July 22, 2013

How was the Lake Powell trip and the nice long drive?  Did anyone wakeboard? Throw any flips?  Im sure it was a blast!  Boa sorte Jessiqa!  You will do great!  The Lord will help you out every step of the way!  I know it!

Sorry, I dont have much time, But this week was felt a little longer than the others.  We did a lot of contacting this week and dropped several investigators because they are not progressing.  We found
several very cool people though!  And a couple that we have very high hopes for: Rubras and Lena.  They have one little boy that is only several months old.  He is very prepared.  He  told us that he has
been searching for the truth for several years. And all he has found is confusion, one doctrine that ontradicts another.  So he just stopped for a while.  Then he met us!  He told us that he knew
something is different about us an the way we "preach."  He really likes us and gives us rides whenever we are over at his house to where ever we need to go next.  He comes to the activities and will be coming to church next Sunday!

Antonio was Baptized on Saturday and confirmed on Sunday!!  We set up a pool out back of the Chapel and thats where we held the baptismal service!  I will try and send a picture next week due to time and this ridiculously slow computador.

Today I spent the day cleaning the house, cooking some mean stir-fry, Reading Jesus the Christ, and exercised.  It was a nice and needed break.  So have you met (soon to be) Elder Garcias?!  Christian wrote me and told me that he met him and the temple and that he already knew you?  He sounds like a really nice guy.  Well thats about it for this week.  Thank you for everything!  I love you all so much!  Keep the faith!  Ate proximo!

July 15, 2013

Thanks for the email. Heh, I bet that was a long drive to Lake Powell. I remembre when I did it las Summer I sat in the middle of two of the seats because there was 4 of us in the back of that truck. My cabose still hurts... I hope al goes well with the Panguitch and Lake Powell trip. Don't do anything too crazy yeah? Jessiqa! Ah! I cant believe that its almost here!! I'm sure the talk was a huge success!!  The time is almost here! Im so excited for you!!

This week we did a lot of contacting, but still mamaged to get in a lot of lessons! We met some really cool people! It was a great week full of ups and downs. President Merrill came to visit and to see our living conditions. He gave a training to the members! It was really good! They all loved it, as did we! We will be moving houses soon because of the 2 big holes in our roof right now and the distance our house is from the Chapel. We walked from our house one day to the chapel and it took about an hour and 15 min. Its pretty far. So we should be moving soon.

Lucas the 22 year old that lives in a janitors closet, is doing amazing!! He is even sharing the gospel to other people and his family!! He is very humble and willing to leave everything behind to serve the Savior.  He even expressed desire to serve a mission like us. He got really excited when we told him that he could!! Its amazing to see the Gospel and The Spirit change peoples lives! We will have a baptism this Saturday! Antonio!! We are building a font right now, but if it isn't ready then we will go down to the Lake! Im super excited! Everything here is going great! Its super cold in the mornings and super toasty during the day. Kinda strange, but oh well. I sent some pics so hopefully they should get there. Thanks for everything! I love you all!! Keep the faith!!

July 8, 2013

The mission conference was amazing! I absoulutly love President and Sister Merrill! They are perfect for this mission and for us. He truly is na inspired man of God. it was mostly to get to to know him and Sister but we did have a small training as well as a testimony meeting. He knows exactly what to do. I am still in awe about how spiritual and inspired he is. We had interviews with him and during the prayer he answered many of my questions (Just during the prayer!!) It blew my mind. I know that they are perfect for this work here in Angola. They are going to be coming down to Huambo on Wednesday and will have a few training with us and the members. I am excited!!

The bus ride up to Luanda was long but it was beautiful!! i loved it! One min we would be driving through desert with almost no vegitation, just some dead grass then the next min it would literally be rainforest as far as the eye could see; with dense dark, dark green foliage and trees. It was amazing! The ride back....hmmmm, that was an adventure in and of itself. So we left at 19 and got home at at 6ish the next morning. I couldnt sleep. I only got a couple hours of sleep. And there was a drunk man that was walking around falling on people and talking to himself for the first 2 hours, A few crying babies, and two men that I was sitting next to that drank a whole bottle ( it was probably a liter) of Red Label Wine. So they were weird too. Then the drunk man passed out on the floor and stayed there for most of the rest of the trip. I felt bad for him. Oh yeah, there were a couple of chickens too. It was a night to remembre!

We didnt get much done in our área this week because of the Conference but we did manage to see Lucas. It was our second visit and he had already read up to chpt 14 in the Book of Mormon!! We were amaized! But Adelihno ( the Pastor) is very hard to sit with.  He is a very busy man. We will see.

Wow! This upcoming weeks will be very busy for all of you it looks like! Jessiqa: You will do amazing in your farewell talk, Just let the Spirit guide. D&C 84:85. You will do great! Girls cam sounds like it was a blast! I loved Scout camp, given it is a bit diferente from girls camp, But cool!!

