Zuster Dixon

I guess there is not much that I can really say. This news hit me like a ton of bricks even though I was expecting/dreading it. It has been really hard to be away from you all during this but I know that extra blessings and comfort will come you you all because of my service here. After I talked to Mom on Thursday, President Bunnell gave me a beautiful blessing and Sister Bunnell gave me a flower plant which I named Fern.

I have been thinking a lot about Katie and the love of music she instilled in me and I have found a way of coping.  I bought a Ukulele and am learning to play the Uke.  I have already used it in a couple of spiritual thoughts, maybe when I get really good I'll send you a little video :)

It sounds like Katie's funeral is going to be awesome (just like her), Cafe Rio and Mindy Mints! I wish I was coming .  Katie was such an amazing sister and I will miss her, but I also know that there is a good reason why she has been called home at this time. 

I love you all and I pray for comfort for you in every prayer.

Loves

Lilli

Here is my new address for Gouda

Crabethstraat 5

2801 AL Gouda

Netherlands

I love you and I miss you!

I got special permission from President to go to the Temple on Tuesday, so that is where I will be. It won't be during the funeral because of time difference but it will be close enough

I love you 

Lilli

Elder Dixon

Dear Family,

It's been a rough week for me, and I'm sure it's been for all of you too. I don't know exactly what to say, but please know that I love Katie and will miss her more than you ever know. Katie was an incredible sister, and I know that if we stay true to the faith, we will all see her again. My Patriarchal Blessing says so, and has given me a good amount of comfort that I needed. I want to exhort you all to read your blessings too, as there are blessings and promises that bring much comfort.

Like Lilli, I've been thinking a lot about Katie and the love of music she's taught me how to have. I had bought a little jungle ocarina to use for coping too. Perhaps Lilli and I can be a duet when we come home.

I love you all. I really do, and I know that the Plan of Salvation is real, and if we can learn to appreciate it, the plan, along with the atonement, will carry us closer to our Heavenly Father. 

I love you,

Adam

Zuster Lilli and Elder Adam July 18th email

Zuster Lilli
Hey All

This has been a really good, but a really long week.  I moved all my stuff to Gouda on Wednesday without too much trouble and met my new companion, Sister Stewart-Chester.  She is awesome! She plays the guitar and we sing at almost every appointment. 

Although I was really sad to leave Groningen, Gouda is so beautiful and the ward is also a good one.  We have a dinner appointment every night (almost) and I am already relief society pianist... again.

A cool experience that we had yesterday was when we looked up this guy that Sister SC had met earlier. He is from Syria and doesn't speak Dutch or English, but we went anyway. He was there with his brother and his brothers family and they were all really nice, they fed us cake (which was good because we hadn't eaten lunch yet) and we talked through their phones on their translating apps.  Technology is so cool! It is amazing to me that we could have a conversation with people who couldn't speak our language.  They just seemed so happy that we were there and we have a return appointment on Thursday.

Thanks for all the emails, I LOVE hearing from all of you!

Loves

Zuster Dixon

P.S. Remember that surprise that I told you about last week? 

Well here it is

One of the members in the Groningen ward offered to braid my hair for me, so I bought the extentions and my last p-day we went over to her house and she braided my hair for 5 hours!

I am now a black lady :)

​me and Sister Stewart-Chester

Elder Adam,

Dear Family,

First of all, thanks for sending the pictures and Heather's hilarious blog post! I know I don't always mention that I get those things, and I apologize for that, but rest assured that I've been recieving everything you send me!

This week, I had the opportunity to finally meet the new mission president, President Li. I thought meeting a new president would've been awkward and that it would've taken a while to get used to him, but when we met him, he stuck to us. He really won our hearts! He's a pretty cool guy with a great testimony! 

We've been working pretty hard with Jose and Lorena (my goal), and it seems that Jose is finally starting to feel the spirit! Lorena got her answer a while ago, so she's been able to help them, but what really made the difference is that we were able to score a lesson with the bishop, and that made the difference. So, Steven and Lilli, if you want to feel the spirit more abundantly in your lessons, don't hesitate to call the members so they can tag-along with you!

We had a rather humorous experience this past week. A few weeks ago, we had met a man named Yusset who we first taught on a street bench. To the bench came 3 other people who decided to participate, and we were stunned! It was nuts how it just happened that way.

But THIS week, we decided to sit down and cool off for a few minutes at the same bench. Wouldn't you know it, another miracle happened! Some lady we never met came up and said, "I have a referral for you two. You're Mormons, right?"

"Yeah," I said, a little amazed at how blunt and direct she was in saying she had a referral. "Who's the referral?"

