Peace in Pieces

6/27/11

I cannot quite explain the week I am having. I am training in an area I feel I hardly know. District Leader over 6 missionaries. Moving to a new apartment this week and our car just got taken away. The Salem missionaries got in a bike wreck and now need our car. One of the Elders is probably going home because he jacked his shoulder. Makes moving tough!

My New comp is Elder Havertz from Kaysville, Utah. He knows the doctrine real well and is a prime example of missionary work pre-mission. We ware working to love the people here. We set a baptismal date with Crawford, an investigator who has been taking the discussions for over a year. If all goes well we are going to have 2 baptisms in the next 3 weeks!

It has been humbling this week. You really think you can do it yourself. No task to tough. No situation too difficult. Boy was I wrong. I am so grateful for the Spirit filling in where I seriously lack. We have witnessed some awesome miracles already as a companionship. On Saturday we felt inspired to practice addressing a concern on a doorstep. Attempting to master the skill of comforting a stranger about a recently passed loved one. We brainstormed for nearly an hour, recognizing it came down to loving immediately whom we meet. That day we came into that exact situation 3 times in less than a few hours.

This morning I finished the Book of Mormon for the first time on my mission. It was an unbelievable experience. I never expected to feel the absolute peace as I took up Moroni on his exhortation. I knew that I have to be humble to receive a witness. In kneeling prayer I felt my felt my head clear and my burden lift. I would have preferred to stay on that dirty carpet all day and feel the solitude that comes with the Spirit. That book is truly inspired scripture.

Well we will be biking for the next few weeks. It will be a challenge with how spread our investigators are, but I have faith the Lord will help us achieve our goals. Sure love ya and pray for y’all daily.

Much Love,
Elder Dumke

Another Transfer Concludes

6/21/11

Happy Belated Father's Day,

What a joyous occasion to remember our Fathers both in Heaven and on Earth. The two together work perfectly together to accomplish the Lord's plan. Remember Hebrews 12:9.

Well this week was just great. We had one lesson in particular with our good friend Wayne Hewett, the Vietnam vet and his wife. She said seeing boys as young as we were share our faith had changed her life already. She was eager to hear our message. We shared the purpose of life with her. It was a Spirit filled lesson and we left. Later that night we got a call from Wayne that he would like for us to come back over. We did so and he explained that he and his wife had had "profound spiritual experience with us." He wanted to know more about church attendance and how we could help him quit smoking and such. He was very on board! But he wanted us to call him Sunday morning. We did so, just 48 hours or so later, and he said we wasn't about to jump ship after meeting with us for just a few weeks. He didn't even want to meet with us anymore. We tried explaining that he wasn't joining the church, the first time he came, but he didn't seem to want to listen. The adversary works so hard after such a strong witness of the Spirit. It was such a downer way to start the day. But we still had an awesome Fathers Day and I got to speak in Church on my DAD. What a pleasure.

We were only able to have one lesson with Phyllis this week because she is being kept so busy by members of the ward. They have been inviting her to dinner, events and all kinds of things. She loves it! I guess it isn't such a bad problem to have. Ha

To top off the week of ups and downs I found out that I will be training! I will have my very own greenie coming tomorrow. Which is exciting and intimidating. I am excited for the stretch. And yesterday President Thornock called and asked if I would be district leader. Needless to say this next 6 weeks will be a humbling transfer with deep, deep reliance on the Lord.

Elder Conger and I got along really well and we worked in excellent unity. I am pretty sad to see him go with such a good thing we had here. Well I love you so much. You are always in my prayers! And, if I may selfishly ask for extra strength this week, I am going to need it!

Much Love,
Elder Dumke

Pray for Delay!

6/13/11

Often times we are humbled by trial and great challenges, but other times we are humbled by the true greatness of God continuing to provide miracles. This past 7 days has been a week of the latter.

We had 2 phenomenal lessons with our top investigator Phyllis. One of which was at a member’s home where she ate dinner with them and then we met up and had a lesson in their home. It was incredible. The Spirit was so strong despite one of the members going into deeper doctrine. We explained how when we are fellowshipped, others help us bear our burdens. We read a portion of Mosiah 18, and I extended a baptismal commitment! She accepted and is planning on getting baptized July 9th. She came to church again yesterday and loved it.

In my personal studies early one morning I felt impressed to study the 12 tribes of Israel, not a topic that comes up often, but I felt I should know enough about it to get by. It was then on Saturday night that we got a call that I would be teaching Sunday School the next morning. With hardly any time to prepare, we opened the book to what I would be teaching... the literal gathering of Israel. It went well, but I know as I studied by the Spirit, I was able to let the Spirit teach. As the Boy scouts say, "Be Prepared." On top of having to teach the lesson we had a visitor in our class. He had recently moved from town nearby and with his convert friends in town they decided to attend church. After Sunday school we went into a nearby empty classroom and taught the first lesson. Teaching in the church made it so easy to feel the Holy Ghost testify to this man. As we talked to him he kept saying he wasn't interested in joinin or nothin. But by the end he continued to say, "You don't need to keep sellin me on this, I already bought the Cadillac. This feels like this is God." His friend began crying. The thought crossed my mind, "how long has his friend been praying for this guy to find the gospel." It was an amazing experience to witness and an undeniable act of God.

