March 23, 2010

Hey Family

How is everyone doing. The Mission is going great we have been hit with some major rain for a couple of days but it is all good now. Nice bright sun for today. Today we went to the Washington D.C. Temple it was amazing so beautiful. I love the feelings I get when I attend the Temple.

Anyways Elder Mezerai and I have been doing alot of finding lately and alot of teaching. I love teaching my brothers and sisters who are looking for the "truth" as they all call it. It is a really amazing experience to see they understand the gospel and when they put their faith to work and act upon it and they find their own testimonies AHHH!!! What an amazing thing to see.

I love all my brothers and sisters out here. They are so kind and patient with my French which is improving slowly but surely. When I first got my call and I saw that I was going to be serving state side I was happy but at the same time like STATE SIDE!!! I really wanted to go some place cool and different. Oh boy was I ever wrong. D.C. is like every country in the entire world put into one small square of land. I have eaten so many different kinds of foods from Fou-Fou to Rabbit and Kous-Kous to Catipillar. Next week we are having either Squirrel or Ground Hog which every Sister Louise catches in her trap this week. I never though I would be having such a variety of culture in my LIFE!!!

This week we were able to teach Helene who when we asked her to read the Book of Mormon studied Mosiah 18 and took 1 full page front and back of notes. Then when we checked on her she told us the entire story and told us what we were suppose to teach her. Well this week we taught her about baptism because we gave her a date last time and she accepted it but was a little unsure of it because she was already baptised by immersion well we showed her a movie about baptism and talked about proper authority well after all we did Elder Woffinden(Senior couple) Pull out the Gospel Principles manual and showed her the picture well come to find out it all clicked for her after she saw that because when she was baptised the she went into the water by herself and the preacher stood on the land and she dunked herself so it all made sense to her after Elder Woffinden showed her that one little picture. As we were leaving we reminded her about her baptism and she said "I want to be baptised and this time the right way with someone IN the water WITH me!!!"

It was really funny and then the next day during district meeting she called us and said she had a dream about the Lord and she said it was amazing and that when she woke up she wanted to read her Book of Mormon but couldnt find it and asked if we took it well we all checked our bags and come to find out ELDER MEZERAI STOLE HER BOOK OF MORMON!!! LoL it was really funny because he was the first one to say I know I dont have it and after we all checked our bags he said Im sure I dont have it but I guess I will check my bag and there it was! We had a good laugh about that and Helene thought it was pretty funny after we explained it to her. She was just happy to get her Book of Mormon back.

Next month Elder Mezerai and I have 4 baptism so far but transfers end on the 31 so we dont know if we will still be together but after a talk with President im about 80% sure Im staying here with him. But you never know. Well I have to go I Love you all and would love to hear from you. Write me! Oh Chelsea HAPPY 18TH BIRTHDAY!!! and Mom, Dad HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!! I hope it is a great one.

Love,
-Elder Van Dyke