hey mom and dad,
so this has been a crazy week. not much happening with the work so i figured i would make this email more of a lesson i learned this week. so to give a little bit of backstory to this. our neighbour has a really big bird cage that sits outside on the back porch with a bunch of finches. as we were leaving the flat we saw a hawk attacking the cage. it brought to both my companion and my own mind the doctrine of safety in the gospel. Sometimes we see the commandments as a cage that holds us back from seeing the world. I imagine the finch could be thinking “what the heck i see this wonderful rainforest just outside the cage but i am trapped in here”. sometimes i think we all fall guilty of that. we see the commadments as things we must do and suffer through so that we can be happy later. As the hawk attacked the cage o get the birds for a snack al of the sudden the cage became a blessing. Still though some of the birds panicked when the hawk attacked the cage while others didn’t. the question came to mind, “how much do i trust the cage”. how firmly are we built on the rock so that “when the devil sends forth his winds” or hawks we cant be moved. i wager to think that the finches that panicked didnt trust the cage, or even worse knew that there was holes and weaknesses in it. we continue to fix and fortify the cage through the small and simple things. “Keep the commandments; keep the commandments! In this there is safety; in this there is peace. He will send blessings; He will send blessings. Words of a prophet: Keep the commandments. In this there is safety and peace.”
love
Elder Dickson
Krista- That is a great lesson. I like how you took something that you saw in your life and applied it.
Benny says hi! We were all looking at your room and everyone was teasing Benny because I got all this stuff ready for you and everyone says Benny is like the poor tenant living in the corner.
This is Isabelle
Benny no longer has a room. Your mom has been referring to it as Tommy’s room. All of his decorations have been removed and set on a minuscule bed in the corner. You have displaced him!
T-haha woo hoo
K-Back to mom now… I was assuming you wouldn’t think I was calling you an evil cockroach. . We are chilling in Waterton today…. not doing too much . It is quite enjoyable. What else do we need to do to prepare for you?
T-nothing i think
what do you want me to bring hme clothes wise?
K-Whatever you want. You’re going to need to go shopping anyway. Only bring stuff that you still want to keep. I assume you have some things that are pretty worn out. If you are not bringing your ties, take some pictures. It would be cool to give some of your favorites to special people and then take a picture with them. I’m sure that all of your white shirts are pretty wrecked and sweaty…😜 I trust you to decide. Do you think you have anything you need to ship?
Bronwyn asks…. ready to come home yet?
T-no i dont think i will need to ship anything, should have plenty of room
K-Any activities going on in the Darwin Branch before you go?
T-no thats all of them. had a pretty cool experience though. the first councilor in the branch pres. came up and told me that i am one of the best missionaries he has ever had
K-That is awesome! I’m sure you are going to miss that branch. You will have to make sure on your last Sunday that you visit with and thank the people you have grown close to. I would assume the 19th might be your last Sunday as you will probably be going down to Adelaide that week.
T-yeah i fly down to adelaide on the 20th
K-Wow I didn’t know you had the date. That is a long time to be in Adelaide? Will you just stay with a companionship there? Do you fly home with Elder Ivory?
T-no so elder ivory and ward went home early for school – so ill be on my own -not sure what i will be doing in adelaide
K-Oh that’s interesting. Does school start that much earlier in the States? Maybe I should have lied and said school started earlier here to get you home earlier😜. I suppose not the best plan. – Well I know that the Parkers had leaving missionaries do a temple session and a meal. Not sure if the new mission president will be the same???? So with Elder Ivory and Ward gone, are there others who leave at the same time as you?
T-elder kuru leaves 3 weeks after me
K-Well I guess you will get all of the attention!!!! Just as it should be. We are getting so excited for you! You will love the YSA scene and University
T-
yeah
K-Thanks for putting the pictures on the Google drive. Are they from the Clydes?
You have been an excellent missionary . You have worked so hard and influenced so many people. You should be very proud
Brent -I just got to Jakes house. He of course has pulled all his books etc into the main room. He seemed interested in me for a minute but now is more interested in TV. He is enjoying some quality antique roadshow on PBS
T-haha
K-I’m going to hand over to dad now I need to go… love you heaps
Mom
B-I see your team Canada rugby shirt is still around. Will that coming home with you? I wonder what Waterton issues are pulling Mom away. Falls theatre or Big Scoop. 🙂
T-yeah its coming
B-Drew got one for Grad. He will be representing somewhere in the world.
T-awesome!
B-Uncle Dave has a shaved ice machine he brought to Waterton. So we were enjoying various flavours of snow cones. I liked Pina Colada. It will probably be kind of weird being back in Adelaide after being away so long.
T-yeah i gotta go love ya heaps
B-Have an excellent week. Love you
Elder Tommy Dickson 