Merry Christmas

12/23/12

Merry Christmas Everyone!

This week was wonderful! John's Baptism on Monday on his birthday, amazing for him to be reborn on his 67th birthday. His whole family came and it was a very nice service. Afterwards we had Mexican food with everyone. Marcie was so happy and everytime I am around them I am just amazed. I love them so much. She taught gospel principles again today and did so great. I gave them and Sister Long the Mormon Tabernacle Choir DVDs from you. They way loved it. Today was his confirmation along with 4 others. I love church and it is going to be so hard to leave the 1st ward. Next week is Matt's baptism which is super exciting. He can't wait to be baptized and we have grown really close to their family.

Wednesday was transfers and we have Elder Makemson with us. It was definitely apparent that he would be the Elder with us. He is very on the ball and catching on quick. It has been really great being in a tripanionship this time. Typically it is difficult, but we get along really well and we are all different enough that it works out great. The van taking all the missionaries to their areas broke down on Wednesday so all the missionaries were stranded for about 7 hours until the rental company could get a truck to tow them. The tow truck then towed the bread truck with everyone's luggage from point to point and they got in at 11:30 that night. It takes a lot of planning to make transfers happen, then you just have to throw your hands up sometimes when something catastrophic like that happens. I am definitely getting better at dealing with stressful situations now.

We have had some good times this week doorbell ditching the families that need help with Christmas this year. It puts us in a tough situation being missionaries and giving people money publicly, just because we are everyone else's project for Christmas, so anonymity has been the best approach. It has been very rewarding and brought the Spirit of Christ to helping others. I saw this quote this week, "Coincidences are God's way of being anonymous." 

I have never felt to loved in all my life by family, ward members and the good people of WV. I finally understand why people will build a brand new house next to the trailer they grew up in 6 miles deep in holler. There is love in these hills. Merry Christmas Everyone and I will talk to you Tuesday just after 2:30!

Love yall

Elder Dumke

Teaching and Training

12/16/12

This last week was a very very busy. Monday thru Saturday we traveled to 6 different zones, each a few hours apart, doing training with the missionaries. We really didn't get to proselyte in our area, but it was really fun to be able to work with literally all of the missionaries in the mission. Elder Klain and I got to work with each companion on their teaching. Our focus was on inviting investigators to attend church. We talked about giving a vision of church before extending the commitment. We explained the principle, demonstrated it, and then had them role play, stopping periodically to help them re-practice and evaluate. It was really neat to see how their teaching improved. It was a stretch to try and be a coach on that kind of thing. A tender balance of building up on the things you do well and direct and clear suggestions on things they can work on and re-practice. It proved to be very beneficial and we are excited to see the results of it all.

Today at church was really incredible. Marcie was called to be the gospel principles teacher after being a member for only a month and today was her first time teaching. She did AMAZING! She reads her Book of Mormon every night along with Preach My Gospel and is learning so quickly. Tomorrow is John's baptism and he is really excited. The ward has caught fire of missionary work and it is incredible to witness. Today there were 4 baptisms, tomorrow there is one and there are two more on the 30th. There used to be such a distinct line between families from Utah and WV families in the ward, now everyone is united and happy. It is excellent to see how SHARING the gospel does that.

This week is transfers, so it will be crazy again, but we are getting a 3rd companion with Elder Klain and I. We will work together until I go home. Sister Pitt is going back to Utah for their son's wedding from the 29th to the 7th, so i will probably be President's companion during that time. I am pretty excited about that. Things are going extremely well and so it is hard to think of going home so soon, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Thank you for the Christmas Package and notes. I love being able to read your testimonies and experiences time and time again. Time is going way to quickly. Love yall

Much Love

Elder Dumke

Trying not to Count it Down

12/9/12

Family!

I miss you all so much. Even when the work is great, it is hard not to think about my wonderful family back home. I hope y’all are enjoying this holiday season. This past week we got a call from a family that I had worked with a little bit over the last year. The family is less active and we had been teaching them and trying to get them back to church. Last week they came, and the Mom talked to the Bishop and the son really wants to get baptized. He asked me to baptize him, so he will be getting baptized on the 30th. We are gone all week for specialized training and then John is getting baptized on the 17th. He is so excited. Anyway I cannot wait to chat on the phone in a few weeks. Sorry for not writing more, but we have to wake up at 5 tomorrow.

Love yall

Elder Dumke!

Working in a Trip Ship

12/3/12

Dear Family-

There is an Elder that has been struggling recently so Elder Klain and I got to have him work with us for the week. It has been a lot of fun, and  hopefully been a positive experience. Each year our ward does a community nativity event. Where there are nativities from all around the world, over 100 countries are represented. We had a lot of success having non members and investigators coming, and John and Marcie helped to host it. We had a good lesson with them last monday and gave John a blessing. We invited to pray about being baptized. At the Nativity event he called us over to talk to him. He said, "I did what you said, I prayed about it, and I made a decision." He is getting baptized on the 17th of December, his 67th birthday. Marcie came over as we were talking and then he told her that he was getting baptized she immediately began crying and was so happy to hear. Our last lesson was on eternal marriage and she can't wait to have an eternal family.

Things are going well with Christina she came to church again yesterday and met with the bishop and has been telling everyone, she is getting baptized in December. We are excited for her. 

Sorry I am out of time but a few other highlights - Taught two people from China while on exchanges in Blacksburg. That place will erupt with the gospel when it's borders are opened. We also began teaching a man from Iran, that had no background of Jesus Christ. He has now read half of the Book of Mormon and said the closing prayer in our lesson in Persian. It was a powerful experience for him to come to the Nativity. 

Love yall

Elder Dumke