In Love with VA

Hello one and all - 11/14/11
 
I have to start out by saying how much I really do love my mission. I feel so fortunate to be in the situation I am. I am grateful for a fun and hard working companion, for a dedicated and inspired mission president and for a loving, caring Father in Heaven. This week I am especially grateful for the Book of Mormon. There some tough times this week but exceeding the pain and doubt that we sometimes feel is the joy that immediately follows. That joy almost always resulted in a verse or chapter in the Book of Mormon. I read and re-read Alma 36 and 37 this week. I can't believe all the answers I received to my prayers thru those two chapters.
 
We began teaching 4 new people this week! 1 by tracting, 1 by a member referral and 2 were friends of former stake president, President Mcbride in his home. President McBride is buddy - buddy with Mitt Romney and they talk multiple times a week. They were mission companions in Paris. Despite how incredibly busy President is he made time for his two friends to come spend an evening with us. "Seek ye first the kingdom of God"  The two friends are the wife and and mother in law of another member named Jamil. Jamil is from the middle east and has the most amazing conversion story. He was studying to be a Greek Orthodox Father and was given every worldly thing you can imagine from the church. A house to sleep in, a credit card with provided money and they sent him to a theology school to learn how to be qualified. He wanted to learn more about the life of Christ and didn't feel they would teach him what he wanted to know. So while riding on a bus in Athens he say two elder with Jesus Christ on their name badge. So he went and talked to them. They gave him the only Joseph Smith Pamphlet they had in Arabic and got his contact information. They met everyday for a few weeks, sometimes multiple time a day, until he was baptized. The night after he was baptized he was kicked out of his home at 4:30 am and left with nothing on winter night. He said it was freezing cold and sat outside with the book of mormon clenched across chest, but felt warm and happier than he had ever felt in his life. He is a convert of 14 years and now translates all of General Conference and any church films into arabic for the church. He is an amazing person. So we had our first lesson with his wife and mother in law. It went extremely well and we are going to start teaching the rest of the family as well. It was awesome!
 
We also taught Bill, someone who has come to a church for over a year now and finally allowed us to teach him. We had dinner with him and his wife and had a great first lesson afterwards. unfortunately he is going out of town for the next 3 weeks...
 
We had exchanges and loaned a few copies of Book of Mormon by praying with a little more faith, and giving it all we got. It seems no matter how hard you work there is always more to give and as a result we found two people interested in the Gospel.
 
Saturday we split wood and raked leaves with less active members and then had dinner with an inactive family. It went really well and we went up to the Roanoke Star afterwards. Largest man made star or something. It was beautiful and a lot of fun.
 
Well I love yall so much and am so excited for the holiday season. Miss you and talk to you soon.
 
Much Love,
Elder Dumke

Preparation Week

Dear Fam and Friends 11/7/11
 
This week was good. We did quite a bit of service which was sweet. Always feels nice to serve and see immediate benefits. One of the days we were helping pick up deadfall in the forest of someone's front yard. It seemed fairly pointless, but it made them really happy so we helped them out. As we were pulling all the sticks out of the truck bed onto the curb, I had jab me right in the eyeball. I couldn't open it and I was sure it was going to be brutal. It was giving me trouble all day and Elder Maxwell wasn't giving me any sympathy. He just would say I was full of the Spirit when I would literally start tearing up in lessons. It was pretty funny. By the end of the night I got to take a good look at it and it just a nice big chunk of wood stuck in the corner. I got it out, and I am great now.
 
We had a lesson with Wayne and found out he had backslid and began drinking again. It was really tough to hear. As we identified what led to his downfall we figured out he stopped praying, reading and he didn't come to church that week. Always the small things. The real trigger was him admiring a portrait photo from right when he got back from Vietnam. It was of him smoking a cigar looking like a rough and tough colonel. Amazing how you can look so much at the past that you mess up your future. He even mentioned to us how strong he felt back then, but he was actually very week. Now he is really growing in strength. It was a rough situation, but he said he would try it again.
 
We got 4 investigators at church this week which was way cool and also have some very promising lessons this week. Wednesday we are teaching a members friend who has come to church for the last year and has finally decided to take the lessons. Alongside we are teaching Richard Thrasher for the first time and two middle eastern friends of another member. All of which have baptism in their sights.
 
In my personal study I am up to Alma 32. As I read it again, I was struck much more with the first half than with the second half with comparing faith to a seed. Alma teaches those that are humbled and ready and stops teaching those that aren't yet prepared. It struck a cord with me and was no doubt personal revelation for a few of our investigators. I really love both wards and they really trust us. We are starting to make a lot of progress working alongside with them, rather than for them.
 
Lots of good things happening here daily. Sure love ya
 
Elder Dumke
 
PS - Ever had Apple Butter? It is a Fall Phnom out here. It is kind of apple jam, and it is delicious!

