Monday, April 27, 2015

Quick Note

Sector- Lampa, Santiago
Companero- Elder Gonzalez
Carta- #85

How was your week!? How are you mommy!! haha how's spending time with Bobby and Kelli! Are they weird together?

I've been good, there's a toonnn of people here in Lampa!! They just come up to us and ask us to teach them it's crazyyy!!! We're having a ton of success!! Sounds like dad and Ollie had a sick hike!! They alwayss go on campouts!! I remember when we did that San Jacinto hike it was sweett! We gotta go backpacking me, you, mom, Emily, Bobby and his Kelli ;) hahah that'd be sooo sick. But the woman would just dieee!

Mom, your were on the news! whhhhattt sweeett!! Ill try to watch it!! I hope I can!!!
Hey mom can you ask Chandler or Matt if I can room with them at BYU-I when I get back!? I dont want to be aloinee!!

I LOVE you guys!

Love,
Elder Nate Dirkmaat

Monday, April 20, 2015

Converting People to Christ

Sector- Lampa, Santiago
Companero- Elder Gonzalez
Carta- #84

hahah that was pretty sick to be able to talk to you dad! Mom didn't even answer! hahaha Emily's brother just got engaged also, everyoneessss getting engaged!!! sooo crazzy! hahah How's Ian and Matt doing? I need to room with matt or Ian or chandler in Idaho, you should tell them. That'd be soo sick!

Well this week has been a pretty amazinggg week!! We had a ton of investigators that were progressing this week, and really we're seeing miracles of people who have never accepted baptismal dates before, that are accepting them now. And people who have never gone to church before who are going!! It's amazing, and I know it's not us, but it's the spirit that we bring through the scriptures and our testimonies!! that's the bestt part!!1 I loved what emily felt in the temple. It really makes me feel like I am doing something that is sooo important, and I'm so happy I have so much support. And I really feel like we have found so many people that have been prepared to receive the gospel this week it's been amazing. You just know when they're prepared, because you can feel it. One of the reasons I left on the mission is because I knew that there were people that needed the testimony I have, and I didn't want to stand in front of them on the last day, and say why I didn't go save them. And I know that I've found so many of those people that have needed my testimony, and my help. And I feel sooo grateful to be able to be there for them. And I also know that I will be able to see them when we get to the other side, and there will be great joy to see them there with me. And I know they will thank me and it will be great. 
 
Elder Dallin H. Oaks came and talked to our mission this week ,and It was soooo cool to see him, and to see an apostle up soo close!! I know he's just a man, but I know he's able to see things and hear things we can't. And he gave us some amazing tips and instruccions. He basically talked about how we should be missionaries that give it our all. And that don't serve with part of them but with everything. And also that we need to not convert people to the church, but to Christ. Because a lot people come converted to the church because of friendships and other things the church can give, but if they are not converted to Christ one day they will stop going. And our job is to bring people unto Christ. Not to increes the membership of the church. He also talked about the sacrament, and how much it means. How we need to teach that really well. It was sooo cool, and you really can feel a special spirit when an apostol is there. 

A seventy also spoke at the conference we had, and it was really cool what he said. He said we should do everything always looking forward to the sealing room. We should teach our investigators so that they can get there, and we should prepare ourselves to get there. Because that is the most important room in the temple he said. That was pretty amazing, and I feel like its soo true, that it really SUCKS that other people can't be with their families for eternity because they don't have this message. So that's why I want to preach it soooo much. So that they can be together for eternity. You guys should also preach it always. I feel like when I get home, I'm gonna call the missionaries, and together were gonna go knock on Trevor Flahive's door, and we're gonna teach him, and h'es gonna get baptized. I've thought about that sooo much ahah And its gonna happen!!!!! Im so excited!! hahah
I hope that you guys have another good week!!! I'll be here working my butt off!!! Just for another 4 months :) Then I'll just be a beach bum shredding the gnar.

I love you guys!!!