I saw the Strength for the Youth pamphlet for the first time in Portuguese! The Lord is moving fast here in Angola to have those precious materials here to help the youth. The youth have such a hard time here to live the standards. The law of Chastity and modesty and language are almost completly off the radar. I have so much respect for the youth that I see here living the correct principles, as well as the grown adults. Marriage is unheard of. But that is the magnificance and majesty of the Gospel and the Book of Mormon, they change lives, mindsets, family situations, and trough the Atonement ALL can be made clean! What a bright prospect! Hope! Happiness! Eternal Life! All through the Atonement of Jesus Cristo! They pathway to Eternal Life and eternal happiness has already been carved deep into the histroy of the world and the history of man. It is a long, straight, narrow, secure, and sure path. It may be dark at times but that is why we are required to walk by FAITH. Christ will light the way. I know that through Christ we can all walk this path that has been carved and sculpted by His blood, His sweat, His tears, and His life. I love my Savior and I love each and every one of you so much!! Zach, Emma, Caleb, Noelle, Jessiqa, Mom and Dad!! And the Rest of our big happy family!!!

July 1, 2013

Family!

It sounds like the trip was a success!! Loads of fun and swimming!! Cooleo! Sorry that your phone floated down the river Dad... But Jessiqa! Done with work and getting ready to head out to California! I am super excited for you, but you already know that!

Two days ago we found out that President Merrill arrived and that this week on Wednesday we are going to take a bus (10 hours) to Luanda for a Mission Conference! I cant even describe what it means to have a mission presidente here in Angola with us now! I can already feel the change that, now we are the Mission of Angola. This is my country and it will always be my country and my people! I know that the lords hand is in the work here with us and with President Merrill! I can hardly wait!!

This week we marked 2 more baptismal dates. Linda and Antonio already have dates for the 13 (we had to move Antonio back a little) and we just set one with Lucas ( a 20 year old boy) and with Marcia( a 22 year old girl) both for the 20th of July!! Our families are a lot harder to teach and to sit with. They are always gone or at work or not home or something. I get very frustrated when we can't sit with them. We havent been able to sit with Adelinho ( the pastor) for 2 weeks because he is so busy. And Martihno we havent seen for a week and a half!! It is driving me crazy. I guess we just have to find more families then.

We went to the zoo today. It was the saddest zoo I have ever seen...They had 1 monkey, 3-5 rabbits, a hawk, an African bird, and some horses and donkeys. The monkey was the coolest part! we fed it some cookies. It was an Adventure! We had a blast! Regardless of the lack of animais.

Welp, I am loving it out here. Ups and downs and all. Getting spit on getting ripped off, to Setting baptismal dates and bearing your testimony to the world! I love the life of a missionary!! And I love all of you so much!!

June 24, 2013

Familia!

How are you all doing? I hear that it is somebodys birthday!!? HAPPY BIRTHDAY ZACH!!!! FELIZ ANNEVERSARIO!! I wish you the best and hope that your airplane flys better that it has been yeah!? Wow! I cant believe that you are already growing up! And para bens with the ragnar! Sounds like it was a blast! (by the way I loved the story of Caleb hahahaha!!) Way to go!! That is a long way to run. Forca ai,because I am not a fan of running. I will try to send more pics next time.

Im not sure if the card has arrived yet. I wont know until somebody from Luanda comes up here to Huambo. We dont have mailing system here, just in Luanda. So everything goes there and then comes up to us when someone travels. Maybe it will come with Elder Clifford?

We had a great week even though we didnt have very many lessons. I love Huambo so much and the people here are just amazing!! We had 13 investigators at church (between the two duplas) We had 7 and the others had 6. Our investigator pool is almost more that our members. we had 19 members at church! we found out transferes and Elder Kearney is leaving and Elder Clifford (thats right, my last companion) is going to be coming up here with me! Oh, im going to miss Elder Kearney! He is a Rock of a missionary and of a man! I will admit, I was suprised that we are called to be companions again, especially after only one transfer, but im cool with that. Heh, guess we didnt do something right the last time eh?! It was the last transfer for President Kretly because on the 30th of the this month Presidente Merrill will arrive!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant describe how excited I am that we will be made our own mission! It is a Miracle! Wow, I cant even wirte about it without getting excited!! I love Presidente and Irma Merrill already!!

We met a couple named Martinho and Vando. They are amazing. we knoced on their door said we were missionaries and they invited us right in. We ouldnt even get a word out. We sat down explained who we were and our purpose and left a pamphlet with them. When we came back a couple days later they were ready for us. They had read The Restoration pampleto and wanted to know about The Book of Mormon! We explained the Restoration and The Book of Mormon and gave one to them. Then Elder Kearney asked if they would be baptized if they came to know the gospel was true....... His response. "What do we need to do to be baptized?" Holy Smokes!! I was taken back! We explained that all it takes is that you have testimony and live according to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Martnho had lots of quesions about commandments. He is na insired man. He asked about the 10 commandments. Then asked if there were other commandments that we are to obey. (nobody asks that question) I am very excited to see where The Gospel takes them!