She pointed at a man in an orange shirt across the street. "It's him. His name is Hermes, and he's actually wanted to talk to you for a while."

It was amazing! We were able to know the both of them and they seem like a family with some fantastic potential! Maybe we ought to sit at that bench more often so that other things like that can happen! 

Sorry to hear that Katie's not doing so well. I will pray harder than I ever have this week for her. I know that the Lord can whip up a miracle for her. Who's the one going to United Arab Emirates? The email I got was sent from Mom's email, but Dad's the one that goes on the business trips, so I'm a little confused. I hope that you're both here for when I come back!

The time's coming, Steven! Always remember that these two years are going to be the best two years of your life! 

Love,

Adam

Elder Adam and Zuster Lilli's July 11th Emails

Elder Adam

Dear Family,

This email's going to be a little bit short this week. I've got a big P-Day planned for today. This week was a bit more difficult than the last, but still extremely spiritually rewarding! The principle of enduring to the end doesn't apply to life, but instead, to pretty much anything we want!

Speaking of enduring to the end, I recently heard about some of my converts! I recently learned that Luis and Elena, from Nauta, are the branch's most active members! The other two people I baptized there were, as well, going strong!

I recently spoke to my old branch president in Campo Verde (nearly a year ago). I had learned that the family of five that I had converted had moved to Lima, to a small place called Villa Salvador. Wouldn't you know it, that's exactly where my companion is from! We began to talk, and I learned that the family (Larry, Leysi, Renzo, Jonathan, and Kamilla) are also still active! 

That pretty much made my entire week. I'm going to try to give them a phone call this week to see how they are.

Love,

Adam

Sorry for the short email, but here's a picture to make up for it.

#IAmInJale

Zuster Lilli

To all those who still read my letters,

This had been a really good week, But all good things must come to an end.  I found out on Saturday that I am being transfered from my baby city of Groningen   I am really sad to leave, I have learned to love this city and the people in it so much!  The ward here is really wonderful, one of the sisters in the ward knitted me socks!  I was convinced that I was going to be the first missionary to stay in one city her whole mission.

Although I am really sad to leave I know that this is what the Lord wants.

My new city will be Gouda and my new companion will be Sister Stewart-Chester.  I will be leaving the city of bikes to the city of cheese.

Speaking of cheese, 

How come the Lamanites couldn't eat dinner?

Because Nephi hid the plates! 

Anyway... I need to prepare you for next email... Be ready for something awesome! you may want to sit down when you read next week.... sooooooooooo

bye.

My train rides through Holland!

​I keep finding these little guys around, I tried kissing a few of them but they just gave me strange looks... I guess they kissing thing doesn't work when you are a missionary.

Zuster Lilli and Elder Adam's 4th of July Email

Just in case you may not have heard...Adam's release date is August 10th. His plane flies in the Salt Lake International airport at 2 pm on that day!!!! 

 Can't wait, Can't wait, Can't wait!

Zuster Lilli

To All My Adoring Fans,

Thank you for all the wonderful birthday wishes. It is so good to hear from everybody.  And to those who didn't wish me a happy birthday, you are forever dead to me 

This week has felt so long! Since our P-day last week was switched we had an extra two days to our week.  Those two days make a big difference.

So, I think this is one of the coldest 4th of July's I have ever had! It blows my mind that it is the middle of summer and I still have to lug my winter coat around (to be fair, it is mostly so that I don't get completely soaked when it rains (it doesn't really work))

Our senior couple, the Caldwells, are throwing a 4th of July party and I looked out their window to see that Groningen has put on their very own parade for me! 

​

So this week I went to Bert and Joke.  Bert is Mom's 5th cousin and we had a meeting all about family history.  He has done so much family history work! He has books and books all about his family.  It was really interesting meeting that I had with him.  He is not interested in the Church but is interested in keeping in contact with me. 

I love you all! Enjoy your parade and 95 degree weather!

Happy 4th of July!

Zuster Dixon

Elder Adam

​Dear Family,

Lately, my pensionist's kids have been noticing that my hairline is receding. NOOOOOOOOOOO! Now they call me bald all the time. :P A few weeks ago, I made the joke that there exists a magic elixir called Rogaine that makes hair grow, and my pensionist mentioned that she can make a special shampoo that would do the same. I didn't think anything of it...

...Until this week, when she had a bottle of this special shampoo prepared for little surprised me. You want to know how she made it? She minced onions, put it in a bottle of "Head & Shoulders", and waited 8 days for it to ferment. She promised me that it would restore my hairline. I was doubtful, but I shrugged and decided to humor her. 

