June 9, 2014

Well, im probably going to keep this one a little shorter, seeing as I sent lots of pictures. And they say that a picture is worth a thousand words, so in essence I have already written a lot. heh,just kidding.

Your summer adventures and projects are all sounding like a blast! Hiking and water stuff, marathons. wow!! Ryan is getting married!! Holy smokes. I will need pictures of that, and of Weston with his girlfriend.

Things here are going well. We finally recieved energy for the first time in two weeks. It was strange, becuase we can actually buy perishable items to put in the fridge. Dad, its about the opposite of your mission. Its very hot and we sleep on top of the covers every night and sweat. No, we dont have a water heater. We dont really need it. Its almost refreshing to step into a cold shower every morning.

As far as education, its the same as it is back home. There is 12 grades and after that they can choose to go to college or follow up with some sort of education. But the local schools, dont provide a lot of education. Its a bit rough for those with less money and cant afford any better. But most kids are able to get some form of education.

This week Elder Cook has been sick and we had to stay home for a few days. He is still a little weak but is doing a lot better. Sister Merrill thinks it was Pnemonia, but we arent sure. But he is doing great now. Needless to say this week was a little slower. But our investigators are still doing well. And on Saturday Claudio was baptized by Elder Cook, who at the time could barely stand becuase of his sickness. I confirmed him on Sunday. It was a great experience. I love this mission and these people. I love it so much. And I love all of you very very much! I wish you the best week ever!!

Elder Dredge

Flooding in the street outside their house

Add caption

Baptism earlier in the year

The tripla

Maybe this is the funge he has wrote so much about

80 year old Feliciano getting baptised with her daughter

The desk

Fishing boat

The drunk guy that jumped in the picture and hugged him

June 2, 2014

Familia

We had a great week here in Benfica, and it sounds like back in the Green of the Mountain you all had a great week too. School is out! Holy smokes! Im old...

We did a lot more contacting this week which consists of door knocking. Most of the time we do door knocking is because one of out lessons fell through. And our lessons usually fall through during the heat of the day when nobody is home. Our area is pretty empty during the day. There are very few people on the streets so we are left to knock doors and hope and pray that somebody other than the 10 year old kid. We have gotten pretty good at joking around with the kids. There are always kids playing in the streets. So we will go over and talk with them and sometimes even play with them. I jump roped the other day with some kids. We also play pass a lot, just with a soccer ball, for a few min. Its pretty fun. The kids here are great!!

Our couples are progressing a lot. Lemba and Cordoso are still very close to getting married. They only fault a few documents. I sometimes have to check my patience level and not get too excited. It can take a lot of time for people to get married here. But Irma Feliciana is doing superb! She is brought another one of her daughter in laws to church this week, with whom we wil be teaching on Tuesday. She is quite the missinoary, and wants everybody to be a part of her faith! Jose Francisco bore his testimony at church yesterday. He talked for a long time. He literally told the story of his whole life. He even started off with, " in the year 19.... on day .... I was born." It was pretty funny. but he ended giving a very firm conviction of the truthfullness of the Gospel and how it will change lives and bring us comfort. I really liked it.

Elder Cook is doing great! He is speaking the language very well and is able to explain almost everything. Its just when the people start to talk back that he has a hard time. But we are doing great together. Lots of work to do in our area and with the Branch. Our Branch mission leader (who actually lived in Provo for 9 years) is starting up some activities with us to get more people intergrated. We call it integration night. It will basically be a fireside. But we will be in charge. Its going to be fun.

The other day we went to take a picture on the edge of the water next to a pile of clam shells on the beach and a drunk man came over. I was stading there, posing for the camera and he just comes up, puts his arm around me and says, " ok now you can take the picture." He smelled pretty bad. He was in old rag tag clothes, was smoking and was drunk. Cool huh?!

Today we are getting 4 more missionaries from Mocambique. Two of them will be living with us in our house. SO that bumps us up to a 6 missionary appartment. I hope our energy comes back soon.. Oh yeah, We have been out of energy for almost two weeks now. But we have water so its not that bad, And a generator, but that only stays on for a little while every day.

