Hola Familia!

Thank you for all your letters, packages, prayers, and support. It means a lot to me! I still love the MTC and can't believe that I have been here for 2 weeks! The food is getting better and the Espanol is coming along slowly. I still am not getting as fast as I would or as fast as others, but I am getting. I am going to be getting tutored to help with grammar.

Saturday Hermana Smith and I taught two lessons. One was in the TRC, training resource center. Our task was to contact and meet 3 people and teach the last person. The contacting was in Espanol. We did really well with that. The first person went well, the 2nd was another story. As we were talking to him we started laughing because we couldn't think. He laughed right along with us and told us that we were doing great. The 3rd person, most important was the one we ended up teaching. We taught our lesson on the Restoration and did really well. Our teacher was really impressed with how we did. He told us that was the best first TRC he has ever seen. It made us feel good.

Saturday night we taught our other teacher, Hermano Zivic, who was pretending to be a progressing investigator. This lesson was in Spanglish and went pretty well. I felt the spirit there, especially towards the end. Hermana Smith and I sang i am a Child of God to him. Afterwards he wouldn't give us feedback. All he said was muy bien (good job), he was really impressed as well.

Another teaching experience we had was on Monday. Our class and another district split up and we ended teaching in only Espanol. I was scared out of my mind. Satan was definetly trying to not let me teach. I had no idea how I was going to teach the first lesson in only spanish. Somehow I managed to do it. I am so grateful I have the gift of tongues with me and the spirit. The companion I was with was very impressed with the power in my teaching as well as one of the people we were teaching. I am grateful for tender mercies like this! THis experience gave me a good idea of what I am doing well on and what I need to improve on.

This last week, and since I have been here I have run into a few people I know:
1. Kekoa Riggins from Arlington- he is waiting for his visa after 4 months.. poor guy. I hope it comes soon!
2. My old roommates sister, Shannon
3. Stephanie Whittaker- she was in my ward in Salt Lake. She is waiting for her visa but going to a CA mission in the meantime.
4. Uncle Phil
5. Elder Glass- i met him and found out he is in Aunt Georgia's ward
It was so fun to see them.

When I first got here they closed down Sunday temple walks because of trash being left on the grounds. Good news.. it is open :) Sunday we went on our first temple walk. It was beautiful. Today I went to the temple. The grounds are gorgeous and the inside is pretty... outside is pretty, just not one of my favorites.

Tuesday night we has devotional again. This time Elder Ballard came and spoke. His talk was based on becoming a master teacher, asking good questions, Keeping your message simple, Smile, and the person you are talking to should have a good feeling the second they hear your message/ meet them.

Half my zone left this week for their missions and we didn't get a new zone this week. Our branch is going to consist of 3 districts now i believe. I love my district to death and my zone as well. We all get along great and are all so willing to help each other learn and grow. A sister in my zone and I have the same outfit, and we wore it on the same day, it was pretty funny. Then we ended up being companions for the Spanish lesson i told you about earlier. I have amazing teachers and have a good district which helps makes class fun and enjoyable. In my zone there ar 8 sisters, district 4. In my residence hall there are 5 of us.

I want to challenge all of you to memorize the 1st vision! It is so powerful and has more power to it when it is memorized. If i can do it in Spanish and English, you can do it in English. :)

I know that our Heavenly Father lives and loves us. I know that we are His children. I know that families are a central part to God's plan for us. I am so grateful for all of you and the love that we have for each other and for the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that Jesucristo loves us enough that He died for us. I know he knows our pains and everything that we go through. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that he was given the power and authority from God to restore the gospel on earth today. I know that he translated the Book of Mormon (el libro de Mormon) for us to read and to learn from daily. I know that the scriptures are the words of God and that we have a living prophet today, Thomas S. Monson. I am grateful for this gospel and for the joy it brings to my life. I hope and pray that each of you will strive to be a better person and pick one thing to work on this week. I love you and am so grateful for you all.

Until next week! Keep writing. I will do my best to answer! Thanks for everything again!

Love,
Hermana Dickson