I haven't noticed any difference yet, but my companion, the other missionaries, my pensionist, and her kids all have mentioned that I've had a bit more hair. I think they're all just saying that to make me feel good. :P It certainly has been the strangest shampoo I've used.

I've been working especially hard with my "goal investigators", and it's actually looking very good for them! They came to church yesterday and Lorena told us that she's had an answer about the veracity of the Book of Mormon! Jose is a little bit tougher, but we'll eventually be able to help him too! I'm having a good feeling about them!

I'm also having a good feeling about the less-active people we've been teaching. Usually, at church, the norm for less-actives that come is about 2 or 3. This week, we sky-rocketed up to 10! We're going to be working hard on them too!

I hope everyone's having a fantastic 4th of July! Eat lots of candy and watermelon for me! Tell everyone I love them! 

Love,

Adam

4th of July change!

There's been a change!

Because our kitchen is still being worked on and we don't have a functioning kitchen, the breakfast will be moved to....

Mary and Scott's

So, after the parade, head on down to their house for a fun breakfast!

Can't  Wait!!!

4th OF JULY!

Come watch the West Point City

4th of July

Parade.

Starts at 8:30 am

(we will save some spots close to where we usually watch it)

This year our own Mary Kate will be riding in the parade as West Point royalty!

Then come over to Oma and Opa's for a picnic breakfast!

Can't wait to see you!

Zuster Lilli and Elder Adam-The Lost Emails!

Dear Family,
I have missed a couple of week of putting the missionaries emails on the blog, so I'm catching up! Here they are!

Zuster Lilli

Family and Friends,

Happy Fathers day to all the Wonderful fathers that I know!

 

This was the week of traveling. On Wednesday I went down to Brussels so I could eat another Waffle (plus pick up my residency card, but that wasn't the important part).  Then we had transfers in Apeldoorn where I learned to achterop which means someone rides on the back of your bike...  after this experience I now know how close our guardian angels are to us at all times. Seriously, I thought I was going to kill both of us on the bike (plus it took about twice as long as it would've if we walked).

I found a street the other day called Flinstoneplein so I freaked out and took a picture. We started knocking the street and guess what the name of the guy at the first house was? guess..... Ok, I'll tell you

FRED FLINSTONE!!!

I nearly died from happiness! It was a pity that he was really rude... 

Sorry that this is a short letter this week, we have a lot to do today. Also Next week I will be emailing on Saturday because the ward is having a temple day and to be able to go we need to change p-day. I am so excited to be able to go to the temple!

I am glad that Katie can eat now and things are slowly progressing, I know that miracles are coming our way.

I love you all

Zuster Dixon

Hello Family and Friends around the world!

It has been another week with not much to talk about except an increasing amount of spiders and yesterday I met Jedd Parkinson.

It was great! He came up to me and introduced himself (In English and everything!).  He even brought some non-member family members who read his book and wanted to meet with him. I also got to meet him. His name is Bert Smid and his Wife's name is Joke, they were really great and, we have an appointment with him in a couple of weeks to talk about family history. He has done so much family history on his own and has made his own family tree website (he found Mom and Dad on his family tree, we are 4th or 5th cousins)

soooo... I really need to brush up on my family history this week 

Other than that it hasn't been too exciting over here.  Our investigators are a little wishy washy and will always cancle appointments. One guy called us 20 minutes before our appointment and said he forgot he was going to be in Germany during our lesson... what?

Congradulations to Mary Kate for getting 2nd on the Pagent thingy.

Mom maybe you could send a recipe to make ranch dressing.... I don't know if it would be an easy recipe... I miss ranch more than I thought I would.... It's a real problem. 

I am greatful that Katie is out of the Hospital, I am praying for her every second of every day! We will see miracles I know it!

I love you all! and I hope you have a great week

Zuster Dixon

p.s. Happy Birthday mom! I sent you a card but I'm not sure it has arrived yet.

p.p.s. I'm sorry if there are lots of spelling errors. I am emailing on a Dutch computer here at the church and pretty much every word is underlined in red.

​Fiyen and Yenny's baptism, these girls are so great! (plus they feed us Chinese food all the time!)

Elder Adam

Dear Family,

This week, President Gomez and his family came to Pucallpa for their final Zone Conference. They'll be finishing their mission at the end of June, and all of us are rather anxious to see what the new president will be like.

When President Gomez came over, they also brought a song with them. A couple of missionaries in Iquitos composed a mission song that we were to sing at the president's farewell talk. As we were singing, I was distracted thinking about my district, specifically the Zone Leaders (I'm their District Leader).