I have grown to love my savior more than ever before. I am striving every single day to increase that love and my relationship for him. The other day I wathced "On the Lords Errand" The life of Presidente Monson. I love the profet of the Lord! I know he is guided and inspired of God. I love this gospel. I love the Book of Mormon. It is true. I love all of you and wish the best of weeks full of Miracles.

Elder Dredge

ps. sorry for my bad spelling and strange wording. it makes sense to me...sort of...

May 26, 2014

Hey there family!

So we had a great week and it looks like you all had one too. With the almostathon and all. I did get the pictures and the explination. It looks like it was a lot of fun. Para Bens!

So Elder Cook got here on Wednesday morning at about 5 oclock. Elder Nash went to Viana and Elder Rodrigues went to Huambo. So for the past few days I have been teaching a lot of portuguese. But he speakes incredibly well for how log he was out of the MTC. Elder Cook was reassigned to Texas for 9 months until he finally got his visa. I really like him. He is very easy to get a long with and is just a fun lovin Elder. We are going to work very well together.

We have still been focusing on our couples to get them married. One couple, Cordoso and Lemba are so close. They are faulting ony a few documents and then will be able to get married. Hopefully here within a month they will be signing the papers and be baptized. All their kids are already members but they arent becuse of marraige. The Branch is also helping out a lot as well. We have done a visit with out Branch Presidente and others to help strengthen and prepare them for marriage and baptism. We have the other two couples that are also progressing but will take a little bit longer for them becuase of other situations. But they are all on the right path and moving foreward.

Other than that not mich happened this week. Lots of contacts and teaching of investigators, ya know.... the usual. But if all goes according to plan then this Saturday we will be having a baptism. His name is Claudio. He is a friend of a member John. He is only 15 but has good support and is progressing. WOOhooooo!

Irma Feliciana is doing great!! She is quite the missinonary. She is bringing new people all the time to church or to sit with us. She is so awesome. So on Wednesday we will be visiting her dauther in law that she brought to church.

We are recieving sister missionaries!! They are two sisters that riecieved their mission calls to another country but are waiting on Visas. So it was approved that they serve in their own country for a time. Cool huh! We are also recieving 3 Mocambuiquens this this Coming Monday!!! More missionaries!!

I love you all!! This is the Church of Christ! I know it. I wish the best for you this week!!!

Elder Dredge

May 20, 2014

Well we had another great week in Benfica Angola.

Feliciana (the 78 yaer old) is doing great! She is quite the missionary. She invites everybody she knows to come to our church. All of her kids, grandkids and so forth. She is pretty spry for her age too. She frequently whacks her 40 and 50 year old kids with her cane if they fall asleep, and referes to one of them, Antonio, "my fat child." She makes fun of him all the time becuase of his weight, its pretty dang funny. Oh, and she did invite us over for a genuine Angolan meal of Funge, Kisaca, Kisangwa and an entire chicken, freshly killed that morning. All but the stomach was in the pot of the steeming chicken. When people prepare a chicken here they gut it and then (without taking out any of the bones) Chop it up into pieces and cook it like that. So you are constantly pulling bones and cartalage out of your mouth during the meal. But is was pretty good. It was actually one of the best Angolan meals ive had. Kisaca is just leaves smashed up with oil and vinegar. Kisangwa is a drink. It is made up of different types of flour, sometimes potatoe peels and other things that I dont know, with a tich of sugar, all mixed in with water so you can drink it. Its basically just a stomach filler. Sometimes if its not done right you have to gag on the chunks of flour or corn meal. All in all, great meal!

We have several famillies that are working on their marriage papers. One couple is getting very close. Lemba and Augustinho. They are an older couple that are just buring with testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. They are doing so well and are so close to marriage and to baptism. We are talking within a month!!!!!!

Our other couples Lina and Geraldo also we have Isabel and Danilson are not quite as close but we are working closely with them all to feel the Spirit of the Lord and get married and baptized. The members are also helping out a lot. Members are so critical in missionary work. Elder Bednar said that "Missionaries are full time teachers, you and I [members] are full time finders."

Quick note. Elders Cook and Rush have finally recieved their mission call and wil be getting here Tomorrow morning. I will be serving with Elder Cook here in Benfica!! Im really excited!