Antonio will be baptized this Saturday if al goes well!! And Linda (the lady in the wheelchair has accepted baptism on the 13 of Julho! Adelinho (the almost pastor of another church that said he knew that our doctrine is more correct) came to church!! It was a week of Miracles!! I know that this Gospel is true! I know that when we exert all of our force to do the will of the Lord he will bless us and the lives of those around us!! The age of miracles has not ceased!!

Keep the Faith! Elder Dredge

June 17, 2013

Hey Family!

Whew! What a week! It sounds like all is well back home! First things first. HAPPY FATHERS DAY and HAPPY BIRHTDAY TO GRAMMA AND GRAMPA DREDGE!! It sounds like it was great day, and week! I remembre those camps and EFY. I loved it all!! "The soggy bottom bunch"??? Thats a new one. Há! I like it! Good luck with Ragnar!

Dos Anjos leaves to Luanda the beginning of next month so it will be the privilege of the other misionaries to teach him and his family. I love this work!!

This week we sat with a man named Angelinho. He is basically a pastor for his church. but after we sat with him on Saturday he told us that our docrine was better than theirs and that as soon as he was done with his commitments that he already has in his church that he will come to ours. Wow! I was not expecting that . He knows so much about the bible, and he knew that there was something missing. And so when we were able to answer ALL of his questions he was amaized. I loved it!! That was one of the highlights of my week!! But I do have to tell you an experience we had with two people of aother church. We sat down and right off the bat all they wanted to do was bible bash. So after we calmed them down we tought The Restoration. It went well, until we ended. They were NOT in favor of our beliefs at all and were sure that we are an apostate church. As soon as they started talking bad about our church and The Book of Mormon AND Jesus Christ I couldn't take it anymore. I raised my voice and told them that they could not talk like that! I bore my testimony almost yelling, but at the same time I felt the spirit literally like a fire that engulfed my whole body. I will never forget that feeling.

I know without a doubt that Christ suffered for our sins. That He is our savior and it is our privilage to help out with His work. I know that Book of Mormon is true! I know it and can never deny it! I love you all so much and am so grateful for the blessing I have to be a part of this wonderful family.

June 10, 2013

I did have a fantastic week, thank you! And I am sure that you all had a great week as well. You have to speak next week! Boa Sorte! I spoke yesterday in our Branch on the importância das famílias. I usually don't like getting up in front of people but it doesn't really bother me anymore. The only part that I was worried about was that they wouldn't understand me, but it all came out good!

So you took apart the trailer huh? sounds like a project! All the summer activites are making me jealous. Lake Powell, Saint George, High Adventure! Sounds like a blast! Leave some of the cabin for me to work on yeah? Dont get too carried away.

 We had most of our lessons fall through this week every day. So it was a low lesson week and we knocked on a lot of doors with not a lot of positive reaction, but we found some pretty cool people too! One man just showed up to church because we asked him to. Linda (in the wheelchair) had her 51st birthday yesterday and she invited us. So on Saturday night Elder Kearney and I made something like 80 snickerdoodle cookies and brought them to her party. I will tell you right now that Angolas party like crazy! There was loads of people there. Everybody was drinking too, but they were all so happy. (Linda doesn't drink). There was even this little old lady that was sitting next to me that must have bem 70 something that was just chugging down the bottles. I was impressed, but at the same time suprised, shocked, sad, all of those feelings. But it was pretty cool! A party that I will never Forget. They even played American music because they heard we were coming! Heh!

Mas, we met with Dos Anjos this week and after a great lesson on the Restoration he asked us when we did baptisms!!! AHHH I love him to death! We didn't set a date with him yet because he needs to be married to his wife legally. They are married by the church but it needs to be legal as well. I am excited to see where it goes! Our Mission leader of the Branch is named Ilideo, he is Portuguese, He is an amazing man and he helps us out so much!

We met a man named Denish two weeks ago and sat with him 2 times then last week we sat with him again but this visit was a bit diferente. When we first met him he told us that he had been praying for help and then we knocked on his door. He told us we were angels. We went in and taught the 1st lesson (this is the 3rd visit) and he and his wife were asking good questions and were very active during the lesson. We gave them The Book of Mormon and challeged them to read it. After the prayer Denish said "thank you for your help, but me and my family are catholic. Please don't ever come back, I have a wife and kids, Don't ever return. Do not come back to my house." At first I thought I didn't hear right, but he said don't come back several times so there was no mistake. He gave us back the book and told us to leave his house. His wife said she would read it. Without another word we took the book and left.... Few times have I had so may emotions run throught my body and my mind. I was on the verge of tears. I had just poured my soul out to this man. and for some unknown reason he had rejected our message. I know that there is a lesson behind every experience! And I learned a lot from Denish and I still pray for him a lot. The Lord is in our every moment.

I love you all