They mentioned that one of their progressing investigators has a violin, and the thought occurred to me, "Why not accompany the song with the violin?" I presented the idea to president and he gave me the thumbs-up for it. So the investigator rented his violin to me and I was able to play the mission song as the other missionaries sang.

Afterwards, I began thinking about how blessed I've been to be able to play the violin not once, not twice, but three times in the mission. Especially in a place where the violin is something very endangered. I remember my patriarchal blessing mentioning something about music and how it will bless me in my life. If the Lord let me play the violin formally three times in the mission, perhaps he wants me to do something more with that talent.

I want to thank Katie again for teaching me how to play the violin. I know I wasn't exactly the best student, but she's been the best teacher. I'm glad you're starting to feel better, Katie! I smell miracles in the near future!

How's everyone else doing? Anyone up to some fun things?

Love,

Adam

Dear Family,

This week has been somewhat exciting! I'll start off by saying that we had a baptism this Saturday! We baptized the niece of a couple of our other recent converts. The baptism's name is Astrid.

I love baptisms! I love them and I can keep loving them until they shatter. Preparing for a baptism is different. MUCH different. Especially this baptism, where everything started going wrong. We started preparing in Thursday, but Astrid didn't get to the church for her interview, so we had to start on Friday, and the Baptism Report we had to fill out, but we didn't have enough information, so we had to go back and forth, back and forth, to and from the church, getting the information. Astrid doesn't have a phone. :/

When I thought the Baptism Report was fine, we began to clean up the font. The Zone Leaders just happened to be there at the time and told us that it's the ward's responsability to do that. Since we're trying to fix up the ward council, we began calling people to clean and fill the font. We were calling for about an hour until the Bishop called and said he could. 

Fast forward to the baptism. Almost nothing had happened to the font. A couple of youth cleaned it up, but it was still empty, so we were waiting for about an hour for it to fill up, and another half hour for the bishop to arrive to preside the meeting...

...Yeeeaaaahh...it was nuts. But it helped me. The entire time, I kept saying prayers over and over again that we might be able to get past the obstacle we were currently facing. It helped me to trust in the Lord more. He's at the wheel of the big ship of life. It helped me think about Katie, that we can all trust in the Lord when it comes to her. He's at the wheel and he knows what he's doing and where he's going.

This week, I had the opportunity to tell someone that I was 20 years old and I got chills. It feels really weird to say that. :P

Love, 

Adam

Zuster Lilli and Elder Adam-June 25th email

Zuster Dixon
Hey All,

This is going to be a short one. 

Today was really cool, because we got go to the temple in Den Haag. It is so beautiful and small. We first did a session in English then a session in dutch. After the two sessions we got to see a beautiful couple in the ward sealed together and their little boy who died was also sealed. I was so beautiful and spiritual. I am so greatful for the plan of salvation and the opportunity we have to live with those we love forever!

That is about all I have time for this week

Loves

Zuster Dixon 

Elder Adam

Dear Family,

This week was a normal one, aside from the fact that on Friday, we had a regional holiday called San Juan. I think I mentioned this last year, but San Juan is a holiday celebrating the life of John the Baptist, and here in the jungle, it's HUGE. Teaching was a bit more difficult that day because most people went to Yarinacocha to spend the day (whereas, in Yarinacocha last year, the day was fantastic). 

Everyone goes swimming on San Juan. I would imagine that back in the day, it started out as everyone getting baptized, and it slowly evolved into just swimming...and drinking. I'm kind of glad it's over.

We had a pretty spiritual experience yesterday. In church, a ward member gave us a referral to her neighbor who lives right in front of her. Our last appointment that night fell through and we were close, so we decided to knock and see if she was there. She wasn't, but her cousin was, and asked if we were Mormon missionaries. 

We replied with pleasure, yes, and she said that she's been waiting for us to come to her home and teach her family the missionary lessons, in hopes that what we teach can help fix-up her broken-down family relationships. Yes, indeed, it totally can help. We're very excited to visit that family now. We could see the hand of the Lord in that experience.

The mission is coming to a close soon, but to keep me from working less, I've set myself some goals. There are a few people I want to see baptized before I leave, and getting them there will require a lot of work. I know it's possible, and I'll do what I can do see it happen.

How's everybody up there? Sorry to hear that Katie's not doing so well. I'll fast for her this week. I'm glad to hear that the nieces and nephews had fun on Trek! It was a great experience, but, like Mary Kate, I probably won't do it again. But I would totally go back to Camp Helaman and perhaps even the mission field again!

Love,

Adam

P.S. I had a dream that I was getting married to a banana and I crashed my own wedding. Does anyone know what it means?