Yes, it is true. We had a seventy come to our mission!! Yesterday we had the privelage to have a conference with Presidente and Sister Remlund! It was a once in a lifetime experience. It was an outpouring of the Spirit. I learned so much that was NOT said. Truly the Spirit is the true teacher. We talked a lot about being agents and not being acted upon. Exercising faith with our works and helping our investigators do the same. Because when we act on our faith we are able to call down the promised blessings of the Lord. I am going to be studying Acting on faith in more depth and challenge you to do the same. Its an amazing concept!

Elder Nash started to get sick Sunday night. On Monday he was okay until the end of the conference. He had a rough night. We arent really sure what it is but he is already doing a lot better. We stayed home most of today and just left to come and do internet.

I cant believe its already transfers again!!! Im getting old.. oh well. I love my mission. I love this people. I love Portuguese. I love all of you and wish the best for you all this week!! Keep the FAITH!

Love Elder Dredge

May 12, 2014

Welp, it was great to see all of you on Sunday!! Probably the better skype session I have had. It was a blast.

I told you most of what was going on and so I dont have a lot to say, but I do have a funny story. Last week doing contacting we knocked on a door and they let us in. They proceeded with an onslaught of questions. After successfully answering all of them and teaching a watered down version of the Restoration, Elder Rodrigues turned to one of the girls and asked a question you never ask. (this was right before we were about to leave, and at that exact moment I was sitting down in my chair bending over sliding my BOM back into my bag) "How old are you?" woops... "Ummmm im 17." Elder Rodrugues "WOW! I thought you were like 25 or 26!" "oh... Is that becuase im fat?" (note: she was not fat at all) (and then trying to cover up his tracks) "No, no... its becuse of your face." (remember I was in the process of bending over) Few times in my life has it been so difficult to hold in laughter. But its a good thing my face was toward the ground becuse I probably had some pretty strange expressions going on becuse of the fact that I was exherting all of my strength to hold in the laughter. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldnt hold it all in and let out a few wheezing chuckles, and then had to bite my lip before raising my head. We said a prayer and left. Never to be forgotten.

I know this is the Church of Christ and he is personally leading and guiding each and every one of us personally and through the Profet of God. I wish you all the best week ever. The Book of Mormon is true. Read it always.

I love all of you!!

Elder Dredge

May 5, 2014

Welp we have been walking a LOT. This new area I'm in doesn't have many taxis and so we are left with the Fred Flinstone alternative. But its no big deal, I was working on my figure anyway...

 

I LOVE hearing from all of you back home and the many adventures you are all having. You branded some cattle!! Way to go! Caleb, sorry you got kicked. But if it makes you feel any better the other day we almost got eaten by a ravenous dog. smacking his chops with rabies and everything, don't worry we got away without a scratch.

 

Not much happened worthy of the books this week. It was a very normal week. As in not a lot of excitement. But we are constantly finding more and more people to teach. Feliciana could possibly be baptized this Saturday, but we aren't 100% yet. we will know tomorrow.

 

We have a man named Cordoso that has been trying to get married for a long time, years. Yesterday we taught him and he brought up some very serious doubts about if there was really only one true church. It made me very nervous because we had been trying so hard with this man and others like him wrestling for marriage. By the end of the lesson he was fully ready to accept baptism and left behind all of his doubts. I don't remember half of what was said. But I don know that the Lord had mercy on us, incompetent missionaries, and changed the heart of irmao Cordoso. Tender Mercy of the Lord.

 

There are always miracles, if you look for them you WILL find them.

There is a recent convert named Jose Francisco. I have NEVER seen such faith. He guards a house or property of a general. He was baptized right before I was transferred here. He is poor. He is half blind. He is 55 or 56 years old (which is already more than 10 years above the average life expectancy) He trusts in the Lord more than any other man Ive met. He has no doubt about anything. He cant read and so for his reading he opens up the Book of Mormon and just stares at the pages trying to read at least one word or have the Spirit whisper something to his soul. He is in bad condition. He tells us of the dangers he has in guarding the property and how may times people try to steal things. He used to sleep at the doorstep with a machete in hand. And now he tells us of the Angles that are posted at watch around his house since he was Baptized. He Prays for them to guard him and his life and his wife, and has no fear of anything else. This man has nothing. For the past week all they ate was noodles, without sauce, salt, nothing, just noodles. One meal a day. He has a hard time walking. Jose has nothing, and yet, Jose has EVERYTHING. His faith and literal trust in the Lords promises has helped me to grow and trust even more in the lord. Spiritual and Physical.

