a missionary won, lol.  It was a blast, that’s for sure!

Sunday was my last day in the Sells Ward.  It was bittersweet, mostly bitter because I will miss the heck out of those people.  They have a wonderful spirit about them!  I gave a talk based on Elder Stanley G. Ellis's talk, "Do we trust him? Hard is good" from October 2017 General Conference.  Please read it. My Recent trials and Elder Ellis’s talk have really helped my testimony grow like crazy! 

That being said, I love y'all, and would love to hear from yah. 

Have a wonderful week!

Love,

Elder Connor William Dickinson

Week 61: Faith, all encompassing

This week has really been a trial of faith and marks the fifth time we have had someone so close to being baptized only to have something come and have them back out.  That being said, we no longer have any baptismal dates set. We started this latest transfer with five baptismal dates set and now we have zero.

I’ve been really down on myself lately, because it feels like all of that work was for nothing.  I know that the effort didn’t go to waste, but right now it didn’t really amount to anything.  I guess this is where faith comes in.  I need to have faith that someday those people will eventually get baptized.  Faith is an all-encompassing eternal principle that shapes who we are and who we become. In the end, we will be judged by who we have become through enduring trials and how we react to those trials. 

Every day has its own trials.  Before and during my mission I have lost loved ones, both family and friends. Now, as a missionary, sometimes it is hard to keep the faith when you get knocked down - when those we work with and learn to love decide to walk way.  When you get knocked down you have to get up, dust yourself off and keep moving forward, even if it means crawling.

I have adopted a new saying that goes as follows:  "There never has been a beautiful garden without a gardener.”   Now, whether you see this meaning a literal garden or look at it as your life - there’s a gardener - our Heavenly Father.  He gives us trials, because he wants us to be the best we can possible be.  He wants us to become like his son, Jesus Christ. I wish I could say it would be all sunshine and rainbows, but it is going to rain sometimes and you have to learn to dance in the rain 😊.

This week started off with a good PDay of bowling and emailing home.

Tuesday:  We had Zone Conference.  It was a neat experience, as always, to hear from the Brownings!  We also got smart phones, which is a blessing and a curse.  That being said, it was a good day, tiring but good.  Seven hours sitting on hard chairs in a gym can take its toll on a person, that's for sure.

Wednesday:  We spent all afternoon contacting potential investigators and referrals, which entailed a bunch of driving.  All of that driving combined with no luck made for a long day!

Thursday was a super duper long day.  We went out with Bro. Collingwood all day.  We contacted a bunch of less-active members until we headed off to sells for Book of Mormon class. During class we taught Z__, who was scheduled to be baptized in a little over a week.  He ultimately ended up not be able to get baptized any time soon.  It was a wonderful day until I heard this news. Let’s just day that was a long sad quiet ride home.

Friday was our planning day. We did our weekly planned and ate at the Sunny Daze café for lunch. Someone picked up our tab and thank goodness because that was an expensive peach milkshake, lol.  It or luchople frople from noon ekuse of some trialssis my new favorite dessert though!  After lunch we continued our planning.

Saturday was Elder Witzel’s birthday!  We started the day by helping someone move then we ate lunch at this awesome mom and pop Mexican shop.  I think it is safe to say me and chimichongas still don't get along, lol. Tasty, but man a couple hours later I was not a happy camper. We made some visits and then went on splits.  

Elder's Witzel, Banks and Mitchell

Sunday Elder Mitchell and I stayed in town while Elders Witzel and Banks went to Sells. We had meetings starting at 7:00 am and we got home just before 4 o’clock. We had a correlation meeting Sunday evening - with a dinner appointment thrown in there somewhere.  I had a really cool experience this Sunday.  We had a mission wide fast for various reasons and it has really helped lately. Not only that, but I got to bare my testimony for the first time in the Midvale Ward, after serving there for 7 months!

Anyways, this email was a tad different than others.  Instead of an emphasis on each day, it was a little more spiritually focused because of some trials. I’ve learned a ton this week and maybe you got something out of it too.  ¿Quien sabe?  

I hope you had a good week this week. I would love to hear from y'all.

Love,

Elder Connor William Dickinson