Love,
Elder Nate Dirkmaat

Monday, April 13, 2015

I've Learned How to Be A Missionary

Sector- Lampa, Santiago
Companero- Elder Gonzalez
Carta- #83

 Me and my companion!!! Elder Gonzalez

Judith!!! She's the best. She always gives us food, and just super cool! She's slowly coming back to being active in church.and her son's going to be baptized!!!

Mommmyyyyy that sounds amaazzinggg a beach bonfireee seriously!!! We're gonna have to have one when I get home :) haha mommy only 4 more months and you'll be seeing my beautiful face again!!!! Are you sooo happy!!!? hahaha

Yeah, it was super sick to hang out with Wes!  Actually we hang out every single p-day hahah it's soooo weird how we're able to serve the mission together!! haha I hope he can be my companion that'd be super sick. 
 
But right now things here in Lampa are realllyyyy good!! We're super excited to be here. It's my companions last transfer, but he is such a hard worker, and he's an example to me of how I should be at the end of my mission. He's serously so spiritual, and I learn a lot from him. I love Lampa and we're excited to see a lot of people that are progressing towards their baptism. 

I've been learning sooo much and now at the end of my mission I feel like I've really learned how to be a missionary. and it sucks because I'm ending now, but I guess the point of the mission and the real success that you have in the mission, is how you have changed as a person. And how you have been able to become converted to the gospel. I feel like I've been able to strengthen my testimony, and I know that I've not only been able to have faith in the blessings of the gospel, but that I've been able to SEE with my own eyes miracles, and blessings for my service. IT's something sooo amazing. And I'm sooo glad that I've been able to be on the mission and that I have 4 more months of preaching the gospel and becoming a better husband and father for the future :) 

You guys are the sickest. I prob have the sickest family ever. you guys really know whats up and I love how you support me in everything. It helps so much. I love how you guys as a couple can love each other so much because it's an example to me. and you guys have really made me into who I am. So you guys are pretty sick. haha

I love you guys!!!

Love,
Elder Nate Dirkmaat

Monday, April 6, 2015

Baptism in Lampa!

Sector- Lampa, Santiago
Companero- Elder Gonzalez
Carta- #82

My sectooorrr!

The girl in the middle got baptized. She was too embarassed to take a picture with the baptimal clothes on hahaha!  Her name is Alexandra.

Me and my COUSIN watching the sunrise on the hill last p dayyy. SICKK

Wellll this week was a greaatttt week!! Conference was pretty sweet!! Especially when Uchtdorf got up and started talking in German hahaha that was sooo funny. He's such a boss!! haha but this week was also great because of the GREAT baptism that we had. It was amazing, and the spirit was felt soooo strongly in the baptism. Alexandra has grown up with her family that's been members almost her whole life. She was never really interested in the church and she never really went that much except for when she was a kid in the primary. All she needed was the little push from her baptism. Before her baptism she was sooo nervous. But after she was baptized there was a musical number from the young woman and she just started crying and then her mom bore her testimony and she just started cryinggg. Because it was such a simple testimony but the spirit was so strong. But the coolest part was that afterwards, she told her mom that she wants to go on the mission and that she never wants to leave the church because she felt sooo good. Thats sooo amazing that she was able to feel the spirit soooo strongly and that she was able to have that desire to go on the mission!! So amazing to know that she's growing spiritually and that we could be instruments in Gods hands to help her to do that. We're helping her parents get married so that they can be sealed in the temple. 

Conference was amazing and I was able to recieve so many answers and feel the spirit sooo much. They focused a LOT on the family and having good relationships as a family. Because that is what Satan is attacking most in society today. And I know that if we have a strong family we have the potential to be SO happy. Thats why its so important to me my family!! To be sealed to them and to be happy. Because the family is the mosttt important!!!

Ollie's Email was sooo cool!! hahah he's such a shredder!! and it looks like he loooovvess middle school!!! That's sweeettt!

I hope you guys liked the pics!! They took forever to put up!!!

I LOVE you Guys!

Love,
Elder Nate Dirkmaat