Transferred but staying in Charleston

8/21/12

Needless to say this has been the most exciting, anxiety producing, sleep depriving weekend yet. On Saturday I finished up a nice exchange with one of the missionaries and President called me to come and visit with him in the mission home. Elder Syndergaard and I went and we had a really nice visit. He asked how I felt about my mission so far, if I was at a high point or low point, etc. He asked what we could do to elevate the mission, I responded, and then he asked me to make that my first assignment as an Assistant to the President. I threw my head so far back, I nearly hit the wall. Although I have been here for 6 transfers, I will be moving from East Charleston to South Charleston (in the same ward)! It will be enough of change to help recharge me. It has been really humbling to see the Spirit operate within me as a Zone Leader and I have been fasting and praying all weekend to be able to be up to this next responsibility. The scariest part about all of it is that my companion Elder Klain (from Cardston, Alberta) has only been in the area for the last three weeks and Elder Brady and Partridge go home tomorrow. I am really excited and I can only move forward with confidence relying wholly upon the Lord. I know that Heavenly Father will give the patience (with others and myself), charity and faith necessary.

This last week Connie did okay, and we are planning to have dinner with her at a members home tonight. It is hard to keep a weekly update on her because she has dropped us and begged for us to come back 3 times in the last month. The exciting event of the week was that the assistants had a baptism on saturday and Luke came to it and loved it! Unfortunately because he was thinking so much about it all night saturday, he didn't get enough sleep for church sunday. We stopped by last night to see him and he was on his front steps studying Adam and Eve in the Bible because he wanted to learn more about them after reading about them in the Book of Mormon. We had a wonderful lesson and explained that the Sunday School Lesson on Sunday was on the Fall of Adam and Eve. It was such a testimony of the Spirit operating in the life of a humble seeker of truth. As he missed church his Spirit yearned to learn more of his parents. He is doing very well.

Thursday night we had all our appointments fall through and decided to go tracting at some apartments that had stood out to me each time we passed them (It must have been the name "Millcreek Landing") Before getting out of the car we set some goals for the hour. We said 2 Book of Mormons and 1 first lesson. We knocked doors for the hour and loaned two Book of Mormons, but no first lesson. As we headed back to car about 8:45 pm there was one girl and her family, in a final push we went and talked to them and asked if we could teach them about Jesus Christ. They invited us to their home and a had great first lesson with the family, all of them committed and excited for baptism. It was such an amazing miracle.

I love this work. I love Jesus Christ and I am grateful for the opporunity he has given me to save my soul through 2 years of dedicated service. Miracles are real and prayer is vital to any and all success. I ecstatic for the new challenges and opportunites that lie ahead!

yall be good

Much Love 

Elder Dumke

We went on a strip mine tour this morning with a guy named Bruce Vest. I think he went to East or Highland back in the day. He is the Young Mens President here.