Throughout the week we have been praying for more opportunities to serve and work with less active members. We prayed and studied for two days specifically for that. On Sunday we then had one member ask us to help with putting in mulch for the next day (today). We helped him all day today and as we left we had another member ask for our help somewhere else. It was no coincidence that we had these opportunities today. Prayer works and Faith is power.

Love yall so much. The church is true. Try it.
Elder Dumke

Baptism!!!

This past Saturday we were blessed to have the baptism of Danny robinson. Satan worked full throttle to fill him with doubt, frustration and everything you can imagine. It came out to be a very lively and cool service. He has 4 boys under 7 and they adore their Dad. With Danny being baptized, they will be able to be sealed together as an eternal family in one year, a blessing I am grateful to have in my own life. We then conferred the gift of the Holy Ghost in sacrament meeting. It was amazing to be a part of.

Also in Sacrament, in the other ward, we had Phyllis Defibaugh at Church! She took notes and cried in each hour bloc. It was awesome. The ward really welcomed her with open arms and many recognized her because she delivers their mail, not a coincedence. She actually delivers it to the church too! We have a lesson with her today, but she is golden. I know the gospel is really going to bless her. She is the definition of one "honest in heart" earnestly seeking truth. What a faith building Sabbath!

Earlier in the week we also had our last Zone Conference with President Thornock. We will be getting President Pitt in just a few short weeks. Pretty wild that he is actually in the MTC, with one of my best friends Elder Dazely! The ZC was really great. President talked about the circle of faith. Using James 2, Hebrews 11 and Alma 32. It was an amazing explanation of how we obtain more faith. Hebrews 11:1 is faith in the future that - having faith to gain faith. Alma 32: 37 faith in the present of things we cannot see. James 2:17 that our experiences of the past continue to grow our faith for the future. My surface overview doesn't do it justice, so do a study yourself! Well worth your time.

We also had an exchange with the Zone Leaders in Roanoke, the downtown area. It is the largest city center in the mission. It was the pretty strange being in the big city again, but very refreshing. Lots of miracles thorughout the past 7 days.

Much Love,
Elder Dumke

Diving in the Depths of Cave Spring

2 Nephi 26:24 - My new favorite scripture!

This has been such an amazing week!

With a lot of visiting members last week, I felt it was really time to kick our companionship into gear. We committed to doing at least two hours of finding each day, follow up on at least one former and to always do a fullfilling study. It really paid off. On tuesday we visitied a less active member and her son. Her 11 year old son was never baptized and she wants him to be. We set up to visit them once a week and they both committed to reading the book of mormon together daily! I know it will improve their relationship as they learn and feel the Spirit together. On friday we followed up on an old note we found in our apartment. "Amy Conforti - Nice lady, not interested." With only a few minutes left in the night and with nealry everything fallen through the rest of the day, we decided to give it a shot. We knocked on her door and she let us right in. We explained the book of mormon and the restoration of the gospel and she was excited she said she was really looking for a strong base for her daughter. I shared Helaman 5:12 with her and she loved it. She is planning to come to church next week.

Saturday morning we did some more tracting. After two hours or so of no one being interested, we bowed our heads behind a tree and offered up a prayer. We asked Heavenly Father to help us find someone to teach on this side of the street. It wasn't more than 5 minutes later we met Wayne Cowley, an old vietnem vet. As we walked down by him, he was sitting on his porch and we shouted over to him. Hey! Would you like to hear a message about Jesus!? He responded with, "ain't nothin wrong with that." He let us right in. First question he asked us, "What do you know about Melchezidek?" He was impressed with our knowledge of him and we were able to answer many more questions, he said no one else seemed to be able to answer. It was such an awesome visit, he was dying to come to church and we will be with us next sunday.

Finally, after 7 hours of church we went to members home for a quick meal, before feeling impressed to check up on Phyllis. A book of mormon loan from the previous week. She was excited to see us and immediately shared some things that were troubling her. She has been having a real hard time and wants to change. We taught her how Chrsit lifts our burdens and how our heavenly father shows his love. The Spirit was so strong, she cried nearly the whole time. It was an amazing experience.

THe week ended up with 5 new investigators! The highest this area has seen in years. In addition we were able to draw a lot of strength from the ward and had a member at almost every lesson. I love this area and I know great things are going to come of it all! I wish I could share all the other incredible things that happen on a daily basis. I have once again had my tesimony strengthend of prayer. The Lord loves all his children, the church is true and I love this work.

Much Love,
Elder Dumke