I know that this is the Gospel of Christ. I know that He lives!! I am his representative. I pray that I may be worthy to wear his name. But not only me, but every single member of this Church has already taken up themselves the name of Christ. In short, we must always pray and strive to be worthy to bear His name.

 

I love you all, and wish for you a great week!!!

 

Elder Dredge

April 28, 2014

Wow! it sounds like you all had a great week, as did I! I'm glad that you all loved conference. Truth be known I have still not seen the Priesthood session and have no hopes of seeing it. I will just have to wait for the Liahona to come out and read it. But we did get to watch the other sessions on Saturday and Sunday. We had to sit in the back because it was packed (or so we thought). And so for lots of the time we were out of good hearing range. Needless to say I dosed off for a bit. And then halfway through we found out that there was an entire section of chairs that were unoccupied. So we finished on the front row!

Soberas baptism went well, except for the beginning. The service started 1 1/2 hours late. And Sobera was the only one being baptised. We all had to wait for a long time before the baptism could start. But when it finally did start it was one of the most spiritual baptisms I have witnessed! The confirmation took place immediately following the baptism because on Sunday we were watching Conferencia Geral. I loed it and Sobera was beaming!!! He is 26ish years old and completely changed his life. When I say completely, I mean like 100% changed everything he did in the past. As soon as he learned of the commandments he dropped everything. He is a great example to me of the truly converted. He recognized the truth when he saw it.

Im going to tell you a little about Feliciana. She is an investigator that has 78 years. She understands everything very well and can read and speaks two languages. She is actually a very healthy woman accept for her knee. She has a hard time walking. I had taught her twice before IT happened. We had invited her to baptism on the 10th of May and she told us she would think about it. Our next visit was one never to forget. We started off the lesson and Feliciana was more spry and giddy than normal. She was breaking out in random laughing streaks and at one point starts praying incessantly praising and singing to God. Ive seen some strange things, but a 78 year old woman cracking jokes, praising the heavens, and jabbing her elbow in the side of her sleeping friend sitting next to her (almost equally as old) just took the cake. We laughed for a good while after that lesson. We went back only one hour later to see her condition had worsened. She was now lying on the ground on her back, waving her arms in the air yelling inaudible words and praising the heavens. Her daughter told us it would be best it we came back another day, mother was ill. In my mind I was thinking,, Can we just talk to her to see what she does?. But I refrained and we left. We still get a good laugh! She later explained to us that she had accepted the baptismal invite and became so overjoyed that she just lost all control, in short, She snapped. She is fine now. heh, oh Feliciana...

Its nice and hot here in Benfica, But it has been raining lately and last night we watched an array of lightning dancing across the sky. It was pretty far away but it was a spectacular scene! The sky was almost constantly lit up because of the consistency and frequent occurrence of the lightning. It was cool!!

We are doing great! We are trying to do a lot more work with the members. The work needs to hasten and its not just the full time missionaries that are going to pull the load its everybody. MEMBERS ARE KEY. I never realized how important member missionary work is. It is incredibly important. If you ever get the chance to share the gospel, DO IT. Dont wait because, who knows, that person may never cross your path again, and Heavenly Father put them in your path and is counting on you to be an example and share the Pearl of Great price. A quote my Bruce R Mckonkie "Consecration is the only surrender which is also a victory." I know that to be true. The Lord asks that we follow the pattern that he set before us. He asks simply that we Love Him. I love my Savior, I know he lives. I know that as we consecrate all of our time, energy, strength and ultimately our lives, we will be the tools that He uses to help push the "stone cut out of the mountain without hands" through the whole world. I pray for you always. I love you all!

Elder Dredge

ps, dad, did you ever stand on a box in the middle of the town square and preach the gospel? just curious, and if so, how did it go? and do you have any tips?

pps....never mind I forgot...