New Start November

Hey -
 
Hope you had a great Halloween. It is truly beautiful here. I am doing well and we have had some powerful experiences with faith. We taught a lady named Carol for the first time. I tracted in to her in July and have stopped by 6 or 7 times since then, but she is never able to meet, but tells us to come back. Finally after it was cold and rainy she let us in. We sat down and she explained she had ordered a Book of Mormon off of a TV commercial about 5 years ago and received it in the mail, but had never met with missionaries. We shared the Restoration with her and she loved it. It was a neat lesson for her and she wants us to teach her son as well.
 
We also were able to stop by and see Debbie and her husband. Usually just Debbie meets with us, but this time Richard sat in. We visited for a while and asked how he was liking church? He has enjoyed it. We also asked what he understood of the Book of Mormon. He explained it to us and told us that he had borrowed his wife's and had been reading it the last few days. Also exciting.
 
We taught Wayne a few times this week. He is really up and down with us. Some friend gave him Anti about the Mountain Meadows Massacre, his psychologist told him to not quit coffee, and he said isn't sure if he will be baptized. On the other hand we gave him a priesthood blessing to conquer temptation and he felt the Spirit, he gave a Book of Mormon to his friend down at the lake and he read the whole thing, and has been chewing nicorette gum like crasy to quit smoking by the 5th. What do you do? The Spirit is definitely leading him, but Satan really has a grasp on him too. He is the battlefield between good and evil.
 
We also have been teaching a member that had some difficulty with the church and had her name removed. She began going back to the Baptist church for a few years, but knew deep down that the church was true. So she began coming back to the LDS church. We have taught her a few times and sunday night she told us that she wants to get re-baptized. She has a bit of a road ahead, but we are pleased that she has made this decision.

Life is going well. We have set some high goals for November, that we really pray to achieve. Thank you for the prayers. Love ya
 
Elder Dumke

Falling Up

Goooood Morning! 10/24/11
 
I am certainly running out of ways to start emails, but I love reflecting on the week with family and friends in mind. This past week I had couple really neat experiences. The first two were on exchanges with the Elders in Martinsville. They are about an hour away so it was pretty long trip out there. We had a quick dinner, and had enough time left in the night to visit a less active member who recently began coming back to church. As we arrived their daughter Elizabeth was there. She was very stand offish and refused to even shake our hands or acknowledge us. We visited with the member for a moment or two and then this Elizabeth came back into the room, "So yall don't smoke or nothin?" We responded with a quick nope. She was astounded. We told her even offered a program to help people quit smoking. She started crying and told us she found out she had cancer that day and she was told she really had to quit. She said for the first time in long time she prayed, crying to God that if she was going to get through this she was going to need some help. She silently sobbed for about 2 minutes. The Spirit was soo strong. We asked if we could share it with her and she more than willingly agreed. We then began talking about how God shows his love and introduced the Book of Mormon. We set up a return appointment and closed with a kneeling prayer. The other neat part about it, was the less active member bore his testimony of how the Book of Mormon has changed his life. I wish I could be down there to continue to teach her.
 
The other reason I was on exchanges was to do a baptismal interview for a kid they had been teaching. There was a big misunderstanding right before I got there between the elders and this kids mom and the chances of the interview actually happening were bleak. We knelt down to pray and I asked for her heart to be softened and allow her son to be baptized. As soon as the words left my lips, the phone rang and the parents okayed the interview for that night. What a miracle of prayer.
 
In our area however we had a pretty tough week. The leaves are really changing and it is beautiful. I would venture to say that Utah has brighter colors, but Virginia has a ton more trees! It is pretty overwhelming we ascend a knob and find a good lookout. We had Wayne at church again and a member who removed their name from the roles that we began teaching. Wayne is doing well, but is losing desire to quit smoking. It is a real bummer and we are not teaching Greg anymore after he committed to come to church for 3 months straight, but still hasn't come once. I am doing well though and am looking forward to another day of service for our Lord.
 
Love yall
Elder D

Thanks

Thanks 10/17/11

What a glorious surprise it was to come home after church and a long day and see two packages from Mom and Dad. I loved it. Thanks for all the candy and even halloween decorations. I already put up the stick ums on the window. Sorry I haven't commented too much on Elder Maxwell. He is a stud. Hate to pick favorites, but we get along really well and we teach in unity. So far some of the most fun I have had. We are similar in thinking styles, but pretty different in personality. 
 
Yesterday at church, the chapel was full for the first time since I have been there! 5 of the less active families we visited the last two weeks came! Plus Wayne came, although he had to leave part way through, because he was so sick. I will spare you the details. We are also teaching this 12 year old kid Jacob, who came with his inactive Mom. We had a Zone meeting discussion as well. Instead of the usual Zone leaders get up and preach we all sat in a circle and discussed two topics, discouragement and the atonement. After the discussion we went in a circle bearing our testimonies. It was one of the most powerful hours yet, and showed the reality of the unstoppable force missionary work can be. 
 
Wayne and Sarah still aren't quitting smoking, and coffee has proven too be equally addictive. Greg didn't come to church despite him telling us literally 12 hours before that he would be there, even bought a white shirt for it. Darn that agency. Chruch was good though. After having only one lesson this past week with a member we set up at church for 8 members to come to our lessons this week. We are making an attempt to serve the ward, that includes stretching them spiritually to receive blessings. As a companionship we have a mindset of 'determination for invitation. Invite everyone to do something. We have been really blessed as we have showed our willingness to serve. The early morning seminary teacher for the ward is in the hospital this week, so the ward has asked us to teach it this week! This morning was our first time. It was a little rough considering this year is the old testament, but it was fun. I have a lot more respect for seminary teachers, that is for sure. 
 
We went on exchanges this week too. While doing a little finding, who found a nice Catholic couple, unsatisfied with their church and receptive to our message. We also taught a vietnam vet named clinton, we found a couple weeks back.  His wife wasn't open to the message so we taught in his garage. When we walked in he was watching vietnam videos with old rock n roll music playing. He could tell he was a cool dude back in the day. As we taught, I was in an office chair, he was riding his mower and elder maxwell was on a low to the ground work stool. The spirit was strong. We came to find out later that he had had missionaries stop by a lot in the past, but was not willing to hear the message. After the seed being planted years ago and being sown for years, We had the great opportunity to teach him.
 
Saturday was our only day we didn't have a dinner appointment planned. As we finished a little tracting we were getting in the car to grab a bite and we got a call from a less active member. She said she didn't know why but she decided to make a bunch of fried chicken, mashed potatoes and green beans, even though it was way more than she could ever eat. We eat 10 minutes later. We would have been fine grabbing food, but it was a confirming reminder that the Lord is watching over us.
 
Things are going well and I look forward to gaining some good weight. Love yall
 
Elder Dumke

When the Smoke Clears

This week was... nah it is just too impossible to use one word to describe in an entire week of ups and downs. Overall we some amazing big steps being taken. Our main focus at this point in time is Wayne.
     He has been taught everything, come to church multiple times and has read the Book of Mormon more then most preparing missionaries. He is awesome. This past tuesday we did what we call the stop smoking workshop. Our mission has a specific 15 step program that we teach to help smokers quit. As we began talking with him, his wife Sarah came and began to listen in. She typically would say hello and then go back upstairs. Turns out that she wants to quit smoking too! We taught it and committed them and shared a short lesson. It was so great. I cannot believe a one hour lesson like that can just wipe away any negative experiences that week. We visited the next day to see how it was all going. Sarah had gone and bought all the supplies she needed, while Wayne still hadn't. They are both doing okay quitting, but it is really going to be a long battle. In the long run I know it will all be worth it. We started teaching Sarah too and she came to church yesterday, has begun reading the Book of Mormon and even watched Waynes Restoration DVD. I am sure she will follow in the footsteps or even possibly lead out in being baptized with Wayne.
 
       There were definitely some long difficult days this week too. Two lessons with die hard baptists. They not so graciously attempted to correct our misguided ways. The benefit of having those lessons, is actually experiencing opposition in all things. It is such an empty feeling when the Spirit isn't in a conversation about the gospel. I also did two baptismal interviews this week for some other Elders in our district. One was with a 10 year old ADHD kid, and it was amazingly funny. I couldn't contain my laughter as he displayed his excitement! If only everyone had that kind of desire and enthusiasm to literally run from room to room jumping up and down exclaiming how excited he was to be baptized! I also had a second interview with someone who was supposed to be baptized a few months back, but their spouse tragically died just 2 hours before the actual ordinance. That was entirely different kind of excitement. Wayne was able to attend that baptism and could really feel the peace there.
 
     . 
We visited Debbie and her husband to drop off a Bible and Book of Mormon for them. It was a nice visit and we invited her husband to church again. And he came! And he stayed all 3 hours! We were pretty amped about it all. Thats about it from me. I sure love ya. Elder Dumke
 
This is Elder Brown from East High.



General Conference 10/3/11

Dear One and All -
 
What a fantastic General Conference session! Saturday we watched both sessions at members homes. It was like being back in SLC or PC minus the hootnanny? pancakes and strawberry topping. My favorite talks had to be by Whitney Clayton on Daniel interpreting the Dream, Carl B. Cook on looking up and President Eyring in Priesthood session talking about pushing a little more. They applied to me personally (even having the dreams).It is amazing the difference conference makes when you go in with a heart full of faith that the Lord's chosen servants will answer your prayers. This years did that more than ever. Sunday we went to the Stake Center to watch it. As we waited for it to begin a less active member walked in. It was a less active we had tracted into a couple weeks back and had been periodically visiting. She came to church last week for the first time in 15 years and this week she brought her non member husband to conference. It was such a blessing to see them there and really feeling the spirit.
 
We had the opportunity to help someone paint this week as well. It was referral from a ward member to help them paint one room and then teach them. As it turned out, when they found out we could help they decided they wanted the whole house painted! We started with one room, priming and painting. She is a neat, nice and lost lady. I really know we can help her.
 
Yesterday I turned 8 months old, still just a babe. I did come to realize the number of turning points I have already had. It seems like as each month clicks away I feel like, "wow this is the pivot of my mission." Nope, I believe this really is 'one eternal round' with each day a new point to turn on. I am so grateful for General Conference to refresh and renew all of our senses to greatness of this gospel.
 
Love ya
Elder Dumke